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| Home Front: Politix |
| Health plan adds billions in fees, taxes |
| 2009-11-09 |
| President Obama says his health-care overhaul -- which squeaked through the House last night -- won't hurt a bit, but taxpayers are going to feel it in their wallet. The $1.2 trillion plan, which passed by a razor-thin 220 to 215, imposes new tax surcharges on Americans who fail to buy insurance as well as businesses that don't provide coverage to their employees. One Republican joined 219 Democrats in voting for the measure in the super-tight vote -- just barely more than the 218 members required to pass it. The legislation, which features a government-run insurance option for people who don't get insurance through work, expands coverage to almost all people under the age of 65 and bans insurance companies from dropping customers because of a pre-existing condition. Democrats cleared a major hurdle to passing the legislation Friday night when they conceded to the demands of pro-choice members to add a provision to the bill banning federal funding for abortions. Obama, who has made the bill one of the centerpieces of his presidency, lauded the landmark achievement, which has eluded Democratic administrations since Harry Truman. "In an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people," he said in a statement. But before the bill can become law, the Senate has to pass its version and the full Congress has to vote on a compromise. The House chamber looked more like a college basketball arena than government building around 11 p.m., with Democrats exploding into a raucous cheer when they reached the 218 yea votes needed for passage. They then counted down the final 10 seconds of voting in unison like it was New Year's Eve. But the Republicans had their fun as well -- waving a mocking goodbye to their counterparts and chanting "Na na na, hey hey, goodbye" -- suggesting the legislation would lead to electoral defeat. Earlier, the House defeated the GOP's health-reform proposal along mostly party lines. While 39 Democrats broke party ranks to oppose their party's bill, they managed to snag the last-minute support of Rep. Joseph Cao from Louisiana -- the sole Republican to back the legislation. Three New York Dems opposed the bill -- Michael McMahon of Staten Island, Eric Massa, whose district includes Rochester, and Scott Murphy, who represents Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's former seat in the Hudson Valley region. A jubilant Speaker Nancy Pelosi compared the legislation to other historic Democratic programs from the past like Social Security and Medicare. "What a night," she said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #8 This obscenity of governmental over-reach beyond the bounds of our Constitition MUST be stopped. This will truly destroy our nation, and I fear for our Union if something like this passes. |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2009-11-09 17:27 |
| #7 How do you feel now the government has nationalised your body? |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-11-09 13:44 |
| #6 If I understand correctly, the Federal government cannot be sued without its consent. If so, then the Democrat trial lawyer allies would probably prefer the Pelosi plan which forces insurance companies to be the fall guys for the results of de facto rationing over a true single payer system. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-11-09 12:10 |
| #5 500 billion in new taxes aimed at individuals and small businesses. Say goodbye to jobs, this bill kills small businesses and entrepreneurs. The jobs will go to India and overseas or else off the books to illegals. You like your insurance now? Say goodbye to it. Preexisting conditions are no longer exclude, so insurance companies will go belly up or else jack rates way up. And if you cannot afford it you will be forced onto the government plan. As for what's left of private insurance, it must meet Pelosi's arbitrary and broad standards or else its not allowed to be bought or sold. Want to opt out? You cannot. You pay a tariff collected by the IRS, and might even become a felon pay a 250000 fine go to jail for up to 5 years. Like your doctor? Say goodbye to him or her, especially if he is pro-life. The government will force them to provide services against their conscience and many will simply quit practicing medicine. More than 600 Catholic Hospitals that serve the poorest citizens will be forced to close due to their refusal to provide abortion, sterilization and birth control services. Like being able to choose your treatment? Say bye to that as the Medical Effectiveness Boards, AKA Death Panels, will rule on who gets which treatments. And unlike an insurance company, you will not be able to sue them nor will you be able to avoid them, their word will be law. Like the high tech medical devices that make life possible even with illness or disability? Say goodbye to them as 40 billion in new taxes and tons of new regulations strangle research in its cradle, and price the devices out of affordability. Glad you can take a pill and treat so many different conditions? Say goodbye to that too, because pharmaceutical R&D is going to be crippled by higher taxes and increased regulations as well as confiscatory laws that steal from the inventors and give to the government. There are over 111 new government bureaucracies added to the already bloated HHS will control health insurance, health care and the IRS becomes the enforcement arm. THey will eat away at the money in the system, instead of it going to patient care. Does your state have limits on pain and suffering awards in medical malpractice? Say goodbye to those too. Pelosi wrote the abolishing of limits on awards into the laws for her masters in the Injury Lawyers lobby. This is a disaster. America has gone stupid. |
| Posted by: Large Ebbaiting1188 2009-11-09 11:22 |
| #4 Even better than the train wreck graphic: http://thereifixedit.com/2009/10/08/this-ladder-seems-perfectly-omg/ |
| Posted by: mom 2009-11-09 10:05 |
| #3 BTW, I think the train wreck picture might be appropriate for this thread. |
| Posted by: NCMike 2009-11-09 10:02 |
| #2 How they can't see this will strangle job recovery baffles me. Oh...right, they can see and don't care because this is about control over the great unwashed. |
| Posted by: NCMike 2009-11-09 10:00 |
| #1 This is evil. EVIL. |
| Posted by: newc 2009-11-09 04:38 |