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May 01, 2014 06:10 AM UTC

Thursday Open Thread

  • 62 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

–Benjamin Franklin

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62 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

  3. 7 Million, 8 Million . . . 2.45 Million

    Seems that the administration claiming 7 million and then 8 million folks had signed up for Obamacare was about as accurate as the $2,500 annual savings that was promised.  The administration claimed they had now way of knowing how many of the people who created accounts had actually paid a premium so that they had coverage. So some genius in Congress figured out why not ask the insurance companies?  The number as of April 15th?  Not the we met our goal of 7 million, not the we kicked butt number of 8 million, only 2.45 million about half of the number of people who lost coverage.

    You think the website was a disaster?  Wait until you see the double digit rate increases coming up right around election time.

      2. I find it interesting the House Energy Committee has taken down the "report" that you rely upon, Andy.  Think, maybe, they were to embarrassed by the lies, damned lies and statistics?

    2. Next time try using real facts:

       But administration officials, outside experts and even the health insurance industry immediately questioned the report, offering the latest skirmish over questionable claims and counterclaims that have come to characterize debate over President Barack Obama's signature health law.

      The report by House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans said 67 percent of people who had signed up for health insurance through federal marketplaces had paid their first month's premiums as of April 15. That was far lower than the numbers emerging from individual insurance companies, which have been reporting payment numbers in the range of 85 percent and above. Wellpoint reported on an earnings call Wednesday that some 90 percent of people signing up for insurance actually had paid.

      Administration officials, insurers and others were quick to point out that because the GOP data cut off in mid-April, it didn't capture a surge of health law sign-ups in March prior to the end of the first open enrollment period.

      Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, called the report "inaccurate, irresponsible and out-of-date."

      "It is another in a long line of Republican false allegations and scare tactics about the Affordable Care Act. The law is working and providing coverage to millions of Americans, yet Republicans in Congress continue to live in a state of denial," Waxman said.

      1. OK, lets use real facts.  And your real facts are:

        1. The administration disagrees but cites no facts; and

        2. Henry Waxman called the numbers inaccurate but cites no facts.

        Thanks for sharing.

        1. Charles and David Koch would smile at your efforts, AC. Maybe even CO's own Bill Koch will pat you on the head next time he sees you. They, llike you, all made it in this horrible world all by themselves with no government help and without "taking" anything from their fellow Citizens and without having to rely on anything our society might provide equally to everyone.

          I would hope we can all be so independent and self-sufficient as you and the Kochs.

          1. Evil or just laughingly incompetent?  I know, I know they are not exlusive, the actual mythical 'troll' being a good example of being both 'evil' and stunningly stupid.  

             

            Maybe its current version pooping all over the diaries here lives up to the legend?   

            1. Evil. This termite and his ilk intentionally aim to hurt people while feathering their own nests, and they operate out of greed, spite, power-lust. racism, and pure malice aforethought. Pointed, focused, dedicated EVIL.

              Don't kid yourself about the extent of the darkness in these creeps.

              1. Dawn:

                Watch the blood pressure!

                Yes, AC is lying. Yes, AC knows he is lying. It may be a paid gig for him, or a labor of love.

                On the bright side, AC, Moderatus, and other conservatives have been very good for Pols. Pols gets 2-3 X as many comments and hits as people reply to the nonsense.

                So with all of their endless repetition of talking points, all they really do is bring traffic to a liberal blog, and give progressive folks a chance to correct their distortions.

                So I'd like to take this opportunity to say, "Thanks!" to all of the conservatives who post on here…you truly are helping to promote the causes which you ostensibly despise. Have a nice day.

                 

                 

                1. BP here is quite fine, mama — possibly because I don't bottle up the pure contempt I hold for these amoral, dishonorable, unethical liars!

                  Your accurate observance of the fact that these corrupt liars are paid to lie reinforces my point about their genuinely evil natures. Knowingly lying for profit while doing the dirty work of clearly nefarious, anti-American forces (the Kochs, et al) is more than a little evil.

                  But yeah, if the Koch trolls' feeble attempts at spreading lies is helping to boost CoPols and other progressive blogs/sites, and possibly bringing more voters into our fold, well then right on.

                  I however will continue laying a verbal baseball bat upside their flat heads as circumstances warrant.

                  Speaking of which, here is yet another complete repudiation of the lies of the scummy creature "ac":

                  http://www.newrepublic.com/article/117601/obamacare-enrollment-numbers-house-gop-report-distorts-facts

                  Funny how these jackals immediately vansih at any appearance of logic or truth…

                    1. AC, I probably was counted as one who hadn't paid. Problem was that according to Kaiser ( the most popular choice among  companies on the site) I was supposed to wait to be issued an account number first, then pay but the Colorado site said nothing about that. It sounded like you should pay ASAP and it was March 26th so I sent in my payment. Weeks later got a notice, along with many, many  others, that my payment hadn't been received. It just wasn't showing up in their system without the account number. They had all kinds of checks lost in their system though already cashed.  Had to give them the number of my cancelled check so they could research it and issue an account number. They told me it was a real pain in the neck for all involved that so many people did what I had done and jumped the gun on payment  in the last minute rush due to the site not making this clear. Stats from after this is resolved for everyone will show us all paid up. Bet that will make you so happy, right?smiley

          2. If you only count two thirds of people who signed up for Obamacare, then only 5.3 million signed up !

            What an asshole and fucking liar AC is.

  4. Try these facts:because out of the 8 million or so enrollments as of 4/15, only 5 million of the first month's premiums were even due.

    Why is this? Because the policies of anyone who enrolled in a QHP after March 15 don't even start coverage until TOMORROW, May 1st.

    The HHS Dept. confirmed the 5M figure on March 17, which presumably means that it actually hit the 5M mark a day or two earlier.

    A spokesman for the HHS Dept. has also confirmed that the first premium isn't due until the day before the coverage becomes effective–in other words, the other 3 million enrollees first payments aren't due until TODAY

    I enjoy educating the uninformed – do you enjoy always looking stupid?

    1. Genius:

      As of 4-15 5 million premiums were due?

      2.45 million were paid.

      That is even less than the 67% number in the Report.

      If the other 3 million whose premiums were not yet due have a similar history you are almost up to 4 million, not 7 million or 8 million.

      Nothing like dealing with an educated fool to get me going in the morning. Thanks.

      2. And take your smug, condescending attitude and cram it till your eyes bleed, you arrogant piece of lying filth. You are not better than ANYBODY!

    2. According to Gaba, who carefully references his sources, and makes corrections when he discovers errors, we have an estimated 13,145,463 insured under the ACA (AKA Obamacare). That would be <a href="http://acasignups.net/spreadsheet">8,145,463 through the exchanges,</a> and <a href="http://acasignups.net/spreadsheet-med">6,237,539 through HHS & CMS.</a> In addition, there are a large number of people signing up directly through insurance companies, who are benefiting from the regulations that prohibit discrimination against pre-existing conditions, and women.

      A number of Republican states have refused to expand medicare, and made it difficult to sign up on the exchanges. This means about 5 million people are being prevented from getting improved health care. This is leading to cost-shifting and health care financing problems in those states resulting in closed rural health clinics, and causing insurance rates in to climb.

      If the goal is to guarantee health care affordability and increase insurance coverage then Obamacare is doing a pretty good job. It will be doing better over the next decades as Republicans start losing control of Texas and Florida.

      You can criticize Obamacare because it doesn't go far enough; Medicare presents us with a successful example. 

      I have yet to see any alternative to the ACA from the Republican Party. They seem more interested in tearing things down rather than building them up.

  5. Jason,

    Could you follow up on this…..why does boyles  refer to Hitler as "Die Fuhrer" which means leader in German….it is a mark of respect.  No comment at all from his audience or advertisers…..Thanks.

    1. Is your phoone broken?  Why don't you call the show and ask him?  Is it more fun for you to come on Pols and whine about it, pretending it's someone else's job?

      1. Pretty sure Jason won't bother "following up" on such a stupid question, DP.  It's such a common way of referring to Hitler it's no wonder nobody else took any particular note. This just in. Someone referred to tissue as Kleenex. Investigate!

      2. . . . ever since they removed that good, old, reliable hand-crank and replaced it with that fancy-schmancy rotary dial thingy . . . 

      3. Calling Boyles is stupid.  It's like wrestling a pig.  You just get dirty and the pig enjoys it.  Let him sit there with his empty phone lines while he plays some asinine clip over and over to fill air time.

  6. I have a Jewish friend who became very upset when she heard boyles call Hitler "die Fuhrer."  I was reminded of that this am when i heard him do it again. I thought that Jason could handle the question more professionally than I, if I could even get through the screeners.

    But, perhaps BC is right, it is just a generational thing.  I was raised and educated by the men who won WWII.  Trust me, no one would have called Hitler "Die Fuhrer' in their presence.  

      1. There we go again. The condescending I have loftier standards because I  was raised by people who lived through WWII routine. Well so was I and every earlier wave boomer. I'm also Jewish and from my childhood on I can remember comedy routines using der Fuhrer in reference to Hitler. Post WWII nobody was ever going to mistake it for a sign of respect. If she isn't making this Jewish friend up then it just goes to show Jews can be as clueless, ignorant and silly as dryer or anyone else. Or perhaps the friend is an actual holocaust survivor and traumatized by any mention of Hitler. Don't know what dryer's excuse might be. Her cluelessness never ceases to amaze.

      2. @exlurker19.

        Thank you so much.  I can't hear, I can't spell in two languages…..although it would be great if boyles actually said "die" instead of "der" and was insulting Hitler…..we can only wish….

         

        1. As a kid, I watched Col. Klink and Sgt. Schultz mention "der fuhrer" all the time on Hogan's Heroes, followed closely by the laugh track and the sound of my own family's laughter.

          No respect intended nor given.  Brainfart Boyles is probably flashing back. 

          1. One of the actors on that show, I think the one playing the Frenchie, was a survivor. We watched it too. It does seem odd with hindsight, doesn't it? Fun and laughs in a Nazi POW camp? How tastes change! 

            1. True — it probably wasn't "Must see TV" for actual WWII veterans. We also watched Vic Morrow in "Combat!".  A much grittier take on war before Vietnam seized posession of America's psyche and took away any innocence that might have remained.

          2. @Davie,

            "der fuhrer" as a joke, as satire, but never in the context of talking about Germany, in a non-comic sense…..

            I remember a song….that had the tag line…about "booting fhe fuhrer straight to hell."… but I don't know if I heard it in a movie or as a army marching cadance…or somewhere else….

              1. Remember the Springtime for Hitler (Winter for England and France) number? And the very young Gene Wilder. And Zero Mostel's comb over?  Classic.

                But returning to the original subject, just what is it that dryer wants Jason to investigate? Would he be investigating whether or not Boyles is an ass or whether or not he's a member of the Nazi party or what? I'm going to go with yes for ass and probably no for Nazi party membership. But then I wasn't raised by the people who won WWII. Oh wait. My father and his two brothers served in that war and mom did civilian work for the military.

                Dwyer 's condescending, self righteous arrogance is matched only by her absolutely breath taking cluelessness. A true wonder to behold.

      1. @dwyer – earlier I promised you a link to the conservation easement debacle when it went public.  While we suffer through these ginned-up 'freedom fighter' news hours on Cliven & Co., there is real, authentic government overreach happening right here under our nose in the Centennial State.   It's a long read, but filled with a lot of valuable background and information.  Don't hold your breath waiting for anyone local to report on this travesty. 

         

        1. @Michael Bowman

          Thank you for the link.  I did read it.  I know nothing about the subject, but I did understand the two options open to landowners.  I keep thinking there must be some legal alternative that would not cost a fortune in lawyers' fees.  Please keep us informed.

          I did not call Hickenlooper's office simply because I do not think it would make a bit of difference….

           

      2. You know what else is funny? (in the "delicious irony" department)

        The district that Cliven Bundy lives in? Represented by a black guy (Congressman Steven Horsford of Nevada, represents rancher Cliven Bundy’s district) He's interviewed on tonight's Rachel Maddow show (specific segment link isn't up yet).

        Congressman Horsford says that his constituents are intimidated by these yahoos who have appointed themselves as law enforcement, and are looking for a way to make the second amendment defenders go home.

  8. I am attending a BLM hearing regarding 65 suspended leases that must be re-evaluated, and have an EIS prepared .
    this place is packed….lots’ o hostiles’

  9. One of the questioners asked how the BLM could lease this land since the state hasn’t ceded it to the Feds. Simmering here…lots of guys in work boots, arms crossed…not smiling.
    I wonder which side they are on…

  11. Diane Schwenke is passionately pleading for the100,000 jobs that oil and gas will lose if the Thompson Divide leases are rescinded.

      1. I understand this hearing in DeBeque was insisted upon by the Mesa County commissioners, because they were not included in the original list of scoping sessions. Their resentment was only exceeded by the lengths to which they went to make sure the BLM thinks that Mesa County only has one industry…and I ain't talking peaches.

        The place was packed with people wearing the customery sticker with some slogan I didn't really catch. This is a tried and true script. Just a reason for the right wing to stamp their feet, try to impress each other, and see if they can catch some press. The only subject they could find was jobs, jobs, jobs…oh, and those wealthy Aspen aristocrats who are paying to have "their" leases cancelled.

        One of the female speakers even chimed in about how this was about private property "rights". All in all, a completely wasted hour and a half…we left early.

        Dennis Webb was there. He will, no doubt, write an excellent story about it.

      1. Don't be silly, Ralphie. Without Diane Schwenke, who would tell the City Council, County Commissioners, and Jay Seaton what to do?

        1. Jay Seaton knows what to do.

          The rest of them?  Well, God help them.

          And God helping them is a whole hell of a lot better than Schwenke helping them.  I'm just sayin'..

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