Dem Senators Bailing on Obamacare

[kbot]

Oh snap!!!!!!!

I heard this on the radio yesterday and wasn't sure if I heard this correctly. Democratic senators, including ex-Obama WH Czar Sen Elizabth Warren are voting AGAINST certain provisions of Obamacare.

Despite Obam's love of imposing his will, (uh, taxes) on this country, various senators are beginning to feel the heat from their home states and they aren't thrilled with the prospect of being tossed come election time.

While this measure will most likely fail, it will be interesting as Obama's second reign begins. may not be the smooth sailing he envisioned.....

What WILL be interesting is what the reaction by medical device manufacturers will be. Do they the close-up shop in states such as Minnesota and Massachusetts and move across the US/ Mexico border as other medical suppliers have done? Or do they stay put and simply pass the cost of the new taxes along to the patient as most other businesses do when wacked by a new tax? Either way, this will only ADD to the cost of healthcare because there will now be increased costs associated with either transportation, or for the nww taxes.

Why Democrats voted to defund part of ObamaCare

The measure stands almost no chance of becoming law. But still...
By Jon Terbush | March 22, 2013


The "repeal ObamaCare" movement may be near death, but smaller attacks on the law are hardly over.
On Thursday, the Senate passed an amendment to a pending budget bill that would repeal one of the Affordable Care Act's taxes (in this case, on medical devices). But unlike past efforts to undo the law, this one had the broad blessing of Democratic lawmakers.

The tax, a 2.3 percent levy that was projected to raise $30 billion over 10 years to fund aspects of the ACA, was deeply unpopular with lawmakers from both parties, particularly those from states where medical device companies are based. For instance, Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar (D) said her state was home to 400 medical device companies that would be harmed by the tax.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the repeal measure by a 79-20 vote, with senators as varied as Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) endorsing it. All told, 34 Democrats joined Republicans in voting for repeal.

Originally, the tax was not supposed to be so controversial. Here's the American Prospect's Jamelle Bouie, writing in the Washington Post:

By rooting health care reform within the private sector, the Affordable Care Act is something of a huge subsidy to hospitals, health insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, and device manufacturers.

In expanding health coverage to 27 million more Americans, ObamaCare will generate new demand for medical services, and increase revenue for most stakeholders, including device manufacturers. The excise tax is meant to capture some of that value, and direct it to new services. [Washington Post]
And to be clear, Democrats didn't actually defund ObamaCare. The repeal vote was merely symbolic. The Senate passed an amendment to a non-binding budget approved earlier this week by House Republicans, but that budget has virtually no chance of passing the Democratic-led Senate.

Though the tax repeal apparently has enough support to pass as a standalone measure, that route seems doubtful. As Politico's Jennifer Haberkorn points out, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who has final say on what comes up for votes, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mt.), whose committee wrote the tax, both voted against repeal.
Still, the vote gave Democrats like Klobuchar the ability to tell constituents they voted against an unpopular ObamaCare tax. More than that, it also showed that while Democrats generally support the law as a whole, they're willing to rebuff the White House on the law's finer points. From the Washington Times' Tom Howell Jr.:

As part of debate over the spending blueprint, the vote does not have the force of law. However, it showed that economic forces in Democrats’ home states hold enough sway for senators to turn against specific provisions within the Affordable Care Act. [Washington Times]

http://theweek.com/article/index/241793 ... -obamacare

[Cherry Kelly]

YES I had heard they were planning to get rid of that tax and they should. It not only affects medical doctors, it affects veterinarians and ordinary people. BANDAIDS -- yes the little bandaids so many families go through every year - and even schools - for scraped knees and elbows- were going to also be taxed! Ace wraps also and plastic gloves - even those used in the home or hotels/motels cleaning.

We the people should make ourselves be heard! Email, write - post on every blog out there -- APPEAL!! and don't just stop at the tax on medical items - but the entire thing. (well I do think those with pre-existing conditions should be covered - so okay create something for that area - but allow people to be insured across states - will make these insurance companies more competitive!)

[Diogenes]

Kbot,

If this is not a reason to vote out all of these idiots who voted for this bill, then I don't know what is.

Does anyone think if these people had done their jobs in the first place and actually read the bill prior to voting for it - perhaps then we would not need to be going thru this again.

You see now that this debacle of a healthcare fix is close to reality NOW the facts are coming out to the voters and so of course and yes they are now up in arms - such hypocrites and phonies - they want to be re-elected and stay on the money train.

Our friend Elizabeth Warren at the head of the class.

[kbot]

In a way I blame the leaders of Congress from "preventing" those in the rank and file from reviewing the bill. That being said, these people are being voted-in by the voters from their respective states and they owe it to their constituents to at a minimum pay attention. It's not they're doing a lot anyway. Every time you turn around they're in recess again. I'm hoping that voters will turn out in droves and let their reps and senators know what they think that also how this will affect them. Not only will their taxes go up, but so will the cost of virtually everything because we all know this, costs borne by companies will just be passed on down the line

[Diogenes]

Can you imagine co-opting a business plan based upon this methodology of doing business in the private sector?

Why don't you try going to the hospital tomorrow and pay no attention to patient's orders, etc. and just sort of wing it - see how far you get.

There appears to be a huge disconnect between what the voters get and then the voters holding those who get it for us.

Not said well but I know you get it for sure.

[kbot]

Can you imagine co-opting a business plan based upon this methodology of doing business in the private sector?

Why don't you try going to the hospital tomorrow and pay no attention to patient's orders, etc. and just sort of wing it - see how far you get.

There appears to be a huge disconnect between what the voters get and then the voters holding those who get it for us.

Not said well but I know you get it for sure.

Oh, I absolutely get it. The penalties would range from immediate job loss/ termination to imprisonment and/ or fines. Why these laws don't apply to politicians baffle me. And, honestly, I'm sick of the "We won't be able to attract the best and the brightest.......", because if this Congress and this executive are the "best and the brightest", we're screwed.. What we have are the pampered and inept.

[Cherry Kelly]

Heard something about GOP secretly working to get rid of Obamacare - since it is now called a TAX!

hmmm need to find the article on that one! Would be quite the coup!

[kbot]

Plus the GOP is working on this at the state level, since Obamacare relies heavily on state support. Since many states are controlled by GOP legislatures, or have GOP governors with string anti-Obamacare sentiment, many states are putting up roadblocks saying that this is Obama;'s plan, he needs to find a way to pay for it all, and not shift the costs onto the states.

[Diogenes]

Kbot,

I like that "the pampered and the inept".

Succinct and accurate for sure.

[kbot]

Just calling them as I see them.......

The sad thing is, overwhelmingly, people agree with me. The government's popularity rating is at all-time lows.

[Diogenes]

Just calling them as I see them.......

The sad thing is, overwhelmingly, people agree with me. The government's popularity rating is at all-time lows.

Yes so who are these folks enamored and fighting to the death for their teams.

Too much white wine or not enough?

[kbot]

Yes so who are these folks enamored and fighting to the death for their teams.

Too much white wine or not enough?

\

And yet, people still vote these people back into office every election cycle.

[Cherry Kelly]

kbot -- with all the reports on voter fraud - I really wonder if they are "legally" voted back in.....

[kbot]

Does it really matter CK? If people protest, the military will be called out to deal with the revolt anyway......

[Cherry Kelly]

Seems 79 Senators have voted to repeal the 2.3% tax on surgery supplies -- and of course overwhelming vote in Congress as well. More than 60 required to override a Veto that Obama has threatened.