Democrats ’strategy’ to the merger of bills to reform health began to crumble under increasing attacks Wednesday, including a number of criticisms from two Democratic senators from Colorado. The final negotiations on the merger of the bills began in earnest Wednesday as congressional leaders spent more than eight hours behind closed doors at the White House through a process that does not go through a formal conference committee cut the Republican share. They dug a series of thorny issues that separate the two versions of the bill passed the House and Senate – including abortion, access to health insurance for illegal immigrants, and how to pay for sweeping legislation, which ensure an estimated 37 million Americans over the next decade. A White House statement said they had made “significant progress in reducing these gaps” between the bills. Republicans have been howling about the process for almost two weeks – House, John Boehner, Minority Leader, R-Ohio, called it “a breeding ground for many of the illegal kickbacks” – but now faces congressional leaders a growing rebellion within his own ranks. Wednesday, Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat from Colorado. , Suggested that the talks lack transparency and appealed to televise the final negotiations. Sen. Michael Bennett, a Democrat from Colorado. , Also said that final talks should be open to live cameras. “I have not been in Washington long, but one thing I can say is that this is a people who can use some fresh air and some real transparency,” said Bennet. “The results of the negotiations on the draft health reform law are too important to be done behind closed doors.” These criticisms could create significant difficulties for efforts to end the health bill and move on to other legislation before the press this year election cycle swamps Congress. The media and others have said final televised negotiations between Congress and the Senate would be natural given the enormous potential impact of the legislation. Instead, Democrats have created a process in which leaders of the House and Senate forge key commitments, then send the bill to retrofit the two chambers. These negotiations are expected for days if not weeks, and Democratic leaders have said the conference would provide only Republicans – only one of whom voted for the bills in either chamber – a new opportunity in the obstruction . “This conference non-conference was an attempt to accelerate this process and bring to an end. A committee of the conference seemed an area where more Republicans to attack Democrats and liberals are angry with the leadership,” said Julian Zelizer, an expert on Congress at the University of Princeton. “The problem is that it looked bad. Republicans are using this to say health care is rushed and done behind closed doors because the Democrats want to hide something,” he said. “That’s why we’re seeing now the Democrats getting nervous about the process.”
Posts Tagged ‘Senators’
Colorado’s 2 senators criticize closed-door talks on health care reform
July 26th, 2010 
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Tags: Care, closeddoor, Colorado's, criticize, HEALTH, Reform, Senators, talks 
No Comments »Senators Question Mandatory Health Insurance Constitutionality
May 21st, 2010 admin P. Scott Brown ’s victory yesterday may be a harbinger of things to come for Obama’s plan for health reform, the idea of universal health insurance first promoted on Obama’s platform for change seems to be on the verge of change Severe itself. One question that Republicans will likely focus on today is whether mandatory private insurance violates the Constitution or not. The shock of a Republican winning Massachusetts, a traditionally very blue, very Democratic state is beginning to be felt. One thing however is certain – voters are furious. The focus of the Obama administration to pass health reform to affordable health insurance more accessible to the masses seems to have provoked anger in his constituency. With the effects of the recession still in the minds of all, the concentration of health care plans has hampered Obama. Now the Republicans have the power to stop the exact plans. The Republicans have much to discuss. Many Republicans have seen the health care plan for the first time as a parody of local governments. It would mean a tax burden on small businesses, the rich as well as unions. The cost of these new taxes may be more a hindrance than a blessing. Moreover, Republicans feared that would put Big Brother to the head. The big question remains: is private health insurance mandatory constitutional? Democrats cite the case of Social Security, approved by the Supreme Court in 1937 as a tax expenditure program and to provide insurance for retirees. Certainly, Social Security is not the most perfect plan, but so far has worked. The only problem with the Social Security argument is that Social Security remains a federal insurance, while Obama’s insurance proposal is a private matter. Americans, in essence, is forced to buy their own private health insurance. Republicans fear of big government interference in private life of its citizens. Too much regulation takes away freedom of Americans as outlined in the Constitution itself. Democrats argue that it is counted as economic activity, which can be regulated by Congress. Others find that the argument is rather weak. What is really the federal government has the authority to compel its citizens to buy private insurance? What will the Supreme Court has to say? States already regulate car insurance, but that base is in a state to state. This is by no means a new topic. In November, Sen. Tom Coburn of Oregon and Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona began an effort to force Congress to consider the authority of any proposed legislation. Legislation entitled “The Enumerated Powers Act”, has brought a lot of discussion, however, not much action. Senator Obama has many challenges ahead. Republican to win last night indicates that people want change. The question of the constitutionality of compulsory insurance private health looms. The Republicans are expected to insist on the subject. However, many liberals and progressives also been questioned. This may be difficult for any health care reform – at least as it exists now – to succeed. Talks on health care in the Senate are expected to come to an end soon.
Posted in Uncategorized Tags: Constitutionality, HEALTH, Insurance, Mandatory, Question, Senators No Comments »