July 2, 2013

"The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that it would delay for a year, until 2015, the Affordable Care Act mandate that employers provide coverage..."

"... or their workers or pay penalties, responding to business complaints and postponing the effective date beyond next year’s midterm elections."

117 comments:

Mark said...

Now that's a sign of Legislation that the public was absolutely positively going to love after it was passed.

Hell of a job, Barry!

ddh said...

If the President does it, it's not illegal.

Anonymous said...

It won't ship all of their problems out to 2015.

all of the computations for the 50 FT workers, is based (now) on 2014 payroll. So it will be less of an impact, but still a factor

exhelodrvr1 said...

WHy was it you voted for him?

Joe Schmoe said...

This ruling, coupled with all the other recent stuff like Sebelius trying to shake down private companies to promote health care, the HHS & WH reaching out to professional sports leagues to ask them to 'ask' youngsters to subsidize older people--I mean 'sign up', the Commonweal of MAss asking out due to higher costs; all of it paints a picture of desperation. The Dems are shitting their collective pants as more hard data comes in about the implementation of O'care. If the Repubs were aligned at all they could strike now and start to dismantle this piece of shite law.

edutcher said...

Since a lot of employers have already made their hiring plans (5 years and out), the pain has already started.

This was supposed to be another Social Security, but it's turned into Microsoft Bob.

CarterFliptMe said...

They're trying to delay the ACA mandate to provide cover for doomed Dems in 2014. When people get hit by ObamaCare, Democrats will be doomed. They'll use this extra time to start blaming 'greedy corporations' for the trainwreck that is ObamaCare.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

This doesn't do any good because businesses can count to one. One year doesn't matter. Only the permanent repeal of the law will encourage hiring.

Larry J said...

Funny, we were told that it's the law. I guess the internal polls were showing that it might have a negative impact on the midterm elections.

cassandra lite said...

So the administration can selectively enforce immigration laws, environmental laws, and now healthcare laws. Tell me again how this is a constitutional republic and not a monarchy.

Jason said...

By what authority does the President unilaterally waive the deadline?

Rob said...

If it's legal for the Obama Administration to delay enforcement of one portion of the ACA for a year, then I guess it will be legal for a future Republican administration to suspend enforcement of all provisions of the ACA for the duration of that administration. Sauce for the goose.

Revenant said...

By what authority does the President unilaterally waive the deadline?

By the authority that Republicans aren't going to demand he implement ObamaCare and Democrats aren't going to accuse their party leader of illegal activity.

Drago said...

Larry J.: "Funny, we were told that it's the law."

You can really squeeze a lot of "The HHS Secretary shall decide.." and "The HHS Secretary will determine..." items into 20 thousand pages of regulations.

Good thing this was fully vetted and understood by our "best and brightest" and "reality-based" and "smarter than conservative" liberals.

Of course, all the complexity (purposeful of course, in order to drive out private insurers: see United Health follows Aetna out the door in CA) is really the fault of republicans who will, naturally, be blamed for this.

This will "work" for about a month or so (and forever for the true believers and true "low information dems"), but not much beyond that.

BTW, the personal mandate is still moving forward!

If you're 25, single and healthy, get ready for a big surprise!!

Which will be Bush and Cheney's fault as well.

Drago said...

Jason: "By what authority does the President unilaterally waive the deadline?"

LOL

Where have you been?

Obama is a lefty, a dem and black!

What was your question again?

Michael P said...

"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome (rule of) law?" - Barack "Henry II" Obama

Crimso said...

We have to delay it in order to find out what's in it.

edutcher said...

BTW, we've all heard how Moochelle is whining about how being FLOTUS is a prison?

Icepick said...

Joe Schmoe, I continue to believe that ObamaCare was designed specifically with the intention of crashing the entire US healthcare system. That would explain a lot. However, today I had the chilling thought that perhaps they really are so fucking stupid that they thought this would work.

Joe Schmoe said...

I call bullshit on the repeated acts of this administration to hide, delay, or flat-out cover up events that provide bad optics at election time. Last year Obama promised not to fine defense contractors who by law were supposed to report layoffs 3 months before they occurred on Jan. 1. The WH and State Dept. dissembled on Benghazi all through the election with a fully complicit press corps riding shotgun. Unemployment and GDP numbers were primped and girdled like an old whore; later they were revised down. Now we know the IRS was intentionally suppressing groups in their own attempt to affect the election's outcome.

Now they think they can delay the employment-killing mandate of employee health care until after the 2014 election, where the Dems dream of recapturing their unbridled power of 2009.

Enough already. Shit's gotta stop.

Icepick said...

So the administration can selectively enforce immigration laws, environmental laws, and now healthcare laws. Tell me again how this is a constitutional republic and not a monarchy.

It's not a constitutional republic anymore, but it isn't a monarchy either. In a monarchy the monarch is actually responsible for stuff. Not so with our beloved leader, who isn't even told anything by his staff, if one believes his public comments.

mccullough said...

Next Obama will suspend it for everyone it applies to until after the elections. Exempting companies but not individuals is egregious.

Drago said...

Icepick: "However, today I had the chilling thought that perhaps they really are so fucking stupid that they thought this would work."

Nope.

It was meant to crash the system.

What is disconcerting for the dems is that they thought they had designed in enough complexity to hide who was responsible for crashing the system.

Unfortunately for them, it's not really something you can hide.

Fortunately for them, most of their voters don't care and neither does the media and both groups are already busy pointing fingers at Republicans.

MadisonMan said...

This seems like the kind of thing to announce on a Friday afternoon.

Icepick said...

Obama is a lefty, a dem and black!

He's better than black: He's HALF black! All those liberal whites would have never voted for him if his percentage of African heritage were much higher than 50%.

Jason said...

By what authority does the President unilaterally waive the deadline?

gspencer said...

The law authorizes BO to be able to delay this thing?

NO DELAYs. Lets visit all the pain on the people to teach them what they have caused with their voting.

Drago said...

Icepick: "All those liberal whites would have never voted for him if his percentage of African heritage were much higher than 50%"

How dare you suh!

Icepick said...

I call bullshit on the repeated acts of this administration to hide, delay, or flat-out cover up events that provide bad optics at election time.

Let us know how that works out for you.

Because seriously, over half the voters just don'[t give a shit, as long as Obama's skinny little ass is still half-black. That is the only thing that matters.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

In Third Grade I was taught that Congress passes the laws, and the President enforces them.

The reality: Congress passes laws that they have neither read nor understood. The President does whatever he thinks he can get away with.

People...People...People. If this is not the way you want your life to run, then do not give these folks the power!

chickelit said...

Delaying it by one year isn't going to cause a surge in hiring which is what Dems need to win in 2014. Alternatively, the Grand Strategist(s) may want the private sector economy to get so bad that people beg to be taken care of.

Feed men and then ask of them virtue!

Obama clearly has too much power. I think it's time for a second coat of shellack in 2014.

Matt Sablan said...

... Weighing between pointing and laughing or saying I told you so.

Icepick said...

By what authority does the President unilaterally waive the deadline?

He does it under the authority that no one can oppose him in any consequential manner. Seriously, who is going to stop this?

edutcher said...

Icepick said...

Joe Schmoe, I continue to believe that ObamaCare was designed specifically with the intention of crashing the entire US healthcare system. That would explain a lot. However, today I had the chilling thought that perhaps they really are so fucking stupid that they thought this would work.

Keep in mind AmnestyCare was designed the same way.

If both are intended to crash the country, we're going to have war in the streets.

(of course, we're probably going to have that anyway)

In any case, never assume these people really are that brilliant.

Drago said...

Nope.

It was meant to crash the system.


Choom is on record as being in favor of single-payer, but I don't think the Demos intended it to be such a mess it would pull them down with it. I also don't think they wanted it to fail before it even got started. They wanted everybody hooked on it and, if it failed, it failed under a Republican Administration.

That's not happening.

Remember, they insisted on no Republican input, no Republican votes.

They wanted it all theirs and it is.

rhhardin said...

Executive actions replace everything.

Icepick said...

How dare you suh!

I dare a little more each day. Not that it will get me anything, mind you, but I do so dare....

Matt Sablan said...

"This seems like the kind of thing to announce on a Friday afternoon."

-- Yeah, I'm wondering what bomb will drop then. I mean, they have tomorrow afternoon and Friday afternoon this week when no one is paying attention. So, just imagine the crap waiting for then.

BarrySanders20 said...

Sorry individuals, you still get the full reaming:


"The change does not affect other central provisions of the law, in particular those establishing health care marketplaces in the states — known as exchanges — where individual Americans without health insurance can shop from a menu of insurance policies. Under those provisions, subsidies are available for lower-income individuals who qualify.

* * *

“We are on target to open the health insurance marketplace on Oct. 1 where small businesses and ordinary Americans will be able to go to one place to learn about their coverage options and make side-by-side comparisons of each plan’s price and benefits before they make their decision,” Ms. Jarrett wrote.

They almost make it sound voluntary. See, young and healthy hipsters for Barry, they create this wonderful farmers market -- and then FORCE you to buy their shit. Enjoy subsidizing the boomers with your premuims, suckers.

Oh, wait. The hipsters dont want or can't find work, so . . . premium subsidies for them. Where do the dollars come from to subsidize the hipsters to subsidize the boomers?

Doh! That's me!

Same as now. Nothing changes.

What did we do this for, again?

edutcher said...

If I'm wrong, someone correct me (happy?), but didn't the Romster offer to give everybody an exemption if he was elected?

Icepick said...

In any case, never assume these people really are that brilliant.

I never thought any of them were anything but sniveling little turds. But I thought they really had a plan of action for this to crash the system and then say, "See? The markets can't work, so we must socialize everything!"

But given how they're reacting now, I am really thinking that maybe they really are capable of so much stupidity as to believe this was going to work.

Icepick said...

I dare a little more each day. Not that it will get me anything, mind you, but I do so dare....

Excuse me, I should have said, "Not that it will get me anything but trouble...."

Drago said...

Not to sideswipe the thread, but I had to mention (listen up Jay if you're around) that on HLN tonight, ONCE AGAIN they repeated the assertion that George Zimmerman is accused of "profiling Trayvon Martin".

That's how far the latest lefty ploy has fallen.

Now, back to the ongoing "Trainwreck" that is obamacare (so sayeth Max Baucus, Democrat and supporter of obamacare).

Icepick said...

Yeah, I'm wondering what bomb will drop then. I mean, they have tomorrow afternoon and Friday afternoon this week when no one is paying attention. So, just imagine the crap waiting for then.

The monthly employment report should be out Friday. (It is possible it will be released tomorrow - I haven't checked this month.) That could be the big shoe dropping Friday.

Icepick said...

What did we do this for, again?

What you mean, "WE", Pale Face?

(Don't cross threads!)

Drago said...

Icepick: "But given how they're reacting now, I am really thinking that maybe they really are capable of so much stupidity as to believe this was going to work."


Nope. Designed to crash.

But again, as with the mortgage bubble which they did get away with, the "complexity" designed into the Act cannot sufficiently hide the dem complicity.

Hence the "little" delay beyond 2014.

As someone upthread mentioned, there is no way that businesses will alter their perception or practices.

I've got to find the link that showed that of all the businesses surveyed in one study, 40+ % had completely stopped all new hiring and 29% of them had actively reduced the number of employees to get below the obamacare trigger levels.

Gee, I guess that was a completely unintended consequence.....

Icepick said...

And I'm out of here, homies! (Gotta go get the missus.)

Don't forget to talk about the "scandal" of the Zimmerman attorney's daughter's Instagram posting. That should be good for a few hundred comments later!

n.n said...

That may improve the revenue outlook, but it will still be insufficient to address supply. Unfortunately, it will likely fail in both directions.

The revenue generation scheme known as "Obamacare" will not compensate for the progressive devaluation of capital and labor through trillion dollar account deficits.

The redistributive change, or recycled economic model, not only represents a dead end but also sponsors corruption throughout its decay.

Icepick said...


Gee, I guess that was a completely unintended consequence.....


One last comment:

I'm sure this was intended. As is the idea that we need to import tens of millions of new peasants to get the economy going again when we've got stagnant wages and stagnant hiring. Anything to crush the American middle class. And the Republicans are just as complicit in this as the Dems, although they (partially) serve a different set of masters....

The ruling class really does want to destroy the middle class. Sooner or later the middle class is going to figure this out and then there is going to be Hell to pay.

Drago said...

Icepick: "That could be the big shoe dropping Friday."

I'm not so sure.

Businesses have been programming in their reactions to obamacare for the last year.

I don't expect any "spikes" from any perceived delays or changes in obamacare implementation dates.

There are so many other economic factors in play it will be hard to "de-conflate" them.

edutcher said...

Icepick said...

The ruling class really does want to destroy the middle class. Sooner or later the middle class is going to figure this out and then there is going to be Hell to pay.

Just about every revolution from 1776 has begun with the middle class (even the Commie ones).

Drago said...

Icepick: "The ruling class really does want to destroy the middle class."

I disagree. The ruling class (at least that part of it that wants to increase government control over more facets of our existence) simply wants the power.

Importantly, a large % of the "working class" is already in the dems boat, and will remain there.

Icepick: "Sooner or later the middle class is going to figure this out and then there is going to be Hell to pay."

We may well be past the point where a significant pendulum swing back the other way is possible.

We may well have passed the tipping point.

I'm sort of a modern day Whitaker Chambers. I've chosen my side but I don't necessarily believe that "my side" is the one with the upper hand.

In fact, long term I'm pessimistic.

It's quite possible the cloward-piven strategy employed over the last 5 years has been sufficient to send us over the edge to France/Greece-like structural realities.

hombre said...

It doesn't matter. The ignoramuses who vote for The Evil Party won't notice the implications or will deny them (Where are they on this thread, btw?).

The twits who speak for The Stupid Party will have no clue how to exploit the opportunity.

Obamadupes abide.
-- the Dude

Michael said...

A law was passed which this "administration" does not have the competency to administrate. They have not hit a single deadline. A goat rodeo from the outset with more to follow.

Joe Schmoe said...

Icepick, I admire your cynicism, I really do. But I'm getting so energized for the midterms that I might be mistaken for Richard Fucking Simmons. It's time to reverse the shit that's been going on for the last 5 years. Improbable? Most definitely. Impossible? Who cares? What we've got now is untenable bullshit and a political party that wants to eliminate, at least from any position of power, anyone who thinks differently from them. They are busy cementing their 1000-year Federal Reich while the rest of us are just minding our own business. Well, that ain't exactly working out, is it. Hopenchange 2.014. Time for a reboot.

hombre said...

"It's quite possible the cloward-piven strategy employed over the last 5 years has been sufficient to send us over the edge to France/Greece-like structural realities."

Cloward-Piven or not, we're toast. Buy guns and hoard food and pre-1964 coins. Lol.

Joe Schmoe said...

The decadal creep of Democrat infestation has really been on public display lately. Need someone to push Obamacare onto youngsters? Just dial up the entertainment and sports industries, all dominated by celebrities who reek of Dem ideology. As a fallback, use the teachers and college professors to inculcate the glories of state-run exchanges (where the levers are mostly being pulled by the Feds). And just to indoctrinate the youngsters, let's lean on those brave librarians who'd rather be waterboarded than used as a tool of government oppression (at least when there is a Repub in the WH). If a youngster somehow manages to elude all of that undue influence and choose not to go on the govt. exchanges, then say hello to the Dem-dominated IRS! Oh, ve have vays of making you sign up, ve do...

Is it just me, or is anyone else feeling completely outflanked and outnumbered by our benevolent lords?

Ah, I'm probably coming off like a raving lunatic. But it feels good to get off my chest.

Petunia said...

It's starting to collapse under its own weight. First the exchanges, now this...

As an aside, most NYT commenters are either really stupid, or really delusional, or both.

Limited Blogger said...

Wait -- when did "Yes, we can!" become "Yes, King can!"?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I thought the ACA was urgent? That's why no one bothered to read it and the dems passed it in the dead of night on party line vote. It just had to happen. NOW!

Brian Brown said...

Remember how the White House and Obama sycophants were all proud how ObamaCare is the law and constitutional and stuff?!

Losers.

Anonymous said...

It may be that a plurality of Americans don't support the bill, and a majority don't seem to think it will work. Not a single Republican voted on this one.

It may be coming at a time of the decline of the greatness model of American politics, with diminishing returns for everyone.

Sure, it was a 2200 page monstrosity designed to address (correction, for many Leftists, not even nationalize but socialize) rising health-care costs and overhaul an unsustainable model in this country because of their moral thinking and ideological worldview.

Yes it's a clusterfuck, with everyone missing deadlines, money scraped up from here and there, no one knowing what's coming next.

Here we are folks.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brian Brown said...

By the way, I guess there are special Penumbras in the Constitution allowing for liberal presidents to just ignore the law when it is too complex or it will hurt their party in next year's election.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The whole piece of shit ACA is the road to a single payer government run crap sandwich.

I know a couple in Toronto. He was diagnosed with cancer and put on a wait list. Screw that. Off to America he went for proper treatment.

After Hillary! Obama PelosiCare fails, (and it will fail as it was designed to fail) we will curiously all look to big daddy gubmint to save us.

chickelit said...

April: But can't you see how eminently "fair" it is that we all bear privation together? (unless one works in the exempt Public Sector).

And all of this because of one mean spiteful woman named after a man.

Clyde said...

Shouldn't this have been a late Friday afternoon dump?

Clyde said...

Re: Michelle O and FLOTUS prison, I tried last year to get her sentence to end this past January 20th. Sadly, the haters decided to keep that poor miserable woman incarcerated in her gilded (platinumized?) cage. Don't blame me!

Joe Schmoe said...

I'm sort of a modern day Whitaker Chambers. I've chosen my side but I don't necessarily believe that "my side" is the one with the upper hand.

Dude, currently we are on the bottom floor of a four-story outhouse. And our elected GOP brethren ain't handing down any ladders, either.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

But can't you see how eminently "fair" it is that we all bear privation together?


After health care, the government can take over the food distribution system, all grocery stores. Private home ownership can be abolished. Why stop at health care as a basic necessity?
Yeah, I know. It's only fair.

Joe Schmoe said...

Let me amend an earlier statement of mine. Those brave librarians aren't just handing out Little Red Books, but they are also there to do data entry for old folks and homeless who might otherwise not have a way to enroll. You know, the kind of Democrat voters who would be disenfranchised if they had to present some sort of ID at a voting booth.

And don't get your knickers in a bunch if you think I'm anti-old or homeless. I actually think it's criminal to force them into a system where the only logical outcome is rationed care due to insufficient providers and facilities.

Joe said...

Does the law grant them that authority?

Freeman Hunt said...

I just received notice this week that my individual health insurance plan is being dropped, and I'll have to buy a new, more expensive, though not necessarily better, one due to the Affordable Care Act. Thanks, Government.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The democrats are devious and deceptive. The hack media portray deception as genius.

Unknown said...

How interesting that Rachel Maddow has nothing about this on her show tonight. Just too many bigger stories out there.

retail lawyer said...

Hey Ann,
Who has standing to sue over this? Seriously. I'm a retail lawyer, so this is not my area of practice, or even knowledge. I need a law professor.

Freeman Hunt said...

Also, my state government has gotten all insurance carriers to agree to pay bonuses to providers for lower than average costs and to impose penalties on higher than average costs. This is called incentivizing quality in press releases. Orwellian.

retail lawyer said...

Hey Ann,
Who has standing to sue over this? Seriously. I'm a retail lawyer, so this is not my area of practice, or even knowledge. I need a law professor.

Drago said...

Paul: "How interesting that Rachel Maddow has nothing about this on her show tonight. Just too many bigger stories out there."

I noticed this as well.

It's clear that the journolisters and the voice-actuated automatons (like garage) are simply waiting for the talking points to be issued so they know what to say and how properly to blame the republicans.

Roger Zimmerman said...

While, as others have pointed out, this won't significantly affect hiring prior to the 2014 elections, it will delay the more direct coping mechanism, which is the hour-reduction and firing of marginal workers. That would have been much more damaging, in the public perception, since the sheeple are able to observe negative effects. Coasting along at 7-ish percent "unemployment" (I use the term lightly, since the BLS numbers are total BS), is the new normal, and the masses won't penalize the administration for jobs that are not created, as we have seen. But jobs lost and hours cut - that would make for some ugly local news exposes.

Methadras said...

Why does this sound like it's aligning with the Amnesty bill implementation if it goes through. Oh yeah, AmnestyCare.

chickelit said...

@Freeman Hunt: You may be too young to remember this guy but he's alive and well: Nixon reassures Freeman

Anonymous said...

High-minded people with really bad ideas.

Anonymous said...

More uncertainty for business if you can't count on government to do what they say they'll do.

Paul said...

It does not matter how long they delay.... IT IS A TRAIN WRECK.

Sooner or later it will FAIL, and fail BIG.

But by they Pelosi, Reid, Obama, and all their crew will have moved on with $$$ and pensions and cushy lives.

Truth to power and soylent green is people (after Obamacare is fully implemented.

And thanks to all you putzes that voted for Obama.

jr565 said...

This is actually a great example to disprove Ritmo's "great intentions + great ideas equals great results" mantra.
THe intentions weren't that great, the implementation was beyond horrible and the result was this abomination we're looking at now.
But Obama is good because he cares (Ritmo's assertion not mine)

jr565 said...

"And thanks to all you putzes that voted for Obama."
And thanks even more for the putzes that didn't vote for Romney but who are complaining about Obama.
you know who you are.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I don't know that anything Obama does or just happens during the Obama watch (there is a lot of that) is a train wreck anymore.

We've been crying wolf ever since this man assumed office and today he is more popular and admired and loved than ever.

I'm just going to chill until he leaves.

Diogenes of Sinope said...

What is fucking Obama king? Obama can just decide what laws he wants to enforce and when. Obama can just make rules and or regulations to do his bidding when Congress refuses..This combination is effectively tyrannical rule.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

This combination is effectively tyrannical rule.

And apparently, that's just how we like it.

He wouldn't be doing it if he thought he couldn't get away with it.

We need to wake up to the reality of the situation we find ourselves in.

Obama can do no wrong.

Acceptance is a hard step, but a step we have to take, if we want to move on and look forward to the time when we can take back this country and make it great again.

Original Mike said...

2015. How convenient.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

We have a frisking lawless attorney general.

Who else could get away with that?

bagoh20 said...

Responding to business complaints? Yea, I'm sure that was it. I'm sure those "businesses" just want it postponed until after the election, because that's what businesses care about.

bagoh20 said...

I stopped hiring the day after Justice Roberts chose to cover his ass rather than do his job. I'm not gonna hire people now that I know what's coming. A delay accomplishes nothing to stop the bleeding this law is causing.

exhelodrvr1 said...

ROger Zimmermann,
WHy would a business hire someone now, go through the training process and cost, knowing that that person would be significantly more expensive in just a few months? It absolutely WILL affect hiring.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

If anything the Obama administration proves, as I see it, that our prosperity has created a level of comfort that for all our carrying on, has immunized us to any and all governmental action, short of a mandatory, Boston style shelter in place, nakedly dictatorial exercise of power.

For all his efforts, Obama has not even made a dent to our shields.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

We can only dump off so much responsibility at the doorstep of one man, before we honestly see the reflection of Obama, when we take a look in the mirror.

I could be full of it... but that's kind of what things look to me right now.

In short, without too much argle-bargle, we got the president we deserve... and at this point... you know how the rest goes.

gk1 said...

It wasn't too long ago the very same democrats today warning the republicans about not passing immigration reform, were warning them the terrible price they would pay at the polls for obstructing obamacare. How did that work out in 2010 exactly? Hmmm

DEEBEE said...

What happened people were supposed to ultimately love it. Oh wait! the majority decision was not penned by the most evolved Ann thony Kennedy, otherwise the hoi polloi would have caught on by now.

Diogenes of Sinope said...

IF there were some smart Republicans, they would put together a legal challenge to Obama delaying the implementation of obamacare. And if Republicans had just a box of rocks for brains, they would be making this the news everyday in the Congress instead of gay marriage, abortion and amnesty. Damn you might only need half a box of rocks for brains to figure this out.

Rusty said...

Matthew Sablan said...
... Weighing between pointing and laughing or saying I told you so.


Why not do both?
It's what I do.

Icepick said...

I'm not so sure.

Businesses have been programming in their reactions to obamacare for the last year.


Wasn't implying that it would be anything related (at least directly) to ObamaCare, just that it might be a really shitty report.

Original Mike said...

Gee, the community organizer's overhaul of 16% of the U.S. economy is unworkable. Who'd a thunk it?

Icepick said...

Just about every revolution from 1776 has begun with the middle class (even the Commie ones).

I'm cognizant of that fact.

Icepick said...

But I'm getting so energized for the midterms that I might be mistaken for Richard Fucking Simmons.

You go, girl!

:)

It's time to reverse the shit that's been going on for the last 5 years. Improbable? Most definitely. Impossible? Who cares?

Well, there's the problem. This hasn't just been going on for five years. The NSA has had a wet dream about monitoring all communications for a very long time. From a more recent time some of us remember complaining about Carnivore and Echelon. That particular crosses party lines.

The efforts to remake the demographic make-up of the country go back to 1965, and no less a Republican that Ronald Reagan went along with it. Yes, the Great Ronnie took actions designed to destroy the middle class and turn this into a nation of the extremely rich and poor peasants.

Actions to put the country's workers at the mercy of Third World wages got a big lift from the Nixon Administration back when I was about my daughter's age. (She's three now.)

So you vote out the Dem leadership. What are you going to do when Boehner and McConnell betray you? Because the inevitably will. You can look to the recent past to see how the Republican leadership has been on the side of the large financial and commercial interests, and has been looking to crush America's working class. There is no respite at the ballot box.

Icepick said...

Ah, I'm probably coming off like a raving lunatic.

Not that you are likely to read this (day old thread!), but don't worry, I must be coming off at least twice as crazy as you are.

ilvuszq said...

I guess he needs more flexibility

ilvuszq said...

I guess he needs more flexibility

Icepick said...

And thanks even more for the putzes that didn't vote for Romney but who are complaining about Obama.
you know who you are.


Romney didn't get enough "Hold-your-nose" voters. My wife and I held our noses and voted for him. But seriously, what was the appeal? He is a fan of big finance, big business and wage suppression via immigration. A fan of one-way "free" trade.

The analyses are starting to come in. It looks like the people that didn't show up and hold their noses to vote for Romney were white Perot voters from the 1990s. How exactly did Romney appeal to them? He didn't.

At some point the Republican voters need to actually select candidates that have appeal beyond the narrow confines of elite Republicans and the larger-but-still-electorally-inadequate pool of voters who will hold their noses and vote Republican just because the Dems seem marginally worse.

Frankly, the Republican party has lost me. I'm not voting for any of the sons-of-bitches anymore just because they aren't Democrats. Until they can put forward candidates that actually make an effort to stand for things I believe in, they can go fuck themselves. It's not like any of the bastards are doing any good once they're in office anyway.

Scott M said...

Adam Jentleson, one of Harry Reid's spokesmen said the change would help make Obamacare as beneficial as possible by allowing the administration to work with business stakeholders.

"It is better to do this right than fast," he said.

First..."as beneficial as possible" is an enormous tell. I could easily say, "Sure, there's a flood coming. I've got a unicycle. I'm going to get as many people as possible out of danger as possible". They're basically saying it's not going to deliver on it's basic promises.

Second...doing it right rather than fast. How does a body walk upright under the weight of so much irony given the way this monstrosity was passed through Congress?

Icepick said...

How does a body walk upright under the weight of so much irony given the way this monstrosity was passed through Congress?

LOL

Irony just doesn't weigh very much. Now guilt WOULD weigh several ons in this case, but one has to have a conscience for that, and no modern politician would have failed to have had that surgically removed long ago.

Original Mike said...

"It is better to do this right than fast," Harry Reid said.

Too late.

Hagar said...

The ACA drafted by Reid & Co. is such a mess that it can't ever be implemented, even if it actually promised to be a good thing and people wanted it.

As it is, with 2/3 of the voters opposed, and half of those very strongly opposed, the Democrats really had ought to be looking for some way to get rid of this tarbaby.

Of course, that may be what is happening; delay this to Jan. 2015 - past the 2014 elections - then play the clock, and presto!, the denouement comes in 2017 under a Republican president, or, if before that, at least with an all Republican Congress.

Anonymous said...

WE need some right-wing activists to sue to have it enforced. Even better, we can have right-wingers on both sides, that makes sure that no matter what happens, it gets appealed.

Either get the SC to rule that any President can waive any and all of ObamaCare at any time, or get them to make everyone live with ObamaCare before the 2014 elections. Either will be a victory.

Steve Koch said...

Lem said...
"I don't know that anything Obama does or just happens during the Obama watch (there is a lot of that) is a train wreck anymore."

You may not know what a train wreck is.

"We've been crying wolf ever since this man assumed office and today he is more popular and admired and loved than ever."

You may not know what crying wolf means.

"I'm just going to chill until he leaves."

Good to know. Be sure to let us know if you change your mind.

Steve Koch said...

Icepick said...
"The analyses are starting to come in. It looks like the people that didn't show up and hold their noses to vote for Romney were white Perot voters from the 1990s. How exactly did Romney appeal to them? He didn't.

At some point the Republican voters need to actually select candidates that have appeal beyond the narrow confines of elite Republicans and the larger-but-still-electorally-inadequate pool of voters who will hold their noses and vote Republican just because the Dems seem marginally worse.

Frankly, the Republican party has lost me. I'm not voting for any of the sons-of-bitches anymore just because they aren't Democrats. Until they can put forward candidates that actually make an effort to stand for things I believe in, they can go fuck themselves. It's not like any of the bastards are doing any good once they're in office anyway."

So not a single GOP pol is doing any good? All the pressure to reduce fed spending is from gop pols. All the conservative pols in the senate or house belong to the gop. If the immigration amnesty bill is stopped, it will be cuz of gop pols. The tea party people vote mostly gop. There is an effective reformation project ongoing in the gop to make it more conservative by running candidates in primaries vs gop pols that are not conservative. The constitution is the central political philosophy for most gop voters. Most dem pols think the constitution is an archaic doc that is slowing down progress.

Everything is relative. There is a huge difference between the dems and the gop. Not voting just accelerates the pace at which the USA becomes a dictatorship.

Steve Koch said...

Lem said...
"If anything the Obama administration proves, as I see it, that our prosperity has created a level of comfort that for all our carrying on, has immunized us to any and all governmental action, short of a mandatory, Boston style shelter in place, nakedly dictatorial exercise of power.

For all his efforts, Obama has not even made a dent to our shields."

You really aren't paying attention, are you?

Steve Koch said...

Lem said...
"And apparently, that's (tyranny) just how we like it. He wouldn't be doing it if he thought he couldn't get away with it. We need to wake up to the reality of the situation we find ourselves in. Obama can do no wrong.

Acceptance is a hard step, but a step we have to take, if we want to move on and look forward to the time when we can take back this country and make it great again."

What are you talking about? Why should we accept that Obama can do no wrong when that is obviously not true? Wouldn't it be much more effective to focus on how to be more effective in destroying Obama's reputation? You want us to "move on" from what to what?