From the
Washington Times - In cash-strapped Washington, President
Obama’s $1 trillion health care law is presenting a tempting target for lawmakers seeking funds for other projects, as
Congress last week raided the health care piggy bank for the third time in less than a year.
Congress last week axed a part of Democrats’ signature domestic achievement to find $11 billion to cover the cost of repealing a withholding tax that otherwise would have hit government contractors in 2013.
Mr. Obama signed that bill into law on Monday. The withholding bill follows two other efforts — one in December and another in April — that reworked the health care law to squeeze savings for other priorities. The December bill funded higher payments for doctors who treat
Medicare patients, and the April legislation repealed a paperwork provision in the original health care law that businesses said would be onerous. All told,
Congress and the president have tapped some $50 billion earmarked to pay for benefits and programs in the health care overhaul in future years to fund more-immediate spending needs. Both earlier efforts dealt with health care issues, but the bill
Mr. Obama signed Monday marks the first time that the massive 2010 law has been tapped to fund something completely unrelated.
Read more
Money slated for health law gets detoured
From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE - Protesters started complaining about the police attention on Facebook. They say police are not being fair. We know occupy protestors are on the radar of albuquerque police. We've seen the arrests and the confrontations. "Spying? I think the police are watching us very carefully," said Erica Estes of the Occupy Albuquerque group. Occupy protesters suspect police are going too far. The group decided their next move with APD in mind. Their last efforts were stalled when the protesters were met at the Coronado Mall by security and police. They did have the meet time posted online. But it was Black Friday and the Occupiers thought they'd blend in with the large crowds. "I would say that they recognized my face, they saw me and they were like, that's one of them," said Estes. Estes says APD appears to be circulating her mug shot and pictures of the protesters. They're not surprised police could be following their moves, but say there's a clear line between simple police work and profiling. Read more
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