Posted on 03/28/2010 4:31:06 PM PDT by Starman417
Were it not enough that a representative body slid a major entitlement program thru budget reconciliation rules, and on a partisan vote, Congressional thuggery tactics have soared to a new high. Powerline has copies of a letter from Henry Waxman, chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, demanding that AT&T, and other companies who have publicly disclosed the fiscal repercussions of O'health care, appear before the committee and bring their analyses of the fiscal impact, and any documents including emails and messages reviewed by their senior officials that support their claim of increased operating costs.
Translation? CEOs, as a result of their "disclosure", are now ordered to appear before Congress starting April 21st to prove their claims.
This accusation, tandamount to subtly calling the corporations liars, could almost be humorous... were one in possession of such sardonic temperment. It's been obvious that increased costs would result from what the Obama's WH mouthpiece, Robert Gibbs, described as merely closing a loophole just days ago in response. And, in fact, as an IBD op-ed a couple of days pointed out, Congress and the administration were warned of the effects of this legislation, as written, on their overhead early December.
In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., last Dec. 11, Deere and other signatories said the health care reform then under consideration "would negatively impact both retirees and companies."Nobody was listening.
"For months, the American Benefits Council, along with several employers and labor unions, warned that the retiree drug subsidy tax in the health care legislation would impose an enormous hit on company financial statements as soon as the bill was signed into law," said James Klein, president of the American Benefits Council, in a statement on Friday.
Besides Deere, the letter was signed by Boeing, Con-Way Freight, Exelon, Navistar, Verizon, Caterpillar, MetLife, Public Service Enterprise Group and Xerox.
Waxman's letter is the quintessential political intimidation ploy, stating such news causes them "concern". huh? If they were repeatedly warned prior to passage, how can this be a surprise "concern"?
Instead the Chair's actions, demanding some sort of proof that their unsurprising claims are correct, just seems to continue a seriously dangerous precedent of government intimidation waged on those who are not willing to sip the prozac-laden water, and who continue to criticize or resist propaganda launched.
Read more at floppingaces.net...
Also, it isn’t true that Obamacare proper was slid through a reconciliation procedure. That was when the full House was finally conned into accepting the Senate bill on promise of patching that with a bill that WAS sent through a reconciliation procedure.
The CPC (Congressional “Progressive” Caucus) must be exposed as the cadre of socialist crook sex pervert baby killing trial lawyer hugging unAmerican scumbags that they are.
Its absolutely ludicrous that these red sons of bitches are operating above ground and in our faces without fear of retribution.
The destruction of the communist “Congressional Progressive Caucus” as an above ground legitimate organization is the top priority
Its members and supporters (ESPECIALLY THE PRESS) need to be exposed as red communist sons of bitches that they are, prosecuted and imprisoned where evidence of criminality is uncovered, and the organization itself driven back underground like in the 50’s, when American communists met in secret to plot their government takeover, not changed their names to “Progressives” and did it in our faces in broad daylight.
THESE RED BASTARDS ARE CONSPIRING WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNISTS TO CRIPPLE THE AMERICAN ECONOMY AND WEAKEN ITS MILITARY CAPACITY AND MUST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND IMPRISONED.
Maybe this will be the end of SarBox.
The MSM has spoiled Congress with its lies and deceptions. The Democrats are going to have to end Free Speech if they are to survive.
It's gut check time. We'll see shortly who has the guts to stand up to the Ubanga administration and its communist minions, and we'll see who retreats with their tails between their legs.
The mechanism was quite simple ~ the federales gave the companies a tax credit of several hundred dollars per covered employee who would have otherwise qualified for Part D.
What Waxman did was make sure that tax credit was removed. That broke the deal with the companies. In addition, that changed the tax status of the companies and they had to file with the SEC regarding that change.
The "welfare" was for the retirees. The "tax hit" was on the companies.
Now, what does this mean to us ~ those who are retired but younger and able to handle our own affairs? It means that if I have a company medical insurance program for my retired years I'm going to get mad at the Democrats every time I take advantage of Part D.
If I'm 90 years old the anxiety over this is going to certainly aggrevate my cardiovascular problems and may lead to heart attacks or strokes.
Waxman had that as his intent I'm sure ~ give away Democrat votes and kill the very old.
Leastwise, I'm going to think that he did as did every single stupid Democrat who voted for that bill without first reading it and analyzing its effects.
This is the reason we need to take back our government and put the Democrats on trial ~
How COULD they retreat, except by dropping Rx coverage altogether? One of the talking points Bummer used to push Bummercare was the claim “you can keep your insurance if you like it.” Well, Cat and AT&T have just calculated the cost of doing this and are showing it on their prospectuses. The CEOs ought to insist the hearings be open, because Waxman will look like a fool.
By being cowards and appeasers of their socialist masters in Washington.
The CEOs ought to insist the hearings be open, because Waxman will look like a fool.
Yep.
The Politburo has spoken.
Remember the Prime Directive: Stifle self-defense.
This is blatant intimidation meant to prevent these organizations from defending themselves, and spreading information that might create further resistance.
What else will be hidden from us now as a result? What CEO will want to stand against blatant tyranny publicly if the communists thugs are waiting just around the corner to ambush them?
Who else will cower to these bullies.
This is a freedom of speech issue, but, now that corporations are considered “evil” by most (thanks to decades long subversion/propaganda) there will be no cries to “save” the companies from these horrendous abuses of power.
Welcome to tyranny.
At this point, I could write all day long, every day, 24/7 and provide example, after example of this happening in our country.
We must stop this, Americans.
It looks subtle in the beginning, but in principle (the only thing the universe “cares” about), it is no different than the local Sheriff calling you to court to “answer” for daring to carry a sign that says something like: “Obamacare is too expensive for my household!”
Do you suppose your neighbor, after hearing about your summons, will want to risk carrying a similar sign?
There is no difference, at all, in principle.
The purpose is confound your survival instinct and render you a passive, non-threatening slave of the state.
It just gets worse, and worse, and worse from here.
upchuck, me thinks you need to explain what’s bothering your butt that requires an “editor”. Such vague commentary/criticism is counterproductive. You have a problem with the content? Or is this some sort of grammarical classroom cyber lecture?
Now, regarding what we want and what we got ~ two different stories.
The sudden withdrawal of any regular process from 90 year old people is frequently a death sentence.
I do believe we have to go to the mat with the Democrats about the number of elderly and disabled people they are killing.
How foolish to think that without their death panels they'd give up the idea!
That’s why we have to have a ‘critical’ eye when reading any article. I consider myself to be fairly well informed however, some of the articles have misstatements in them and sometimes they are not glaring enough to pick up on (unless you’ve read about a particular subject already) and then the reader thinks it’s factual.
Oh... I see... you and your pal upchuck have your knickers in a twist by the misspelling of tantamount and temperament. Hang, I don’t check this site until I’ve finished polishing the one on FA.
Perhaps you don’t get how the FA to Freep cycle goes. Sometimes we edit after it gets posted on FA since it’s easier to see in the final formatted version. But in between that time, Starman posts it here - with errors in that version.
So, Ms. Outlaw Woman, I suggest that if it’s “bad enough to get through some of this crap” without some uncorrected spelling errors, I shan’t feel personally compromised if you don’t bother attempting to do so in the future. There’s certainly plenty of other news blurbs here, and it won’t be like we’re missing some constructive or enlightening input.
Apparently the rest of the commenters get it... calling up Congressional hearings for SEC mandated behavior to combat fiscal reality is yet another desperate attempt to hide the major flaws in their rushed, nanny social welfare net bill.
Get a life.
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