Current Tonight | December 12, 2009 | 15 comments

Senate GOP denied on spending filibuster attempt

source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gBPaHA8wyvhZsKWPW8Uxp30QpfqgD9CHRQ502

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Future_America
The Democratic-controlled Senate on Saturday cleared away a Republican filibuster of a huge end-of-year spending bill that rewards most federal agencies with generous budget boosts.

The $1.1 trillion measure combines much of the year's unfinished budget work — only a $626 billion Pentagon spending measure would remain — into a 1,000-plus-page spending bill that would give the Education Department, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and others increases far exceeding inflation.

The 60-34 vote met the minimum threshold to end the GOP filibuster. A final vote was set for Sunday afternoon to send the measure to President Barack Obama.
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15 comments // Senate GOP denied on spending filibuster attempt

  • Commentor
    • 0
      Commentor  

    • "Of course I understand why people get upset about paying taxes. Bit this makes sense. If you choose to not buy insurance but you are going to be guaranteed emergency care and you are going to be guaranteed to be able to buy insurance later even if you get cancer, then you should absolutely have to pay a tax."

      I'm beginning to wonder how I can become an "illegal alien" because it seems that they have more rights and protections than I do - no they're not supposed to vote but, they seem to be eligible for more and more social programs.

      ===========
      since we all ready have to pay a "Social Security and medicare tax" how about they just use that as the "fine"/tax

    • 2 years ago
  • FallenMorgan
    • 0
      FallenMorgan  

    • "No one is being forced to buy health insurance. There is a new tax (essentially to cover emergency medical expenses) and if you get health insurance you don't have to pay it. You can call it a fine if that better fits the government-is-evil reality that you are trying to create for yourself, but there is no force involved."

      ...sounds like a fine to me. A tax you have to pay if you don't have health insurance.

    • 2 years ago
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  
    • FallenMorgan:

      It's all perspective. I consider it a tax that everyone pays but those who choose to buy insurance get a tax break. But I have no problem calling it a fine if you prefer.

      The reality is this: Under this bill, you can choose to not buy insurance and then if you get a serious disease you can go buy it then. You absolutely MUST tax that behavior or the whole system would collapse.

    • 2 years ago
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  

    • Can you guys even read? This has nothing to do with the healthcare bill. This is the operating budget of the US government including everything from NASA to the FBI to Medicare.

      The endlessly irresponsible Republican Party tried to prevent funding of all the programs our society relies on and it took Joe Lieberman walking 5 miles through the cold on the Sabbath to protect our national security and our grandparents' medical care.

      Ridiculous.

    • 2 years ago
  • jon_foshee
    • 0
      jon_foshee  

    • That Lieberman should have his FEHB taken away and forced to buy some shitty over prices coverage that the rest of us middle lower class individuals have to deal with.

    • 2 years ago
  • FallenMorgan
  • Ares
    • 0
      Ares  
    • FallenMorgan:

      Because federal democrats know what's best for you, and if you don't want health insurance, you need to be weeded out of the population. You shan't impede their progress toward the inevitable socialist utopia. All hail our most glorious leader.

    • 2 years ago
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  
    • FallenMorgan:

      No one is being forced to buy health insurance. There is a new tax (essentially to cover emergency medical expenses) and if you get health insurance you don't have to pay it. You can call it a fine if that better fits the government-is-evil reality that you are trying to create for yourself, but there is no force involved.

      And Ares, the only "weeding out" that is occurring is people dying for want of affordable health insurance under the status-quo that you support. Fitting name for someone in favor of the demise of the sick and the poor.

      And BTW, this article has nothing to do with healthcare reform.

    • 2 years ago
  • Ares
    • 0
      Ares  
    • FallenMorgan:

      Doug: No, the article was not about health care, I just responded to a comment. My post was ironic, sorry it wasn't made more ridiculous, I thought I was clear enough, and I'm sorry for the misconception there.

      Actually, there is a section in the bill that says you could be imprisoned for refusing to pay into the health care system.

    • 2 years ago
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  
    • FallenMorgan:

      Could you provide a link to that? My understanding is that you pay a fine in your tax returns if you do not have insurance. If you refuse to pay the fine, then you could be imprisoned like any other tax violation.

    • 2 years ago
  • Ares
  • ryan8566
  • DougChristian
    • 0
      DougChristian  
    • FallenMorgan:

      You couldn't find a more biased source? Limbaugh or Free Republic maybe?

      "The JCT letter makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years."

      AND WHO CHOOSE NOT TO PAY THE BILL'S NEW INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TAX

      That's just standard tax law.

      Of course I understand why people get upset about paying taxes. Bit this makes sense. If you choose to not buy insurance but you are going to be guaranteed emergency care and you are going to be guaranteed to be able to buy insurance later even if you get cancer, then you should absolutely have to pay a tax.

    • 2 years ago
  • Ares
    • 0
      Ares  

    • Good job, demmies. What better way to climb out of a recession than to reward yourselves for not climbing out of a recession.

    • 2 years ago
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