Freshman GOPer Whines Over Delay in His Taxpayer-Paid Health Care

On the campaign trail, Republican Congressman Andy Harris (Md.) promised to repeal health care reform and slammed the very idea of a public option as "socialism."

So what was the first thing Harris did when he got to Capitol Hill?

Why, he complained that his government-subsidized health care wouldn't kick in for 28 days. At an orientation for new members of Congress, Harris whined about not having coverage for that period and asked "why it had to take so long."

Funny, Harris apparently isn't bothered by the fact that 59 million Americans went without health insurance for all or part of 2010.

He even asked whether he could purchase insurance from the government to cover the gap, you know, like you might be able to with a "public option."

A number of Democratic House members are calling on Harris and other Republicans who say they want to repeal health care reform to give up their taxpayer-subsidized insurance. Representatives Joe Crowley (N.Y.), Donna Edwards (Md.), Tim Ryan (Oh.) and Linda Sanchez (Cal.), among others, wrote to the House and Senate Republican leaders: “If your conference wants to deny millions of Americans affordable health care, your members should walk that walk. You cannot enroll in the very kind of coverage that you want for yourselves, and then turn around and deny it to Americans who don't happen to be members of Congress.