By a 14-9 vote, the Finance Committee of the United States Senate voted on Tuesday to approve a 10-year, $829 billion version of “Obamacare” that insurance companies say will raise the average American family’s medical bills by as much as $4,000 a year.
U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (RINO-Maine), was the only “Republican” to break party lines and vote in favor of the proposal, which now heads to the floor of the Senate.
“When history calls, history calls,” Snowe said of her support for the bill, which was authored by Montana Democrat Max Baucus.
Snowe’s colleagues didn’t see it that way.
“The bill continues its march leftward,” said Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.
Conservative groups blasted the proposal as a “$4,000 family health care tax on private insurance options, forcing, over time, more families onto substandard government-run health care.”
“The whole point of so-called health care ‘reform’ was to reduce the costs of health care,” said Bill Wilson, President of Americans for Limited Government. “Now, we learn that the Baucus bill does precisely the opposite.”
By Pat Hendrix October 13, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Since Obama had no hand in the bill, wouldn’t be more aptly called Baucuscare? Not as clever, I guess.
In any event, let the whimpering continue. It’s a sweet, sweet song indeed.
By Chris R October 13, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Olympia Snowe has put the American people ahead of the Republican party today and I congratulate her for that.
By York Insider October 13, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Pat:
Good to see you again…NOW we know why you are such a strong John Spratt supporter. Clearly, you have your finger on the pulse of the 5th district.
By Make it up as you go. October 13, 2009 at 6:46 pm
That sweet, sweet song you hear is the sound of the printing presses pumping out “money” to pay for this half-baked whim. The whimpering is the collective voice of our creditors.
By Health Care NEEDS Help October 13, 2009 at 11:26 pm
I’m a conservative that really believes we need a health care insurance overhall. Show me something that shows this is going to cause my medical expenses going up $4,000 a year. You can’t. It’s almost like you are subscribing to the same talking points as Hannity, Ingraham and Boortz.
By Rick October 14, 2009 at 7:38 am
Health care needs….show me a program the federal government administers that saves a penny. And where do you think the money to administer this program is coming from? Watch Mass. and their health care to see your future.
By lou October 14, 2009 at 7:44 am
Make it up, we print money for everything else, why not healthcare too?
I want the insurance Lindsey et all have, how about you?
By Red Bank Bar October 14, 2009 at 8:02 am
Come on, repugnants, talk to us about more bogus figures. Price Waterhouse ‘fessed up. Cowboy up and admit y’all lie.
I’ll leave the light on.
By Pat Hendrix October 14, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Rick,
Medicare and the VA both cost more per patient than private insurance and are enormously popular. So there’s your answer.
Lou, the CBO said that the Baucus Bill will DECREASE the federal deficit. So calm your newly found worries about budget deficits that were shelved for eight years.
York,
It doesn’t take a “pulse on the 5th District” to figure out that, excepting one close call in 1994, Spratt has crushed every opponent the RNC sends along. Keep kidding yourself and send another sacrificial lamb to the skewer.
By chris October 14, 2009 at 9:04 pm
The insurance companies are greedy but I hope this reform will help people that can not affod health care.