U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Repealing Health Care Reform ‘Is Not a Realistic Option’
EmailIn a letter to members of its board of directors obtained by ABC News, US Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Tom Donohue describes a desire to change aspects of the health care reform law President Obama signed last week, but says “[r]epealing the bill outright is not realistic.”
That conclusion, from an organization largely perceived as conservative on economic issues and allied with the Republican Party, is at odds with the call from myriad Republicans to repeal the bill.
“I think the slogan will be 'Repeal and Replace,’” said Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, in one such example.
“We are going to try to repeal this,” said . Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in another.
“The act should be repealed,” said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney after the bill passed. “That campaign begins today."
(President Obama, it should be noted, told NBC’s Matt Lauer earlier this week that “a lot of commentators have said, you know, this is this is similar to the bill that Mitt Romney, the Republican governor and now presidential candidate, passed in Massachusetts.”)
The Chamber, as reported yesterday by the Wall Street Journal, is planning on spending at least $50 million – more than it spend on the 2008 presidential election — to defeat Democrats who voted for the bill.
Donohue also writes in his March 29 letter that the Chamber will “assign a team of our most skilled and experienced staff to participate in the years-long process of writing the thousands of pages of federal regulations that will implement the many provisions in this legislation” by “submitting comments, proposing language, and seeking changes in an effort to minimize the potentially harmful impacts of this bill on our members and the country.”
– jpt
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I think the Republicans are realizing that extreme populism is a difficult beast to tame.
Posted by: Ryan C | April 1, 2010, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
US Chamber of Commerce…pure evil. Aren’t these the jokers who added many zeroes to their membership roles to make them look more viable than they are? Rotten, soul-less freaks who don’t care one bit about small business.
Posted by: laurie | April 1, 2010, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
You say repeal is not an option….. but they will still try. Unfortunately, some people never give up!
Posted by: danny | April 1, 2010, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Ryan C: “I think the Republicans are realizing that extreme populism is a difficult beast to tame.”
You liberals would know best. For liberals, populism is only extreme if it disagrees with their agenda. Otherwise, it’s the will of the people all the way. Your “extreme” hypocrisy couldn’t be any more obvious.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 1, 2010, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
I dont believe that anyone has said if there is a dollar amount that insurance companies are going to be allowed to charge for “pre existing condition” policies. Nor have I seen or heard how much percentage they are going to pay or what the out of pocket cost would be. Without limits on these items how many people with pre existing conditions are going to be able to afford the policies. Also, perhaps how doctors charge should be looked into since at the same clinic locally I was charged more for an office visit than was a person who did not have insurance and was paying cash for the visit.
Posted by: Jo | April 1, 2010, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
“You liberals would know best. For liberals, populism is only extreme if it disagrees with their agenda.”
The tea party is extremist populism.
That why the freaks of the right wing are drawn to it.
They think its their party.
Republicans are having trouble dancing between between whipping up the crowd and causing a riot that could turn on them as well.
Posted by: Ryan C | April 1, 2010, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
It is sickening to know that the Chamber who says they are watchiong out for small businesses like “mom and pop” operations, are spending 50 million dollars of the money that many, many small business pay into to fight something that will benefit the small businesses! I think this should send a clear message for small businesses to pull out of the Chamber since the only ones they care about at all are huge corporations. I think citizens in every state should begin boycotting businesses belonging to the Chamber in their areas. Maybe then, they would get the message.
Posted by: Jeanine | April 1, 2010, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
Sorry last post said ABC main page, article is titled”Obama touts health law for small business.” On their web page.
Posted by: Patti | April 2, 2010, 1:44 am 1:44 am
Where does the federal government get the money? The American people.
_____________________________________
Yes, all money spent by governments comes from taxes or borrowed money. When George W.Bush doubled the national debt – he did it largely by selling off debt bonds to China – money taxpayers would owe for decades.
Posted by: tierra | April 2, 2010, 2:18 am 2:18 am
Well I’m an optimist, and I interpret this to be the Republicans coming to the table to give some input. The cup is half full everyone.
Posted by: Aron C. Happy Easter | April 2, 2010, 3:21 am 3:21 am
The Chamber of Commerce’s best move remains to work with the current legislation and attempt to influence and direct its application for the benefit of the entire business community which it represents.
Posted by: Medical Technology Lawyer Chris Neufeld | April 2, 2010, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
Ryan C: “The tea party is extremist populism . . . . causing a riot that could turn on them as well”
First, they were astroturf, until you liberals were proven wrong and were forced to concede that they are indeed real, grassroots Americans. Now, that smearing them as phonies hasn’t worked, you now attempt to smear them as “extreme” and on the verge of “rioting.” That maybe what you see when you look at the Tea party through your distorted view of the world, but the honest among us see an impassioned electorate more than ready for November. It’s no wonder all you can do is the equivalent of throwing a temper tantrum. Apparently, the hopie-changie wasn’t as well received as you thought. You’ll find out just how well come November! LOL!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 2, 2010, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
…and how much will THAT cost – the repeal effort? “…assign a team of our most skilled and experienced staff to participate in the years-long process of writing the thousands of pages of federal regulations that will implement the many provisions in this legislation”
Posted by: Gerald | April 2, 2010, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
Apparently, the hopie-changie wasn’t as well received as you thought. You’ll find out just how well come November!
Posted by: Anonymous | Apr 2, 2010 2:29:48 PM
So you’re hoping for the hopey-changey thing from a different angle in November??? LOL, indeed. Do you all ever get tired of being so logically inconsistent?
For many of us that hopey-changey thing IS working out fairly well, and –surprise, surprise– we knew there were still a lot of backwards, terrified folks among us. We campaigned for Obama in red states and saw the willful ignorance, fear and paranoia up close.
In a little over a year, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and the dems have
Passed health care reform legislation, not just in terms of the leglislation recently passed but also via Health IT initiatives in the stimulus package and SCHIP, ending bans on and cancellation of coverage due to injury and illness, ensuring all children have access to coverage, providing tax credits to small business, expanding community health centers, tackling the cost curve through a series of pilot programs and so on.
Signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act authorizing advance appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing two-fiscal year budget authority thus enabling better medical care for veterans. Endorsed by the American Legion, American Veterans, and many other veteran groups
Invested in science, technology, infrastructure and green initiatives.
Turned around the recession, keeping states and the auto industry afloat.
Helped stem employment and pay discrimination through passage and signing of the Lily Ledbetter Act.
Expanded the hate crimes bill.
Increased the forces in Afghanistan (with a draw down target in place), changing the failed war strategy there, and brought to justice 500+ major Al Queda senior leaders in the past year (more than the Bush Administration brought in all eight years combined);
Strengthened the EPA, signed a conservation act protecting pubic lands, and increased funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Provided better body armor to our troops
Negotiated a new arms control treaty with Russia
Increased funding for student loans and pell grants, and cut out the middleman via student loan reform making our tax dollars work more efficiently
Donated the President’s $1.4 million Nobel Prize to nonprofits.
Passed and signed the HIRE act; the Act provides $18 billion in tax breaks for small businesses that hire new employees and allocates $20 billion for highway projects.
(h/t Daily Kos and Accomplishments of President Barack Obama… there’s more, if you’re interested)
Posted by: progressive mama | April 3, 2010, 11:10 am 11:10 am