On the recordMarch 12, 2010
That is such a great point. I was talking with some of my constituents this past weekend who are scared to death this thing is going to pass. Some of them work for lower wages, and they are on their spouse's insurance with their employer. There are companies that exist only because they are able to hire people who don't need health insurance, and so they are able to hire them without providing health insurance. Under the bill, they are going to get hit with an 8 percent tax. And I'm hearing employers say, we can't pay the 8 percent tax. They've either got to take an 8 percent cut or lay people off. There's been one estimate confirmed by a number of people that if this bill passes, if this bill becomes law at the worst time conceivable, more Americans out of work than ever in history, it will put 5 rac{1}{2} ext{ million people out of work. This is incredible. I have heard friends across the aisle talk about how important it is to help the working poor, the lower middle class, that is who we really want to help. Under the bill, if they can't afford the mandated type of insurance, then they are going to get hit with an additional tax, the very people that can't afford it. In addition to that, they are going to be hit with other taxes to help pay for this bill. It is not a friend of the working poor in America.
