New Health Care Demands for Baucus and Reid
EmailFirst, this letter for Baucus from Grassley and Hatch. They want both the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Tax Committee to be available to Senate Finance for questions before a final vote: "The American public has understandably become cynical with regards to Congress passing thousand-page bills with price tags in the hundreds of billions of dollars prior to examining the legislative documents. Providing Members the opportunity to ask questions of Director Elmendorf and Mr. Barthold before the committee votes would be in keeping with the tradition of transparency in the Finance Committee. It is also in keeping with your commitment, which we appreciate, that, “in good faith there will be time to look at the score,” and that we will have the opportunity as a committee to respond to issues raised by CBO and JCT before the vote. Moreover, it would send a signal to the American public that we take our duty seriously to understand how legislation will affect their lives prior to voting on reporting any legislation out of Committee.”Also, my Capitol Hill colleague ABC’s Z. Byron Wolf has new demands for Harry Reid from members of his Caucus… Conservative Democrats, whose votes are essential to passing a health reform package, demanded more transparency from Democratic leaders today. Eight Democrats signed a letter calling on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to post a CBO score and full legislative text of any health reform bill for a full 72 hours before a cloture vote on whether to proceed to the bill. That motion takes 60 votes, so these eight Democrats are able to make this demand. They also want a CBO report and updated legislative text after any amendments on the Senate floor to be online for 72 hours. Finally, they demand that any conference reporter that reconciles differences between a House and Senate version of health reform to be posted for 72 hours. “By publically posting the legislation and its CBO scores 72 hours before it is brought to a vote in the Senate and by publishing the text of amendments before they are debated, our constituents will have the opportunity to evaluate these policies and communicate their concerns or their message of support to their Members of Congress,” write the conservative Democrats. “As their democratically-elected representatives in Washington, D.C., it is our duty to listen to their concerns and to provide them with the chance to respond to proposals that will impact their lives.” That’s 216 hours – 9 days – that the conservative Democrats want set aside for legislative meditation. “At a time when trust in Congress and the U.S. government is unprecedentedly low, we can begin to rebuild the American people’s faith in their federal government through transparency and by actively inviting Americans to participate in the legislative process,” the Senators wrote.’ The Senate Finance Committee is expected to pass its version of health reform, written largely by Sen. Max Baucus after months of meetings with a bipartisan “gang of six”. A vote on that bill in committee has been delayed because CBO has been overloaded trying to come up with a final price tag for the bill. So the nine days demanded by the moderates today could extend even more. One major cause for concern among moderates and Republicans is the Finance Committee’s bill will be entirely rewritten by Senate Majority Harry Reid as he melds it with a more liberal version passed this summer by the Senate HELP Committee. That writing process, which includes moderates in the Senate, at least one Republican in Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-ME, and the White House, has already begun. Technically, the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid does not need legislative text to file cloture, so this demand will have some teeth. At the same time, a cloture vote can only occur two legislative days after the motion is filed. So they’re basically calling for an additional 12 hours. The call for legislative text being posted for three days originally came from Republicans. Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee repelled attempts by Republicans last month to mandate that any health reform legislation be posted online for 72 hours before the Committee vote. Democrats argued at the time that it was more effective to vote on a bill with “conceptual” rather than legislative language.
Here’s the letter was signed by Democrats Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jim Webb of Virginia, and Indy Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. To read the letter, click HERE.
Gulf of Mexico to Become Gulf of America? 
Can Mitt Romney Win Conservatives Back?
WHY? Why do we need a 1000 page bill?
Posted by: deanbob | October 6, 2009, 5:19 pm 5:19 pm
i think its a great idea. who in their right mind would buy something for a trillion dollars without knowing what are the costs or legal ramifications? but no, somehow the elites know better for all us.
Posted by: catman | October 6, 2009, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
They demand?
Wha?
They act like they won the election….
Posted by: Jules | October 6, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
Jules –”They demand?
Wha?
They act like they won the election….”
__________________________
And you act like the majority gets to do what they want regardless of the peoples wishes.. Winning the majority in an election does not make you soviern over the people. What you have here is representatives – “true” representatives both Democrat and republican demanding that they be allowed to read and study the bill so they can do what is in the best interest of the people who elected them… BRAVO !! IF ONLY Reid, Dodd, and Pelosci understood that basic concept of American politics.. we would all be better off…
Posted by: arkie vet | October 6, 2009, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm
jules …they did win the election. the demand is from democratts as well.
Posted by: catman | October 6, 2009, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm
This whole thing is pointless. I dont feel like seeing a group of dumb Americans(like the summer townhall meeting, death panels, keep my hands out of my medicad) distorting a bill that is suppose to help some Americans. I think this is to slow the process down. These blue dog democrats have the healthcare industry lining their pockets and it is getting old. The reason why congress rating are low because they are not passing bills grow and move America forward. Instead, they are fighting…Republicans are just not doing anything…they need to ALL BE FIRED. Democrats need to act like adults and get it done!
Posted by: citizen | October 6, 2009, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm
The democrats don’t want the republicans advice on the health care bill. They veto every amendment offered even if they make perfect sense just because they were offered by a republican. This is grade school and will cost the democrats dearly in the next election.
Posted by: Jeff | October 6, 2009, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
The current funding source for universal healthcare will destroy small business and the economy. Why can’t our politicians see what is so plain. The House bill FORCES owners to pay premiums with money they may not have. This is not an exaggeration from some rich guy. Rather from some guy who has busted his butt trying to build a small business and pay of boat loads of loans. Thousands of small businesses like mine are lucky to make approximately 5%-8% of sales. I calculated the costs that will be imposed on me under the House bill and it will put me in the red by approximately $125,000-$160,000 per year. You guessed it–I will be out of business and bankrupt in short order. Thousands of business owners are in this same position.
I heard Robert Reich state in a debate on CNBC that “small businesses will simply pass their costs on to their customers.” What an outrageous statement. Has he never heard of pricing power (or lack thereof in a recession)? Am I to pass these costs on to people that are unemployed or afraid of losing their jobs. Are you all ready to pay 20% more for a haircut for Obama care?
Obviously none of the people pushing this bill are small business owners, or have considered the disproportionately negative impact on people in service industries. I operate hair salons. My employees make between $9 and $10 per hour for the most part. These extra costs will represent an incredible and unaffordable increase in compensation for some of them. $250 dollars a month for insurance premium for $9 an hour employee is dramatically different that $250 a month for an $80,000 a year employee. Insane increases mandated by the government on small guys like me.. Welcome socialism and madness all rolled into one! I would love to buy my employees insurance. I’d also like to live in a world where there is no hunger or crime. Ain’t going to happen. The numbers simply don’t work except to put me out of business and my employees out of work.
If this is going to be rammed down our throats our elected officials should consider a funding alternative–a “National Sales Tax.” The clear advantage of a national sales tax is that everyone will contribute. The rich will pay more, and the poor will pay less. And it gives small business owners (who employ most people) a fighting chance to survive.
If nothing else, please debate and discuss this idea to fund healthcare through a national sales tax.
Posted by: chas1299 | October 6, 2009, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm
Let me guess Catman, you have never read any of the proposed legislation,nor ever run a business, but have always wanted mommy government to take care of you.
Posted by: chas1299 | October 6, 2009, 9:22 pm 9:22 pm
Oh, and Catman…this is still a republic, not a dictatorship. If you need me to give you definitions let me know.
Posted by: chas1299 | October 6, 2009, 9:23 pm 9:23 pm
You ar right citizen. Some great GOP ideas can be viewed at gop.gov
there were some excellent ideas shot down by arrogant Pelosi and company
Posted by: chas1299 | October 6, 2009, 9:24 pm 9:24 pm
on second thought Catman, who cares what it costs. Why would a leftie ever want to actually have facts in hand when is much more convenient to act on “emotions”
Posted by: chas1299 | October 6, 2009, 9:27 pm 9:27 pm
Who would trust Senator Reid? He is the biggest crook in the Senate. I “demand” that an indictment is brought against Reid, for blocking attempts by Bush, and other agencies to regulate Fannie & Freddie and the collapse of our economy. Reid doesn’t care about the average U.S. worker or citizen. Reid, Dodd & Pelosi only care about themselves.
There is health care reform bill called Health Care Choice Act S.2477 introduced by Sen. Jim DeMint & Health Care Equity Act S.2835 that are better choices that the current gov’t run health care bill.
Why are we spending one tillion dollars to insure less than 15% of the uninsure? I also want to know where the Obama Admin. is getting that 45 million people are uninsured. I have heard a number between 5 to 15 million that are uninsure.
Posted by: rukidding 55 | October 6, 2009, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm
Yhey plan on funding this entitlement with a half a trillion dollars from Medicare. They claim its from savings but I ask if those savings where so easy to realize why wait for this bill to pass. Medicare is on the verge of being broke and the health care reform doesn’t make it viable. So not only will our taxes go up to fund the health care spending bill but they will be increased to pay for a soon to be rationed Medicare system and also to pay for the ever ballooning national debt that is resulting in a devalued dollar.
Posted by: WhatDidWeDo | October 6, 2009, 11:02 pm 11:02 pm
If this bill is so great, then why doesn’t Congress try it out first?
Posted by: rukidding 55 | October 6, 2009, 11:23 pm 11:23 pm
Stop the delays and get this done already!
Posted by: Gail | October 6, 2009, 11:44 pm 11:44 pm
Oh and let’s not forget that most Democrats in Congress will not be affected by the tax increases we taxpayers will be burdened with, as they somehow don’t pay their taxes.
Posted by: bailedout2 | October 7, 2009, 1:35 am 1:35 am
Okay, I am curious, We know medicare will pay you on 80 percent and 20 percent you have to pay. Ok , See , If Health Care Reform passed, They will cutting People`s medicare and give money from Medicare to Health Care , I am wondering , Will Medicare pay you less than 80 percent?? So You have to pay more than 20 percent? We are working so hard for nothing. Health Care should not bother Senior`s medicare . It sounds to me that Health Care is trying to use Seniors`s medicare so they leave old peoples to death!~!!
Posted by: Buck | October 7, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Looks like if they shove this down our throats we will have to shove it back up them with a donkey kick.
Posted by: Jim Rod | October 7, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
When you read the comments on forums like this where the overwhelming majority are against the healthcare legislation and you find yourself still defending it, you probably need to re-evaluate? This plan is HORRIBLE! It’s going to bankrupt us. This is not fearmongering, it’s the truth. The Congressional Budget office (NON PARTISAN) even thinks so. Wise up!
Posted by: Drilling | October 7, 2009, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm
This crazy healh robbery was beeing forced upon us by Obama from the begining trying to get it passed in august before anybody got to read it. Now 8 democrats have seen the light this is still america not some third world dictatorship and we can vote these nuts out of office dem. or rep.GOD BLESS AMERICA
Posted by: earl | October 8, 2009, 8:30 am 8:30 am
why is George will on Georges’ show? We pretty much already know what hes gonna say. Why not get somebody new, more aware of todays problems, maybe somebody not a rright wing corporate shill?
Posted by: george | October 8, 2009, 11:48 pm 11:48 pm