Government Shut Down Looming!

[DC Tom]

did you read the article. he calls healthcare costs a tapeworm on the economy but "that's not the fault of obamacare".

 

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/warren-buffett-scrap-obamacare-and-start-over_756302.html?utm_source=twitterfeed%26utm_medium=twitter

[IDBillzFan]

did you read the article. he calls healthcare costs a tapeworm on the economy but "that's not the fault of obamacare".

 

I swear it's almost like you can't stand the fact that gatorman is consistently the dumbest person here.

[Alaska Darin]

did you read the article. he calls healthcare costs a tapeworm on the economy but "that's not the fault of obamacare".

No. I don't need to read the article to understand that health care, which is one of the most regulated industries in the country, has a terrible effect on the economy. I also don't need Warren Buffett to explain to me that Obamacare isn't going to change that in the least.

 

Interestingly, Buffett did say: "Attack the costs first, and then worry about expanding coverage,' he said. 'I would much rather see another plan that really attacks costs." Which is pretty much what any sensible person would do when looking at the actual problem. The issue with that is liberals are neither economically savvy nor sensible. So instead we get an even bigger boondoggle which will cost even more. But it will guarantee plenty more votes from the takers and those who will be employed by Uncle Sugar to keep it doddering along.

 

But you keep swallowing the choad and pretending this is "progressive".

[B-Man]

 

"We've all heard the 'elections have consequences' adage many times, but let's be clear about what we're witnessing in 2013..."

 

"... Republicans are very clearly telling the country, 'No, actually, elections don't have consequences. We're still going to do as we please.'"

 

So writes Steve Benen at Maddow blog,

 

and I just have to ask him how is it that these terrible Republicans are able to tell us these things?......................................... Seems to me they got elected.

 

Benen ends with a line that resonates with us the people of Wisconsin: "Democracies aren't supposed to work this way." Back in 2011, we had weeks of loud protests with chanting over a drumbeat: "This is what democracy looks like." And those were Democrats who'd lost the 2010 elections. They were making all the noise they could because they didn't have the votes in the legislature, and yet they still shouted all day and night that what they wanted was democracy. The idea — to the extent that it made any sense — was that the minority opinion also matters and free expression and dissent are part of the process, adding friction and restraint to the imposition of the will of the majority.

 

But in Congress, there are members who form a majority in one house and a sizable minority in the other. These people were elected, and we have a system of separated powers that was designed to slow things down, force deliberation, and prevent the abuse of power.

 

There was a time when Obama said "I won." It was arrogant back then, and in a democracy, that kind of arrogance invites comeuppance.

Edited September 21, 2013 by B-Man

[birdog1960]

http://www.weeklysta..._medium=twitter

"buffett insists", "buffett does not believe..." who the hell are these quotes attributed to exactly (look for yourself, those statements are in quotation marks)? can't they get any decent journalist hatchet men at the weekly standard? amazing that cnbc and the weekly standard have such different takes on what he said. no mention in your cited article of "that's not the fault of obamacare". wonder why they left that part out. but, yeah, i disagree with him on the need for universal coverage now. i agree that it would have been better to cut costs simultaneously but with death panels and rationing being screamed every few minutes that wasn't possible. they passed what they could and universal coverage was the top priority. nope, they couldn't even get the votes for that. not something to rejoice over but to lament. Edited September 21, 2013 by birdog1960

[birdog1960]

Well he's really smart only some of the time.

yup, like when there's blood in the streets.

[DC Tom]

"buffett insists", "buffett does not believe..." who the hell are these quotes attributed to exactly (look for yourself, those statements are in quotation marks)? can't they get any decent journalist hatchet men at the weekly standard? amazing that cnbc and the weekly standard have such different takes on what he said. no mention in your cited article of "that's not the fault of obamacare". wonder why they left that part out. but, yeah, i disagree with him on the need for universal coverage now. i agree that it would have been better to cut costs simultaneously but with death panels and rationing being screamed every few minutes that wasn't possible. they passed what they could and universal coverage was the top priority. nope, they couldn't even get the votes for that. not something to rejoice over but to lament.

 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/35643967

[Nanker]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/35643967

Well, at least you quoted it from a source that he would deign to read.

 

From the article:

 

"QUICK

: Then are you in favor of scrapping this and going back to start over?

BUFFETT

: I would be--if I were President Obama, I would just show this chart of what's been happening and say this is the tapeworm that's eating at American competitiveness. And I would say that one way or another, we're going to attack costs, costs, costs, just like they talk about jobs, jobs, jobs in the...(unintelligible). It's cost, cost, cost on this side. That's a tough job. I mean, we're spending maybe $2.3 trillion on health care in the United States, and every one of those dollars is going to somebody and they're going to yell if that dollar becomes 90 cents or 80 cents. So it take--but I would--I would try to get a unified effort, say this is a national emergency to do something about this. We need the Republicans, we need the Democrats. We're going to cut off all the kinds of things like the 800,000 special people in Florida or the Cornhusker kickback, as they called it, or the Louisiana Purchase, and we're going to--we're going to get rid of the nonsense. We're just going to focus on costs and we're not going to dream up 2,000 pages of other things. And I would say, as president, `I'm going to come back to you with something that's going to do something about this, because we have to do it.'" Citation above.

[Chef Jim]

yup, like when there's blood in the streets.

 

No not really. But I'm not surprised you don't know his investment strategy.

[birdog1960]

Well, at least you quoted it from a source that he would deign to read.

 

From the article:

 

"QUICK

: Then are you in favor of scrapping this and going back to start over?

BUFFETT

: I would be--if I were President Obama, I would just show this chart of what's been happening and say this is the tapeworm that's eating at American competitiveness. And I would say that one way or another, we're going to attack costs, costs, costs, just like they talk about jobs, jobs, jobs in the...(unintelligible). It's cost, cost, cost on this side. That's a tough job. I mean, we're spending maybe $2.3 trillion on health care in the United States, and every one of those dollars is going to somebody and they're going to yell if that dollar becomes 90 cents or 80 cents. So it take--but I would--I would try to get a unified effort, say this is a national emergency to do something about this. We need the Republicans, we need the Democrats. We're going to cut off all the kinds of things like the 800,000 special people in Florida or the Cornhusker kickback, as they called it, or the Louisiana Purchase, and we're going to--we're going to get rid of the nonsense. We're just going to focus on costs and we're not going to dream up 2,000 pages of other things. And I would say, as president, `I'm going to come back to you with something that's going to do something about this, because we have to do it.'" Citation above.

and he also said that if he had to choose between no change or the senate bill, he'd choose the senate bill. he doesn't like the cost of health care. but he's realistic enough to realize that every dollar saved is taken from the trough of some special interest and that's what makes it damn near impossible to pass reform in this country. he gives the administration credit for even attempting it. i loved his quote on paying millions to live 3 more months and the US being the best place to do that. he identifies hospitals as a major excessive cost center and too much technology as well. he lets insurance off the hook and i disagree with him here for reasons i've stated in this thread. finally, he identifies people, that if left unfettered, would likely craft a viable solution. no where did i see him say the things written in the weekly standard as unattributable quotes.

 

and they're just his opinions. he's learned, experienced and a man in possession of significant wisdom. but some of his opinions on this and all matters are likely to be correct and others incorrect.

 

No not really. But I'm not surprised you don't know his investment strategy.

"be fearful when others are greedy. be greedy only when others are fearful."

[birdog1960]

here's the article buffett seemed so fond of in that interview: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?currentPage=all.

[B-Man]

The Politics of Defunding Obamacare Play Out

 

The Democrats are using the House’s effort to defund Obamacare to raise money. This email, ostensibly from Nancy Pelosi, went out a few hours ago:

From: Nancy Pelosi

Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 3:51 PM

To: Hinderaker, John H.

Subject: This morning’s vote:

John –

This morning, Speaker Boehner and House Republicans PASSED a bill that would threaten a government shutdown in order to put insurance companies back in charge of your health care. It’s despicable.

The GOP bill doesn’t “threaten a government shutdown,” of course. And note how the Democrats try to frame the Obamacare battle: Republicans want to “put insurance companies back in charge of your health care.” But the insurance carriers lobbied heavily in favor of Obamacare. Unspoken, but strongly implied, is the real purpose of Obamacare–to put the government in charge of your health care.

But I’m actually writing to pass along some good news:

In the last 48 hours, over 25,000 of you have donated over $400,000 to take on the Republicans. Speaker Boehner surely wasn’t expecting this kind of grassroots response!

Will you help us hit the $500,000 mark before Congress leaves town tonight?

DEADLINE MIDNIGHT:

Give $3 or more right now to fight back against Republican legislative arsonists >>

“Republican legislative arsonists.” These people are utterly crazed.

What happens over the next few days will determine if Boehner and the right-wing fringe succeed in their attempt to wreak havoc on President Obama’s second term. Let’s send a reverberating message to Speaker Boehner: the Affordable Care Act isn’t going anywhere.

http://dccc.org/Midnight-Deadline

Thanks,

Nancy

 

The lines, as they say, are clearly drawn. But, while there is always a chance that events could take an unexpected turn, isn’t the outcome of this drama predictable? The Senate will pass a continuing resolution that includes Obamacare. At that point, after a little grandstanding, the Republican House will graciously accept the Senate resolution in order to avoid a shutdown. The effect is that Democrats in both the House and the Senate have been forced to go on record in favor of Obamacare.

 

The Republican leadership thinks this is a desirable goal. Why? For at least two reasons. First, some Congressional Democrats were not in office when the ACA passed, and haven’t yet cast a vote on it. Second, it was one thing to vote for Obamacare when no one had read the bill, and hardly anyone understood what its effects would be. Now, most people understand that Obamacare is a job-killer, a choice-destroyer, and an administrative horror. So there is, I think, something gained when Democrats are compelled to hold their noses and vote for the noxious law one more time.

 

The net effect of all of this is a modest gain for Republicans. They will get credit for a politically popular effort to get rid of the hated ACA, and only the staunchest partisans (who, of course, aren’t going anywhere else on election day) will blame them for failing, in the face of a Democratic Senate and President. This represents an easy, if hardly decisive, win for the GOP.

 

 

.http://www.powerline...re-play-out.php

 

 

.

Edited September 21, 2013 by B-Man

[Chef Jim]

"be fearful when others are greedy. be greedy only when others are fearful."

 

That quote does not tell the core of his investment philosophy. He is mainly a value investor.

[Nanker]

and he also said that if he had to choose between no change or the senate bill, he'd choose the senate bill. he doesn't like the cost of health care. but he's realistic enough to realize that every dollar saved is taken from the trough of some special interest and that's what makes it damn near impossible to pass reform in this country.

 

Too bad the ACA Buffoon Bill does NOTHING to address lower healthcare costs - other than taking $300billion from Medicaid in a half walnut shell and sliding it on the table over to Medicare.

Did you ever think that if the Federal government didn't have those billions of dollars in its coffers that it wants to spread around to this, that, and the other favorite program, that the "special interests groups" wouldn't be surrounding Washington to get their piece of the pie? If the Feds didn't take that money from the people - where would it be? Right. It wouldn't be centralized and therefore harder for them to get than it is by hosting dinner parties, golf outings, junkets to the Caribbean, and RosaceaDerm tickets in luxury suites for lawmakers and their staffs.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Nanker

[DC Tom]

and he also said that if he had to choose between no change or the senate bill, he'd choose the senate bill. he doesn't like the cost of health care. but he's realistic enough to realize that every dollar saved is taken from the trough of some special interest and that's what makes it damn near impossible to pass reform in this country. he gives the administration credit for even attempting it. i loved his quote on paying millions to live 3 more months and the US being the best place to do that. he identifies hospitals as a major excessive cost center and too much technology as well. he lets insurance off the hook and i disagree with him here for reasons i've stated in this thread. finally, he identifies people, that if left unfettered, would likely craft a viable solution. no where did i see him say the things written in the weekly standard as unattributable quotes.

 

and they're just his opinions. he's learned, experienced and a man in possession of significant wisdom. but some of his opinions on this and all matters are likely to be correct and others incorrect.

 

"be fearful when others are greedy. be greedy only when others are fearful."

 

And he's realistic enough to realize that the ACA doesn't address the actual problem.

[B-Man]

 

One Weird Trick to Expose the Truth About ObamaCare

 

By Clarice Feldman

 

There's every reason to believe that ObamaCare will ruin America's fine health care system; weaken our already shaky economy; cause more people to go without health insurance; and is widely unpopular.

 

Even though most citizens seem quite uncertain of all its provisions, surveys repeatedly show that it is unpopular and grows more unpopular as the time for implementation of more of its provisions nears. And the law opens the door for -- completely foreseeable -- widespread abuse, some of which is already starting.

 

It passed without a single Republican vote. It is the Democrats' baby and remains so because the party's leaders refuse to acknowledge the need to substantially amend it. Probably because the same people who passed it without reading it, still haven't bothered. But also because it includes enormous giveaways to themselves, the Democrats' favorite constituencies, and donors while punishing those not within that growing class. (The drafters accidentally forgot to add labor unions to the list of exempted cronies, but now that AFL-CIO President Trumka bellowed about it, the Administration seems to be working behind the scenes to correct that oversight.)

 

{snip}

When the bill returns to the House it will go to a conference committee of Senate and House members to work out the difference. At that point my suggestion (which I titled "one weird trick" because advertisers claim it gets readers' attention and I want yours) is to insist that (a) all exemptions from the coverage of the act, including House and Senate members and staff, favored donors, and other cronies be scrapped. We are all covered or none are; and (b) given the huge amounts of fraud already rampant within the Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamp entitlement programs, no subsidies will be given out absent proof of identity and income verification. (The government will be relying on the "honor system" for income representations and about 2 weeks from launch cannot still put in place a computer system to correctly calculate subsidies.)

 

If the Democrats refuse to agree to these provisos, it seems to me the public debate -- if the Republicans can muster any sort of decent response -- is not evil Republicans shutting down the government but rather, the Democrats are so committed to increase fraud and favoritism to their supporters and donors that THEY'D shut down the government to keep that graft and privilege alive.

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.americant...l#ixzz2ffg6g9Y3

[birdog1960]

this isn't a winning strategy for repubs: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/most-americans-against-defunding-obamacare-103400779.html.

[Alaska Darin]

this isn't a winning strategy for repubs: http://finance.yahoo...-103400779.html.

Mostly because they don't understand the argument, much the same way they didn't understand ObamaCare and were actually for it when it passed but now that they're getting some actual detail, it's wildly unpopular.

 

Who cares? Every bit of leftislation that passes is one step closer to the abyss. When it happens, you can post gloriously about how great it is.

[Doc]

Mostly because they don't understand the argument, much the same way they didn't understand ObamaCare and were actually for it when it passed but now that they're getting some actual detail, it's wildly unpopular.

Yeah, considering if Obamacare gets defunded, the government won't shut down.

[Chef Jim]

this isn't a winning strategy for repubs: http://finance.yahoo...-103400779.html.

 

And that's the American way. All most Americans care about is now and will worry about the future when we get there. Well sorry folks, when we get there it's too late.