Senate Says Health Plan Will Cover Another 31 Million

The Democratic leaders from the Senate released their proposal for the health care bill on Wednesday. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said that imposed new regulations on insurers would help to extend coverage to 31 million people who do not have any benefits and it will add benefits to Medicare. The bill will cost $848 billion over a ten year span, but it would help to reduce the original projected budget deficits by $130 billion over ten years. The costs would be offset by new taxes and other revenue than by reduction in Medicare. The Democrats are confident that they will have the votes necessary to pass the bill. The bill needs all the Democratic votes and the 2 independents votes. The Republicans are still ready to fight the bill all the way. The name of the bill is called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Though the Senate bill is similar to the House bill there are some differences. For one the Senate bill "would increase the Medicare payroll tax on high-income people and impose a new excise tax on high-cos "Cadillac health plans'". Both bills would have a voluntary federal program to provide long-term health care. Twenty four million people would still be uninsured in 2019, one third of them would be illegal immigrants. Under the bill people will be required to have health insurance and if they don't than they can be fined.

In my opinion there should be no health care bill. I hope that the Senate doesn't pass it. If the bill is passed than my generation will have many problems in the future regarding healthcare. The amount that the government wants to spend on the bill is way too much. Even with their proposed healthcare plan there will still be millions of people who are uninsured in a couple of years. It isn't worth it. Not to mention the fact that the bill, if passed, wouldn't be put into affect until after Obamas first four years. That means that if he isn't reelected than the new president would be responsible for carrying out something that he or she may not want or believe in.

Investigation into Fort Hood Shooting

Senator Joe Lieberman announced that there will be a congressional investigation into the shooting at Fort Hood. Lieberman also stated that the attack could qualify as a "terrorist act". Joe Lieberman chairs the Senate Committee on homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He said that there were warning signs and if they were noticed the Army should have been gone. The public has been told not to rush to conclusions because all the reports of warning signs are so far only speculation. The attack left 13 dead and 29 wounded. The gunman is currently being treated a a military hospital. His family members speculate that he was trying to avoid his deployment to Afghanistan.
In my opinion it was a terrorist attack. There are so many other ways that Major Nidal Malik Hasan could have delayed his deployment without hurting anyone other than possibly himself. The Army, as well as all the other military branches, should have a no tolerance policy.

Health Care Bill Passes Through House

The Democrats have received a victory in their fight to pass the new Health Care Bill into law. The House of Representation narrowly passed the Bill with a vote of 220-215. The Democrats needed 218 votes to have the Bill be passed. There were 219 Democrats who voted for and 39 who voted against, as well as 1 Republican who voted for the Bill. The real difficulty comes now, the Senate also has to pass the Bill. If the Senate passes it then the Bill must be rewritten and voted for once again by both parts of Congress. Democrats cheered when the legislation was passed. The House has also passed an amendment to pending health care legislation that prohibits federal funds for abortion services in the public option. The only exceptions would be cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life is in danger.
In my opinion I am upset that the legislation was passed through the House. I am not in favor of the Health Care plan because I know that it won't do any good. The Republican National Committee released a statement that I am in total agreement with. They said, "... a government-run health care experiment that will increase families health care costs, increase the deficit, increase taxes on small businesses and the middle class, and cut Medicare". There plan will eventually bring more harm than good. I am glad that the the Bill barely passed because it means that there are almost as many against as for, which will mean that the Senate should also have a difficult time passing it. I hope that they can't. Another thing that I am happy with is the legislation that the government will not pay for abortions, with a few exceptions that I kind of agree with.

Obama's poll numbers are down

The American people are giving President Obama the yellow flag in polls. Fewer than half of Americans are agreeing with the president on the issues that are important to them. A majority, 51 percent of people disagree, this is a 10 percent increase since April. They are saying that he si a popular president who is less popular on the issues with American people. Obama's helath care has been an issue tht has brought down his numbers, and the winning of the Nobel Peace Prize was also a shocker that many Americans disagreed with. Only about one third of Americans thaought that he deserved the prize. Another factor hurting Obamas numbers is that Hillary Clinton is more favorable to the American people, she even beats out the first lasy.
In my opinion I agree with the polls. Obama has never been someone that I like or agree with. If Obama continues to go down with the polls than hopefully he will not be reelected. He is a nice looking guy who hasn't gotten much of anything done. His winning the Nobel Peace Prize was a joke. He didn't do anything to deserve it. I am also not a big fan of Hillary Clinton.

Guantanamo Detainee Transfer Approved by Senate

President Obama has a minor victory with his efforts to close Guantanamo Bay prison. The government is can now continue to transfer detainees to the facility in the United States to be prosecuted. The Senate passed the vote as part of bigger 44.1 billion dollar budget bill for Homeland Security. The measure will now allow the detainees to be tried here in the US. In January Obama said that the facility was to be closed within a year, but to due circumstances that will not be happening. One issue that is holding it back is that there is not sufficient funding. There must be a plan and 15 days notice before any transfers can occur, also a certification that the prisoner is not a security risk. There is a "CLOSE GITMO NOW" campaign that will begin on Tuesday. Administration and Obama want to obtain all the unreleased photos of the detainee abuse to prevent any anti-American sentiment overseas and to prevent our troops from becoming endangered.
In my opinion the Guantanamo should stay open. This blog is an update on one of the first blogs I did, and all my opinions and beliefs remain the same. I do agree though that the abuse photos should remain unreleased.

Republicans looking for a comback in congress

Even though the midterm elections are still over year away Republicans are becoming excited at the sight of rising unemployment rates, a record federal deficit and the President's slipping support as signals of a possible way to sneak in and and takeover the majority in both the senate and the house. To do this the Republicans will need double-digit losses for the Democrats in both. The Democrats have the lead in the house by 78 and the senate lead by 18. While it remains unlikely that the Republicans will gain back all the necessary seats to become the majority they are targeting the seats that they haven't targeted in years. The main seats they are targeting are the ones held by Democratic leaders whose approval ratings are going down according to polls. The biggest targets for Republicans are the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Barbara Boxer of California, and Blanche Lincoln of Nebraska.
In my opinion I am very much hoping that the Republicans are able to takeover the majority in both the senate and the house. The Democrats are doing an awful job and it is causing our country to be in the worst shape it has been in since 1984. We need people who will actually do what they say they will and so far the Democrats have not showed us that they are capable of that. I just want our country to get out of the massive debt that Obama has put us in, in less than a year, and keep us out of more debt that will be coming if the "stimulus" packages that Obama wants to put into action. We need people to help our country.

Final Health Care Bill Will Have a Public Option

Tom Harkin, is the Democrat who has taken over after the passing of Ted Kennedy. This puts him as chairman of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. With the new position he has been working on the health care bill that will now include a public option. He says that the bill will be on the Presidents desk by Christmas. To pass the bill, however, they need sixty votes to even end the debate before an official vote can be held. There are five members of the Democrat party that are said by Harkins to be holding up the progress, but Harkins is positive that if the five go on board then the answer will be "clear". The estimated cost of the health care bill should be about $900 billion over ten years, and will make the purchase of some sort of health insurance mandatory to all Americans.
In my opinion this seems slightly hypocritical. They are saying that some sort of health insurance is going to be made mandatory to all Americans, but the original purpose to the bill was to make health care available to all. Right now there are many Americans who can't afford health care and that is supposedly why this bill is being introduced, but if they make it mandatory to buy some sort of health care than how are the current Americans that are unable to afford health care pay for it then? It makes no sense to me and I don't believe that the there should be universal health care in America.