Senate Democrats Unite to Push ObamaCare Forward

Saturday, November 21, 2009

On Saturday evening, the U.S. Senate voted to begin consideration of the massive anti-gun health care bill. 

The key vote was to shut down a Republican filibuster of the ObamaCare bill, HR 3590. 

Majority Leader Harry Reid needed all 58 Democrats and the chamber's two Independents in order to get to the 60 votes neccessary to overcome a filibuster.  The final tally was 60-39.

Earlier in the day, the last two wavering Democrats – Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanch Lincoln of Arkansas – declared that they would vote in favor of ObamaCare.  Sen. Lincoln is one of 15 Democrat Senators who will face voters in 2010.

Saturday's vote will be scored as part of Gun Owners of America’s 2010 candidate ratings guide.

The government takeover of health care will:

* Cost $2.5 trillion during its first ten years of full implementation (2014-2023);

* Increase insurance premiums and impose $376 billion in tax increases -- many on the middle class; and

* Cut Medicare by $465 billion, while increasing health costs by over $100 billion.

Of course, all this increased spending – and taxes – means that you will have less money to spend on pursuing your real passions:  like providing for your family and purchasing guns and ammunition!

The mandates in the legislation will most likely dump your gun-related health data into a government database that was created in section 13001 of the stimulus bill.  This includes any firearms-related information your doctor has gleaned... or any determination of PTSD, or something similar, that can preclude you from owning firearms.

And, the special "wellness and prevention" programs (inserted by Section 1001 of the bill as part of a new Section 2717 in the Public Health Services Act) would allow the government to offer lower premiums to employers who bribe their employees to live healthier lifestyles – and nothing within the bill would prohibit rabidly anti-gun HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius from decreeing that "no guns" is somehow healthier.

Although the ObamaCare bill passed a significant hurdle on Saturday, the battle is far from over.  GOA will again be activating its grassroots members as the debate on the bill begins after the Thanksgiving break.

Sign up for free GOA email alerts to receive important legislative updates on ObamaCare.

Attorney General Holder Reveals Aggressive Gun Control In Response to Ft. Hood Terror Attack

On Wednesday, November 18, Eric Holder testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the Obama administration decision to treat terrorists who committed war crimes as civilians and hold their trial in New York City.  The Fort Hood massacre by a Muslim jihadi, Major Nidal Hassan, was also before the committee. Click here to read excerpts from that hearing.