Bean couldn't have read bill before vote

Shortly before casting her "yes" vote on health care reform, Congresswoman Melissa Bean stated she "wants to read the bill thoroughly before commenting."

Since the bill was approximately 2,000 pages, she didn't have time. Does this explain why she cast a vote violating the health reform principles she listed on own her Web site? Or why her vote flew in the face of her experience as a small businesswoman?

Even without reading the bill, Bean might have known the economic and public policy analyses demonstrating it will not achieve its goals and will almost certainly go against them. And she might have responded to the groundswell of public opinion against passage arising in the district just before the vote.

Clearly, reading or not reading the bill was irrelevant. Bean's claimed uncertainty was merely cover for following the only influence that ever mattered: The marching orders of Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Dr. David McNeil

Barrington