Health bill foes solicit funds for economic study

[TomCADem]

Source: Mercury News

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an assortment of national business groups opposed to President Barack Obama's health care reform efforts are collecting money to finance an economic study that could be used to portray the legislation as a job-killer and threat to the nation's economy, according to an e-mail solicitation from a top Chamber official.

The e-mail, written by the Chamber's senior health policy manager and obtained by The Washington Post, proposes spending $50,000 to hire a "respected economist" to study the impact health care legislation, which is expected to come to the Senate floor this week, would have on jobs and the economy.

Step two, according to the e-mail, appears to assume the outcome of the economic review: "The economist will then circulate a sign-on letter to hundreds of other economists saying that the bill will kill jobs and hurt the economy. We will then be able to use this open letter to produce advertisements, and as a powerful lobbying and grass-roots document."

James Gelfand, the e-mail's author, confirmed its authenticity in a brief telephone conversation Sunday evening. He said the campaign against Democratic health legislation would only be launched "if that's what it found," but declined further comment and referred questions to a Chamber spokesman.



Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_13795829

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OMG! The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is opposing "corporatist" health care reform!

Is the USCC actually progressive? Or, is health care reform (gasp) actually progressive notwithstanding the claims by astroturf types that liberals should oppose health care reform?

[JDPriestly]

1. The health care bill should have been passed last summer.

Nancy Pelosi did her part, for better or for worse. Now, the ball is in Harry Reid's court. This is a test of his leadership, his strength. He has the fate of the entire Democratic Party and the American people in his hands. If he fails, he will have failed big, and Democrats will lose big next year. Reid has to pull this off. If he doesn't the apathy of Democratic activists will be entirely and only his fault. If he can't get a bill through the Senate by December 10, he should resign as Senate majority leader and let someone with more energy take the reins in the Senate.

[annabanana]

2. Is there a catalogue for economists? Can you get a discount if

you buy more than one? Can you get one on layaway?. . Or will they just put him on their credit card?


kick & rec this thread for those who only visit LBN.

[madmom]

3. Why waste money on a study when they already know what it's going to say. Just do the

spiel and get it over with.:eyes: