Netroots vs. Unions: Labor Pushing to Fix Rather Than Torpedo Senate Health Bill

[Omaha Steve]

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/5364/netroots_vs._unions_labor_pusing_to_fix_senate_health_bill_but_not_likely_t/

Friday December 25 2:57 pm

By Art Levine

Union leaders yesterday praised the Senate's historic passage of the healthcare reform bill, but there's still plenty they're hoping to fix. At the same time, they're not going to go as far as some House Democrats and progressive bloggers who are contending that the weakened Senaate bill—the likely template for final legislation—should be killed altogether.

Richard Trumka said yeserday, as noted by the AFL-CIO Now blog:

The labor movement has been fighting for health care for nearly 100 years and we are not about to stop fighting now, when it really matters. But for this health care bill to be worthy of the support of working men and women, substantial changes must be made. The AFL-CIO intends to fight on behalf of all working families to make those changes and win health care reform that is deserving of the name.

He went on to say:

The absolute refusal of Republicans in the Senate to support health care reform and the hijacking of the bill by defenders of the insurance industry have brought us a Senate bill that is inadequate: It is too kind to the insurance industry.

Genuine health care reform must bring down health costs, hold insurance companies accountable, assure that Americans can get the health care they need and be financed fairly.

- That's why we are championing a public health insurance option: It is the way to break the stranglehold of the insurance industry over consumers that has led to double digit premium increases virtually every year.

- Employers must pay their fair share.

- And the benefits of hard-working Americans cannot be taxed to pay for health care reform—that's no way to rein in insurance companies and it's the wrong way to pay for health care reform.

Those are the changes for which we will be fighting in the coming days.


FULL story at link.

[bvar22]

1. This is nice, and I support this approach.

But what will the LABOR Leaders say when none of these things are fixed in the Final Bill?

- That's why we are championing a public health insurance option: It is the way to break the stranglehold of the insurance industry over consumers that has led to double digit premium increases virtually every year.

- Employers must pay their fair share.

- And the benefits of hard-working Americans cannot be taxed to pay for health care reform—that's no way to rein in insurance companies and it's the wrong way to pay for health care reform.

If the combined Bill contains these things, I will support it too.
But until THEN, I am going to make as much noise as possible.

On Edit:
The Title is disingenuous.
"Netroots vs Unions"

The Netroots and Unions agree on this issue.
The "Kill the Bill" campaign of the "Netroots" is ALL about The Senate Bill which contains NONE of the elements that "Unions" say must be fixed.
The UNIONS have joined the "Netroots" in opposing The Senate Bill version of this Bill.