CORNERSTONE COMMENTS ON PROPOSED 'MAGGIECARE'

Says Price Controls are Recipe for Health Care Disaster in NH

Concord, NH - Today, Senate Majority Leader, Senator Maggie Hassan, held a press conference to discuss her proposed piece of legislation, SB505, which would establish a new government bureaucracy made up of three "health czars" whose responsibility it would be to fix health care rates that hospitals and other health care professionals charge.  In addition, this new government entity would grant authority to itself to impose taxes on the income of these health care providers in order to sustain its own existence.

Commenting on this proposed health care boondoggle was Cornerstone-Action's Executive Director, Kevin Smith:

"At a time when the entire nation is rejecting the massive government take-over of health care on the federal level, Senator Hassan is now proposing that the State start fixing the health care costs of its private providers.  Not only will this kind of price controlling literally destroy the delivery of health care services in the State of New Hampshire, but this government take-over will know no limits and will certainly go far beyond just the hospitals."

Smith continued, "This legislature sure does have a penchant for sticking it to the health care providers in our State - first they try to steal money from the doctor's private (JUA) account, now they want to fix the rates hospitals charge.  The state Leadership appears to be as tone deaf as they are in Washington on the health care issue."  

News Alert: Controversy over "Cadillac Tax" Health Care Penalty Heats Up As Plan Emerges to Exempt Union Workers

By Carter Clews

January 14th, 2010, Fairfax, VA–The growing controversy over the so-called "Cadillac Tax" – or, as some are now calling it, the "Health Care Penalty Tax" — continued to heat up today as stories emerged from behind White House closed doors of an Obama-union deal to exempt unionized workers.

As currently written, the Health Care Penalty would charge insurance companies a 40% excise tax on coverage above $8,500 for an individual and $23,000 for a family. Within three years, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the tax would apply to nearly 20% of all workers. Within six years, it would reach a fifth of all households earning as little as $50,000 annually.

But, according to reports emerging from within the White House negotiations, Obama and top union officials are on the verge of hammering out a deal that would allow the health care programs of unionized workers to be exempted from new tax. If such a deal is finalized, up to 92% of American workers would be subject to the Health Care Tax Penalty, while the remaining 8% of unionized workers would be given what amounts to a free ride.

The Obama-union agreement would hit workers in Right to Work states particularly hard, as they would be forced to cover much of the cost of the new 40% health care penalty. And members of the Senate and House are likely to face stiff opposition if they allow the deal to go through.

"The union exemption from the health care penalty tax is little more than a thinly veiled attempt by Barack Obama to pay off union campaign contributions by penalizing non-union workers and punishing Right to Work states," said Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson. "We are calling upon members of Congress from Right to Work states to oppose the health care penalty outright, to deny the union bosses any form of exemption whatsoever."

Many see the Cadillac Tax-Health Care Penalty as a major hurdle for the Obama White House. If the union exemption is not included, the Administration could face a revolt on its left. If it is included, any one of the 13 senators from Right to Work states could be forced to abandon their support for the health care bill.

Carter Clews is a contributing editor to the Washington News Alert.

http://washingtonalert.org/?p=748

NetRight Daily: Health Care Penalty Tax Emerges

Health Care Penalty Tax on the Horizon?:  It looks like the Unions, Obama and Pelosi have struck a deal. And their deal will punish those that are not part of the Union Class. Right to Work states will soon be feeling the heavy hand of government for not being aligned with the Labor Unions if a new provision in the Health Care bill is allowed to pass.

ALG Urges Right-to-Work Members of Congress to Oppose "Cadillac" Health Care Tax:  Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today in a letter urged members of Congress from 22 "right-to-work" states to oppose a 40 percent excise tax on non-union health care plans that "will hit your states and districts particularly hard, and is grossly unfair to non-union workers."

 Green Jobs, Red Ink, Pink Slips:  The "New Socialism" -- as columnist Charles Krauthammer adroitly calls the global governmental power grab and wealth redistribution schemes lurking beneath the "green economy" -- has kicked into high gear in Washington, D.C. already this year.

Clawing Back for Funds:  It's a new year and the economy can't improve soon enough for cash-strapped cities, counties, and states across the country. With receipts from income taxes falling due to high unemployment, property tax dollars declining thanks to shrinking home values, and sales tax revenue flat despite increasing rates in many areas, state and local governments are searching hard for money to pay their bills.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter!



NetRight Daily: Capitalism, Socialism and Communism

Capitalism, Socialism and Communism:  While the debates rage on with health care, cap-and-trade, and the overall role of government in the average American's life, economic societal terms like "capitalism," "socialism," and "communism" often get careless bandied. Many on the right feel like America is on the move towards "socialism" and many on the left believe that "capitalism" is the root of all social ills.

In a stunning video, Bertha Lews, CEO of ACORN, claims that the banks were at fault for the mortgage crisis.  This is a MUST WATCH to see just how much of a lunatic she is.

Tax the Rich?:  The rhetoric of increasing taxes on the rich has been a goal of populist presidents since FDR.  The Obama administration has pledged to increase the taxes on those making over $250,000 to fund increased social programs and a supposed middle class tax cut.  However in the past, increasing taxes on the rich has had just the opposite effect.

The $4,000 Family Health Care Tax Break's Obama Promise:  When Barack Obama ran for president, he promised that his health care plan would "lower health-care costs by $2,500 for the typical family." Now, it turns out that new legislation that he supports creating public-private "co-operatives" will increase the costs of family health insurance by $4,000 by 2019.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Daily Grind: New Healthcare Tax Breaks Obama Promise

The $4,000 Family Healthcare Tax Breaks Obama Promise
Once, Barack Obama promised to lower health costs by $2,500 "for the typical family." That was then.

The Clews-Todd Report Episode 10
Carter Clews and Don Todd discuss Valerie Jarrett, the close advisor to Barack Obama and his wife.

The Barstool Economist: Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism
While the debates rage on about role of government in the average American's life, economic societal terms like "capitalism," "socialism," and "communism" often get careless bandied.

Too Hot Not To Note: Obama Choice for Labor Post Advances but Then Meets a G.O.P. Roadblock
Americans for Limited Government, Activists, and Media can stand proud, as it was us who prevented another Obama appointee with a "colorful" past.