Fact One: Democrat health care negotiators have buckled to demands to exempt union contracts from the tax on high-end health plans until 2018, five years beyond the start date for other workers. The deal represents a giveaway to the unions of $59 billion. (See the Wall Street Journal coverage for details.)
Fact Two: Only 4.1% of Virginia’s workforce has union representation — the fourth smallest percentage of any state in the nation.
Fact Three: Both Sen. Jim Webb and Sen. John Warner have stated that they are committed to containing the cost of health care. The tax on high-end insurance plans was integral that goal. As even Democrat budget gurus concede, exempting gold-plated union health care plans will make it harder to hold the line.
Questions: Did either of Virginia’s two Democrat senators object to this giveaway? Are either of them concerned that the residents of Virginia will be disproportionately hosed? Are either of them concerned that the giveaway will undermine Obamacare’s efforts to contain health care costs?
Just asking.
