Category Archives: health care bill

They Say, “Our Work For Next Week Is Repeal.”

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2011)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

The US House of Representatives, at least the representative on the Republican side,  say they will begin repeal of President Obama’s (as it is known) ObamaCare legislation.  Some say the odds for success for a complete repeal are zero to none, but others say repeal is a sure thing.

I believe something between outright repeal in both houses and a compromise of some sort is most likely to occur.  I also believe, had there not been such a rush to pass the bill over the objections of what has been said to be a majority of those polled, we might have been able to craft a plan suitable to most American citizens.  Perhaps such an effort to listen will work now, but the process will have to get past the vitriol and distrust from many previously shown in both houses.

Reuters (USEdition) has posted a story by their reporters, Donna Smith and Thomas Ferraro, reporting on the statements and plans for the republican effort and there’s seems no lack of confidence for success on the part of the republican leadership.  The article correctly states work had been scheduled to begin for repeal of the bill for this week, but the tragedy in Tucson caused a delay in the beginning of the process:

“As the White House noted, it is important for Congress to get back to work, and to that end we will resume thoughtful consideration of the health care bill next week,” said Brad Dayspring, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

“Americans have legitimate concerns about the cost of the new healthcare law and its effect on the ability to grow jobs in our country,” he added.

The vote is set for Wednesday, said another Republican aide who asked not to be identified.

Both sides believe, or say they believe, their position is the correct and true side of the issue and offer further arguments in trying to convince the public their path is valid and will ultimately succeed:

The House is also expected to vote on a second measure that would instruct three House committees to develop replacement healthcare legislation that would, among other things, “foster economic growth and private sector job creation by eliminating job-killing policies and regulations.”

Democrats argue the healthcare overhaul that was signed into law last year will expand coverage to millions of uninsured Americans and help rein in soaring medical costs. But Republicans argue the coverage mandate in the legislation is unconstitutional and that penalties for employers who do not provide coverage discourage hiring.

Whatever may happen in the immediate future, it should be remembered that legal challenges to the bill are still pending which may or may not do away with the need for repeal of the bill.  This and other remaining issues, are found by reading the entire Reuters article found by clicking here and accessing links found below.

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“Are You Serious?” She Asked.

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

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The answer, in so many words, to House Speaker Pelosi’s question was,  yes.  It now seems that the question was well-asked and vindication belongs to the reporter asking the question.  And, it seems for good reason as many have thought since the rapid passage of ObamaCare.   At least for a brief period, if not longer.

If you haven’t figured it out, the subject at this point is a Virginia federal court’s decision announced today.  The court has ruled that ObamaCare, in-so-far as it requires citizens to purchase healthcare insurance from the government or its contractors is in violation of the commerce clause of the US Constitution.  We’ll get to some of what the judge had to say, but first let’s go back to capture what Madame Speaker once uttered.  Today CNSNews.com in a story by Matt Cover hurled back to October 22, 2009:

When CNSNews.com asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday where the Constitution authorized Congress to order Americans to buy health insurance–a mandate included in both the House and Senate versions of the health care bill–Pelosi dismissed the question by saying: “Are you serious? Are you serious?”

The Speaker Speaks

I’m surprised the Speaker would ask a question to which she would know the answer.  She would know the answer or she was being disingenuous due to the question having been asked by a reporter from a conservative news organization and not a more progressive one.  Pelosi is reported to have shook her head before going to questions from other reporters and her press spokesman got into the mix from there:

Pelosi then shook her head before taking a question from another reporter. Her press spokesman, Nadeam Elshami, then told CNSNews.com that asking the speaker of the House where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandated that individual Americans buy health insurance as not a ”serious question.”

“You can put this on the record,” said Elshami. “That is not a serious question. That is not a serious question.”

We now know that at least one federal judge has felt the question was serious enough to rule as indicated above, two judges have ruled otherwise and 20 states (at least) have yet to hear a verdict on their challenges.  We have read and heard that many judicial experts expect the case to end up before SCOTUS … perhaps on an accelerated calendar.

It continues then, and we can expect other decisions to issue forth from the courts in various federal jurisdictions.  What was that about the wheels of justice grinding exceedingly slow?  You can read the remaining part of the CNS report with a click here.

Flap of the cap to CNS and Mr. Cover.

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Conspiracy Brews, But Not What You’d Think

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POSTED AS A COMMUNITY SERV ICE BY GADABOUT-BLOGALOT

COME JOIN US, YOU WON’T REGRET IT

 

“By investing in connectivity, we can overcome our geography, preserve our environment, enhance the education of our children, and improve our economy.
New Mexico deserves nothing less.”

Rep. Janice E. Arnold-Jones · House District 24

announces

Saturday Morning Office Hours
(Coffee with Janice)
(Conspiracy Brews)

November 20, 2010
9:00 AM – 10:45 AM

at
Southwest Secondary Learning Center
10301 Candelaria Rd NE
(northwest corner of Candelaria and Morris)

–All Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, Greens and others are welcome!
We think that government should be open and honest at all times.

(Quote of the week)

“Shallow men believe in luck.  Strong men believe in cause and effect.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

—-

Suggested Topics

– What is rationing in Obamacare…is a two month extension of life worth $95,000?

– NM Medicaid is running out of money…how severe must the cuts be?

– Janice has been warning for years that the retirement funds were under funded …
have the chickens come home to roost?

– What paradigms are needed to improve education in NM?

NOTE

*** Two committees, one on Education and one on Race, will plan
the agenda for the
Town Hall meetings we will have In January and March
before & following the legislative session!

—-

(Light Quotes of the week)

“Why is it drug addicts and computer afficionados (sic) are both called users.”

Clifford Stoll

“If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee –
that will do them in.”

Bradley’s Bromide


“I like pigs.  Dogs look up to us.  Cats look down on us.  Pigs treat us as equals.”

Sir Winston Churchill

——-

***There are now two other meetings like ours occurring in Albuquerque.

(Canceled until after the Election)
New Mexicans 4 Limited Government
Second and Fourth Wednesdays @ 4700 Lincoln Rd NW, ABQ 87109
(5:30 PM - 7:00 PM)

South Valley Citizens for Common Sense
Fourth Saturday Every Month @ Abuelita’s New Mexican Kitchen
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

–Fascinating and unique discussions each week.
Join us!

Janice (New Mexico Now) is now live on KIVA AM 1550 M-F 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM

If you can’t pick up the station in your location, then stream it over the Internet at

http://www.1550kiva.com/kiva_004.htm

Phone Number 505-265-1550

or Toll-Free 1-877-437-6119

Email:  talk@kiva1550.com

— KIVA has arranged with  other radio stations around NM so this show will be state wide:

NEW MEXICO NOW – 4-6:30 PM

KIVA
1550 AM
–
Albuquerque
KEDU
102.3 FM
–
Ruidoso
KUPR
91.7 FM
–
Alamogordo
KHII
88.9 FM
–
Cloudcroft
KQNM
1100 AM
–
Grants/Milan

 

 

 

 


– Tell your friends and acquaintances to check in their area for the stations that will carry
the broadcasts
 — Adam Kokesh has a show, Adam vs The Man, from 9-11 PM each day, also on KIVA AM.

 

On Taxpayer Paid Abortions — Not So Fast

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

We often rely on FactCheck.org to verify, find false or judge misleading statements and stories found on the internet.  We posted an article yesterday which gave some credence to allegations that ObamaCare was to pay for abortions.  The allegations surfaced when in spite of what is in the ObanaCare bill, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Maryland reportedly started to implement a “high-risk” abortion pool that would have abortions in those states being paid for in part, by the federal government.  When pro-life and anti-abortion supporters found out about the intent they raised a certain amount of dust.  They started a campaign to publicize the Pennsylvania and New Mexico efforts and their campaign is what eventually caught the attention of FactCheck.org.  With rumors flying from blog to blog and from television to print media, FactCheck set out to, what else … find the facts.  This is some of what I found at one of their accounts on the subject posted on July 22, 2010:

The claim that the new federal health care law will use taxpayer funds to pay for abortions through “high-risk pools” originated when the National Right to Life Committee issued a press release July 13. It said that Washington had approved a new insurance program that “will cover any abortion that is legal in Pennsylvania.” Abortion foes also raised alarms about similar federally subsidized insurance pools being put together in New Mexico and Maryland.

FactCheck indicates that there might have been good cause to spread the alarm because of programs attempted by Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Maryland.

At issue here are insurance policies to be made available under a newly launched, federally funded program that provides coverage for high-risk uninsured people who have been turned away by private carriers.

We can see what caused abortion opponents to be concerned. An official solicitation issued by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department specified that abortions “will” be covered if they are legal under Pennsylvania law. And according to newsreports, a similar document in New Mexico listed “elective” abortions under “covered services.”

Perhaps those three states did not get the “memo” or they just tried to do whatever they desired.  In any case, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS)  and two of the states decided to issues press releases denying that abortions which were prohibited under ObamaCare, would not be performed:

State and federal officials have since scrambled to clarify their intentions. Pennsylvania officials issued a statement on July 15 saying that for any abortions performed because of reasons other than rape, incest or a threat to the mother’s life, women “will have to pay for them out their own pocket.” And New Mexico backed down just as quickly, issuing a July 15 statement saying “elective abortion is not and has never been intended to be a benefit.

But that came only after federal officials — who control the money and write the regulations for the high-risk pools — stated on July 14 that no state policy would cover abortions except “in the cases of rape or incest, or where the life of the woman would be endangered.” Those are the only exceptions allowed by long-standing federal laws that broadly ban abortion coverage under the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plans covering federal workers and their families, and under most state-federal Medicaid programs.

FactCheck reported that abortion foes, according to  other media sources and press releases, were able to claim a victory with this issue:

In reporting on the HHS statement, the Associated Press wrote: “Abortion foes have scored a victory.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement welcoming the policy.

USCCB: We welcome this new policy, while continuing to be gravely concerned that it was not issued until after some states had announced that pro-abortion health plans were approved.

Douglas Johnson, the legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, who first raised the alarm over the Pennsylvania solicitation, cautiously approved the HHS statement. In a July 22 e-mail to FactCheck.org, he said:

NRLC’s Johnson: If HHS actually does what they say they will do, in the July 14 statement, then that would resolve the issue for this one component of the health care law — unless the courts get involved, which is certainly possible, since the statute does not dictate an abortion policy on this program.

Pro-Choice advocates hammered the HHS action, although ObamaCare supported the HHS position as it was finally disseminated.  NARAL Pro-Choice America and the American Civil Liberties Union each released statements criticizing the move by HSS.

You can find more analysis and comment by FactCheck.org by clicking here.  Here’s hoping that HSS and the many states do not attempt to sneak abortion coverage that is not contemplated, i.e., allowed into any of their programs.

Unless we have missed something in our search efforts, the FactCheck treatment  seems  current on the subject.  If any reader has contrary facts or any information which tends to show “they” are at it again, please feel free to place it as a comment.

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First Round To ObamaCare

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)
Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone
A Federal Judge in Michigan has ruled in favor of the administration’s health care act, AKA ObamaCare.  According to an article in the Detroit Free Press by David Ashenfelter and Patricia Anstett the judge:
… upheld key provisions of President Barack Obama’s landmark health reform law.
In a 20-page decision, U.S. District Judge George Steeh refused to issue an injunction to halt preparations for putting federal health reforms into full effect in 2014, a law known as the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress in March. Steeh also dismissed the major points of the suit — requiring Americans to buy health insurance and penalizing those who don’t starting in 2014.
This judge is the first one to rule that the administration and congress did not overstep their constitutional authority in passing the legislation, as least to the points addressed in this particular lawsuit.  There are other suits waiting for their opposition to the ObamaCare challenges to wend their way to the  court or courts of jurisdiction:
Nation-wide, several dozen lawsuits have been filed to stop the reforms. Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox and 19 other state attorney generals brought one of the challenges, which is set for oral arguments in Florida Dec. 16, according to Cox spokeswoman Joy Yearout.
The attorney generals’ suit argues that the federal government can’t force people to buy a product merely because they are U.S. citizens. But federal attorneys say Congress can regulate interstate commerce and has imposed laws for more than 200 years requiring men to buy muskets and ammunition, for example.
No doubt, the last decisions in all the cases will be a long-time coming and will outlive some of the folks who might otherwise fall under the requirements of ObamaCare.  You can read the rest of the story at this link.  Don’t forget to read the other provided links at the bottom of the page.
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Medicare — Hold It There, Maybe Not, Old People

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

The Wall Street Journal/Opinion Journal has a troubling article by Peter Ferrara and Larry Hunter.  It is about ObamaCare and what it will do to Medicare unless something is done to change POTUS’s and Congress’ creation.  I’m concerned because I am one of those old downhill types and I’m not talking about skiing down a steep slope, although the peril might be very much the same.  The article starts with:

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has attacked Senate Republican candidates for wanting “to end Medicare as we know it.” And in Nevada’s hotly contested Senate race, Majority Leader Harry Reid is attacking Republican Sharron Angle, saying she wants to “gut” Medicare. But Mr. Reid has already gutted it. He and his colleagues did so by passing ObamaCare.

I’m not going to insist that I’m entitled to Medicare (I’m not) but since I have it, I wouldn’t mind keeping it for whatever years more than 70 (my present age) might be allowed me.  Medicare, or not, I don’t like being lied to and that is exactly how Medicare under ObamaCare feels at this point.  Let’s go a little further:

In his analysis accompanying the recently released Annual Report of the Medicare Board of Trustees, Richard Foster, Medicare’s chief actuary, noted that Medicare payment rates for doctors and hospitals serving seniors will be cut by 30% over the next three years.

Then Mr. Foster goes on to say that by the end of the 75-year projection period in the Annual Medicare Trustees Report, Medicare payment rates will be one-third of what will be paid by private insurance, and only half of what is paid by Medicaid. But, you’ve not seen anything until you read this next bit of news:

Altogether, ObamaCare cuts $818 billion from Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) from 2014-2023, the first 10 years of its full implementation, and $3.2 trillion over the first 20 years, 2014-2033. Adding in ObamaCare cuts for Medicare Part B (physicians fees and other services) brings the total cut to $1.05 trillion over the first 10 years and $4.95 trillion over the first 20 years.

I’ll bet President Johnson never envisioned that a fellow Democrat, well Progressive, would turn Medicare bottom-up and do so in a rapid-fire manner.  There is more:

There will be added cuts under ObamaCare to Medicare Advantage, the private option to Medicare that close to one-fourth of all seniors have chosen for their coverage under the program because it gives them a better deal. Mr. Foster estimates that 50% of all seniors with Medicare Advantage will lose their plan because of these cuts. Mr. Obama’s pledge that “If you like your health plan, you will be able to keep it” clearly does not apply to America’s seniors.

I don’t have one yet, but if ObamaCare doesn’t quit taking my breath away, I will need an oxygen bottle … a big one.  There’s more bad news in the rest of the article and I’m sure more to come ad infinitum, or as a famous poet has said:

…  So, naturalists observe, a flea Has smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller still to bite ‘em, And so proceed ad infinitum. …

Jonathan Swit … On Poetry: A Rhapsody

“Bite ‘em,” ” bite us,”  ObamaCare will be the end for us.  Read more from the article, right here and you’ll learn more startling news regarding your Medicare.  Don’t forget to chase the links shown below.

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Some “Small” Nips At The Reality Of Obamacare

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

It looks like more can be revealed by the President now that the democrats and others voting for Obamacare have had time to talk and squawk about the great things the bill will do.  Or, is that not quite factual and maybe running to a lot of maybe, if that.

The above and more  according to My Way News in a story presented by Erika Werner and Calvin Woodard.  The reporters begin their piece by a recap of what the President had promised as he rolled out the idea of  Obamacare and what has happened since to cause him to, “hem and haw,” as the authors say:

So far, the law he signed earlier this year hasn’t had the desired effect. An analysis from Medicare’s Office of the Actuary this week said that the nation’s health care tab will go up – not down – through 2019 as a result of Obama’s sweeping law, though the increase is modest.

Obama offered some caveats when asked in his news conference Friday about the apparent discrepancy between what he promised and what’s actually happening so far. On several other topics, too, his rhetoric fell short of a full accounting.

This piece, along with similar stories, is an account of what public officials say they have done with the writers adjusting for facts and “windage.”   In this particular story, it seems that none of POTUS’s accounts of what has happened since his favorite health care bill was passed, never quite tallies or measures up with what the writers report.

You can see for yourself as you read the article.  It might make you say something like, “We told you so.”   Somewhat, anyway.

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Former Sheriff Flunks Lie Detector

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

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Would that Sheriff Andy Taylor would never sink to being a shill for parts of Obama Care,  but according to Fact Check he is guilty of spreading bull butter to old folks and old folks to be.  Here’s some of what Fact Check has to say:

In a new TV spot from the Obama administration, actor Andy Griffith, famous for his 1960s portrayal of the top law enforcement official in the fictional town of Mayberry, N.C., touts benefits of the new health care law. Griffith tells his fellow senior citizens, “like always, we’ll have our guaranteed [Medicare] benefits.” But the truth is that the new law is guaranteed to result in benefit cuts for one class of Medicare beneficiaries — those in private Medicare Advantage plans.

Back when the good sheriff and his trusty Deputy Barney Fife were active in Mayberry, NC, their following was built on trust.  Now it looks as though the Health Care brain weevil has sucked all the gray matter from Sheriff Andy’s gray cranium.  Here’s the story according to the former sheriff:

The trouble with the sheriff’s spiel is that it rises, rather sinks, to the level of puffery and false prophesy for Obama Care.  Perhaps Sheriff Andy can be granted some leeway since the law seems to support him, however the support is only as good as the fine print:

There’s even a section in the new law (section 3601) that says: “Nothing in the provisions of, or amendments made by, this Act shall result in a reduction of guaranteed benefits under title XVIII of the Social Security Act” (the title that establishes the Medicare program). Section 3602 says even Medicare Advantage recipients won’t suffer any reduction of “any benefits guaranteed by law.”

But, there is a catch … isn’t this always the case?   No need to trust me when you can get access to the complete Fact Check  piece to catch the catch by clicking here.

Change without trust and truth seems in ample supply when it comes to Obama Care.

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Abortions — They’ll Have Them & We’ll All Pay For Them

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By Chuck Ring (GadaboutBlogalot ©2009 – 2010)

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It appears promises were made to be deceptive until the ink sufficiently dried on the health care bill (in this case) and the truth came out.  We do remember, don’t we, the statements of high-powered politicians, including those of our President.  There were a few statements and now we see one subjected to the light of day and found wanting for veracity.  From CNSNews.com by Senior Editor Susan Jones we see:

If you want proof that President Obama’s Executive Order on taxpayer-funded abortion was a sham, look no further than Pennsylvania, says House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio). Boehner and other Republicans point to reports that the Health and Human Services Department is giving Pennsylvania $160 million to set up a new high-risk insurance pool that will cover any abortion that is legal in the state.

Boehner calls the action “unconscionable.”  I would not wish to put words in Representative Boehner’s mouth, however he could just as well called it a whopper of a lie and been right on the mark.  Maybe we should retrace … Boehner says:

“Just last month at the White House, I asked President Obama to provide the American people with a progress report on the implementation of his Executive Order, which purports to ban taxpayer-funding of abortions. Unfortunately, the President provided no information, and the American people are still waiting for answers.” President Obama pledged that under his health care plan “no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.”

In a May 13 letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Boehner asked if her department has provided guidance to the states on how to implement the president’s Executive Order on abortion funding. Boehner also asked Sebelius if the new federal high-risk pools would exclude abortion coverage.

No answer was forthcoming from Sebelius according to Boehner (see sixth Zemanta link below.)   Unless he is naive, he should not expect any more than he has received, thus far. There are others angry about this deception, but they all probably expected the abortion promises to come to this, even as they hoped against hope that honor would out above trickery.  Tom McCluskey, a vice president of the Human Resource Council’s political arm, is one who seems not deceived, saying:

“This action by the Obama Administration also exposes the worthlessness of President Obama’s Executive Order that supposedly would prevent federal funding of abortion, but which both sides, including Planned Parenthood, agreed was unenforceable.

“While the American people deserve an apology from President Obama for his deception, we should only be satisfied when this Pennsylvania abortion funding is rescinded and the health care law repealed.

McClusky noted that the new health care law also includes $12.5 billion for community health centers, and $6 billion for co-ops, both of which can fund abortions.  And some people will use tax credits to help them pay for plans that cover abortion.

Are you sick and disgusted yet?  There isn’t much left of the article, so read from the start and see how you feel:

Read The Complete Article

Oh, we forgot to tell you, the abortion money thus far, also goes to New Mexico and Maryland.  We would not place too much faith (no pun intended) in the sixth Zemanta link found below.  Just the tip of the scalpel, we bet.

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