ARIZONA MEDICAL PERSONNEL
November 21, 2009
Nov. 21 noon. AZ time.
UPDATE: Senate ObamaCare Cloture Vote On Saturday! PAGES 2074
(Hat- Tip Chris Stirewalt)
Wall Street Journal -- Showdown Set for Health Bill Liberals are scanning the fine print on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposed health care bill today looking for the catch. A big, expensive plan paid for with big taxes on those making more than $200,000 and a lot of new fees. Most of the Left don't mind too much the fact that Reid's plan would allow states to "opt out" of the government plan because all states will eventually opt in. Who wants to pay for socialism but not get its modest benefits That's why Reid appeared with the most liberal members of the Senate, Al Franken, Tom Harkin, etc. to announce his bill.
My column today argues that Reid actually needs this plan to fail so he can save face on the Left but not get tarred with backing the behemoth when he's running for office next year. Writers Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy look at where all the money will come from. "Funding the bill is proving troublesome. Mr. Reid decided to pare back a proposed tax on high-value insurance plans, bowing to liberal and union complaints that the measure would hit middle-class families. Under his proposal, the tax would fall on plans valued at more than $23,000 for couples, up from $21,000 in legislation written by the Senate Finance Committee. The tax was estimated to raise $149 billion over ten years, far less than earlier envisioned. To help make up for the lost revenue, Mr. Reid inserted a provision that would raise Medicare payroll taxes on couples with income of more than $250,000 a year. For those families, the levy would be raised to 1.95%, up from 1.45%. Overall, the proposal would bring in $54 billion over ten years. Mr. Reid is also proposing a new tax on elective cosmetic surgery, generating $5 billion."
The Hill -- Reid rolling out big guns to push healthcare bill to 60 needed votes
If you want to know why the Senate is in a twist over health care, just consider who counts as "big guns" over there.
Writer Alexander Bolton tells us about Harry Reid's kitchen cabinet on passing a health plan.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has recruited an all-star team of former senators - Vice President Joe Biden, Tom Daschle and Ken Salazar - to push healthcare reform over the finish line.
Reid (D-Nev.) plotted strategy with the vice president, Interior Secretary Salazar and former Majority Leader Daschle (D-S.D.) on Wednesday, days ahead of a crucial vote to begin debate on the bill that needs every Democrat.
Reid's all-star team indicates that the administration and Democratic leadership are now using all the persuading power and arm-twisting prowess available to them to carry President Barack Obama's signature agenda item to a successful conclusion."
