George Rebane
This forum has highlighted Obamacare’s atrocities, visited and pending, since before it became law of the land. Today there are serious rumblings of attempting to defund/delay Obamacare as part of the next continuing resolution Congress will take up on extending national debt. The Republicans have been the leading rumblers who have received on a silver platter a way to oppose Obamacare that will attract bipartisan support. But for reasons beyond my ken, they are not stepping up to the plate, and are instead hiding in the weeds with the other political sleazebags who dare not oppose the White House.
The issue is the latest in the stream of exemptions that have become a hallmark of that putrid piece of legislation. You’ll recall that Congress beseeched Obama to spare them and their staffs having to buy their healthcare policies through the dreaded insurance exchanges as the law specifically prescribes. Such plaintive begging itself is outrageous since the Executive is supposed to enforce the laws as passed by Congress, and not modify them in their execution. If Congress wants an exemption, it can pass a law to accomplish that.
So the benevolent Obama showed mercy on his congressional lackeys, and had his Office of Personnel Management announce 1) Congress and staff would continue getting their now illegal subsidies, and 2) the members of Congress could define which of their staff will actually be covered by the law – both of these being illegal ‘remedies’. All polls show that no one favors Congress getting such special bennies when the rest of us have to pony up to the added costs of this new “affordable care” (more here).
The Republicans should have joined their voices in a loud chorus to denounce this as yet another constitutional end-run by our by now demonstrably rogue president. This could have served as the basis for starting to unravel Obamacare by broadening the exemptions until the law is finally diluted into vapor. Instead, here I sit with millions of other like-minded Americans, astounded that the oh so principled Republicans have chosen to let crickets lead their assault on Obamacare.
I don’t know how our Tom McClintock, Doug Lamalfa, and Dan Logue feel about this. But my recommendation is for them to loudly reject the White House handout, and then proceed from there.
The issue is the latest in the stream of exemptions that have become a hallmark of that putrid piece of legislation. You’ll recall that Congress beseeched Obama to spare them and their staffs having to buy their healthcare policies through the dreaded insurance exchanges as the law specifically prescribes. Such plaintive begging itself is outrageous since the Executive is supposed to enforce the laws as passed by Congress, and not modify them in their execution. If Congress wants an exemption, it can pass a law to accomplish that.
So the benevolent Obama showed mercy on his congressional lackeys, and had his Office of Personnel Management announce 1) Congress and staff would continue getting their now illegal subsidies, and 2) the members of Congress could define which of their staff will actually be covered by the law – both of these being illegal ‘remedies’. All polls show that no one favors Congress getting such special bennies when the rest of us have to pony up to the added costs of this new “affordable care” (more here).
The Republicans should have joined their voices in a loud chorus to denounce this as yet another constitutional end-run by our by now demonstrably rogue president. This could have served as the basis for starting to unravel Obamacare by broadening the exemptions until the law is finally diluted into vapor. Instead, here I sit with millions of other like-minded Americans, astounded that the oh so principled Republicans have chosen to let crickets lead their assault on Obamacare.
I don’t know how our Tom McClintock, Doug Lamalfa, and Dan Logue feel about this. But my recommendation is for them to loudly reject the White House handout, and then proceed from there.
I suppose there is no solace in saying you were right.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/31/free-benefits-in-obamacare-come-with-hidden-costs/
There are not enough doctors to take on 30 million more patients. Doctors, like all baby boomers, are retiring and not enough youngins to fill their latex gloves.
Closer to home, our own social services is scrambling to train people to get ready to answer questions about ObamaCare, no less even trying to implement the ever evolving rules and regs. Had to hire Humboldt County for help getting ready by Oct 1 according to the whirlpool known as the rumor mill.
Massachusetts now has an average wait time to see the doc at 49 days. Heck, just go the ER and get 'er done that day. At least The Commonwealth had a few years jump start on the rest of us. And all those new high tech companies in Mass. that make medical devices ain't none too happy about the job killing taxes they have to pay on their products. Its for the little people. Taxes on health insurance? You bet.
Posted by: Bill Tozer | 01 September 2013 at 08:14 AM
Obamacare continues. For 3 weeks now, 3 of the biggest unions have publicly decried the unintended consequences of the Affordable Care Act. Seems they forgot to put in a exemption provision for Taft-Hartley Act, later refined through the Warner Act.
The labor bosses are meeting with Harry Reed and Queen Nancy to try to get something done, asap. The White House has failed to heed their cries for help and can't even answer their questions. So, they are turning to the lawmakers themselves for a special provision. After all, the President must faithfully execute the laws of the land, or so Barrack Hussein Obama swore on Inauguration Day.
The ACA is so complicated that the unintended consequences are bubbling to the surface.
First, Obamacare's definition of a 30 hour week is prodding many employers to cut employees to 291/2 hours/week, thus flying in the face of the union's backbone: the 40 hour work week.
Second, the Taft-Hartley Act allows groups of different employers to pool together for health insurance when negotiating new contracts with the unions. The vise-versa is more important. Instead of negotiating with each employer on their individual health insurance plans, the unions can have many employees from different employers negotiate a standard health insurance policy. These are what the union fought for and uses to attract/retain members: 40 hour work week and low cost health bennies.
Obamacare had its Oppps! moment and basically tosses out Taft-Hartley. If the employees are covered and their spouses aren't, they don't qualify for subsidized health care for the spouse. If they are cut back on hours, they are tossed into the subsidized market or have to pay higher premiums. And if everything is going hunky-dory, they will have to pay higher premiums and face taxes on their Cadillac plans. Ouch. This Administration is undercutting decades of hard fought victorious battles for the largest unions in America. Single payer (when it comes) will further undercut the union's attractiveness and bargaining chips. Strike! Strike! Unfair to Workers!.
Guess when you smell something rotten in your nose, you should pickit.
Posted by: Bill Tozer | 01 September 2013 at 10:24 AM