A Republican Trap for Democrats on Health Care?

[NorthCarolina]

by David Corn

Are the Democrats about to walk into a Republican trap on health care? As I monitor the latest back and forth, I feel as if I'm watching a cheesy horror flick and some poor unsuspecting person is about to open the wrong door--and you want to scream, "Hey, don't open that door!" But....

In the Senate, the Democrats (presumably with President Barack Obama's blessings) are still trying to win one to three Republican votes for a health care reform package. So as the Gang of Six--that bipartisan group of senators--has continued to negotiate, Senator Max Baucus, the Democratic chairman of the finance committee, has released a "framework" that he says is aimed to address Republican concerns. Yet Democrats should be concerned about his bill.
Here's how The Washington Post described a key component:

Under the Baucus plan, described in a "framework" he released last week, as many as 4 million of the 46 million people who are currently uninsured would be required to buy coverage on their own, without government help, by some estimates. Millions more would qualify for federal tax credits, but could still end up paying as much as 13 percent of their income for insurance premiums -- far more than most Americans now pay for coverage.

People further down the income scale would receive much bigger tax credits, effectively limiting their premiums at 3 percent of their earnings. But experts on affordability say even those families could find it difficult to meet the new mandate without straining their wallets.

With the Baucus plan, a family of four making $66,000 would have to pay $700 a month for government-mandated health insurance coverage. That's more than many people at that income level are used to paying now for whatever health care coverage they have. For a good number of households, this could be a rather weighty obligation.

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link to full article: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/09/16/a-republican-trap-for-democrats-on-health-care/

[Joanne98]

1. YES! Like I've been saying.. IT'S A SET UP!

[lapfog_1]

2. Mandates are a form of regressive taxation, and a huge gift to the Insurance industry.

[dysfunctional press]

3. the 2010 elections are going to be UGH-ly.

get ready for a return to repuke rule...as if we'd ever left it.

[Soylent Brice]

6. depressingly accurate prediction.

[Autumn]

4. It isn't a trap,

our leaders have to figure out a way to pay back their constituents. Cheesy horror flick is right.

[OHdem10]

5. Yes, and when the American People wake up with this plan,

the fury will be uncontrollable.

If they were honest and just say--we never intended to help
people, instead we need to reform Medicare and Medicaid.
We can no longer afford these entitlements --no we are
not willing to support these entitlements. No one would
correct the situation up to now. So we will walk into
the GOP Trap. They never reformed it because they did
not want to have the ire of American People spewed on them.

The GOP are getting what they want and not having to do
a darn thing. They will be laughing all the way to the
next election.

Proof of this is the new Committee to replace the Gang of Six.
Landrieu, Bayh, Lincoln for starters. Need I say more.

[bvar22]

7. That is the MAIN reason ...

...the Democrats have delayed implementation until AFTER election 2012.

They may be corrupt, but they ain't stupid.
They KNOW most of America is going to be outraged when they open their NEW Health Care Package and find a BIG bill from the For Profit Health Insurance Industry.