by | ARTICLES, BUSINESS, ECONOMY, OBAMA, QUICKLY NOTED
The CBO considered two different possibilities to raise the minimum wage, as a Democrat bill is set to be introduced in the Senate in a few weeks.
From the CBO report:
“Increasing the minimum wage would have two principal effects on low-wage workers. Most of them would receive higher pay that would increase their family’s income, and some of those families would see their income rise above the federal poverty threshold. But some jobs for low-wage workers would probably be eliminated, the income of most workers who became jobless would fall substantially, and the share of low-wage workers who were employed would probably fall slightly”
What Options for Increasing the Minimum Wage Did CBO Examine?
For this report, CBO examined the effects on employment and family income of two options for increasing the federal minimum wage:
1) A “$10.10 option”
A “$10.10 option would increase the federal minimum wage from its current rate of $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour in three steps—in 2014, 2015, and 2016. After reaching $10.10 in 2016, the minimum wage would be adjusted annually for inflation as measured by the consumer price index.
2) A “$9.00 option”
A “$9.00 option” would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $9.00 per hour in two steps—in 2015 and 2016. After reaching $9.00 in 2016, the minimum wage would not be subsequently adjusted for inflation.

Read the full report here
by | ARTICLES, ECONOMY, FREEDOM, GOVERNMENT, OBAMA, OBAMACARE, POLITICS

It was certainly no surprise to most of us the the CBO report showed Obamacare was costing the economy countless jobs. White House and congressional Democrats could have put a rational spin on it – that this was a necessary price to pay in order to get his signature health care proposal implemented, – but they didn’t do that.
Instead, they chose a response which showed them to be the disingenuous hypocrites that they truly are. It also showed that the true intention is simply political — in other words, they wantonly come up with whatever excuse will lose them the least number of votes.
The White House and congressional Democrats have explained the CBO’s job loss outlook to actually be a good thing. The job losses merely reflect the fact that individuals will, going forward, have choices. Such examples include the option to retire before one might have otherwise done so, or perhaps stay at home as a single parent because the government is providing for them (health care) what otherwise only a job could.
But this “logic” is ridiculous. Electing the option to not work when one could do so will certainly prevent many people from getting ahead along the economic chain. And in combination with an extension of food stamp benefits, an extension of unemployment benefits, an extension of other welfare programs, and raising the minimum wage, all are acting in tandem to prevent the upward mobility that the President has said he so sorely wants and unequivocally demands.
He can’t have it both ways. The President cannot be both against economic inequality and simultaneously for policies that maintain prolonged dependence. The preposterous idea that work is now a “lifestyle” choice reveals the shallowness of his commitment to economic success.
by | ARTICLES, FREEDOM, GOVERNMENT, OBAMA, TAXES
Obama signed the Farm Bill into law.
This $956 billion bill will set the course of U.S. food policy for the next half-decade. The old farm bill expired in 2012, and its replacement is 959 pages long, costing some $956.4 billion over 10 years.
The chart below is courtesy of the WaPo.

This bill includes such goodies as:
— $3 million plan for Christmas tree taxes (15 cent levy per tree)
–$100 million will go to study how to get Americans to buy more maple syrup
–$1 million will buy weather radios for rural Americans
–$15 million ‘wool trust fund’
–$170 million program to protect catfish growers from overseas competition
But most of that money goes to food-stamp and nutrition programs, which are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 10-year spending total for those entitlements will hit $756 billion under the new law.
Your tax dollars at work.
by | ARTICLES, ECONOMY, GOVERNMENT, OBAMA

The folks over at CNSNews reported that, according to the US Treasury, Public Debt has increased $6.666 Trillion during Obama’s Presidency.
The amount of debt listed on January 20, 2009 was compared to the amount of debt held January 31, 2014 — the most current day available. Those figures are $10,626,877,048,913.08 and $17,293,019,654,983.61, respectively.
That means the total amount of debt has gone up $6,666,142,606,070.53 under President Obama.
To put it into perspective, public debt first reached $6.666 trillion in July, 2003. CNSNews notes that in slightly more than 5 years, “the U.S. has accumulated as much new debt as it did in it’s first 227 years”.
Now, to make an entirely different comparision:
The public debt held by George W. Bush on the first day of his inauguration (Jan 20, 2001) was $5,727,776,738,304.64. On his last day full day in office, Jan 19, 2009, the debt was $10,628,881,485,510.23.
Therefore, debt during his 8 years increased $4.901 Trillion. One could also argue that debt went up some 85% during his term.
On the other hand, so far, Obama’s debt so far has increased 63% over 5 years.
If one were to take 85% and divide it by 8 years , one would find the average rate of debt increase to be 10.625% a year under Bush. For Obama’s debt to only increase by the rate of Bush’s, Obama’s debt percentage increase would be 53.125%. But Obama’s is more, currently at 63% debt increase — more than a year ahead of the average pace of Bush.
Taking Obama’s current rate of debt increase, 63%, and dividing it by 5 years, the average rate of debt incrase by Obama is 12.5% per year. At that pace, by the time Obama’s Administration is complete after 8 years, the debt increase will be 100.8%.
That means we can expect our Public Debt to increase by at least $10.711 Trillion, or that our public debt will be roughly some $21.337 Trillion at the end of his term. (This is only at the current rate of spending and debt, without taking into account future programs, etc)
In other words, it will have only taken 233 years to spend the first $10 trillion and roughly 8 years to spend the second $10 trillion.
by | ARTICLES, CONSTITUTION, FREEDOM, OBAMA, POLITICS

Errors and omissions (E&O) is the coverage that protects you from another individual or company that wants to hold you responsible for something that you provided which does not give expected results. Does the President have coverage?
There were many statements made last night during the State of the Union that didn’t seem to match up with reality for many Americans. Going through the transcript of the State of the Union, it was easy to point out problems in Obama’s address. Below, I’ve gone through the speech, and outlined in italics the exact words he said used.
Looks like Obama needs insurance! I’m providing the errors and omissions coverage for Obama for the State of the Union he gave to everyday America.
____________
Tonight, this chamber speaks with one voice to the people we represent: it is you, our citizens, who make the state of our union strong.
>>> This chamber speaks with one voice because of the growing (mis)use of Executive Action used, and threatened to be used, by Obama during his Presidency.
Here are the results of your efforts: The lowest unemployment rate in over five years.
>>> It’s the lowest unemployment rate in over 5 years because of the amount of people who have stopped looking for a job. Obama fails to mention that this is also the lowest number of workers in the workforce since the early 1960s.
Our deficits – cut by more than half
>> Deficits have been cut only this year because of non-policy reasons (Large Fannie/Freddie payments to the Treasury in 2012 and accelerated tax transactions at the end of 2012 that count on this fiscal year). Also, we still have had yearly $1 trillion deficits, which was never seen before Obama became president.
And for the first time in over a decade, business leaders around the world have declared that China is no longer the world’s number one place to invest; America is.
>> No, actually this year, America fell out of the top ten list for the first time in twenty years on the Index of Economic Freedom.
In the coming months, let’s see where else we can make progress together. Let’s make this a year of action. That’s what most Americans want – for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations.
>>> Most Americans don’t want Congress to take action for the sake of action. Most people want Congress to get out of the way so that they can make their own destiny.
Today, after four years of economic growth
>>> Economic growth has slowed to a crawl
and those at the top have never done better
>> Those at the top have lost more wealth than any other income bracket and have also seen their taxes rise due to legislation passed during Obama’s presidency
But average wages have barely budged.
>>> Businesses can’t afford to pay their workers more due to excessive regulations, higher taxes, and Obamacare changes — all which have hindered their ability to operate day-to-day and more importantly, plan long-term.
And too many still aren’t working at all.
>>> This is first true statement of the night<<<
So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.
>>> Bypassing the Constitution is not how American families elected the President to operate.
Opportunity is who we are. And the defining project of our generation is to restore that promise.
>>> Debt is who we are. We can’t restore opportunity with this generation or the next because of the staggering amount of debt — more than $50,000 per man, woman, and child
So let’s make that decision easier for more companies. Both Democrats and Republicans have argued that our tax code is riddled with wasteful, complicated loopholes that punish businesses investing here, and reward companies that keep profits abroad.
>>> Please cite the loophole. American businesses are actually punished with the highest corporate tax rate in the world. They move businesses abroad so that they can keep more of their hard earned money themselves.
But I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as possible.
>>>Is this before or after we start the “Shovel-Ready” projects?
Federally-funded research helped lead to the ideas and inventions behind Google and smartphones. That’s why Congress should undo the damage done by last year’s cuts to basic research.
>>> Federally funded research — like Green Energy companies or NIH “studies”?
Now, one of the biggest factors in bringing more jobs back is our commitment to American energy. The all-of-the-above energy strategy I announced a few years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than we’ve been in decades.
>> That strategy of subsidizing companies like Solyndra, Satcon Technology, and A123 systems?
One of the reasons why is natural gas – if extracted safely, it’s the bridge fuel that can power our economy with less of the carbon pollution that causes climate change. Businesses plan to invest almost $100 billion in new factories that use natural gas.
>>>While shuttering the coal industry by imposing overreaching and impossible regulations to run them out of business.
Let’s continue that progress with a smarter tax policy that stops giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel industries that don’t need it, so that we can invest more in fuels of the future that do.
>> Lets continue with a smarter tax policy that stops giving billions of our taxpayer money to subsidize companies that still manage to go bankrupt
And even as we’ve increased energy production, we’ve partnered with businesses, builders, and local communities to reduce the energy we consume.
>>> By taking away our regular lightbulbs
When we rescued our automakers, for example, we worked with them to set higher fuel efficiency standards for our cars. In the coming months, I’ll build on that success by setting new standards for our trucks, so we can keep driving down oil imports and what we pay at the pump.
>>> So that the price of cars goes up for consumers, and so that state legislatures can imposes fees on hybrids and electric cars because they are not bringing in as much revenue from fuel-efficient cars via the gas tax.
But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact.
>>> It’s Global Warming when it is warm, and Climate Change when it is cold. It must be a polar vortex out there
So let’s get immigration reform done this year.
>>> If you want immigration reform done, try doing it through Congress, not by Executive Fiat.
Two years ago, as the auto industry came roaring back
>>> How did it come “roaring back” again? Cash for Clunkers cost taxpayers money, taxpayers had to bail out the auto industry, and production of the “new” electric cars is sluggish or has stopped altogether
And if Congress wants to help, you can concentrate funding on proven programs that connect more ready-to-work Americans with ready-to-be-filled jobs.
>>>What are these ambiguous and undetailed “programs”, and if they are so “proven”, why are record numbers of Americans still not working?
I’m also convinced we can help Americans return to the workforce faster by reforming unemployment insurance so that it’s more effective in today’s economy. But first, this Congress needs to restore the unemployment insurance you just let expire for 1.6 million people.
>>>99 weeks of unemployment isn’t enough?
Five years ago, we set out to change the odds for all our kids. We worked with lenders to reform student loans, and today, more young people are earning college degrees than ever before.
>>Obama’s reform was that the rates on federal student loans just doubled. And more young people are in debt than ever before just out of college with dismal job prospects — thanks to Obama’s economy.
And as Congress decides what it’s going to do, I’m going to pull together a coalition of elected officials, business leaders, and philanthropists willing to help more kids access the high-quality pre-K they need.
>>> Because or current K-12 education system is already leading the world in education, right, so we can focus on pre-K?
Today, women make up about half our workforce. But they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it’s an embarrassment. A woman deserves equal pay for equal work.
>>> Unless you work for the White House. Obama’s own White House staff still underpays its women compared to men.
In the coming weeks, I will issue an Executive Order requiring federal contractors to pay their federally-funded employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour – because if you cook our troops’ meals or wash their dishes, you shouldn’t have to live in poverty.
>>> That’s giving Federal Workers a 42% pay raise unilaterally with my tax dollars.
Tom Harkin and George Miller have a bill to fix that by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10. This will help families. It will give businesses customers with more money to spend. It doesn’t involve any new bureaucratic program. So join the rest of the country. Say yes. Give America a raise.
>>> Businesses will not be able to absorb a minimum wage hike of up to 42% without cutting jobs to make up the balance sheet. That will give Americans more unemployment.
And if this Congress wants to help, work with me to fix an upside-down tax code that gives big tax breaks to help the wealthy save, but does little to nothing for middle-class Americans.
>>> Please state the big tax breaks to save? The wealthy pay a 39.6% of their income to the government (not counting state and local taxes) plus the Obamacare surtaxes that started this year, also only for the wealthy. That means they save less of their money because more gets taken in taxes to fund the government.
Send me legislation that protects taxpayers from footing the bill for a housing crisis ever again, and keeps the dream of homeownership alive for future generations of Americans.
>>> Americans footed the bill for the housing crisis in the form of TARP (which Obama voted for as Senator) and ARRA (which Obama signed as President). Obama could have paid the mortgage off for every homeowner in America and still have spent less taxpayer money overall. Talk about economic stimulus and the dream of homeownership!
One last point on financial security. For decades, few things exposed hard-working families to economic hardship more than a broken healthcare system. And in case you haven’t heard, we’re in the process of fixing that.
>>> After we fix the website, the application process, the security holes, and the healthplans…
That’s what health insurance reform is all about – the peace of mind that if misfortune strikes, you don’t have to lose everything.
>>> Not everything. But you can lose your health plan, and you can lose your doctor
Already, because of the Affordable Care Act, more than three million Americans under age 26 have gained coverage under their parents’ plans. More than nine million Americans have signed up for private health insurance or Medicaid coverage.
>>> Signed up means “Placed in the shopping cart”. And millions more have lost their plans and haven’t signed up with Obamacare
And here’s another number: zero. We did all this while adding years to Medicare’s finances, keeping Medicare premiums flat, and lowering prescription costs for millions of seniors.
>>> Here’s another number: Trillions. Obama added trillions to Medicare’s entitlement deficit and trillions to our deficit to pay for Obamacare
So again, if you have specific plans to cut costs, cover more people, and increase choice – tell America what you’d do differently. Let’s see if the numbers add up. But let’s not have another forty-something votes to repeal a law that’s already helping millions of Americans like Amanda. The first forty were plenty. We got it. We all owe it to the American people to say what we’re for, not just what we’re against.
>>> We’ve polled the American people and the majority of the American people are for repealing Obamacare.
That’s why, tonight, I ask every American who knows someone without health insurance to help them get covered by March 31st. Moms, get on your kids to sign up. Kids, call your mom and walk her through the application.
>>> Because the enrollment numbers are so low, the President has to actually beg the American people to sign up, use millions in taxpayer money to run ads, and use Hollywood to promote Obamacare
It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our democracy.
>>> We are a Republic, not a democracy, Mr. President
And I know this chamber agrees that few Americans give more to their country than our diplomats and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
>>> Obama cares so much for the military that he just announced a 42% pay increase for federal workers, after just making cuts to military pensions.
But I will not send our troops into harm’s way unless truly necessary
>>> Yes, we saw that policy with Benghazi
That’s why I’ve imposed prudent limits on the use of drones – for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence.
>>> What about being safer domestically? Obama fails to mention that the first US citizen was killed yesterday via drones because of a dispute over 3 cows that belonged to a neighbor.
That’s why, working with this Congress, I will reform our surveillance programs – because the vital work of our intelligence community depends on public confidence, here and abroad, that the privacy of ordinary people is not being violated.
>>> Translation: If you like your privacy, you can keep your privacy, just like your health plan and doctor.
And it is American diplomacy, backed by pressure, that has halted the progress of Iran’s nuclear program – and rolled parts of that program back – for the very first time in a decade. As we gather here tonight, Iran has begun to eliminate its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium. It is not installing advanced centrifuges. Unprecedented inspections help the world verify, every day, that Iran is not building a bomb. And with our allies and partners, we’re engaged in negotiations to see if we can peacefully achieve a goal we all share: preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
>> That’s not what Iran says. Please show us the agreement signed between our two nations. Obama has yet to do that.
And we all continue to join forces to honor and support our remarkable military families.
>>> Obama honors them by making reductions to their pensions and going after military chaplains’ ability to minister to troops
The America we want for our kids – a rising America where honest work is plentiful and communities are strong; where prosperity is widely shared and opportunity for all lets us go as far as our dreams and toil will take us – none of it is easy. But if we work together; if we summon what is best in us, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast towards tomorrow – I know it’s within our reach.
>>> As Obama reaches for his pen — not to work together under the Constitution, but unilaterally by Executive Order like he stated repeatedly during this address.
Believe it.
>>> As Obama asked us to believe him on Benghazi, the IRS, Fast and Furious, Obamacare, our doctors, and our health plans, to name a few.
God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
by | ARTICLES, HYPOCRISY, OBAMA, OBAMACARE

Obama has lied to this country. Most recently and most memorably, he lied to when he told “you can keep your health plan” and “you can keep your doctor”. But charging that someone “lied” implies that they knew it was untrue when they said it, so how can anyone be sure?
Records dating back to 2010 discussed the fallout from ObamaCare implementation that would render most plans obsolete and doctor choices restricted. If Obama truly believed that individuals could keep their health plan and doctor under ObamaCare, this belief had to come from being lied to or intentionally misled by one or more advisors.
However, if he was lied to or misled by his advisor(s), the individual(s) responsible would have been immediately fired by President Obama. The President of the United States can never tolerate the Office having its integrity undermined by lesser staff.
Therefore there are no explanations for the President not firing a lying advisor on the spot other than 1) these individuals had information regarding what the President knew and when he knew it, which would be exposed if they were fired; or 2) in fact, the truth had been conveyed to the President (and the President lied to us anyway).
On the other hand, you can contrast Obama’s behavior with Chris Christie. Say what you will about Chris Christie, but consider this: upon learning that he had been misled in the George Washington Bridge lane closing matter, Christie immediately fired the several individuals involved. He did not tolerate his office being denigrated by staffers who were not forthcoming to their governor.
How could it be, then, that President Obama did not have the necessity or integrity to fire anybody because for lying about ObamaCare? Because they probably didn’t lie.
It is not a new thing for our President to intentionally misrepresent the truth on many issues regarding ObamaCare — he does so on almost a daily basis now because ObamaCare was his signature legislation and it is an unmitigated disaster.
One of the most oft-repeated distortions is his recurring theme that ObamaCare will result in a net reduction in the federal debt. At a Clinton Global Initiative recently, the President said “It is a net reduction of our deficit. The irony of those who are talking about repealing Obamacare because of, it’s so wildly expensive, is if they actually repealed the law, it would add to the deficit.” What a joke.
Everyone – including the President – full well knows that the original concept of reducing the deficit was based on underestimating costs and overstating revenues. On top of that, fiscal changes made both by Congress (such as repealing the 1099 initiative) and the President (implementation delays) have guaranteed that ObamaCare will seriously add to the National Debt. So, clearly, at the time of the Clinton Global Initiative, the President knew his comment was a lie.
What’s worse, the pathetic, anemic enrollment numbers (yet another item being played with loose and fast by the Administration) means that ObamaCare costs will soar in this country because not nearly enough people have wanted to enroll. ObamaCare, and President Obama, are rife with — not inconsistencies, not misstatements, but intentional lies.
The President certainly knows it. And we know it too.
by | ARTICLES, BLOG, GOVERNMENT, HYPOCRISY, OBAMA, POLITICS

As we get into blame season surrounding the extension of the debt ceiling, let’s make sure we remember – and remind anyone who will listen — what actually caused the government to shut down just a few short months ago.
The Democrats insisted that the Republicans accept a pure Continuing Resolution (CR) as a first and final offer with no negotiation along the way.
In contrast, the Republicans (after a number of initial offers were rebuffed and ignored with no discussion), made a final offer of 1) simply delaying the individual mandate for one year (which is effectively now happening) and 2) subjecting Congress to ObamaCare as the existing law actually requires anyway.
The Democrats refused even this more than reasonable –and in hindsight quite astute — offer causing the Government to shut down.
In what possible world can the shutdown be blamed directly on the Republicans?!
_______________________________
Now What?
Did you like what you read?
If you did, I hope you’ll join my Secret Tax Club.
It’s free, it’s via email, and it’s for you.
I periodically send out information such as tax tips, reading suggestions, articles and more, and the information is not always available anywhere else, even on my own website.
If you want to join, visit my Secret Tax Club page.
Thanks for visiting Tax Politix
by | ARTICLES, ECONOMY, OBAMA, OBAMACARE

Last week’s Meet the Press roundtable featured, among others, E.J. Dionne — a columnist with the Washington Post. Mr. Dionne’s discussion on Obama and Obamacare was so incredibly inaccurate, it is quite obvious that he is a person who just likes to make up facts as he goes along. And with moderators like David Gregory, who do little to nothing to question the commentary coming from his guests, viewers are left with severely wrong or misinterpreted information.
Some highlights from the show:
>>“Look, I think there is something crazy when people say where government can’t deliver health care. Ever heard of Medicare? Ever heard of Medicaid?”
The fact is that Medicare is actuarially and actually bankrupt, and Medicaid is virtually bankrupting large numbers of states as we speak. Why do people have a positive view of Medicare – simply because they are getting $3 of medical care for each $1 they spend (and hiding from them the fact that the $2 difference will be paid by their children and grandchildren). An SEC investigation would have everyone associated with such a program behind bars. I suppose technically the government does “deliver healthcare” via Medicare and Medicaid but they are so egregiously flawed and mismanaged that it can hardly be considered successful.
> >”President Obama chose to go for a model that is a market-oriented model that Republicans favor, of helping people buy private health insurance”.
A blatant lie. Republicans do favor a market oriented model, but ObamaCare is certainly not anything like one. Can anyone list all the names of the House Republicans who supported and voted for Obamacare in Congress? None? That’s right. In addition, Obamacare is no more a market-oriented model when it renders obsolete millions of plans already freely chosen by Americans and replaces them with fewer and more expensive options — while bullying insurance companies to alter dates and plans according to the whim of any number of government agencies.
>>But what you’re seeing already is there is an enormous appetite among all the Americans who don’t have health insurance to buy it. And that’s what’s going to save Obamacare. This is filling a real need in the society”.
The actual enrollment figures for Obamacare are way off and lower-than-expected. It is so dismal that the White House is counting among the totals for the media the number of people who have “put a plan in their shopping cart” but haven’t paid for it yet in order to bolster totals. Likewise, a lack of “appetite” for Obamacare has resulted in the Obama Administration panicking and paying hundreds of millions of taxpayer money to run commercials and partner with organizations, groups, and non-profits in order to push citizens to sign up before the deadlines (that keep shifting).
>>Every rich democracy in the world uses government to deliver healthcare. You had Christine Lagarde on. France spends less per capita in government spending to cover everybody than we spend for just Medicare and Medicaid. So this thing can work. It needs fixes. And I think the next move by the president is to tell Republicans, do you want to fix this or do you just want to get rid of it?
First of all, the United States is a Republic, not a democracy. Second, the emphasis on the word “rich” is telling because it reeks of the same class warfare-equality policies that have been quintessential to Obama’s presidency. Obamacare is exactly that. It is a wealth transfer that forces the healthy and/or wealthy to subsidize the plans of the uninsured, sicker, or poorer through government fiat — an “individual mandate”. And while Mr. Dionne wishes to hold up France as the pinnacle of Western governing, the French just passed a 75% tax on the wealthy in order to pay for the Socialist policies of Francois Hollande.
E.J.Dionne is representative of the typical progressive pundit who has no framework of reality, and frankly, doesn’t seem to care. He repeats whatever talking points are suitable for the day and the Obama Administration, and its a damn shame that the actual moderators of Meet the Press lack the knowledge or fortitude to call into question their information.
_______________________________
Now What?
Did you like what you read?
If you did, I hope you’ll join my Secret Tax Club.
It’s free, it’s via email, and it’s for you.
I periodically send out information such as tax tips, reading suggestions, articles and more, and the information is not always available anywhere else, even on my own website.
If you want to join, visit my Secret Tax Club page.
Thanks for visiting Tax Politix
by | ARTICLES, ELECTIONS, OBAMA, OBAMACARE, POLITICS

With all the talk abuzz about an inevitable Hillary Clinton candidacy, I wager that her platform might quite likely include repealing Obamacare. Hillary is certain to declare late in the spring so that she can positively impact the midterm elections to benefit the Democrats.
What would Hillary gain from a repeal-Obamacare platform? Here’s three things:
First, a “repeal-Obamacare” position would effectively neuter the Republican narratives of anyone running in 2014 (and possibly beyond). All the hand-wringing and fundraising, all the sob-stories and alarm bells about Obamacare would be utterly weakened if Hillary was out there saying the exact same thing.
Think about it: any Republican candidate on the same policy page as Hillary Clinton would be disastrous for that candidate. The Republicans are hoping for strong gains in 2014 — possibly even taking the Senate — and are banking on a fledgling Obamacare to do it. This objective could not be achieved with Hillary added to the mix arguing that Obamacare is not good legislation.
Second, a “repeal-Obamacare” position from Hillary would give vulnerable Democrats a free pass to sever close ties and loyalty to Obama. Obama is toxic right now; his popularity is in the mid ‘30s and his signature legislation is overwhelmingly disliked across the country. With Hillary jumping in, Democrats would be able to rally around a more popular and likeable Democrat (what Democrat doesn’t like the Clintons?). They could distance themselves from Obama and Obamacare without hurting the Democrat brand for the elections; Hillary enhances that brand right now much better than Obama can.
Finally, Hillary herself was intimately involved in health care reform after Clinton’s election in 1992. The legislation she helped champion via the Taskforce For Health Care Reform was aptly dubbed “Hillarycare”.
Twenty years later — in comparison to what we’ve seen of Obamacare, does Hillarycare looks so bad? Maybe not to some people. Is this the alternative solution and finally Hillary’s day in the sun? Possibly, but not likely.
It is much more plausible that Hillary would take healthcare reform even further than Obamacare. Knowing the growing disdain for mandates and the insurance system that seems helplessly broken right now, Hillary would likely lobby instead for a single-payer system.
This is a dream of many progressives and Democrats. It would be presented as a “simplified” alternative solution to the byzantine problem that is Obamacare, at a time when the Republicans lack their own, strong Obamacare alternative.
Whatever the case, running on repealing Obamacare is a win-win for Hillary. She gets to directly impact and help the midterm elections for the Democrats. 6 years after her primary defeat against Obama, Hillary will emerge as the better, wiser, and more likeable Democrat (revenge is a dish best served cold?). And finally, Hillary will have the unprecedented opportunity to finish the healthcare reform she started two decades ago, since practically anything will be seen as better than Obamacare now.
by | ARTICLES, BLOG, HYPOCRISY, OBAMA, OBAMACARE, POLITICS
Today, the architect of Obamacare, Zeke Emanuel, modified another one of Obama’s promises. This time, he explained the “if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor” now actually means “if you want to, you can pay for it,”.
During Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace pressed Emanuel to whether the promise would be upheld. Here’s the exchange, courtesy of The Weekly Standard.
“The president never said you were going to have unlimited choice of any doctor in the country you want to go to,” said the Obamacare architect.
“No. He asked a question. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Did he not say that, sir?”
“He didn’t say you could have unlimited choice.”
“It’s a simple yes or no question. Did he say if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor?”
“Yes. But look, if you want to pay more for an insurance company that covers your doctor, you can do that. This is a matter of choice. We know in all sorts of places you pay more for certain — for a wider range of choices or wider range of benefits….“
Here’s the problem. Right on the White House website, there is a document called “Health Insurance Reform Reality Check”. . There it states: “It’s never been more important to dispel these outlandish rumors and myths. Learn the facts and share them with your friends, family and neighbors.”
Then it has a “Reality Check” list. The very first bullet item says this:
“You Can Keep Your Own Insurance
Reform isn’t about putting government in charge of your health insurance; it’s about putting you in charge of your health insurance. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan”.
Notice that it doesn’t say, “if you like your doctor, you might have to pay more”
This isn’t the only place on whitehouse.gov that has the Doctor Promise. On the FAQ page entitled “Putting Americans In Charge of their Health Care”, it says:
“Q
: Will the government take my choice of doctor away?
A: No.
Nothing about the President’s proposal will interfere with the choice of doctors you have today. The legislation will not cause you to change the coverage you have at work today”
Here’s the screencap:

In fact, the Doctor Promise goes all the way back to at least 2009. On whitehouse.gov, you can find Obama’s weekly address from August 8th, 2009, where he states,
“So, let me explain what reform will mean for you. And let me start by dispelling the outlandish rumors that reform will promote euthanasia, cut Medicaid, or bring about a government takeover of health care. That’s simply not true. This isn’t about putting government in charge of your health insurance; it’s about putting you in charge of your health insurance. Under the reforms we seek, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.
So, since at least 2009, we’ve been hearing the simple promise, “if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor”. Yet today we hear a modified version of that Promise, much like the recent caveat to the “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan” promise”.
Now we find out the caveat to the Doctor Promise. Here’s the rest of the interview with Emanuel from earlier today. The exchange with Wallace finishes up:
“The president guaranteed me I could keep my doctor,” said Wallace.
“And if you want to, you can pay for it,” said Emanuel.
Caveat emptor, indeed.