Social Security compared to Affordable Care Act

Substitute a few words, and it's a good description of ACA in our era. "We find it hard to conceive of a greater triumph of imaginative packaging than the combination of an unacceptable tax and an unacceptable benefit program into a [health insurance] Social Security program that is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements of [Obama's first term] the New Deal." Milton Friedman, Free to Choose, 1980.

Just in case you think Social Securty actually is a good deal, remember no one can subsist on the benefit it provides, which I think is maxed at about $28,500.  It takes 2 workers paying in today to support one retiree (there were 17 in the 1950s, 42 in 1945), it's regressive--the low income workers are less likely to live long enough to collect what they paid in, spouses who never worked get the same amount as those who did, millions who paid in (like me) will get nothing because of another government pension, or die before collecting like my sister who began working at 14 and died at 57, and won't be able to pass it along to their children.

Yes, it is a wealth transfer program--from the young to the old. From the poor and the rich to the middle class. Another similarity to the Affordable Care Act.

Five days away. . . five years later

I think Obama was in Colorado when he announced America was close  to being fundamentally transformed, with a back drop of beautiful scenery and weather, speaking to a well heeled population, median household income $57,000. They cheered and swooned. Finally, FDR's dream would come true!  Married families with children in that state had an income over $83,000 in 2008.  But of course, the figure was low for single moms with children many of whom were minorities.  Well, duh. Even in paradise, it seems there are rules for living.

But he was going to change all that--or so he promised--by transferring even more wealth than had been moved since the 60s in LBJ’s  War on Poverty.  But this crowd wasn't poor.  They just wanted more. Here we are 5 years later, minorities and women have made the least progress, labor force participation is at a record low, yet they still love him and know in their hearts that it just isn't his fault.  It was Bush, or the GOP, or the Tea Party, or staff who kept him in the dark so he couldn't achieve all those wonderful things he really wanted with other people's money, so of course he needed to play golf more.

And now many in the same crowd, at least if they are self-employed  or are a spouse of a retiree purchasing her own health insurance, are seeing more of their income being taken so others can have more. That’s the focus this week, but whether you’re talking political polarization, energy, race relations, unemployment, education, etc., he’s pushing the whole nation downward in spirit, in morality, in wealth, and in world opinion in leadership.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/10/01/obama_transforming_america_120170.html

http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/popp/100206

What did the President know and when?

It’s getting ugly

For Halloween this year. . .

ACA and the abortion trap upon enrollment

It’s no secret Barack Obama is the most ardent supporter of abortion at any time for any reason, including gender, than any president or politician in the history of the United States. The problems with ACA show this.

“To date, 23 states have passed laws that prohibit most abortion coverage through the Exchanges: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

In the other 27 states and the District of Columbia, at least one of the multi-state plans participating in the Exchanges must be abortion free. However, the secrecy clause in the ACA makes it nearly impossible to identify which plans include abortion and which don’t.

According to the secrecy clause, plans which include abortion may only reveal that they cover abortion in the “Summary of Benefits,” and only at the time of enrollment. Furthermore, materials published by the insurer or the Exchanges are not permitted to provide the monthly cost of the abortion premium—leaving insurance-Exchange participants in the dark about possible subsidization of abortion. Even worse, participants will not be allowed to opt-out of the abortion premium once they are enrolled.”  LifeNews.com

The plan is working just fine

A pain in the neck by Massiv

Hum along if you’ve ever had neck pain.  That’s when you realize everything in your body is connected to your neck!

Feeling exhausted from all the aches
Pins n needles, even wooden stakes
The pain is oh so real
But I try to man-up and deal

Chorus:
My body is in need of some relief
Sumbitch this hurts, good grief
Damn sure pain free, I expect
It's time for needles in mah neck

It ain't easy all of the time
Smoking cigars hurts my spine
No matter the suffering, I must fight
Ima ride my bike n raise my kids up right

Chorus:
My body is in need of some relief
Sumbitch this hurts, good grief
Damn sure pain free, I expect
It's time for needles in mah neck.

Written by Massiv Lorion for my nephew Greg who is receiving neck therapy today. 
Copyright 2013

Falling on the insurance sword is an act of patriotism, Democrats believe

“The millions of Americans who are receiving [health insurance] termination notices because their current coverage does not conform to Health and Human Services Department rules may not realize this is by design. Maybe they trusted President Obama's repeated falsehood that people who liked their health plans could keep them. But Americans should understand that this month's mass cancellation wave has been the President's political goal since 2008. Liberals believe they must destroy the market in order to save it.”

The plans Americans wanted and were willing to pay for have been outlawed and called “substandard,” as though our kindly, benevolent, wonderful leader was saving us from something awful. The purpose of having these expensive policies many don’t want and can’t afford, is to kill the insurance market and drive people to the exchanges. The government needs those bodies!

Fall on the insurance sword in a patriotic act for the most high leader who only wants what’s best for you.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230420080457916354118031265

Pet health care costs will go up

Many veterinarians are self-employed or in small group practices, and have in the past bought health insurance through their professional organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association. No more. That's just one association that has covered the self-insured that Obamacare has put out of business. The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Group Health and Life Insurance Trust will no longer provide medical insurance to its members after 2013. The approximately 17,500 AVMA-member veterinarians who carry the medical coverage through GHLIT will have to seek medical individual plans effective Jan. 1, 2014. Despite lobbying efforts on behalf of GHLIT, the trust will no longer be treated as a “group” arrangement, which means that advantages of the current nationwide coverage and premium ratings will not be available, the trust said in a statement.

Most veterinary practices are small--the law is extremely complex and loaded with bureaucratic fat, making the tax laws almost impossible for the little guy. She’ll have to hire more staff for accounting, inventory, IT, etc.  If you've lost your doctor, your vet may be next.

Veterinarians are in many communities first line of defense in HUMAN health--they are public health officers. The medical device tax also affects the health of your pets. A "device" is just about anything that isn't a medication, needles, catheters, and consumables--they will affect veterinarians, too. The price will be passed on to the animal owner. Most pet owners pay real prices, and don't have the cushion of pet insurance.

If pet care gets more expensive, expect to see more abandoned animals, or pets going without health care. Just another Obamacare fall out.

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-breaking-news/2012/12/19/avma-forced-to-discontinue-medical-insurance-for-members

Our tax dollars at work

Lisa Tatonetti, associate professor of English and American ethnic studies, Kansas State University teaches and publishes on queer and erotic native American literature (her terms not mine). Must really be a niche market, but she got promotion and tenure. She will be giving a lecture at Ohio State in November for the Sexuality Studies (program?  department? division?).  http://sexualitystudies.osu.edu/events/public-lecture-lisa-tatonetti-kansas-state-cruising-greta-garbo-maurice-kenny-fag-rag-and-nat

Selective information

President Obama knew about Louis Gates, Trayvon Martin, all hip hop performers/celebs and Redskins; he didn't know about Fast and Furious, requests for help from Benghazi, IRS, NSA, the snafus with the roll out, or spying on our allies. He needs to fire his staff. They are obviously shielding him from the truth.  He’s been known to go after “leakers” with McCarthy type zeal; maybe he needs to find those with their fingers in the dike?

 

Gird up your loins

Abby Johnson on Pro-life news in Texas

Good news from Texas! Tomorrow, our new RU486 law will go into effect...drastically reducing the amount of medication abortions performed in our state. Also, the law banning abortions past 20 weeks will go into effect tomorrow.
The law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges will go to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. And the Ambulatory Surgical Center requirements will go into effect September 2014.

Monday Memories—watercolor

When my husband began painting in the 1970s he had a limited palette, burnt umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue , yellow ochre, cadmium red, Hooker's green with a few dabs of other blues and reds. He did barns and trees with no leaves, because green is very difficult to master in watercolor. Over the years he got more frisky and added a bird, then a chicken, a cow, and the barns got more red, a...nd the skies more pink. Then he took up sailing and started painting boats that weren't washed up on a beach or rocks. About 5 years ago he painted some flowers. A few years ago he started painting people, like 150 people on the dock at Lakeside and even did one of 5 girls in colorful saris last year. But as far as I can recall, Max is his first dog.

Max is a one woman dog—my sister-in-law Debbie who we were visiting in California two weeks ago.  He would look like he would let you pet him, or throw him a ball, but then would back off.  This will be sent to his “people.”

Free to Choose

I'm reading Milton Friedman's "Free to choose, a personal statement."  It was published in 1980, but reads like today's paper.  I'm in chapter 3, about the Depression, and the origin and problems of the federal reserve system.

"In the realm of ideas, the depression persuaded the public that capitalism was an unstable system destined to suffer ever more serious crises.  The public was converted to views that had already gained increasing acceptance among the intellectuals; government had to play a more active role; it had to intervene to offset the instability generated by unregulated private enterprise; it had to serve as a balance wheel to promote stability and assure security." And that rapid growth and power extended to Friedman’s day (1980) and ours in 2013. And it extended the Great Depression for a decade because the government had failed in its assigned responsibility in the Constitution--section 8, article 1. The Great Depression was not a failure of private enterprise he says, but of government. Unfortunately, both Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt tried to solve it with more of what brought it about, just as Bush and Obama did in 2008-2009. FDR's New Deal was Obama's Hope and Change.

Mike Rowe’s answer to a “fan” who hates Glenn Beck

We enjoyed Mike Rowe’s (Dirty Jobs) appearance on Glenn Beck last week.  He seems a really nice guy with a terrific voice and big heart (kind of like Glenn).  But some of his fans on Facebook weren’t pleased.

“As for your personal characterization of Glenn Beck, I can only assume you have information not available to me. In my time with him, I saw nothing “horrible, psychotic, hateful, or nasty.” I smelled no burning sulphur, no smoldering brimstone, and saw no sign of cloven hooves.To the contrary, I found a very passionate guy who employs about 300 people, works his butt off, and puts his money where his mouth is. Do we agree on everything? Of course not. Am I “disappointed” by that fact? Not at all. The real question, Shannon, is … why are you?

To be clear, I’m not here to tell you what to think or whom to hate. Like everyone else, you’re free to pick your devils, choose your angels, and attach the horns and halos accordingly.

But the guts of your question – even without all the name-calling and acrimony – reveal the essence of what’s broken in our country. You want to know “how I can associate” with someone you don’t like? The short answer is, how can I not? How are we ever going to accomplish anything in this incredibly divisive time if we associate only with people that we don’t disagree with?”

Forever Stamps weren’t

Obamacare isn't the only rocky roll out. Look what happened to the Let's Move series Forever Stamps AFTER they were printed and ready for first day issue ceremony. Depicted children in 15 activities: skipping rope, juggling, bouncing a ball, performing a cartwheel, kicking a soccer ball, playing basketball, skateboarding, twisting in the air, playing baseball, stretching, running, performing a head stand, jumping into water, climbing a rope, and swinging. 3 of them did not show proper safety. http://extramustard.si.com/2013/10/11/just-move-stamps-michelle-obama-safety-canelled/

HT Gayle

Where was the Captain?

“And there is the enduring mystery of why the president, who in his career has attempted to persuade the American people to have greater faith in and reliance on the federal government's ability to help, continues to go forward with an astounding lack of interest in the reputation of government.

He talks but he doesn't implement, never makes it work. He allows the IRS under his watch to be humiliated by scandal, waste, ill judgments prompted by ideological assumptions. He allows his signature program, the one that will make his name in the history books, to debut in failure. In response he says bland, rounded words that leave you wondering what just got said.”

There will be no consequences for Obama—other heads will roll, but not his.

Why would I say Obama will not suffer the consequences of the rollout failure, indeed is the true Teflon president? In 2001, 2002, and 2003 he voted against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act as an Illinois senator, and was rewarded with the honor of speaking at the 2004 Democratic convention which brought him national attention. This was at a time when probably 90% of Americans would have polled the other way, even hard core feminists. The 2002 federal law had already passed unanimously, making him the only U.S. politician to deny a born alive infant is a human being deserving protection and medical care.

During the campaign of 2008 he lied about his Illinois vote (which was on record), and said others were lying about him (this is a favorite campaign tactic of his) and was rewarded with the presidency. He is "not merely pro-choice, but radically pro-abortion. His voting record indicates that he does not believe infants deserve protection even once they have emerged from the womb if they are deemed to be below the age of viability, and he did in fact, three times, vote to keep a form of infanticide legal." (National Review Online quote)

Really folks, if you have a record like that--denying infants medical care and letting them die--what's the big deal about programs that won't talk to each other?

EMR being updated during a doctor’s visit remind me of texting while driving

Yesterday I had my first appointment with my new internist as a follow up to my hospitalization in Sept. (my doctor is no longer seeing patients). If there's something more off-putting than having a doctor you trust and have known for years staring at a computer screen, it's got to be having no eye-contact and puzzled looks with one you don't know at all while she's reading and trying to figure out what's in your electronic record. It's like trying to have an intimate conversation with someone browsing their smart phone and never looking up. Upon leaving my appointment, I stepped on the elevator with someone reading her phone; she looked up when I spoke to her, smiled, and looked back at the phone and we continued in silence. I think I know her about as well as my new doctor.

Over 80% of EHR systems force the doctor to enter and manage the data in cumbersome, inflexible and artificial fashions that rarely reflect the true nature of the doctor-patient experience. Physicians have often adapted and learned how to be “texting” while driving through patient encounters, but many patients are increasingly uneasy with the situation where they don’t have the full attention of their doctors.

http://focusonthepatient.com/2013/03/10/emrehr-monsters/

Texting While Driving is now the leading cause of death for teens:
1. Makes you 23X more likely to crash – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
2. Is the same as driving blind for 5 seconds at a time – VA. Tech Transportation Institute
3. Takes place by 800,000 drivers at any given time across the country
4. Slows your brake reaction speed by 18% – HumanFactors & Ergonomics Society
5. Leads to a 400% increase with eyes off the road

http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/

A for real Obamacare ad for Colorado

Keep in mind, Obamacare will only work if young people (who currently don’t have insurance) sign up for it, so all the ads I saw for Colorado were clever and feature that demographic.  In the past, young adults didn’t buy health insurance even when offered by their employer.   Wait till they find out it may cost a pizza and beer.

Your medical records—no expectation of privacy

Government profits $51 billion from student loans

Story at Huffington Post, May 14, 2013

“The Obama administration is forecast to turn a record $51 billion profit this year from student loan borrowers, a sum greater than the earnings of the nation's most profitable companies and roughly equal to the combined net income of the four largest U.S. banks by assets.

Figures made public Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office show that the nonpartisan agency increased its 2013 fiscal year profit forecast for the Department of Education by 43 percent to $50.6 billion from its February estimate of $35.5 billion.

Exxon Mobil Corp., the nation's most profitable company, reported $44.9 billion in net income last year. Apple Inc. recorded a $41.7 billion profit in its 2012 fiscal year, which ended in September, while Chevron Corp. reported $26.2 billion in earnings last year. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo reported a combined $51.9 billion in profit last year.”

Maybe this will fix it

To solve a glitch or long term program failure

If you've spent a lot of money to solve a problem, and you're not successful, spend a lot more. It won't work, but will make you feel good. That's the model for Obamacare rollout of 3 weeks (est. at 1 billion already paid to contractors) and Head Start after 48 years (estimated $180 billion) based on 3rd grade tests.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/03/05/parents-deserve-to-know-the-facts-about-head-start/

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/21/obamacare-website-glitches-cgi-private-contractors

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/25/gop-lawmakers-threaten-subpoena-over-obamacare-launch-documents/

Lerner and Sebelius get to keep their high profile jobs that caused great loss of faith in government, but a lowly Obamacare enrollment guide? She gets fired.

http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/24/obamacare-operator-fired-after-hannity-radio-call/

“After 16 long days of vowing to Republicans that they would not cave in any way, shape or form on ObamaCare, Democrats spent their first post-shutdown week caving in every way, shape and form. With the GOP's antics now over, the only story now is the unrivaled disaster that is the president's health-care law.

Hundreds of thousands of health-insurance policies canceled. Companies dumping coverage and cutting employees' hours. Premiums skyrocketing. And a website that reprises the experience of a Commodore 64. As recently as May, Democratic consultants were advising members of Congress that their best ObamaCare strategy for 2014 was to "own" the law. Ms. Shaheen has now publicly advised the consultants where they can file that memo.”

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303615304579155962427302786

Grain free cookies

I haven’t tried these—I don’t eat gluten free, but am interested in the concept. They are crunchy, not chewy says the author of this blog post.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 3 tbsp. coconut flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup coconut crystals
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (softened or melted)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 -1/2 cup chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) Mix almond flour, coconut flakes, tapioca flour, coconut flour, coconut crystals, sea salt, and baking soda in a medium sized bowl.

3) In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined. Now add the coconut oil and keep mixing.

4) Add your flour mixture. And finally, fold in the chocolate chips.

5) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and scoop approximately a tablespoonful onto the parchment paper. Pat out the cookies into small circles. Bake for 12 minutes. The cookies will spread and turn golden brown. Let them cool on the sheet for a few more minutes, then ideally set them on a rack to cool completely before you move them into a storage container.

The cookies will turn chewy if you close them up in a closed container. I keep them in the fridge, and they stay delicious and crunchy.

Abby Johnson urges you to get help

I follow Abby on Facebook.  She has such a positive, upbeat attitude and her goal is to close abortion clinics and find jobs for the workers.

“I've had two abortions. I've stood by as thousands of babies died right in front of me. I know the pain of abortion very intimately.

But I have also healed from that pain and regret. In fact, I don't even call myself a "post abortive woman" because I don't want that label. My abortions do not define who I am today.

If you are a woman or man who finds it difficult to watch videos about abortion, or who continually mourn for aborted child, there is help and healing available. You do not have to live with that pain. God does not want you to!

There are so many ministries to help! Here are just a few that you can look into. ...
- Surrendering the Secret (my personal favorite)
- Save One
- Project Rachel
- Forgiven and Set Free
- Healing a Father's Heart
- PACE
- Rachel's Vineyard
- Healing Hearts
- Life Redeemed
I'm sure some of you have other ones to include.

Find help today!”

MARINE CORPS EXERCISE REGIMEN FOR PEOPLE OVER 60

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room on each side.

With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides. Hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags, and then eventually, try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level.)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

Why I left the Democratic party

Michelle Bachmann wrote in her autobiography.

“In 1976, I was still a Democrat. The Democratic Party, while it was then edging toward an abortion-on-demand stance, still allowed room in its ranks for pro-life leaders. Carter himself proved to be a clover waffle in the abortion issue, suggesting that he was pro-life to the pro-lifers and prochoice to the prochoicers--and yet the media, always Carter friendly, never nailed him on his hypocrisy. So in our naiveté, we failed to realize that Carter was playing a duplicitous double game. And the Republican Party, meanwhile, still seemed at that time to be dominated by defenders of the proabortion stance.

Yet back in the seventies, the parties had not yet sorted themselves out on the rival issue of abortion. So in 1976, many pro-life and socially conservative Americans could be found conscientiously voting for the Carter-Mondale ticket, thinking they were voting pro-life. And Marcus and I did more than that; we helped on his campaign, handing out fliers and making phone calls.”

I remember it was still possible to be a pro-life Democrat and a Christian evangelical back in the 80s—at least in Ohio--maybe even into the early 90s. Although I wasn’t particularly political then.  Campaigners kept quiet about the issue.  But then they really clamped down. By 1996, there was no point in even struggling with the issue.  The party of the poor and dispossessed and minorities had become the party of death on a huge scale—with 38% of the 50 million abortions being for black women--and much wealthier.  Now abortion was included in the Democrat platform—promoting killing the smallest and weakest of society in order to placate the lust for power in the women’s movement and to “cure” poverty.

If you don’t know

when life begins, don’t take a chance at making a mistake and killing a human being. Or supporting a law that will do it for you.

Remember, the Democratic Party is Pro-Abortion life—any reason, any time, any gender-- and included that in their last several campaign platforms.  Barack Obama is the first openly pro-abortion President, and supporter of Planned Parenthood.

2000-2012/Protecting A Woman's Right to Choose. The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay. We oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. Abortion is an intensely personal decision between a woman, her family, her doctor, and her clergy; there is no place for politicians or government to get in the way. We also recognize that health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. We strongly and unequivocally support a woman's decision to have a child by providing affordable health care and ensuring the availability of and access to programs that help women during pregnancy and after the birth of a child, including caring adoption programs.

2004/Embryonic stem cell research. Pres. Bush has rejected the calls from Nancy Reagan, Christopher Reeve & Americans across the land for assistance with embryonic stem cell research. We will reverse his wrongheaded policy. Stem cell therapy offers hope to more than 100 million Americans who have serious illnesses-from Alzheimer’s to heart disease to juvenile diabetes to Parkinson’s. We will pursue this research under the strictest ethical guidelines, but we will not walk away from the chance to save lives and reduce human suffering.  (Adult stem cell research  surged ahead during the Bush years  providing many medical miracles.  So far, none have come from embryonic research which was never illegal and several lines were always available,  and there was no problem for privately funded researches, but to no avail.)

Bill Clinton on abortion.

September jobs numbers—the left is blaming the shut down and refusing to see how Obamacare is hurting employment

“Last week’s Federal Reserve Beige Book includes direct references to the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) causing employers not to hire workers. The Beige Book “summarizes comments [the Fed] received from business and other contacts” in each of the 12 Federal Reserve Districts. The October 16 Beige Book mentions the Affordable Care Act and its regulations 10 times—and each time, the districts report it has hurt employers, increased costs, and/or depressed hiring. Look at what businesses are reporting about the Affordable Care Act:

Summary. “Several Districts reported that contacts were cautious to expand payrolls, citing uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and fiscal policy more generally.” “

http://blog.heritage.org/2013/10/22/proof-that-obamacare-is-hurting-the-economy/

This is Peggy . . .

Twitter accounts and twits accounted for

A senior White House official, director of nuclear non-proliferation on the White House National Security Council, got fired for having a secret twitter account. A very disgruntled Democrat--he criticized not only key members of the administration, but also journalists. However, Lois Lerner of the IRS scandal who remained loyal and tight lipped,  refused to cooperate with the investigation, went on leave with pay, got no penalty and quietly retired with her pension.

Example of his tweets: “I'm a fan of Obama, but his continuing reliance and dependence upon a vacuous cipher like Valerie Jarrett concerns me."

http://www.ibtimes.com/white-house-official-jofi-joseph-fired-bashing-administration-under-fake-twitter-name-1437120

Single payer vs. Obamacare

Even I believe single payer would be better than this terrible roll out of Obamacare; and I think that was the goal. Britain's system is about 65 years old, but with Obama technology, it would have died in its infancy. Everyone in Britain gets a basic level of care through NHS, and then the rich buy insurance or pay cash, and get special treatment. It looks like Medicaid to me with shortages, lines and one size fits all. Except for the rich. In Canada it's different, so they come to the U.S. to buy additional treatment options without the wait. Universal health care would suit government officials--of both parties. Everyone gets the same deal, except those who don't. http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/01/16/the-awkward-world-of-private-insurance-in-the-uk/

Cookie or dessert plates

I don’t do a lot of entertaining, but for the holidays (now upon us) I do like to put out pretty dessert plates, or give away cookies on them without the need to return the plate.  I found this one today at Volunteers of America for $.30. Verso says “fine China” Japan. On e-Bay it’s $10.

Somebody always pays, Cindy. There is no free lunch.

IRS overpays EITC 132 billion in 10 years

EITC, The Earned Income Tax Credit,  was primarily a Republican idea, and was signed into law in 1975 with bi-partisan support. The "refund" doesn't affect any other benefits received like welfare (TANF), food stamps, Medicaid, housing, etc. In fact, for some families it would be a loss if they got a raise at work and weren't eligible for EITC--which is how we hurt the poor with government transfers.

132 billion in EITC was overpaid by IRS to people who paid no income tax. From the IRS website:  "The EITC is a refundable tax credit. This means taxpayers may get money back, even if they have no tax withheld [from earned income]. Nationwide last year [2011], over 27 million eligible individuals and families received nearly $62 billion in EITC." This overpayment is an IRS problem, not an Obama problem. It has been going on for as long as the law has existed. There was recently a law passed to get the figure lowered which has been ignored. This is the agency that will be enforcing ACA, the Obama insurance law declared a tax by SCOTUS. http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/04/24/IRS-Overpaid-Low-Income-Tax-Credit-by-132-Billion

Even Vermont with a mix of socialists and Democrats, can’t make it work

“But despite the urgency of getting the exchange launch right and the givens that should make it easier rather than difficult—small state, high rate of literacy, 98 percent English speaking—Vermont’s website seems as bad or worse than the federal system. I’m not a Vermont resident, but I have been in the past and still spend a lot of time in the state. In the past week, I’ve spent hours on the state’s health-care system and have experienced nothing but a series of maddening problems reminiscent of computer life 15 years ago. On a half-dozen occasions I’ve fought my way through the system to register, only to return to discover the system has no trace of my registration. I expect that each of these visits and each of these “registrations” have been recorded as unique visits and registrations, which could help explain in part the disparity between “visits” and “registrations” versus “enrollments.” ”

So says the liberal lefty site.

I have now read so many of the screw-ups with enrollments, both state and federal, and read or heard so many horror stories of people losing their insurance, that I am even more convinced this is just a planned step to single payer,  which Obama always said he wanted, to make people so frustrated they’ll beg for low level, single payer Medicaid type coverage.

But he promised we could keep our plan and doctor"!

From the Chicago Tribune

“The computer problems may be fixed in weeks or months — although as the nation learns more about the extent of those computer problems, there's far less confidence that a fix will come soon ... or ever.

But the problems with Obamacare go much deeper than a few million lines of faulty code and a sign-up system that swallows enrollee applications in a single electronic gulp.

The bugs aren't just in the software. They're in the law itself.

Consumers are finally seeing insurance rates and plans. In many cases, insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays are rising. Illinois officials said premiums here would be lower than expected. But a Tribune analysis of 22 of the lowest-priced plans showed that those plans required huge annual deductibles of more than $4,000 for an individual — and $8,000 for family coverage.

Lower premiums also come with a troubling tradeoff: access to a narrower networks of hospitals and doctors. If people aren't careful in choosing coverage, they may be shocked to find they have to pay much more for out-of-network care to go to their preferred doctor or hospital.”

Civility Democrat style

Alan Grayson (D) calls Tea Party people KKK and distributed an ugly photo of a burning cross for fund raising. That's civility Democrat style and how they demonize anyone who disagrees with Obama. I wonder if he knows the KKK was a wing of the Democrat Party, a terrorist group, and that some revered Democrats in our government were members? Robert Byrd, a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010, became a Kleagle and Exalted Cyclops of his local chapter, and that was just fine by all the Democrats who reelected him to be the longest serving Senator, and those fellow senators who welcomed and voted for all his pork.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan_members_in_United_States_politics

After he changed the Constitution, he ran for a third term

“Ilham Aliyev came to the third term as the head of Azerbaijan.
According to the agency, this is the first oath, that Ilham Aliyev gave after making changes and amendments in the Constitution of Azerbaijan at referendum held on March 2009, during which the restrictions, on one person staying in office for more than two consecutive terms, were changed.”

This doesn’t look like a bad translation, but seems to say the President made the changes to the Constitution.  That’s what happens when you write a Constitution and then ignore the executive powers.  I wonder if anyone in the U.S. objected?  Azerbaijan is an American ally, and their lobbyists have spent over $5 million the last 3 years in Washington. (Open Secrets)

Azerbaijan held presidential elections on October 9, where Ilham ALiyev took a victory with 84,58% votes. According to the preliminary data, Jamil Hasanli a single candidate from the oppositionist National Council of Democratic Forces is on the second place. He scored 5,54% of votes. The leaders of the "Musavat" party Isa Gambar, the head of the Popular Front Party Ali Kerimli, the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan Sardar Jalaloglu and leader of the movement “EL” Eldar Namazov have declared about "total violations" and frauds during the presidential elections. The candidate of the National Council Jamil Hasanli has also noted the mass election frauds and announced incumbent President Ilham Aliyev responsible that. Jamil Hasanli’s headquarter has regularly issued releases describing election violations in details - ballot stuffing, "carousels", pressure on observes, etc.

Sort of sounds familiar.

It’s the law, say the Democrats

"It is impossible to introduce into society a greater change and a greater evil than this: the conversion of the law into an instrument of plunder." The Law, by Frederick Bastiat [1850]. I'm always shocked by the Democrats who will say, "But Obamacare is the law," or Republicans who say "Let's just change this bad law into something better."

In 2008 Obama's campaign soft sell promised a number of things, but the bare bones outline he gave of his grand plan was it would be paid for by taxing only those people earning more than $250,000 a year. From 2009 to present he promised you could keep your plan and doctor (untrue for millions). SCOTUS declared the entire law a tax, and taxes are supposed to come from the House. The funding promise was perhaps the biggest whooper.

The true cost of Obamacare has been reduced hours and income by people at the lower end trying to move up; huge increases for the young and uninsured adults; mammoth costs to the states in increased rolls on Medicaid with only partial reimbursement from DC; cancelled policies for those not insured by employers; and exclusions for his cronies and federal workers and unions which is not only a dollar loss to the government which the rest of us will have to make up, but a credibility loss for Obama’s entire administration.

And there will still be millions uninsured because they can’t afford the rate increases and will opt for a fine, and illegals won’t need to buy it or pay a fine, so they won’t be covered either. And yes, it is the law, but so is the Constitution which has been pretty much ignored for the last 100 years.

He’s never wrong

Obama never apologized for the roll out mess (which isn't as bad as the law, by the way) in the news  conference yesterday.  It was an infomercial for Obamacare. "It's a good deal," he assured us—the law that is.  The problem is, according to him, it's just too popular (no numbers). Yikes.

Now outsiders have been brought in to fix the work of the contractors who didn't do the job. Do they and their sub-contractors have security clearance? Will Kathleen Sibelius ever be held accountable for such a lousy job? Or will she use Hillary’s line, “What difference does it make?”

This article gives John Boehner, speaker of the House, the blame for handing over the purse strings to Obama the last 3 years. We have a Constitution that separates the powers of government.  Last week we witnessed the spineless snivelers of the GOP who couldn't stick together long enough to take back the responsibility the Constitution gave only to them (the House, not the party).

“The $3,064,063,380,067.72 in new federal debt accumulated in less than three years under Speaker Boehner is more than the total federal debt accumulated during the service of the first 48 House speakers combined—from Rep. Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania, elected speaker on April 1, 1789, to Rep. Jim Wright of Texas, who resigned as speaker on June 6, 1989.”

Monday Memories—Back to the Future

1985 American science fiction comedy film about a teen who is transported back to 1955 and meets his parents.  Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson starred.

A new use for loyalty cards

There was a Salmonella outbreak in the Northwest and investigators used loyalty cards of the patients who were made ill to track down the producer of the chicken.  A good outcome from government snooping (CDC), however it sounds like an unfortunate precedent when perhaps your Kroger or Giant Eagle card revealing unhealthy food purchases and snacks or soda can be linked to your electronic medical record, now required by the Unaffordable Care Act.  For many stores, selling the personal data that is generated by loyalty cards is more lucrative than the products they sell.  And you gave them that voluntarily.  So now the federal government can get in the act, too. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23842445

http://www.ccm.com.lb/SubPageCenterBody.aspx?pageid=211

The Obamaway—a freeway for illegals

President Obama’s failures aren’t limited to health care

"As the federal government moves forward to implement President Obama's Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services is slated to spend millions of dollars promoting the unpopular legislation. In the face of this publicity blitz, it is worth remembering that the law was originally sold largely on four grounds—all of which have become increasingly implausible (lower health care costs, smaller deficits, preservation of existing insurance, increased productivity) . . .”WSJ article by Daniel Kessler

Michael Smith  continues with his observations: “Add to that the failed economic activities, the debacles in "green technology", the various erroneous statements and predictions about "climate change", being wrong about unemployment, being for debt ceilings before being against them, asinine and atrocious foreign policy errors (from day one, I might add) and failing to fulfill his campaign promises, it is very, very difficult to see how the Obama presidency can be objectively categorized as anything less than a dismal failure of epic proportions. The only thing he has proven to be good at is lying just enough to get elected but not impeached - even though there seems to be mounting evidence that he was aided in 2012 by the IRS in suppressing the Tea Party support of his opponent.

Judging by the fact that the rabid "progressives" want the Tea Party caucus in the House and Ted Cruz arrested and imprisoned for sedition, it is not much of a stretch to think that if this were a Republican president, we would have already seen articles of impeachment filed in the House.”

He is owed an apology

The most clever and pernicious liar in the history of U.S. politics

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/thousands-get-health-insurance-cancellation-notices-8C11417913

“First of all, if you’ve got health insurance, you like your doctors, you like your plan, you can keep your doctor, you can keep your plan. Nobody is talking about taking that away from you.” Obama, July, 2009.  He had already backtracked earlier by stating he didn’t mean employers and insurers couldn’t take it away from you.  Then on the campaign trail (which is very speech), he repeated this lie.  If your insurance is dropped and you are reenrolled in another plan, you will have price increases and perhaps be forced to change doctors. He is such a clever liar—the government didn’t do that, the insurance companies did because they were required to follow new regulations (now 30 words for every word in the law).

Just wondering

Noticed this comment by the new Bishop of the ELCA, Elizabeth Eaton, who got 600 votes to Mark Hanson’s 287.

“We are a church that is overwhelmingly European in a culture that is increasingly pluralistic,” Eaton told the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburgh shortly after the election.

“We need to welcome the gifts of those who come from different places, that is a conversation we need to have as a church.”

Do African American denominations or Korean Baptists or Chinese home groups ever chastise their members for their self selection or culture or language?  Is there anything white Christians won’t complain about?

Lack of pluralism is not the reason ELCA is shedding members. Chasing the culture is.

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/08/14/lutherans-elect-elizabeth-eaton-first-female-presiding-bishop-of-elca/

People who hate Ann Coulter

like some of my trolls will respond to the messenger instead of the message, but she’s right.  Why does Congress get a waiver?  Why couldn’t we all have had the sort of choices that federal workers had instead of Obamacare—their health insurance was the best!

It’s not about the botched rollout

Only the most die-hard Obama fans think Obamacare is about health care for the poor or those with pre-existing conditions (a very small fraction of the population). The informed on both the right and left know this is another government scheme to redistribute wealth, so the left loves it, and the right hates it. With this White House it may even be a method to pay off the rich fat cats who helped Obama (the ones he loves to publicly vilify), since only the stock market has been doing well since the recession "ended" in 2009. Small and medium size businesses, the real engine of the economy, are struggling with over regulation and Obamacare is just another pillow on their faces.

In 2007, the Census data shows 79.7% of employment was in establishments with fewer than 500 employees, while ADP shows that 83.1% of employment was in "businesses" with fewer than 500 employees. http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/nov2009/sb20091112_157141.htm

The budget compromise

Board of Elections allows resident of Korea and Chicago to vote in Ohio

An interesting challenge here in Ohio failed—2 Democrats on the Board of Elections.  Although the challenged failed, this is why we need voter integrity checks—the people hired to do the job, don’t.

“The Board of Elections last Monday denied a challenge put forth by Mary Siegel of Ohio Voter Integrity Project in a three to one vote, despite overwhelming evidence that one Randy Simes did not meet Ohio's residency requirements in order to register and vote in the September 10, 2013 Mayoral Primary.

Mr. Simes currently living in Korea and previously residing in Chicago, Illinois was challenged based on the fact that he has no "fixed habitation" in Ohio and did not reside in Ohio 30 days immediately preceding the September 10th election. Mr. Simes registered at friend and business associate, Travis Estell's Over-the-Rhine condo during a five day visit to Cincinnati in July of 2013.

Mr. Tim Burke, Chairman of the Board and Mr. Caleb Faux both Democrats voted to deny the challenge along with Mr. Charles (Chip) Gerhardt a Republican. The only supporter was Mr. Alex Triantifilou, Republican Chairman.

In our opinion the evidence clearly demonstrated that Mr. Simes voter registration was invalid because Simes was a resident of Chicago when he registered in Ohio on July 12, 2013 and that he lived and worked in Chicago on and off from that date until his transfer to Korea in September. Mr. Simes, who is outspoken politically on Cincinnati City issues, wanted to vote in this Mayoral election both primary and general. He is employed by Parsons Brinckerhoff, the company that is supplying the streetcars. He is also the head of UrbanCincy, a blog that he ran from his former address in Chicago and now from Korea.

[from Simes’ website: “Randy has worked professionally as a planning consultant throughout the United States, Korea and the Middle East. After brief stints in Atlanta and Chicago, he currently lives in the Daechi neighborhood of Seoul’s Gangnam district.”]

The decision by Burke, Faux and Gerhardt was based on Simes' intent to return to Cincinnati after his 2 year employment in Korea. Mr. Simes had his mailing address on bank and credit card statements changed to Estell's address around the time he registered to provide evidence of residency. However, Travis Estell testified that he and Simes never discussed Simes moving into Estell's Cincinnati condo in 2013 or when he returns from Korea. Mr. Simes does not have any personal belongings at Estell's residence, further proof that Simes habitation is not fixed to Estell's address; the address of his voter registration.

We feel that the rule of law was ignored by the Board in reaching their decision. By disregarding Ohio's 30 day and "fixed habitation" rules, we fear that this decision opens the door for voter fraud in Hamilton County and elsewhere. We completely disagree with the Board's reasoning and are extremely disappointed by this decision. “ Ohio Integrity Voter Project, Oct. 19, 2013

I wonder who gets to tax him?

The nightmare isn't over

"To hear Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tell it, America’s long national nightmare is over. Except…it’s not. Our national nightmare isn’t the government shutdown; it’s Obamacare" The Foundry.

It's unfortunate that the GOP again allowed the Obama forces to say, "look over there," not at our scandals.

It's never a mistake to do the right thing, even if you lose.

From Senator Mike Lee (R)


"Dear Friends, Here we are again. Another unnecessary crisis. A proposal that maintains the status quo. Very little time to read and evaluate the bill. No time to explain it to our constituents.

This is Washington. It is exactly the kind of thing the American people are fed up with and exactly why several of my colleagues and I began the effort to defund and delay Obamacare back in July.

It appears that this particular fight will end much the same way Obamacare began: in a last-minute deal, negotiated in back rooms, then forced on Congress and the American people.

The Washington Establishment can’t bring itself to believe that this is why Congress has a poor approval rating – because Washington doesn’t listen to the American people. It ignores them. And when the American people can no longer be ignored, the administration shuts down national parks, blocks veterans from going to their own memorials, uses the IRS to target certain groups, and holds hostage critical funding for cancer research, low-income women and children, veterans’ health benefits, border security, and our National Guard.

It is shameful how Washington treats the American people and the people are right to be upset about it.

The media keeps asking, was it worth it? My answer is that it is always worth it to do the right thing. Fighting against an abusive government in defense of protecting our individual rights and freedoms is always the right thing.

Some say we shouldn’t have fought because we couldn’t win. But this country wasn’t built by fighting only when victory was certain. In fact, some of the most important victories in our history were the result of fighting battles against significant odds.

And even if victory seemed difficult or impossible, that wouldn’t excuse me or anyone else from doing the right thing. Avoiding difficult battles is how we ended up in this mess – $17 trillion in debt, out-of-control spending, a broken entitlement system, a tax code no one understands – all because Washington is willing to act only when there is guaranteed political gain.

When the avoidance of political risk becomes our dominant motivation, only the Washington establishment wins. And the American people lose.

Furthermore, in Washington, victories are rarely immediate and very few are permanent. Obamacare wasn’t enacted overnight and it won’t be repealed overnight. We must remind the American people of the harmful effects of this law at every opportunity if we are ever going to see it repealed.

The best case against Obamacare is proving to be Obamacare itself. We have repeatedly warned that the American people will be shocked when they realize the way the president has misled them about Obamacare.

The embarrassing rollout of the exchanges doesn’t even scratch the surface. Every day brings a new story of a family whose deductible has doubled, or a married couple that can’t keep the plan they have, or a business that can no longer provide insurance, or workers who are seeing their hours cut or losing their jobs altogether.

The realization that the administration has either been dishonest or incompetent – or both – is just starting to dawn on the American people. Even the president’s friends in the media are watching this slow rolling train wreck and are demanding the president do something to stop it.

The Chicago Tribune, the president’s hometown newspaper, puts it this way:
“Last spring, President Barack Obama said ‘there will still be, you know, glitches and bumps’ in the rollout of the new system. But what we're seeing now is no glitch or bump. There is a growing mountain of evidence that Obamacare has fundamental problems in design and implementation.”

The Tribune goes on to say: “We encouraged a one-year delay in the law. We recognize that's not going to happen. Obamacare is here. It's time, though, for the Obama administration to level with Americans about what's happening here. It's time to stop blaming Republicans and start talking about what needs to change.”

Incidentally, a delay in the law for the duration of the CR is exactly what we called for back in July. And now it appears that the president’s hometown newspaper agrees with us. Almost everyone but the president seems to recognize that this law is going to be terrible for the American people. It’s costing jobs. It’s hurting families. It’s making people’s health care situation worse, and it won’t solve the problems in our broken health care system.

And let me be clear: There will be very real consequences for people in both parties as a result of the implementation of this law. Today, Washington has the upper hand, but the American people will always have the last word. This is not over. We have an obligation to fight for the American people. And I do not intend to let the people down."

BLT Dip

Here's another spread it directly on your hips and skip the middle man recipe:

Ingredients: 1-1/2 pound bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled, and divided 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded) or to taste 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste) 1 tablespoons mustard 2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes 1-1/2 cup shredded Iceberg lettuce pepper an salt to taste Toasted bread rounds, crackers, or pita chips. Directions: Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray a 1 1⁄2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside 3/4 cup crumbled bacon. In a large bowl, combine remaining bacon, cream cheese, shredded cheeses, sour cream, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and mustard. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle chopped tomatoes, remaining 3/4 cup crumbled bacon and lettuce over hot dip. Serve immediately with toasted bread rounds, crackers, or pita chips...

Ransom takers, house burners, defaulters, global-economy crashers, nuclear-bomb users, extremists, threateners, extortionists, hostage takers, plant burners, and equipment breakers.

That's what the President of the United States thinks of 50% of the country--actually, probably more than that now since his approval rates are so low. And this is how he calls for civility!

"The problem with such disingenuousness—calling for civility coupled with the above invective, bragging about radically lowering deficits without specifying why and how they occurred, and taking credit for radically more oil and gas production while being indifferent or opposed to it—is that, although it can be delivered in a cool, flippant mode, it is also now six years old, and few believe any more that what he asserts so breezily as fact is much more than half true. In contrast, had he stopped the name-calling, honestly explained why deficits have gone down somewhat (from record highs), praised the private energy sector and promised to give it more help on public lands, and admitted the problems with Obamacare—he would now be negotiating." Victor Davis Hanson

Overcoming the Shutdown Crisis: Helping Dysfunctional Politicians with Family Psychology

Guest blogger: Dr. Linda Miles

I am openly dismayed and disillusioned by the behavior of many of our Congressional officials. Our politicians are exhibiting almost every serious problematic behavior I’ve dealt with as a Marriage Counselor and Family Psychotherapist for over 35 years. In the scramble for political advantage, keeping score has become more important than the welfare of our country

I think it’s time they started dealing with our national problems as mature adults and true professionals. The behaviors we are seeing match the seven classical hallmarks found in dysfunctional families everywhere:

1. Shame and Blame;

2. Scapegoating;

3. Contempt;

4. Defensiveness;

5. Gridlock;

6. Stonewalling;

7. Show Downs.

Finger pointing has become more important than solving the real problems. There is no respect being given and no meaningful exchange of ideas. Our politicians resist flexibility and are unwilling to try and reach synergistic solutions together. Energy is devoted primarily to staying in “Attack Mode”.

Have we not yet learned better strategies for conducting our political life? What is it going to take?

I believe that political leaders can solve the nation’s problems if they take a deep breath and agree to use the same techniques used by healthy families to overcome conflict everywhere.

Healthy families deal with conflict by facing the issues and fighting fairly. We must demand our leaders conduct themselves civilly, and conduct and maintain healthy relationships with each other.

We must demand effective leadership and honest, open, sincere authentic and meaningful communication.

We must demand that our elected officials leaders work together to solve problems, prevent harm, and provide mutual respect, even when they do not agree on ideas.

We need people to cool things off and take action to remove the immediate threat of the crisis, we need to see cool heads prevail and keep others from turning on one another.

We need people on all sides of the controversies to be willing to listen to each other’s pain and be willing to help one another.

Dr. Linda Miles, Tallahassee, Florida, www.drlindamiles.com

Where can the middle class afford a home? Ohio

“Some 86% of homes in the Akron, Ohio area are within reach of middle-class buyers in the area, the highest share in the nation, according to a report from Trulia, the real estate listings site. The next two cities on the list, with 85% of homes affordable to middle class, are Dayton and Toledo, respectively.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2013/10/10/where-can-the-middle-class-buy-a-home/?mod=trending_now_3

Blaming Bush redux, now it’s blame the Tea Party

The Tea Party isn't on the ballot; it has never demanded your pay check; it has never redistributed your wealth or run up the deficit; it has never sent your sons and daughters to the Middle East; it didn't kidnap a member of the Taliban this week from the hands of our Afghan allies, straining relations; it doesn't get chummy with the Muslim Brotherhood; it didn't promise to fundamentally transform this country; it has never asked you violate your religious beliefs; it has never strangled your business with regulation and red tape; it doesn't control any Washington bureaucracy; it doesn't take vacations on your tab; it hasn't cancelled your insurance as of 11:59 on Dec. 31 of this year; and it most certainly does not have the power to shut down anything under federal control, not even Michelle Obama's website (and apparently neither does her husband since it is still up and running). But the most narcissistic, nasty, petty president in the history of the U.S. has the gall to blame the Tea Party because blaming Bush was just getting old.

Good luck on keeping your healthcare

There are 20 more examples at “Obama’s Broken Promises” at National Review Online—sent by real Americans. http://nationalreview.com/article/360689/obamas-broken-promise-andrew-johnson/page/0/4?splash=

American the beautiful and closed

Thanksgiving is coming

Useful tips I should remember

http://sarcasticcharm.com/99-life-hacks-that-could-make-your-life-easier

Important things to know about Medicare

1) “Medicare is essentially compulsory. People who refuse to join Medicare Part A are not allowed to receive their earned Social Security benefits. On June 30, 2011, U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint and 12 GOP colleagues introduced the Retirement Freedom Act to decouple Medicare from Social Security. On February 7, 2012, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals held that ‘because plaintiffs are entitled to Social Security benefits and are 65 or older, they are automatically entitled to Medicare Part A benefits. The statute offers no path to disclaim their legal entitlement to Medicare Part A benefits.’”

2) “Medicare patients cannot pay cash for care. A 1997 law (Balanced Budget Act, section 4507) forbids private contracts between patients and doctors.” This means that “Medicare recipients cannot pay cash for a Medicare-covered service that Medicare DENIES until the doctor has opted out of Medicare.” (My Caps) So Medicare patients must first find a fee for a service doctor or specialist and then HOPE he will be willing and able to treat them! It is incredible that it makes no difference that Medicare has DENIED their claim. (Remember that illegals may well get this same treatment free of charge simply by walking into the nearest Emergency Room.)

3) “Initial refusal to enroll in Medicare Part B leads to costly penalties. Seniors are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B. Those who refuse and later change their minds will pay a premium for the rest of their lives that is 10 percent higher for each year they were not enrolled.”

Seventy seven million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are currently becoming eligible for Medicare enrollment. The number of Medicare beneficiaries will grow “…from 50.7 million in 2012 to 81 million in 2030.” During the next 17 years, doctors and hospitals will be reimbursed at a lower rate for Medicare services with each passing year. At the same time, the number of qualified physicians is expected to decrease dramatically as the number of older patients requiring care skyrockets. The left were hardly unaware of these facts when they rammed the Affordable Care Act through Congress.

In 2012, approximately 56% of Americans 65 or older voted for Mitt Romney. As weak and disappointing as this Obama-lite candidate was, he received a strong majority of the senior vote.

So the question becomes, in addition to acquiring the power of life and death over the American people, has the Affordable Care Act provided Democrats a method of “cancelling out” the Republican edge among future senior voters?

from http://www.westernjournalism.com/obamacare-death-panels-will-begin-work-medicare-recipients/#ZYZTohgzoUWfeKVX.99

Don’t look up

How’s your food supply?

We are now seeing how an angry, power hungry, petulant President can freeze up a nation to get his way. The Federal Government owns nearly 650 million acres of land - almost 30 percent of the land area of the United States (NV, CO, UT, WY, AZ over half), and right now, the President through his appointee in the Dept. of Interior can decide to close a road, a store, a hotel, a business, a home or even an Indian reservation on federal land (our land). Maybe those people learning survialist skills and storing food had the right idea?

Sally Jewell, head of Department of Interior (and the NPS) which is kicking people out of national parks and denying access on federal land (which we own, btw) reports directly to President Obama. She'd really like to kick out the oil and logging companies that are on federal land. Tourists are small potatoes. As usual, the leftists have us looking somewhere else.

Balloons pollute

If you’re happy or celebrating, don’t release balloons.

Four Presidents on Mt. Rushmore have a message for President Obama

“The federal government shutdown has closed access to some popular Black Hills area tourist spots, but the regional tourism association says some are still visible.

Direct access is closed to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site and Devils Tower National Monument.” Huffington Post

“Blocking access to trails and programs at South Dakota’s most popular attraction was one thing, but state officials didn’t expect Congress’ budget stalemate to shut down a view of Mount Rushmore.

The National Park Service placed cones along highway viewing areas outside Mount Rushmore this week, barring visitors from pulling over and taking pictures of the famed monument.” Argus Leader, S.D.

The Shutdown

Mike Huckabee on the lack of common sense

Chalk up some another victim of our school officials’ zero common sense policies. In Cobb County, Georgia, 17-year-old Cody Chitwood was charged with bringing weapons into a school zone. It all started when drug-sniffing dogs detected gun powder from his ...car. That turned out to be residue from a firecracker that had been in the car since the Fourth of July. That suspicion led to a search that uncovered knives. You see, Cody is an avid fisherman, and out in his locked, parked car, he had his tackle box, which had fishing knives in it. He’s now facing a felony charge that could send him to prison for up to 10 years and destroy his hopes of joining the Air Force. A similar arrest happened to another senior at a nearby school. Luckily, this was so over-the-top, state legislators are finally considering changing the laws to restore some common sense to school weapons policies. It will leave me with fewer idiotic news stories to comment on, but I guess if it stops the destruction of kids’ lives for no good reason, then that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. From the FaceBook site of Mike Huckabee.

Shame on the President for his pettiness

Shame on the President for denying death benefits to our soldiers killed since Oct. 1. He never did like the military and from declaring Ft. Hood "work place violence" to keeping his military base golf course open during the shutdown to blocking WWII vets at the Washington Mall to see the memorial to denying these benefits he's flying the flag, "Mission Accomplished."

A private foundation, Fisher House Foundation, has stepped forward to cover death benefits for the families of troops who've been killed in combat after the Pentagon confirmed the payments have been suspended as a result of the partial government shutdown. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced Tuesday that the Maryland-based Fisher House Foundation has offered to cover the $100,000 payments that the government typically pays out to families within three days of a soldier's death.

These government functions are still going during shutdown—Michelle’s web page

#1 According to U.S. Senator Rand Paul, 85 percent of all government activities are actually being funded during this "government shutdown".

#2 Approximately 1,350,000 "essential" federal employees will continue to work during this "government shutdown".

#3 Overall, 63 percent of the federal workforce will continue to work during this "government shutdown".

#4 The U.S. Postal Service will continue to deliver our mail.

#5 U.S. military personnel will remain on duty and will continue to get paid.

#6 Social Security recipients will continue to get their benefits.

#7 Medicare recipients will continue to get their benefits.

#8 Medicaid recipients will continue to get their benefits.

#9 Food stamp recipients will continue to get their benefits.

#10 Those on unemployment will continue to get their benefits.

#11 Federal retirees will continue to get their pensions.

#12 The federal school lunch program has enough money to go through at least the end of this month.

#13 Public schools all over the country will continue to stay open.

#14 Almost all federal law enforcement officials will continue working.

#15 The Federal Reserve will remain "completely functional".

#16 The Supreme Court will continue to operate normally and federal courts have enough money to keep going for at least two weeks.

#17 TSA employees will continue to molest travelers at our airports.

#18 Air traffic controllers will continue to monitor traffic at our airports.

#19 Hopelessly outmanned border patrol agents will continue to try to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

#20 Visas and passports will continue to be issued by the State Department.

#21 The Veterans Administration will continue to offer substandard medical services, and it will be able to continue processing benefit payments at least for now.

#22 The Obama administration apparently has plenty of money to spend on closing open-air memorials that are usually open to the public 24 hours a day.

#23 The Department of Defense announced the awarding of 94 new contracts worth a combined total of more than 5 billion dollars on September 30th - the day right before the "government shutdown".

#24 The "government shutdown" has not prevented the new two billion dollar NSA spy center from opening up.

#25 Federal prisons will continue to operate normally.

#26 Amtrak trains will continue to run.

#27 The Patent and Trademark Office will be open.

#28 The Consumer Product Safety Commission will continue to issue product recalls if the products "create an immediate threat to the safety of human life".

#29 The National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center will continue to track weather patterns.

#30 If the federal government needs to respond to a natural disaster, this "shutdown" will not affect that. #31 NASA will continue to support the Mars Rover and the two American astronauts up on the International Space Station.

#32 All city employees of the D.C. government have been deemed "essential" and will continue to go to work.

#33 Even though the Obamacare exchanges are not working properly, people will still be able to access them.

#34 The IRS will continue to collect taxes, but it will be suspending punitive audits of conservative organizations.

#35 Barack Obama will continue to get paid for the full duration of this "shutdown".

#36 The U.S. Congress will continue to get paid for the full duration of this "shutdown". -

 http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/government-shutdown-36-facts-which-prove-almost-everything-still-running#sthash.yVwdl8GF.dpuf

Congress’ gym is open, but there’s no towel service. What a shame.