Political activist Bruce Fealk hopes that the current situation of Rep. Joe Knollenberg's Chief of Staff, Trent Wisecup, taking leave from his position to address a bi-polar disorder "can be seen in a very sympathetic light by everyone in our community. Like any medical condition, your hope is for full recovery and that the financial burden of this sudden situation will be relieved."
"I offer my thoughts of support to Trent Wisecup and his family" said Fealk upon learning that Wisecup had recently been diagnosed and is being treated for bi-polar disorder. "I want to commend Congressman Knollenberg for keeping the door open for Wisecup to return to work in the Congressman's office."
Fealk is hoping the situation of Rep. Knollenberg having a health crisis strike so close to him will help him change his mind on health care coverage in this country.
"While Wisecup will receive full pay (almost $160,000 per year) and have his treatment paid for, many average, hard working Americans would not be so lucky if the same thing happened to them," says Fealk. "This situation for others could have left them with huge medical bills for their treatment, perhaps even sending them into bankruptcy. Even those lucky enough to have medical coverage, may not be covered for mental disorders, like bi-polar disease, and would then be denied the mental health care that should be sought along with the medication."
"The majority of voters in America want universal health care. We call on Rep. Joe Knollenberg to not only change his vote on SCHIP, but to join those in Congress calling for universal coverage for all Americans, and with mental health parity. Why should members of Congress and their staffs get Cadillac coverage while 47 million Americans have no health or mental health coverage at all?"
"Congressmen and women should not be seen as better than any other American." said Bruce Fealk, the videographer in the incident in downtown Rochester, in which Wisecup spewed venomous comments into Fealk's camera, calling him an un-American, Toyota lover.
"Name one person you know that doesn't deserve medical and mental health care when needed without the worry of asking how to pay for the treatment. Did you think of one yet?" "I wonder if Congressman Knollenberg thinks of Wisecup's health care coverage as socialized medicine, as he stated in a recent guest opinion in The Oakland Press?" Fealk commented
