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[PhoenixDark]

I read earlier this week that Medicare Part D literally didn't work for six weeks after it launched. Not an excuse, but it shows that a spectacularly bad launch, even one that lasted for a while, will be long forgotten once the problems are resolved.

True, but I would have preferred that a rollout a decade later by a more technically savvy administration would be handled better. Another potential problem is that while Medicare is solely for older, sicker people, the exchanges HAVE to attract young people asap. I fear the bad rollout could turn some off. I hope this ends up like Part D of course, though.

At least the Medicaid expansion is working, I guess.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Also, keep in mind that the Feds probably didn't think so many states would opt to have the Feds run the exchanges, or that so many states would reject Medicaid expansion even if the SC struck the expansion requirement down (which they did).

California
Colorado
Connecticut
Washington DC
Hawaii
Idaho
Kentucky
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Nevada
New Mexico
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington
Utah (Only for small businesses)

If you're not in one of these areas, you're going through healthcare.gov . The Feds probably expected something like 15-25 states, not nearly 35 (and 8 of the 10 most populous states).

 

[Shao Kahn on the Lawn]

Given the nature of the complaints that are being levied against Healthcare.gov, I would be amazed if they've got it corrected by the end of the year. The implementation of this site itself is a good example of what is wrong with our healthcare industry to begin with: it's overly complicated on the back-end.

Allowing states to set up their own exchanges is significantly more difficult than standardizing across one federal template. It's no wonder that insurers are getting erroneous data when you think about how many disparate data sets the federal exchange is working with (Most of which likely weren't normalized against each other).

 

[Link]

Given the nature of the complaints that are being levied against Healthcare.gov, I would be amazed if they've got it corrected by the end of the year. The implementation of this site itself is a good example of what is wrong with our healthcare industry to begin with: it's overly complicated on the back-end.

Allowing states to set up their own exchanges is significantly more difficult than standardizing across one federal template. It's no wonder that insurers are getting erroneous data when you think about how many disparate data sets the federal exchange is working with (Most of which likely weren't normalized against each other).

Except it's the states that don't have their own exchanges set up that are experiencing the problems.

 

[ivysaur12]

Wow.

 

[BertramCooper]

Is anyone else weirdly curious about this woman?

I wonder what it's like to be the face of the dysfunctional federal exchange rollout.

 

[Joe Molotov]

I'd roll out her federal exchange, if you know what I mean.

 

[ivysaur12]

Is anyone else weirdly curious about this woman?

I wonder what it's like to be the face of the dysfunctional federal exchange rollout.

This requires a Buzzfeed investigation.

 

[B-Dubs]

Is anyone else weirdly curious about this woman?

I wonder what it's like to be the face of the dysfunctional federal exchange rollout.

She's cute bro, she'll be fine.

I'd roll out her federal exchange, if you know what I mean.

Oh you

 

[ivysaur12]

Woah.

The Associated Press ‏@AP 9m
BREAKING: NJ court says gay weddings can start Monday even as same-sex marriage case is appealed.

Way to tip your hand, NJ SCOTUS.

HMM I WONDER HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDE

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Christie's anti-gay stance will hurt him in the long run.

 

[ivysaur12]

@JoeMyGod 5m
New Jersey's Supreme Court ruled UNANIMOUSLY. "State has no probability of winning on merits." It's FINISHED! Congrats, Garden State!

This is (basically) over.

 

[Black Mamba]

@TheOnion: Anonymous Source Tells Reporters That He’s Tired Of Being Speaker Of The House http://t.co/DvLb5ffPys

Title slayed me.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Woah.



Way to tip your hand, NJ SCOTUS.

HMM I WONDER HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDE

For as much as we get shit here, at least we do the right thing more often than not.

 

[Fox318]

Christie's anti-gay stance will hurt him in the long run.

Its gonna help him get money though.

 

[Sibylus]

Charlie Savage (NYT): Door May Open for Challenge to Secret Wiretaps

May or may not involve another Feinstein lipple-slipple. Welcome development at any rate.

 

[ivysaur12]

Its gonna help him get money though.

From who? If you're an anti-gay conservative Republican, you're not giving money to Chris Christie.

 

[Fox318]

From who? If you're an anti-gay conservative Republican, you're not giving money to Chris Christie.

Compare to the rest he is the most electable. He is gonna win by 13-18 points in a blue state.

Christie has one out for his anti gay marriage stance and that is his bill banning gay conversion therapy which I would argue is way more important than marriage licences when the state already issues civil union licences.

 

[GhaleonEB]

True, but I would have preferred that a rollout a decade later by a more technically savvy administration would be handled better. Another potential problem is that while Medicare is solely for older, sicker people, the exchanges HAVE to attract young people asap. I fear the bad rollout could turn some off. I hope this ends up like Part D of course, though.

At least the Medicaid expansion is working, I guess.

Oh, not defending it. It's a catrastrafuck. Just saying, I think they've got a one month or so span before it really starts to affect the law, which requires critical mass to even work.

I don't think people are going to be turned off from seeking insurance if there's glitches for a few weeks. The situation they are in will dictate how persistent they are.

 

[Videoneon]

Fundraising for some Tea Party candidates dropping/

Fundraising fell in the July-to-September fundraising quarter for two-thirds of the 42 House Republicans elected since 2010 who signed an August letter that urged House leaders to tie dismantling the Affordable Care Act to a bill funding the government, a USA TODAY analysis shows. That letter, circulated by first-term Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., helped ignite the budget showdown that shuttered parts of the government for 16 days this month.

In Detroit's upscale Oakland County suburbs, first-term Republican Rep. Kerry Bentivolio raised $59,177, a 10% drop from his haul in the previous fundraising quarter. In less than a month on the campaign trail, however, Bentivolio's primary challenger, lawyer David Trott, raised nearly $650,000. Trott tapped $200,000 of his own funds plus donations from prominent business leaders in Michigan, including billionaire Amway heir Dick DeVos.

In Florida, first-term Rep. Ted Yoho, who argued that a debt default would "stabilize the world's markets," took in $51,000 during the third quarter, down from $117,900 during the previous three months.

Meanwhile, another Tea Party-aligned lawmaker, two-term Tennessee Rep. Scott DesJarlais, failed to match the fundraising pace of his GOP primary challenger, state Sen. Jim Tracy. Tracy ended September with nearly five times the cash reserves of DesJarlais, whose support among the party's establishment eroded after a series of personal scandals.

In recent weeks, primary challengers to Tea Party-aligned incumbents have emerged in at least other three other congressional districts — in North Carolina, Alabama and in western Michigan. In Michigan, Rep. Justin Amash, a rising star among conservatives who was part of an attempted coup earlier this year against House Speaker John Boehner, faces investment manager Brian Ellis. (Ellis entered the race in October after the books closed on the third fundraising quarter of the year.)

The fundraising reports come as a growing number of Washington trade groups, typically aligned with Republicans in Congress, have raised concerns about the economic toll of Washington's fiscal crises. Several business leaders say they are considering backing primary challengers to Tea Party incumbents.

The National Association of Manufacturers, meanwhile, plans to host a fundraiser later this year for Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson, an eight-term Republican. He faces a primary challenge from Bryan Smith, a lawyer backed by the anti-tax Club for Growth and Tea Party-affiliated FreedomWorks. Both groups have supported Republican upstarts in recent elections and this week called for lawmakers to vote against the Senate-brokered deal that end the partial government shutdown.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who became the public face of the fight against the health care law after leading a 21-hour filibuster-style Senate speech in late September, collected nearly $1.2 million for his Senate re-election committee and leadership PAC, from July 1 through Sept. 30. That's roughly on par with his previous fundraising.

Cruz won't rule out another shutdown

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, says he will "continue to do anything" to derail President Obama's health care law.

"I would do anything, and I will continue to do anything I can, to stop the train wreck that is Obamacare," Cruz told ABC News in an interview that aired Thursday.

Asked specifically by ABC's Jonathan Karl whether he would rule out another government shutdown, Cruz said he wouldn't discuss "future tactical concerns" and stressed the focus shouldn't be on "D.C. politics." Pressed again, Cruz framed his response in terms of his fight against the health care law.

---

Huzzah for the gay marriage ruling in New Jersey. I remember posting a long time ago that I expected Christie to toe the line, as that was initially what he was doing. So much for that. He took the easy way.

---

Cruz's comments are interesting. McCain and McConnell have sworn that there won't be another shutdown. I suppose we can expect some fireworks from within the party again. My guess is we won't see a repeat.

 

[RustyNails]

Title slayed me.

I laughed for 15 seconds straight at the title. Goddamn.

 

[B-Dubs]

Title slayed me.

I'm dead, holy shit that title is AMAZING

 

[mckmas8808]

Reid has never been the problem. He's not the guy who thought it was a great idea to let Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins dick everyone around on healthcare for months. That was Baucus, and Obama.

LOL!! You so funny.

 

[Zero-Crescent]

http://www.salon.com/2013/10/18/ins...ine_i_fact_checked_sean_hannity_on_obamacare/

This is amazing and hopefully it gets more coverage

Damn. I shouldn't be too surprised though; as Mario said earlier, Hannity's probably the worst one on that channel.

 

[GaimeGuy]

LOL!! You so funny.

Seriously fuck Max Baucus, though.

The House of Representatives had its version of health care passed in July 2009.

the senate took another 5 months to come up with its own version of health care, and it didn't even get out of the Senate Finance Committee until mid October.

Fucking Max Baucus and his shitty blue dogs came up with the worst version of health care in any of the 5 committees in the House and Senate which tackled the problem.

And then Reid rewarded him by putting him in charge of the deficit reduction special committee.

I swear Baucus was blackmailing Reid, he did such a bad job and got rewarded every step of the way.

And no, Reid has definitely been the problem. he hasn't kept the blue dogs in check, nor has he ever followed through on even re-examining the senate rules, never mind changing them. Because of him, countless laws have been watered down for no reason at all, and the filibuster has run amock under him without him doing anything about it.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Chris Christie is a useless fuck

yay NJ

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I love FOXs concern trolling about the health care law

 

[bonercop]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

 

[Touchdown]

Was watching Hannity last night as well and besides watching the demon known as Hannity had on a conservative who was claiming that the ACA didn't stop people being from being denied based on preexisting conditions. That people could still be rejected if they had cancer, etc. I wanted to jump through the TV and strangle her.

Absolutely disgusting.

I enjoyed this.. http://www.salon.com/2013/10/18/inside_the_fox_news_lie_machine_i_fact_checked_sean_hannity_on_obamacare/?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

 

[speculawyer]

Christie's anti-gay stance will hurt him in the long run.

Maybe . . . but he managed to thread the needle on this one. He got gay marriage allowed but acted like he was against it to make the conservatives happy.

But yeah, in the long run, he was on the wrong side of history.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted the in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

state budgets do have to be balanced since they don't control their currency.

but things like them allowing illegal immigrants to do a lot more things was pretty cool.

Maybe . . . but he managed to thread the needle on this one. He got gay marriage allowed but acted like he was against it to make the conservatives happy.

But yeah, in the long run, he was on the wrong side of history.

Has he ever stated he's against it? I though his position is it needs a vote.

Wrong but I can see the flying. Obama wasn't pro gay marriage till last year.

 

[Piecake]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted the in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

California didnt do it to kick out Republicans, they did it to reduce polarity in government, and it seems like they did. While the majority are democrats, those democrats are more moderate and can take positions not advocated by their party because they aren't picked by the extremes of their party, they have to appeal to the middle.

Youre not going to get any radical change with that sort of set up if the public isnt behind it, but it will definitely function a lot better

 

[bonercop]

state budgets do have to be balanced since they don't control their currency.

i'm well-aware, but it's not really something to cheer, imo, because it legitimizes the kind of thinking that dominates fiscal politics at the national level...which goes back to effect the state in question too.

but things like them allowing illegal immigrants to do a lot more things was pretty cool.

that is cool. I also remember reading about a small minimum wage bump in the works coming in 2014 and 2016. Is there anything else?

California didnt do it to kick out Republicans, they did it to reduce polarity in government, and it seems like they did.

i didn't ascribe any motivation to california.

 

[speculawyer]

Cruz's comments are interesting. McCain and McConnell have sworn that there won't be another shutdown. I suppose we can expect some fireworks from within the party again. My guess is we won't see a repeat

]

Cruz is such a douchenozzle. It is hard to understand his actions. Even if we assume that he brought in tons of contributions, has elevated himself as a Tea Party hero, and made other GOPers look like squishes, he has completely thrown away any chance of winning the Presidency even if he managed to win the nomination. The Left hates him, much of middle hates him, and much of the GOP hates him. That is not going to win the presidency.

So perhaps he's angling to be a right-wing media type? Another Palin/Huckabee/etc.?

 

[Black Mamba]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted the in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

Actually, it was this past election where they got a supermajority so it's not even a year, yet.

They've raised the minimum wage. They expanded rights for transgender people. Um...well I don't know much else, quite honestly. Haven't paid much attention

 

[bonercop]

Actually, it was this past election where they got a supermajority so it's not even a year, yet.

They've raised the minimum wage. They expanded rights for transgender people. Um...well I don't know much else, quite honestly. Haven't paid much attention

oh right, i was thinking of governor moonbeam's ascension as the turning point where republicans lost their sway. i guess there's still time for them to do something with their super-majority while they got it.

 

[speculawyer]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted the in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

Balancing the budget is a BIG thing. We've been in the red for far too long and states are not like the Federal government where you can run deficits because they can print their own currency.

As an energy guy, California has a good renewable portfolio standard and an aggressive plug-in car incentive program. Although the state incentive program ran out of money, solar installations are continuing to come on line at a fast pace. So fast that the utilities are starting to push back and want to get the net metering policies changed (and fuck them).

There are lots of progressive little things like expanding abortion rights, no anti-gay therapy for teens, etc.

 

[thepotatoman]

state budgets do have to be balanced since they don't control their currency.

but things like them allowing illegal immigrants to do a lot more things was pretty cool.



Has he ever stated he's against it? I though his position is it needs a vote.

Wrong but I can see the flying. Obama wasn't pro gay marriage till last year.

Well a lot of very healthy companies are in perpetual debt because the interest payments are lower than the profits they make off investing that money in their business, but I'm not quite sure how that exactly works for a state government since government goals with money are quite different from a business's.

EDIT: Oh I guess I should note that perpetual deficits would be very bad for a business, which I guess is more what we're talking about anyway, so nevermind.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Well a lot of very healthy companies are in perpetual debt because the interest payments are lower than the profits they make off investing that money in their business, but I'm not quite sure how that exactly works for a state government since government goals with money are quite different from a business's.

Holding debt shouldn't be conflated with running deficits. Deficits at the state level are akin to companies showing operating losses, which is not sustainable for businesses over a period of time.

 

[thepotatoman]

Holding debt shouldn't be conflated with running deficits. Deficits at the state level are akin to companies showing operating losses, which is not sustainable for businesses over a period of time.

Ha yeah, I realized that a second before you posted. Oh well.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

So Republicans are now planning on holding hearings about the glitches and problems with Obamacare? Like they really give a shit that it has problems and/or want it to work better.

 

[Black Mamba]

Speaking of California....

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/19/u...gislative-dysfunction.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

Other reading material on the Tea Party: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/inside-the-republican-suicide-machine-20131009

 

[B-Dubs]

So Republicans are now planning on holding hearings about the glitches and problems with Obamacare? Like they really give a shit that it has problems and/or want it to work better.

Well duh, they just want to blame someone. A brand-new website having glitches isn't something worth having hearings over.

 

[TacticalFox88]

So Republicans are now planning on holding hearings about the glitches and problems with Obamacare? Like they really give a shit that it has problems and/or want it to work better.

Any half-way competent judge would laugh at them out of court.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

http://mediamatters.org/video/2013/10/18/foxs-tantaros-elites-believe-in-multiculturalis/196505

So apparently a Fox News contributor or cohost or whatever thinks "multiculturalism and diversity" and "patriotism" are opposed.

 

[jamesinclair]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

- Raised taxes
- The gays are legal again
- Minimum raise hike to highest in nation
- Drivers license of undocumented + dream acts
- Many changes to environmental laws (in a good way)
- Some good changes to gun laws
- Covered California seems to be going smoothly
- Large investments in mass transit

 

[B-Dubs]

- Raised taxes
- The gays are legal again
- Minimum raise hike to highest in nation
- Drivers license of undocumented + dream acts
- Many changes to environmental laws (in a good way)
- Some good changes to gun laws
- Covered California seems to be going smoothly
- Large investments in mass transit

I especially like that last one. Mass transit is so overlooked in huge swaths of the country.

 

[ivysaur12]

- Raised taxes
- The gays are legal again
- Minimum raise hike to highest in nation
- Drivers license of undocumented + dream acts
- Many changes to environmental laws (in a good way)
- Some good changes to gun laws
- Covered California seems to be going smoothly
- Large investments in mass transit

#2 isn't related at all to the Democrats in power. The last is a bit dubious since the line from LA to SF is a clusterfuck, even if its heart is in the right place.

 

[RustyNails]

So Republicans are now planning on holding hearings about the glitches and problems with Obamacare? Like they really give a shit that it has problems and/or want it to work better.

Darrell Issa is a dipshit. They wasted millions chasing benghazibenghazi and fast and furious because of him. Now theyre gonna have nerds testify because when Republicans are in power waste and excess doesnt apply.

 

[Karakand]

people keep saying california has turned around recently by kicking out republicans from having any sway in governance, but what positive policies have been enacted in the past two years exactly? all i can find is articles talking about the state budget being 'balanced'(ugh)

The California Redevelopment Agency (a widespread vehicle to loot public money for private profit) was shuttered.

It's not very sexy, I know.