Fuck this healthcare Reform...

[maxiep]

The sweetest words I've seen in a year are the 40 words of H.R. 2:

Effective as of the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, such Act is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.

 

[barfo]

The sweetest words I've seen in a year are the 40 words of H.R. 2:

You could have written those words yourself, they'd have about as much effect.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

You could have written those words yourself, they'd have about as much effect.

barfo

Yep. That's the party line. Well done.

 

[barfo]

Yep. That's the party line. Well done.

I don't know if it is the party line, but it appears to be reality. Do you think the Senate is going to vote to repeal, or that Obama is going to sign a repeal?

Didn't think so.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

I don't know if it is the party line, but it appears to be reality. Do you think the Senate is going to vote to repeal, or that Obama is going to sign a repeal?

Didn't think so.

barfo

Stop playing checkers when the game is chess.

 

[Stevenson]

I'm sure if Kennedy rules to limit the Commerce clause, that will be the next bite of the apple.

Talk about activist judges. Overturning a century of precedent because it doesn't fit their political philosophy.

That said, Kennedy is not that kind of judge, thankfully.

 

[maxiep]

Talk about activist judges. Overturning a century of precedent because it doesn't fit their political philosophy.

That said, Kennedy is not that kind of judge, thankfully.

Pray tell, what is the precedent to have the Commerce Clause force you to engage in economic activity? And if that's how the Commerce Clause is interpreted, what CAN'T Congress force you to do?

 

[maxiep]

http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2011/01/give-me-1-billion-to-reduce-budget.html

Give me $1 billion to cut the budget deficit

I have a plan to reduce the budget deficit. The essence of the plan is the federal government writing me a check for $1 billion. The plan will be financed by $3 billion of tax increases. According to my back-of-the envelope calculations, giving me that $1 billion will reduce the budget deficit by $2 billion.

Now, you may be tempted to say that giving me that $1 billion will not really reduce the budget deficit. Rather, you might say, it is the tax increases, which have nothing to do with my handout, that are reducing the budget deficit. But if you are tempted by that kind of sloppy thinking, you have not been following the debate over healthcare reform.

Healthcare reform, its advocates tell us, is fiscal reform. The healthcare reform bill passed last year increased government spending to cover the uninsured, but it also reduced the budget deficit by increasing various taxes as well. Because of this bill, the advocates say, the federal government is on a sounder fiscal footing. Repealing it, they say, would make the budget deficit worse.

So, by that logic, giving me $1 billion is fiscal reform as well. To be honest, I don't really need the money. But if I can help promote long-term fiscal sustainability, I am ready to do my part.

The absurdity of Mankiw's post highlights the absurdity of those who say repealing Obamacare will add to the deficit. It's not the benefits from Obamacare, it's the additional taxes in the bill that carry the extra income.

 

[maxiep]

Byron York has an excellent analysis of the strategy of the opponents of ObamaCare.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/01/house-gop-begins-long-slog-dismantle-obamacare

 

[maxiep]

More math and logic: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/20/AR2011012003687.html

 

[maxiep]

Yeah, government is fair and impartial. This is what happens when government has the power to pick winners and losers.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/seiu-locals-including-chicago-chapter-wa

 

[barfo]

Yeah, government is fair and impartial. This is what happens when government has the power to pick winners and losers.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/seiu-locals-including-chicago-chapter-wa

You didn't read beyond the first paragraph, did you?

barfo

 

[maxiep]

You didn't read beyond the first paragraph, did you?

barfo

I read the whole thing. Me thinks you don't get the point of the article.

 

[barfo]

I read the whole thing. Me thinks you don't get the point of the article.

I get it, and I reject it based on the facts presented in that very article.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

I get it, and I reject it based on the facts presented in that very article.

barfo

Vox clamantis in deserto.

 

[barfo]

Vox clamantis in deserto.

This thread is pretty barren, I agree.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

This thread is pretty barren, I agree.

barfo

Try again.

 

[barfo]

Try again.

No.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

No.

barfo

I figured as much.

 

[maxiep]

BTW, notice how President Obama is now willing to talk about repealing all the unreasonable revenue measures (1099s for more than $600, 3.8% tax on RE transactions, etc.) now that his bill has passed? He repeatedly said he wouldn't sign it unless it cost less than $1T, no matter how badly he had to game it (e.g., 10 years of revenue for 6 years of benefits, double counting, etc.). Now that it's signed, it doesn't matter what it costs.

What a fucking fraud our President is.

 

[barfo]

I figured as much.

Me too.

barfo

 

[Denny Crane]

Me too.

barfo

Figures lie and liars figure.

;-)

 

[Denny Crane]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110126/ap_on_re_us/us_health_care_overhaul_costs_2

Medicare official doubts health care law savings

WASHINGTON – Two of the central promises of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law are unlikely to be fulfilled, Medicare's independent economic expert told Congress on Wednesday.

The landmark legislation probably won't hold costs down, and it won't let everybody keep their current health insurance if they like it, Chief Actuary Richard Foster told the House Budget Committee. His office is responsible for independent long-range cost estimates.

Foster's assessment came a day after Obama in his State of the Union message told lawmakers that he's open to improvements in the law, but unwilling to rehash the health care debate of the past two years. Republicans want to repeal the landmark legislation that provides coverage to more than 30 million people now uninsured, but lack the votes.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Florida judge just ruled law is unconstitutional.

 

[maxiep]

Florida judge just ruled law is unconstitutional.

This is all kabuki. It will go to an Appeals Court than one side or the other will bring it to the Supreme Court. Right now I think it's safe to say four have prejudged it to be constitutional (Breyer, Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan) and four have prejudged it to be unconstitutional (Roberts, Alito, Thomas and Scalia). This decision comes down to Anthony Kennedy.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Vox clamantis in deserto.

Somebody put a talking clam in your dessert?

 

[barfo]

This is all kabuki. It will go to an Appeals Court than one side or the other will bring it to the Supreme Court. Right now I think it's safe to say four have prejudged it to be constitutional (Breyer, Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan) and four have prejudged it to be unconstitutional (Roberts, Alito, Thomas and Scalia). This decision comes down to Anthony Kennedy.

We could save a lot of money as taxpayers if we just got rid of the other 8 justices, since Kennedy pretty much decides every case.

barfo

 

[Denny Crane]

We could save a lot of money as taxpayers if we just got rid of the other 8 justices, since Kennedy pretty much decides every case.

barfo

Sure. We'd "save a lot of money" (sarcasm intended) if we just annointed Obama dictator, too.

 

[barfo]

Sure. We'd "save a lot of money" (sarcasm intended) if we just annointed Obama dictator, too.

Not sure what your point is. How is eliminating 8 justices who cancel each others votes the same as anointing Obama dictator?

barfo

 

[bluefrog]

Florida judge just ruled law is unconstitutional.

Interesting that he threw out the whole bill because of the individual mandate even though parts of the bill have nothing to do with that.