SLIGHT OF HAND - Latest on ObamaCare

Sole Control - Sen. Harry Reid will write the bill himself taking pieces of the Baucus vapor bill and the Kennedy "Do it for Ted" bill. This merger will happen with a few chosen people behind tightly closed doors. There will be no hearing, no testimony, no public input.

sorry- it was from an email:

Subject: SLIGHT OF HAND - Latest on ObamaCare

Dear Friends,

I’ve been in contact with Washington, D.C. today. Here is the latest on ObamaCare.

Democrats Implementing 3-Step Stealth Plan:

Sole Control - Sen. Harry Reid will write the bill himself taking pieces of the Baucus vapor bill and the Kennedy “Do it for Ted” bill. This merger will happen with a few chosen people behind tightly closed doors. There will be no hearing, no testimony, no public input. The bill that wasn’t will become the bill that Reid wrote...in the dark of the night. The “Reid bill” will be an oxymoron in this case because no one else will be able to read it. See San Francisco Examiner editoral complaining about President Obama’s failed promise of transparency.

Slight of Hand - As news sources have been reporting, Reid is likely to use H.R. 1586 as the vehicle of choice. This is the bill that would impose a 95% tax on bonuses received by TARP recipients. He’ll call this House bill up on the floor of the Senate and offer an amendment to delete every word in it and add his health care reform language. One of my D.C. staffer contacts says it’s likely that the Senate would seek a cloture vote first. In other words, he said, cloture means “We’re done debating. It’s time to proceed.” For cloture, 60 votes are needed. Once that happens, only a simply majority of 51 votes is needed to pass the bill. Those Members anxious about assuaging their constituents at home could then vote yes on cloture (to make it happen) and no on the bill (to claim they opposed it).

Speedy Delivery - Some expect that Speaker Pelosi and the U.S. House of Representatives will simply concur with the Senate bill to avoid amendments and a conference committee - and public scrutiny of the actual language of the bill. My D.C. contact says most people think Speaker Pelosi “blessed” the health care reform package months ago. If the expected House appeasement occurs, ObamaCare will be sent speedily, virtually sight unseen, to the desk of President Obama—and long-standing American freedoms will be eliminated with the stroke of a pen. Jail time awaits the non-compliant (IRS note).

Today the CBO gave a preliminary cost estimate, sent to me by another D.C. staffer. See the chart below from a Senate Republican health policy staff. As you can see, the Congressional Budget Office reports that the cost is estimated to be $829 billion over 10 years - $100 more than the original Baucus “vapor bill” with the same 25 million people remaining uninsured (and 1 million people losing their private employer-based coverage). Expect more! Total Medicare and Medicaid cuts equal $404 billion, with $133 billion from Medicare Advantage (HMO plans). Expect more cuts! Taxes and penalty payments are expected to increase revenues. Play or Pay! Reduction in deficit is forecast at $81 billion, but when has a cost or revenue estimate ever been accurate? Expect higher costs/lower revenue!

To stop this bill, and protect the America we know and love, keep calling Congress. Dramatic action is needed by concerned members of Congress. Also please support CCHC today. Send us $5, $10, $50 $500 or whatever is possible. We need your support now more than ever. Please Donate today!

Twila Brase
President
Citizens’ Council on Health Care
651-646-8935

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