Monday, June 8, 2009

Fast and Furious

No, not the movie - health care reform.

In recent days:

  • President Obama, in his Saturday radio address, promised to get hands on the issue.

  • Senator Kennedy let draft reform legislation float around, creating the appearance that he is stepping in front of Senator Baucus.

  • Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus issue a statement about how well they are going to work together.

  • The possible tax on health care benefits bubbles to the surface once again, as do possible taxes on sodas, beer, wine, and other sinful pleasures; other possibilities include taxes on securities dealers, life insurers and elimination of certain estate planning practices.

  • President Obama lets it be known he wants to tax the rich, not working people, possibly via deduction caps (Axelrod and Goolsbee floated this trial baloon on the Sunday talking head shows).

  • The House is circulating a proposal with an almost mandatory coverage rule, and penalties for anyone with the means who refuses to buy health insurance (?). All non-group policies would be channeled through a federal policy exchange. A spokesmen for Rep. Waxman made clear the circulating drafts are not the official work product of any committee.

More on this as the trial baloons become more official.

2 comments:

jamzo said...

and it is being framed as "unafforable"

it is still being frmaed as requiring a "mandatory individual responsibility" before we can have universal health care

jamzo said...

sorry for the bad typing

and it is being framed as "unaffordable"

and it is still being framed as requiring a "mandatory individual responsibility" before we can have universal health care