Obamacare - Trouble In (Union) Paradise

The Times covers the ongoing ObamaCare debacle, this time atthe AFL-CIO convention in Los Angeles:

Unions’ Misgivings on Health Law Burst Into View

...

Despite overtures on both sides — with Mr. Obama agreeing on the call to sit down with some union leaders to address their concerns at the White House, and Mr. Trumka initially hoping to quash such a public rift between the president and his party’s traditional allies — labor leaders criticized the administration and Congress on Wednesday at their convention.

While praising the overall legislation, the delegates overwhelmingly passed a sharply worded resolution that demanded changes to some of its regulations, although Mr. Trumka made sure to strip out some proposals that called for repealing the legislation.

At the convention, though, several labor leaders spoke their minds.

“If the Affordable Care Act is not fixed and it destroys the health and welfare funds that we have fought for and stand for, then I believe it needs to be repealed,” said Terence M. O’Sullivan, president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America. “We don’t want it to be repealed. We want it to be fixed, fixed, fixed.

“We’ve had our asses kicked on retirement security and we know our health funds are under siege,” he added. “We ask the president and Congress to do the right thing for the men and women we represent.”

The resolution asserts that the law, by offering tax credits to workers seeking insurance from for-profit and other companies in the exchanges, will place some responsible employers at a competitive disadvantage and destabilize the employment-based health care system.

Unions have negotiated substantial health coverage. Under ObamaCare, however, it will be cheaper for companies to drop their coverage, give their employees raises, and let them buy coverage on the new exchanges, subsidized by Mitt Romney's sons, or the rich, or anyway Somebody Else. That makes it tough when the union structure forces its members to forego the raises and the government subsidies.

Team Obama defends itself by encouraging people to ignore basic arithmetic, insisting that one plus one no longer equals two because Obama:

The administration and health officials have repeatedly tried to assure critics that the legislation will not encourage companies to dump workers from employer-based plans into newly created health insurance exchanges, even if the employer-based coverage stands out as more generous and therefore more expensive for companies and even municipalities.

Evidently union leaders are worried that reality will prevail.

The Times eventually explains the math, which was presented at the labor convention:

Some state labor federations have passed resolutions excoriating the health law. Mr. Trumka, torn between trying not to anger the administration while mollifying some of his unions, may have headed off a full-throated call to repeal the law entirely, but some union presidents say they believe they have no other choice.

Union leaders note that under the law, workers whose family income is less than four times the poverty line will qualify for subsidies in the form of tax credits to obtain health insurance in the exchanges, with insurance sold by for-profit, nonprofit and cooperative companies. The union leaders say they want similar treatment — for unionized workers to qualify for those tax credits to help finance their Taft-Hartley insurance plans, which covers about 20 million workers and retirees.

“We just want to be treated like equals — we don’t want special treatment,” Mr. Taylor [president of Unite Here, a union of hotel and restaurant workers that has about 200,000 members] said. “An employer will say, ‘O.K., your plan costs about $10,000 a year. Let me get this straight. I only pay a $2,000 penalty if I drop you. That’s an $8,000 saving for me.’ That’s actually going to happen all over this country.”

I'm sure he's right.

Comments

[NK(tryin')]

But But But... Obama promised you can keep your plan if you like it! he promised... he did... he did...!

[Steve]

Very Cool Official One World Trade Center Time Lapse video. 2004-2013 in 2 minutes!

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/09/official-one-world-trade-center-time.html

[Theo]

NK --

Of course Obama promised that. But as Brother Geraghty explained, all of Obama's promises come with expiration dates. All of them.

[NK(tryin')]

This is all a bunch of Baloney anyway-- Obumer and his Harpy Sebelius will give a 'waiver' to the Union Thugs, just like Congress et al. Obummer delivers for his cronies.

[Jim Eagle]

And at Sea World in Orlando.

Now instead of a 35 minute Orca show its cut back to 29 minutes:)

[Danube on iPad]

And consider the Individual Mandate: the penalty ("tax") for not buying coverage is $95 per year, as opposed to several thousand for insurance premiums. Since you can't be turned down for pre-existing conditions, there is no reason not to go without coverage unless and until you need it.

What were they thinking?

[NK(tryin')]

"What were they thinking?"

Destroy private healthcare finance and pass singlepayer because of the Healthcare Emergency. That's the Dems hideous and evil the plan for this country.

[centralcal]

Shep Smith news. Apparently, he got a new title and a new show called The Deck (breaking news). Description is a little scary:

The Deck and Smith’s dedicated team of producers and information specialists will also be able to interrupt all programming as needed at a moment’s notice to bring viewers the latest news as it develops.

[GMax]

In the only place on Earth where the poor are more obese than the general public, we have this news courtesy of the Census Bureau:

American poverty just ain’t what it used to be. A new report from the Census Bureau found that 80.9% of households considered poverty stricken have cell phones along with their landline phones, and 58.2% have computers. 96.1% of those in “poverty” have televisions, and 83% have some sort of DVR.

The percentage owning refrigerators? 97.8%

Gas or electric stoves? 96.6%.

Microwaves? 93.2%

Air conditioning? Over 83%.

Washer? 68.7%

Dryer? 65.3%

People still don’t mind washing dishes, apparently; only 44.9% surveyed had a dishwasher.

Hey Holder I bet there is something discrimatory about those lack of dishwashers, get on it.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

The Deck and Smith’s dedicated team of producers and information specialists will also be able to interrupt all programming as needed at a moment’s notice to bring viewers the latest news as it develops.

I was hoping that meant he would no longer have a show, just be on call for breaking news (which would be bad enough).

Has anyone heard from Charlie? I think he is in all that CO flooding.

[Ignatz]

--Shep Smith news. Apparently, he got a new title and a new show called The Deck--

Strunk and Iggy;

"I" instead of "E" especially after Shep.

[GMax]

Mike Bloomberg is a leper according to Chuck Todd. hahahahaha

“Every Democrat south of the Mason-Dixon line and west of the Mississippi is going to look at those results and say, ‘Michael Bloomberg — get away from me, stay out of my state, stay out of my district, I don’t want to talk about it,’” Todd said on Morning Joe on Thursday.

[centralcal]

Heh - yep (or yip), Iggy.

Alas, Jane he is only losing the 7 pm timeslot - speculation is that is where Hannity is going, when Megyn takes over 9 pm.

[NK(tryin')]

Bloomie/Gun Grabbers -- have a talking point out about the Colo. recall. DWS's 'voter suppression' is more factual.

[MaryM]

Pardon my ignorance.

Don't these unions have long term contracts with their employers that include health insurance benefits and defined coverages + employee contributions?

I just don't see how an employer can drop the existing insurance benefits and throw these union people onto the exchanges. (I know they can - and have - done this to non-union/workers w/o employment contracts).

[NK(tryin')]

I think that's right, the issue is when the current CBAs expire and ObummerCare is in effect.

[matt]

No, they are eating fast food. That's why they don't have dishwashers.

One of the funny things about the real estate market where we live is that even the wealthy don't cook much for themselves.

The houses above $1 million usually have very high end ranges and many of those ranges have never been used.

We often have conversations with others where they are amazed that we cook most nights. The demographics in this country are skewing like a Kia on black ice.

[NK(tryin')]

fast takeout and preprocessed food is indeed cheaper than buying fresh ingredients and home cooking. no question-- it's part of the why America is fat equation.

[NK(tryin')]

and why people on SNAP are REALLY fat....

[GMax]

Apparently the Union President got so worked up he used the R word ( as in Repeal). If I did not know better I would think he was one of the anarchist Tea Partiers!

President of the Laborers’ International Union of North America Terry O’Sullivan emphatically stated if Obamacare cannot be fixed it needs to be repealed Wednesday at an AFL-CIO convention in Los Angeles.

O’Sullivan warned health insurance plans for organized labor are “under siege” and it will be a “big fricken deal if our members lose our health insurance.”

Despite White House opposition, the AFL-CIO passed the resolution calling Obamacare “highly disruptive” to union health plans.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

I wish Nanny would bang that gun grabbing into bankruptcy but I know that will never happen. How did Meeka the parakeet (apologies to those innocent birds) react to F Chuck saying that?

On topic, I'm gonna keep mentioning Kimberley Strassel's suggestion at every mention of FockerCare until the Repukes either adopt it or own up that they're lying overlords.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

CC,

I really wish they would get rid of O'Reilly. He is so bloody rude, particularly to the women guests. (And it's gotta be very bad for me to notice that.)

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

I just don't see how an employer can drop the existing insurance benefits and throw these union people onto the exchanges. (I know they can - and have - done this to non-union/workers w/o employment contracts).

I assume they will cut their hours.

Hmmm I wonder what things are like in the WH these days. Oh to be fly on the wall....

[MaryM]

--the issue is when the current CBAs expire --

It sure sounds like they fear being dropped NOW (or Jan 2014) and suddenly having to pay full freight for plans on the Obamacare exchanges.

Why wouldn't they be clamoring for their Union leaders to prepare to negotiate the next contract to replace company health insurance benefits with salary increases, or locking in company-provided plans, or something? I just don't see how eliminating or fixing Obamacare rises to the top if one has a contract now and power to negotiate renewals or new contracts in future. Unless.... the contracts are nullified by Obamacare. Can that be true?

[NK(tryin')]

I don't think ObummerCare invalidates CBAs, but it's worth checking on.

[GMax]

The Democrats wrote in some pretty onerous provisions for "Cadillac health care plans" in Obamacare. I am sure that the Unions see their plans being so burdensome after Obamacare that they will go away sooner or later

[666_cathyf_says_typepad_sucks_333]

Destroy private healthcare finance and pass singlepayer because of the Healthcare Emergency. That's the Dems hideous and evil the plan for this country.

Bing bing bing bing bing bing bing!!!! We have a winner!

[Ignatz]

Wouldn't it be rich if the net effect of Barrycare was to destroy employer provided health insurance and, let us pray, with Barrycare's self destruction everybody ends up having to act responsibly and buy reasonable, sensible individual policies.
A GOP worth spit would already have been steering things there.

[GMax]

Found this blurb, excise tax and 2018 is what we now know that we did not know before:

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010) imposes an annual excise tax on plans with premiums exceeding $10,200 for individuals or $27,500 for a family (not including vision and dental benefits) starting in 2018.

[NK(tryin')]

I re-read the article, and it is not precise as to the union gripes. I read the article as meaning that the Unions want to use pretax Dollars for the CBA coverage, PLUS get the ObummerCare subsidy that uninsured workers get to BUy Exchange coverage. The Unions are being pigs because their members will be worse off than non union workers who get subsidies...WHOOPS.. heh, I love when Obummer incompetence comes together.

Ig-- I'm with you. We should BAN group plans, allow everybody to use pre-tax Dollars to buy coverage, from ANYWHERE in the USA to what ever degree, and give subsidies to the working poor. That's it... people decide the rest, just like cell phone plans.

[DrJ]

Off

[jimmyk]

italiacto!

[jimmyk]

You're too quick, DrJ.

[DrJ]

Beat ya, jimmkyk! Neener neener!

[GMax]

This might explain the angst. Capone did not scrape 40%:

Starting in 2018, the new health care law imposes a 40% excise tax on the portion of most employer-sponsored health coverage (this excludes dental and vision) that exceed $10,200 a year and $27,500 for families. The tax has been dubbed a "Cadillac" tax because it hits only high-end "gold", "platinum" and high-end health care plans not purchased on the exchange. The tax raises over $150 billion over the next 10 years.

[666_cathyf_says_typepad_sucks_333]

To play one more round of cathyf's Broken Record -- go read Mancur Olsen's The Logic Of Collective Action. The logic of labor unions is full of free-rider problems which can only be solved by having some item(s) of value which are limited to dues-paying union members. Large value -- large enough to exceed the amount of the union dues.

The traditional model of unions is that the thing that you receive that is of value is that they don't beat you up if you are not a member of the union. In some places the law is such that if you don't pay the union dues you don't get the job. But there are right-to-work states, and all states make assault a crime, and unions still exist there, and so you ask "why?" One big fat answer is that unions can provide their members with excellent health insurance at a lower cost than buying it on the individual market.

Fix it so that Joe-the-Plumber can go completely without health insurance and union membership -- completely without paying premiums and union dues -- and then IF he gets sick, THEN he can sign up for the union and the union health plan, or he can THEN sign up for the exchange health plan...

...do you see how this not only blows up the financial logic of the union health plan, but also the financial logic of the union itself?

[Thomas Collins]

I'm withholding any further comment on ObamaCare until the NY Times' new op ed columnist, V. Putin, weighs in with his views. Whatever VPut thinks, it will be presented in a more thoughtful manner than would be presented by Brooksie, MoDo, Tom "Guess Who I Had Brunch With" Friedman and whoever else pens op eds for the NY Times these days.

[centralcal]

Jane: Alas, in one of the stories I read during lunch, it says Shep is the 2nd highest paid at FNC behind O'Reilly.

Now, love him or hate him (I am somewhere midstream on that) BOR does get the biggest ratings of all the cable newsers. Shep is almost never in the top tier, so why he is so valuable beats me.

[MaryM]

+1 Ignatz@4:00pm

That's been my secret hope since 2009.... :)

I have another stupid Obamacare question, which for some reason I just can't find the answer (not for lack of trying).

I understand that one is directed to Medicaid, or qualifies for some amount of subsidy for the exchanges, based on one's "income" ratio to "the" poverty level.

But what is the meaning of "income" in that sentence? Wages? AGI? Taxable Income? Something else?

Thanks. It's been bugging me.

[Clarice]

My husband's firm just got a notice of two new health plan tax increases because of Obamacare--increasing their costs by 5 %.

When will unions wise up and kick Trumka out?

[DrJ]

so why he [Shemp] is so valuable beats me.

He was the live boy.

[NK(tryin')]

CathyF-- spot on. The last and only thing that nongovernment unions provide of value to embers is a CBA healthplan that nonumion employees can't get in the marketplace. Subsidizing nonunion employees, such that they are better off than the CBA union employees (net of dues and wage differential) makes the Unions worthless. That's why I'm certain the Unions will get their waiver, and the cost of ObummerCare goes up TENS of Billions of Dollars per year. Equal Protection lawsuit to challenge the waivers-- remember this is a TAX LAW-- so arbirary waivers can be invalidated. Maybe roberts was smarter than the average bear.

[jimmyk]

the penalty ("tax") for not buying coverage is $95 per year

Or 1% of family income, whichever is higher. It's supposed to go up to $695 and 2.5% in 2016. Still not much compared to what policies will cost.

And of course there will be the exemptions:

Not every uninsured person will be subject to the penalty, however. In fact, 80% of the 30 million Americans expected to lack coverage in 2016 will be exempt from the mandate, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Among those exempted include: undocumented immigrants, Native Americans and those who earn too little to file tax returns. Also, people who would have to pay more than 8% of their income for health insurance and poor adults who live in states that are not expanding Medicaid also aren't subject to the penalty. The uninsured can also file for hardship exemptions.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/13/news/economy/obamacare-penalty/index.html

[GMax]

Cathy

I guess. Still I can hear the echo of my father's words in my ear, "a good employee does not need a union, but a terrible one does." He hated them with an unrelenting passion. Turns out he was dead solid perfect on that call.

[MaryM]

Cathy@4:14 - Great explanation for Union Leadership angst... not so sure that's what Joe the Plumbers are worrying about.

[NK(tryin')]

OT-- Huma is back fluffing for Canckles. Quelle Surprise!!

[666_cathyf_says_typepad_sucks_333]

Wouldn't it be rich if the net effect of Barrycare was to destroy employer provided health insurance and, let us pray, with Barrycare's self destruction everybody ends up having to act responsibly and buy reasonable, sensible individual policies.

Bzzzzzzzzt! Wrong! When employer-provided insurance is destroyed, responsible and rational people will go without health insurance in every year that they expect to have medical expenses less than the premiums. Thus ALL health insurance will cease to exist.

Once insurance no longer exists, people will only be able to buy the health care that they can afford to buy out of pocket. For the vast majority of people, they will end up financially ahead -- they will take the money previously spent on insurance premiums and spend some on their (modest) health care needs, and then the rest they will spend on cars, vacations, eating out, nicer houses, nicer clothes, better food, etc.

For the unlucky few who get sick, there will be two categories there, too. The first category are people who are sick with something where a treatment was developed, paid for by previous generations of insurance premiums. The prices of those things have already plummeted because they are already out of patent and people use generics. The prices of the stuff in patent now will also plummet because people have no health insurance money to pay for it and if they don't have the money then they can't spend it.

The second category of people are the ones who get sick with something where the treatment is back down there in the pipeline, not that close to finishing. All of that research will have to be immediately abandoned -- with no way to pool premium money and spend it on the billions needed to fund a new treatment, the search for new treatments has to stop.

They promise to lower health care spending and that is exactly what is going to happen. Without health insurance to collect, pool and channel trillions of dollars per year into health care spending, that money will get spent on other things. Follow the money: more money on cars, vacations, eating out, nicer houses, nicer clothes, better food, graft for politicians, swag for government bureaucrats, etc., and less money for health care.

[Jim Eagle]

Taranto is spot on today as Putin invokes Alinsky's Rule # 4.

It made Menedez vomit and the New York Times look like Pravda back in the day (not much of a leap even back then),

[GMax]

Religion of Peace update, via PHEW! Polling:

62% of those from the "Palestinian Territories" (the areas of Palestinian Authority-controlled Judea and Samaria, and the area of Gaza) said suicide bombings were “sometimes” justifiable. The next largest group approving was from Lebanon, with 33% approving. Of those who said the suicide bombings were “often” justifiable, 37% of Palestinians approved. The second highest group was from Senegal, at 11%.

Interestingly, the group most opposed to suicide bombings was from Pakistan, where Al Qaeda and the Taliban have almost exclusively focused the bombings on other Muslims

[GMax]

You know when you are a former Olympic swimmer and you are arrested for D & D and indecent exposure for swimming in the Bossier City Horseshoe Casino fountain, you life has gone completely wheels off...

[GMax]

Olympic Gold medalist swimming naked in the fountain. You may a wrong turn and left the pavement miles and miles ago I would say...

[henry]

Kenosha Teachers Union decertified. Only 37% of the teachers voted to keep it. That is the 3rd largest school system in WI. (Under Act 10, all public unions must recertify each year). The union can't negotiate health or pensions, the members don't need it anymore.

Amazing that Obama will destroy more unions than Walker.

[MarkO]

I can find no one who think Obamacare is anything except a disaster. So, I ask my virtual friends, what will the GOP do about it?

Obama is so lame that even the current group of fools can manhandle him. But, will they?

[MaryM]

and... as soon as I asked here, I finally found the answer on google ... "income", for purposes of qualifying for subsidies, is MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income).

[Danube on iPad]

"Destroy private healthcare finance and pass singlepayer"

The first part was easy, because they had the White House, the house and a filibuster-proof senate. The second part won't happen unless and until they get them again.

[Ignatz]

--Bzzzzzzzzt! Wrong! When employer-provided insurance is destroyed, responsible and rational people will go without health insurance in every year that they expect to have medical expenses less than the premiums.--

Perhaps you missed this part of my hypothetical, Cathy;
"....and, let us pray, with Barrycare's self destruction....".

[bgates]

what will the GOP do about it?

Counsel accommodation to what they will claim is the unalterable reality that Obamacare is the law, it will not be repealed, and the best anyone can hope for is to eliminate the most objectionable provisions, like ending the waiver for illegal immigrants by granting citizenship to anyone who's even set foot in the country.

[Ignatz]

--OT-- Huma is back fluffing for Canckles.-

Great, now I gotta go back upstairs and eat lunch all over again.
Couldn't post that a half hour ago?

[666_cathyf_says_typepad_sucks_333]

*sigh* pretty sure that you are right, bgates...

[DrJ]

Huma is back fluffing for Canckles.

Not to be a pedant (well, maybe I am!) but how can a female have a fluffer? Seems there's certain equipment missing.

[Danube on iPad]

Who is the swimmer?

[Porchlight]

The tax raises over $150 billion over the next 10 years.

Sure it does.

[matt]

excuse me waiter? What is that woman doing in the fountain?

The backstroke, I believe, sir.

[jimmyk]

Hah, Porch.

DoT the swimmer is this lovely lady

by the name of Courtney Cox, not to be confused with the bad actress of the similar name.

[Jim Eagle]

JamesD has a new book release and read the comments:)

Its a creative series and our friend here is one hell'va writer.

Bravo Zulu, JamesD.

[MarkO]

Doom, bgates, Doom.

[666_cathyf_says_typepad_sucks_333]

We should BAN group plans, allow everybody to use pre-tax Dollars to buy coverage, from ANYWHERE in the USA to what ever degree, and give subsidies to the working poor. That's it... people decide the rest, just like cell phone plans.

That only works if you also BAN people who do not buy insurance from getting any health care that they do not directly pay for. As long as the Little Sisters of the Poor are willing to give free treatment to the parasite who bought a beemer rather than health insurance, we are screwed.

[Jim Eagle]

Cathy,

What happens to those on Medicare and have supplemental? Will Mayo go broke as a result?

[jimmyk]

We should BAN group plans, allow everybody to use pre-tax Dollars to buy coverage

Huh? There's nothing wrong with group plans, in fact they make sense as a way insurers can deal with adverse selection. I also don't see why pre-tax dollars should be available, in that I'd prefer a lower tax rate without the special treatment for health insurance.

[James D.]

Thanks, JiB! Very kind of you!

I'll add that the audiobook for the second book in the series is finished and awaiting "validation" (I'm not sure what Amazon/Audible does, exactly, but it takes them 14-20 business days to do it), and then we start on recording the next one.

And I'm 1/3 finished with the next book, too; hopefully I'll have it ready for the end of the year. And, even more hopefully, at some point I'll show an actual, you know, profit on this whole thing!

[James D.]

By the way, Rob Crawford, if you're listening, I have a major bone to pick with you.

You're the one who mentioned Kerbal Space program back in May (I looked it up so I'd know who to blame). It is the ultimate time-sucker. AND I feel horribly guilty for the many, many Kerbals who I've slaughtered...uh, who have bravely and nobly given their lives in the pursuit of scientific advancement.

[pagar-----]

"The Telegraph reports on new findings that patients in UK hospitals are 45 percent more likely to die than patients in the US, and five times more likely to die from pneumonia. "

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/09/12/nhs-in-shambles/

My guess is the real Obamacare goal is to make sure we are not exceptional in healthcare or any thing else.

[daddy]

According to this story, 26 ear old Syrian Rebel expert Elizabeth O.Bagy had to lie about her Georgetown PHD in order to separate herself our from the pack of all the other genius interns running around in Washington.

The good news I suppose is that now that the DC Interns have been exempted from having to pay for ObamaCare (since we Taxpayers do it for them) now she'll have enough cash to pay for a real Georgetown PHD!

[Extraneus]

Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)[1] is a U.S. Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). It requires hospitals to provide care to anyone needing emergency healthcare treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. There are no reimbursement provisions. Participating hospitals may only transfer or discharge patients needing emergency treatment under their own informed consent, after stabilization, or when their condition requires transfer to a hospital better equipped to administer the treatment.[1]

Obamacare is a nail in the coffin, but the EMTALA was the infection.

[Gmax]

Peter Wehner at Commentary thinks Obama's Presidency is in ruin:

All of the extravagant promises and claims–of “Yes We Can!” and “we’re the ones we’ve been waiting for;” of hope and change and slowing the rise of the oceans; of claiming his candidacy would “ring out across this land as a hymn that will heal this nation, repair this world, make this time different than all the rest”–lie in ruin.

He catalogues an impressive list of failures and by no means was comprehensive. Check it out.

[Clarice]

JiB, I bought his book but still haven't time to read it. Maybe if Kerry quits and Obama retires to the gold course.

[Extraneus]

Kerry quit? It's an interesting thought. They do have to somehow insulate Hillary from the smouldering ruins of their foreign policy, and what better way than to immolate Lurch on the still-glowing coals?

[James D.]

Clarice, if you're waiting for this administration to stop giving you material so that you can have free time for pleasure reading...

Well, I wouldn't hold my breath, if I were you.

Thanks for buying the book, though! If you do ever get the chance to read it, I think you'll like it...

[Danube on iPad]

Here we go:

"President Obama must promise not to arm rebel forces or Syrian dictator Bashar Assad will not hand over his chemical weapons, the embattled leader told a Russian state media outlet today while demanding that Israel also surrender its nuclear arsenal. ''When we see that the U.S. genuinely stands for stability in our region, stops threatening us with military intervention and stops supplying terrorists with weapons, then we will consider it possible to finalize all necessary procedures and they will become legitimate and acceptable for Syria,' Assad told RIA News."

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

Gee and the first shipment of arms, due in June has arrived today.

I guess there is no deal.

[Frau Einhorn]

Meanwhile, multiple, destructive, stealth transformations are occurring across the country. Obama is Johnny Appleseed's evil twin.

[daddy]

Clark Griswold: Aiieeeeee!

Clark Griswold: Hi Honey, I was walking by the pool here in Vegas thinking it would be a good idea to take a quick swim---you know, gets the old muscles warmed up and relaxed, and what a surprise, there happened to be an Olympic Gold Medalist swimming in the pool next to me and I sort of oh well, let out a scream.

Clark Griswold: Clothes? No honey, I uh, I didn't think anyone was around, so I uh, just took off all my clothes, and uh uh that's why I screamed when I met this nice Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer in the pool here in Vegas.

Ellen Griswold: #$%^& Were you attracted to that kind of girl Clark?

Clark Griswold: No, no honey...not a bit. I, I didn't even know she was in here. It was the pool, the water, and oh well...

Rusty Griswold: Sure, I believe you Dad. But do you think Mom will buy it?

Clark Griswold: Nice talking to you Russ.

[Danube on iPad]

I'm beginning to think maybe Obama will launch a strike in a week or so.

[Jim Eagle]

DoT,

He killed Osama so its damn near possible he would launch but then I think he is the poster boy for Chicken Shit so my guess is no.

If he does, I want to see how he handles the response not of Russia, Syria and Iran but the Nobel Peace Prize committee.

[Skoot]

Well a few days ago I predicted the gas would fly on 11 Sep. I was off by a day according to rebel claims in today's Times of Israel. I guess Vlad told Assad to wait until he got his op-ed in. Couple this with DoT's report above and it looks like Kerry's gonna have to polish Lavrov's knob to get this farce to the second act. The O 2nd term sure is entertaining thus far!

[James D.]

Going OT again....JiB, did you post a very nice review on one of my books today? If that was you, THANK YOU!

[Threadkiller]

Danube, your 6:51 jives pretty well with Obama being more flexible.

Is there any other topic regarding Russia that he could have been talking about at this point?

[centralcal]

Too funny!

David Burge ‏@iowahawkblog 2m

Surprised to learn I had a tweet mentioned on NBC Nightly News. Surprised to learn NBC Nightly News still exists.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

Twitter is going public

[centralcal]

The Associated Press ‏@AP 1m

BREAKING: California Legislature raises minimum wage to $10 an hour, one of highest rates in nation: http://apne.ws/1d9dizP

[Danube on iPad]

Is the Times of Israel reporting another gas attack, Skoot?

I'm anticipating that Assad is going to give a bunch of head-fakes and produce no CW. I think he is prepared to absorb the unbelievably small strike (although it apparently will not be as small as a pinprick). It all depends on how long it takes for Obama-Kerry to tumble to how they are being played.

The fact that a president made a rash, irresponsible statement about a red line, and then bungles the proceedings at every step and gets humiliatingly rolled and ridiculed by Putin is not a good reason to commit an act of war. But if he doesn't get tangible results fairly soon, it's more likely than not that he will do just that. It will be an ego thing. Like they used to say - quite falsely and maliciously - about Bush.

[Ignatz]

Am I a jerk for rooting for the Kiwis in the America's Cup or am I justified cause Larry Ellison is just that big a jerk himself?

[Skoot]

Yeah, DoT. LUN - Maybe bull, but who knows. You can bet there will be a media blackout if another school gets hit - "Oh those kids weren't choking, just finished gym class, a little winded is all."

[Jim Eagle]

Jets v. Patriots about to kick off. I think fat Rex gets a real look at his rookie QB and only wished he had Tebow to blame for the loss.

Sue and GMax,

You have a big week in front of you. The A's are coming to Arlington and if you win all those 3 games you are now tied but if you lose those games you are 6 behind going into the heart of darkness. Lots of luck.

[narciso]

This is where they say it happened, interesting:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/24/us-syria-crisis-jobar-idUSBRE97N04T20130824

[narciso]

So it turns out a public relations firm, Ketchum, placed the op ed, is there anyone the Times will turn down, rhetorical question;

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/09/12/bad-news-colorado-democrat-defeated-in-recall-election-over-gun-control-not-taking-it-well/

They've promoted Shemp to 'breaking news division, dialing straight to eleven

[Jim Eagle]

Meet Ms. Kansas.

If you're not impressed, then you are anal retentive:)

[James D.]

I guess I have to root for te Pats tonight. Seeing loudmouth Rex get beaten is always a joyous thing.

[daddy]

"steppin' out with my A(B)"

Had another wonderful JOM meeting with A(B) in Honolulu yesterday. At 6 PM Another(Bub) and Rom looked for one of the fatter boy in shorts, flip flops, and a Hawaiian shirt wandering around the Zoo parking lot beneath Diamond Head (me), and then off we whizzed to a great fun dive of a local restaurant in Honolulu--- the Side Street Inn, just next door to the
on 1 side and the on the other. Had a big laugh discovering that to park you had to roll up your dollar bills real tight and stick 'em in a tiny slot which we all thought must be practice for sticking dollar bills in the G-strings of the gals each side of the restaurant:)

Going out with A(B) is great. You feel exactly like you are going out with Heather Locklear [A(B), and Clark Gable (hubby Rom). Plus this time A(B) brought along one of her Doctor sons visiting from Olympia Washington, (visually a sort of mix of Dr Kildaire and Arnold Swatrzenneggar). There was more good looking genetics at our table than you could shake a stick at!

Unbelievable how much fun the son, A(P) was to talk to. Brilliant, witty, owns a 172 Cessna, and when he showed me pictures of the cleanliness inside the engine cowling I almost wet my pants. Plus he's got a Yellow Lab named "Cow", and the best part is he refuses to obey the Leash Laws in Olympia Washington, which, to paraphrase Joe Biden, "A(B), has your son always had balls as big as Cue Balls?"

Meal was amazing! We poo-pooed from the git go with Garlic soaked edomame's, followed by raw marinated fish, only slightly less delicious than how A(B) makes her version at home. This was chased by big share around platters of grilled mushroom RibEye's, a beautifully cooked sort of Chinese/Japanese style pork, some salad, and I can't remember what else. A(B) sat next to me and made sure I did not go hungry. I worked quite hard on son A(P), trying to get him to chuck his surgeon job overboard and become a freight dog Cargo Pilot, and I expect that if we'd had time for 2 or 3 more pints of some excellent local beer, I might have swung the deal. Fedex could use a beer-swilling, Lab owning, dog-walking Leash Law offender like A(P)! Hopefully they're be another time to close the deal.

Only sad news to report from our fine, fine outing, is that A(B)'s feral cat (named Obama), just attacked A(B)'s non-feral household cat, and bit him in the ear causing $220 $22 worth of damage, is I believe the number that hubby Rom quoted. (He is a tad hard of hearing:) We also were both at least 2 days behind in following the news, so A(B) and I were both probably way behind in 4 or 5 major international developments, but I think Obama said that's what makes American's exceptional.

I suspected that like last time A(B) would not allow me to pay for anything, so I brought her a bottle of Wasilla's finest, (Smoked Salmon Vodka), and hopefully I'll get a nice review on how that went down when next we meet. I also did not have a chance to ask if Rom was still shooting wild pigs off the back lanai, so that too will have to wait for our next rendezvous.

Thank you so much A(B) and Rom and son A(P). That truly was a wonderful time. Anyhow, it is just coming up on 10:30 in the morning here in Sydney, Australia. blue skies, beautiful weather, and our cab driver yesterday was ecstatic about new Prime Minister Abbot's victory in the Election.

Aloha mates.

[Patriot4Freedom]

Olympic Gold medalist swimming naked in the fountain. - GMax at 04:44 PM

Story appears to come from Breitbart.com. Courtney Cox is reported by Breitbart as "a thrice decorated Olympic Gold medalist in the 400 meter individual medley."

http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2013/09/12/Woman-Arrested-After-Alleged-Casino-Fountain-Skinny-Dip

Only problem is that there has never been an Olympic Gold medalist in the women's 400 meter individual medley named Courtney Cox.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olympic_medalists_in_swimming_(women)