Fox's Cameron Seeks A Victory For GOP's Health Care Repeal Effort

On Fox News today correspondent Carl Cameron claimed that “as a consequence” of House Republicans' push to repeal the health care reform law, Democrats are “beginning to see the things that should be modified.” Cameron specifically cited a proposal to amend the requirement that businesses “report on a 1099 IRS tax form any transaction with a vendor over $600.”

From the February 2 edition of Fox News' Happening Now:

JENNA LEE (HOST): Do we expect them to agree on anything when it comes to the health care bill?

CAMERON: Yeah, one of the things that's happened here as a consequence of the discussion of the repeal is a number of Democrats -- there are 23 Democrats in the U.S. Senate who are up for re-election next year. And as a consequence of all this discussion of repeal, they have been forced to really focus on some of the things that many Americans and the federal judges have found objectionable. And as a consequence of that there are a number of Democrats that are actually talking about something that will pass today.

A Republican amendment originally proposed by Mike Johanns of Nebraksa has now been essentially co-opted by Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow and the President supports it. It would repeal the paperwork requiring businesses to report on a 1099 IRS tax form any transaction with a vendor over $600. All sides agree that that's onerous. Changes are underway, not a repeal, but Democrats are beginning to see the things that should be modified.

In fact, Democrats including Ben Nelson, Mark Begich, Max Baucus, and Scott Murphy worked to change the 1099 requirement last year. President Obama also called for changes to the 1099 requirement before the midterm elections. Even Nancy Pelosi was on board. So it's simply not accurate to credit the GOP's repeal push for Democrats' willingness to alter the provision, try as Carl Cameron might.

From the February edition of Fox News' Happening Now: