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Berkley’s Obamacare Vote

March 28, 2012 by

Shelley Berkley voted for Obamacare and was a strong advocate for the bill. Obamacare cuts Medicare spending by $500 billion, will stretch the nation’s already fragile budget another $1.76 trillion, and will threaten the number of jobs for thousands of Americans.  After the bill passed, Berkley went so far as to say she would “gladly burn in hell” for voting in favor of Obamacare. 

 Despite Berkley’s rhetoric in support of the new healthcare law, she was not always so passionate.  Berkley was a little squeamish about the bill and did not initially commit to it, but Nancy Pelosi whipped her into line.  In a telephone conversation with a major donor, casino magnate Steve Wynn, Berkley acknowledged it was a “terrible” bill.  Being the wife of a physician, Berkley said she knew it was no good.  However, Berkley said Nancy Pelosi would “punish” her if she didn’t vote for healthcare reform. 

 Berkley had the opportunity to buck her party, but instead she gave in and voted for a bill that she knew was “terrible.”  Unfortunately for Nevadans and Americans, Berkley was more concerned about pleasing her party than doing what she knew was right for the country.

 

 

Berkley Voted For The House Healthcare Reform Bill That Included A Public Option. “Passage of the bill that would overhaul the nation’s health insurance system and require most individuals to buy health insurance by 2013. It would create the Health Choices Administration tasked with establishing a federal health insurance exchange, including a government-run public health insurance option, to allow individuals without coverage to purchase insurance. Those that do not obtain coverage would be subject to an excise tax. Excluded from the mandate would be those exempt from filing income tax and others with a hardship waiver. Employers would be required to offer health insurance to employees or contribute to a fund for coverage. Businesses that fail to provide coverage could face penalties of up to 8 percent of their payroll. It would provide tax credits to certain small businesses for providing coverage; provide subsidies to individuals making up to four times the federal poverty level, excluding illegal immigrants; and allow states to enter into compacts to facilitate coverage purchase across state lines. The bill would bar the use of federal funds to provide abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or if the woman’s life is in danger. It also would bar insurance companies from denying or reducing coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions.” (HR 3962, CQ Vote #887, Passed 220 – 215: R 1 – 176; D 219 – 39, 11/7/09, Berkley Voted Yea)

 

Berkley Voted For The Final Version Of Healthcare Reform. “Spratt, D-S.C., motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would overhaul the nation’s health insurance system and require most individuals to buy health insurance by 2014. It would create a system of national private insurance plans supervised by the Office of Personnel Management and create state-run marketplaces for purchasing health insurance. Those who do not obtain coverage would be subject to an excise tax. Excluded from the mandate would be those exempt from filing income tax and others with a hardship waiver, religious objection or those who cannot afford coverage. Employers with more than 50 workers would have to provide coverage or pay a fine if any employee gets a subsidized plan on the exchange. Certain small businesses would get tax credits for providing coverage, and those with low incomes, excluding illegal immigrants, could get subsidies. It would bar the use of federal funds to pay for abortions in the new programs, except in the cases of rape or incest or if the woman’s life is in danger. Insurance companies could not deny coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions beginning in 2014, and could not drop coverage of people who become ill. It would expand eligibility for Medicaid, shrink the coverage gap under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program and create an advisory board to reduce the per capita growth rate in Medicare spending.” (HR 3590, CQ Vote #165, Agreed To: 219 – 212: R 0 – 178; D 219 – 34, 3/21/10, Berkley Voted Yea)

 

The Health Care Law Contains Approximately $500 Billion In Cuts To Medicare. “It would cut an additional $60 billion from Medicare, bringing total cuts to the program to more than $500 billion over the next 10 years. And it would delay a tax on high-cost insurance polices [sic] until 2018, replacing the lost revenue by imposing the Medicare payroll tax on investment income for families earning more than $250,000 a year.” (Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery, “In Senate, GOP Has Last Chance To Change Health-Care Overhaul,” Washington Post, 3/24/10)

 

  • “In A March 20, 2010 Letter To Speaker Nancy Pelosi, The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That The Reconciliation Proposal Combined With H.R. 3590 As Passed By The Senate Would Result In A $455 Billion Net Reduction In Medicare Spending Over The 2010-2019 Period.” (Congressional Budget Office, “Letter To The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, 3/20/10)

 

  • “The Reform Plan Includes Cutting The Costs Of Medicare, The Government-Run Health Plan For Seniors, By About $500 Billion.” (“Pelosi: GOP Used Fear To Turn Elderly Against Health Care Bill,” CNN’s Politcal Ticker Blog, www.cnn.com, 3/29/10)

 

In March 2012, The CBO Estimated That The Gross Cost Of Obamacare Would Be $1.762 Trillion. (Congressional Budget Office, “Updated Estimates For The Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act,” March 2012)

 

  • In March 2012, CBO Reported That ObamaCare Will Cost $1.76 Trillion Over Ten Years, Nearly Twice The Amount Of The Original Forecast. “President Obama’s national health care law will cost $1.76 trillion over a decade, according to a new projection released today by the Congressional Budget Office, rather than the $940 billion forecast when it was signed into law. Democrats employed many accounting tricks when they were pushing through the national health care legislation, the most egregious of which was to delay full implementation of the law until 2014, so it would appear cheaper under the CBO’s standard ten-year budget window and, at least on paper, meet Obama’s pledge that the legislation would cost ‘around $900 billion over 10 years.’” (Philip Klein, “CBO: Obamacare To Cost $1.76 Trillion Over 10 Yrs,” Washington Examiner, 3/13/12)

 

The Director Of The CBO Estimated That By 2020 Obamacare Would Cost The Labor Force 800,000 Jobs. CAMPBELL: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, we’ll — and Dr. Elmendorf — and we’ll continue this conversation right now.  First on health care, before I get to — before I get to broader issues, you just mentioned that you believe — or that in your estimate, that the health care law would reduce the labor used in the economy by about 1/2 of 1 percent, given that, I believe you say, there’s 160 million full-time people working in ’20-’21. That means that, in your estimation, the health care law would reduce employment by 800,000 in ’20-’21. Is that correct?”  ELMENDORF: “Yes. The way I would put it is that we do estimate, as you said, that the household (ph) employment will be about 160 million by the end of the decade.  Half a percent of that is 800,000. That means that if the reduction in the labor used was workers working the average number of hours in the economy and earning the average wage, that there would be a reduction of 800,000 workers.” (Committee On The Budget, U.S. House of Representatives, Hearing, 2/10/11)

 

Berkley Was Open To A Public Option. “At this point, Urey said Berkley is keeping her options open. If a public plan can hold down costs, she would be supportive, he said.  ‘She wants to make sure we know what we’re doing,’ said Urey, who added that Berkley is studying many proposals. ‘She is for extending coverage to 47 million people, that’s for sure.’” (Paul Harasim, “Nevada Lawmakers Agree About Change,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/25/09)

 

Berkley Said She Would “Gladly Burn In Hell” For Her Healthcare Vote. “She also recounted her response to a person she said told her she was going to ‘burn in hell’ for her health care vote.  ‘I would gladly burn in hell if I knew doing so would give one of my fellow Americans access to affordable health care in this country,’ Berkley said.” (Alan Choate, “Gore Tells Fellow Democrats To Stay United,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/28/10)

 

Berkley Was Hesitant To Commit To The Final Version Of The Healthcare Bill At First. “Days before the House could vote on health care reform, Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley remains a hold-out, unwilling to tip her hand on how she will vote.  Berkley has had phone calls from two Obama administration cabinet secretaries this week, sources said, showing the lengths the president is going to make certain every yes vote is rounded up.  It’s hard to imagine that Berkley, a six-term Democrat, would switch and vote against the bill after having supported an earlier version in November.” (Lisa Mascaro, “Shelley Berkley Still Undecided On Health Vote?,” Las Vegas Sun, 3/18/10)

 

WYNN: “I Supported A Democratic Congresswoman Named Shelley Berkley.” (Fox News’ “Cavuto,” 10/21/11)

  • Wynn Resorts Have Contributed At Least $36,100 To Berkley’s Campaigns.  (The Center For Responsive Politics, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 11/29/11)

 

  • Wynn Has Personally Given At Least $13,400 To Berkley’s Campaigns. (Federal Elections Commission, www.fec.gov, Accessed 12/15/11)

Wynn Suggested Berkley Was Coerced Into Voting For Obamacare. “Wynn in particular had strong words for U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., suggesting she was cowed into voting for health care reform.”  (Steve Tetreault, “POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Wynn’s Wrath Doesn’t Spare Berkley,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 10/31/11)

 

In A Conversation During The Obamacare Debate, Berkley Told Wynn That Pelosi Would “Punish” Her If She Did Not Vote For Healthcare Reform.  WYNN: “I supported a Democratic congresswoman named Shelley Berkley. I called her during ObamaCare. I said, ‘Shelley, what are you doing? How do you do this? This is killing the unions and all of us that are supplying health care to our employees.’ And so she told me, quote — quote. Now this is not hearsay. Shelley said to me — and she’s running for the Senate. ‘Steve, I know it’s terrible. My husband is a doctor. He hates it, too.’ CAVUTO: ‘Wow!’ WYNN: ‘But if I don’t vote for it, she will punish me’ — she being Nancy Pelosi.’ CAVUTO: ‘Wow!’ WYNN: ‘And I said — I said, Shelley, every politician that’s ever sold out their constituency has had a lame, terrible rationalization like the one you just gave me. Don’t ever call me again.’” (Fox News’ “Cavuto,” 10/21/11)

Filed Under: Healthcare, Nevada

Tim Kaine: Labor Man

March 27, 2012 by

Even though Virginia is a right-to-work state, Chairman Tim Kaine has a cozy relationship with unions. Organized labor has given Kaine nearly $1.7 million in campaign contributions.  In contrast, Senator Mark Warner, a fellow Democrat, has only raised about $425,000 from unions since first running for governor.  Kaine has also credited his political success to unions and admitted that he knows “the power of labor.” 

 

While organized labor has supported Kaine financially, his decisions as governor have given them a leg up too.  After over 20 years of control, Kaine gave the Dulles Toll Road to the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA), which put them in charge of the Dulles Rail Project.  The MWAA, controlled by representatives from union-friendly D.C. and Maryland, requires union workers for their construction projects, projects that Virginians will largely pay for.  This puts Virginia contractors at a disadvantage because only 4 percent of Virginia’s construction workers are unionized.  One Virginia leader was concerned the union rules would inflate the costs of the billion-dollar Dulles project by up to 18 percent. A recent cost estimate of Phase I of the project (which is 64 percent complete) shows that the first half is already $150 million over budget.  Thanks to Tim Kaine, Virginians have less control over what goes on in their backyards, and unions get overpriced contracts that Virginians get to pay for. 

 

 

Virginia Is A Right-To-Work State.  (National Right To Work Legal Defense Foundation, www.nrtw.org, Accessed 10/20/11)

 

Kaine Credited Labor Leaders For His Political Success. KAINE: “I Am Here With Great Friends In Labor To Jim And Doris And Larry And The Other Labor Leaders Who Are Here, I Wouldn’t Be Here If It Werent For You.” (Quote Appears At 1:06: http://youtu.be/7MX0op_4ZC4)

 

KAINE: “I Know The Power Of Labor” (Quote Appears At 1:37: http://youtu.be/7MX0op_4ZC4)

 

  • The 150,000 Member National Treasury Employees Union Plans To Funnel Money To Kaine. “The National Treasury Employees Union has put together a list of more than 20 pending bills in Congress that it calls ‘harmful’ to the federal workforce – such as extending the pay freeze or imposing mandatory unpaid furloughs.  With a Democratic Senate and a Democrat in the White House, chances seem slim that those measures would become law. But Colleen Kelley, who is the president of the 150,000-member union, said she’s still concerned that those stand-alone bills could become part of a larger, must-pass package, such as a measure to fund the federal government.  The union’s political arm is funneling money to a handful of Democrats running for Senate this year, including Cardin, Tim Kaine of Virginia…” (Seung Min Kim, “Federal Workers Under Siege,” Politico, 3/11/12)

 

  • 2012: “Today, The Virginia AFL-CIO Announced The Unanimous Endorsement Of Tim Kaine For U.S. Senate.” (Virginia AFL-CIO, “Virginia AFL-CIO Announces Endorsement Of Tim Kaine For Unites States Senator,” Press Release, 1/29/12)

 

Thus Far, Kaine Has Received $1,694,981 In Campaign Contributions Since He Ran For Lieutenant Governor In 2001:

 

 

 

  • Kaine Has Raised $125,500 From Labor In His 2012 Senate Race. (The Center For Responsive Politics, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 3/23/12)

 

Since Running For Governor, Mark Warner Has Received $425,247 From Organized Labor For His Campaigns:

 

  • In Mark Warner’s Campaign For Governor In 2001, Mark Warner Accepted $127,847 From Labor.  (National Institute On Money In State Politics, www.followthemoney.org, Accessed 3/27/12)

 

  • Warner Has Raised $297,400 For His Senate Campaigns. (The Center For Responsive Politics, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 3/27/12)

 

In March 2006, Plans Were Finalized To Transfer Control Of The Dulles Toll Road To The Washington Airport Authority (MWAA.) “Virginia leaders yesterday put the Washington airports authority in control of the Dulles Toll Road and construction of a Metrorail line to Dulles International Airport, a decision that cheered advocates of the rail project but led many others to question whether the authority would act in the best interests of commuters and the community.” (Steven Ginsberg and Alec MacGillis, “Dulles Rail Decision Met With Praise And Doubts,” The Washington Post, 3/28/06)

  • The Commonwealth Of Virginia Had Operated The Toll Road Since 1984. “When the federal government decided to build Dulles Airport in the 1950s, it also acquired a 17-mile highway corridor to provide access to the airport. Today, the corridor includes the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Access Road. Virginia operates the toll road, which opened in 1984, under an agreement with the authority that runs until 2082.” (Michael D. Shear and Steven Ginsburg, “Toll Road To Fund Rail Line To Dulles,” The Washington Post, 3/27/06)

 

  • By Transferring The Authority From Virginia To The MWAA, The MWAA Would Assume Responsibility For The State’s Portion Of The Cost For The Dulles Rail Project. “The deal would remove much of the uncertainty surrounding the nearly $4 billion project to build a rail line through Tysons Corner, Reston, the airport and Loudoun County because the airports authority would assume responsibility for the state and federal portion of the cost. If the memorandum of understanding is signed today, it would give the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority the ability to guarantee that the train line would extend to Dulles — a part of the project that is not fully funded.”  (Michael D. Shear and Steven Ginsberg, “Toll Road To Fund Rail Line To Dulles,” The Washington Post, 3/27/06)

 

On December 29, 2006, Virginia Officially Gave Control Of The Dulles Toll Road To The Airport Authority. “State officials said last week that on or around Dec. 29 they will sign documents to hand over control of the toll road to the authority, which runs Dulles and Reagan National Airport…” (Alec MacGillis, “Va. Handing Airports Authority Keys to Toll Road, Dulles Rail,” The Washington Post, 12/21/06)

 

  • The MWAA Board Members Are Appointed, 5 By The Governor Of Virginia, 3 By The Mayor Of Washington, 2 By The Governor Of Maryland, And 3 By The President. “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors with five members appointed by the Governor of Virginia, three by the Mayor of the District of Columbia, two by the Governor of Maryland and three by the President of the United States.” (Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority, www.mwaa.com, Accessed 3/22/12)

 

  • Maryland And The District Of Columbia Are Not Right-To-Work States. (National Right To Work Legal Defense Foundation, www.nrtw.org, Accessed 10/20/11)

 

A Virginia Delegate Was Concerned Union-Friendly Agreements Could Increase Costs 12-18 Percent. “Del. Tom Rust, R-Loudoun, said he was concerned about the airports authoritys decision to require contractors building the second phase of the rail project to institute a union-friendly labor agreement, which opponents argue could drive up the ever-ballooning cost of the project by 12 percent to 18 percent.” (David Sherfinski, “Virginia Panel To Grill Board On Dulles Project,” Washington Examiner, 5/25/11)

 

As Of March 2012, Phase 1 Was 64 Percent Complete.  (Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Website, www.dullesmetro.com, Accessed 3/27/12)

 

  • According To A February 2012 Cost Summary, Phase 1 Is Estimated To Be $150 Million Over Budget. (Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority, www.mwaa.com, Accessed 3/27/12)

 

James Bacon, Op-Ed: MWAA Requires Contractors To Use Union Workers. “… [A]lso to require contractors to use union labor – despite the $6.6 billion project’s massive cost overruns and Virginia’s status as a right-to-work state.” (James Bacon, Op-Ed, “Metrorail’s Taxation Without Representation,” The Washington Times, 5/19/11)

 

  • MWAA Voted To Require Contractors To Offer Union Wages, Union Benefits, And Hire Union Workers. “The MWAA boards 11-2 decision last week to mandate a project labor agreement, or PLA, for the second phase of Dulles Rail construction, will not preclude nonunion contractors from bidding on the multibillion-dollar project. If they win the bid, however, it will require they follow specific wage guidelines, offer union benefits and hire union workers. The move comes on the heels of the boards decision to spend $330 million more on the Washington Dulles International Airport train station, against the wishes of state and local officials.” (Leah Fabel, “Airport Agencys Pro-Union Pact Angers Va. Officials,” Washington Examiner, 4/15/11)

 

Phase 2, Most Recent Funding Formula: 54% Dulles Toll Road, 4.9% Virginia, 21% Loudon & Fairfax Counties, 4.1% MWAA, 16% Federal Grants.  “Until recently, it was not clear how the second phase of the Dulles rail project, from Wiehle Avenue to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County, would be paid for. Last month, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood helped broker a dealon financing the estimated $2.8 billion Phase 2 project.  Nearly 54 percent of the cost of Phase 2 is expected to come from Dulles Toll Road users. An additional 16 percent is to come from federal grants, 4.9 percent from Virginia, 4.1 percent from the airports authority, and the rest from Loudoun and Fairfax counties.” (Dana Hedgpeth, “Open House On Dulles Toll Road,” The Washington Post, 12/7/11)

 

Phase 1 Funding:

  • 41% MWAA (Dulles Toll Road)
  • 15% Fairfax County
  • 10% Virginia
  • 34% Federal Grants  (Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Website, www.dullesmetro.com, Accessed 3/27/12)

 

Only 4 Percent Of Virginia Construction Workers Are Unionized. “Only about 4 percent of Virginias construction workers are union members, according to Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. an association of nonunion companies.” (Leah Fabel, “Airport Agencys Pro-Union Pact Angers Va. Officials,” Washington Examiner, 4/15/11)

 

The Airport Authority Said They Would Fund Virginia’s Share Of The Rail Project By Regularly Raising Tolls. “Authority officials have said they would fund the state and federal share of the rail line by regularly raising tolls on drivers, but they have not provided any specifics about how often and how much they would raise prices.” (Michael D. Shear and Steven Ginsberg, “Toll Road To Fund Rail Line To Dulles,” The Washington Post, 3/27/06)

 

The Current Finance Formula (Phase 2): MWAA: 4 Percent; Fairfax Co.: 16 Percent; Loudon Co.: 5 Percent; Dulles Toll Road: 75 Percent. “Under the agreed- to funding formula, financing the second phase of Dulles Rail construction will be split between the authority at 4 percent, Fairfax at 16 percent, Loudoun at 5 percent, and toll revenue at 75 percent.” (Leah Fabel, “Va. Officials Wary Of MWAA Offer On Dulles Rail,” Washington Examiner, 5/27/11)

Filed Under: Virginia

Heinrich Flips On Pipeline

March 26, 2012 by

Martin Heinrich made a meaningless flip for political convenience, supporting only half of the Keystone XL pipeline after opposing the entire pipeline for months.  The President isn’t needed to construct the Southern edge of the pipeline, and he is still holding up the section that connects oil production with refineries on the gulf.

Heinrich vocally opposed the entire pipeline for months, calling it dirty and foreign even as it brings hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil a day to American refineries and create tens of thousands of jobs. But now he’s supporting Obama’s meaningless “political ploy” that will have absolutely no impact on oil production.

 

Heinrich Flipped On Supporting Only The Southern Half Of The Keystone XL Pipeline:

Heinrich Opposed The Entire Keystone Pipeline In January. HEINRICH: “I’m committed to an energy future for our nation that is both clean and domestic. The tar sands pipeline is neither.” (Rep. Martin Heinrich, “Heinrich Statement On The Tar Sands Pipeline,” Press Release, http://heinrich.house.gov/, 1/18/12)

Heinrich Opposed The Entire Keystone Project On March 2nd. HEINRICH: “I don’t think that tar sands are the future of our energy. I think the future of our energy should be clean and domestic. Tar sands are neither, especially given the fact that the idea with that pipeline was to ship it across the US with no American-made steel and export it from the Gulf of Mexico. But I do support domestic production of oil and gas and I do support additional investments in making sure that renewables create jobs here in America and not just abroad.” (“Heinrich Gets Endorsement, Talks About Senate Run, Says He Would Oppose XL Pipeline Project,” Capitol Report New Mexico, http://www.capitolreportnewmexico.com/, 3/2/12)

Heinrich Now Supports Obama’s Decision To Fast Track The Southern Half Of The Pipeline. “On Friday, Heinrich said he supported Obama’s decision to speed reviews on the southern portion of the pipeline. ‘We should focus our infrastructure efforts on moving American oil and natural gas to market as cleanly and efficiently as possible, not on developing Canadian tar sands for sale in Chinese markets,’ he said.” (Michael Coleman, “Bipartisan Spirit Propels Tech Transfer,” Albuquerque Journal, 3/24/12)

Energy Groups Called Obama’s Decision On The Southern Half Of The Pipeline A “Political Ploy.” “The President is speaking in Payne County this Thursday morning. It may be rural Oklahoma, but when it comes to pipelines, it’s the Capitol. The President is expected to talk about energy, though many in that industry are not impressed.  They are even planning to protest his visit, calling it a political ploy more than a genuine interest. Mike Cantrell with the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance says, ‘For the last three years he’s been anti-fossil fuels.’” (Chellie Mills, “Petroleum Producers Plan Presidential Protest,” KFOR-TV Oklahoma City, http://www.kfor.com/, 3/20/12)

  • The President’s Approval Of The Southern Half Of The Pipeline Is Unnecessary. “Industry experts say while his support for the southern end is welcome, it’s not needed. They build pipelines in the country all the time without needing presidential approval.” (Chellie Mills, “Petroleum Producers Plan Presidential Protest,” KFOR-TV Oklahoma City, http://www.kfor.com/, 3/20/12)

The Keystone Pipeline Will Create Tens Of Thousands Of Jobs. “The pipeline project is expected to create more than 20,000 high-paying construction and manufacturing jobs in the near term and more than 250,000 permanent jobs in the long run (The Perryman Group, 2010).” (“Key Vote Alert Letter In Support Of H.R. 1938, The ‘North American-Made Energy Security Act,’” U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, http://www.uschamber.com/, 7/22/11)

 

Filed Under: Energy, New Mexico