By WILLIAM BENNETT And
CHRISTOPHER BEACH
As close observers of history and
human nature, James Madison and
the other Founders of the U.S.
Constitution knew that the equal
and unbiased application of the law
to all people, especially elected
officials, is essential to freedom and
justice and one of the primary
safeguards from authoritarianism
and oppression by a ruling class.
And so, referring to the members of
Congress, James Madison wrote in
Federalist No. 57: "[T]hey can make
no law which will not have its full
operation on themselves and their
friends, as well as on the great mass
of the society."
Today, elected officials need to be
reminded of these truths. Under
pressure from Congress, the White
House has carved out a special
exemption for Congress and its
staffers from ObamaCareâthe law it
recently deemed necessary for the
entire country. No Republicans voted
for ObamaCare. Yet it appears that
some of them support the exemption
President Obama approved on his
ownâso they would not have to go
on record with a vote for or against
it.
This is the height of hypocrisy, and
worse, a trampling of the Founders'
code of equal application of the law.
Having forced a health law on the
American people, the White House
and Democrats now seek to insulate
themselves from the noxious
portions of the law, and from the
implementation struggles, indecision
and uncertainty that many other
Americans face today.
In other words, Congress's health-
care premiums will not rise, but
yours may. Members of Congress will
be able to afford to keep their
health-insurance plan, but you may
be kicked off yours. They will be able
to afford to keep their doctors, but
you may have to find a new one.
Rep. Ron DeSantis, a Republican
from Florida, recently put forward
legislationâaptly named the James
Madison Congressional
Accountability Actâwhich would end
the special exemption. In the
Senate, Republicans David Vitter of
Louisiana and Mike Enzi of Wyoming
have also introduced legislation to
end the exemption.
In response, several Democratic
senators have reacted by drafting
legislation that would punish
anyone who votes for Sen. Vitter's
plan by permanently blocking an
exemption from them and their staff,
even if Mr. Vitter's law doesn't pass.
It doesn't get more vindictive and
petty than that.
All this began when Congress
passed the Affordable Care Act in
2010. It compelled Congress and its
staff to participate in ObamaCare
and its insurance exchanges like
other Americans who don't have
employer-provided plans. But in
their haste and confusion over
legislation so long that few even
read it all, some members of
Congress voted for the law without
realizing that the final bill had no
mention of the very generous
premium contributions the
government makes to federal
employees as part of the Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program.
Imagine the horror when these
elected officials, who make $174,000
a year, realized that not only must
they and their staffers be subject to
inferior-quality health exchanges like
the millions of ordinary Americans,
but they might also have to shell
out thousands of dollars for
increased premiums if they exceed
the subsidy income cutoff.
The White House, under heat from
Congress, directed the Office of
Personnel Management to carve out
special rules so that the Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program
can continue to contribute to the
health plans used by Congress and
congressional staff.
Congress complains that without its
special subsidies the Hill will suffer
a "brain drain" as staffers leave
their jobs because of increasing out-
of-pocket insurance costs. Heaven
forbid Congress suffer the same fate
as private companies like UPS, which
recently had to cut health-care
benefits entirely for employees'
spouses; or labor unions, like the
40,000 International Longshore and
Warehouse Union workers who
recently left the AFL-CIO citing as
one factor ObamaCare's tax on their
"Cadillac" health-care plans.
You'd think that the authors of
ObamaCare would have been
prepared to cope with its effects.
Sen. Ron Johnson , a Republican from
Wisconsin, has already put money
aside in his budget to help
supplement his staff's health-care
costs in anticipation of the new law.
Other congressmen should have
done the same.
Regardless of whether or not they
support ObamaCare, members of
Congress should refuse the special
exemption. The law they enacted
should apply to them.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324665604579080921594857770.html?mod=trending_now_2
CHRISTOPHER BEACH
As close observers of history and
human nature, James Madison and
the other Founders of the U.S.
Constitution knew that the equal
and unbiased application of the law
to all people, especially elected
officials, is essential to freedom and
justice and one of the primary
safeguards from authoritarianism
and oppression by a ruling class.
And so, referring to the members of
Congress, James Madison wrote in
Federalist No. 57: "[T]hey can make
no law which will not have its full
operation on themselves and their
friends, as well as on the great mass
of the society."
Today, elected officials need to be
reminded of these truths. Under
pressure from Congress, the White
House has carved out a special
exemption for Congress and its
staffers from ObamaCareâthe law it
recently deemed necessary for the
entire country. No Republicans voted
for ObamaCare. Yet it appears that
some of them support the exemption
President Obama approved on his
ownâso they would not have to go
on record with a vote for or against
it.
This is the height of hypocrisy, and
worse, a trampling of the Founders'
code of equal application of the law.
Having forced a health law on the
American people, the White House
and Democrats now seek to insulate
themselves from the noxious
portions of the law, and from the
implementation struggles, indecision
and uncertainty that many other
Americans face today.
In other words, Congress's health-
care premiums will not rise, but
yours may. Members of Congress will
be able to afford to keep their
health-insurance plan, but you may
be kicked off yours. They will be able
to afford to keep their doctors, but
you may have to find a new one.
Rep. Ron DeSantis, a Republican
from Florida, recently put forward
legislationâaptly named the James
Madison Congressional
Accountability Actâwhich would end
the special exemption. In the
Senate, Republicans David Vitter of
Louisiana and Mike Enzi of Wyoming
have also introduced legislation to
end the exemption.
In response, several Democratic
senators have reacted by drafting
legislation that would punish
anyone who votes for Sen. Vitter's
plan by permanently blocking an
exemption from them and their staff,
even if Mr. Vitter's law doesn't pass.
It doesn't get more vindictive and
petty than that.
All this began when Congress
passed the Affordable Care Act in
2010. It compelled Congress and its
staff to participate in ObamaCare
and its insurance exchanges like
other Americans who don't have
employer-provided plans. But in
their haste and confusion over
legislation so long that few even
read it all, some members of
Congress voted for the law without
realizing that the final bill had no
mention of the very generous
premium contributions the
government makes to federal
employees as part of the Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program.
Imagine the horror when these
elected officials, who make $174,000
a year, realized that not only must
they and their staffers be subject to
inferior-quality health exchanges like
the millions of ordinary Americans,
but they might also have to shell
out thousands of dollars for
increased premiums if they exceed
the subsidy income cutoff.
The White House, under heat from
Congress, directed the Office of
Personnel Management to carve out
special rules so that the Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program
can continue to contribute to the
health plans used by Congress and
congressional staff.
Congress complains that without its
special subsidies the Hill will suffer
a "brain drain" as staffers leave
their jobs because of increasing out-
of-pocket insurance costs. Heaven
forbid Congress suffer the same fate
as private companies like UPS, which
recently had to cut health-care
benefits entirely for employees'
spouses; or labor unions, like the
40,000 International Longshore and
Warehouse Union workers who
recently left the AFL-CIO citing as
one factor ObamaCare's tax on their
"Cadillac" health-care plans.
You'd think that the authors of
ObamaCare would have been
prepared to cope with its effects.
Sen. Ron Johnson , a Republican from
Wisconsin, has already put money
aside in his budget to help
supplement his staff's health-care
costs in anticipation of the new law.
Other congressmen should have
done the same.
Regardless of whether or not they
support ObamaCare, members of
Congress should refuse the special
exemption. The law they enacted
should apply to them.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324665604579080921594857770.html?mod=trending_now_2
Any of you want to dig up our Founding Fathers?