labor

Lessons from the Auto Bailout Controversy

Mon, 12/15/2008 - 6:50am | posted by Dr. John Killian

This past week, the US Senate failed to concur with the House of Representatives in passing a bailout package for the nation’s large domestic automakers. This bailout had the support of the Democratic leadership in Congress as well as the Bush White House. Already, doomsayers are bemoaning this lack of financial infusion from an already depleted federal budget. However, I applaud this decision as a victory for principle over pragmatism. Hoping that conservatives will learn from this effort to continue enlarging government, consider some lessons from the bailout controversy.

Dems bow to pressure, exempt labor unions from insurance tax

Thu, 01/14/2010 - 6:53pm | posted by Jason Pye

Democrats may have come to an agreement on an excise tax for high-end insurance plans to help fund ObamaCare:

The White House reached a tentative agreement with union leaders early Thursday to tax high-cost insurance plans, officials said, removing one of the major stumbling blocks in the way of a final compromise on comprehensive health care legislation sought by President Barack Obama.
Complete details of the tentative deal were not immediately available, although the White House was expected to present it to senior lawmakers later in the day. Union leaders also were returning to the White House.
[…]
In a win specifically for union members, negotiators were working out a plan to delay the tax from being imposed on collectively bargained health plans for several years.

So, to make sure you understand this…a tax high-end insurance plans, aimed at the evil “rich” (even though this tax will hit the middle class), will apply to private health insurance plans, that is unless they are part of a labor deal (collective bargaining agreement).

Our president just got a sweetheart deal for his number one political constituency, exempting them from major tax hike. Once again, President Obama bows to labor interests.