Fiscal Cliff

So the lawmakers have waited until just before the deadline to actually get serious about the fiscal cliff. Perhaps if they had been forced to stay put until this was solved the term "fiscal cliff" would never have been needed.

Jimmy Hoffa

Jimmy Hoffa warns of Civil War in the wake of the Right To Work bill passage in Michigan. Is that a threat? We have to stop the big business of Union bullying for the survival of our nations economic infrastructure. The unions were once a needed entity and their original mission noble, but as OSHA and other regulatory factors took care of workplace problems the Unions goals shifted to that of a power grab both economically and politically. Unions are standing in the way of American prosperity and until they have their power diminished we as a nation will have trouble with economic prosperity.

Obamacare $63 Tax on the healthy

Obamacare just raised your health care premium by $63

posted at 12:41 pm on December 11, 2012 by Mary Katharine Ham on hotair.com

If you’re a member of the mainstream media, you’re “surprised” by this in the same way that every bad jobs report is “unexpected.”
Among the regulations being rushed out the door by the Department of Health and Human Services 32 months after Obamacare passed is a requirement that every plan in America be subject to a $63 fee. That $63 is part of a fund to subsidize people with pre-existing conditions, who are more expensive to cover but whose costs must be transferred to healthier individuals in the new system.
Reporting suggests the costs could hit 190 million health care plans held by individuals or provided by employers. The AP:

The charge, buried in a recent regulation, works out to tens of millions of dollars for the largest companies, employers say. Most of that is likely to be passed on to workers.

Do tell. Who could have predicted this? More on the fund we’re creating:

Most of the money will go into a fund administered by the Health and Human Services Department. It will be used to cushion health insurance companies from the initial hard-to-predict costs of covering uninsured people with medical problems. Under the law, insurers will be forbidden from turning away the sick as of Jan. 1, 2014.
The program “is intended to help millions of Americans purchase affordable health insurance, reduce unreimbursed usage of hospital and other medical facilities by the uninsured and thereby lower medical expenses and premiums for all,” the Obama administration says in the regulation. An accompanying media fact sheet issued Nov. 30 referred to “contributions” without detailing the total cost and scope of the program.
Of the total pot, $5 billion will go directly to the U.S. Treasury, apparently to offset the cost of shoring up employer-sponsored coverage for early retirees.
The $25 billion fee is part of a bigger package of taxes and fees to finance Mr. Obama’s expansion of coverage to the uninsured.

You see, we’re “lowering medical expenses and premiums for all” by…raising them for pretty much everyone. This is such a sweet deal.
But don’t worry. It’s temporary. The fee starts at $63 in 2014 and it gets lower every year until it’s phased out in 2017 because, obviously, people with pre-existing conditions will stop costing more money after that. Right, and “The Bachelor” never used the Fantasy Suite for anything more than a soda pop and a game of Scattergories with all those other women before he proposed to you, girl. You know he loves you!
But there’s more!

In the debate over the looming fiscal cliff, U.S. President Barack Obama often plays down any adverse economic impact from letting the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts expire for high-income Americans, claiming that the top tax rates would merely return to where they were during the Clinton years.
Unfortunately, the president’s claim is incorrect because he ignores the impending arrival of the unearned income Medicare contribution tax, which will further raise tax rates on income from saving.
Scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, the tax, which was adopted as part of the 2010 health-care law, is a 3.8 percent levy on interest, dividends, capital gains and passive business income received by taxpayers with incomes exceeding $200,000 (or $250,000 for couples).
Because the new tax was added to the health-care law late in the process without congressional hearings, it received little attention at the time. With only a few weeks left before it takes effect, it remains largely unknown…
One problem with the unearned income Medicare contribution tax is the name Congress chose for it, which is a triple misnomer. The income that will be subject to the tax isn’t unearned — it is earned by savers who receive market rewards for delaying consumption and providing funds to finance business investment.
Also, because the proceeds will be paid into the general treasury, the tax will have no financial link to Medicare. And, of course, the tax will be a compulsory payment, not a voluntary contribution.

As you’ll remember, the president promised throughout his first campaign for president and the contentious health care debate that his plan would lower premiums for Americans by as much as $2,500 annually.

“I will sign a universal health care bill into law by the end of my first term as president that will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family’s premium by up to $2,500 a year.”

Even Politifact deems that promise totally broken.
As with most Obama promises, this one has been modified and hemmed and hawed and denied into near non-existence, but here he is offering a super-qualified variation in 2012. Let’s see how that one holds up:

“The other thing we’ve done is to say, what are the critical needs of small business? A lot of time, one of the biggest challenges is to make sure that you, as a sole proprietor, that you can get health insurance for you and your family. So when you hear about the Affordable Care Act — Obamacare — and I don’t mind the name because I really do care. That’s why we passed it. You should know that once we have fully implemented, you’re going to be able to buy insurance through a pool so that you can get the same good rates as a group that if you’re an employee at a big company you can get right now — which means your premiums will go down.”
— President Obama, campaign speech in Cincinnati, July 16, 2012

The Washington Post assesses this much more modest, qualified version of the original promise at “Three Pinocchios,” conceding what the rest of us have known for quite some time— requiring 10 Essential Health Benefit categories for every qualified plan, adding those with pre-existing conditions to the rolls, getting rid of simpler, cheaper catastrophic plans and mini-meds for the young and healthy, changing age band requirements to limit how much more companies can charge for relatively high-risk older customers, and factoring in all the taxes and fees in the law will actually make coverage for the average person more expensive, not cheaper. But the Post is pretty sure you’ll like what you’re getting even if it’s really expensive and nothing like what you were sold:

The good news is that there would be a significant expansion of people with health insurance. And, after tax subsidies, many people may experience premium decreases. One could argue that overall there are more winners than losers.
But the bad news is that, on average, premiums almost certainly will go up — with some people really getting hit with increases. “Based on the analysis of the individual market, there is a concern for rate shock to a material portion of the population,” a report for Rhode Island said. “The individuals who currently are qualified for preferred rates will be seeing large increases in their healthcare premiums if they do not qualify for premium subsidies.”

And, guess who’s likely to be hardest hit? Young people, take your medicine:

The newly announced rules limit insurers to charge their oldest customers no more than three times as much as younger ones. As shown in the following chart based on estimates by international management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, the rule will force insurers to hike rates for 18- to 24-year-olds by 45 percent even as rates for those 60 and older drop by 13 percent in most states.[2] That means a 22-year-old waitress paying $2,068 for her health insurance will have to fork over $3,000 when Obamacare takes effect.[3] And these figures even underestimate the actual impact.

Up until now, in many states, the maximum age band ratio, which is the wretched term for this, was 5:1. Insurance carriers are right now frantically preparing for the deadlines to request rate hikes from each state’s insurance commission as these regulations get sent to actuaries. The news is not going to get brighter.

USA's Superpower Decline

Thanks to Obama and his bowing to others (Usually a muslim leader) Obama has secured America's decline as a superpower in the eyes of the world. Anyone who has their eyes at all open can see the facts. He is NOT a champion of the USA. America is in decline and it's leader was put in charge by a bunch of people waiting to be taken care of by the government. Those of us standing up for the REAL America want to go back to the productive, proud company we once were, not the bowing to everyone apologize to all nation Obama is turning us into.

USA Out As Sole Superpower by 2030

School Lunch Rebellion

Even on a local level I have been hearing complaints about the restrictive school lunch changes led by Michelle Obama. Kids who are not whiners or complainers and not over eaters have been talking about how they are not getting enough to eat from school lunches. A cap of between 600-850 calories is where the limit was set. This is enough for lazy not working towards a goal kids, but for the hard working, active school student it is not enough to see them through the day or to enable them to work at the top of their game either athletically or academically.

You have to wonder if this goes beyond controling their intake and keeping them at a healthy weight. Are these standards of low calories meals geared towards the inactive kids or are they aimed at keeping our kids at a level where they are too hungry to concentrate and be at the top of their game?

Muslim Brotherhood Torture Chambers

  Stay informed. Read the article at the following link. As Americans we can't let this take hold. The Muslim Brotherhood are not on our side. Neither are those who cater to them even though they may claim allegiance to the USA.

Summary:

In an exclusive report for Al-Masry Al-Youm, Mohamad Jarehi reports that protesters suspected of working against the Muslim Brotherhood are tortured and beaten with the knowledge of the police before being handed over for formal detention at a site just outside the presidential palace in Heliopolis.

Publisher: Al-Masry Al-Youm (Egypt)
Original Title:
Al-Masry Al-Youm Within the Brotherhood Torture Chambers Near the Ittihadiya Palace

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2012/12/muslim-brotherhood-egypt-torture-chambers.html#ixzz2EaUb34Rf

Rapper PSY Should not be performing at an Official US Event

Rapper PSY, who is Korean born has reportedly performed at several Anti - American events and is scheuled to perform for President Obama at "A Christmas In Washington."
A Commander in Chief who truly loves and RESPECTS his country would never think ask someone like PSY, who has not only performed for at Anti American events, but also written lyrics that rail against US servicemen.

Malia Obama - Her Spring Break Cost Taxpayers How Much?

According to reports Malia Obama's spring break trip cost the united states taxpayers $115,500.00.
Because of this report being scrubbed by various outlets when it was first reported this blog is posting it outright, with proper crediting, of course. Malia's trip is just another of the Obama's in your face attitude.

The following story appeared on the gatewaypundit.com written by Guest Post by Mara Zebest
Go to their website to view reader's comments.

JudicialWatch.org reports the following:

Cost to Taxpayers: $115,500.87
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today released records detailing the government funds expended on First Daughter Malia Obama’s March 2012 Spring Break vacation to Mexico. According to the records, obtained from the U.S. Secret Service as a result of a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed on September 20, 2012, the total cost of the trip amounted to $115,500.87 (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Secret Service (No. 12-cv-01562)).
The following is a breakdown of the costs as detailed in the documents:
Ground transportation: $23,964.81
Lodging: $21,682.92
Airfare: $47,767.34
“Vouchers”: $21,636.14 (not itemized)
Support Charges: $449.66 (travel for one from Mexico City to Oaxaca, not itemized)
Malia Obama’s spring break trip evoked controversy after the Obama White House reportedly ordered the removal of press reports detailing the trip. On March 19,2012, numerous online press outlets reported that the president’s 13-year-old daughter, Malia Obama, was on a Spring Break trip to Mexico accompanied by 25 U.S. Secret Service Agents and as many as 12 of her friends. However, shortly after the press reports surfaced they were quickly removed from the Internet. The trip took place shortly after the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a statement advising students on Spring Break “to avoid Mexico.”
As reported by Politico:
The AFP, the Huffington Post and other websites have scrubbed a report about first daughter Malia Obama’s school trip. On Monday, the AFP reported that Obama’s daughter was on a school trip along with a number of friends and 25 Secret Service agents. The story was picked up by Yahoo, the Huffington Post, and the International Business Times, as well as UK publications like the Daily Mail and the Telegraph and other overseas publications like The Australian. But on Monday night, the story had been removed from those sites.
In an update to this story, Politico published a statement issued by Kristina Schake, Communications Director to the First Lady, indicating that the removal of these news stories was “a White House effort:” …
“In these economic times, with huge public debt and high unemployment, spending $115,000 in taxpayer funds on a Spring Break trip to Mexico is inappropriate. Is this what Americans are being asked to pay higher taxes for?” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Judicial Watch has been active in documenting the cost to taxpayers for the Obamas’ personal trips. For example, Judicial previously obtained records from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing Michelle Obama’s February 2012 President’s Day weekend ski vacation to Aspen, Colorado, with her two daughters. The records indicate U.S. Secret Service costs, including accommodations at the Fasching Haus deluxe condominium and the Inn at Aspen, were $48,950.38.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing costs associated with Michelle Obama’s controversial August 2010 vacation to Spain. According to a Judicial Watch analysis, the records indicate a total combined cost of at least $467,585.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents detailing costs a June 21-27, 2011, trip taken by Michelle Obama, her family and her staff to South Africa and Botswana. Judicial Watch received mission expense records and passenger manifests for the Africa trip that described costs of $424,142 for the flight and crew alone. Other expenses, such as off-flight food, transportation, security, etc. were not included.

Open Note To Gov. Lincoln Chafee of RI

Gov. Lincoln Chafee of RI is calling it "A Holiday Tree" instead of a Christmas Tree. He claims it was a holiday tree long before it was a Christmas Tree. No Sir, in modern times it has been a Christmas Tree. "Oh Christmas Tree" has been sung for many years not "Oh, Holiday Tree."
To Gov. Lincoln Chafee - It seems your shame is evident. Being a coward and announcing the "Holiday" tree lighting only 30 minutes before the event, saying last year it became "disrespectful." As we all know it became disrespectful when you started calling it a "Holiday" tree instead of a Christmas Tree! It IS a Christmas tree! If people don't celebrate Christmas then so be it, but don't take it away from those of us who do! For years we have had a Menorah in our town as well as a Christmas Tree because both Christmas and Hanukkah are celebrated in a very close time frame. Never once did I take offense at the Menorah in town. My holiday? No, but I have great respect for the Jewish Community and would never dream of telling them to call it "The Holiday Candle display." If you are not capable of governing a community that recognizes a Christian based holiday perhaps you should step down from your position.

Obama's Fiscal Cliff - All In A Week's Work

Obama says the fiscal cliff issue can probably be solved in "about a week." as a responsible adult should it be taken down to the wire like this? Maybe it would have been smart for him to be trying to do work towards solving  this issue instead of playing his last several golf games. Of course solving this issue would be a help to America. That's not Obama's Style.

Obama's Fiscal Cliff

Newsbite from CNBC:
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geither told CNBC Wednesday that Republicans are "making a little bit of progress" in "fiscal cliff" talks but said the Obama administration was "absolutely" ready to go over the cliff if the GOP doesn't agree to raise tax rates on the wealthy.

Response:
How irresponsible can a president and his staff be? They are only looking after their welfare receiving voters, not the hard working people of this country. In the words of Hillary Clinton:
"Shame on you Barack Obama."