ObamaCare Test Vote Delayed?
[Posted by Karl]
Sen. Maj. Ldr. Harry Reid’s attempt to fast-track changes to the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, off-budget and (ostensibly) separate from ObamaCare, was set for a cloture vote today, but has been delayed following objections from both the GOP and moderate Dems. Republicans want the Democrats to pay for the $248 billion (and maybe twice as much) price tag for the doctors’ fix.
Oddly enough, this position is also espoused by White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod:
“Every year, draconian cuts are proposed for doctors that would have a deleterious effect on patients,” the senior adviser told ABC’s This Week. “And every year, the Congress acts on it and defers on that. And the fact is, it’s a charade.”
“Everyone in the Congress knows they’re not going to let that go forward. All that we’re saying here is, let’s be honest about it. The president provided for it in his budgets, and we ought to acknowledge that this is a — this is an ongoing expense that we’ll have to meet,” he added.
Axelrod presumably wants this done to keep the American Medical Association on board with ObamaCare — but will it? If the AMA gets what it wants in a separate bill, that should be less reason to support ObamaCare, unless there is a back room quid pro quo involved. As Allahpundit would say, “Hmmmmmmmm…”
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) was right to complain that the separate off-budget SGR fix is an attempt to make ObamaCare feasible without deficit spending. However, Hatch also acknowledges the necessity of a fix. The Baucus vapor bill relied on “savings” from the SGR that even Axelrod has to concede were never going to happen, so forcing the SGR fix on-budget is not only good policy, but one that might make the rest of ObamaCare more difficult to finance.
Moreover, in the bigger picture, Reid’s backpedal on the SGR fix may say something about his inability to force his Democratic and Independent colleagues into a fiscally irresponsible vote on healthcare, even when that vote would make one of the nation’s most powerful lobbies very happy. Reid ought to be doing better on the undercard before moving on to the main event.
–Karl
To summarize what should be blindingly obviously to the American public, if the main-stream media were doing its job: the Obama Administration, Ms. Pelosi, and Mr. Reid have no morale center whatsoever, no respect for thetruth, and no regard for the American citizen. To accomplish their aims, they rely on lies, misrepresentations, and trickery, such as this latest budgetary maneuver. They are well aware that if the American public were aware of the true cost of Obamacare, and its implication for their loss of freedom over their own bodies, they massively reject the plan and all who support it. Our founding fathers believed that an informed electorate was necessary for democracy. Since Ms. Pelosi and Messrs Obama and Reid blatantly do not wish an informed electorate, it can only be concluded that at the most fundamental level they are enemies of democracy.
Ed Burke (b5d255) — 10/19/2009 @ 8:34 amThe other fact that should be considered is that doctors are deserting Medicare with the SGR cuts postponed every year. Without those cuts, Medicare is paying 20% or less of billed charges. It is not sustainable as it is.
Mike K (2cf494) — 10/19/2009 @ 8:45 amRelax, sit back and let the Democrat Party do to health care what they’ve done to home ownership. The Jackass Party is on a roll, and besides, what could be the harm?
PS: The GOP will protect us.
ropelight (1ccd07) — 10/19/2009 @ 11:40 amMore smoke and mirrors designed to hide the true cost of the already unpopular ObamaCare.
Let’s have an honest debate!!!!!
daleyrocks (718861) — 10/19/2009 @ 12:49 pmI wonder what Roman Polanski thinks of ObamaCare?
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