Word: reformer
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Indeed, these banks ought to acknowledge that the government saved them. For starters, they ought to stop gouging the vulnerable among us with overdraft fees and credit-card games. "Reform" is supposed to take effect early next year, but banks have accelerated their gouging since the legislation passed...
...does this matter now? Because we are in the midst of a debate over how to fund a health-care-reform plan - and the idea of raising taxes, even just a little bit, to pay for it is causing heart failure among our legislators. They are looking for somewhere between $30 billion and $35 billion per year. If the bill isn't properly funded - if working-class families don't receive large enough tax credits to help pay for their newly mandated health insurance, if they're forced to pay thousands of dollars in new out-of-pocket expenses - Republicans...
...only way to create health-care reform that will survive and be popular is to write a bill that doesn't stint on funding and promises to control future costs. The best way to do that is to end the $250 billion in subsidies the Federal Government pays to employees who receive corporate health-care benefits - benefits that aren't taxed. The money would be better, and more fairly, spent giving people tax credits to pay for health care, according to their income. This would have the additional benefit of controlling insurance costs, since people are more likely to shop...
...given the shaky economy. But the conversation will become unavoidable next year, when the Bush tax cuts expire. A restoration of the Clinton rates would go a long way toward paying down the Bush deficits and the assorted Bush-Obama federal bailouts and creating some breathing space if health reform costs more than expected. One hopes that Democrats, and fiscally responsible Republicans, will locate the backbone between now and then to do the right thing...
...players in health-care reform...