Marcus Aurelius
03-27-2013, 07:37 AM
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/democrats-obamacare-tax-89219.html
Thirty-four Senate Democrats joined Republicans on Thursday night in a nonbinding but overwhelming vote to repeal a key tax in President Barack Obama's health reform law.
The Senate voted 79-20 to get rid of the law's 2.3 percent sales tax on medical device-makers.
The amendment to the budget resolution won't become law because the budget is nonbinding. But it has huge political significance as momentum builds for bipartisan consensus to get rid of another piece of Obamacare.
Assuming none of the provision's backers rescind their support, there is now plenty of support to surpass the 60 votes needed to repeal the device tax — if it comes to a vote, on another bill in the future. Thirty-three Democrats and one independent who caucuses with them supported the measure.
The Democrats who backed the repeal include Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Chuck Schumer of New York, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and nearly all Democrats from states with many device-makers, such as Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Indiana.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who controls which legislation gets votes, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), whose committee wrote the tax, voted against the measure.
Every Democrat who voted to back the repeal of this tax should be applauded for finally coming to their senses.
Thirty-four Senate Democrats joined Republicans on Thursday night in a nonbinding but overwhelming vote to repeal a key tax in President Barack Obama's health reform law.
The Senate voted 79-20 to get rid of the law's 2.3 percent sales tax on medical device-makers.
The amendment to the budget resolution won't become law because the budget is nonbinding. But it has huge political significance as momentum builds for bipartisan consensus to get rid of another piece of Obamacare.
Assuming none of the provision's backers rescind their support, there is now plenty of support to surpass the 60 votes needed to repeal the device tax — if it comes to a vote, on another bill in the future. Thirty-three Democrats and one independent who caucuses with them supported the measure.
The Democrats who backed the repeal include Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Chuck Schumer of New York, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and nearly all Democrats from states with many device-makers, such as Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Indiana.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who controls which legislation gets votes, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), whose committee wrote the tax, voted against the measure.
Every Democrat who voted to back the repeal of this tax should be applauded for finally coming to their senses.