End It, Don't Mend It

To the surprise of roughly no one (but do see below), top Dems are now leading the charge to repeal a revenue-raising ObamaCare tax that hits Big Labor health benefit packages:

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are working behind the scenes to repeal one of the most controversial taxes in ObamaCare, multiple sources tell The Hill.

Reid and Pelosi have been talking since the spring with President Obama about repealing the “Cadillac tax” on employer healthcare benefits, a senior Democratic aide confirmed on Friday.

Sure, it was helpful and amusing to include that revenue when ObamaCare was being kludged together, but actually letting it bite in 2018?

The Hill includes a reminder of how and why this tax was sold in the first place:

Aside from the question of how to pay for repeal, the Democrats' biggest roadblock is the Obama administration.

The tax on high-cost insurance plans is at the heart of Obama’s strategy to contain costs across the marketplace. Health officials and economists close to the law are dead set against abandoning the tax, which they argue should nudge employers and employees toward cheaper insurance plans with less waste.

Last month, Obama’s top economic adviser, Jason Furman, called the tax “perhaps the single biggest leverage we have on health costs in the private sector.”

For another reminder of the economic case for the Cadillac tax here is Paul Krugman from Jan 2010:

OK, clearly I have to weigh in on this. Should there be a limit to the tax deductibility of employer-provided health insurance, which is what the excise tax in the Senate bill is supposed to fix?

My answer is yes, but the final bill should address the criticisms.

The argument for limiting the tax exclusion is that the tax break on health insurance encourages over-spending, so limiting it could help in the process of “bending the curve”. More generally, since we think the United States spends too much on health for not-so-good results, it makes sense where possible to pay for expanding coverage from the health sector itself. Both arguments are reasonable.

Ooops - time for him to grind the gears and explain why Hillary et al have the right idea with repeal. Hmm, will he blame the obstructionist Koch brothers, Bush, Romney, Trump, or generic crazy right wing ideologues? Gosh, the tough choices facing progressive pundits! We laud their courage in bravely telling their readership exactly what they want to hear.

WHO CAN RESIST A BIT OF BARREL-FISHING? It would take a better man than I to resist a revisit to the Juice Boxer joy that greeted the Cadillac tax. Here is Matt Yglesias from 2013:

Another Piece of Obamacare Is Working as Extravagant Insurance Plans Are Pared Back

...

Conservative ACA critics in their scorched earth campaign against Obamacare have been insisting that this, like every promising cost-control measure in the law, is doomed to failure and/or will never be implemented. The story today about actual employer and insurer response to the Cadillac tax indicates that, no, it is beginning to have an impact.

Those cranky scorched earth conservative critics!

Comments

[narciso]

yes, trump has behaved like a jackalope, so have not a few of his followers at the treehouse, Stay puft, still has learned nothing from his bridge experience,

[Janet]

they are another bought site for me.

That is ridiculous.

[clarice]

Next time anyone on the right falls for such bunkum, pls let me know. I'm loading my pistolas.

[narciso]

gatling gun, clarice, you have to empty all the barrels,

[narciso]

yes it's tasteless, but playing the grievance card really hasn't worked has it,

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2015/11/07/russia-condemns-charlie-hebdo-for-sinai-plane-crash-cartoons/

[narciso]

I know there has been one party who has been most agregious in these matters,

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/07/dr-ben-carsons-john-paul-jones-moment-theres-no-give/

[Jack is Back!]

BTW, if I was a person seriously thinking about running a few months back I woiuld have found a way to buy some of these so called conservative social media sites like Powerline. It doesn't take much. And I am always supspicious of these sites no matter how they cover events.

I truly believe most are paid for.

[Jane]

You guys need to relax (no offense intended). They thought Carson was a liar and they have no room for liars. I don't either. If the allegations were proven true I would have been mad as hell at Carson.

The only one I've met is Scott Johnson and he is a great guy, with a great wife and daughter. Hopefully they will grovel enough to win back your support.

[henry]

JiB, with the amount of AdBlock deployed... Ads aren't paying the cloud rent for these sites anymore.

In other news our universe is colliding with the bearded Spock one. Well, the Caltech guy called it "an alternative universe" but it is colliding with ours.

[narciso]

this is about the sum of it,

http://theothermccain.com/2015/11/06/powerline-laid-out-on-fainting-couch-over-ben-carson-usma-story-and-small-arachnid-but-mostly-ben-carson/

and why did they think that, because they took the journolist seriously again!!

[narciso]

the proof of that claim, seems sketchy, how would that prove an alternate universe, that we're in by the way,

[jimmyk]

This Carson thing is not just an attack on one person, I am sure it is intended to set the Republicans against each other. Any "conservative" who piles on is just doing the bidding of the left-wing MSM. To repeat what I said yesterday, the last debate when Rs mostly stuck together and attacked the moderators ought to have been the model, and here we are a couple of weeks later and suddenly they've forgotten. Have any of the candidates defended Carson and attacked the media over this?

[Jack is Back!]

janet,

Believe what you want but it is the in the universe of the possible and social media is such that it is ripe for corruption even on our side. Do you really think that is not a strategy for the political consultant class? If I was one of those cretins, capturing certain conservative opinion sites would be high on my list.

[Rick Ballard]

"Ads aren't paying the cloud rent for these sites anymore."

Yep. Toss in the absolute fact that very few sites are any better than the MFM at generating content that anyone would actually pay for and the lunges at clickbait crap are very understandable. Inexcusable but understandable.

[narciso]

We've seen it as far back as Clarence Thomas, well the wolf pack on Quayle, preceded that slightly,
but the former was certain an accomplished man of character, so he had to be destroyed, or seriously
savaged, at the least,

[jimmyk]

Incidentally, that Hot Air piece that narc linked took me to this:

http://hotair.com/archives/2015/11/07/so-we-should-probably-talk-about-that-colorado-sexting-ring-scandal/

I basically agree with the writer, who among other things didn't like the idea of the Feds getting involved with child porn charges. I also liked the comments, especially this one:

But we should still move forward on coed bathrooms and locker rooms….because of course, teenagers don’t do creepy things.

[GMax]

Well there is a primary going on, and perhaps Mirengoff has a favorite and his name is not Dr Ben Carson? That would be more likely to me than a practicing attorney being bought. He saw a chance to eliminate a competitor and wanted the story to be true.

[narciso]

wrong way norris is still doing his thing,

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/11/report-obama-to-announce-plan-to-close-gitmo-next-week/

[Jack is Back!]

Gmax,

Still corruption in my opinion.

[Janet]

American Elephant
‏@AmericnElephant

So, Ben Carson is now the first black presidential candidate in history to have his college records investigated by media.

[Janet]

Powerline is not corrupt.

Being mad at Paul is no reason to trash the whole site with speculation about them being bought.

[narciso]

well I would say terminally naive, although the number of times they fall for it, suggests something else,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11981239/Russian-plane-crash-sharm-el-sheikh-stranded-British-tourists-missile-latest-updates.html

[narciso]

the question is moot,

http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2015/11/battle-axe-pote.html

[peter]

Janet @ 6:09 amen.

[narciso]

the hot air released there, raised the temperature a degree,

http://libertyunyielding.com/2015/11/07/five-things-obama-got-wrong-in-his-keystone-xl-speech/

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Tammy Bruce still hasn't owned up that she bought into the lies about Carson way too easily. That doesn't mean that I'll start trashing her but an admission of fallibility would be refreshingly welcome.

[narciso]

they said it couldn't be done,

http://www.weaselzippers.us/238872-governor-elect-matt-bevin-to-use-executive-order-and-remove-all-clerks-names-from-kentucky-marriage-licenses/

[maryrose]

Jimmyk
I posted last night that Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz both said the Politico story was wrong and supported Ben Carson

[maryrose]

Clemson hanging tough
Great game!

[maryrose]

TCU
Taking it on the chin
14 minutes to make a comeback

[Miss Marple]

I don't think sites are necessarily intentionally corrupt, but the temptation to use bad press to discredit a candidate who is ahead of your preferred candidate is very strong, particularly if you are in DC.

People can make mistakes, or jump the gun on a story such as this. But doubling down is another matter.

My opinion remains the same. Unless I see retractions and apologies pretty quick, I am done with any conservative who pushed this story.

[Jack is Back!]

MM,

I agree but I think it goes further in a lot of cases. To think that these frequently visited opinon sites for conservative views during a POTUS election campaign with 16 different candidates are not ripe for a little paid fovoratism is naive. How many have tip jars and what are those tips? Come on lets have full disclosure.

I am not convinced.

[Miss Marple]

Jack,

I am probably naive. Look how my husband took me for a sucker.

I just am reluctant to cast aspersions without proof.

Of course, I note those sites are NOT reluctant to do same.

[narciso]

we know there's the journolist, they keep denying it, we know on the center right side, there was something called the 'grapevine' as it was called in Malay, that targeted opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, and we know some of the people involved in that instance,

[pagar a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

No Keystone:?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-07/another-buffett-owned-oil-tanker-train-derails-wisconsin-one-day-after-obama-kills-k

[Jack is Back!]

To think that that the "right" side of political discourse and presentation in social media is somehow beyond any corrupting influence is so naive I have to laugh out loud. Be careful out there in this particular universe and expect what you hear and see, even on cruises, may not be the truth or even close to it.

I suspect all opinions until verified. You all should do the same no matter what you think of the personality.

[narciso]

why that hypothetical o'reilly project would be tricky,

http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/mo-death.htm

[Threadkiller]

Next time anyone on the right falls for such bunkum, pls let me know. I'm loading my pistolas.

Why? You missed the last time they fell...

BIRTHERISM,” RIP

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/04/028909.php

;-)

[narciso]

not even close, tk

http://centrisity.blogspot.com/2008/08/powerline-disses-palin.html

[narciso]

just call them malajusted juveniles, next time,

http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2015/11/plo-slams-ted-cruz-for-calling-it.html

[clarice]

I agree with Janet. I know of no blogger who's ever made money on his website. In fact, the only one I know who's made money off blogging is Huffington who scammed AOL and the folks who contributed the copy.

Lots of people can write well..you need a day job or something to stay alived at it.

[caro]

I'm with Janet and Jane. I read Powerline all the time and if they are backing a candidate, I can't tell you which one. I actually commented to Scott Johnson in person about thinking Paul was off the mark a lot. Variety is the spice in some cases. GMax is right. Paul M. does have the DC law firm influence, though I think he is retired now.

Stolen valor is a real hot button, as it should be. I hope PM apologizes.

[Beasts of England]

Why would PowerLine deserve our courtesy or benefit of the doubt when they didn't grant the same for Carson?

I've read their site as long as I've read any on the web and have always appreciated their insight and intellect, but they've seriously compromised themselves here. And considering the extraordinary significance of this election - perhaps as important as any in our history - it's an awful own goal.

[Jane]

Hey! It's Caro! Yay!

[narciso]

layers of editors,

http://twitchy.com/2015/11/07/heroine-epidemic-uncovered-by-north-carolina-newspaper/

[Jack is Back!]

clarice,
Thanks for that clariication because not having to tip those jars wiill save me money to send to Ben and Carly and Ted.

I still say they are ripe for being bought by the system during a contest.

[narciso]

ah, I didn't know this,

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/11/06/incoming-kentucky-gov-matt-bevin-tells-epa-to-pound-sand/

[MaryD]

I'll repeat my earlier contention that Miringoff is an outlier on this site. It seems that a lot of the commenters there agree with me. I maintain that the other three are very good.

[Beasts of England]

p.s. Sooooooie Pig!!!

[Jack is Back!]

BTW, to make a point.

I am watching Navy paly Memphis and to think that those midshipmen are not on a scholarship corrupts our language, vocabulary and rhetoric. It is nothing less or more than that. Regardless of the nuance of appointment they are on a scholarship. If not, then, please some one give me the alternative vernacular./

And I thought the one thing journalism majors would be expert in would be the proper use of language.

[Buckeye]

"And I thought the one thing journalism majors would be expert in would be the proper use of language."

Now the emphasis is on "becoming part of the story"

[Stephanie]

Ick. I've got a fall cold and I feel like caRp. I've snoozed through most of the games today when I haven't had THOR putting his hammer down. Yikes! I'd forgotten how much stuff puppies can get into.

[clarice]

Look ay yhe bright side--Politico has shot it's wad. Anything else they publish about the candidates will be automatically suspect.

[henry]

No, full volume on alphabet networks for LIVs... The retractions will be small print updates to stories on websites a week later.

[MaryD]

Good way to look at this fiasco, Clarice. From your lips to God's ears.

[narciso]

one would have thought after the journolist was discovered, but that was five years ago,

[jimmyk]

Thanks, maryrose @6:37, I remember now reading that Jeb had supported Carson, glad to hear Cruz did as well (and as I predicted :)). Not to pull together for Carson and attack the media is such a basic error that it's hard to forgive anyone who makes it.

[Destiny Ignatz]

I believe a good plastic surgeon could make quick work of that turkey neck, jimmy. :)

[clarice]

exactly so, jimmyk. And if you are waiting to get more information say,I consider him a thoroughly honest and sincere man and I am waiting for more information before commenting further." See how easy this could be?

[narciso]

I contend she was one of the four horseman along with donahue and the spew,

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/11/jihad-is-misunderstood-spiritual-struggle-muslim-scholar-tells-oprah

[jimmyk]

According to a commenter at Powerline, Miringoff also dissed Sarah Palin in '08:

When Sarah Palin was thrilling huge crowds at early events in '08, Paul was slamming her on Powerline. I remember writing to him and asking, 'What are you doing? She's resonating with our base. Would your prefer something else?' Paul and several other conservative media types helped the liberal media destroy Palin and ruin what slim chances John McCain might have had against Obama.

With friends like him,...

[henry]

narciso, that guy should tell ISIS and Hezzbolah that... Oprah isn't waging jihad on anything except the nearest BBQ.

[narciso]

well I had a link from the beginning at 7:05, I kmow they were for Tpaw, who would have eliminated
the need for sedatives on that illfated voyage,

[Jack is Back!]

Did any of his co-bloggers back then defend Palin? Have any of them defended Carson today? Point made about Powerline.

[Jane]

From a liberal website re: Carson:

So he's simply a con man. I wonder how far he will get -- and whether
there might be some basis for prosecuting him.

[Miss Marple]

Jimmyk,

I wasn't following them in 2008. Shameful behavior with Palin, and they weren't the only ones.

One might also go back to the treatment Harriet Meiers got when she was nominated for the Supemecourt. The long knives came out from various blogs and talk radio hosts, and really not only killed her nomination but weakened Bush's presidency.

That worked out well, didn't it?

[jimmyk]

Sorry, narc, missed that post, should have guessed you'd be on top of that.

JiB, Hinderaker writes a followup where he respectfully (but mildly) disagrees with Mirengoff. I think they are both missing the bigger picture here.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/11/the-west-point-flap-how-much-will-it-carson.php

[narciso]

well she didn't have the right credential, as with the Huntress, that was the excuse, the reality was she didn't have the right thoughts,

[MaryD]

Yes, Jib, John Hinderaker made a stab at correcting the record, but it was pretty weak tea. I tend to attribute the weakness to not wanting to rupture the relationship with Miringoff. They have been three amigos since collge.
It may be past time to break up their act.

[Jack is Back!]

LSU plaing chess instead of running Fourcette every play. So, they have to kick it away. Saban has a big smile on his face. Stupid.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Another reason to abolish the EPA.

[narciso]

yes what kind of 'cunning, cunning' plan is that?

We're not talking rocket science,

[Jack is Back!]

...Fournette....

I keep saying Fourcette? WhY?

[narciso]

autocorrect? it explains a fair amount,

[Threadkiller]

Breitbart News executive chairman Steve Bannon asked presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson if Obama was vetted enough and if the media including Breitbart News should relitigate Obama's background.
Dr. Carson told Bannon that is the solution.
Dr. Carson said let's get to the bottom of this noting that if his records were sealed the media would go ballistic.
https://youtu.be/FOLUBHrdtl0

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/07/dr-ben-carsons-john-paul-jones-moment-theres-no-give/

http://www.birtherreport.com/2015/11/major-breitbart-news-chairman-says.html?m=1

[narciso]

so what will they do for revenue, that's the excuse they make with every little nibble taken from leviathan?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Andy McCarthy says Ted Cruz is right; The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization.
Not surprising to anyone here, of course.

[Frau Mir wird's bald zu bund]

Why does the Gray Slut print that the Republicans will support the black albatross's TPP treaty?

Who has read the 6000 pages? Certainly not the preezy.

Will Congress allow ValJar to bring Club Gitmo prisoners to the US by executive order?

Will Guantanamo be a present to Uncle Fidel?

Does the WaPo have operatives digging through Dr. Carson's trash or installing a journalist in a neighboring house?

[narciso]

it's still a rorschach test, for the sane,

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/426746/ben-carson-yale-years-rich-lowry

[narciso]

it's the common assumption of Carlos Slim and the Top Men,

Val got the high lights, the rest is 'a a box of chocolates' from Whizzo.

is the pope Argentine?

[anonamom]

Sounds like Dr. Carson didn't have a "safe space" at Yale, so he made his own by avoiding the unsafe ones.

Anybody else watch those videos of the kids at Yale screaming at the Master of their college over his wife's email suggesting that maybe they were big enough to get over the pain of an offensive halloween costume costume by averting their gaze for taking away their safe space?

We have got to be living in end times. No other explanation.

[henry]

Ah, he was in Davenport... Another bit in common with my brother. Interesting.

[Janet]

I hadn't seen the Carson video about the pyramids.
Here it is (only 42 seconds) - http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2015/nov/05/ben-carson-egyptian-pyramids-built-to-store-grain-1998-video-footage

What a big nothing THAT is too.

"My own personal theory..."

What's the problem with him saying that??

[henry]

Anonamom, Yale Pres Salovey is the root cause. One of rse's favorites.

[Buckeye]

Nice score by Zeke.

[narciso]

yes, that was my impression,

http://thezman.com/wordpress/?p=5771

I don't care for his protestations about Islam, he has enabled in word and deed, their spread,

[narciso]

the saudis are busy killing zaydi, the turks kurds,

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2015/11/07/in-syria-our-arab-allies-have-ditched-us-war-effort/

[anonamom]

Culture of victims, looking for the opportunity to be offended.

[narciso]

I think this comment at 5:03 illustrates a truth,

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6329595&postID=2786447648496027402&bpli=1

[boatbuilder, Esq., Lord of All He Surveys]

Powerline does not get a pass with me, for two simple reasons:

1--It does not take a brain surgeon* to suspect that Politico's motives are less than pure, and to approach their product with an appropriate degree of skepticism, particularly when they are trashing a Republican and you are purportedly a conservative blogger;

2. The Politico post itself was self-evidently wrong. All you had to do was read the whole piece to see that not only did Carson not claim to have been admitted to West Point but in the very next paragraph of his own book (written 20 years ago not this week) he explained that he never applied. You have to be either very dense or politically motivated to miss or bury that.

3. If you are a "conservative" blogger and you don't understand the importance of questioning every one of these "scandals" and fighting back hard you are not really a Conservative blogger.

4. Hinderaker should blast his "friend" in as friendly a manner as he can, if possible, and in an unfriendly manner if not. He knows the game.

*cheap but effective.

[boatbuilder, Esq., Lord of All He Surveys]

OK four simple reasons...

[Janet]

Thanks, narciso @ 9:43.

[Buckeye]

Half time and Fournette has 9 yards.

Roll Tide!

[Janet]

This bit in an Am. Thinker post is good -

"Politico first created the perception that Dr. Ben Carson claimed to have applied to West Point and was both accepted and offered a full scholarship. Then they rebuffed their own assertion and claimed to have caught Dr. Carson in his own lie. In reality, it is Politico that has been caught misrepresenting the facts."

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/11/politicos_disinformation_of_the_day.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

[boatbuilder, Esq., Lord of All He Surveys]

Narc--BN is dead on.

Also, while the current low price of oil means that it is less profitable to extract oil by fracking, the oil remains. Lots and lots of it. The idea that this extremely cheap, powerful, portable and plentiful source of energy will somehow be abandoned because of laws and subsidies of "advanced" countries favoring "green" alternative sources is ignorant and absurd. It ain't going away.

[narciso]

trumbo makes bryan cranston's role in total recall redux:??? look like a blockbuster,

http://deadline.com/2015/11/spectre-the-peanuts-movie-james-bond-box-office-1201610575/

[narciso]

eventually supply will drive the price up, that is the intent of sacrificing fracking to the skydragon,

[James D.]

Boatbuilder @ 9:45

Exactly!

There is simply no way any thinking and honest person could read the quotes from Carson's book and accept the Politico slander about him. There is no reasonable way to come to their interpretation, UNLESS you are out to lie about and damage Carson.

So no forgiveness, no benefit of the doubt from me.

[anonamom]

I stand with boatbuilder on Powerline.

Unforced error on their part. Need to admit that, and Paul what's his name owes Dr. Carson an apology.

I got a feeling it won't be coming.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

But, but, but scholarship...appointment...scholarship....appointment.
An obvious, inescapable lie. I bet he was just winging it on those conjoined twins too, assuming they even exist.

Idiots.