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The Spectacle Blog
“We are entitled to our own opinions, we are not entitled to our own facts,” Sen. Al Franken hollered on the Senate floor moments ago.
But apparently, he doesn’t think that saying should apply to himself.
Franken was angrily pushing back against the Republican argument that while taxes included in the health care bill would start being collected in 2010, the benefits wouldn’t kick in until 2014.
Up to a point, Franken’s complaint was technically right in that some benefits from the new legislation would kick in immediately, but then he got carried away to the point of blatant lying.
“The fact is that benefits kick in on day one and the large majority of benefits kick in on day one,” he shouted.
But in reality, the overwhelming bulk of the spending in the new health care bill comes by expanding Medicaid and offering subsidies to individuals to purchase insurance on the new government exchanges, and those changes don’t go into effect until year five (or 2014).
The Congressional Budget Office found that just $9 billion of the $848 billion total spending aimed at expanding coverage from 2010 to 2019 would occur in the first four years, while the remaining $839 billion wouldn’t come until the last six. In percentage terms, a whopping 1 percent of spending would occur from 2010 to 2014. This was one of the accounting gimmicks that Democrats used to make the legislation appear cheaper over their 10-year budget window.
Yet this reality didn’t stop Franken’s sanctimonious rant.
“Sen. McCain a week ago said, ‘facts are stubborn things,’” Franken shouted, pounding on the lectern. “These are stubborn things!”
He continued, ironically saying, “I stand here day after day after day, and hear my colleagues, my good friends from the other side, say things that are not based on fact.”
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Ken (Old Texican)| 12.14.09 @ 6:02PM
Mr. Klein, I wish we were allowed "nut" jokes in this forum. Mr. Franken is a very small nut...called an acorn.
Nobody can eat those nuts except squirrels.
CavesWoman| 12.15.09 @ 9:20PM
I had two pet squirrels and they would NEVER have gone near this nut.
ds80| 12.14.09 @ 7:18PM
Franken. Diapers. Enough said.
Franklin| 12.14.09 @ 7:52PM
I'm so sorry! I did not vote for Stuart Smalley and most of my fellow Minnesotans didn't either. But what the people want doesn't matter when Acorn is involved. We have elected a few weirdos in this state, but Al Franken wasn't our fault!!
Richard Baker| 12.14.09 @ 8:02PM
Franken is proving the old adage that it's better to be quiet and be thought a fool rather then open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Margie| 12.14.09 @ 10:40PM
I was watching this online on c-span earlier but had to turn it off. Isn't it amazing how the Left always harps on us about our candidates are never smart enough, or experienced enough? Yet they have all the nuts, Hollyweirdo's, and Saturday Night Live actors? "No Experience Necessary" is OK for them, but not for us!
Kevin Kendrick| 12.15.09 @ 8:27AM
Section 1101 of the Senate Bill immediately (90 days after enactment) implements a national high risk pool for persons with pre-existing conditions (to be defined by subsequent rulemaking) who have been without coverage for six months on the date of application. States with existing high risk pools may implement within their borders by expanding their existing pool. As I read it, a state could choose to establish a risk pool for the first time for this purpose, but regardless the Secretary of HHS must establish a national risk pool. $5 billion is allocated for this interim arrangement, which expires 1/1/2014 when the full nightmare descends.
Mark Lokowich| 12.15.09 @ 10:17AM
...,“The fact is that benefits kick in on day one and the large majority of benefits kick in on day one,” he shouted. The CBO says.. one percent, on day one.
Mountaineers vs St. Olaf | 12.15.09 @ 10:31AM
Just like I can't understand why my fellow mountaineers keep re-electing Sheets Byrd and Gay Sock-a-smeller, gosh darn it, Minnesota, WHAT were you thinking?
Amy P.| 12.16.09 @ 10:14AM
Mr. Franken is absolutely correct. The government benefits from collecting massive taxes, which they'll spend on other programs before 2014, at which time they'll say they need to raise taxes even more to pay for health care "reform"...
So, for Franken and the rest, the benefits DO kick in on day one. For the rest of us, paying 30, 40, 50% or more of our income for health insurance we can't touch for at least 4 years, well...not so much.
But, then again, this is not about us. This is all about politicians and their wanton desire to control us.
Alvy Singer| 12.16.09 @ 8:47PM
Why the Franken rant if he is technically right? Come on, AS -- I am on your side, but even this is ridiculous. If the man is right -- then he is right. Give him a break.
Slappy| 12.19.09 @ 12:12AM
"Technically right"? Franken seemed awfully sanctimonious when Thune's larger point about the Democrats' accounting gimmick is still true -- i.e., taxes included in the health care bill would start being collected in 2010, while the vast majority of the benefits (spending) wouldn’t kick in until 2014. Moreover, Franken & Co. are obscuring this fact, which is not known by many taxpayers, especially those supporting this pile of garbage bill. Basically, Franken's point is a distinction without a difference.
If Franken wants to accuse others of lying or misleading the country, perhaps he should not do the same by lying through omission, like he's doing in this situation. Then again, why would any of us expect intellectual honesty from a partisan hack like Franken anyway.
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