Will wonders never cease: Democrats discover taxes hurt businesses!

How cute: Fifteen Democratic senators who voted for Obamacare back in 2009 are asking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to see that the excise tax on medical devices is not implemented for now.

Read their letter here. It ticks all the usual boxes for the kind of anti-tax arguments that Democrats typically reject out of hand:

  • The industry “directly employs over 400,000 people in the United States and is responsible for a total of two million high-skilled manufacturing jobs.”
  • The industry “is also one of the few that enjoys a net trade surplus…”
  • Our economy has a need for “increasing exports, promoting small businesses, and growing high-tech manufacturing jobs for the future…”
  • The slapdash way in which Obamacare was constructed, with major decisions punted to an unaccountable bureaucracy to make (OK, that’s not exactly how the senators put it), has caused “significant uncertainty and confusion for businesses.”
  • Rather than moving forward with another punitive tax on a particular industry, it would be preferable “to develop a long-term solution to help move our economy forward, reduce our debt and reform our tax code…”
  • Not moving forward with this tax “will benefit patients, innovators and boost our country’s economic growth.”

All of which are arguments that would have been helpful for these Democrats to make three years ago when they were rushing to pass Obamacare in the first place. Conservatives made these very same arguments at the time, only to have Democrats ram the law through Congress anyway.

It turns out that some of these senators represent states where the medical-device industry is particularly important. I guess they had to pass the bill to find out what was in it.

– By Kyle Wingfield

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356 comments Add your comment

md

December 12th, 2012
11:16 am

“However, since the legislations was passed as a big package with reform after reform, a lot of people still don’t know how they’re benefiting.”

Geez, you act like it’s free……that’s the other side of the coin you seem to be leaving out, all those wonderful goodies have to be paid for.

Dusty

December 12th, 2012
11:17 am

JamVet,10:51

THE WHIG PARTY? I believe you and Andrew Jackson were not “just born yesterday” and are founding members of AARP. But lining Whigs up with the GOP is somewhat on the level of hallucinations.

Now stay well. You may have to fight in the War of 1812.

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:17 am

Policies can no longer be rescinded when you get Cancer because you forgot to indicate on the application that you had a zit when you were 15.
——————-

I’m all the time forgetting that I had cancer when I was 15.

What you’re describing is called “fraud” by those of us in the reality-based world.

JamVet

December 12th, 2012
11:18 am

Dusty, how old are you?

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
11:18 am

“Clinton might have taken OBL from the Sudan when they offered him up, but Susan Rice didn’t think it would be very nice to do that.”

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/clinton.asp

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:22 am

I’ll take Bill Clinton’s own word for it, Real Athens. I know how desperate y’all are to spin those words away, but they are what they are.

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
11:24 am

Dusty:

“Most (American) Whig party leaders thereupon quit politics (as Lincoln did temporarily) or changed parties. The northern voter base mostly joined the new Republican Party.”

Google is your friend. However, I know truth and history are your enemies.

DownInAlbany

December 12th, 2012
11:25 am

JamVet

December 12th, 2012
11:03 am

Would somebody please tell Lil that people do not pay taxes!

They simply pass the costs onto everyone else in this country. (See how easy that was?)

LOL at you fake capitalists…

Well, I’ll be danged. The IRS sure cashed the check I sent them last April!

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:25 am

Real Athens, your link doesn’t say anything about OBL or the Sudan, just so you know…

Clinton had a chance to prevent 9/11 but took his eye off the ball.

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
11:26 am

Where were all you deficit hawks during 2000-2009 ? That’s right, when a republican is in office it doesn’t count. Just run up the tab then blame it all on the democrats when they have to “fix” it.
Bush was, and still is, one of the worst presidents in history. His reign of error still impacts us to this day.

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:28 am

sailfish: Where were all you deficit hawks during 2000-2009 ? That’s right, when a republican is in office it doesn’t count.
——————

Link please.

Del

December 12th, 2012
11:29 am

“But if that narrative works for you”

No Finn it’s narrative that works for you because evidently you either don’t keep informed or you have difficulty comprehending.

Dusty

December 12th, 2012
11:33 am

Dear JamVet,

How old am I?

Old enough to know better than answer personal questions. Aintcha got no manners, SIR?
I am NOT inviting you to my debutant party! So there.

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
11:34 am

DownInAlbany

December 12th, 2012
11:37 am

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
11:26 am

Where were all you deficit hawks during 2000-2009 ? That’s right, when a republican is in office it doesn’t count. Just run up the tab then blame it all on the democrats when they have to “fix” it.
Bush was, and still is, one of the worst presidents in history. His reign of error still impacts us to this day.

How soon you forget (or simply ignore) the fact that Obama was going to “fundamentally change the way DC works”, “cut the deficit in half” “Bush is unpatriotic for debt” “average family premiums to decrease by about $2500″ “end income tax for seniors earning less than $50,000″ “end no bid contracts above $25000″ “forbid companies in bankruptcy from giving executve bonuese” “allow Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug prices” Shall I continue, or do you get the picture?

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
11:38 am

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:39 am

Thanks, Real Athens. You understand that your article shows that conservatives did criticize Our President Bush’s deficits, and smacks down sailfish’s bogus claim, right?

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:40 am

Again, Real Athens, there’s audio of Bill Clinton copping to exactly as I claimed.

I’ll go with that.

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
11:40 am

“I am NOT inviting you to my debutant party! So there.”

You’d expect a debutante to know how to spell it.

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
11:40 am

barry

Link? Two unfunded wars, irresponsible tax cuts, medicare part d, federal regulators looking the other way in banking, environment. Before bush was installed, we were heading towards conquering the debt, then, he and a rubber stamp republican congress happened…

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:43 am

Clinton: I did not bring him [OBL] because we had no basis on which to hold him, though we knew he wanted to commit crimes against America.
——————–

I guess a conspiracy charge wouldn’t have been enough to hold him?

Clinton: Took his eye off the ball and allowed al Qaeda to plan, train for, and deploy the 9/11 hijackers.

DownInAlbany

December 12th, 2012
11:43 am

Or how about these? “When there is a bill that ends up on my desk as the president, you the public will have five days to look online and find out what’s in it before I sign it,” “eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses.” “If a company that currently has 10 U.S. employees increases its domestic full time employment to 20 employees, this company would get a $30,000 tax credit – enough to offset the entire added payroll tax costs to the company for the first $50,000 of income for the new employees,” “I have done more to take on lobbyists than any other candidate in this race. I don’t take a dime of their money, and when I am president, they won’t find a job in my White House.”
the Obama administration claims it will be “the most open and transparent in history.

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:45 am

sailfish, I asked you to back up your assertion that conservatives didn’t criticize Our President Bush for His measly $300 billion deficits, not a litany of proglodyte complaints against Him.

Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories

December 12th, 2012
11:51 am

Has a lib ever won a debate on this blog?

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
11:52 am

“Our President Bush for His measly $300 billion deficits”

If that’s what you truly believe, it’s not worth the argument – you lose.
Besides, there was no tee party until we got an african american president, coincidence?

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:57 am

There was no tea party until we got trillion-dollar deficits and Obozocare.

Fixed.

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:58 am

Educated folk know better than to mistake coincidence with causation.

DownInAlbany

December 12th, 2012
11:58 am

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
11:52 am

Besides, there was no tee party until we got an african american president, coincidence?

Finally, the race card! I didn’t know when, but, I knew it would happen sooner or later! Deflect and defend!

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
11:58 am

sailfish has officially given up.

Dusty

December 12th, 2012
12:00 pm

There once was a WHIG

Who did a little ;jig.

HIs name was AmVet,

His backward ways were set.

Now he is joined

By Real Athens purloined !

May they win the War of 1812

By blogging from their rusting shelves.
——————

Later, sweet tomater….

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
12:00 pm

Jimmy carter is the man! Georgia should be proud of their native son-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/12/jimmy-carter-marijuana_n_2283989.html

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:03 pm

Barry

Are Appropriations Bills still approved in the House before spending can be approved or has that changed?

Have the Republicans not controlled the House for 14 of the last 18 years?

When looking at the total debt, has more accumulated under Republican or Democrat Presidents?

Your selective condemnation either shows willfull ignorance or lack of intellectually honesty………. It takes two to tango and both parties are at fualt, but your little mypoc mind can’t or wont admit that.

Either way, you would have made a great trumpet player seeing that you blow so hard on this blog.

Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories

December 12th, 2012
12:04 pm

NEW ALBANY, IND. — Intensifying his battle with Congress over federal spending, President Bush on Tuesday vetoed an appropriations bill for the first time, rejecting $150.7 billion in spending for school aid, healthcare and other domestic programs. – 2007

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:06 pm

Aesop

What did he veto when he had Congress?

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
12:06 pm

I’m just a Bill: Your selective condemnation
—————————–

Link please.

sailfish

December 12th, 2012
12:07 pm

down

Race or coincidence? Both are possible.

barry

When bush left the debt was at 10 trillion, all you can really tag obama with is the stimulus, obamacare has not cost a cent so far. Ongoing wars were inherited, get your head out of the georgia clay.

Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories

December 12th, 2012
12:07 pm

President Bush vetoed a $600 billion spending bill Tuesday, accusing Democratic leaders of wasting money and plotting tax increases, then took his budget fight with Congress on the road.

“The majority was elected on a pledge of fiscal responsibility, but so far, it’s acting like a teenager with a new credit card,” he said in a speech in New Albany, Indiana. – 2007

Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories

December 12th, 2012
12:10 pm

Bill – His last budget, unperverted by democrats

Today, the Office of Management Budget projected a $296 billion federal deficit for fiscal year 2006.

And that was fighting two wars.

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:10 pm

Barry

You need a link in about Appropriations Bills or that you would make a great trumpet player?

Go look it up little fella.

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
12:11 pm

When bush left the debt was at 10 trillion
—————————–

Seems like such a long time ago, eh?

Those were the days.

Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!

December 12th, 2012
12:12 pm

No, sockpuppet, I don’t need a link. You need a link…to back up your assertion. Otherwise we’ll just assume you’re making stuff up, as per usual.

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:14 pm

Dont pout little Barry, it will be ok

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:17 pm

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:18 pm

What else you need, son?

:-)

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:19 pm

Little B

and who is “we”?

You must have a frog in your pocket…..

You are such the playful fella

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
12:19 pm

“Thanks, Real Athens. You understand that your article shows that conservatives did criticize Our President Bush’s deficits, and smacks down sailfish’s bogus claim, right?”

http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2004-12-26/what-killed-off-the-gop-deficit-hawks

Yeah, I counted two GOP in the article.

Hilarious.

Sailfish

December 12th, 2012
12:23 pm

barry

I’ll concede this; the dems under clinton and the house republicans worked the nineties much better than the past decade has worked. The problem now as I see it is too much disinformation is believed about president obama. I get it that you don’t like him and never will but the real truth has been a casualty. Half of that 6 trillion your side likes to blame him for is interest on the previous debt and the cost of ongoing wars, unpaid for wars put on the “W” credit card.

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:23 pm

Little B

See you were were unable or unwilling to discuss Appropriation Bills and the control of Congress?

hahahahahahaha

I'm just a Bill

December 12th, 2012
12:25 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_public_debt

Count it up little B……………

Read and like you always do……….. weep

;-)

Real Athens

December 12th, 2012
12:27 pm

“Has a lib ever won a debate on this blog?”

Everyday.