Today is notionally the final day for ObamaCare sign-ups, so the usual suspects in the national media are engaging in some "how're we doin?!?' reporting cheerleading. At the risk of being struck by a pom-pom let me single out the LA Times - their story which has seized the post position at Memeorandum, deserves special mention for this dubious stat:
At least 4.5 million previously uninsured adults have signed up for state Medicaid programs, according to Rand’s unpublished survey data, which were shared with The Times. That tracks with estimates from Avalere Health, a consulting firm that is closely following the law’s implementation.
Sicne their headline included the factoid that "At least 9.5 million previously uninsured people have gotten health insurance since Obamacare started", that 4.5 million from Medicaid is a big deal. But how meaningful is that estimate?
A huge caveat that ought to be attached to that number (but hasn't been) comes from what has become known as the "woodwork effect" - with all the hue and cry about ObamaCare, people who were previously eligible for Medicaid have "come out of the woodwork" to sign up. An ardent ObamaCare booster might insist that they only way we could have ginned up all that publicitity was by crafting and cramming down a complex, unpopular bill; here on the third planet, we will argue that a much less complex PR campaign could have boosted Medicaid enrollment with a lot less controversy.
But on to some numbers; here is Think Progress citing this report from Avalere Health in early March:
A new analysis by Avalere Health finds that the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment season is boosting Medicaid signups even in the states that have refused the health law’s optional Medicaid expansion.
“Enrollment of new Medicaid beneficiaries continues in both expansion and non-expansion states,” said Jenna Stento, senior manager at Avalere Health, in a statement. “Medicaid applications have increased 27 percent on average from October to January compared to application rates before ACA. Application rates in expansion states increased 41 percent over the same period.”
Stento told ThinkProgress that enrollments even in non-expansion states grew by 13 percent from October through January, compared to previous months.
Avalere estimates that between 700,000 and 800,000 Americans in non-expansion states who were already eligible for existing Medicaid programs, but never actually signed up for them, enrolled between October through January. This is a phenomenon that health care experts refer to as the ACA’s “woodwork effect,” wherein eligible populations come “out of the woodwork” amid persistent national and local coverage of the health law’s signup period. Some of these people may simply not have known that they previously qualified for government health care benefits, or didn’t know how to sign up.
Expansion states saw much bigger enrollment hikes, with somewhere between 1.7 million and 2.7 million signing up for Medicaid for the first time, since some people in those places became newly eligible under expansion. All told, between 2.4 million and 3.5 million of the poorest Americans started receiving Medicaid coverage for the first time during the first four months of Obamacare’s enrollment season.
The population split between expansion and non-expansion states seems to be roughly equal (based on learning that the overall average increase of 27% comes from subgroups of 13% and 41%, as well as this map and this list.)
So if we assume 800k 'woodworkers' for the non-expansion state, how many similar people came out of the woodwork in the expansion states? One might argue that, lacking other information, it is plausible to assume that the proportion is the same. So, with total expansion of 3.5 million as of January (the high estimate), we would be estimating 1.6 million 'woodworkers' and 1.9 million people that are newly eligible under the revised and expanded law. The woodworkers represent 46% of the total.
But wait! One might argue that the states that expanded Medicaid have a long, proud history of generosity with other people's money and would have worked hard over the years to sign up as many eligible people as possible. In which case, substantially all of the 'woodworkers' will be found in the non-expansion states; this puts them at 23% of the total at the end of January.
Now, did the composition of Medicaid enrollees change substantially in February and March? Who knows? But lacking final reports, a fair range for the number of newly-insured 'woodworkers' would be 23% to 46% of the 4.5 million figure cited by the LA Times. That would lead to a 1 to 2 million reduction in the new Medicaid enrollment and consequently a 1 to 2 million reduction in the headlined 9.5 million figure.
Like the LA Times will note this.
Hello :)
Posted by: Barbara | March 31, 2014 at 03:10 PM
did the administration ever build and deploy the payment side of the website or do we have to just really, really trust them on the numbers?
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 03:15 PM
"There is no such thing as Obamacare." Senator Angus King (I-ME).
Posted by: Marlene | March 31, 2014 at 03:20 PM
http://www.10news.com/news/local-couple-upset-after-receiving-pre-marked-voter-registration-card-from-covered-california-03282014
Posted by: Threadkiller | March 31, 2014 at 03:21 PM
If the other link doesn't work.
http://www.nrcc.org/2014/03/31/california-obamacare-exchange-sends-couple-voter-registration-card-pre-marked-democrat/
Posted by: Threadkiller | March 31, 2014 at 03:28 PM
Phil Sides in the WAPO today really lets the cat out of the bag. Occupy will probably be camped on his lawn tomorrow but he says as much as 80 % chance of Republican control in the Senate:
our initial sense is this: Republicans may have a far better chance of winning control of the Senate than we or other analysts previously thought. Here is a preliminary estimate: The GOP could have as much as a 4 in 5 chance of controlling the chamber.
Better candidates emerge when conditions in the country favor their party. As political scientists Gary Jacobson and Samuel Kernell have argued, strong candidates run when they have a better chance of winning. And in 2014 — as in most midterm election years — the playing field is tilted away from the president’s party. So we should see good Republican candidates emerging.
Anecdotally, that’s what has been happening. In Arkansas, Mark Pryor’s opponent, Tom Cotton, is a House member. The same is true of Sen. Mary Landrieu’s opponent, Bill Cassidy, in Louisiana. And in Colorado and New Hampshire, as The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza noted.
May I be the first to call him minority leader and since he nuked the filibuster, totally irrelevant Harry Child Molester Reid.
Posted by: GMax | March 31, 2014 at 03:30 PM
That would actually be John Sides (not Phil his dorky brother).
Posted by: GMax | March 31, 2014 at 03:34 PM
I find it funny, in a sad way, that the Obama Administration thinks it is a success that there are now millions more people getting taxpayer paid health care in the same way they think it's a great success that so many more people are now getting taxpayer paid subsidence payments (unemployment, welfare, etc.).
Only some seriously screwed up people think fewer people working and fewer people paying for their own health care is something to brag about.
Posted by: steve | March 31, 2014 at 03:35 PM
some seriously screwed up people = Democrats (almost exclusively)
Posted by: GMax | March 31, 2014 at 03:41 PM
Does anybody else think Lebron looks like a pinhead on those 404Care kumurshuls?
Seriously dood; people don't care about your non basketball insights.
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 31, 2014 at 03:41 PM
John Sides is a professor at GWU and writes on occasion at 538. I am sure he will have sneering lefties screaming at him over his take it to the bank prediction. When will it dawn on lefties that Obama is bringing the temple down on their heads, and that they may wander in the political wilderness for awhile due to his unique combination of partisanship and incompetence?
Posted by: GMax | March 31, 2014 at 03:48 PM
Seriously dood; people don't care about your non basketball insights.
Assuming he has any.
Posted by: lyle | March 31, 2014 at 03:48 PM
they may wander in the political wilderness for awhile due to his unique combination of partisanship and incompetence?
And the galactic sized arrogance. Can't omit that.
Posted by: lyle | March 31, 2014 at 03:50 PM
You mean the guy that told the Democrats "You've got me."? That arrogant prick? LOL
Posted by: GMax | March 31, 2014 at 03:55 PM
"There is no such thing as Obamacare." Senator Angus King
Marlene,
What point was he trying to make? I saw a little of that interview (I wasn't paying attention) but he seemed like a bit of an ass.
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 03:58 PM
Do they still use pom-poms?
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 03:59 PM
Wont it be the ultimate unintended consequence if Obamacare as the holy grail is the Democrats ticket to irrelevance and it then gets repealed anyway? Well played Zero, well played.
Posted by: GMax | March 31, 2014 at 03:59 PM
Well Harry Reid must be a child molester since he hasn't come out and irrevocably refuted the charge. Using the Los Angeles Times logic, that means he's "tacitly accepted that the charge is true." As of yet, nobody has taken up the cudgels to protect the sheep of Nevada from Harry, but stories of his escapades in the meadows, corrals and barns of Nevada will inevitably leak out. Harry's defense that, "It was only ewes" sounds like a tacit admission to me.
But I digress. We were talking about the Los Angeles Times--yes I read their story about Obamacare enrollment today. I was struck by the fact that LA Times "reporters" are simply faithful stenographers for whatever party line rolls out of the White House on any given day.
Posted by: Comanche Voter | March 31, 2014 at 04:07 PM
Good point, rich. And what about the back-end electronic records and all that crap? The front-end was the relatively easy part (from on e-commerce perspective) and they screwed that like no tomorrow...
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 04:07 PM
Jane,I guess his point was that a person doesn't sign up for Obamacare,but depending on the state,signs up for insurance with a company.He mentioned Aetna,Anthem,Wellpoint,etc.
Posted by: Marlene | March 31, 2014 at 04:14 PM
Doesn't the fact that a massive proportion of the new Medicaid sign ups, whether previously qualified or not, doom even further an already unsustainable boondoggle to complete boondogglery?
Moreover, unless you are already chronically ill, you are much better off NOT on Medicaid.
My wife's cousin first had her back permanently disabled waiting on Medicaid to treat her torn disk. In the months she had to wait the disk wore through the sclera of the nerve and permanently damaged it.
That was about 10 years ago. Presently she has been waiting since at least last summer to have an excruciating torn rotator cuff repaired.
Quite a legacy, sticking millions more on the misery train.
Posted by: Happy, happy, joy, joy Ignatz | March 31, 2014 at 04:15 PM
GMax I love your 3:59 but you do realize don't you that the Reps could well blow both those objectives?
And I don't know why TM is working so hard on these sign up numbers. DD reports on the prior thread that even with the site down twice today they are headed for 10M sign ups by today.
And as a PS, WaPo reports today that Gov O'Maley in MD is likely to scrap his $150M invested in the unworkable Maryland Insurance website and buy Connecticut's instead. Ooops. I guess he is perfecting his resume for his run for the Dem nomination. That would prove his credentials.
Posted by: Old Lurker | March 31, 2014 at 04:25 PM
Of course, Obama knows how many have paid. Hell, he knows what my last email said.
Posted by: MarkO | March 31, 2014 at 04:31 PM
Jane,
One of the tactics in the Dem re-election strategy is to drop ObamaCare for Affordable Care - with the emphsis on Affordable. That is called desperation but its basically all they have.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 04:33 PM
Well the 'chocolate rations' will be delivered one way or another.
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 04:35 PM
Iggy, I missed your question to me yesterday regarding my thoughts about inherited wealth being abused by wasteful heirs and/or wasteful foundations.
There is no doubt that Henry Ford and Carnegie would die again if they knew what their foundations are doing with the wealth they created, and we all know completely worthless individuals that are alive only because they inherited more money than sense.
That said, I cannot get past two unarguably true facts: If it is known for sure that it will not be possible to pass the wealth one creates on to one's children or other desired recipient, then many many productive people will stop producing when that approved point is reached, and they will start consuming their wealth rather than waste the excess if society decides to take everything in excess of X. Secondly, if the rules is to be that all wealth over X is to go to the government or to the Ford Foundation and the Government and the Ford Foundation both know they have a lock on that money, then the only beneficiaries of that money will be the employees of the government or the Ford Foundation.
These two points being true, I cannot but think the most good to society results from allowing producers to accumulate as much wealth as they can in the certain knowledge that at their death it will go where they desire it to go.
So tax the income as it is earned and tax the gains (note I say "gains", not the total estate as now) when the assets are sold or at death, but then allow the rest to go where the dead guy wanted it to go.
Yes we will grown a bunch of dolts but they will waste the money soon enough and then it will recirculate until it finds a more productive user of it, and we will create some charities that do not live up to the donor's dreams, but in the end we will create more total wealth that way.
My two cents.
Posted by: Old Lurker | March 31, 2014 at 04:40 PM
I would correct my spelling but Hit would penalize me.
Posted by: Old Lurker | March 31, 2014 at 04:44 PM
Thanks for your response OL.
I think religious institutions should be tax exempt as essentially required by the first amendment and all other tax breaks, including charitable ones eliminated.
Posted by: Happy, happy, joy, joy Ignatz | March 31, 2014 at 04:46 PM
IMO, phony is the only word one can be sure of with the Obamacare fraud.
http://weaselzippers.us/181245-obama-admin-delays-obamacare-enrollment-date-by-one-month-for-oregon/
Posted by: pagar | March 31, 2014 at 04:55 PM
There is no doubt, Iggy, that any place the tax code creates a protected class, it creates an inefficient environment that wastes money and spoils individuals. Allowing non profits to earn income and receive donations (which are really the earnings of their development offices) without the tax burden other entities have, and allowing them to borrow money at less than market rates because of the tax code, creates inefficiencies and waste, and it breeds employees who like that. More marketplace reality would have produced less damage at the college level, that's for sure.
Posted by: Old Lurker | March 31, 2014 at 04:56 PM
Marlene, I swear there isn't a democrat alive who makes any sense.
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 05:02 PM
Wow! Dave Camp will not seek re-election. Chair of Ways and Means.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 05:06 PM
80 degrees in Carolina tomorrow.
Winter is over!!!
Posted by: anonamom | March 31, 2014 at 05:06 PM
De Blasio booed at Mets opener, soon joined by Mets.
Posted by: peter | March 31, 2014 at 05:08 PM
Reds and Cards tied up 0-0 top of the 4th. Jonny Cueto is on fire 4 KO's so far.
Also this little tidbit the MSM and the Dems will avoid talkiing about.
Texas has a higher graduation rate thant NY, California and Mass. Like 88% just behind Wisconsin, another state with a Blue governor driving success.
Link
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 05:14 PM
This is just insane...i'm being told that we're careening toward 11 million sign ups and that the volume is just exploding all over the place....Jesus, that can't be true,that seems a little hard to swallow...my other source says it's closer to 9 moving possibly toward 10 million.
I'm reminded of the movie 'Schlinder's list' which posited the notion that 'he who saves one life saves the world entire';will President Obama be remembered as a modern day Oskar Schlinder....putting everything on the line to save millions of people?
Posted by: dublindave forever | March 31, 2014 at 05:17 PM
pure comedy gold
Posted by: peter | March 31, 2014 at 05:21 PM
there is reality and then there is the narrative;
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/03/confirmed-independent-peer-reviewed-nipcc-scientific-report-finds-no-link-between-man-and-climate-change/
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 05:23 PM
bgates,
Stop it. No more parodies using your nom de plume Dublin Dave. You have proved your point. The Dems are so sick they are a laugh riot. But you don't have to keep doing this. We get it.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 05:27 PM
Everyman at the Brewers game today.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 05:31 PM
One of the more interesting hearings in Congress tomorrow is the one at 2pm on Cspan3 regarding GM and the ignition issues. Mary Barra CEO of GM will testify and I am wondering how the various political divsions are going to handle this.
The problems started under Government Motors. So will the Dems defend her like they do Lois Lerner or will they decide that Mary and her capitalist minions are bad, bad, bad?
Tune in.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 05:42 PM
well it happened mostly in the pre bailout era, so it will be the evil capitalist take,
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 05:54 PM
narciso,
But not caught or acknowledged ion the post bailout era. They knew about it. That is the issue. Also, there is doubt as to when it started according to the whistle blowers.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 05:58 PM
Eddie Haskell is very annoying;
http://therightscoop.com/white-house-new-obamacare-tactic-were-talking-about-private-insurance-this-is-not-a-government-program/
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 05:58 PM
Yes, but you ask the narratives, not the facts,
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 06:02 PM
"Schlinder's List" is in many ways the story of Obama...
...wtf. as parody we have jumped the sharknado.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 06:19 PM
and also from just the technical side I didn't think the Ocare website was able to handle more than a hundred thousand or so at a time so not sure a million+ would even be able to sign up-whatever that means.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 06:22 PM
nor would most be able to even pay ...
but that doesn't matter as the deadlines and fines will be waived.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 06:25 PM
Take shelter. Ou universe will be shattered in less than six hours.
Posted by: Danube on iPad | March 31, 2014 at 06:30 PM
Danube, what the heck?
Posted by: MaryD | March 31, 2014 at 06:33 PM
well North Korea and South Korea are shooting at one another ... think that portends very bad things.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 06:33 PM
think Russia could pretty much roll across the Ukraine too.
or the Iranians could cook something off ...
MarkO hasn't said it in a while ... DOOM.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 06:36 PM
but that is also the closing time of the open enrollment period at which point the website screw ups will become less and less important and the admin can focus on spinning the numbers.
dazzle them with bs!
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 06:41 PM
Meanwhile ABC generates enough spin to create a singularity, in their new poll, which is very Charley Gibson,
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 06:42 PM
Sorry. I forgot myself.
DOOM.
While I'm at it, Obama's just not that smart, and he's a liar.
Posted by: MarkO | March 31, 2014 at 06:44 PM
Der Untergang, is tiring;
http://minx.cc/?post=348252
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 06:45 PM
it's not a perception, you nudnik;
http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/03/31/why-obamas-foreign-policy-is-unpopular/
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 06:49 PM
'This is just insane...i'm being told that we're careening toward 11 million sign ups and that the volume is just exploding all over the place.'
Hey, here's an idea let's postpone the deadline indefinitely, eventually you can claim that all the "40 million+" uninsured have signed up.
Of course, enrolled is a different story but, good copy anyway!!!
Posted by: Bori | March 31, 2014 at 07:01 PM
well I got front row seats to the shattered universe ... just a little less than 5 hours.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 07:02 PM
Another nougat to the rich filling that was yesterday's pieces,
http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/03/memorable-lines-from-leland-yees-arms-dealing-indictment/
I thought they shut down Skynet, rich;
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 07:04 PM
wheeled over and clicked apply. got put in the waiting room.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 07:05 PM
narciso-
it is still chugging along ... if nothing else for appearances sake (how many completed applications will get forwarded?)
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 07:10 PM
Who knows with this Forbin project via Carousel,
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 07:12 PM
Rich, it's just Arpaio imitating Stonehenge getting trampled by dwarves.
Posted by: henry | March 31, 2014 at 07:12 PM
The invitation to Amelia Island must have been lost in the mail:
http://dailycaller.com/2014/03/30/richard-viguerie-our-true-opponents-are-mitch-mcconnell-john-boehner/
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 31, 2014 at 07:19 PM
I would like to second OL's 4:46 and 4:56 comments.
And add that it was 77 degrees here in nofe Alabamer today. Mighty fine...
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 07:22 PM
Please.
Someone tell me why we should believe anything Obama says about ObamaCare.
Posted by: MarkO | March 31, 2014 at 07:22 PM
I just got back from my Rotary meeting. Early in the meeting a friend asked me if I would have a fundraiser with him for Baker/Polito who are running for Gov and Lt gov. I told him that I am appalled that any republican candidate is talking about any issue besides Justina Pellitier. This is family v the government at its core and that is the issue that will give us a win.
He agreed. He's friends with Polito and will call her to talk to her about it tommorrow.
(I also told him there was out of state money willing to come in for the cause, so beware)
Then we had a guy running for state senator as our speaker (who I know fairly well from the town republican committee). When he finished and asked for questions I asked him why he wasn't talking about Justina Pelletier at every stump speech. (I asked his primary opponent the same question earlier today.)
So I'm working on it. Aside from being the biggest travesty on the planet, it is the perfect campaign issue: Gov v Parents.
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 07:24 PM
the ferry to there, runs at odd hours, Captain.
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 07:26 PM
Jane,
This Pelletier case is the classic example of the danger of the miscegenation of government and medicine.
She's been kidnapped. Someone should go to jail and the state should pay heavily.
Posted by: MarkO | March 31, 2014 at 07:27 PM
Go Jane go!
You get them to get the voters of Massachusetts riled up about the Pellitiers, my money will be in the mail.
Posted by: anonamom | March 31, 2014 at 07:28 PM
Go Jane!! Between you and the Dersh, justice may still prevail.
Maybe this was designed by Diane Sawyer after happy hour; ie. when she was awake:
http://minx.cc/?post=348252
Btw, ABC nightly nooze said man made climate change was responsible for the cold winter. The science is settled h8orz.
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 31, 2014 at 07:29 PM
Jane, hooray for you! You are my heroine. Please let me know if there is anything someone from out of state (New Hampshire in this case)can do to goose these people to do the right thing.
Posted by: MaryD | March 31, 2014 at 07:31 PM
I would call it a rendition, over to a medical staff, too eager to pretend being Gregory House, malpractice is too narrow a description of what is going on here,
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 07:32 PM
that post about provocations seems to fit in here;
http://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-liveblog-day-42-diplomacy-takes-center-stage/
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 07:34 PM
I'm carrying a "Free Justina" sign at the next tea party standout.
I am so sick of politicians. This is an issue I can get behind.
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 07:34 PM
Thanks guys - if the pols come thru I'll ask you to send $$ that says something like - "this is for your work toward freeing Justina". We'll figure it out. I think if I can get these guys to talk about it incessantly, we could get her freed in weeks. The pressure would just be too big - and the fault lies with every democrat running.
Parents/republicans v Government/ democrats.
Which side are you on?
Free Justina
(just testing signs)
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 07:38 PM
jane,
Is it politicians or bureaucrats? The fact that the majority of Dems aren't speaking out means it is government as the final answer and that is the way they want it. I am more surprised that this is not a national outrage, much less one in Mass.
Putin needs to take a history lesson in re Russian excursions into Finland. Not a great idea, Comrade.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 07:40 PM
What happens if she's returned to the care of her parents and still doesn't get better?
Posted by: Stranger things have happened. | March 31, 2014 at 07:50 PM
@narciso: Got one of the Beastettes down in your area (South Beach). Hopefully she won't need to be bailed out of jail or anything... ;)
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 07:50 PM
If the Finns had only spoken Russian.
Posted by: Or had no wax for their skis. | March 31, 2014 at 07:51 PM
Well sometimes you don't have to say anything;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htfy5TJ2Z8E
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 07:59 PM
"What happens if she's returned to the care of her parents and still doesn't get better?"
For starters, she's ill at home with her parents instead of ill in a state institution.
Is Dershowitz speaking out on this?
Posted by: Danube on iPad | March 31, 2014 at 08:03 PM
What happens if she's returned to the care of her parents and still doesn't get better?
First of all there is no guarantee she will live that long.
Her parents believe it is a physical problem (a disease she shares with her sister). The doctor decided it was a mental problem caused by her parents. She took her from her parents to give her mental treatment. She has gotten continually worse since then. So clearly the parents are not the problem.
JIB, Both the governor and the AG (who is running for gov) could get her released with a signature. Deval Patrick spends no time in the state that I can tell. And Marsha Marsha will act if it becomes political suicide not to.
The word is (and I have no idea if it is correct) this is a new judge who is pissed off because the father wasn't respectful enough to him. He's a Patrick appointee, who operates under the same rules as Obama.
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 08:04 PM
narc,
But if you do say anythng in Finnish the only ones who will understand them are the Hungarians:)
/little known linguistic fact
Posted by: Jim Eagle | March 31, 2014 at 08:07 PM
beasts-
lol ... spring break?
thanks henry.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 08:08 PM
DoT-
he has and has offered his services to the family. not sure where it is at, at this point though.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 08:10 PM
de Blasio got booed while throwing out the first pitch at the Mets game - and he tossed it even worse than MomJeans. Is there something about commie/lib men that prevent them from throwing a damned baseball in the correct manner?
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 08:12 PM
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/03/29/prominent-attorney-alan-dershowitz-says-hed-like-to-help-out-parents-of-justina-pelletier-in-custody-battle/
link for above...
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 08:12 PM
Yes, Volodya might awaken some bad juju;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russification_of_Finland
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 08:14 PM
The 'little one' was in Florida last week on Spring Break, the older one is taking the first vacation of her young career and is in SB with some friends. Needless to say, Dad won't sleep too much until she returns safely.
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 08:14 PM
Is there something about commie/lib men that prevent them from throwing a damned baseball in the correct manner?
Yeah, they were dweebs who got flicked in the head on the playground on a regular basis, and their hatred of the cool (successful) kids steered them toward being commies.
Hey, it makes as much sense as anything else...
Posted by: Eric in Boise | March 31, 2014 at 08:17 PM
Oh, and props to Jane, who is living proof that one person with principles can make a difference. Sometimes a sizable one.
Posted by: Eric in Boise | March 31, 2014 at 08:20 PM
Between you and the Dersh, justice may still prevail.
I heard somewhere that Dersh is on the side of Hobby Lobby in their case against the govt.
On these magical millions of signups, those include the state exchanges too, right? So the Federal site being down wouldn't preclude a lot of signups. Of course a bunch of the state sites have problems too (MD, OR, among others).
Posted by: jimmyk | March 31, 2014 at 08:21 PM
Thanks Eric, for some reason Justina has taken hold of me. I'm really fed up with politicians, so I'm hoping to use them the way they use me.
Posted by: Jane | March 31, 2014 at 08:22 PM
Quite true, Eric.
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 08:22 PM
I think there was a Right Scoop of him, on Huckabee, making that point, this is a very arbitrary abuse of authority, apparently without any accountability,
Posted by: narciso | March 31, 2014 at 08:25 PM
And Marsha Marsha will act if it becomes political suicide not to.
Her sandbagging of the Amirault case would indicate she's one of the worst human beings ever to steal my oxygen.
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 31, 2014 at 08:26 PM
Don't know if this has been posted, but the state of Oregon has been granted a one-month extension by the federal government for health insurance sign-ups. Is this even a law anymore? Is there any such thing as equal protection under the law? Disparate impact? Ugh.
Posted by: Beasts of England | March 31, 2014 at 08:29 PM
jimmyk-
the federal site shunted me into the waiting room again...3 and a half hours to go.
beasts-
hope she has a great time.
Posted by: rich@gmu | March 31, 2014 at 08:33 PM