Obamacare

by

News/Politics 8-2-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up today, an ObamaCare update.

From SavannahNow  “Georgia may not start its Obamacare health exchange Oct. 1 when the rest of the country does because the state issued an emergency request late Monday for a delay.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens asked U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for another 30 days beyond tomorrow’s deadline to approve the health plans submitted by seven insurance companies wanting to do business in the state.

He said some rates were 198 percent higher than current plans available in the state.”

Ouch.

Meanwhile, the IRS chief says no thanks to ObamaCare.

From TheWeeklyStandard  “”Mr. Werfel, last week your employees who are a member of the National Treasury Employee’s Union sent a form letter for union members to send in to ask they be exempt from the exchanges,” a congressman asked. “Why are your employees trying to exempt themselves from the very law that you’re tasked to enforce?”

“I don’t want to speak for the NTEU, but I’ll offer a perspective as a federal employee myself and a federal employee at the IRS,” said the IRS chief. “And that is, we have right now as employees of the government, of the IRS, affordable health care coverage. I think the ACA was designed to provide an option or an alternative for individuals that do not. And all else being equal, I think if you’re an individual who is satisfied with your health care coverage, you’re probably in a better position to stick with that coverage than go through the change of moving into a different environment and going through that process. So I think for a federal employee, I think more likely, and I would — can speak for myself, I would prefer to stay with the current policy that I’m pleased with rather than go through a change if I don’t need to go through that change.””

So would a lot of folks, but if they can’t, why should you be allowed too? Finding out the President lied stinks huh?

Next up, an update on the Obama admin and schools getting together in their propaganda efforts. They insist there’s no concerted efforts to do so, yet some schools seem more than happy to do their part. Let me guess….. “It’s for the kids!…..” right? 🙄

From Politico  “Supporters of the health law see back-to-school season as a natural time for  Obamacare outreach, a chance to find young families who could benefit from new  health coverage options. But weeks before the school bells start ringing in  parts of the country, there’s no concerted effort to reach parents at the  schoolhouse door. It’s yet another sign of how the undying controversy could  overshadow attempts to get people enrolled.”

“And the big sign-up campaign from Enroll America, an organization of  Obamacare allies and health law stakeholders, hasn’t focused on schools, at  least not as of now.

States or school districts can act on their own; Los Angeles, for instance,  is training some high school juniors and seniors how to be Obamacare messengers  to their families and communities. But the lack of a national strategy is just  one more sign of how hard it is for the administration and its allies to focus  on health benefits, not health politics, as Obamacare enrollment nears. And the  Republicans have made it clear that they don’t want the schools to go anywhere  near the controversial health law.

“What authority does the Department of Education have to disseminate  information and assist with the implementation of the president’s health care  law?” Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), a former Education secretary, and other  GOP senators wrote Duncan in July. “How do the Department of Education’s  activities further the education of our nation’s students?””

OOOOO, OOOOO, I know! I know this one!….  They don’t. 🙄

But even if all the schools don’t help out, we still have 21 govt. agencies doing their part in the propaganda efforts. It’s becoming painfully obvious why they recently rescinded anti-propaganda law and regulations huh? Yeah……

From TheWashingtonExaminer  “Thirty-nine Republican senators want to know who the 21 federal agencies helping to implement Obamacare are and what those agencies are doing to promote the program.

A leaked April 2013 slideshow from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said 21 federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture and Education, are working on an educational program to implement Obamacare.

That reference prompted the senators’ curiosity.

“At a time federal agency budgets have been tightened by the sequester and the White House has warned of cuts to basic programs, I would like to know how 21 agencies, such as those overseeing agriculture and education, would have the taxpayer dollars to implement and promote the new health care law — an activity outside of their missions and an expense not authorized by Congress,” Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said.”

Yeah…..

________________________________________________________

Next we have a “Phony Scandal” update. I posted a story months ago about the embassy in Benghazi being a CIA arms shipment operation to arm Syrian rebels. This will feed that idea, that’s for sure.

From CNN  “Sources now tell CNN dozens of people working for the CIA were on the ground that night, and that the agency is going to great lengths to make sure whatever it was doing, remains a secret.

CNN has learned the CIA is involved in what one source calls an unprecedented attempt to keep the spy agency’s Benghazi secrets from ever leaking out.”

“Speculation on Capitol Hill has included the possibility the U.S. agencies operating in Benghazi were secretly helping to move surface-to-air missiles out of Libya, through Turkey, and into the hands of Syrian rebels.”

Hmmmmmmmmmm………………….

Oh, and US Embassies and consulates throughout the muslim world will close Sunday due to threats. Nice.

From TheAP  “The United States is shuttering its embassies and consulates throughout the Muslim world on Sunday after receiving an unspecified threat, officials said.”

“Spokeswoman Marie Harf cited information indicating a threat to U.S. facilities overseas and said some diplomatic offices may stay closed for more than a day.”

And in other terrorism  work-place violence news……

From FoxNews  “On the eve of his military trial, accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan  released seven pages of handwritten and typed documents to Fox News in which he  appears to renounce his U.S. citizenship, abandons his military oath as a  commissioned officer, and explains his relationship with radical cleric Anwar  al-Awlaki — the first American targeted for death by the CIA.

Most of the documents also include the acronym “SoA,” which is considered  shorthand for “Soldier of Allah.”  Hasan’s business card, also bearing  “SoA,” was found in his Texas apartment after the shooting.”

“”The government has tried to deny that this was an act of terrorism. I think  that, I hope that if people hear the words from Hasan’s own mouth that they will  understand that this was an act of terrorism,” Staff Sgt. Shawn Manning, who was  shot six times at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009, told Fox News.”

“In the only document bearing a date — Oct. 18, 2012 — Hasan  writes: “I, Nidal Malik Hasan, am compelled to renounce any oaths of  allegiances that require me to support/defend (any – sic) man made constitution  (like the constitution of the United States) over the commandments mandated in  Islam … I therefore formally renounce my oath of office … this includes my  oath of U.S. citizenship.”

It’s time the Obama admin gives up on this charade and grants these soldiers and their families what they are rightfully due. This was terrorism. Stop lying and admit it.

________________________________________________________

Next we have some union stories, irony, and bad behavior.

From TheFreeBeacon  “A judge ordered one of Chicago’s most politically powerful labor unions to suspend picketing against 16 funeral homes last week after receiving reports that striking Teamsters had, among other things, disturbed a child’s funeral.

SCI Illinois Services, Inc., one of the nation’s largest funeral home chains, asked a district court to intervene after striking funeral directors and drivers with Teamsters Local 727 allegedly harassed grieving families.

“We are grateful that the court agreed to issue this temporary restraining order, and we are hopeful that it will help protect grieving families who are experiencing the most difficult times of their lives,” Larry Michael, managing director for SCI Illinois Services, Inc., said in a release. “While we recognize and respect the Teamsters’ right to lawfully picket, we have been shocked and saddened by their attempts to make grieving families the target of the cruel and outrageous attacks.”

You won’t get much sympathy to your cause acting like jerks at children’s funerals. Seriously un-cool.

Next, the irony… Considering the way the ACLU uses the threat of litigation and lawsuits to stifle those they disagree with, it’s ironic that they would whine about extortion tactics when someone uses the press against them for a change.

From TheWashingtonExaminer  “Did you know that the clerical and other support staff for the American Civil Liberties Union is, well, unionized? Well, they are and that is causing ACLU executive director Anthony Romero some serious heartburn.

Romero told the Village Voice in a July 25 interview that the workers’ union, United Auto Workers Local 2110, was engaging in a “subtle form of extortion” by criticizing the ACLU to the press.

“[The union] is using the press to embarrass us and back us into a corner to make concessions that are not in keeping with the market and not in keeping with other employers,” Romero said. He was responding to a Village Voice piece the previous day titled: “The ACLU Is Going After Its Own Union Workers’ Contracts.””

________________________________________________________

And in another waste of taxpayer money….  and govt. employees acting stupidly…… Someone illegally possessing a baby dear? Send the SWAT team in to kill Bambi. Sorry. It’s the law.

From WISN.com  “WISN 12 News investigates an operation raising questions about the use of  government resources and the state policy that meant a death sentence for a fawn.”

“Two weeks ago, Schulze was  working in the barn at the Society of St. Francis on the Kenosha-Illinois border when a swarm of squad cars arrived and officers unloaded with a search  warrant.

“(There were) nine DNR  agents and four deputy sheriffs, and they were all armed to the teeth,” Schulze  said.”

“The focus of their search was a baby fawn brought there by an Illinois family  worried she had been abandoned by her mother.”

Stand back folks! That’s weapons-grade stupid right there. Dangerous stuff. 🙄

That one got me thinking of another story I read, so I went and found it. Related? You decide.

From TheAP  “Small-town police departments across the country have been gobbling up tons of equipment discarded by a downsizing military — bicycles, bed sheets, bowling pins, French horns, dog collars, even a colonoscopy machine — regardless of whether the items are needed or will ever be used.

In the tiny farming community of Morven, Ga., the police chief has grabbed three boats, scuba gear, rescue rafts and a couple of dozen life preservers. The town’s deepest body of water: an ankle-deep creek.”

“An Associated Press investigation of the Defense Department program, originally aimed at helping local law enforcement fight terrorism and drug trafficking, found that a disproportionate share of the $4.2 billion worth of property distributed since 1990 has been obtained by police departments and sheriff’s offices in rural areas with few officers and little crime.”

“Sometimes he doesn’t get exactly what he’s requested, like the time he asked for a handheld laser range finder for a gun and instead got a $28,000 range finder from the nose of an A-10 Warthog tank-busting jet aircraft.”

Like I said, weapons-grade… 

I really need a face-palm smiley. Talk about waste, fraud, and abuse…..

by

News/Politics 8-1-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

First up, hey, it’s only a million… What’s to worry about?

From TheWashingtonTimes  “The Homeland Security Department has lost track of more than 1 million people  who it knows arrived in the U.S. but who it cannot prove left the country,  according to an audit Tuesday that also found the department probably won’t meet  its own goals for deploying an entry-exit system.

The findings were revealed as Congress debates an immigration bill, and the Government  Accountability Office’s report could throw up another hurdle because  lawmakers in the House and Senate have said that  any final deal must include a workable system to track entries and exits and cut  down on so-called visa overstays.”

I’m sure none of them are terrorists, or anyone else we should be concerned about. 🙄

________________________________________________________

Next we have a “Phony Scandal” update.

From NationalReview  “Embattled Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner and an attorney in the Federal Election Commission’s general counsel’s office appear to have twice colluded to influence the record before the FEC’s vote in the case of a conservative non-profit organization, according to e-mails unearthed by the House Ways and Means Committee and obtained exclusively by National Review Online. The correspondence suggests the discrimination of conservative groups extended beyond the IRS and into the FEC, where an attorney from the agency’s enforcement division in at least one case sought and received tax information about the status of a conservative group, the American Future Fund, before recommending that the commission prosecute it for violations of campaign-finance law. Lerner, the former head of the IRS’s exempt-organizations division, worked at the FEC from 1986 to 1995, and was known for aggressive investigation of conservative groups during her tenure there, too.”

________________________________________________________

We have a George Zimmerman update too. One that’s sure to make race-baiters, guilty feeling white liberals, and media personalities lose their minds. 🙂 Bonus!

From TMZ  “George Zimmerman is still armed and theoretically dangerous …  he was stopped by cops for speeding and revealed he had a gun in his glove  compartment.

Zimmerman was speeding in Forney, Texas on Sunday, just  after noon, when he was stopped by police.  Zimmerman told cops he was  headed “nowhere in particular,” and informed them he had a firearm in his glove  compartment.

Zimmerman was given a warning, after cops determined he was  free of warrants.  He was sent on his way with a polite goodbye, “Have a  safe trip.””

No ticket, and he got to keep his gun. Holder will not be pleased. 🙂 Double Bonus! 🙂

________________________________________________________

Here’s another feel good story out of the great state of Texas.

From TheNewAmerican  “The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) appears to be losing its intimidating touch as it goes about its business of trying to stop people from praying and expressing their faith in public. The atheist group’s latest attack has come against the city council of League City, Texas, which has included prayer by local clergy in its regular government meetings since the early 1960s.

In a July 15 letter to Mayor Tim Paulissen and the League City Council, the FFRF went through its customary paces in attempting to browbeat the city fathers into submission. Appealing to the First Amendment’s supposed “separation of state and church,” the godless group’s staff attorney, Elizabeth Cavell, called the city’s tradition of allowing both local residents and government officials to open the meetings in prayer of “dubious legality,” insisting that such prayers are “unnecessary, inappropriate, and divisive.”

Cavell advised that while government officials “are free to pray privately or to worship on their own time in their own way,” they “do not need to worship on taxpayers’ time.” Cavell complained that inviting council members and locals to offer invocations at the government meetings “is coercive and beyond the authority of any government.””

“As it happened, Mayor Paulissen and the city council appeared to be disinclined to follow the FFRF’s self-serving advice. Paulissen told the Houston Chronicle that he and the other city fathers had no plans to drop the 52-year tradition of opening council meetings with an invocation.”

Finally someone stands up to the atheist bullies. Good. 🙂

________________________________________________________

Next up, some ObamaCare news….

First, from YahooNews  “President Barack Obama’s decision to delay implementation of part of his healthcare reform law will cost $12 billion and leave a million fewer Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance in 2014, congressional researchers said Tuesday.”

Liberal activists are claiming thousands will die….. unless they get their dream of single-payer. 🙄

From CNSNews  ““Thousands of people will die every year” and “costs will continue to go out of control” under Obamacare, says Public Citizen President Robert Weissman.

The only solution is to nationalize health care through a single-payer system, Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Public Citizen argued outside the U.S. Capitol Wednesday.”

And then, The Dishonor System – A user’s guide to committing fraud on the Obama­care exchanges.

From TheWeeklyStandard  “Let me stipulate that I do not condone fraud in any form. Moreover, I assume all Weekly Standard readers are law-abiding citizens who would neither commit fraud themselves nor encourage others to do so. My purpose is to inform such readers just how tempting fraud on the Obamacare health insurance exchanges will be in light of the recently announced delays in employer reporting and employer mandates.

There are three types of fraud worth considering, each reflecting different motivations and degrees of risk tolerance among the hypothetical individuals considered.”

And then they break it down for ya’.

________________________________________________________

And this is the last I have for you today. We’ve always known Hollywood was full of narcissists and selfish people. But now it seems their need for hang-over remedies and beauty treatments is adversely affecting the lives of pre-mature children as well.

From WTOP.com  ” It sounds like a Third World problem: Hospitals are rationing,  bartering and hoarding critical nutrients that premature infants need to survive.  But it’s a problem that’s  happening in the  Washington area and in other major cities across the country.”

“This is a national emergency, this is a public  health crisis and the government isn’t doing anything about it,” Robbins says.”

“”So essentially, premature babies are suffering because they can’t get access to  the same nutrients that some celebrities are using to pretty-up before a photo  shoot,” says Robbins, who adds that people are also using the drugs for a hangover  cure. 

Why are celebrities getting the drugs, and not the infants in critical  condition?”

More on it here.

From TheWashingtonian 

________________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-27-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up, more media editing of tape involving the Zimmerman case. ABC joins NBC in pushing a false meme. Hopefully they join NBC in the lawsuit against them area too.

From SLATE  “Did George Zimmerman get away with murder? That’s what one of his jurors says, according to headlines in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and dozens of other newspapers. Trayvon Martin’s mother and the Martin family’s attorney are trumpeting this “new information” as proof that “George Zimmerman literally got away with murder.”

_______________________________________________________

Next, not surprising given this administration’s policies.

From TheDailyCaller  “Federal Bureau of Investigation officials ignored warnings about the radical origins and nature of the mosque frequented by the Tsarnaev brothers for years before this April’s deadly Boston Marathon bombings.”

“But the FBI was warned nearly four years  prior to the bombings that the ISB was a nest of Islamic radicalism.”

_______________________________________________________

The IRS union has said they don’t want ObamaCare. Sure, but they want to expand to enforce it for the commoners huh?

From TheWashingtonExaminer  “IRS employees have a prominent role in Obamacare, but their union wants no part of the law.

National Treasury Employees Union officials are urging members to write their congressional representatives in opposition to receiving coverage through President Obama’s health care law.

The union leaders are providing members with a form letter to send to the congressmen that says “I am very concerned about legislation that has been introduced by Congressman Dave Camp to push federal employees out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and into the insurance exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act.”

_______________________________________________________

In other ObamaCare news, another company opens it’s doors to the navigators (ACORN) and ObamaCare. Personally just further confirmation to us that we were lucky our plan dumped CVS Caremark.

From Politico “CVS Caremark is joining the effort to encourage Americans to sign up for  Obamacare insurance programs, company executives announced Thursday.

CVS officials told POLITICO that they’re planning to use pharmacies at their  7,400 North American stores as a gateway for the uninsured to learn about new  coverage options — especially subsidized insurance coverage available to  low-income people on state-based insurance exchanges.”

“Foulkes said CVS pharmacies would invite trained “navigators” into their stores  to help eligible people sign up for exchanges.”

_______________________________________________________

And ACORN getting ahold of every American’s personal info isn’t the only worry. Others may too.

From RedAlertPolitics  “As the Obama administration frantically tries to enlist the help of organizations to promote the Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood could be one of several groups with access to citizens’ sensitive information in the Federal Data Hub.

According to The Illinois Typepad Review, if the organization is granted funding through the Department of Health and Human Services’ $54 million in navigator grants, the nonprofit will have access to Obamacare’s Federal Data Hub. The database contains citizens’ information collected from the Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice, and includes Social Security numbers.”

That’s called cronyism folks. The worst kind. You fund us and help push it, we pay you back with federal dollars for pushing it, and for performing abortions.

_______________________________________________________

And in an ironic twist, the ObamaCare California call centers about to go on-line have decided half their employees will be part-time intermittent. That means no health insurance, and like the Census, they’ll pace work assignments so nobody makes enough to collect UC benefits when the assignments are done.

From NationalReview  “One branch of that call center will be located in California’s Contra Costa County, where, reportedly, 7,000 people applied for the 204 jobs. According to the Contra Costa Times, however, “about half the jobs are part-time, with no health benefits — a stinging disappointment to workers and local politicians who believed the positions would be full-time.” The county supervisor, Karen Mitchoff, called the hiring process “a comedy of errors” and said she “never dreamed [the jobs] would be part-time.”

But hey, don’t worry, at least they’ll get a bigger subsidy to buy insurance they still won’t be able to afford. That’s something right? And since they won’t make much, they can probably get food stamps too. You just have to look at the bright side with this stuff. 🙄

_______________________________________________________

Everything the man says comes with an expiration date. The promise of Change has officially past it’s sell by date.

From TheHuffingtonPost  “Amid the Obama administration’s crackdown against whistleblowers, Change.gov, the 2008 website of the Obama transition team laying out the candidate’s promises, has disappeared from the internet.

The Sunlight Foundation notes that it last could be viewed on June 8, which was two days after the first revelations from Edward Snowden (who had then not yet revealed himself) about the NSA’s phone surveillance program. One of the promises Obama made on the website was on “whistleblower protections:””

_______________________________________________________

Next we have attack cats preying on the French. 😯

From TheTelegraph/UK  “About six cats pounced on the unnamed dog owner as she walked her poodle in the city of Belfort, in the popular Franche-Comte region, on the Swiss border, dragging her to the ground and mauling her.

She was bitten repeatedly and left with a torn artery which could have proved fatal, while the dog was also badly hurt.”

“The woman was rushed to hospital where she received treatment for her wounds, and a number of injections including one against rabies. The poodle was treated at a nearby veterinary clinic.”

They estimate that 8,000 more are born in France everyday.  😦

_______________________________________________________

And a good news story in the treatment of dementia.

From Bloomberg  “Patients taking drugs known as ACE inhibitors that are used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure had lower rates of deterioration caused by certain types of dementia, according to researchers who reviewed Canadian hospital records.”

_______________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-26-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

We’ve got a bunch today.

First up, from TheWashingtonPost  “By a margin of 56 to 27 percent, more Americans say they’d prefer to impose limits on abortions after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy rather than the 24-week mark established under current law, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.”

________________________________________________________

Next up, Holder begins his attempt to get around the recent Voting Rights decision from the Supreme Court. Why does he always speak to border-line racist groups about alleged racism from others?

From RedAlertPolitics  “In response to the Supreme Court’s recent decision that states are innocent of institutional racism until proven guilty, Attorney General Eric Holder is arguing that Texas’ “history of pervasive voting-related discrimination against racial minorities” should make its voting laws subject to the Department of Justice’s oversight indefinitely.

While speaking before the National Urban League in Philadelphia on Thursday, Holder said his agency would ask a federal judge to require Texas to submit all its voting laws to the DOJ for review before they can be legally enacted because the state has a supposed history of discrimination and racism.”

_________________________________________________________

Meanwhile the Obama admin plays dumb in order to keep the money flowing to Egypt. Coup? What coup? 🙄

From TheHuffingtonPost  “The Obama administration told lawmakers Thursday that it won’t declare Egypt’s government overthrow a coup, U.S. officials and lawmakers said, allowing the United States to continue providing $1.5 billion in annual military and economic aid to the Arab world’s most populous country.”

_________________________________________________________

Next we have another victim of ObamaCare.

From RedAlertPolitics  “For almost 20 years Bob Westbrook has been a Cici’s Pizza franchise owner, selling “fresh taste at a great price.” But thanks to Obamacare’s not-so-great-employer mandate, Westbrook is forced to sell his buffet-style restaurants instead of pizza.

Even though Westbrook says his Texas stores were the top three performing CiCi’s Pizza franchises, he wasn’t making enough dough… er, money to provide health insurance to all 96 of his full-time employees, much less afford the penalty — which would cost him $78,000 more than what he says he made at his restaurants in 2011.”

_________________________________________________________

Here’s a new development in the NSA snooping.

From Cnet  “The U.S. government has demanded that major Internet companies divulge users’ stored passwords, according to two industry sources familiar with these orders, which represent an escalation in surveillance techniques that has not previously been disclosed.”

“If the government is able to determine a person’s password, which is typically stored in encrypted form, the credential could be used to log in to an account to peruse confidential correspondence or even impersonate the user. Obtaining it also would aid in deciphering encrypted devices in situations where passwords are reused.”

_________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, we now know what it costs to buy an Ambassadorship. About a half a million.

From Bloomberg  “At least 26 of Obama’s current and nominated ambassadors were major Democratic campaign contributors, giving a total of at least $13.6 million to him, the Democratic Party, and congressional candidates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“When he talked about toughening up lobbying rules, the sense was that this is a president really committed to international engagement,” said Dan Kurtzer, a 29-year veteran of the foreign service and former ambassador to Egypt and Israel under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. “Instead, we so devalue diplomacy that we assume anyone can walk off the street and do it.”

_________________________________________________________

And last, we have The Black Death. 😯

From NBCLosAngelos  “A squirrel infected with plague bacteria prompted the closure of popular campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest on Wednesday, according to Los Angeles County health officials.”

That’s not cool.

_________________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-24-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

As always, open thread. 🙂

Too late, you own it.

From TheWashingtonPost  “The landmark health-reform law passed in 2010 has never been very popular and always highly partisan, but a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that a group of once loyal Democrats has been steadily turning against Obamacare: Democrats who are ideologically moderate  or conservative.”

Meanwhile the majority of the public remains against it as well. And the public also believes healthcare will get worse because of it.

From Rasmussen  “Voters continue to give high marks to the health care they now receive but are more pessimistic than ever about the short-term future of the health care system in this country.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 24% of Likely U.S. Voters now expect the U.S. health care system to get better over the next couple of years. Sixty-one percent (61%) think that system will get worse. That’s up four points from a month ago and up 13 points since February.”

Repeal it, or shut ‘er down. Either works. 🙂

From TheHill  “ObamaCare is at the center of a rapidly escalating fight that threatens to  shut the government down this fall.

Senate Republicans, including two members of the leadership, are coalescing  around a proposal to block any government funding resolution that includes money  for the implementation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.”

And an update to a previous story.

From NationalReview  “President Obama has had a poor record of job creation, but at least one small economic sector is doing well: community organizing.

The Department of Health and Human Services is about to hire an army of “patient navigators” to inform Americans about the subsidized insurance promised by Obamacare and assist them in enrolling. These organizers will be guided by the new Federal Data Hub, which will give them access to reams of personal information compiled by federal agencies ranging from the IRS to the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration. “The federal government is planning to quietly enact what could be the largest consolidation of personal data in the history of the republic,” Paul Howard of the Manhattan Institute and Stephen T. Parente, a University of Minnesota finance professor, wrote in USA Today. No wonder that there are concerns about everything from identity theft to the ability of navigators to use the system to register Obamacare participants to vote.”

____________________________________________________

Next we have a leftist caught with a racist sign at a George Zimmerman rally. She was pretending to be with them in order to make them look bad. Of course this is easy to accomplish when you have like-minded leftist in the media willing to run with a false story.

From GatewayPundit  “A photo from the Houston pro-Zimmerman counter-rally of the NBPP anti-Zimmerman rally picked up by the AP shows a woman holding a sign that read, “Racist & Proud.”

“Austin resident Renee Vaughan echoed the sign’s ugly sentiments by yelling, “We’re racist. We’re proud. We’re better because we’re white,” at the Martin group as they passed, according to the Chronicle.

The act to smear the Zimmerman supporters as racists with a leftist plant worked as the photo and comment was picked up and spread worldwide.“

She’s also a community organizer. What were the chances huh? 🙄

____________________________________________________

And since we’re on the subject of leftist hacks pretending to be something they’re not, here’s one pretending she’s a journalist.

From CNSNews  “Noting the worldwide excitement surrounding Kate Middleton’s pregnancy, MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry compared the hoopla surrounding the British royal birth to Texas abortion politics, and then offered her own definition of viability:

“When does life begin? I submit the answer depends an awful lot on the feeling of the parents. A powerful feeling – but not science,” Harris-Perry said on her show Sunday. “The problem is that many of our policymakers want to base sweeping laws on those feelings.”

____________________________________________________

Here’s a not shocking story.

From HotAir  “The analysis from Media Research Center comes as no shock to those of us keeping track of both stories as they unfolded, of course, but it’s noteworthy nonetheless. The broadcast networks created a new heroine in tennis shoes in Wendy Davis while barely mentioning Kermit Gosnell over a much longer period:

Davis, a previously unheard of Texas state senator, staged a filibuster last month in a successful bid to derail a late-term abortion bill. Cheered by rowdy pro-abortion activists, Davis spoke for 11 hours against a bill outlawing abortions after 20 months of pregnancy and mandating that abortion clinics meet the same sanitary and safety standards as any other Texas medical facility.”

“In the 19 days since her June 25 filibuster, ABC, CBS and NBC have devoted 40 minutes, 48 seconds of their morning and evening news programs to stories including Davis. That’s more than three times the 13 minutes 30 seconds they gave Gosnell during the entire 58 days of the murder trial.”

Well the media loves to push stories that promote their pro-abortion views. Stories that show the true horror of those views, not so much.

____________________________________________________

Next up, some friendly fire for Anthony Weiner over his latest and continuing stupidity.

From TheNYTimes  “At some point, the full story of Anthony Weiner and his sexual relationships and texting habits will finally be told. In the meantime, the serially evasive Mr. Weiner should take his marital troubles and personal compulsions out of the public eye, away from cameras, off the Web and out of the race for mayor of New York City.”

“That’s ridiculous and speaks to a familiar but repellent pattern of misleading and evasion. It’s up to Mr. Weiner if he wants to keep running, to count on voters to forgive and forget and hand him the keys to City Hall. But he has already disqualified himself.”

Sure it’s a Blind Squirrel moment for the NYT, but I’ll still give them credit for stating the obvious.

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-23-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up…

From RealClearPolitics  “A week after George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the fatal shooting of black  teenager Trayvon Martin, the backlash continues, with nationwide protests and  calls to boycott Florida. President Obama spoke some undeniable truths when he  noted that the African-American community’s reaction must be seen in the context  of a long, terrible history of racism. But there is another context too: that of  an ideology-based, media-driven false narrative that has distorted a tragedy  into a racist outrage.

This narrative has transformed Zimmerman, a man of racially mixed  heritage that included white, Hispanic and black roots (a grandmother who  helped raise him had an Afro-Peruvian father), into an honorary white male  steeped in white privilege. It has cast him as a virulent racist even though he  once had a black business partner, mentored African-American kids, lived in a  neighborhood about 20 percent black, and participated in complaints about a white police lieutenant’s son getting away with beating a homeless black man.”

Next up, I asked before, I’ll ask again. Assisting, or orchestrating?

From TheDailyCaller  “At CRS headquarters, we (meaning I) regularly had to warn or take corrective  action against career employees for acting as advocates instead of mediators,”  Ondray Harris, the former director of the DOJ’s Community Relations Service  (CRS), told The Daily Caller. CRS was the unit deployed to Sanford in 2012 to  oversee anti-Zimmerman protests.

“Some CRS employees come to the Agency with anti-law enforcement or anti-  what they would call the ‘white establishment’ [attitudes]” added Harris, an  African American who joined CRS during the administration of George W. Bush in  2007 and left in 2010.”

____________________________________________________

And Obama supported “Stand Your Ground” laws, even co-sponsored it in Illinois. His flip-flop is recent. Again.

From TheIllinoisReview  “This past week President Obama publicly urged the reexamination of state self-defense laws (see remarks below). However, nine years ago then-State Sen. Barack Obama actually co-sponsored a bill that strengthened Illinois’ 1961 “stand your ground” law.

The Obama-sponsored bill (SB 2386) enlarged the state’s 1961 law by shielding the person who was attacked from being sued in civil court by perpetrators or their estates when a “stand your ground” defense is used in protecting his or her person, dwelling or other property.

The bill unanimously passed the Democrat-controlled Illinois Senate on March 25, 2004 with only one comment, and passed the Democrat-controlled Illinois House in May 2004 with only two votes in opposition. Then-Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) signed it into law.”

And the case for standing your ground on “Stand Your Ground”.

From HotAir  “If you need a weekend reading assignment on an important topic, I will definitely suggest  Charles C. W. Cooke’s essential read, Stand Your Ground on Stand Your Ground Laws at National Review. This is a subject which I’d thought was pretty much settled law, but has recently been brought back into the spotlight by Eric Holder, as well as his boss. Some of the opinions being expressed by our nation’s top cops fly directly in the face of the principles underlying current law in many areas. In fact, as Cooke points out, this concept is one which has found a comfortable home in many more places than you might think. For proof, he cites Eugene Volokh.

The substantial majority view among the states, by a 31-19 margin, is no duty to retreat. Florida is thus part of this substantial majority on this point. And most of these states took this view even before the recent spate of “stand your ground” statutes, including the Florida statute.”

Clueless about the law, or willfully ignoring it? Either way, that seems to be their M.O.

____________________________________________________

This next one is just a coincidence I’m sure. 🙄

From TheDailyCaller  “Former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman and two other IRS officials met with  a top official at the White House one day before the agency issued new  guidelines on how to scrutinize tea party and conservative groups applying for  tax-exempt status.

Shulman — joined by his chief of staff and political aide Jonathan Davis and  IRS spokesman Frank Keith —  met with then-Office of Management and Budget  (OMB) Director Jeffrey Zients at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the  White House complex on April 24, 2012.”

“The very next day, April 25, the IRS’s chief counsel’s office — led by William  Wilkins, who  met with Obama at the White House that same week – sent  Washington-based IRS officials “additional comments on the draft guidance” for  approving or denying tea party tax-exempt applications, according to a report on  the IRS scandal compiled by Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George.”

Top down.

____________________________________________________

More waste, fraud, and abuse in the nations many food programs.

From WatchDog.org  “Since Illinois has seen an explosion in the number of people receiving food stamps, even a slight error costs taxpayers millions.

In this instance, a mistake rate of less than 2 percent means $50 million is misspent.

That’s the hard truth behind the press release lauding Illinois for having a 98.3 percent accuracy rate for its Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.

Illinois’ error rate, from either overspending on food stamps or not spending enough, is 1.74 percent, according to Januari Smith, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Human Services.“

So the Feds have rewarded the state for their errors because hey, 50 mil in errors isn’t that bad. And what’s 50 million when you have 3 billion to play with?

____________________________________________________

Next up, more ObamaCare problems.

From HotAir  “Earlier this summer, three of California’s largest insurance companies announced that they were disinclined to participate in the state’s ObamaCare health insurance exchange system, and it didn’t take long for both Aetna and United Health to decide to stop offering plans through the individual insurance market altogether and instead opt to focus their activities on offering insurance through employers only.

Now, Anthem Blue Cross — California’s largest insurer for small businesses — is announcing that they have no intention of getting involved in the exchanges that ObamaCare plans to set up for the use of small business, and would much rather stick to going it alone. Via the LA Times.”

Let me guess, it’s ‘cuz they’re evil, profit chasing meanies right? 🙄

____________________________________________________

And it begins……

From FoxSports  “The first star to fall in baseball’s latest drug investigation is one of its biggest: Ryan Braun.

The 2011 National League MVP was suspended without pay for the rest of the season and the postseason Monday, the start of sanctions involving players reportedly tied to a Florida clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs.“

Hopefully A-Rod is next.

____________________________________________________

And last today, the rise of the religious left?

From Salon  “While politicians like Rick Perry and pundits like Bill O’Reilly may clog up a lot of media airtime, the proportion of religious conservatives in the United States is shrinking with each successive generation, and close to 20 percent of Americans today are religious progressives, according to a new survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution.”

“Religious progressives are significantly younger and more diverse than their conservative counterparts. The mean age of the religious progressive population is 44 – just under the mean age in the general population of 47 – while the mean age of religious conservatives is 53. Twenty-three percent of Millennials (ages 18-33) are religious progressives, while 17 percent are religious conservatives. Among Millennials, there are also nearly as many nonreligious (22 percent) as religious progressives.”

“They also tend to value different things in their faith:”

Yep. They value things like abortion and the “social gospel” instead of The Gospel.

No thanks, I’m good where I’m at.

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-17-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread.

Fast and Furious today.

First up, Exit Sandman. 😦

And a classy display by both teams, waiting in the dugouts to give the greatest reliever ever his moment in the spotlight in his final All-Star appearance. He was also awarded the MVP for the game.

The American League defeated the National League 3-0.

____________________________________________________

From Trust.org  “George Zimmerman’s chief defense lawyer on Monday called Florida prosecutors “a disgrace to my profession” for holding back evidence for months and pledged a new effort to impose sanctions against them.” 

A malicious prosecution suit is possibly in the works against the state and the hack/prosecutor Angela Corey as well.

The next bunch are protesters behaving badly.

From ABCLocal   “Police in Chester County, Pennsylvania are investigating an act of vandalism with racial overtones, possibly connected to the fallout from the verdict in the George Zimmerman murder trial.”

While the ABC story mentions the “Kill Zimmerman” graffiti, there were threats as well.

Reports of possible racially motivated attacks have come from several cities. An unbiased DoJ would pursue these as obvious hate crimes/civil rights violations. But we don’t have an unbiased DoJ, so don’t hold your breath.

From Wisn.com  “”This man was just walking through the park and they just all jumped on him and  they were just beating him and, like, ‘This is for Trayvon Martin,'” said  Tiffany Biles, who witnessed the attack.”

Similar reports have come from Mississippi, Oakland, and Baltimore as well.

The next one is just sad.

From ChicagoCBSLocal  ” A sign posted outside a south suburban church is generating a powerful debate over race in the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict. The marquee outside the First Baptist Church of University Park earlier this week read: “It Is Safe To Kill Black People In Amerikkka.””

Some in the media just continue to not see the obvious. Some just wanna express their white guilt or something.

From Mediaite  ““There’s a lot of white shame today,” said MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts on Sunday which his network rebroadcast on Tuesday. The anchor said on MSNBC that his white family and friends, as well as social media contacts, have expressed their shame over their race as it relates to the verdict in the trail of George Zimmerman. “If you’re an other,” Roberts warned, “Be worried.” “I’ve been getting this from family, loved ones, all the people in my life and through social media, and I’ll say it, honestly, there’s a lot of white shame today,” Roberts told MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry. “And while we look at lady justice and she’s supposed to be blind, it’s like, what are we saying about the life of this kid being disposable?”

Some are starting to come around though.

From HotAir  “Don’t take this excellent and self-effacing essay from Slate’s William Saletan as an endorsement of George Zimmerman’s actions.  Instead, it’s an indictment of the sensationalist media coverage that distorted or outright manufactured narratives in the case, and of the activists on all sides of the ledger who have exploited a tragedy for political gain.  Only after informing himself by watching the actual trial, evidence, and closing arguments did Saletan have his epiphany.

The whole piece from Slate is here. “You Are Not Trayvon Martin. His death wasn’t about race, guns, or your pet issue. It was about misjudgment and overreaction—exactly what we’re doing now to the verdict.

The last one on this topic is next.

From TheWashingtonPost  “I don’t like what George Zimmerman did, and I hate that Trayvon Martin is dead. But I also can understand why Zimmerman was suspicious and why he thought Martin was wearing a uniform we all recognize. I don’t know whether Zimmerman is a racist. But I’m tired of politicians and others who have donned hoodies in solidarity with Martin and who essentially suggest that, for recognizing the reality of urban crime in the United States, I am a racist. The hoodie blinds them as much as it did Zimmerman.

____________________________________________________

Next up, some good news. 🙂

From TownHall  “NOVA Women’s Healthcare of Fairfax County was one of the largest and most frequented abortion clinics in the state of Virginia. It performed more abortions than any other provider in the Old Dominion in the last few years, including 3,066 in 2012 alone. But, thanks to new abortion regulations in the state and a denied permit, it has seen its last patient.”

____________________________________________________

This next one, well…..  People in Glass Houses and all…..

From NBCWashington  “Last week, the Council approved a measure that would require Walmart and other large retailers doing business in the District to pay a “living wage” of $12.50 per hour.

But… uh oh. Hypocrisy alert. District government pays less than $12.50 per hour.”

DOH! 🙄

____________________________________________________

Next up, Fuzzy Math.

From CNSNews  “Thus, over the past 56 days, the net value of U.S. Treasury  Securities circulating in the public has increased by $51.586 billion  ($629,099,000,000 minus $577,513,000,000). How could the value of extant U.S. Treasury Securities increase by  $51.586 billion during a 56-day period when the federal government’s  debt subject to the legal limit set by Congress has remained constant at  $16,699,396,000,000.00—just $25 million below the legal limit?”

____________________________________________________

Problems with ObamaCare? Really? Well this is the first I’ve heard of it. 🙄

From TheHill  “White House press secretary Jay Carney on Tuesday dismissed  reports that some employers were hiring more part-time employees because of the  president’s signature healthcare law.

“The data reflects that there is not support for the proposition  that businesses are not hiring full-time employees because of the Affordable  Care Act,” Carney told reporters.

According  to The  Wall Street Journal, employers have added more part-time  employees — about 93,000 a month — in 2013 than full-time workers — averaging  about 22,000 per month. That’s a reversal from 2012, when employers hired 31,000  part-time workers and 171,000 full-time ones per month.”

DOH!  That’s called “Message Fail” kids. 😉

And on a related note……  From TheWashingtonExaminer  “Despite the administration’s controversial decision to delay forcing companies to join Obamacare for a year, three-quarters of small businesses are still making plans to duck the costly law by firing workers, reducing hours of full-time staff, or shift many to part-time, according to a sobering survey released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“Small businesses expect the requirement to negatively impact their employees. Twenty-seven percent say they will cut hours to reduce full-time employees, 24 percent will reduce hiring, and 23 percent plan to replace full-time employees with part-time workers to avoid triggering the mandate,” said the Chamber business survey provided to Secrets.”

Summer of Recovery? Anyone? Biden?

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-10-13

What’s interesting out there today?

Open thread, as always.

If sometime today you think things are rough, take heart. It could be worse. Much worse. 😯

From ABCNews

“It was exactly midnight when Caroline Burns eerily opened her eyes and looked at the operating lights above her, shocking doctors who believed she was dead and were about to remove her organs and donate them to patients on the transplant waiting list.

The Syracuse Post-Standard unearthed a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that chronicled the series of errors that led to the near-organ removal on a living patient at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, N.Y., in 2009.”

😯 See? 🙂

____________________________________________________

This next one won’t be ending as well as the first story. We’ll call this one “Why am I not shocked?”

From FoxNews

“The cost of subsidies for those seeking government aid through ObamaCare has  increased dramatically, critics say – even before a single dollar has been  collected.

Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah wrote a letter to the administration  asking why the president is already requesting 107 percent more than three years  ago to pay for subsidies.

“They low-balled everything, and they knew they were not asking for enough  money to actually do this,” John Goodman of the National Center for Policy  Analysis said. “And so now they are coming along saying: ‘Oh, we’ve just  discovered we don’t have enough money’.  They should’ve known that from day  one.””

Oh they knew. They just didn’t care. It’s also why they were in such a hurry to pass it before anyone else could figure that out.

____________________________________________________

This next one, while I appreciate the principle behind it, ain’t goin’ nowhere. But it may have it’s uses in campaign materials for 2014.

From TheWeeklyStandard

“The House of Representatives will take up a bill that would stop the Department of the Treasury, including the Internal Revenue Services, from implementing and enforcing the provisions of Obamacare. The bill, authored by Georgia Republican Tom Price and co-sponsored by 114 other House members, is just two pages long and claims its purpose is to “prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from enforcing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.”

Section 3 of the bill simply states that the Treasury Secretary, or any delegate thereof, “shall not implement or enforce any provisions” of the 2010 health care law.”

____________________________________________________

Meanwhile, the White House says “FORWARD!” over the cliff.

From TheHill

“White House press secretary Jay Carney on Tuesday angrily dismissed demands  from GOP leaders for more information on the decision to delay ObamaCare’s  employer mandate, declaring that “implementation is moving forward” on the  healthcare law.

Carney said Republicans who argue the Affordable Care Act is unwieldy and unworkable had no realistic alternative to propose, and that support for the  president’s legislation would be buoyed once Americans began benefiting from the  law.”

You can keep sayin’ that Jay, but it doesn’t make it true. The majority of public opinion is still against it. They already see what you refuse to admit. And the Republican’s offered alternatives, yet Democrats shut them out and didn’t consider other plans. You guys own it buddy. 😉

____________________________________________________

And next, the PC Police are at it again. 🙄

From TheWashingtonTimes

“The president of an NAACP branch in Florida has  petitioned members of the Lee County  Commission to take down a painting of Gen. Robert E. Lee, calling the former Confederate leader a historic symbol of racism.

Lee County was named after the general in 1887 — 22 years after the Civil War wrapped, the Fort Myers News-Press said.

But James Muwakkil, of the Lee County chapter of the NAACP, said the painting,  which has hung in the county commission’s meeting room for years, divides the community.

“That painting is a symbol of racism. It’s a symbol of divisiveness, and it  doesn’t unify Lee County. It divides Lee County,” Mr. Muwakkil said in a letter, the News-Press reported.”

This northerner says 🙄

____________________________________________________

These next 2 are without comment, since I have nothing nice to say.

From CNSNews

” Unborn babies who have reached at least 20 weeks of age in utero are  aborted at a rate of about 30 per day in the United States, according to  the Congressional Budget Office.

The CBO has also concluded that aborting babies at 20 weeks or later  in pregnancy saves money for the government-run federal-state Medicaid  system.

The CBO made these determinations when doing its official “Cost  Estimate” of a federal bill that would prohibit abortions at 20 weeks or  later into pregnancy (except in cases of reported rape, incest against a  minor or to save the life of the mother).”

And this piece asks several very good questions about this.

From TownHall

“The Congressional Budget Office is tasked with “scoring” pending legislation based on the (sometimes cherry-picked) data they’re provided.  I understand that.  Nevertheless, producing an analysis of what amounts to an anti-infanticide bill based on the icy calculation of how much infanticide “saves” taxpayers is downright ghoulish.  The objective of the law is to end a form of inhumane killing, not to clean up our balance sheets.”

“(1) Are abortion advocates going to fleetingly morph into budget hawks over $17 million per year?  After all, hospital births are expensive.

(2) Since they’ve reduced the debate over the protection of innocent life to callous, green-eyeshade facts and figures, will CBO also score the effects of aborting hundreds of thousands of future taxpayers — especially when it comes to annual cash-flow deficits in programs like Social Security?”

“CBO recently determined that granting legal status to illegal immigrants would significantly reduce deficits — but not aborting would-be US citizens would increase them?  I think the reason for this apparent disconnect is related to the “scoring windows.”  CBO concluded that adult illegal immigrants would be able to work and pay taxes immediately (thus affecting the ten-year window), whereas newborns are more of a long-term investment.  Therefore, pre-born infants’ deaths would cost less than their births in the short term.  This entire discussion is surreal.”

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-8-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

Here’s a bunch to start you off.

First up, who’s in charge of the FISA court? John Roberts. From OutsideTheBeltway.com

“When it comes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which isn’t so much a Court unto itself as it is a rotating group of Federal Judges appointed to hear warrant requests and other matter designated as appropriate for secret proceedings under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, there’s nobody more powerful than Chief Justice John Roberts:

The 11 FISA judges, chosen from throughout the federal bench for seven-year terms, are all appointed by the chief justice. In fact, every FISA judge currently serving was appointed by Roberts, who will continue making such appointments until he retires or dies. FISA judges don’t need confirmation — by Congress or anyone else.

No other part of U.S. law works this way. The chief justice can’t choose the judges who rule on health law, or preside over labor cases, or decide software patents. But when it comes to surveillance, the composition of the bench is entirely in his hands, and, as a result, so is the extent to which the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation can spy on citizens.”

Which brings us to the next question, who watches the watchers? From PJMedia

“Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times has a shocking scoop on some of the secret decisions made by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that would indicate that there has been a fundamental shift in the government’s attitude toward 4th Amendment protections for American citizens.

A secret body of law has been built since 2010 that gives the government vast powers — all perfectly legal — to snoop on American citizens as long as the surveillance is connected to terrorism or some other national security issue.

The rulings, some nearly 100 pages long, reveal that the court has taken on a much more expansive role by regularly assessing broad constitutional questions and establishing important judicial precedents, with almost no public scrutiny, according to current and former officials familiar with the court’s classified decisions.”

____________________________________________________

File this one under “Things that make you go Hmmmmm…….”  From ForeignPolicy.com

“The offices of a Dallas law firm representing a high-profile State Department whistleblower were broken into last weekend. Burglars stole three computers and broke into the firm’s file cabinets. But silver bars, video equipment and other valuables were left untouched, according to local Fox affiliate KDFW, which aired security camera footage of the suspected burglars entering and leaving the offices around the time of the incident.

The firm Schulman & Mathias represents Aurelia Fedenisn, a former investigator at the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General. In recent weeks, she raised a slew of explosive allegations against the department and its contractors ranging from illicit drug use, soliciting sexual favors from minors and prostitutes and sexual harassment.

“It’s a crazy, strange and suspicious situation,” attorney Cary Schulman told The Cable. “It’s clear to me that it was somebody looking for information and not money. My most high-profile case right now is the Aurelia Fedenisn case, and I can’t think of any other case where someone would go to these great lengths to get our information.”

____________________________________________________

Looks like the Employer regulations for ObamaCare that were put off now have company. Anti-fraud measures have now been put off too. Hey, just like Obama did with his campaign donations, removed anti-fraud protections.

But hey, what could possibly go wrong, right? 🙄  From TheWashingtonExaminer

“One of the biggest administrative hurdles facing Obamacare was the ambitious plan to verify the income and insurance status of applicants for federal health coverage subsidies. In theory, on Oct. 1 of this year, a prospective beneficiary of Obamacare was supposed to be able to visit a website like Orbitz, enter basic information, and wait as multiple state and federal government databases communicated with one another to confirm in real time the applicant’s income level, and then display the level of subsidy to which the applicant was entitled, if any. It was a level of technological sophistication unlike anything ever attempted by the government. Now, with less than three months to go before Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges are set to begin enrolling applicants, Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services is throwing up its hands. Just as it did with the employer mandate, the administration has announced it would delay the implementation of these anti-fraud procedures due to the administrative difficulty.”

“In a regulation released Friday and flagged by Washington Post reporters Sarah Kliff and Sandhya Somashekhar, the administration will now rely on self-reported data. You read that correctly. A man who earns $50,000 per year and gets insurance through his employer could log on to the new government website and say he earns $20,000 and gets no insurance through his employer, and the government would not even attempt to confirm that the information is accurate before forking over generous taxpayer subsidies. It’s a recipe for rampant fraud, which is already widespread in Medicare and Medicaid.

According to the rule as reported by Kliff and Somashekhar, “The exchange may accept the applicant’s attestation regarding enrollment in eligible employer-sponsored plan . . . without further verification” and “the Exchange may accept the attestation of projected annual household income without further verification.””

Gotta love the Friday news dump. 😉

____________________________________________________

Since we’re on the subject of debacles from the Obama admin…….  From TheLATimes

“A high-powered rifle lost in the ATF’s Fast and Furious controversy was used to kill a Mexican police chief in the state of Jalisco earlier this year, according to internal Department of Justice records, suggesting that weapons from the failed gun-tracking operation have now made it into the hands of violent drug cartels deep inside Mexico.

Luis Lucio Rosales Astorga, the police chief in the city of Hostotipaquillo, was shot to death Jan. 29 when gunmen intercepted his patrol car and opened fire. Also killed was one of his bodyguards. His wife and a second bodyguard were wounded”

____________________________________________________

Continuing with the debacle theme…… From TheHill

“Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed  Morsi a coup d’etat and pressed the Obama administration to suspend aid to the  country on Sunday.

“It was a coup and it was the second time in two and a half years that we  have seen the military step in,” McCain said on CBS’s “Face the  Nation.”

“Reluctantly I believe that we have to suspend aid until such time as there is a  new constitution and a free and fair election,” McCain added.”

____________________________________________________

And lastly, does Zimmerman walk? We should know by the end of the week. From ABCNews

“Analysis: George Zimmerman Probably Won’t Be Convicted of Murder or Manslaughter — Here’s Why”

“I drew a legal conclusion on “Good Morning America” Saturday that would have surprised the Dan Abrams who covered the George Zimmerman case leading up to, and shortly after, his arrest.

Now that the prosecution’s case against Zimmerman is in, as a legal matter, I just don’t see how a jury convicts him of second degree murder or even manslaughter in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.”

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 7-3-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

UPDATE

BREAKING: Egyptian TV Says Morsi Under House Arrest – Update: Travel Ban Placed On Muslim Brotherhood Leaders – Update: Top Morsi Aide: “Call This By Its Real Name – A Military Coup”…

____________________________________________________

First, an update on the continuing backlog of veterans claims. I would say this is ridiculous, but of course it is, this is our govt at work.

From FoxNews

“A new study released ahead of the Fourth of July holiday sheds more light on  the tangle of paperwork facing America’s veterans — showing they’re up against  as many as 613 forms across 18 agencies as they seek services.

The study by the American Action Forum also found the paperwork — in part the result of  roughly 31 million Veterans Affairs claims alone each year — takes federal  employees roughly 43.3 million hours to process.

“Navigating 18 agencies and more than 600 forms has produced absurd results  and unnecessary delays,” the self-described “center-right” leaning nonprofit  said.”

____________________________________________________

And don’t think for a minute that ObamaCare will be any more efficient. The problems are already beginning in fact. So of course Democrats are trying to hide it, because they own it.

From WaPo

“I don’t know if Members of Congress will be hearing about it in town hall gatherings and other meetings back home over the Fourth of July recess, but the rolling thunder of the approaching ObamaCare train can be heard in the distance.  Smart Democrats are beginning to get frantic about the need to suppress the confusion and hide the cost of ObamaCare between now and the 2014 midterm elections.  We are just three months away from the October 1st enrollment start date and so far, nothing about the ObamaCare implementation process should be politically encouraging for Democrats.  In fact, the more people learn about ObamaCare, the more frightened they become.

Right now, small businesses across America are making the final determinations on how to reduce the working hours of their employees so fewer employees qualify for the mandated, employer-provided health insurance.  Employers are also deciding whether it makes more economic sense to pay a fine to the government or pay for healthcare benefits for their employees.  What this means is that hundreds of thousands – and perhaps even millions – of Americans will learn that they are being dismissed from their employer’s healthcare coverage.

The healthcare pink slips will start raining down in late summer and early fall.  This will push people into the healthcare exchanges, where, in some cases, people will be writing health insurance checks for the first time.  And in many cases, people will be facing increased health insurance costs, particularly if they are young and healthy.  The negative effects on personal income and the overall economy will be undeniable.  Sometime next year, before the elections, the penalties associated with not having or providing health insurance will begin to pour in.  Will the fines come in the mail?  Will you be able to appeal?  What happens if someone doesn’t pay?  No one knows.  Or, no one who knows is talking.  The consequences of ObamaCare are being hidden.”

They’re so frightened by it that they’ll now delay the employers mandate until after the 2014 mid-terms. Can’t have people finding out how bad it will be before the elections. Cowards.

From Bloomberg

“Businesses won’t be penalized next year if they fail to provide workers health insurance after the Obama administration decided to delay a key requirement under its signature 2010 health-care law.

The government will postpone enforcement of the so-called employer mandate until 2015, the administration said today. Under the provision, companies with 50 or more workers face a fine of as much as $3,000 per employee if they don’t offer affordable insurance.

The move addresses complaints from employer groups to President Barack Obama’s administration about the burden of the law’s reporting requirements. The decision pushes the issue past the 2014 midterm congressional elections, as Republicans have sought to make the health law a symbol of government overreach.”

More here from TheDailyMail

“But the Treasury source said the extra year  will give the White House an extra year to persuade health insurers to  participate in the exchanges that make up the backbone of the Affordable Care  Act.

The revised timetable, the source added, will  also push back the final implementation of Obamacare’s penalties past the 2014  midterm elections, providing Republicans fewer chances to highlight the law’s  potentially harmful effects on businesses’ bottom lines.”

____________________________________________________

Next up, another “Green Scam” is exposed.

From UPI.com

“Electric cars, despite their supposed green credentials, are among the  environmentally dirtiest transportation options, a U.S. researcher suggests.

Writing in the journal IEEE Spectrum, researcher Ozzie Zehner says electric cars lead to hidden environmental and health damages and are likely more harmful than  gasoline cars and other transportation options.”

Shocked? 😯

No. 🙄

____________________________________________________

Things are escalating in Egypt.

From Reuters

“Egypt’s high command said on Wednesday the army was ready to die to defend Egypt’s people against terrorists and fools, in a response to Islamist President Mohamed Mursi that was headlined “The Final Hours”.”

This piece is more specific on what the military leaders have in mind.

Also from Reuters/EI

“Egypt’s armed forces would suspend the constitution and dissolve an Islamist-dominated parliament under a draft political roadmap to be pursued if Islamist President Mohamed Morsy and the liberal opposition fail to agree by Wednesday, military sources said.

The sources told Reuters the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) was still discussing details and the plan, intended to resolve a political crisis that has brought millions of protesters into the streets, could be changed based on political developments and consultations.”

Islamists are rallying to Morsi.

From Reuters/EI

“Islamist demonstrators in Rabea al-Adaweya Square have increased on Tuesday in support of the legitimacy of President Mohamed Morsy, as several marches arrived to the square from various parts of Cairo and other governorates.”

Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamists are warning the Christian population to stay out of it or face the consequences for joining in the demonstrations.

From RaymondIbrahim

“Hours before the June 30 protests against Egyptian president Muhammad Morsi and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood, began, the nation’s Christians were, once again, singled out for behaving like citizens who have the right to participate in the protests.

In Minya, Upper Egypt, where millions of Christians live, letters addressed to the Copts threatened them not to join the protests, otherwise their “businesses, cars, homes, schools, and churches” might “catch fire.” The message concluded by saying “If you are not worried about any of these, then worry about your children and your homes.  This message is being delivered with tact.  But when the moment of truth comes, there will be no tact.”  It’s signed by “People zealous for the nation.”

Such threats are hardly limited to anonymous letters.  During a recent TV interview, Sheikh Essam Abdulamek, a member of parliament’s Shura Council, warned Egypt’s Christians against participating in the June 30 protests, threatening them by saying “Do not sacrifice your children” since “general Muslim opinion will not be silent about the ousting of the president [Morsi].”

____________________________________________________

In other news, the FBI has yet to contact the victims of the IRS scandal, despite claims that they are “investigating” it.

From CNSNews

“More than a month and a half after it was announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would launch an investigation into the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) targeting of conservative groups, the groups and their legal representatives are still waiting to hear from the FBI.

Cleta Mitchell, an attorney representing nine tea party groups who were targeted by the IRS, told CNSNews.com that she has not heard from the FBI regarding the case and questions whether an investigation is actually underway.”

And in other Obama admin scandal news, the National Intelligence Director would like you to know he’s sorry for lying to Congress.

From USNews

“The director of National Intelligence apologized in June to the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee for lying during a hearing, according to a letter published on the DNI website on Tuesday.

Director James Clapper appeared before the committee in March, where Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked him specifically if NSA spies on millions of Americans. Clapper answered, “No.”

Since then, Edward Snowden reportedly leaked government documents that unveiled a secretive government program that did precisely what Wyden suggested in collecting meta data for cell phone and internet records of hundreds of millions of Americans.”

But Roger Clemens was tried for a far less important instance of lying. Why does this guy get a pass?

____________________________________________________

This last one is encouraging. The more people know, and technology advances, the more who join the pro-life side. 20 years, and a 20 point swing in America’s opinion.

From TheWeeklyStandard

“Gallup’s most recent polling on the issue, taken this spring, indicates that more Americans actually regard themselves as “pro-life” than “pro-choice.”  According to the poll, 48 percent of Americans say they are “pro-life,” while 45 percent say they are “pro-choice.”  What’s more, opposition to abortion is rather plainly on the rise, as those numbers were effectively flipped ten years ago — and as, in the mid-1990s, the number of people who considered themselves “pro-choice” outpaced the number who considered themselves “pro-life” by about 20 percentage points.

Another finding from Gallup’s polling, however, is perhaps even more illuminating.  Those who work in America’s newsrooms are overwhelmingly in favor of abortion’s legality, and they tend to report the issue as if anyone who opposes abortion is a fringe religious fanatic.  (Moreover, they rarely miss an opportunity to subtly editorialize by describing opponents of abortion as being against “abortion rights.”)  It’s telling, therefore, that while Gallup’s polling indicates that a plurality of Americans are pro-life, Gallup’s respondents guessed that only about a third of their fellow Americans share those pro-life sentiments.”

____________________________________________________