Tag: budget (page 4)

House Democrat Leader Steny Hoyer just suggested that Democrats want to create a more competitive, transparent health care marketplace.  But their bill does just the opposite.  Section 202(c) of H.R. 3962 (page 100 of the House-passed legislation), requires that health insurance can only be offered through a national, government-run exchange.  The bill would prohibit the purchase of insurance that is not approved by the government or sold through the government exchange.  How does forcing people into a government-run program constitute the creation of a competitive, transparent marketplace, except in the most Orwellian vision of health care?

 Yet, "Reid Said... Democrats Would Use The Reconciliation Process. `We're Going To Have That Done In The Next 60 Days.'" "Democrats will finish their health reform efforts within the next two months by using a majority-vote maneuver in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said. Reid said that congressional Democrats would likely opt for a procedural tactic in the Senate allowing the upper chamber to make final changes to its healthcare bill with only a simple `I've had many conversations this week with the president, his chief of staff, and Speaker Pelosi,' Reid said during an appearance Friday evening on `Face to Face with Jon Ralston' in Nevada. `And we're really trying to move forward on this.' The majority leader said that while Democrats have a number of options, they would likely use the budget reconciliation process to pass a series of fixes to the first healthcare bill passed by the Senate in November. These changes are needed to secure votes for passage of that original Senate bill in the House. `We'll do a relatively small bill to take care of what we've already done,' Reid said, affirming that Democrats would use the reconciliation process. `We're going to have that done in the next 60 days.'" ("Reid: Dems Will use 50-Vote Tactic To Finish Healthcare In 60 Days," The Hill's Briefing Blog, 2/20/10)

 Yet, "Reid Said... Democrats Would Use The Reconciliation Process. `We're Going To Have That Done In The Next 60 Days.'" "Democrats will finish their health reform efforts within the next two months by using a majority-vote maneuver in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said. Reid said that congressional Democrats would likely opt for a procedural tactic in the Senate allowing the upper chamber to make final changes to its healthcare bill with only a simple `I've had many conversations this week with the president, his chief of staff, and Speaker Pelosi,' Reid said during an appearance Friday evening on `Face to Face with Jon Ralston' in Nevada. `And we're really trying to move forward on this.' The majority leader said that while Democrats have a number of options, they would likely use the budget reconciliation process to pass a series of fixes to the first healthcare bill passed by the Senate in November. These changes are needed to secure votes for passage of that original Senate bill in the House. `We'll do a relatively small bill to take care of what we've already done,' Reid said, affirming that Democrats would use the reconciliation process. `We're going to have that done in the next 60 days.'" ("Reid: Dems Will use 50-Vote Tactic To Finish Healthcare In 60 Days," The Hill's Briefing Blog, 2/20/10)

Speaker Pelosi just made the claim that Democrat health care reform legislation will create 4 million jobs.  She may want to check with Christina Romer, President Obama's chief economic advisor.  According to a model developed by Dr. Romer, the $729.5 billion in tax increases in the House-passed legislation she helped write (H.R. 3962) would destroy up to 5,000,000 jobs.

Of course, lets put away any partisanship and take a look at some of her her budget proposals...

Political Agenda with Danian Michael

Perhaps it is a bit weird that when I reflect on the devastation in Haiti, I tend to think about the day before it happened? Yet it is undoubtedly the case that we all do this to some extent when for example we exclaim, "I never saw that coming!" In many ways, January 11, 2010 reminds me of September 10, 2001, the day before our own major disaster. As I went about my day without a thought of Americans dying in masses, I had no idea that events were about to unfold that would change this world forever and that would cause so much pain. I would imagine that the people of Haiti had a similar experience on January 11: deep below the earth's crust right under their feet--and unbeknownst to anyone--events were unfolding that would culminate with such devastation. If only the people of Port Au Prince Haiti and the people inside the World Trade Center were given a heads-up, who knows how many lives could have been saved.

A Little more below the fold...

Michigan Taxes Too Much - Great lakes "Zoning?"