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House on small business health care

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Renita Jablonski: A House committee is taking up the issue of health care today. Lawmakers will specifically look at the challenge small businesses face to cover their employees. Mitchell Hartman has this report from the Entrepreneurship Desk at Oregon Public Broadcasting.


Mitchell Hartman: A parade of witnesses will talk about how expensive it is to offer insurance, which is why 4 in 10 small companies don't. Some reformers want to make employers provide insurance or pay into a government fund.

Susan Eckerly is with the National Federation of Independent Business:

Susan Eckerly: We're definitely watching for that, that this will be the solution, is a mandate on employers to offer and to pay for health insurance, and that's not something we can support.

Eckerly's group does support allowing small businesses to form purchasing pools and buy insurance across state lines to keep costs down.

John Spurrell owns a small construction company in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The reform he wants: Take employers out of the equation entirely.

John Spurrell: What we need in this country more than anything is some sort of universal care to get that monkey off the back of small business.

Small business lobby groups aren't likely to join this clarion call if it means a single-payer system run and paid for by the government.

I'm Mitchell Hartman for Marketplace.

About the author

Mitchell Hartman is the senior reporter for Marketplace’s Entrepreneurship Desk and also covers employment.
jack smith's picture
jack smith - Feb 5, 2009

I AM SO ANGRY!

Tom Daschle, and Nancy Killefer are two of the finest, and most competent public servants you could possibly hope for in these appointments. They have been assassinated by the Washington healthcare lobby through their paid Bush Republican henchmen in congress. These Bush republicans are the same people blocking the economic recovery plan put forth by the Obama administration.

I am BURNING MAD America. And you should be too. Tome Daschle and Nancy Killefer were exactly what we needed to help turn this country around and fix our economy, and catastrophic healthcare crisis.

If I were their boss I would tell them to get right back to Washington. And dare congress to not approve them. How ridiculous is it to reject highly qualified people that this country needs just because they made a mistake on their taxes. Don't stand for that anymore America. They apologized, and paid their taxes, and that should be it. Their country needs them. But President Obama has to do what he thinks is best. I understand that. I'M JUST SO MAD at the anti American Bush Republicans.

Like many of you I have been trying to enjoy the after glow of this Beautiful historic election. But I see that the republicans in congress and their cohorts aren't going to be good sports, and LOSER'S!

SO BE IT!

In spite of President Obama's repeated offers, and gestures of collegiality to Republicans. Bush Republicans have seized upon every opportunity to stab President Obama in the back. And by doing so they are stabbing you, and the rest of the American people in the back. Well, you don't have to put up with that. And you shouldn't put up with that. President Obama has only been on the job two weeks. And he inherited two wars, and the worst economy since the great depression.

We had an election. And president Obama, and the democrats won BIG. And Bush Republicans lost miserably!

The Bush Republicans are the ones responsible for the worst economic crisis since the great depression. And the Bush Republicans are responsible for the worst healthcare crisis in American history. A healthcare crisis that is killing hundreds of thousands of you every year. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.

President Obama, and the Democrats should take back all the concessions they granted the Bush Republicans, and tell them to put up! or shut up!

Everyone, start calling and contacting these Bush Republicans and tell them to stop blocking President Obama, and the Democrats recovery plan. And stop trying to block, and corrupt healthcare reform. Tell them to get on board with President Obama and the Democrats, or GET OUT!!

If these Bush Republicans refuse to cooperate I want all of you to immediately begin the process of removing them from office by every legal means possible. Including impeachment, and recall. I want you to bring the full weight and power of the movement down on their heads that swept President Obama, and the Democrats into control of the whitehouse, and congress. Take no prisoners. Use all the techniques you learned over this past historic election. Be flexible, creative, adaptable, and relentless like you were in the past.

To my cyber warriors I call on you again. You are among the best and the brightest. I call on you to move this fight from the cyber world to the living rooms, dens, and work places of the voters these Bush Republicans misrepresent. I know I can count on you. This is a fight worth fighting.

To my fellow World citizens. As an American I invite, and welcome you and your advise, input, and help. By delaying Americas recovery, and healthcare reform, these Bush Republicans are delaying our commitment to your recovery, and to being the better America for you that we aspire too.

I had hoped it would not come to this after our historic election. I had hoped that the Bush Republicans would respect the overpowering will of the people, and the World. But I guess not. All the Bush Republicans really care about is them-selves. Well, SO BE IT! Lets finish the job.

Sincerely

jacksmith --- Working Class :-)