The LuLac Edition #2464, July 4th, 2013
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY
CAVING ON HEALTH CARE
One of the hallmarks of The Affordable Care Act was that it was supposed to guarantee health coverage for individuals who could not afford it or whose companies would not provide it. If the company did not provide an option, they would be fined. Now we hear that the Obama administration is going to extend the deadline for fines until 2015 enabling companies to skate for a year.The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust found that 98 percent of firms with 200 or more employees offered health insurance. But just 59 percent of companies with three to 199 workers did, and just 46 percent of employers who had fewer than 10 on staff did. So the concession to that huge job creator nationally and locally, the Chamber of Commerce will leave American workers in those situations up a creek.
While most businesses offer health care with more than 50 employees or larger, there is about 10% of small businesses that do not have to provide health care. So it will not affect a large majority of business. But sometimes perception is reality and if the law took effect in 2014 and there were problems, they would come in an election year. And we all know how the administration feels about elections vs. governing.
The good thing about this is that the Health Care Law now defines a full time employee as someone who works 30 hours per week, averaged over the course of a month, rather than the traditional definition of 40 hours per week. The administration says it will give them more time to simplify the process. The law passed in 2009, what the hell have they been doing since then? In the meantime, this delay will give “the sainted job creators” time to figure out a way to screw their employees and cause more delay and confusion in this bill. Is this a set back for the bill? Not yet, but I hope President Obama does not Neville Chamberlain this bill to death.
SNOWDEN ON THE FOURTH
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, I wonder what our founding fathers would have done with a creep like Edward Snowden? Oh wait, I know, they would have given him the same treatment that a guy named Benedict Arnold got! And to the people calling Snowden a hero, you're off the mark. Heroes are the 19 firefighters being honored in Arizona for giving their lives, not some little creep hiding in an airport.
Cartwright for Congress logo.
CARTWRIGHT EVENT
As the temperatures rise and the pools open, Congressman Matt Cartwright asks his supporters to join him for a fun filled day that will include a live band, refreshments, a bounce house, an ice cream truck and more! Tickets will also be sold at the door. This year's event will take place on July 13th from 11 am - 3 pm at Mercatili-Segilia Park (4046 Birney Avenue) in Moosic!
CONGRESSMAN BILL GRAY
Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Philadelphia minister William “Bill” Gray III is died Monday. Gray was attending the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London when he suddenly passed away. He was 71. Gray had not been ill and it appears he died from natural causes. In 1978, Gray was elected as a Democrat to represent Philadelphia in the House of Representatives. He represented Pennsylvania’s 2nd congressional district until he resigned in 1991. Gray was also the first African-American to chair the House Budget Committee and the first to serve as the Majority Whip. Gray was a staunch supporter of Nelson Mandella and even had the world leader visit his Church, Bright Hope Baptist in Philadelphia. President Obama made this statement: Bill Gray was a trailblazer, proudly representing his beloved Philadelphia in Congress for over a decade as the first African-American to chair the Budget Committee and to serve as the Majority Whip. Bill's extraordinary leadership, on issues from housing to transportation to supporting efforts that ended Apartheid in South Africa, made our communities, our country and our world a more just place. Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathies to Bill's family, especially to his wife Andrea and their three sons.
MEDIA MATTERS
SUNDAY MAGAZINE
This Week on Sunday Magazine Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with James May and Michael Taluto from PENNDOT about staying safe this Summer. Brian Hughes speaks with Dr. Chris Mohr about how to avoid the urge to overeat at summer barbeques. This Week in Harrisburg examines the reaction of area state lawmakers to Governor Corbett's 2-13-14 state budget. State Senators Lisa Baker, John Blake and John Yudichak offer their thoughts. And Brian speaks with Allison Cardona from the ASPCA about "animal hoarding". Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:25am on Magic 93 and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.ECTV
If you plan to be on the road a lot this summer you'll want to make sure you catch ECTV Live during the week of July 8th. Hosts Tom Munley and David DeCosmo will welcome representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to the program to talk about the summer construction schedule and safety enforcement efforts planned for that same time period. ECTV Live can be seen many times throughout the week on Comcast Ch19 in the Scranton/Wyoming Valley area.THE PARTY ZONE
Catch the new extended 70s, 80s, 90s oldies show "The Party Zone" with Shadoe Steele beginning this Saturday from 6 - midnight on 50,000 watt powerhouse WAVT-FM - T-102. ... and on line at www.t102radio.comTOPIC A FRIDAY
Tune in Friday night at 5PM for Topic A at 5 on WYLN TV, Service Electric Channel 7 in Wilkes Barre and Hazleton
1976
President Ford reviews the Tall Ships coming into New York Harbor...WVIA TV 44 broadcasts live the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Washington, D.C. for the nation’s Bicentennial….A rebroadcast is played on the Fourth of July……in Philadelphia at 2PM, The Liberty Bell is rung……
Luzerne County Bicentennial logo. (LuLac archives)
The Plains Township Bicentennial Commission ends their activities with a huge parade featuring 55 marching units. The parade ended at Plains Memorial Park where a bazaar was held for the residents. Entertainment was provided by Lefty Truschkowski and his band. A huge fireworks display ended the festivities…..in Kingston, Robert Leonardi, the Chairman of the Kingston Bicentennial committee says that two bands will play at Hamilton Park. New Estate was one of the bands at the park. The Korn Street Park opens in time for the Fourth with Mayor Charles Bankes giving the go ahead with an inspection for it to open….
At Kirby Park in Wilkes Barre, on the Fourth there was a watermelon eating contest that lasted for at least an hour. A huge cake was enjoyed by all on hand as Judge Bernard Brominski cut the first piece. The cake was made by Old River Road bakery and was six feet high and featured 12 layers. The Judge hoisted his 17 month old grandson Jason Siemenski, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Louis Siemenski. Music, food and entertainment filled the air. Attorney Arthur Silverblatt was the main speaker while Howard Federick was the Master of Ceremonies for part of the event. Mrs. Edward Darling as well as Attorney Frank Harrison gave brief speeches. Harrison served as Chairman of the County Bicentennial Commission…..The Wyoming Junior Women’s Club reenacted the signing of the Declaration of Independence. General Frank Townend, Attorney Frank Harrison and Betty Miller participated along with Girl and Boy Scout Troops…..in Nanticoke Congressman Dan Flood presides over the naming of the central park to Patriot’s Park. Flood said that “Love of country and God gives dignity and character to human life in every shape and form”…..in Forty Fort, Harold Taylor the Chair of that borough’s Bicentennial Committee marched a huge parade through town with his custom made carriages…..Dr. Jule Ayers leads a Homecoming prayer service at Kirby Park with Monsignor Andrew McGowan and Wilkes College faculty member Joseph Salsburg. God’s guidance and a plea for patience was requested in the rededication service……Carl Hurst Senior was joined by his family as well as parishioners of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on the Corner of South Main and East South Streets. Hurst rang the bell 200 times at 2pm. The bell was reportedly made at a foundry in Philadelphia having been made in 1868. It was believed to be the oldest bell in the region…..
All across the region, bells are rung to celebrate the Fourth…..The Wilkes Barre Scranton Airport is jammed with travelers as Allegheny Air converges on the airfield bearing returning residents coming home for the four day weekend. Hundreds of area residents act as a welcoming committee….in Lackawanna County Scranton Mayor Eugene Peters and his administration host a huge event in the downtown….Lackawanna County Commissioners Bob Pettinato and Charles Luger hold ceremonies at Courthouse Square…..in Hazleton, the city hosts a downtown celebration....and my own personal memory was a vivid one. I had worked the evening of July third at WVIA FM. My shift ended at midnight and 11:30PM John Kelly (who did weekend shifts at the station) came in. I hosted the all night classical show during the week and John hosted the weekends. On that Saturday night, Sunday morning, July 4th, John Kelly at Midnight opened up the microphone from the WVIA FM Studios and said, “Good Morning America, I am a native son. Happy Birthday to our people and our great nation”. Then he played this song. (He broke format but it was great. We had chills going up and down or spines!)
And on this 200th birthday of the United States, in 1976, the number one song in LuLacland and America was ”Afternoon Delight” by the Starland Vocal Band.
posted by David Yonki @ 12:53 AM
28 comments
28 Comments:
Does anybody remember "The Man Without a Country"? Look it up.
This should be the fate of young Mr Snowden. His father is proposing "terms" for his surrender
and Snowden picks now to blast the President and the government! No deal, son. You cant live forever in the Moscow airport waiting for a plane that isn't arriving or departing. The Russians are fast growing tired of you, who wouldn't?
Forget him! Let him wander the earth without a place to call home
for eternity! Lets focus on the companies who hire top security personnel. Snowden has disclosed the obvious, Spys Spy! Even if his intentions were in the right place, his actions were not and the continued problems he presents are sailing out of all proportion.
He got a job he shouldn't have had and he made the most/least of the opportunity. He has no country. He deserves to be ignored. Nobody wants him especially the USA! Some day he will try to come crawling back...
JP
Agreed about Snowden and the insight from Yonk on thefirefighters.
And once more LuLac knocks it out of the park with a wonderful look back to the Bicentennial year!
Happy 4th Dave. Great edition. Love the pic of the founding fathers too.
1) We elected a president who never held a job the paid him for what he produced. He has no idea what it takes to run a profitable company in the regulatory world of the USA.
2) If you spent less time reading "How the man screws the workers" you will understand that attitude leads to bankruptcy. No one opens a business with the intent on f'ing' his workers. That's a rookie mistake that leads to failure. Healthy Sceptism is necessary.
3) Who do you think pays the price when the regulations strangles the business's ability to compete? Labor. Why? Most costly component of the product which is why robotics, computers and drum machines have flourished. No one shows up drunk, high or angry complaining about being there.
4) If you stopped looking to the Huffington Post or Politico for your economic direction and spent some time reading industry journals or newspapers you would understand that what you argue for or against is counterproductive to a vibrant economy.
5) It has been mentioned over and over in this blog that we need a source of cheap energy to get back into manufacturing. When is God's name will it sink in.
BTW: did you see any current pictures of the pollution in China?!!! Looks like a London fog there is so much pollution - and our leaders continue to require us to balance that pollution with greater regulations here.
Tighten your belt bud Big BrO has more on the way and doesn't understand how it affects you. Joe The Plumber called it!!!!
Happy Independence Day - we need more.
Yonk,
The fundamental problem of the political left and many on this blog seems to be that the real world does not fit their preconceptions. Therefore they see the real world as what is wrong, and what needs to be changed, since apparently their preconceptions cannot be wrong.
A never-ending source of grievances for the left is the fact that some groups are "over-represented" in desirable occupations, institutions and income brackets, while other groups are "under-represented."
From all the indignation and outrage about this expressed on the left, you might think that it was impossible that different groups are simply better at different things.
Yet runners from Kenya continue to win a disproportionate share of marathons in the United States, and children whose parents or grandparents came from India have won most of the American spelling bees in the past 15 years. And has anyone failed to notice that the leading professional basketball players have for years been black, in a country where most of the population is white?
Most of the leading photographic lenses in the world have -- for generations -- been designed by people who were either Japanese or German. Most of the leading diamond-cutters in the world have been either India's Jains or Jews from Israel or elsewhere.
Not only people but things have been grossly unequal. More than two-thirds of all the tornadoes in the entire world occur in the middle of the United States. Asia has more than 70 mountain peaks that are higher than 20,000 feet and Africa has none. Is it news that a disproportionate share of all the oil in the world is in the Middle East?
Whole books could be filled with the unequal behavior or performances of people, or the unequal geographic settings in which whole races, nations and civilizations have developed. Yet the preconceptions of the political left march on undaunted, loudly proclaiming sinister reasons why outcomes are not equal within nations or between nations.
All this moral melodrama has served as a background for the political agenda of the left, which has claimed to be able to lift the poor out of poverty and in general make the world a better place. This claim has been made for centuries, and in countries around the world. And it has failed for centuries in countries around the world.
(continued)
Some of the most sweeping and spectacular rhetoric of the left occurred in 18th century France, where the very concept of the left originated in the fact that people with certain views sat on the left side of the National Assembly.
The French Revolution was their chance to show what they could do when they got the power they sought. In contrast to what they promised -- "liberty, equality, fraternity" -- what they actually produced were food shortages, mob violence and dictatorial powers that included arbitrary executions, extending even to their own leaders, such as Robespierre, who died under the guillotine. (Can't believe I remembered that!)
In the 20th century, the most sweeping vision of the left -- Communism -- spread over vast regions of the world and encompassed well over a billion human beings. Of these, millions died of starvation in the Soviet Union under Stalin and tens of millions in China under Mao.
Milder versions of socialism, with central planning of national economies, took root in India and in various European democracies.
If the preconceptions of the left were correct, central planning by educated elites with vast amounts of statistical data at their fingertips, expertise readily available, and backed by the power of government, should have been more successful than market economies where millions of individuals pursued their own individual interests willy-nilly.
But, by the end of the 20th century, even socialist and communist governments began abandoning central planning and allowing more market competition. Yet this quiet capitulation to inescapable realities did not end the noisy claims of the left.
In the United States, those claims and policies reached new heights, epitomized by government takeovers of whole sectors of the economy and unprecedented intrusions into the lives of Americans, of which ObamaCare has been only the most obvious example.
There isn't enough time or bandwidth to address E.P.A. and F.D.A. Maybe another time.
Man those local names bring back great memories! Gene Peters, Frank Harrison, Howie, Federick, Frank Townend, Walter Lisman, Charlie Luger.
Nice report on '76.
Dave, I used to listen to you on WVIA FM. Loved your shows. And I really liked you with George Graham with the news. Who was the news woman he had working with him for a while?
You dont like Snowden because he's making a total fool of Savior Obama...and after all Obama NEVER les about anything..thats what its really about with you democrats isnt it? the appearance of being a good person..
As always without the writers we have nothing. Although both Arlo and Willie Nelson did great versions of CITY of NEW ORLEANS it was written by the late Steve Goodman from Chicago.
Pete
8:20
Congrats. Possibly the dumbest remark I've seen in my years of reading Lulac!
I guess I'll go along with these posters and change my vote to Mitt Romney. After all, he became a multi millinaire by going against the advise ofoneof these posters and firing the people who work for the comanies he bought. In fact, he went as far as to actually close some of the comanies and sold the comoany's assets...... yep, they hit the nail right on the head and as for the vast majority of the people, take that one guys advise and let them eat cake.
"8:20
Congrats. Possibly the dumbest remark I've seen in my years of reading Lulac!
12:29 AM"
Hardly. You obviously forgot some of the "Bush Years" posts. Unless....
I have to wonder if you would be calling for Snowdown's head if he made his relvelations during the Bush years.
IN RESPONSE
I have to wonder if you would be calling for Snowdown's head if he made his relvelations during the Bush years.
YOU BET I WOULD. A TRAITOR IS A TRAITOR IS A TRAITOR. WHEN 911 HAPPENED, I THOUGHT BUSH WAS FANTASTIC IN GETTING THIS NATION AND THE WORLD TOGETHER. HIS WRONG HEADED DECISION TO GO INTO IRAQ SQUANDERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRECK TE TERROR NETWORK SOONER. MY PROBLEM WITH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WAS THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOTHING TO ADVANCE THE PLIGHT OF THE MIDDLE CLASS. AND AS FAR AS THE BUSH POLICY ON TORTURE, FINE AND DANDY IF IT SAVED AMERICAN LIVES. ANY POST I WROTE CRITICAL OF BUSH WAS OF THE ICOST OF THE WAR IN IRAQ, THE FACT THAT SOLDIERS HAD TO BUY THEIR OWN BODY ARMOUR AND THAT HIS PARTY SPENT US INTO OBLIVION THEN BITCHED ABOUT HOW AWFUL THE DEFICIT WAS.
"HIS PARTY SPENT US INTO OBLIVION THEN BITCHED ABOUT HOW AWFUL THE DEFICIT WAS."
Awful quiet about Obama's tab though...and more is coming. So look out!
Hey 5:07
You sell off the assets of a company if you can't make a go of it. It's no different than the Twinkie company purchase. If they can't make it profitable and can't find a buyer then they try to recoup whatever they can by selling the asset.
Wake up Dude - no successful or accomplished businessman wakes up thinking they're its a good day to screw someone. We need folks to risk their wealth to produce something and hire people to do it. You need to take an equal chance and take your shot. Have you ever bothered to read about the behind the scenes of a business?
IN RESPONSE
Awful quiet about Obama's tab though...and more is coming. So look out!
OBAMA HAS ACTUALLY REDUCED THE DEFICIT IN HIS TIME IN OFFICE. I'LL SHOUT THAT FROM THE ROOFTOPS! IF THE GOP CONGRESS WORKED WITH HIM, HE WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE DEFICIT BY 4.3 TRILLION. BUT WHEN YOU GET BLOCKED BY A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO WON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE HE BEAT THEIR ASS TWICE, WHAT CAN YOU DO? HE ACTUALLY REDUCED SPENDING TOO.
Yonk, I always respect your opinions..... well, almost always but your comment on torture being OK is just off the wall. We have soldiers in the field everyday and the Geneva convention that set the rules of war was a very good thing. I am the first to acknowledge that other countries, those without principals, no human rights and no sense of fairness have treated American prisioners horribly but two wrongs will never make a right. Torture is wrong and it has been proved that information gotten via torture is always suspect. They torture a person regardless of their personal knowledge and the only way to get the pain to stop is to give them a story, any story true or false will due. I just can't believe that you put forth that comment.
IN RESPONSE
We have soldiers in the field everyday and the Geneva convention that set the rules of war was a very good thing.
TWO DIFFERENT ERAS AND WORLDS. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT DO NOT APPLY WHEN RADICALS ARE TRYING TO KILL US. WE HAVE TO TAKE AN ISRAEL LIKE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE NUT CASES COMING AFTER US IN THE NAME OF ALLAH.
Nobody asked me, but it seems to me that those on the left who praise Snowden are "true believers". They do not care that they supported Obama, they are standing by a "pie in the sky" ideal that America can remain free without any counterintelligence measures being taken. They are truly living in the clouds if they believe the all of this began under Goerge W additionally. This nation has used counterintelligence one way or another since its inception. Now, as for the Republicans/Conservatives praising Snowden, they are what we call "Sheer Obama haters". They would praise any entity, person, who seemed to do "one up" on Obama --even if it goes against their own core beliefs. Their attitude is just as bad and dangerous.
And I dare say that there are many who praise Abraham Lincoln, and I am one of them, who may or may not be aware of the fact that he suspended various Constitutional rights during the Civil War. I assume they would be blasting him too.
Bless You All.
Yonk lets face it..you are dead quiet about Savior Barry and his being the Drone Commander-in-Chief. Its a sin and a shame when Bush kills people overseas, but its ok when Obama and "good Catholic" Biden kill people overseas right Yonk??
Barry has done not one thing to advance the lot of the middle working poor. His mythological Presidency is a joke.
Republicans were spending into oblivion??? YONK!! YOU GOTTA BE JOKING!! BUSH SPENDING WAS A WALK IN THE PARK COMPARED TO BARRY SPENDING!!
IN RESPONSE
Dave, I used to listen to you on WVIA FM. Loved your shows. And I really liked you with George Graham with the news. Who was the news woman he had working with him for a while?
AT THE TIME HER NAME WAS LIZ HIBBARD. SHE IS NOW LIZ HIBBARD ORTEGA AND WAS A WONDERFUL PERSON TO WORK WITH.
IN RESPONSE
YONK!! YOU GOTTA BE JOKING!! BUSH SPENDING WAS A WALK IN THE PARK COMPARED TO BARRY SPENDING!!
PART OF HIS SPENDING WAS FROM THE BANK BAILOUT THAT BUSH STARTED. HE ALSO HAD A STIMULUS PROGRAM THAT WAS WAY TOO SMALL BUT THAT'S BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE BALLS TO CRUSH THE VOCAL GOP MINORITY THAT OPPOSED HIM AT EVERY TURN. TOO NICE A GUY. IF HE HAD GONE BIGGER, THE ECONOMY WOULD HAVE REBOUNDED SOONER.
IN RESPONSE
you are dead quiet about Savior Barry and his being the Drone Commander-in-Chief. Its a sin and a shame when Bush kills people overseas, but its ok when Obama and "good Catholic" Biden kill people overseas right Yonk??
NOPE. ALL FOR THE DRONE PROGRAM. TOO BAD THEY MISSED THE TWO LITTLE BASTARDS WHO BOMBED BOSTON.
Barry has done not one thing to advance the lot of the middle working poor. His mythological Presidency is a joke.
CREDIT CARD REFORM. (YOU DON'T GET SCREWED ANYMORE BY THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES.
MORE JOBS CREATED IN HIS TERM THEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF BUSH.
THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE ACT.
PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED THE “PAY-GO” RULE INTO LAW, RESTORING A REQUIREMENT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPEND ONLY WHAT IT CAN AFFORD.
DROPPED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES BY 2.6%.
GROWTH IN FEDERAL SPENDING UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA IS SLOWER THAN THAT UNDER REAGAN, BUSH I, CLINTON AND BUSH II. IN FISCAL 2013 — THE FINAL BUDGET OF OBAMA’S TERM — SPENDING IS SCHEDULED TO FALL 1.3%, TO $3.58 TRILLION.
ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE PLENTY.
Pay attention folks:
The dominoes are falling.
The administration’s decision to postpone implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate until after the 2014 midterm elections is just the first to fall. More will be falling soon thanks to the administration’s belated recognition that the health care law will be a job-killing burden on business.
In fact, this is actually the second major part of Obamacare to be postponed in the past few months. This spring, the administration announced that the ACA Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP) would be postponed until at least 2015. That program was designed to help small employers provide their workers with a choice of health plans. But in April the administration had to pull back and admit it couldn’t provide those options.
Or perhaps we should call this the third major part of the law to fall apart. In 2011, the administration was forced to permanently postpone implementation of the CLASS Act, Obamacare’s long-term care program. That program was formally repealed in 2012.
The administration’s decision to postpone the employer mandate may make a bad situation worse, at least for workers. The postponement affects only the mandate that employers (with 50 or more workers) provide insurance. The individual mandate remains in place, requiring nearly all Americans to have insurance or pay a fine. Individuals who would otherwise have gotten insurance through their employers may now be forced to purchase their own insurance.
It increasingly looks as though that insurance will be very expensive, especially for the young and healthy. The Wall Street Journal recently reported, some consumers “could see insurance rates double or even triple when they look for individual coverage under the federal health law later this year.”
Earlier this year, a study in the American Academy of Actuaries’ magazine found that 80 percent of young adults aged 18–29 not eligible for Medicaid will face higher costs, and that 20- to 29-year-olds on the individual market not eligible for subsidies will see their premiums increase 42 percent.
Still there?
New federal subsidies are supposed to offset rising premiums to some degree. But it is now an open question as to whether those subsidies will be available in 2014. For the system to work, the administration needs to know which workers are eligible for subsidies. Workers who are being offered affordable insurance coverage through their employers are not eligible for subsidies. But employers won’t have to report whether their workers are being offered affordable insurance coverage until after the employer mandate takes effect, which means the government won’t have that data until at least 2015. Without it, workers could be on the hook for the entire cost of the insurance they are being forced to buy.
And if the administration does find a way to offer subsidies? That will only further drive up the law’s price tag. The cost of the average exchange subsidy is now projected to be $5,510 in 2014, $700 more than it was projected to be last year. Overall, subsidies were estimated to cost $1.15 trillion over the next 10 years. But that was before the administration’s decision to postpone the employer mandate. With fewer workers receiving employer-based coverage, but all Americans still legally mandated to buy insurance, more workers will end up purchasing insurance through the exchanges, meaning that the cost to taxpayers of providing subsidies will almost certainly rise.
By postponing the employer mandate, therefore, the administration has shifted costs from employers to workers and/or taxpayers. That hardly seems fair.
So we should expect the administration to come under pressure to postpone the individual mandate as well.
The administration is also struggling to implement Obamacare’s federally run insurance exchanges. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has insisted that the federal government will be able to set up and run exchanges in some 33 states where state governments have chosen not to, but Sebelius has been unable to provide Congress or the public with a credible plan for doing so. A new report from the Government Accountability Office questions whether the exchanges will really be operational by their October 1 deadline. “The timely and smooth implementation of the exchanges by October 2013 cannot yet be determined,” the report states.
If the exchanges cannot begin open enrollment by October 1, it is unlikely that they can be fully functional by January 1. Any delay in opening the exchanges would further complicate the government’s ability to provide subsidies, and make enforcement of the individual mandate all but impossible.
Democratic Senator Max Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and an author of the Affordable Care Act, recently predicted that Obamacare’s implementation would be “a train wreck.” The administration’s latest action suggests that the wheels have already begun to come off the train.
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