Congressman Kevin Brady has compiled the following chart, which vividly illustrates the bureaucratic empowerment that comes with Obamacare.

By: Peter Ferrara

August 18, 2010--The American Spectator

Forthcoming for public release shortly will be my extensive study of the Obamacare legislation, "The Obamacare Disaster: An Appraisal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (Heartland Policy StudyNo. 128, The Heartland Institute, August 2010), available shortly at the Heartland Institute website. Following Nancy Pelosi's dictum that we will have to pass it first to know what's in it, I personally slogged through the thousands of pages of this legislative atrocity for the study, as well as thousands of pages of supplemental materials such as government, think tank and media reports.

By: Kevin Hassett

Bloomberg News

Article Link: http://tiny.cc/vsq6q

Press Release from Congressman Kevin Brady: http://tiny.cc/7gd8t

One of the more illuminating remarks during the health-care debate in Congress came when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told an audience that Democrats would “pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it, away from the fog of controversy.”

That remark captured the truth that, while many Americans have a vague sense that something bad is happening to their health care, few if any understand exactly what the law does.

Congressional committee and party leader staff may be exempted from health care bill

Several articles have been written this week highlighting another example of how the health care bill was rushed.  Excerpts are below.

Exempted From Obamacare: Senior Staff Who Wrote the Bill
by Ben Domenech

For as long as the political fight took over the past year, the abbreviated review process on the health care legislation currently pending on President Obama’s desk is unquestionably going to result in some surprises — as happens with any piece of mashed-up legislation — both for the congressmen who voted for it and for the American people.

One such surprise is found on page 158 of the legislation, which appears to create a carveout for senior staff members in the leadership offices and on congressional committees, essentially exempting those senior Democrat staffers who wrote the bill from being forced to purchase health care plans in the same way as other Americans.

Continue Reading.

Politco

For Immediate Release

Push to replace this legislation with real, cost-effective reforms

HOBBS, NM - Legislation has been introduced to repeal the disastrous health care bill passed by the House of Representatives on Sunday night and signed into law by the President yesterday.

Congressman Harry Teague at the last moment decided to vote against the health care bill after CBS news aired a story highlighting a special deal he may have received in the reconciliation package.

Former Congressman Steve Pearce stated, "if Congressman Teague was sincere in his vote against the health care bill and it was not just a vote to provide political cover, he will join with his colleagues be a co-sponsor of the legislation that would repeal the health care bill."

Pearce added, "I believe that the health care system does need reforms and that Congress should replace the 2,000 page bill that no one read, with smaller bills that deal with one issue at a time."

Reforms that Steve Pearce has suggested include

1. Frivolous lawsuit reform.

Below are the 5 procedural votes in which Harry Teague voted with Nancy Pelosi and the liberal Congress to move the HEALTHCARE BILL CLOSER TO FINAL PASSAGE.

Teague voted no on the final passage vote of the Senate version and reconciliation package, but he shows his true colors by helping his liberal colleagues in thwarting the coalition of Republicans and anti-big government Democrats in stopping the Healthcare bill on each procedural vote.

If Harry Teague were truly opposed to the healthcare bill he would have voted against the Pelosi push to move the bill to final passage.
 
The vote records and info are from thomas.loc.gov.

1.  VOTE ROLL 159, H RES 1203     21-Mar-2010      3:03 PM
      QUESTION:  Will the House Now Consider the Resolution
      BILL TITLE: Providing for consideration of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590 , Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , and providing for the consideration of the bill H.R. 4872 , Reconciliation Act of 2010

After months of backroom deals, political payoffs, and strong-arm tactics, President Obama and the Democrats have forced the health care bill through Congress. The bill passed the House of Representatives Last night by a vote of 219 to 212.

House Democrats also passed a separate "reconciliation" bill that includes minor changes, but its fate in the Senate will not stop the President from signing the health care takeover later this week.

Some key Provisions in the bill:

Individual Mandate–  A new tax penalty against those individuals or families who are required to obtain health insurance but do not do so.  It phases-in a flat penalty tax on households of $695 per household member.

Funding for Medicaid Expansions- The Senate-passed health care overhaul bill (HR 3590) expands Medicaid eligibility to all individuals with incomes of $14,404 for an individual or $29,327 for a family of four 

Physician owned Hospitals  – The bill puts innew rules restricting the growth of physician-owned hospitals, so competition is restricted even more.  If we want lower prices and better service, completion is the key.

"Tax cuts create jobs...."

-Governor Bill Richardson D-NM

The corollary is also true. Tax increases kill jobs. You will find a summary of taxes increased and will understand the jobs that will be eliminated when Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in the House pass the health care bill. Our economy is bleeding jobs and we see exactly the wrong policies come out of Washington.

No wonder people are furious. The health care bill punishes everyone working for a living and our economy as a whole.

Please take time to read the attached memo about the tax increases we will see when the health care bill is passed tomorrow.

People ask me how I know it will pass. The Speaker of the House cannot afford to be wrong on too many public issues. She has said they will have the vote tomorrow. She will not take it to the floor and have a failed vote, so you can be sure she has the votes.

She has already made one serious miscalculation as Speaker. She brought the TARP bill to the floor in September 2008 and the measure failed on the floor. She was furious with her team for putting her in the public position of failing in a floor vote.

For Immediate Release

Teague Flips to 'No' Immediately after CBS points out Teague's health care sweetener

HOBBS, NM - Since the House reconciliation package was posted Thursday an increasing number of special backroom deals have come to light that are being used to sway members' votes, including promises of jobs to retiring members, members spouses and even increased water allocations to a drought stricken area.

CBS nightly news ran a segment last night highlighting a "special benefit" that Teague has in the reconciliation package.

"Today, Republicans found what they think is a goody aimed at fence-sitting Democrat Harry Teague (D-N.M.) who faces a hair-splitting re-election campaign. They say a physician-owned hospital in his district will get special benefits." (Sharyl Attkisson, "GOP Howls at Health Care Sweetheart Deals," CBS Evening News, 03/19/10)