Obamacare

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News/Politics 3-25-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

I guess we’ll start with a modern medical marvel. Or something. Cool, but a little scary too.

From TheWallStJournal

“Inside a warren of rooms buried in the basement of Gregorio Marañón hospital here, Dr. Aviles and his team are at the sharpest edge of the bioengineering revolution that has turned the science-fiction dream of building replacement parts for the human body into a reality.

Since a laboratory in North Carolina made a bladder in 1996, scientists have built increasingly more complex organs. There have been five windpipe replacements so far. A London researcher, Alex Seifalian, has transplanted lab-grown tear ducts and an artery into patients. He has made an artificial nose he expects to transplant later this year in a man who lost his nose to skin cancer.”

“In additional to the artificial nose, Dr. Seifalian is making cardiovascular body parts. He sees a time when scientists would grow the structures needed for artery bypass procedures instead of taking a vein from another part the body. As part of a clinical trial, Dr. Seifalian plans to transplant a bioengineered coronary artery into a person later this year. His employer, University College London, has designated a person to oversee any future commercialization of it and other man-made organs.”

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The attempts to place further restrictions on individual rights continues, with the usual suspects/useful idiots.

From TheHill

“Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has emerged as a key player if Senate Democrats are  to have any chance of passing legislation to expand background checks for  private sales of firearms.

McCain and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) are at the top  of a list of Republicans considered most likely to sign on to legislation  expanding background checks after talks with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) stalled  earlier this month.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has signaled he will likely support the  yet-to-be-finalized proposal he negotiated with Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)  and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to expand background checks to cover private gun  sales, according to Senate sources.”

Meanwhile the NRA asks the obvious questions, and points out the flaws in the leftist idea of gunless Utopias.

From NewsBusters

“National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre asked a marvelous question on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday.

“Why doesn’t the national press corps, when they’re sitting down there with  Jay Carney and the president and the vice president, why don’t they say, ‘Why is Chicago dead last in enforcement of the gun laws against gangs with guns, felons  with guns, drug dealers with guns?'”

“Do you know where Chicago ranks in terms of enforcement of the federal gun laws?  Out of 90 jurisdictions in the country, they ranked 90th. Why doesn’t NBC News  start with, “Shocking news on Chicago. Of all the jurisdictions in the country,  Chicago’s dead last on enforcement of the federal gun laws?” Why doesn’t the  national press corps, when they’re sitting down there with Jay Carney and the  president and the vice president, why don’t they say, “Why is Chicago dead last  in enforcement of the gun laws against gangs with guns, felons with guns, drug  dealers with guns?”

Because it would be racist to do so in the mind of the Democrats that control the city.

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This one, if true, is certainly disturbing. But let’s face it, it wouldn’t be shocking.

From ChristianNewsNet

“An Oregon high school teacher was escorted from the building by police this week over what is believed to be related to his continued opposition to Planned Parenthood’s presence in the classroom.

Bill Diss is a math and computer science teacher at Benson High School in Portland, and has taught at the school for 11 years. Diss has also become known in the school for his opposition to Planned Parenthood since 2007, when he first began organizing efforts during after-school hours to stop the furtherance of the abortion provider in the community.”

“According to reports, last year, Planned Parenthood of Columbia Williamette began promoting its Teen Outreach Program (TOP) at Benson High School where Diss is employed as a teacher. In September, two representatives from the organization showed up at Diss’ classroom as they were hoping to speak to students. However, he would not let the representatives enter and asked them to leave.”

“Following Diss’ refusal to allow the representatives into his classroom, the principal and vice principal of the school paid Diss a visit and temporarily removed him from the class. The next day, he was forced to sit in on a Planned Parenthood presentation.”

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Cyprus and the EU have reached a deal.

From ZeroHedge

“While we have little color on what kind of carnage the President of Cyprus had to accept to his fellow countrymen, the news is that :

i) Laiki to be wound down;

ii) Bank of Cyprus to survive but with deposit haircuts, and

iii) deal would see secured deposits in Laiki moved to Bank of Cyprus.

In other words, a deal far worse than the original one proposed by the Eurogroup last week – when the banks still existed. The key appears to be the ‘saving’ of the insured depositors (crucial to avoid a pan-European bank run) and the crushing of the ‘whale’ depositors.

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And we’ll end with some lowered expectations.

From HotAir

“Obamacare official on exchanges: “Let’s just make sure it’s not a third-world experience.””

“A quick reminder about what I’ve been saying about the challenges of Obamacare exchange implementation, here and here.

Now, Obamacare feds are conceding the same. Gary Cohen, head of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, is the one charged with getting this bird off the ground, and has faced grilling from even Democratic lawmakers worried it will crash on take-off.”

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News/Politics 3-23-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open Thread, as always.

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This is just sad. No consequences.

From FoxNews

“Free to do as he pleases, living out his days in the suburbs of northern New  Jersey, a Syrian national who is a known associate of the 9/11 hijackers never  has to worry about deportation by the U.S. government, according to an  investigation by Fox Files.

With nearly 400,000 people waiting for U.S. citizenship, Daoud Chehazeh last  November received political asylum for a third time after a series of  bureaucratic screw ups at the federal level, according to a review of court  documents and interviews with former federal and state investigators.”

“Bukowski and Bush say they still believe there was an unknown relationship  between al-Awlaki, Chehazeh and Rababah. At least five of the hijackers were  tied to these men. And it is striking that the 9/11 Commission report makes no  reference to Chehazeh.”

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I wonder if they want to GPS track him, like they do the general public? Probably not. That might be profiling or something. 🙄

But at least some on both sides are standing up for the public.

From CNetNews

“A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a new bill, known as the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act, to force law enforcement to obtain a warrant to track suspects with GPS devices.

The bill, which was introduced to Congress yesterday, is sponsored by Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), as well as Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and House judiciary committee ranking member Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). If passed, it would provide a “legal framework” that provides clear guidelines on when and how GPS devices can be accessed and used.”

“The legislation was introduced a day after the government argued before a federal appeals court that warrantless GPS tracking is an important part of the law enforcement process. The government’s attorneys have argued that GPS devices can be used to “gather information to establish probable cause, which is often the most productive use of such devices.” Requiring a warrant means being forced to establish probable cause before that and ultimately limit the value of GPS devices.”

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The more we know, the worse it gets. The job killing/hours cutting by ObamaCare continues.

From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Over one-third of the 9.1 million full-time jobs among America’s diverse business franchises could be cut back or eliminated by Obamacare as small businesses struggle to maintain profitability while coughing up money to pay for Washington-mandated health care coverage, according to the International Franchise Association.

The threat of hitting 3.2 million full-time workers as the Affordable Care Act takes effect next year is prompting the owners of fast food restaurants, service companies and other franchises to urge Congress to make significant changes in Obamacare.

To help their cause, the association on Friday released a new state-by-state breakdown on the potential impact on jobs in the bull’s eye of Obamacare, which declares that a 30-hour week is full-time, not the industry accepted 40 hours. That 10-hour difference has thousands of franchise owners scrambling to either fund healthcare for those working 30 hours, or cut hours back to below 30 hours.”

But wait, there’s more.

From TheWallStJournal

“Health insurers are privately warning brokers that premiums for many individuals and small businesses could increase sharply next year because of the health-care overhaul law, with the nation’s biggest firm projecting that rates could more than double for some consumers buying their own plans.

The projections, made in sessions with brokers and agents, provide some of the most concrete evidence yet of how much insurance companies might increase prices when major provisions of the law kick in next year—a subject of rigorous debate.”

The projected increases are at odds with what the Obama Administration says consumers should be expecting overall in terms of cost. The Department of Health and Human Services says that the law will “make health-care coverage more affordable and accessible,” pointing to a 2009 analysis by the Congressional Budget Office that says average individual premiums, on an apples-to-apples basis, would be lower.”

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Meanwhile, the DHS refuses to answer questions about their massive ammo purchases. Meanwhile the shortage is hitting not only legal gun owners, but police as well.

From CNSNews

“The nationwide shortage of ammunition has left many police departments scrambling to get their hands on the necessary rounds – with some even bartering among each other.

Meanwhile, Rep. Timothy Huelskamp (R-Kansas) says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has failed to respond to multiple members of Congress asking why DHS bought more than 1.6 billion rounds in the past year.

Police Chief Cameron Arthur of Jenks, Oklahoma says, “Ammunition and assault weapons in general have skyrocketed…In addition to the fact, not only is it a lot more expensive, but the time to get it could be six months to a year, or in some cases even longer.”

And in NY, the lawsuits against the unconstitutional gun grab there have begun.

From FoxNews

“The National Rifle Association on Thursday joined the the New York State  Rifle and Pistol Association, other sportsmen’s groups, firearms businesses and  individual gun owners in a lawsuit challenging the state’s strict new gun  control law.

The federal suit, filed in Buffalo, said the law violates the constitutional  rights of “law-abiding citizens to keep commonly possessed firearms in the home  for defense of self and family and for other lawful purposes.”

“The challenge takes aim at two key provisions of the law: a lower limit on  magazine capacity and an expansion of the state’s assault weapons ban to include  some popular and formerly legal semi-automatic rifles.”

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Yesterday DrivesGuy/Joe B. linked to this story from CBS12.com

“A student at Florida Atlantic University’s campus in Davie says he couldn’t believe what he and his fellow students were asked to do  by their instructor three weeks ago.

Ryan Rotela, a junior from Coral Springs at FAU, said what happened was an insult to his intelligence.

He said the instructor in his Intercultural Communications class at FAU told everyone in the class to take out a piece of paper, write the word JESUS on it in bold letters, and then put the paper on the floor and stomp on it.”

Well now we have a little more info on the FAU professor in question, and some of his other associations and fellow comrades. And no, not surprising.

From BizPacReview

“A South Florida college professor’s bizarre classroom antics have made waves for their shocking display of religious intolerance. But they were even more instructive in educating the rest of us on the alarming thought process of yet another Palm Beach County Democratic leader.”

“While the incident has made the news, the media has failed to report a key component of Poole’s resume: He is vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party. His recent actions add fire to an already-disturbing pattern of hate coming out of the local party.”

“Mark Siegel, the former chairman of the county Democratic Party, was forced to resign in September under a barrage of criticism over an anti-Christian tirade at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.”

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by

News/Politics 3-16-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

There’s all kinds of stuff to choose from today.

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The Muslim Brotherhood is now cracking down on women’s rights.

From Reuters

“The Islamist movement that backs President Mohamed Mursi gave 10 reasons why Muslim countries should “reject and condemn” the declaration, which the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women is racing to negotiate a consensus deal on by Friday.”

“Egypt has joined Iran, Russia and the Vatican – dubbed an “unholy alliance” by some diplomats – in threatening to derail the women’s rights declaration by objecting to language on sexual, reproductive and gay rights.

The Muslim Brotherhood said the declaration would give “wives full rights to file legal complaints against husbands accusing them of rape or sexual harassment, obliging competent authorities to deal husbands punishments similar to those prescribed for raping or sexually harassing a stranger.”

Liberals are finally starting to wake up to what it is they backed under the guise of Democracy. Buyer’s remorse.

From TheNYTimes

““A woman needs to be confined within a framework that is controlled by the man of the house,” Osama Yehia Abu Salama, a Brotherhood family expert, said of the group’s general approach, speaking in a recent seminar for women training to become marriage counselors. Even if a wife were beaten by her husband, he advised, “Show her how she had a role in what happened to her.”

“If he is to blame,” Mr. Abu Salama added, “she shares 30 percent or 40 percent of the fault.”

Now, with a leader of the Brotherhood’s political arm in Egypt’s presidential palace and its members dominating Parliament, some deeply patriarchal views the organization has long taught its members are spilling into public view. The Brotherhood’s strident statements are reinforcing fears among many Egyptian liberals about the potential consequences of the group’s rise to power and creating new awkwardness for President Mohamed Morsi as he presents himself as a new kind of moderate, Western-friendly Islamist.”

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Meanwhile in Libya, Coptic Christians are being tortured into converting to Islam.

From AsiaNews.it

“Libyan Salafis are responsible for torture, attempts to forcibly convert and desecration of Christian imagery. This is according to  44 of the 48 Egyptian Coptic vendors on their return home. “They forced us to pronounce the al-shahaadatayn – said one of them – the proclamation of the Islamic faith and spit on images of Pope Shenouda III.” So far, the Egyptian government has not reacted to the episode that involved its citizens nor charges of religious discrimination. However, the relatives of the victims are demanding justice and accuse the Islamist government of protecting the Libyan Salafists.

Arrested in mid-February in the Benghazi market, accused of publicizing religious images and illegal immigration, the Coptic Orthodox were held for several days in a jail guarded by Salafi armed guards. They were released after several days of negotiations between the Egyptian and the Libyan governments accused on several occasions of failing to protect foreign nationals in its territory. Currently four Christians are still detained in Libya for further investigation.

The case has also sparked outrage among the population of Benghazi, which in October revolted against the Salafi militias accused of having organized the attack on the U.S. consulate in which the US Ambassador Christopher Stevens was killed.”

And the govt. we’re propping up ignores it. Just like those responsible for the Ambassador’s murder.

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Here’s an interesting read on the new Pope, and the liberal disappointment over the choice. Mild Content Warning! Liberals can be quite crass.

From NationalReview

“I may be a Reformed Protestant, but I still care a great deal about the new pope. He is, after all, only the world’s most prominent advocate for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Christians everywhere should be grateful that the new pope is by all credible accounts a humble, devout man with a heart for the “least of these.” In fact, for millions of our more secular citizens, the Catholic Church is essentially a stand-in for all (orthodox) Christendom, and critiques of Catholics are often critiques of all Christianity.

I was reminded of this fact when I read Frances Kissling’s recent piece in The Nation – highlighted again today in response to the selection of the new pope. Kissling, some may recall, is the past president of a group called “Catholics for Choice.” Kissling contends that the new pope (no matter who he is) will change nothing, and nothing will ever change until, well, Catholics stop being Christian. Feast your eyes on this critique:

“As long as Catholics are expected to accept rigid, sexist and blatantly illogical doctrine, there can be no real change in the church. From the Vatican down to the local parish priest, the early narratives—stories, really—that sought to explain who we are, why we are here, and the meaning of life are still taught, despite the fact that they are even less credible explanations of who we are than they ever were.”

And it goes downhill from there.

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Another piece on the intended, but unmentioned, costs in ObamaCare.

From TheWallStJournal

“Big government likes big providers. That’s why ObamaCare is gradually making the local doctor-owned medical practice a relic. In the not too distant future, most physicians will be hourly wage earners, likely employed by a hospital chain.

Why? Because when doctors practice in small offices, it is hard for Washington to regulate what they do. There are too many of them, and the government is too remote. It is far easier for federal agencies to regulate physicians if they work for big hospitals. So ObamaCare shifts money to favor the delivery of outpatient care through hospital-owned networks.

The irony is that in the name of lowering costs, ObamaCare will almost certainly make the practice of medicine more expensive. It turns out that when doctors become salaried hospital employees, their overall productivity falls.”

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Debt? What debt? Oh that. Sure it’s a big number, but it’s not a problem.

No really. Stop laughing, he’s serious. 😯

From CNSNews

“Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the ranking member of  the House Judiciary Committee,  said on Thursday that the nation’s  current debt of $16.7 trillion is “not endangering” the country,  adding that “some debt is not a bad idea”  and that he and other congressional Democrats “don’t think  there’s a problem.”

Conyers and other liberal Democrats spoke at a Capitol Hill press  conference about their initiative to compel Congress to cancel the  across-the-board budget cuts (sequester) of  $1.2 trillion over 10 years, which actually are reductions in the rate of increase in federal spending and amount to $44 billion for this year.”

“Conyers said, “Let me let you understand, first of all, that the debt  is not endangering us a bit — not at all. Our economists say we’re in  debt but it’s not endangering everything. As a matter of fact, there are  economists that say some debt is not a bad idea at all.”

“So all those ideas about the ceiling falling, the walls caving in  because of that, you can sleep more comfortably in your bed at night  when you realize that we don’t think there’s a problem,” he said.”

I don’t know about you, but I feel better already. 🙄

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But don’t worry, it’s not all bad today. 🙂

From DetroitCBSLocal

” A federal judge has blocked the Obama administration from requiring Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan to provide mandatory contraception coverage to his employees under the federal health care law.”

“On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff granted a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the law against Monaghan and Domino’s Farms.”

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by

News/Politics 3-14-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

There’s a lot to choose from today.

I guess we’ll start with the new Pope.

From TheWashingtonTimes

“Pope Francis is first Catholic pontiff from the  Americas; he is known as a humble intellectual.

As Argentine cardinal, he clashed with President  Cristina Fernandez over her liberal policies.

Pope Francis is the first ever from the Americas, an austere Jesuit intellectual  who modernized Argentina’s conservative Catholic church.”

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Next we have a not at all shocking update on ObamaCare.

From TheTaxProfBlog

“Following up on Tuesday’s post, House Holds Hearing Today on The Tax-Related Provisions in the President’s Health Care Law: Tax Foundation, Obamacare Tax Increases Will Impact Us All:

The Joint Committee on Taxation recently released a 96 page report on the tax provisions associated with Affordable Care Act. The report  describes the 21 tax increases included in Obamacare, totaling $1.058  trillion – a steep increase from initial assessment. The summer 2012  estimate is nearly twice the $569 billion estimate produced at the time  of the passage of the law in March 2010. …

More from CNSNews

“The nation’s big health insurers say they expect premiums — or the cost for insurance coverage — to rise from 20 to 100 percent for millions of people due to changes that will occur when key provisions of the Affordable Care Act roll out in January 2014.

Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna Inc., one of the nation’s largest insurers, calls the price hikes “premium rate shock.”

“We’ve done all the math, we’ve shared it with all the regulators, we’ve shared it with all the people in Washington that need to see it, and I think it’s a big concern,” Bertolini said during the company’s annual meeting with investors in December.”

Nothing is as advertised. Not surprising, after all, nothing is free.

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Well we finally get a look at the Democrat’s budget proposal. As expected, lot’s of tax increases. As well as a 62% increase in govt. spending over the next decade. Also not surprising. Tax and spend is their solution to everything.

From TheWeeklyStandard

“Senator Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Budget Committee, finally released a budget today. Year over year, in this proposed budget, spending jumps dramatically.

For instance, from this year’s budget to next year’s proposed budget, spending would increase by $162 billion. This year, the federal government will spend $3.599 trillion; under Murray’s budget, the federal government would be on track to spend even more.

Over the next decade, spending under Murray’s budget would increase by 62 percent.”

From 3.6 trillion this year to over 5.7 trillion in 2023.

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Someone should tell Captain Obvious here that the suit needs to be back by 5, or he has to pay for another day’s rental.

From CNSNews

“The “Arab spring” has benefited Islamists rather than  democracy advocates, while political transitions and unrest in the  region have provided opportunities for terrorists to mount attacks  against U.S. interests, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper  told lawmakers Tuesday.

Delivering the intelligence community’s  annual report on threats facing the United   States, Clapper gave what  amounted to a downbeat assessment of the upheavals that many initially  viewed as a promising movement towards greater democracy in a region  dominated by long-ruling autocrats.

“Islamist actors have been  the chief electoral beneficiaries of the political openings, and  Islamist parties in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco will likely solidify  their influence in the coming year,” he told the Senate Select Committee  on Intelligence in a written statement.”

Wow, such brilliance. Like everyone didn’t already know this. And yes, this is exactly what many of us told these clowns would happen. It was never Democracy.

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I like this one, but liberals sure won’t. So yeah, Double Bonus!  🙂

Once again, Texas shows how it’s done.

From TheAmericanStatesman

“The Senate Education Committee this morning approved a bill to ban Planned Parenthood from providing sex education materials or instruction in public schools in a 6-2 vote, after little discussion.”

“Public school districts that opt to provide sex education must make all course materials available for public review and allow parents to exempt children from any portion of the course without penalty.”

“Supporters of the bill accused Planned Parenthood of placing an improper emphasis on sexual freedom and abortion rights that is inappropriate for school-age children. Opponents accused Paxton of attempting to place unneeded restrictions on local instruction that would force some school districts to drop sex education despite high rates of teen pregnancy.”

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