Conservative Happenings

Monday, October 28, 2013

Obamacare Pledge: Info on Applications 'Won’t Be Used For Immigration Enforcement Purposes'

That will be right up there with the "You can keep your current Insurance"

Beginning with a speech last Thursday, President Obama is seeking to rejuvenate his administration's push to alter immigration laws and perhaps draw some attention away from the Obamacare launch debacle that has been dominating the headlines for much of October. The day following that speech, a new topic appeared on the Healthcare.gov website entitled, "What do immigrant families need to know about the Marketplace?" While a previous entry listed the various immigration statuses that qualified for Marketplace coverage, the new entry is an extended discussion of the questions immigrants, regardless of status, might have about the insurance exchanges. Among the subtopics discussed are: "Lawfully present immigrants and private insurance," "Immigrant access to Medicaid and CHIP," and "Disclosure of immigration status."

Under "Disclosure of immigration status," the site goes to great lengths to explain that Marketplaces, whether federal or state, are not permitted to ask for the immigration status of family members who are not applying for coverage or benefits. States can’t deny benefits because the applicant doesn’t provide the SSNs of people who aren’t applicants for benefits or recipients of Medicaid or CHIP benefits, or those not required to provide SSNs," the site explains.

Via: Weekly Standard

Latino donors set sights on GOP lawmakers who oppose immigration overhaul

A network of Latino donors that played a pivotal role in raising money for President Obama’s reelection is now focused on a new campaign: an effort to oust lawmakers who stand in the way of overhauling immigration laws.

The Latino Victory Project, a new political advocacy organization modeled after the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, is planning to spend as much as $20 million on campaigns targeting members of Congress who have sizable Latino communities in their districts but oppose comprehensive immigration reform.

At a private meeting for about 30 donors, fundraisers and union leaders Friday, leaders of the group laid out a strategy to make the issue central in next year’s midterm elections if Congress does not pass a bill, identifying 10 House Republicans who would be vulnerable to pressure from Latino constituents.

Members of the group agreed to spend $1 million to $2 million in each of the targeted districts. The effort will begin in coming weeks with a campaign aimed at persuading the lawmakers to back an immigration measure this year. If that fails, the group plans to run a barrage of radio and TV ads against them next year.

“We’re all very united,” said Amalia Perea Mahoney, an art gallery owner in Chicago, who joined donors from Washington, Florida, Texas, California, New York and Massachusetts at Friday’s gathering at a hotel in the District. “I think it’s a pivotal moment.”

Tom Snyder, the AFL-CIO’s immigration campaign manager, said, “There was agreement in the room that if we don’t see action in the House, we know who we’re going after.”

Via: Washington Post

Two Obama Voters Are Outraged Over Huge Insurance Hikes

California residents Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are proud to say they voted for President Obama in 2008 and 2012. They’ve also been proud advocates for his prized health care law. But after opening their health insurance bills last month, they’re both “floored.”

“I was laughing at Boehner—until the mail came today,” Waschura told San Jose Mercury News, referencing House Speaker John Boehner during the heat of the defund Obamacaredebate on Capitol Hill in late September.

Both Vinson and Waschura’s health insurance plans are being replaced to meet the requirements of Obamacare. Vinson will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura’s plan for his family of four will increase by $10,000.

>>> How Will You Fare in the Obamacare Exchanges?

“I really don’t like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so [mad] about this,” Waschura said. “When you take $10,000 out of my family’s pocket each year, that’s otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy.”

Now that health insurance companies are releasing new costs, people like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, are realizing their premiums will make up the difference for other Americans.

“Of course, I want people to have health care,” Vinson told San Jose Mercury News. “I just didn’t realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally.”

Via: The Foundry

[VIDEO] Even MSNBC Agrees: Obamacare Rollout ‘Disastrous’

BY: Washington Free Beacon Staff
October 28, 2013 11:33 am

Thomas Roberts and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Alter, both prominent liberal figures, discussed the failed Obamacare launch Monday morning. Roberts remarked that the rollout has been “disastrous.” Alter agreed with Roberts and foreshadowed doom for Sebelius when she testifies before Congress this week.

“All she needs to do is just get out of there alive, basically,” he said. “It’s not going to go well, no matter what happens.”

Via: WFB

Medicaid Enrollment Surging Despite Obamacare Problems

More people are enrolling in Medicaid rather than in private insurance plans, leading critics of Obamacare to charge that the federal government will end up playing a much bigger role in the nation's healthcare system than had been expected.

Medicaid expansion always was expected to be a major part of bringing health coverage to the uninsured, reports The Wall Street Journal. The state reports are seen as good news for Obamacare advocates who said the law would bring health insurance to even more Americans.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, 9 million people were expected to sign up for Medicaid in 201; 7 million were expected to sign up for private coverage.

But the Obamacare website's ongoing problems are slowing the number of people able to sign up for private plans.

No figures are available for Medicaid expansion in the 36 states where people are being enrolled through the troubled federal HealthCare.gov website. But in states which have set up their own exchanges under Obamacare, Medicaid enrollment is booming.

In Kentucky, for example, 82 percent, or 21,342, of those enrolling in new insurance plans under Obamacare are signing up for Medicaid, the Journal reported. In Washington, it's 87 percent of 35,528; and in New York, 64 percent of some 37,000.

Part of the growth is because states are reaching out to people who already receive federal benefits such as food stamps, said Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors.

Via: Newsmax

PASTOR WHO BANNED FRIED CHICKEN AT CHURCH GETS MAJOR OBAMACARE NAVIGATOR GRANT

Dr. Michael Minor, pastor of Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church became an Obamacare navigator this year, attempting to get people to enroll in the Obama health insurance exchanges. But long before that, he was fighting obesity in his community bybanning fried chicken. “You can see the difference,” he told Reuters. “People are much better sized, way better. And once they get it off, they want to keep it off.”

Minor explained how he won a major grant – some $317,742 -- from the federal government, despite the fact that his church is small. “I applied for it.” His church has approximately 100 members. The church kitchen carries a sign reading, “No Fry Zone.” Minor said, “It’s a symbol, especially with people of color. You’ve got to rally around symbols.”

Minor says he has built a network of 75 to 100 navigators and counselors to work the Obamacare system. “We feel like once you get people in churches and families, they will become de facto navigators,” Minor explained.

Via: Breitbart

Poll: 47% don't know where to get health care info

About one in 10 Americans -- 9% -- say The Affordable Care Act has improved their health insurance situation in the past year, according to a new survey by Bankrate.com.

The telephone survey asked a representative sample of 1,001 Americans about their knowledge of and feelings about the law that mandates health care insurances for all Americans in coming years.

The survey was conducted from Oct. 17 to 20 after a 16-day federal government shutdown over raising the debt limit ended and the bungled launching of health exchange websites nationwide.

In fact, 38% of uninsured Americans said they feel more negative about the three-year-old law than they did the past year. And 47% of the uninsured say they don't even know where to turn for information on the act. Uninsured Americans make up about 15% of the population.

STORY: Government did not test health care site as needed

Doug Whiteman, a Bankrate.com insurance analyst, says the numbers show the government outreach efforts haven't gone far enough.

"It is discouraging that there is so much pessimism (around Obamacare)," he said. "The law is over three years old and so many people aren't getting the information."

Health exchange navigators in some states can make the process easier for consumers, says Eric Johnson, the Norman Eig Chair of Business at Columbia University. But not every state has embraced the law; in fact 26 don't have state marketplaces. In states like Florida, uninsured citizens don't have health exchange navigators to guide them through the nuances of the law, he said.

Via: USA Today

Obama’s Military Purge

Is the Obama administration in the midst of a military purge? This year alone, nine senior commanding generals have been fired by the administration, and retired generals and current commanders who have spoken to TheBlaze believe that political ideology is the primary impetus behind the effort. “I think they’re using the opportunity of the shrinkage of the military to get rid of people that don’t agree with them or not toe the party line,” a senior retired general told website. “Remember, as Rahm Emanuel said, never waste a crisis.” The general spoke on the condition of anonymity because he still provides the government with services and believes this administration would retaliate against him.

The terminations have a distinctly political odor surrounding them in at least three cases. In all three of these cases, Benghazi is at root. U.S. Army Gen. Carter Ham was heading the United States African Command when our consulate came under attack on September 11, 2012. Ham told Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) he was never given a “stand down” order preventing him from securing the consulate. Yet the Washington Times,citing sources in the military, said hewas given the order and immediately relieved of command when he decided to defy it. The Times further noted that Ham “retired” less that two years after receiving the command when all other commanders of similar stature have stayed on far longer. Sources told TheBlaze Ham was highly critical of the Obama administration’s decision not to send reinforcements to Benghazi.

Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette, Commander of Carrier Strike Group Three for the Navy, was relieved of duty for allegedly using profanity and making “racially insensitive comments.” Though he was cleared of criminal violations under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, administrative penalties have effectively ended his career. In testimony regarding Benghazi, Gaouette, who was in charge of Air Craft Carriers in the Mediterranean Sea on the night of the attack, told Congress there may not have been time to get flight crews to Libya. But under cross examination, he admitted he could have sent planes to that location.

Major General Baker, a two-star general who served as commander of the Joint Task Force-Horn at Camp Lamar in Djibouti, Africa, was fired for alcohol and sexual misconduct charges. The U.S. reportedly runs counter-terror operations out of Djibouti, and once again, military officials told TheBlaze Baker was involved in some aspect of Benghazi.

Via: Canada Free Press

Monday, October 28, 2013

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