Americorps Health Coverage Inadequate?

The NY Times outs another "bad apple" insurance plan offering sub-standard benefits:

Vista Workers Told Their U.S. Health Plan Fails Test

By Robert Pear

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has told Vista volunteers and other AmeriCorps workers that their government-provided health coverage does not measure up to the standards of the new health care law, and that they may be subject to financial penalties unless they obtain insurance elsewhere.

...

Mary Strasser, the director of AmeriCorps’ Vista program, described the changes in a bulletin to members on Dec. 16.

The coverage provided by the agency — the AmeriCorps Health Care Benefits Plan — “does not satisfy the individual responsibility requirement of the Affordable Care Act,” which takes effect on Jan. 1, Ms. Strasser said. Accordingly, she said, Vista members may be required to pay a tax penalty if they do not have other coverage and do not receive an exemption.

Vista is a JFK Peace Corps legacy program, so double-ouch. The Times offers a failed metaphor:

Abby Grosslein, a Vista member in New Orleans, said she thought it was strange that the health benefits provided by a federal agency did not meet the standards of a law adopted more than three and a half years ago. “It would be nice if the government waived the penalty because we are a federally funded program,” said Ms. Grosslein, 24, who is completing her third year of service with AmeriCorps. “It’s as if the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”

Well, its as if the left hand doesn't know what the far left hand is doing. In fact, we will probably soon learn that Obama has just found out about this by dint of reading the papers:

Vista, or Volunteers in Service to America, was proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, authorized by Congress in 1964 and folded into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993. Its members work in education, housing, jobs and social service programs.

President Obama — a onetime community organizer — is a big supporter, and he has called public service “a central cause” of his administration. In March, the White House said that “AmeriCorps may be one of America’s best assets,” transforming communities every day.

Delay the mandate!

 

Comments

[daddy]

First! G'nite.

[henry]

How can these VISTA volunteers, all under 26 like the 24yo quoted, not be on their parents' policies?

Are they all orphaned children? Or are they all social science majors with no logic skills?

[Extraneus]

President Obama — a onetime community organizer — is a big supporter, and he has called public service “a central cause” of his administration.

Interesting phrase.

[peter]

Obama reads the newspaper?

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Obama CAN READ?

[Threadkiller]

"Obama CAN READ?"

When he is prompted.

[Jane]

LOL TK. Aren't you up early (or late)?

[Threadkiller]

This is my average wake up time, Jane. Good morning!

[Threadkiller]

The retired American military commander who earlier said in a statement released to WND that Americans need to confront Barack Obama’s tyranny now is recommending the Egyptian model through which to do that.

The Egyptian model, Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely explained on a podcast of an Internet radio show, was that 33 million people stood up to their government and told officials no."

Loon.
http://mobile.wnd.com/2013/12/u-s-general-calls-for-massive-march-on-congress-white-house/?cat_orig=politics

[Threadkiller]

http://allenbwest.com/2013/12/de-blasio-sees-progressive-movement-sweeping-nation-per-communist-manifesto-already-80/

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Tom M-- two thank yous if I may. First, thanks for all of these Kwanzaa festive period posts. Second, thank you for reading the NYT so we don't have to. Your posts about the NYT articles conclusively show the NEXT MEME that Carlos Slim's dancing chimps are cooking up. ObamaCare is a failure-- a FAILURE. Obama foolishly made political compromises that relied on the private insurance market. Obama's "people" then let him down by incompetently administering ObamaCare. SOOoooo; the Dancing Chimps will scream-- SINGLEPAYER is now a must. Pinch will argue that private insurance is a failure, and it should be banned and replaced with SP. Oligarchs like Slim love SP BTW; it frees them of the cost of providing healthcare to workers, and sloughs off that cost on to taxpayers, so rich Oligarchs, make more money!!! Everyone else? we get lousy healthcare, and the Oligarchs buy the healthcare they want for themselves. We become Medicaid nation.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

I am familiar with Billy de Blasio nee Wilhelm's theories. He got 17% of registered voters in NYC-- 17%-- in NYC, and probably half of those votes came from public worker (teachers especially) and hospital worker union members. Nobody else cared. NJ re-elected a Repub Gov, and the 2 closest suburban counties elected Repub County execs. Yeah, Billy Wilhelm's on to something. I have a personal theory; when Billy Wilhelm completely screws up NYC and crime rises and businesses and productive types leave the City, coupled with Obummer's EPIC DC fail, Progressivism will be D-E-A-D in USA politics for a generation.

[Ignatz]

--He got 17% of registered voters in NYC-- 17%-- in NYC...--

What percent of voters did the sane, non communist candidate get, who, you know, didn't get elected mayor?

[JIB]

In the world of double entendre's: Volunteering doesn't pay.

This really is Chinese water torture - one drip at a time.

Was out of the loop here yesterday due to our Boxing Day open house but its hard to believe Christmas came and left in such a hurry. If you are like me and wonder why time goes faster the older you get then you may want to read this article in Psychology Today.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

The nice sane guy got 8%!!!!

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

BTW-- one of the most obnoxious things I saw in 2013 was the way the guy who runs a PAC me and my partners give to treated Lhota. Lhota is a bright honest and decent guy-- he did a good/very good job running MTA and being Rudy Gs top administrative Deputy mayor. But Lhota is no politician -- and the PAC guy said so at the fundraiser and flat out said that he wanted someone else to win the Repub Primary. All true, but just obnoxious to say so at a fundraiser. I know politics is politics, but obnoxious is obnoxious.

[clarice]

Dealing with my mom's virtually single payer plan in Fla--a state gig that had oldsters turning over all their care to several named HOMs and getting essentially free service, I can tell you that decades after it was initiated it is now the worst care in this country I have ever see. I'm moving her up here so she can get proper care. OTOH unbidden they send the participants tons of OTC meds--I pitched a hundred years' worth of aspirin B-12, etc etc from her condo.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Clarice-- your mother's Fla experience is the Dems evil plan for all of us;

Geraghty at NRO-- if you don't subscribe to his free daily emails, you should. He is en fuego lately.

[Old Lurker]

"I'm moving her up here so she can get proper care."

Clarice, that is a big deal. Is she OK with the move? Good luck, you are a good daughter.

[Ignatz]

Geraghty at NRO-- if you don't subscribe to his free daily emails, you should. He is en fuego lately.--

Yeah I was going to link this morning's Jolt but couldn't figure out how. Oh well.

[Ignatz]

clarice,
If it's worse than Medical (California medicaid) then, as my insurance guy said, you're better off with no insurance and just using the emergency room when you need medical care.

You think all those people eligible for medicaid who weren't on it are all just that much more stupid than Barry?
Maybe, just maybe, a lot of them were making a rational decision based on their specific knowledge, circumstances and experience. Medicaid kills and disables people. A lot of them. But it does make limo liberals feel better about themselves, so who can argue a few dead and mangled proles isn't worth that?

[miss Marple]

If you think suspiciously as I do, you might think that the Obamacare officials decided they needed more young people, so simply deemed the Vista coverage unacceptable so as to force all those 20-something's into the exchanges

I am cynical that way.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Rove's predictions: I think they are very plausible. Hopefully he's hedging with the 50-51 repub senators, and Allah willing it's more like 52-54 so the repubs can write the entire budget and set up the grossly unpopular Obummer's vetoes.
I have no problem with any Rightwinger's attacks on Rove. Rove is a political mercenary trying to get clients and $$$ from his expertise. So he's fair game. Course, he's largely correct about winning elections for the next 20+ years, so attacking his strategy of organizing governing majorities is just so much cursing the darkness and ignoring reality. But the right tactics that should be used are a legitimate debate. So let's have it.

[narciso]

Actually, no, Rove doesn't seem to understand the systems underpinning the left's attacks,

http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/367112/whos-excited-about-starting-2014-5000-deductible-jim-geraghty

[Ignatz]

I should think Rove's legitimacy and expertise would be considerably more scrutinized after his 2012 election night performance holding on to Ohio like Orson Wells and Rosebud.

[Threadkiller]

I think daddy mentioned this:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/sen.-richard-blumenthal-ups-owes-customers-refunds-for-late-christmas-packages/article/2541230

What an asshole. Where is my refund for the delayed Obamacare? How about saying the same shit about CGI.

If this prick applied the same logic to broken campaign promises we might be getting somewhere.

What has me pissed is the knowledge that BlumenBalls won't be asked about the hypocrisy be the media.

[Threadkiller]

...by...

[Extraneus]

He may not be asked by the media, TK, but he'd better not read the comments if he knows what's good for him.

I think I posted this last night from a different source, and daddy was tracking the # of comments at almost 2500 early this morning. Mostly negative.

[narciso]

Well his successor is going after CGI, we know in retrospect, there was outright voter suppression of the Tea Party in that state, which killed Mandel's chances, but Rove doesn't pause to consider why, and he won't respond.

[Ignatz]

-- — “does not satisfy the individual responsibility requirement of the Affordable Care Act,”--

That phrase should make every real American blanch coming from a Federal official.
It's one thing to force us to pay taxes or conscript us in time of war, but to preachily warn us of our "responsibility requirement", like the area we had to keep tidy as kindergarteners, should either induce the gag reflex or the desire to pop the speaker in the eye, preferably both.

[rich@gmu]

Ignatz-

IIRC Ohio even through Barone for a loop. Who knew that 7% unemployment and trillion dollar deficits were the key to reelection?

Thanks Ohio.

[rich@gmu]

through...threw

coffee, more coffee.

[rich@gmu]

everyone on the west coast is up early.

[rich@gmu]

and I'm here talking to myself. hate it when that happens.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Rich@gmu-- I was a strong Romney supporter, but don't blame Ohioans or Floridians, R&R gave working class conservatives no reason-- OK-- no sexy reason, to vote for them. It was their failure not the voters.

[narciso]

The Greg Packer of the academic set, makes an appearance here;

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/think-2013-was-bad-year-health-politics-just-wait-2014-2D11778757?ocid=msnhp&pos=1

that red pill has a bitter taste.

[miss Marple]

Cnn international is doing its best to explain why Americans think the economy is bad even though all the numbers( stock market, housing starts, etc) are up.

They really are functioning as a propaganda arm of Wall Street and other high finance typs.

[rich@gmu]

working class people need a sexy reason to vote. taxes and healthcare weren't enough.

and everyone can blame Virginia and my slice of heaven here up north. When Romney lost here it was over.

You're Welcome America. Our reward is voting in a criminal class as gov, lt gov and ag.

[rich@gmu]

MM-

Twitter a valuation of $40 billion. That sounds like inflation!

[narciso]

Maybe they should call it Tulip, no way can that be a real value,

[Threadkiller]

Thanks Ext. Wasn't sure who posted it. I now blame you for my blood pressure.

;-)

Now to go calm down. For my next trick I will be locating the hot water slab leak that started the day before my in-laws arrived.

[Captain Hate]

Anybody who doesn't think Ohio was stolen is a fool. Too bad the state Repuke limpdicks can't be bothered with it compared to their Hatfield McCoy feuds.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Richgmu-- that is the electorate. The Dems didn't raise <$250K taxes so working families didn't care about taxes, it didn't touch them. ObummerCare meant-- KEEP YOUR PLAN, so working families assumed --wrongly-- it wouldn't touch them. High gas prices, high food prices and stagnant wages and underwater mortgages were issues for working families. By 2012, home prices had risen enough to get most people out from underwater, and R&R offered virtually nothing about gas prices, food prices and certainly nothing about wages. Those voters disliked Obummer, but what would R&R DO for them? You don't like that selfish attitude? then curse the electorate, but don't expect to win national elections again if that's all you do.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Ohio? proof?

[miss Marple]

Rich, agree with narciso that it sounds like Tulipmania.

Twitter charges nothing to join. Zero revenue there.

Ads are easily dismissed, so cannot imagine they are that effective.

I use Twitter, but do not see how it generates much revenue.

[Threadkiller]

Thanks for the comments tip, Ext. They didn't show up when I first linked the article. I went back and scrolled through a few of them.

Wahoo!

[rich@gmu]

>>>Maybe they should call it Tulip, no way can that be a real value,

Posted by: narciso<<<

It isn't. I just recall seeing that as the headline at Drudge. I'm going to take this social media topic and turn it into a paper for an econ essay competition (top prize is 500 bucks) for next semester. So, I think that makes the outcome of my evaluation process obvious...

[pagarnow]

"Delay the Mandate"

I think every day that Obamacare exists gets worse. Kill every thing about Obamacare and charge everyone who promoted the mess with
fraud,IMO.

Claiming a government program does not meet the legal requirements of a government program is insane. The person in charge needs to get it changed so that it does, or get fired and someone put in charge.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

MissM-- well Jeff Bezos keeps the Amazon stock price balls in the air, despite not making any real profits. Maybe he makes it up on volume :)

[rich@gmu]

pagarnow-

iirc the Americorp program just writes grants and it is actually a 501c the kids work for. Why someone would "work" for 3 years on an Americorp program is a question for another day (student loan forgiveness? lack of other opportunities?).

and why is that a government function?

[Captain Hate]

Ohio? proof?

100% support in multiple districts? Sorry, that just doesn't happen for large groups of people. There's always a contrarian or crank who goes against the flow; or somebody who makes a mistake. Numbers in the 90s I can buy but 100%? NFW.

[Danube on iPad]

"...Americans need to confront Barack Obama’s tyranny now is recommending the Egyptian model through which to do that."

Loon indeed.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Links to ED vote results?

[Extraneus]

Here's the version I linked. 2400 comments.

[Threadkiller]

Good morning, Danube.

[Captain Hate]

Is there some good result that may come of looking this up from when I emailed the state party or are you just trolling for attention?

[Threadkiller]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/03/hitler-appears-on-ohio-voter-registration-form/

[Extraneus]

Even in Hawaii, Obama can't escape troubled state health insurance exchanges

The president may be vacationing in a tropical paradise, but there's no escaping the buffeting winds of troubled state health insurance exchanges, even in Hawaii.

For openers, the botched roll-out of the ObamaCare state exchange in Hawaii has hurt Democratic Gov. Neil Abercrombie's approval ratings: 51 percent of likely Democratic primary voters say they don't like the way he's doing his job.

Already out of a job is Coral Andrews, the executive director of Hawaii's state-run exchange. She submitted her resignation effective December 6 after only 257 people had signed up for health care a month into the roll out.

Hawaii's website contract was awarded to the same firm, CGI, that blew the national Healthcare.gov roll out. CGI won the Hawaii contract even after the state senate president warned the state exchange director not to hire the firm. CGI apparently also had botched Hawaii's tax website, costing Hawaiians $50 million to fix.

Btw, will the next administration please investigate the CGI contracts?

[You're so concerned about coverage, you almost have us convinced you care]

I'm not surprised. JFK solely started the VN War. Now when you take Obama, who solely started the Chicago Fire by milking that cow with cold hands, and mix thoroughly, you have something new you can sell the Public.

The Party of New Ideas. :)

[rich@gmu]

>>>Those voters disliked Obummer, but what would R&R DO for them? <<<

nothing that is why they stayed home.

Ohio precinct by precinct data
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/elections/Research/electResultsMain/2012Results.aspx

[Extraneus]

Same article...

Oregon's website never has worked, despite that state receiving more exchange grant money [wtf is that?] than any others, except California and New York.

Oregon applicants are forced to fill out a 19-page paper form but that, too, has been problematic. Despite assurances that coverage would take effect January 1, late this month applicants began receiving robo-calls in which a voice told the applicant, "If you have not heard from us by December 23rd, it is unlikely your application can be processed for January 1st insurance coverage."

Oregonian Harold Stanton received one of those calls and is no longer sure whether his health care insurance is effective come January 1.

"The governor should have been apprised of the situation. If he wasn't apprised of the situation, then shame on his aides, and if he was, then shame on him for not listening to his aides," he says.

The director of Oregon’s exchange is now on medical leave.

[Account Deleted]

Rich,

This is from a Philly Americorpse enslavement flyer:

AmeriCorps VISTAs receive a living allowance of $977/month, before taxes. They also have the option to enroll in the VISTA Health Benefits Program and apply for SNAP (food stamps). AmeriCorps VISTAs who are part of the SERVE Philadelphia VISTA team also receive a monthly transportation pass. Finally, AmeriCorps VISTAs who successfully complete their year of service receive an education award of $5,350. This award, which is subject to taxation, can be applied to any federally backed loan or used to pay tuition in the future. NOTE: Per the policy of the Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps VISTAs cannot engage in additional paid work during their year of service.

There's just nothing that says "communisty organizer" like paid "volunteers" on food stamps.

[Extraneus]

More...

California has been touted as a state exchange success story. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi recently said of her state’s exchange, "In Covered California, we're moving along (the) largest state in the union, rolling along in a very positive way on it."

But what she did not say was that the state’s enrollment among Latinos has been weak.

Only five percent of enrollees are Latino, even though they make up more than half of California's uninsured.

In a conference call with reporters Monday, Pelosi said the "transformational" nature of ObamaCare, much like Social Security, means that the law will take time to work out.

She added, "It's going to be a glorious thing."

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

RickB-- Vista? OMG they are tax subsidized indentured servants of the Left. It's disgraceful on so many levels.

[narciso]

They were Jay Rockefeller's path to self discovery, so on those grounds alone, but
it as the song said 'not good for children, animals, or other living things'

http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/12/comparing-the-responses-to-target-and-obamacare-security-risks/

the Commonwealth Fund talked up the frabjous NHS system.

[narciso]

Speaking of which;

http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/lebanon-syria-spillover-543350

[JoeS]

Obama's minions..

http://www.gocomics.com/tedrall/2013/12/27#.Ur2nBijTKFI

[narciso]

Yet anothe bug in the system'

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303932504579252770123128660

[Extraneus]

States retaliate against ObamaCare website developers, halt payments

During a Capitol Hill hearing in October, officials with CGI Federal and other contractors working on the site pointed fingers over the problems with the roll-out. They claimed overall "end-to-end" testing was the responsibility of an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, as was the decision to go live on Oct. 1.

They suggested more time was needed to work out the kinks.

"We would have loved to have months," said CGI vice president Cheryl Campbell, though she earlier claimed no amount of testing could have flagged all the problems.

Asked whether there were concerns the site was not ready to go live, she said: "It was not our position to tell our client whether they should go live or not go live."

[Account Deleted]

NK,

If they didn't snap a VISTA leash on the serf's collar, the fools who were euchred into worthless student loans might start chasing down the feather passers who sold them into slavery. I suppose it could be called a stupidity safety valve.

[Buckeye]

"As Ohio's 53rd Secretary of State, Jon Husted is responsible for oversight of elections in one of the nation's most hotly-contested swing states. By his steady hand, Ohio delivered a smooth and fair 2012 Presidential Election with record absentee voting turnout."

No fraud in Ahia. SoS website says we have the best Secretary evah. Look squirrel!

[Extraneus]

Wow.

The Marines Corps quietly puts off the requirement that female Marines perform 3 pullups.

Only 45% of female recruits could meet the standard, which 99% of male recruits meet.

(Via Insty.)

[Buckeye]

Steady hand no less

[Extraneus]

A Marine spokesperson cites the need to "ensure all female Marines are given the best opportunity to succeed."

[narciso]

I dubbed him Vorstedt, after he helped torpedo Kasich's SB 5 proposition,

A touch of Vizzini;

http://gulfnews.com/news/region/iran/us-adviser-jake-sullivan-reappears-as-iran-policy-player-1.1271369?utm_content=1.1271369&utm_medium=RSS&utm_source=Feeds&utm_campaign=US_adviser_Jake_Sullivan_reappears_as_Iran_policy_player&localLinksEnabled=false&utm_term=News_RSS_feed

[Ignatz]

--IIRC Ohio even through Barone for a loop.--

I was referring more to Rove's reaction than his prediction.
He seemed a bit more like Pinky than the Brain that night.

[ACA, Benghazzzzziiiii---won't anyone please listen]

Who needs diversionary strategies?

You guys are home schooled in handmade crafts.

It's like, all one has to do is give you a big box of LEGOS, and you keep yourselves busy.

Carry on.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

USMC pullup standard. Kubrick's Gunny Hartmann had some philosophical observations he relayed to a 1967 recruit being unable to do even one pullup. I guess today's USMC DIs are not permitted to wax as poetically.

[Ignatz]

Update of Rick's info;

AmeriCorps VISTAs receive a living allowance of $977/month, before taxes. They also have the option to enroll in the VISTA Health Benefits Program and apply for SNAP (food stamps).

[Captain Hate]

I was a VISTA volunteer after undergrad. Biggest waste of time imaginable. Nothing was more effective in turning me conservative than that. It certainly gave an insider's view of how worthless poverty programs were. Some people liked it though; some people like being serfs.

[rich@gmu]

>>>But AmeriCorps says that its members are technically not employees, and that it does not have to provide them with the “minimum essential coverage” they need to comply with the individual mandate.<<<

indentured servants.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Exactly-- they are literally Serfs attached to the Left's 'land' and get only whatever crumbs the Lefty Lords distribute. It's Medieval.

[Ignatz]

--ACA, Benghazzzzziiiii---won't anyone please listen --

One of your most inapt handles ever.
Even the twerps are listening.

[Ignatz]

Once again with feeling;
Even the twerps are listening.

[narciso]

So, he hasn't gone Norwegian Blue after all;

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/12/head_of_al_nusrah_fr.php

[let your freak-flags fly]

Daily Beast;

"If Ted Cruz seems like a one-of-a-kind, give it time. A slew of young, hard-charging, Tea Party-endorsed Senate wannabes is looking to knock off the Republican establishment again in 2014. Some have better chances than others, but all have the unmistakable Cruzian commitment to refusing to toe the Republican Party line and make headlines while doing it. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you will."

False-flag Libertarians? The clown-car is nearly full.

[narciso]

If Dana were a true anarchist, instead of a scholar of said movement, and that itself is a charitable interpretation, he would be up in arms about this wretched leviathan, which evinces all the corrosive carcass of cronyism, but as we well know he is neither;

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Ignatz-- that youth 'approval' trend line is so telling. It shows that Obama 2012 was completely a creation of a bunch of sharp white and asian guys running a marketing and social media play to get Obummer groups-- youth, unmarried women and older black women -- out to vote. Those marketing/social media types succeeded against all odds because Obummer 2009-2012 basically stunk for those groups. Once the election was over, the intense marketing ended, and reality set in, and those groups enthusiasm for Obummer is collapsing. Will they vote Repub in '14 or '16? Not many, but if the rest of them stay home, it's Katie bar the door for Dems.

[pagarnow]

Rich, I'm not arguing anything about the Americorp or Vista functions. My sole thought is on government signing up people who are making a commitment for a period of time and than saying that what they said about the government healthcare for the signees wasn't true and they had no obligation to fix it.

They did this to every military member when they said if the military member stayed for 20 years and retired they would get free medical care for life.
The government reneged and got away with it.

Now the government is doing the same thing to Americorp signees. IMO, if the program is government provided, it has an obligation to meet government requirements.

[Freeee Market Piracy]

One thing is definitely NOT inadequate.....fees.

Greg Sergeant;

" Hospital consolidation has been skyrocketing and many regions have been basically monopolized. Without competition,

price gouging is rampant:

Start with the sheer number of hospital mergers … the tally has run up from fifty-two in 2009, to seventy-two in 2010, to ninety in 2011, and reaching 105 in 2012….

Today, the effects can be seen in the prices providers receive for the same procedures in markets with different degrees of concentration. For example…in concentrated markets, the price for a pacemaker insertion averages $47,477, but in markets that remain comparatively competitive the cost of the procedure averages $30,399.

[Ignatz]

Tutorials, even basic, simple wiki ones, are wasted on those with eyes who will not see and ears who will not hear.

Unfortunately, unlike the Pslamist's dumb idols they have mouths and you can't shut em up.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

IMO Narciso is too polite to the purported anarchist. In truth, this 'academic' is a well paid money sucking crony of the Leviathan system. he sucks the life out of Lib parents who borrow to pay exhorbitant tuition for a useless degree for their wonderfully liberal child; 'adjunct' faculty working for him live in rags and teach for pennies and in fear contract nonrenewal, while the fat cat tenured cronies live off of their guaranteed benefit pensions. The students have nondischargeable debt and become serfs for $5600/year Vista slots to reduce those debts. This 'academic' is a modern Medieval Lord of the Manor who sucks the economic life from all of those around him, while producing nothing of value himself.

[Threadkiller]

My brother reminds me:

"Blumenthal explained Tuesday that he meant to say he served "during" Vietnam, not "in" Vietnam."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051802208.html

[Ignatz]

--For example…in concentrated markets, the price for a pacemaker insertion averages $47,477, but in markets that remain comparatively competitive the cost of the procedure averages $30,399.--

I promise my last comment to the imperviously thick Dana today, but do you really think the solution to a lack of competition is single payer? Really?

[rse]

NK-in the concluding chapter of my book, I give cites to both the Club of Rome and Unrelated entities since 2005 where the intentions to get back to more of a feudal mindset and limited capability to defy subjugation are actually stated. And I have mentioned it on blog too where the UN entities, in conjunction with Paul Ehrlich's work, have written of the desire to limit 'citizens' globally to what it calls 'tacit knowledge.'

We essentially have an invisible political and economic coup going on with visible side effects and consequences that are currently being misunderstood. Usually with the help of false narratives instilled by professors at great expense.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Ignatz-- Singlepayer does end the competition problem. SP ends all competition in the Healthcare delivery system, so we all get Medicaid quality and amounts of healthcare. Closets filled with generic aspirin and Vitamin B12.

[Freeee Market Piracy]

Hmm. Your promises, and those of others, seems like your dreams of libertarianism..........fluffy and puffy; airy and light like a New Year's souffle.

Once it's out of the oven, it collapses.

[narciso]

I had some lefty professors, even at a Catholic university, shocker, but they imparted actual knowledge about constitutional law, comparative political models, et al,

the metaphor of the Cave, is very much the operative template, Gen. Vallely worked counterinsurgency on several continents, so he has a more unsubtle approach to the problem,

[Beasts of England]

Ig@11:58 - You beat me to it. Classic.

[mebbe it's the water]

Why do I suspect Tories have the same view of legitimate rape?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-nhs-covered-up-scandal-at-whitechapel-havenfor-rape-victims-9026312.html