[StBernard] TOP FIVE FALSEHOODS

[Westley Annis]

TOP FIVE FALSEHOODS
If Democrats Would Start Listening To The American People, They'd Stop
Telling Falsehoods
 
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NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT RECONCILIATION?
 
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) Claims "No One Has Talked About Reconciliation." "No
one has said -- I read what the President has online -- no one has talked
about reconciliation but that's what you folks have talked about ever since
that came out, as if it's something that has never been done before."
("Transcript: White House Health Summit, Morning Session," Kaiser Health
News <http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9028> , 2/25/10)
 
But Reid Himself Is Talking About Reconciliation. "Harry Reid's got a gift
for hyperbole - and it keeps on giving. The Senate majority leader's latest
gem came in response to hints that Democrats might try to use the fast-track
budget 'reconciliation' to bypass a Republican filibuster of President
Obama's health care plan. After advising Republicans on Tuesday to 'stop
crying over reconciliation as if it's never been done before,' he ticked off
a list of legislative feats he contends were accomplished through the
filibuster-busting process: 'Contract [with] America was done with
reconciliation. Tax cuts, done with reconciliation. Medicare, done with
recon ciliation.'" (Jonathan Allen, "Hyperbolic Harry," Politico's "Live
Pulse" Blog <http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9026> ,
2/24/10)
 
"For Some Bizarre Reason, During His Initial Presentation, Sen. Reid Said
That 'No One Has Talked About Reconciliation,' ... But That's Obviously Not
True. Everybody's Talking About It. And A Lot Of Dems Would Be Pretty Upset
If They Weren't Talking About It."(Josh Marshall, Talking Points Memo's
"Editors Blog" Blog <http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9029>
, 2/25/10)
 

*	"A Number Of Democratic Senators Have Signed A Letter Urging Reid To
Use Reconciliation To Pass The Public Option."(Eric Zimmermann, "Reid: 'No
One Has Talked About Reconciliation,'" The Hill's "Briefing Room" Blog
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9021> , 2/25/10)

 
Obama Health Reform Advisor Says The Door Is Open For Reconciliation. "Linda
Douglass, the communications director of the White House Office of Health
Reform, left reconciliation on the table as an option for passing a health
care bill if Democrats and Republicans don't reach consensus during
Thursday's summit. ... 'Certainly if that were not to be the case, he would
be asking for a simple up or down majority vote and would certainly hope
that the Republicans would not try to block that simple up or down majority
vote.'" (Carol Lee & Patrick O'Connor, "Douglass Open To Reconciliation,"
Politico's "44" Blog
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9025> , 2/25/10)
 
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AREN'T INTERESTED IN RECONCILIATION?
 
Obama Claims Americans Don't Care About Reconciliation. "You know, this
issue of reconciliation has been brought up. Again I think the American
people aren't always all that interested in procedures inside the Senate.  I
do think they want a vote on how we're going to move this forward."
(President Obama, Health Care Summit, Washington, DC, 2/25/10)
 
But 52% Of Americans Don't Want The Democrats To Use Reconciliation To Pass
Their Government-Run Health Care Experiment. "In the survey, Americans by
52%-39% oppose Senate Democrats using the procedure, which allows a bill to
pass with a 51-vote majority rather than the 60 votes needed to end debate."
(Susan Page, "Poll: Expectations Low On Health Summit," USA Today
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9023> , 2/25/10)
 
DEM PROPOSALS WILL LOWER PREMIUMS?
 
President Obama Claimed CBO Determined His Plan Would Lower Premiums.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: "It's not factually accurate. Here's what the Congressional
Budget Office says. The costs for families for the same type of coverage
that they're currently receiving would go down 14 percent to 20
percent."SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R-TN): "The Congressional Budget Office
report says that premiums will rise in the individual market as a result of
the Senate bill." PRESIDENT OBAMA: "No, no, no, no. Let me -- and this is an
example of where we've got to get our facts straight." ALEXANDER: "That's my
point." OBAMA: "Well, exactly, so let me -- let me respond to what you just
said, Lamar, because it's not factually accurate. Here's what the
Congressional Budget Office says. The costs for families for the same type
of coverage that they're currently receiving would go down 14 percent to 20
percent."(President Obama, Health Care Summit, Washington, DC, 2/25/10)
 
But Actually, CBO Determined The Bill Would Raise Premiums For Americans
Purchasing Insurance Individually. "CBO and JCT estimate that the average
premium per person covered (including dependents) for new nongroup policies
would be about 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the average
premium for nongroup coverage in that same year under current law." (Douglas
W. Elmendorf, Letter To Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9024> , 11/30/09)
 
INCREMENTAL PLANS ARE UNACCEPTABLE?
 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): "[I]naction And Incrementalism Are Simply
Unacceptable."(Mike Allen, "Will Dr. Obama Go For Plan B-1, Or Plan B-2? --
Dems' Post-Summit Message: POTUS Was 'Thoughtful, Comprehensive,' Rs
'Insulted The Summit' -- New NYT Expose May Finish Gov. Paterson,"
Politico's "Playbook,"
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9022>  2/25/10) 
 
But 56.4 Percent Of Americans Prefer An Incremental Approach. "Moreover,
56.4 percent of people indicated they would prefer Congress to tackle
healthcare reform on a step-by-step basis, not take the comprehensive
approach as embodied in the legislation that passed the House and Senate
last year but has stalled for the past month." (Jeffrey Young, "Poll: Most
Americans Think Congress Should Start Over On Healthcare," The Hill's
"Briefing Room" Blog
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9020> , 2/16/10)
 
PUBLIC FUNDS WOULDN'T GO TO ABORTION?
 
Pelosi Said Abortion Wouldn't Be Funded Under The Plan. "The law of the land
is there is no public funding of abortion and there is no public funding of
abortion in these bills and I don't want our listeners or viewers to get the
wrong impression from what you said."(Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Health Care
Summit, Washington, DC, 2/25/10)
 
But The Bill Allows Federally Funded Abortions. "Under the new abortion
provisions, states can opt out of allowing plans to cover abortion in the
insurance exchanges the bill would set up. The exchanges are designed to
serve individuals who lack coverage through their jobs, with most receiving
federal subsidies to buy insurance. Enrollees in plans that cover abortion
procedures would pay with separate checks -- one for abortion, one for any
other health-care services." (Paul Kane, "To Sway Nelson, A Hard-Won
Compromise On Abortion Issue," The Washington Post
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9017> , 12/20/10)
 
Pro-Life Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) Calls Obama's Abortion Language
"Unacceptable." "Unfortunately, the president's proposal encompasses the
senate language allowing public funding of abortion. The senate language is
a significant departure from current law and is unacceptable." (Ben Smith,"
Stupak: "Unacceptable," Politico's "Live Pulse" Blog
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9016> , 2/23/10)
 
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) Says 15 To 20 House Dems Who Can't Support Obama's
Proposal. "Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who led efforts to
tighten abortion language in the House health care bill, said Wednesday
morning there are 15 to 20 House Democrats who cannot support President
Barack Obama's effort to bridge the gap between the House and Senate health
plans. ... He said well over a dozen House members will like ly balk, not
just on abortion but on the residual tax on so-called Cadillac health plans,
which he said the House had already rejected." ("Stupak: 15-20 Dems Can't
Back Obama Health Plan," The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog
<http://link.sc.states.gop.com?164-1502-1752-25548-9015> , 2/24/10)