Who Can They Milk?
Jonathan Weisman writes in the WSJ that Democrats have to worry about their own rich voters:
A group of Democrats elected in recent years from some of the country's richest congressional districts have emerged as a stumbling block to raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for President Barack Obama's ambitious health-care overhaul just as the plan has begun to meet increasing resistance over its cost.Friday, two freshmen representatives -- Dina Titus, from suburban Las Vegas, and Colorado's Jared Polis, representing Boulder, Vail and some of the tonier suburbs of Denver -- joined Republicans to vote against Mr. Obama's top-priority health-care overhaul when it faced a vote in their House Education and Labor Committee. One reason was a one-percentage point-surtax on couples earning between $350,000 and $500,000 -- gradually increasing to 5.4 percentage points on earnings more than $1 million -- to pay for it.
The bill passed the committee anyway, but if the number of Democratic defectors grows it could pose a serious obstacle to the president.
Also on Friday a busload of freshmen Democrats went to the White House to plead their case against sharp tax increases with the president and his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. The organizer was Rep. Gerald Connolly, the president of the freshman class whose Northern Virginia district is the richest in the U.S. as measured by median household income.
"There could come a time," said Rep. Michael McMahon, a freshman Democrat from New York City's borough of Staten Island, when Democrats are in open rebellion. "We will certainly see in the next few weeks where we are going."
Election gains in some of these affluent regions have helped give Democrats big majorities in the House and Senate. Of the 25 richest districts, 14 are represented by Democrats, according to Congressional Quarterly. In 1995, Democrats represented just five of those districts.
What's that version of that line..."a Democrat is a Republican who has yet to be mugged"?
Typically, everyone is for something until it effects them.
The latest I heard on Bill Bennett's Morning in America is that the health care overhall won't apply to mebers of the house ,senate etc.. It must be great if these assholes are exempting themselves!
David M. at July 20, 2009 6:53 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/07/who-can-they-mi.html#comment-1659160">comment from David M.They have fantastic health care in the House and Senate. This is like Martin's comment about health care for the communists. We'll have socialist health care except for people in power. They'll get the really good health care. The rest of us can go suck it and die. Painfully. (Painkillers cost money, you know!)
Amy Alkon
at July 20, 2009 7:24 AM
I'd have to bet that the bill just strikes people wrong... the article writer should do more research because there is a much more important truth here. 2nd dist. ISN'T the wealthiest or anything, most of it is mountainous, with many of the wealthy having 2nd homes there, but not primary.
The important thing is that Boulder is THE MOST LIBERAL AREA IN THE STATE. Bar-none. It has been a dem stronghold since the mid-70's. They don't call it the republic of boulder for nothing. If a congressman from there has reservations about spending money in a public program, you got real problems.
SwissArmyD at July 20, 2009 7:24 AM
Don't forget that union members and management are also exempted.
You tell me this isn't yet another payout to the unions. How many companies will be willing to allow the unions in when the cost of non-union private care goes through the roof? So long as the unions do less than 8% of payroll in damage to the company's bottom line, it's a net win.
And a permanent Democratic majority once you hit 50% union membership.
brian at July 20, 2009 7:27 AM
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