Archive for May, 2013

Praying For Oklahoma

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Praying for Oklahoma --BreitbartPraying for Oklahoma –Image: Breitbart/Facebook

Tornado Chasers Take Direct Hit by Storm –Weather Channel

Multiple Deadly Tornado’s Tear Across Central Oklahoma –News 9 OKC

ObamaCare California Rate Shock: Individual Premiums to Increase by 64-146%

Friday, May 31st, 2013

ObamaCare All the Compassion of the IRS

(Forbes) Last week the State of California–Covered California claimed that its version of ObamaCare health insurance exchange will actually reduce premiums:

“The rates submitted to ‘Covered California’ for the 2014 individual market ranged from two percent above to 29 percent below the 2013 average premium…This is a home run for consumers in every region of California…will benefit all Californians by making healthcare affordable, ” said Peter V. Lee, Executive Director, Covered California.

The data however that Lee released tells a different story–ObamaCare will in-fact increase individual market premiums in California by as much as 146%

These findings are in line to what were first being reported in January, when a survey was published by American Action Forum of major health insurers, representing a vast majority of covered individuals in the United States, illustrating that sticker shock in healthcare premiums await the relatively young and healthy in both the small and individual markets–the survey found that cost of premiums for this group will increase by 169% next year.

One of the most serious flaws with ObamaCare is the blizzard of new regulations and mandates that drive up the cost of insurance for people who buy it on their own–this problem will be especially acute when the law’s main provisions kick-in on the 01 January, 2014 leading many to worry about health insurance ‘rate shock.’

Earlier this week I wrote here that 3 major health insurance providers have decided to set out of ‘Covered California’ which should be a red flag to consumers in one of the largest markets in the nation of inherent problems with how ObamaCare will function.

Related: ObamaCare’s California ‘Home Run’ is Actually a Total Whiff

U.S. Atty General Eric Holder Cartoon of the Day

Thursday, May 30th, 2013

DoJ Investigates Itself-- No Lapdog MediaU.S. Atty General Eric Holder –Cartoon: No Lapdog Media

Sen Ted Cruz: President Obama Doesn’t Respect ‘Bill Of Rights’

Thursday, May 30th, 2013

Obama Shredding Constitution --Soda HeadObama Shredding Constitution –Image: Soda Head

(Washington Examiner) On FOX News today, Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX)  said that President Obama should ask for Atty General Eric Holder’s resignation. “Yes. Absolutely,” after he was asked by Megyn Kelly if Obama should ask for Holder’s resignation.

Cruz cited the “unprecedented” investigations of reporters from AP & FOX News James Rosen and Holder’s response to the “Fast & Furious” scandal as examples of the Dept of Justice disregarding the law.

“Unfortunately,  I think its part and parcel of a pattern from this administration of not respecting the Bill of Rights, Cruz added. “Not respecting the First Amendment, not respecting the Second Amendment, not respecting our Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights regarding drone strikes, regarding the IRS.”

Sen Cruz added that it was a disturbing pattern of behavior from the White House.

IRS Audited Five Pro-Israel Groups Critical of Obama Administration Policies

Thursday, May 30th, 2013

MIDEAST-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-US-OBAMA

(Washington Free Beacon) At least 5 pro-Israel organizations have been identified that have been audited by the IRS in the wake of a coordinated campaign by White House allied activist groups in 2009-2010

These organizations, some of which are too afraid of government reprisals to speak publicly, said in interviews with the Washington Free Beacon that they believe the IRS actions may have been coordinated by the Obama Administration.

On the 14 May, I wrote here that according to Politico the same IRS that singled out Conservative and Tea Party groups for extra scrutiny of their applications for tax-exempt status, also targeted Jewish groups as far back as 2010 in order to determine whether the organizations activities contradicted the Obama Administration’s public policies.

Many of the Jewish groups targeted by the IRS, openly clashed with the Obama Administration’s policy of opposing Israel settlement construction over the so called “Green Line” which marks the pre-1967 boundary between Israel and the West Bank, together with West & East Jerusalem.

Related: Background: History of Jerusalem –CAMERA

IRS Commissioner Very Close Working Relationship with White House

Obama Approval Drops-76% Want Independent Counsel for IRS Scandal

National Townhall on IRS Intimidation, Are You Next? Tonight at 7:00 PM EDT

Wednesday, May 29th, 2013

Tea Party PatriotsNatl Townhall on IRS Intimidation Are You Next? Tonight 7:00 PM (EDT)

Webcast Live –Tea Party Patriots

3 Major Health Insurers Flee ObamaCare California

Wednesday, May 29th, 2013

ObamaCare --Barracuda BrigadeObamaCare –Image Courtesy: Barracuda Brigade

(Catholic Online) ObamaCare is scheduled to go into effect in 6 months–the key provision of the Obama Administration, the package is intended to mandate that individuals carry health insurance and require that health-benefit providers are spending at least 80% of premiums collected on health care for their insureds.

However in the State of California, three major health insurance providers (United Health Group, CIGNA & AETNA) are setting out of the state’s  health insurance exchange. Why would these major insurance carriers decide to opt out of one of the largest insurance markets in the nation if there isn’t any inherent problems with how ObamaCare functions?

What do they know that you don’t?

The Motley Fool points out that the most optimistic scenario calls for around 5 million people to purchase health insurance through the California/ObamaCare Exchange–the flood of new insureds would enable those insurance carriers participating in the exchange to make money on higher volume while offering insurance at lower rates–Capitalism at its finest right?

A gloomier and more likely scenario is that a much lower number of people will purchase insurance through the exchange, possibly causing the insurance carriers participating to lose money because they based their rates on overly rosy assumptions.

While we won’t know which scenario will unfold for a while there are some cost comparisons to keep in mind. An individual may be able to purchase insurance  through Kaiser for as little as $82 a month–but the state has an estimated 7 million people without health insurance. Even with subsidies, a 21 year old (who decides to opt out of her/his parents health insurance plan) making  $35,000 annually will have to pay about $64 a month for the least expensive ObamaCare plan–around 2.6 Million residents will likely qualify for some level of federal subsidies, leaving around 4.5 Million currently uninsured with no financial subsidies–ObamaCare advocates believe these people will now run out and buy health insurance.

Riiight…

The other cost to keep in mind is $95 that is the penalty tax (for the entire year) that a person must pay to the IRS if she/he doesn’t buy health insurance. Will individuals pay $82 a month now for health insurance or will they go with the much cheaper penalty tax?

One other major fact to always keep in mind, under ObamaCare’s own rules, health insurance carriers can no longer decline to insure someone for pre-existing health conditions. How many young and healthy Americans will decide to decline purchasing health insurance now, pay the $95 annual penalty tax and only decide to go out and purchase a policy of health insurance when necessary?

While United Health, CIGNA & AETNA combined only represent about 7% of the total health insurance market, the message that these insurers are sending to California is much more important–these companies are still very skeptical as to how things are going to play out with the ObamaCare exchanges.

The State of California may offer a wealth of possibilities but its simply not worth the price of admission based on United Health’s decision to opt out of the ObamaCare exchange–a lack of large national insurance presence in California is only bound to increase mounting skepticism  over how effective the exchange will ultimately be in manufacturing competition among insurers.

In return of a lack of of recognizable insurance names could diminish consumer interest in researching the health plans, which will defeat the entire purpose of setting up the ObamaCare exchanges.

USA Today: Fire U.S. Atty General Eric Holder

Wednesday, May 29th, 2013

Holder-v-HolderU.S. Atty General Eric Holder Investigating Holder –Barracuda Brigade

(USA Today) Top lawyer (U.S. Atty General Eric Holder) doesn’t have credibility to investigate anyone, let alone himself…These are Obama’s sins despite his feign ignorance…”

Related: Obama Admin Dodges, Tells Reporters to Ask Justice Dept

Time for Eric Holder to Go –HuffPo

H/T: Xiao-Mei

Everyone Knew…Except President Obama?

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

Everyone Knew Except Obama --I Am The Tea PartyEveryone Knew about the IRS Scandal Except President Obama?

Related: Everyone at White House Knew Except Obama –Human Events

H/T:  I Am The Tea Party

Congress Launches Four Investigations Into The IRS Scandal

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

Lois Lerner --Independent Women's ForumIRS Official Lois Lerner –Cartoon: Independent Women’s Forum

(Daily Caller) Capitol Hill aides spent their Memorial Day weekend scanning hundreds of pages of documents related to the IRS Scandal in order to prepare Members of Congress for what will be inevitably a month of investigations into government wrongdoing at the IRS involving at least 5 different offices including, Cincinnati Service Center; Baltimore, MD; Chicago; El Monte and Laguna Niguel, California which improperly targeted Conservative and Jewish organizations whose activities contradicted the Obama Administration’s public policies.

The IRS shenanigans chronicled in the damning report by the Treasury Dept’s Inspector General uncovered serious irregularities at the IRS including but not limited to contradictory statements made by Lois Lerner the IRS’s Director of Tax Exempt Organizations (now on paid administrative leave) which have emerged.

Former Clinton White House Counsel Lanny Davis speaking on national radio’s Andrea Tantaros Show last week said, if the IRS investigations show that the Obama Administration was involved or had prior knowledge of the growing IRS-Tea Party Scandal, which has robbed Democrats of the so called “trust edge” they held over Republicans, it could jeopardize the Democrat majority in the Senate in 2014 and even the hopes of Democrats like that of Hillary Clinton, should she run for President again in 2016

Rest here from the Washington Examiner