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July 13, 2009 | House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) | Permalink

Whether it’s a new small business tax or a slew of new mandates on employers, the Democratic leaders’ attempted government takeover of health care is running into some roadblocks – namely, from rank-and-file Democrats themselves. Roll Call reported this morning that Democrats are “rattled” after being forced to walk the plank and vote for the Speaker’s unpopular national energy tax. With Democratic leaders pushing a government takeover of health care that will increase costs, force 114 million Americans off of their current health care plans, and raise taxes on small businesses – in a recession no less – is it any wonder why rank-and-file Democrats are nervous? Just look at these headlines:

“Heavy Lift for Health Care: Moderates Balk at Yet Another Tough Vote,” Roll Call, July 13, 2009

“Not All Democrats Are Buying Charlie Rangel’s Plan to Tax Rich to Pay for Health Care Reform,” New York Daily News, July 13, 2009

“Democrats Lukewarm on Charlie Rangel’s Surtax Plan,” Politico, July 13, 2009

“Concern Grows That Healthcare Overhaul Won’t Cut Costs,” Los Angeles Times, July 13, 2009

“Lawmakers Reject Tax to Pay for Health Reform,” Reuters, July 12, 2009

“Lawmakers Say Health Overhaul Has Been Slowed,” Associated Press, July 12, 2009

“Raising Taxes at Center of Health Care Reform Debate,” CNN, July 12, 2009

“Sebelius Won’t Sign on to Rangel Plan,” Politico, July 12, 2009

“Senate Dems Cool to House Tax On Rich,” The Hill, July 12, 2009

“Health Care Deadline Unlikely to be Met,” Politico, July 12, 2009

“More Problems for Health Care Bill,” Associated Press, July 10, 2009

“House Democrats Buck Leaders on Health Care Bill Unveiling,” Politico, July 9, 2009

“Conservative House Dems Rebel On Health Care Bill, Associated Press, July 9, 2009

“Democrats Are At Odds on Financing Health Care,” New York Times, July 10, 2009

“House Democrats Delay Health Care Bill,” Roll Call, July 10, 2009

“Support Slips for Tax on Employee Health Benefits,” Wall Street Journal, July 9, 2009

“In Health Bill, Billions for Parks, Paths,” Boston Globe, July 9, 2009

“Discord on Health Care Dulls Luster of New Pacts,” Washington Post, July 8, 2009

“Disputes Put Health Care Timetable in Doubt,” Associated Press, July 8, 2009

“Waxman Says House Not Bound by Senate Health Care Deals,” Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2009

“Official: PhRMA, Hospitals Deals Not Set In Stone,” Congress Daily, July 8, 2009

“Reid Move Opens $320B Health Plan Hole,” Politico, July 9, 2009

House Republicans have put forward a better plan to reduce health care costs, expand access, and increase the quality of care in a way Americans can afford – without a job-killing small business tax. The plan also will ensure that patients and doctors, not government bureaucrats, continue to make critical and personal medical decisions. More information on the plan is available HERE. With rank-and-file Democrats expressing opposition to small business taxes and mandates to finance this government takeover of health care, isn’t it time for Democratic leaders in Congress and the Administration to join Republicans at the table to craft a commonsense plan to give Americans better access to affordable health care?

Editorial -

It must really suck for Congressional Democrats to know that the normally compliant main stream media is now turning its ire towards you. This same media which distorted the truth in order to get their guy elected President of the United States. This same media which refuses to leave Sarah Palin alone. This same media which has some Marxist Utopian fantasy about how Democrats view the world is now extremely skeptical of those same Democrats and their agenda.

The road to Utopia does not exists. And if it did, the Democrats aren’t on it. Just ask the common North Korean. – Gribbit

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July 13, 2009 | House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) | Permalink

As the House Democratic Leadership tries to gather support for their massive small business tax and government takeover of health care, they are finding reluctance from many in their own caucus. Why? Well, many Democrats who walked the plank and voted for the Speaker’s unpopular national energy tax faced a blistering reaction back home, and the Senate looks unlikely to act on the legislation – meaning House Democrats got “BTU-ed” all over again.

Roll Call this morning reported on the Democratic House Members’ unease, and the hurdle it is creating:

“Democrats who helped the sweeping climate change bill squeak through before jetting home for the July Fourth break got a surprisingly ugly homecoming, encountering a barrage of protests, attack ads and negative press. Police turned up at a local protest aimed at Rep. Allen Boyd (Fla.), a leader of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition. Freshman Rep. John Adler (N.J.) told a local paper he got shoved.”

“The bruising endured by the moderates — along with serious substantive concerns —prompted them last week to derail the planned Friday rollout of the health care bill. And it presents a continuing challenge to leaders hoping to wrap work on the package this month. ‘They are completely and totally rattled,’ one senior Democratic aide said of the centrists. ‘I’ve never seen them as bad as they are now.’”

Those Democrats are right to be worried, since Politico finds little enthusiasm for Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax in the Senate:

“President Barack Obama’s plan for climate change legislation faces an extraordinarily tough climb in the Senate. For proof, look no further than to some of Obama’s closest allies.”

“‘We’ve got to be very careful with what we do with this legislation,’ Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), a near—constant cable surrogate during Obama’s presidential campaign, told Missouri talk radio show host Mike Ferguson last week. ‘We need to be a leader in the world, but we don’t want to be a sucker.’”

“When it comes to climate change, McCaskill and other Midwestern Democrats are putting their home-state concerns ahead of one of the president’s biggest first-year priorities; many of them fear that the legislation, which narrowly passed the House earlier this month, will hurt manufacturing- and coal-dependent areas that are already struggling.”

Republicans have a better solution. Our “all of the above” plan will lower energy costs, clean up the environment, and create millions of new American jobs. When will the Democratic leaders realize that we need a serious plan to help our economy and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, not the job-killing boondoggle like Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax?