Posted on 09/23/2013 1:21:46 AM PDT by markomalley
Arguing federal workers should not get special treatment, Rand Paul says he does not want taxpayers subsidizing the personal health care plans of any federal employee — including Chief Justice John Roberts — anymore.
With some in Congress arguing lawmakers and their staff should not get subsidies to cover their health insurance as President Obama’s health care law goes into effect, the Republican senator from Kentucky told The Daily Caller on Sunday that he’s going to start pushing a constitutional amendment that goes even further.
Paul’s proposal — outlawing any special exemptions for government employees — would mean all federal workers would have to purchase health insurance on the new Obamacare exchanges instead of getting taxpayer-funded subsidies. Some critics say those subsidies amount to special treatment. The Obamacare health insurance exchange opens Oct 1.
“My amendment says basically that everybody including Justice Roberts — who seems to be such a fan of Obamacare — gets it too,” Paul told TheDC by phone on Sunday from Mackinac Island in Michigan, where he won a straw poll of potential Republican candidates for president in 2016.
“See, right now, Justice Roberts is still continuing to have federal employee health insurance subsidized by the taxpayer,” Paul said. “And if he likes Obamacare so much, I’m going to give him an amendment that gives Obamacare to Justice Roberts.”
Roberts famously voted to uphold the constitutionality of Obama’s unpopular health care law when it went before the Supreme Court last year.
Paul’s constitutional amendment says no federal employees should get special exemptions from laws. The senator also plans to push a proposal requiring that Congress and all federal employees rely on Obamacare for their insurance.
His proposal comes after outrage from conservatives about a so-called “exemption” for members of Congress and their staff from Obamacare.
What’s being referred to as the “Obamacare fix” for lawmakers and staff was made because the Affordable Care Act includes an amendment from a Republican senator that changes how the government currently covers most of the cost of health care premiums for members of Congress and their staffers. The new law mandates that members and staff must enter into exchanges or be covered by insurance “created” by law.
But after concerns about the cost of health care going up for congressional employees, the Office of Personnel Management announced in August that it would provide a subsidy of about 75 percent of the cost for the health care of members and staff.
Paul revealed his new amendment push on Sunday after TheDC inquired about a proposal from Louisiana Sen. David Vitter, who has proposed killing those federal Obamacare subsidies for lawmakers and their staff. “I support any effort to make all laws applicable to Congress that we pass,” Paul said.
But Paul says his proposal goes even further.
“I think mine is a little more inclusive,” Paul explained. “Mine — compared to Vitter’s — would include all federal employees, and save billions of dollars.”
He added: “Why don’t we do it for all federal employees? And mine would save quite a bit more money.”
Lawmakers, including Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, have defended the special Obamacare exemptions being made for lawmakers and their staff. Earlier this month, the Nevada Democrat flatly stated, “That’s what the law says, and we’ll be part of that.”
“We’ll be treated like the rest of the federal employees,” Reid said. “It’s nothing unique that employers help pay for health care.”
He's showboating again. The point of the whole "Obamacare" thing (flaws aside) is to provide insurance to the currently uninsured. Obviously, it's absurd to apply it to the already insured.
Don’t confuse him with facts.
You’re talking GW Bush because Bush the Elder was certainly taller than RR.
Actually I don’t think GW was taller than RR. I saw GW at his first inauguration gala while dancing with his wife Laura. He is reported to be 6’0” and he seemed a little taller than RR but definitely more broad in the shoulders than RR. Part of that could have been that GW was younger and more athletic than RR. GW seemed bigger physically. But intellectually and in the sense of ‘Command Presence’, GW was a lightweight compared to RR.
It really doesn’t matter. This topic is starting to become asinine. Someone said Rand Paul is too short to be President. I said RR was not tall. I also said he was not short. I also said again that there were many opponents of his and other world leaders that were much taller and bigger than he but his style and manner made him a giant.
I just don’t think height is so important. Robert Reich is really short but his ‘Command Presence’ is nonexistent. But put Ted Cruz into Robert Reich’s frame and you would have a giant in stature.
Sauce for the Goose Amendment! I love it!
Philoso-Rander!
“Ron Paul will never be President.....he;s too short”
LMAO. Hillary is shorter :p
uh...if you don’t know the difference between male and female...go talk to your MOM!!! And.... I THINK that Hillary and Rand are both 5’5”
Rand is 5’8”. He’ll look like a giant in a race against Hillary.
This is the right and righteous fight IMO. All men created equal and all...
Congress thinks they’re special. “The people elected us so they MUST have wanted us to be treated special.” And Roberts will say “And those the people elected chose me so I’m special, too.”
Roberts wants the taxpayer to pay for his adopted kids’ insurance.
Why aren’t Rand Paul and Ted Cruz working together? Between they, they must do what is best for the Constitution and We the People who support same. Senator Rand Paul, please do the right thing...work together with like minded men and women who love this country and have a solid plan of action as does Senator Cruz. Work together is all I ask, for love of this country, our Constitution, Liberty and Freedom.
Indeed. JFK would not recognize the Democrat party his little brother (piss be upon him) helped to usher in.
In today's political climate, he'd probably be standing in the center-right, if not hard right.
I want them to be part of the SS system too.....I want them to pay the SS tax ...
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