SEIU's Stern Softens Tone And Outlines What He Wants From Final Bill

[babylonsister]

SEIU's Stern Softens Tone And Outlines What He Wants From Final Bill
Christina Bellantoni | December 21, 2009, 9:10AM


Service Employees International Union president Andy Stern, who criticized the Senate health care bill last week, issued a statement last night calling the vote a step closer to "reforming" the system.

"While the process to get to sixty and the willingness of individual Senators to use the Senate's rules to distort democracy for their own interest was disappointing - make no mistake about it: for working Americans this vote signals progress," Stern said.

He also blasted Republicans for sitting on the sidelines "jeering, rooting for America to fail."

Stern said there will be a chance to improve the bill after it passes the Senate and lawmakers look to a conference committee to merge that legislation with the House bill. He outlined on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday what he'd like to see changed during the conference process.

Stern said he wants:

• more affordability provisions
• different subsidies for middle-income Americans
• improving at least on the tax on benefits, if not eliminating it
• more insurance regulation

more...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/seius-stern-softens-tone-and-outlines-what-he-wants-from-final-bill.php?ref=fpb

[Laelth]

1. Let the arm-twisting continue. Carry on, good soldiers! n/t

:patriot:

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[cali]

2. So the SEIU and other unions should just sit back and not try to improve

the legislation?

[Laelth]

3. They should help to kill it.

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[cali]

4. It's a done deal. they can't do a thing

to kill it, and they know it.

[Laelth]

6. Sadly, I fear you are correct. n/t

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[BP2]

5. And to think of the millions of dollars they donated and the millions of

doors they knocked on in hopes that we'd all get meaningful HCR.

This "something's better than nothing" approach is a travesty and a shameful sham.

Fix it now, Andy. Fix it now!