Obamacare’s Truth Panels

Human Events ^ | 2-5-10 | Gary Bauer

[Wolf13]

After a year of lying to taxpayers about the true costs of Obamacare, Democrats have moved on to bullying private sector companies into lying to their investors about the heavy burden of the new law.

CEOs carrying out their legal duty to report to shareholders the reduced value of their companies due to Obamacare’s punishing taxes are being scolded by the White House for playing partisan political games and trying to “embarrass the president.”

The CEOs will even be hauled before Congress later this month to defend their grim assessments. Which makes me wonder: How many more of Obamacare’s inconvenient truth-sayers will be forced to defend themselves before Obamacare’s Truth Panels?

Though most of Obamacare’s provisions don’t kick in until 2014, corporations big and small are already preparing for the new law’s devastating effects. Last Friday companies announced that they will be forced to drop health coverage for some employees and retirees. The disclosures are the result of Obamacare’s 2013 elimination of a tax break on retiree drug benefits, which will cost U.S. corporations as much as $14 billion, according to an estimate by Towers Watson, a benefits consulting firm.

AT&T reported an Obamacare-induced write-down of $1 billion. Caterpillar reported that the new health bill will raise its bottom line $100 million in the initial year and threaten coverage for its 150,000 employees and retirees. Deere disclosed losses of $150 million. And so on.

Where will employees and retirees go for health care? They’ll likely be pushed into the “government option” of Medicare.

Some Democrats see politics behind the disclosures. A White House staffer reportedly told the American Spectator, “These are Republican CEOs who are trying to embarrass the president and Democrats in general. Where do you hear about this stuff?

[sickoflibs]

Truth panels ! I love it!

[Argus]

“Republican CEO’s”. Love it. Most of the truly rich and CEO’s included in this country are registered Democrats. But it suits the purposes of the feudal masters of their party to call them Republicans. Maybe they’ll take the hint and actually contribute to the party that gives them a better chance of survival.

[BuffaloJack]

It’s Obama. There will be truthless panels.

[combat_boots]

From "Come To Jesus Part Deux" Karl Denninger

[alancarp]

Brilliant timing on the part of the Democrats: get the bill done and signed a scant week before the end of the first quarter. The new "Enron" rules require disclosure of even future financial bottom-line impacts to be made in the same quarter as they become known -- or inacted by law, as was the case here. So the Rats guaranteed a bevy of bad news arriving while they're still doing their victory laps... wait until April 1st and they could have postponed these disclosures until June 30th.

[Republic]

What is this crap about anyone who questions or HONESTLY FOLLOWS THE LAW AND REPORTS PRICE INCREASES DUE TO OBAMACARE (cause YOU KNOW the increased operating costs are going to be passed on to all of us, many of whom are already suffering, greatly, in this horrific economy) are trying to....

Oh gag me

spew big time

oh puuuuuuuuulllleeeeze...

are trying to EMBARASS THE PRESIDENT????????

What in the hell is THAT supposed to mean?

That anytime it is noted that a program is putrid, if it derives from that pompous arse, everyone is supposed to be sit down and shut up because it might embarrass that sociopathic freak in our WH?

If it is the TRUTH....and it embarrasses the freaking president...... SO WHAT??????????

If the plan is BAD for our nation, I say SHOUT IF FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!! Obumma, the sensitive one who feels overworked in his new job, can STUFF IT!

[southernsunshine]

“to embarrass the president”

He is an embarrassment.

Truth panels......what the CEO’s will find the Administration attitude to be is, one set of rules for me and another set or rules for thee.

Could get interesting.

[SirFishalot]

The new "Enron" rules require disclosure of even future financial bottom-line impacts to be made in the same quarter as they become known -- or inacted by law, as was the case here.

Exactly! And I hope that rule is the first line out of each and every CEO who testifies before those buffoons.