Support NeoGAF

[Diablos]

Wait, Cruz voted for cloture? All his grandstanding over the past week has been about whipping people into voting against it. He just gave a 20+ hour speech about it. And then he votes for it? Maybe he was just really tired.

Yeah, I dunno. On principal alone you'd think he'd vote against it knowing it would pass anyway... I can't see how this makes him look legitimate to his constituents after having a website begging everyone in his party to oppose cloture... what a moron. I mean, the site had an info bubble with personalized praises or jabs at Senators who supported/opposed for fuck's sake.

 

[Tamanon]

Voting for cloture makes no goddamn sense for Cruz. It's absolutely baffling.

 

[The Librarian]

Voting for cloture makes no goddamn sense for Cruz. It's absolutely baffling.

Well, he's an asshole, so...I think that explains it.

 

[GhaleonEB]

As Obama and his supporters have proven, people only care about what you say you're gonna do, and not what you actually do.

?

 

[zero shift]

Why has Brazil gotten so much attention from bringing down poverty?

It seems inline with other South American nations.

 

[ridethepiggy]

Republicans including Cruz are more concerned with voting to END debate, not start debate.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Republicans including Cruz are more concerned with voting to END debate, not start debate.

Someone should have told Cruz that. His position all week has been to block the motion to proceed to debate, and thus prevent the Dem majority from being able to strip the defunding provisions with a majority vote. He's been very specific about it.

 

[RustyNails]

Cruz stahp

 

[ridethepiggy]

Someone should have told Cruz that. His position all week has been to block the motion to proceed to debate, and thus prevent the Dem majority from being able to strip the defunding provisions with a majority vote. He's been very specific about it.

Oh, I know. I was being sarcastic lol.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Oh, I know. I was being sarcastic lol.

*shakes sarcasm detector*

Goddamn thing never did work right.

 

[Particle Physicist]

As Obama and his supporters have proven, people only care about what you say you're gonna do, and not what you actually do.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/

Even some of his broken promises I wouldn't even call broken. Like closing Guantanamo. He tried, and it has been congress that has not allowed that to happen.

He has Kept/Compromised about 70% of his campaign promises. Broken 22%. 1% are stalled. 6% are in the works and 1% are not rated yet. I would love to see how this compares to past presidents.

 

[adamsappel]

Cruz can do damage, especially with the Latino voters. I think he's conflicted with what he wants to say and what he feels obligated. He can manipulate that, the self-raised immigrant, small-business owner, but the GOP has a message and that overrides him.

He's going to have to tell voters his name is actually Rafael. I just can't see the racist Republicans getting behind him nationally.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/poll-capito-leads-tennant-by-double-digits

Too bad. I was friends with Natalie in college.

[edit: Cuccinelli is one of the most digusting politicians running for major office I've seen in a while. How the fuck is he the party's nominee? This guy is a misogynist bigot.

I wish he was a Democrat (and, you know, held Democratic values). Every time I hear his name on the radio I shout out, "THE COOCH!"

 

[thepotatoman]

Haha WHAT


Is this guy for real? The cloture vote was 100 to 0.

Imagine if it were 99-1. At least this way he can say "I wasn't being serious, I was just making a point."

 

[Black Mamba]

Did you make a thread about this? If you haven't, why didn't you make a thread about this, numnuts?

I'm going to chalk this up to your next post mentioning your dog. Condolences.


lol cruz voting for cloture.

 

[The Librarian]

I'm going to chalk this up to your next post mentioning your dog. Condolences.

I was only joking around, just to be clear.

 

[Black Mamba]

Did you make a thread about this? If you haven't, why didn't you make a thread about this, numnuts?

I was only joking around, just to be clear.

joking around with the name calling or the dog?

 

[The Librarian]

joking around with the name calling or the dog?

The name calling! I mean, if I wanted to insult you, I think would've come up with something better than "numnuts" and "poopy head."

 

[Piecake]

Few weeks old, but new to me. MPR was discussing the article.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/maga...ends-on-its-cities-not-on-washington-20130828

Its not really a good excerpt/bolded article, so read the whole thing! It might be nice reading about one part of our government that still functions

 

[Black Mamba]

The name calling! I mean, if I wanted to insult you, I think would've come up with something better than "numnuts" and "poopy head."

oh, I know that was a joke. For a second there I thought you made me feel compassion for nothing!

Just days away from launch, the District of Columbia's health marketplace is announcing a pretty significant delay.

While the D.C. Health Link will launch a Web site on October 1, shoppers will not have access to the their premium prices until mid-November. The delay comes after the District marketplace discovered "a high error rate" in calculating the tax credits that low- and middle-income people will use to purchase insurance on the marketplace.

 

[gcubed]

so how did cruz talk for 21 hours? I thought it was only 15 hours for each?

 

[PhoenixDark]

One thing being greatly overlooked by all the Obamacare exchange articles I'm seeing is the general point that the lower your monthly premium for cheap insurance plans, the higher your out-of-pocket costs later, depending on the plan. If you're paying $100 for 60% coverage, you're going to end up paying 40% for certain services, and this isn't including deductibles.

Even the most affordable plans still have costs many people can't handle. We'll get more numbers in the coming weeks though, obviously.

 

[Tamanon]

so how did cruz talk for 21 hours? I thought it was only 15 hours for each?

Cruz was actually just killing time before the debate time actually started. Now they're in the 15/15 period.

 

[Piecake]

One thing being greatly overlooked by all the Obamacare exchange articles I'm seeing is the general point that the lower your monthly premium for cheap insurance plans, the higher your out-of-pocket costs later, depending on the plan. If you're paying $100 for 60% coverage, you're going to end up paying 40% for certain services, and this isn't including deductibles.

Even the most affordable plans still have costs many people can't handle. We'll get more numbers in the coming weeks though, obviously.

Every plan is capped. the maximum amount of out-of-pocket expenses an individual will have to cover is 6k. 12k for a family. This is for every metal

 

[PhoenixDark]

Every plan is capped. the maximum amount of out-of-pocket expenses an individual will have to cover is 6k. 12k for a family. This is for every metal

I thought the caps were delayed a year?

 

[Piecake]

I thought the caps were delayed a year?

The Obama administration has quietly delayed another key element of the Affordable Care Act, the New York Times reported Tuesday, exempting some insurers for a year from the new limit on out-of-pocket expenses.

The Affordable Care Act, signed into law in 2010, explicitly set annual limits -- $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 for a family -- on out-of-pocket expenses. Mr. Obama touted the reform as one of the many consumer protections his sweeping health care law would include to make insurance more affordable.

Now, however, some insurers won't have to follow the limit until 2015. Rather than imposing a $6,350 limit on all out-of-pocket expenses, some insurers will have to impose a $6,350 limit on medical expenses, plus a separate $6,350 limit on prescription drug expenses. Other insurers, meanwhile, won't have to apply a limit at all to prescription drug costs.

The one-year delay was granted because some insurers use different administrators to process their medical and prescription coverage and said they needed more time to adjust their processing systems.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57598288/key-consumer-protection-in-obamacare-delayed/

Huh, well, least they didnt remove it entirely

 

[NYCmetsfan]

BuzzFeed doing some world class journalism.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/cory-bookers-interesting-dms-with-a-portland-stripper?s=mobile

Well this might put the gay rumors to bed.
Erickson knows better though

But there's a major buried lede. Portland had a vegan strip club. Hipsterism has gone to far.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57598288/key-consumer-protection-in-obamacare-delayed/

Huh, well, least they didnt remove it entirely

That sucks but it's likely not to dramatically affect a lot of people in a year.

 

[PhoenixDark]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57598288/key-consumer-protection-in-obamacare-delayed/

Huh, well, least they didnt remove it entirely

Overall I think reactions are going to be mixed to the law. It's going to work really well for a lot of people, but others will end up losing their cheap/bad health insurance plans and not be able to afford ACA rates. Glitches, oversights, etc and businesses (erroneously) blaming hour cuts on the law will further sour things.

This isn't all cake and sunshine, basically, and I think 2014's election will reflect that.

 

[Carpe Libertatem]

Who would have thought electing a Democratic governor and state legislature would result in progressive policies that help the middle class

I mean who would have fucking thought

Apparently not the midwestern swing states surrounding us who voted in GOP hacks and are surprised at their shitty economic situations such as Iowa (Dem State Senate), Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri (Dem governor), Ohio, Pennsylvania

Eh, Missouri's Democratic governor just stopped a horrible GOP tax plan with his veto, despite the GOP having a veto proof majority in both chambers (thanks gerrymandering!), so that's something! At least Missouri isn't Kansas!

 

[Black Mamba]

BuzzFeed doing some world class journalism.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/cory-bookers-interesting-dms-with-a-portland-stripper?s=mobile

Well this might put the gay rumors to bed.
Erickson knows better though

But there's a major buried lede. Portland had a vegan strip club. Hipsterism has gone to far.

That sucks but it's likely not to dramatically affect a lot of people in a year.

How can there be a vegan stripclub when there's all the sushi?

This isn't all cake and sunshine, basically, and I think 2014's election will reflect that.

It will be more positive than negative, though.

 

[PhoenixDark]

How can there be a vegan stripclub when there's all the sushi?



It will be more positive than negative, though.

You can't eat it, you can only watch.

 

[Karakand]

So "household income" for ACA penalty computation purposes is just adjusted gross income plus tax exempt interest and excluded foreign income?

 

[Black Mamba]

So "household income" for ACA penalty computation purposes is just adjusted gross income plus tax exempt interest and excluded foreign income?

It's "modified adjusted gross income" for the subsidies. I assume it's the same for the penalty? http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/healthcare/MAGI_summary13.pdf

 

[thezerofire]

How can there be a vegan stripclub when there's all the sushi?

probably just veggie or imitation stuff

 

[B-Dubs]

BuzzFeed doing some world class journalism.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/cory-bookers-interesting-dms-with-a-portland-stripper?s=mobile

Well this might put the gay rumors to bed.
Erickson knows better though

But there's a major buried lede. Portland had a vegan strip club. Hipsterism has gone to far.

That sucks but it's likely not to dramatically affect a lot of people in a year.

Not the hardest story to get. A Vegan strip club? That's pretty crazy.

 

[Karakand]

It's "modified adjusted gross income" for the subsidies. I assume it's the same for the penalty? http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/healthcare/MAGI_summary13.pdf

Modified AGI is not a universal figure, from my understanding. (i.e. MAGI for one purpose is different from MAGI for another.) For example, student loan interest is excluded from AGI to get MAGI for IRA limitation computation, while this handy infographic claims that is not the case for subsidy MAGI. (And Jesus thought 3 magi was a lot.)

(B) Household income
The term “household income” means, with respect to any taxpayer for any taxable year, an amount equal to the sum of—

(i) the modified adjusted gross income of the taxpayer, plus

(ii) the aggregate modified adjusted gross incomes of all other individuals who—
(I) were taken into account in determining the taxpayer’s family size under paragraph (1), and

(II) were required to file a return of tax imposed by section 1 for the taxable year.



(C) Modified adjusted gross income
The term “modified adjusted gross income” means adjusted gross income increased by—

(i) any amount excluded from gross income under section 911 (Americans living outside the United States), and

(ii) any amount of interest received or accrued by the taxpayer during the taxable year which is exempt from tax.

 

[Black Mamba]

Modified AGI is not a universal figure, from my understanding. (i.e. MAGI for one purpose is different from MAGI for another.) For example, student loan interest is excluded from AGI to get MAGI for IRA limitation computation, while this handy infographic claims that is not the case for subsidy MAGI. (And Jesus thought 3 magi was a lot.)

Very true. So I haven't found which one is used to compute the penalty but that MAGI is for the subsidies for sure.

From what I've found, the penalty is strictly your "taxable income."

http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-tax-penalty.php

 

[GhaleonEB]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57598288/key-consumer-protection-in-obamacare-delayed/

Huh, well, least they didnt remove it entirely

I'd read that the delay was more narrow than the press generally reported, applying only to certain plans offered by businesses. Some quick searching:

In February 2013 the Department of Labor (DOL) issued public guidance to implement these limits. According to the guidance, for those buying a plan on the new Health Insurance Marketplace exchanges, the out-of-pocket limit in 2014 for medical and drug costs combined will not exceed $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 per family, as the PPACA stipulates. However, for those who already have insurance through their employer:

•If the employer’s coverage uses separate benefit plan administrators for major medical (doctors’ services and hospital care) coverage and prescription drug (pharmacy) coverage, and if the drug plan currently imposes a limit on out-of-pocket costs, then the PPACA’s out-of-pocket limit of $6,350 will apply separately to major medical costs and to prescription drug costs, raising the total limit to $12,700 for individuals and $25,400 for families.

•If the drug plan does not currently have a limit on out-of-pocket costs, it will not have to impose one for 2014, and the cap on employee spending will apply only to major medical expenses.

So the delay in out of pocket caps only applies to employer plans, and for people already covered on those plans; and then, only for certain plans that have separate caps. For individuals shopping in the exchanges, the caps are in place in 2014. It's a much smaller issue than was widely reported.

One thing being greatly overlooked by all the Obamacare exchange articles I'm seeing is the general point that the lower your monthly premium for cheap insurance plans, the higher your out-of-pocket costs later, depending on the plan. If you're paying $100 for 60% coverage, you're going to end up paying 40% for certain services, and this isn't including deductibles.

Even the most affordable plans still have costs many people can't handle. We'll get more numbers in the coming weeks though, obviously.

My understanding is the out of pocket limits include deductables and copays.

There's a rule in Obamacare that limits out-of-pocket costs -- including deductibles and co-payments -- to $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 for families. Sounds simple enough.

 

[BertramCooper]

Sarah Palin sure is looking scary monster these days.

I'd be worried about her health if she weren't such a hateful idiot.

 

[zero shift]

So with MMT and similar theories, does it make autarky or at least less freer markets more realistic in todays world? Because instead of focusing on making packs for people investing in your economy you can just have the state create large projects to inflate and destroy money in to the economy correct?

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Big Bush signing a same-sex marriage license in Maine.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

The GOP debt ceiling extension is really something. It's like they forgot last November happened.

http://nationalreview.com/corner/359534/revealed-house-gops-debt-ceiling-plan-jonathan-strong

Big Bush signing a same-sex marriage license in Maine.

Those socks.

 

[Tamanon]

HW's great.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Reminds me of Boehner from that angle.

 

[FyreWulff]

Big Bush signing a same-sex marriage license in Maine.

Awesome. Also been wondering how he's been doing health wise, he seems to be looking better in this pic than he did before.

 

[Rubenov]

Had some Repubs at my job express disgust with Cruz and his antics. Also they don't agree on shutting down the government over this.

Anecdotal, but it doesn't look good for Republicans to continue fighting this battle.

 

[7he Talon]

so how did cruz talk for 21 hours? I thought it was only 15 hours for each?

How is it physically possible? I can't imagine sitting there for 21 hours listening to someone speak.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Big Bush signing a same-sex marriage license in Maine.

Wow. Major props.

Is Dubya the only living president who doesn't support it then? Just as well, Al Gore supports it.

 

[Jooney]

Another day, another sad minimum wage thread on GAF

Props to the poliGAF regulars tearing it up in there.

 

[B-Dubs]

Another day, another sad minimum wage thread on GAF

Props to the poliGAF regulars tearing it up in there.

It's always the same people arguing against it with the same arguments. I'm not even going to bother with that thread, I had enough last time. God speed guys.

 

[Link]

How is it physically possible? I can't imagine sitting there for 21 hours listening to someone speak.

He was allowed to lean.