WMD Scattershot Blasts for November 7, 2013

Obamacare by Morning...
Libtards on twitter and facebook show they can't take a joke...CMA Awards Obamacare spoof hits nail on the head...or hemorrhoids in the rear...




Facts Show White House Efforts to Blame Insurance Cos for Cancellations are Lies
From the WaPo:
We’ve noted before the tight regulations that the Department of Health and Human Services wrote while implementing the law, which affected “grandfathered plans,” those obtained before the law was signed on March 23, 2010.  That’s what Carney is referring to when he claims that insurance companies are taking away benefits — though that is just one of a myriad of provisions that could affect a plan’s grandfathered status.
But how many people actually would have kept their individual plans that long in the first place? HHS, when it drafted the interim rules, estimated that between 40 and 67 percent of policies in the individual market are in effect for less than one year. “These estimates assume that the policies that terminate are replaced by new individual policies, and that these new policies are not, by definition, grandfathered,” the rules noted. (See page 34553.)
That’s a large percentage of the plans — but it’s actually bigger than that, given the effective date. We dug into the key research that prompted this estimate, a study titled “Patterns Of Individual Health Insurance Coverage, 1996–2000.” The study noted that, for most people, buying individual insurance is a temporary condition:

“Roughly two-thirds of spells began or ended with employer-sponsored coverage. Eighty-five percent of those with such coverage before a spell of individual coverage returned to an employer-sponsored plan. Thus, more than half of all individual-coverage spells (58 percent) bridged periods of employer-based insurance.”

The study included an interesting chart, based on the experiences of more than 6,000 people, that showed how long a person had a “spell” of individual coverage. The median spell length was only 8 months. Here are the key points:
Less than 6 months:    48.2 percent
6-12 months:               16.3 percent
13-18 months:             13.7 percent
19-24 months:               4.8 percent
More than 24 months:   17  percent
Of course, the Affordable Care Act was enacted more than 44 months ago. Using the data available in the chart, we roughly calculated the Gamma distribution curve beyond 44 months. Under our model, only 4.8 percent keep the policy longer than 44 months — and that is likely an overestimate.
Translated, that means about 95 percent of people now getting cancellation notices likely purchased their plan after the effective date of the law.

Pot Meet Kettle, Obama Edition
Obama sends warning to GOP governors to stop playing politics with healthcare.  Funny, didn't he do that first?  Just sayin.

CBS, of All People, Says Obama Had Years of Warnings About Failures of Obamacare
Yeah,CBS, it is called the right wing blogosphere.....

Obamacare Will Be Judged Too Big Too Fail, Bailout of Single Payer to Come....
From the American Spectator:
Think back to the fall of 2008. Congress was asked to pass a $700 billion taxpayer bailout for Wall Street. We were told it had to be passed, or else the economy would collapse, perhaps into another Great Depression.
House conservatives voted it down. The stock market fell hundreds of points in response. In the ensuing panic, Congress went along and passed the bailout.
That bailout, and the insane, nearly $1 trillion “stimulus” bill passed just a few months later as Obama’s first act, gave birth to the Tea Party revolution that gave Republicans a 63-seat landslide in the House in the 2010 elections. Voters supported that to stop the run on taxpayer funds.
Next on the horizon is an Obamacare “death spiral” for the private health insurance industry. Taxpayers will now be told a new bailout of hundreds of billions for the private health insurers must be passed, or else private health insurance will go out of business under Obamacare. That would leave the government in complete control of American health care, especially as he who pays the piper calls the tune.
It is called “single payer” by advocates of government-run health care. In plain English, “single payer” means “government monopoly” over health care, more commonly known as “socialized medicine.” That means the government decides who gets what health care, or ultimately, who lives and who dies. For those who think the government is God, such health care socialism is long overdue.
Meaning — spiraling decline in the quality of American health care, the end of investment in new, breakthrough medicine, Sarah Palin’s death panels.
Go read the whole thing!

Former Cantor Chief of Staff Helped McAuliffe Win in VA
I am shocked, SHOCKED! to find Eric Cantor employing RINOs!  (sarcasm).  Breitbart has the story here. 

Krispy Kreme Christie Joins John Kasich Obamacare Surrender Club
Krispy Kreme Christie, governor of New Jersey and Obama's secret lover, became the latest Surrender Republican Governor to rapidly expand Medicaid in the Obamacare scheme.  So, this is what victory 2016 looks like?  Hardly.  Maybe next, like John Kasich, Krispy Kreme will say God told him to do it.....

Attention Ohio General Assembly, and especiall the Senate:  Even Kids Know Common Core is Rotten....
From EAGnews:
Emily Anderson, a ninth-grader at Owasso Mid-High School, has always been near the top of her class when it comes to academics. She was in enrolled in the TACK program for gifted and talented students throughout middle school and is currently taking Pre-AP classes.
But Anderson has some concerns with the future of her education after seeing evidence of the implementation of Common Core standards in her classrooms.
“I know I’m not stupid. I’m not dumb. I just know that whatever is going on isn’t working with the way that I learn,” Anderson said.

You Will Accept Obamacare and Medicare Patients Or Else....
A scary and likely postulation on the future here....

...We Will Give You the New Mexico Treatment....
Another sad story questions just how far our police are going nowadays. To add insult to injury, the urgent care billed the man for the "treatment" to the tune of in excess of $6000.  Of course, we come to find out now that this drug dog has had numerous false alerts in the past.  And, ANOTHER person has come out after the story linked to above came out.  This person received the same "treatment" by local police in New Mexico.  And supposedly, the same dog was used.  Time to put Rover out to stud, people. 

Speaking of Dog Doo, Obama Steps in It Again...LIAR LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!
From Fox News:
Millions of health insurance plans have been cancelled after ObamaCare went into effect, and President Obama backed away Monday from his previous oft-repeated statement that "if you like your plan, you can keep your plan."
But he may want to glance at his own website, WhiteHouse.gov, which still states: "For Americans with insurance coverage who like what they have, they can keep it. Nothing in this act or anywhere in the bill forces anyone to change the insurance they have, period."

That appears in a section of the WhiteHouse.gov website labeled "health reform details." The exact same language also appears in the Department of Health and Human Services' online description of the law.
But that web description is very different from what Obama said Monday to top backers of Organizing for Action, his permanent campaign arm.
"What we said was, 'You could keep it [your plan] if it hasn't changed since the law was passed,'" Obama said.
OOOPS!

Obama Takes Care of Union Buddies Quietly with More Waivers....
Remember how we thought Hoffa and the boys were coming around now that they saw that they would be screwed on insurance?  Well, Obama is fixing that.  How?  By unconstitutionally changing the ACA, aka Obamacare, just as he has been doing since the monstrosity was passed. 

Video Vault
Check out the truth o meter!

WMD Scattershot Blasts on Election Day

Hey, folks...it is Election Day around the country....Get out and Vote....and make sure your vote is counted....Now, to the headlines....

Lenin-esque Allinsky Subterfuge in Va Gubernatorial Election
It appears that the Libertarian candidate is really just a stalking horse for liberal statist corruptocrat Terry McAuliffe and the Democrat Party.  "

A major Democratic Party benefactor and Obama campaign bundler helped pay for professional petition circulators responsible for getting Virginia Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Robert C. Sarvis on the ballot — a move that could split conservative votes in a tight race.

Campaign finance records show the Libertarian Booster PAC has made the largest independent contribution to Sarvis’ campaign, helping to pay for professional petition circulators who collected signatures necessary to get Sarvis’ name on Tuesday’s statewide ballot.

Austin, Texas, software billionaire Joe Liemandt is the Libertarian Booster PAC’s major benefactor. He’s also a top bundler for President Barack Obama."  Looks like the Chicago Way has infiltrated Virginia, folks.  DO NOT VOTE FOR THE LIBERTARIAN...THEY ARE REALLY JUST OBAMA DECOYS....Vote for Cuccinelli!

 

Pay No Attention to the Video...I did not Say What I Said

At least, that is what it sounds like the President is saying here.  "“What we said was you could keep it if it hasn’t changed since the law was passed,” he told Obamacare’s political beneficiaries and contractors." But, that is not what he said.  And there is all this video evidence here to prove it!

But Mr. President, Your Website Says...
"If you like your plan you can keep it and you don't have to change a thing due to the health care law".  Guess this must be another glitch, huh?  More truth to Obama's lies here.

 

Obamacare Forcing Schools to Hire Subs from Employment Agency

Looks like another union got snookered in voting for this clown.  Obamacare is making school districts like this one look at hiring substitutes to avoid health costs.  I guess them chickens are comin home to roost, as Rev. Wright says.

"Staunch Faith Based Conservative" Rob Portman Key Vote in Getting Homosexual Hiring Preferences Passed in Senate
Rob Portman's political career has been made on falsehoods.  He said he was against gay marriage.  Now he is for it.  He said he wanted to stop illegal immigration, now it appears he is going to vote for shamnesty.  He said he was a man of faith, but now he supports gay marriage even though it is antithetical to the Bible.  And now, because he has a gay son, Rob Portman thinks he should have special preferences in being hired.  Rob Portman has proved he has no moral core, he has no integrity, and lied to all those who voted for him for his values.  Maybe if Rob was less of a political careerist and spent time with his children, things would be different.  Just putting it out there.....At least it sounds like Boehner will not take up this assault on liberty, both the liberty of employers as well as religious institutions.  Why religious institutions?  Well, these preference laws get used to force "companies" and "services" to provide for homosexuals, meaning forcing religious institutions to perform gay marriages.  Which Rob Portman used to oppose....before he was for them.  Now, the article says Rob got some assurances....but we see what assurances have meant to Democrats or to the courts in interpreting statist laws...NOTHING. 

More Corruption (Is that a Glitch, Mr. President?) in Obamaphone Program
"In a continuing crackdown on the federal government's Lifeline program, sometimes known as "Obama phones," the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has revealed that fraud and abuse in the program exceeded two million subscribers. "  Ooops...guess it is just another glitch.  Shameful.

Top Ten Reasons Not to Let Pelosi become Speaker Again....
Aside from the fact she is an evil, unprincipled psychotic liar?  Check em out here....

Wow....Just Wow.....

If those who are being dropped by their insurance companies due to #Obamacarehttps://twitter.com/search?q=%23Obamacare&src=hash">#Obamacare

> (16 million) made up a state, it would be 5th largest in U.S.— Tom Price (@RepTomPrice) October">https://twitter.com/RepTomPrice/statuses/393889396682162176">October 25, 2013

While Obama Knew Millions Would Lose Coverage, Those Millions Are Getting Angry....
" Those getting the cancellation letters are often shocked and unhappy.
George Schwab, 62, of North Carolina, said he was "perfectly happy" with his plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield, which also insured his wife for a $228 monthly premium. But this past September, he was surprised to receive a letter saying his policy was no longer available. The "comparable" plan the insurance company offered him carried a $1,208 monthly premium and a $5,500 deductible.
And the best option he’s found on the exchange so far offered a 415 percent jump in premium, to $948 a month.
"The deductible is less," he said, "But the plan doesn't meet my needs. Its unaffordable."
"I'm sitting here looking at this, thinking we ought to just pay the fine and just get insurance when we're sick," Schwab added. "Everybody's worried about whether the website works or not, but that's fixable. That's just the tip of the iceberg. This stuff isn't fixable." More here

Has Debbie Wasserman Schultz Lost Her Damned Mind?
"There was nothing about what President Obama or that I or any other Democrat supporting the Affordable Care Act said that was not true,” the Florida congresswoman said.  Video and more here.

Meanwhile, Doesn't This Woman Know She Should Just Take the Painkillers and Die?
Cancer survivor miffed she can't find the plan she had anywhere....And what Obama's Answer for It Way back in 2010....


Rahmbo's Bro Doctor Death Says Getting Rid of Individual Insurance Was Goal All Along...
Zeke Emmanuel, supporter of death panels and former advisor to Dictator Obama, as well as being former Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel's brother, let the cat out of the bag this weekend on the Sunday show circuit.  Read and see here....

Welcome to the Real World, Amigo...Obama IS Dishonest, Indeed....
From the WaPo: " This whole episode is a window into a fundamentally dishonest presidency. And the story gets worse. After Obama began telling Americans they could keep their plans, White House aides discussed using media interviews “to explain the nuances of the succinct line in his stump speeches.” But they decided not to do so, because “officials worried . . . that delving into details such as the small number of people who might lose insurance could be confusing and would clutter the president’s message.”
Yes, no need to “clutter” the president’s message with confusing details — like the fact that millions of Americans being told by the president that they could keep their plans were being knowingly misled.
Obama could easily have come up with another way to make his point accurately. He could have said “most Americans will be able to keep their plans.” Or he could have said, as his communications director Dan Pfeiffer put it on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, “if you had a plan before the Affordable Care Act passed, [and] it hasn’t been changed or canceled, you can keep it” (which prompted McConnell spokesman Don Stewart to reply, “So . . . you can keep your plan — unless it’s been cancelled. Gee, thanks.”) That would certainly have been less powerful, but at least it would have been accurate.
But Obama didn’t say those things. He said, “If you like your health-care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health-care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.” That statement was clear, unequivocal and wrong — and Obama and his advisers knew it."

IRS Scandal, Day 180
A compendium of Stories....check em out here.

Mitch McConnell and US Chamber of Commerce's Power Couple Engaging in Totalitarian Tactics..
Damn them Tea Partiers for coming after Mitch McConnell for being a squish...We shouldn't do business with them, and we are going to make sure they suffer.  From the article: "The National Republican Senate Committee, the GOP campaign arm responsible for Senate elections, has decided to use its political power to block consulting firm Jamestown Associates from receiving political work from GOP candidates or incumbents.
First and foremost, this has nothing to do with Jamestown Associates, or the Senate Conservative Fund. It’s foolish for McConnell and company to pretend there aren’t dozens of firms capable of pursuing any business one, or another firm might forego.
Furthermore, since when did the GOP decide it was against the free market AND the First Amendment? The insular nature of thinking that led McConnell, Josh Holmes and the NRSC into this debacle should frighten all Americans. It’s Neo-leftist, all but Stalin-esque and especially grotesque coming from a party that purports to stand for liberty. This is not the GOP I came to support when I abandoned the Democrat Party to vote for Ronald Reagan. If this kind of nonsense keeps up, soon, I won’t be supporting  the GOP at all.
The grassroots base the GOP needs to turn out for them to win elections neither knows, nor cares about a Jamestown whatever, or some ‘fund.’ But that some thirty-something upstart who appears to have never held a real job outside of the DC political bubble thinks running to the New York Times is a smart way to send someone a message given the nature of this message and the current state of GOP politics is truly one of the dumbest moves I’ve seen out of DC in sometime. All it did was confirm the absolute worst fears of an already all-too-weary GOP base.
How on Earth does an allegedly-seasoned GOP political operator like a Josh Holmes think it wise to run to the Times with what amounts to a jack-booted attempt to stifle both free market capitalism and political dissent? Those are supposed to be core values for the GOP. Yet, here we see a DC GOP establishment on display at its worst. In effect saying — If you engage in a form of commerce we don’t like, we will try to destroy you! If you attempt to exercise your First Amendment right to free speech to say something with which we disagree, we will try to destroy you? 
That position is not only unworthy of, but totally unacceptable for any political party within our Constitutional republic. Frankly, it sounds more like something right out of a totalitarian regime and it truly disgusts me as an American. I’m ashamed to think that a party to which I am connected is even thinking in such terms within it’s inner circles.....
And who handles, or handled comms for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as recently as last year, if not still? Oh, that would be the wife of McConnell’s hand picked neo-nitwit quoted in the very same story mouthing off on the part of the NRSC. And all the happy couple did was poke a stick at an already riled up base. That is something McConnell – already under siege – simply didn’t need, no matter who or how many Washington flunkies thought it was a good idea. Pro-Tip Mitch – the honeymoon is now officially over! Thanks to your boy genius there, more people than ever are now sharpening their pitchforks and thinking about playing in Kentucky.

Blair Latoff and Josh Holmes: Mrs. Holmes, 30, is the senior director of communications at the United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington. "  PATHETIC!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Video Vault

WMD Blast: Kasich and Shelton Edition

Kasich Goes Full Obama and Enlists Help of Children to Lobby His Agenda?

Columbus Dispatch's The Daily Briefing blog has the story.

He's probably joking, but this is exactly the sort of thing one might expect from our governor these days.

What's next, John? An Enemies List???

Judy Shelton LIED to Her Own Party

Judy Shelton is the Central Committee Chairman in Butler County. She's been engaging in some shenanigans with the Board of Elections to rearrange the precincts. She actually told the Central Committee that it wouldn't happen and that those who were concerned were "ill-informed" but here is the Hamilton Journal News reporting that the lines will be redrawn.

So, Republicans of Butler County I ask you this: NOW WILL YOU VOTE THIS CHARLATAN OUT???

Why is this such a big deal? Shelton is consolidating her power base by minimizing the number of seats in Central Committee in Tea Party areas of the county. Having Dave Kern as Executive Chairman is nice and all, but if the Tea Party wants to wield actual power in this county, they have to get Judy Shelton replaced with someone who holds real conservative values.

WMD Comments/Brown County Update: Varnau Supporter Thug Ruins Things for Everybody

You know, some people just don't get what we do here at WMD. They actually think we are journalists. We never make that claim. We are not journalists. We are commentators. We have an opinion and we share it. Up until today, we even took others' opinions and let them be seen on our site. No longer. Why? An anonymous coward has posted hatespeech and threats against persons on the comments.

We here at WMD use insult and mocking as a way of making news funny or just trying to add some spice to a story. I don't think calling a guy who has lost in court 3/4 times and got his rear spanked by the electorate of Brown County a loser is insulting. It is....a fact. In those races, he was a loser. You would think someone who wants to be in the arena of politics would be used to such hateful things. But, if this is the type of support the man engenders as seen in the following redacted comments, then you have to question who Varnau is to get such cretins to follow him:

I've a better idea. I know where you live in *******, and I know Mr. Varnau. I'll show him where you live and have him stop by and talk to you about this. He'll gladly come to you if you are afraid to contact him. You can then explain to him why you called him a loser and other things over the last couple of years on this court case.?

Really? Are we in 3rd grade? I will get him to come by and threaten you. Hey, Varnau has posted comments here and I have addressed them in the past. I call him a sore loser because he got beat and can't accept it. But let's continue with the intellectual genius of this anonymous bully:

Hey dip****. You're the coward. Varnau said he has never been contacted by you ever. You talk about cowards! You're just a POS wantabee that has no life. Can't wait until the supreme court makes you eat crow and all the droppings that go along with it.

Again, I don't need to contact Varnau to get his story. I have seen his website. I have talked to people who know the case. Mr. Varnau has posted comments here. And, what is a wantabee? I have a life. It isn't perfect, but it is a blessed life. I have my friends, family, and some people who care to read what I write. I put my name with my writing. What about you? Hmm? But wait, there's more:

I've got a copy of all the comments I sent you, including the ones you did not publish. I'm going to make sure Varnau gets a copy too. Maybe he will publish them on his website to expose how you operate the rag you call WMD. You're a joke with no credibility.

Hey, have at it. Just make sure he links to us so we can get some traffic off of it. And please, if he references or quotes us, make sure to link. Otherwise, that might be a bit of a copyright issue. No credibility? Well, I will leave that to the readers. I will leave that to the elected officials of both parties who give me compliments even when they disagree. As for being a joke, I like a good one. But oh wait, this one continues:

What I figured. All hot air, no guts, just hide behind your computer keyboard, acting like you are a man, when in fact you are mommy's boy, hiding behind her skirt. You call people names all day long eveyday but can't do it to their face. Morbidly obese and wimpy. Can't take your own medicine.

You claim to know where I live, so how can I be hiding? And, I don't act like a man. I am one. And yes, I am my mother's boy. So what? I don't call people names all day long, I work for a living. And I have called people names to their face. Yeah, I am fat. Whoopty doo. You are classless. I can change my weight but you can't change your pathetic lack of class and creativity and courage. I take my meds everyday, thank you. But oh wait, there is some more from this clown:

Matt G******, lives with ***** in ******.

See, this moron can't even get my name right. Matt didn't write this, I did. And like I have never heard or read such a remarkably dull and silly bastardization of my name. Hey, you know what the root of that word I just used is, right? And who cares who I live with or where? I like it and you don't have to.

You forgot to publish what I sent you before comment #5. Why is it so difficult for you to be an honest "journalist?" And you hold yourself out as a minister too? What a joke!

OK, again, not a journalist. And I don't "hold myself out" as a minister. What does that even mean? How does one hold oneself out? Sounds kinda bad, really. According to the Bible, all Christians are to be ministers to one another, ministering to each others spiritual and other needs. Again, seeing your incredible vocabulary, who are you to judge?

Do us all a favor and grow up yourself. I will let these guys tell you what we think of you and your ilk here at WMD:






Seriously, Mr. Varnau, are these the type of people you would want supporting you? If so, sad.


So, dear regulars of WMD--no more comments. I would refer you to this clown's email, but he/she wasn't brave enough to post such things. Maybe look up Mr. Varnau's email and/or phone number and thank him for having such kooks as his followers. If you want to contact us, you will have to do it via email by going to the sidebar. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Obama Lies and the Economy Dies Rapid Fire WMD Blasts

A lot going on in work and in my life right now, so these posts will be short and to the point with little commentary....

Economy Heading for Collapse in 2011, thanks to Sunset of Bush Tax Cuts

From the WSJ:

Now, if people know tax rates will be higher next year than they are this year, what will those people do this year? They will shift production and income out of next year into this year to the extent possible. As a result, income this year has already been inflated above where it otherwise should be and next year, 2011, income will be lower than it otherwise should be.

Also, the prospect of rising prices, higher interest rates and more regulations next year will further entice demand and supply to be shifted from 2011 into 2010. In my view, this shift of income and demand is a major reason that the economy in 2010 has appeared as strong as it has. When we pass the tax boundary of Jan. 1, 2011, my best guess is that the train goes off the tracks and we get our worst nightmare of a severe "double dip" recession.

In 1981, Ronald Reagan—with bipartisan support—began the first phase in a series of tax cuts passed under the Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA), whereby the bulk of the tax cuts didn't take effect until Jan. 1, 1983. Reagan's delayed tax cuts were the mirror image of President Barack Obama's delayed tax rate increases. For 1981 and 1982 people deferred so much economic activity that real GDP was basically flat (i.e., no growth), and the unemployment rate rose to well over 10%.

But at the tax boundary of Jan. 1, 1983 the economy took off like a rocket, with average real growth reaching 7.5% in 1983 and 5.5% in 1984. It has always amazed me how tax cuts don't work until they take effect. Mr. Obama's experience with deferred tax rate increases will be the reverse. The economy will collapse in 2011.

Consider corporate profits as a share of GDP. Today, corporate profits as a share of GDP are way too high given the state of the U.S. economy. These high profits reflect the shift in income into 2010 from 2011. These profits will tumble in 2011, preceded most likely by the stock market.
In 2010, without any prepayment penalties, people can cash in their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), Keough deferred income accounts and 401(k) deferred income accounts. After paying their taxes, these deferred income accounts can be rolled into Roth IRAs that provide after-tax income to their owners into the future. Given what's going to happen to tax rates, this conversion seems like a no-brainer.

The result will be a crash in tax receipts once the surge is past. If you thought deficits and unemployment have been bad lately, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Bottom line, don't be fooled by what appears to be a recovery. It is just everyone frontloading income under these tax laws so they won't have to pay under Obamatax laws. Incentives matter, so do disincentives. You disincentivize profit, you make people cut costs and cut jobs.

Obama and Fascist Dems in Congress Seek to Destroy Free Speech

Exhibit A--The DISCLOSE Act, which does not disclose anything except contempt for free speech and common sense governance. It is a huge union bailout. Groups are urging its defeat. More from the Corner. It's like the Alien and Sedition Act all over again.

Exhibit B--The Killswitch for the internet. Bad Idea. Say hello to Soviet era suppresion.

First He Lost Chris Matthews, Now Jon Stewart?

Even people with feelings up and down their legs are now turning on Barry Obama and realizing he lies.

If You Like Your Healthcare Coverage, Too Damn Bad--Love, Barry and Nancy

Newsflash! Obama lied....and the grass is green, sky is blue. Oh yeah, and he bows before the labor unions like the dog he is.
From IBD:

Under new rules, your employer can't change insurers without losing your health plan's exemptions from ObamaCare regulations.

That is, unless a union negotiated your coverage. The administration has granted a special exception to those — and apparently only those — health care plans.

A health plan is deemed "grandfathered" if it was purchased before March 23, 2010, and no major changes are made later. Such plans are exempt from most ObamaCare requirements.

But new rules, officially announced Monday, make it hard to keep that status. IBD previously reported that the Obama administration estimates that 51% of all employers — 66% of small firms — would have to relinquish their current coverage by Jan. 1, 2014.

Hail The Collective

But the rules that limit grandfathering are less stringent for unions. Under the regulations, if "an employer or employee organization enters into a new policy, certificate, or contract of insurance after March 23, 2010 ... then that policy, certificate, or contract of insurance is not a grandfathered health plan."

However, that rule does not apply to health care plans that are part of collective bargaining agreements negotiated by unions and set up by March 23, 2010. As long as the collective bargaining agreement is in force, the health plan retains its grandfathered status even if the employers and unions agree to change insurance carriers.

The regulations include an example of a union-negotiated plan that enters into a new group policy "with Issuer Y for the plan year starting on January 1, 2011." In this case, "the group health plan, and the group health insurance policy provided by Y, remains a grandfathered health plan."

If this were Bush, they would have impeached him by now.

WMD Blast: Sixth Anniversary of WMD

On behalf of the entire team here at WMD, I want to thank the readers for six glorious years of Weapons of Mass Discussion. Without your interest in this blog, Mark and I would just be two guys bloviating on politics...

I would personally like to thank all of the contributors...Mark, Don Carpenter, Kyle Sisk, Sean, Doug, Tom, Wes Retherford, and Heather Johnson.

Of course, we have to have stuff to write about...and for that we have to thank all of our sources: You know who y'all are... :)

Special thanks to all of our guest columnists: Rachel Hutzel, John Boehner, Mike Turner, Bob Latta, Jean Schmidt, John Adams, and George Voinovich.

Also need to shout out to Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog.com and all of our MILLIONS of listeners on TIB Radio but especially to Dagny, Brian and Justin who are regular contributors to the liveblogs.

Where would we be without all of our friends in the State of Ohio Blogger Alliance? I dunno...but I sure wouldn't want to be there!

Site Update: Okay...we got up the boring "placeholder" graphic until we can find time to bring the new stuff online... Much, much more to come...

Thanks again...

MATT

WMD Blast

LINKS:

ContactMusic.com: "Lawyers Want Bladwin as Ohio Governor" -- Just say NO! to a Governor Arec Balrin. Who do they think we are? Minnesota??? California??? Come on now... There is NO WAY Ohio would elect a Hulu Alien as governor...Congressman from Cleveland? Maybe, but Governor? Hell no...

Buckeye Lake Beacon: "Space votes to kill Ohio's economy" -- This vote doesn't seem to be going over too well...

Chabot Blog: "The House Passes a Huge New Energy Tax" -- We need guys like Chabot representing us instead of guys like Driehaus.

MORE LATER...

WMD Blast

LINKS:

Politico: "Vulnerable House Dems in GOP sights" -- Boccieri (Not from OH-16) and Space (OH-18) are mentioned.

Energy Tomorrow: "Energy IQ Survey" -- Learn what you don't know about America's energy issues.

Intelligencer: "Space Failed East Ohioans"

OhioPoliticsOnline: "Gambling Semantics or Principles" -- Kevin is absolutely correct about this: This is politics.

New Philadelphia Times-Reporter: "Climate legislation would harm Ohio" -- Space and Boccieri slapped around by yet another paper...

RightWingNews: "Rightosphere Temperature Check For June" -- I am a participant in this poll...

MORE TO COME...

WMD Blast

LINKS:

Carnival of Ohio Politics: #171 -- Check it out!

Dayton Daily News: "" -- I like the part where the last budget is described as being the most conservative budget passed in a LONG time, but had been cut several times since then. It's a huggable moment, if you know what I mean.

CAP AND TAX:

This vote is supposed to go down TODAY.

Here is the list of Democrats who need your phone call. -- Wilson (OH-06) and Space (OH-18) are on this list.

Here is the list of Republicans who need to hear from you.

Call your Congrerssman TODAY and tell them to vote NO! on Cap and Tax.

COMING UP:

GUEST COLUMN by State Rep. Ron Maag on John Kasich and the 2nd Amendment.

MID-MORNING UPDATE:

OhioPoliticsOnline: "Strickland wrong about Obama; rights of gun owners"

MORE TO COME...

WMD Blast

LINKS:

Athens Runaway: "Mark Sanford is Fail" -- not too shabby for his second post. This is a brand new Ohio blog that we'll be keeping an eye on...

Chabot Blog: "Congress Spends More Money on Itself" -- Hard to believe that Congress would do this sort of thing while asking regular Americans like you and me to tighten our belts...

Dayton Daily News: "Editorial: Husted holds his grudge too long" -- One can imagine this happening with NCR folks too...

MORE TO COME...

WMD Blast

LINKS:

Politico: "Petition no substitute for secret ballot" by Senator George Voinovich

Dayton Daily News: "Brunner won't punt on Husted residency" -- The guy does not live in Dayton.

MORE COMING...

Blast Follow-Up: Veterans Bill That Strickland "Whacked"

In Wednesday's Blast, there was an item about a Republican-sponsored bill that would have given veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan some cashola.

T-Shirt Ted whacked it because he didn't like the source of the funding. He'd rather see the moola come from the bond that Husted and Harris went along with for some reason (best theory: pre-session nachos had bad jalapenos, but don't quote me on that).

Well, guess what the Republican-led Ohio Senate is planning on doing? If you guessed, "Giving T-Shirt Ted everything he has ever asked for on a silver platter!" you would be right again. WMD's readers are super smart!

Sen. Tim Grendell is going to re-introduce the T-Shirt Ted Way to Give Cash to Veterans Bill...or something like that.

In the comments of Wednesday's Blast, reader Walter asked what the money was for...and I have to admit, I still don't know. The Dayton Business Journal piece (linked above) has this bit (which sorta comes close to explaining it, I guess):

[A] one-time bonus to Ohioans who served in the military during recent combat engagements[.]

Here is Gov. T-Shirt doing his best to explain it:

Strickland this week said “the people of Ohio have a long history of providing bonuses to Ohio veterans through bonding and this symbol of support, and the more responsible method of financing it, should be continued today.”

Don't get me wrong, I love veterans. God bless 'em...it is because of veterans that I am able to enjoy freedom.

But I thought we were in the Darkest Days of Depression...or something.

WMD Blast

SCHEDULED POSTS:

111th Congress Update

Voinovich Update

Blackwell Update

LINKS:

Carnival of Ohio Politics: #149

Cincinnati Enquirer: "New local Ohio reps sworn in" -- Since I didn't take the time to cover the opening of the 128th Ohio General Assembly...

Dayton Daily News: "Dann appointee lands another state job" -- Surprisingly, she's taking less money...but, she was the only candidate considered for the new gig.

OPENERS: "Ohio U. professor will be Obama's White House photographer" -- That's cool...I guess...

The Daily Briefing: "Governor whacks three bills" -- Interestingly, the headline wasn't "Governor whacks veterans" which is what it would have read if Strickland were a Republican...

Ohio Politics: "Strickland signs “Joe the Plumber”, booster seat bills" -- Two good bills became law...

MARK IS BACK.....AND DISAGREEING WITH MATT????

The booster seat law is not a good bill. The booster seat law is merely another attempt at revenue enhancement and another means to go snooping for traffic stops. Remember how it started with sobriety check points? How many drunks did we stop? A handful...what we ended up with more were other traffic violations and nonmoving violations that brought cash to the coffers of counties and the state municipalities....That is what this law is. It goes along with the seat belt law, the helmet law, and other laws designed not really to protect us or the children, but as a means of revenue enhancement. This gives police yet another excuse for harassment and a means to engage in revenue gouging as in checkpoints. Look at how sobriety checkpoints have evolved, and now we have seat belt checkpoints....What next? Your papers, please....and what are you hiding? I am all for child safety and such, but mandates such as this with the fines and the open door to go snooping are just a manner of increasing revenue and costing freedom.

CULTURE:



Paavo Jarvi discusses Beethoven and Radu Lupu

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

SCHEDULED POSTS:

RNC Chair Update

Boehner Update

Husted Update

LINKS:

ONN: "Ohio Lawmakers Tackle Budget" -- Budget SCOOOOOORES!

Middletown Journal: "There's a SLIMMER sheriff in town" -- Slow news day in Middletown...but I'll give our beloved Sheriff Jones a shout out and an "Atta Boy!"

Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Ohio Medicaid audit: some work done, some left to do" -- Mary Taylor is doing a fine job. It was about time we had a CPA as Auditor... More from Columbus Dispatch here.

ONN: "Cuyahoga Sheriff Raises Pay For Niece, Friends Amid Layoffs" -- Name That Party!

OTHER STUFF:

AP News Alert:

Minn. board certifies results showing Democrat Al Franken winning Senate recount.

The joke is on America...

AP News Alert:

Transition official: Obama picks former Clinton aide Leon Panetta as CIA director.

What? Sandy Berger wasn't available? (Thank you...you know who you are...for that one!)

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

Another update on the HB57 fiasco in the Ohio Senate...

MEANWHILE, IN THE US SENATE...

Jim DeMint is re-introducing the Broadcaster Freedom Act (our senior senator, george Voinovich, was an original co-sponsor) at some point today. As usual, Republicans are standing for free speech and Democrats are doing their best to crush it.

OPEN THREAD IN THE COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

NOTE:

Yeah...it has been rather light posting around here this week. That is likely to continue to be that way through the Christmas break as my time gets gobbled up (see what I did there?) by various projects, rehearsals, and performances.

What do I recommend you all read in the mean time? Well, there are always our friends in the State of Ohio Blogger Alliance, but also feel free to check out our growing list of friends in the Red County network too!

SCHEDULED POST:

Another Voinovich Update...

LINKS:

Carnival of Ohio Politics: #146

Detroit News: "Why Big 3 qualify for money from bailout fund" -- I'm not sure I buy this argument, but check it out...

Politico: "Historians say Obama is no Lincoln" -- You can say that again...

COMING ATTRACTIONS...

On Christmas, we'll find out about the 2008 Weblog Awards...that was tons of fun last year!

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

SCHEDULED POSTS:

TBDBITL Update

Butler County Update

LINKS:

Buckeye State Blog (modern esquire) : "Outgoing Speaker Jon Husted's *post*-election campaign cash dump" -- This will make the blood of every Ohio GOPer in the Land mad as hell...but it's true: Husted (and maybe Kevin Dewine too) held on to a boatload of cash that could have been used to save the Republican majority in the Ohio House. Remember this next time they hold their hands out asking for more cash.

WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON...

2008 Weblog Awards...

At some point, Mark will bring us up to date on the Culture of Corruption story out of Illinois involving their governor...

...which will be a good backdrop for a story that I am working on that I haven't seen reported elsewhere...

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

LINKS:

MLive.com: "Scratch the surface of the automaker-loan failure, and you will find ... more failure?" -- Lots of interesting "stuff" in that one...

Cincinnati Enquirer: "Booster seat bill stalls in Senate" -- Peggy Lehner gets a shout out!

VIDEO:

"Notoriously Opinionated Rahm Emanuel Suddenly Camera Shy on Blago Scandal"



OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

GUEST COLUMNS:

Senator George Voinovich

Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner

AUDIO:

Blogger call with Senator DeMint on Card Check

LINKS:

Middletown Journal: "Auditor lowers thousands of home values 11 percent" -- Roger Reynolds is getting it done!

VOINOVICH STATEMENT ON AUTO BAILOUT:

“There are millions of hard-working Americans tonight who are worried about their jobs and providing for their families. And tonight, Congress failed them. Sen. Levin and I had a true, bi-partisan compromise on the table three weeks ago ready to be voted on, yet it never saw the light of day. The politics need to end before even more companies fall through the ice. Tonight, I am calling on President Bush to use the already-appropriated TARP funds to provide the oxygen needed while they restructure and become healthy and competitive. If we can use the funds for the financial industry, we can use them for the auto industry. We’ve said all along this money was for Main Street and not Wall Street. I think it’s about time we prove it. Time is running out.”

I am surprised to see Voinovich call on Bush and Paulsn to use TARP funds for this...but it is the political thing to do... Exit Question: So...how does it feel standing with Chris Redfern?

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

SCHEDULED POSTS:

Auto Bailout Update

US Senate Update

Butler County Update

LINKS:

Red County/Butler: "Is Sen. Voinovich Vulnerable?" -- Yes...He is...

Columbus Dispatch: "Budget blues deepen for Ohio" -- T-Shirt Ted is Turning Around Ohio...

Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Sutton moves to Energy and Commerce committee"

PolitickerOH: "Looking at Stivers and Kilroy in 2010" -- REMATCH!

Hamilton Journal News: "General fund down in '09, but overall budget up by more than $7M"

Red County/Butler: "Sheriff Ignores Eviction Notices" -- ...gets press coverage instead.

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...

WMD Blast

SCHEDULED POSTS:

Auto Bailout Update

Ohio General Assembly Update

Freddie and Fannie Update

Education Update

LINKS:

Politico: "'Pelosi Premium' runs out of gas" -- The issue is still vital though...

Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Voinovich raises concern about auto rescue plan" -- Unfortunately, his concern isn't "Why are we thinking about doing this at all."

Politico: "Boehner's Revenge" -- Bachus and Young are targetted.

Dayton Daily News: "Strickland threatens veto on vets' bonuses" -- Politics as usual...

Politico: "Swearing in: Barack Hussein Obama" -- Bill Cunningham is vindicated again...

Columbus Dispatch: "Most Ohio lawmakers behind wheels of domestic cars" -- I guess that wasn't a stupid question after all now was it... (You know who you are...)

Columbus Dispatch: "High court rules on deleted e-mails"

OPEN THREAD IN COMMENTS...