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More Problems for Obama's Health Plan
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by mahrens609 | November 11, 2009 at 10:21 am
108 views | 3 Recommendations | 1 comment
Yet another wrench has been thrown into the gears of the machine that is President Obama’s universal health care plan, as moderate Democrats and Republicans in the Senate have expressed their opinion that federal funding for abortion should not be part of the health-care coverage. This would include barring the use of federal funds to purchase policies provided by private companies that include an abortion option in their plan. Abortion rights activists expressed anger over this, but it appears that this concession may be necessary if the bill is to stand a chance of passing the Senate vote.
The health care bill narrowly passed by the House of Representatives on Sunday includes similar wording, saying that federal money cannot be used to purchase any health care package that will pay for abortions. However, the House bill includes a provision that allows for abortion in cases of rape, incest, or if the birth poses a health risk to the mother. If the Senate’s version of the bill, drafted by Sen. Max Baucus and the Senate Finance Committee, passes the Senate vote, that bill would have to be merged with the House’s version to form a single plan that would have to be signed into law by the president.
Americans continue to be narrowly divided over the issue of pro-choice versus pro-life. This divide is clearly seen in Congress – the health care bill has been on the table for months with no clear end in sight as politicians pick sides. Many Republicans oppose the bill, believing it will harm competition between private insurers, and they are also against the principle of a government-run health plan, known as the public option, saying private companies should not have to compete with the government. The government plan, they say, will drive many companies out of business simply because private companies cannot compete with low government prices, and this will eliminate thousands of jobs.
Former President Bill Clinton, who himself had tried to create a similar universal healthcare plan in 1994, made a rare appearance in Congress to speak to senators, urging them to pass the bill. "Whatever their differences are, I just urged them to resolve their differences and pass a bill," Clinton said on Capitol Hill. "I also believe, you know, people hired us to come to work in places like this to solve problems and stand up and do it."
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill), the second-highest ranking Democrat in the senate, said he believes the Senate will begin a full debate on the healthcare bill by Thanksgiving. According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the bill has many hurdles to overcome – primarily the controversy surrounding the decision to include the public option – may mean that the bill will not pass by the end of the year, President Obama’s goal, if at all.
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Rickushickus (not verified)at 14:27 on November 12th, 2009
Anybody with any common sense should be able to figure out what is happening in our US congress today. It's not about parties (dems or republicans) they are all elected with the help of utility companies, insurance companies and the like. So figure it out. If you want to be elected into office, you first have to have the support of one or more of the above.Otherwise forget about it, you're not going to be elected. After you are elected into office, you will be met by these lobbiests and you will do what they ask and you will like the financial results. You will then be re-elected when the time comes. I once went to the funeral service of a friends father who was an attorney for a firm in Seattle working exclusively for insurance companies. One of the firms older partner was talking about how they had gotten a young attorney elected as a judge. This is of course how the insurance companies work - now this judge is going to rule in favor of the insurance companies everytime the law will allow, and if the laws need to be changed in favor of the insurance companies, they have that base covered too by lobbying the State legislators and of course those state legislators are also elected with the help of the insurance companies and the like. So you cannot win against these people and they will dictate how you will live, like it or not. Everytime Ted Kennedy wanted support from his constituants on a bill that was for the big insurance companies, he would simply make statements like "it's time the insurance companies started paying for ..." and people all say "YES" we like that. But of course what they don't understand is the insurance companies are paying Ted to say that. The reason is that when insurance companies have to, by law, pay for whatever, they get to go to the insurance commissioners and ask for a rate increase - and they get it. That in essence increases their business and profits. It's not that hard to understand, but people are like cows and follow the leader to the slaughter house. Now we are soon to have a healthcare bill that is a payback from Obama and our politians to the insurance companies for their campaign support. That is why the new bill requires all americans to have insurance or be fined or go to jail. This will increase business for the insurance companies and their profits - and we will have no other choice or pay fines or go to jail. Wow that would be so great if I could get congress to pass a law that all contractors would have to use my services or get fined or go to jail - man would i ever be happy. Great for me but not so great for everyone else. This healthcare bill does just that for the insurance companies. Don't be fooled by any negative talk these politicians may use against the insurance companies, that's just to make us believe the opposite. They are being paid to say those things in order to get support from un-suspecting citizens - Just remember who will make the big profits from the people paying the premiums that will keep going higher and higher and higher for ever. Follow the money to see where the corruption begins and ends. -Rick Gregory