What Democratic Senators are Saying About ObamaCare
- Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire: “We are hearing from a lot of small businesses in New Hampshire that do not know how to comply with the law.” ...“[R]estaurants that employ people for about 30 hours a week are trying to figure out whether it would be in their interest to reduce the hours” of those workers, so the restaurants could avoid the law’s requirement to offer health coverage to full-time employees.
- Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa and chairman of the appropriations subcommittee on health care, said he was extremely upset with Mr. Obama’s decision to take money from public health prevention programs and use it to publicize the new law, which creates insurance marketplaces in every state. “I am greatly disappointed — beyond upset — that the administration chose to help pay for the Affordable Care Act in fiscal year 2013 by raiding the Public Health and Prevention Fund,” Mr. Harkin said.
- Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana and chairman of the Finance Committee [and a primary author of ObamaCare], said last week that the administration deserved “a failing grade” for its efforts to explain the law to the public. “I just see a huge train wreck coming down."
- Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, said he told White House officials on Thursday that he was concerned about big rate increases being sought by the largest health insurer in his state. The company, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, has sought increases averaging 25 percent for individual insurance policies that will be sold in the state insurance exchange.
