This is not a compromise.
By Thom Hartmann A...
Over the weekend, House Republicans approved a so-called compromise to avoid a government shutdown. However, their idea of negotiation was nothing more than ridiculous, right-wing demands they included in the continuing resolution. Rather than voting on the complete defunding of Obamacare, republicans voted to delay the healthcare law for an entire year. In addition, they want employers to have the right to deny women access to birth control coverage, and they want to repeal the medical device tax which is one of the funding sources for healthcare expansion.
According to thhe nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act would leave 11 million Americans without health insurance, and repealing the medical device tax would add $30 billion dollars to the deficit. And, the provisions are simply more political theater, as they will likely be stripped out of the continuing resolution by the Senate again anyway. House Republicans simply wanted to push our nation to economic brink in order to leave no time for the Senate to make changes to the legislation.
And, their political ploy is an effort to leave the upper chamber holding the continuing resolution when the government funding clock runs out, so that the Senate gets the blame for a government shutdown. But, Americans are not fooled by these political tactics, and they want Republicans to stop using our economy as pawn in their partisan games. If the government shuts down, federal workers will be furloughed, national parks will be closed, soldiers won't get paid, and our economy will suffer. Republicans can try all the political maneuvering they can think of, but Americans will know who is to blame for all of it.
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Comments
The house GOP wanting to extort the Senate and the President into enacting their ideological agenda and then claiming that the Senate and Prez are to blame for shutting down the economy if they don't cave in to these demands is sort of like a rapist saying that their victim was asking for it.
Once a bill is passed into law, the government should regard it as a debt that WILL be paid. There shouldn't be a separate vote to "OK" the payment of that debt. A commentator on one show had it right when she said that the GOP may as well be saying that they will destroy the US economy unless a colony on Mars is approved. NOT the way to conduct the people's business!
I don't think the American people will be fooled. They weren't the last time--when they voted Clinton in for a 2nd term and Gingrich left in disgrace (he says he quit--right).
Congress keeps getting paid, though--not even IOUs. Too bad so few of them need the money.
Can the Americans who will be most affected and hurt by a government shutdown file a class action lawsuit against the jack-ass repooblicans who are causing this?
If The Affordable Care Act get's bumped another year what is to stop it from getting bumped again next year? This could theoretically continue indefinitely until another President takes over that won't veto repealing it. Of course, this is the intent of The House Teapublicans. Their playing "Keep Away" with Obama Care. The Senate and the President have to hold firm on this one. Anything else is a pure sell out; although, not really a surprise.
They have to shut down the government in order to save it. Time to draw another "red line" in the sand Mr. P.
those most affected probably can't organize a class action lawsuit but they can as you say, help expose them to others for the jack-ass(s) they are... here is how I am exposing one in particular and suggesting others do the same... every little effort on the part of others to get their message accross in creative ways to help reveal these game players for what they are will sure help to get their ass' thrown out of office come next election before they, by hook or crook, gain seats in the Senate. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is one of those Governors playing games with implementation of the ACA and the expansion of Medicaid coverage to include those up to 138% the Federal poverty level... He rejected additional federal grant funds for the expanded coverage claiming his prior changes to both Medicaid and Badgercare were such that it was not needed and now, his latest actions, the one in which a letter was sent out informing the new cuts he made to both programs, which included lowering medicaid elegibility from 138% to below 100% poverty level, claiming those affected that would be dropped from Badgercare and those dropped or nolonger covered under Medicaid according to his new rules can purchase insurance through the new healthcare exchanges he, at the same time, wants to delay or defund... implying if he is successful, those losing coverage can go without and wait a year hoping after next years election, if the Republicans win majority in the federal senate, they can do away with covering those people altogether... Walkers latest actions prompted a letter from Tammy Baldwin
RACadmin: For starters...I never watch Fox Snooze because I consider them traitors to the majority of Americans. I voted for Obama the first time but now know that Obama is not all he pretended to be when he campaigned.
Thanks for that video, though, if it is on the level, and not hiding anything, it sounds good. I have also heard other comments on TV from news commentators saying things that are opposite from what I originally feared. I originally believed that we would have to shell out the full amount of the premium every month and then get reimbursed for it at the end of the tax year. Those commentators said that the government will pay the insurance companies and you only have to pay the difference.
The other thing I believed was that insurance companies may not be able to turn you down for preexisting conditions but that they sure would be able to charge you premiums based on those preexisting conditions. So, now I hear that that is not true. The insurance companies will not be able to charge you more for preexisting conditions.
I sure hope this is all true..it could change my mind about Obama Care.
But, there is something else about Obama Care that we might have to look out for...I don't know exactly where this information comes from..but I heard stories about people rushing to get insurance just to learn that the insurance company they signed up for had small print saying they didn't cover cancer preexisting conditions. That you had better be very careful who you get insurance with because you may be getting suckered in. I know this sounds like it conflicts with what I said before about not being charged more for, or not being turned down for, coverage based on preexisting conditions and they may not turn you down or charge you more...just that they won't cover some things like cancer. Read the fine print!
Glad you liked the video... here is another one you might like...
Obama Clearly Explains "Obamacare" https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HsW0l139JD0
first time I saw the broadcast was when I found it on youtube... I did not see it aired live on tv... Also, Like you, I do not listen to Fox News much at all for the same reasons. However, I do tune in once in a while to keep abreast of their tactics , or if they are still going on and on and on over and over and over again beating the dead horse thinking that maybe the day after or the next, thinking to themselves that they will convince someone other, that may be listening, to agree with them...
I think if more people understood just what the ACA does and what will change and what will not, as fare as affecting everyones healthcare insurance or the lack thereof, only one in about 10 stand to be hurt only if governors of individual states choose not to get on board... This Youtube video does an ecellent job of explaining the new Affordable Care Act...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZkk6ueZt-U&feature=player_embedded%20
I only wish more would watch it and then they would realize that everything Fox News and Rush Limbaugh have been saying along with the Tea Party half witts and their supporters is a crock... and, I'd rather have a Democrate as a friend then a Republican as an enemy... especially if I lacked healthcare...
why are those with healthcare complaining and trying to prevent those without it from obtaining it or making it affordable to them? Rush Limbaugh gets paid $50 million a year to talk out his ass and complain into a golden microphone on hundreds of clear channel radio stations... why should he care if Scott Walker, the Governor of Wisconsin rejects federal money tofurther fund the Medicaid program due to increased need and a bad econemy, while rejecting the new raised poverty income level to 138% , or about $15,000 a year due to inflation adjustments as set by the federal government... and, why should he care if Walker insists that the level be held back to 100% of what it was years ago or about $11,000 a year ? instead, both Rush and Walker seem to think people on such incomes can fend for themselves while they have contributed to the healthcare provided those who hold office as tax payers regardless their low income... Hence the Medicaid program as was established years ago as a way to provide for those who by no fault of their own as tax paying or unemployed should and deserves to receive healthcare.
RACadmin: Thanks for the video, again. I didn't get much out of what Obama said about the ACA..there were lots of things he didn't cover. Of course, there are lots of details that will only fit in a copy of the law itself and I understand that it would have been impossible for Obama to explain every situation in just a few minutes. But many of us saw a sales job dealing with generalities...like, "don't worry about it...just sign on the dotted line". It is the "fine print" that we are worried about.
Yes, we could get copies of the law and spend a great deal of time trying to understand it all...but it would be nice if they at least hit some of the key points that should have been right up front....like... Is it true that the actual out-of-pocket each month for premiums will be automatically subsidized by the government, providing we qualify. And is it true that the insurance companies won't be able to charge premiums based upon preexisting conditions... What happens if you turn 65 and are eligible for medicare in 2014...can you opt out and not get fined if you turn 65 and get medicare in January of 2014....what about February of 2014..what about July of 2014? I imagine that those who turn 65 in 2014 would most likely drop their ACA insurance once they get medicare. Will there be some fine print that says that if you drop out from the insurance that you have to pay an early release fee?
So, these are just a few questions that don't seem to be mentioned or answered. And I'm sure there are others who have many more questions about their particular needs. Mostly what I see is a sales job rushing us to get signed up. That never works out except for the salesman.
Palindromedary ~ La Raza, a Mexican resource group, recently hosted a telephone town meeting I was a part of that answered random questions and provided resources for people on the ACA. I listened as long as I could, about two hours, and all the questions I heard had positive answers. There is a lot of misinformation and apprehension out there, but most of the scenarios I heard had welcomed answers. We might want to play this one by ear. Also, there are resources within the government and the insurance marketplaces available by telephone that can answer specific question for specific applications and situations. I didn't write down the resources at the time because the ACA isn't going to affect me. However, I doubt the ACA is going to have nefarious fine print for most people. It's more the loopholes that the insurance companies either figured out or might have built into it that I worry about. Besides, if it really did hurt people and help the insurance industry, why would the Republicans waste so many resources and so much clout trying to destroy it? It seems more likely that they are desperately trying to stop it. Anything that scares the Republicans is usually good for the nation. Also, Thom endorses the ACA. That alone should tell you something.
Possible good new interview on NSA spying?
I present the case of former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/093013-nsa-nacchio-274344.html
The Republicans just want Obama to fail in everything.
Thanks for the link, Intok! Here's another one on Snowden..
New Snowden leak: NSA is monitoring the Internet histories of millions of Americans
Published time: September 30, 2013 18:08
http://rt.com/usa/nsa-leak-internet-history-549/
These 12 Bills Are the NSA's Worst Nightmare
Your guide to the pending legislation seeking to curb the government's vast surveillance powers.
—By Dana Liebelson
| Mon Sep. 23, 2013 3:00 AM PDT
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/09/guide-bills-stop-nsa-spying
Good points, RACman! And thanks for that link of Rachel Maddow..back in 2012. I didn't get MSNBC back then...it has only been just recently that DishTV started showing that channel on my level of subscription. I used to watch her all the time years ago when I had a higher subscription level. I cut back to save money...but at least I still had FSTV, LinkTV, and Russia Today. But, now, I have to hit the sack.
What I got out of what he said in a very consise to the point manner was the facts... just the facts... gathering from what he said, that he wanted to address the missconceptions many appear to have due to all the blatently off the wall falsehoods being spread by the tea party and republican house members that are doing so to deceive the public in that in doing so would gain support for their attempts to defund the program that has long since become law... The crux of the matter and the reason a majority of the members of the house are trying to obstruct the last stage of its implimentation is that they do not like the first part that has already been implemented that includes the new law that if the insurrance companies are not spending at least 85% of the premiums they take in from policy holders on actual claims filed, then they have to return the difference to the policy holders at years end... they do not like the fact that they have to do this as they do not want to be limitted to 15% profits as they and their Corporate CEO's will no longer get those huge multimillion dollar bonuses they like to invest in playing the stock markets or investing in real estate as investers looking to capitalize on renters, then going under and losing the poicy holders pool that was suppose to be set aside for paing claims... remember the housing bubble and all the forclosures? I believe this is proper as healthcare is not suppose to be a for profit business... because it has become that, through gross corruption, it has driven up healthcare cost all across the table...
The fact of the matter is greed has entered into the amount providers bill insurrance companies also... as they figure the insurred are covered and the insurance companies must pay what ever they charge so why not exploit the situation.... The fact of the mater is that if the insurance compaies were lacking in funds to pay claims, they would not have to worry about haveing to refund money to their policy holders if not investing 85% of those funds back to the holders by paying claims as is what the money was to be alocated for in the first place.. thus, if they were not rolling in dough, why would they object to spending that money if not on claims, giving a portion of that money back which would in effect lower the premiums and thus the cost of insurance... kind of like if you paid too much in taxes, at the end of the year, you get a refund... whats wrong with that?
Most don't object to claiming their tax refund at the end of the year if they have money coming back... why should it be any different to insurance companies that are also suppose to be none profit organizations as so too the hospitals and clinics and government itself for that matter which explains why you get tax refunds in the first place and why government is in debt since it is a non-profit and from time to time has to issue more credit in the form of cash for the system to remain in place and to maintain law and order less lawlessness abound... the fact is every time the debt ceiling limit is raised, debt owed is forgiven for times and times and a half till it becomes an issue again that has to be delt with... i.e., the federal reserve must make available credit when needed to sustain the system but it is the banks that are in charge of making it work... when the banks do not practice fairness in lending or when they discriminate and deny those in poverty the means to rise above it, letting the gap between the haves and the have nots ever growing bigger, then issues such as affordable healthcare and rescession and depression are bound to occure...
Health care is expensive because hospitals and clinics are paying high wages to doctors and overcharging for supplies and medical equipment due to excessive mark up with no price regulation... I dug up an older youtube video of Rachel Maddow's on Obama Care and she is not only a good salesman when it comes to selling one on the facts, she has the facts as she does her homework and with due diligence she reserches what is being said, investigates and digs up the facts and shares them with the rest of us who, like you say, aren't realy sure for not gathering the facts ourselves... That is what the Republicons count on... they count on the masses being ignorant and lazy and gullabale thus easy to pursuade and believe all the crap they feed us... Rest assured, the Republicans are businessmen and cater to insurrance companies that are on their ass because the insurance companies do not want to see affordable healthcare or obamacare not that it would lowere the amount of the claims they must pay, but that it would lower the amount of premiums their policy holders pay... healthcare is expensive yes... but do not confuse healthcare with insurance premiums...private insurance companies have lots of money... because most people are not sick in the hostpital.. about 85% of the people with insurance will on insurance plans through employers many have gotten checks if the group plans took in more than they had to pay out... and that is why the inssurance companies are against the last implementation of these insurance interchanges as it offers people more choices and poses to them competition... like the deregulation of AT&T... they do not like giving up refunds or the idea of competitors they may lose customers to... It taps into their million dollar bonuses.
have you heard of the wayback machine? we all need to take a step back and reflect on news that has been forgotten for it appears that many of memories are short... old news is no news and no news is good news but when it comes to Fox, old news is new news and there is not much at all thats new... its all old rhetoric with intent being a plot on how to undermine Obama and anything he cares to accomplish
Presenting The GOP's Evil Obamacare
[
42 times the salesmen tried to sell the defunding of ObamaCare... 42 times they failed... are they salesmen selling us on their rhetoric too? they haven't sold me, as I'm sold on ObamaCare...
I find it very difficult to even discuss this without my blood pressure going up. I makes me so angry. Our healthcare fiasco is one of the ugliest manifestations of malignant capitalism in our midst, translating to a "culture" that values profits over life itself. I know this might sound simplistic to some, but from where I sit, that's really the bottom line here. Over the years we've had literally millions of people die prematurely (even children!!), just because they couldn't afford a damn doctor. All so these big fat CEOs in the for-profit insurance racket can steal our money and live like kings. This has got to be one of the most extreme cases of mass extortion in the history of humankind. And unless we find a way to get these parasites off our backs, my husband & I are opting out of the system until we qualify for Medicare. In the meantime, we're doing everything in our power to stay healthy and fit. I know it's a gamble, but in this freak show, it's a gamble no matter what we decide to do. We're literally being forced to gamble with our lives, and it makes me bloody furious. And that's all I have to say about it. - Alice I.W.
RACadmin ~ I certainly hope you are right. On the surface I must agree that as far as I can gather ACA is going to be a wonderful improvement in health care in this country. Like you said, If we could only cap and regulate the health care providers we might have a real solution. Of course, that would be the logical next step.
However, I must say I share Palidromedary's concerns. We might both appreciate if you do not cite things President Obama 'says' as evidence and stick to other sources. President Obama has been less than genuine with the truth and in such has a lackluster track record. In this case, I think that is the main problem selling ACA to his base. If you will remember he also said he would push for Single-Payer health care. He said he would change our trade policies. He said he would close Gitmo. He said he would end warrant-less wiretapping. He said he would let the Bush tax cuts expire. He said he would veto the Patriot Act. He said he would protect and defend the Constitution. He said he would investigate the Bush administration for war crimes. The President has said a lot of great and wonderfully lofty things. What he does is something else.
You will have to forgive us for treating anything this President says with skepticism and cynicism. It is not our fault that we react to his words this way. It is the fault of the President himself.
Very well said Aliceinwonderland and DAnneMarc...my sentiments exactly. ACA was originally a Republican plan and over the last 30 or so years an economic war against the 99% has ensued. We've seen deregulation, a giant Ponzi scheme in the way of a housing bubble (another one is on the way), various Wall Street schemes...derivatives, schemes by the corporations to steel people's pensions, a steady reduction in wages and benefits. And the same players concocted ACA, originally, and Obama had immediately thrown out single payer health care and accepting the Republican's ACA scheme. Obama appointed the Wall Street scammers, people who made deregulation possible, to be his economic advisers.
Definitely, the Republicans are the scum of the earth but Obama is eating off their plate. What more proof do people need that Obama and many in the Democratic party are not worthy of our support...our trust... anymore? How can we trust such a man whose words preached hope but whose actions showed traitor?
The 1% are counting on us to keep playing their game to be continuously addicted to losing and too afraid to actually rebel against them.
Max Keiser, in today's show, talked about how people will actually buy products that have a warning label on them because the warning label instills trust never mind that actually consuming that product could likely kill you.
I always get a kick out of those commercials showing some pleasant heart-warming home scenes, family, friends, while they try to sell various drugs...and in fine print, not much bigger than a couple of pixels, shows the warning label...and someone rapidly reads off all the different side effects ...including the possibility of "death". And people actually get suckered into buying these things? What part of "death" don't people understand? Maybe they are pandering to people who want to die? I don't know. But it's just so bizarre. Max Keiser also said that "casinos know that the emotional kick from losing is greater than the emotional kick from winning...in fact they are addicted to losing." Just like soldiers who kill, and risk being killed, it is the emotional thrill that is hard to dispense with when they return to the states.
Today's Max Keiser on RT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIVRIIeDLu4
I agree with your assesment on what the next step should be.
I think his base is sold but his base is not the republicons or tea party members or sympahtisers nor the koch brothers bank rolling the tea party...
I remember he promissed to do all these things, but I also remember all through his campaign before even getting elected that he said it would not be easy, that those who he was running against are not going to want to give up what they have without a fight, and, it will require your help (all of the peoples help that were hearing his message) that help does not end at the voting booth, it goes on and on... kind of like Fox Boobs... only, in a positive constructive manner... People need to get involved in the political process that brings about change that is benificial for us all and not just for billion dollar corporations placing their corporate shills on the republican ticket.
Obama also said he could not do these things alone and that it would be a constant up hill battle... We can see he was right on that point...and, I say or ask yuou what one man could do all these things without enough support from others to see them through to completion? We should be glad that the tea party did not succeed in electing Mitt Romney or John McCain. The help he is not getting is from FOX NEWS or any of the many clear channel radio stations. They are constantly trying to undermine his efforts and drum up support from their listeners to do just the opposite of what Obama asked for in making all of these promisses as they are the ones holding up or preventing those promisses from being fulfilled.. they are the ones that do not want to see change when it means they must chip in and help or give something up for the benifite of man kind... these are the ones he has not convinced to help him set up these health exchanges in their states as they are not concerned about the poor or the one in ten without health care vis-a-vis one in ten across the states is about 30,000,000 people. and, why should they?
And who are they specifically that are holding up the process ? they are Governors like Scott Walker in Wisconsin and other states that were offered federal money to set these exchanges up and to oversee the adminsitration of them; however, they rejected the federal money allocated for their state a year ago, waited to to last miniute and opted for the Federal government to set it up in and for their state claiming it would save the tax payers money... anohter lie as it would of saved the taxpayers money had the state accepted funding from the federal government which was offered as a way to give some of the federal taxes collected from those states back to the states... and Governor Scott Walker, the so called geious would rather see the poor go without Medicaid than accept some of the states money, taxpayers paid the federal govenment, by taking back,it as offered provided it went to fund the poor's medical and healthcare needs...
Walker refused to do it regardless of it now being part of the prosses of setting up and to carry fourth the enactment of the new laws governing insurance companies and institutionalizing new programs for those living in poverty in which still could not afford health insurance or were not having it provided through their small employer, who also, could'nt really afford to cover his/her employees for being "small enough to fail"...
Is it the fault of himself ? or, is it the fault of all those casting stumbling blocks before him and all others attempting to succeed in fulfiling those promisses?
Remember, the president proposes, congress disposes... right now, it is the republicons in the house doing all the disposing.