Posted on 12/13/2012 9:58:59 AM PST by neverdem
Sixteen Democratic senators who voted for the Affordable Care Act are asking that one of its fundraising mechanisms, a 2.3 percent tax on medical devices scheduled to take effect January 1, be delayed. Echoing arguments made by Republicans against Obamacare, the Democratic senators say the levy will cost jobs — in a statement Monday, Sen. Al Franken called it a “job-killing tax” — and also impair American competitiveness in the medical device field.
The senators, who made the request in a letter(PDF) to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, are Franken, Richard Durbin, Charles Schumer, Patty Murray, John Kerry, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Joseph Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Robert Casey, Debbie Stabenow, Barbara Mikulski, Kay Hagan, Herb Kohl, Jeanne Shaheen, and Richard Blumenthal. All voted for Obamacare.
Two other Democrats, senators-elect Joe Donnelly and Elizabeth Warren, also signed the letter. Donnelly voted for Obamacare as a member of the House. Warren was not in Congress at the time.
“The medical technology industry directly employs over 400,000 people in the United States and is responsible for a total of two million skilled manufacturing jobs,” the senators wrote in a December 4 letter to Reid. “We must do all we can to ensure that our country maintains its global leadership position in the medical technology industry and keeps good jobs here at home.”
Beyond that, the senators say, the medical device industry “has received little guidance about how to comply with the tax” — a reference to the apparently confused and halting nature of the Obama administration’s implementation of Obamacare.
Several of the senators, many of whom have medical device manufacturers in their states, have opposed the tax for a long time. During the Obamacare debate, for example, Franken and Klobuchar were among a group of senators who successfully pushed to reduce the tax. (The device giant Medtronic is headquartered in Minnesota.)
On Monday, Franken again expressed his opposition to the tax he voted for. “I want to repeal the medical device tax altogether,” the senator and former comedian said in a statement. “But I am concerned that we are running out of time before this job-killing tax goes into effect. So, for now, the best thing to do to ensure that this important industry continues to create jobs and producing life-saving devices is to delay this unwise tax.” Franken and other want Reid to include a provision to delay the tax in the ongoing fiscal cliff negotiations.
None of the senators found his or her earlier objections to the tax a sufficient reason to vote against Obamacare. In December 2009, with 60 votes in the Senate and a determined Republican opposition, Democrats needed every vote they could get to pass the president’s national health care plan. But now, with Obamacare — and the taxes to fund it — about to become a reality, some of those Democrats are singing a different tune.
Eat it, Al Franken
...nothing like a two sided sword, continuing to price America out of the global market....and destroying jobs all in one stroke. Yeah oh yeah, Obama!
We know how this administration rolls - friends will get their waivers, the press will yawn, and Obamacare will continue destroying every other thing in its path.
Don’t get excited, it’s only about the tax on medical equipment.
“Me, Al Franken, a dummass.”
What rotten people.
This tax that they passed has been coming for a long time.
Only NOW do they complain?
Odungoville
For the next two years, if I was running the GOP I would make sure that commercials are run every week in every state that is affected by this. I would affix the Senator and Congress critters names to it.
Each day there would be letters to the editors and editorials written about it. I would also Alinsky them.
They own it.
Well, it seems to me that he ‘gets it’. When he came to the conclusion would be interesting...before or after he voted for it. Hmmm, wonder if he’ll use the Pelosi Excuse...I had to vote for it before I knew what was in it.
Nope. You broke it. You own it.
See you in 2014.
So now they want to defund Obamacare...who’s gonna pay for it then?
That wasn't an earthquake in Japan... it was the shock wave after so many Liberals slapped themselves in the forehead at the same time!
Suckers...
Blue Shield of California seeks rate hikes up to 20%
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-blue-shield-rates-20121213,0,6546740.story
Aetna CEO Sees Obama Health Law Doubling Some Premiums
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-12/aetna-ceo-sees-obama-health-law-doubling-some-premiums.html
bookmark
Heck, it’s only about 3 Billion a year over the next decade.
Do you think that extra income will solve any budget problems....:^)
To my way of thinking, if something is good, its good, if it is not, it is not. If you liked this provision of Obamacare, then live with it. If this tax harms a shaky economy, it certainly will be harmful during other portions of the business cycle. It is similar to all the exemptions that were handed out. If Obamacare is so good, there shouldn’t be a need for exemptions. If there is a need for exemptions, shouldn’t everyone get one?
all fake,like their boss.
I like that idea:o)
In the immortal words of John Kerry...”I was for it, before I was against it”.
“Only NOW do they complain?”
Nobody on their side could say anything negative before the election. There could be no crack in the façade. Now, they have to act as though they’re working in the best interests of their constituents. Most likely this is a show put on for the sake of a show. If it comes down to a vote they’ll vote the straight ticket or organize the vote so that the taxes remain but those who need to can say they voted against it when they run again. It’s a game and We The People lose every time.
“Only NOW do they complain?”
Nobody on their side could say anything negative before the election. There could be no crack in the façade. Now, they have to act as though they’re working in the best interests of their constituents. Most likely this is a show put on for the sake of a show. If it comes down to a vote they’ll vote the straight ticket or organize the vote so that the taxes remain but those who need to can say they voted against it when they run again. It’s a game and We The People lose every time.
I’m starting to think John Roberts was a genius or inspired by the Holy Spirit to write that opinion. Let the chips fall where they may.
I don’t think he’s come to the conclusion that this is a bad idea,
he just wants the credit for “universal healthcare access” without any of the negatives inherent to such a system.
Just another leftist trying to legislate away reality.
Maybe they should have read the bill before they passed it.
The Blue Shield in California rate hikes make me smile. I know a few left wingers out there who will be bringing home less pay. Funny, funny, funny!
da spin: Evil, greedy insurance companies gouging people.
What good is a delay? If the tax is bad for the country then it will be bad two years from now. I truly believe we have elected the biggest collection of idiots to ever be assembled under one roof.
Frankendork is up for re-election in 2014, which is probably the only reason he’s pulling this stunt.
chickens....come home....to roost
There is a good reason Dante reserved a special place in the lower rings of hell for the Hypocrites.
Just to comply, the company had to find an additional three million dollars. ...That placed the target on my back and others like me at the director level.
The Democrats are not sincere, they are only trying to fool their sheep and buy time.
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Did these Dems have the CBO score how much this suggestion of theirs will “cost the government”?
I bet that this will “deprive the government of more revenue” than the proposed “tax on the 2%”.
Thanks for the ping!
The senators, who made the request in a letter... to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, are [Al] Franken, Richard Durbin, Charles Schumer, Patty Murray, John Kerry, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Joseph Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Robert Casey, Debbie Stabenow, Barbara Mikulski, Kay Hagan, Herb Kohl, Jeanne Shaheen, and Richard Blumenthal. All voted for Obamacare. Two other Democrats, senators-elect Joe Donnelly and Elizabeth Warren, also signed the letter. Donnelly voted for Obamacare as a member of the House.Don't believe it for a second. Demagogic Party ping.
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