To the editor:

On June 6 and 7 the state House and Senate rammed through and passed Senate Bill 897, the “Throw People off of Their Health Care” bill mostly on a party line vote, possibly affecting over 650,000 people on the Healthy Michigan Plan.

Only one Republican voted no. The passage of this bill shows that Republicans in Lansing are an evil, mean-spirited political party. Sen. Tom Casperson is among them.

The bill initially required 29 hours of work or going to school combination per week, volunteering, community service or being in drug treatment. The 29 hours per week was reduced to 80 hours per month. I don’t believe there is any support for child care, transportation or the cost of schooling, etc. in the bill.

The Department of Human Services is understaffed. Who will handle all of the additional paperwork and reporting? Will they hire more workers? Will child abuse and neglect cases go under-investigated? These are all possible consequences of a rammed-through bill.

The Democrats tried to offer many amendments to the bill with most being voted down. I’ll list three examples to show the hypocrisy of the Republicans.

The Republicans claim to be patriotic and drape themselves in the flag. They’re constantly yelling “support the veterans.”

1. Democrats offered an amendment to exempt veterans from the work requirements, which was voted down.

2. Another amendment offered to do research and a cost/benefit analysis to see if this bill actually saves money was voted down. The savings, if any are realized, would most likely be transformed into more corporate welfare anyway.

3. The most hypocritical is the amendment to require legislators to work 29 hours per week when in session was voted down. Most people on Healthy Michigan work and/or pay taxes. Their taxes go to support hypocritical Republicans and their $82,000 yearly salary and cadillac health care plans. This while trying to force people in their 50s and 60s to work. Many have spent 35 to 45 years in the work force already. They have physical disabilities related to their previous labor, but are not 100 percent disabled to be exempt.

This is yet another bill passed by Republicans that continues to erode the quality of life for Michiganders. It’s time for change in November. Vote the Republicans out.