Healthcare reform continues to drive the mid-term elections and the down fall of President Obama. While traveling I had an opportunity to read the comments of the new president of the Canadian Medical Association. He appears to be sounding the alarm of what to expect from the Obama administration’s health care initiative passed by the Democrats in Congress. The Globe and Mail Canada’s National Newspaper carried this story. Read and decide
Twitter
Archive for the ‘Healthcare Debate’ Category
In Case You Missed It
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010Only a small news clip was in the local paper about the new cost of healthcare reform. The Congressional Budget Office tells us that if Congress decides to fund all the provisions in the new law it could add at least $115 billion more to health care spending over the next 10 years. This would be far more than advertised. The Obama administration early set $1 trillion as a limit. But we all know how that goes. More background may be obtained in this piece from Daily Events.
Senator Byrd We Need You
Monday, March 8th, 2010Senator Byrd is needed in the United States Senate more than ever. He needs to be there to protect the Senate from itself.
It is well known the Obama administration is pressuring Congress to use a process known as reconciliation to pass health care reform.
After the congressional budget act passed in 1974 (I worked there at the time) Congress started to abuse the spending and revenue targets established in the budget resolution passed each year.
Senator Byrd stepped in to stop using the budget reconciliation process to enact legislation that had nothing to do in meeting the requirements of the budget resolution.
He introduced legislation which was passed in 1985 and became permanent in 1990. It is known as the “Byrd Rule”.
Senators are permitted under the “Byrd Rule” to ask for a point of order objecting to provisions in the reconciliation legislation they believe does not meet the requirements of the budget resolution. After that it is up to the President of the Senate or presiding officer. In practice, the Senate Parliamentarian makes the final decision.
Despite the fact Senator Byrd voted for health care reform on Christmas Eve let’s hope he is well enough to be present to stop the abuse of reconciliation as he did in l985.