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All Senate Republican Staffers To Sign Up For Obamacare
One of the unspoken complaints about Obamacare (in addition to it soaking up all and then some of the $380/year in low gas price "savings" as a result of the oil plunge) is that if it was so good for the general population, then why are most Congressional staffers exempt from its provisions? That is about to change after Senate Republican staffers will be required to obtain health insurance through ObamaCare's exchanges under a rule passed Wednesday by the GOP Conference.
According to Politico, the proposal from Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) means that Senate Republicans will designate their staff as "official," moving them automatically onto the marketplaces.
A loophole used in both chambers allows lawmakers to designate staff as "unofficial" or "official staff," which permits them to keep their insurance coverage under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
"Republican senators made a strong, principled statement today in passing my resolution," Vitter said in a statement. "Washington should have to live under ObamaCare just like everybody else until we repeal it. And we won't be complicit in Obama's illegal rule designed to protect Washington insiders."
Vitter is an outspoken critic of some lawmakers' decision to keep their staff off the marketplaces.
He also opposes the employer subsidy for insurance given to lawmakers and staff by the government, arguing it gives Congress an unfair advantage. The question of whether staffers will still receive financial help to pay for their coverage was not addressed in Wednesday's resolution.
The Republican policy applies to all staff regardless of whether they work in a personal, committee or leadership office. Cloakroom and other aides are also included.
And with Republicans jumping all in on Obamacare, now it is the Democrats turn:
The GOP Conference challenged Senate Democrats to adopt a similar policy and not allow their aides to remain on the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
Why would anyone not want to jump on the Obamacare bandwagon? " It's a tricky issue for lawmakers who risk alienating staff by pushing them off the popular federal employee health plan. The debate goes back to before ObamaCare's passage."
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) succeeded in including language in the law that requires lawmakers and staff to obtain health insurance on the exchanges.
A wave of controversy then hit in the summer of 2013 after lawmakers pressured the administration to continue providing an employer subsidy for Congress's medical coverage.
Without a contribution toward premiums, proponents argued, the cost of health insurance would rise substantially for aides and cause a mass exodus to the private sector.
The administration responded with regulations allowing lawmakers and staff on the exchanges to continue to receive an employer subsidy. The contribution is distinct from premium tax credits available to eligible exchange enrollees. Staffers do not qualify for those subsidies.
Vitter's conclusion at the time was actually spot on: "These recent maneuverings inside the Beltway are precisely why the American people rightly despise Congress," he said at the time. "Perhaps if White House appointees and Congress have to live under these same ObamaCare rules, things would be changed quickly for the better."
Well, now Congress and White House appointees can. And they can even cover some of their surging healthcare premiums in 2015 with all those whopping $380 in dollars they will save at the gas station. Assuming, of course, that taxpayers didn't pay for that as well.
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Scumbag politicians.
What they want a ribbon for not cheating?
Stuff that ribbon up their Ass on the way to the gallows...
Politicians should not be paid for their "work" - they ought to pay their own way by WORKING and do politics on the side.
Thank goodness we have the progressive republicans to save us from the Huns.
I thought they got the election on the promise to throw out the goddamn thing ... what am i missing here????
is it just me?
Because they're smarter than you?
There are smart people everywhere. Lack of conscience is what puts them in DC.
pods
The money is pretty good too.
Oh sure. That certainly plays a part. Power and influence. You just need to not give a shit about who you screw over while attaining it.
Sort of like banksters.
pods
Congress: We Beltway-ed some folks.
"I applaud this instance of partisan political theatre"
Without a contribution toward premiums, proponents argued, the cost of health insurance would rise substantially for aides and cause a mass exodus to the private sector.
You mean getting off the public teat? Perish the thought!
I say let the fuckers go into the public sector. Fat chance they would get free insurance then, unless the Big banks suddenly hired them all as management and sent the bill to the taxpayers... And thats what would likeley happen too. Better to let them exodus and then drown the fuckers in the bathtub
Giving money and power to
government is like giving whiskey
and car keys to teenage boys.
After following the stories about the Bill Cosby 40+ year drugging and raping rampage, I notice that he is now being called a "somnophiliac." No different, really, than our politicians who like to fuck us when we're asleep.
Politicians can not do math well enough to be Banksters, so they run for the second-tier jobs.
Just the staffers huh? Figures...
Politicians believe they are above everyone else with their 'enlightened' sociopathy. That's all you need to know.
If the Repuglicans had repealed ObummerCare I might have cut 'em some slack. Beyond repair.
Immigration limp dickedness hasn't helped.
great PR move to rub in Obamas face, but they will buy top of the line gold plans with zero deductible/co-pay and zero out of pocket; that the average guy cannot afford. did they tell you that? fuckers
report this story after we see their 1500/month policies and see what a non story it is
What you are missing is this..
When you play poker, look around the table. If you don't who the SUCKER is, then it's YOU!
In this case America is the SUCKER!
i am not playing poker ... just trying to live my life ...
is it too much to ask for?
yes.
ante up bitch!
We are in the position of being aware of what is going on, while most others aren't, or don't want to know.
arius, you didnt make your life, somebody else made that happen, etc etc
You cannot choose not to play. You will buy in or you will pay a fine. You don't really own your land, you will owe taxes on it until you die. One of the cornerstones of Mankind's right to liberty is the right to be LEFT ALONE. Even in America this was all wink, wink nudge, nudge from the beginning. Just ask the Native Americans.
History shows that once something is law, it is rarely repealed. Makes for a great "election platform" though.
Anyway, a law written by the Health Insurance Lobby is not likely to be repealed.
They have not taken their seats yet? Oh, btw, your duck needs a crutch, it is a bit lame.
"I thought they got the election on the promise"........
That's how they ALL get the election. By promising ......and then going back and doing what they damn well please because we the people don't tar and feather and hang these bastards anymore.
"If you elect me I promise to insert the tip only."
If you elect me I promise to pull out"
If you elect me I promise not to stick it in the back door"
"If you elect me I promise to be faithful"
they aren't even in power yet....give it time for real fireworks.
If they pass a long term CR now they can tie the hands (or take the pressure off) of the newly elected Repubs before they take office in Jan.
"Where can we find the last people on earth stupid enough to sign up for this plan? Oh, I know......."
HA!
They can be paid; they just can't have any side income, IMO.
The "pay" that Congress recieves is like a bonus to most of them; they all inside trade and most are millionaires even before they get into office because it costs so much to run campaigns today.
It would be nice thought if the American people could vote for a pay raise. LOL at raising the min wage; while nice.....it doesn't keep up with the Fed fueled inflation and by the time $15/hr rolls around in Seattle in 2017 and $13 in Chicago in 2019, that will barely pay for rent and food.
That's completely besides the point. Raising the minimum wage raises the price of labor, thus increasing unemployment. It destroys jobs. Those advocating raising the minimum wage are missing this point, as well as the fact that every job isnt designed to be a breadwinner position supporting dependents. Some jobs are just for extra pocket money, to fund books, tuition, socializing, etc.
They should have to pay for every law they vote for.
They get paid for every law they repeal.
So say we all.
Or how about nobody does politics at all? That way, I can actually be free!
We signed up some folks.
Brilliant! Can they also pledge not to take jobs as Lobbyists and bankers?
Lets get together to have a circle jerk.
Wake us when the congressmen and woman actually have to.
Why the fuck isn't Obama on Obamacare.
Socialism is not for the socialists.
+1
Hey, give the poor guy a break.
He's already got Chewbacky out there growing their vegetables.
"If you like your healthcare you can keep your healthcare"
He is proof.
Obama-caring the US to the dustbin.
What this really means: Proof that Republicans support Obamacare (and always did, in reality).
I'm not normally an "I told you so" kind of guy, but I'm sorely tempted at this point.
actually, I think this is more of a "if it's so great, why is everyone that voted for it fighting tooth and nail to be exempt from it... your move, Dems"
this is exactly what I want to see happen... Dems being called on their illegal "meant for thee but not for me" limo liberal socialist bullshit...
I understand your point, but no way. You don't go signing up for shit when your base is pushing you for full repeal of it. This is a MESSAGE. The message is "Obamacare is here to stay. We'll tweak some stuff in it, but you really need to start liking this law."
or what?
Exactly.
I drafted my own bill and it passed all branches of government in my house. It's called "NON-COMPLIANCE".
I said this on day one. Instead of wasting time on useless attempts to kill ACA it would have been better fixing the problems. Of course the time to make it right was in committee but everyone has to take care of there campaign donors. This is why there is now a Gordian knot to fix cost, Thaaankx.
The corporations that own the republicans, and the corporations that own the democrats, are the ones that want the ACA. The healthcare corporations make big money, and the other corporations save big money by dumping employer paid healthcare.
The politicians just bounce back n forth, "I was for it before I was against it", and "I was against it before I was for it."
This one looks like a clear case of republicans being "against it before they were for it."
"corporations save big money by dumping employer paid healthcare."
You damned right they do. Employer-sponsored healthcare is a HUGE pain in the ass for companies from a regulatory perspective as well as it's sheer cost. They would love nothing more than to dump everyone on the exchanges. And they will.
You get the gold star on your lunchbox today for being absolutely dead-on right.
FYI...the Daily Bail site is being updated after about a year long break. There are a bunch of Gruber videos on there that just make your blood boil.
dailybail.com
HAHAHAHAHA
"We watch CNBC so you don't have to"
Spot on.
I first saw wallstreetpro2 on Daily Bail. Wonder what happened to that guy. It's still funny as shit 5 yeasr later.
https://www.youtube.com/user/walstreetpro2
I know a guy like that only it's about Yankees.
Thanks chunga, I needed that
Correct.
As there's no difference between the party's, it should be obviouse each puts up a fake resistance to please all the 'believers'.
RE
I'll grow a second dick before that happens.
That's the whole point of DC: YOU GO THERE TO SKIRT THE "RULES"
Unfortunately, that wouldn't be covered under Obama-care.
This might be a principled action for GOP (stifles snicker), but it's more likely to become known as the K-Street Employment Facilitation Act of 2014.
Bet on this: NSA will be re-playing those phone recordings next week.
Republicunts and Democraps, two faces of the same fucktard.
I think I just saw a spark......maybe there is hope.
or, mirror image of a shit sandwich
Two ends of the same turd....
'until we repeal it'....
Bwahaha..... Can you believe certain ‘maroons’ still fall for that line?
Forty years from now, just like RvW today…. “One day, we’re going to repeal that law…”
RvW is not a law. It is the opinion of the Supreme Court. One would need a law/amendment to silence the opinion.
Screw this dog and pony show. The "Double -Standards-Legislators" that shit on the constitution are worthy of a long drop on a short rope.
Remember when they were passing legislation to ban Congress-Critters from insider trading? Well when was it EVER "legal"?
FFS
"Washington should have to live under ObamaCare just like everybody else..."
And that's why I'm proposing that all GOP Senators force their lowest level employees to forego Federal Employee Health Benefits while still keeping it for themselves.
For an encore I will now demonstrate how Green I am by flying across the country in my private jet (thank you) to cut a ribbon for a new program that makes stuff more expensive and less convenient for everybody else.
Now, who wants to blow me?
Pretty soon everyone will be on Obamacare, EXCEPT the fucking Obama's.
Tylers! The sponsored financial content with the video is killing my bandwidth,crashing flashplayer and is very very annoying. Every time I type a comment while the video reloads,it jams up my computer,causing a time delay as I type.
Get rid of this crap or im moving on to another website,please and thank you.
Get rid of this crap or im moving on to another website,please and thank you.
I think he's bluffing.
My wife has moar patience than a saint. Up until a few weeks ago she'd read ZH on her wifi Kindle in the am. Now she says she starts reading an article and she gets bounced to the top after a minute or so, then new windows pop open. She gave up.
You are more than welcome to join over at
www.gunsgrubandgold.com
Always looking for members and getting involved in discussion...
Another happy MS Windows user.
I encountered the same problems....and as others have noted...adding Ghostery and Ad Block to your browswer "Add-Ons" ... goes a long way towards making this site readable. These pieces of software do seem to block a LOT of the crap
AdBlockerPlus is your salvation my brother.
And how much taxpayers money is going to be wasted as IT illiterate public servants burn through hundreds of man-hours trying to figure out how to use the worst website in the universe?
I can't help but notice this quote in the article
"It's a tricky issue for lawmakers who risk alienating staff by pushing them off the popular federal employee health plan. The debate goes back to before ObamaCare's passage."
If the Republicans consider a large, single payer, government backed system to be so terrible...then WHY IS IT SO TRICKY to get their own staff off of it?
Apparently it is too much to expect consistency from our elected officials...(and their "staff").
Not exactly single payer:
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program is a system of "managed competition" through which employee health benefits are provided to civilian government employees and annuitants of the United States government. The government contributes 72% of the weighted average premium of all plans, not to exceed 75% of the premium for any one plan (calculated separately for individual and family coverage).
The FEHB program allows some insurance companies, employee associations, and labor unions to market health insurance plans to governmental employees. The program is administered by the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
Ooops...my bad. You are exactly correct. (....I went on a mild rant and my fingers outran my brain....)
strong, principled republicans??? heh? this stalinist ordering of the troops to eat statist elititst borscht will certainly fix things up nicely.
after all it is the "affordable care act"...its all good. did I get this right..staffers..not the staff masters?
strong, principled republicans??? heh? this stalinist ordering of the troops to eat statist elititst borscht will certainly fix things up nicely.
after all it is the "affordable care act"...its all good. did I get this right..staffers..not the staff masters?
Arrest Diane Feinstein for treason.
"Arrest Diane Feinstein for treason."
What about the other 534?
Sounds good to me. And don't forget the Nine. And the entire WH administration.
There are not enough up arrows to give for that statement. She is a self serving duplicitous lying CUNT!!!
That one's for you in themix96.
"Washington should have to live under ObamaCare just like everybody else until we repeal it." - Sen. David Vitter
Who believes the Republitards have the INTEGRITY or the GUTS to repeal ObamaCare. I, for one, do not. I believe many of them are under the sway of healthcare lobbyists who advocate ObamaCare.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20141004/MAGAZINE/310049987
excerpt:
"Healthcare special interests spend roughly half a billion dollars a year to influence the regulatory and policymaking process, making them one of the largest lobbying presences in the nation's capital. They look for help from a few former government insiders in outside lobbying firms when crucial issues are in play."
So much window dressing as these people can just vote themselves raises to offset the "tax" that Obamacare is.
I'm sure the staffers will ignore this b.s. They would have to appoint a czar to insure compliance. Maybe they can bribe them with free happy pills or something. Now all the GOP needs to do to cement their wins and good will of the people is to re focus on the critical issues of abortion and gay marriage. Their ranks are brimming with womb bosses and homophobes.
It's always been my observation that the biggest proponents of abortion are people who couldn't get laid in a rug store.
"All Senate Republican Staffers To Sign Up For Obamacare"
serves them right
I guess this makes up for amnesty huh republicans? Fuk you.
THANK YOU!!!
My wife voted the straight Repub ticket this year, saying she just wanted to make a statement. I laughed in her face for playing the game. Spending the night on the couch was totally worth it.
The stupid Republicans I know were the first in line to collect their social security when the time came to get all they could.
They embrace socialist policies as long as it pays.
The same for Obamacare, it pays.
They know how to butter their bread, let everybody else pay, just like always.
Is it an 'Onion' spoof or it is for real?
Is this to boost the numbers?
Do i detect the smell of burning martyr?
"Do i detect the smell of burning martyr?"
Nope, that would be the cold ashes of the U.S. Constitution that you're smelling.
Translation: We'll NEVER get rid of this thing.
I utterly despise repukelicans. Much more so than democrats. At least with democrats, you know up front what your getting, they dropped the premise along time ago, they are in your face socialist. But the repukelican is a lying, conniving, treacherous bastard. Masquerading as a liberty loving "conservative", all the while pissing down your back and telling you it's raining. REPUKELICANS ARE NEVER GOING TO REPEAL OBAMACARE AND THEY KNOW IT. Just stop expecting them to be honest about it {or stopping amnesty for illegals either}. DO YOU GET THE PICTURE YET? SENATOR JOE WAS RIGHT. OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN INFILTRATED BY FIFTH COLUMN COMMUNIST! Both of our major political parties are working toward a common goal. They are just playing out grand theater for the rest of us to think otherwise. OBAMACARE IS HERE TO STAY. ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE HERE TO STAY. FORWARD SOVIET!
Ready for a big laugh? News must have been slow at Politico as they drug old Sebelius out for a news article and she's convinced and is telling all that "changing the name" would be a big help for Obamacare, it's the name at fault...can't make this stuff up and we have a return of the Sebelius Syndrome..
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/kathleen-sebelius-obamacare-fix-11...
When she resigned I wrote up what I call the Sebelius Syndrome with her perceptual madness and there's others who have this affliction too, like Mary Jo White at the SEC, most members of Congress and so on. These folks confuse virtual world values with the real world.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/04/secretary-sebelius-at-hhs-resigns...
She's just a total nutcase and has been since day one. Back in 2009 when she was just nominated I wrote a post and got my head bit off stating that the algorithms used by health insurers to model their businesses would dupe her and she would be no contest, so what do we have today? Kind of worked out that way, right?
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/04/secretary-sebelius-at-hhs-resigns...
Let's not forget too that the increased membership with Obamacare with more policies also makes more money available for health insurers to help finance their stock buy backs in all of this.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/12/insurance-carrier-stock-buy-backs.html
"Republican staffers" This really begs the question, why not all "Republicans" as in Republican Senators? I guess the Senators feel while their staffers have to live under the law of the land, they don't.
Well, I guess one thing is for certain. We can always count on Congress to do the wrong thing.
The Republican party leadership is beyond worthless. Boehner inevitably talks tough, then rolls over like a prison bitch and cries. I'd much rather we get our representatives randomly from a phone book---we'd have better odds of getting somebody with some conviction this way.
Nobody is ever held accountable for anything. Not Corzine, not Hillary, not Obama, not Gruber, not Feinstein, nobody. It's a giant farce. Nation of laws my ass.
There is a "businessman" here locally in south Florida who owns a chain of body shops. He is a very wealthy man. I knew of him back in the 1980s when he was a coke dealer. Guess where the seed money came from to start all of these businesses? He figured something out years ago, that most 'mercun sheeple still haven't figured out: WORK HARD AND PLAY BY THE RULES, YOU LOSE! IT'S A SUCKERS GAME.
If you're a Red Team politician and the word repeal isn't on your lips at all times, you might as well be silent. Fuck these assholes.
Hey Meat- the letter did say that their staff should have to live with until they repeal obamacare. But like you said if repeal is not on each and everyone of their lips then it's just smoke up our asses.
BTW is your avatar Uncle Warren? And if so what is that picture from. It's hillarious.
It's the insurance lobbiests that should be forced onto Obama-care.
Notice how the insurance companies seemed to adverse to Obama-care initially. That was a charade. Their lobby groups were hard at work making sure they would come out way ahead of the game once it was forced upon the US citizens subjects.
This was all so well timed witht he transition away from traditional insurance plans and the introduction of HSA structured plans.
So the insurance companies get a two fold win:
01.) You will be forced to participate (penalties for not complying increase exponentially year to year)
02.) You will put your own money into an HSA account allowing the insurance companies to make money on the float and reducing their risk.
Indemnity companies that have eliminated risk... how poetic.
We officialed some folks
Senate staffers are flyover people too. Harrison Ford flies over you. The senate flies over you. AIPAC, MOSSAD, Interpol all fly over you. Patrick Swayze flew over you, until he flew into you. Now the illegal aliens fly over you too. And the rooskies. All on your dime.
Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
The only thing a republican can hope for is that the Supreme Court will get it right the second go around with the federal subsidies at state exchanges. Maybe the republicans are relying on that decision because they'reto cowardice to fight as to allow the Supreme Court to maybe, hopefully, possibly, do your fucking job and get it right for once.
Would still have to cross my finger and do a little prayer because we all know how John Roberts upheld the constitution last time.
Sea smoke-
Pretty soon everyone will be on Obamacare, EXCEPT the fucking Obama's.
Speaking of the obama's have you seen any recent pics of the obama girls? More and more they sure don't look like "mom" or dad.
A quick review of the comments shows two pieces of information either missed, or willfully ignored.
1) staffers currently get an employment benefit - a valuable one - subsidy of their health coverage. For many that got 'shielded' in the first round, that health coverage is through FEHB. Going forward, and for the 'unshielded' staffers, the new health coverage will be through the exchange. That's the change that puts (all) staffers on Obamacare. The real question is whether or not their employer (US Gov) will continue to pick up the tab on the employment benefit (health care subsidy) that they used to. In the first round, OMB determined that the vehicle for purchasing the health coverage (as authorized - either FEHB or the exchanges) doesn't impact whether or not Gov't should honor the original employment agreement. IF gov't rescinds that employment benefit, it's effectively a pay cut (possibly a substantial pay cut) for the affected employees.
2) Congressmen/women are already in the exchanges. That happened quite a while ago. There were photo ops for reps signing onto the exchanges. there were questions about congress critters from states with broken exchanges - and whether the stupid amendment required them to use state exchanges that didn't exist. This is all old news, and settled. please keep up.
Vitter originally included this thing as a poison pill to Obamacare - threaten to (effectively) cut the salary of all congressmen and staffers if it passed. It was intended to be a punishment - not an act of fairness.