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Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:04:26 UT
From: "Idaho Republican Party" <info@idgop.org>
To: "" <lfalen@turbonet.com>
Subject: [Spam 9.16] Opinion Piece by Congressman Mike Simpson
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Democrats? Healthcare Plan Attacks Small Business
By Congressman Mike Simpson

?After about a week of examining H.R. 3200, the Democrats? health care bill=
, I am only more convinced that it is not the solution to our health care c=
risis.  The proposal puts a huge burden on Idaho?s small businesses, passin=
g along the enormous costs of the program to our chief job creators even as=
 unemployment approaches double digits.  For months Democrats sang the prai=
ses of their plan, but their rhetoric has collided head-on with common sens=
e, and support for their health care proposal is fading in Congress.  While=
 there are some who maintain that the government-run health care plan, with=
 its TRILLION-dollar price tag and its employer mandate, is the best option=
, many moderate Democrats and nearly every Republican opposes it.=20=20
=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
?It was the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan agency charge=
d with providing Congress with unbiased budgetary information that revealed=
 the TRILLION dollar cost of the plan.  Democrats have proposed to pay for =
it with a tax hike on those making $280,000 per year, 60% of whom are small=
 business owners, and included burdensome requirements on all but the small=
est employers.=20

?These provisions are nothing short of an attack on small business in this =
country, and the pay-or-play mandate is the most egregious.  It would penal=
ize any business with a payroll exceeding $400,000 a year (employing about =
five to nine people) that fails to provide health insurance for its workers=
.  The fine would be 8% of payroll.  What Democrats forget is that because =
health care costs have increased so dramatically, many small businesses sim=
ply cannot afford to offer coverage to all their employees.  In no way does=
 this penalty help employers expand coverage; it will only punish those tha=
t cannot afford to offer government sanctioned plans.

?The pay-or-play mandate will reduce the hiring of minimum wage workers bec=
ause their wages would not be able to decline sufficiently to meet the cost=
s of the new tax. Simply put, workers would absorb the costs of the pay-or-=
play fee as wages are reduced or jobs are eliminated.  Fortunately, over th=
e last few days, even Democrats in the Senate have begun to realize that th=
e pay-or-play is terrible policy and are working to eliminate this harmful =
provision.  I hope my House colleagues will follow suit; however as of now =
I have seen no such efforts.=20

?I am deeply concerned about rising health care costs for employers and con=
sumers in Idaho.  As a former dentist, I am well aware of the challenges th=
at our existing health care system faces.  Businesses large and small alike=
 are struggling to provide health insurance for their employees.  Clearly, =
demanding that Idaho businesses provide health care coverage without giving=
 them the tools to do so is not the answer.  History has shown that it is s=
mall businesses that have pulled our economy out of recessions in the past,=
 and it should be no different now.  It is crucial that we resist attempts =
to place new anti-stimulative burdens and taxes on small businesses.=20=20

?The reform proposal has little support from the right and has fractured th=
e left.  Congress can and must do better.  There are ways to bring down cos=
t and improve access to care for everyone while still avoiding the ineffici=
encies and colossal price tag of a government-run system, and avoid heavy-h=
anded policies like a pay-or-play mandate.  A divided Congress is bound to =
fail.  It is time for Democrats to open the door to Republicans so we can c=
ome together to produce a workable, cost efficient solution.?=20=20


###


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<html><body>
<p style=3D"text-align: center"><b><span style=3D"font-size: 22pt">Democrat=
s’ Health Care Plan Attacks Small Business</span></b></p><div style=
=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt" align=3D"center"><b>By Congressman Mike Simpson</b=
></div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div><div style=3D"margin:=
 0in 0in 0pt">“After about a week of examining H.R. 3200, the Democra=
ts’ health care bill, I am only more convinced that it is not the sol=
ution to our health care crisis.  The proposal puts a huge burden on I=
daho’s small businesses, passing along the enormous costs of the prog=
ram to our chief job creators even as unemployment approaches double digits=
.  For months Democrats sang the praises of their plan, but their rhet=
oric has collided head-on with common sense, and support for their health c=
are proposal is fading in Congress.  While there are some who maintain=
 that the government-run health care plan, with its TRILLION-dollar price t=
ag and its employer mandate, is the best option, many moderate Democrats an=
d nearly every Republican opposes it. </div><div style=3D"margin: 0in =
0in 0pt">           =
</div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt">“It was the Congressional Bu=
dget Office (CBO), a non-partisan agency charged with providing Congress wi=
th unbiased budgetary information that revealed the TRILLION dollar cost of=
 the plan.  Democrats have proposed to pay for it with a tax hike on t=
hose making $280,000 per year, 60% of whom are small business owners, and i=
ncluded burdensome requirements on all but the smallest employers.</div><di=
v style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0=
pt">“These provisions are nothing short of an attack on small busines=
s in this country, and the pay-or-play mandate is the most egregious. =
 It would penalize any business with a payroll exceeding $400,000 a year (e=
mploying about five to nine people) that fails to provide health insurance =
for its workers.  The fine would be 8% of payroll.  What Democrat=
s forget is that because health care costs have increased so dramatically, =
many small businesses simply cannot afford to offer coverage to all their e=
mployees.  In no way does this penalty help employers expand coverage;=
 it will only punish those that cannot afford to offer government sanctione=
d plans.</div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div><div style=3D"=
margin: 0in 0in 0pt">“The pay-or-play mandate will reduce the hiring =
of minimum wage workers because their wages would not be able to decline su=
fficiently to meet the costs of the new tax. Simply put, workers would abso=
rb the costs of the pay-or-play fee as wages are reduced or jobs are elimin=
ated.  Fortunately, over the last few days, even Democrats in the Sena=
te have begun to realize that the pay-or-play is terrible policy and are wo=
rking to eliminate this harmful provision.  I hope my House colleagues=
 will follow suit; however as of now I have seen no such efforts.</div><div=
 style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0p=
t">“I am deeply concerned about rising health care costs for employer=
s and consumers in Idaho.  As a former dentist, I am well aware of the=
 challenges that our existing health care system faces.  Businesses la=
rge and small alike are struggling to provide health insurance for their em=
ployees.  Clearly, demanding that Idaho businesses provide health care=
 coverage without giving them the tools to do so is not the answer.  H=
istory has shown that it is small businesses that have pulled our economy o=
ut of recessions in the past, and it should be no different now.  It i=
s crucial that we resist attempts to place new anti-stimulative burdens and=
 taxes on small businesses. </div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt">&=
nbsp;</div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt">“The reform proposal ha=
s little support from the right and has fractured the left.  Congress =
can and must do better.  There are ways to bring down cost and improve=
 access to care for everyone while still avoiding the inefficiencies and co=
lossal price tag of a government-run system, and avoid heavy-handed policie=
s like a pay-or-play mandate.  A divided Congress is bound to fail.&nb=
sp; It is time for Democrats to open the door to Republicans so we can come=
 together to produce a workable, cost efficient solution.” </div=
><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0=
in 0pt" align=3D"center"> </div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt" ali=
gn=3D"center">###</div><div style=3D"margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<img src=3D"http://link.sc.states.gop.com?25-405-745-322-983">
</body></html>

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