Obamacare provision buys $2 billion in votes

[PeshakJang]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs...03/uncovered-new-2-billion-bailout-obamacare#

Investigators for the House Energy and Commerce Committee have discovered that a little-known provision in the national health care law has allowed the federal government to pay nearly $2 billion to unions, state public employee systems, and big corporations to subsidize health coverage costs for early retirees. At the current rate of payment, the $5 billion appropriated for the program could be exhausted well before it is set to expire.

The discovery came on the eve of an oversight hearing focused on the workings of an obscure agency known as CCIO -- the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. CCIO, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, oversees the implementation of Section 1102 of the Affordable Care Act, which created something called the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. The legislation called for the program to spend a total of $5 billion, beginning in June 2010 -- shortly after Obamacare was passed -- and ending on January 1, 2014, as the system of national health care exchanges was scheduled to go into effect.

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And why is this, you ask?

The idea was to subsidize unions, states, and companies that had made commitments to provide health insurance for workers who retired early -- between the ages of 55 and 64, before they were eligible for Medicare.

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So, as claimed by opponents, and denied by believers, Obamacare is on track to be one of the biggest union/corporate vote-buying pieces of legislation to ever pass before congress. Nothing more.

And guess what?...

The program began making payouts on June 1, 2010. Between that date and the end of 2010, it paid out about $535 million dollars. But according to the new report, the rate of spending has since increased dramatically, to about $1.3 billion just for the first two and a half months of this year. At that rate, it could burn through the entire $5 billion appropriation as early as 2012.

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No doubt, the appropriation would have to be increased when it runs out. Afterall... otherwise it would hurt brave American teachers and retirees! Think of the children!

Let's have more fun!...

Where is the money going? According to the new report, the biggest single recipient of an early-retiree bailout is the United Auto Workers, which has so far received $206,798,086. Other big recipients include AT&T, which received $140,022,949, and Verizon, which received $91,702,538. General Electric, in the news recently for not paying any U.S. taxes last year, received $36,607,818. General Motors, recipient of a massive government bailout, received $19,002,669.

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But payments to individual states were dwarfed by the payout to the auto workers union, which received more than the states of New York, California, and Texas combined. Other unions also received government funds, including the United Food and Commercial Workers, the United Mine Workers, and the Teamsters.

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So the UAW, which was bailed out by the federal government through the nationalization of GM, is rewarded by the federal government for driving a company to the brink by receiving a massive health care subsidy, of which a portion will no doubt be used to continue the UAW past time of giving massive amounts of campaign contributions to the Democrats.

Honestly, it's hilarious in a sick sorta way. For years we heard nothing but screaming about Cheney's Halliburton, because he used to have a stake in the company before he joined the administration... but now blatant fraud, kickbacks, and handouts to the tune of billions of dollars can be passed in the name of 'health' and DON'T YOU DARE QUESTION IT.

Facts are facts. End of the story.
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[Fern]

This is why they can't publish bills before voting for them. This is why we gotta pass it to know what's in it. etc.

I've always felt we'd have this sort of stuff dribble out as people begin understanding what's actually in the bill.

Fern

 

[theeedude]

So what? GOP tax cuts are multi-trillion dollar vote buying operations. Even if what you claim is 100% true, which it probably isn't, it seems dirt cheap in comparison.

 

[PeshakJang]

So what? GOP tax cuts are multi-trillion dollar vote buying operations. Even if what you claim is 100% true, which it probably isn't, it seems dirt cheap in comparison.

How many trees you cut down with all that hacking today?

 

[Bowfinger]

How many trees you cut down with all that hacking today?

Surely not as many as a pro hack like yourself.

Maybe this program is a bad thing for America, but you've done NOTHING to show it. (See, I can stupidly make words big too. I can be special just like you!) All you've offered is a bunch of shrill innuendo. When I start seeing you cry about the hundreds of billions of dollars in favors Uncle Sugar does for the wealthiest and most powerful fraction of a percent, then I may begin to believe you actually give a tinker's damn about this country.

 

[PeshakJang]

Surely not as many as a pro hack like yourself.

Maybe this program is a bad thing for America, but you've done NOTHING to show it. (See, I can stupidly make words big too. I can be special just like you!) All you've offered is a bunch of shrill innuendo. When I start seeing you cry about the hundreds of billions of dollars in favors Uncle Sugar does for the wealthiest and most powerful fraction of a percent, then I may begin to believe you actually give a tinker's damn about this country.

Seriously? Innuendo?

One of the most convoluted, contested, and hastily passed bills in the history of America, which is designed to completely revamp one of the largest parts of our economy, has given out billions of dollars to the most hardcore of Democrat support groups and corporations that have become closely tied to the government in recent years, and all you can say is...

I haven't shown that it is bad for America.

You're a joke. A pathetic joke. Not much else I can say.

 

[etrigan420]

Not much else I can say.

I'll bet that doesn't stop you though...

 

[werepossum]

Surely not as many as a pro hack like yourself.

Maybe this program is a bad thing for America, but you've done NOTHING to show it. (See, I can stupidly make words big too. I can be special just like you!) All you've offered is a bunch of shrill innuendo. When I start seeing you cry about the hundreds of billions of dollars in favors Uncle Sugar does for the wealthiest and most powerful fraction of a percent, then I may begin to believe you actually give a tinker's damn about this country.

If you don't see that government taking literally billions of dollars from people who largely have no pensions and using it to fund excellent pensions and health care for politically favored early retirees is a very bad thing, then there is literally nothing anyone can do to help you out.

 

[Slew Foot]

Liberals, destroying America 1 dollar at a time.

 

[Sluggo]

If anyone is interested, the entire list of recipients is here:

http://www.wokv.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2011/apr/01/health-law-payments/

 

[PeshakJang]

If anyone is interested, the entire list of recipients is here:

http://www.wokv.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2011/apr/01/health-law-payments/

Wow. Just wow.

Literally a laundry list of millions of dollars given to corporations that liberals regularly decry in these very forums.

MILLIONS to Shell Oil.
MILLIONS to JP Morgan
MILLIONS to GE
MILLIONS to BP
MILLIONS to Bank of America
MILLIONS to Citigroup

I don't think there is a corporation in America that isn't on that list.


This president is a fucking joke. Excuse him all you want, but he is doing exactly what he campaigned against, and what the left hates more than Hitler, yet it's excused.

The president is a joke, along with the millions of dupes who go right along with it.

Congrats, idiots.

 

[First]

lmao at faux outrage over unions.

 

[Matt1970]

This is why they can't publish bills before voting for them. This is why we gotta pass it to know what's in it. etc.

But according to Nancy Pelosi once the bills are passed and we get a chance to read them, we will like them.

 

[PeshakJang]

lmao at faux outrage over unions.

Ok, so you are happy with the millions given to corporations?

What about the MILLIONS given to GE, after GE paid zero income tax on the billions of dollars made last year?

Surely you approve of both their zero tax liability, and the $36.6 million check cut to them.