I'm worried about Lindsey Graham's "poison pill"

[Alhena]

he's talking about amending whatever deal is reached to require members of Congress and their staffs to get on Obamacare.

Senate Dems are referring to it as a "poison pill," but what happens if Graham proposes it, or just as likely, the House Republicans do so?

Can Congressional Dems really keep the government shut down or refuse to raise the debt ceiling because they don't want to go on Obamacare?

I'm worried this is Republicans' one chance to turn the narrative in their favor. Will they actually propose this, and, if so, what will the democratic response be?

[murielm99]

1. All right, I am going to show my ignorance here.

Can't they have Obamacare now, if they want to? If they are required to get on Obamacare, what is the big deal?

Can someone explain this to me?

[littlewolf]

2. what members of congress have is 1000 x better

then ACA.

and their staffs get subsidies on their insurance, no matter what they
get paid.

[Narraback]

4. Large employers pay part of health insurance

The US Government is a large employer.

What is the big deal?

[Alhena]

3. Here's a reference to Graham's proposal - link

By Saturday afternoon, Graham suggested he may try to attach a version of Sen. David Vitter’s (R-La.) amendment ending health-care subsidies for lawmakers and congressional staffers to any Reid-McConnell agreement. Graham knows it’s a potential poison pill for any deal, but he is that unhappy right now.

“I am going to look at offering the Vitter language on anything that comes out of the Senate,” Graham told reporters. “If we’re going to screw up the whole country, we might as well throw ourselves in the mix.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/dangerous-lindsey-graham-vents-frustrations-98226.html

Republicans now are kind of like a wounded animal, and if they turn to this poison pill in desperation, I worry about how it might play out. Polls show the proposal has something like 90% support among Americans.

I'm enjoying watching the Tea Baggers squirm, and this is the one card they have to play that worries me.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Right now, their insurance is subsidized and pre-tax

Going onto the exchanges, there is no subsidy and the premiums are after-tax dollars. I'll go out on a limb here, but guessing their insurance is much better than what is offered on the exchanges. I know mine is, and my employer only has 3,000 employees - not the same ballpark as the contracts for the federal government employee base.

[Walk away]

5. And you think they will destroy health care relief for the entire country....

just so they won't have to pay a little more out of pocket???? Most of these people a millionaires. I can't imagine a Democrat ending his career over a few thousand bucks.

[Alhena]

6. They will probably vote to end their own subsidies

but that itself will give the Tea Party guys something to point to as a win since there have been a lot of stories about how Reid and others have tried to avoid such a vote.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Politics as usual.

[stage left]

8. Poor little Lindsey

He's upset because Ted Cruz has been getting all the press. I don't have a big enough vocabulary of bad words to definitively describe him.

[Roland99]

9. There's no Obamacare to get onto?!

They have an employer-sponsored plan already, no?

The ACA doesn't require (and typically precludes) dumping employer-sponsored coverage for going onto the exchange.

[Hekate]

11. I believe this is the answer. They're counting on no one knowing what the hell they're talking about

... including themselves.

[Alhena]

12. Looks like this is exactly what the House GOP is planning ...

a vote to open the government, raise the debt limit, and adopt the Vitter amendment.

I hope they don't get the votes to pass it in the House, because it will put Democrats in a pretty tricky position.

[geek tragedy]

14. Insist on a severability clause, and accept the package.

It then gets ruled unconstitutional

[randome]

13. Sign it, Vitter amendment and all. Then take it to the Supreme Court.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[geek tragedy]

15. Yep, 27th amendment nt

[randome]

16. Exactly.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Alhena]

17. I do agree that we have to pass it. Get this stupid Vitter thing off the table by enacting it

otherwise Repukes will dredge it up and attach it to every piece of legislation from now until the end of time.

[randome]

18. And in the end they will have saved America, what? Two million dollars perhaps?

After throwing away five billion.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Alhena]

19. Yep, it's about as absurd as it gets

but so what else is new in Washington?

It's a silly game, but we can't allow them to outplay us at it.