LOW INFORMATION VOTERS--OBAMACARE VOTE

LOW INFORMATION VOTERS--OBAMACARE VOTES

   The main stream media is at it again.  Today the report on the television is that Obamacare has been voted down.  That is just not true.  The House of Representatives has voted to defund it when they voted on a stop-gap continuing resolution to keep the government funded.  The Senate now has to vote on the bill, which President Obama has sworn to veto.  

   President Obama has given passes to everyone except hard working Americans. What started out being what Democrats insisted was merely way to provide uninsured Americans with the same kinds of coverage and choices that members of Congress have has turned into an albatross.  Now, Congress has decided they don't want to be forced into the Obamacare system.

    Members of Congress who voted for Obamacare initially managed to dump themselves out of their existing health care coverage.  Under Section 1312 of the law, they are to be enrolled in health insurance exchange plans, just like many working Americans, and will lose existing coverage in their popular and successful Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).  And, just like millions of working Americans dumped out of their existing coverage, they lose their employer's subsidy for insurance plus the generous federal and state tax breaks that accompany employer-based coverage.

   The Obama Administration recently "fixed" this unheard of oversight by Congress by providing special subsidies for Members and congressional staff to reduce their premium costs in the Obamacare exchanges.

   The U.S. Senator from Louisiana, David Vitter, proposed an amendment recently that would overturn this action by the Obama Administration.  There is no statutory authority either in Obamacare or in Title V of the U.S. Code, for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to make government insurance contributions on behalf of federal employees to any plan other than an FEHBP plan.  The original Obamacare law provided for employers to make a defined contribution for workers in the exchanges ( a "free choice voucher") but Congress scrapped it.  What that means, is that they want to delete our employer contributions to our insurance premiums but they think they are more important than we are.  They want to keep their employer contributions to their premiums.

   Senator Harry Reid was furious with Senator Vitter's proposed amendment, which was co-sponsored by Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ron Johnson (R- WI), Dean Heller (R-NV), and Jim Inhofe (R-OK).  The prospect of having to vote on Vitter’s amendment shut down floor debate on the bill last week.

   Senator Vitter’s amendment would do two things. First, the President, Vice President, Cabinet secretaries, and all political appointees—the policy making agents of the executive branch—would be enrolled in the health insurance exchanges, just like millions of other Americans. Second, Members of Congress and their staffs—including all committee and leadership office staff—would also be enrolled in the health insurance exchanges under the same terms and conditions as other Americans. In other words, Congress and its staff would not get any special subsidies at taxpayer expense for their health insurance.
   Oh, and did I mention that illegal immigrants are exempt?  Yes, they are.  Just hard working Americans are penalized.
   So, we still need to sign the petition at www.dontfundit.com AND  contact your Congressmen.  Let your voice be heard!

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