washington journal is next. halfway through the month of june, monday june 15th, 2009. welcome to washington journal. we will ask you about health care debate. the numbers to call are on your screen. you can always get a spike twitter -- you can always get to

us by the twister. the first story is the situation in tehran after the elections over the weekend. this is the baltimore sun, this from some of the street rioting in tehran. this is another paper this morning. crackdown in iran as rage over a vote happens. rage smolders in iran is the headline. ahmadinejad defends the win, he defeated his challenger. he said in a statement he is in under house -- he is under house arrest. the obama administration and its allies openly questioned the results of the vote to come and

reaffirmed their commitment to pursue direct talks with iran over the nuclear talks. we will talk more about that throughout the program as well, to health care this morning. the president is going to chicago to speak to the day and a convention. the debate on health care goes on. we are joined this first hour by bob cusack, to talk about issues. good morning. the president has a task ahead of him this morning, speaking to the ama. guest: they have got to find a way to pay for this massive health care plan, the total cost of it could be well over one trillion dollars.

the president has said he does not want to add to the federal deficit. there is a split between the white house and democrats on the hill. some democrats want to tax these employer based taxes, but others have different ideas about cutting medicare and medicaid. these are difficult cuts to make. how will that be paid for? details will come into focus this week. there is a lot of behind-the- scenes agreement on how to pay for it. this is when it will get very difficult for the obama administration. host: this morning it is written, this legislation could be released as early as this week. the senate of the -- chairman of the senate finance committee is expected to announce this new tax. they think this will help trim

runaway costs. economists say how difficult of a political cell is this at home? guest: very difficult. the governor of alabama has expressed major concerns with this idea, as well as labor unions. they have some expensive health benefits that they negotiated, and they could be touched by this. there is some concern also by the obama white house that may violate the pledge to not raise taxes on people making under two hundred $50,000. as far as a pot of money, where you'll find savings. that is where you find it. what could happen in this bill that is yet to be released is the taxes are increased for those who are making a fair

amount of money. we have not seen legislative language on that. it will be a tax increase. host: about the timetable here, there is a lot that the administration get -- wants to get done. they have an energy bill. where does health-care rank in priorities? guest: it is very high. they do support climate change, but health care is number one on their domestic agenda. they want to get judge sotomayor through. some democrats, including paul the gala said if they get health care done today said it will be a huge banner year for democrats in the white house. if they fail on it, it is open to debate whether democrats will

have a good year. they need to get these bills through committee. the senate is leading on health care reform right now. the house is not too far behind. host: bob cusack, we will check back with you in a minute. your calls. do you support a tax on your health care benefits? florida, you are first. i think we need to release the employers. we have a serious unemployment problem in this country. host: do you get health care

through your employer? caller: we did. they offered renewal at 103%. we were paying $800 a month, now the 1 $1,600 a month. they laid everybody off. they probably had 100 people from two years ago. host: here is the republican view from ohio. caller: i say enough with the taxes. we are taxed on everything. i am tired of it. leave the health care alone. if the government messes with it, they will ruin it.

host: new york, an independent. caller: i presented a plan to a couple of congress people. the taxes are not a good thing, if you take a person's income and you go by their income, take a percentage, they could pay for either medicaid, medicare, and even the seniors. they can use medicaid as their supplement instead of an hmo. host: you are saying the adding into income tax, not taxing benefits? caller: no taxes at all. you are going by a person's paycheck. i am talking about their income.

they would pay themselves a portion to medicaid. seniors would pay a portion to medicare and medicaid as a supplement. host: front page of the times, ahmadinejad defiant as protests raid -- rage. here are supporters of a madonna shot. -- supporters of ahmadinejad. caller: i am extremely disappointed in some of the ideas illustrated by the middle of the road democrats. they are anxious to snatch defeat from the jury -- from victory. host: what kind of changes would you like to see?

caller: i like the public auction and single payer. this is based on inaccuracies. i don't know how they can not consider that. host: do you have familiarity with the canadian system? caller: my wife is from canada. if you don't think we have rationing now, i have some horrendous experiences with my government. i am a government employee. dr. screaming on the phone screaming to these gatekeeper's trying to get health care. i don't understand why this is tied to your employment. it doesn't make any sense. it is a time to take a look at the whole thing. host: should there be a tax on

your employee benefits on your health care benefits as the president heads to chicago, to speak to the american medical association. the u.s. health-care industry cost two 0.5 trillion dollars annually --2.5 trillion dollars annually. michigan is next, a republican color. good morning. caller: i also support the single payer system for medical. i know it is the only system that will work. they have been given plenty of

chances. it will free up a lot of small businesses, allow people to start small businesses that will be able to afford to support themselves. it is unbelievable, all the positive benefits from it. host: maryland you are next. caller: over the weekend, one of the commentators came on and broke down percentages of the 46 million people who do not have insurance. he said 50% of the people are available -- eligible for programs right now, but do not sign up for health care. others can well afford health

care but don't want to pay for it. in my opinion, there is availability out there for people that want it. i don't know why we should pick up the bill for 15 million illegals. this is nothing more than a power grab by obama come and the democrats. they want another way of ruining our lives. host: health-care came up on a number of talk shows over the weekend. joe biden has some thoughts. here is a look. >> the bill the president -- when it comes, the president will look at it, he will make a judgment. the reason we need health care is just not moral, it is a fiscal responsibility. health care goes up 50% a year

-- in the last six years. that breaks the budget. that keeps us bankrupt a long time. he wants a public plan in there. host: do you support a tax on employee health benefits? one writer says i would like to see a 2% -- 3% tax. joining us this morning is bob cusack the manager of the hill newspaper. they might put a filibuster on the paper. at the end of the week, when the announcement was made at a hearing. guest: mitch mcconnell noted that he previously has been against filibustering of judges. he said when they went after

former nominee, that means he will change his position as to whether republicans can. they also said president obama is resistance -- resistant to justice alito and roberts. . the republicans are split over how to deal with this. democrats have the votes to clear her nomination. it is a battle on the right of how hard they should push the -- the republicans feel like they should fight and other issues like climate change and health-care reform. there are some on the right that are pushing hard for a filibuster and a thorough

examination of her record. howhenwhen the votes come in, se will be confirmed. host: the chairman of the judiciary committee said the hearings will start monday, the 13th. is that the actual start date? republicans said they did not get a date. guest: he is pushing pretty hard on this. he wants her nomination cleared by the august recess. a lot of them say that is to quit. if she were to be confirmed, that would be in the ballpark. republicans were not too pleased with the lack of a heads-up.

to some degree on this issue, republicans can only complain. host: based on those hearings for judge roberts and alito, how long will these last? callerguest: they usually go ina couple of weeks. some senators want more thorough answers. the nominees say only so much. it is a dance that goes on for a couple of weeks. it's a lot of attention. america finds out who this woman is. that can be a telling point. if she comes across poorly, then the shift becomes. starts. host: maryland, you are next.

what are your thoughts on taxing health benefits? caller: i hope the republicans are --. it becomes even more relevant than they are now. i work for the government, and i have health care insurance that covers everything. why can't the same thing be done for the entire population? i get free education for the entire population and health care. i am happy. host: florida, on a republican line. you are next. caller: i don't favor taxing health care benefits. the government needs to look at quake -- quit paying so much for medicare and medicare --

medicaid patients. medicaid pays to put a $6,000 bed in your house. it just has to stop. it would just break everything economically in the united states. host: pennsylvania, on the independent line. welcome. caller: i agree with a single payer health care system. i have a friend with two little kids, and they are afraid that their insurance will top out and they will be bankrupt. it is a moral issue and a security issue for the country, i think. host: alabama is next on the

democrat line. caller: i think the single payer would be a lot better. small business would boom because they would not have to worry about insurance. just pay it through the taxes. right now we are losing out. we have to compete against countries who have -- like bmw, in germany, they don't have to pay health-care benefits, and it works. look at the people in canada, they are a lot healthier looking than the people in detroit or cleveland. i don't think they are suffering. host: a couple of stories about

the health-care debate. obama and ama at odds about health-care reform. the ama said last week that it opposes, and it is also creating momentum. this morning the new york times has a story about medical students. obama looking at running and the medical students. the american medical association has long battled democrats who oppose protecting doctors from malpractice lawsuits. during a meeting last month, association officials found one democrat willing to entertain the idea, the president. in talks, mr. obama is making the case that reducing malpractice lawsuits can help

drive down health-care costs, and should be considered as part of any health-care overhaul. tennessee on our republican line. caller: i am retired from the state of tennessee. i have to pay for part of my insurance. i also have to pay for the d plan. if i can pay for that. i don't think the government needs to get into anything. i would be willing to pay part of mine in order to keep the government out. anytime you get the government in anything, they mess it up. host: you said you had a plan from the state of tennessee?

how do you like that plan? caller: i like it. i pay $95 a month. in good times it goes down maybe $10, and bad times, it goes up. host: who is the provider? caller: tomco. i had to pay for my d plan. when the federal government came out and said that we had to have a d plan, the insurance i did have with the state of tennessee, some people have had to pay more and some people less. retirees have to pay some. host: the issue this morning is taxing employee health benefits. the president prepares to speak

to the ama. the administration representative on the sunday shows, talking about health care. >> how will the president make the case to the skeptics? >> i think competition is a good thing. most americans understand that choice and competition is what we want. if you look at a health exchange where people can have options. in many parts of the country, private insurers have no competitor in a state like my old state of kansas. there is a dominant insurance company in the states. we created a public auction so they can choose side by side benefits and prices. competition is good. the president does not want to dismantle privately owned plants. he doesn't want the 180 million

people who have employer coverage to lose that. he wants to strengthen the marketplace. i don't think it is a big surprise. a lot of insurers say that what we really like is that everybody should buy it from us. -- we will give americans a choice and we will have lower costs for everybody. that is a good thing. host: a comment, payroll taxes are fair and make all health insurers pay whether full-time or temporary. obama pitches plan details take shape is on the front page of this paper. the cia director leon panetta and the headline here, panetta

says former vice-president dick cheney's criticism of the administration and their approach to terrorism, almost wishing this country would be attacked again in order to make his point. cheney "smells blood in the water on the issue of national security." caller: i only have one problem with the taxing the health care benefits. it seems i have heard that the uaw will be exempt from that tax. host: is that it? thank you. go ahead. caller: people have bounced around it. i am retired. i paid into my medicare and

social security since the 1970's. now they have reduced my medicare benefits. host: is that your provider, medicare? caller: no, i am retired from the post office. i have a better plan now. i had prostate cancer before i turn 65. now, whenever i go to have a psa test i get a form from medicare saying it may not pay for that procedure, it's like i'm going -- blue cross pays for it anyway. government health care -- look at the va. if that doesn't scare you, i don't know what will.

what they need to do, is the government should susets of, hae and fsa for all employees. host: those are savings accounts? caller: right. mccain brought it up. but have the government match 2%. it would be a payroll deduction, and the person would get their money back. the other thing i ran into when i had my prostate procedures is that it did not reach 7% of my income. almost $4,700 i paid out of my pocket, it did not reach 7%. host: an e-mail, writing the government has no power to

impose health care on the people. it is the states' rights issue. north carolina, good morning on the democrats' line. caller: i do have health care. i am retired. i have health care through the job i retired from, and i also have medicare. my main concern is the fact that i have a daughter who is diabetic. she does not have health care, because she cannot afford it. i have to pay for my health care through my job that i am retired from, and also medicare, it depends on how much the tax is. if you are working and making