Scrambling for Votes, Democrats Face Uphill Climb to Pass Healthcare Reform

Theoretically, the Repubs could try to repeal the bill, but they won't: it would be political suicide. Besides the fact that people will probably like many of the features by that point (no preexisting conditions, etc.), you would, in effect, be reopening this can of worms when the American people are more than sick of the issue. They're ready to move on. They won't want to revisit legislation that has already been passed and signed into law. Not when there are so many other pertinent issues to be tackled.

This is also why I believe that, barring some major political victory closer to election time, the Republicans won't win many seats (and may, in fact, lose seats) come November.

 

So legislation that is passed 14 months after Obama was sworn in and that has been discussed heavily for almost a year is considered ramming it through? I guess the Democrats should've been more patient about the whole process just like the Republicans were when they went into Iraq, oops!

 

Wow. You really know your stuff man. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

This worked brilliantly when the GOP ran on repealing Social Security immediately after its passage and lost in a landslide. I think Dems would like nothing more than for the GOP to run on an agenda of repeal.

 

Say what you want... we kicked your ass. And you guys are more than welcome to run on repeal in 2012 and 2014. Bring it.

 

Politics is grand when cheering a Republican rooted plan labels you a socialist when a Democrat majority passes it.

 

**** Yea.

 

Got to wuv em. Let's have the GOP run on a paltform of "freedom" and opposing communism by reinstating pre-existing conditions.

 

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/EYOk4.jpg" width=75% height=75%>

 

Not sure about the dictatorship part, but the rest aptly describes where we are headed in the very near future. The money for entitlements ran out long ago, we are operating on promises that our kids and grandkids will repay our debt. There is no account for any entitlement program, it's print, tax, and spend, live for today.

When all of the credit dries up, there will be no ability to borrow, the currency will become worthless. For a look at our future, see Greece:

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They are collapsing and they are clueless, they don't understand why they can no longer be taken care of, and they've been dependents for so long, they don't know how to function when the money dries up.

I've stopped trying to fight it, I'm not mad at those heralding this bill, just resigned to the fact that the path cannot be changed. It's simply human nature. People will hold on to their entitlements until there is nothing left. There will always be a large percentage of people that like being taken care of, and politicians who love the power that comes from being the appropriators of the nation's wealth. The Constitution might have originally been intended to protect individuals from such looters, but it no longer has much effect.

There may have been a time when I felt the anger the tea partiers do. Now there is nothing left but frustration and despair. I just hope there is enough time to enjoy the ever shrinking freedoms I have. Time to amass some measure of wealth, to do with as I choose.

 

"It's a great day for America everybody!"

 

Only time will tell if this is good or bad, but I feel good about this. My parents own a small contracting business and the only reason why they can't retire now is because they waiting to be old enough for Medicare (4 more years for my dad and 6 for my mom).

Hopefully, it will be similar to when California required insurance for all driver and opened up interstate competition. It was one of Cali's better laws.

 

Seriously, I was listening to a radio show and a caller was rambling on how much a republic is so much better than a democracy. He's warning about the trappings of a democracy and how individual rights will get trampled the tyranny of the mass and so forth. Then, he starts citing polls about how the majority of Americans don't want health care. For him democracy suddenly became good. The lunacy of this whole tea bagger theater is just awful.

 

Really, you don't think the tax break and lack of insurance requirement for small businesses will help them?

You've been wrong about every health care related topic you've posted on so far, so I guess I'm not surprised.

 

The payroll tax increase alone will ensure at best my salary does not increase this year, it will probably fall.

 

Yes, the mind reels with virtually every single statement you make. Each and every post you make seems to be filled with the bull****.

 

Ripped this from CNN Money.

There are some other provisions which do help small biz...

But not sure I think the following provisions help small biz...


* Starting in 2014, businesses with more than 50 employees will be required to either offer healthcare coverage or pay a penalty of $750 a year per full-time worker. The coverage offered will also have to meet minimum benefits -- covering both a specific set of services and 60% of employee health costs overall -- or else employers will face additional penalties.

* So-called "Cadillac" plans costing more than $10,200 a year for individuals or $27,500 for family coverage (not counting dental and vision plans) will be subject to a 40% tax on the portion of the cost that exceeds the limit. Though the tax would actually be paid by insurers, it's expected that it would be passed along to plan holders in the form of higher premiums.

Furthermore, if the House amendments approved Sunday pass the Senate intact under the reconciliation process, some other small business provisions will change:

* Part-time employees would be counted toward the 50-employee minimum on pro-rated basis based on hours worked, bringing more small businesses into the group required to provide coverage.

* The $750-per-employee penalty for not providing insurance would rise to $2,000.