<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Joe,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">This sort of thing happens all the time in the business world, even in good economic times. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I don't have a problem with the 5% cut as much as I do with the fact that the politicians and administrators absolve themselves from the 5% cut in wages and reduction in benefits. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The problem is not that people don't want to spend money on education, or that enough is not being spent, it is that it is being misappropriated and not effectively used as it could be. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ALL government employee wages, elected, appointed, teachers, athletic directors and coaches, etc, should be tied. So if the governor cuts teachers wages, his gets cut too, right along with Coach Peterson's. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I also have a difficult time with this cut impacting retirement. A 5% cut should not mess with a person's income 20 years down the road. People work hard for retirement and at least deserve that much for 40-50 of working.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I also have a problem with wages paid in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State> for elementary and secondary education, there wages need to be about twice what they are. I also have a problem with federal funds and student loans being made to private colleges that are simply diploma mills and that don't produce jobs and often just overflow the market with too many Medical Assistants, Dental Assistances, and Pharmacy Techs. It is difficult for these people to get jobs because there are too many of them. I make more money as a CNA because I can get more than 40 hours a week in work. MAs are more highly trained than me, but they don't get work or the hours. Many of them now make less per hour than I do too. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Donovan Arnold<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>From: Joe Campbell <philosopher.joe@gmail.com><BR>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A 5% percent pay cut<BR>To: "Kai Eiselein" <fotopro63@hotmail.com><BR>Cc: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Date: Thursday, February 3, 2011, 6:24 AM<BR><BR></DIV>
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<DIV id=yiv1026743535>Sorry to hear about your troubles, Kai! <BR><BR>But there is no way that an across the board cut is the way to go. It is a bad idea. If someone can show me examples of businesses where this kind of approach happens with the regularity it is used to "solve" problems in education I might change my mind. But it is my impression that in most cases in the cold, hard, real world when they need to save 5%, people get fired. The fact is folks no longer value education. The public seems unwilling to pay for higher education to the extent that they once did. The 5% cut suggests that the answer to this is that we (those of us in higher education) do what we've been doing and take a pay cut. The assumption is that even though the folks at UI have not received a raise in over 5 years and have accepted a furlough, that they should now accept a 5% pay cut and everything will continue as it once did, doing more with less. Again, I have a hard time
thinking of examples outside of education where this kind of thing happens. It strikes me as a kind of dream world.<BR><BR>Fire people, make class sizes larger than they already are, and make professors less available and accessible to the students than they were when you and I were in school. Make it hurt. See what you get. Show the public the kind of education system that they are willing to pay for. If they want something more -- more teachers, more employees, more jobs -- they should pay for it.<BR><BR>
<DIV class=yiv1026743535gmail_quote>On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 10:20 PM, Kai Eiselein <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=fotopro63@hotmail.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:fotopro63@hotmail.com">fotopro63@hotmail.com</A>></SPAN> wrote:<BR>
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<DIV>Chris, let me get this straight.<BR>You took a demotion to stay employed.<BR>You are facing a 5% pay cut.<BR>You still have a job.<BR>Try this:<BR>Work for years to purchase a business in an industry you love.<BR>You finally purchase the business of your dreams.<BR>The economy tanks two months after you purchase said business.<BR>Eleven months later you close the doors after watching your dreams turn to dust in front of your eyes.<BR>You walk away unemployed, $100K in debt with nothing to show for it and begin trying to figure out how to get yourself out of this hole.<BR> <BR>And you are worried about 5 effin percent.<BR>Three words: Kiss my a$$<BR> <BR>> From: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020-request@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020-request@moscow.com">vision2020-request@moscow.com</A><BR>> Subject: Vision2020 Digest, Vol 56, Issue 15<BR>> To: <A
href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:54:33 -0800<BR>> <BR>> Send Vision2020 mailing list submissions to<BR>> <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> <BR>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<BR>> <A href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/vision2020" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/vision2020</A><BR>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<BR>> <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020-request@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020-request@moscow.com">vision2020-request@moscow.com</A><BR>> <BR>> You
can reach the person managing the list at<BR>> <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020-owner@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020-owner@moscow.com">vision2020-owner@moscow.com</A><BR>> <BR>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<BR>> than "Re: Contents of Vision2020 digest..."<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Today's Topics:<BR>> <BR>> 1. Re: A proposal to balance the budget (lfalen)<BR>> 2. picture non-political (lfalen)<BR>> 3. Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F (Kenneth Marcy)<BR>> 4. Re: Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F (Ron Force)<BR>> 5. Re: Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F (Carl Westberg)<BR>> 6. Senate Democrats Block GOP Bid to Repeal Health Care Law<BR>> (Tom Hansen)<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Message: 1<BR>> Date: Wed, 02
Feb 2011 12:01:53 -0800<BR>> From: lfalen <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lfalen@turbonet.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com">lfalen@turbonet.com</A>><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A proposal to balance the budget<BR>> To: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bear@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:bear@moscow.com">bear@moscow.com</A><BR>> Cc: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Message-ID: <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=f4750eea6e468415dd48b8b1161cc901@turbonet.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:f4750eea6e468415dd48b8b1161cc901@turbonet.com">f4750eea6e468415dd48b8b1161cc901@turbonet.com</A>><BR>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<BR>> <BR>>
<BR>> My wife also took a furlough last year and offered to take one again this year. She does not have any option. If her boss does not have a grant, she is cut.<BR>> Roger<BR>> <BR>> ----Original message-----<BR>> From: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bear@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:bear@moscow.com">bear@moscow.com</A><BR>> Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:50:22 -0800<BR>> To: "lfalen" <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lfalen@turbonet.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com">lfalen@turbonet.com</A><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] A proposal to balance the budget<BR>> <BR>> > <BR>> > Roger,<BR>> > <BR>> > As someone who has had to face the cuts imposed by CALS, I find your<BR>> > suggestions a but short sighted. I did not have science or research in my<BR>> > title and have over 8 years of seniority
but I still was laid off by the<BR>> > College and to retain employment and benefits was forced to take a<BR>> > demotion. I was also one of the few people in CALS that had to take<BR>> > furlough days last year. Yet you suggest I should be willing and even<BR>> > happy to accept a 5% cut! While I feel for the people who now have to be<BR>> > paid via grant funding via the PI, the fact remains that is an option for<BR>> > them. Why shouldn't the extension offices as state and federal employees<BR>> > take the same cuts that have been imposed by the Gov. as the on campus<BR>> > departments and offices have had to absorb?<BR>> > <BR>> > All I am saying is that the problem is more complex than everyone take a<BR>> > 5% cut across the board.<BR>> > <BR>> > Chris Price<BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > > Here are some proposals to balance Federal, State and
University Budgets<BR>> > > .<BR>> > > First I would take care of the mentally ill, the disabled and our<BR>> > > veterans.<BR>> > > All government employees (state and Federal) should take a 5% pay cut. The<BR>> > > private sector has taken cuts(except for Wall Street and a few others).<BR>> > > This should start with all Federal legislators. State legislators are not<BR>> > > paid that much in Idaho.<BR>> > > The University could easily balance their budget by doing so. Instead they<BR>> > > are making cuts at the low end. Cals is making the cuts on those staff<BR>> > > that have science or research in their title. This is a highly arbitrary<BR>> > > way to do it and is not based on merit or seniority. The PI that they<BR>> > > work for will have to come up with half their salary from other sources<BR>> > > such as grants. My wife has
been cut to 87.5%. She is now paid for 7 hours<BR>> > > but still puts in about 12 hours a day. In june she will probably be cut<BR>> > > to half time. This means that her benefits will no longer be picked up by<BR>> > > the University. One can not afford to work for that, She has worked for<BR>> > > the UI for over 40 years. She has 3 more years to go before reaching SS<BR>> > > retirement age.<BR>> > > An across the board 5% cut would not hurt anyone that much and it would<BR>> > > easier to save the desired dollars than cutting some staff by 80 or 50%<BR>> > > The UI has opened up 4 offices in China to recruit students. Why? The UI<BR>> > > is a land grant college. They should take care of their base first.<BR>> > > Recruit in China when times are better.<BR>> > > Other ways to save money. Review all government agencies for ways they<BR>> > >
can be reduced. All agencies should come with a sunset. If after a set<BR>> > > period of time they would need to be re-evaluated and authorised. If the<BR>> > > wern't they would go out of existence. All lawmakers should be on the same<BR>> > > benefits that they legislate for the rest of us.<BR>> > > All cuts in pay or personnel should start at the top. The UI like most<BR>> > > other government agencies have greatly expanded at the administrative<BR>> > > level. That is where the cuts should start. Diversity is important, but<BR>> > > the UI does nt need in excess of 20 people to handle it. There should be<BR>> > > on director and an assistant. They can then work with someone in the<BR>> > > individual departments or colleges.<BR>> > > If Administrators were trimmed back at the Federal, State and University<BR>> > > level more programs and jobs could be
save on balance.<BR>> > > Help the handicapped fine jobs. When I was with Carnation and Manna Pro<BR>> > > our Small World line of Wild bird seeds were packaged by handicapped<BR>> > > people.<BR>> > > These are only a few things that can be done to balance the budget and at<BR>> > > the same time save valuable programs such as aid for the mentally ill.<BR>> > > Roger<BR>> > ><BR>> > > =======================================================<BR>> > > List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> > > <A href="http://www.fsr.net/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.fsr.net</A><BR>> > > mailto:<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> > >
=======================================================<BR>> > ><BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Message: 2<BR>> Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:37:09 -0800<BR>> From: lfalen <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lfalen@turbonet.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:lfalen@turbonet.com">lfalen@turbonet.com</A>><BR>> Subject: [Vision2020] picture non-political<BR>> To: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Message-ID: <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=f8e72a889022aa6284529e8b24b40737@turbonet.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:f8e72a889022aa6284529e8b24b40737@turbonet.com">f8e72a889022aa6284529e8b24b40737@turbonet.com</A>><BR>> Content-Type:
text/plain; charset="utf-8"<BR>> <BR>> Maynard Fosberg's horse,( Tucker) made the front page of today's Daily News.<BR>> <BR>> Roger<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Message: 3<BR>> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 14:18:13 -0800<BR>> From: Kenneth Marcy <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kmmos1@frontier.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:kmmos1@frontier.com">kmmos1@frontier.com</A>><BR>> Subject: [Vision2020] Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F<BR>> To: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Message-ID: <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=201102021418.14015.kmmos1@frontier.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank
ymailto="mailto:201102021418.14015.kmmos1@frontier.com">201102021418.14015.kmmos1@frontier.com</A>><BR>> Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="us-ascii"<BR>> <BR>> Temperature (Fahrenheit):<BR>> Bellevue, WA: 52.3; Moscow, ID: 28.8<BR>> Updated: 1:21 PM PST on February 02, 2011<BR>> <BR>> Elevation above mean sea level (feet):<BR>> Bellevue, WA: 300; Moscow, ID: 2650<BR>> <BR>> Atmospheric blanket assists temperature stability.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Ken<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Message: 4<BR>> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:17:58 -0800 (PST)<BR>> From: Ron Force <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=rforce2003@yahoo.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:rforce2003@yahoo.com">rforce2003@yahoo.com</A>><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F<BR>> To: Kenneth Marcy <<A
href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kmmos1@frontier.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:kmmos1@frontier.com">kmmos1@frontier.com</A>>, <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Message-ID: <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=776999.87710.qm@web46114.mail.sp1.yahoo.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:776999.87710.qm@web46114.mail.sp1.yahoo.com">776999.87710.qm@web46114.mail.sp1.yahoo.com</A>><BR>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"<BR>> <BR>> So does a large body of water...<BR>> <BR>> Ron Force<BR>> Moscow Idaho USA<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ________________________________<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Atmospheric blanket assists temperature stability.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Ken<BR>> <BR>> =<BR>>
<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> -------------- next part --------------<BR>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<BR>> URL: <A href="http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20110202/d1b89f00/attachment-0001.html" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20110202/d1b89f00/attachment-0001.html</A> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Message: 5<BR>> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:54:24 -0800<BR>> From: Carl Westberg <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=idahovandal1@live.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:idahovandal1@live.com">idahovandal1@live.com</A>><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F<BR>> To: <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A>><BR>>
Message-ID: <SNT105-W303447164AAFC4DE134796E9E40@phx.gbl><BR>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> So Paradise Creek doesn't count? I mean there are times you can almost see water in it.<BR>> <BR>> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:17:58 -0800<BR>> From: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=rforce2003@yahoo.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:rforce2003@yahoo.com">rforce2003@yahoo.com</A><BR>> To: <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=kmmos1@frontier.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:kmmos1@frontier.com">kmmos1@frontier.com</A>; <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Bellevue, WA: 52.3 F; Moscow, ID: 28.8 F<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> So does a large body of water...<BR>> Ron
Force<BR>> Moscow Idaho USA<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Atmospheric blanket assists temperature stability.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Ken<BR>> <BR>> =<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> <A href="http://www.fsr.net/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.fsr.net</A> <BR>> mailto:<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> ======================================================= <BR>> -------------- next part --------------<BR>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<BR>> URL: <A href="http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20110202/40af6f4e/attachment-0001.html" rel=nofollow
target=_blank>http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20110202/40af6f4e/attachment-0001.html</A> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Message: 6<BR>> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:54:33 -0800 (PST)<BR>> From: "Tom Hansen" <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=thansen@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</A>><BR>> Subject: [Vision2020] Senate Democrats Block GOP Bid to Repeal Health<BR>> Care Law<BR>> To: "Moscow Vision 2020" <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A>><BR>> Message-ID: <<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=0295caa7e15c1a13f71f08c1785996e3.squirrel@secure.fsr.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank
ymailto="mailto:0295caa7e15c1a13f71f08c1785996e3.squirrel@secure.fsr.com">0295caa7e15c1a13f71f08c1785996e3.squirrel@secure.fsr.com</A>><BR>> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1<BR>> <BR>> Courtesy of CNN at:<BR>> <BR>> <A href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/02/02/senate.health.care/index.html" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/02/02/senate.health.care/index.html</A><BR>> <BR>> ---------------------------------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Senate Democrats block GOP bid to repeal health care law<BR>> Washington (CNN) -- Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked a Republican<BR>> effort to repeal the health care reform bill passed last year.<BR>> <BR>> The 51-47 vote, along party lines, meant the procedural motion failed to<BR>> get the necessary 60 votes to pass.<BR>> <BR>> The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has passed a bill to<BR>> repeal the
health care overhaul. However, Democrats used their majority in<BR>> the Senate to block a similar measure proposed by the Republican minority<BR>> as an amendment to another bill.<BR>> <BR>> Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said Tuesday he wanted to get<BR>> the repeal effort "out of the system" so the Senate could move ahead with<BR>> other business, while his Republican counterpart said his party was<BR>> fulfilling an obligation to voters from last year's congressional<BR>> elections.<BR>> <BR>> "It would be a dereliction of duty if Republicans didn't fight for<BR>> repeal," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. "We made<BR>> a promise to our constituents that we would vote to repeal this bill on<BR>> their behalf. And that's just what we intend to do."<BR>> <BR>> Wednesday's vote amounted to a push by Republicans to get Democratic<BR>> opposition to a full repeal on the
record in the form of votes against the<BR>> amendment. Led by President Barack Obama, Democrats concede the health<BR>> care overhaul can be improved, but they oppose rolling back benefits for<BR>> consumers against health insurance industry practices such as denying<BR>> coverage due to pre-existing conditions.<BR>> <BR>> "We're not going to go back and fight the battles of the last two years,"<BR>> White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday. "We're not going<BR>> to go backward. We're going to move forward."<BR>> <BR>> Overall, the Republicans oppose the increased government role in<BR>> regulating health care, claiming it will impinge on individuals' right to<BR>> choose care options in the future. Democrats say the law enacted last year<BR>> will better control skyrocketing health care costs and expand coverage to<BR>> millions of people currently lacking health insurance.<BR>> <BR>> The
specific motion the Senate voted on Wednesday involved a Democratic<BR>> challenge to the Republican repeal amendment on the grounds that it would<BR>> increase the federal deficit. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office<BR>> has said the health care reform law will lower the deficit, so Democrats<BR>> argue that repealing it would increase the deficit.<BR>> <BR>> By filing a budget point of order against the repeal amendment, Democrats<BR>> forced Republicans to hold a vote on waiving the point of order to<BR>> consider the amendment. That required 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate to<BR>> pass, a threshold out of reach of the Republicans, who hold 47 seats.<BR>> <BR>> Using the budget challenge was a way for Democrats to say they voted for<BR>> fiscal responsibility, while Republicans contend the public will<BR>> understand that the vote was really against the repeal of health care<BR>> reform.<BR>>
<BR>> While a repeal of the entire health care law won't move forward, Senate<BR>> Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the elimination of a rule,<BR>> scheduled to take effect in 2012, requiring businesses to issue Form 1099s<BR>> to any individual or corporation from which they buy more than $600 in<BR>> goods or services in a year. Most liberals and conservatives view the rule<BR>> as an unnecessary burden on private-sector employers.<BR>> <BR>> The push for an outright repeal is one of several strategies currently<BR>> being pursued by the GOP leadership in order to undermine support for the<BR>> law. Senate Republicans also introduced legislation Tuesday that would<BR>> allow states to opt out of key provisions of the new health care law.<BR>> <BR>> Specifically, the bill would allow state governments to opt out of the<BR>> so-called "individual mandate" requiring everyone to obtain health
care<BR>> coverage by 2014 or face penalties. It would also allow states to ignore<BR>> new mandates regarding employer-based coverage, insurance benefits and an<BR>> expansion of Medicaid.<BR>> <BR>> The motion was introduced one day after a federal judge in Florida issued<BR>> a sweeping ruling against the law, siding with 26 states that had<BR>> challenged the measure and setting up a likely Supreme Court challenge in<BR>> the months ahead.<BR>> <BR>> A federal judge in eastern Virginia has also found the health care law<BR>> unconstitutional, while two other federal judges, one in western Virginia<BR>> and one in Michigan, have ruled the opposite. Twelve other federal judges<BR>> have dismissed challenges to the law, according to the White House<BR>> <BR>> ---------------------------------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> Seeya round town, Moscow.<BR>> <BR>> Tom Hansen<BR>> Moscow,
Idaho<BR>> <BR>> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<BR>> and the Realist adjusts his sails."<BR>> <BR>> - Unknown<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> <A href="http://www.fsr.net/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.fsr.net</A> <BR>> mailto:<A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Vision2020@moscow.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>> =======================================================<BR>> <BR>> End of Vision2020 Digest, Vol 56, Issue 15<BR>>
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