Union protesters push for healthcare reform (AP Photo)
Senator Robert Menendez, (D) NJ and member of the Senate Finance committee, is threatening the progress of the proposed Baucus plan if illegal aliens are not included in the package.
Menendez, the only sitting Hispanic Senator, may have the deciding vote this week and is the party’s campaign committee chairman. He is reportedly using this position and its political gravitas to leverage language in favor of granting illegal aliens benefits in the Healthcare program.
Senator Max Baucus (D) Montana, on the other hand has gone to great lengths to eliminate any language from the proposed bill that grants illegal aliens benefits, this in response to the “You Lie!” outburst last week by Congressman Joe Wilson during the President’s speech before a joint session of Congress. The House plan did not provide for an effective enforcement provision to prevent illegal aliens from receiving public benefits, prompting the controversial shout-down.
President Obama stated in a presentation to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (video below) that he was committed to ensuring that illegal aliens do not receive benefits per the legislation. However in the same speech he also stated he was in favor of legalizing the 11 million “undocumented” in this country, making the illegal alien terminology a moot point as they would no longer be illegal if his brand of immigration reform passes.
Politicians like Menendez argue that providing illegal’s the opportunity to purchase insurance through government exchanges or the government option is a net gain to taxpayers as those not covered now would be permitted to purchase insurance. Of course nothing restricts illegal aliens from purchasing insurance today aside from cost which under a government plan would likely be subsidized by the taxpayer.
Menendez will be playing his cards this week and will be running into tough opposition from both parties, especially his own, as he and the democrat leadership do their best to "spin" the verbiage to keep the dogs from once again, barking at the door.
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Comments
They don't have to include it in the bill, OBamma said he will just LEGALIZE all 12M+ then there is no issue!
Republican House leader has stated that the healthcare bill is dead.
This morning President Obama stated that he is not counting on the Republican votes but indicated that he will have a bill passed.
Senator Menendez has several objections which are not going anywhere. He is only trying to clarify the status of thousands of immigrant families which are part legal and part illegal.
Typo : "He is only trying to clarify the status of thousands of immigrant families which are part legal and part illegal "
He is also trying to clarify the status of thousands of immigrant families which are part legal and part illegals
Regardless, Baucus plan is as bad as Obama's. It's unconstitutional to force US citizens to patronize a privately owned business under threat of prosecution. I supppose since we laid down for the govt. handing over our entire economy to the privately owned Federl Reserve, they figure we are ok with being slaves to them.
Build the fence
Ship them back to mexico and mexico can give them insurance, anyway they dont need car insurance so why do they need health insurance
No not the one in DC, THE REAL ONE IN OR. I have been receiving hit after hit after hit on my website about health care, and everything else BAUCUS & REID are having fun with. NONE OF THE OPINIONS ARE GOOD. visit: www.toomuch-bs.com and you decide
Tar and feather all traitors to America! The time for nice words has officially ended. Deport Roberto Menendez back to whatever third world latin country will take him. I hear Venezuela is nice this time of year.
Why don't we put an amendment into the health bill to legalize the illegals. this way we can take care of both of these hot button issues at once.
we need to do something w/ the 12M illegals and we need to do something w/ our healthcare. we cannot deport 12M people neither can we let the healthcare costs keep on rising.
Whoever is thinking about deporting illegal immigrants back don't understand how impractical it is and what a drain on resource it could be especially in the current economic situation. Also the border fence that is currently being constructed would require 8 billion dollars every year for its maintenance according to the CBO office. By bringing these people out of the shadows, we would not only know who is in the country but also shutdown the parallel economy that they are forced to operate in, which would mean a windfall for IRS
"However in the same speech he also stated he was in favor of legalizing the 11 million “undocumented” in this country, making the illegal alien terminology a moot point as they would no longer be illegal if his brand of immigration reform passes."
Wow, I don't find THAT anywhere in his speech.
I do see where he wants comprehensive immigration reform, much like Bush did - you know, something that actually might work instead of all this Nativist insanity?
We need to keep the illegals healthy. Else who will do all the work they do? Plus them buying insurance will make the options more competitive. 12M is no small potatoes.
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