Taxing medical progress to death

By Michelle Malkin  •  February 17, 2012 09:01 AM


Photoshop credit: Rachael in Kentucky, via our Obamacare photoshop contest 2009

Taxing medical progress to death
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2012

Two years ago this month, as public debate over Obamacare raged, former President Bill Clinton rushed to the hospital because of a heart condition. He immediately underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries. It was a timely reminder about the dangers of stifling private-sector medical innovation. No one listened.

Stents don’t grow on trees. They were not created, developed, marketed or sold by government bureaucrats and lawmakers. One of the nation’s top stent manufacturers, Boston Scientific, warned at the time that Obamacare’s punitive medical device tax would lead to worker losses and research cuts. The 2.3 percent excise tax, the company said, “would be very damaging to Boston Scientific, and the medical device industry as a whole. In a nutshell, it would raise costs and lead to significant job losses. It does not address the quality of care but the political scorecard of savings.”

Two years later, Bill Clinton’s doing just peachy. But many medical device manufacturers are suffering, and many more are preparing for the worst as the White House gears up to collect on an estimated $20 billion from the lifesaving industry. In typical Obama-transparent fashion, the Internal Revenue Service quietly released a complex thicket of medical device tax implementation rules in a Friday document dump earlier this month. Barring congressional intervention, the medical device tax will go into full effect in 2013.

Cook Medical, which manufactures products for everything from endovascular therapy, critical care medicine and general surgery, to diagnostic and interventional procedures, to bioengineered tissue replacement and regeneration, gastroenterology and endoscopy procedures, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology, has called for the levy’s repeal. Cook Group chairman Stephen Ferguson noted the tax burden amounted to a whopping 55 percent of its profits.

“For a company like ours, which pays 35 percent of our net earnings in federal corporate taxes and another 4 to 5 percent in state and local corporate taxes, the excise tax translates to another payment that will consume 15 percent more of our earnings,” he estimated. “This creates tremendous pressure for us to move manufacturing to Europe and other parts of the world.” According to the trade publication Mass Device, the company has already canceled plans to build a new factory in the U.S. because of the Obamacare tax burden.

Stryker, a maker of artificial hips and knees based in Kalamazoo, Mich., announced in November that it would slash 5 percent of its global workforce (an estimated 1,000 workers) this coming year to reduce costs related to Obamacare’s taxes and mandates.

Covidien, a N.Y.-based surgical supplies manufacturer, recently announced layoffs of 200 American workers and plans to move some of its plant work to Mexico and Costa Rica, in part because of the coming tax hit.

Mass.-based Zoll Medical Corp., which makes defibrillators and employs some 1,800 workers in the U.S. and around the world, says the medical device tax will cost the company between $5 million and $10 million a year. Its profit in 2009 was $9.5 million. “Running our company at close to break even would not be a sustainable position for us,” CEO Richard Packer said in a public statement, “so we will be forced to look at alternatives.”

Those “alternatives” include cutting payroll, cutting R and D and passing on the costs to patients, of course. Industry estimates put the tax-induced job losses at 43,000. So far, the number-crunchers at 1600 Pennsylvania are mum on the number of potential jobs — and lives — destroyed by the medical innovation death tax.

In fact, the Obama administration’s response so far has been a flippant shrug. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, whose only manufacturing claims to fame are faulty tax returns and near-double-digit unemployment figures, brushed off concerns this week about the medical device tax. Obamacare’s expanded access to health care, he argues blithely, will create more consumers for their products. “On balance, it is a good package for people in the health care business,” he told Bloomberg News.

Fewer jobs. Fewer entrepreneurs. Fewer medical advances. Only with a gallon of self-delusion does the Obamacare medical tax medicine amount to anything other than economic and medical malpractice.

Obama 2012: Winning the future … by killing it.

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Posted in: Health care,Politics

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Comments


  1. #1
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:11 am, stillontheroad said:

    “Obamacare’s expanded access to health care, he argues blithely, will create more consumers for their products.”
    Thats if the Sock Puppet care will pay for it – thats if the Sock Puppet Rationing Minions determine wither or not a person is economically viable enough. Thats if the companies themselves just don’t say F… it and move allowing for cheap Chinese knockoffs.

  2. #2
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:11 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Two years later, Bill Clinton’s doing just peachy.

    But I thought he liked all the girls? Not like him to limit himself to just one.

  3. #3
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:15 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Fewer jobs. Fewer entrepreneurs. Fewer medical advances. Only with a gallon of self-delusion does the Obamacare medical tax medicine amount to anything other than economic and medical malpractice.

    I bet we have to pay for his malpractice insurance.

  4. #4
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:18 am, TigerLady said:

    Obamacare’s expanded access to health care, he argues blithely, will create more consumers for their products.

    This idiot does not live in our reality. According to Duh Won we make too much money and live too long. God save help us defeat the King.

  5. #5
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:19 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    “On balance, it is a good package for people in the health care business,” he told Bloomberg News.

    “I lost my ba-lance” “Oh, ya lost your ba-lance, eh?” “Yeah” “Well go find it!” (slap!)
    - Larry and Moe (PUNCH DRUNKS, 1934)

  6. #6
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:23 am, RedDog said:

    I’m coming to the conclusion that large sectors of business and individual Americans must collaborate in taking down the Democrats and other statists behind this soft coup d’etat that we are witnessing. As I have said elsewhere, they have a long-standing divide-and-conquer strategy that seeks to isolate and polarize Americans against each other. Attacking medical device manufacturers, Catholic hospitals, Evangelical churches, extracting concessions from industry, is all part and parcel of their long-term strategy to secure total control.

    As Benjamin Frankin admonished his fellow signators of the Declaration:

    We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.

  7. #7
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:23 am, Barb said:

    Nothing says el Presidenti better than killing a Republic, shredding the Consitution, and vacationing 365 days out of the year on taxpayers backs. The rest of us peasants can do without, eat cake, and freeze our unhuh off in the winters.

    Nice going Hussein Obama. As a faux President no one could do a better job than yourself. Grand Narcissist in Chief.

  8. #8
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:25 am, old goat said:

    There are the most amazing medical advances and devices out there–I can’t think of one created by a gov’t agency. They save so many lives–strangely most are created in the USofA.

    Was just talking to a diabetes pump rep–she said minimed lost millions trying to make a really cool device for diabetics–couldn’t make it work. But they are still working on lots of others–some just released. If they don’t make any extra money I doubt they will continue any R&D.

    Thank you Mr.Obama. Obviously never worked in the medical field. Or any other field for that matter.

  9. #9
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:26 am, redgypsy said:

    Way to go, O!

  10. #10
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, sbw999 said:

    Considering that half of the voters are apathetic or just plain stupid, and cannot digest financial facts, Maobama and the rest of his traitorous supporters are stealing our freedom, while they hide in plain sight. And the media gets an assist; aiding and abetting a socialist coup. America is heading towards a second civil war.

  11. #11
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, RedDog said:

    The Democrat Party is the single greatest threat to the surival of our constitutional republic. Period.

  12. #12
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:38 am, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:23 am, Barb said:
    Nothing says el Presidenti better than killing a Republic…

    Si. I love to see my Dear Leader engaging in mock battles on the White House lawn, singlehandedly striking down capitalist dogs, catholic bishops, and cowering Bible-clingers. I especially love it when he slowly pulls off his t-shirt afterwards to display his magnificente, espléndido pects, glistening in the afternoon sun.

    Quickly, call ILMC. Tell him to bring his hand creams!

  13. #13
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:39 am, Thunderbolt said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, RedDog said:
    The Democrat Party is the single greatest threat to the surival of our constitutional republic. Period.

    Well stated.

  14. #14
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:39 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, sbw999 said:
    Considering that half of the voters are apathetic or just plain stupid,

    Q: Are you apathetic or just stupid?

    OWS: I don’t know and I don’t care!

  15. #15
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:43 am, sbw999 said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, RedDog said:

    The Democrat Party is the single greatest threat to the surival of our constitutional republic. Period.

    Due respect I disagree. The corrupt press is.

    Because without the media suppressing, or outright lying about the facts about harmful dem policies, and attacking and demagoguing Repub policies that are good for the Country, the dem party could not get away with their socialist coup. Without the enabling by the propaganda machine known as the mainstream media, dems would rarely win an election in this, a center/right Country. If Obama was a Republican, and given the current state of affairs in this Country, he would be trailing any dem by 20 points. But he isnt due to the corrupt press, and is about to be re-elected, again due to the corrupt media.

  16. #16
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:45 am, sbw999 said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:39 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, sbw999 said:
    Considering that half of the voters are apathetic or just plain stupid,

    Q: Are you apathetic or just stupid?

    OWS: I don’t know and I don’t care!

    lol..exactly.

  17. #17
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:51 am, spaceycakes said:

    mrcakes works in this field of Research & Development. The attitude described in Michelle’s column is already being felt.

  18. #18
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:04 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    My wife was laid off from a urologist’s office. All the local medical offices have downsized and are not hiring. The worst she’s ever seen.

  19. #19
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:13 am, Paratus said:

    We have abortion on demand, contraception for everyone, “free” of charge, a hefty tax on medical devices, which means less R&D,I’m sure. Then there’s the $500 billion taken out of medicare. 30 million more on “free” healthcare, but not more doctors.
    Sounds like population control and “death panels”. A dictators wet dream.

  20. #20
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:17 am, Flyoverman said:

    Unless Obamacare is utterly destroyed we are going to be like the old Soviet Union where for the first time in modern history, the life expectancy for people in a developed country actually dropped from 70 to 68 to 64.

  21. #21
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:17 am, docflash said:

    Where is the poll that asks how many people even know about this?

  22. #22
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:20 am, spaceycakes said:

    Peachy: ‘whaddya mean you’re tired? Uh-uh honey. No way.Get busy.’

  23. #23
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:44 am, granite said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, RedDog said:

    The Democrat Party is the single greatest threat to the surival of our constitutional republic. Period.

    BINGO!!

  24. #24
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:56 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    But they would probably subsidize the manufacture of the new and improved Kevorkian OffMe 1000.

  25. #25
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:00 am, Flyoverman said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:56 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    But they would probably subsidize the manufacture of the new and improved Kevorkian OffMe 1000.

    That is the job of the “comfort” panels.

  26. #26
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:01 am, Pasadena Phil said:

    Classic example proving that raising tax rates and imposing new taxes actually reduces net tax revenues. The taxes collected have no multiplier benefit to the economy. On the other hand, the jobs lost have a negative multiplier effect due to employment and other taxes not collected and spending curtailed which spirals into further job cuts and so on.

    Wait until Rombama/Care replaces ObamaCare. I’m sure there will be a Lot of celebration but the carnage will continue.

  27. #27
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:05 am, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:04 am, Rogue Cheddar said:
    … The worst she’s ever seen.

    Stop your filthy lies. Government knows better. My local commissar told me just the other day that everything is under control. I am still awaiting my vodka and dry bread ration though. Pretty hungry now.

  28. #28
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:06 am, Mister P said:

    The more people who die, the more money is available to those in the country illegally.

  29. #29
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:08 am, conservative hispanic said:

    Lesson of this story:

    Obama must be defeated. Then, and only then, we can put the GOP winner’s feet to the fire, so that Obamacare is repealed on day one.

  30. #30
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:12 am, greenfairie said:

    Taxing companies that make life-saving devices is bizarre to me. It’s utterly perplexing.

    MM is the only person who has EVER mentioned this.

  31. #31
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:14 am, letget said:

    Well if bhocare runs all medical businesses out of business, how in the world will the lawyers who advertise on the tube ‘if you got this or that, if this or that happened to you from a drug or medical devise’ call and you ‘may’ get a settlement? But not till WE GET OUR 85% of the settlement! I gotta say, I detest bho with a purple passion!
    L

  32. #32
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:16 am, Pasadena Phil said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:08 am, conservative hispanic said:

    Lesson of this story:

    Obama must be defeated. Then, and only then, we can put the GOP winner’s feet to the fire, so that Obamacare is repealed on day one.

    NOW is the time to hold their feet to the fire, not after the election. New to this election/democracy thing? We need to replace these corruptocrats, not re-elect them as if we can put pressure on them by whining and complaining (which is why they never listen to us).

  33. #33
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:18 am, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:13 am, Paratus said:
    … 30 million more on “free” healthcare, but not more doctors.
    Sounds like population control and “death panels”. A dictators wet dream.

    Like they say “If you think it’s bad now, just wait until it’s free.” The most model and civil of conservative proposals are greeted with the usual mockery, jeers, and vilification that characterizes the “public debate” strategy of the Left. Yet, the Democrats and the Left force clearly gross and unconstitutional overreaches into the lives of every American with no complaint or question whatsoever from the Vichy/Quisling media.

    The most galling thing of all is that elected Repubicans appear impotent, powerless to stop anything. This really is how republics fall. Just stand idly by and do nothing as you are enslaved.

    H*ll, screw up, make a bad move, fail, but for g*d’s sake at least do SOMETHING!

  34. #34
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:19 am, Truesoldier said:

    I overheard a couple of the docs at the Military Hospital that I work at discussing this the other day. They pointed out that our wounded warriors are going to get screwed big on this. They will not pay the tax while in the military or treated by the VA, but the taxes will still affect them through the availability of the devices. As many of the companies that provide these devices go belly up, cut back on production and stop working towards innovation we will see our troops getting less and less of these state of the art devices.

    Remember when Obama said that doctors treating diabetics would rather cut off the foot than treat the disease because it is more profitable? Well it looks like Obama and the Democrats would rather see our wounded warriors quality of life diminished to fufill the liberal utopia of government run healthcare.

  35. #35
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:23 am, MyrmidoNOT said:

    …yeah, I know; taxing ‘health care’ (lifesaving) devices DOES NOT raise the cost of health care.

    Is correlation a lost art? (Rhetorical observation.)

    Curious though, if “raising the prices of medical devices” saves money; shouldn’t we “raise the debt ceiling” to save even more?
    (Or something like that…) (sarc OFF)

  36. #36
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:24 am, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:56 am, Dexter Alarius said:
    But they would probably subsidize the manufacture of the new and improved Kevorkian OffMe 1000.

    LOL. Sweet! They say later iterations will have an attachment kit that will process your corpse into Soylent Green for later pickup by a government hospice worker. It’s all so very efficient and Gaia-friendly. PBUH Obama.

  37. #37
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:24 am, jsr said:

    So will all these new revenues be put in a lock box to be pulled out when the costs of providing even more free health care start coming in after 2014? Of course not. They are going into the general fund and will make the disastrous deficits appear slightly less disastrous for a couple of years. They will be squandered away and when the cost of the subsidies to pay for insurance policies for the poor, illegals and everybody that has been dropped by their employers yet more taxes will be required. Not to mention the various free clinics and other no-cost services that will be offered and will certainly come to light as this thing unfolds. And the cost of those policies and services will skyrocket far above anything that he administration lied about.

    I used to think Obamacare would be that the final nail in the coffin that would be the push this country to financial ruin in 5 to 10 years. After reconsidering I must admit I’ve underestimated the Dems. It could easily be much sooner, say 2-3 years after this monstrosity starts kicking in over the next couple years. We could easily be facing final financial ruin by 2016 or 2017, far ahead of schedule. Dems exceeding expectations once again. They better move their travel plans up to escape the chaos that ensues.

  38. #38
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:25 am, jdtruly said:

    Can’t help but recall how Sarah Palin was raked over the coals for mentioning “death panels” They are already hard at work and people are dying.

  39. #39
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:25 am, rocketman said:

    ***
    HI FLYOVERMAN–#20. Socialism / marxism / communism fails every place it has been implemented. Prime examples are / were the U.S.S.R., Cuba, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Britain, France, et. al.
    ***
    Like British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, “Socialism only works until you run out of other people’s money!”
    ***
    I think that we are about there now. Driving businesses and producers into shutting down, moving to lower cost / lower tax countries, and forcing the survivors to downsize to stay in business–against government subsidized “competition”–is a real recipe for disaster.
    ***
    Brilliant work, Comrade Obama! Keep Your foot firmly planted on the accelerator as You drive us all over the cliff. As You drive over our Constitution and unilaterally disarm our country. Our country is toast if The Good Comrade gets reelected on Nov. 6, 2012. Vote Him and His Ilk into “funemployment”–or lose our country.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  40. #40
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:25 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    Obamacare’s punitive medical device tax would lead to worker losses and research cuts.

    “This creates tremendous pressure for us to move manufacturing to Europe and other parts of the world.”

    Obeyme has made it clear on numerous occasions that he is not interested in increased revenues.

    What is his motivation for this tax?
    Who is he punishing, and why?

    Is this industry not unionized? Is he forcing the manufacturers to send jobs overseas to piss off the workers enough to demand unionization?

    This doesn’t make sense without some kind of political goal.

  41. #41
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:30 am, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:23 am, MyrmidoNOT said:
    … Curious though, if “raising the prices of medical devices” saves money; shouldn’t we “raise the debt ceiling” to save even more?

    LOL. No, that’s what Geithner & Bernanke’s Money Printing Consortium is for.

    One could spend their entire life refuting the continual stream of stupid and asinine statements asserted as fact by Democrats. By the way, The CBO says the real unemployment rate is closer to 15%. Maybe there is hope yet.

  42. #42
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:30 am, mondamay said:

    If you want to feel sick, just Google: Obama take a pill, and see that there are people who claim he never said that a questioner’s 100 year old grandmother should be given a pill rather than a pacemaker. In fact, Google being Google, that dominates the results.

  43. #43
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:31 am, Flyoverman said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:25 am, rocketman said:

    Agreed. If the Left does not mind, I would like America to avoid the equivalent of the 60 million russians who died while they were figuring out that Marxism was not all that wonderful.

    Inconvenient truth of the day.

  44. #44
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:39 am, RedDog said:

    The ability of government to dominate the republic as it has must be radically curtailed. Nothing more than a Cut/Cap/Balanced budget of 12% of GDP should be tolerated. And a third of that should be devoted to defense and national security.

    Its regulatory responsibilities should be completely revamped to focus on financial fraud and reasonable and prudent environmental protection. Any anti-commerce regs and agencies should be eliminated. Government has to be returned to its proper constitutional role. It is totally corrupted now.

  45. #45
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:39 am, Captain Blasto said:

    Was in my doctor’s office a few weeks ago listening to the back and forth between a very polite young lady and one of the counter people.
    She was on some sort of medical assistance and their dialogue was about how Obamacare was going to give everyone the same level of care. That it was finally going to be fair.
    That’s what this truly is about. Just because I went to war and college and then worked in my field for four decades is no reason for me to get better medical care than she does.
    I don’t know her history but I’ll bet it doesn’t include service, college, or even an effort to get a decent job.
    Her medical care costs me money as does my own but it’s not fair that mine might be better.
    Fairness. I remember fighting communists. They were all about fair outcomes too. And mandates. No choices.
    This is the same war. I wonder when we get to start shooting? I used to be pretty good at that part.

  46. #46
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:40 am, docflash said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:25 am, Dexter Alarius said:
    Is this industry not unionized? Is he forcing the manufacturers to send jobs overseas to piss off the workers enough to demand unionization?

    It won’t do much good if they have no place to work.

  47. #47
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:41 am, Paratus said:

    If the political goal was to distribute jobs overseas, they aren’t going to Africa. That would seem to be in line with his “liberation theology” that Obama learned or furthered his learning from Rev. Wright.
    O/T, but has anyone read anything about the Special Forces in the Kenya/ Uganda region?

  48. #48
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:42 am, Papa Louie said:

    Fewer jobs. Fewer entrepreneurs. Fewer medical advances.

    Exactly! How else are they going to reduce the surplus population? Instead of stents, Bill Clinton should have received the medical treatment of the future — free contraceptives with a bottle of pain killer.

  49. #49
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:47 am, Marshall_Will said:

    Turbo Timmy says,

    he argues blithely, will create more consumers for their products. “On balance, it is a good package for people in the health care business,” he told Bloomberg News.

    Phoey. Tell me I’m not the only one tired of that defective talking point? As Michelle notes “stents don’t grow on trees” ( neither do the R&D $’s that fund their development )

    Only in Bizzaro World does their form of logic fly. How much is airfare to Manila again?

  50. #50
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:47 am, yaymm said:

    Every time we learn something new about ObamaCare, it turns out to be something in the interests of the Liberals to buy votes and damage the economy in some way.

    There are more than 2,000 pages of new rules that will guide this monstrosity to drive us into bankruptcy. There is nobody who knows everything in this Bill, because it’s so huge and was pieced together by so many people with special interests that we can only do as dumbo Pelosi said, we have (wait) to read it to find out what’s in it. Where the hell are we going?

  51. #51
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:52 am, babiesgrandma said:

    Papalouie #48: I get it! Free contraception for everyone! I am past my child-bearing years, but I can get B.C. pills! Headache? Take a birth control pill. Nausea? Same remedy. Bizarro world is right.

  52. #52
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:55 am, bodfish said:

    Red Dog #33

    I agree with you and the other comments but as to:

    “The most galling thing of all is that elected Repubicans appear impotent, powerless to stop anything. This really is how republics fall. Just stand idly by and do nothing as you are enslaved.”

    [Bodfish again]
    But even if they wish to, and I hope and expect most do, seriously, until either the Presidency or the Senate, or BOTH (!) change hands the House can only pick around the edges, and try to stop funding. Bills will never be even brought up in the Senate in 2012.

    HE rules by decree, and that cannot be stopped except by the Senate.

    With luck, soon some semblance of rescue … but the House alone is just that, alone.

  53. #53
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:57 am, babiesgrandma said:

    Here’s a rhetorical question: How come there are so many people who believe that Oblamo is doing a great job? And another one: how come the Media are the bu++boys for his Highna$$?

    Where is the outrage against all the friends of Oblamo who are now millionaires and billionairs because of failed solar start-up businesses, and other such nonsense?

    Why? Why? Why? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

  54. #54
    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:58 am, Marshall_Will said:

    MM said,

    Stryker, a maker of artificial hips and knees based in Kalamazoo, Mich., announced in November that it would slash 5 percent of its global workforce (an estimated 1,000 workers) this coming year to reduce costs related to Obamacare’s taxes and mandates.

    Mrs. Will has ( by default ) become an ‘employee’ of this firm. Their managers have infiltrated at every level and are running the place with iron fisted tactics.

    They HAVE to. I say infiltrated when the truth is ( they were more or less headhunted over ) for their draconian reputation. With her 5 Weeks of paid vacation, she might as well have a bullseye on her back.

    But it’s “the private sector capitalist pigs driving the ‘race to the bottom’ “.

  55. #55
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:00 pm, Republicanvet said:

    On February 17, 2012 at 09:19 am, Truesoldier said:

    I overheard a couple of the docs at the Military Hospital that I work at discussing this the other day. They pointed out that our wounded warriors are going to get screwed big on this. They will not pay the tax while in the military or treated by the VA, but the taxes will still affect them through the availability of the devices. As many of the companies that provide these devices go belly up, cut back on production and stop working towards innovation we will see our troops getting less and less of these state of the art devices.

    Remember when Obama said that doctors treating diabetics would rather cut off the foot than treat the disease because it is more profitable? Well it looks like Obama and the Democrats would rather see our wounded warriors quality of life diminished to fufill the liberal utopia of government run healthcare.

    I recall the leftist media years ago making a big deal out of how it was Bushes fault because military amputees were given prosthesis made in the ’40′s.

    Not a peep out of them now.

  56. #56
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:01 pm, right_on said:

    Let’s not forget history. Every so-called “statement of fact,” that a Democrat premises, is based on supposition, and/or conveniently skewed polling. They are grand prevarications…big lies!

    The purposeful lies they tell are intended to dupe the wholly uninformed masses to sway their support via propaganda. History shows us, the opposite of what the liberals say is the truth. They must lie in order to get support for their causes…it has always been so.

    I don’t believe a word they say, nor will I accept the phoney election polling issued by their partisan media. Nothing they say in the polls comports with what I see going on around me.

    There is only one reason the Democrats want ObamaCare (you know, the bill they didn’t read before they passed it?) They didn’t need to read it, because they knew what would be in it; the means to an end. Control over the lives, and actions of Americans, too stupid to make the “right” life decisions themselves.

    That is all Socialism has ever tried to do; control the behavior of the masses in every way thinkable. Certainly, only a few (ig)noble brainiacs will be capable of making those decisions for us, and they should be well compensated for their sacrifice. (That evil 1%, gets reduced to the evil 1/10th %) The problem is, Socialism is inherently corrupt and evil, and only the evilly corrupt try to install it on free societies.

    The only lofty goals these liberal progressives have, are for themselves.

  57. #57
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:04 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    You would think anyone could beat Obama. I’m not optimistic.

  58. #58
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:06 pm, MyrmidoNOT said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:30 am, RedDog said: … By the way, The CBO says the real unemployment rate is closer to 15%.

    Probably closer to 17%, if we ‘factor in’ THEIR inflation numbers….

    Now; (sarc ON):

    Since the BEST way to ‘get rid of’ any gubm’t program/policy is to fully embrace/support it:

    Shouldn’t we ‘raise the debt ceiling’…’pass the budget’ (as proposed)…totally ‘agree’ with the absurd requests…and accelerate the “resultant” calamity?

    Isn’t the “crash” an inevitable result?

    (Might as well ‘make it’ on “teh oone’s” watch.)

    …and then we can ‘get on’ with the “NOW EVERYONE IS AWAKE” election?

    (sarc OFF)

    Otherwise, FDR’s playbook still has YEARS “to go” before this unwinds?

  59. #59
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:20 pm, Marshall_Will said:

    In a normal world, the logical flow of events is; R&D people that worked for Merck or St. Jude or wherever bring an innovation to their current employer.

    They.Are.Snubbed

    Now they become defectors, break their non-compete agreements, raise capital from guys like me and move forward in a NEW research entity!

    Well who in their right MIND would attempt a spin off and actually try something new in this godforsaken environment!? Not a fan of having my hair lit on fire… O’Drama’s “The Cask of Amontillado”

  60. #60
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:27 pm, stillontheroad said:

    Here we have the new doctrine of reviling those that are educated and gifted and create devices that enhance a persons quality of life as well as extend that life in a useful way until such time old age takes its toll. This new doctrine holds high the mud hut dwelling libtards that contribute nothing, expect everything and are held in esteem because they burn their own feces to cook the food they did nothing to raise or grow.

  61. #61
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:39 pm, hawkeye54 said:

    That is all Socialism has ever tried to do; control the behavior of the masses in every way thinkable. Certainly, only a few (ig)noble brainiacs will be capable of making those decisions for us, and they should be well compensated for their sacrifice important decisions they must make for the unwashed ignorant masses.

    The leftist/statists sacrifice nothing on their own behalf. It is we who must sacrifice to support them in their lavish lifestyles.

    The problem is, Socialism is inherently corrupt and evil, and only the evilly corrupt try to install it on free societies.
    The only lofty goals these liberal progressives have, are for themselves.

    And there you have it. The leftist/statists hold the general public in complete contempt to manipulate for their own ends.

  62. #62
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:39 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    WOT but billionaire amnesty and cap and trade Sheldon Adelson just gave Newt another $10 million. Between the individual mandate, global warming and amnesty, what is it about Gingrich that makes him better than Obama/Rombama again?

    Luckily Michelle’s endorsement propelled Santorum into the lead.

  63. #63
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:39 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Fast forward 20 years. Michelle Obama is in the hospital suffering from a rare disease. She is on her death bed. The doctor sadly shakes his head and says:
    “I’m so sorry Barack. We were on the verge of a cure for this very disease, but your regulations when you were POTUS became so overreaching, we ran out of funds and had to pull the plug on the research. Now, all we can do is watch her die”.

    Obama: “Well, give her one of those pills. I have a 9:00 start time at the country club”.

  64. #64
    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:46 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    Meanwhile, that DOE loan withheld from solar energy company Excelon has now been re-issued to First Solar which was just had a permit to complete the Antelope Valley CA project.

    I’m sure that will work out…. for China and the crony investors who are probably related to Pelosi or ManBearPig.

  65. #65
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:02 pm, letget said:

    O/T. This below slug slime will not get the ‘son of the year’ from me. Money sure makes people hateful! Bless her heart and I hope she can stay till her death.

    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/17/connecticut-son-reportedly-wants-to-evict-8-year-old-mother/?test=latestnews
    L

  66. #66
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:07 pm, babiesgrandma said:

    happyscrapper said:
    Fast forward 20 years. Michelle Obama is in the hospital suffering from a rare disease. She is on her death bed. The doctor sadly shakes his head and says:
    “I’m so sorry Barack. We were on the verge of a cure for this very disease, but your regulations when you were POTUS became so overreaching, we ran out of funds and had to pull the plug on the research. Now, all we can do is watch her die”.

    Obama: “Well, give her one of those pills. I have a 9:00 start time at the country club”.

    The trouble is, the Elite will have a Fast-Track Pathway to Health, while the rest of us take Birth control pills for whatever ails us. Remember, Oblamo said that his girls would never have to worry about things like a job, or anything else, I imagine.

  67. #67
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:10 pm, MyrmidoNOT said:

    Although I’m TRYING to be an ‘optimist’….here:

    IF we put this “progressive administration” to music;
    wouldn’t the theme song be:

    Eve of Destruction?

    (Can’t wait for November…)

  68. #68
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:19 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:00 am, Flyoverman said:
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:56 am, Dexter Alarius said:

    But they would probably subsidize the manufacture of the new and improved Kevorkian OffMe 1000.
    That is the job of the “comfort” panels.

    I thought it was to stop the chafing on your nethers?

  69. #69
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:29 pm, stuckinIL4now said:

    Just one more addition to their litany of nefarious and insidious taxes devised to obliterate our country and way of life from existence and to ultimately just tax the human race to death–and I mean demise, departure, extinction. And they’re sooooooo stupid and short-sighted they don’t realize they’re goin’ down with us.

  70. #70
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:47 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 11:30 am, mondamay said:
    If you want to feel sick, just Google: Obama take a pill, and see that there are people who claim he never said that a questioner’s 100 year old grandmother should be given a pill rather than a pacemaker. In fact, Google being Google, that dominates the results.

    They can deny it all they want. He said it.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-dQfb8WQvo

  71. #71
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:53 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:04 pm, AlohaGuy said:
    You would think anyone could beat Obama. I’m not optimistic.

    I believe Santorum can and will defeat Obama. He seems to have found his voice. Keep the faith, folks. There is more at work here than we understand.

    2 Chronicles 7:14

  72. #72
    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:59 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 1:07 pm, babiesgrandma said:
    The trouble is, the Elite will have a Fast-Track Pathway to Health, while the rest of us take Birth control pills for whatever ails us. Remember, Oblamo said that his girls would never have to worry about things like a job, or anything else, I imagine.

    That may be true, but money can’t buy a cure for an incurable disease if the cure doesn’t exist because “someone’ cut the funding for the research. That was my point.

    You know, that song, Dust in the Wind…”All your money can’t another minute buy”. Poetic, isn’t it?

  73. #73
    On February 17th, 2012 at 2:05 pm, rambler said:

    Gov mandated insurance is the path to no health care at all. No doctors, nurses, hospitals, drugs or equipment. Lots of money will be saved to spend on gov programs…….. which will last till no one is left on the planet.

  74. #74
    On February 17th, 2012 at 2:15 pm, Twistin said:

    Things would be fine if the government “made a living”. Problem is, Obama’s government wants to “make a killing”.

  75. #75
    On February 17th, 2012 at 3:01 pm, Marshall_Will said:

    Twistin said:

    Things would be fine if the government “made a living”. Problem is, Obama’s government wants to “make a killing”.

    +100

    And that’s what it’s all about. Does anyone seriously ‘believe’ this unholy tax was actually going to ‘fund’ O’scare? No. They just felt like it at the time?

    The misbegotten notion “they should be thanking us for adding all these new potential customers” is all the more laughable. As is this Administration in its entirety.

  76. #76
    On February 17th, 2012 at 3:17 pm, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:46 pm, Pasadena Phil said:
    Meanwhile, that DOE loan withheld from solar energy company Excelon has now been re-issued to First Solar which was just had a permit to complete the Antelope Valley CA project.

    I’m sure the Republican RINO Guard is on top of that. /sarc off

  77. #77
    On February 17th, 2012 at 3:19 pm, RedDog said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 12:39 pm, happyscrapper said:
    Fast forward 20 years. Michelle Obama is in the hospital suffering from a rare disease. She is on her death bed. The doctor sadly shakes his head and says: “I’m so sorry Barack…..

    Huh? He would have been married to Reggie Love 10 years by then.

  78. #78
    On February 17th, 2012 at 4:12 pm, babiesgrandma said:

    Just slightly OT:

    PRESS: Record 19 reporters, media execs join Team Obama…

    on Drudge Report. Lap dogs, each and every one of them!

  79. #79
    On February 17th, 2012 at 4:16 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Oblamo said that his girls would never have to worry about things like a job, or anything else, I imagine.

    They certainly won’t have to worry about their private school getting poor kids in on tuition vouchers.

  80. #80
    On February 17th, 2012 at 4:17 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    babiesgrandma said:

    Just slightly OT:

    PRESS: Record 19 reporters, media execs join Team Obama…

    on Drudge Report. Lap dogs, each and every one of them!

    I thought reporters everywhere were already on Team Obama.

  81. #81
    On February 17th, 2012 at 4:19 pm, FirstSkirt said:

    The fact that Tim Geitner approves should tell us all we need to know. Who it this horrendous administration has a clue what to do about anything. I agree with the poster who said anybody should be able to defeat the worst pResident in history. You’d think so….

  82. #82
    On February 17th, 2012 at 6:06 pm, sb36695 said:

    It depends on what your definition of “winning” is.

  83. #83
    On February 17th, 2012 at 6:42 pm, MyrmidoNOT said:

    On these ‘supposed’ savings, from the health sCare thingee..
    ..run THIS program:

    1) Raise taxes on medical devices.
    2) Raise premiums and fees, to cover.
    3) Raise subsidies to ‘entitled’…
    4) GoTo #1 (repeat)…for more revenue.

    How, exactly, does this turn out well?
    (Or am I missing something???)

  84. #84
    On February 17th, 2012 at 7:24 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 4:12 pm, babiesgrandma said:
    Just slightly OT:

    PRESS: Record 19 reporters, media execs join Team Obama…
    on Drudge Report. Lap dogs, each and every one of them!

    I could think of a few other terms to describe them, but I don’t want to get banned!

  85. #85
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:36 pm, ChapBix said:

    “Obamacare’s expanded access to health care, he argues blithely, will create more consumers for their products. “On balance, it is a good package for people in the health care business,” he told Bloomberg News.”

    These Obamabots are blithering idiots. May their tongues be permanently stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

  86. #86
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:43 pm, ChapBix said:

    #11. On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, RedDog said:

    The Democrat Party is the single greatest threat to the surival of our constitutional republic. Period.

    Unions, particularly the public sector variety, are the second greatest threat to the survival of our constitutional republic.

  87. #87
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:48 pm, ChapBix said:

    #15. On February 17th, 2012 at 9:43 am, sbw999 said:

    As usual, I did not scroll down far enough to read this before I posted the comment at #86. I am in full agreement with you on that. Since the unions are intertwined with the corrupt media, perhaps an argument can be made for both being the greatest threat to our freedom.

  88. #88
    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:53 pm, ChapBix said:

    #19. On February 17th, 2012 at 10:13 am, Paratus said:

    Doesn’t the abortion industry use medical devices? I’m guessing they will be humming along just fine with their subsidies from Barky to cover the medical device tax. Would not surprise me if they receive a waiver on the tax from Sebelius.

  89. #89
    On February 17th, 2012 at 10:02 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On February 17th, 2012 at 9:43 pm, ChapBix said:
    #11. On February 17th, 2012 at 9:28 am, RedDog said:

    The Democrat Party is the single greatest threat to the surival of our constitutional republic. Period.
    Unions, particularly the public sector variety, are the second greatest threat to the survival of our constitutional republic.

    So, I think we are all in agreement about the top three things we need to expose as corrupt and needing to be stopped:

    1. Mainstream media
    2. Democrat party/far left
    3. Unions

    Now we need to get the word out as often and as clear as we can. These are what is destroying our country!!

    P.S. The Friday document dump is upon us once again. Solyndra is in there…big time. I hope this will be covered here tomorrow.

  90. #90
    On February 18th, 2012 at 8:34 am, BK said:

    Next time someone is dying of cancer, remember this: The cure of cancer would have been created by now if we had a government that actually cared about medicine instead of seeing it as yet another place to leech off of.

  91. #91
    On February 18th, 2012 at 10:32 am, Collateral Damage said:

    What’s really sad is that there are so many really, really STUPID people out there that think they’re getting something for nothing as the Jackass-In-Chief has promised, when the truth is that these STUPID American people will be getting LESS at somebody else’s expense. Can you say “death panels?”
    Nice goin’, Mr. Jackass-In-Chief!?! How many of YOUR peeps need to die before THEY wake up to the fact that they just got the proverbial shaft???

  92. #92
    On February 18th, 2012 at 11:07 am, rocketman said:

    ***
    HI DEXTER ALARIUS–#40. “…This doesn’t make sense without some kind of political goal…”!
    ***
    Comrade Obama’s goal is to “fundamentally transform” the United States into the United Socialistic States of Amerikka. Same as Fidel Castro’s goal (and “achievement!”) in communist Cuba.
    ***
    Like we used to say about bad radar and missile guidance software, “It’s not a bug–It’s a feature!” The Messiah has a lot of support for His plans–witness “our” Congressional Black Caucus going to Cuba a few years ago and praising Castro’s government as they trashed the best country in the world–the U.S.A. And then returning to the U.S.A. to continue ripping off the taxpayers.
    ***
    Cuba really has solved the “problem” with their brilliant and humane (no!) income redistribution and Gulag prison system. Doctors make the same as taxi drivers–$25 bucks a month. The doctor’s patients have to provide their own medicines, dressings, etc.–if a family member in the U.S.A. sends them money to buy them. The taxi driver makes more money from foreign tourist tips as he drives them to beautiful resorts and beaches, and to visit the jineteras–pretty women who have to sell themselves to make a living and stay alive.
    ***
    And–as pointed out in Animal Farm–some comrades are more equal than others. A dual Cuban money system where the ruling class can buy quality food and items in well stocked stores with the “convertible” peso. The peons have a different peso that can only be used in stores that do not have much of anything–like the old U.S.S.R. With exit permission denied for the peons, no voting rights, no political free speech, etc.–a real prison island.
    ***
    Read Cuban Blogger Yoanni Sanchez’s excellent GENERACIONY articles in English on how well socialism / communism “works” for the people in their daily lives. Or read about how Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez is “fundamentally transforming” a rich country into another poor communist hellhole. As the ruling class lives large on the wealth stolen from the people.
    ***
    The Castro Brothers and Hugo Chavez both recognize a fellow commie when they watch President Obama and His Ilk in action–they like and recognize his style. Birds of a feather flock together!
    ***
    The Nov. 6, 2012 election is the most important one since Abraham Lincoln ran for president in Nov. 1860. Liberty and Freedom–and the future existence of the United States of America as a Constitutional Republic are at stake here also. Vote these socialists / marxists / communists into “funemployment” in Nov.–or prepare to live as Cuban style peons in a failed economy for the next 50 years. This may be our last election.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  93. #93
    On February 20th, 2012 at 12:37 am, happy2behere said:

    Meanwhile Mr. Obama is skiing in Aspen this weakend with Sasha and Malia, just like last year. The local media is all twitterpated. Our country is in an economic death spiral and these fools enable it. Shameful.

  94. #94
    On February 20th, 2012 at 12:39 am, happy2behere said:

    Typo-Mrs Obama not Mr.

  95. #95
    On February 20th, 2012 at 11:51 am, AlohaGuy said:

    Obama 2012: Winning the future … by killing it.

    Hey, if the patient seems lethargic after a good dose of arsenic, maybe more arsenic will perk them up.

  96. #96
    On February 20th, 2012 at 11:54 am, AlohaGuy said:

    happy2behere said:

    Meanwhile Mr. Obama is skiing in Aspen this weakend with Sasha and Malia, just like last year. The local media is all twitterpated. Our country is in an economic death spiral and these fools enable it. Shameful.

    Don’t worry – the Obamas are in favor of ski vouchers, so that the poor will have choice in their ski vacations, just like they are in favor of school vouchers so the poor can go to school with their kids. Oh wait – never mind, my bad…

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