Mar 23 2010
Health Care Bill Small Business Killer
We have a small, fledgling business which struggles to stay afloat in these horrible economic times and under the brutal overhead requirements of government contracting. One thing I keep reading the ignoramuses in the White House claiming is the GOP will have a tough time convincing small business to repeal and replace Obama care:
But, said Axelrod: “I think the debate shifts now. The issue for those talking about repeal is whether they’re going to look the small-business people in the eye or the children and say this was horrible. I’m happy to have that debate.”
This is from a bunch of political hacks who never ran a business, never worked for a real company. We cannot afford the part time people we employ. I cannot afford to bring people on conditionally with the ebb and flow of contracts. We will not be hiring to fill part time slots now that Obamacare has made that impossible financially. The tax cuts are pathetic and miss the true cost of a full benefits package for what is short term or part time work. I am no different from any other business owner large and small – we cannot afford to hire someone part time.
That means people are going to lose their jobs – lots of them. And that means children lose homes, good food, toys and a good life.
The polls show how Americans feel about this reckless power grab:
ublic Opinion Strategies, a Republican polling firm, conducted a poll in the districts of 36 Democrats who voted against health-care legislation last November. In 2008, Republican John McCain carried 29 of those districts over Obama. The survey found that 60 percent of those surveyed in those districts opposed the health bill and 35 percent favored it, with nearly half saying they were strongly opposed.
“The intensity against the bill in these districts is stunning,” said the firm’s Bill McInturff.
They can’t stand it because, unlike the naive zealots in DC, they know what will really happen:
Americans were not optimistic about the impact the bill will have. While 29 percent said reforms in the bill will make the health care system better, 34 percent said they would make the system worse. Twenty-eight percent said they weren’t sure, while eight percent predicted no change.
Despite Democrats’ effort to stress that the bill will (eventually) make insurance companies provide coverage for people with preexisting conditions, just 53 percent of respondents said they believed it would do so. Thirty-one percent said it would not.
There was also widespread skepticism that the bill would help control the costs of health care premiums, with 37 percent saying it would and 50 percent saying it would not.
We are not stupid, and it doesn’t take much to be smarter than the mad liberals behind this debacle. Obama has lost support of over half the nation. And  now, instead of focusing on jobs, he has to spend what little political capitol he has left trying to stop the nation’s innate opposition to this bill from repealing and replacing Obamacare.
The President and Democrats are going to find out how serious we are about controlling our lives for ourselves. We are not sheep. And they are going to find out We The People can change and undo anything we damn well please if we all agree to do so. There are such things as a national conventions called by 2/3 of the states. We can limit government right out of our lives.
I have always been deterred by the possibility of a ‘ruanaway’ Constitutional convention – after all, the convention of 1787 was called to revise the Articles of Confederation (though some proponents wanted a new government from the beginning). No matter what the instructions are, the delegates can pretty much do what they please and propose amendments on any number of issues.
However, I’m now of the mind that we should have a Constitutional convention and let the chips fall where they may. Let’s have amendments to prohibit anything like ObamaCare and to repeal the income tax and the direct election of senators. A pro-life amendment. How about an amendment to give the president a line item veto? Let the left propose amendments to do all their things. But, sunset every proposed amendment – if it’s not passed in 4 years, it’s dead.
Then, the states can ratify the amendments that have sufficient national support and decline to ratify those that don’t.
I think that you’d see a country much closer to the vision of the Founders when it was all said and done than we have now.
It’s funny, but 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have said that – I would have thought the leftist media and academia’s grip on the dissemination of information was too great. No longer.
I suspect that if there’s a republican majority in the House calling for a convention, popular pressure in the states for a convention, and continued opposition to Obama’s agenda by a majority of the voters, we may be able to get a solid convention that will curtail the powers of the federal government.
This is the third comment from a small business owner that is having to 1) move abroad. 2) lay people off. 3) paycheck cuts. 4) Not hire people.
I am sure that this issue is prevalent across the nation.
The question was already asked as evidenced at HotAir:
So what happens if ObamaCare fails? Spend more money into it.
So where will they get the money when more people get laid off?
How will health care be able to provide good services to all when they have no money coming in?
Order the Fed to print more money?
Probably…
No, I don’t want to think about the consequences…
Did any of you listen to Charles Krauthammer last night? He predicts that if Obama still has the majority come November, he will push for enactment of a VAT as an addition to the current tax system.
Interesting post AJ. Yesterday I felt a little depressed, today I feel energized. Like Cato I’ve always been disinclined to call for a convention but the wannabe tyrants in DC have shown that they aren’t restrained by the laws they demand we follow.
It’s WE the people who give them their power. They are abusing their offices. They have to be stopped. One way or another.
AJ:
Axelrod wants a debate. Their wish should be granted. They think they can run on ObamaCare versus repeal and replace with more centrist solutions. Delusion comes to mind.
However, the punditry seems to agree that all the Democrats have to do is pull out some poor moms who the cold evil Republicans want to repeal her health care and they will win in November or at least keep their majorities in Congress. I think the pundits are delusional too. AJ, I hope you don’t join the delusional pundits.
If the Democrats push cap and trade and a big energy tax increase they will really lose big in Nov. Whereas, health care is a policy dispute (and not a lie) between socialism (Sharpton’s word not mine), and economic and political freedom, AGW is a hoax, science fiction.
The American people do not like the socialism of ObamaCare imposed on them but what will be their reaction when they realize the science fiction that Cap and Trade is. That they have not just been lied to but that the whole thing is a lie.
The Dems better let Cap and Trade die quietly in the Senate or as the old saying goes you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Given that at least 33 states are planning to file lawsuits against ObamaCare, I’d say that we have 2/3rd of the states that will approve the amendment as suggested below PLUS repeal the 16th anad 17th amendments:
New idea that may work. It was introduced live on the Hot Tea Radio prior to a press release from Texas Congressman Louis Gohmert. They will be talking to Michele Bachmann and Mike Pence in the near future again, to see what they think as well.
This Congressman is a former judge from Texas, and has been mulling over what will actually work for us. Best we could do on repealing this HC bill, would be possibly 2013. This is because without 2/3 of the House and Senate to concur, the President can veto it.
SO, why not get an amendment proposed to be added to the Constitution that states 2/3 of the United States can overturn such a piece of unwanted legislation. The downside is there would need to be a convention to discuss and no one can predict the tricks of the liberals. This would ensure the states would always have a way to overcome outrageous attempts to expand Federal power.
It would be worth a longer look. He stated repeal won’t work near term, and the other methods would have to go to the US Supreme Court which also takes a lot of time. Why not get an amendment to ensure the balance of power between the people and the Federal Government?
I suggest we reach out to others and discuss this idea. The Congressman points out the new HC bill enslaves all of us to a master pleading for healthcare. This appears to be a sound idea, let’s all put it out there to others for input.
The ground work was being laid in front of our very eyes as the thieves in the House were debating the takeover of 1/6th of the economy. The legalization of 20 to 30 million illegal aliens can now began and the offer of free healthcare to any who will transgress our borders will be extended.
This to be rammed at warp speed and through the same nefarious means as Obamacare, thus ensuring an uneducated class of democrat voters and welfare state goody grabbing constituents willing to subject those of us who do work to slavery to provide for those too uninterested in furthering their education or themselves.
This class of entitlement demanders will take to the streets and if necesary to bloodshed to protect their “rights” for free stuff from the slaves that work for them…US! The unions are backing this as a way to increase thier rolls and bailout their finances that are in horrible shape due to theivery, mismanagement and decline of their members.
Obama and his Democrat power grabbers are well on their way into turning America into Cuba and Lindsay Grahmnasty and John Mccain, if he didn’t have a primary challanger, will be all too happy to help in this newest endeavor to sell out our country to foreign invaders who will not be required to educate themselves or their families to our system of govt as immigrants in the past have.
It always was the plan and a constitutional convention may well be the only way to overturn it when the deed is done. I would not count on super majorities in 2010 or 2012 if illegal immigrants are given free healthcare and the rights to vote in the next election.
We may well be so far down the road to socialism that peaceful means of taking back our country have ended.
AJ,
It is not just small businesses that will not be hiring part time workers.
Colleges and universities are going to be dropping their part time working student programs because of Obama care. They will not be able to afford continuing them.
This fact is one of the many reasons why they did a take over of government student loans.
They are making sure that pro-Democratic politics counts for more than personal effort in getting access to higher education.
Trent, Socialism and GLSEN indoctrination in our schools….
It takes 2/3 of the States to call a convention, but it takes 3/4 approval after that – meaning that currently, 38 States have to agree to a change. That’s a high hurdle to get over, but not impossible.
Louie Gohmert is my Congressman, btw. A few years ago, while he was still a Judge, we were in the same Rotary Club and I got to have lunch with him every Monday. He was an extremely effective and tough Judge here for quite a few years (in contrast to those who go into politics not having done anything worthwhile) One of the sharpest and most honest Congressmen we have, and he’s one of the very few who’s campaigns I have always supported. Judges in Texas have to run for election and re-election, remember – which is a system I think is very good even though all of the academics hate it.
Of course the left attacks him because he isn’t “compassionate” enough. Well they were mad back then when he didn’t let murderers go free on account of their sad childhood or whatever.
Louie is someone who would be a great Supreme Court Justice; most of those guys are academics who have no real experience on the rough end of the legal system. They could use someone who knows by experience what all of those decisions really mean in the real world, and who spent quite a few years trying to make them work.
And he agrees that the Federal Mandate is unconstitutional.
Repeal will be difficult. Probably impossible until 2013.
But there are other ways to kill Obamacare deader than a doornail. The most obvious of which is to defund it. Zero out the budget, and it’s deader than a doornail.
The other option is to quietly strangle it as part of a REALLY BIG reform of the entire welfare structure.
Personally, I rather like that option. The amount of overlap in welfare programs, and the administrative overhead that could be saved by consolidation, would go far toward balancing the budget.
Let me present one example. We have dedided that poor children shall not go to school hungry. A noble goal. We therefore provide a School Lunch Program through (IIRC) the Department of Education. And Food Stamps through the Department of Agriculture. And Aid to Families With Dependent Children. And more resources through the Women, Infants, and Children program.
This is why Little Johnny is built like a meatball…he’s had four lunches crammed down his gullet! Personally, I think he can get by with three lunches…and I know full well that he can get by with only one bureaucrat to feed him.
I think a truly BIG reform effort would garner massive support…and provide the perfect opportunity to quietly toss Obama’s health-care-wrecking scheme into the melting pot along with the rest of the welfare bureaucracy.
Looks like Obama is going to do “climate change” next, Oh boy!
So Bush lost the congress in 2006, largely because of the war in Iraqi, the surge etc. Obama looses his congress for nationalized health care. Who would you rather be?
There is very little I like about this Presidents thinking.
Did you know Obama is meeting with Bibi today and will not let the press take a picture of their meeting. Why could that be?
What the hell is Axelrod talking about? There aren’t going to be any “benefits” from this POS until 2014. But a lot of the new taxes are going to hit right away (10 years taxes to pay for 6 years “benefits” – that’s how the con men fudged the deficit numbers) and further dampen the economy that’s already as limp as a wet rag. What a bunch of morons.
So the labor leaders are at the signing of “the bill” Obama thanks them for their hard work. Didn’t they write the damn thing?
This is not only going to hurt small fledgling business like yours, AJ. Larger companies, especially those that make medical devices, also will suffer.
Here is a good article on what it will do to a company in Ma.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/How-Obamacare-hits-industry-and-threatens-jobs-88860652.html
Those small will fold, those large enough will move production over seas.
Now all we have to do is to start a Trade War with China the way that this administration is working on doing, and we can all say hello to the Second Great Depression.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/21/AR2010032101111.html
BEIJING — China’s commerce minister warned the United States on Sunday that if it launches a “trade war” against China by levying punitive tariffs on Chinese imports, the United States will suffer the most.
(He’s right – and next is a very good sign as to how the Chinese think of us and of the things they get from us:)
Invoking an old Chinese proverb favored by Mao Zedong, he said, “just because the butcher is dead, doesn’t mean we won’t be able to eat pork.”
Rush is talking to an insurance executive right now. She said that 0bama’s bill requires insurances companies to pay 85% of the price on all claims. Right now they are required to pay 65-45% based on various state requirements. The lady said that this will make 95% of insurances companies insolvent in two or three years.
She said the insurance companies are absolutely shock by what is in this bill and may of her colleagues are leaving the profession.
She also mentioned that insurance premiums are going way up but it will not be until next year – after the election.
This has got to be the worst political class I have ever seen in this country. And I have been around for awhile.
I think they will pay, especially when the taxes hit home.
Alert:
I am not sure premium hikes will be after the election. Of course a lot of what is in the plan does not take place until after the election so that might keep them from going up, but they sure won’t be going down either…like Obama promised. I think that they might raise premiums in anticipation for what is coming in fact.
Obama likes anger in the streets. He will push every button of the “right” to encite more anger.
He has an endgame. Divide and conquer.
Terrye,
The way this lady explained it was that most of the current policies will not be renewed until the first of next year. It will be at that time the insurance companies will not be able to reject pre-existing conditions and children under 26 will be added to the policies.
What it sounded like she was saying was if you have a family member with a pre-existing condition or a child between 18 and 26 then they will not be added to the policy until the new ones are issued Jan 1st.
It may affect new policies issues between now and them but she said existing policies will not be affected.