Lawmakers may get Obamacare exemption...

[GTaudiophile]

The fucktards on both sides of aisle are at it again! In just how many ways will they exempt themselves from the laws they force us to follow?

Let's see...

-They get MUCH better healthcare to begin with.
-They get to legally conduct insider trading with the best information.
-No sequester pay cuts for them!
-Their DC-based flights are not affected by FAA sequester.
-The list goes on...

Congressional leaders in both parties are engaged in high-level, confidential talks about exempting lawmakers and Capitol Hill aides from the insurance exchanges they are mandated to join as part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, sources in both parties said.

Story continued here...

 

[waggy]

well duh. they know how shitty it is. why would they want it?

 

[boomerang]

The bigger question is will the people of the nation ever come to the conclusion that there is only one answer. That being that the government must be overthrown. I'm not pounding my fist on the table when I say that. We cannot change this at the ballot box. These people make the laws. How long will we accept a two tiered society with elected officials exempting themselves from that which they force upon the people?

We will death spiral while these people continue to eat caviar. Every time I read about a long term member of Congress declaring they will not seek office next term I wonder what is driving them to that decision. Not wanting to be in office when the shit hits the fan? Leaving the country? Getting out while the getting is good?

How long will Bread and Circuses keep the masses happy and content? Too long I fear. We do not have the makeup of those that rid themselves of the tryanny of the British Empire. I'm glad I'm not in my twenties or younger. There are some very rough times ahead for that group.

 

[fskimospy]

You guys should read your own article. The concern is that staffers currently get their health care subsidized by their employer and are worried about losing those subsidies. It has nothing to do with the merits of the exchanges.

I find it funny and sad that the ultra right is rooting so hard for failure too. You would rather be right and have millions suffer, which is pretty gross.

 

[michal1980]

You guys should read your own article. The concern is that staffers currently get their health care subsidized by their employer and are worried about losing those subsidies. It has nothing to do with the merits of the exchanges.

I find it funny and sad that the ultra right is rooting so hard for failure too. You would rather be right and have millions suffer, which is pretty gross.

LOL.

Do think before you post?


Why should people that work for lawmakers be treated differently then the rest of the country?

Every other worker in the USA will have to face exactly the same challenges as these staffers.

But the lords of the USA want to give themselves and their friends a break? everyone should be disgusted.

 

[FerrelGeek]

I don't know if it's still the case, but it used to be that congress exempted their staff from minimum wage laws. The only way this is going to change is if the states band together and draft a constitutional amendment forcing congressional reform. It will take a local effort like this to even have the chance to rouse the American Idol crowd.

 

[CLite]

You guys should read your own article. The concern is that staffers currently get their health care subsidized by their employer and are worried about losing those subsidies. It has nothing to do with the merits of the exchanges.

I find it funny and sad that the ultra right is rooting so hard for failure too. You would rather be right and have millions suffer, which is pretty gross.

What are you talking about?

Congress passed rules which affect a company's ability to provide very good health care (penalties), or provide very poor health care/none at all and have offered an exchange as an alternative. For some reason congress feels their current health care system may not meet these requirements (it's probably too good - hence penalties in the form of taxable imputed income). Therefore they are ready to pass laws that treat themselves as a separate superior class of citizens with the second tier being comprised of the millions of people who work outside the government umbrella.

I have read quite a bit and there is still a lot of speculation due to the highly secretive nature of the talks, but the bottom line is that they want to essentially ignore the law and maintain their current system of health, something no other citizen in this country is allowed to do. Fuck them all, this with the insider trading rollback brings me to a whole new level of disgust I never thought possible.

 

[xBiffx]

I don't know if it's still the case, but it used to be that congress exempted their staff from minimum wage laws. The only way this is going to change is if the states band together and draft a constitutional amendment forcing congressional reform. It will take a local effort like this to even have the chance to rouse the American Idol crowd.

There is a much easier, quicker route than an Constitutional Amendment. It involves the voting booth. Next chance, 2014.

 

[fskimospy]

What are you talking about?

Congress passed rules which affect a company's ability to provide very good health care (penalties), or provide very poor health care/none at all and have offered an exchange as an alternative. For some reason congress feels their current health care system may not meet these requirements (it's probably too good - hence penalties in the form of taxable imputed income). Therefore they are ready to pass laws that treat themselves as a separate superior class of citizens with the second tier being comprised of the millions of people who work outside the government umbrella.

I have read quite a bit and there is still a lot of speculation due to the highly secretive nature of the talks, but the bottom line is that they want to essentially ignore the law and maintain their current system of health, something no other citizen in this country is allowed to do. Fuck them all, this with the insider trading rollback brings me to a whole new level of disgust I never thought possible.

I was replying to those who thought Congress was trying to exempt themselves from the law because there was something wrong with the exchanges. If they are doing anything at all it is attempting to exempt themselves from stipulations that reign in gold plated plans, something you would think conservatives would be all about.

But yes, this is all entirely... highly speculative. That's what Politico does, speculate on things based on bad information.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I was replying to those who thought Congress was trying to exempt themselves from the law because there was something wrong with the exchanges. If they are doing anything at all it is attempting to exempt themselves from stipulations that reign in gold plated plans, something you would think conservatives would be all about.

But yes, this is all entirely... highly speculative. That's what Politico does, speculate on things based on bad information.

Regardless of how the title is worded they should be stuck with the consequences like the rest of us.

 

[fskimospy]

Regardless of how the title is worded they should be stuck with the consequences like the rest of us.

I agree! If this story happens to be accurate those consequences are very good ones in that it will be decreasing the tax advantages for sky high spending on health plans, something that everyone should agree is a good thing.

If people are mad about Congress exempting themselves in that fashion (and it actually turns out to be true... a BIG IF), then they absolutely should be. That's another great aspect of the ACA that we want to apply to everyone.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I agree! If this story happens to be accurate those consequences are very good ones in that it will be decreasing the tax advantages for sky high spending on health plans, something that everyone should agree is a good thing.

If people are mad about Congress exempting themselves in that fashion (and it actually turns out to be true... a BIG IF), then they absolutely should be. That's another great aspect of the ACA that we want to apply to everyone.

Speaking of gold plans, there is one problem with attacking them universally. Perhaps there was some thought applied to this but I don't know and maybe you do. NPR a couple of years ago brought this up when legislation was considered. The scenario was this. There are situations where gold plans make health care affordable because it's cheaper to buy into one than not have it. They interviewed people with ordinary incomes who spend a significant portion of their income on health care costs, such as diabetics with associated problems, those who have family members who have serious and extremely costly chronic illnesses. If they opted for the best coverage that could be had it was less than any other option at the time. We're not talking people who are wealthy and utilizing services for trivial things, but those who use the system daily to live as best a life as possible. What happened to them? How were they protected?

 

[fskimospy]

Speaking of gold plans, there is one problem with attacking them universally. Perhaps there was some thought applied to this but I don't know and maybe you do. NPR a couple of years ago brought this up when legislation was considered. The scenario was this. There are situations where gold plans make health care affordable because it's cheaper to buy into one than not have it. They interviewed people with ordinary incomes who spend a significant portion of their income on health care costs, such as diabetics with associated problems, those who have family members who have serious and extremely costly chronic illnesses. If they opted for the best coverage that could be had it was less than any other option at the time. We're not talking people who are wealthy and utilizing services for trivial things, but those who use the system daily to live as best a life as possible. What happened to them? How were they protected?

You would have to provide actual details as opposed to a fact free anecdote.

 

[Attic]

Repost. Thread merge

Fern
Super Moderator

Story from Politico.com

Lawmakers, aides may get Obamacare exemption

Congressional leaders in both parties are engaged in high-level, confidential talks about exempting lawmakers and Capitol Hill aides from the insurance exchanges they are mandated to join as part of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, sources in both parties said.
The talks — which involve Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), the Obama administration and other top lawmakers — are extraordinarily sensitive, with both sides acutely aware of the potential for political fallout from giving carve-outs from the hugely controversial law to 535 lawmakers and thousands of their aides. Discussions have stretched out for months, sources said.


A source close to the talks says: “Everyone has to hold hands on this and jump, or nothing is going to get done.”

Yet if Capitol Hill leaders move forward with the plan, they risk being dubbed hypocrites by their political rivals and the American public. By removing themselves from a key Obamacare component, lawmakers and aides would be held to a different standard than the people who put them in office.


...continued in link

Read More

Obamacare was such a land breaking achievement "so good" that the lawmakers who passed it for the rest of us lemmings are rushing to exclude themselves?

How can we expect these guys to govern while the clarity with which we see they are constantly out for themselves grows increasingly transparent. Does the system just attract this mentality of "me first", when we really need something all together different? I hope Obama steps in and says something, he more than others always stood out to me as someone genuinely interested in others needs first even in the face of policy and personal attacks.

 

[1prophet]

“But we have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what’s in it....” then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

now that they see what it entails they are having second thoughts.:whiste:

 

[Jaskalas]

The ruling class needs to feel the pain of their own creations.

 

[xBiffx]

"government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

As if.

 

[FerrelGeek]

Meanwhile, the chairman of the FAA has informed us that the sequester will not affect DC airports

 

[Attic]

At least this this is an isolated incident rather than something that was bound to happen....

Social Security System,...
Insider Trading Laws,...
War Crime Prosecutions

 

[Attic]

Meanwhile, the chairman of the FAA has informed us that the sequester will not affect DC airports

Brilliant.

Just the sheeple that need to feel the pain of the sequester as much as possible so that they never question the will of the ruling class again,... who doesn't need to feel the pain from the cuts that will affect "everyone."

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Meanwhile, the chairman of the FAA has informed us that the sequester will not affect DC airports

While it will never happen perhaps the solution to much of this is to make sure those in government must suffer most and I don't mean the employees. Maybe Congressmen and Senators should be given the lowest priority. I can hear "but that interferes with the business of government!" Well not for long. The Vietnam war would have been a hell of a lot different if every Congressman, Senator and President had to surrender a child to be placed in a combat position. Once representatives are subject to the same hardships as they subject others to things will change in a hurry.

 

[boomerang]

The ruling class needs to feel the pain of their own creations.

They'll never feel it without some "prompting" from us.

 

[piasabird]

No exemptions for anyone, not even the President. No hypocrites allowed!

Wait till all of you have pay even more for healthcare. Then if your healthcare costs too much it will be taxed. Also if you cant afford the healthcare the IRS will make you pay the healthcare tax.

The way of pain is coming thanks to Pelosi the witch of the west.

 

[sactoking]

To be fair, I think the Politico article is off base. I don't have direct knowledge in this instance, but from what I do know of the workings of the ACA another theory being floated in the media is much more probable:

The Grasserly amendment, which forced Congress and congressional staffers onto the exchanges, was intended to be a poison pill. He didn't expect it to pass and was hoping that it would fail so he could trumpet it as an indication that Congress expected the whole thing to fail. The problem in his strategy was that the Democrats were so confident that the ACA would succeed that they called his bluff and passed the amendment.

No the Grasserly amendment, like so many other things related to the ACA, wasn't particularly well thought-out and didn't mesh with the rest of the bill. You see, the amendment forces the federal government to purchase insurance on the exchanges. The federal government is considered a "large employer", meaning it employs more than 100 people. The problem? Large employers are not allowed to participate on the exchanges. More importantly, large employers are not allowed to pay a portion of their employees' premiums on an exchange.

By forcing itself onto the exchanges, Congress has forced itself into purchasing individual policies for its employees, not a group policy. Individual policies, by definition, cannot be subsidized by an employer. On the other hand, by qualifying as individuals Congress and the staffers fail the affordability tests and cannot qualify for individual tax credits either. This forces staffers to pay 100% of the premiums.

Understandably, congressional staffers are upset by this and many have threatened to quit if it's not fixed. Congress is trying to craft a bipartisan bill which will allow the federal government to pay a portion of the staffers' premiums like it always has without opening the doors to loopholes for other large employers.

 

[michal1980]

To be fair, I think the Politico article is off base. I don't have direct knowledge in this instance, but from what I do know of the workings of the ACA another theory being floated in the media is much more probable:

The Grasserly amendment, which forced Congress and congressional staffers onto the exchanges, was intended to be a poison pill. He didn't expect it to pass and was hoping that it would fail so he could trumpet it as an indication that Congress expected the whole thing to fail. The problem in his strategy was that the Democrats were so confident that the ACA would succeed that they called his bluff and passed the amendment.

No the Grasserly amendment, like so many other things related to the ACA, wasn't particularly well thought-out and didn't mesh with the rest of the bill. You see, the amendment forces the federal government to purchase insurance on the exchanges. The federal government is considered a "large employer", meaning it employs more than 100 people. The problem? Large employers are not allowed to participate on the exchanges. More importantly, large employers are not allowed to pay a portion of their employees' premiums on an exchange.

By forcing itself onto the exchanges, Congress has forced itself into purchasing individual policies for its employees, not a group policy. Individual policies, by definition, cannot be subsidized by an employer. On the other hand, by qualifying as individuals Congress and the staffers fail the affordability tests and cannot qualify for individual tax credits either. This forces staffers to pay 100% of the premiums.

Understandably, congressional staffers are upset by this and many have threatened to quit if it's not fixed. Congress is trying to craft a bipartisan bill which will allow the federal government to pay a portion of the staffers' premiums like it always has without opening the doors to loopholes for other large employers.

So congress can come and work together, when it means more cash for themselves & there buddies.

awesome.