Well, that didn’t take long

In just a few hours after posting the blog item below in which I observed (correctly, I might add) that the big GOP wins in Virginia and New Jersey would put pressure on representatives like Dina Titus to make a call between their natural liberal tendencies and political preservation -- Titus made the call to support Nancy Pelosi and the big government health care bill. You can bet her public employee union masters put the pressure on her big time.

In the meanwhile, the GOP is already pouncing. If the economy in Las Vegas stays down and the federal deficit stays up, this is going to give Henderson doctor Joe Heck an opening against Titus in this race as big as, well, Obama's deficit.

For the opening salvo, here's the GOP e-mail that just hit the pixel highway:

Earlier today, Rep. Dina Titus announced she was going to support Speaker Pelosi’s health care bill. I wanted to provide you with some research from the Republican National Committee and this response:

“A few months ago Rep. Dina Titus voted against the massive government takeover of our health care system, because it was harmful to small businesses. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s bill will still raise taxes on small businesses by over $150 billion. Instead of continuing her fight for small business owners, Rep. Titus chose to follow Senator Harry Reid’s lead and shore up her liberal base. This government-run health care experiment will still increase taxes, increase premiums, and continue to put the government between patients and their doctors. If Rep. Titus continues to heed the advice of liberals in Washington, she will soon find herself in the same position as her senior senator.” Jahan Wilcox, RNC Spokesman

Jahan Wilcox
RNC Regional Press Secretary

RNC RESEARCH

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) Voted Against Government-Run Health Care In Committee, But Now Supports It. “Democratic Rep. Dina Titus dropped her opposition today to the House health care bills, saying changes have been made since she voted against it in committee in July and it has now won her support.” (Lisa Mascaro, “Dina Titus Backing House Health Care Plan After Changes,” Las Vegas Sun, 11/4/09)

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV): Voted Against The Health Care Bill In The Education And Labor Committee. “Two key House committees moved along Democratic healthcare legislation on Friday, only days after the bill was introduced. … The Education and Labor Committee approved their portion of the bill by a 26-22 vote. Democratic Reps. Jared Polis (Colo.), Dina Titus (Nev.) and Jason Altimire (Pa.) voted against the bill.” (Michael O’Brien, “House Committees Advance Healthcare Overhaul,” The Hill, 7/17/09)

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) Opposes The Tax On High Cost Insurance Plans In The Senate Bill. “As Congress continues to consider revenue sources for America’s Affordable Health Choices Act and other health insurance reform proposals, we strongly encourage you to reject imposing an excise tax on so called high cost insurance plans. Such a tax would impact regions with high health care costs in the short-term, and, in the long-term, inevitably extend to more and more middle-income Americans across the country.” (Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Letter To Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA), 10/7/09)

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) Voted Against H.R. 3200 In Committee Because Of Concerns About Medicare And Small Businesses. “Titus voted against the first version of the bill because she says there were too many hits on small businesses and it didn't outline a solid plan for Medicare. But the Congresswoman says she isn't sure how she'll vote this next time; Titus says she needs to see the final draft.” (Collette Wieland, “Public Option Concerns At Titus Health Care Rally,” KVBC-TV, 10/20/09)

She Objected To The Small Business Taxes, Which She Claims Are Now Fixed. “Titus had been walking a political line of supporting health reform, but opposing several elements of the House plan -- particularly its surtax on higher-wage earners she feared would snare many couples and small business owners in her Southern Nevada district. ‘For more than six months I have discussed the need for health care reform with my constituents, and time and again I heard from small business owners who are struggling to afford health care coverage,’ Titus said in a statement. ‘After having serious concerns about the impact the first health care bill would have on small businesses, I am pleased that the new House bill takes important steps to make health insurance more affordable and accessible for the uninsured, employers, and those with preexisting conditions.’ The main objection for Titus had been the surtax on those making more than $280,000 annually ($300,000 for married couples) to pay for subsidies to help the uninsured buy policies. The new bill, which could go for a vote in the House in coming days, raises the threshold for the tax to $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for families.” (Lisa Mascaro, “Dina Titus Backing House Health Care Plan After Changes,” Las Vegas Sun, 11/4/09)

But House Dems’ Bill Will Still Impose $460 Billion Income Tax Increase. (“Estimated Revenue Effects Of Possible Modifications To The Revenue Provisions Of H.R. 3962, The ‘Affordable Health Care For America Act’,” Joint Committee On Taxation Publication, 10/29/09)

$150 Billion Of That Comes From Small Business Income. “The Joint Committee on Taxation is out with analysis of the House bill today that shows that of the $460 billion the health care surtax raises, about $150 billion of it will come from businesses. Look for Republicans to use the number as another example of how the bill will kill jobs and hurt the economy, particularly small businesses.” (Chris Frates, “JCT: $150 Billion Of Surtax Comes From Businesses,” Politico’s “Live Pulse” Blog, 11/3/09)

Serious Economic Damage Will Occur From Higher Taxes On Small Businesses. “Many of these people have considerable discretion in how much they work, spend and save. A surtax would reduce work effort, reduce saving and investment, and increase tax avoidance and evasion. The economic damage would be especially serious because the millions of people the surtax would target are among the most productive and economically dynamic people in society.” (Michael Schuyler, “The Surtax: Worse Than the Alternative Minimum Tax,” National Center For Policy Analysis, 10/29/07)

Even Though Revenue From So-Called ‘Surtax’ Won’t Cover Costs Of Government-Run Health Care Over Next Decade. “The net cost of the coverage provisions would be growing at a rate of more than 8 percent per year in nominal terms between 2017 and 2019; we would anticipate a similar trend in the subsequent decade. … Revenue from the surcharge on high-income individuals would be growing at about 5 percent per year in nominal terms between 2017 and 2019; that component would continue to grow at a slower rate than the cost of the coverage expansion in the following decade.” (Douglas Elmendorf, CBO Director, Letter To Rep. Dave Camp, 7/26/09)

While Americans In 39 States Would See Combined Federal And State Income Tax Rates Over 50 Percent. “A third updated Tax Foundation report shows that 39 states would see top tax rates exceed 50% under a health care funding plan announced today by House Democrats ... ‘More than three-quarters of the states would face combined top income tax rates exceeding 50% under this latest health care funding proposal,’ Tax Foundation President Scott Hodge said. ‘That means government would be taking more than half of every additional dollar from high-income taxpayers. The lowest top tax rate would be about 47%--and that's in the nine states that don't tax wages.’” (Tax Foundation, "House Leadership's Health Care Plan Pushes Top Tax Rates Over 50 Percent In 39 States," Press Release, 7/14/09)