"Trumka told reporters the final health care bill he expects to emerge is 'a milestone.'”

[ProSense]

Health Care Tax: Union Leaders Outline Big Improvements for All Working Families

Following two days of intense negotiations at the White House, union leaders believe they are on the verge of winning significant improvements for working families in the pending health care reform legislation.

In a conference call this afternoon with leaders from AFL-CIO unions, Change to Win unions and the National Education Association (NEA), AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters the final health care bill he expects to emerge is ”a milestone.”

“We’ve been fighting for health care for over 60 years, and we are on the threshold of a significant achievement….But we don’t look at this as the end of the fight, but another step in the quest for real reform.”

The discussions with the White House envision major changes for all working families in the excise tax that the Senate bill imposes on high-cost health care plans, including:

<...>

NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said:

The progress we’ve made bolsters our belief that a nation as great as America can provide health care reform without unfairly penalizing our working families in the process.

There are several other areas still to be resolved before a final bill is achieved, including employer responsibility to pay a fair share of health care costs. As Trumka said today:

We’ve seen tremendous progress over last couple of days, but we are continuing the fight to increase our priorities in the health care reform bill.

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Another corporatist tool sells out, right? n/t

[depakid]

2. Not a milestone- but a millstone around Democratic necks for years to come

And a well deserved one.

[ProSense]

3. I take it

you no longer stand with the unions?

[Clio the Leo]

5. heh NT

[depakid]

6. People like you betrayed the unions- just as you'd betray anyone- or anything

because you evince no principles whatsoever- nor is there any consideration for sound public policy, if it conflicts with the talking point(s) of the day.

Can't wait to see the upcoming rationalizations for selling out to Wall Street- and proving the teabaggers right!

[ProSense]

7. Since the OP statement is from the unions, maybe

it's you who doesn't have a clue?

[depakid]

8. LOL- yep, and I'm sure they're pleased as punch to have to be giving it

And- as icing on the cake, the administration and the corrupt members of the Senate have managed to take a popular (and populist) angle of funding- and turn it into an unpopular dysfunctional one!

Yay for the team!

[ProSense]

9. "Milestone" "significant achievement"

They seem really happy. You seem to be implying that they sold out their members. What happened to standing with the unions?

[depakid]

11. How else do you expect spokespersons to spin it?

You really are a neophyte at this....

[ProSense]

13. So the same spokespeople (president of the orgnization) who were vocal in opposition

are now spinning?

Ludicrous.

[Cha]

35. If only..just reality was being debated

and not a strawman, red herrings, what have you.. just to get whine in.

[SpartanDem]

14. According to people like you not supporting unions is a betrayal of party values

now I said I support them when I think they're right, but given that the tax was supported by many liberal economist that IMO they were wrong. But people like you weren't making that nuanced argument, people like you were saying to oppose the desire unions was flatly a betrayal so I find it curious were this independent thought streak comes from?

[dionysus]

23. must.. oppose obama.. at all costs... hypocricy be damned...

[dionysus]

21. i guess trumka is a facist tool now right?

:rofl:

[jefferson_dem]

25. It's literally amazing that you keep up with this fantasy.

You do see what the Union "boss" says in the OP, about the health reform bill, right?

[dionysus]

28. but it's all a scam!!1!!1 they bought him off!!11

:silly:

[jefferson_dem]

30. The denial has gotta so extreme... like Bagdhad Bob has taken over some of our DU friends.

"CORPORATIST!11! sell out. Don't believe them. This bill is no good. Doesn't matter that all the Dems and the unions support it and all the Reps and teabaggers oppose... They are lying to us. All of them!1<one>..."

[karynnj]

33. No one betrayed the unions

The fact is that the excise tax is still in the bill. The change in the threshold is lower than the one advocated by Kerry and Stabenow for MONTHS - publicly and often. If the plan works as it is designed, the cost curve will be bent and the premium costs for union plans will not raise above the threshold - making that concession only a protection for the plan not working.

Where do you get selling out to Wall Street?

When this passes, it will be landmark legislation.

[Name removed]

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[spoony]

19. No one opposes health care reform. Some people don't

think this is GOOD health care reform. Quit fucking spinning. And Trumka doesn't say everything's dandy, he says progress is being made, which is great. You've been running interference for more than a week about how wrong unions are on this, and now you're trumpeting their negotiations to change the current plan. Do you ever get dizzy?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

34. Wow. Four Tombstones on a single subthread.

That's impressive!

[spoony]

38. Who got TS'd?

I was replying to someone (my first post of the subthread, btw), hit post and boom, it was gone. It wasn't that rowdy, relatively.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

39. Can't tell....(nt)

[spoony]

15. Lol, you now do?

I must'nt laugh this hard, I could pull something.

[phleshdef]

17. Meh, Trumka's take is credible and valuable. Yours is neither.

[jefferson_dem]

26. Meh... What does Trumka know about what's best for working people?!

Much better to lean on cues from some anonymous poster to an online discussion forum.

[RBInMaine]

22. BS! What is YOUR plan with he caucus we have? To bitch and do NOTHING?

[grytpype]

24. :cry:

Maybe your new friends in the GOP will give you the free health care you've been crying for.

I doubt it though.

[amborin]

37. +10000

[damntexdem]

4. Milestone or millstone?

Still waiting to see. But I'm practicing breathing under water in case it's a millstone they tie us to before tossing us in. ;-)

[Mithreal]

40. Not like the middle class had a chance anyway

[RBInMaine]

20. Good ! Give the bill a chance !

[mzmolly]

27. Great to hear!

:toast:

[jenmito]

29. GREAT news. Unless HE is now a corporate sellout, this should bring some people aboard

who previously wanted to kill the bill. But I doubt it will.

[grantcart]

31. Trumka just doesn't spend enough time at DU.

[bvar22]

32. Are you sure he didn't say a "millstone"?

LESS than 35% of ALL Americans support Mandated Purchase without a Public Option.
Sounds like a Hard Sell with Premiums projected to continue rising.

THIS could very well be a Millstone around Democratic necks when election time rolls around and America is watching videos of the Health Insurance CEOs flying to their Summer Homes on their new jets.

[Cha]

36. Glad they came to some

resolution to make them happy!