America’s new socialized medicine law – rammed down the throat of a reluctant Congress in 2010 and upheld by a divided Supreme Court a year ago – is proving to be a bit of a bear to implement.
Last week the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama announced its decision to delay the implementation of a key provision of the law – the employer mandate – while this week a report in National Journal reveals the extent to which the White House has known about looming problems with the bill’s controversial state-run exchanges.
The common thread in both stories? An administration which is literally rewriting the law on the fly …
“As far back as March, a top IT official at the Department of Health and Human Services said the department’s current ambition for the law’s new online insurance marketplaces was that they not be ‘a Third-World experience,'” reports National Journal‘s Margot Sanger-Katz. “Several provisions had already been abandoned in an effort to simplify the administration’s task and maximize the chances that the new systems would be ready to go live in October, when customers are supposed to start signing up for insurance.”
Wait … provisions of the law had been abandoned?
Apparently so …
“In April, several consultants focusing on the new online marketplaces, known as exchanges, told National Journal that the idealized, seamless user experience initially envisioned under the Affordable Care Act was no longer possible, as the administration axed non-essential provisions that were too complex to implement in time,” Sanger-Katz reports.
Of course the left-leaning publication believes these efforts – which it acknowledges are likely extra-legal – are positive developments.
“By eliminating non-essential tasks, they may be violating the letter of the health reform law, with its rigorous timetables and multiple requirements, but they may be more likely to get the core functions right,” Sanger-Katz writes.
Wait … may be violating the law? Also, since when is any of “Obamacare” a core function of government?
Last week Valerie Jarrett – one of Obama’s top advisors – said the administration would “continue to make changes as needed” to the law, indicating this policy of selective, interpretive enforcement would continue.
Obviously we can’t stand Obamacare and welcome any and all delays to its job-killing, deficit-busting, premium-increasing mandates – but the last time we checked it was the job of the executive branch to enforce laws passed by Congress, not arbitrarily rewrite them based on political expedience.
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45 comments
The bill could be amended to fix such problems if half of Congress wasn’t devoted to repealing it in its entirety 37+ times.
Thank God for that half of congress.
Back in 2010, not quite half of Congress (and the majority of the American people) said this was a terrible, ill-conceived, unnecessary piece of crap legislation which SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PASSED in the first place…which would not require it now to be “fixed.” Which it can’t be because…it is a piece of crap legislation. It should be repealed in its entirety but you and your ilk own it, Smirks.
The bill could be amended to fix such problems if half of Congress wasn’t devoted to repealing it in its entirety 37+ times.
Thank God for that half of congress.
Back in 2010, not quite half of Congress (and the majority of the American people) said this was a terrible, ill-conceived, unnecessary piece of crap legislation which SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PASSED in the first place…which would not require it now to be “fixed.” Which it can’t be because…it is a piece of crap legislation. It should be repealed in its entirety but you and your ilk own it, Smirks.
We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.
They already did, and still don’t know what’s in it :O
It was signed into law in March 2010. Way to keep up.
And socialism just ain’t what it used to be. The comrades in the administration making people buy insurance from the private sector. Vladimir would be so disappointed.
Hitler wouldn’t. Corporatism was his bag.
He was quoting Pelosi’s dumbass. He has kept up quite well, as for your ability to process sarcasm, well…
Sarcasm, way to let things pass waaaaay over your head.
We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.
They already did, and still don’t know what’s in it :O
It was signed into law in March 2010. Way to keep up.
And socialism just ain’t what it used to be. The comrades in the administration making people buy insurance from the private sector. Vladimir would be so disappointed.
“Vladimir would be so disappointed.”
Hitler wouldn’t. Corporatism was his bag.
He was quoting Pelosi’s dumbass. He has kept up quite well, as for your ability to process sarcasm, well…
Sarcasm, way to let things pass waaaaay over your head.
So now FITS is telling us he’s Against It…CLASSIC!!!
John Kerry eat your heart out, Dude…
Really, O and Haley are so much alike!
Lying, incompetent, no leadership and just plain screwed up.
The sooner both are gone, we will all be better off!
Kinda stupid to say. the most effective thing Haley has done, is Vehemently oppose Obama on ObamaCare…
She screwed up on 4-yr.old K…but all he has done is screw up. At least she has been pro-business…whereas Obama seems to Hate Americans who are not takers and haters, like him…
Holy shit…I agree with GT. I still don’t like Haley though.
If a TRUE, instinct-driven Conservative runs against her in the GOP Primary, I’ll vote for the Conservative. But we could get A LOT worse as Gov. (See liberal or Liberal-Tarian)….
The end HAS to be near…I actually agreed with you twice.
Yay, no symbols, you can actually read it.
I guess the proof will be in the pudding whether she can hold out forever.
Is it instinct that drives monkeys to insert their fingers into their rear and then smell them? Is that the type of instinct you are looking for?
Really, O and Haley are so much alike!
Lying, incompetent, no leadership and just plain screwed up.
The sooner both are gone, we will all be better off!
The key point being missed here is that the executive branch of the government has usurped the authority given to the Congress to carry out the laws written by Congress. How can a president just refuse to enforce a law that was passed by Congress and that he himself signed into law? Oh well nothing to see here…
Go back to law school. The Legislative Branch, Congress, passes the laws and the executive branch is responsible for implementation of the law. If an aggrieved citizen (i.e. one who is negatively impacted by the failure to implement a law) does not believe the executive branch is properly implementing the law, they can bring an action in federal court to compel the executive branch to act in an alternative manner; and if they are successful they may even be entitled to have the government pay their legal fees.
The key point being missed here is that the executive branch of the government has usurped the authority given to the Congress to carry out the laws written by Congress. How can a president just refuse to enforce a law that was passed by Congress and that he himself signed into law? Oh well nothing to see here…
Go back to law school. The Legislative Branch, Congress, passes the laws and the executive branch is responsible for implementation of the law. If an aggrieved citizen (i.e. one who is negatively impacted by the failure to implement a law) does not believe the executive branch is properly implementing the law, they can bring an action in federal court to compel the executive branch to act in an alternative manner; and if they are successful they may even be entitled to have the government pay their legal fees.
Rick Perry: “Time to Pass Mantle to New Generation of Boneheads”
SAN ANTONIO (The Borowitz Report) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced yesterday that he would not seek reëlection, telling supporters, “The time has come to pass the mantle of leadership to a new generation of boneheads.”
“I’ve had a good run,” he said. “But after twelve years, someone else who isn’t playing with a full deck should take a turn at the wheel.”
Reflecting on his twelve years as governor, Mr. Perry said that he had “no regrets” except for being incoherent the entire time.
Before leaving office, Gov. Perry said that he would propose three signature bills “just to let future Texans know how Rick Perry marked his territory.”
The first bill would require all voters in the state to have an I.D. with a photo of a white person; the second would force anyone filibustering an anti-abortion bill to ride a mechanical bull; and the third he could not remember.
While Texas’ economy runs circles around the disaster that your ignorant-god Obama has delivered to the US economy…
Has your Stupid @$$ ever stopped to wonder why Texas is a haven for the (true, not the liberal idiot) best and brightest…while Americans are fleeing states that have been rendered H#!!-Holes by leftwing radicals, like Obama?????
Rick Perry: “Time to Pass Mantle to New Generation of Boneheads”
SAN ANTONIO (The Borowitz Report) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced yesterday that he would not seek reëlection, telling supporters, “The time has come to pass the mantle of leadership to a new generation of boneheads.”
“I’ve had a good run,” he said. “But after twelve years, someone else who isn’t playing with a full deck should take a turn at the wheel.”
Reflecting on his twelve years as governor, Mr. Perry said that he had “no regrets” except for being incoherent the entire time.
Before leaving office, Gov. Perry said that he would propose three signature bills “just to let future Texans know how Rick Perry marked his territory.”
The first bill would require all voters in the state to have an I.D. with a photo of a white person; the second would force anyone filibustering an anti-abortion bill to ride a mechanical bull; and the third he could not remember.
it wasn’t rammed down the throat of a reluctant Congress.
It derived from Congress. it was a divided Congress, but not reluctant.
It was rammed down the throats of the American people who didn’t want it. The White House twisted arms and bribed those in their own party until they knuckled under and supported it. Democraps owned both the House and Senate. Those in Congress who knew what a disaster this would be – and has turned out to be – voted against it. Now Dums expect others to bail them out of (“fix”) the mess of their own creation. Obamacare is a spectacular failure – exactly as it was predicted.
it wasn’t rammed down the throat of a reluctant Congress.
It derived from Congress. it was a divided Congress, but not reluctant.
It was rammed down the throats of the American people who didn’t want it. The White House twisted arms and bribed those in their own party until they knuckled under and supported it. Democraps owned both the House and Senate. Those in Congress who knew what a disaster this would be – and has turned out to be – voted against it. Now Dums expect others to bail them out of (“fix”) the mess of their own creation. Obamacare is a spectacular failure – exactly as it was predicted.
This was Obama & his socialist followers plan all along. Although the employer mandate has been delayed another year, the individual mandate remains. Therefore, most US citizens MUST have insurance, but where will they get it from if their employers do not have to offer it for another year and a half? From the Exchange – aka the GOVERNMENT.
This was Obama & his socialist followers plan all along. Although the employer mandate has been delayed another year, the individual mandate remains. Therefore, most US citizens MUST have insurance, but where will they get it from if their employers do not have to offer it for another year and a half? From the Exchange – aka the GOVERNMENT.
It’s USSA’s version of USSR’s Comradecare.