Caterpillar - Health Care Bill Would Cost It $100M

in Chicago Current Weather
City, state, or zip Go

Get weather alerts
Get traffic alerts
Search HOME TRIBUNE BUSINESS SECTION SIGN UP FOR BIZWRAP GET BUSINESS ALERTS
More Breaking Business:
Boeing to speed up production of 777s, 747s... Chicago retail sales have biggest drop since...
Caterpillar: Health care bill would cost it $100M

Published on March 19, 2010 7:10 AM | Submit a comment
A worker at Caterpillar's plant in Mossville, Ill. (José Moré/Chicago Tribune)
Dow Jones Newswires | Caterpillar Inc. said the health-care overhaul legislation being considered by the
U.S. House of Representatives would increase the company's health-care costs by more than $100 million in
the first year alone.
In a letter Thursday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Republican Leader John Boehner of
Ohio, Caterpillar urged lawmakers to vote against the plan "because of the substantial cost burdens it would
place on our shareholders, employees and retirees."
Caterpillar, the world's largest construction machinery manufacturer by sales, said it's particularly opposed to
provisions in the bill that would expand Medicare taxes and mandate insurance coverage. The legislation
would require nearly all companies to provide health insurance for their employees or face large fines.
The Peoria-based company said these provisions would increase its insurance costs by at least 20 percent,
or more than $100 million, just in the first year of the health-care overhaul program.
"We can ill-afford cost increases that place us at a disadvantage versus our global competitors," said the
letter signed by Gregory Folley, vice president and chief human resources officer of Caterpillar. "We are
disappointed that efforts at reform have not addressed the cost concerns we've raised throughout the year."
Business executives have long complained that the options offered for covering 32 million uninsured
Americans would result in higher insurance costs for those employers that already provide coverage.
Opponents have stepped up their attacks in recent days as the House moves closer toward a vote on the
Senate version of the health-care legislation.
A letter Thursday to President Barack Obama and members of Congress signed by more than 130
economists predicted the legislation would discourage companies from hiring more workers and would cause
reduced hours and wages for those already employed.
Caterpillar noted that the company supports efforts to increase the quality and the value of health care for
patients as well as lower costs for employer-sponsored insurance coverage.
"Unfortunately, neither the current legislation in the House and Senate, nor the president's proposal, meets
these goals," the letter said.
Previous articles on Caterpillar from the Chicago Breaking Business blog and the Tribune Archives.
Click here to sign up for breaking news, business and sports alerts.
Share this story:
Twitter Facebook Email
Categories: Construction, Economy, Government, Health care, Politics Tags: Caterpillar, Health care bill, Peoria
GoWestYoungMan | March 19, 2010 8:49 AM | Reply

Wow, I'm shocked that Obama himself didn't comment on this article already, knowing how much he cares
about jobs and businesses that actually create something (like earth movers).
Maybe Pelosi can chime in here and tell us how CAT can raise their prices by $50k per machine and not lose
any sales to Kamatsu.
Harry, you there?
Idiots, every one of them.
Planwell | March 19, 2010 9:16 AM | Reply

Wow - how many jobs will they have to cut to swing that one?
Hans | March 19, 2010 9:16 AM | Reply

Buried in the business section while the fluff piece on the two arm twisters from Chicago gets prominent
positioning.
I wonder how many employees have been rehired by Cat since the messiah's photo op. This health bill should
make the decision much easier as to whether to site more manufacturing capacity in the US.
Maybe the libs in all their brilliance can create some more free money and extend unemployment benefits in
perpetuity. Idiots.
BS | March 19, 2010 9:18 AM | Reply

Its about time they start paying their own way rather than having the US taxpayer subsidize their profits. Who
do you think will pay that $100 million if the company doesn't pay? We will.
jman | March 19, 2010 9:19 AM | Reply

Ironic, since Catepillar and Obama used to walk "hand n hand" during the stimulus... LOL
BS | March 19, 2010 9:19 AM | Reply

Its about time they start paying their own way rather than having the US taxpayer subsidize their profits. Who
do you think will pay that $100 million if the company doesn't pay? We will.
RBH | March 19, 2010 9:20 AM | Reply

The medium and large sized companies will definitely see huge hits on their bottom line. My husband's
company (temporary staffing agency) will most likely have to shut its doors due to the insurance mandate. I'm
not sure how the Dems are able to project that this legislation is going to create jobs and save companies $$.
The only jobs that I can see being created are in the Federal Gov't--IRS.
jman | March 19, 2010 9:21 AM | Reply

@ BS - better hope it doesn't send you packing too?
tank johnson | March 19, 2010 9:23 AM | Reply

You wanna reduce hours and not hire? Fine, than the invisible hand will lead employees to look for better
places to work and job seekers will not want to work for you. It's not all about keeping investors happy. You
also need to keep employees happy or the ones you have will seek jobs w/ your competition and prospective
employees will be turned off by what you have to offer, or in this case what you can't offer. Don't fall for this
corporate trickery. If nothing is passed, premiums will continue to rise and employers will continue to reduce
benefits and increase premiums. And the next thing you know every corporation will look like Wal-Mart where
a large number of employees are paid so little and the bare bones benefits are so pathetic that it leads to
employees getting coverage thru Medicaid and other state health insurance programs.
randy | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

You assume the politicians in washington really care about the extra costs to catepillar; they don't give a rats
rear-end about that. They want to force everybody out of employer paid health insurance plans and onto the
uninsured roles to pave way for a complete government takeover; the public option.
MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

Hmm, I bet Catterpiller can find 100 million in its CEO's office and golden parachute.
Zero is not a hero | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

patients as well as lower costs for employer-sponsored insurance coverage.
As if this were all about reducing the price or increasing the quality of care. It's about providing handouts to get
people hooked and Vote "D"...
Could we please fast-forward to November already - hopefully most of this damage can be undone...
Kent replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

typical ignorant liberal. Cat will just lay off more and move production offshore. I used to work for cat and they
have a lot of plants in the US and elsewhere. Cat is a very large company and indirectly employ even
thousands more like the auto industry.
When will moronic leftwing moonbats realize big companies dont pay taxes. They pass the cost along, close
or move.
Frickin socialist, progresive, communists just dont get it that sooner or later they run out of other peoples
money to spend.
Agreed | March 19, 2010 9:25 AM | Reply

Yup. Which means less jobs, which means less money for people to invest, etc. Oh wait, we are there right
now.
Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 9:25 AM | Reply

This Sunday the far left radicals, the Marxis, the Statists, the Communists on team Obama will, in all
likelyhood, pass a Health Care bill that will FOREVER change America! America turns back the clock, turns
from a BEACON of FREEDOMS into a 3rd World Dictatorship... Yes, from just this one bill...
Why do you think they Comrade Pelosi and Chairman Obama are lying, breaking the Oath of Office to
"Protect and Defend" the Constitution... Because it gives them ULTIMATE POWER over your very LIFE! They
can tell YOU how much you as a person anre "woth" in health care spending, they can tell you that YOUR
lifestyle choices COST TOO MUCH and must be "changed" for the "good of all" and to "control costs"...
They will CONTROL all YOUR once personal and private decisions reguarding they type and amount of
HEALTH CARE, life and death, decisions that YOU use to make for yourself and your family! You, the
PEOPLE, the CITIZEN, will no longer be ALLOWED to make ANY decisions on what you buy, who your
Doctor is, how much it costs... You are NOW a servant to Obama and the radical left!
You MUST, or pay and fine and go to JAIL, buy a Obama approved health care policy! YOU MUST or the
18,000 NEW I.R.S. folks that this bill also hires WILL TRACK YOU DOWN AND FINE YOU AND PUT YOU IN
JAIL for NON-COMPLIANCE to Obama... Can anyone here say Castro, Cuba, Russia???
Please someone show me, please you libs here in Kumpania, (and you and I know who you are), show me in
The Constitution where it says that the Federal Govmt. can FORCE and MANDATE that a private citizen
MUST purchase ANY PRODUCT or SERVICE or face FINE AND JAIL! Where is it???
You can't show it because IT IS NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION, actualy just the OPPOSITE is in the
Constitution... "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAWS..." (look up the exact wording)
Most of you far left radicals do NOT care what is in the Constitution because it is written to PREVENT the
massive intruision of the FEDS and Obama into our daily lives... You want a NANNY STATE, WOMB TO
TOMB care...
Let me ask 3 questions and see if we can get ANYONE with the corage of their convictions to reply...
Most radical libs are cowards and will not stand on ANY principals, but let's see...
1) Would you buy a car that you have NOT SEEN... Pay for it for 4 years BEFORE you can drive it???
**** No one, not even Obama knows what is in the current fraud of a bill, you will start paying new "fees" and
TAXES, no matter what your income lvl is right away, but the "benifits do not even start for 6 to 8 YEARS!!!
So would you?
2) Are you OK and agree to let Obama and the far left in Congress RATION CARE and CUT Medicare and
DICTATE YOUR CHOICES in reguards to YOUR health care and lifestyle???
*** There are "Panels" (have been called "Death Panels") of so called health care experts, and YES IT SAYS
THIS EXACTLY IN THE BILL, that will DECIDE how much you as a person are WORTH SPENDING ON...
They, this unelected board, WILL tell Doctors what treatments and medicines YOU can get based on AGE,
HEALTH, LIFE EXPECTANCY, NORMS and "other factors".... FACT: ALL COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
SOCIALIZED MEDICINE ARE BROKE, ALL HAVE RATIONING, ALL HAVE POORER CARE than America!
FACT !!! And now those same things are comming to YOU and our once great Country!
Already, in many States and Cities we see the TIP OF THE ICEBERG as to what this can and WILL mean...
Cities charging TAXES and FEES on salt intake, calories intake... Telling folks what they CAN and CAN NOT
EAT... Or rights ARE under assualt... THEY WANT TO CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES... In
califorian for example, they are now MANDATING what COLORS of cars can be sold... NO MORE BLACK
CARS, they are bad for Global Warming... In NJ and NY they are TAXING sodas and telling PRIVATE
resturants that they can no longer serve SALT in the foods... Have you ever tasted many foods WITHOUT
salt??? They SUCK !!! So are you ready for this type of control???
But WAIT, theres more...
3) Why Dems, are you willing and ready to have HUGE WAITS to see ANY Doctor, go on WAITING LISTS for
proceedusres, have YOUR choices removed and be at the MERCY of a nameless, faceless Govmt agency?
Dive and Ihealu will tell ANYONE who asks about socilized, Govmt run health care... THEY HAVE IT IN
GERMANY and FRANCE and BRITON and CANADA... It is HORRIBLE.... LONG waits, HUGE TAX
BURDENS, POOR CARE QUALITY... Lack of new drugs, lack of new inovation... POOR OVERAL CARE!
This is NOT about affordable health care, it's about a HUGE NEW GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER,
GOVERNMENT CONTROL of YOUR LIFE!!!
*** Why, oh why, do we want what have been PROVEN to be a DISASTER in EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY
that has gone this route to happen to THE BEST health care in the world??? In Canada and France and
England and from ALL OVER rich and affulent people FLOCK to AMERICA for threatments, why ?, because
we have THE BEST Doctors, Hospitals, Medicines... THIS IS ALL ABOUT TO CHANGE and NOT for the
better... RATIONING has and IS accuring right now in Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Cuba all over the
world... WE CAN NOT AFFORD THIS MASSIVE GOVMT TAKE OVER OF 1/6 or 20% of our economy...
OH, 1 more question Leftists...
4) What gives you the "right" to tell me what I can and can not do, what I must and must not purchase, what I
MUST spend my money on... Oh, and PLEASE, PLEASE use the lie that this Communist regiem is using
about "that people must now buy care insurance. it's the same thing". NOPE, a lie... IF I do NOT own or dive
a car, I ride a bike or take mass transit, I DO NOT HAVE TO BUY ANY INSURANCE!!! This bill says I MUST,
at the point of a gun, jail and fines, I MUST comply with Obama and purchase a " Obama approved" plan... I
have NO rights, NO choice...
IS THIS AMERICA ??? IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT ??? ARE YOU READY TO 'CONFORM' or be
PUNISHED???
What's next America????
God save us all from our horribly dangerous "leaders"...
Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the rest of the left HATE America as it is and as it has been... THEY HATE
AMERICA'S CONSTITUTION, they are now showing it for all to see by VIOLATING it... They are, and you that
support this massive freedom buster of a bill, TRAITORS to our founding, TRAITORS to persona liberty and
TRAITIORS to freedom of choice...
I doubt that ANY of you have the stones to reply, but who knows, maybe you have the convictions of your
Marxist leaders to stand up and say, YES, I WANT TO BE A SLAVE TO BIG GOVERNMENT... YES, I
WANT THEM TO DECIDE FOR ME WHAT IS BEST... YES, I LOVE WAITING IN LINES FOR LIFE SAVING
SURGERIES AND DOCTOR VISITS and YES, I LOVE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO BY MY SAVIOR
OBAMA!
We'll see... AT LEAST I HAVE THE PRIDE AND STONES TO POST MY FEELINGS, FACTS AND
OPINIONS FOR ALL TO SEE... I AM NOT A SLAVE, NOR AFRAID...
I WILL NOT PAY MY TAXES THIS YEAR ( go snitch to the secret police, like Russian neighbors did to each
other ), I WILL NOT BUY MANDATED INSURANCE... MY MONEY WILL NOT GO TO FUND ABORTIONS !!!
LET THEM TRY TO PUT ME IN JAIL... THEY KNOW WHERE I AM !!!!
MILLIONS of real AMERICANS just like me, will refuse to BREAK THE CONSTITUTION, we will NOT become
slaves without a fight, a fight like has only been seen ONCE before in America, how will Obama put MILLIONS
IN JAIL to enforce his will on the masses...
70% WANT HIS BILL KILLED in ALL the latest polls, they want some reforms, BUT NOT THIS BILL!!!
KILL THE BILL !!!!!!!!!!
Our so called "Leaders" our so called "Representatives" have been BOUGHT, BRIBED and PAID OFF...
THEY ARE TRAITORS to DEMOCRACY!!!!!!
WE THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IGNORE, OUR WISHES ARE IGNORED all in the name of the LARGEST
POWER GRAB IN AMERICAN HISTORY !!!!!!!
I say, my friends, it's time to FIGHT !!!!!!!!
We are about to let the VERY SAME folks that have RUINED SOCIAL SECURITY, BANKRUPTED
MEDICARE AND MEDICADE, BROKEN AND MISMANAGED THE POST OFFICE, TRASHED AMTRAC and
ANY NUMBER OF OTHER BROKEN AGENCIES run HEALTH CARE !!!!
WTF ARE WE DOING AMERICA ???? Let's let the MOST CORRUPT PEOPLE tell US ALL what to do, when
to do it and what to pay for it...
You gotta be kidding me...
don eubanks | March 19, 2010 9:26 AM | Reply

add the federal health increase to the poison illinois workman's comp. Illinois taxes, corrupt politics. sky high
property taxes , union demands, and you soon See caterpillar [made in china] on you new earth mover, while
the cat workers at Peoria start looking for a job at Walmart
steve jackson | March 19, 2010 9:27 AM | Reply

The calls against Bush for shipping our jobs overseas will pale in comparison to the tnes of millions of jobs
that will leave this country in mass exodus after this bill passes.
Companies that do stay will lay people off right and left and salaries will decrease.
Obama honestly believes if they dont pass this they lose at the polls but if they do they win? He is either truly
stupid or is playing russian roulette with the democrat congress and they are playing along like good
lemmings.
This is the kind of bill that has the potential to put the democrats in the minority for 50 years
Karla | March 19, 2010 9:27 AM | Reply

I used to work for CAT, the dealership I worked for is barely hanging on, they are really slow and struggling.
CAT pays their people really well. It's a great company to work for. I think this health bill might push them out
of the country. I frankly don't know why they have not moved yet.
steve jackson | March 19, 2010 9:28 AM | Reply

The calls against Bush for shipping our jobs overseas will pale in comparison to the tnes of millions of jobs
that will leave this country in mass exodus after this bill passes.
Companies that do stay will lay people off right and left and salaries will decrease.
Obama honestly believes if they dont pass this they lose at the polls but if they do they win? He is either truly
stupid or is playing russian roulette with the democrat congress and they are playing along like good
lemmings.
This is the kind of bill that has the potential to put the democrats in the minority for 50 years
VivianC | March 19, 2010 9:29 AM | Reply

Obviously Illinois doesn't need jobs, we need health care. It will be a big hit to the state to see Cat move its
factories off shore. Of course, we may not notice because a lot of other jobs will be leaving at the same time.
CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 9:29 AM | Reply

I'm a CAT shareholder and would easily agree to contribute my 16 cents to help this POOR corporation try to
survive. CAT currently has over 624,000,000 shares outstanding. If you divide $100 million by 624 million, this
results in a cost per share of 16 cents. In other words, this isn't even worth discussing.
Hardy | March 19, 2010 9:30 AM | Reply

I propose legislation that will prosecute any congressman or congress woman who directly or indirectly
benefits from the health care bill even after they get voted out of office.
Second I propose legislation for every one voting for the health care bill that would make them directly
responsible for the rest of their life after they get out of office. If the health care bill destroys our country's way
of life and bankrupts our financial system then we should be able to prosecute them for financial terrorism and
treason.
If our congressmen and women believe in this bill so much then they would be willing to put some skin in the
game like their own futures and fortune. Would they be willing to risk future prosecution for destroying our
country?
conservativelookin4aHome | March 19, 2010 9:30 AM | Reply

This idea of cost, what it costs for health care. Really? Iraq, Medicare, foreign aide to Egypt, Israel, German,
Japan, Afghanistan, rebuild schools, roads, hospitals, security, foreign armies; we pay for the health care of
accused & convicted murders,rapist, crazies, troops. Why not implement something that will bring the overall
costs down? I mean this article I read was from a republican and he supported health care and gave good
points
http://bit.ly/bejrX1

Is Karl Rove behind all of this?
joereg replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply
No one is paying the $100 million yet, that increase in cost is created by this bill. It is a new entitlement, the
costs of this bill are new, the taxes are new.
Lhrish | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply

Has anyone bothered to ask Romney how to solve the healthcare crisis? He solved it in Massachusetts.
Alex in DE replied to comment from MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply
You have to be kidding me...So in a world where people are out of jobs; you think by taking more money from
the major companies that EMPLOY people should be just raked over the coals and sucked dry of any money
they have left? Good luck with Communism...because that's where this eventually heads.
Bill | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply

Again, this is the goal of the left. To destroy capitalism and private sector jobs. Earthmoving bad. The
environmental wackos and tree huggers are all happy over this.
Libs want ALL private jobs to fail. This is their next step into the socialist empire they want.
Slaughter rule for Healthcare

Slaughter rule for Tax n Cap
Slaughter rule for illegal immigration reform.
No need to vote any more. Obama's so smart we don't need any chacks-n-balances anymore. Soon, voting
will be banned.
BigKev replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 9:32 AM | Reply
Well your useless libtard talking point is an example of someone who has no business sense. If it is going to
cost $100m to fund mandated health coverage where does the company go to find that money? Payroll
because it is the biggest expense for a firm. That means no new hires, no pay raises (possibly), and more
likely are layoffs. Most profits a comapny like CAT makes go to reinvesting in the company, stock holders,
and such. If the mandate eats into that proft margin then sooner or later the comapny will have to reduce its
size or go under. I hope you work for a company like this and enjoy your pink slip if this bill passes.
Bobby dee | March 19, 2010 9:32 AM | Reply

I email the President everyday. Phil Hare will not even return a form letter. Health care bill will doom us.
John | March 19, 2010 9:33 AM | Reply

Huh, I thought Catepillar was a big Obama fan. I remember them coming out in support of the "stimulus" plan
because it was going to create so many jobs.
Oh well, I guess they'll be moving operations over to China soon.
It is BS replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:33 AM | Reply

Yes, you're right. The Obamacare is BS. And you're right, Cat will pass the cost to the consumers. And the
consumers will look for better prices, likely outside of the U.S. As a consequence, CAT will no longer be able
to hold onto their employees and guess what, more layoffs!
David, Small Town,Texas | March 19, 2010 9:33 AM | Reply

To: BS
"Its about time they start paying their own way rather than having the US taxpayer subsidize their profits. "
Just be glad its not your job they will have to cut to pay for this criminal bill, they are a for profit company at
least until the democrats have something to say about it.
Lomastein | March 19, 2010 9:34 AM | Reply

You obviously do not understand basic economics. Either you want others to care for your needs or you've
been schooled in one of our country's state universities.

Has anyone bothered to ask Romney how to solve the healthcare crisis? He solved it in Massachusetts.
Here's a guy close to the situation up North - things don't look good for the US of A...
"State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, an independent candidate for governor making a play for fiscally
conservative voters, said yesterday that the state’s universal health care law is bankrupting Massachusetts
and will do the same nationally if Congress passes a similar plan."
Matt replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:35 AM | Reply

A terribly ignorant and uneducated comment. Guess who Caterpillar's shareholders are? American tax payers.
Your anticipated response: Only rich American tax payers are shareholders.
My dose of reality: Wrong. Everyday American tax payers are shareholders directly, and indirectly (through
mutual funds, IRA's, and pension funds). THEY will pay for this $100 million. It would be equally ignorant to
pretend Caterpillar is the only major corporation that will suffer.
Your animosity for XXX (I won't pretend to know what it is) clouds your vision of reality.
Mike | March 19, 2010 9:35 AM | Reply

I've given up on convincing federal legislatures since they don't listen. Focusing on getting state gov't to enact
nullification like Virginia, Missouri, and Idaho. See www.tenthamendmentcenter.com
by Derek Sheriff
Joshua Lyons wrote about the health care debate last November:
“It is imperative that we take our eyes off the specifics of the proposed healthcare legislation (i.e. death
panels, etc.) and focus on the authority granted [or not granted] to our federal representatives by the people.”
and
“Unless we unify around properly granted authority..we’ll continue a losing back-and-forth game of arguing the
issues where the ball keeps getting pushed down the field a few more inches toward the Nanny State end
zone.”
He was right when he wrote those words last year and the fact of the matter is that the situation remains
unchanged today.
No Authority
Obama may have embraced a few Republican ideas as part of his new plan, but that doesn’t amend the
Constitution. The fact that the president wrote that he would continue to draw on the best ideas from both
parties, and that he is open to these proposals doesn’t mean that he is open to the proposal that Congress
has no authority under Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution to event enact most of what will be contained in
his final plan. His reaction to such a proposal would probably be similar to Nancy Pelosi’s reaction when she
was confronted with it. With undisguised hubris, she asked the reporter, “Are you serious?”.
When one looks at the larger picture, the details of Obama’s new “health care package”, or whether or not it is
passed with bipartisan support, matters little. What is far more important, now and in the future, is that people
question the constitutionality of every bill proposed by Congress.
Sadly, many opponents of big government can’t see the forest (the larger constitutional objection), for all the
trees, (death panels, debt, job losses, higher taxes etc.) How many Republicans who participated in Obama’s
recent bi-partisan dog and pony show actually objected to the new plan on constitutional grounds? This needs
to change right now. The details of the so called “package” should be ignored or at least take a back seat. We
should instead focus on the question of constitutional authority and limit the scope of this debate immediately.
Much more is at stake here than health care freedom, after all.
Our opponents would like nothing more than to distract us from the issue of constitutionality. But by refusing
to be redirected, we can retain the high ground and dictate the terms of battle, as it were. This will also help to
educate and prepare those who believe in limited government to resist not only this act of federal usurpation,
but all such acts.
Weak Arguments
It’s essential, both in the long run and the short run, that we educate people about just what the U.S.
Constitution does and does not authorize our federal government to do. It’s not very difficult to show anyone,
who still has any regard at all for the Constitution, just how flimsy the arguments made by federal
consolidationists like Nancy Pelosi are.
Arguments that consolidationists employ usually involve an extreme metamorphosis of the “General Welfare
Clause”, or it is claimed that since Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce and,
“..every aspect of the heath care system has an effect on interstate commerce, the power of Congress to
regulate health care is essentially unlimited.”
Go back and read that statement again. Nancy Pelosi claims UNLIMITED power to regulate your health care!
Someone should point out to her that a government without limits is a tyranny! Affirmation number six of the
Tenth Amendment Center’s 10-4 Pledge points out what constitutional scholars like Rob Natelson and Kevin
Gutzman have been saying for years:
“The “Interstate Commerce Clause” in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, does not permit Congress to
regulate matters that merely affect commerce among the States. It only permits Congress to regulate trade
among the States.”
Unless we emphasize and stick to the point that Congress has only those specific, limited powers
enumerated in Article 1 Section 8, we are really just debating over who should be in control of what amounts
to an unlimited, unrestrained, unaccountable central government. It doesn’t matter which party controls such a
leviathan because it will eventually end up controlling and regulating every aspect of our lives.
But doesn’t Congress have implied powers that can be inferred from the “nessecarry and proper clause”? Yes,
of course, but this clause only empowers Congress to use the minimum amount of power nessecarry to carry
out those powers that are already enumerated in Article 1 Section 8. Affirmation number five of the Tenth
Amendment Center’s 10-4 Pledge explains it very succictly:
“In order for a federally-exercised power to be “necessary and proper” it must be

a) something that, without which, would make the enumerated power impossible to exercise, and
b) a lesser power than that which has been enumerated”
Novel interpretations of the “commerce clause” favored by federal consolidationists can never be reconciled
with its original meaning as understood by the Constitution’s framers and ratifiers. Any layperson who has
spent just a little time studying the ratification debates between the federalists and anti-federalists, can see
right through the arguments of today’s would be nationalists and will realize just how dubious their claims of
unlimited power to regulate really are.
It’s only been through the dumbing down of several generations and the repeated use of partisan “divide and
conquer” tactics that the consolidationists in Washington, D.C. have even been able to perpetrate their
“commerce clause” fraud for so long.
Unfortunately for them, however, the people of the several states and a majority of their legislators in many
states, are now more alert and better informed about the 10th Amendment than they have ever been in recent
memory.
A good place to start learning exactly why the proposed national health care “reform” is unconstitutional,
would be this article written by a leading constitutional scholar, Rob Natelson, Professor of Law at The
University of Montana: Pelosi’s Misleading Statement on the Constitutionality of Government Health Care
Don’t be distracted or become bogged down in this debate. Emphasize the Constitution above all else and
QUESTION AUTHORITY!
Derek J. Sheriff [send him email] is the state chapter coordinator for the Arizona Tenth Amendment Center.
His blog and podcast “Principles of ‘98″ can be found at www.PrinciplesOfNinetyEight.Com
Copyright © 2010 by TenthAmendmentCenter.com. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted,

provided full credit is given
"State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahil"
But what does he know - he's only the treasurer - probably did not go to Harvard and is not a very smooth
talker..
He's not the "One"...
JB replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:36 AM | Reply

You idiot - why don't you move to Europe - you would fit in better.
Adam Strong | March 19, 2010 9:36 AM | Reply

I Also bet Catapillar can easily find those 100 million and much more shipping all their jobs to china. it is not
just this 100 million it is all the taxes and regulaiton. sorry to the workers but most companies will just ship
these jobs over sees. creating even more people without jobs and more people without insurance.
RTR | March 19, 2010 9:38 AM | Reply

The bill is a total disaster for the U.S. Companies will hire less and move jobs overseas. It is common sense.
It is shocking that the politicians in Washington do not see the damage that this bill will do to our country.
Harry | March 19, 2010 9:38 AM | Reply

What do you expect from a community leader, he has narrow mind view of the business operations and costs.
He thinks the money grow on trees then printing to bribe the Senators and Reps is a noble thing to do,
JR replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 9:39 AM | Reply
If this bill gets passed... there will still be major cost increases in healthcare every year. The bill does not
address cost increases, only insuring a large portion of the uninsured.
alex | March 19, 2010 9:39 AM | Reply

Catapillar must not insure a ton of jobs if they have to pay out that much.
Sounds like an awful company. A very immoral one to boot. That or they're cooking the numbers to make their
faulty case.
Christus Reglen | March 19, 2010 9:40 AM | Reply

Hey Chicago, looks like your boy Obama just can't cut it in the high office. BTW, how's that hopey changey
stuff going for you there?
liberals suck replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 9:40 AM | Reply
Turbin already said premiums would not go down. Isn't he yours?
bruce987 | March 19, 2010 9:40 AM | Reply

The Socialist in power thinks corporate America is the enemy and wants to hurt them to benefit the lazy, the
drug addicts, revolutionaries, illegals, etc. and poor.
We can't compete so we will close up shop, watch stupid Hollywood movies knocking us or buy crap we don't
need from Wal Mart.
Obama has nationalized some industries and will not stop.

And to my Jewish relatives in America and Israel. Think Obama and Clinton are still your friend??? (And yes, I
mean blood relatives being Jewish myself)
What our enemy couldn't do, Obama and the dems did, destroy America.

Catapillar must not insure a ton of jobs if they have to pay out that much.
Sounds like an awful company. A very immoral one to boot. That or they're cooking the numbers to make their
faulty case.
Kyle | March 19, 2010 9:40 AM | Reply

Liberals-your familys, your kids lives are being destroyed by this man-and it's on purpose. Wake up-America
is headed towards's economic collapse-this is Obama's goal-to bring down the country and remake it. He said
so.America is bankrupt-passing this health care plan is the final nail.
It will be chaos when America defaults on it's debt in a few years. Buy Land and gold
StopNonsense | March 19, 2010 9:42 AM | Reply

HOW MANY JOBS LOST? HOW MANY JOBS LOST GOING OVERSEAS?
bruce987 | March 19, 2010 9:42 AM | Reply

The Socialist in power thinks corporate America is the enemy and wants to hurt them to benefit the lazy, the
drug addicts, revolutionaries, illegals, etc. and poor.
We can't compete so we will close up shop, watch stupid Hollywood movies knocking us or buy crap we don't
need from Wal Mart.
Obama has nationalized some industries and will not stop.
And to my Jewish relatives in America and Israel. Think Obama and Clinton are still your friend??? (And yes, I
mean blood relatives being Jewish myself)
What our enemy couldn't do, Obama and the dems did, destroy America.
markevin13 replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 9:42 AM | Reply
Wow! You are one paranoid, ill-informed nut job.
I hope you're not a gun owner because you seem like a very dangerous, unstable person.

TO CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 9:29 AM | Reply
Yeh - TTM earning of 1.43 per share - 16 cents is 11.2% of their earnings - how will they cover this additional
cost?
If this is going to cost them 11.2 or their earning, just think of how this will crush smaller business...
Better off just selling your shares before they go to zero under zero...
systime | March 19, 2010 9:44 AM | Reply

There is a middle road to reform. Why is no one approaching it this way -
-Regulate the ins companies with respect to profitability and rate increase limitation.
-Allow competition by insurance companies across state lines.

-Implement tort reform.
-Remove the anti-trust protection the ins companies enjoy.
-Fix the fraud and waste issues in Medicare/Medicaid
These five actions alone would help to curtail rate increases, allow more people to have access to insurance
(albeit maybe not all 30M of them), and be employer friendly all without creating ANOTHER government
entitlement program.
Another remark - I have not heard any of the talking heads ask anyone in Congress why Congress thinks they
can run a new entitlement when they can't run the existing ones - SS and MED..

HOW MANY JOBS DO WE LOSE TO PAY FOR THIS BILL? ARE MORE JOBS GOING OVERSEAS TO
COMPENSATE?
BS replied to comment from Kent | March 19, 2010 9:45 AM | Reply

That's right they pass the cost along. They have been passing it to the taxpayers for too long. I'd rather see
them pass the costs to their customers.
BoBama | March 19, 2010 9:45 AM | Reply
You union folks voted for this so called president, now sit back enjoy what is about to happen. Maybe you will
still have a job after it gets passed.
Mr. Kelly | March 19, 2010 9:45 AM | Reply

Hmmm... $100M divided by say $50K a year they could pay an employee.
2000 jobs worth.
Jobs, Jobs,
We don't need no stinking jobs,
Please democrats. Pass this bill. It will be the end of the democrat party for decades. I just hope it can get
repealed before the worst of the damage hits.
sesn replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 9:46 AM | Reply
you are an idiot for thinking that. I hope u lose your job. The reason u want this to pass is because u want
health insurance because you probably dont have a job.
Harry | March 19, 2010 9:47 AM | Reply

Wasn't America once called "The Land of the Free"? ROFLMAO.
Not only is this bill going to be expensive but there will be hidden laws that will strip us of our dignity and
freedom. Government in it's miniscule wisdom and infinite arrogance will force you to better health or they'll
fine and/or put you in jail. America is bankrupt financially and morally. How do we take America back from
politicians? We are already over legislated and overtaxed thanks to laziness and ineptitude. Instead of
oversight new laws are created to further stifle and penalize. Instead of fiscal responsibility more taxes are
added. The spit has hit the fan but the Democrats want to turn the knob to full speed.
Healthcare needs major reform but the issues needed to reduce costs aren't even being addressed.
revolution | March 19, 2010 9:48 AM | Reply

"LET THEM EAT CAKE"
Ron | March 19, 2010 9:49 AM | Reply

The best politicians aren't always in Washington:
"Caterpillar noted that the company supports efforts to increase the quality and the value of health care for
patients as well as lower costs for employer-sponsored insurance coverage."
Hellooooooo. What that really says is:
patients as well as lower costs for employer-sponsored insurance coverage as long as someone pays for it.
citizen | March 19, 2010 9:49 AM | Reply

We told you...this is what Obama really wants -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BkKtPCTrg4
harry reid | March 19, 2010 9:49 AM | Reply

i wish pelosi would find a lump
rick | March 19, 2010 9:49 AM | Reply

Assuming Cat is responsible to make health insurance available to its employees, what is Cat's responsibility
to subsidize health insurance for its non-employees? I think that is where some/most/all of the $100MM in
question will go.
American Idiot | March 19, 2010 9:49 AM | Reply

You Americans that want socialized medicine, give your head a shake!!!! I live with Canadian medicine and it
truly sucks! There are new hospitals with no staff. There is a doctor shortage. MRI waits are in the years.
Operating rooms are closed due to shortage of funds to keep them open. A simple allergy test for my
daughter is an 8 month wait! No doctors take new patients as they are already overloaded. OBGYN's that will
see new patients are few and far between... Even our government leaders run to the US to get speedy and
good health care!!!
But... its free. BTW, I just recieved my bonus check - a full 38% was confiscated due to taxes! The province I
live in uses over half of its budget to pay for health care, and it still sucks! Why any of you want our style of
rationed health care is beyond me. And yes, for those of you wondering, I have lived in the US and Japan, and
in each case the health care speed and quality was far superior to ANYTHING I have ever recieved in Canada.
So go ahead, go broke trying to model your health care after ours! We can't even get it right with 38 million
people, it will be interesting to see how the government of the US will get it right with almost 400 million to
look after.
I hope you like paying taxes! I hope you like NOT seeing a doctor even more, cause that is what will happen!
Natebo | March 19, 2010 9:50 AM | Reply

Nice work, Mark Garnett.. Speak the truth!!
Joe Standish | March 19, 2010 9:50 AM | Reply
Well, the sad thing is that most of the claims here by both sides dont stand up to unbiased truth. If you have a
brain and can shut off vitrol, and blind belief go to the unbiased fact check sites.
The bill isnt as bad as some idiots would have you believe, and isnt as good as others would have you believe.
There is no free lunch, The bill will cut out some inefficiencies, and have savings for some, and costs for
others. All in all not the end of the world, or shniy rainbow land.
Grow up people. Get your facts straight before opening your mouths.

Kyle, stop being such a prima-donna. Canada has single payer and their kid's lives are better for it. It's not like
in the U.S. where 30% of kids aren't covered.
To be honest with you, I see Canada as an insanely successful country. It's not bankrupt, their education
system is better then ours and their businesses are chugging along. They also enjoy a lower unemployment
rate despite what some of your far-right people say about the effects of health-care overhaul.
Passing health-care in this country isn't going to make us poorer or worse off. A country like china has just
recently vowed to provide coverage to all 1.3 billion people. Yet this nation, with all it's morally superior acting
GOP naysayers continues to insist healthcare is bad for us. That it's "socialist" as if socialism was inherently
evil. As if people don't understand that the U.S. military is a socialist program, built on socialist concepts and
theories.
Seriously, get a grip. The sun will still rise in the East and set in the West. Our corporations will continue to
do wonderfully and our nation's people will be healthier and better for having expanded coverage.
DUGinFLA | March 19, 2010 9:52 AM | Reply

Caterpillar, thanks for the heads up and everything, but probably could have used your help and this
information before TODAY!
NJ Voter | March 19, 2010 9:52 AM | Reply

When corporate America and small businesses everywhere are socked with these costs of compliance with
this legislation they will have to make tough choices. Choices like layoffs or passing on costs to employees in
terms of paycuts or larger shares of cost for insurance (lower employer payments). When this happens every
notification and communication to employees needs to specifically state that the company deeply regrets
these actions but they are necessary directly due to the health reform legislation.
They need to pin the real costs in the memory of the voters, and those who will be adversely affected by this
plan - which is most of us. Make it indelible. "sorry you are loosing your job because of our required
compliance with the democratic health care reform..." "sorry your costs are going up 20% because congress
determined a family of four should pay $13,000"
Unfortunately the much of their ranks believes the repeated mantra...if you like your healthcare you can keep
it - they fail to mention ALL plans (yes, even exiting ones) will have to comply with all mandates and that
employers will be subject to audit. Woops...big ommission there....

Why was the bill addressed to Pelosi? You might as well send it directly to the dead-letter office. She would
throw her own mother under the bus to get this bill signed.
ADDRESS the 14 or 15 Congressional members who are supposedly wavering! They are the ones
who can vote against this job-robbing bill.
justin | March 19, 2010 9:52 AM | Reply

If this is true, this bill will be catastrophic for business...and hence our jobs. I just don't understand the
Democrats' obsession with socialized health care when the economy is suffering and the recession is at a
record high.
Harold Reid | March 19, 2010 9:53 AM | Reply

This country was founded on the belief that if you work harder and smarter, you and your family will enjoy the
fruits of your success. NOW, WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT IF WE WORK HARDER AND SMARTER, THE
LAZY BUM NEXT DOOR WILL RECEIVE THE FRUITS OF YOUR SUCCESS INSTEAD OF YOUR FAMILY.
GREAT! MUTUAL MEDIOCRITY IS SUCH A WORTHY GOAL, ISN'T IT?
HoustonGal replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 9:55 AM | Reply
Amen, Brother.
Socialized medicine is the death knell for both America's free enterprise system and the individual American's
Life. I have personally experienced Socialized Medicine at work in the UK. It ruined my arm and killed several
close friends and relatives do to lack of treatment and delays. It killed the company for which I worked.
Many of us escaped from the socialist country of the UK. Now where are we to go?
MotherRedDog | March 19, 2010 9:55 AM | Reply
Did CAT think about that when he was holding hands with the "One"?
This is disgusting.
Boccieri (d OH) now telling people that he is going to vote YES. Illegal, disgusting, immoral.
He is going to save one life at the risk of injuring 299,999,999.
Patti O'Riley | March 19, 2010 9:56 AM | Reply

Leftist have zero business sense and almost no connection to the productive private economy. In their world of
flying unicorns, businesses are making huge profits and refusing to 'share' with their lowly workers. In the real
world, companies like Caterpillar operate on minimal profits and many times make no profit for an entire year.
Only 'Profit' pays wages. Only 'profit' pays taxes. No 'profit' means no business means no employment.
$100,000,000 in extra cost means Caterpillar must generate $100,000,000 in extra 'profit', which means
Caterpillar must generate $2-4,000,000,000 in 'new' sales. Obama and libs' goal must be to crash the
economy for there is no other explanation for their actions.
Walter | March 19, 2010 9:57 AM | Reply

Joe Standish, inefficiencies and savings will simply be transferred from the private sector to the government
sector. You're one hundred percent correct. But, see, there's the problem. One can decide whether or not to
deal with the inefficiencies of the private market. One cannot BY LAW decide NOT to deal with the
government without going to jail. There's the difference and there, sir, is the rub.
NoneoftheAbove08 | March 19, 2010 9:57 AM | Reply

Perhaps US citizens should start talking about a "slaughter" solution for US politics...!
A Caterpillar Dozer march on the white house would be a good start!
The commie-filth inside our government better take note that the peasants are shaprening their pitchforks!
Large companies are funny | March 19, 2010 9:58 AM | Reply

It's funny how there is no bill, and CAT is already complaining that it would cost $100 million...scared much?
Maximus | March 19, 2010 10:01 AM | Reply

Ironic, how do you like that hope and change now Caterpillar. Personally, I hope you freaking shut your doors.
You putting your support behind these clowns proves you were stupid to begin with. It's stupidity to act in
ignorance when facts are available. There were facts available about this bunch of gangsters in Washington,
but you ignored them. I and most of the American people have no sympathy for you.
Donna replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 10:02 AM | Reply
It's not corporate trickery it is the facts. These facts hold true for all businesses not just CAT so those other
jobs you reference will not be there either.
Jeff Pappalardo replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:03 AM | Reply
BS: Why is it up to the corporations to pay for everyone's healthcare? Where in the constitution does it
mandate corporations are responsible for healthcare? They only offer it now to be competitive with hiring good
employees. A corporation's sole purpose is to create wealth for the owners and shareholders, not provide a
welfare system.
VANESSA | March 19, 2010 10:04 AM | Reply

Taxes will go up for individuals, Insurance costs will go up for individuals. Costs will go up for "all" evil
companies. And we will be left with bigger, and bigger government. I shiver and think of the book 1984. I never,
ever thought we would get here. Listen to a smooth talking, smiling "regular Joe", and never question anything
that is said. I cannot believe the people who are either too lazy, too complacent, or too ignorant to look, read,
and comprehend what is happening in our country.
As far as taxes increasing, -- they have already without anyone even being aware. Last year States mandated
that companies now insure Domestic Partners, and "children" who were between 23 and 29 and were without
insurance. Then the Federal Govt dropped the bomb,...yes, by the way -- those employees who now had
coverage for either of the situations, the "Fair Market Value", was now added to their taxable income,... so
they got to "donate" gobs more taxes to the Fed, and State Govt. And the Companies,...they got to pay their
portion of the increased health care, and in addition, the FICA portion of the increased taxable income has to
be matched by the Company. It is a crime, and I am sick to my stomach over the travesty, dishonesty,
bullying, in my Country..... and we cannot stop it!
alex replied to comment from JB | March 19, 2010 10:04 AM | Reply

JB, why don't you move to El Salvador? You'd definitely fit in better. They restrict women's rights, it's not
friendly to gay rights, taxes are low, there's little safety net, as seen by the huge amounts of poverty and
shanty towns. Everyone's religious, and morality is legislated.
Go for it, JB!

The Truth | March 19, 2010 10:04 AM | Reply
SILENCE!! You right-wing nazi fools at CAT do NOT know how much Obamacare will cost you!! Only Obama
knows!! Obama knows all, Obama sees all!!! Submit to Obama's will at once!!! No questions or independent
thought allowed!! OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
lesstaxessmallergovt | March 19, 2010 10:05 AM | Reply

LHRish,
I'm in the northeast; Mitt has been all over the place saying what a BAD job was finally done in Mass...both
the current and former state treasurers say MassCare is a heavy contributor to the looming bankruptcy of the
Commonwealth. And this is the "good" version of the bill opn which Obamacare is based. Fixed it in Mass?
Nope, not even close.
And yes, should I get the chance, I will vote for Mitt in 2012.
John replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:06 AM | Reply

Companies don't pay taxes, all costs are passed down to the consumers. This is too bad, because Cat is a
really good AMERICAN company, but when you look at their competition, I think they are all based outside
America and thus do not get raped by the highest corporate tax in the world and these costly government
actions. I imagine, if this slush bill passes, they will move overseas.
Carey Dye replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 10:06 AM | Reply
A fool is one who uses his investments to help the poor by funneling it thorough wasteful socialist programs.
These "poor" people will never see your measly $0.16 per share by the time it gets to them.
obama is god | March 19, 2010 10:06 AM | Reply

HOPE AND CHANGE YES WE CAN!!!1111
Nickel | March 19, 2010 10:07 AM | Reply

I see the echo of a massive upheavel in the comments section of this article. One side is a bunch of leftist
simpletons who have never met a payroll or even paid any taxes and yet are willing to tell us about the "evil"
profit motives of American industry. These clowns have somehow gotten their man into the White House and
we must neutralize him and remove him and his Progressive allies from office before they totally destroy our
great nation. It is as simple as that. The time for polite debate is over.
soakblue | March 19, 2010 10:09 AM | Reply

The problem with looting other peoples' money is that eventually you run out of other peoples' money. Then
what? Once we finish devouring Caterpillar's (and the rest of America's industry's) carcass, where do we turn
next?
The problem with Socialists is they don't follow thoughts to their logical conclusion. Instead, the want you to
"hope" things will be fine.
No thanks.

American Idiot, there's a solution to your problem. Instead of only paying 11% of GDP on healthcare, why not
pay what we do? An extra 7-8% of GDP will surely fill the hospitals with staff, get quicker coverage for more
serious illnesses and still cover 100% of the nation.
Jeff Pappalardo replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:09 AM | Reply
BS: Why is it up to the corporations to pay for everyone's healthcare? Where in the constitution does it
mandate corporations are responsible for healthcare? They only offer it now to be competitive with hiring good
employees. A corporation's sole purpose is to create wealth for the owners and shareholders, not provide a
welfare system.
Vinko | March 19, 2010 10:10 AM | Reply

Don't worry Cat, your to big to fail, so the government will take you over as they did GM. Next step toward
controlling construction along with the unions
mike | March 19, 2010 10:11 AM | Reply

the first plant they should close is in obama's home state
RAS | March 19, 2010 10:11 AM | Reply

The Cost will get past to consumers and they will just lay off workers. Obama will drive Unemployment rate
higher and he doesn't care as long as he grows his socialistic agenda. Watch inflation in a few years. The US
will be in danger of bankruptcy. Liberals think you can just raise taxes and print more money. This will get
ugly in years to come. Thanks barry
haha | March 19, 2010 10:12 AM | Reply

I remember early into the election that the president of CAT was for Obama and trusted Obama to reform
health care.
The republicans knew full well what a liberal president and liberal house would do if given the chance, and they
warned everybody who would listen.
You who refused to pay attention and voted for these democrats are to blame. I hope this keeps you up at
night and reminds you what needs to be done in November.
RAS | March 19, 2010 10:12 AM | Reply

The Cost will get past to consumers and they will just lay off workers. Obama will drive Unemployment rate
higher and he doesn't care as long as he grows his socialistic agenda. Watch inflation in a few years. The US
will be in danger of bankruptcy. Liberals think you can just raise taxes and print more money. This will get
ugly in years to come. Thanks barry
Jenny Bea | March 19, 2010 10:12 AM | Reply

"And the next thing you know every corporation will look like Wal-Mart where a large number of employees are
paid so little and the bare bones benefits are so pathetic that it leads to employees getting coverage thru
Medicaid and other state health insurance programs."
I love you idiots, pushing for socialization, as if government is your mommy. Walmart has GREAT benefits,
inlcuding 401(k) and stock options, on top of dental and vision- all aside from their medical plan. I know many
people who work for them, and have been by choice for YEARS. The only people who dis Walmart are those
who know nothing about their workforce, nor know anything about business. (Like your president.) Pray tell
how much more than the federal minimum wage a Walmart worker should make being a cashier? These
people drag items across an electric scanner, and then make change. Why is it your business to dictate their
salaries? I suppose it's just sad that people make a minimum wage, and you don't like it, so Walmart is evil.
You know, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts only pay the minimum wage, too? Same with Mickey D's. (And they
all have a healthcare plan, too...) Damn evil corporations.
Don Smith | March 19, 2010 10:13 AM | Reply

Will Caterpillar be "deemed" too big to fail? Will there be a buyout for Caterpillar on the scale of GM as a
payback from the Obama administration? Story at eleven? Not hardly. You can bet on this, whether Caterpillar
is bailed out to the tune of $100M or if they are thrown under the bus, the mainstream media will not fully
cover the story. Sure there will be some boo-hooing by the media over the failure of a 100 years old company
but there will be no deep coverage and analysis to let Americans see the actual costs to Caterpillar of this
debauckle of a healthcare bill. If they did that the outrage among employees (even union employees) that will
see their medium to large size business as next to fail. There is one very interesting point in the story and it is
that foriegn companies have no such mandate to provide coverage and can keep flooding our shores with
under priced products. We have gone from an agrarian to an industrialized society and we are now turning in a
services only society. News flash...service only societies don't "produce" a product. They just move a limited
amount of money around the nation. It is the selling of products overseas that make real profits and bring
dollars into the nation. We've been paying China for years and lining their pockets and they are now using that
money to buy our debt...in other word, they own us. And the Obama administration is making it ALL
POSSIBLE by the passage of high dollar legislation that doesn't pay for itself and further increases our
dependence on the Chinese.
How can they be so blind?
pevo98 replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 10:14 AM | Reply
How many shared do you own? I mean if you've got a hundred or so shares, then sure, it's no big deal for you
to pay $0.16 per share per year. But when you're talking about Pension plans that are heavily invested in
these type stocks, to the tune of THOUSANDS of shares, it starts to add up here and there. And you're
talking about only ONE company that may be in a plan's portfolio. Sure it's only $0.16 for CAT, but what if it's
$.50 for GE, and say $1.25 for EXXON. Perhaps another $1.75 for RUBBERMAID. Nickle by nickle this bill will
drain capital from EVERYONE's pocket, not just "BIG BUISNESS"
I'd bet you'd be the first in line to whine and complain if your pension plan didn't turn a profit each year.
Krissy replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 10:17 AM | Reply
Wow! Amen. I thought I was reading my very own thoughts. So glad you voiced them. I was born in Moline, IL
(home of John Deere tractor) and that place is a ghost of a community.Moved from Los Angeles in 94 and
then in 96 moved to Atlanta Georgia. Last summer..to the great state of TEXAS. I cannot get to DC this
weekend, but my prayers to God is that someone, will stand up in this government and STOP this takeover.
God Bless America
Krissy in Austin Texas
Analog Android | March 19, 2010 10:17 AM | Reply

You Obama supporters voted for this clown, and undoubtedly voted for the Dems in 2006... All during the
campaign, Obama got nothing but softball from the media. No scrutiny of his past, no scrutiny of the fact that
his schools blocked access to his academic works. No scrutiny of the radical, Saul Alinsky followers that he
hung around with, admired and tried to emulate. Barry Soetoro, the chameleon. No scrutiny of the fact that
this man has never owned or run a business, never managed so much as a McDonald's crew, let alone been
in a position of authority in his BRIEF career as a politician. He has no understanding of free market
economics (other than the fact that he thinks it is inherently "unfair"). He is the right man in the right place for
the "progressive" far left power base to impose their vision of America on the rest of us. He is beholden to the
unions, which have utterly destroyed just about every industry they have sunk their teeth into. I am sad to say
this but I believe that America is going to see a downward spiral the likes of which we have never imagined.
The policies he is implementing will have far reaching and devastating effects on our economy and way of life
for decades to come. The issues of Insurance reform, financial market reform and energy are no doubt issues
that need to be dealt with, but not like this folks. Obama and the far left will tear this country apart.
jerry | March 19, 2010 10:20 AM | Reply

To Bad Cat. You had a great photo op with this moron 10 months ago, talking about how many jobs he would
create at your company. Now you can go down with the rest of us. If this passes we are laying off 20% more
of our work force, the next day. But its ok, because those 20% will have insurance. They cant eat or stay in
their homes, but they will have health insurance. And for you idiots who dont think this is a bad bill, you have
no idea how a company operates, and the cost associated with running one.
SHRKB8 | March 19, 2010 10:21 AM | Reply

When this passes, you will see a shift from employee based companies to companies who hire independent
contractors. No longer will companies be responsible for any employee costs (because they aren't employees
any longer), only that the company will have a lot of contractors who now get paid the same amount they did
before, just fewer benefits. Basically the core rainmakers of a company will be employed and quite rich while
the laborers will be deemed independent contractors. The secretary for instance will get to find out how much
fun it is to find their own insurance on the open market along with opening funding their own IRA, as well as
setting up their own FSA/HSA account etc. We should be in for an exciting ride.
On the bright side, we'll all now be self employed!
ReddiKilowatt | March 19, 2010 10:22 AM | Reply

FINALLY, a companys with the BALLS to standup to this poorly constructed bill being thrust upon us by
socialist democrats. As caring people, we all want health care for the disadvantaged, but this bill has become
a convoluted mess. I still cannot figure out exactly how this bill does anyone to 'reform' healthcare ~ that's a
bunch of trash. The dirtly litte secret that noone wants to talk about is that those of us with insurance will see
skyrocketing costs and reduced benefits. Unless of course you are in one of obama's 'protected' classes:
union member, state worker or federal worker. Obama/pelosi/reid - you stink!!
Rube11 | March 19, 2010 10:22 AM | Reply

Yo Pelosi; you like numbers; how about these numbers for Cat? You healthcare proposed program will run
them out of business!
DUMAS | March 19, 2010 10:24 AM | Reply

You folks who think that corporations exist only to employ people and make them happy really need to
educate yourselves.
Any business exists for only one reason...to make a profit. People are employed (and compensated, by the
way) to achieve that goal. People buy shares of the corporations because they want to make a profit too.
There is no "greater good."
When corporations are demonized and penalized because they do what they were designed to do, they tend
to not stay in business. Or, to be more precise, they tend not to stay in business where they are demonized
and penalized.
You ask where American manufacturing jobs have gone and why. The answer is simple. They've gone where
the corporate interests can continue to stay in business. The reason is because it costs too much to stay in
business here. Additional costs imposed by "government" are never kept at the "corporate" level. They are
always passed on to the consumer in the form of increased price of the product.
When a competitor makes a product cheaper, people tend to gravitate toward that product.
Here is a simple truth. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ALTRUISM. EVERY INDIVIDUAL ALWAYS ACTS IN
HIS OR HER OWN SELF INTEREST. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
This goatf*#k being billed as health care "reform" will be signed by our president. The reality of its impact will
collide with the promises (lies) perpetuated in its birth pains and the reality will prevail. CAT will be lucky if it's
only $100 million.
Who is John Galt?
Catworker | March 19, 2010 10:25 AM | Reply

Cat workers call your reps let them know that if they vote for this crap they will be voted out.
Rightwingracisteabaggerconservativesurvivalist | March 19, 2010 10:26 AM | Reply

The slaughter rule is aptly named as that is exactly what is going to happen. Stock up, confirm with your
neighbors as to whom you can count on and get ready cause "it" is coming.
Irish2dabone | March 19, 2010 10:26 AM | Reply

Follow the bread crumbs people... were told were adding 30M people to free healthcare while we save $100B
doing so, keeping the deficit down. How does that work? Simple, the gov't shifts blame from their shoulder's to
that of Business Employer's across a broad spectrum of industries (Utility companies, restaurants, grocery
stores, hardware stores, clothing stores, etc.). These businesses and business owners will now be paying
more to offer whatever level of healthcare insurance to their employee's and in turn will pass the costs along to
their customers... that's you and I people which means every time we buy any products, we will be indirectly
'taxed' from all directions and the gov't can inform us they 'weren't the one's imposing taxes.
The reason why some people aren't able to afford the increasing Insurance Premiums is because the
insurance companies are having to pay the inflated costs passed to them by healthcare provider's (hospitals,
clinics, physicians, Labs, diagnostic facilities, etc)... the reason why these healthcare provider's are inflating
their charges is because of the gov't mandates levied on them to "provide free or heavily discounted care" to
those without insurance which includes illegals, welfare recipients, etc. They are also experiencing annual
Medicare reimbursement reductions, which force them to increase their fees for svc's to those paying patients
and those who have insurance companies to offset their losses. Believe what you want out there, but
taxpayers and those paying insurance premiums are already subsidizing free healthcare to those without, and
this Reform will not change a thing except where "we" will be taxed from
Jon Banner | March 19, 2010 10:26 AM | Reply

CAT's CEO should have known this! Berry is only doing what he said he would do. Why did CEO support
Barry?
ETEE | March 19, 2010 10:26 AM | Reply

There is no margin at CAT. Because of Obama's Depression they are operating at their most efficient with
their existing personnel, who's numbers have been trimmed to the 'enth. Throw in a $100 Million invoice from
the Federal Dot.Gov for Obama's ComradeCare and CAT's only alternative will be to move a number of their
plants overseas to cover the loss.
Actually, it may be the smart move, anyway. Caterpillar sells a huge number of its large bors Diesel Engines
and Generators to the Oil Drilling Industry. And with Obama's penchant to kill the Oil business in the U.S.,
both on and Offshore, the biggest players have already moved overseas. Ensco, TransOcean, Halliburton,
Weatherford. All gone to Switzerland and Dubai, along with a million jobs and their annual orders for billions in
American manufactured products.
That Obama sure knows how to run jobs and business out of the country.
CAT Shareholder replied to comment from Zero is not a hero | March 19, 2010 10:26 AM | Reply
Zero - Your 11.2% calculation uses CAT's 2009 EPS which, due to the GREAT RECESSION was the lowest
in the past 7 years. Using CAT's 2008 EPS of $5.66, this $100m amounts to less than 3%. Using CAT
analyst's expected 2010 earnings, $100m would amount to 6.3%, but none of these calculations consider the
income tax impact which would reduce their headline $100m amount to less than $70m.
Further, no logical parallels can be drawn between CAT's very generous healthcare benefits and those offered
by almost all small businesses. Therefore, the anticipated impact to one major industrial corporation does not
translate into similar consequences for any small business.
So again, why is this worthy of discussion?
Karen | March 19, 2010 10:28 AM | Reply

I already have the list of people I am going to layoff if this thing passes. That's the bad news. The good news
is that I tried to make sure they were all people that had voted for Obama.
michael | March 19, 2010 10:28 AM | Reply

“I am a proponent of the SINGLE-PAYER system for healthcare,” Barack Obama said in 2006.
What the fock is unclear about this socialist's words? This bill must be killed, for the sake of our children's
and grandchildren's freedom.
Jocko | March 19, 2010 10:30 AM | Reply

Some people posting comments do not understand how markets work. Saying that Caterpillar needs to "suck
it up" and pay these costs don't understand that US government, nor Cat have control over what competitors
will do, especially foreign competitors. Caterpillar cannot simply absorb new costs without building it into the
products price. Unlike the US Government, Cat cannot just print more money to pay for these benefits.
Caterpillar can:
(a) charge more for their products. This will mean selling less, and will eventually lead to layoffs.
(b) move more jobs outside of the US to where labor costs and benefit costs are lower. Eventually, could even
move its corporate headquarters outside the US to avoid government penalties for offshoring of jobs.
The market will find its own solution to the problems being created by Congress. They have no idea of how
markets work.
N Pea-low-see | March 19, 2010 10:30 AM | Reply

No problem. Just source out the work to China - problem solved. Oh right, fire everyone in production, keep
thee warehouse people.
Tim Wayne | March 19, 2010 10:30 AM | Reply

Gee my heart really goes out to the shareholders - not - Caterpillar can afford it - any excuse to fire people is
just that - an excuse that favors share holders over hard working people.
Regular Guy | March 19, 2010 10:30 AM | Reply

LOL...Most people in support of this bill just don't understand how damaging it will be. The targeted
companies; large multinationals, will just move more jobs overseas. Only the companies that can't afford to
move (or outsource) will stay and be bankrupted. The Democrats have successfully dumbed down their
constituents to the point that a liberal will support anything another liberal says/does no matter how stupid it
may be...

Sorry, BS...employer based insurance did not start as a mandate. It began as a recruiting tool. It was cheaper
to offer health care than to offer an additional 5-10 grand per year. Unions negotiated the employer insurance
as well. Employers should not be bound by federal mandates to offer insurance. My small business cannot
raise the price of the product and compete with foreign enterprise. If forced to pay more than I do (for entry
level work (young college students), not bread winners), my employees will suffer as I cannot give them the
overtime they enjoy or hire more of their friends. I already pay more than minimum wage, but to Congress this
still isn't enough. Capitalism works when government gets out of the way and lets it.
Dan replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 10:31 AM | Reply
You obviously have never ran a business.
jadams76 | March 19, 2010 10:32 AM | Reply

I love the comments of the [Social]Democrats on this site who say Caterpillar should just raise the price of
their product to cover the cost of Obamacare. Easypeasy. Spoken like the poli-sci majors they are who never
took econ 1. The jobs will go overseas. The pool of companies paying into your harebrained socialist
"fairness" schemes will keep shrinking. Government and debt will keep expanding and we will be another
failed Eurostate like Greece.... or was that the plan all along?
Frank Lockhart | March 19, 2010 10:33 AM | Reply

Our REPUBLIC ( not a mobocrocy ) we are goverend by laws and
Oboma is a traitor. pure and simple and all the cronies with him..
Gary | March 19, 2010 10:33 AM | Reply

They should move to Texas cause we are not going to
take this from Washington
Michael J | March 19, 2010 10:34 AM | Reply

Caterpillar had an incredible $895 MILLION (that's nearly $1 BILLION) in profit in 2009. I think the company
can well afford to cough up some extra money for worker's healthcare -- if they really care about their
employees.
Outraged One | March 19, 2010 10:34 AM | Reply

Our government is being overthrown from within. They are supposed to represent us, this was a democracy,
the elected officials did the bidding of their constitueny, now the people are being told they have no say in their
government. Impeach them all!! This is exactly why the 2nd Amendment was inacted!
Mike Decker replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 10:35 AM | Reply
Cat Shareholder,
anyone who writes they don't care if a company they hold loses $100,000,000 a year can not be a very good
investor. how many stocks do you have in the company? 1, 10, 100? a $0.16 addational loss PER YEAR
does not come out of the stock price, it comes out of yearly earings per share and the cash holdings in the
company. Earings / Share for Cat is currently listed at $1.43 so a $0.16 loss should devalue the stock price
by about 11%-12%. since the market cap is currany approx. $37 B a 12% drop in value is a loss to the share
holders and comany value of $4,440,000,000.
you really think that the company executive will allow that to happen? nope, it would be way cheaper to move
the jobs over seas even after the initial cost of bulding new plants.
remind me never to let you handle my market accounts. people like you are the reason why no one can guess
where the market will be going. you invest without understanding market priciples AT ALL.
LibsAreCommies | March 19, 2010 10:35 AM | Reply

It is time to remove these LibCommies from power "By any means necessary". They should be dragged from
office and jailed for willfully violating the Constitution.
Sara | March 19, 2010 10:35 AM | Reply

I have the right to abort a living baby from my body at will but I will not have the right to choose whether or not I
want health insurance. This makes no sense and cannot possibly be constituional.
buckrol | March 19, 2010 10:35 AM | Reply
Now the government is not only pro-union, but has become one heavy-fisted union itself. I'm sure that will be
great for business. Look how well it turned out for the auto industry.
Check out this hilarious parody music video on unions: http:/www.narf.tv/?p=652
NOBAMA | March 19, 2010 10:36 AM | Reply

Dear CAT:
Where were you when this maggot was running for office?
ReddiKilowatt | March 19, 2010 10:38 AM | Reply

CAT Shareholder - you are a democratic STOOGE. You use the old, tired dem talking point that "its only 3
cents per CAT share" or "the 100M is only 70M if you factor in taxes". Your argument is totally flawed. CAT
and most other companies in the US are working with ever tightening margins. If you tax them an additional
amount, no matter how small, it cuts into those margins and forces cuts elsewhere (reduced labor more than
likely). You also didn't bother to read the article very closely....it says that the added costs to CAT would be
$100M THE FIRST YEAR. That means by year 10, the costs are going to be astrnomical, but by that time it
will be too late.
WeThePeople replied to comment from Harry | March 19, 2010 10:39 AM | Reply
Harry, we can make a difference!
Check this out and then pass it on - www.goooh.com
We have to elect representatives who agree to do the will of the people, who stand by the promises they make
while campaigning, who will not be bribed, threatened, or coerced into voting for something their constituents
do not want.
We need to make 2010 the year we start getting rid of the politicians who don't do what we tell them to do.
The work for US. WeThePeople
obongo | March 19, 2010 10:39 AM | Reply

Just lay off a few thousand union employees in Illinois. They voted for Obama anyways. Move production to
non-union states or out of country. That is the only thing that will get the attention of the people and
politicians. Kiss those $100K union jobs good-bye. You union goons were well-paid and had good benefits.
You wanted more and now you will get nothing.
gtdon77 | March 19, 2010 10:39 AM | Reply

CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 9:29 AM | Reply
thanks very much, personally i like to read post of people who are actually involved and know what they are
talking about instead of opinionated blowhards who have no idea what the issues are but just wants to scream
and shout because glen beck says so, educate yourself on the issues then post a coherent assesment of the
situation. is that so hard to ask, if you know nothing about business or the stock market since CAT is publicly
traded you have no idea of how this would impact that company so your rant is just that an ill informed rant
about nothing. if these companies have so little money for health insurance then where do they get the
millions to compensate the ceo's that run them into the ground, and i don't want to hear the "against profits"
bs the profits needs to be shared with the employees also since they are the ones doing the work to build
these companies to where they are today not the ceo's or other corporate heads or shareholders. you take
away the lowly paid work force from these companies and see what these bright,smart and overpaid
executives and shareholders do
Michael J | March 19, 2010 10:39 AM | Reply

I encourage all those who don't like President Obama's new healthcare program -- when it passes -- to follow
Rush Limbaugh's lead and get their healthcare in Costa Rica. That country has universal healthcare. Ha ha
ha.
elbeau | March 19, 2010 10:40 AM | Reply

Here's from Caterpillar's OWN WEBSITE:
"PEORIA, Ill.— Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) [end of Q4] announced sales and revenues of $32.396 billion for
2009"
So, what's $100,000,000 divided by $32,396,000,000? It's 0.3% of their revenue! and that's ONLY for their core
manufacturing business. It doesn't include their financing business and other subsidiaries.
$100,000,000 sounds like a LOT of cash, but it's all relative to the size of the total operation. 0.3% of revenue
(not profits, just revenue) is not mouse nuts, but it's not a mountain either. Suck it up and give your
employees the benefits they deserve Cat!
bubba | March 19, 2010 10:40 AM | Reply

Where are the specifics of CAT's claim that the bill will cost them 100M? Do they currently not offer insurance
to their employees?
Most of the arguments here are useless without looking at the specifics of CAT's complaint.
NY Keith | March 19, 2010 10:40 AM | Reply

@Tank & @BS - when I buy construction equipment I am looking at price and reliability and I shop US
manufacturers AND global manufacturers.
Your comment is either driven by partisanship or you don't understand how competition works.
The Japanese, Koreans and Chinese don't care about your social issues, your labor issues, your political
issues. They want to drive competitors OUT OF BUSINESS by making better products CHEAPER to keep
THEIR workforce working, their economies strong.
You and millions like you are the reason why we have an ANTI-MANUFACTURING POLICY here in the US
and have had for decades.
What you and your fellow myopians fail to realize is that it is the US blue and gray collar worker that bears the
brunt of these misguided policies. More manufacturing will move elsewhere. I don't understand how the party
that was supposed to be on the side of the worker class while saying it is helping it in the short term is killing
it over the long term.
I used to be a Democrat but now I have ABD - anybody but Democrats.
Only Facts | March 19, 2010 10:42 AM | Reply

2008 Total Compensation for 8 executive officers
17,654,422
5,467,221
6,571,175
6,638,572
3,544,374
6,328,410
5,860,423
3,064,612
As of December 31, 2009, we employed 93,813 persons of whom 50,562 were located outside the United
States. There were 9,728 U.S. hourly production employees who were covered by collective bargaining
agreements with various labor unions.
Sales and revenues for 2009 were $32.396 billion.

Sorry, BS...employer based insurance did not start as a mandate. It began as a recruiting tool. It was cheaper
to offer health care than to offer an additional 5-10 grand per year. Unions negotiated the employer insurance
as well. Employers should not be bound by federal mandates to offer insurance. My small business cannot
raise the price of the product and compete with foreign enterprise. If forced to pay more than I do (for entry
level work (young college students), not bread winners), my employees will suffer as I cannot give them the
overtime they enjoy or hire more of their friends. I already pay more than minimum wage, but to Congress this
still isn't enough. Capitalism works when government gets out of the way and lets it.
CAT Shareholder replied to comment from pevo98 | March 19, 2010 10:43 AM | Reply
Our CAT holdings exceed 15% of our portfolio. Whether we look at an individual with 1 share of CAT or CAT's
largest institutional owner, with 87m shares, 16 cents amounts to about 1/4 of 1% of the market value of those
shares. In either case, this is a small fraction of the expense ratio charged by the average mutual fund or
pension administrator.
Scott | March 19, 2010 10:44 AM | Reply

10-289 is coming!
Check your premise, contradictions do not exist. - Francisco Domingo Carlos Andres Sabastien D'anconia
Doodle | March 19, 2010 10:44 AM | Reply

If I were CAT. I would pass around a ballot and ask who voted for the clown in Washington. I would then place
these people at the top of a list to lay off first if this bill passes. People I hope you know understand that
elections have impact on you. I wonder if these people who voted for the clown think someone else will pay
their share??
Steve | March 19, 2010 10:44 AM | Reply

The time for armed revolt is fast approaching.
jt replied to comment from alex | March 19, 2010 10:45 AM | Reply

Go back and read the article moron. Caterpillar is not just being forced to insure everyone who works for them,
most, if not all, of whom probably already are insured either through the CAT benefits plan or some other plan
- a spouse's benefit plan or an independently purchased plan. They, and other corporations, are also being
asked to pay substantial additional taxes to insure the uninsured who have nothing to do with Caterpillar.
PNess | March 19, 2010 10:46 AM | Reply
" If you divide $100 million by 624 million, this results in a cost per share of 16 cents. In other words, this isn't
even worth discussing.
HAHAHA, such nubs know nothing about stocks.
if you announce an impact of 16 cents a share on profits your stock is going to TANK.
their earnings per share (EPS) estimate for this year is 2.67
2.67 / 16 = 17% hit to their profits
of course they are just going to pass this extra cost on in the form of layoffs, price increases and moving more
cost to their employees.
so i doubt it will really cost them much of anything
Seen the future | March 19, 2010 10:48 AM | Reply

Protect your pension!!! Just a word to the wise.
Obviously, this hit on corporate America is going to hurt pension funds. Consider whether retirement is a good
option (esp if you work in medical care). Decided retirement was the only way to secure hard-earned pension
money while it is still left to get. Better to have it in your own accounts or invested. Many pension funds are
perilously close to going under--in places you would think are stable, inc. govt jobs. Check the assetts and
laws for your pension funds. Even if it is insured, consider what effect a frozen fund would have if you had to
wait 3 years for a payout to be restored. There may also be a run on funds as more people try to get their
money out. It is going to get even uglier. Batten down the hatches and be prepared to take care of yourself.
Scott replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 10:48 AM | Reply
And what about the 1/4 of 1% that ALL of their suppliers are raising their prices to cover their share of health
care, pretty soon you're talking about $1 Trillion dollars.
Dennis D | March 19, 2010 10:49 AM | Reply

Remember when Obama said Caterpillar promised to start hiring as soon as the Stimulus passed? Well they
laid more people off and disputed what Obama claimed
rkb1 | March 19, 2010 10:50 AM | Reply

Not a surprise. The countries with universal healthcare also have average unemployment twice that of the US
historic average. That's what, 5 million people who will remain unemployed permanently. Have they factored
that into the cost of this bill?
Zman replied to comment from MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 10:50 AM | Reply
Typical short-sighted liberal comment.
Jimmiesue | March 19, 2010 10:50 AM | Reply

I hear more and more people say "I voted for this guy, but never will again" and absoluty no one say "I did'nt
vote for this guy but I will next time because he is doing such a great job" I hope and pray that is national and
Mr O will go back to Chicago!!!
p Maddoxq | March 19, 2010 10:50 AM | Reply

to comment by revolution
I am so tired of people misinterpreting Marie Antoinette's statement "let them eat cake" The peasants came to
the palace, there was no bread, so she said "Let them eat cake." Evidently there was still cake left to be had.
John Michael | March 19, 2010 10:50 AM | Reply

According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, CATERPILLAR SPENT MORE THAN $2.5
MILLION TO LOBBY CONGRESS IN 2009, ALONE. Perhaps they can cut back on those and other costly
and wasteful expenses that aren't necessary for their bottom line huge profits.
big t | March 19, 2010 10:50 AM | Reply

I don't know what people are complaining about, Obummer is just carrying out his campaign promises that the
people electing him for. If you don't like socialism don't vote for a socialist! If you want freedom, vote for people
who value it.
Dhraga replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:51 AM | Reply

We will be paying it anyways... they certainly wont absorb the cost. they will increase the cost of their
products, OR they will lay off people to reduce the costs.
either way, the price comes back to us....
BlueSpringsMo replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:51 AM | Reply

BS, look at the role that Health Savings accounts has played in the state of Indiana's success. Persons are
making decisions with their doctors rather than Washington making those decisions. These state employees
are able to shop for the care the want or need and have big expense coverage that is an answer rather than
impositions by the government rules.
CAT Shareholder replied to comment from ReddiKilowatt | March 19, 2010 10:52 AM | Reply
I did read the article carefully, and noted that CAT only mentioned their anticipated additional cost for the first
year. If they have calculated added costs for future years, they should announce that information publicly.
However, I can't devote any more time to this issue because the weather is great and I'm going out to hug
some trees.
Dale | March 19, 2010 10:53 AM | Reply

I can't believe that Obama is getting rid of (big) shovel ready jobs! This healthcare fiasco is a big mess and
getting worse. Sorry for the dems in November.
Common Poster | March 19, 2010 10:53 AM | Reply

Hello. My name is "Common Poster", and my goal here is to vent all of the frustrations in my life through an
anonymous name so I can share all of my vitriol with the world.
I commonly don't have a job, and that is the President's fault, particularly if the office is held by a Democrat.
I complain about socialism, but I am not quite certain what it is. I did, however, see it on a sign once at an
event, and it sounds bad. I was able to attend that event because I have no job.
I have healthcare insurance since I still live with my parents. No one else should have it, though, because this
is not a nanny state. You should fend for yourself, just like me.
I am currently sitting in my underwear, eating Cheetohs, and perusing Web sites looking for other anonymous
places to post. You can find me on sports Web sites, as well, complaining about how all athletes are
overpaid.
Robert replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 10:54 AM | Reply
You are a morn and fantasy land participant. Give them your money for healthcare but get your hand out of my
pocket. I work hard for a living. I don't care to provide yours as well.
watash60 | March 19, 2010 10:55 AM | Reply

This is why we as a nation can no longer complete global for manufacturing jobs when you add all these taxes
onto our salaries.
What other nation imposes all the types of taxes we have and still can compete.
Paul Divine | March 19, 2010 10:55 AM | Reply

Many of us have recognized from the beginning that this man Obama was controled by some unrecognized
evil spirit. We did not know who he was, where he came from where he had been for most of his life. Yet he
appears from nowhere an garnishes a dollowing faster than any man in history other than Adolf Hitler. The
major news media of this country never asked any questions about him or his past history. The media just
joined with his many worshipers and started pushing him as the German Press did with Hitler in the 1930s.
For me, this indicates that there is something sinister going on here with Obama. Just How did an unknown
flop-eared mulish type individual jump from nothing into the office of president of the United States almost
insantly? Something very weired here. I have heard that Obama believes in VOO DOO powers,could he have
found a way to hypmotise people of this nation by casting his evil VOO DOO powers on many of the people
who looked him in the eye? Just too many things that does not fit into what would be cosidered normal
occurrences.
Oberon123 | March 19, 2010 10:55 AM | Reply

Caterpillar deserves to go bankrupt. They're the lowlifes who make the bulldozers that destroy Palestinian
homes and killed Rachel Corrie. Caterpillar has no morals, which is clearly shown in that they sell their
products, knowing what they'll be used for, to Israel.
DAK | March 19, 2010 10:56 AM | Reply

Doesn't matter. Obama will own Caterpillar in a year or two and will simply order them to sell more equipment.
Isn't that how the economy works at Harvard law and Chicago?
Bonus Man | March 19, 2010 10:58 AM | Reply

2006-2007 executive bonuses totaled around $81 million.
They could always reduce those right? That does not include the nearly $10 million they were all paid.
I'm not sure exactly how rich somebody can get. Don't you think a $5 million salary is pretty good (regardless
of how long they work)?
I'm pretty torn about this. I wonder what Komatsu's bonuses are.
Comrade Boris replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:58 AM | Reply
Very well said Comrade BS...be assured you'll be promoted to a high position in our Party. We need
members like you to speak out the evils of the Capitalist Pigs!!! Together now...LONG LIVE the hammer and
sickle!!! Spread the Wealth!!! Hail Secretary General Obama!!!
Steve | March 19, 2010 10:58 AM | Reply

"Common Poster" describes his democrat self to a T. He, like most other democrats, should get a job though,
instead of expecting the rest of us to pay his way. They all could then actaully begin to understand reality and
our nation's problems would disappear, beginning with Obama and the rest of his fascist cronies.
Dhraga replied to comment from GoWestYoungMan | March 19, 2010 10:58 AM | Reply
Remember that *most* of the Komatsu products made for the US (and Canada) are made in the US and
Canada.
So they will have the same onerous taxes and madates thrown on them...
but Komatsu may simply say we will build them in Japan now....
it will be cheaper.
Fred | March 19, 2010 10:59 AM | Reply

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another...."
Amazed replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 10:59 AM | Reply

Your ignorance is astonishing!! The buyers of Caterpiller's products goes towards their profit. Costs (ie - taxes
- get passed on to the consumer, making CAT products more expensive. More expensive means less CATS
sold. Layoffs occur. Get an education.
HateLibMorons | March 19, 2010 10:59 AM | Reply

Oberon123 | March 19, 2010 10:55 AM | Reply
Caterpillar deserves to go bankrupt. They're the lowlifes who make the bulldozers that destroy Palestinian
homes and killed Rachel Corrie. Caterpillar has no morals, which is clearly shown in that they sell their
products, knowing what they'll be used for, to Israel.
Seriously... so they make thousands of bulldozers and they are responsible for what people use them for? So
we should shoot your mother for releasing an idiot to the world??? You have no common sense. You should
try to go back to school and get an GED so you understand what is really going on and until then leave the
conversations that actually know what they are talking about.
TJP | March 19, 2010 11:00 AM | Reply

Big companies already provide health insurance for their long-term workers, just not workers who are there for
only a few years or months. What the legislation will do basically is force companies to extend insurance as
well to temporary, low-value workers, meaning that the cost of keeping their jobs open will now cost more than
their work is worth, meaning in turn that they will become UNEMPLOYED. Unemployed workers are on the
dole for both health care AND cost of living, meaning the taxpayer is out more money and the national GDP
takes a hit at the same time.
The only alternative is of course to pass the cost along to you, meaning huge price increases for everything
across the board and essentially a large additional income tax. If you think the legislation is a good idea, you
have very little economic foresight.
debbee | March 19, 2010 11:00 AM | Reply

If this abomination passes, our healthcare industry will have the federal government as overhead.
But the quality and cost of healthcare won't suffer, they tell us.
*Ahem* The last time I made a trip to the Post Office, I was looking to see what time it was, and sure enough,
the clock had been hidden from view around a corner. So, instead of finding ways to run a more efficient mail
system, they hide the clock.
Thomas | March 19, 2010 11:01 AM | Reply

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural
manure."
Mabel | March 19, 2010 11:02 AM | Reply

ObamaCare -- Shipping More Jobs To China
JDS replied to comment from John | March 19, 2010 11:02 AM | Reply
You are wrong. The CEO from CAT refuted just about everything Obama said regarding the hiring of new
employees.

Like little babies CAT will threaten to take their ball and go home - this is the childish threat from all our
wonderful coporations that have made billions doing business in America. They would rather cut their nose off
to spite their face than distribute the profits equitably. Greed is a primitve emotion.
Capitalist Pig | March 19, 2010 11:03 AM | Reply
elbeau said - "So, what's $100,000,000 divided by $32,396,000,000? It's 0.3% of their revenue!.... Suck it up
and give your employees the benefits they deserve Cat!"
news flash elbeau and other closet socialists - revenue is not profit, and your cries for redistributing wealth are
pathetic. you obviously come from the same (political) school of finance as the marxists running washington
now, or maybe you just skipped finance 101 all together?
if and when they pass this bill, it will be the end of the best medical system on the planet - sure everyone will
have "insurance" and the government is going to say what the fair cost of procedures and treatments is and
how much they will pay - but when 20-40% of doctors and medical professionals simply quit who will you see
when you're sick? you and the additional 30 million "needy"? hmmmm?
they have similar economic programs in hugo's paradise and other marxist countries - sure the price of basic
products is set at a "fair price" by the gummint, it's just a shame that nobody will produce or sell it at that
marxist set price, so none of it is available to anyone except the elite marxists - cool huh?
ask the marxists running cuba why there is a shortage of food on an island surrounded by ocean and fish?
can't be those evil fish companies making an evil profit, not in a communist country... so what could the
problem be?
WAKE UP AMERICA BEFORE MARXISTS DESTROY THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!
AnJ1 replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 11:05 AM | Reply
@tank johnson - haven't you heard? We're at nearly 10% unemployment without counting the people who have
given up looking. Count them and it's closer to 16%. Employees are less concerned about being kept "happy"
and more concerned with being kept on. Tank is a typical liberal who regards a business as sort of a fact of
nature, like the sun rising in the morning, rather than the result of groups of people putting their assets and
ass*s on the line in the hope of making money. Those people will change their minds when the hope of
making money evaporates, and then the business evaporates. In case you haven't noticed, that is what's been
going on for the last two years.
I only have one employee. I pay her $30 an hour but provide her no health insurance. She buys her own, just
like I do. If this bill passes and gets implemented and I'm required to buy her insurance and my own cost goes
up because of all the added mandates, either her hourly rate will go down enough to cover the cost, plus the
cost of hiring the accountant to make sure I'm doing things right, or she'll be out of a job and I'll take my nest
egg and retire. (Which, by the way, will lessen competition in my field, harming consumers, and will lessen
demand for the products my business buys, harming other businesses.) I'm not going to keep a business
open as a charity draining my retirement funds.
Liberals think only employees can go on strike. Liberals don't understand that productive people will not just
allow themselves to be drained dry. We can and do go on strike, too.
Patriot | March 19, 2010 11:06 AM | Reply

The citizens of this country (the producers....not the parasitic moochers) need to bring back tar and feathers.
That way, we can parade these socialist clowns (obama, pelosi, reid) in front of the US capitol, and make an
example out them as to what happens when they go against the will of the people.
Tim lil Wayne replied to comment from Tim Wayne | March 19, 2010 11:06 AM | Reply
Like little babies CAT will threaten to take their ball and go home - this is the childish threat from all our
to spite their face than distribute the profits equitably. Greed is a primitve emotion.
By this you mean they should give their profits from their work to those that choose to do nothing? Have a
401k? Well you will pay for it when they lose money and along with all the other companies that have to pay
more to insure those that do not even work for their company. I hope you are one of those that were are will be
laid off. Get your hand out sir, wouldn't want you to work for your own money. I pay for my families ins, do not
intend to pay for yours as well.
Really? | March 19, 2010 11:07 AM | Reply

Its not only going to cost you 16 cents. The price of everything will rise. It will put another burden on small and
mid size companies forcing them out of busness. I think its really funny that Dem's say that they want to
make the middle case bigger and reduce the poor case. Want they really want to do it get rid of the middle
and make everyone poor. That way you need to depend on the nanny state for Food, Health and Education.
This started many years ago. I was born in the early 80's and the movement to craddle childern and young
adults from the struggles of real life has left some American's crying for the teet of the goverment to suck on.
Its a real shame that AMERICA has these people in charge because they stand AGAINST EVERYTHING that
this Country was founded upon.
If you need a teet to suck on in order to live. I am sure the England, China, France and Canada would be more
and happy to have you.
Comrade Boris replied to comment from Amazed | March 19, 2010 11:08 AM | Reply
DEAR AMAZED - It is my honor to inform you that Comrade BS is now a highly valued operative in our Party.
Comrade BS doesn't need an education like you. Comrade BS may end up enlisting to our secret police boot
camp someday - so be nice? DA?
JOE H. | March 19, 2010 11:08 AM | Reply

If Obamacare passes......32 million people will suddenly have health care with no additional doctors, nurses,
clinics or hospitals. How is this going to work? HEALTHCARE RATIONING is the answer. Nobody is going to
be happy with this fiasco !
AlwaysRight | March 19, 2010 11:09 AM | Reply

So it took Caterpillar management 16 months to figure out that supporting a Marxist/Socialist win the election
will not help their business thrive. It's a little late to wake up to reality.
What's next? Maybe we should adopt Greece as our 58th state and use them as our model of economic
growth.
MDToBe | March 19, 2010 11:11 AM | Reply

In all honesty, I don't blame the CAT CEOs if they cut bait and run if this terrible excuse for health care reform
passes. To all of you above complaining about how much they make, there is a reason they make as much
as they do. It's because they have worked harder, sacrificed more and have been faced with more tough
decisions and business gambles than you could possibly ever imagine. They are in charge of a multi-billion
dollar company with thousands if not millions of investors who depend on them to create returns for them
which will hopefully pay off. Because of that they take risks and make decisions that your everyday American
does not have to face. If those decisions don't pay off, the results have far greater consequences than most
American's day to day decisions. There is a reason that people get paid the salaries they do in this country
and its all about the level of education they have obtained, the hours they have put in in the workforce and the
fact that they were willing to go the extra miles that most people are not. If you are unhappy with the lot you
have in life, quit complaining about it and do something to better yourself. You are not entitled to anything in
this country, you only reap what you sow.
Jenna K | March 19, 2010 11:12 AM | Reply

The government doesn't *want* Caterpillar to be able to afford it. They want Caterpillar employees forced off
and into their plan. So it begins. And all because people decided to buy plasma televisions instead of health
insurance and felt entitled to complain that the government wasn't taking care of them. It is a very sad day in
America. The constitution was supposed to protect us from exactly this sort of tyranny.
Kat | March 19, 2010 11:14 AM | Reply

Let me get this straight......we're trying to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman
says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, To
be signed by a president that also hasn't read it and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury
chief who didn't pay his taxes, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a
country that's broke.
Usepious Fugg | March 19, 2010 11:17 AM | Reply

$100 million equates to over 1300 jobs at $50,000 per year plus benefits. This is only at one company.
Imagine how many additional jobs will be lost. As a business owner, with employees already laid off, I will
have to lay more people of or close my doors if this sinister bill goes through. If this Bozo of a president and
Congress continue on this path, the illegals can have this country. SEIU will see to it.
Dan | March 19, 2010 11:19 AM | Reply

How many company jobs will cat have to cut to pay for this? All of them.
RON | March 19, 2010 11:20 AM | Reply

Now it begins. Obama and his crew are going to bring down all the big and small businesses in this country.
Socialism 101.
This has been the plan all along. Make us more like his fellow travelers in the communist world.
Texas Economist | March 19, 2010 11:21 AM | Reply

For all you libs on this blog, like BS, Illinois is already running Caterpillar out of town. In case you missed it,
they are moving their two engine plants to a new plant they are building in Seguin, TX. Now Obama wants to
run companies across the border to Maquilladoras which are still booming.
The Obama bill will end private health insurance within five years (which is their plan). Then we will have to go
before their panels which were in the stimulus bill (Section XIV).
MassGuy | March 19, 2010 11:21 AM | Reply

How will the Peoples Republic Of America handle those companies that are forced or choose to close thier
doors because they cannot absorb the mandated health cost increases? Will Dear Leader Obama force the
owners to remain open and operate under federal, er, politbeauro control? Hows that Hope and Change
working for you Obama supporters now, knowing that the inevitable demise of capitalism is not only a
possibility but a dead center certainy within the next four years.
T | March 19, 2010 11:22 AM | Reply

So Cat will be forced to provide health care for its workers instead of foisting that responsibility off on the US
Taxpayer and local hospitals/emergency rooms?
Oh, the horror. THE HORROR!!
Shazam replied to comment from MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 11:23 AM | Reply
More likely, it'll be the people at the end of the assembly line who feel the pinch. Seems that whenever
legislation is passed to "stick it to the wealthy" they find a way to maneuver around it. Think...Jobs moving
overseas, closing plants here, limiting hours of US employees, transitioning to contracted employees, etc.
etc. etc.
Rob | March 19, 2010 11:23 AM | Reply

Why ANYONE wants the government to be more powerful is beyond me.
I looked at the health care bill and it will create 17,000 MORE IRS jobs! SEVENTEEN THOUSAND MORE
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE JOBS! You like the IRS????? You want a bigger and stronger IRS?? You
want bigger and more powerful federal governmetn??? Their job will be to track you down if you don't buy
insurance.
STOP THEM!
larryd replied to comment from MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 11:23 AM | Reply
Another moocher heard from.
JB | March 19, 2010 11:24 AM | Reply

Manufacturing is going to be toast in this country. It's sad...but this seems like is the government's plan.
A Dude replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 11:25 AM | Reply

CAT already pays it's way dumb ass!

Total compensation for 8 executives was over $55 million. Total compensation for top 20 could cover the $100
million cost for 43,251 US employees.
Utah Botox | March 19, 2010 11:28 AM | Reply

And the Democrats wonder why companies aren't hiring. The administration's policies on health, finance,
climate, and taxes will suck the life out of this economy. Can't wait for November 2012 to drop this loser as
president.

I wonder if it occurs to anyone that Caterpillar hires what they call supplimental workers...workers without
benefits, and it's hard telling how many workers in right to work states in different capacities are probably
without benefits. No. There are two entities that I don't trust. At the top of the list is the corporate entity, and
the second is bought and paid for politicians. I consider this type proclamation the same as when the
government claims the unemployment has dropped, when all that has really happened is that people are
running out of unemployment insurance, and they've been dropped from the rolls.
KyBlessed replied to comment from RBH | March 19, 2010 11:30 AM | Reply
Bingo. That's their goal. The willful, purposeful managing of the decline and destruction of government the way
the Founders envisioned it.
proud Texan | March 19, 2010 11:31 AM | Reply

For those who believe the Caterpillar Corp. Should pay for medicare to people who DO NOT WORK for
Caterpillar and that is a good thing, it will be cheaper to shut the doors fire the employees and start over in
China.
For those who think Caterpillar employees want to look for new jobs, perhaps instead of collecting welfare and
medicare you should try to get a job yourself, since O-job took office a lot of jobs have gone away and they
are NEVER coming back. So when the people you desperately count on to allow you to stay at home and
play video games or make uninformed comments on websites, are themselves unemployed where will you get
your check from? Will you get it from those magical Obama dollars?
So when this house of cards come crumbling down, all you bums are going to have to find a survival skill set,
the productive workers are not going to foot the bill much longer. So enjoy your PS3 and cartoon network
while you can soon you will be begging in the street, then starving in it, then dying in it. (as the universe
intended for all non-productive creatures.)
Sam Beezor | March 19, 2010 11:31 AM | Reply
If this passes, remember it in November and get it repealed.
Carole | March 19, 2010 11:32 AM | Reply

"Has anyone bothered to ask Romney how to solve the healthcare crisis? He solved it in Massachusetts"
Duh! The healthcare system is causing bamkruptcy in Massachusetts. I seriously doubt Romney would be
welcome there.
The government health destruction bill will pass because Pelosi and Slaughter will "deem" it so. By hook and
crook, despite the rule of law and the Constitution, America will be forced to swallow this disaster. We are
done. We are now officially a third world country.
Henry chance | March 19, 2010 11:32 AM | Reply

Caterpilliar can move some castings and other work to Mexico to cut costs. IBM moved about 8,000 jobs very
suddenly to India. I am sure Cat pays it's leaders well. Maybe even as much as 1/4th of what Gubment pays
execs at gubment owned GM, AIG and Fannie or Freddie.
T | March 19, 2010 11:32 AM | Reply

T | March 19, 2010 11:22 AM | Reply
So Cat will be forced to provide health care for its workers instead of foisting that responsibility off on the US
Taxpayer and local hospitals/emergency rooms?
Oh, the horror. THE HORROR!!
They currently give their employees great healthcare, it's the fact they have to now pay for the healthcare of
those that do not even work for them, or yet work at all... Atleast know what you are talking about before
inserting foot in mouth.
Joe The Mechanic | March 19, 2010 11:34 AM | Reply

Great Bill. Another way of government interference that will cause more companies to either go out of
business, or shift operations to a foreign country. I don't think the country can afford to wait until 2012 to vote
Obumbles out, RECALL him NOW. This is disgraceful. Nancy Pelosi should be tried for treason and then
hung at high noon.
Voice of Reason | March 19, 2010 11:35 AM | Reply

I can't believe all you idiots. Cat's benefits bill is going to go up by $100 million whether this legislation passes
or not. Health care costs are going up by 10% annually right now. How much do you think CAT is paying for
health care currently? About $1 billion. What's 10% of $1 billion? $100 million.
If this bill doesn't pass, you will see companies dropping health coverage anyway, because it costs too much.
I have health insurance and when my son went into the hospital for one day, the hospital billed $10,000.
Insurance covered 60%, I still owed $4k. And i'm paying $7200/year for this "great" insurance. Something has
to be done.
And by the way, the US has one of the lowest tax rates in the world. Most of the other countries pay
significantly higher taxes. Companies move their operations overseas because they don't have to pay for
healthcare (Foreign govt's pay for it) and wages are lower.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Reform has to be done.
Only facts | March 19, 2010 11:38 AM | Reply

Total compensation for 8 executives was over $55 million. Total compensation for top 20 could cover the $100
million cost for 43,251 US employees.
So you are ok with your company taking money from you to give to those that make less then you... or is it
just the rich that worked hard you think should have moeny they EARNED taken from them? So let's say you
make $50,000, you should give 25% of your check to those in your city that make less then you... let's make
it fair for those that are sitting in Govnt housing, eating taxpayer bought food, while they drive their caddy's
with the big spinner wheels.
Dan R | March 19, 2010 11:38 AM | Reply

Just think the days of any kind of job security will be gone, everyone will become contractors and have
responsibility for providing their own healthcare. Or if the companies take the additional hit of the cost of this
program it will be passed on to the consumer, that US folks... Bottom, the middle and lower income folks are
going to pay the tax its just a pass through to the consumer.
Robert Bobson | March 19, 2010 11:38 AM | Reply
First they complain that the government is shouldering too many costs with this new health care. Then they
complain that private industry is being made to pay for it?
Seems to me, Caterpillar would just prefer their poor workers to have no decent coverage at all. Nice one. Did
you learn that behavior on Wall Street?
CM replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 11:40 AM | Reply
CAT Shareholder - you have no idea what you are talking about. Stop pretending to understand economics or
an equity market valuation, because you obviously know nothing.
Craig | March 19, 2010 11:40 AM | Reply

I am a former York, PA resident. CAT used to employ thousands in York until they moved because of
unatractive economic conditions (taxation, union demands). The same will happen this time at CATs other
locations. If a company has such overwhelming economic barriers, it cannot compete with foreign
competitors. CAT will have no choice if it wants to survive but to move operations out of the country. It has
nothing to do with idealism and greed, it is simple economics and survival.
I hope that all of you who are falling for the politics of class warfare being spread by this administration will
remember the good old days when a company with a healthy prfit margin was not considered to be a devil.
You will have plenty of time to contemplate the good old days as you wait for your unemployment check to
arrive. All of you who are in favor of punishing private companies because you hear of millions or billions in
profit are foolish. Profit in a publically owned company IS returned to the people in the form of higher stock
value, reinvestment in capital equipment, and jobs / wages.
Hope and change!
I HOPE my own company can weather these moronic OBAMA/PELOSI/REID policies and I can keep my job.
I hope I have enough CHANGE in my pocket after paying the IRS to fill my gas tank and by groceries.

I wonder if it occurs to anyone that Caterpillar hires what they call supplimental workers...workers without
benefits, and it's hard telling how many workers in right to work states in different capacities are probably
without benefits. No. There are two entities that I don't trust. At the top of the list is the corporate entity, and
the second is bought and paid for politicians. I consider this type proclamation the same as when the
government claims the unemployment has dropped, when all that has really happened is that people are
running out of unemployment insurance, and they've been dropped from the rolls. Yep...I bet they are a little
upset...They've worked so hard to become an industrial walmart, and now they will be required to pay health
insurance. My heart bleeds for them. I'll bet this bill does cut into their profit. I figure they can make up for it by
robbing the rest of the worlds impoverished workers(Chinese, Mexican, Germans...etc), since no matter what
we do here, they're going to move jobs out of the country anyway.
MBA | March 19, 2010 11:41 AM | Reply

A company's mission is to enhance share holders' value, period. Companies pay competitive salaries and
benefits to attract the best possible employees so they can make a good product. A globally competitive
company like CAT will have an additional cost of $100 million it has to find somewhere in its pockets. The
boobs saying just take $.16 from the stock price are clearly living a world filled with unicorns and rivers made
of chocolate. This is a matter of cash flow and CAT will have to either cut costs or raise its prices or some of
both. Raising prices makes them less competitive against foreign companies. Sales will fall, production will
fall, and employees get canned. Cutting costs also involves targeting the highest fixed and variable
costs...which includes labor. Either way, if you increase the cost of doing business in the US jobs will be lost.
This is business econ 101.
Some Young Guy | March 19, 2010 11:41 AM | Reply

Just when you think there will never be a far worse president then Jimmy Carter, BAM, along comes Obama. I
hope everyone of you arrogant SOB politicians in D.C., who continue to represent Obama instead of your
constituents, gets FIRED in November. You people are truly disgraceful and should all be rounded up and
detained at Gitmo for being traitors who spit on our Constitution.
Brent | March 19, 2010 11:43 AM | Reply

Dear Conservatives,
How does it feel to be completely bamboozled by insurance-company propaganda? You should also know
that every time you equate Obama and Democrats to Marxists and Communists, you fall deeper into the
brainwashed whack-job category. It's laughable. It's not to say that healthcare is good or bad, it just shows
how easy it is to get you so worked up with fear, that you resort to believing that the country is being TAKEN
OVER. Why don't you go hoard your guns and wait for the coming apocalypse and destruction of this country
that you are sure that this bill is going to usher in.
voice of reason | March 19, 2010 11:44 AM | Reply

I can't believe all you idiots. Cat's benefits bill is going to go up by $100 million whether this legislation passes
or not. Health care costs are going up by 10% annually right now. How much do you think CAT is paying for
health care currently? About $1 billion. What's 10% of $1 billion? $100 million.
If this bill doesn't pass, you will see companies dropping health coverage anyway, because it costs too much.
I have health insurance and when my son went into the hospital for one day, the hospital billed $10,000.
Insurance covered 60%, I still owed $4k. And i'm paying $7200/year for this "great" insurance. Something has
to be done.
Hmmmm so it still ok for a company to have to cover the insurance cost for those that do nothing for their
company. Go down the street and give out paychecks to guys and ask them to do nothing for it. I bet you do
not hand out many checks before you realize your going to be broke... then again that may be giving your
education level a big benifit of doubt. The poorest people are still living in great comfort to the poorest in the
rest of the world. Look up some time. I am tired of paying 45% in taxes and see very little in return for it. Yet I
was at a store the other day and watched a guy buy all this food with his food stamps and then bought a 50"
flat screen tv with cash in his pocket and then walk out to see him putting it in a brand new car. Glad I could
make it easier for him to afford that 50" tv that he had the money for but didn't have the money to put food on
his table.
And by the way, the US has one of the lowest tax rates in the world. Most of the other countries pay
significantly higher taxes. Companies move their operations overseas because they don't have to pay for
healthcare (Foreign govt's pay for it) and wages are lower.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Reform has to be done.

Why is everyone okay with spending $20 billion a month on a war that was paid for by increasing government
debt (and ultimately burdening taxpayers), but a health care program that is paid for and will be driven by
PRIVATE insurance companies is socialist?
Working in Cat's Shadow replied to comment from MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 11:47 AM | Reply
Mixed News for Caterpillar
By WEEK Producer
Story Published: Mar 18, 2010 at 9:15 PM CDT
Caterpillar announced on Thursday that North American sales for February were down 30% from the year
before.
That's actually an improvement, since sales for December and November were off 40% from the previous year.
Caterpillar this week also said it was eliminating 121 jobs in Clayton, North Carolina, the company's wheel-
loader and back-hoe plant. But, the announcement was expected.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
Caterpillar is moving back-hoe production to England, and plans to make all of its wheel-loaders at an
improved Clayton facility.
The announcement came the same day Caterpillar announced it planned to hire 500 workers at its generator
plant in Newberry, S.C., over the next 4 years.
Starvin Marvin | March 19, 2010 11:47 AM | Reply

Hey Brent, time to take your meds and chase it with a nice cool glass of Demodope Kool-Aid.
William | March 19, 2010 11:47 AM | Reply

I am amazed at all the experts on this board pontificating on the effects of this bill. The HR boss at Caterpillar
spews out some numbers and we are all going crazy. Companies have been shipping jobs overseas, shedding
jobs and giving different reasons for these actions for the past 10 years, to what do you attribute this? All of a
sudden you know for sure that this bill will shift jobs overseas. Show me the wise advise or counsel you gave
the government in the years leading to the tanking of this economy just 13 months ago and I will believe your
analysis.
Brian | March 19, 2010 11:47 AM | Reply

Probably what will happen is that personal health care will get so expensive that the average worker, like
myself, will have to choose a plan that is expensive, yet pays for practically nothing. It got closer to that this
year.
greg | March 19, 2010 11:49 AM | Reply

Wow 20% increase? how much more would the insurers increase it without the health plan? They jacked
upped rates for this year in January thinking they were scot free. now they have to scramble and put out as
much negative stuff as they can. DOCTORS SHOULD NOT BE MILLIONAIRES!!!!!!!!!
Robert Bobson | March 19, 2010 11:49 AM | Reply

Sorry everyone, I realize I am just a fool and do not know what I am talking about. Please forgive me as I am
just a progressive without much education. My earlier comment was just dumb. I didn't realize that CAT does
give it's employees insurance, I just didn't realize the company was now having to pay for the insurance of
those who do nothing with their lives, cause I am one of those people.
If anyone has a job that I can put on my unemployment application as trying to get a job... that would be great
so I can collect more unemployment. Thanks in advance!
Unknown Primate | March 19, 2010 11:50 AM | Reply

Remember the CEO of Cat standing alongside Barry Sotero (Barak's alias) during the stimulus bill talks? I am
sorry that many Cat employees will surely lose their jobs due to this forced government robbery, but I can't
help feeling a bit of satisfaction now that cat's close alliance with the usurper is going to cost them
$100,000,000 in the first year alone. This is what you get when you hold a rattlesnake close to your chest.
President Obama, his first lady "Chewbaca" and all of his evil underlings will twist truths, arms, and exposed
naked parts in the showers (Rahm Emanuel, Mr. dual citizenship himself)to bring to it's knees and ultimately
destroy this once proud and free country. This "law" will cause more jobs to flee overseas and greater
unemployment than can be imagined by the most brainwashed liberal supporter. I have got to say it folks,
start preparations for economic disaster NOW!!!!!
Cat Layoff | March 19, 2010 11:51 AM | Reply

Just released Cat set to layoff workers in NC. They are going to send the factory responsibilities to England. I
would if Obamo will factor this in his jobs lose numbers.
Barry | March 19, 2010 11:51 AM | Reply

Hey, can someone count how many times Obama is being referred to as a Communist or Marxist in these
comments?
Bravo Republicans, I'll give you this. You guys are great at coming up with these brilliantly branded fear-
phrases! You've got regular people calling for Nancy Pelosi to be hung. Way to go! Long live fear!
voice of reason | March 19, 2010 11:51 AM | Reply

Hi. My name is voice of reason. Can you tell that I am a kool-aid drinking demodope board troll, sent here by
the local Chicago ACORN chapter, to spam the board with the same crap posted over and over again? It's
true, we demodopes love to piss on the Constitution. Next month we are going to install cameras in your
home and workplaces so we can keep a very close eye on you, comrades.
bj replied to comment from jman | March 19, 2010 11:51 AM | Reply

This was all made up by 0, Cat president said he never made comments supporting the stimulus like 0
claimed...
gary replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 11:53 AM | Reply
You clearly have no clue, CAT shareholder. The cost will not be 16 cents for each share, it doesn't work that
way. The cost is 100M of company profits, which will be paid by employees - cutting salaries and jobs. Or the
company will decide to start moving out of the
US. Period. This company will not just swallow this cost, and neither will any other.
Rob D replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 11:54 AM | Reply

Not if the healthcare package fails! THAT should be our #1 goal right now. Anyone else now see why Rush
Limbaugh said he wanted Obama to fail? I do too! It's simple really. If he fails we the people win!
bj | March 19, 2010 11:54 AM | Reply

DOCTORS SHOULD NOT BE MILLIONAIRES!!!!!!!!!
^ IDIOT
Barry | March 19, 2010 11:57 AM | Reply

Hi. My name is Barry the Douchebag, and I'm a card carrying deaf, dumb and blind member of the DNC.
natb1 | March 19, 2010 11:58 AM | Reply

Union leadership brainwashes their members into thinking their employer is their enemy. Members contribute
to, and vote for eneimies of the company, who then drive "the man" into to ground. The "big evil corporation"
then has to choose betweeen.
A. Raise prices and loose sales, which leads to a smaller company that lays people off. This makes the
unskilled employees who cant find work angry with the company
B. Reduce salary and benefits which makes the un-skilled, uneducated screwdriver operator mad at the
company. This is not an option as they are a union.
Didnt some bill put all the caterpillar workers back to work? What happended to the Columbia deal?
Heres an idea...what if all the earth moving companies formed a union, so if one company was being struck
against, all the earth moving companies could have a lock out.
OR.....how about competing unions of unskilled, uneducated, screwdriver operators? If one union gets to
greedy or abusive, using its money and votes to attack industry, the entire union could be replaced by another
union of unionized unskilled, uneducated screwdriver operators who were not quite as abusive or greedy?
annie | March 19, 2010 11:59 AM | Reply

For those of you who are like me and CAN"T STAND IT ANYMORE, join with other patriots. We need to try to
work within the current framework and laws to stop this tyrannical insanity. Go to
http://www.the912project.com/ and look for local groups. This is a NON-partisan grassroots movement to take
our country back. Do it NOW, and send it on to everyone on your email list. I hate to think that we fought a
war of revolution against the tyranny of King George III, only to be back to square one with the imminent
TYRANNY of the Barrack Hussein Obama administration!
starvin marvin | March 19, 2010 11:59 AM | Reply

Hi. My name is starvin marvin. Can you tell that I am angry blue collar conservative republican't who can't think
for himself but spews Beck-isms over and over again. It's true I hate communists and socialists but love the
Constitution. That's why I supported the Patriot Act (that let the governement listen in to all phone
coversations and emails) and I love George W Bush! Best President Ever. He didn't create this economic
crisis by paying for wars with debt and eliminating estate taxes with no other source of revenue to take their
place.
Long live conservative Republican'ts!!!
Nancy Puglosi | March 19, 2010 12:01 PM | Reply

What's the difference between Nancy and Harry? Nancy's the one with the pair of balls.
Brent | March 19, 2010 12:01 PM | Reply

Dear Conservatives,
My earlier post was just to dumb for many to comment on. I do admit I like the idea of having the Gov't tell me
what surgery I can have and the ones too expensive and will just give me pills to deal with the pain. That is
what I want for my family but I am sorry for making it sound like it was a plan for all. After all, the gov't only
announced that it changing the testing for having women tested for brest cancer to every 2 years starting at
age 40 instead of the current plan to test every year starting when 30... I like this idea cause my wife is a pain
in the butt and I just hope she gets cancer and we wont know about it till it's to late do anything. The new
breast cancer policy issued by the govn't is something that will save many lives by having less tests done to
detect the cancer. Remember ladies, the govn't doesnt even want you to do a self check... cause you might
find something and demand it gets treated.
Paul Murphy | March 19, 2010 12:02 PM | Reply

This wouldn't be happening if Harry Reid were alive....
natb1 replied to comment from Craig | March 19, 2010 12:02 PM | Reply
Well put Graig @ 10:40AM.
Someone bump this post to the top. Better yet, PRINT THIS ON YOUR FRONT PAGE TOMORROW!
hellotherefromks | March 19, 2010 12:02 PM | Reply

Neat-o. Then the Govt can bail out CAT and then they'll eventually own them too ! I see how it works now.
jOHN gALT | March 19, 2010 12:05 PM | Reply

Here's a simple solution for Catepillar:
LAYOFF UNION WORKERS!!

BigDawg replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 12:06 PM | Reply
Man you have alot of time on your hands. Should you be working?
workingforCAT | March 19, 2010 12:07 PM | Reply

CAT probably spends $1 Billion / year on health for around 80,000 active employees + retirees. Companies
that supply CAT probably exceed this amount. Although any big company has its problems and you can
always find people who complain, CAT is generally moral & upfront about its business practices. To keep
people employed, it must compete worldwide. CAT has taken a number of steps over the last few years to cut
the cost of health care (some things have been unpopular with employees, others have been reasonable). The
burden of the proposed health care program, combined with the next few years of EPA emissions laws will
add a lot (10 - 20%) to the cost of products. I expect that other companies are seeing similiar stress. If jobs
are lost, then no one wins - individuals, state & federal government - ultimately all of us. I'll bet that CAT &
other companies are far more efficient in their use of profit than our state & federal governments. (Any
government that continually runs deficits year after year doesn't have their finances under control). And frankly
neither Democrats or Republicans are (apparently) motivated to fix this. This isn't just about health care - it's
about having political leaders with fiscal responsibility. We haven't had these kind of leaders for quite some
time - in either party. Since almost all of the states & the federal goverment are in debt, and have track
records of financial irresponsibility, I'm concerned that our political system is not constructed to promote
financial health. Companies that don't have this under control go out of business. Governments that don't keep
it under control eventually have very unpleasant consequences (de-valuation of currency, inflation, declining
standard of living, revolutions, etc. ).
BG replied to comment from Tim Wayne | March 19, 2010 12:07 PM | Reply
"Like little babies CAT will threaten to take their ball and go home - this is the childish threat from all our
to spite their face than distribute the profits equitably. Greed is a primitve emotion."
What's childish is the expectation that other working people, investors, and producers owe you the results of
their capital and labor. The definition of greed is expecting something for nothing. Producers are not slaves
that you can force to work for your benefit, while you contribute nothing. You don't understand the basics of
economics. What do you thinks works better then capitalism? Have any concrete examples? Cat will move
those jobs overseas not because they are childish, but because they want to stay in business. A lot of others
wont have the option and will close the doors. More still will get out of business becauses the effort to keep a
business going isnt worth it anymore in this kind of environment. When that point is reached, where are you
going to find all of that "other peoples money". You are about to get an education in economics whether you
want to or not, you are just not intelligent enough to realize it.
Jon Stark | March 19, 2010 12:07 PM | Reply

If the bill passes Sunday, the price of ammunition will go up.
Wouldn't be surprised if they try to cancel the fall elections.
Before this is over we may have to lock and load.
Ben Gleck | March 19, 2010 12:09 PM | Reply

Here's a simple solution for Caterpillar.
Move all production overseas to China so that CAT can pay $20/day wages and Chinese government will pay
the healthcare bill for employees and keep 1/2 the profits that CAT generates.
MBA | March 19, 2010 12:10 PM | Reply

It's funny how the liberal posters make emotional, juvenile, and shallow arguments with no factual evidence to
support their position. I saw one posting from Voice of Reason that attempted to insert some facts.
Unfortunately, he/she got it wrong or lied...the US does not "have one of the lowest tax rates in the world". It
has the second highest corporate tax rate on the planet.
Gary replied to comment from Barry | March 19, 2010 12:11 PM | Reply
Hey Barry. He is. Read his books? Know anything about his mentors? No president, in the history of the
United States, has bashed private industry like this moron. He is what he is. Face it. The best we can hope
for is to make sure his every legislative move like Obamacare, cap-and-tax, card check, immigration reform,
gets bogged down in details and the morass of D.C. politics. Then, neuter him in November (wait, he can't be
neutered...he has none), rendering him harmless and finally do away with him in November 2012. His
presidency is a plague on the U.S. He will go down as the absolute worst president in the history of this
country.
natb1 | March 19, 2010 12:11 PM | Reply

er...Craig @ 11:40AM 8o)
Bill replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 12:12 PM | Reply
Tank, what happens when the invisible hand can't find a job to lead the associate to? In order to stay in
business the company has to turn a profit. If the cost of doing business goes up $100m one of two things have
to happen. A, the company cuts costs and raises prices or B, they go out of business. It sounds to me like
you would like an option C, let the government run the business. They can't even turn a profit with the US
Postal Service let alone a business that produce goods and or delivers a service.
Respectfully,
Bill
Bob replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 12:12 PM | Reply
You are wrong. It is all about their shareholders. Those are the people that own the company. Corporations do
not exist to employee people. Corporations exist to create goods and services and to return a profit to those
who have risked their own personal capital to see a return on that investment. People have many choices as
to who they work for and they are free to go and work for another entity. You speak like a true SEIU member.
Workers of the world unite
Top Gun replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 12:15 PM | Reply
Cat Sharholder
That math works for 1 share. I think you are missing the big picture.
Kramer | March 19, 2010 12:17 PM | Reply

"If we lose freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth."
Ronald Reagan October 27, 1964
Soon-to-be Former Small Business Owner | March 19, 2010 12:18 PM | Reply
Remember that Barrack Obama-Bin Ladin is a Harvard-trained "Constitutional lawyer".
Kinda makes me wonder whose constitution he studied to model his presidential style after - Kenya,
Indonesia, Soviet Union, North Korea, Israel, or just plain Sharia Muslim?
President Boogerhead replied to comment from Brent | March 19, 2010 12:18 PM | Reply
Brent, maybe you should explain things in simpler terms so the other members of our great Democrap party
can understand what you are saying. After all, most of our members never made it past the sixth grade, failed
Hooked on Phonics, and depend on what's left of the work force in America to support them. Handouts for
everyone. Twinkie anyone?
Gary | March 19, 2010 12:18 PM | Reply

Remember the state of the union speech where POTUS said he was now going to focus on jobs like a laser?
Well, fools we are. He is focusing on jobs. He is focused on ELIMINATING MORE OF THEM! This h/c bill will
drive up the misery index even further, eliminating many, many more jobs. Cloward/Piven strategy in action.
Voice of Reason | March 19, 2010 12:20 PM | Reply

For MBA,
It's interesting how you say liberals are emotional, because all I see on this site is Conservatives screaming in
fear about the communist takeover.
And while the corporate tax rate in the US is high, the personal tax rate is very, very low.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_rates_around_the_world
AND of course as most conservatives here will tell you, the corporate tax rate in this country is really ZERO,
because they pass the tax onto the consumer anyway.
alao | March 19, 2010 12:23 PM | Reply

I love it when liberals complain about "outsourcing" and corporations who ship jobs overseas... It's hilarious
because day after day we see that liberals are the main reason why corporations pack up and flee the
country! Labor unions, price controls, environmental regulations, healthcare regulations - and hundreds of
thousands of pages of new rules and regulations the federal government issues every year. Businesses leave
the country to get away from the Democratic Party! I mean, seriously. One of our major parties is openly and
proudly hostile to businesses - and we all wonder why our jobs are going overseas?
President Barack Stalin replied to comment from Gary | March 19, 2010 12:25 PM | Reply
Gary, are you saying that I once again misled the American people during my state of the union address,
when I told everyone that "I got the message" and would instead focus on the severe high unemployment
affecting this country? You really didn't take me seriously, did you?
royl replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 12:25 PM | Reply
You know nothing of corporate finance, economics, stock ownership, etc...
If CAT incurs added expense of $.16/share in one year it:

- lowers their stock price by $6.62/share based on the current p/e ratio
- essentially increases their tax obligation by %14 given what they've paid in income taxes the last three years
- Makes them less competitive because their costs have just gone up which will in turn force them to forego
sales they would have otherwise made
- Increases the hurdle rate for new investments because of the effect of taxes or costs. That means less
investment, less growth, and a lower P/E which could decrease the stock price by, who knows, 20% by
itself??
- another way, CAT incurs a one-time hit to their net worth of $4 billion. The formula for the value of an annuity
is $100mm / 2.5% (guaranteed rate of return on treasuries) = $4bn. Check your finance 101 book again in
chapter 3. Oh yeah, you did not take finance 101.
Bill_a_bob | March 19, 2010 12:25 PM | Reply

Maybe their jackhole CEO will use thinner metal and have to water down the paint to keep up with foreign
competators. If you sleep with pigs don't be surprised if you need deoderant. I thout CAT was going to be
adding more jobs under Obama . . . Say goodbye to trains and heavy construction equipment ond soon to be
planes and rockets because it will be a lot cheaper to import them from Asia and Mexico. What a bunch of
geniuses.
Pete replied to comment from RBH | March 19, 2010 12:26 PM | Reply
RBH.
I too own a Temp Staffing Firm, in Wisconsin.
We do offer health and dental insurance to our approximate 300 employees and pay 50% of premium. Only a
small number of employees have chosen to participate in the plan. If this CRAP BILL is passed, guess what ?
there will be 300 more unemployed in our county, because we cannot afford what those IDIOTS in DC are
proposing. We will close our doors too.
I say IMPEACH OBAMMA, POLOSI AND REID NOW AS THEY ARE THE DRIVING FORCE OF THIS
FARCE !!
Domino | March 19, 2010 12:26 PM | Reply

I see the Pres & Dems have learnt well from our very own Teflon Tony BLIAR and his communist cabal in the
UK (and the Socialists in Europe).
It's a client electorate they want, Turkeys won't vote for Christmas (or Thanksgiving), equality advisers,
diversity advisers, green advisers, fines for your garbage can being an inch over the limit, spied on with
millions of cameras, funding Islamist groups (and paying their welfare / housing etc.) and on and on it goes
with NuLabours fascist regime.....not forgetting that the policy of unrestricted immigration was admitted as
"rubbing the nose of the right and tories (conservatives) in it"....least you still have arms there all we have is a
millions of "welfare junkies" and cowards who still vote the fools in (well that is unless they had their vote
stolen and used as a postal vote).

Yes, Liberals are driving companies out of the United States.
And where do the companies go? To capitalist countries like China, Mexico, and Thailand.
Oh, wait...
My mistake. They just go to wherever labor is cheapest and where they can pollute at will. Who cares about
those foreigners anyway?
Common Sense replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 12:28 PM | Reply
CAT Shareholder you may want to look at the P/E ratio. You will have to take your $.16 times the P/E to get
the price drop per share. Then take that times the number of shares you have. Quite a bit more than $.16.
tim martin replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 12:29 PM | Reply
Mark:
Thanks for the courage of your convictions and for the clarity of your argument.
Let's hope the elite in Congress can read.
Gary replied to comment from President Barack Stalin | March 19, 2010 12:30 PM | Reply
Oh, if only you were the anointed one replying! Has anyone checked to see if he has a forked tongue?

I am The Voice of Reason. I am the official blowhard know it all mouthpiece for the Demodork party. I know
everything about everything. Not really, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Dr. Deano | March 19, 2010 12:31 PM | Reply

I'm the founder of a solar energy start up company. We hope to bring a great technology to market and create
over 200 very good jobs and we are in the final stage of getting funded by a an investor who is trying to invest
in companies that help America create jobs.
His big caveat to our deal was that he insisted that we not outsource any significant part of our business, but
rather find ways to do it in America, with American jobs, cost effectively. Of course that thrilled us as we want
to create jobs We worked hard on the business plan and demonstrated to his satisfaction how we make it
work.
I just got off the phone with him and our funding deal is on hold.
The investor's attorneys and accountants are informing him that the new 3.7% tax on investment included in
the health care bill along with expected increased costs per employee makes our deal unworkable.
It was like a kick in gut for both of us. We're going to try to work it out, but frankly, given our desired to create
new American jobs, I don't see how that model will ever work given what's apparently coming.
the Dude | March 19, 2010 12:31 PM | Reply

I see impeachment on the horizon.
BS replied to comment from John | March 19, 2010 12:31 PM | Reply

Is unemployment insurance a mandate? Are taxes a mandate? I laugh at all of you folks who talk about
capitalism and what it should be. Are bailouts a mandate? What has just happened over the last few years?
You call TARP and all the other measures used to bailout businesses capitalism? There is no such thing as
capitalism here anymore. I am sure Cat would have had its snoot in the trough just like the automakers did if
in fact there was a downturn in the construction industry. This is a political society my friend. I don't like it but
that is what we have. And politics dictate that if you are going to employ someone you will contribute to their
health care costs.
kramer | March 19, 2010 12:32 PM | Reply

"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is
the equal sharing of misery."
Winston Churchill
B. Clark | March 19, 2010 12:35 PM | Reply

$100 Million, thats just one CEO's overpaid salary.
CW Jones | March 19, 2010 12:35 PM | Reply

Caterpillar's 2009 revenue was approximately $35 billion.
So, we are talking about essentially a 0.250% increase in operating cots.
Nancy Piglosi | March 19, 2010 12:36 PM | Reply

It's simple, really. All you have to do is vote yes for the healthcare bill so you can find out what's in it.
Common Sense | March 19, 2010 12:38 PM | Reply

Great article about Tea Party in Forbes!
http://tinyurl.com/yd84ql2
Igor | March 19, 2010 12:40 PM | Reply

Kill the bill,
Threw all who voted for it from Congress/Senate
Impeach BObama
We got rid of Hussein in Iraq, now is a time to get rid of Hussein in Oval Office
Kramer replied to comment from CW Jones | March 19, 2010 12:42 PM | Reply
Which will be "essentially" passed on to the consumer in higher costs, which could make the consumer think
twice about making a purchase which in turn could cause the company to think twice to about hiring
someone.
It's basic economics....
BS replied to comment from CW Jones | March 19, 2010 12:43 PM | Reply

CW is that really one quarter of one percent of operating costs? And am I correct to understand that
healthcare costs are tax deductible to the employer? This is a negligible effect isn't it?

Can anybody name even 1 community that the great community organizer organized? And just what does that
mean and accomplish when you've "organized the community"? Oh, I get it, we all came together for a
kumbaya, figured out how to fleece those who work and then dispersed to spread our sorry message.
Chicago, please take this fraud back!
Evilstopper88 | March 19, 2010 12:43 PM | Reply

so the question I have to the brainwashed idiots out there are you so dumb that you can not even read
reality???
Are you so brainwashed that if Obama told you do go jump off a cliff that you would not only do it but you
would take you kids and push them off before you just to follow orders?????????????
Well by continuing to support this dictator who is pure evil and also support his special staff of the US
congress, his CZARs, his appointees and his bilderberg group you are already doing just that. Not only are
you doing that just like the Jones town massacre victims you are also signing the death warrant to this
country and every single person who believes in freedom, justice and the right to live there lives anyway they
want. But it goes so much deeper than that because you are signing the death warrant to the world and all
further generations.
I know you will not read this and only the people who understand and can read well but you better listen now
because you are just days away from the first death camps here in America. This bill set up a committee that
Congress can not regulate that will determine what doctor services you can and not have with no recourse. It
also determines that when an illness is to much to fix then no services will be given expect to inform the
person they are going to die.
GET THAT you evil brainwashed idiots.
Mein Kampf | March 19, 2010 12:49 PM | Reply

I can't wait to go to Death Camp!! I hope it's like band camp.
There are a lot of brain dead people on this board. I can see them now, hunkered down in their bomb shelters
with their shotguns at their side watching Glenn Beck waiting for the coming "social justice" truth squads to
try to ship them off to Death Camp.
HA HA!
MBA | March 19, 2010 12:50 PM | Reply

For Voice of Reason,
Aside from your comment about screaming conservatives (did you so object when liberals were screaming
down everything Bush did?) I see you have some basic understanding of macro econ. It is true that
corporations don't truly pay taxes but rather pass it along in the form of higher prices and keeping costs to a
minimum. Higher prices expose you to competition. This article is about a corporation taking on additional
costs because of government intervention. We are not talking about personal tax rates but since you brought
it up lets talk about it. Have you ever wondered why America's GDP is over $14 trillion and the next closest is
Japan with $5 trillion? It is because our personal tax rates are lower than most other industrialized countries.
Look at smaller examples within our own boarders. Michigan - high personal tax burden, high corporate tax
rate, unionized labor force, and over 10% unemployment. Texas - low personal tax burden, low corporate tax
rate, largely non-unionized workforce, and about 8% unemployment. Leaving money in the pockets of those
who earn it creates sustainable demand, which in turn creates jobs. Taxes are necessary, we know. But if
you want to pay the high tax rates of Europe then prepare yourself for their constant 15% unemployment rate.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | March 19, 2010 12:52 PM | Reply

So...this is such a wonderful bill, right, that will lower premiums and increase quality of care and make
rainbows and unicorns roam the Earth? Why, again, is it that Congress does not have to partake? Why,
again, is it that federal employees are exempt? What...they don't think they're worthy of lower premiums and
better care? Hmm...
(Nevermind the unconstitutionality of it...much of what the federal government does is outside its constitutional
purview. They don't really care about that--even if the rest of us do.)
wes koschke | March 19, 2010 12:52 PM | Reply

Caterpillar only allows employees and retirees to purchase thier presciptions from wal-mart or walgrens,
excluding independent pharmacies. i will never buy another cat product.
MikeS | March 19, 2010 12:52 PM | Reply

It is not going to hurt shareholders very much once factories are relocated overseas. Soon CAT will be
imported from India and China instead of the other way around.
I would love to hear the unions reaction to this.
Chris replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 12:54 PM | Reply
uhhh...over 90% of full time Walmart employees has employer paid health insurance. Get your facts straight
you moron.
Gary replied to comment from Mein Kampf | March 19, 2010 12:55 PM | Reply
Hey Mein Kampf:
When the U.S. debt is downgraded and we have to pay higher interest rates to sell our debt and then we have
to monetize the deficit and 50-60% of your earning go to pay taxes and the remainder is used to pay for things
that cost more each month...when that happens (we are now at 100% of GDP in debt...not very far from where
Greece is) we'll see if you think this is all a joke. Deficit when Bush entered office: $5.5 trillion. Deficit when he
left office after 8 years, with demoncrat congress for last 2 years): $9 trillion. Deficit under Obama in 12
months in office: $13 trillion. 50% increase in 1 year. H/C bill does not account for $500 billion of expenses,
doctors leaving industry, people trying to use more medical, driving up cost.. and on and on and on. Social
security went in red this year...8 years earlier than forecast. You, sir, will have a different post in the not too
distant future.
te | March 19, 2010 12:55 PM | Reply
GREEDY CATERPILLAR
texanadian | March 19, 2010 12:57 PM | Reply

Those of you thinking this is not going to effect you except in a positive way, think of it this way. You need a
local plumber, maybe somone you know, who normally charges you $50/hr. He is forced to buy healthcare or
face fines or jail. Is he going to pay that himself. Not likely. His rates, along with your mechanic, electrition,
painter, small grocery store, hardware store et al, are all going to raise their prices to meet their increased
costs. All of us are going to pay for this. In addition, your employer is not going to be handing out any pay
raises soon. Your personal expenses are going to go way up. These costs will be passed right up the
economic foodchain and the end user/consumer is going to be the hardest hit.
I know many tradespeople who will not be hiring this year because they fear the added costs.
rick replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 12:59 PM | Reply
Tank is obviously a big 'ol union guy. Great organization back in the day. Now they walk hand in hand with
Obama and are doing everything they can to take advantage of the average citizen. They aren't proud
Americans, they are out for themselves very much like the thug on the corner. Unions took over and ruined
most of our manufacturing and now they are trying to take over our government and within two Obama terms it
too will be ruined.
NevadaDad replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 1:01 PM | Reply

If you want to use your critical thinking skills you will find we pay either way. By tax or by higher product cost.
If you eat, shop, or drive chances are a costly CAT product was used in one form or another. I don't want to
use my money to pay for YOUR healthcare. It is your resposibility - not mine.
Jennings Goodley | March 19, 2010 1:06 PM | Reply
Catapillar is just a greedy capitalist corporation. The government needs to take it over and run it for the good of
the people.
the Truth | March 19, 2010 1:06 PM | Reply

Thank God we have large corporations like CAT and Wellpoint that provide jobs and insurance for us. If
Obamacare passes, the huge, powerful, greedy government will run amok. This isn't even about health care,
it's about giving the Obama (the worst president in history) a win to save his failed presidency. These cowards
will raise taxes, explode the Obama National Debt, and hide behind "demon pass" to avoid responsibility.
IMPEACH OBAMA

For MBA,
I didn't make the "emotional, juvenile and shallow arguments" comment, you did. And all I see are people
talking about communists, evil and kool-aid.
As for tax rates, your Michigan/Texas comparison is specious at best and a fallacy at worst. Firstly,
Michigan's economy is heavily tied to the automobile industry, which as you know, hasn't been fairing well.
We're you aware that over $4000 of the cost every car produced in America is due to health care costs?
Detroit has to compete against Japanese imports where healthcare is covered by the government through
taxes!!! I wonder how the Japanese have been able to produce cars that have outsold GM and Chrysler. It's not
the tax rate that is driving unemployment.
Also, here are state corporate tax rates:

http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/corp_inc.html
Texas' rate is 1% of GROSS REVENUE, whereas most other states charge an INCOME (Net Revenue) tax
significantly higher in percentage terms. Not all of the states have a high unemployment rate.
http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstrk.htm
Wisconsin's rate is 7.9% and Illinois' rate is 3%. Yet Wisconsin's unemployment rate is only 8.5% (about the
same as Texas) while Illinois is over 11%. Should I argue that higher tax rates mean less unemployment?

Would anybody on this post buy a used car from Obama, Pelosi or Reid. The answer to that question says all
we need to know about their "transparency", their "veracity" and this joke of a 2,300 tree-waster, eco-enemy
bill.
Barack Bozo replied to comment from wes koschke | March 19, 2010 1:09 PM | Reply
Wes, don't worry because Cat doesn't make lawnmowers so just keep on buying the Hondas.
DUMAS | March 19, 2010 1:10 PM | Reply

Time for another lesson:
NOBODY PAYS FOR THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE. IF THEY DID, THE PRICES WOULDN'T BE AS
OUTRAGEOUSLY HIGH AS THEY ARE NOW!
Since the advent of third party reimbursement in the middle of the last century (government being the biggest
in the forms of medicare and medicaid), there has been no incentive for health care providers to pay attention
to what their customers can afford precisely because the customer DIDN'T PAY THE BILL. Somebody else (a
third party payer) did. The customer wasn't motivated to keep tabs on the industry because, in the words of a
certain current POTUS, they didn't have any "skin in the game." So we saw things like hospitals charging $20
for a band aid (ever checked an itemized bill from a hospital stay?) and it went virtually unchallenged because
someone else was paying for it.
Is it a surprise that it created an economic crisis?
As to Tim Wayne's comment about the CAT crybabies taking their ball and going home....He'd probably be
howling the loudest if CAT actually did it.
Get this through your heads folks. NOBODY OWES YOUO A LIVING! NOBODY OWES YOU A JOB! NO
BODY OWES YOU HEALTH CARE! NOBODY OWES YOU A HOUSE! NOBODY OWES YOU A CAR!
If you want it, you go out and make it happen. If you want to help out someone who's not doing as well as you
are, fine.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO MORAL JUSTIFICATION FOR REACHING INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S POCKET
WITH OUT THEIR CONSENT TO GIVE THE CONTENTS TO SOMEBODY ELSE JUST BECAUSE YOU
THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA!
Doc | March 19, 2010 1:11 PM | Reply

I am a small business owner. I run a business that is actually fairly busy. Hire new employees? NO WAY!!!
My current staff is enjoying the extra hours for extra pay. For the priviledge of remaining in business, my taxes
at every level have gone up MORE than my employee health insurance has (100% company paid plan with
Aetna) over the last few years.
Hiring more full-time employees would be an option, but not when I'm facing the FACT that taxes MUST go up
to balance the budget because, God knows, we WON'T cut spending. BTW, eliminating the entire defense
budget won't balance the budget (not even if we hadn't spent a dime on Irag or Afghanastan). Eliminating
entitlements will. And eliminating entitlements won't cost as many jobs!
Fortunately, I can make a living any where. If CAT moves off shore, I may just follow them. Enjoy what's left of
the US after those who have funded the largess move on.
John | March 19, 2010 1:12 PM | Reply

Caterpillar isn't the only company that will need to lay off workers if this ridiculous power grab bill passes.
If Democrats pass this bill against the clear will of the American people we should run every last one of them
out of Congress.

Correction to post...
Would anybody on this post buy a used car from Obama, Pelosi or Reid? The answer to that question says
all we need to know about their "transparency", their "veracity" and this joke of a 2,300 page tree-wasting,
eco-enemy bill.
Kool-Aid, Inc. replied to comment from Chris | March 19, 2010 1:13 PM | Reply
Oh, wowie, wow, wow. Chris claims that over 90% of Walmart's full time employees have health insurance.
Hey Chris, how many of Walmart's employees are actually full time, 50%, 40%, 30%? Moron!

Clarification: I meant to say that not all of the states that have a high tax rate have a high unemployment rate
(relatively speaking).
Patrick | March 19, 2010 1:20 PM | Reply

Uh, where are the numbers to support this? How exactly would the current bill increase Caterpillar's costs?
Maybe its true and maybe it isn't, however, this poorly written piece doesn't give enough information to figure it
out. Apparently the reporter is just reporting about a press release.
I can't believe so many people are fired up about this article when its impossible to tell if the numbers being
presented here are accurate. Everyone needs to go ahead and chill out...
Jim Goff | March 19, 2010 1:22 PM | Reply

Folks I have been alive, have served my country in the air force, have worked ever since even before I got out of
high school and have been a productive member of our country for almost 1/3 of its existence. We have a
group that have gotten into power and they are hell bent on the destruction of this great country of ours. If we
allow them to pass this Health Care thing they are working on it will be the destruction of our country. There
are many things we can do to make it better for our people but not this stuff. For sure job one is to provide
maximum assistence for our citizens. It is not our job to provide the same level of support for those who enter
our country illegally, take jobs, and drink from the well of our citizens. All in the name of politics. Jim
Malik Nidal | March 19, 2010 1:24 PM | Reply

The US is done. Obama is accomplishing his goal of destroying the country so it can be recreated as a
socialist utopia.
CAT should shut down its doomed US operations and move to South Korea or China.
The Captain replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 1:27 PM | Reply
Wow you'd pay sixteen cents a share no problem, that's nice. But what about next year? Or the Year after?
What if the shares are only worth ten cents, would you pay twenty-two cents a share and have a deficit of six
cents? How much would you pay for someone else? Could you mail me $1600 for my 10k worth of shares
since I don't want to pay for someone Else's health-care since mine is over 4000k a year.
Kool-Aid, Inc | March 19, 2010 1:32 PM | Reply

What you do not know Chris is I work at Walmart and I know for a fact that we are looking for hand outs and
do not want to work full time so there is no way you know more then me on this subject. If you want, come to
the Walmart in Seattle, Wa and I am in the womens clothing area. I am the one wearing women's underwear
on my head, I am really easy to find. Please give me a hand out since I didn't study very hard in school and
now want to spend your money.
Steve replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 1:33 PM | Reply
Where will those employees who leave go? I'm an employer, and I'll lay off, cut hours, hire temps, or make
other adjustments just as other employers will. There won't be anywhere else to go. Think you'll have a job?
Franklin808 | March 19, 2010 1:34 PM | Reply

American business needs to step up to the plate and share some of the burden of covering healthcare for the
poor. We do not need to hear about Caterpillar complaining, the greatest medical plan ever is about to be
enacted!
Darren replied to comment from Large companies are funny | March 19, 2010 1:35 PM | Reply
And when do YOU think a company should look at a law like this, after it starts passing out pink slips????
Heartland Patriot | March 19, 2010 1:37 PM | Reply

The ONE thing that is not being properly addressed is COST! For both businesses and citizens, COST is the
thing that everyone has issues with...WHY does it cost so much for health care? Supply and demand are one
reason, despite what the left thinks...not enough general practitioner doctors and not enough nurses...that
hurts...next reason, LAWSUITS...we need Tort Reform so that those who are truly injured or hurt by REAL
malpractice get compensation, while the ambulance chasers get booted into the cold...FRAUD in
billing...clean this up and the costs go down...and finally, let companies have a real playing field, a NATIONAL
playing field to compete on and THEY will WORK to get YOU or your company as customers...the Democrat
Party's bill is just a way to get more tax money out of you...don't fall for it. And, this fall, THINK, REMEMBER
THIS MESS, THEN VOTE!
Franklin808 | March 19, 2010 1:38 PM | Reply

And.... when I say step up to the plate to help the poor, I am talking about all those that decided education
was not important enough for me so now it is the problem of those that did study and now work hard to feed
their families to now take care of mine. I didn't skip all of those classes to pay for my own share. The lie when
they say an honest days work for an honest days pay, what it should have said is an honest day of work for
you so I don't have to work and get some of your pay.
Doc | March 19, 2010 1:38 PM | Reply

Just a further thought. We wouldn't need to provide healthcare for uninsured if the
unemployed/underemployed/uninsured but employed could get jobs that provided health insurance. Many of
those jobs were provided by manufacturing in years past. Guess where those jobs are today, due to many
issues, but largely due to corporate and payroll taxes, regulation, and general governmental interference at all
levels.
People tend to focus on the small picture of their lives. Companies don't relocate off shore just because of
labor costs. If labor cost was the only driving reason, automation and productivity would drive the marketplace.
Companies would find ways to make their products more efficiently. When you add all the pieces together,
moving off shore becomes attractive.
If we reduce the burden on business, without allowing a return of the abuses of years past, companies will
move back, providing good jobs with insurance. The cost to the taxpayer? NOTHING!! The root problem is
JOBS!!!! Most of the 30 million without insurance would have insurance if they could get a decent job.
Those who can't work are already covered under Medicaid. The elderly are covered under Medicare. If there
were more jobs, there would be more money to improve the coverage for those who need these programs.
John Kennedy said it best. "It is counter intuitive that raising taxes decreases government revenues while
lowering taxes increases government revenues." Not an exact quote, but close enough for my purpose here.
Darren replied to comment from The Truth | March 19, 2010 1:40 PM | Reply
Best, most insightful post yet..
Monty Burns | March 19, 2010 1:45 PM | Reply

When they corporations are bankrupted or move offshore, who will fund your welfare programs? There is alot of
competition in the heavy equipment industry from Japan, South Korea, Europe, and China. Good luck trying to
raise prices. Maybe they should fire the CEO and install one of Obozo's leftist czars to run CAT
Dick Knose replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 1:48 PM | Reply
Who was paying for before Cat? we the American public, who'll will pay once cat starts paying, we the
American public. It look's more and more if we don't, we'll be faced with jack-booted brownshirt's all marching
in goose step, with an IRS patch on their shoulder to the American public's door to collect the money. How,
layoff's, cuts in income, more costs for unemployment, and other social services sensitive to situations like
this.
FEAR YOUR GOVERNMENT!

LOVE YOUR COUNTRY!
Richard
Vic | March 19, 2010 1:50 PM | Reply

For those engineer-types, here’s a look to Obamacare from an engineering, process, six-sigma perspective:
http://victorgamez.com/
No matter the angle Obamacare is examined from, the conclusion reached is always the same: Obamacare is
harmful and reckless.
Haiku360 | March 19, 2010 1:51 PM | Reply

The Opacity of Hope – A Haiku:
http://haikme.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/the-opacity-of-hope/
Ken Jackson | March 19, 2010 1:56 PM | Reply
If Caterpilar can't do the job, then there are quite a few companies that are willing to. I'd love to see us bring in
some foreign companies like Hyundai (who has some great equipment) -- I think you'll suddenly see Caterpilar
singing a different song.
I'm tired of lazy US businesses.
SG | March 19, 2010 2:01 PM | Reply

My ex worked for Caterpillar up until a year or so ago. Their health benefits were pretty good/affordable... Sad
that this will make the situation worse.
Intheknow replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 2:10 PM | Reply

BS - Grow up and read a book! Especially an economics book. Corporations do not pay taxes of ANY kind.
The cost of taxes and fees are always passed on to the customer who buys their product or service. However,
that being said, the only way that an employer can pay those taxes and fees forced on them by the
government, is to either raise their prices (customers paying the taxes and fees, thus becoming less price
competative with their foreign competitors), or by cutting costs, usually jobs, to save an equivalent amount of
money to cover the increased cost of the taxes or fees (the employee pays the cost of the fines and fees by
losing their jobs or by a reduction in the amount of the company subsidy for the cost of their health care). One
last time, there is no free lunch here folks! All taxes are paid by PEOPLE, period. Unless you want to become
a completely Socialist/Communist country where everything is provided by the government (production
according to ability, receipt according to need), let's not kill the goose that laid the golden egg and destroy the
economic system that has provided more wealth and stability to the largest percentage of people in any
country in the history of the world.
Tom | March 19, 2010 2:11 PM | Reply

2009 Executive Compensation for CAT:
Mr. Douglas R. Oberhelman, CEO: $6,638,570
Mr. David B. Burritt, CFO & VP: $3,064,610
Mr. Steven H. Wunning, Group President: $5,860,420
Mr. Stuart L. Levenick, Group President: $6,571,180
Mr. Gerard R. Vittecoq, Group President: $6,328,410
Mr. Edward J. Rapp, Group President: $3,544,370
TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR TOP 6: $32,007,560
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/officerProfile?symbol=CAT&officerId=27963
Realist | March 19, 2010 2:16 PM | Reply

The health care bill is being touted for benefits it will not cause. There are a number of factors that harm our
health care efforts:
1. Antiquated laws barring interstate insurance (when I left one state to go to another for a job, I had to get
new insurance).
2. The need to allow people to remain covered for certain "preexisting conditions" when they change coverage
(as when I moved to a new state)
3. The need to have "loser pays" rules in litigation to minimize sham litigation (believe me, I understand how
this entire issue works very well; and if this rule works for most of the world, it will work here. But don't expect
the plaintiffs' lawyers to do anything other than inflame emotions with distortions - their main skill)
4. The possibility of having medical malpractice claims being reviewed by boards of doctors, not juries.
The Republican Party MUST draft a specific bill that hits these points, introduce it, and then publicize it
everywhere. It is not enough just to piss over the democrats plans- a specific alternative must be shown.
PatRice replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 2:18 PM | Reply
Right Tank, lots of better paying jobs around right now. Idiot.
Obama is all politics and no sense of who and what makes our country great.
This bill is a jibs killer and will cost Obama his 'majority' which he can't marshall anyway. Clinton-1994 all over
again.
Patriot101 replied to comment from voice of reason | March 19, 2010 2:19 PM | Reply
Uh, actually voice of reason, the US has one of the highest federal corporate tax rates in the world. Maybe
your own income taxes are low and everyone is paying for you.
Debra J.M. Smith | March 19, 2010 2:23 PM | Reply

Please direct ALL of your SPECIAL "Thank you" messages to MY CONGRESSWOMAN, Louise Slaughter.
Just google Congresswoman Louise Slaughter New York. And make sure that you call her Rochester, New
York office.
Tell them, Debra suggested that you call and give your thoughts of the "Slaughter Solution" and all else that
Louise Slaughter did to further the health care bill along.
:o)
Debra J.M. Smith

of
InformingChristians.com
melt | March 19, 2010 2:34 PM | Reply

Well, since CAT made 30Billion USD in 2009, I think they can afford it.
Bruce | March 19, 2010 2:38 PM | Reply

Those of you who post that these are insignificant costs don't understand the constant cost pressures that
businesses are faced with. Free enterprise (capitalism) built this country, not socialism.
Caterpillar's problem with this is only the tip of the iceberg. The simple fact is that companies and their
workforce will be paying higher taxes as well as higher health care premiums. Paying more, and getting less
as demand increases (due to "healthcare entitlement" mentality) while supply stays the same (or more likely
drops). (Why on earth would anyone want to enter the medical profession if this nightmare of a bill passes?)
This bill is clearly a disincentive for U.S. workers and the U.S. companies that hire them. Evidently "Jobs" isn't
a high priority afterall.
Norm | March 19, 2010 2:38 PM | Reply

To those who state check the CEO's office for the extra cash needed? What have you done lately to manage
a company the size of caterpillar? There may be a reason for that...
Patriot101 replied to comment from melt | March 19, 2010 2:42 PM | Reply
They did not make $30B, they grossed $30B. They made $895M last year. So all other things being equal,
CAT would recognize an 11% decrease in profit if this $100M figure is accurate. I am not an accountant, but
perhaps it might be a less if some of those expenses can be deducted...
D. Graham | March 19, 2010 2:43 PM | Reply

Pack it up and move it overseas. Were losing Industry at an alarming rate, Due to Taxes. GET these A%#
Clowns out of Washington ASAP. As these workers lose there jobs ( the ones that Support Barry ) Think they
have a clue why. No they just vote how the Union tells them to.
TiltII replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 2:45 PM | Reply

Brett Baire hit the nail on the head:
"I have received over 18,000 emails asking one basic question: If the bill is so good for America, why then do
you have to suspend rules, bride congressman and seek to pass the measure without actually voting on it
using reconciliation?"
Obama responded with "....well..I get 40,000 that blah blah blah.."
The man-child is the most radical elected official and what he is attempting is clearly unconstitutional. The
founders, our Constitution is very clear and intentionally deliberate on how bills become laws. Remember the
cartoon when we were kids "I'm just a bill on Capital Hill.." I am sure these morons have never seen it.
boomer replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 2:49 PM | Reply
Brilliant, 16 cents a share. With your statement I assume you own a whopping 1 share. I would bet you that
there are numerous shareholders that own millions of shares. Even a few thousand shares could hurt people.
Thats only the first year. Wait until 2014 when everything else kicks in.
juanito replied to comment from melt | March 19, 2010 2:52 PM | Reply
CAT had total revenue of $32B, that isn't profit. Heaven forbid anyone should be allowed to make a profi.
People should be rewarded for taking risks, risks are what business owners and shareholders assume when
they invest their money in the companies they own.
Demiseofman | March 19, 2010 2:57 PM | Reply

You stupid liberal inbreed. Let's raise the cost of doing business even further and see how long CAT, IBM and
1000 other global leaders remain competative. They will be forced to ship more jobs overseas as they lose
marketshare. Banana Republic of America, here we come.
Ray | March 19, 2010 3:00 PM | Reply

If this thing passes it is good bye America as we know it. Maybe the strategy to socialize the entire economy
is to have companies fail, a la GM, etc. and have the government take over. It is a different way but has the
same ultimate result. After all, the've always believed that "the end justifies the means".
Save the Country | March 19, 2010 3:01 PM | Reply

THIS ARTICLE NEEDS TO BE QUICKLY SENT TO ALL DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE WHO ARE
WAVERING ON OBAMA CARE!!! If we can show a direct link between Obma Care and reduced employment
it will sink the bill! Can someone out there help quickly get this into their hands? IT'S NOW OR NEVER!
SharpShtik | March 19, 2010 3:08 PM | Reply

Americans will fight the threat posed by socialists and communists d/b/a Democrats. Americans are not
going to idly stand by while socialist and communist politicians empty their intellectual colostomy bags on us
as they've done to the citizens of so many other countries.
Democrats see no difference between a right and armed robbery wealth redistribution in their attempts to
provide Democrat voters with redistributed wealth and representation without taxation. Freedom of speech, of
religion, the right to keep and bear arms and property are individual rights. Armed robbery wealth redistribution
(redistributing other people's property in cash or to buy goods or services for others) is never an individual
right. If you have to steal private property (e.g. income) belonging to others to get what you want (including
voting for government officials to do it for you) then what you want is not your right, it's merely your self-
serving, greedy, covetous desire. When Democrats call something a right, what they mean is that they are
going to misuse government to deny your right, e.g., they are going to misuse government to steal your private
property to give themselves what they think they are entitled to at your expense. When Democrats run it,
government is nothing but organized crime, which is fitting since DOJ, voting and other statistics prove
Democrats commit almost all crime. Blacks alone, who voted 96% for Obama, commit 2/3 of all violent crime.
Democrat voters vote for Democrat politicians to be their proxy armed robbers to "legally" steal for them what
they don't already illegally steal for themselves. While Democrat voters are thieving illegally, Democrat
politicians are thieving "legally" for them. It's a built-in advantage for Democrats since all Republicans offer is
to steal less of our private property than Democrats do. Democrats get the power they want, but destroy
America in the process, which is what Democrats means by "fundamentally transform America."
Andrew replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 3:11 PM | Reply
If an employee could better, he/she will. That will always be the case, whether the employer treats them fairly
as well. I run a small business where my salespeople can't realistically make more than $200k/year. If I have
an employee who is good enough to make $500k/year, he'll leave me and go sell for someone else, regardless
of what benefits I provide. The real point is that many employees work where they work because of necessity.
Do you think many workers at the DMV could get jobs elsewhere? They're lucky they have jobs at all. You
mentioned Wal-Mart; sorry to say it, but many of the workers there are either going to school or a stay-at-
home parent who need flexibility, OR are a person who chose not to get educated. Who's fault is that? So
when you say employees are going to rise up and leave, I say let them. If they could, they would have already,
and how nice their employer is is irrelevant.
64Spitfire replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 3:16 PM | Reply

BS: Companies do not pay taxes, people do. That 100M that CAT has to come up with will be be passed
down to the consumer. Resulting in higher cost to the end users, less orders for new equipment, there for less
demand for CAT to produce new units, meaning less work required from the factory, meaning increased
unemployment! BS you need to use some logic and not just spout off Lib sound bites.
Alex Winter | March 19, 2010 3:19 PM | Reply

This will be another American company closing up factories here to open them up in Mexico, India or China to
cut costs.
Create Jobs, Not Government jobs | March 19, 2010 3:22 PM | Reply
The Dems will not Stop Taxing People to Death until 98% of America is on Welfare and seeking Food
Stamps.
If this crazy Bill passes God Help Us.
The Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves.
All we can do is Vote them all out and reverse the damage
once the Republicans are back in power.
John | March 19, 2010 3:22 PM | Reply

that just means they are one of the worst for providing health coverage perhaps?
Employer in Ohio replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 3:24 PM | Reply
hey tank.
you see the unemployment rate and the number of underemployed. finding workers in a supply heavy labor
market will be no problem for cat. you happen to notice the gnp related to manufacturing is continuing to drop
due to cheap labor overseas. you can't keep stacking the disadvantage against the american worker in a
global market. Demand drive the reason companies like CAT exist. they exist to make a profit. Guess what.
they're first goal is not to be an employer. that's a byproduct.
take your economics 101 again.
Employer in Ohio
Akela replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 3:26 PM | Reply
tank johnson - "And the next thing you know every corporation will look like Wal-Mart where a large number of
employees are paid so little and the bare bones benefits are so pathetic that it leads to employees getting
coverage thru Medicaid and other state health insurance programs."
And just WHERE is it that you find ANY company that is required to provide employees with benefits that will
satisfy YOU???????
Pink Slip them all... | March 19, 2010 3:26 PM | Reply

Coming next - massive shifts to having independent contractors, not employees, or shipping jobs to Mexico or
Asia, by desperate businesses trying to survive in an era of Obamanomics...or going out of business
altogether.
So thanks to these crooks, we'll all be mandated at the point of a gun to buy insurance (nice way to pay off
big insurance, and big pharma, dems!) that has massively increased in cost due to Obama-Pelosi-Reit and
your local democrat's rigid ideology demanding federalized health care. The already sky-high unemployment
numbers will increase dramatically, plus you'll lose your employer provided healthcare (as you shift to being
an independent contractor, they kick you out and pay penalties that cost less than your Obamacare cost
inflated healthcare, or you lose your job).
The shrinking middle class in this country cannot afford this, and this is yet another attack by the elitist
democrats on the middle class. Just wait 'till the tax bill comes for this latest orgy of federal spending by the
democrats, and they institute rationing because the system is bankrupt from day one.
I can't believe anyone would consider voting for a democrat at any level, after this latest breach of public trust -
seriously after a year of the public saying clearly and consistently we don't want this, keep it modest/sensible,
focus on lowering costs as the best way to increase the coverage of the uninsured we the people are
contemptuously ignored...
Only morons vote democrat (that's been true for a while, but there is simply no denying it now).
Todd | March 19, 2010 3:27 PM | Reply

I own a small business that will be required to provide health insuance for my employees if this bill passes.
The company I own is in a competetive field and the margins are thin. If I have to give my employees health
insurance, this will result in one of two things:
(1) I will have to lay people off to cover the cost of health insurance premiums.
(2) I will have to cut pay equal to that of the health insurance premium.
My employees are middle class citizens. This will directly hurt the middle class.
Many of my employees are younger and would much rather make $20 per hour and not have health insuance
than make $15 per hour and have health insurance.
I think they should at least have a choice if they want coverage or not.
This bill is a jobs killer. This bill will cripple small business which is the backbone of america.
SharpShtik | March 19, 2010 3:28 PM | Reply

Republican politicians did not repeal the unconstitutional semi-auto ban. They let it sunset in 2004. I do not
trust Republicans to undo anything Democrats do. They have proven themselves to be pansies. It is up to us
stop Democrats one way or another.
School Teacher | March 19, 2010 3:30 PM | Reply

less jobs, = less income tax collected which in turn creates more unemployment, if any is still available,
and then they continue to increase the amount the government then needs in income tax percentage from
"you" to keep going.
China will need less workers, as they will have less to export to the US..... or we'll all have to live off nothing
but Chinese "products" that are Junk and are cheap and barely get the job done
Richard Mikels | March 19, 2010 3:31 PM | Reply

Ok in Jan 2008 they posted profits of 985 million. I understand the economy is down and they did not see a
great deal of money earned in 2008 & 2009 but the expectation according to their press releases to their
share holders is the demand looks to be moving forward. So, a claim of losing 100 million because they have
to cover all of their employees, WAAAAAAA. Forced to give all of your employees health care or lose some of
the big profits expected this year. I know what that American working on the plant floor of Caterpillar with 3
kids and just trying to get by, and does not have insurance now, would say.
Todd | March 19, 2010 3:33 PM | Reply

If i hear one more person say that companies do not pay taxes i am going to freak out.
As mentioed before, I am a business owner.
Everyone needs tp be aware the as a wage earner (W2) employee, the company you work for must match the
scoial security and medicare taxes that are taken out of your paycheck.
So, if you make $100, and you owe $10 is taken from your check to what you must pay into social secuity
and medicare, your employer must match that $10 and send the IRS a check for $20
elbeau | March 19, 2010 3:34 PM | Reply

AAAAHHH!!!!! The Sky is Falling The Sky Is falling!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!
C'mon people. Quit regurgitating the pathetic diatribe you listened to this morning on talk radio. Sure, this
legislation may cause some problems, but it will also solve some, and the sky will not fall.
When they thought up Medicare several decades ago, the sky seemed to be falling then too...but if the
government hadn't taken on the load of the uninsurably unhealthy back then, then no insurance companies
would have survived. Read your history. Now we have a system where the government is already paying for
60% of the actual medical bills that get paid all for the sole purpose of relieving the system of the burden of
high risk patients. This itself already constitutes the biggest subsidy the insurance companies could EVER
ask for...and yet they have the right wing all up in arms defending them like they're some kind of government
victim in all this. Oh please.
And no, I'm not some closet socialist, or even a left-winger. I was born and raised in Utah, the most
conservative state in the union. I still listen to right-wing radio, but I'm smart enough to see them treating the
conservatives like sheep for their little causes. I'm still a proud Mormon, but thankfully not a complete Utard
anymore.
Our system NEEDS reform. I'd rather see it done at the state level, but that isn't going to happen or it would
have 10 or more years ago. It's nice that Obama has the backbone to do something about it.
Gerald | March 19, 2010 3:35 PM | Reply

People have woke up to the Chicago style corruption going on in DC. I've never seen presidents or house
speakers lie so much, or so blatantly. Obama will sign anything they send him. I PRAY THIS THING
DOESN'T PASS. The dems keep telling all the sob stories about health care,they leave out the fact that
nothing happens except increased taxes for 4 years. I think we should all just go to jail for about a month for
not paying, then see what they do next.
Chris replied to comment from Kool-Aid, Inc. | March 19, 2010 3:38 PM | Reply
Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid ....I am well aware that Walmart employs a lot of part timers. So I guess, judging
by your comment, you think that Walmart should be required to provide health insurance to part time workers
(i.e. teens)? Well, 1) they do offer it....most part timers (i.e. teenagers) don't buy it because they don't need it
- but don't worry , you'll get your way when Obama and the Dems violate the constitution and force people to
buy something they don't want 2) you show me a part timer at Walmart who ISN'T a teenager or a stay at
home Mom working for extra income (and covered by her spouse's health insurance) and I will show you
someone who, somewhere in their life made the brilliant decision to drop out of high school or did some jail
time or has no other appreciable job skills. Sorry, not my problem and i refuse to pay for their mistakes in life.
We all have equal OPPORTUNITES in this country....but the OUTCOMES are not equal based on what you
decide to do with your own freewill.
And I know you are probably one of the many pro-union robots replying on here or are sympathetic, but let me
let you in a little secret.....when you work at a company that is unionized as a part time worker....you don't
get health insurance either!! I know - I did. I didn't care, though....ya know why? I was a teenager and didn't
need or want the health insurance even if it had been offered.
Look, it's still a free country and you are free to travel to any of the beautiful utopian countries out there with
universal healthcare...please...be my guest....I'll help buy your ticket. But leave the rights and liberties of the
rest of us alone.
And, one more thing.....moron
Disgruntled American | March 19, 2010 3:42 PM | Reply

Democrats or Republicans both are to blame for this mess. Goes back years and years. What this country
needs is people who care about it want to see it grow. But unfortunately we the people keep letting these
crooks and dirt bags into office year after year. We have the power to vote for them or not. They can not get
them self elected with out us the American people. So if we actually selected candidates based on ability and
not how much media time they have we might not be in these situations now. Pretty much the country is
broke because of nearly 40 years of political apathy in this country and the not my problem no need to worry
attitude. Wake up America we have to fix the country not the government! How can a broke system correct it
self in the first place. Just think about who you are really voting for when elections come around and not just
federal. Look closely at your local and state too.
Disgruntled American
dont vote dem... replied to comment from Todd | March 19, 2010 3:44 PM | Reply
Todd,
I hear you, but I think what people are saying is that corporations (or other taxable business entities) must
pass on the cost taxes represent (to the consumers of their product or service, if their consumers have
inelastic demand), and/or to their employees (in the form of lower wages). If corporations did not, they would
either have to accept a less than break even return, or go out of business (the former would lead to the latter
over the long term, anyways). So the dems are completely dishonest whenever they say they'll tax
corporations to fund their latest pie-in-the-sky spending programs (not to mention pathologically unable to
consider consequences (intended and unintended) before they jump with your money...
see:
http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/tax-policy/library/integration-paper/06_part_1.pdf
the whole paper is here:
http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/tax-policy/library/integration-paper/
JS replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 3:45 PM | Reply

Cat provides jobs to over 75,000 employees and pays close to 40% of their net income in taxes. On top of
that, a majority of these employees are provided with medical benefits. The taxpayer isn't subsidizing
anything. This isn't Walmart where they have a bunch of minimum wage folks who qualify for welfare,
Medicare, etc. Better check your facts next time . . . your stupidity is showing.
Dick | March 19, 2010 3:47 PM | Reply

Richard Mikels | March 19, 2010 3:31 PM | Reply
Ok in Jan 2008 they posted profits of 985 million. I understand the economy is down and they did not see a
great deal of money earned in 2008 & 2009 but the expectation according to their press releases to their
share holders is the demand looks to be moving forward. So, a claim of losing 100 million because they have
to cover all of their employees, WAAAAAAA. Forced to give all of your employees health care or lose some of
the big profits expected this year. I know what that American working on the plant floor of Caterpillar with 3
kids and just trying to get by, and does not have insurance now, would say.
.........
Read much, the 100 million dollars isn't what it will cost to cover their own you dummy, it's what they are
going to have to pay in new taxes to cover people who do not even work for CAT... but reading isn't a skill
most that still support this bill have.... then again over 60% are against this bill.
genobeano | March 19, 2010 3:48 PM | Reply

The CAT plant in my GA town is closing down. Jobs are going overseas right now, today!
What you are witnessing is the very beginning of the real demise of capitalism. All of this legislation will have
a cascading effect of jobs and higher taxes that most of us cannot afford....when people cannot feed their
families because there is no work....everything will shut down. Russia, China, Poland, Cuba, Venezuela all
have tried it and it has failed in it's essence.
Imagine millions of people marching to their county government offices,state capitols, DC all up in arms
because "they did not realize" our government wants total control....it is just beginning.
Sean | March 19, 2010 3:50 PM | Reply

What's funny about this article is that it's a made up number. They don't say why their costs would increase,
or even how they came up with that figure.
"The legislation would require nearly all companies to provide health insurance for their employees or face
large fines."
That's the part they're complaining about? So they don't provide health care to their employees now?
They have roughly less than 100,000 employees. So that would mean that their cost would increase by more
than $1,000 per employee. Really?? I don't think so, considering the average cost for insurance is about $500
per employee over 55. Assuming 0% of their employees have healthcare now, that figure would only be $50
million. So how can they come up with a figure of $100,000,000?? Answer: it's a made up number.
SG replied to comment from boomer | March 19, 2010 3:51 PM | Reply

The $.16 per share figure is 1st year. Given that CAT has a Price to Earnings (P/E) ratio of approx 41 this
would equate to a $6.56 (or 11%) drop in share price. Kind of like a hidden tax on those of us smart enough to
save and invest our money.
Consider also that this enormous draining of capital to Federal coffers starts immediately but provides little to
no benefit to the American people for 4 years.
MP | March 19, 2010 3:51 PM | Reply

I know it would interfere with breaking this 'news' quickly, but isn't the job of a newspaper to investigate press
releases rather than reporting on them as news? If Caterpillar is so good at providing health benefits, why
would mandating coverage increase their costs? What specific features of the proposed legislation will lead to
these costs? How did they come up with those figures so quickly, given that the language was released less
than 24 hours ago? They may be absolutely right. My point is that we have no way of knowing from this,
because all they did was tell us what a press release said.

ooops I forgot how to read... I know realize that the number is from the new taxes that will be forced onto CAT
to pay other people's Ins bill and didn't use my own brain for a second to actually read. So while I seem dumb,
I really am in real life. So now that I know that the $1 million they are talking about has NOTHING to do with
the number of employees that CAT is covering with very good benefits, it has everything to do with the new
taxes needed to be paid by CAT for those to pay for this MONSTEROUS bill. My liberal education failed me.
Thom | March 19, 2010 3:56 PM | Reply

You're breaking my heart. Caterpillar made $895 million in profits - last freaking year. And their top execs
make several millions each each year.
Boo freaking hoo.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/19/caterpillar-writes-pelosi_n_505993.html
Thom | March 19, 2010 3:59 PM | Reply

Did I mention that I am willing to give away parts of my paycheck to those that make less then me too so the
top execs should do the same. If anyone wants to get some of my money, not much since I really didn't do
well in school... you can email me at, notthatsmart@aol.com.
B Fredson | March 19, 2010 4:08 PM | Reply

Liberals are a clear and present danger to our nation. They should be rounded up... and...
Math, Try it out sometime! | March 19, 2010 4:10 PM | Reply

Dear CAT Shareholder,
Lets do some math,
You said, "CAT currently has over 624,000,000 shares outstanding. If you divide $100 million by 624 million,
this results in a cost per share of 16 cents. In other words, this isn't even worth discussing."
If you really are a shareholder then I can only assume that you hold a small percentage of shares. Now let me
explain.
There will be only a small number of people who will hold the majority of the shares in the company. So lets
say you own 20% of all the shares, b/c you are the founder of the company or some other investor. 20% of the
624,000,000 shares is 124,800,000 shares. By your math you have concluded that $100 millions will increase
the cost by 16 cents per share, and that by your estimation this cost is trivial, just plain dumb, no big deal
and by my guess, its those damn riches guys who should pay. Typical I suppose.
If you haven't already guess, 16 cents multiplied by 124800000 is a lot of money! In fact, it is equal to
19,968,000 DOLLARS, but I suppose if you only own 100 shares, then 16 dollars isn't so bad.
I encourage all the lefties to get off the funny farm and come back to reality, but wait there is more.
Suppose CAT employs a person and pays 50,000 dollars to employ that person. This 50k includes all
expenses, but because there are many lefties in the audience I must explain the expenses.
A company uses budgets to employ people. This budget is 50k in this example. The employee's salary is
most likely only 25k-30k if he/she is lucky. Minus all the taxes he/she only makes 20kish, but that is only if
he or she actually pays taxes, b/c as some of you know the poor don't pay taxes and the poverty line (last
time I checked) is around 20k-25k.
Some of you might be asking, where did that 20-25k go? (50k -25kish)
Some of the money goes to health insurance costs, some goes to the government, b/c a employer must pay
a equal amount of taxes that the employee pays, and some of the money goes to other benefits the employee
may wish to pay for. Wait, does that many a employer has to pay taxes on his employees and the employee
pays taxes too, isn't that double taxing?
Well duh, and yes.
So do you get the point? 50k is the budget, but the guy only gets 20-30k? Now do you see the problem? I
won't get my hope up.
"Suppose CAT employs a person and pays 50,000 dollars to employ that person. This 50k includes all
expenses, but because there are many lefties in the audience I must explain the expenses."
Back to my original point. 100,000,000 divided by 50,000 = 2000 people! Good job Everyone in Gov.
2000 times the number of companies who will have this problem will = tens of thousands of more job losses.
Fail, Its almost hopeless.
Vince Brewster replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 4:12 PM | Reply
Just checked CAT's financials for 2009. All the good numbers were down about 40% from 2008: sales, profits,
etc. Profits for 2009 were $1.43/share. Looks to me like $0.16/share in increased healthcare costs would
reduce profits by a further 10%, making the drop from 2008 50% if the $100,000,000 started this year. I call
that significant -- but that's just my opinion.
YOUR GRANDFATHER replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 4:20 PM | Reply
My dearest grandson. Your mis-informed. If a company as big as CAT is hurt by another big government
project like this one other companies will be hurt also. I guess we will have to all be hired on by foriegn
companies to be able to feed our families. I guess the economy wasn't hurt enough already by free trade,
EPA, foriegn employees who work for a nickel an hour, big gov'ment regulations, the second highest tax
burden on the planet. If there are no jobs how is yous and mes gonna sits on da porch and drink a 40 after a
hard week of being lazy on the job? OH LAWDI LAWDI! I bet even a foriegner will be drivin' Miss Daisey ca!
Hugh Robinson | March 19, 2010 4:21 PM | Reply

what I fear is that if nov elections don't completely change the balance of power, in other words a revolution at
the ballot box, then we will soon see the beginnings of another civil war in this country because the true
patriots are not going to take much more of this marxist crap before things ignite.

Ha! To the Sean that posted at 3:54 pretending to be the Sean that posted at 3:50...
"I know realize" do you mean "now"?
"$1 million" do you mean "$100 million"?
Your conservative education failed you.
Companies only pay Medicare taxes based how many employees they have and what they earn. Again their
taxes/costs would have to go up by at least $1,000 per employee for that $100 million number to be true, and
that won't happen. So I'm right your wrong.
BOB replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 4:22 PM | Reply
I AM A MAN OF 56 YEARS OF AGE AND NOW I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT A WOMEN MUST REALLY
FEEL WHEN SHE TRIES TO EXPLAIN WHAT SHE FELT WHEN BEING RAPED. I FEEL LIKE EVERY
PART OF MY BEING IS BEING VIOLATED. EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD READ YOUR POSTING BEFORE
THEY SAY YES FOR O-MAMA-CARE, GROW UP YOU FAR LEFT RADICALS/TRAITORS TO
DEMOCRACY AND LET YOUR VOTE BE COUNTED ON THE SENATE BILL AND I HOPE YOU CAN LIVE
WITH THE RESULTS OF A BROKEN AMERICAN SPIRT. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER 4TH OF JULY IF THIS
BILL BECOMES LAW OF THE LAND AND WHILE WE FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS AGAIN LOTS OF JOB
LOSES WILL BE LOST AND UNBORN BABIES WILL DIE BEFORE EVERY BEING BORN. WHAT A
SHAME THAT THIS IS! ALL THE DEALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BEHINE CLOSED DOORS, WHAT A
GREAT THING TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN, CHEAT, LIE, AND STEAL, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET
YOUR WAY. OBAMA CLAIMS THAT THIS BILL IS PERSONAL, I TAKE THIS VERY PERSONAL AS WELL.
IF PELOSI CAN PRAY AND THE NUNS SAY ITS OK THAN I CAN PRAY AS WELL THAT THIS BILL WILL
DIE NOW...KILL THE BILL!!!!!!
peter pressure replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 4:26 PM | Reply
BS Said: "Its about time they start paying their own way rather than having the US taxpayer subsidize their
profits. Who do you think will pay that $100 million if the company doesn't pay? We will."
BS, I have question for you, who will be paying for the insurance of those 32 million who don't have any?
Why should I be forced to pay for other peoples stuff whether corporate or social welfare?
Your full of BS, BS.
Florida Field | March 19, 2010 4:27 PM | Reply

Cat Shareholder RE: 16 cents a share.
Your comment is perhaps the most ignorant I have ever read on the internet. Companies must turn a profit or
go out of business. Increasing capital contributions has nothing to do with the income statement. 100,000,000
is the added expense and is the equivalent of adding 1,000 workers at 100,000 per year without any increase
in production. This would result in a hit to the income statement until all capital is depleted. The only solution
is to cut costs equivalent to the added expense. I own a business. There is really on 1 easy expense to cut.
Labor. Before your simple mind responds less labor less healthcare cost so less job loss. Wrong. Companies
operate on a profit margin. Less Labor - less production - less revenue to pay for fixed costs. Factories must
close - move overseas or company is bankrupt. (unless socialist country bails them out and eventually it is
not worth working in exchange for the currency received as all business faces the same prospect as
caterpillar.
Lynn | March 19, 2010 4:27 PM | Reply

One analysis of the bill indicates that if a company is required to provide insurance and has one employee
that is
not covered and the IRS determines from that persons tax return that they qualify for a welfare check to pay
for their insurance the company will pay a fine based on the total number of employees the company has not
just for the one not covered. Think of the risk. One employee lies saying they are covered under the spouses
policy when they are not or the spouse loses their coverage, BAM, the company is nailed for hundreds of
thousands of dollars. Given the enormous cost of HR departments running health care plans it will be cheaper
to fire all those HR people, drop the health insurance and pay the fine. Once the first major company does it
the flood gates will open. Millions will lose their insurance. Insurance companies will fail, people will become
unemployed. The pension funds invested in insurance companies will take huge hits. The President wants
government run single payer, this is his method. Cat is not required to provide health insurance, I repeat, they
are not required to provide insurance, they can provide insurance OR pay a fine. The fine is much cheaper by
design. The President is giving them an easy way out of providing insurance. For those of you who think
corporations are greedy, what would a greedy corporation do? Will they pay $15,000 a year per employee for
insurance or a $3000 dollar a year fine. Greedy corporation? Save $12,000? Greedy corporation? Hello single
payer and a 30 percent health coverage payroll tax on everyone.
I must be a Hater | March 19, 2010 4:30 PM | Reply

Where is the media on all of this? In the tank licking up what remains of Komunist Kool-Aid or stocking up on
their supply of Stupid Socialist Pills? Remember during the Bush years, how the negative analysis and biased
stories never stopped? I am NOT a Bush fan, but it is evident that this "alphabet media" is the catalist for the
take-down of America. They allow and support the spin and create the mentality that allows this horror we are
witnessing to go forth so easily.
None of this would be happening if we really had a truly informed people who understood the basic economics
of this. The death of reason by the thousand paper cuts of Political Correctness will kill off what made this
country great. "Good Intentions" are to be lauded only if they are based on sound economic princpals.
Without the economic education in our schools(ha ha) and objective reporting of the facts by the media(ha ha
ha ha), it is really up to the minority to spend their own money and their own time to defeat this and the rest of
what is comming down the line; cap and tax, illegal immigration, card check, etc. etc. etc. There will be no
rest. What a way to have to live, fighting against our own citizens. I finally understand how the revolutionary
war and the later civil war could have happened. I've never been the smartest guy in the room, but I don't see
where my kids will have the world they think they are working for if this is allowed to continue. Damn the
progressive media!

Hmmm was it a mistake that I (Sean) made all those errors or not... but it did get myself to respond to my
own message. ;)
I guess you didn't read the number of apx 145 NEW taxes and that is how I failed myself by not knowing how
to read... I will not make any mistakes this time after pointing them out to myself. Sometimes I wonder if I am
bipolar, always fighting myself. Sorry to the rest of you that have to witness my errors, I sometimes see the
way but then sometimes my liberal education fails me.
Disgusted | March 19, 2010 4:31 PM | Reply

How about we pass a law that all laws passed apply to ALL members of the Government work force?
How can they exempt themselves from the requirements they place on us who are supposedly their bosses?
Also, another law should require that all bargaining with unions and all "closed sessions" of debate on all bills
except national security issues be open to viewing and public record and that the public be allowed to vote on
all of the sweet deals they give their buddies and relatives since they are driving the country into bankruptcy,
believe me I live in California, I know from which I speak. We either have to declare bankruptcy to get released
from the cost of the secret union contracts, or give the state to the Public employees union, like Obama gave
Chrysler to the union.
Oh yeah we need to repeal the law giving "Public Employees" the right to unionize.
Unions are killing the country. Don't believe me? Try to look up your states burden to the union workers
pensions and such you will find in most places it is more then 50% of the budget.
The Liberals think they have broken down the education system enough that we are all morons, they look
upon us with contempt, or pity because we are "just to stupid" to understand their magnificent plan and how it
will make us a utopia heretofore unknown on this planet.
Why do you think they are ignoring the clear will of the People whom they supposedly represent?
Wake up people don't be sheep and allow yourselves to be gently herded over a cliff.
I fear there will be violence in this country if they complete this despicable act of "Constitutional terrorism" to
pass this bill.
Anyone remember a fellow named Tim McVeigh...
haha replied to comment from Lhrish | March 19, 2010 4:37 PM | Reply
yeah.. you may want to ask MASS about their healthcare reform bill, because there is serious talk about
repealing it....
that is why their budget is in the toilet.
m0zone replied to comment from alex | March 19, 2010 4:40 PM | Reply
its a tax its not about insuring anyone far as i know cat workers have full coverage eye/dental/health far as i
know its one of the better companies to work for in usa
everyone will have to pay big diesel company will prob get bent over

A conservative friend also informed me that Mass also pays the highest family ins premium in the country...
and they have univeral health care... I was told by my other commie friends that wasn't going to happen that
ins rates would go down but yet in a state already with the plan has the highest rates. Made some of my
commie friends laugh thinking how most people are not smart enough to put the 2 together. A state with
health care = highest ins rate in the country. At least once everyone is forced onto this, all the other states
will rise too so it won't look as bad there in Mass. PLUS we get to pay all those new taxes that are part of the
new healthcare bill. So higher ins rates and more taxes, all while the gov't now gets to tell me what pain is
painful enought to have treatment and which ones I can just take pills and live with due to the surgery being to
expensive. Us Libs love this idea of working people paying more!!!
haha replied to comment from elbeau | March 19, 2010 4:42 PM | Reply
this is pretty funny...
Medicare is going broke, its costing the government billions... and you point to that as your example? really?
come on....
sad replied to comment from Ken Jackson | March 19, 2010 4:49 PM | Reply
Ken:
WTF, you are tired of US companies... We have one of the highest corporate taxes in the world... we need to
give companies a break, so they can hire people... oh, you must be one of those "I hate business" people...
can you please move to Canada...
Dan replied to comment from tank johnson | March 19, 2010 4:50 PM | Reply
You are so correct, with a rising unemployment rate & illegals willing to work for cheaper than those working
now Corporations like CAT need to worry about the employees happiness.
Those that are willing to listen to Lemmings like you will fall off the cliff like Kenney.
As for corporations bowing to liberals or lemmings they will just close the doors before they run without
making a profit
Marcel Surette | March 19, 2010 4:54 PM | Reply

I live in Canada and happen to care very deeply about our friends in the USA. We have been brothers in arms
on many battlefields and have a strong history of mutual respect especially in border towns along our huge,
nearly unprotected border... I hope you guys come to a conclusion with this health care situation in a manner
that helps the most people... Forgive me if I'm not too sympathetic towards the millionaires that run Cat and
other huge corp's... One thing that I notice about this discussion is that every time a different opinion is
voiced, people start name calling and accusing the other point of view of being all sorts of terrible things... I
think more than anything, compromise is needed to get through this difficult decision. The climate isn't very
welcoming to discussion and/or debate when we start right away with the hostility... But, hey what do I know?
I wish you all the best...
MNbizman replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 4:59 PM | Reply
16 Cents is Huge. It represents an 11.2% hit to profits. Goof ball.
please read... replied to comment from starvin marvin | March 19, 2010 4:59 PM | Reply
Starvin...
Maybe a look at the patriot act, you would see that the patriot act is only enacted for people who have a FISA
warrant on them.. of course, you aren't bright enough to understand the difference.
However, this healthcare bill affects everyone.... and btw, it allows the government, not to know who you are
talking to, but access to your medical records.. so if you are complaining about privacy... you should hate this
bill...
but you are not able to see that... having your head shoved that far up there...
FW | March 19, 2010 5:02 PM | Reply

Lets do this, All you idiots that have extra money to save the world ... send it to the democrats. I am sure
they will be glad to spend it for you. Please leave the businesses alone so the rest of us can have Jobs and
support our own family's. Please leave me out of your Single payer Agenda. By the way... how exactly are
you going to pay for the 27 Trillion Dollars in unfunded future medicare liability? I mean after all the
manufacturing leaves because of the cost prohibitions. and all the rich people move to the Bahamas. I
suppose you could raise our taxes some more... hmmmm lets see sales tax, property tax, income tax,
vehicle tax, taxes on phone electric, gas tax death tax, tire disposal tax, cigarette tax, liquor tax, crv. By the
way Ive got pot holes all down my street. When the heck is the government going to do the jobs its already
being paid for?

Marcel.... Some of us are just bipolar and we are fighting ourselves. Take me for example, I am fighting myself
and I need my meds. Send down some of your meds!!
BTW we locked the other party out of all the meetings so we didn't have to compromise, but thanks for the
offer. The less the public knows and as my top lady said, we have to vote for the bill so you can see what is in
it. We must have a really good bill if you do that plus we are not even going to vote on the bill itself just deem
its passed so none of our dem friends are held accountable for it. I sometimes wonder if I could get the same
drugs my democrat friends are on.
Economic Historian replied to comment from GoWestYoungMan | March 19, 2010 5:03 PM | Reply
HYPOCRISY ALERT!
Turns out that James Owens, the CEO of Caterpillar, is a huge donor to right-wing causes and the Republican
Party. To see a list of money donated, go to:
http://www.newsmeat.com/ceo_political_donations/James_Owens.php
Florida Field | March 19, 2010 5:09 PM | Reply

Economic Historian
Of course! Pubs are pro business. Dems are pro bums.
Businesses create jobs. Gov't takes care of and creates more bums
Tom replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 5:23 PM | Reply

This comment makes NO sense!
nope replied to comment from jman | March 19, 2010 5:25 PM | Reply
Actually, they were not hand in hand. The CEO of cat, owens was pissed when they said that cat would rehire
people they laid off after the stimulus passed.
Just another lie from this administration
NObama2012 replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 5:26 PM | Reply
wow. great comment.
Vendicar Decarian | March 19, 2010 5:37 PM | Reply

What? Caterpiller wasn't supplying their employees with any health care coverage?
What kind of low life company is Caterpiller anyhow?
Hmm Lets see..
2008 sales 48 billion

Profit 3.56 billion
Ahhh... It's all very clear now.
map | March 19, 2010 5:38 PM | Reply

I own a small company. I am already laying people off and not replacing others who are retiring. Why? I am
doing it in anticipation of what might come out of this bill.
Here is my concern. Is there a provision in the bill that will not let employers hire people based on if they do or
do not have health insurance from another source, or on their own? Will we be forced to provide health
insurance for employees, or just have to close the doors? Will there still be family policies that cover a
working spouse?
Will employers find it harder to terminate people...will there be another hurdle to be able to get rid of
employees based on the fact that we can't terminate them because they might have to go on public health
care insurance.
I keep hearing that in Europe it is impossible to fire an employee. Is that where we are headed? Can't afford to
keep them, but won't be allowed to get rid of them?
Too much uncertainty..and uncertainty doesn't make anyone want to open their wallets.

"However, this healthcare bill affects everyone...." - KookFart Republican.
Universal health care is supposed to.
Ahahahahahahahha... Koook Farrrrrrrrrrrrrt.
Thank God the Canadian socialist health care system saved Sarah Palin's life.
Imagine the world with one less Republican Kook Fart to laugh at.
Peter | March 19, 2010 5:45 PM | Reply

100 Million = 2,000 jobs at $50,000 per year LOST !!!
Robert Fitzpatrick | March 19, 2010 5:46 PM | Reply

Ok...all indications are that this is going to kill business at all levels. Indications are also that this is going to
force a slew of doctors into retirement. So here is why I blame business and doctors if this
passes...businesses that KNOW they are going to have to lay off or reduce employees because of this
legislation should do it NOW. Give the employees they will have to get rid of anyways - the pink slips now with
a note explaining why....doctors...the same thing. Pack your stuff and walk out of the hospital (unless you are
in essential emergency type services). Tell your patients you will return to work when the bill is killed.
These 2 groups could kill this bill within hours if they would do this. Don't you think??
Jack Mehoff | March 19, 2010 5:47 PM | Reply

I blame George Bush, I blame the Jooooos, I blame everyone except Unions, Lawyers, and Democrats.

"16 Cents is Huge. It represents an 11.2% hit to profits. Goof ball." - CornHolieo
And a whopping 2.8% of it's 2008 profits.
It ain't rocket science CornHolieo.

Access to basic health care is a that all Americans possess and the obligation of all Americans to provide.
Awww... too bad...

"16 Cents is Huge. It represents an 11.2% hit to profits. Goof ball." - CornHolieo
And a whopping 2.8% of it's 2008 profits.
It ain't rocket science CornHolieo.
Access to basic health care is a right that all Americans possess and the obligation of all Americans to
provide.
Awww... too bad...
Roman | March 19, 2010 5:59 PM | Reply

What no one is mentioning here is that Cat is self-insured and actually provides some of the best coverage out
there of any large company. They have for years. I certainly wish I had it still.
Jeff Boyd | March 19, 2010 5:59 PM | Reply

The article is really "lightweight" in terms of analysis.
1) $100 million is nothing in the context of a company the size of CAT. It will have zero impact on their
competitive position.
2) CAT is talking about shareholders, retirees, etc. Yes shareholders earning more than $250K a year will now
pay Medicare taxes on the dividends; oh boy.
CAT is merely using the Corporation to advance their own personal financial interests in my opinion.
Expat | March 19, 2010 6:02 PM | Reply

Maybe all the major manufactures, oil companies, drilling contractors and carbon users need to relocate
outside the US. Cap and Tax is next on the menue so get a head start. Let's see what Obama and his gang
can do then.....except feed the masses with your dollars.....
wowimimpressed replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 6:05 PM | Reply

Did you actually complete 6th grade? Have you ever actually had a job? Companies don't pay taxes - people
do. If you tax a company they must raise the price they sell at to make it up. If they can't get more from the
consumer because a cheaper option from overseas is available, they will go out of business.
Welcome to the real world.
SG replied to comment from Thom | March 19, 2010 6:07 PM | Reply

So Thom, by your logic you should just give an additional 11% of your current income to someone who makes
less than you do because you're better off than them?
Civilunrestnow | March 19, 2010 6:23 PM | Reply

Aren't Cat employees UAW members?
If that's the case they get what they deserve. I know not all the members are dems or voted for Obama but
lets face fact...their money in the form of union dues went into the pockets of Obama and other dems for their
campaign. I don't feel sorry for them...no one is holding a gun to their heads forcing them to work for a union
company. If they don't like the way the union uses them they should resign...
SG replied to comment from Jeff Boyd | March 19, 2010 6:27 PM | Reply
Jeff,
1) $100M is not 'nothing' to any company. Cat is (at least in my personal experience) providing good health
care to workers and their families. That this proposal will increase the company's health care costs by 20%
doesn't seem to jive with the President's claim that this bill will make health care cheaper.
2) Shareholders making any amount of income would be impacted by a reduction in the dividends the
company is able to pay. $100M less in profits = some amount of reduced dividends.
I truly hope this 'evil rich people must pay' crap stops at some point soon. It is disheartening to see a country
that did quite well using capitalist principles eating itself...
Remember, capital can (and has been) flee to greener pastures. Cat is one of the few major manufacturers
this country has left. If I were on their management team, my response to this certainly wouldn't be to
increase production in this country any time soon. Instead any new capacity I need would be sourced outside
the US where I'm not penalized for hiring people.
Anna | March 19, 2010 6:30 PM | Reply

Mr. Garnett posted this earlier:
"Already, in many States and Cities we see the TIP OF THE ICEBERG as to what this can and WILL mean...
Cities charging TAXES and FEES on salt intake, calories intake... Telling folks what they CAN and CAN NOT
EAT... Or rights ARE under assualt... THEY WANT TO CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES... In
califorian for example, they are now MANDATING what COLORS of cars can be sold... NO MORE BLACK
CARS, they are bad for Global Warming... In NJ and NY they are TAXING sodas and telling PRIVATE
resturants that they can no longer serve SALT in the foods..."
And he is so right! I've been watching and reading closely for the last year, as our freedoms have been slowly
but surely taken away. Every few weeks I've observed as new bans, taxes, fines, penalties and restrictions are
enacted by our government. It all started with tobacco, and has now reached the point where the forced
control is downright scary. I knew it would come, but I didn't think it would be this fast and severe. People, we
have already lost the freedom to make so many of our own choices - if this healthcare bill passes we might as
well kiss all of our choices goodbye; the government will not hesitate to dictate every aspect of our lives.
And don't tell me "Oh, that will never happen" - because it is ALREADY HAPPENING, right in front of our
faces.
And don't tell me "Oh, that ban/tax/restriction/penalty/fine isn't where I live" - because it WILL COME to your
area soon.
And the federal government hasn't even taken over our healthcare yet....
Wallbangers | March 19, 2010 6:30 PM | Reply

Our military, law enforcement, and ELECTED OFFICIALS need to HONOR THEIR OATH TO THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION!!!
oathkeepers.org
Evan B replied to comment from Planwell | March 19, 2010 6:31 PM | Reply
Not many the company is profitable and this is .3% of revenues.
32.3 billion in revenues folks to put things in perspective. Caterpiller exceeds the GDP of many small
countries.
And as for competing with Komatsu Japan has universal healthcare and comparable tax rates.
MX_DOGG replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 6:32 PM | Reply
16 cents off the profit per share numb nut. A big percentage.
Ron Raygun | March 19, 2010 6:34 PM | Reply

Don't worry CAT employees--the weather in Mexico is terrific this time of year!
Evan B replied to comment from SG | March 19, 2010 6:44 PM | Reply

0.3 % of revenues. Caterpillar is a small country.
Learn to read an income statement.
Too offset the revenue loss on a 100K machine they would need to to raise prices about $300.
Of course with slighly less income the change wouldn't be taxable so maybe more like $250-$265.
Horrible this is the end of capitalism! Fire the democrats and let the uninsured all die.
Eric replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 6:48 PM | Reply

How can you be so completely delusional and and still manage to type?
In fact, not just BS but ALL of you people buying into this Obama/progressive nonsense.
What has to happen to get through to you people?
Is it REALLY necessary to destroy our economy before you finally figure out that you're wrong about
EVERYTHING?
paul revere | March 19, 2010 7:08 PM | Reply
i truley believe that obama,pelosi,reid and the rest of the dems, have made one major error, how can they be
so stupid, they should have disarmed the american people, before enacting this socialist (health care bill)
upon the american public, these idiots are trying to back us into a corner, while were still armed, pay attention
america, more to come
BKS | March 19, 2010 7:12 PM | Reply

Poor Caterpillar!! Their CEO has earned $17,000,000 per year and he's griping that his $38 BILLION company
whose stock has DOUBLED in the last 9 months can't afford $100,000,000 per year for health care. To raise
that money, all they need to do is reduce a few executive salaries and sell their private jets or reduce their
dividend by $.09 a share. Capitalism with the new health care is still alive and well in America and those who
doubt this are simply a small but vocal number of fanatics who engage in unbridled hyperbole and paranoia.
That's right; it's all HYPERBOLE AND PARANOIA. Most of you haven't even READ the proposed law. The
predictions of doom here are insane; the world won't come to an end with health care reform; the sky won't fall
in; our Constitution will still be in place. Somehow the USA WILL survive and prosper after health care reform
but if the dire predictions here do turn out to be true, hopefully all of you will become so disillusioned with the
new America that you move out and stay out, and our country will be much better off without you crybabies
who bitch incessantly that you can't have your own way and blame liberals and not yourselves for all the
misery in your pathetic lives.
Bildo | March 19, 2010 7:16 PM | Reply
I bet Caterpillar could find that $100 million by shipping jobs to China.
Unions and Liberals blame the shipping of jobs overseas on companies, but they need to start looking in the
mirror.
Tim COnnor | March 19, 2010 7:24 PM | Reply

Guess which company is leaving the country next?
Terry | March 19, 2010 7:34 PM | Reply

BOCare will not reduce the deficits as the Liar in Chief has stated, and he knows it. In addition, what BO
doesn't understand is the harm this have on American comapnies. Caterpillar states that BOCare will incraese
their costs by $100 million in the first year alone. Multiply that by all the other companies in this country. This
will cost American buisness tens of billions of dollars
What happens when a company's costs increase? They will try reduce other costs - can you say layoffs?
Perhaps they will try to pass the costs on to their customers - that nice if their competitors are all American
based. However, CAT's competitors are foriegn based. BOCare just reduced demand for CAT products
worldwide - what happens - more layoffs.
Matt | March 19, 2010 7:37 PM | Reply

Mark, there isn't enough time in the day to address all of your false statements. I'll just take one of them then,
and mostly becasue you asked everyone to look it up. You Say "You can't show it because IT IS NOT IN THE
CONSTITUTION, actualy just the OPPOSITE is in the Constitution... "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO
LAWS..." (look up the exact wording)"
The whole sentence. “Congress shall make no laws touching religion or the rights of conscience.”
Just another example of the scare machine. Either you are liar and are trying to scare people or you are a
complete moron. I am guessing it falls into both. Now, go put your seatbelt on and pay your taxes..
Champlainer | March 19, 2010 7:40 PM | Reply

TO: CAT Shareholder
You can't possibly be that dumb, can you? Basic college Economics teaches that "unit profit from
manufactured goods equals sale price less the aggregate expenses associated with producing it." The
expenses includes labor, materials, energy costs, benefits, copier machines in the offices and even the toilet
paper in the company bathrooms.
In other words, health care expenses are going to directly impact the bottom line. Stock shares and dividends,
on the other hand, also constitute a liability that must at some time be paid, yet stock shares have no effect
whatsoever on the company's government mandated insurance costs.
Case in point, it was General Motors "pension & health insurance legacy costs" which pretty much sunk
them. CAT, like GM, is forced to compete in a global market dollar for dollar in an international environment
that doesn't give a damn about costs associated with "American social engineering."
Better get educated before you bloviate on this topic.
Ken | March 19, 2010 7:50 PM | Reply

I feel like a clairvoyant.
I saw this coming 20 years ago and sold up and moved overseas 16 years ago.
Everyone thought I was over reacting, I guess I wasn’t.
I hate to see America slide into the rubbish heap of history but you people elected him just like the Austrians
elected Hitler much to their later regret. History does repeat itself.
I understand at the last election your choices were Frick and Frack but this did not start with the last election
it started a long time ago but the big slide into the abyss started with Bill Clinton and there has not been a
President worthy of the title since.
When 43 million “Americans” voted for Dodger Bill that showed me that America had lost its soul. Every one of
you who voted for Dodger Bill spit on the graves of the 58 thousand Americans who died in Vietnam who were
just doing what another fat a$$ed incompetent Democrat politician Johnson told them to. And yes I was
drafted but I did two tours with my second tour being cut short when I was wounded the second time.
If you want to know how well the government runs health care visit a VA hospital, which will scare the crap out
of you.
All of you have been so busy chasing the dollar and buying play stations you have forgotten who brought you
the luxuries of liberty that you have enjoyed all these years, now you have to pay for turning the government
over to these thugs.
I tried to tell everyone where this was going and was sniggered at, well, no one is laughing now. I served, I
voted, I paid taxes, I employed people, I created a product, I even danced with the IRS and I will tell you now
you have no idea how bad you are $crewed.
November 2010 is America’s last chance. Don’t laugh at me this time.
As an expat I still get to vote. Who did I vote for in the last election? I wrote in Ron Paul as he is the ONLY
politician I know of that has a spine and has HONOR. He respects the Constitution something NONE of the
rest do. I don’t care what Ron Paul’s label is, if he ran as a Democrat I would vote for him as the label means
nothing, HONOR means EVERYTHING. In today’s media polished world I know Ron Paul doesn’t look as
good on TV as other do, what is important is his record, look at that and you find someone with a spine.
Last election you had the chance to do the right thing and you threw it away... don’t make that mistake again.
I will be watching from over here.
Jack Tarzan | March 19, 2010 7:58 PM | Reply

I wouldn't know what a hospital looks like, if not for the health care con of the 50's, when tonsils were targeted
by greedy docs anxious to make a buck.
There's a better chance of Obama's mama sprouting a male appendage before I'm going to pay for mandatory
coverage, to offset costs for the sickly minority and those with defective gene pool.
voice of reason? nah, voice of idiocy replied to comment from voice of reason | March 19, 2010 8:01 PM | Reply
what freakin US are you living in? we have the highest corporate tax rate save sweden (most of our
competition taxes earnings in corporate form only 1x, not 2X like the US - our effective corp rate is 45%), and
that's before the tax increase coming at the end of this year, when Obama and the rest of the democrats hike
taxes by letting the Bush era tax cuts expire...
Oh, and this health care horror is full of new taxes...

Oh and this train-wreck of an administration and congress have spent so much, we are facing bankruptcy or
huge tax increases, none of which our liberal-destroyed economy can handle...
BKC replied to comment from Evan B | March 19, 2010 8:03 PM | Reply
Most of the CAT apologists here wouldn't know where to FIND an CAT earning statement, let alone read and
comprehend one. Financial research isn't necessary for them because they receive all their news and views
about the world from Fox, Beck and Rush whom they quote endlessly without making any attempt to
determine the truthfulness of their rants.
CAT stock holders including many of its workers have DOUBLED their wealth in 9 months. The market cap
has grown $18 Billion during that time. A $100,000,000 expense is peanuts to CAT. They will stay huge and
profitable after health care reform.
Jared Johnson | March 19, 2010 8:11 PM | Reply

Well there goes my job again. Thanks OBAMA! Caterpillar is one of my companies largest customers! I can't
wait to sit at home and be broke as hell on your extended unemployment benefits. Maybe this time I will lose
my house.
Fei Qiaohua | March 19, 2010 8:25 PM | Reply

The comments by the guy BS (wow, that describes his comments) shows an extreme lack of intelligence
Business always pass down the taxes to the customer, end-user, public, etc. Your comments show that you
are either a liberal, or someone who has never ran a business.
Fei
stvinw | March 19, 2010 8:52 PM | Reply

This bill is wrong on so many levels it makes you wonder if the
entire Congress has lost it's collective mind. Most people agree
that the health care system is in serious need of reform
in order to bring premium rates down to reasonable and affordable levels...but bypassing Constitutional law,
making
back-room, after-hours, secret arm-twisting deals, threats, and bribes is not the way to do it. Everyone seems
to be forgetting
that we already have government-run health care...both at the federal and state level. It's called
Medicare/Medicaid, and it's bankrupting us! Entire states
are going belly-up because of it, and for one simple reason...
there are always more people drawing benefits from the program than paying in to it. Obamacare will be no
different, except that it will be on a larger scale, cost taxpayers infinitely more, and
cause millions to lose their jobs. All at a time when we can least afford it. Even if you agree with the
progressive agenda
of government take-over of virtually every aspect of your life...anyone with two sticks to rub together for a brain
has to wonder where it will end....or if it will end. If this
bill goes through, Americans may have to resort to methods
that South American countries use to rid themselves of corrupt
leaders. They storm government buildings and run the bums
out of town, forcing them into exile. Maybe Obama shouldn't have canceled his trip to Indonesia after all.
BarneyG2000 | March 19, 2010 8:55 PM | Reply

Cat's estimated 2011 revenue is over 43Bil. 100Mil is is 2tenth of one percent. Cry me a river.
J. Johnson | March 19, 2010 8:58 PM | Reply

CAT JUST ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THEY ARE LAYING OFF 250
EMPLOYEES...NICE GOING "O"
Was-a-Dem | March 19, 2010 9:21 PM | Reply

cAT HAS BEEN IN BED W/ OBAMA FROM DAY ONE!!! Who are they to be whining now?!?!?!?! Get real!!!
WHERE WERE THEY WHEN WE TOLD THEM THIS WAS GOING TO HAPEN?!?!?!?
LET THE DEAD CAT LIE!
BarneyG2000 | March 19, 2010 9:24 PM | Reply

JJ, 250 employees out of 85,000 WOW. Any comment on Cat laying off 20,000 in Jan 2009 due to Bush's
recession?
Dave | March 19, 2010 9:25 PM | Reply

This bill is a middle class tax increase on little old self-employed me. President Obama, in a politics as usual
move, breaks yet another campaign promise.
If they pass this I will participate in civil disobedience that will hit the federal government in the wallet; I write
their checks. Representation isn't permission for the government to do whatever they want to do because the
world doesn't revolve around them.
Jack | March 19, 2010 9:29 PM | Reply

Quit. Quit spending my money. Quit is all I have to tell my dog. Your're not even as smart as my dog. Time for
Congress to listen. Quit. Or you will be replaced. Term limits way over due. Git the drift?
Bill | March 19, 2010 9:35 PM | Reply

Any manufacturing company killed by Democrats. Where can we all line up for government cheese? BTW, is
it any good?
Rich replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 9:37 PM | Reply
Shareholder,
The problem with your simplistic statement is this. You're not going to lose 16 cents per share. You're going
to lose whatever 16 cents is as a percentage of annual earnings. I looked it up and that's 5% of Cat's annual
earnings. At nearly $60/share right now, you're going to lose 5% which is $3 of share price assuming a
constant P/E.
That's still a simplistic view, though. Likely Cat is going to have to layoff and cut capex. It may have to cut or
suspend a dividend. The rate of growth will slow, which may change the multiple from 15X to 10X. At 10X
suddenly your shares are worth 1/3 less, $40/share vs $60.
Jack | March 19, 2010 9:37 PM | Reply

Barack Obama. Berry Obama? Eddie Haskell?
Phil | March 19, 2010 9:47 PM | Reply

I have news for people in Chicago. Pelosi doesn't represent you, no she really doesn't, but what's worse? I'll
tell you what's worse, is even if you live in California, Pelosi still doesn't represent you.
There is no more representative government.
Just not a week/ two weeks ago I wrote pelosi, obviously her staffers intercept and filter out such
correspondence, because the reply I got back (a template/form mail) had nothing to do with the issue I wrote
her about. But hey at least she does reply back eh? I have yet to hear from my other so called
representatives, except when it comes to wanting donations for their election campaign.
There is no more constitution, it's only followed when convenient.
Meanwhile while people tell their opinion of all this across the web, or ask questions, they get labeled
homegrown terrorist by corporate media. A corporate media which has become a CULT by definition
( http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html ) thanks to the FCC.
Ronny replied to comment from Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 9:47 PM | Reply
What kind of moron are you?
How can you write "What gives you the "right" to tell me what I can and can not do" and then make a pro-life
argument? Why is it ok for you to tell me and everyone else what to do when it's something you support, but
not accept the same code of conduct when the tables are turned?
Medicare is a government-run health care program. Don't complain about it not having enough money while
you try to make an argument against government-run health care.
And, you should go back to school. Your deplorable spelling and grammar completely discredit any legitimacy
your argument might have had.
The republican party was in control for a plenty of time and didn't solve any of these problems. And, the
republican party has plenty of opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns about the suggested solutions
being proposed by the Democrats who are currently in power.
Not supporting the system and not paying taxes is your prerogative, but you should be aware that you benefit
every day from tax-payer financed government-run agencies and utilities. Before you complain again about the
government's hand controlling you why don't you think about the roads you drive on, the people that put out
the fire you start when you fall asleep with a cigarette in your mouth, and the soldiers oversees fighting your
war. Those are all paid for by my tax dollars. If you don't want to contribute I'm happy to let the fire dept watch
your house burn down while your kids proliferate your ridiculous ideologies because their schools don't have
the money to teach them to read and write better than their daddy do.
As far as I'm concerned you should withdraw yourself from society altogether so that my kids aren't exposed
to your deplorable selfish value system.
Lance | March 19, 2010 10:03 PM | Reply

If you voted for Obama, here is the gift that you gave the rest of us-
Obama has NPD, or Narcissitic Personality Disorder. Some of the symptoms are:
•Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be
recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
•Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
•Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with,
other special or high-status people (or institutions)
•Requires excessive admiration
•Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic
compliance with his or her expectations
•Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
•Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
•Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
•Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
Obama MUST be removed from office, because no one person is worth the misery of 300,000,000 people.
Impeach him, arrest him, but just get him out of office because it will only get WORSE!
Peter replied to comment from MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 10:08 PM | Reply
Caterpillar will not pay the $100,000,000.00-- their employees will pay this in increased healthcare costs,
reduced benefits in education (Caterpillar has a very generous policy for its employees), and other reductions
in future earnings.
John in Glenview | March 19, 2010 10:18 PM | Reply

Yoooh,
OK, the Tribune is once again using a great negative headline, no matter which side it takes to get readers.
Catepillars sales in in 2008 were:
$48 BILLION
and 67% were outside of the US.
Their profit (from their NYSE report, not their tax form) was just above $3.5 BILLION.
They have about 100,000 employees.
So if it is indeed going to cost them $1000 per employee per year, that means an extra $90 per month per
employee for health insurance.
I can't believe that they could make this a real number versus any anticipated increase in health and
retirement benefits for their union and executive salary commitments.
Noise in the system.
Jerky | March 19, 2010 10:21 PM | Reply

Trailing twelve month earnings during the greatest recession CAT has seen were $7,470,000,000. Thus this
will take away 1.3% of their TTM profits. If one assumes they'll go back to their previous earnings, this is
further reduced to a reduction in profit of less than 1%. This is pretty much non-issue for shareholders like
myself. The rest of you need to learn how to read a company's financials before you start regurgitating Glenn
Beck.
pd64 replied to comment from CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 10:32 PM | Reply
I dont believe you are a shareholder. The purpose of buying a stock is to make a profit. I have never heard of a
shareholder who wants the value of their stock to decline.
Harley McFoogal | March 19, 2010 10:41 PM | Reply

Well, there's lots of brand new (CAT)...Multi Million Dollar homes going up, right now as we speak, in Morton
and Peoria..
maybe they spent their "windfall" a little too soon.
Poppy | March 19, 2010 10:48 PM | Reply

I too am a business owner. While no where near as large at CAT, this bill would cause our company
substantial losses. We have already decided that if this bill passes we will be closing our plants in PA and
either moving them out of the United States or to one of the few states that may be claiming themselves
exempt and filing suit. More than likely we will move out of the US and will no longer employ workers within
the US. Sad for our valued employees however we can not remain in the business and compete with our
overseas competition if this added financial burden is added.
What do you people really think. Is CAT going to remain in the US? Will the auto makers remain here knowing
the competition is coming from Mexico and china and Geramany? What about appliances, or large financial
companies. You think unemployment is high now just wait until Monday if this bill passes and business does
the math of the affect. I tell you 20% increase in cost is not reasonable. Most companies operate on a lower
profit margin than that. Obama and Pelosi and Reed need to be recalled. The consitition is clear. All votes
must be recorded and the house and senate bills must read exactly the same. So much for the oath to
Uphold the constition.
This is a Crime against the American People and should be prosecuted as such. The congress and the
president are conspiring to purposefully circumvent the constitution rather than to uphold it. All for personal
gain.
IMPEACH the president and begin recall procedings for each and every senator and representative that votes
for this or "Deems" it passed
There are 18 states that allow recalls and it is high time we take america back
By moving for
Jerky | March 19, 2010 10:57 PM | Reply

You don't believe I'm a shareholder? I don't believe you know the first thing about investing.
I don't care what happens to the stock price this week or next week or 6 months from now. I care what it will
be 10 years from now, and care that they keep increasing their dividend (which they will).
A one-time change in profit of less than 1% is easily recovered by slightly changing price margins and will
mean virtually nothing down the road. Healthier workers equals more productive and cheaper worker in the
long term. This is common sense, not rocket science.
As per CAT moving out of the US, Poppy isn't paying attention or know what he's talking about. CAT just
announced that they are considering moving their heavy equipment manufacture back to the United State from
Japan, since it's now cheaper here, and will remain so with a falling dollar and future increasing shipping
costs.
Jay | March 19, 2010 11:00 PM | Reply

So how does it feel to live in a communist country now? Welcome USA. Oh wait. The best is yet to come.
You haven't had the police and soldiers come robbing and raping their way through the neighborhood yet as
they disarm the citizens. That's when the real fun starts.
Patriot_Act | March 19, 2010 11:03 PM | Reply

I had an uncle who was purged by Caterpillar back in the glory Reagan days when anything mechanical went
south or overseas. I sense that half the posters here will sit in their little corners and hold their breath until
they get their way.
Management of all stripes have tossed the basic employee out the window years ago. The head of Home
Depot has said he would employ nothing but illegal aliens if he could.
Wall Street has been betting on this to pass for weeks and has had a steady upward drift in that time. Never
mind the gas prices increasing since demand is still low and supplies are still high. The speculators still have
to make a buck somehow.
obamau must go replied to comment from jman | March 19, 2010 11:14 PM | Reply
there is NO way in HELLo that this bill wont raise costs on EVERYTHING. obama's shills are out in full force
on all the blogs lately. Go back to your unions where all the rest of the useful idiots are.
Leave a comment
Name
Email Address
URL
c Remember personal info?

d
e
f
g
Comments (You may use HTML tags for style)
Submit
BREAKING BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

Subscribe to RSS headline updates from:
Powered by FeedBurner
STOCK UPDATE
Find Stock Quotes
Symbol or Name
Go
Chicago's Top 100

Local gainers
Local loses
Most active
BREAKING BUSINESS TWEETS
MOVING ON UP
News on Chicago-area
business people who
have been hired,
promoted, honored,
elected or recognized.
• See who's on the
Tom O'Keefe moves up move >>
at Draftfcb • Email submissions >>
CATEGORIES
Advertising/Marketing (14)
Agriculture/Farming (11)
Airlines (75)
Autos (55)
Bank Failures (9)
Banking (69)
Bankruptcy (18)
BREAKING BUSINESS TOOLS
Subscribe to our feed

Breaking Business Twitter page
Send us email
Get mobile business alerts
CHICAGO TRIBUNE BUSINESS STORIES

Powered by FeedBurner
CAREER BUILDER
Keywords:
Location:
Job Category
Select a Job Category
Sunday Chicago Jobs
Post a job opening >>
Who's Hiring in Chicago?
View All
NEWSLETTERS & ALERTS
Chicago Tribune BizWrap:

Free daily newsletter
delivered to email when
the markets close. Sign up
here >>
When business news

breaks, get an alert via
email. Sign up here >>
To get mobile alerts, text

CHIBIZ to 31286 or click
here >> (Message and
data rates may apply)
CHICAGONOW BUSINESS BLOGS

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | About
Chicago's Blog Network: www.chicagonow.com

Caterpillar - Health Care Bill Would Cost It $100M

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Caterpillar - Health Care Bill Would Cost It $100M

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

in Chicago Current Weather

City, state, or zip Go

More Breaking Business:

Caterpillar: Health care bill would cost it $100M

Share this story:

Twitter Facebook Email

GoWestYoungMan | March 19, 2010 8:49 AM | Reply

Harry, you there?

Idiots, every one of them.

Planwell | March 19, 2010 9:16 AM | Reply

Hans | March 19, 2010 9:16 AM | Reply

BS | March 19, 2010 9:18 AM | Reply

jman | March 19, 2010 9:19 AM | Reply

BS | March 19, 2010 9:19 AM | Reply

RBH | March 19, 2010 9:20 AM | Reply

jman | March 19, 2010 9:21 AM | Reply

tank johnson | March 19, 2010 9:23 AM | Reply

randy | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

MattinIOWA | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

Zero is not a hero | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

Kent replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:24 AM | Reply

Agreed | March 19, 2010 9:25 AM | Reply

Mark Garnett | March 19, 2010 9:25 AM | Reply

But WAIT, theres more...

OH, 1 more question Leftists...

What's next America????

God save us all from our horribly dangerous "leaders"...

LET THEM TRY TO PUT ME IN JAIL... THEY KNOW WHERE I AM !!!!

KILL THE BILL !!!!!!!!!!

THEY ARE TRAITORS to DEMOCRACY!!!!!!

I say, my friends, it's time to FIGHT !!!!!!!!

You gotta be kidding me...

don eubanks | March 19, 2010 9:26 AM | Reply

steve jackson | March 19, 2010 9:27 AM | Reply

Karla | March 19, 2010 9:27 AM | Reply

steve jackson | March 19, 2010 9:28 AM | Reply

VivianC | March 19, 2010 9:29 AM | Reply

CAT Shareholder | March 19, 2010 9:29 AM | Reply

Hardy | March 19, 2010 9:30 AM | Reply

conservativelookin4aHome | March 19, 2010 9:30 AM | Reply

Zero is not a hero | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply

Lhrish | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply

Bill | March 19, 2010 9:31 AM | Reply

Slaughter rule for Healthcare

Bobby dee | March 19, 2010 9:32 AM | Reply

John | March 19, 2010 9:33 AM | Reply

Oh well, I guess they'll be moving operations over to China soon.

It is BS replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:33 AM | Reply

David, Small Town,Texas | March 19, 2010 9:33 AM | Reply

Lomastein | March 19, 2010 9:34 AM | Reply

Zero is not a hero | March 19, 2010 9:34 AM | Reply

Matt replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:35 AM | Reply

Mike | March 19, 2010 9:35 AM | Reply

“In order for a federally-exercised power to be “necessary and proper” it must be

Copyright © 2010 by TenthAmendmentCenter.com. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted,

Zero is not a hero | March 19, 2010 9:36 AM | Reply

"State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahil"

He's not the "One"...

JB replied to comment from BS | March 19, 2010 9:36 AM | Reply

Adam Strong | March 19, 2010 9:36 AM | Reply

RTR | March 19, 2010 9:38 AM | Reply

Harry | March 19, 2010 9:38 AM | Reply

alex | March 19, 2010 9:39 AM | Reply