Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Top Ten Obamacare Disasters to Come

Political Cartoons by Nate Beeler
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:
Political Cartoons by Jerry Holbert1. 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.
1913 and 2013
"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. "
20th Maine Reunion Photo

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: 

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
obama, obama jokes, cartoon, conservative, tea party, stilton jarlsberg, hope and change, hope n' change, veterans day, potential, terrorists

"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
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
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
Death by Obamacare: ‘Reform’ reams cancer patients
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

Monday, November 11, 2013

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.
wedding tax ocare
"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!

Political Cartoons by Ken Catalino
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.
Political Cartoons by Michael Ramirez
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."
 

Has the United States become the new surrender monkey?

"With a fevered and frantic breathless pace, Obama via John Kerry has been pushing to sign a sell-out deal with Iran that would ease sanctions without shutting down Iran’s nuke program.
"Benjamin Netanyahu was furious when he found out that Kerry had misrepresented what the proposed agreement would be, not to mention Kerry running at the mouth to bash Israel on the talks with the Palestinians.
"Netanyahu was not alone.  France was uncomfortable with the deal Kerry wanted to sign, even as Kerry huddled with the Iranians trying to get ‘er done.
Ethel C. Fenig  "Just a few years ago we were referring to the French as cheese eating surrender moneys.  Then one could enter on Google, French military victories, hit I'm feeling lucky and up popped the satiric, with a large element of truth, response: no such site, did you mean French military defeats?.... 

French out-tough US over Iran nuclear program

"When Iran appeared close to a preliminary deal with world powers over its nuclear program, France stepped up to say: Not so fast - a surprise move that exposed divisions among the United States and other Western negotiators who had long been in lockstep on the issue."...
Oh, how Obama and his voters have changed this nation. 
 

Thank you, veterans

Remember when this day was called Armistice Day?  Remembering November 11, 1918
 "Each successive generation learns of the horrors of war all over again. And as much as we wish for and pray for peace, perhaps by remembering the bloody sacrifices of our veterans we can make Veterans Day meaningful once again."
Political Cartoons by Ken Catalino
 
After all the tributes, how's this for a buzz kill? Government Pamphlet: ‘What To Do When The Veteran In Your Classroom Attempts A Mass Shooting’ 
It seems the satire wasn't obvious enough for some, so here is an excerpt:
"It follows similar instructional products like “What To Do When The Hispanic In Your Classroom Attempts A Mass Shooting,” “What To Do When The Gay Student In Your Classroom Attempts A Mass Shooting,” and “What To Do When The Special-Needs Child In Your Classroom Attempts A Mass Shooting.' ”

What does this have to do with the tribute to our veterans? During the Vietnam War, these warriors we honor were cursed, beaten and spat upon by the "tolerant" left, many sporting the "peace" symbol that is so popular in fashion today. Even to this day our government considers veterans to be possible terrorists.   TD
Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel