It cannot be the cost of the health insurance reform bill, because the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office report this week shows that the legislation will actually reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over the next decade. Yet, Senator Blanche Lincoln and Congressman John Boozman, the Tweedledum and Tweedledumber politicians with our vote, both say they will vote NO on the budget reconciliation proposal that requires only a simple majority to pass. It is expected to pass in the House tomorrow and in the Senate next week.
They will also be voting against provisions to reform the student loan program, increase the amount of Pell Grants to low-income students, and fund job training programs at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. First, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act saves $61 billion by instituting direct loans to students instead of letting the banks skim off and charge large fees for processing the funds. Second, it adds $36 billion to Pell Grants at $5,550 per year for tuition. This is a huge impact locally, where NWACC had a 9.6% increase in students receiving Pell Grants last year that averaged only $1,738.
Even more disappointing is that Lincoln and Boozman will be voting against the $2.5 million that Arkansas is guaranteed to receive for job training programs and that NWACC is planning to use for jobs in the health care profession. Working with the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation to prepare competitive grant applications, Arkansas community colleges could receive even more job training funds from the $500 million appropriation.
Why? Boozman will vote NO, because he and the Republicans always vote no on everything. Lincoln will vote no, because she cares more about bank profits than affordable college education and job training. She also thinks she will get the votes of the Teabaggers and other Republicans if she continues to vote with them against health insurance reform. That we are represented by such tools is a shame for which Arkansas voters can only blame themselves.
PLANTATION BLANCHE = BANKS.
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What losers. If these corporate whores are the D and R nominees, I am voting Green.
ReplyDeleteWe must change this. Lincoln has become a huge disappointment.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really believe: "The legislation will actually reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over the next decade."
ReplyDeleteThat's nuts. That's because they start collecting taxes for a few years before they ever extend any benefits. That's funny math.
The health care takeover adds billions in new taxes. It does not SAVE any money. It's a new progressive entitlement that milks more taxes from already overtaxed taxpayers.
I'm a longtime Democrat, but if Health care passes today--without the support of the American people-- it may be decades before I vote Democrat again.
The fact that you-- and perhaps many of the people you know-- do not support health care reform does not mean that "the American people" do not support health care reform. Most of the people I know support it. I am aware, however, that some don't.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to figure out how people can type such things while they have their index fingers embedded in their ears.
I'm for healthcare reform but this bill is no where near a reform of the broken system. Its in reality a subsidy via forcing millions of people into the broken system. Lots of us with holistic lifestyles are not sick, know how to treat our own conditions preventatively and don't want to be forced into subsidizing a bunch of junk food and prescription pill addicts and their doctors. I say Go Libertarians on this one, hope they win their court challenge even if I don't agree with them on the underlying reason for opposing this effed up 'reform'.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with the contention that we ended up with as much a camel as a horse on the health care reform bill, but I take heart in a couple of considerations: much of the detail remains to be developed; and the symbolism of its passage is in a way as important as the content.
ReplyDeleteYou can't make sausage without a little horse-trading. Or camel-trading.
Mmmm... sausage.
@Anon 9:36 - Silly people, addicted to drugs that keep them from dying. Diabetics don't need insulin, they just need to meditate and place healing crystals over their burned-out pancreas.
ReplyDeleteWhen a true emergency occurs, these anti-healthcare people will scream really loud if the ambulance doesn't show up in 3 minutes.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:36 AM
ReplyDeleteNext time you have a big tumor growing in your stomach or intestines just eat a carrot. Save the radiation for therapy for junk food addicts.
Yes, Ive seen your type many times rely on all natural or holistic approaches until the end gets close.
9 36 was being sarcastic. He ain't a healthcare aginner.
ReplyDeleteCorporate Blanche joins Corporate Mark
ReplyDeleteOnce again Both our DINO CORPORATE DEMOS vote NO on
the Senate Reconciliation vote today, Mar. 25.
It passed the Senate 56-43. Plantation Blanche and "C Street" Mark were of two of three Demos voting against.
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Has anybody run a DNA test on Mark? He ain't his daddy!
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ReplyDeleteAnon 12:42 I had reports that his momma used to leave a light on for aliens. Not kidding. There's two sets of genes ya know.
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