Democrats agenda

[Pliny]

It seems what is paramount in the Obama/Pelosi administration is how to push through with their Utopian dreams of a more equal America and the world, all along forgetting that unemployment has topped 10%. The healthcare bill will add a trillion dollars to the federal deficit over ten years, small business will be emasculated creating further unemployment and there will still be thirty million people in America without health care insurance but at least the Democrats will have done their best to get the health care bill passed, even though it probably won't get past the Senate. What a colossal waste of time and energy!

Edited November 15, 2009 by Pliny

[punked]

It seems what is paramount in the Obama/Pelosi administration is how to push through with their Utopian dreams of a more equal America and the world, all along forgetting that unemployment has topped 10%. The healthcare bill will add a trillion dollars to the federal deficit over ten years, small business will be emasculated creating further unemployment and there will still be thirty million people in America without health care insurance but at least the Democrats will have done their best to get the health care bill passed, even though it probably won't get past the Senate. What a colossal waste of time and energy!

The largest outside expenditure in the US for bisuness is Health care, GM alone spends some 6 billion a year on health care. Keep pretending those problems don't exist.

[Shady]

The largest outside expenditure in the US for bisuness is Health care, GM alone spends some 6 billion a year on health care. Keep pretending those problems don't exist.

No one is denying that problems don't exists. It's just that you'd have to be a crazy person to believe spending more money is going to reduce costs.

Their agenda is destroying what's left of the US economy. And with the Obama economic burdens in place, double-digit unemployment will be the new norm, not the exception.

[Riverwind]

The largest outside expenditure in the US for bisuness is Health care, GM alone spends some 6 billion a year on health care. Keep pretending those problems don't exist.

The problem is the Dems 'solution' simply increases costs for businesses by using a payroll tax to fund the public option. If they really wanted to help businesses with heathcare costs they would fund the public option with taxes on individuals and reduce payroll taxes for companies. I realize that US political culture makes tax increases difficult to justify but if they cannot convince people to accept higher taxes to pay for the public option then the Dems need to accept that Americans don't really want it. Pushing a bill that tries to hide the tax increases while it makes US companies less competitive will only hurt the people that the Dems think they want to help.

[punked]

No one is denying that problems don't exists. It's just that you'd have to be a crazy person to believe spending more money is going to reduce costs.

Their agenda is destroying what's left of the US economy. And with the Obama economic burdens in place, double-digit unemployment will be the new norm, not the exception.

Wait you actually think that there is a political party in the US whose goal it is, is to destroy the US economy. You just went off the deep end Shady. I think republicans are wrong I don't think them evil. You actually view democrats as being these super villains hell bent on destroying the US. Don't embrace the crazy Shady.

[punked]

The problem is the Dems 'solution' simply increases costs for businesses by using a payroll tax to fund the public option. If they really wanted to help businesses with heathcare costs they would fund the public option with taxes on individuals and reduce payroll taxes for companies. I realize that US political culture makes tax increases difficult to justify but if they cannot convince people to accept higher taxes to pay for the public option then the Dems need to accept that Americans don't really want it. Pushing a bill that tries to hide the tax increases while it makes US companies less competitive will only hurt the people that the Dems think they want to help.

Accept it doesn't make US companies less competitive because right now those same companies are legally obligated to provide health care and that is sinking them.

[Riverwind]

Accept it doesn't make US companies less competitive because right now those same companies are legally obligated to provide health care and that is sinking them.

It really depends on the company and the state. Many companies only offer a minimal or no healthcare plan. The current legislation would increase the cost of the plans by mandating minimum coverages.

[punked]

It really depends on the company and the state. Many companies only offer a minimal or no healthcare plan. The current legislation would increase the cost of the plans by mandating minimum coverages.

60% of all health care plans in the us are provided by employers, 30% are provided by the government, and 10% are purchased individually. You clearly don't know what you talking about when you say they provide minimal or no healthcare plans they are legally obligated too. Many times the employees will pay some of the fees of the employer provided health care but the employer usually pays a large chunk.

[Riverwind]

Many times the employees will pay some of the fees of the employer provided health care but the employer usually pays a large chunk.

The issue is not whether companies pay for something called a 'healthcare plan'. The issue is what the cost of the plans they provide compared to the plans that they are going to be forced to provide by the government. In many cases the cost of the government mandated plans will be much higher than what they pay today. There is also a chance that the cost of the new mandates will make it cheaper to cancel the plans, pay the penalty and tell employees to use the government plan. If this happens a lot private insurance will dissappear and Americans will end up with a public plan like Canada but paid for by payroll taxes which is the most job killing form of taxation. That is why I said the Dems should stop playing games and raise taxes on individuals to pay for the plan instead of trying fool people by hiding the cost in payroll taxes. Edited November 16, 2009 by Riverwind

[Pliny]

Yes, they are trying to hide the costs but the insurance companies have played the same game and that is part of the problem.

If an employee is making 50,000/yr. and nets the company $500.00 with his production and the health care costs are increased by 200.00/yr., then that employee is still safe. If an employee is making 20,000/yr. and his production nets the company 200.00/yr. then he stands a good chance of losing his job. How does this help the poor?

I know! I know! He will still have health care under the government option.

It certainly will tax the economy while increasing unemployment.

[Pliny]

The largest outside expenditure in the US for bisuness is Health care, GM alone spends some 6 billion a year on health care. Keep pretending those problems don't exist.

Seems like that's what the Democrats are doing. Pretending those problems don't exist. Remember his words, "No one will have to change their health care plans" or something like that.

[Shady]

When will President Teleprompter realize that the country is concerned about jobs, jobs, jobs? The current recession caused by a manipulation of the housing market, and the overleveraging of banks had nothing to do with healthcare. But as President Teleprompter's Chief of Staff stated back in January: "You never let a crisis go to waste."