Obamacare Navigators: this administration - and well, half the voters in America - are poor judges of character

John Fund; The Truth about Navigators  "James O’Keefe, the guerrilla videographer who helped bring down ACORN (the “community organizing” group that Barack Obama worked for as a lawyer and trainer) and got NPR’s president fired, is back.
"This time, his undercover investigators focused on Obamacare’s “navigators,” the nearly 50,000 people who, in the words of the Department of Health and Human Services, “will serve as an in-person resource for Americans who want additional assistance in shopping for and enrolling in plans” on the Obamacare exchanges (at least when they’re finally working)." 

 

.... "There’s much more in the video, which O’Keefe hints will not be his last. Left unexplored is how so many navigators nationwide were hired without any background checks required. While Texas and some other states have passed requirements of their own, the absence of such checks at the federal level was acknowledged by HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius last week."  Full article.

One fired, three suspended after undercover health care video

 The President will find it very difficult to distance himself from this video.

And now for some perspective: Chicago TV Pitchman faces prison for lying about healthcare product  
"It took jurors in a Chicago courtroom only one hour of deliberation to decide that controversial TV pitchman Kevin Trudeau was guilty of criminal contempt for making misleading claims in TV infomercials for his best-selling weight loss book."

 

Poll: Majority Find Obama Dishonest, Untrustworthy  "But for the first time since the president took office, the majority of Americans find him dishonest and untrustworthy, 52 percent to 44 percent. "

We lied: We told Obama he could be popular. What we meant to say was he could be popular ... if he told the truth.   "Americans told President Obama in 2012, "If you like your popularity, you can keep it."

"We lied.

"Well, at least we didn't tell him the whole truth. What we meant to say was that Obama could keep the support of a majority of Americans unless he broke our trust. Throughout his first term, even as his job-approval rating cycled up and down, one thing remained constant: Polls showed that most Americans trusted Obama.

"As they say in Washington, that is no longer operable."...

Always look on the bright side of life

Phone sex line transfers callers to Obamacare  

"What do Obamacare and phone sex have in common? Answer: "intimate connections."
...
"An obliging voice gives you the option to press two to hear the phone number that President Obama read out during his press conference on the woes of healthcare.gov.
"Press three, and the phone sex service transfers you to the government line. (Option 1, naturally, asks for your personal preferences and a credit card number to verify your age.)" Via Weasel Zippers 

 

Latest Late-Night Jokes    

"As you may know, Thanksgiving began in 1621 when the Pilgrims feasted with the Indians and promised them, 'If you like your land, you can keep your land.'" –Jay Leno

"The Obama White House website still says if you like your health plan, you can keep it. That's false, of course. The president says they're trying to correct it, but his website people can't seem to log on." –Jay Leno

"President Obama's approval rating is now down to 39 percent. To which Congress said, how do you keep is so high?'" –Jay Leno

"The Obama administration asks Hollywood to work positive mentions of ObamaCare into its TV shows and movies. So AMCs new zombie drama is titled: “The Walking Dead But Not Due to Preexisting Conditions.” –Conan O'Brien

"President Obama met the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Obama was excited to tell the hockey players that ObamaCare includes dental." –Conan O'Brien

"The ObamaCare website won't be accessible at night due to maintenance. And it won't be accessible during the day due to 'it sucking.'" –Conan O'Brien

More here.

Remember, Americans: no matter what this government does to us, they mean the best for us and they do it in love:
 (Brief language advisory)

Top Ten Obamacare Disasters to Come

Galen Institute  ..."But enrollment in Obamacare insurance ultimately does depend upon the website’s problems’ being fixed, because the information gathered via phone calls and paper applications must be entered into massive federal government databases to check eligibility. A delay of the individual tax penalties will be inevitable if the site isn’t fixed soon; you can’t penalize people if they can’t enroll.
"But eventually, software can be fixed. Obamacare’s epic policy flaws can’t.
The problems increasingly are going to be up close and personal, as people see for themselves the impact it has on their lives and pocketbooks. The top ten debacles to come..."
Here is just the first one:
1. Deductible shock: When consumers finally do get onto the Healthcare.gov website, they are in for a new kind of sticker shock. Avik Roy of the Manhattan Institute has exposed the high cost of Obamacare premiums — the next price shock will be the whopping cost of the deductibles.
A Chicago Tribune analysis showed that 21 of the 22 lowest-priced plans offered for Cook County residents on the Illinois exchange have annual deductibles of more than $4,000 for an individual and $8,000 for family coverage. (Deductibles are the money consumers must spend on health care before most insurance benefits kick in.)
Here are the other points with a more detailed discussion of each at the link:
2. Will people pay?...
3. Attracting the sickest...
4. Less expensive plans vanish...
5. Families lose out...
6. Repaying subsidies...
7. Public health-care costs are going to explode...
8. More jobs lost...
9. Identity theft and fraud will explode...
10. Federal-exchange subsidies eliminated?...

1880s Gettysburg photos by William H. Tipton, Gettysburg resident

This article is taken from the magnificent work done by Gettysburg scholar and local resident, Randy Drais and posted in his web site, Battle of Gettysburg Buff.

William H. Tipton's Photos at Devil's Den, Gettysburg
 Photographing the Gettysburg Battlefield   I"n 1868, Charles Tyson sold his entire collection of battlefield negatives, and his studio, to William H. Tipton. An apprentice of the Tysons at the time of the battle, Tipton went on to become the most important Gettysburg photographer of the late 19th century. He had a photo studio right in Devils Den and for years served as the official battlefield photographer. His work includes countless views of monuments surrounded by veterans and dignitaries. No group of tourists in the late 1800s would think of leaving Gettysburg without having Tipton capture their visit amongst the rocks of Devil’s Den.

"On the left is a photo from 1913 with my grandmother Hazel Putt Nilson and my grandfather Frank Herman Nilson. The other folks are Bill and Verna Hoover. On the right is a photo from June 2013, of me and my partner Joel at the exact same spot."

Of the photo below, the contributor writes: "The first thought that comes to mind when I see "Chamberlain" is that these are the men of the 20th Maine who held Little Round Top on Gettysburg's Second Day, against deadly fire, much of it coming from Devil's Den.

"I think that could be J.L. Chamberlain himself sitting front and center, in what is obviously a reunion photo. Perhaps whoever owned the photo is one of the men pictured here. "


Mr. Drais' Battle Walks   "If you are visiting Gettysburg and exploring the battlefield, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the various Ranger Programs, particularly the "Battle Walks" that are devoted to an in-depth look at a particular phase of the battle or a specific and/or often overlooked area of the battlefield such as ..." More here. 


The Trostle barn after the battle:

The Trostle barn now: 

Another link: Gettysburg Battlefield Online

Islam vs. Islamism

By Salim Mansur at the Meighen Institute   Excerpts below:
...."At the center of the current convulsion in the Muslim world, or Islamdom, as in Turkey and Egypt, is the contest between Islamists and anti-Islamists, between theocrats and anti-theocrats. This contest is hugely complicated by the turmoil that inevitably accompanies the transition of societies and cultures from pre-modern to modern. Here, the relevant analogy to understanding this convulsion within Islamdom is to recall Christendom's long, tortuous, immensely bloody and violent transition in the making of the modern world. This is the history of the past 500 years, from the Inquisition through to the end of the Cold War -- and to be forgotten at our peril."....

Mr. Mansur tells us what he feels is the very incubator of violence in Islam:

"Islamism is an aberrant strain of Muslim thinking that can be traced back in the Arab-Muslim history to the earliest years of Islam. Its defining characteristic is intolerance of others, including Muslims, and glorification of violence against all who disagree with the Islamist rendition of Islam."....

I'm not sure the strain is, as he writes, "aberrant". The endorsement of violence is throughout the Koran and the more adherent to Islam one becomes, it seems the more violent he becomes.
It can be said that Christianity and Islam have shown brutality. Though history documents these things, I say that the more one draws closer to the Bible and the teachings of Christ, the more tolerant and compassionate they become; the more one absorbs the teaching of Islam and desires to be like Muhammad, the more they embrace violence.  This is my opinion and every day this becomes more ingrained in my mind.

..."For the West, the imperative in distinguishing between Islam and Islamism, at least since 9/11, is about working out the appropriate and relevant response to the political-military threats of Islamism and the ambitions of Islamists. This would be a response for containing Islamism and assisting over the long haul anti-Islamist Muslims in the effort to modernize their societies; it would be akin to the response conceived by George Kennan, the American diplomat and State Department official, soon after the Second World War ended, to contain Soviet Communism."...

Atlas Shrugs

Some would say this is what President Obama is attempting in his foreign policy. But why would he not have supported the protestors in Iran instead of currying the favor of the mullahs?  Why has Obama sided with Iran at the expense of US relations with allies such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, and other Muslim countries who fear a nuclear Iran?
Indeed, this president has transformed the US into a mere cypher among global powers and I feel certain that the US will not get this back, no matter who forms the next administration. The world has seen the intelligence of the American voter and must no longer feel the US is a stable, reliable ally; that any future president who is strong and courageous will be vilified and replaced by one that is acceptable to Hollywood and People magazine.
Yet conservative candidates must feel it is useless to campaign on foreign policy concerns because obtuse Democrat voters cannot wrap their minds around the dangers in this issue. 
The world is more dangerous because of the policies of guilt-ridden liberals
The Tunnel Dweller

Full article here.

Commandeerer in Chief

Hope n' Change


"First and foremost, Hope n' Change Cartoons wants to salute and express the deepest possible gratitude to every man and woman who has served this country in uniform. You are the best among us, and we are in your debt. Veteran's Day should be every day.

"But we couldn't bring ourselves to adorn this page with pictures of flags and parades today. Because such honors seem like a faux, feel good lie when we've saddled our military with a president who clearly has no respect for them, their mission, or the country and Constitution they've sacrified so much for.

"Our veterans deserve every honor we can give them. But more than another fireworks display, they deserve to see honor restored to the position of Commander in Chief.  

"Their Commander in Chief.

"Until the rest of us accomplish that, we not only owe our veterans deep thanks...but the sincerest of apologies."

Double boom! Snarky Pat Sajak weighs in on CMA O-care mockery and reveals Mt. Rushmore 2.0

Twitchy
Pat Sajak        ✔ @patsajak Follow

Some people a bit upset that CMAs got political. Who can blame them? First time that's ever happened on an awards show.

 

"Bada-zing! As Twitchy reported, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley scored big during the CMAs Wednesday night with their hilarious sketch on the Obamacare train wreck. Humorless libs freaked out of course. Because, racist. Natch.
"Constant GOP-bashing and Palin mockery (they can’t even be original!) during every other award show is totally fine, though.
Sajak then offered up some words of wisdom." Pat Sajak        ✔ @patsajak Follow

We celebrity types have the right to speak up on any issue. The public has the right (and usually good sense) to ignore us.

 

...."The “Wheel of Fortune” host then issued a double boom with a Mt. Rushmore 2.0 Photoshop." 

 

Death by Obamacare: ‘Reform’ reams cancer patients

NY Post

Bev Veals, undergoing chemo at Duke Cancer Center, was in the hospital when she learned that the president's "reform" was forcing her into a higher-cost health plan.

 

"ObamaCare is supposed to be a huge boon for anyone with a pre-existing condition. Count that another promise broken: It’s actually denying care because of pre-existing conditions.
"Millions of Americans with cancer and other chronic illnesses will wind up paying more for lifesaving care, if they can get it all.
"To keep costs down, the White House designed ObamaCare plans as cut-rate HMOs. The low profit margins have forced insurers to downsize the number of doctors and hospitals in their networks — and to slash what they cover for out-of-network treatment."...Hat tip to Jodi Free at Conservatives Network

12 Everyday Moments You’d Never Want To Miss

"When life moves as fast as the blink of an eye, you never know what you might miss…"

Buzzfeed
9. Your celebrity idol waltzing right by.

 

11. A walk-on that’s simply better than good news.

Confirmed: Obamacare’s ‘Wedding Tax’ Punishes Married Couples

Gateway Pundit  "What was once a rumor is now a fact.
"Obamacare will punish married couples and reward those who choose to cohabitate, instead.
"Under Obamacare married couples may pay $10,000 a year than cohabitating* couples."
*Shacked up.

Quoting Life Site News:

"Would you pay $10,000 a year to stay married to your spouse? Some American couples are being faced with exactly that decision as they consider their health insurance options under ObamaCare."....

...The threat is more than theoretical. Nona Willis Aronowitz and Aaron Cassara of New York City are one such couple. Married for four years, they told NYC’s local CBS affiliate that while they are still very much in love, they are considering divorcing, at least on paper, because staying married will cost them thousands of extra dollars per year....

 More here. 

Obama's Stunning Snub

RealClearPolitics  ... "In nine days, this town will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s speech with a ceremony at the same Soldiers' National Cemetery featuring the U.S. Marine Band, Governor Tom Corbett, and a reading of the Gettysburg Address.
"One person who will not be among those honoring Lincoln is President Barack Obama.
"The White House gave no reason why the president would not attend." ...

"His dismissal of the request shows a man so detached from the duty of history, from the men who served in the White House before him, that it is unspeakable in its audacity.
"Ask almost any person in this historic town; even his most ardent supporters here are stunned.
"Obama long ago veered away from any affinity he may have believed he had with Lincoln, which gives credibility to the criticism that his connection to Lincoln was always a political calculation rather than a true bond."

Cancel THIS!

No love for NY Times op-ed writer whose insurance was cancelled 
"Perhaps the most entertaining facet of watching the scales fall from liberal's eyes about Obamacare is the absolute shock they experience when their liberal friends chastise them for complaining."
....

"A dose of reality that's come a little late for this liberal." Rick Moran.

"The liberals are revolting!"
"I know, but they're all we've got."
Ba-dump-bump.

Obama’s Republic of Lies  "Does it matter? Does anyone really care whether the president of the United States ostentatiously breaks a promise he made publicly on at least 36 separate occasions?  We know what would happen if the president of an insurance company made and then flagrantly broke a promise that his customers could keep their health care coverage if they liked it.  He would be prosecuted and jailed."