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Show Page 9 The Garfield County Insider December 31, 2009 Ash, MAJORITY PARTY PLAYING 'LET'S MAKE A DEAL' WITH TAXPAYER MONEY TO PASS REID BILL Sen. Orrin Hatch, RUtah, today decried the "Let's Make a Deal" tactics the Senate leadership is employing to ramrod the $2.5 trillion Reid bill through the Senate at the expense of American taxpayers. "After weeks of closeddoor clandestine negotiations, Senator Reid finally emerged with a 383-page Christmas list," Hatch told colleagues on the Senate floor. "This bill is a dark example of everything that is wrong with Washington today. Despite all the promises of accountability and transparency, this bill is a grab bag of Chicago-style, back-room buy-offs. It is nothing more than a private game of Let's Make A Deal with special interest groups financed by American taxpayers." Hatch took issue with American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) support for the misnamed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), noting the organization would benefit financially from the legislation and had a conflict of interest. The senator also talked about how the sweetheart deals cut by the majority party will help the insurance industry and hurt the American family and the elderly. He further called on his colleagues on the other side of the aisle to listen to the American people and join them in opposing the bill. "Every vote for this bill is the 60th vote . . . ," Hatch said. "My colleagues on this side of the aisle are united with the American people in our fight against this $2.5 trillion tax-andspend bill. I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle not to do this to the American people. Don't foreclose on their futures. Don't stick them with even more government spending and government intrusion." Sen. Hatch's complete remarks on the Senate floor follow: Mr. President, there is a lot of talk from the majority about why passing this bill is the right thing to do for the American people. It is a decision of conscience for them. Well, let us a take a closer look at these decisions of conscience. After weeks of closeddoor clandestine negotiations, Senator Reid finally emerged with a 383-page Christmas list. This bill is a dark example of everything that is wrong with Washington today. Despite all the promises of accountability and transparency, this bill is a grab bag of Chicagostyle, back-room buy-offs. It is nothing more than a private game of Let's Make A Deal with special interest groups financed by American taxpayers. So who won and who lost in this game? Well let us take a closer look. AARP issued a strong statement of support for this bill. The Reid bill slashes Medicare by almost half a trillion dollars to finance additional government spending. So, why would the nation's largest lobbying organization, avowed to protect the interests of seniors, support this legislation? To find the answer, like anything else in Washington, just follow the money. AARP takes in more than half of its $1.1 billion budget in royalty fees from health insurers and other vendors. The sale of sup- plementary Medicare policies, called Medigap plans, make up a major share of this royalty revenue. AARP has a direct interest in selling more Medigap plans. However, there is a strong competitor to Medigap policies — Medicare Advantage plans. These private plans provide comprehensive coverage, including vision and dental care, at lower premiums for nearly 11 million seniors across the country. Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage do not need Medigap policies. So what happens when the Reid bill slashes this program by almost $120 billion? Just look at the Washington Post front-page story from October 27 questioning whether AARP has a conflict of interest. I quote: "Democratic proposals to slash reimbursements for ... Medicare Advantage are widely expected to drive up demand for private Medigap policies like the ones offered by AARP, according to healthcare experts, legislative aides and documents." One of the most disturbing developments in the Reid bill has been the perpetuation and even doubling of the unconstitutional individual mandate tax from $8 billion to $15 billion. You heard me right — this unconstitutional mandate tax actually doubled behind closed doors. I have long argued that forcing Americans to either buy a Washington-defined level of coverage or face a tax penalty collected through the Internal Revenue Service is highly unconstitutional. We hear a lot of rhetoric from the other side about Republicans defending the big, evil insurance companies while they are the defenders of American families. The insurance mandate is a clear example of this partisan hypocrisy. Let me ask one simple question: Who would benefit the most from this unprecedented mandate to purchase insurance or face a stiff penalty enforced by our friends at the Internal Revenue Service? The answer is simple. There are two clear winners under this Draconian policy -- and neither is the American family. The first winner is the federal government, which could easily use this authority to increase the penalty, or impose similar ones, to create new streams of revenue to fund more out-of-control spending. Second, the insurance companies are the most direct winners under this individual insurance mandate because it would force millions of Americans who would not otherwise do so to become their customers. I cannot think of a bigger giveaway for insurance companies than the federal government ordering Americans to buy their products. If you do not believe me then just look at the stock prices of the insurance companies that have recently shot to their 52-week highs. Jane Hamsher, the publisher of the very liberal blog Firedoglake, said the following in a recent posting: "Having to pay 2 percent of their income in annual fines for refusing to comply -- with the IRS acting as the collection agency -- just might wind up being the most widely hated legislation of the decade. Barack Obama just might achieve the bipartisan unity on health care he always wanted -- Democrats and Republicans are coming together to say 'kill this bill.' get about the biggest loser in this bill — the hard-working American taxpayer. This bill imposes over a half a trillion dollars worth of new taxes, fees, and penNow that we clearly un- alties on individuals, famiderstand the huge windfalls lies, and businesses. The the Reid bill provides AARP new fees begin in 2010, and insurance companies, while the major coverage let me take a moment to talk provisions do not start until about the winners and los- 2014. Almost $57 billion in ers in the so-called abortion new taxes are collected becompromise. The language fore any American sees the to prevent taxpayer dollars major benefits of this bill, from being used to fund which are largely delayed elective abortions is com- until 2014. It's also no coinpletely unacceptable. The cidence that through the use new abortion provisions of these budget gimmicks are significantly weaker the majority can claim this than the amendment I in- bill reduces our national troduced with Senator Ben deficit when we all know Nelson to ensure that the these reductions will never Hyde Amendment, which be realized. prohibits use of federal dolBased on data from lars for elective abortions, the Joint Committee on applies to any new federal Taxation — the nonpartisan health programs created in Congressional scorekeepthis bill. The Hyde Amend- er — this bill would break ment has been public law another one of President since 1976. Obama's campaign promThe so-called abortion ises by increasing taxes on compromise does not stop 42 million individuals and there. The Reid bill cre- families making less than ates a state opt-out charade. $250,000 a year. However, this provision At a time, when we are does nothing about one struggling to fight a doustate's tax dollars from pay- ble-digit unemployment ing for abortions in other rate, the Reid bill not only states. Tax dollars from Ne- increases payroll taxes by braska can pay for abortions nearly $87 billion but also in California or New York. imposes $28 billion in new This bill also creates a new taxes on employers that do public option run by the Of- not provide government-apfice of Personnel Manage- proved health plans. These ment (OPM) that will, for new taxes will ultimately the first time, create a fed- be paid by American workerally funded and managed ers in the form of reduced plan that will cover elective wages and lost jobs. abortions. However, it is hard to say When you have Sena- we didn't see these new taxtor Boxer and Speaker es coming. For years now, Pelosi, two of the largest many of us have warned that pro-choice advocates in the the out-of-control spending Congress, supporting this in Washington will eventusham so-called compro- ally have to be repaid on the mise and everyone from the backs of American families. U.S. Conference of Catho- In this bill, the repayment lic Bishops to the National comes in the form of stifled Right to Life Committee economic growth, lost jobs, and the Family Research and new and increasing Council opposing it, there taxes -- and they are just is only one clear loser — the the first installment of what majority of Americans who will be a long and painful believe in the sanctity of extortion of taxpayers if life and oppose the use of Congress doesn't stand up federal dollars for elective and stop these terrible bills. abortions. According to a recent Last but not least, I study of similar proposals would like to spend a cou- by the Heritage Foundation, ple of minutes to talk about these new job-killing taxes the numerous special deals will place approximately conferred on states in this 5.2 million low income $2.5 trillion spending bill. workers at risk of losing How hefty are the price tags their jobs or having their for decisions of conscience? hours reduced and an addiHere are some highlights: tional 10.2 million workers • $300 million for Louisi- could see lower wages and ana reduced benefits. $600 million for Vermont • Poll after poll tells us • $500 million for Massa- about the growing opchusetts position against this tax• $100 million for Nebraska and-spend health care bill. At a recent news confer- The latest Rasmussen poll ence, when the authors of shows that 55 percent of this legislation were asked Americans are now opabout the Nebraska ear- posed to this bill. The CNN mark for Medicaid funding, poll has it even higher at 61 the Majority Leader sim- percent. Among senior citiply replied, "A number of zens, the group most likely states are treated differently to use the health care systhan other states. That's tem, only 33 percent are in what legislation is all about. favor while 60 percent are That's compromise." opposed. Independent votThe next logical question ers are also opposed almost is pretty straightforward - 2 to 1. Opposition in certain Who will pay for these spe- state polls, like Nebraska, is cial deals? The answer is even higher at 67 percent. simple. Every other state in So what is the majority dothe union, including Utah, ing to address these conwho are collectively facing cerns? Nothing. In fact, de$200 billion in deficits and spite the efforts by many of are cutting jobs and educa- us here on this side of the tional services to survive, aisle to express our substanwill now pay to support tive policy disagreements these special deals. for months, one Senator According to the Con- recently said the followgressional Budget Office, ing: "They are desperate the Medicaid expansion in to break this president. the Reid bill creates a $26 They have ardent supportbillion unfunded mandate ers who are nearly hysterion our cash-strapped states. cal at the very election of Coincidentally, only one President Barack Obama. state avoids this unfunded The birthers, the fanatics, mandate — Nebraska. the people running around Of course, let us not for- in right-wing militia and 39 lot 4 L Caste* De Errol, 435-616-2829 — embutah@gmail.com ACTUAL PASSPORT LETTER! Writer's Note: Words/phrases in parenthesis are my (edited) words!! This letter is a thing of beauty (even if the language is a bit rough).. You definitely feel the guy's pain! An actual letter to the passport office... Dear Sirs, I'm in the process of renewing my passport, and still cannot believe this. How is it that Radio Shack has my address and telephone number and knows that I bought a cable t.v. from them back in 1987, and yet, the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date. For (gosh) sakes, do you guys do this by hand? My birth date you have on my social security card, and it is on all the income tax forms I've filed for the past 30 years. It is on my health insurance card, my driver's license, on the last eight damn passports I've had, on all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fill out before being allowed off the plane over the last 30 years, and all those insufferable census forms that are done at election times. Would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's name is Maryanne, my father's name is Robert and I'd be absolutely astounded if that ever changed between now and when I diet!! II! I apologize, I'm really (ticked) off this morning. Between you an' me, I've had enough of this b-sh-t! You send the application to my house, then you ask me for my address. What is going on? Do you have a gang of Neanderthal (mules) working there! Look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I don't want to dig up Yasser Arafat, I just want to go and park my (rear end) on a sandy beach. And would someone please tell me, why would you care whether I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days? If I ever got the urge to do something weird to a chicken or a goat, believe you me, I'd sure as hell not want to tell anyone! Well, I have to go now, 'cause I have to go to the other end of the city and get another copy of my birth certificate, to the tune of $60. Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same spot to assist in the issuance of a new passport the same day?? N00000,that'd be too damn easy and maybe make sense. You'd rather have us running all over the place like chickens with our heads cut off, then find some idiot to confirm that it's really me on the damn picture - you know, the one where we're not allowed to smile?! (bureaucratic morons) Hey, you know why we can't smile? We're totally (ticked) off! Signed - An Irate Citizen. P.S.. Remember what I said above about the picture and getting someone to confirm that it's me? Well, my family has been in this country since 1776 I have served in the military for something over 30 years and have had security clearances up the yingyang However, I have to get someone 'important' to verify who I am - you know, someone like my doctor WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN INDIA ! Sincerely, You Sure In The Hell Should Know Who I Am. And you want them to run our health care?!? Aryan support groups, it is unbearable to them that President Barack Obama should exist." This statement is outrageous. Instead of listening to the policy concerns of a majority of Americans, the other side is simply dismissing them as rants from the far right. If the Majority refuses to listen to what Americans are telling them now — I'm sure they will have a rude wake-up call waiting for them later. It should come as no surprise to anyone that this kind of arrogance of power has led to Congressional approval ratings rivaling the most hated institutions on the planet at a dismal 22 percent and falling. One of the biggest tragedies of letting this bill move forward is that it will do nothing to address the fundamental issue of rising health care costs in this country. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this bill will actually raise our national health care costs by $200 billion. The Administration's own actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) agrees with this assessment. When this bill fails to work, Americans will no longer have any faith in Congress to effectively address the issue of health care reform. The opportunity to save Medicare and Medicaid from their impending financial collapse will be lost for another generation. The historic blizzard in Washington earlier this month was a perfect symbol of the anger and frustration brewing in the hearts of the American people against this bill. I urge the majority once again to listen to the voices of the American people. Every vote for this bill is the 60th vote. Let me repeat that again — every vote for this bill is the 60th vote. My Republican colleagues and I are united with the American people in our fight against this $2.5 trillion tax-and-spend bill. I implore my colleagues not to do this to the American people. Don't foreclose on their futures. Don't stick them with even more government spending and government intrusion. We can fix health care. Many of us have been working to do just that for many years. A truly bipartisan bill that would garner 75 to 80 votes in the Senate, would be fiscally sound and provide the American people with the fixes they are asking for in the health care marketplace is easily achievable. Many of us are standing at the ready, and have been for months, to step forward and pass meaningful health care reform that truly would help American families and please American taxpayers. To date, we have been rebuffed by an unfailing determination by a few to pursue a nearly Socialist agenda. I would ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who do not believe in the Europeanization of America, who believe in doing truly bipartisan work here in the Senate, to step forward, vote against advancing this bill and work with those of us on this side of the aisle who are committed to making a difference to craft a health care reform bill they can be proud to support. |