By Genaro C. Armas
The Associated Press
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What a person does speaks louder that what he says.
I have been taught that since I was a child and I believe that to be true.
I watched Congressman Carney’s commercial this week in which he explains that he is working to keep good paying jobs for American workers. So let’s examine what Mr. Carney has been doing for the last year.
First, he voted for “Cap and Trade”, a bill that passed the House and waits action in the Senate. This bill limits the amount of carbon dioxide a company may emit. This is the Cap. Companies who exceed the Cap can buy credits from companies who emit less carbon dioxide than the Cap. This is called the Trade. They may also pay a fee to the Federal Government for the excess emissions. Companies who exceed the limit do things like refine petroleum, transport goods across the country, are engaged in heavy manufacturing, or generate electricity.
These companies and their suppliers like coal companies would be severely impacted by this law. This will lead to tremendous loss of good paying jobs. Pennsylvania would be particularly hard hit.
Next Mr. Carney voted for Obamacare.
This bill is designed to add 30 million uninsured people to the rolls of the insured. The goal is commendable. 10 million of those people will be added to the Medicaid Plan for low income Americans. Medicaid reimburses doctors and hospitals about 50 cents for every dollar of their costs. One half of the expected cost for Obamacare is achieved by reducing the reimbursement paid by Medicare the insurance plan for Americans over 65. Medicare currently reimburses doctors and hospitals about 75 cents for every dollar of cost. These cuts will reduce those reimbursements even further. Doctors and hospitals have historically passed those shortfalls to the other major source of health care reimbursement, employer sponsored plans. Employers are aware that there is a tremendous cost shift coming and have decided they cannot afford to add new employees until they have a better idea of their cost for doing so. As a result good paying jobs are not being created which is keeping the unemployment figure extremely high.
Lastly, Mr. Carney voted for Financial Regulation Reform. This bill places many new restrictions and regulations on banks.
Many of these regulations are meant to punish banks according to Mr. Carney. Small businesses, the engine of job creation for the last 40 years in the US depend on bank lending to maintain and grow their companies.
Banks are reluctant to lend, and small businesses are reluctant to borrow because the rules are changing and no one knows the effect the new regulations will have on the banks or their customers. This uncertainty has caused small business to decline to hire new employees unless they absolutely have to.
Mr. Carney claims to be working hard to preserve good jobs but he he has voted for legislation that is killing good paying American jobs. Mr. Carney’s actions are speaking louder than his words.
John K. Shipman,
Selinsgrove
