The Story Behind the Government Shutdown

[happyg]

Much like the day after sequestration budget cuts kicked in, most people will wake up today to find that the country and their lives aren’t much different. All the fearful fretting over shutting down the government—which is reaching Y2K proportions in the media—is really a distraction.

Government funding isn’t the issue. It’s Obamacare.

The House has passed multiple bills that would fully fund government but would defund or delay Obamacare. The Senate has rejected these plans, and Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges are supposed to open today.

Never mind the fact that Congress and the Administration have already delayed major provisions of Obamacare and given special considerations to labor unions and Congress.

We believe the American people deserve an exemption from Obamacare.

The President and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) continue to go against the will of the public to protect an unworkable law that has raised individuals’ health care premiums, cut workers’ hours, made it more difficult to find a job, and has forced many Americans off their existing health coverage.

The real story isn’t the government shutdown, but rather the insistence by President Obama and Reid to foist Obamacare on the American people.

Congress is now haggling over delays to more parts of Obamacare, but the only way to protect Americans from this law’s sickening effects is to defund it.

While this debate plays out on Capitol Hill, essential government services will continue. Airports are still functioning, Social Security checks are still going out, and the military is still protecting us.

To President Obama and his allies, the government takeover of health care is an “essential” function that should move forward, despite deep disagreements about its effect on the nation. This debate isn’t over, nor should it be until the American people are protected from having their health care in the hands of government.

A government shutdown isn’t the end of the world, but an Obamacare shutdown would be a great beginning for real health care reform.
http://blog.heritage.org/2013/10/01/the-story-behind-the-government-shutdown/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

[sinkspur]

Never mind the fact that Congress and the Administration have already delayed major provisions of Obamacare and given special considerations to labor unions and Congress.

Labor unions got no concessions.

[andy58-in-nh]

Labor unions got no concessions.

Yes, they most certainly have received exemptions.

Among them (and this list omits large numbers of municipal unions and school districts): 

1199SEIU Greater New York Benefit Fund
 AJFC Community Action Plan**
 Alaska Pipe Trade U.A. Local 367 Health and Security Trust**
 Allied Building Inspectors IUOE Local 211 Welfare Fund
 Amalgamated, Industrial and Toy & Novelty Workers of America, Local 223 Sick Benefit Fund
 APWU Health Plan Conversion Plan
 Asbestos Workers Local 53 Welfare Fund
 Associated General Contractors of ND Employees*
 Atlanta Plumbers & Steamfitters Fringe Benefit Funds
 Blasters, Drillers & Miners Union Local No. 29 Welfare Fund
 Board of Trustees for the Operating Engineers Local 101 Health and Welfare Fund
 Bricklayers Insurance & Welfare Fund
 Bricklayers Local 1 of MD, VA and DC
 Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Ironworkers Local Union No. 60*
 Caribbean Workers’ Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Health and Welfare Plan †
 Carpenters Health and Security Trust of Western Washington
 Carpenters Local No. 491 Health & Welfare Plan
 Cement and Concrete Workers District Council Welfare Fund Plan
 Cement Masons’ Local No. 502 Welfare Fund
 Central Laborers’ Welfare Fund
 Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Health and Welfare Fund
 Central Texas Health and Benefit Trust Fund Locals 520, 60 & 72
 Civil Service Bar Association Security Benefit Fund**
 Cleveland Bakers Teamsters
 Communications Workers of America, Local 1180 Security Benefits Fund
 Construction Workers Local 147 Welfare Fund
 Contract Cleaners Service Employees Benefit Trust
 DC Cement Masons Welfare Fund
 Delmarva United Food and Commercial Workers**
 District Council 1707 Local 389 Home Care Employees Health & Welfare Fund
 Electrical Welfare Trust Fund
 Electrical Workers Health and Welfare Fund
 Electricians Health, Welfare & Pension Plans I.B.E.W. Local Union No. 995
 Employer-Teamsters Local Nos. 175 & 505 Health and Welfare Fund
 Greater Kansas City Laborers Welfare Fund**
 Health and Welfare Fund of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, Inc. Police Department City of New York
 Health and Welfare Plan of the Laundry, Dry Cleaning Workers & Allied Industry Health Fund, Workers United
 I.B.E.W. Local 1249 Insurance Fund**
 I.U.P.A.T
 IBEW Local 3 NYC Electrical Division Health & Welfare Fund
 IBEW Local 613 and Contributing Employers Family Health Plan (Union)
 IBEW Local No. 640 and Arizona Chapter NECA Health & Welfare Trust Fund
 IBEW Local Union No. 126 Health and Welfare Fund
 IBEW Local Union No. 728 Family Healthcare Plan
 IBEW No.915
 Indiana Area UFCW Union Locals and Retail Food Employers’ Health and Welfare Plan
 Indiana Teamsters Health Benefits Fund
 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers**
 International Brotherhood of Trade Unions Health and Welfare Fund - Local 713
 International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers
 International Union of Operating Engineers Local 295-295C Welfare Trust Fund**
 International union of Operating Engineers, Local Union Number 137**
 International Union of Operating Engineers, Supplemental Benefit Fund Local 409*
 Iron Workers Local Union #28 Health and Welfare Fund**
 Laborers’ District Council of Virginia Health and Welfare Trust Fund
 Laborers’ International Union of North America Local Union No. 616 Health and Welfare Plan
 Laborers National Health and Welfare Fund
 Laundry and Dry Cleaning Workers Local No. 52
 Local 1102 Amalgamated Welfare Fund
 Local 1102 Health & Benefit Fund
 Local 1102 Welfare Fund— Lerner Employees
 Local 1245 Health Fund
 Local 17 Hospitality Benefit Fund
 Local 237 Teamsters Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. Health and Welfare Trust Fund
 Local 25 SEIU
 Local 272 Welfare Fund**
 Local 295 Welfare Fund
 Local 298 Health Benefit Fund Plan
 Local 338 Affiliated Benefit Funds
 Local 381 Group Insurance Fund
 Local 802 Musicians Health Fund
 Local 803 Health and Welfare Fund
 Local 805 Welfare Fund
 Local 888 UFCW
 Louisiana Electrical Health Fund
 Louisiana Laborers Health and Welfare Fund
 Metropolitan D.C. Paving Industry Employees Health and Welfare Fund
 Michigan Conference of Teamsters Welfare Fund**
 Mid-South Carpenters Regional Council Health and Welfare Fund
 Midwest Teamsters
 Minnesota and North Dakota Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers**
 Minnesota Cement Masons Health and Welfare Fund
 Minnesota State Retirement System Post-Employment Health Care Savings Plan - City of Roseville*
 Minnesota Teamsters Construction Division
 MO-Kan Teamsters and Welfare Fund
 NECA-IBEW Local 480 Health and Welfare Plan
 Northern Illinois and Iowa Laborers Health and Welfare Fund
 Operating Engineers Local 835 Health and Welfare Fund
 Pavers and Road Builders District Council Welfare Fund
 Pipe Fitters’ Welfare Fund, Local 597*
 Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 123 Welfare Fund
 Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 823 Health & Welfare Fund
 Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 6 Health and Welfare Fund
 Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 430 Health and Welfare Fund**
 Plumbers and Pipefitters Local No. 630 Welfare Fund
 Plumbers and Pipefitters Welfare Fund of Local Union No. 719
 Plumbers Local Union No. 690 of Philadelphia and Vicinity Health Plan
 Retail, Wholesale & Dept. Store Union Local 1034 Welfare Fund
 Retiree Plan of the Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Health and Welfare Fund
 Roofers Local #96 Health & Welfare Fund
 Roofers Local 8 Insurance & Trust Fund
 Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.
 Security Benefit Fund of the Uniformed Firefighters Association of New York City
 SEIU Health & Welfare Fund
 SEIU Health and Welfare fund, 2000
 SEIU Local 300, Civil Service Forum Employees Welfare Fund
 Service Employees 32BJ North Health Benefit Fund*
 Service Employees Benefit Fund
 Service Employees International Union Local 1 Cleveland Welfare Fund
 Sheet Metal Workers Funds of Local Union 38**
 Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 177 Health and Welfare, Pension and Vacation Funds
 Social Service Employees Union Local 371
 South Central Laborers’ Health & Welfare Fund
 Southeastern Pipetrades Health & Welfare Fund
 Southern CA Pipe Trades Trust Fund
 Southwestern Teamsters Security Fund
 Sports Arena Employees’ Local 137 Welfare Fund
 Teamsters Local 210 Affiliated Health and Insurance Fund
 Teamsters Local 445 Welfare Plan
 Teamsters Local 522 Welfare Fund Roofers Division
 Teamsters Local Union 72 Welfare Fund**
 Teamsters Local Union 966 Health Fund
 Teamsters Union Local # 35
 Teamsters Welfare Fund of Northern New Jersey Local 1723
 Texas Carpenters and Millwrights Health and Welfare Fund
 Theatrical Stage Employees Local One
 Theatrical Teamsters Local 817 IBT Welfare Fund
 Transport Workers
 U.A. Local 13 & Employers Group Insurance Plan*
 UFCW & Participating Food Industry Employers Tri-State Health & Welfare Fund
 UFCW Allied Trade Health & Welfare Trust
 UFCW Local 1262
 UFCW Local 1262 and Employers Health & Welfare Fund
 UFCW Local 1500 Welfare Fund
 UFCW Local 227
 UFCW Local 371 Amalgamated Welfare Fund**
 UFCW Local One Health Care Fund
 UFCW Maximus Local 455
 UNITE HERE Local 74 Welfare and Dental Trust
 United Federation of Teachers Welfare Fund
 United Food & Commercial Workers Unions and Employers Local No. 348 Health & Welfare Fund**
 United Food & Commercial Workers Unions and Employers Midwest Health Benefits Fund
 United Food and Commercial Workers and Employers Arizona
 United Food and Commercial Workers and Participating Employers Interstate Health and Welfare Fund
 United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 New Hampshire
 United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459 and Contributing Employers Health and Welfare Fund**
 United Food and Commercial Workers Local 464a**
 United Food and Commercial Workers Local 911**
 United Food and Commercial Workers Retail Employees and Employers Health and Welfare Plan
 United Food and Commercial Workers Union (Mount Laurel, NJ)
 United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1000
 United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1000 and Kroger Dallas Health and Welfare Plan
 United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1459
 United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1995
 United Service Employees Union, Local 377, RWDSU, UFCW
 United Wire, Metal & Machine Health & Welfare Fund**
 Wisconsin United Food & Commercial Workers Unions and Employers Health Plan**