Representative Sandy Levin (D-MI) is not impressed with House Republicans investigating the impact of the employer mandate and the so-called 30-hour rule of ObamaCare today (they seem to be incapable as a body of even discussing any issue other than ObamaCare), whilst ignoring the 1.6 million unemployed. The last time the Ways and Means Committee met on something other than ObamaCare was on July 18, according to the high ranking Democrat.
Levin was so annoyed that he decided to throw a truth bomb into their pile of myths, leaving them pretty well shattered.
Levin started off his prepared remarks with a BIG SIGH, “Today this Committee is holding a hearing on an issue that has been rehashed many times. Yet it has failed to have a hearing on an issue also in our jurisdiction that already has directly affected the lives of 1.6 million people — their total loss of unemployment insurance.”
We should just put that statement on repeat for the next year.
But then Levin went for the jugular, using his time to point out all of the things that Republicans won’t be telling the American people as they hold their millionth hearing on ObamaCare. Levin busted all of the Republican ObamaCare myths.
First, a very small percentage of employers – less than one percent — will be affected by the so-called employer mandate provision within the law. Not only does it apply to businesses with 50 or more employees, making 95 percent of businesses exempt — all but five percent of businesses with more than 50 employees already offer their employees health insurance.
Republicans aren’t big on math, but still – less than one percent, but it gets all of their taxpayer funded time and attention, while 1.6 million go without unemployment insurance? The House is supposed to be the body that best represents the people. Clearly this is not happening.
The Republican small business concern trolling is based on nothing:
Providing employee coverage is both economical and a “standard of business practice” for businesses with more than 50 employees. In fact, this is why we used 50 employees as the cut off for an exempt “small” business. It has been that way for years – and few expect that to change as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Indeed, a survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans found that 99 percent of employers will continue to offer coverage. And real world experience shows that employer-sponsored insurance in Massachusetts has increased since the state’s reforms.
Levin pointed out that we have added “more than 8 million jobs” in the private sector since passing the ACA, so it’s not a job killer.
Two, since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law four years ago, private employers have added more than 8 million jobs. More than 90 percent of the rise in employment nationwide has been due to workers in full-time jobs. In fact, workers in the restaurant industry have seen their average weekly hours increase since the law was signed, contrary to the notion that there has been a widespread shift to reduced hours in that sector.
Levin is also not buying the fear-mongering about making cuts to hours because OBAMACARE!
Those who have threatened to cut hours in response to the law have been making such threats more than a year before the law was in effect. With the one-year delay in employer responsibility requirements, it is impossible for an employer to blame the ACA for business decisions occurring now.
Logic, sir? Really?
ObamaCare is good for small businesses (this is something Democrats don’t discuss enough, and somehow Republicans pass themselves off as the party of small business when they are in fact the party of big business). “Third, the Affordable Care Act is good for individuals who have dreamed of starting their own business or taking the risk to change jobs and help grow a small business. These entrepreneurs, like the 3 million people who have now enrolled, can get private health insurance through the Federal and State-based Marketplaces.”
And lastly…. the Democrat is not impressed that the last time this body met to discuss anything other than OBAMACARE was in July. Seriously.
Unfortunately for 1.6 million job-seeking Americans, the last time this full committee met for a hearing on a topic other than the Affordable Care Act was on July 18 – six months and 10 days ago. Hope springs eternal that this Committee can restore its focus to the broad range of issues under our jurisdiction which have the power to create economic growth and opportunity for our nation.
Yes, but never mind all of that reality, Republicans will just put their fingers over their ears and scream “OBUMMER! BENGHAZI!” at the top of their lungs until Ted Cruz shuts the government down again. Speaking of which, Republicans own this country 24 billion dollars for their government shutdown, and as they claim they don’t like to proceed with anything that helps the people unless we pay as we go, perhaps they’d like to pay up.
*Levin’s quotes are based on his opening statement as prepared for delivery.
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