White House, Congress set to push universal health care bill

The plan will cost at least $1.5 trillion over the next ten years. The bill would make health care a right for all in the United States and would, according to the Associated Press, leave a hefty part of the bill on employers and the wealthy. The U.S. House of Representatives released Tuesday their version of the bill and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to begin debating the topic next week. Democrats are pressing the urgency of passing a health care overhaul. "We cannot allow this issue to be delayed. We cannot put it off again," Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce committee, said Tuesday. "We, quite frankly, cannot go home for a recess unless the House and the Senate both pass bills to reform and restructure our health care system." "There's going to be a major debate over the next three weeks," President Obama said Tuesday in Michigan. Debate? Whether or not the debate will mean anything, however, can seriously be questioned. Bloomberg.com reported Tuesday that the President and his staff were ready to allow a vote on the bill, even if Republicans were completely opposed. “Ultimately, this is not about a process, it’s about results," said David Axelrod to Bloomberg. Axelrod is a Senior White House Adviser. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says the President wants a bipartisan effort, but said Congress should call a vote regardless of whether or not Democrats and Republicans have reached a deal. Foot the bill Part of the problem, Republicans says, is that too much of the cost burden falls on businesses and the wealthy. The plan will require every employer and all individuals to seek health insurance or face penalties. It would also call for a new tax on those making more than $1 million per year. According to Bloomberg.com, anyone who fails to acquire health insurance could face penalties equal to 2.5 percent of their income. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was quick to come out against the bill. “The intention of this plan is to tax high-income households, but the real victims would be America’s small business owners,” said Thomas Donohue, president of the Washingto- based lobby. “Since when does our great free-market country punish success?”