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dear john
I agree with Jefferson that no nation can be both ignorant and free, and fortunately, your ignorance on the subject of health care can be easily cured. The state of Florida expects an additional 1 BILLION a year in medicaid costs, not TRILLION–you should know the difference by now. The Lewin Group, which has been widely cited by Republicans in opposition to the health plan, has a comprehensive analysis (feb. 2010) of the financial impact on states. They expect states to see a net SAVINGS! OF $98 BILLION over the next ten years for states under the Senate plan due to reductions in safety net progams that provide funding to providers such as free clinics and public hospitals. This savings includes the added cost of more Medicaid enrollees and insuring state and local employees currently uninsured. Perhaps you are unaware that the unisured typcially get their health care at emergency rooms or other facilities on the taxpayer’s dime(whether we like it or not), which is the primary reason that individuals are being required to foot their own health bill (with generous subsidies for those who can’t afford it).
The Mass. bill signed into law by Mitt Romney has survived all legal challenges to date, and public opinion polls consistently show majority support for forcing individuals to purchase insurance, ranging from 50 to 70 percent(depending on whether subsidies are mentioned). A feb. Newsweek poll found 59 percent in support and 39 opposed. Whether this is constitutional or not is up to the courts, but it has been passed into law by a duly elected majority in the House and Senate, and signed into law by the President of the Untied States of America.
as for the corporate whining over the loss of their tax subsidy for prescription drugs, please refer to a post on MediaMatters American. The loss of the exemption is nothing more than reducing corporate welfare that is subsidized by the American public. In the 2003 Medicare prescription drug program, companies received a 28 percent subsidy for providing drugs to senior, a subsidy that was exempted from their income. However, that subsidy was also allowed to be deducted from their income for tax purposes, a double subsidy paid for by American taxpayers. The new law allows them to continue to exempt the subsidy as taxable income, but discontinues the practice of deducting the subsidy from their income. As Donald Marron, Acting CBO Director under P. Bush noted, “As the Joint Committee on Taxation recently noted, that treatment is highly unusual. In my view, its right that the recent legislation closed that loophole.”
As for the polls on public support for the health care plan, note that the Gallup poll (the day after the vote) found 49 percent thought it a good idea, and 40 percent a bad one, while a Rasmussen poll found 55 percent in favor of repeal. The difference is that Gallup polls all adults while Rasmussen polls only likely voters (just 58 percent voted in the 2008 election). If you are among the 42 percent who choose not to vote, then Rasmussen does not care how you feel about critical issues affecting the county. This gives a biased view of public opinion, especially considering that the population that doesn’t vote is most likely to benefit from the health care plan (just 5 percent of African-American youth voted in the 2008 election).
as for your griping about tax subsidies for affordable computers, autos, education and other luxury items, please note that the state of Oklahoma subsidizes about 70 percent of college education costs, while the federal government spends billions on student loans and grants. The provision in the health bill that provides for direct lending to students by the government will save an estimated $68 BILLION over the next ten years (CB0) by eliminating the corporate welfare given to large banks to make the guaranteed loans.
You might also want to know that (according to John McCain), you can save $3.6 trillion dollars over the next 10 years by eliminating the tax deductions for employer based health insurance, which affects 72 percent of the insured. That huge tax subsidy insulates both employees and employors from much of the market price signals sent by higher insurance premiums, and interferes with the free market. Individuals who purchase insurance outside of employment don’t get that tax subsidy, and pay much higher costs for their insurance. Nobody subsidizes my rent, my food, my computer, or my car insurance, and there is simply no justification for continuing to subsidize insurance (including for abortion), for a part of the population.
Another good source for you is the Tax Foundation’s report on total federal taxes paid by states and federal spending received. Oklahoma gets $8 billion more in spending than we pay in taxes while Palin’s Alaska pockets nearly 2 dollars in spending for every dollar of taxes. McCain’s Arizona gets 8.6 billion more, and Virginia leads the pack with $35 billion more in spending than they pay in taxes. In fact, of the 30 states that have a net benefit, just two of them (Hawaii and Penn.) voted for Bush in the 2004 election. Of the 20 states that paid more in taxes than they received in spending, only Texas and Florida (barely) paid more than they received. California paid $47.6 billion more than they received, Obama’s home state of ill. paid $19 billion more, NY $24 billion and NJ $26.5. Federal spending rose $1 trillion a year between 2000 and 2007 under Republican control as they handed out the pork, while taxes were cut to 14.8 percent of GDP in 2009, the lowest level since 1949, when Harry Truman was president, resulting in Banana Republic deficits and an economic catastrophe.
By the way, never forget that Jefferson’s rights applied to white adult males owning property, and that he was having sex with his slaves. The past is not as admirable as some would believe.
You have my vote…
On April 11, I also attended a house committee meeting at the OK Capitol for hearing on SB 528, which in case of divorce seeks to treat military retainer pay as the property of the military member when a marriage lasted less then 10 years, not common property earned in partnership between a military member and a non-military spouse like ex-spouses like and want.
Military couples divorce for the same reasons as non-military couples: abuse, incompatibility, but mostly infidelity when the military members come home to find their spouse with a new love, Military Members and VETS have been repeatedly singled out and targeted by family law attorneys and ex-spouses that feel they are entitled to a automatic life time of alimony even after multiple remarriages. Can you imagine you son or daughter being married for 2 or 3 years when you where 18-21 years old, get a divorce while in the military and find out 17 years later when they retire that there ex spouce wants his or her cut because some bottom dwelling family law attorney says he can get it up to 50%) BECAUSE THE LAW has never been changed or modified.
Rep. Aaron Stiles did a wonderful job helping the family law attorney’s that where sitting in the committee and during a VERY one sided debate. The current Vets and active duty militarymembers were given a whole 4 mins. While the other side (Family Law Attorneys and ex-spouses) over 30 mins (stacked the deck) and ex-spouces gave almost all their allotted time to a Family Law Attorney who makes his living off the backs of our Military Members and VETS.
During the one sided debate of the bill, family law attorneys kept asking questions to the author of the bill Representative Gary Banz trying to trick or misuse words against him, and making no effort to listen, verify and/ or clarify the impact of this bill on all current Military/ Veteran Families and their spouses.
In doing so, committee members received 4 mins worth of information that enabled them to make a very UN-educated decision. Because 3 members of the committee where lawyers and did not want to end the cash cow of payments to attorneys. The measure was tabled by a vote of 8 to 7 with two desiding they would rather be in other places then doing their jobs.
Rep. Stiles, who handles 45% OF HIS LAW BUSINESS IN DIVORCES, Will be GREATLY rewarded by Oklahoma Family Law Attorneys and the OBA for making an underhanded effort to protect their rice bows and enabling a never ending cash flow. The ex-military spouse will continue to use the same spin that the Family Law Attorneys have advised them to use. “That is to continuously declare that military retirement is earned by the couple.”
How ever both the DOD and the IRS have rules and regulations and Federal LAWS saying it has always been current pay NOT RETIREMENT, a 401K or a pension.
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