Thread: Unions will dodge O's health tax

Big Labor got some big love from President Obama and congressional Democrats yesterday after they agreed to exempt union workers from the whopping “Cadillac tax� on high-cost health-care plans until 2018.



The sweetheart deal, hammered out behind closed doors, will save union employees at least $60 billion over the years involved, while others won't be as lucky -- they'll have to cough up almost $90 billion.



The 40 percent excise tax on what have come to be called "Cadillac" health-care plans would exempt collective-bargaining contracts covering government employees and other union members until Jan. 1, 2018.



In another major concession to labor, the value of dental and vision plans would be exempt from the tax even after the deal expires in eight years, negotiators said.



Under the plan to help fund health-care reform, the tax would kick in for plans valued at $8,900 or more for individuals and $24,000 or more for families.



That's slightly higher than the $8,500 and $23,000 thresholds in the bill passed by the Senate last month.



The threshold will be even higher for certain plans with many older workers and women -- a move to benefit unions with a high proportion of female membership, sources said.



New York labor leaders -- who had initially campaigned against the Cadillac tax, favoring instead a surcharge on the wealthy -- said they are thrilled.



"We can live with it. We have an agreement that nothing will be taxed until 2018," crowed George Boncoraglio, regional president of the Civil Service Employees Association.



Officials said the deal was thrashed out over more than 15 hours of negotiating at the White House that ended after midnight Wednesday.



Powerful unions were well-represented around the bargaining table.



Participants included AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Andy Stern, head of Service Employees International Union; Anna Burger, head of Change to Win; and the leaders of unions representing teachers, government workers, food and commercial workers, and electricians.



Stern has been among the most frequent visitors to the White House over the last year, showing up more than 20 times, according to logs.



http://www.nypost.com/p/news/nationa...PIJlIxXAm37DOM



More of the same, buy offs continue with whoever it takes to get a bill and screw the rest of the American people. Obama, Reid and Polosi are a disgrace to this country.

At least Bush had the decency to pretend he wasn't handing out special deals to his buddies.

The Bama just needs to get it over with and make the head of SEIU the "Union czar", at least

there would be an ecuse for him spending so much time at the WH.

[quote name='bla bla' date='17 January 2010 - 08:44 PM' timestamp='1263779070' post='100833']

At least Bush had the decency to pretend he wasn't handing out special deals to his buddies.

The Bama just needs to get it over with and make the head of SEIU the "Union czar", at least

there would be an ecuse for him spending so much time at the WH.

[/quote]



Obama has blinded his followers to such a degree that he doesn't have to hide or pretend that it is something other than it is. He can strongarm, blackmail and bribe whenever it is convenient and those in line lockstep with him will have a way to defend it.



I mean just look to your left/right. They are all around.

[quote name='metheron' date='17 January 2010 - 08:58 PM' timestamp='1263783483' post='100857']

Obama has blinded his followers to such a degree that he doesn't have to hide or pretend that it is something other than it is. He can strongarm, blackmail and bribe whenever it is convenient and those in line lockstep with him will have a way to defend it.



I mean just look to your left/right. They are all around.

[/quote]





And the Democrats justify it by saying it's all for the greater good. Hypocrites to the end. They would be calling for investigations if this were being done under a Republican administration.

[quote name='Six' date='17 January 2010 - 07:13 PM' timestamp='1263784384' post='100870']

And the Democrats justify it by saying it's all for the greater good. Hypocrites to the end. They would be calling for investigations if this were being done under a Republican administration.

[/quote]



Remember "Change We Can Believe In" I guess it depends who you are.

[quote name='Devil505' date='18 January 2010 - 08:12 AM' timestamp='1263820330' post='100948']

Just makes it a little more in line with Obama's campaign pledges, which are hard to keep for any President.

While no one is truly happy with the current bill,. the way I look at it is it's a foot in the door with some real benefits. After this bill has been law for a year or so, it'll make real HC reform much easier & the insurance industry will eventually lose their stranglehold on our wallets.

[/quote]



So with even you agreeing that this is not 'real' reform......what kind of reform would you call it?



Why not start with a smaller version of 'real' reform? These trillion dollar 'fake' reforms don't do any good as a whole.