House GOP Debt Ceiling Offer To Include Pro-Wall Street Provisions, Health Care Cuts

[Tx4obama]

House GOP Debt Ceiling Offer To Include Pro-Wall Street Provisions, Health Care Cuts

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans plan to demand major perks for coal companies and Wall Street banks, alongside healthcare and social service cuts and a one-year delay in the implementation of Obamacare, in exchange for raising the debt ceiling until the end of 2014, according to a source close to the House GOP leadership.

President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have repeatedly stated that they will not negotiate over raising the debt limit, saying they will not make a political football of the U.S. government's creditworthiness.

The Republican plan, which would also constitute a significant overhaul of the environmental and financial regulatory system, would cut pensions for Federal employees and raise taxes on immigrant families with parents who do not have a Social Security number. The document claims $7 billion in savings from restricting the child tax credit to immigrants who do have a number, and up to $84 billion from "reform" to the Federal Employee Retirement System.

The plan would increase Medicare means testing, and would eliminate social service block grants and a fund for preventative healthcare in the Affordable Care Act that conservatives have characterized as a "slush fund." Block grants are a capped entitlement program given to states to help fund services like daycare, transportation and home-delivered meals. The Prevention and Public Health Fund has included funds for training primary care doctors and supporting healthy corner stores.

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Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/25/house-gop-debt-ceiling_n_3988783.html

[Kablooie]

1. What the hell? Are they insane!?

Oh yeah.
They are.

[dkf]

2. What's with this planned obsolescence anyway?

I don't understand why they basically plan to continually have this debate. Why can't they just raise it by inflation and rejigger taxes and spending to make it work?

This is ridiculous.