Democrats Seek Delay For Obamacare Union Fee, Sequester Roll Back

Political Realities ^ | 10/15/13 | LD Jackson

[LD Jackson]

There is a deal being negotiated by Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell that is purported to be a possible way to end the impasse in Washington and reopen the government. The fact that all legislation that deals with revenue is supposed to come from the House notwithstanding, I couldn't but wonder what these two yokels were coming up with. Thus, I started reading a few of the details with some interest. I wanted to see what we may be getting ourselves in to, if they are able to negotiate a final deal to end the government shutdown. What I found is not comforting, to say the least.

When the government shutdown began, the Republicans wanted to defund Obamacare. When that failed, they moved to asking for a delay in the individual mandate that is the backbone of Obama's signature legislation. Personally, I thought it was a reasonable request, given that businesses had already been granted a delay in their mandate and the unions have been given an outright exemption. No matter, it seems the delay of the individual mandate is gone with the wind. What we are left with is not encouraging. The complete details are not finalized, but the bits and pieces that are emerging give me great cause for concern.

Fox News - Fox News has learned that the emerging framework would raise the debt ceiling through February, and include a spending bill meant to last through Jan. 15.

Importantly, a tentative provision to repeal or delay the medical device tax in ObamaCare has been taken out, a senior Democratic aide said. But the proposal could include other modest items pertaining to ObamaCare, including income verification for those getting subsidies and a one-year delay of at least one obscure fee which had been sought by unions.

In an effort to learn exactly what fee was being discussed, I started browsing different news sources. What I discovered troubles me greatly. Emphasis added is my own.

CNN - In addition, provisions involving Obama's signature health care reforms could be included, such as strengthening verification measures for people seeking federal subsidies to help them purchase health insurance required by the 2010 Affordable Care Act, the sources said.

Another possible change to the health care reforms would delay a fee on employers, unions and other plan sponsors that raise money to compensate insurance companies for taking on high-risk customers in the early years of Obamacare.

Let me get this straight. The Democrats flatly refused to delay Obamacare's individual mandate, but they will negotiate another delay for businesses and unions? As much as this sticks in my throat, the fact that the Republican leadership in Congress is caving in such a grand manner is even harder to swallow. And there is more.

Not only are the Democrats refusing to negotiate a delay in the individual mandate, they have moved to something else entirely. Much of the negotiations are now centered around how much the debt ceiling will be raised and how long the government will be funded. And finally, we move to the sequester. We all know the Democrats hate to cut spending and that fact is making itself known. This comes from the previous article on Fox News.

Republicans want to continue current spending at $986.7 billion and leave untouched the new round of cuts on Jan. 15 that would reduce the amount to $967 billion.

Democrats, though, want to figure out a way to undo the reductions, plus enact a long-term extension of the debt limit increase and a short-term spending bill to reopen the government.

Republicans bristled at Democrats' demands. A House Republican leadership aide said Sunday that Reid "moved the goalposts" by trying to "violate" spending levels set in the 2011 Budget Control Act.

But Democrats denied they were trying to violate those levels.

A Senate Democratic leadership aide said "the suggestion that Democrats insist on breaking the budget caps is false and belied by the facts."

Essentially, Democrats argue that they would accept current spending levels for a short period -- just not as long as Collins proposed -- so they can have another go at the sequester cuts in the near future.

Finally, we are beginning to see what the Democrats really want. They have never really liked the sequester, simply because it required them to cut the growth of spending. It should come as no surprise that they are now trying to roll back the cuts that were mandated by the sequester. From the news reports I have read, the main sticking point for the Democrats is how they can orchestrate another crack at changing the sequester more to their liking. In other words, roll it back so they don't lose the money they want to spend.

I have been accused of not wanting to compromise with the Democrats and I'll be the first to admit that I can be stubborn when it comes to things like this. It just strikes me as totally wrong for one side to compromise away everything they wanted at the start of the negotiations, just to strike a deal with the other side. If this deal goes through and is approved by the Democrats and Republicans, that is exactly what will have happened. What started as an effort to defund or delay Obamacare has turned into more of a fight over spending and as is usually the case, the Democrats are pulling the wool over the eyes of the Republican leadership.

I hope my Congressman, Mark Wayne Mullin, and the rest of the rank and file Republicans, both in the House and the Senate, balk at this so-called compromise. It needs to be pointed out that the Democrats are getting most, if not all, of what they wanted at the beginning of this fight. They are also setting the stage for another fight over spending, giving them another chance to roll back the sequester. Conservatives (clearly, some Republicans are not conservative) aren't getting squat.

---

TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: democrats; governmentshutdown

[Doogle]

..all about Odungo

[icwhatudo]

So in a nutshell...unions get an exemption, and democrats get to spend more.

Nice compromise boner!

[tanknetter]

Yeah, this is BS.

If Republicans are going to cave, they should just pass the proverbial “clean CR” and allow ObamaCare to go into effect as currently written into law. The thing is already proving to he a disaster. They can do the legislative equivalent of letting the tug-o-war rope go just as the other side gives a big yank.

But instead the Republicans are going out of their way to HELP Democrats?!?!? By negotiating things that will soften the impact of ObamaCare? That’s nuts.

[Jumper]

TAX and SPEND Liberals. This used to be a bad thing for them, but today under Obama one half of the nation are outright thieves, demanding those they elected RAPE the nation.

For the republicans to not pound the Tax and Spend mantra is appalling.

[kitkat]

Mitch McConnell, RINO, worked with Dingy Harry Reed & Obama to raise the debt limit, increase taxes, and fund Obamacare.

In September, McConnell worked with Cornyn to fully fund Obamacare.

He needs to be recalled. He has betrayed the voters of Kentucky.

[VRWC For Truth]

Mitchie is toast at the voting booth.

[kitkat]

>>>Mitchie is toast at the voting booth.>>>

I hope you’re right.

[arthurus]

The Republicans and the Democrats are working together to craft a solution to end the government shutdown in a manner that will mitigate or forestall obamacare blowback that might harm the Democrats’ chances in the Congressional elections next year. That outcome seems to be very important to the Republican Party.

[arthurus]

I don’t believe it.

[SunkenCiv]

It has no wings, it will not fly.

Thanks LD Jackson.

[RadiationRomeo]

Hold on. Boner hasn’t compromised yet. This is the Senate’s capitulation.

Boner will surrender on Wednesday.

[slumber1]

Typical white flag Republicans.

[grania]

If the HOR surrenders, everyone in a not 100% sure district who votes for this is going to have a terrible time getting elected. They'll have to run against images of veterans locked out of THEIR memorials, Obamacare horror stories and supporting a president who spies on us, etc.

They'll be replaced by constitutional conservative Republicans or dems. It'll be a leaner, meaner Republican Party in the HOR, without the saboteurs. Either way, there's going to be a House cleaning.

[Mike Darancette]

Well that’s not very clean is it?

[gumbie05]

ONLY SLOUTION= Alternative Currency backed by Gold/Silver! It’s in the Constitution...read it! Research these dates in history: Dec 1913 and Aug 1971! Let the vampires and bloodsuckers keep their FIAT money...DEMAND CONGRESS ISSUE A “NEW” CURRENCY BACKED BY REAL GOLD & SILVER! I can’t believe very few of you get it!

[Night Hides Not]

I thought the Sequester was the “Law of the Land.” Silly me.

[grania]

I can't believe a very few of you get it

I get it. Historical discontent to giving up the gold standard goes back to when it happened. THE WIZARD OF OZ, written on so many levels, gets that message across....follow the yellow brick road and all that.

The first step is to not pay back the money the federal government "owes" to the Federal Reserve.

Next step is not pay back China. They bought bonds while we bought their cheap goods produced by slave labor, thus destroying our manufacturing base. We should reward that incompetence/treachery of the ptb? Globalism collapses...yeeehah!...the US could be self-sufficient if we weren't subsidizing the elite globalist class. Next, abolish the Federal Reserve. Now, back to the gold standard.

How else could the gold standard happen? Especially when there's some question about how much gold the US actually has.

[11th_VA]

thought the Sequester was the “Law of the Land.” Silly me.

Yeah, wasn't it passed by the House, Passed by the Senate, and signed by the President in 2011 ?; and then we had an election where the American people continued to give the GOP stewardship of the House of Rep as well as the budget ? ...

[11th_VA]

So in a nutshell...unions get an exemption, and democrats get to spend more.

It's DOA, don't worry about it ... the House will send back a CLEAN bill extending the debt limit for 6-10 more weeks ... mark my words

[grania]

but instead the RINOs are going out of their way to help democrats....

The RINOs want Obamacare. Their corporate sponsors have found ways to profit from it. I'd vote for a Democrat who is honest about their intentions before I'd vote for these traitors.

[gumbie05]

It’s quite simple: read Sun su... You can’t let them ( Statist) know what you’re doing until it’s too late! You don’t try to force that the US “Dollar” go back to the gold standard. We’re beyond that point now. Instead you let the leeches keep it! Like Euro’s introduction in 2000 it took a couple months to a year to get everyone to switch from their native currencies to the EURO. An “ Unholy” Alliance will need to be made between Tea Party, Libertarians, and Occupy Wall St (yes, at least “some of them”- you convince them that THIS is the truest way to “income” equality). Then constant marches in front of Congress DEMANDING they perform their Constitutional Duty and “mint” the New Currency! Most idiots in US still think that they do but when the news keeps covering three groups that normally hate each other- marching “together”- trust me it’ll be in the news! ALL primaries in both the Dem/Rep parties must have challengers who would pledge to mint the new currency as an alternative to the US Dollar! What do you think the implications, around the world, would be when they see that the US’ own citizens have finally lost faith in their own currency?