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Dem Senator Warns of 'Big, Big Tax' on Middle Class in Baucus Bill

Don't Tase Me Bro

Don't Tase Me Bro

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It's not every day that you hear a Democratic senator charge that a fellow Democrat is proposing to raise taxes on the middle class, but that is what happened on Tuesday when Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., ripped into the health-care bill developed by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mt., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

The Baucus proposal would impose, starting in 2013, a 35 percent excise tax on insurance companies for "high-cost plans" -- defined as those above $8,000 for individuals and $21,000 for family plans.

Health economists believe a tax on high-priced benefits could help slow the growth of health costs by making consumers more sensitive to prices.

The tax contemplated by Baucus is also a big revenue raiser. It is expected to raise $200 billion, money that Baucus is hoping to use to pay for subsidies for the uninsured.

Given how much money this kind of tax can raise, Rockefeller says he understands why it is "tempting."

The West Virginia Democrat worries, however, that a lot of middle class workers, like the coal miners in his state, will end up facing "a big, big tax" under the Baucus bill because they currently enjoy generous employer-provided health care benefits which they receive tax free.

ABC
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I thought the whole point of health care "reform" was to make it more affordable, not tax the middle class out of the quality of care they are receiving. This also goes to show how the unions are being lemming lead off of a cliff, as they are the ones who will get screwed more than anyone.
 
yes, it sure looks like baucus is aborted before it's even born

he's doing a press conference in just over an hour, and so far he can't find a senator to stand beside him

he's gonna be all alone

certainly no republican will appear next to him, even tho his bill is by far the reddest yet conceived

but it's got obama's imprimatur on it, so no way olympia snowe can touch it

and wyden and rockefeller are both finance cmte members, y'know, insiders to this thing

and they're pretty pissed

wyden worries about the mandate that all uninsured americans purchase for themselves coverage at a price of up to 13% of their incomes

baucus imposes a new family expense, now mandated by law, of $750 a month

so does hr 3200, waxman-rangel

health care's dead

the party is trying very hard to save its prez

but problems are insuperable

obama shoulda done one bill a year for 8 years

but he's too dumb to have thought of that
 
The Prof said:
yes, it sure looks like baucus is aborted before it's even born

he's doing a press conference in just over an hour, and so far he can't find a senator to stand beside him

he's gonna be all alone

certainly no republican will appear next to him, even tho his bill is by far the reddest yet conceived

but it's got obama's imprimatur on it, so no way olympia snowe can touch it

and wyden and rockefeller are both finance cmte members, y'know, insiders to this thing

and they're pretty pissed

wyden worries about the mandate that all uninsured americans purchase for themselves coverage at a price of up to 13% of their incomes

baucus imposes a new family expense, now mandated by law, of $750 a month

so does hr 3200, waxman-rangel

health care's dead

the party is trying very hard to save its prez

but problems are insuperable

obama shoulda done one bill a year for 8 years

but he's too dumb to have thought of that
Click to expand...
the proverbial final nail in the government health care coffin. :)
 
A 35 percent excise tax on insurance companies for high-cost plans does seem excessive. That sounds like a proposal that was purposely set that high knowing full well that it won't have enough support to pass at that high rate. I seriously doubt the final draft of that part of the bill will include a 35% tax.

When more details come out about "key provisions of the bill" being negotiated, this provision sounds like a good candidate that has been revised to a lower percentage rate.
 
tumbleweed said:
A 35 percent excise tax on insurance companies for high-cost plans does seem excessive. That sounds like a proposal that was purposely set that high knowing full well that it won't have enough support to pass at that high rate. I seriously doubt the final draft of that part of the bill will include a 35% tax.

When more details come out about "key provisions of the bill" being negotiated, this provision sounds like a good candidate that has been revised to a lower percentage rate.
Click to expand...
What do you think will replace it? Prez Doofus said he will not sign a bill that increases the deficit one dime.... Oh yeah, I forgot. That was just another of his many lies, wasn't it. :roll:


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