Ironic Genius At The WSJ

Peggy Noonan has a long rumnination on the basic competence of team Obama, noting that, like their boss, they have some experience and skill at communicating but not executing, and who could have seen that coming?

But the comic twist is this - rather than end the column at its conclusion, the web jockeys repeat the whole thing. Repeatring ideas for emphasis is a valuable rhetorical device, but this seems excessive, not to mention a valuable waste of pixels. One migh hope that a column on someone else's competence would be competently delivered, but the holidays are approaching and the B-team is taking over.

There is a conclusion, or at least an ending, in the middle there somewhere...

Comments

[Beasts of England]

Just think about the insurance underwriters, the actuaries, the brokers - all who are trying to satisfy their customers. And he makes these extraordinary, unilateral changes a week before Christmas - almost certainly ruining any of their holiday plans. All while he skips over to the islands for a few weeks.

What a selfish, clueless ass.

[Account Deleted]

SPECULATION:

Consider the possibility six Progressive Democrat Senators, in fear of electoral defeat, presented Pharaoh BOzo with the choice between watching them cross the aisle and vote for repeal or ordering Secretary Syphilis to amend regulations.

It was a Coward v Coward cage match and the biggest coward tossed in the towel.

[Danube on iPad]

"Obama will allow millions to purchase bare-bones insurance plans"

The first three words make my blood absolutely boil. By what authority does he purport to do any such thing? What insurance plans can be bought is governed by statute - formerly state statutes, now Pelosi-Reid statutes.

The problem is, as far as I know there is no way short of impeachment to put a stop to this. The framers just didn't contemplate that any president would ever arrogate such power to himself. We are in uncharted waters.

[Old Lurker]

Beasts, when you mention underwriters and actuaries, you are presuming they are acting as a going concern. That ended when they sold their souls to the crony capitalists. Now that they are untethered from having to balance the accounts, they need only jump when the man snaps his fingers.

[narciso,]

So lets impeach, anything else would make a mockery of the law,

[matt]

We've gone from "Yes, we can!" to "You know, I don't know" to "So let it be written! So let it be done" in just 5 years.

[Jane]

I can easily see him becoming very stressed and even more frenetic

I see him doubling down. That's what the narcissist in my family would do - all why denying he's done anything wrong, and being completely sure it is us not him.

[Jane]

By Obama's definition, a "bare bones plan" means I don't have to buy maternity coverage, I suppose.

[DrJ]

And from where are these putative "bare-bones" policies supposed to appear? They've been (sort of) set up for the young 'uns -- how will they know who would take them now?

And what I read cays "those whose policies have been cancelled." What about the rest of us? Can we get in on them too?

Are they compatible with HSAs? Why or why not? May we have our old limits back? Will he do this by fiat too?

[Account Deleted]

C'mon guys - that was the end of BOzocare. He just destroyed the Progressive Democrat dream.

HumptyDumpty just had his great fall.

[AliceH]

I'm wondering who exactly this new diktat would even help.

I don't think the challenges of the newly uninsured had to do with not being able to enroll in a slightly lower premium plan. (I checked - the "catastrophic" plan is about $50/month lower premium than a bronze plan - for the same deductible).

This can be very very messy - but I don't see how it can actually do any good. It's another "pretend I did something" moment.

[Stephanie looking forward to the bowl games]

Lol y'all. You can also email em to me if us want. Or not. Post em here. Or not.

This insurance caRp is the biggest fiasco ever. What about the doctors that were weren't are may be May not be in any of those plans? What about the hospitals, outpatient surgical centers, cancer and dialysis centers that were excluded from the networks? What about the prescription drugs that were excluded retiered or whatever?

So people that had "sustandard" plans they liked at premiums they liked and deducts, copays, and doctors and such they liked can now buy "even more substandard" plans with who knows what premiums, copays, doctor's, scripts and that makes it all better? F em and the donkey that rode in on him.

[Dave (in MA)]

President Obama commutes life sentence of Patrick’s first cousin for dealing crack
The president granted a rare commutation to Reynolds Allen Wintersmith Jr., 39, the first cousin of Governor Deval Patrick, on a life sentence on charges of dealing crack cocaine.

[2Jack is Back4!]

Anyone know how to post an excel spread sheet in the comments section?

I have the one we use for our pool with all 35 games plus the spread. We play the spread in our pool.

[narciso,]

Really, bless her heart;

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/12/19/did-conservatives-get-trolled-by-pajama-boy/

[AliceH]

DrJ/Jane: There are only 2 catastrophic plans listed for my area.

They appear to cover exactly the same things as the bronze/silver etc. plans - including maternity (that might be something some areas with more providers vary on).

(for 30yo)
Premium : $165/mo (Bronze = $195)
Deductible : $6350 (Bronze = $6300)

Given the Bronze plan allows subsidies and HSA, it's actually cheaper if you stay below the deductible. If you go over deductible, the catastrophic is cheaper because it has no copays whatsoever (and Bronze has a few).

[narciso,]

And his too;

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/12/18/house-of-cards-obama-and-democracy/

[DrJ]

Since we're back to pajama boy, back in the day we called his ilk a "DWE." A Dick With Ears.

[pagarnow]

http://weaselzippers.us/2013/12/19/thousands-in-illinois-told-they-have-to-reapply-for-obamacare/

How long can this insanity go on?

[DrJ]

WSJ:

The Obama administration said Thursday it would allow millions of Americans whose insurance policies had been canceled to purchase bare-bones plans next year, in another 11th-hour tweak to the law likely to cause consternation among health insurers.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told a group of six senators in a letter that people whose policies had been canceled because of new requirements under the Affordable Care Act would be allowed to purchase "catastrophic" plans. Those plans previously had been restricted under the new law to people under the age of 30 or those who qualified for a set of specific hardship exemptions.

That leaves us out, Jane.

[Threadkiller]

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxxv

Slo' Joe and Boehner better start conspiring.

[AliceH]

Dem Senators' press release (includes Sebelius' letter which is 90% fluff).

[2Jack is Back4!]

This is pretty cool.

OED birthday word generator: which words originated in your birth year?

Mine was gobbledygook.

[AliceH]

Meant to note, by being added to "hardship" class, the newly uninsured not only can buy so-called catastrophic plans, but they get waivers for the "shared responsiblity payment" - i.e. they aren't mandated to buy anything for 2014.

[Joan]

Speaking of obamacare ads, have any of you guys seen this one? It's truly repulsive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azoWedQH8zQ

[Beasts of England]

Good point, OL. I'm living in last year's paradigm!

[narciso,]

They are Morons, and not in a good way, either,
the system cannot work this way,

[Stephanie]

Jack, I suggest we avoid the spread. Just a simple win/lose plan. If you can email the spreadsheet to me, everyone who wants to play can either post here or email me their picks.

I think to post a spreadsheet here, you can put it in your flicker or whatever photo account and everyone could access it there. Of course, they would be able to see all your other photos and files that are there.

I've got a dropbox account, but I only use it for pulling down files my upline folks post for work and I never use it for my photos, but I suppose it could be used as you can post spreadsheets to it like my upline folks do, too but I'm danged if I know how to work it. Never bothered to figure it out.

Suggestions?

[Beasts of England]

Chocoholic for my year JiB. Perfect.

[Threadkiller]

ABC News: "Do you still believe President Obama is not by birth an American citizen?"

Answer:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/meet-larry-klayman-man-nsa-lawsuit/story?id=21278998&singlePage=true

Loon.

[DrJ]

JiB,

Mine sure fits:

oenophilic, adj. Meaning: Relating to or designating an oenophile or oenophiles; wine-loving.

[Janet]

Consider the possibility six Progressive Democrat Senators, in fear of electoral defeat, presented Pharaoh BOzo with the choice between watching them cross the aisle and vote for repeal or ordering Secretary Syphilis to amend regulations.

Looks like Rick @ 8:35 is right...as usual!

"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace."

[Miss Marple]

My birth year word: TV

What a disappointment!

Back from granddaughter's piano recital out at Butler University. Very nice and she did well.

[mad jack]

The wheels are completely coming off the Zero bus. I sense major panic in the Dem Senate caucus. They may lock the pederast in a closet with pajama boy and push a bill to repeal the whole thing while Zero is in Elba. He's too lazy or depressed to return in time to veto and Bagdad Carney says they couldn't get a part for Air Force One that's why he couldn't get back in time. It may be the wine but I'm thinking this scenario is not outside the realm of the possible!

[Danube on iPad]

Joan @ 9:14: are they concerned about loading up the risk pool with HIV positives?

[narciso,]

I know this is the Australian version;

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-03/aiding-the-enemy-hard-to-prove/4730920

this is the Che lover, whose been forcing releases from Gitmo, including those quarrelsome lads this week;

[Joan]

Danube @ 9.30, it looked like to me they were attempting to attract those in the risk pool. :)

Goodness me, I know I'm old fashioned but those men and their codpieces were quite embarrassing. Especially when they made moves on each other. :)

[Joan]

Oh, I missed a comment on the youtube video, it says "Out2Enroll is a coalition of organizations who want to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people stay healthy by making sure that one of the major benefits of the Affordable Care Act -- access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage -- reaches LGBT communities. Get Enrolled is a holiday parody, produced by our friends at Full Frontal Freedom, which aims to bring awareness to the final week of health marketplace enrollment".

[Janet]

The Robertson Family Official Statement ~

"We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. The family has spent much time in prayer since learning of A&E's decision. We want you to know that first and foremost we are a family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word. While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible. Phil is a Godly man who follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Phil would never incite or encourage hate.We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm.

We are in discussions with A&E to see what that means for the future of Duck Dynasty. Again, thank you for your continued support of our family."

LINK TO SITE: http://duckcommander.com/news/robertson-family-offical-statement

[rich@gmu]

wouldn't it have been easier to have followed Cruz and put in a one year delay...a nice bit of politics though, by making that a demand, and then the deluge that followed, it closed off the administration asking for a one year delay.

[mad jack]

Mrs Mad had TMZ on while preparing dinner and said the main guy, who is gay, was killing A&E for the DD censorship.

[Jane on Ipad]

No worries. O goes to Hawaii tomorrow for a 17 day vacation. All will be forgotten!

[Jane on Ipad]

My word is "noshery". Who would have thunk it.

[clarice]

http://pjmedia.com/jchristianadams/2013/12/19/justice-department-inspector-general-pushes-holder-on-misconduct-reported-by-pj-media/?singlepage=true

Start with impeaching Holder and move on up.

[2Jack is Back4!]

On Wisconsin, on Wisconsin.

In case you missed it we watched the Wisconsin ladies, the number 12 seed, beat Texas, the number 1 seed in the NCAA volleyball semis. A terrific and exciting 4 sets.

Stephanie, not suggesting you use the spread but the sheet lists all the games and all one has to do is write in the winner. I'll see what I can do with it.

[rich@gmu]

Housing, jobs data weaken, but overall economic picture still upbeat

...3 years and 1 month to go...

[Danube on iPad]

The problem with impeachment is that it's a wholly inadequate blunderbuss of a remedy, and would accomplish nothing in this case. The Senate absolutely will not convict. If it did, that would in no way affect this legislation or any of the high-handed "amendments" to it. And Joe Biden would be president.

It will take two elections, in one of which Hillary will have to be stopped.

Or we could have a Gandhi-like revolution, led by a loon.

[Jeff Dobbs]

My word is LOL.

Unacronymed, that is.

[narciso,]

I liked it better when we all had mob names, this one came up megastar,

[Steve]

Duck Dynasty Family Statement and Online Duck Dynasty Poll:

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/12/duck-dynasty-family-statement-and.html

[Stephanie]

Sounds to me like Willie just called A&Es bluff. They are going to remain on the air, so do you want in A&E or are we going to bury you in our new home???

OK, Jack, that sounds perfect. If you get it fixed the way you want, email it to me and I'll record the picks.

Chocoholic here, too. As I sit mulling a Ghirardelli recipe for English Toffee. If I got off my azz and into the kitchen...

[Beasts of England]

Someone is young. lol

[clarice]

Impeach Holder..tie these lawless bastards up in knots. Let the Senate Dems block it. They are already on the ropes.

[rich@gmu]

>>>Or we could have a Gandhi-like revolution, led by a loon.<<<

not following?

[narciso,]

If Musket Morgan didn't exist, well it would be better for all concerned;

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/12/19/Piers-Morgan-1st-Amendment-Shouldn-t-Protect-Vile-Bigots-Like-Phil-Robertson

[2Jack is Back4!]

Can we stop using the word "loon"? Because everytime I see it it reminds me of the money I lost hedging the Canadian dollar a few decades back.

[Stephanie]

DD was scheduled to resume taping in a few weeks for the next season. Prediction: A&E buckles and the whole clan gets a raise and greater content control. A&E gets a disclaimer.

[Stephanie]

OK the Joe Boxer Kmart ad is downright icky.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=joe+boxer+christmas+commercial+2013&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=ADA27DDEEBE3BEECB436ADA27DDEEBE3BEECB436

Next up the Vanity Fair Boob Jiggling Bra gals
playing "O come O come Emmanuel?" :eyeroll:

[Danube on iPad]

"wouldn't it have been easier to have followed Cruz and put in a one year delay..."

No. That would have required Obama to sign it, which he would not have done. Maybe now he wishes he had, but back then there was no chance.

[Eric in Boise]

My word is "electricity".

Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!!

[Captain Hate]

Maybe now he wishes he had

Even if he does he'd never admit it; just like that numbskull comment about still not backing the Surge after it was proven to have worked, which should have been an immediate disqualifier to an educated electorate. He's a mentally ill ideologue who will never admit he was wrong.

[narciso,]

No he doesn't, trying to find someway he will do the right thing is impossible, this is why he subverted the law and the bureaucracy in ways Nixon could only dream, He stands as an inpediment to any forward progress,

[Danube on iPad]

Rich:

"Speaking with Alex Jones on Wednesday, Larry Klayman said that he, like Gandhi, will lead a revolution in America that will overthrow the 'evil' Obama administration.

“'Obama’s a socialist, a borderline communist, he’s sympathetic to Muslim interests, he does everything he can to destroy Israel and frankly we have somebody in the White House who is evil, plain and simple,' Klayman told Jones, before arguing that since the Republicans are not an effective opposition, he himself will lead an anti-Obama revolution.

“'If Gandhi can do it in India, we can do it here,' he promised."

[Threadkiller]

"For the benefit of the many here at JOM whom I consider friends, and who have chastized me for engaging with this man, I will not do so further on this thread.

Posted by: Danube on iPad | December 18, 2013 at 08:55 PM"

[rich@gmu]

crap, stepped in it...thanks DoT though.

[narciso,]

According to the Times, Zebari told Karzai, to reconsider the idea of turning down the deal, for future basing of US troops after 2014, frankly I don't care anymore, he can take his chances heing Shaj Shuja, or skedaddle all the way to the coast of France,

[Janet]

I was reminded that in one interview with the DD guys they said at first A&E added bleeps to the show...like they were bleeping out cursing...when there wasn't any cursing going on at all.

Just kinda funny...

[Skoot]

The Obama decree smells like widespread panic.

And the Duck guys have already won. Rejoice, "The Lord is near." Paul said that as well as that other stuff Phil paraphrased. Funny how this all comes down during Advent.

[narciso,]

At one time, I thought they should fill a vacancy in the state assembly with a marmot;

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20131218/state-seeks-pull-plug-agia-pipeline-process

there would be translation problem, but they would get more done,

[narciso,]

the rest of the story;

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/duck-dynasty-the-show-that-got-away-from-them#ixzz2nyxDgqJm

[2Jack is Back4!]

A headline to warm the hearts of all Progs:

Florida Supreme Court OKs new drug for executions

[Account Deleted]

MORE SPECULATION:

The predicate for "success" with BOzocare was based upon the theoretical stupidity of Invincibles. There were supposed to be at least a couple of million Dodos dumb enough to overpay for a product they neither wanted nor needed in order to subsidize premia for the older (actually women) participants. There was also a corollary assumption made regarding the percentage of people who had plans canceled cheerfully writing checks for new policies costing 60-70% more.

I'm betting both the predicate and the assumption are proving to be completely wrong. A fair number of canceled policies are not being replaced due to purchasers taking advantage of the three month mostly free ride from January through March.

That would blow '15 premium increases right through the roof.

[DrJ]

Off

[narciso,]

Of course the nazguls do what they must do;

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/sarah-palin-on-hannity-ae-quacks-really-screwed-up-by-suspending-duck-dynasty-star/

[Beasts of England]

Guess who has chimed-in on the DD controversy? PETA! It's a full-on circus now...

[Janet]

narciso's 10:42 link is good.

[Jim Miller]

Years before I ever read the advice in Rule #4,"Don't Flip The Bozo Bit", I had come to a similar conclusion. (It's not at all novel.)

And so I have continued to read Noonan, from time to time, and sometimes find interesting things in her pieces. It is usually just a paragraph or two in one of her posts, often near the end -- which is annoying. But it is interesting.

And she is one of the people -- McArdle and Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune are others -- who I think should have caught on to Obama befoe the 2008 election. So I am watching them to see if I can figure out how they made the mistakes they did. (Chapman is the most puzzling of the group, at least for me.)

(For that matter, I sometimes find interesting things in Maureen Dowd columns, and have even found an interesting thing or two in Krugman columns.)

[Rob Crawford]

Ya know, the way the troll just keeps slinging random insults and dragging in the corpses of non-sequitors just drives home the depth of how badly the left screwed up.

Your panic is our joy, idiot!

[Rob Crawford]

Guess who has chimed-in on the DD controversy? PETA!

People for the Eating of Tasty Animals?

[narciso,]

Well if one takes Dowd as commenting outside reality, then she is tolerable, when she deigns to understand the real world, Katie bar the Door,

Krugman's chiropractor bills must be enormous, with McArdle I thought she was conversent enough with free market principles, that she wouldn't have fallen for this.

[Danube on iPad]

"The Obama decree smells like widespread panic."

In the highest extreme, in my opinion. And it seems that it won't really help anyone.

Could an intrpid researcher more adept than I am gather up a few of the more adamant denials that Obamacare was a government takeover of American health care?

Mohandas Klayman, we beseech thee: lead us in our revolt!

[narciso,]

well here's an apologist from last year

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolynmcclanahan/2012/08/28/is-obamacare-a-government-takeover-of-medicine/

[narciso,]

That reminds me, we haven't heard from Jim Ryan, in ages;

http://www.richmondteaparty.com/true-obamacare-is-a-government-takeover-of-health-care/

[narciso,]

A relatively nazgul free zone;

http://twitchy.com/2013/12/19/in-defense-of-duck-dynasty-sarah-palin-rocks-camo-cross-and-christmas-tree-on-hannity-video/

It took the Swift Boaters who were clearly underfunded and outmatched to break Lurch's glass joe, 'we dodged a bullet there' as long as Klayman is winning, I'm not going to second guess how he does thing, what have the clean togas done in stead of him,.

[DrJ]

Sandy received this reply from Jim Ryan on 3 Oct of this year:

Nice to hear from you. Thanks for the kind thoughts. I miss JOM, too. The truth is, it's quite demanding of my time because I love being there! Also, the political situation is very hard to stomach and being around people who realize how bad it is makes it even harder for me. Trying to cope with the decay, quite frankly.

[Danube on iPad]

The new Florida execution drug reminds me of the Texas legislator who said, when it was proposed to convert from the Chair to lethal injection, "Hell, that's just a slap on the wrist!"

[narciso,]

Beck tells the tale, re the Electric Chair, that it was a way to try to tarnish Westinghouse and Tesla, by associating AC current with death,

[narciso,]

This covers some of the same ground;

http://www.pbs.org/tesla/ll/ll_warcur.html

shouldn't the standard be effectiveness over injury'

[Janet]

A+E Networks, parent company of A&E, has released the following statement to Variety:

“We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.”

What does being champions mean? What else are they champions for?
So, they support & champion:
*women that have sex with women
*men that have sex with men
*people that have sex with anyone
*people that don't know if they are a man or woman...but just want sex

Do they support & champion men that have sex with women? How about people that aren't that interested in sex or choose to be celibate...who will be their champion?

[Ignatz]

--what have the clean togas done in stead of him--

Why, they've trained their guns on the obvious real enemies; Theodore Cruz and the Tea Baggers and seem to have them bracketed.

The Republic should be safe by the time they're trying to figure out how a 93 year old Bob Dole could possibly have lost to Hillary Clinton in '16, who was carried across the finish line on Huma's shoulders.
Backwards.

[Janet]

Dennis Miller
"Keep in mind that there are approximately 1 Billion Non-Christian men in the world who seem to favor that sort of beard getting a pass from the media."

[Ignatz]

A&E has a strict standard; if you have any yourself then you don't meet theirs.

[Dave (in MA)]

Janet, I was just going to hit ctrl-V on that here.

[Beasts of England]

Great link on Tesla, narciso - thank you.

[Dave (in MA)]

A&E's original incarnation as the ARTS channel used to show a lot of stage productions and ballet, so they were certainly championing G, if not necessarily L, B & T.

[narciso,]

You're welcome,beasts, I had heard of Tesla, I kind of see why Elon Musk chose that title, for his vehicle, as well as some of the things he does,

Yeats, spoke of a time, nearly a century ago, when 'most men would lack conviction, but the worst are filled with passionate intensity,' that is sadly
this moment,

[Dave (in MA)]

At the top of the hour ABC Radio reported that Obama commuted the sentence of someone who was serving a life term for dealing crack.

Left unmentioned was the fact that it was Deval Patrick's cousin.

[Ignatz]

When he gets a chance, he might consider commuting Barrycare's death sentence.

[jimmyk]

Better he should put it out of its misery, no? Don't lefties believe in euthanasia?

[Man Tran on iPhone]

DoT, from a day or so ago.

Thanks for asking. The Mk IV eyeball is doing well. Just went to see my regular eye guy for a fresh prescription and should be fully operational by New Years. Everyone says I'll need a new lens due to cataracts in a few months, which is a natural consequence of the surgery. I'm already seeing a little specular flare like contact wearers sometimes get.

How's you leg doing? Still rolling around on the super skateboard?