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February 24, 2010

LAUREN RICKS: Obama is rehashing old ideas

Lauren Ricks The Athens Review

Athens — President Barack Obama will commence his 6-hour “health summit” tomorrow, bringing both Republicans and Democrats to the table.

If he follows his usual tactics, President Obama will spend the time lecturing those who just happen to disagree with his positions.

You never know, he may even bring a chalkboard with him to Blair House.

The White House released its 11-page health care proposal on Monday. According to USA Today, it was based on the Senate’s version passed last year — with a few minor changes.

According to the report, the proposal delays the Cadillac tax, doubles the employer mandate, increases cuts to Medicare and increases taxes.

 The proposal also excludes language from the Stupak amendment in the House bill — introduced by Michigan Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak —that denies coverage of abortions in government-run health care plans. Stupak released a statement calling the White House proposal “unacceptable.” He said the proposal “encompasses the Senate language allowing public funding of abortion.”

The president’s proposal also includes the creation of a new Health Insurance Rate Authority.

Page three of the proposal states all insurance companies will be required to have any premium increases approved by the newly-minted bureaucracy, and will “monitor insurance market behavior.”

This, along with the banning of pre-existing condition exclusions and prohibition against all annual and lifetime limits, will drive insurance companies out of business.

Unlike the government, a private company cannot continue to operate awash in red ink indefinitely.

President Obama did throw us a bone by removing the backroom deal hashed out with Nebraska Sen. Bill Nelson.

Apparently, the White House has not learned the lessons of New Jersey, Virginia or even Massachusetts.

A new survey by Rasmussen Reports found the health care plan is supported by 41 percent of voters, with 56 percent opposing it.

The same poll found 22 percent of Americans strongly approve of President Obama’s performance, while 41 percent disapprove.

The White House hasn’t given up any ground, and the American people are even less impressed than we were in the summer. It seems a hopeless situation for proponents of the bill.

Well, not entirely. The White House has endorsed the idea of pushing the bill through using reconciliation.

Using the tactic, the Senate would only need to gather up 51 votes to pass the bill, avoiding the sticky cloture process. The main problem with this plan is reconciliation has historically been used for budget measures.

The Democrats need to understand if they use this method, they are setting precedent – much as they did during former President George W. Bush’s term when they used the filibuster against federal judicial nominations.

What is good for the Democrat, is good for the Republican.

So beware.

Lauren Ricks is the associate editor of the Athens Review. She can be reached at lricks@athensreview.com.

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