Obama administration diverts $500M to IRS to implement healthcare reform law
By Sam Baker - 04/09/12 05:15 AM ET
The Obama administration is quietly diverting roughly $500 million to the IRS to help implement the president’s healthcare law.
The money is only part of the IRS’s total implementation spending, and it is being provided outside the normal appropriations process. The tax agency is responsible for several key provisions of the new law, including the unpopular individual mandate.
Republican lawmakers have tried to cut off funding to implement the healthcare law, at least until after the Supreme Court decides whether to strike it down. That ruling is expected by June, and oral arguments last week indicated the justices might well overturn at least the individual mandate, if not the whole law.“While President Obama and his Senate allies continue to spend more tax dollars implementing an unpopular and unworkable law that may very well be struck down as unconstitutional in a matter of months, I’ll continue to stand with the American people who want to repeal this law and replace it with something that will actually address the cost of healthcare,” said Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee for healthcare and is in a closely contested Senate race this year.
The Obama administration has plowed ahead despite the legal and political challenges.
It has moved aggressively to get important policies in place. And, according to a review of budget documents and figures provided by congressional staff, the administration is also burning through implementation funding provided in the healthcare law.
By Sam Baker - 04/09/12 05:15 AM ET
The Obama administration is quietly diverting roughly $500 million to the IRS to help implement the president’s healthcare law.
The money is only part of the IRS’s total implementation spending, and it is being provided outside the normal appropriations process. The tax agency is responsible for several key provisions of the new law, including the unpopular individual mandate.
Republican lawmakers have tried to cut off funding to implement the healthcare law, at least until after the Supreme Court decides whether to strike it down. That ruling is expected by June, and oral arguments last week indicated the justices might well overturn at least the individual mandate, if not the whole law.“While President Obama and his Senate allies continue to spend more tax dollars implementing an unpopular and unworkable law that may very well be struck down as unconstitutional in a matter of months, I’ll continue to stand with the American people who want to repeal this law and replace it with something that will actually address the cost of healthcare,” said Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee for healthcare and is in a closely contested Senate race this year.
The Obama administration has plowed ahead despite the legal and political challenges.
It has moved aggressively to get important policies in place. And, according to a review of budget documents and figures provided by congressional staff, the administration is also burning through implementation funding provided in the healthcare law.
Florida Senator Bill Nelson blames President Obama for rising gas prices
Updated: Monday, 09 Apr 2012, 6:55 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 09 Apr 2012, 6:55 PM EDT
TAMPA - Senator Bill Nelson blames rising gas prices on Wall Street speculation. But he also called out one of President Obama’s top regulators for not reining it in.
Monday in Tampa, Senator Nelson said the President should replace Gary Gensler for not enforcing trading rules. Gensler is Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and previously served as a partner at Goldman Sachs
“(Gensler) has not used his legal authority to enact regulation on stopping this excessive speculation,” said Nelson, “I have asked him (President Obama) to not reappoint him.”
President Obama has not yet responded to Senator Nelson’s request.
Obama has focused on alternative energy and other long-term strategies to bring down gas prices by decreasing demand.
Many republicans say prices will drop if we increase the supply.
Updated: Monday, 09 Apr 2012, 6:55 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 09 Apr 2012, 6:55 PM EDT
TAMPA - Senator Bill Nelson blames rising gas prices on Wall Street speculation. But he also called out one of President Obama’s top regulators for not reining it in.
Monday in Tampa, Senator Nelson said the President should replace Gary Gensler for not enforcing trading rules. Gensler is Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and previously served as a partner at Goldman Sachs
“(Gensler) has not used his legal authority to enact regulation on stopping this excessive speculation,” said Nelson, “I have asked him (President Obama) to not reappoint him.”
President Obama has not yet responded to Senator Nelson’s request.
Obama has focused on alternative energy and other long-term strategies to bring down gas prices by decreasing demand.
Many republicans say prices will drop if we increase the supply.
Quote of the Day:
Thomas Sowell
“In politics, few talents are as richly rewarded as the ability to convince parasites that they are victims. Welfare states on both sides of the Atlantic have discovered that largesse to losers does not reduce their hostility to society, but only increases it. Far from producing gratitude, generosity is seen as an admission of guilt, and the reparations as inadequate compensation for injustices – leading to worsening behavior by the recipients.
Thomas Sowell
“In politics, few talents are as richly rewarded as the ability to convince parasites that they are victims. Welfare states on both sides of the Atlantic have discovered that largesse to losers does not reduce their hostility to society, but only increases it. Far from producing gratitude, generosity is seen as an admission of guilt, and the reparations as inadequate compensation for injustices – leading to worsening behavior by the recipients.
