Problems With the CBO Healthcare Reform Scoring

Reader Comments
Back to blog

It must be so that the Supreme Court has ransacked the legal tradition of precedent at the root of our law and order, just to play the activist judges and kowtow to their corporate masters.
As anyone paying attention, if Bill MO says its wrong, then it has to be absolutely correct.
When the most blatant liar on a blog chimes in, its pretty much taken for granted to be the opposite. That's the beauty of fibbing all the time, at least you're consistent, predictable, and persuasive only in that the opposite of whatever you is probably right. It must be pretty shallow existence to live constant lies, but at least your consistent.
Carry on, Bill Mo. Can you confirm the Sen Ensign is a total sleazebag who should immediately resign? not that it would stop the criminal investigation in his shenanigans. Please enlighten us, oh Sage of the Idiocracy.

Hank of TN 9:44PM March 19, 2010

You believed obama in his State of the Union speech ? If you watched Fox you would know better. Here is non-Fox source:
“ Current federal law prevents "a partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other combination of persons organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country" from making, "directly or indirectly," a donation or expenditure "in connection with a federal, state, or local election," to a political party committee or "for an electioneering communication."
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/State_of_the_Union/state-union-2010-fact-check-president-obamas-address/story?id=9680549

Bill Hedges of MO 7:57PM March 19, 2010

The current Supreme Court is packed with activist judges trying to legislate from the bench. SCOTUS just overturned a hundred years of precedent law to opening the flood gates to special interests and multinational corporate lobbying to buy elections.

Chuck of MI 6:51PM March 19, 2010

HealthCare Reform
The CBO numbers are ONLY an estimate and are ONLY as good as guesses at best. Just look at the history of Entitlements and expansion of Socialized Programs like Medicare since its inception when the Federal government passed the Medicare & HMO Act in 1965. Before 1965, healthcare costs were right in line with the consumer price index, but over the years Medicare costs have increased exponentially because of government intervention into the Free-market system. Now, physicians are faced with price-fixing and other bureacratic obstacles in the 130,000 plus pages in Medicare to hinder their practice of medicine. We don't need more government intervention in healthcare nor do we need a government-run health care system that will mandate and control the system and ultimately DENY care to those who need it. Socialized heatlthcare will lead to shared MISERY. This healthcare reform package with NOT save the TAXPAYERS any money; in fact, it will dramatically increase TAXES for everyone, especially the poor and those who can NOT afford to purchase health insurance coverage through mandated programs enforced by the IRS. Do NOT believe the LIES of those who purport that this healthcare reform package is the answer to all your healthcare ills. It is NOT the answer and does NOT make any sense. Expansion of government control is NOT the answer, but limited government will give U.S. citizens the necessary freedoms to thrive as individuals and contribute fully to a growing economy. Let's NOT be deceived. In fact, those who want to distort the TRUTH have all kinds of gimmmicks and accounting tricks to try and fool the American public into thinking that this Healthcare reform package will save the American Taxpayer Money and will actually reduce the HealthCare budget deficit. No, the ONLY way to reduce the healthcare deficit starts with PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY of each and every American to make efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle and encourage others to do the same, developing healthy habits and making concerted efforts to take care of oneself, instead of relying on the government to take care of you. For the sake of this Great Nation, I urge every American to contact your congressman (www.house.gov) and urge them to vote AGAINST this healthcare reform package and press on to develop a bipartisan health care reform package that truly embodies the will of the American people. Moreover, most Americans are patriots and do NOT want to see this country go BANKRUPT and become slaves to other nations. May God have mercy on this country. Pray for America, its sovereignty and its independence and may America continue to be that Beacon on the Hill, shining its light and goodness to other countries. God Bless.

Robert Sohn of FL 3:42PM March 19, 2010

The CBO "findings" are based on the smoke and mirrors provided by Obama and his comrades to the CBO.
Obama and his comrades are using deception, gimmicks, creative accounting, smoke and mirrors to hide the trillions of dollars their scam will cost us. What they are giving the CBO to consider is only PART of the scam, while the most expensive parts of the scam are hidden under other bills or passed to the states (which we will still have to pay).
"Legislative Reality vs, Political Reality," by Peter Suderman, identifies specific deceptive strategies. One of the strategies entails shifting expensive parts of a bill to completely DIFFERENT pieces of legislation. So the costs found by the CBO will be only PART of the costs.
In the House, Democrats shifted an expensive, unpaid-for "fix" to doctor's Medicare reimbursement rates over to a separate bill. And in the Senate, they backloaded the spending so that its full effects would not be felt in the 10-year window that CBO scores. In the latest Senate bill, 99 percent of the spending would occur in the last six years of the budget window.
http://reason.com/archives/2009/12/10/legislative-reality-vs-politic
Obamacare will dramatically increase taxes, costs and the deficit while rationing and destroying health care, destroying businesses and jobs, and destroying our economy and our freedoms.
As the Obama campaign was funded largely by U.S. enemies like George Soros, it seems Obama and his comrades are trying to repay them by destroying our country!

AntonioSosa of FL 3:09PM March 19, 2010

Go back to the night of the State of the Union Address this year when President Obama stood in the well of the House of Representatives and lectured the members of the Supreme Court on their recent decision on Citizens' United regarding the First Amendment rights of corporations to participate in political campaigns. In that speech, President Obama misrepresented the Court's majority decision in order to make a political point. The House Democrats rose to their feet and applauded. It was though it was an intentional act of political intimidation.
Should the House of Representatives pass this bill using a questionable procedure known as the Slaughter Rule - "Deemed to have Passed without a vote" there are 37 States who have already signaled their intentions to challenge the law.
When a State(s) sue the Federal Government, it goes straight to the Supreme Court for resolution. According to many, the Health Care Reform Legislation, if passed, could potentially violate Article 1: Section 7; Clause 2 as well as Article 1: Section 8 of the Constitution. Furthermore, there are provisions in the bill - such as requiring mandatory purchasing of insurance or face a fine and/or imprisonment for failure to do so would violate the "takings" clause of the 4th Amendment, and this bill certainly tramples on the 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution - regarding States Responsibilities and the power of what Congress can legally do – and possible the 14th Amendment.
So, should this bill become law, I am sure there that Justices Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy and Scalia - who know more about the Constitution than President Obama and most, if not all the members of the Congress, will be waiting eagerly for this legal challenge to arrive at the Court with open arms.
Furthermore, if the majority of the Court rules this law unconstitutional, which it will more than likely do, remember “the law of unintended consequences.” (that the actions of people—and especially of government—always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended.) Should this be the case, a ruling by the Supreme Court could very well result in the strengthening of the 10th Amendment and overrule the opinion of the Court in United States v. Darby, 312 U.S. 100, 124 (1941) which said in essence that the Tenth Amendment is but a “truism” an opinion which all but ruled that the 10th Amendment was “null and void.” and thus has allowed for the enactment of the Progressive agenda over the last 80 years whose goal was to “fundamentally transform” America from a Constitutional Republic to a European-style Socialist Democracy – just what the Founding Fathers warned us against and tried to protect us from by giving us a written Constitution which would ensure limited government and maximum freedom.
Can anyone say SCOTUS Smackdown -- and it won't be pretty – and those who will be applauding this time around will be WE THE PEOPLE!

GM Williams of VA 7:51AM March 19, 2010

What I'd call asinine and stupid is trusting progressive liberal tax and spend dems to reduce the deficit.
But I digress . . . tell me what's good about the bill. Remember, this is supposed to be about "reform." It's a highjacking.
Doctors are left out to dry all their years of training and speciality flushed. They are now GS employees grade 6. Government is now the only player in the student loan business . . . with exception to a bank in Bismark ND. Liberal dems have just railroaded the political process to create yet another massive entitlement program. Nobody gets a benefit from the deal for 6 years, but you and I are expected to pay for it between now and then. They will throw you or anyone else not participating in jail. They will create a small army of GS employees at IRS to monitor who pays and who doesn't.
They want to add trillions of dollars of debt that will saddle our children, their children and their childrens children. They are are about to create a scenario where we lose our sterling credit rating and essentially pushing the nation over the cliff of solvency. They want to punish society's capitalists, which incidently are the people who create jobs and wealth in America. They are creating entitlements where we are going to fund health care for illegals, and fat, lazy, indolent. They are ruining the best health care system in the world. They have created massive distrust in government. They are creating a bloated big government with an insatiable appetite. They have reduced the American dream to an American nightmare. They will have "progressively" taken us another step closer to socialism.
Oh, but the pathos logic is we've helped some folks who needed help. For you pathetic, looney tune, communist manifesto readers the above mentioned facts are somehow worth the cost of helping a few unfortunate souls who couldn't do for themselves like everyone else.
Yes, Sandra it truely is GOOD for America, when adults cling to Uncle Sam's hand like snot nosed children and depend on Sam to do EVERYTHING for them?!

david of ID 2:20AM March 19, 2010

CBO also fails to point out that the plan to gain more than $20 billion in savings from closing the black liquor loophole for pulp and paper mills is bogus. The proposal is to amend a biofuel subsidy program for which black liquor is already ineligible. EPA has already ruled on this. Details are at How Google Could Help the Democrats By Buying a Pulp Mill (http://bit.ly/bOMxbh).

D. Eadward Tree of HI 8:03PM March 18, 2010

Why are they stealing $500 Billion from social programs and more. Why only 6 years benefit in first 10 years. They have to get this turkey to balance.
There is more in CBO report than you are hearing on your fluff news channel.
Don’t just blame Republicans either. Blame the peoples who are against as well. Polls show they don’t like.
They are down to ‘deem’ to attempt to get this major legislation passed. 37 States lining up to opt out/sue. This will go to Supreme Court if need be.
You think Republicans will lose if passed. Stay in obamaland away from reality.
As links hit online, facts will be provided here and you will fade and hide off site.
Should be soon.

Bill Hedges of MO 7:39PM March 18, 2010

This will be a fantastic catastrophe for Republicans to be left out in the cold on the passage of a landmark bill that's good for Americans. Look on the bright side, this will be the largest deficit cutting programs in decades and one of the biggest tax cut for Middle Class Americans in a long time, but a major defeat of Republican obstructionism. Republicans have bet their future on defeating health care reform, and have lost. You can blame the CBO or doubt their numbers, but in the end the GOP leadership will be held responsible.

Sandra of TX 7:13PM March 18, 2010