Obama

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News/Politics 11-16-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

We lost power last night and didn’t get it back until the wee hours. So only a few from me today, but it’s an open thread so I’m sure you folks can come up with more. 🙂

1. The House passed the Upton Bill, with Democrat support I might add. Why they would give Democrats an out like this is beyond me.

From Politico  “The White House reiterated its veto threat of a just-passed House bill to allow insurance companies to continue selling insurance plans that don’t meet the minimum requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

The House passed the legislation introduced by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) with 261 votes, including 39 Democrats who defied President Barack Obama’s veto threat issued Thursday evening.

“We absolutely do not support and oppose the Upton bill,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said minutes after Friday’s House vote.”

Obama will veto it. He kinda has to. He can’t have Republicans getting credit for fixing his mess.

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2. Once again, Congress gets special perks the rest of us aren’t allowed to have.

From CNSNews   “Under Obamacare — as it is being implemented  under a regulation issued by the White House Office of Personnel  Management (OPM) — a middle-aged member of Congress who earns an annual  salary of $174,000 from the taxpayers, and who has a wife and children,  will get a $10,000 subsidy from the taxpayers (over and above his  $174,000 salary) to buy a health insurance plan that a regular citizen  making almost $80,000 less than the congressman will not get.”

“Americans in the private sector who buy health insurance through the Obamacare exchanges only get a federal subsidy (a tax credit) if their income/family situation is below 400% of poverty, the ceiling for which is $94,200 for a family of four.

If they surpass that 400% level, then no subsidy.  Theoretically, a  family bringing in $174,000, like a member of Congress, would have to  have 12 children dependents to even be eligible for a subsidy under the Obamacare rules.”

We don’t even get cake to eat.

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3. The more we know, the worse it gets. Now we know why a cover-up from the White House was necessary. They had to hide details like this, which raise even more questions.

From FoxNews  “The terrorists who attacked the Benghazi consulate last year knew the location of the safe room where Ambassador Chris Stevens and his security team sought shelter, according to a congressman who spoke for 90 minutes with the diplomatic security agent severely injured in the assault.

“He confirmed this – that it was a very well orchestrated, and well organized, almost a military operation, using military weapons and using military signals,” the late Florida Rep. Bill Young said after meeting diplomatic security agent David Ubben at Walter Reed Medical Center last summer, when both were patients there.”

“”He (Ubben) emphasized the fact that it was a very, very military type of operation they had knowledge of almost everything in the compound,” Young explained. “They knew where the gasoline was, they knew where the generators were, they knew where the safe room was, they knew more than they should have about that compound.”

“An August 16 classified cable, reviewed and reported on by Fox News last fall, showed there was an emergency meeting in Benghazi less than a month before the attack due to rapidly deteriorating security.  The cable warned the office of Secretary of State  Hillary Clinton, and other State Department leaders in Washington, that the consulate could not sustain a coordinated assault.

The cable also reflected a grave concern among officials on the ground that the Libyan militia charged with protecting the consulate had been compromised, perhaps even infiltrated by extremists.”

And Obama’s White House and Hillary’s State Dept ignored these warnings. These deaths would not have happened had they listened and installed some proper security.

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4. And Obama’s war on the military continues.

From Politico  “After a spate of news stories this summer citing tensions between President  Barack Obama and his top military commanders over the possibility of U.S.  intervention in Syria, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough hastened to  assure the Washington Post that everything was, in fact, copacetic: The  president “appreciates” candid military advice “above all else,” McDonough insisted, and has “close, and in some instances warm,  relationships with his military chiefs,” as the Post put it. During my  own time at the Pentagon, where I worked as an Obama appointee from the spring  of 2009 until mid-2011, few seemed to hold this view. I recall asking one  general, recently back from Afghanistan, if he’d shared his experiences and  insights with the president. Rolling his eyes, he told me grimly that the White  House preferred the military to be seen but not heard.

Curious about whether things had changed since then, I asked a dozen serving  and recently retired senior military officers with high-level White House   access, many of whom were not comfortable speaking on the record, if they knew  of any military leaders with whom the president had a close and warm personal  relationship. In every case, the initial response was a long silence. “That’s a  great question,” said one retired senior officer, after a lengthy pause. “Good  question. I don’t know,” said a second. “I don’t think he’s close to anyone,”  commented a third. He just doesn’t seem to have any interest in “getting to  know” the military, a retired general concluded.”

Why would he? They have nothing in common. Their views are quite the opposite of his.

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News/Politics 11-15-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

1. As I’m sure you’ve heard, the President has proposed some changes to ObamaCare in order to quiet down the commoners. He’s decided to let you keep your sucky plan for one more year. 🙂

Democrats still aren’t happy, neither are the American people.

From Politico  “Senate Democrats are still considering legislation to repair President Barack  Obama’s broken Obamacare promise, despite the White House plans for an  administrative fix.

Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) still want to see votes  on their separate, alternative proposals aimed at helping Americans who lost  insurance plans. Several of the other Democrats who are up for reelection in  2014 want to vote on a legislative fix, too.”

“Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), one of the most vulnerable Democrats up next year,  called Obama’s plan a “step in the right direction,” but said, “a one-year fix  is not enough, and we need to do more.”

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2. Even Howard Dean is wondering if the President has the legal authority to make this “fix.”

From TheWeeklyStandard  ““I wonder if he has the legal authority to do this, since this was a congressional bill that set this up,” said Dean of Obama’s proposed fix. 

The former Vermont governor suggested that since the Obamacare website isn’t working, the president’s signature legislation might fail.”

When you’ve lost Howard Dean, you’ve got problems.

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3. And O’Keefe strikes yet again. More ObamaCare navigator fraud. Yeah.

From CapitolCityProject  “James O’ Keefe’s Project Veritas has released a second video showing even more Obamacare Navigators in Texas suggesting fraud and deceit to undercover reporters — despite some in the mainstream media calling the first exposé an “isolated incident.”

“Today, Project Veritas released a second investigation exposing more Obamacare navigators counseling applicants to lie and cheat the health care system by erroneously reporting income status, health history, and more,” Project Veritas wrote.

They continue, “Critics said the first video was an isolated incident so we decided to visit with even more navigators funded by your American tax dollars. What we found was disturbing and showed a clear pattern of fraud through the Obamacare navigator program.”

Within the new video, Obamacare Navigators in Texas yet again counsel the reporters to lie in order to avoid higher premiums.”

The video shows it’s hardly an isolated incident.

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4. Huh….. That’s funny. Democrats, the President, and Attorney General insist that Voter ID is racist and a Republican effort to suppress voter turnout. Yet the real results are actually quite the opposite…….

From TheDailyCaller  “The first Texas elections under a contentious new photo ID law drew  interesting conclusions for an off-year election that normally draws a low  amount of voters.

There were nine proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, and the number  of votes tallied was nearly double what it was in 2011. Democrats and civil  rights groups have long argued that voter ID requirements suppress turnout,  particularly in poor and minority communities.”

“In Hidalgo County, which is 90 percent Hispanic, just over 4,000 voted in  the constitutional amendment election in 2011. In 2013, an average of over 16,000 voted according to the Texas secretary of state’s office.“

Doh!

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5. This one should be fun to watch.

From Breitbart  “Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) has introduced an Articles of Impeachment resolution against Attorney General Eric Holder for his role in Operation Fast and Furious and other scandals of President Barack Obama’s administration.

Seven congressman have signed onto the resolution thus far in addition to Olson. They are Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Blake Farenthold (R-TX), Phil Roe (R-TN), Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ted Yoho (R-FL), and Randy Weber (R-TX).

The Articles of Impeachment has four different sections. The first calls for Holder’s official removal because of his failure to comply with congressional subpoenas relating to Operation Fast and Furious. Holder has been voted on a bipartisan basis into both criminal and civil contempt of Congress for his failure to comply with the Fast and Furious subpoenas from House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).”

Another of the Articles is for his refusal to enforce DOMA.

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6. Some scathing words for the Obama admin from a former secret service agent tuned congressional candidate who has a released a book on the whole affair.

From TheNYPost  “Dan Bongino, the Secret Service agent who turned on President Obama and is running for Congress, says he believes the “toxic” administration is “using government as a weapon exclusively to intimidate enemies.”

““That wasn’t necessarily the case with the Clintons, and I was pretty much enmeshed in Hillary’s Senate campaign. Although I disagreed with a lot of their political positions . . . I can’t tell you that they thought government was a weapon exclusively to intimidate their enemies. But this administration constantly seems to use government [as a weapon] because they are inexperienced with it — it’s like giving a kid a Bowie knife and saying, ‘Have fun.’ They gave this administration which has no experience the reins of government and they have just gone wild.””

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News/Politics 11-12-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up, CBS has run a retraction/correction to a Benghazi story. I posted it here, so I’m posting the retraction as well.

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Next up, again with the fuzzy math…. 🙄

From TheWaPo  “The fight over how to define the new health law’s success is coming down to one question: Who counts as an Obamacare enrollee?

Health insurance plans only count subscribers as enrolled in a health plan once they’ve submited a payment. That is when the carrier sends out a member card and begins paying doctor bills.

When the Obama administration releases health law enrollment figures later this week, though, it will use a more expansive definition. It will count people who have purchased a plan as well as  those who have a plan sitting in their online shopping cart but have not yet paid.

“In the data that will be released this week, ‘enrollment’ will measure people who have filled out an application and selected a qualified health plan in the marketplace,” said an administration official, who requested anonymity to frankly describe the methodology.”

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Next, like roaches fleeing the light, they’re desperately seeking cover.

From TheWallStJournal  “The torrents of Affordable Care Act monsoon season aren’t letting up, so Democrats are scrambling to help the victims: namely, their own careers. The Senators up for re-election in competitive states in 2014 are starting to panic, though they still aren’t offering solutions for anything other than their own growing political jeopardy.

Fifteen Senate Democrats plus Colorado’s Michael Bennet  who chairs the Senatorial Campaign Committee sat down at the White House Wednesday, and they want all and sundry to know that they let President Obama have it. Alaska’s Mark Begich put out a statement saying he chewed out the big cheese for “absolutely unacceptable” mismanagement and “an understandable crisis in confidence.” He must have drafted it in advance.

Oregon’s Jeff Merkley chimed in to report that even after the two-hour encounter session that was not on the public schedule, he was still “very frustrated” and “I remain deeply convinced that this is a ‘show-me’ moment.” Asked by Politico if Democrats were losing credibility, an anonymous attendee said, “You got to have it, to lose it.”

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Then some controversy over GI Bill funds, and where they’re being used.

From NBCNews  “Since the Post-9/11 GI Bill went into effect in August of 2009, the federal government has paid more than $30 billion in tuition and benefits, according to new figures from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released on Friday. The VA said this money has now helped 1 million vets, service members and their families get college degrees or technical training.

Most of this money goes to for-profit colleges and universities. Eight of the 10 schools receiving the most GI Bill dollars are for-profits, according to a 2012 report from the Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP).

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), who chairs that committee, accuses some for-profits of using “predatory and deceptive tactics to target service members and veterans for enrollment” in order to tap their federal educational benefits.”

“Sen. Durbin believes too much federal money is going to an industry that “often provides a greater return on taxpayer investment to its administrators and investors than it does to its students.”

Parents have known about the “not worth the money we’re spending” part for years.  😯

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NY City’s new mayor is promising a crack down on Crisis Pregnancy Centers, and an expansion of abortion services. This is why NYC leads the country in abortions. This is who they elect.

From LifeSiteNews  “New York City has been called “the abortion capital of the world.” The city has some of the laxest restrictions and the highest abortion rate in the country, with 41 percent of its pregnancies ending in elective termination. According to New York Magazine, 10 percent of all U.S. abortions happen in the state of New York, and seven out of ten abortions in the state take place in New York City.

But those statistics aren’t high enough for newly elected Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, who claims the city is “underserved” by its dozens of abortion centers, and for whom increased access to abortion was a key part of his campaign platform.”

“De Blasio, who was elected Tuesday with 73 percent of the vote, has promised to partner with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers to help them expand their business in the city. He says he plans to help abortionists find neighborhoods that lack convenient clinic access and provide them with “city sponsored” space to set up shop.

Additionally, de Blasio has pledged to help abortionists wipe out their main competition – pro-life crisis pregnancy centers – that offer women financial and logistical help to either keep the babies they would otherwise be unable to afford, or place unwanted children with adoptive families. De Blasio calls crisis pregnancy centers “sham” clinics. In his view, their refusal to perform abortions means they do not offer “legitimate health care.” He has pledged to continue the city’s appeal of a court order striking down a law aimed at closing down such centers.”

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And last one for today. Project Veritas strikes again.

First PV exposed fraud at abortion mills, then fraud at OFA. (Obama campaign) Now it’s ObamaCare “navigator” fraud. That didn’t take long huh?

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News/Politics 11-7-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up today, the Rev. Billy Graham has a message he’d like to share. He says it may be his last “crusade” opportunity due to age and illness, and I for one, would like to hear what he has to say. If you’re interested, here is a link for the listings on when this message will air. TBN has it at 8PM tonight, Fox News will show it at 10PM. Further showings on numerous other networks are available at the link.

http://watchbillygraham.com/

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ObamaCare memos are painting a pretty bad picture of the days leading up to the law’s rollout.

From YahooNews  “More than 175 pages of internal Obama administration memos, obtained by the House Oversight Committee, released Tuesday and reviewed by ABC News, present the most detailed account yet of the troubled rollout of the federal health insurance exchange, HealthCare.gov.

While there are no bombshell revelations, the documents make clear that the administration grossly underestimated the scope of the website’s technical problems; struggled to contain widespread confusion among insurers and applicants; and now faces a barrage of new challenges triggered by its emphasis on paper applications.

The memos from Oct. 1 through Oct. 27 are “war room notes” from the government team charged with overseeing the health care law rollout. They don’t provide any hard enrollment figures, which officials have promised to release later this month. But they do suggest the administration likely fell well short of its 500,000 enrollment target in the first month, possibly reaching fewer than one tenth of that goal.”

The numbers from individual states that have reported are nowhere near a tenth of that, or 50,000 When the numbers come, it won’t be pretty.

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Again here, I’m having trouble feeling much sympathy for ’em. This is their baby too, they all own it.

From RollCall.com  “President Barack Obama heard an earful at the White House Wednesday from Senate Democrats running for re-election next year who are fuming about the Affordable Care Act’s rocky rollout.

During a two-hour meeting that was not on the president’s public schedule, the president met with 15 Senate Democrats facing the voters next year, as well as Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Michael Bennet, D-Colo.

Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska issued a release after the meeting torching the administration.

“It is simply unacceptable for Alaskans to bear the brunt of the Administration’s mismanagement of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and that is the message U.S. Senator Mark Begich delivered to President Obama today,” his office said in a statement blasted to reporters.”

Reading it, or maybe delaying it to work out the bugs may have helped huh? 🙄

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Wait a minute………. I thought Photo ID requirements were racist and an attempt to disenfranchise old people?

From RedAlertPolitics  “America rejoiced when the White House announced it would re-open for tours after cuts to funding from sequestration. But in a blatant display of irony, visitors to President Barack Obama’s home must show a government-issued photo ID to enter, but not to vote.

Tours of the White House resumed after a seven month hiatus, with the first official tour given to tourists yesterday. But for visitors looking to head inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., they must show valid, government-issued photo ID.

“All guests 18 years of age or older will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo identification … . All foreign nationals must present their passport,” it states on the White House’s ‘Tours & Events’ page.

This criterion is particularly ironic given the fact that the man living inside the White House adamantly opposes voters showing photo ID before heading the the polls.”

Yeah….. 🙄

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The campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination has begun. Paul has a point here too. Anyone who’s seen the ad will probably agree.

From HotAir  “Rand Paul: Can you believe that certain people who shall remain nameless used Sandy relief funds for campaign commercials?”

“Alternate headline: “GOP primary campaign officially under way.” New Jersey got $60 billion of federal funds for Sandy relief, $25 million of which went to a “Stronger than the Storm” tourism campaign that showcased a certain gubernatorial candidate and his family. Here’s Rand Paul celebrating that candidate’s victory last night by basically accusing him of corruption. Not the first time he’s smacked Christie over Sandy funding, either: That’s what prompted the “king of bacon” comment back in July when the two of them first started throwing punches at each other. The outline of his strategy against Christie in 2016 is already fairly clear. He’s going to knock him not only as a big spender who cares more about buying off constituents with federal money than he does about shrinking government but as someone who’s ethically dubious across the board.”

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The old guard and RINO faction want the nominee to be another RINO or old guard type. Romney says Christie and Ryan should be the top choices. Yeah Mitt, that whole picking milquetoast candidates worked out so well the last 2 elections huh? 🙄

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the media would be all too happy to pick another RINO for us, they’ve been tooting Christie’s horn in an effort to have a say in the selection. So how about we decide instead of liberals? Here’s a few good reasons why Christie is the wrong guy, despite the media’s opinion.

From TheAmericanSpectator  “Arnold Schwarzenegger won re-election handily in 2006, defeating his hapless opponent Phil Angelides by a 56% to 38.9% margin. Yet this sizable win was a meaningless victory for the GOP. Similarly, Chris Christie’s thumping victory on Tuesday night over an equally forgettable candidate contains almost no national meaning, save that Chris Christie is good for Chris Christie. Like Schwarzenegger, Christie cruised to re-election not as a real Republican but as a preening non-partisan moderate. Like Schwarzenegger, Christie’s popularity hasn’t translated into any support for Republicans in his own legislature.”

“The breathless burbling about how Chris Christie’s victory “shows the path forward for the GOP” conveniently ignores his inability to turn New Jersey red for anyone but himself. Before election day, the New Jersey media didn’t see any reason for the Dems to worry about a Christie victory, as they enjoy a 48-32 majority in the Assembly and a 24-16 lead in the state Senate. While these numbers may change, early reports indicate most incumbents will be reelected. The New Jersey media reported that most polls indicate support for Christie won’t help any down-ballot Republicans. In 2009, Christie’s coat-tail effect was negligible too, resulting in only one new Assembly seat for the Republicans.”

“Even the media found it a little difficult to sustain the this-is-a-defeat-for-the-Tea-Party narrative after the Virginia results came in, as they showed a race that the Republicans could easily have won, had the Libertarian not run, had Cuccinelli actually tried, had stingy Republican fat cats donated money to ad campaigns, had Republicans bothered to expose McAuliffe’s radicalism, etc.

The future of the GOP is not Christie but Cruz. Have the Republicans learned nothing from Romney’s loss, McCain’s loss, Dole’s loss? The lesson is simple: do not run moderates; that just hands victory to the Dems from the start. A basic test for any GOP nominee should be: Can this candidate win his own state? In Christie’s case, the question, despite Tuesday’s results, remains open. After all, he wasn’t exactly running against Hillary Clinton. Another test is: Can this candidate reclaim his own legislature for his party? If not, all the enthusiasm is empty. Republican governors in blue states that remain for all intents and purposes blue always end up doing damage to the party, racking up personal victories for themselves while selling out the party’s principles.”

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And yesterday someone mentioned Common Core. Here’s yet another reason to be against it.

From FoxNews  “It’s exactly what critics of the Common Core school curriculum warned about: Partisan political statements masquerading as English lessons finding their way into elementary school classrooms.

Teaching materials aligned with the controversial national educational standards ask fifth-graders to edit such sentences as “(The president) makes sure the laws of the country are fair,” “The wants of an individual are less important than the well-being of the nation” and “the commands of government officials must be obeyed by all.” The sentences, which appear in worksheets published by New Jersey-based Pearson Education, are presented not only for their substance, but also to teach children how to streamline bulky writing.”

““Parents should insist on reviewing their children’s school assignments,” said Glyn Wright, executive director of the Eagle Forum, a think tank that opposes implementation of Common Core. “Many parents will be shocked to find that some ‘Common Core-approved’ curriculum is full of inappropriate left-wing notions, disinformation, and fails to teach the truth of American exceptionalism and opportunity.”

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News/Politics 11-5-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up today, a trend that many parents like myself and my wife have noticed. I have my own theory, one which involves the overuse of steroids in chicken production. 

This one thinks it’s linked to one of the latest liberal cause du jour, childhood obesity. That theory doesn’t hold much water around here as obesity isn’t the problem.

Maybe it’s C, all of the above. Or D, none of them. Or even E, a combination.

From MSN/HealthyLiving  “U.S. girls are developing breasts at a younger age compared to years past, and obesity appears to explain a large share of the shift, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that between 2004 and 2011, American girls typically started developing breasts around the age of 9. And those who were overweight or obese started sooner — usually when they were about 8 years old.”

“The findings, reported online Nov. 4 and in the December print issue of the journal Pediatrics, add to evidence that American children are hitting puberty earlier than in decades past. The rising tide of childhood obesity has been suspected as a major cause, but the new study gives more hard data to support the idea.

Biro said, however, that excess pounds do not seem to be the full explanation. And it’s possible that other factors — such as diet or chemicals in the environment — play a role.”

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It’s always interesting when different liberal ideals collide. 2 powerful lobbies in Democrat circles are going to be butting heads in their liberal Utopia, also known as Chicago.

From Chicago/CBSLocal  “With an expected vote on same-sex marriage in Springfield next week, African-American clergy members campaigning against the issue are threatening to unseat lawmakers who vote in favor, reports WBBM’s Mike Krauser.”

“Bishop Larry Trotter, of Sweet Holy Spirit Church in Chicago, is vowing that there will be consequences for those lawmakers who support same sex marriage.

“I think that they will feel the crunch.  I think that they cannot take for granted that they can come to the church; and get the church’s sanction, and votes, and signatures; and then go to Springfield, and don’t speak what the people want them to speak. And so now, if that’s how we have to be heard, we will be heard,” Trotter said.”

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So how’s the “call the hotline, or submit a paper application to bypass ObamaCare website problems” thingy workin’ out? Not well people, not well at all…..

From ABCNews  “A series of internal Obama administration memos obtained exclusively by ABC News reveal for the first time how dysfunction with HealthCare.gov has upended the entire Affordable Care Act enrollment process, including applications by paper and phone that officials have been pushing as more reliable alternatives.

While President Obama and other top aides have publicly reassured frustrated consumers that they can bypass the troubled website and apply by phone in as little as 25 minutes, those working most closely with the rollout acknowledged privately that even the nonelectronic avenues would be no more efficient or guaranteed, the documents show.

“The same portal is used to determine eligibility no matter how the application is submitted (paper, online),” reads a Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight memo from Oct. 11.

“The paper applications allow people to feel like they are moving forward in the process and provides another option,” it says. “At the end of the day, we are all stuck in the same queue.”

DOH! 😦

Here’s the video.

Again, DOH!

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I’m having a hard time feeling bad for this guy, like most people I’m sure, but I feel for his son.

From YahooNews  “Little more than a week after millions of consumers received health care cancellation notices, lawmakers in both parties are pushing legislation to redeem President Barack Obama’s long-ago pledge that anyone liking their coverage will be allowed to keep it under the nation’s controversial new law.

The result is a stern new challenge for the White House as it struggles to fix website woes for the signup portal for those seeking to enroll under the law, and simultaneously copes with angry consumers who rightly or wrongly blame “Obamacare” for cancellation letters mailed by insurers.

Democratic officials said top administration aides got a close-up view of the cancellation controversy last week, when Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., said at a closed-door meeting of the party’s rank and file that his son had received notice his coverage was being terminated.

In response, these officials said White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough referred to a speech Obama had made earlier in the week saying some of those losing coverage would qualify under Medicaid, some would receive federal subsidies for individual coverage, and others would have options in the so-called exchanges the law set up to allow individuals to shop for insurance. Donnelly’s office declined several requests for comment. The officials who described the incident did so on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss a private meeting.”

At least this kid can complain to one of the people who is actually responsible for it. And I hope he does. Often. Like every day.

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We’ve been hearing that the folks getting cancellation notices are only suffering because they have sucky plans. Pres. Obama says it will be about 5% of policyholders. This expert says it will be much, much worse than that. Try 68%.

From TheDailyCaller  “If Obamacare is fully implemented, 68 percent of Americans with private  health insurance will not be able to keep their plan, according to health care  economist Christopher Conover.

Conover is a research scholar in the Center for Health Policy &  Inequalities Research at Duke University and an adjunct scholar at the American  Enterprise Institute. In an interview with The Daily Caller, he laid out what he  estimates the consequences of Obamacare’s implementation will ultimately be.

“Bottom line: of the 189 million Americans with private health insurance  coverage, I estimate that if Obamacare is fully implemented, at least 129  million (68 percent) will not be able to keep their previous health care plan  either because they already have lost or will lose that coverage by the end of  2014,” he said in an email. ”But of these, ‘only’ the 18 to 50 million will  literally lose coverage, i.e., have their plans entirely taken away. This  includes 9.2-15.4 million in the non-group market and 9-35 million in the  employer-based market. The rest will retain their old plans but have to pay  higher rates for  Obamacare-mandated bells and whistles.”

Looks like somebody’s pants are on fire again.

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News/Politics 11-4-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Kirsten Powers has long been one of my favorite liberals. On a lot of issues, she get’s it. And now I have another reason to like her. 🙂

From ChristianityToday  “Just seven years ago, if someone had told me that I’d be writing for Christianity Today magazine about how I came to believe in God, I would have laughed out loud. If there was one thing in which I was completely secure, it was that I would never adhere to any religion—especially to evangelical Christianity, which I held in particular contempt.”

“I didn’t know what to do, so I spoke with writer Eric Metaxas, whom I had met through my boyfriend and who had talked with me quite a bit about God. “You need to be in a Bible study,” he said. “And Kathy Keller’s Bible study is the one you need to be in.” I didn’t like the sound of that, but I was desperate. My whole world was imploding. How was I going to tell my family or friends about what had happened? Nobody would understand. I didn’t understand. (It says a lot about the family in which I grew up that one of my most pressing concerns was that Christians would try to turn me into a Republican.)

I remember walking into the Bible study. I had a knot in my stomach. In my mind, only weirdos and zealots went to Bible studies. I don’t remember what was said that day. All I know is that when I left, everything had changed. I’ll never forget standing outside that apartment on the Upper East Side and saying to myself, “It’s true. It’s completely true.” The world looked entirely different, like a veil had been lifted off it. I had not an iota of doubt. I was filled with indescribable joy.

The horror of the prospect of being a devout Christian crept back in almost immediately. I spent the next few months doing my best to wrestle away from God. It was pointless. Everywhere I turned, there He was. Slowly there was less fear and more joy. The Hound of Heaven had pursued me and caught me—whether I liked it or not.”

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Well we already know that “If you like your insurance, you can keep it” turned out to be a lie. Looks like “If you like your Doctor, you can keep them” will be the next lie exposed.

From TheWallStJournal  “My grievance is not political; all my energies are directed to enjoying life and staying alive, and I have no time for politics. For almost seven years I have fought and survived stage-4 gallbladder cancer, with a five-year survival rate of less than 2% after diagnosis. I am a determined fighter and extremely lucky. But this luck may have just run out: My affordable, lifesaving medical insurance policy has been canceled effective Dec. 31.

My choice is to get coverage through the government health exchange and lose access to my cancer doctors, or pay much more for insurance outside the exchange (the quotes average 40% to 50% more) for the privilege of starting over with an unfamiliar insurance company and impaired benefits.”

“Before the Affordable Care Act, health-insurance policies could not be sold across state lines; now policies sold on the Affordable Care Act exchanges may not be offered across county lines.

What happened to the president’s promise, “You can keep your health plan”? Or to the promise that “You can keep your doctor”? Thanks to the law, I have been forced to give up a world-class health plan. The exchange would force me to give up a world-class physician.”

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The number of cancellations continues to grow.

From TheAP  “Now is when Americans start figuring out that President Barack Obama’s health care law goes beyond political talk, and really does affect them and people they know.

With a cranky federal website complicating access to new coverage and some consumers being notified their existing plans are going away, the potential for winners and losers is creating anxiety and confusion.”

“The Obama administration insists nobody will lose coverage as a result of cancellation notices going out to millions of people. At least 3.5 million Americans have been issued cancellations, but the exact number is unclear. Associated Press checks find that data is unavailable in a half the states.”

“Speaking in Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall this past week, Obama said the problem is limited to fewer than 5 percent of Americans “who’ve got cut-rate plans that don’t offer real financial protection in the event of a serious illness or an accident.”

But in a nation of more than 300 million, 5 percent is a big number – about 15 million people.”

It’s not Obama’s fault you picked a plan you liked. He’s saving you from your own bad decisions, right Barry? Sure it costs way more, but it’s for your own good. 🙄

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This is how the Obama admin treats whistleblowers. Character assassination and smears.

From TheDailyBeast  “The Benghazi whistleblower whose new book details massive security failures in the run-up to the September 11, 2012 attacks denies he wrote an incident report made public this week that undermines key details in his memoir.

The debate over the Obama administration’s actions before and after the attack on the U.S. mission was reignited following an Oct. 27 60 Minutes report featuring an interview with Morgan Jones, a pseudonym for a British security contractor who trained and advised the local Libyan guard force for the U.S. mission in Benghazi. Jones’s book, The Embassy House, was released two days later and contains a firsthand account of his time in Benghazi and his actions during the series of attacks that resulted in the death of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens.”

“In an interview Saturday with The Daily Beast, Davies said he did not write the incident report, nor had he ever seen it.

“I am just a little man against some big people here,” Davies said. “They can do things, make up things, anything they want, I wouldn’t stand a chance.” Davies said he did not know who leaked the report to the Post but said he suspected it was the State Department, an allegation that could not be independently corroborated. “It would not be difficult to do,” Davies said. “I knew I was going to come in for a lot of flack and you know mud slinging, so yeah I’d say it was them, but I can’t be sure.” 

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Here’s an interesting poll. 🙂

From PublicPolicyPolling  “PPP’s newest national survey finds that in the wake of the shutdown, Republican voters now view Ted Cruz as their party’s leader. 21% picked Cruz to 17% for Chris Christie, and 15% for John Boehner. Cruz finished well ahead of the other GOP Senators we tested- Rand Paul got 9%, John McCain 7%, and Mitch McConnell only 4%. Mitt Romney at 8% and Sarah Palin at 4% were the other people we tested.

Numbers PPP will release next week show Ted Cruz would be an exceedingly weak Presidential candidate in the general election. The good news for the GOP is that even if the party base sees Cruz as their leader Democrats and independents actually see Chris Christie, who has far broader approval, as the leader of the Republican Party these days. With Democrats Christie gets 23% to 17% for Boehner and only 10% for Cruz. And with independents Christie gets 25% to 17% for Cruz and 10% for Boehner. Even if Republicans themselves see Cruz as their leader, they’re better off with everyone else seeing it as Christie.”

Cruz is the conservative type candidate, Christie appeals to the same folks as McCain and Romney did. We were told they were more electable too. We know how that turned out. Maybe this time we shouldn’t let the RINO’s, Independents, and Dems chose the candidate. Just a thought….

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News/Politics 11-2-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

The Obama admin’s assault on the military, and Christians in it, continues. Now you can add privileged white males to the mix.

From FoxNews  “A controversial 600-plus page manual used by the military to train its Equal Opportunity officers teaches that “healthy, white, heterosexual, Christian” men hold an unfair advantage over other races, and warns in great detail about a so-called “White Male Club.”

“Simply put, a healthy, white, heterosexual, Christian male receives many unearned advantages of social privilege, whereas a black, homosexual, atheist female in poor health receives many unearned disadvantages of social privilege,” reads a statement in the manual created by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI).”

“DEOMI instructors were also responsible for briefings at bases around the country that falsely labeled evangelical Christians, Catholics and a number of high-profile Christian ministries as domestic hate groups.”

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The social experimentation and purging of folks who disagree with it continues as well.

From WND  “Retired Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, recipient of the U.S. military’s  highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, as well as other top retired officers,  say President Obama’s agenda is decimating the morale of the U.S. ranks to the  point members no longer feel prepared to fight or have the desire to win.

“There is no doubt he (Obama) is intent on emasculating the military and will  fire anyone who disagrees with him” over such issues as “homosexuals, women in  foxholes, the Obama sequester,” Brady told WND.”

“Not only are military service members being demoralized and the ranks’ overall  readiness being reduced by the Obama administration’s purge of key leaders,  colonels – those lined up in rank to replace outgoing generals – are quietly  taking their careers in other directions.”

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And if you’re going to attempt a take-over and reconstruction of the military, you need to get rid of the symbols of the old guard. And I’m sure this has plenty to do with another group who uses the same symbol at times.

From TheDailyCaller  “The Navy Jack is the ‘don’t tread on me’  flag, one that has earned a revered place in America’s naval history and a  beloved place in sailor’s hearts, through its use for over two centuries. This  symbol of America’s naval ferocity has spanned our country’s entire existence,  flying from the masts of the Continental Navy during the war of independence, to  today’s War on Terror. In fact, an amendment to the Navy code called SECNAV Instruction 10520.6 clearly  states that as of 31 May 2002 all ships are to fly the flag throughout the  duration of the War on Terror.

So why would ranking SEAL commanders ban the historical symbol? Is the  proverbial top bass banning the flag? Is President Obama?

Clearly the administration and sycophant “top brass” officers have degraded  America’s military prestige; from hand-tying rules of engagement, to uniform  regulations that make our military allegedly more compatible with foreign  forces, to the banning of an awe-inspiring flag that traces its roots to the  first U.S. Navy. We have a civilian-led military, but why should our ranking  commanders be complicit in the administration’s war on it? Why don’t they stand  up to Obama and his leftist cronies?”

That’s a good question.

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The Obama admin has suffered another court defeat over the contraceptive mandate.

From TheWaPo  “A divided appeals court panel sided Friday with Ohio business owners who challenged the birth control mandate under the new federal health care law.

The business owners are two brothers, Francis and Philip M. Gilardi, who own Freshway Foods and Freshway Logistics of Sidney, Ohio., and challenged the mandate on religious grounds. They say the mandate to provide contraceptive coverage would force them to violate their Roman Catholic beliefs and moral values by providing contraceptives such as the morning-after pill for their employees. The law already exempts houses of worship from the requirement.”

“The ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is one of several on the birth control issue, which likely will be resolved by the Supreme Court. There are at least three other rulings by federal appeals courts on the mandate: One sided with Oklahoma businesses; and two sided with the Obama administration in challenges brought by Pennsylvania and Michigan companies.”

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So let me get this straight…

The Obama donor who got the contract which created the website mess is now getting more money to fix it? Cronyism on steroids.

From TheNYPost  “A tech firm linked to a campaign-donor crony of President Obama not only got the job to help build the federal health-insurance Web site — but also is getting paid to fix it.

Anthony Welters, a top campaign bundler for Obama and frequent White House guest, is the executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group, which owns the software company now at the center of the ObamaCare Web-site fiasco.

UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Quality Software Services Inc. (QSSI), which built the data hub for the ObamaCare system, has been named the new general contractor in charge of repairing the glitch-plagued HealthCare.gov.

Welters and his wife, Beatrice, have shoveled piles of cash into Obama’s campaign coffers and ­apparently reaped the rewards.”

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News/Politics 11-1-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

Well that didn’t take long. 🙂

From USNews/NBCNews  “A federal appeals court on Thursday issued a ruling reinstating most of Texas’ tough new abortion restrictions.

A panel of judges at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling a day after District Judge Lee Yeakel said one provision serves no medical purpose.

The panel says the law requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital can take effect while a lawsuit moves forward. The restrictions could take effect Friday.”

“The panel left in place a portion of Yeakel’s order that prevents the state from enforcing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration protocol for abortion-inducing drugs in cases where the woman is between 50 and 63 days into her pregnancy. Doctors testifying before the court had said such women would be  harmed if the protocol were enforced.”

The court ruled that the restrictions were well within the legislature’s authority to enact.

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The Rev. Billy Graham is about to hold what could be his last crusade. This one will be broadcast on television and the internet due to his health issues. I’ve never had the privilege of attending one, so I’m looking forward to it. I will provide the link and broadcast info when it’s available, but it looks like it will be on his birthday Nov. 7th.

From NewsMax  “Evangelist Billy Graham’s voice is softer and his body weaker, but the man who helped transform Christianity in America and counseled U.S. presidents will  reach out to the nation on his 95th birthday in an effort to revitalize the church.

In early October, Graham gave  an exclusive interview to Newsmax during which he said the sermon  he was preparing might be his last.

Graham, whose last crusade will be  via video, told Newsmax that America is drenched in a “sea of immorality” and suggested that the second coming of Christ is “near.”

“Graham, who has not preached publicly since 2006 because of  frail health, has filmed a public message to air on national television on his Nov. 7  birthday, giving fans a rare and possibly final opportunity to see the man dubbed “America’s Pastor.”

“Our country is in great need of a spiritual awakening,” Graham says in a program titled “The Cross.” “With all my heart, I want to leave you with the truth.”

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Looks like more Benghazi lies have been exposed.

From TheWashingtonTimes  “Masked from public view, two of the U.S. military’s elite special operations commandos have been awarded medals for  bravery for a mission that further undercuts the Obama administration’s original story about the  Benghazi tragedy.”

“The Pentagon, under intense public criticism for not coming to the aid of besieged Americans, published an official timeline in November that carefully danced around the issue.

It said time and distance prevented any commandos outside Libya from reaching a CIA compound under  attack. The timeline disclosed that a reinforcement flight 400 miles away in Tripoli contained two “DoD personnel” but did  not describe who they were. Later, the official State Department report on Benghazi said they were “two U.S. military personnel” — but provided no other details. It made no mention of special operations forces.

But sources directly familiar with the attack tell The Washington Times that  a unit of eight special operators — mostly Delta  Force and Green Beret members — were in  Tripoli the night of the attack, on a counterterrorism mission that involved capturing weapons and wanted terrorists from the streets and helping train Libyan forces.”

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I’m sure the DoJ will be charging this leaker with felony charges. We know how they hate leakers, and I’m sure they’ll treat him just like the others. 🙄

From NationalReview  “A House committee investigating the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of right-leaning groups has identified the IRS agent who leaked the confidential donor list of the National Organization for Marriage, a conservative organization that opposes gay marriage. NOM’s donor list, contained in a Form 990 Schedule B, which it is required by law to file with the IRS, was obtained in March 2012 by its chief political opponent, the Human Rights Campaign, and subsequently became the subject of several national news stories that centered on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s donation to the group.”

“Though the House Ways and Means Committee, which began investigating the scandal in the wake of revelations that the IRS had inappropriately singled out conservative groups, has identified the individual who divulged the information as an employee in the IRS’s Exempt Organizations Division, it can’t divulge his name to the public or to NOM. It can’t even confirm when the leak took place, whether the perpetrator was disciplined, or even whether he is still employed by the IRS or the U.S. government. That’s because of a peculiarity of the Internal Revenue Code’s section 6103, which is intended to protect the confidentiality of taxpayer information. The law makes it a felony to disclose tax returns or related information to the public, but in an odd twist, the results of investigations conducted by congressional committees or by inspectors general are considered the confidential tax information of the alleged perpetrator.“

Yep. They’ll be on this guy soon. Any minute now……..

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News/Politics 10-31-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up, a video of Ted Cruz’s remarks during the “Stand Your Ground” hearing yesterday.

Next up, Cruz again, this time warning of the DoJ trying an end run around the constitution. The DoJ is making the argument that international treaties should override US laws. The idea being Obama signed the UN Arms Treaty so we have to honor that and if it restricts the 2nd Amendment, too bad. Leftists could create all kind of mischief with this.

From TheWashingtonExaminer  “Justice Department attorneys are advancing an argument at the Supreme Court that could allow the government to invoke international treaties as a legal basis for policies such as gun control that conflict with the U.S. Constitution, according to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Their argument is that a law implementing an international treaty signed by the U.S. allows the federal government to prosecute a criminal case that would normally be handled by state or local authorities.

That is a dangerous argument, according to Cruz.”

“”If the administration is right, the treaty power could become a backdoor way for the federal government to do everything from abolishing the death penalty nationwide, to outlawing homeschooling, to dramatically curtailing the states’ rights to regulate abortion,” she told the Washington Examiner.”

2 Constitutional Scholars, one is right, the other is so very wrong. And he knows it too.

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Next up, Mr. “It’s Never My Fault”.

It’s those evil, for-profit companies canceling policy holders.

Because they followed ObamaCare rules and have to cancel them……..

From TheWaPo  “President Obama tried a new tack Wednesday as he fought back against criticism of his Obamacare claims.”

“Fact-checkers and journalists have ruled that Obama wasn’t being truthful when he claimed that people who liked their insurance could keep it. Obama during a speech in Boston sought to cast the issue Wednesday as trying to weed out “bad apple insurers” who don’t provide enough coverage.

“One of the things health reform was designed to do was to help not only the uninsured but also the under-insured,” Obama said. “And there are a number of Americans, fewer than 5 percent of Americans, who’ve got cut-rate plans that don’t offer real financial protection in the event of a serious illness or an accident.

“Remember, before the Affordable Care Act, these bad apple insurers had free rein every single year to limit the care that you received or used minor pre-existing conditions to jack up your premiums or bill you into bankruptcy.”

liar

🙂

I’ve been waiting for a spot for that one.

What?….  Too much? 🙂

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Meanwhile the White House is pressuring these same companies to just shut up and take it. It’s the Chicago way.

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More questions about just how secure the Healthcare.gov site is.

From TheAP  “An internal government memo obtained by The Associated Press shows administration officials were concerned that a lack of testing posed a “high” security risk for President Barack Obama’s new health insurance website.

The Sept. 27 memo to Medicare chief Marylin Tavenner said a website contractor wasn’t able to test all the security controls in one complete version of the system.

Insufficient testing “exposed a level of uncertainty that can be deemed as a high risk,” the memo said.”

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Shockingly it appears Senate Democrats are having a little trouble defending it all. 🙄

From TheWeeklyStandard  “Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire expressed shock that so many Americans are losing their current plans. “We knew that they would need to sign up again, but obviously I don’t think anybody thought people would be kicked off their health insurance plan,” said Shaheen, who refused to say if Americans should be able to keep the plans they had in 2013.

“He didn’t say anything wrong,” Senate majority leader Harry Reid said when asked about Obama’s promise. “That was true.”

According to Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Democrats had only promised that Americans could keep their insurance if it was “good insurance.”

“Many Senate Democrats tried to avoid answering questions about the president’s broken health insurance promise. Senators Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mark Pryor of Arkansas (both of whom are up for reelection next year) held their cell phones against their ears when approached for questions. Mark Warner of Virginia simply scoffed and walked away when asked if Americans should be allowed to keep their current health plans. Oregon senator Ron Wyden asked if we could talk later.”

You own it Democrats.

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And last one today for me, a story of local interest. It asks some interesting questions. And this is also why I find such displays tacky, juvenile, and just plain wrong. It demeans a legitimate charity effort in my opinion.

From MSNNews  “The court battle between two girls and their Pennsylvania school over “I (heart) Boobies!” bracelets could be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“The Easton Area School District board voted 7-1 Tuesday night to appeal a federal appeals court’s decision that rejected its claim the bracelets are lewd and should be banned from school. The case started in 2010 when two girls, then ages 12 and 13, challenged the school’s ban on the bracelets designed to promote breast cancer awareness among young people.”

“The Third Circuit Court has compromised administrators’ abilities to intervene in what is and what is not appropriate in school,” he said.

In court sessions, Reinhart had called the bracelets “cause-based marketing energized by sexual double-entendres.”

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Oh yeah, one more thing. Apparently Boston won last night and it’s supposed to be a big deal or something….  I don’t see it, but whatever, to each his own I suppose….

😆

From YahooSports  “About two minutes after the hit that won the Boston Red Sox the World Series, dozens of Boston Police officers started streaming off two buses hard by Lansdowne Street. What everyone else could sense, the BPD already knew. The Red Sox were going to win a championship in front of a home crowd for the first time since 1918, and a hundred more buses full of cops weren’t going to be enough to contain the coming party.

 Shane Victorino necessitated the police presence with a bases-clearing double off the Green Monster, John Lackey emerged victorious in a title-clinching game for the second time and the Red Sox sent Fenway Park, the city of Boston and all of New England into a tizzy with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the World Series on Wednesday night that delivered their eighth championship.”

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News/Politics 10-30-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

The White House has found someone else to throw under the bus rather than admit the obvious. And these folks aren’t happy about it. Nothing is ever the Obama administration’s fault. And as always, they’ll lie when challenged.

From TheLATimes  “The White House and State Department signed off on surveillance targeting phone conversations of friendly foreign leaders, current and former U.S. intelligence officials said Monday, pushing back against assertions that President Obama and his aides were unaware of the high-level eavesdropping.

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The Obama admin and Democrats have blamed CGI for the website issues. They don’t like being thrown under the bus either.

From CNN  “The Obama administration was given stark warnings just one month before launch that the federal healthcare site was not ready to go live, according to a confidential report obtained by CNN.

The caution, from the main contractor CGI, warned of a number of open risks and issues for the HealthCare.gov web site even as company executives were testifying publicly that the project had achieved key milestones.

On Capitol Hill on Monday, Medicaid Chief Marilyn Tavenner, whose job it was to oversee the October 1 rollout of the website, said she did not foresee its problems.

“No, we had tested the website and we were comfortable with its performance,” she said. “Now, like I said, we knew all along there would be as with any new website, some individual glitches we would have to work out. But, the volume issue and the creation of account issues was not anticipated and obviously took us by surprise. And did not show up in testing.”

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Oh look, more no-bid funny business in ObamaCare contracts.

From FoxNews  “The Dept. of Health and Human Services has quietly canceled a contract to a Chicago-based advocacy group that planned to promote ObamaCare benefits to recently paroled prisoners, after GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions wrote a letter to the agency in July questioning how the contract was funded.

 The HHS awarded the no-bid contract to Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities in July in order to “increase insurance enrollment for… individuals involved in the criminal justice system,” but then quietly updated the solicitation’s status to “canceled” on its website, saying it would be re-issued.

In his letter, Sessions, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, questioned why the advocacy group was awarded a special contract to promote the health care law to recently released convicts when the government has already spent over $200 million on the Navigators program, which is supposed to help educate all Americans about the law and its benefits and help them sign up.”

“Sessions also questioned why the contract was awarded to the group without on a no-bid basis, without offering the chance for other groups to offer the same services for less money.”

Probably a campaign donor or “friend of the prez”.

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The numbers for ObamaCare keep rising. No not the sign-ups, the cancellations.

From HotAir  ““If you like your doctor or health care plan,” Barack Obama repeatedly promised, “you can keep it.” Politifact rated that as “half true,” but for at least 2 million Americans, it’s a pants-on-fire lie from the White House.  CBS reports this morning that their contacts in the insurance industry confirm that millions have been booted from existing plans, and millions more may follow.”

“Well, it’s not unexpected for the White House and HHS, which made decisions three years ago that guaranteed millions would be pushed out of existing plans.  Levitt estimates that after subsidies are applied, about half will pay less in premiums while half will pay more, but that doesn’t take into account the escalating deductibles on the new plans.

The “subsidies will cover the difference” response also doesn’t address a fundamental truth about ObamaCare: it’s making everything more expensive, not just premiums.  Premiums increase as costs go up; that’s a fundamental point in risk-pool economics.  The subsidies only hide that cost, and don’t even do that well.  The subsidies will come from higher taxes and/or borrowing, and those taxes will be paid by Americans on top of the premiums they are now forced to absorb.  The only difference is that the taxes are indirect — either through income-tax increases or on costs associated with higher taxes on medical devices and services.”

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The fight for control of the future of the Republican party rages on. Maybe stuff like this is why people have the opinion that the party only cares about big business. Looks like the RINO’s are teaming up with big business to seize control of the party.

From TheWashingtonTimes  “The recent fiscal crisis has opened a major rift between the tea party wing  of the Republican Party and business  groups that traditionally have backed Republicans, with many business leaders  now vowing to get involved more in GOP primaries to try to counter insurgent candidates.

Tea party leaders are defiant, saying they will not change course despite  criticism from the U.S. Chamber of  Commerce, Business Roundtable and  other top business groups.

But business leaders argue that the scorched-earth tactics used by tea party  Republicans during the 16-day shutdown and debate over raising the federal  government’s borrowing limit marked the fourth time since the GOP took control of the House in 2011 that tea party adherents precipitated a  governmental crisis that zapped consumer and business confidence, raised  uncertainty and exerted a major drag on economic  growth.

Besides encouraging more business-friendly candidates in primary contests,  business groups are rallying behind establishment Republicans such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky  Republican who is being targeted by tea party activists for brokering a deal to  temporarily raise the debt ceiling and reopen the government, while launching a  negotiation with Democrats over budget cuts and proposed tax and entitlement  reforms.”

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The public however seems to disagree with RINO’s, big business, and Dems in some of their views of the Tea Party.

From Rasmussen  “Voters are evenly divided when asked whether they agree more politically with President Obama or with the average member of the Tea Party. But an enormous partisan gap colors virtually all opinions of the Tea Party.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters think the president’s views are closest to their own when it comes to the major issues facing the country. But just as many (42%) say their views come closest to those of the average Tea Party member instead. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.”

“Thirty-four percent (34%) now believe their personal views are closest to those of the average member of Congress when it comes to the major issues of the day. But slightly more (36%) say their views are closest to those of the average member of the Tea Party. A sizable 30%, however, are not sure.”

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And it seems Obama and his love of abortion (and their dollars) has rubbed off on OFA, the (totally non-partisan and unconnected to the White House honest we swear) advocacy group.

From LifeNews  “Operation Rescue has learned that the pro-abortion Respect ABQ Women Coalition, which is the main opposition to the Albuquerque “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Ordinance,” is actually an affiliate of Pres. Barack Obama’s “Organizing for Action,” which encourages activism for radical leftist causes. The two groups are working together under the banner of “Stand With Women,” which is coordinating a national effort against the municipal ordinance through BarackObama.com. [View screen shot of website]

Operation Rescue received a copy of an e-mail concerning a “Stand with Women” national conference call held on October 24, which originated from Kelli Lamb, Barack Obama.com, who is the Women’s Issues Coordinator for Obama’s Organizing for Action.”

“During this “strategy call,” Jennifer Lawson, the field director for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund in Albuquerque, solicited funds and volunteers to oppose the late-term abortion ban, according to a pro-life supporter who debriefed Operation Rescue after listening in on the call.”

“It appears that Obama is behind an organized effort to ensure the continuation of late-term abortions up until birth, and is attempting through subterfuge to subvert the will of the vast majority of the people of Albuquerque who oppose the heinous practice of aborting babies halfway through pregnancy and up until birth,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “These are the same leftists who are condemning support for the ordinance by national pro-life groups. The deception is appalling.”

But not at all surprising.

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