Still no news coverage of bush's plan to increase the # of uninsured

[salin]

earlier this week bush's new tax plan was unveiled. Buried in the few news articles that covered the plan (that would provide more shelters from dividends and investments ... aka... benefits only those who have excess money) is that the plan is to be "revenue neutral" (but I bet it will be sold as "tax cuts)... and paid for in part - by eliminating the tax incentive to companies for providing health insurance.

You got it... at a time of escalating health insurance - the bushies want to escalate the cost for companies to provide coverage even further... the result - more companies drop coverage all together and now have an excuse to do so. That result? Swelling the number of uninsured.

Announced just two weeks after the election....

and NO direct coverage in the media. What's up with that? And how do we push the story to get covered?

[wtmusic]

1. Have a link? n/t

[salin]

4. here:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002094111_taxes18.html

[wtmusic]

7. thanks and kick kick kick kick kick kick kick

good catch. We need to jump on this. They're launching trial balloons. Gotta hit not only reps but the media. :thumbsup:

[salin]

8. I was disgusted when I read it

and am even more disgusted at the lack of media coverage - especially since bush went around campaigning voicing concern for the number of the uninsured.

[China_cat]

18. Of course he was concerned

about the number of uninsured...there weren't enough of them to satisfy his lust for destroying anyone who isn't his 'kind'.

[will work 4 food]

2. here is what i found

By Michelle Goldberg



Nov. 20, 2004 | Liberal policy wonks -- and even some who aren't so liberal -- did a double take when they read the new tax plan floated by the Bush administration in the Washington Post on Thursday. Was the White House really suggesting eliminating incentives for employers to offer their employees health insurance plans? Was it really proposing to shift the country's tax burden even further onto states that didn't vote for Bush, like New York and Massachusetts?

It was.

The Post reported that according to White House advisors, the Bush administration "plans to push major amendments that would shield interest, dividends and capital gains from taxation, expand tax breaks for business investment and take other steps intended to simplify the system and encourage economic growth."

The plan would further shift the tax burden off of people whose money comes from interest and investments -- the very rich -- a prospect that liberals find disheartening but not surprising. But what really caught financial experts' attention was the next paragraph, which explained how Bush intended to pay for these tax cuts.

"The changes are meant to be revenue-neutral," the Post explained. "To pay for them, the administration is considering eliminating the deduction of state and local taxes on federal income tax returns and scrapping the business tax deduction for employer-provided health insurance, the advisers said."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/11/20/tax/index....

[salin]

3. thank god for Salon

now how to push this into the mainstream media?

[Solitaire]

5. I wrote to my Senators and Feinstein..

about HR 4818 and I would think that we all need to write, write and write against this insane idea to take away that tax deduction.

I will be uninsured, yet again.

I'm just furious! How do we stop this?

:grr:

[salin]

6. letters to Pelosi and Ried?

Both are known to be fighters and do a bit of grandstanding. She, in particular, has long-framed democratic issues as economically pro-family - zeroing in on the issue of health insurance as an example.

[vivalarev]

9. This "reform" actually raises taxes for the lower and middle class

I doubt the red state idiots will realize this until they go to pay their taxes, but getting rid of the state and local tax deductions on your federal is the same as raising taxes.

[Solitaire]

14. you are right,

that's why Bush is President again. They don't read and have NO clue!

At least most of them. :(

[Lefty48197]

10. We need to mail blast all the network and cable tv decision makers

who decide whether or not to put these things on the air. Don't let them sleep. Force them to pay attention to you.

[Solitaire]

15. *frustrated*

Gahs, I keep posting about having a demonstration near Fox News (they broadcast window is right on the street) but I keep getting ignored. :(

Perhaps it's just a bad idea!

[AP]

11. If a tree falls on the middle class in the forest, and there's no media

there to report, did it really happen?

[Nobody]

12. Only if the tree is in the Have More's way

Compassionate conservative my ass.

[salin]

13. starting to seem that way, eh?

sorta takes the humour away from that onion article.

[onecitizen]

16. I've been waiting for that shoe

to drop too. I've heard it several times myself. Seems typical to me.

[sandnsea]

17. Also eliminate state & local tax deductions

That was in there too. This will be introduced next year I think, it'll be fun watching them spin raising worker's taxes while eliminating taxes for passive income. But it says alot that it hasn't even raised an eyebrow in the liberal media.

[Razorback_Democrat]

19. Thanks for keeping us updated on this issue!

I read about this elsewhere a couple of weeks ago and then I couldn't find any info on it.

I just e-mailed my congressman, (a Republican) and my 2 Senators (both Dems!) about this.

I also e-mailed every e-group I'm on with this info.

This is a recipe for disaster.

I cannot for the life of me see any upside to this except it pays for the tax cuts which is shameful

I hope this gets out into the media and to the * supporters in the Red states. I'm sure they don't need no stinkin' health insurance, right? yeah, I'm sure the security Moms will be happy with this!!

[sonicx]

20. who cares? at least Bush ain't french lookin...

:eyes: