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Harry Reid purchases vote of moderate Dem Mary Landrieu with $100 million dollar bribe.

November 20, 2009 Leave a comment

SP32-20090813-192435 How interesting that this one state exemption made it into the bill and that it just so happens to affect one state… the stat of a person who was going to vote against ReidCare.  So, for the low cost of only $100 million of your tax money, Reid bought himself a vote.

IS THIS CHANGE? IS THIS HOPE?   No… it’s Beltway bribery as usual. From ABC’s The Note:

What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform?

Here’s a case study.

On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.”

The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”

I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill.

In other words, the bill spends two pages describing would could be written with a single world: Louisiana. (This may also help explain why the bill is long.)

Senator Harry Reid, who drafted the bill, cannot pass it without the support of Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu.

How much does it cost? According to the Congressional Budget Office: $100 million.

The Conspiracy to Keep You Poor and Stupid

BREAKING: Full List of Tax Hikes In Senate Democrat Health Bill

November 20, 2009 Leave a comment

 

Read the full bill

Read the tax revenue score from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT)

Read the budget and tax score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

PDF of this Document

Individual Mandate Tax (Page 324/Sec. 1501/$8 bil): Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an income surtax according to the following schedule (capped at 8 percent of income):

Single
Single +1
Single +2

2014
$95
$190
$285

2015
$350
$700
$1050

2016, etc.
$750
$1500
$2250

Exemptions for religious objectors, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, those earning less than the poverty line, members of Indian tribes, and hardship cases (determined by HHS).
Employer Mandate Tax (Page 348/Sec. 1513/$28 bil):  If an employer does not offer health coverage, and at least one employee qualifies for a health tax credit, the employer must pay an additional non-deductible tax of $750 for all full-time employees.  Applies to all employers with 50 or more employees.
If the employer requires a waiting period to enroll in coverage of 30-60 days, there is a $400 tax per employee ($600 if the period is 60 days or longer).
Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans (Page 1979/Sec. 9001/$149.1 bil): Starting in 2013, new 40 percent excise tax on “Cadillac” health insurance plans ($8500 single/$23,000 family).  Higher threshold ($9850 single/$26,000 family) for early retirees and high-risk professions.  CPI +1 percentage point indexed.
From 2013-2015, the 17 highest-cost states are 120% of this level. 
Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2 (Page 1996/Sec. 9002/Min$): Preamble to taxing health benefits on individual tax returns.
Medicine Cabinet Tax (Page 1997/Sec. 9003/$5 bil): No longer allowable to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin)
HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike (Page 1998/Sec. 9004/$1.3 bil): Increases additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.

FSA Cap (Page 1999/Sec. 9005/$14.6 bil): Imposes cap on FSAs of $2500 (now unlimited).

Corporate 1099-MISC Information Reporting (Page 1999/Sec. 9006/$17.1 bil): Requires businesses to send 1099-MISC information tax forms to corporations (currently limited to individuals), a huge compliance burden for small employers

Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals (page 2001/Sec. 9007/Min$): $50,000 per hospital if they fail to meet new "community health assessment needs," "financial assistance," and "billing and collection" rules set by HHS.
Tax on Innovator Drug Companies (Page 2010/Sec. 9008/ $22.2 bil): $2.3 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to share of sales made that year.
Tax of Medical Device Manufacturers (Page 2020/Sec. 9009/$19.3 bil): $2 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to shares of sales made that year.  Exempts items retailing for <$100.
Tax on Health Insurers (Page 2026/Sec. 9010/$60.4 bil): $6.7 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to health insurance premiums collected that year.
Eliminate tax deduction for employer-provided retirement Rx drug coverage in coordination with Medicare Part D (Page 2034/Sec. 9012/$5.4 bil)
Raise "Haircut" for Medical Itemized Deduction from 7.5% to 10% of AGI (Page 2034/Sec. 9013/$15.2 bil) : Waived for 65+ taxpayers in 2013-2016 only

$500,000 Annual Executive Compensation Limit for Health Insurance Executives (Page 2035/Sec. 9014/$0.6 bil)

Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax (Page 2040/Sec. 9015/$53.8 bil): Current law and changes:

Wages (Employer/Employee)
Self-Employment Net Income

Current Law and New Rate on First $200,000 ($250,000 MFJ)
1.45%/1.45%
2.9%

New Rate on Amount Which Exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 MFJ)
1.45%/1.95%
3.4%

The 0.5% new rate addition is not deductible for the self-employment tax adjustment.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike (Page 2044/Sec. 9016/$0.4 bil): The special tax deduction in current law for Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies would only be allowed if 85 percent or more of premium revenues are spent on clinical services
Tax on Cosmetic Medical Procedures (Page 2045/Sec. 9017/$5.8 bil): New 5% excise tax on elective cosmetic surgery to be paid by the surgery patient.

BREAKING: Full List of Tax Hikes
In Senate Democrat Health Bill

Dem’s Nationalized Health Care Bill Requires a Monthly Abortion Fee

November 19, 2009 Leave a comment

From Gateway Pundit.

The Senate’s nationalized health care plan requires a monthly fee for abortion coverage.
GOP Leader Blog reported:

Beginning on line 7, p. 118, section 1303 under “Voluntary Choice of Coverage of Abortion Services” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run health plan. Leader Reid’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions (line 13, p. 120).

What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run health plan. It’s right there beginning on line 11, page 122, section 1303, under “Actuarial Value of Optional Service Coverage.” The premium will be paid into a U.S. Treasury account – and these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services.

Gateway Pundit

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Leahy: We wouldn’t bother to interrogate … Bin Laden?

November 19, 2009 Leave a comment

You have got to be kidding.  Is this guy delusional?

If you want to see why a law-enforcement approach is absolutely the wrong way to defend the US against dangerous terrorists abroad, look no further than this asinine statement from Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT).  Lindsey Graham asked Eric Holder how he would go about interrogating any terrorists captured by military and intelligence personnel in the future if the DoJ would have them tried in civil courts rather than military tribunals, including the most notorious man of all, Osama bin Laden.  Leahy scoffed at the notion that we would need to interrogate him at all:

If the U.S. captures Osama bin Laden, there’s no need to interrogate him, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Thursday.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the chairman of that committee, said that arguments raised by Republican senators about whether bin Laden would be afforded Miranda rights if he were captured amount to a “red herring.”

“The red herring that my friend [Sen.] Lindsey Graham [R-S.C.] was covering is not realistic,” Leahy said during an appearance on “Washington Journal” on C-SPAN.

“For one thing, capturing Osama bin Laden — we’ve had enough on him, we don’t need to interrogate him,” Leahy added.

Really?  No need to interrogate him at all?  The US would not be interested in discovering, say, any current plots to attack the US and its allies?  Perhaps the location of Ayman al-Zawahiri?   The identities of sleeper agents in the US?

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Leahy: We wouldn’t bother to interrogate … Bin Laden?

Oh, So Now U.S. Soldiers Are ‘A Pretty Good Photo-op’; Let’s See How This Obamism Gets Covered

November 19, 2009 Leave a comment

Why am I not surprised by this?

The Washington Posts’s Anne Kornblut (saved here in case her report is modified or disappears) captured a comment Obama made to U.S troops at Osan Air Base in South Korea while heading back to Washington after his Asian trip.

I believe that the comment (bolded) could be seen as shining a less than flattering light on the president’s mindset:

Obama arrived on the base 3:19 p.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time), and received a rousing welcome from 1,500 troops in camouflage uniforms, many holding cameras or pointing cell phones to snap pictures.

"You guys make a pretty good photo op," the president said.

Oh, So Now U.S. Soldiers Are ‘A Pretty Good Photo-op’; Let’s See How This Obamism Gets Covered | NewsBusters.org

An Obama Treasury Department official admits to cheating on their taxes. That would be the number 5 so far.

November 19, 2009 Leave a comment

Could you imagine if this was the Bush administration?  It would be all that was on TV.

It’s like its a prerequisite…
Another Obama Treasury Department official admitted to cheating on her taxes.
lael
Dr. Lael Brainard is the latest Obama official to have tax problems.

The AP reported:

President Barack Obama’s choice for a top job in the Treasury Department did not disclose all of her late tax payments until she was repeatedly prodded by Senate investigators, a congressional report issued Wednesday said.

Obama’s nominee for undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs, Lael Brainard, is the fifth presidential nominee to reveal tax issues during the congressional vetting process.

Brainard was late in paying real estate taxes in 2005, 2006 and 2007 on property in Northern Virginia, according to the report by the Senate Finance Committee staff.

Gateway Pundit

We need Socialized healthcare, like the UK, where if the drug costs too much, you have to die.

November 19, 2009 Leave a comment

docobama This is the result of government run health care.  Bureaucrats decide who gets drugs, not based on extending life or medical need, but on price and budgets.

Socialized medicine doesn’t really mean death panels. It means pleasantly named bureaucracies like Britain’s NICE, which has just ruled that those with liver cancer are a burden on The State and must die quickly for the greater good. What use are taxpayers who are too sick to pay taxes?

The health watchdog has blocked a critical liver cancer drug, saying it is too pricey for the state health service, leaving manufacturer Bayer vowing to appeal the decision.
Most people who get the aggressive form of cancer are diagnosed too late for surgery to help, meaning that the drug — Nexavar — is one of the only options left, and it has been shown to prolong life by almost four months on average.
The decision, announced on Thursday, is a setback for Germany’s Bayer and its partner Onyx Pharmaceuticals, which have already seen Nexavar turned down by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to treat kidney cancer.
NICE said in the final draft recommendation it would not recommend Bayer’s Nexavar to the National Health Service (NHS) for the most common type of liver cancer as it was too expensive…

In a free country, you can have whatever drug you want, provided you have arranged to pay for it. But no doubt bureaucrats know best when it’s time for us to die.

British Bureauweenies Nix Anti-Cancer Drug | Right Wing News

Rationing? Death Panels? Hell yes… I mean, of course not.

November 18, 2009 Leave a comment

The people who decide these recommendations are the same ones who decide what gets paid for under Obamacare.  Welcome to Socialist medicine.

The White House website already has a “reality check” up about the mammogram uproar, but from what I can tell, the reality there is “selective.” For one thing, they lay the controversy at the feet of Fox News (of course) when in fact it was WaPo’s story that generated the most heat online. For another thing, while the White House strains to minimize the task force’s role under ObamaCare, WaPo notes that “under health-care reform legislation pending in Congress, the conclusions of the 16-member task force would set standards for what preventive services insurance plans would be required to cover at little or no cost.”

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Former Red Cross chief: Feds’ new mammography policy is “a shocking thing”

Hot Air » Blog Archive » The definition of “show trial”

November 18, 2009 Leave a comment

This is so wrong in so many ways.  What does he hope to accomplish with this?

Jim Geraghty transcribes an exchange this afternoon between Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Attorney General Eric Holder on the administration’s commitment to the federal court system.  Holder had previously insisted that the federal court system gave the government its best opportunity to convict Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, although he failed to explain how he reached that conclusion.  When Grassley challenges Holder to explain how the administration would react to an acquittal or dismissal of the charges, Holder says it wouldn’t change anything:

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa: “I don’t think you can say that failure to convict is not an option, when we have juries in this country.”

Attorney General Eric Holder: I have thought about that possibility. Congress has passed legislation that would not allow the release of these individuals in this country. If there is not a successful conclusion to this trial, that would not mean that this person would be released into this country…

Grassley: My understanding is that if for some reason he’s not convicted, or a judge lets him off on a technicallity, he’ll be an enemy combatant, so you’re right back where you started.

Not only will we be right back where we started, it will expose the federal trial as nothing more than a show trial.  Show trials are conducted by despots and dictators to give only a thin veneer of legality to political detentions and executions.  If the state isn’t prepared to abide by the decision of the court, including dismissals and acquittals, then the use of the trial system is worse than useless.  It demeans the federal system needed for Americans to seek unbiased justice.

Hot Air » Blog Archive » The definition of “show trial”

The Jawa Report: Sen Graham to Holder: Will Osama Bin Laden be Mirandized?

November 18, 2009 Leave a comment

Ouch.  This guy is really an idiot and shows it.  Senator Graham rips him a new one.

Holder had a tough time answering.

The Jawa Report: Sen Graham to Holder: Will Osama Bin Laden be Mirandized?

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