Wednesday, December 25, 2013

So you've signed up for health care on the ObamaCare exchanges. Think you're covered? Not quite.

Bummer.

So you've signed up for health care on the ObamaCare exchanges. Think you're covered? Not quite.

As with any insurance plan, new enrollees still have to pay their first month's premium to lock in coverage. But the deadlines for that task are different all over the country, adding to the confusion over an already-perplexing sign-up process...


The deadlines in the ObamaCare enrollment process have been a moving target. For those seeking coverage for the start of the new year, the deadline to sign up was originally Dec. 15. Then it was moved to Dec. 23, and then again to Dec. 24. Even after that deadline passed Tuesday night, the administration announced that those who ran into technical problems on HealthCare.gov could still seek an exemption and get covered by Jan. 1.

Then comes the next set of deadlines. After appeals from the Obama administration, major health insurers announced earlier this month that they would give people until Jan. 10 -- as opposed to Dec. 31 -- to pay their first month's premium and have coverage effective Jan. 1.

But many states running their own exchanges have their own deadlines for first payments. Some have more than one... In Idaho, for instance, Blue Cross, Bridgespan and Select Health extended their deadline to Jan. 10. But PacificSource extended its deadline to Jan. 15. The deadlines in Washington, D.C., also depend on the insurer.

Other deadlines are earlier. California's and Rhode Island's is Jan. 6. Vermont's is Jan. 7... The following states all have Jan. 10 deadlines: Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York... The following states have Jan. 15 deadlines: Maryland, Oregon and Washington state...

...After the first set of deadlines, would-be enrollees still have until the end of March to get insurance, after which the federal government will begin to fine those without coverage.

Still, the administration has carved out exemptions for certain people and businesses, including those whose plans were recently canceled. The insurance industry has raised concern about these changes, warning that they could disrupt the market...

...President Obama said at his end-of-year press conference that 1 million people have signed up through the federal and state exchanges, marking a significant uptick since the Oct. 1 launch. Officials, though, were originally projecting a goal of 7 million people by the end of March.

Confused yet?

Not to worry: it's gonna get much, much worse before it gets better.


Hat tip: BadBlue News.

A Very Special Happy New Year's Card From the President

Selfie.



Ferocious, Weak and Crazy: The North Korean Strategy

Guest post by George Friedman

North Korea's state-run media reported earlier this year that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the country's top security officials to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," which has been widely interpreted to mean that North Korea is planning its third nuclear test. Kim said the orders were retaliation for the U.S.-led push to tighten U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang following North Korea's missile test in October. A few days before Kim's statement emerged, the North Koreans said future tests would target the United States, which North Korea regards as its key adversary along with Washington's tool, South Korea.

North Korea has been using the threat of tests and the tests themselves as weapons against its neighbors and the United States for years. On the surface, threatening to test weapons does not appear particularly sensible. If the test fails, you look weak. If it succeeds, you look dangerous without actually having a deliverable weapon. And the closer you come to having a weapon, the more likely someone is to attack you so you don't succeed in actually getting one. Developing a weapon in absolute secret would seem to make more sense. When the weapon is ready, you display it, and you have something solid to threaten enemies with.

North Korea, of course, has been doing this for years and doing it successfully, so what appears absurd on the surface quite obviously isn't. On the contrary, it has proved to be a very effective maneuver. North Korea is estimated to have a gross domestic product of about $28 billion, about the same as Latvia or Turkmenistan. Yet it has maneuvered itself into a situation where the United States, Japan, China, Russia and South Korea have sat down with it at the negotiating table in a bid to persuade it not to build weapons. Sometimes, the great powers give North Korea money and food to persuade it not to develop weapons. It sometimes agrees to a halt, but then resumes its nuclear activities. It never completes a weapon, but it frequently threatens to test one. And when it carries out such tests, it claims its tests are directed at the United States and South Korea, as if the test itself were a threat.

There is brilliance in North Korea's strategy. When the Soviet Union collapsed, North Korea was left in dire economic straits. There were reasonable expectations that its government would soon collapse, leading to the unification of the Korean Peninsula. Naturally, the goal of the North Korean government was regime survival, so it was terrified that outside powers would invade or support an uprising against it. It needed a strategy that would dissuade anyone from trying that. Being weak in every sense, this wasn't going to be easy, but the North Koreans developed a strategy that we described more than 10 years ago as ferocious, weak and crazy. North Korea has pursued this course since the 1990s, and the latest manifestation of this strategy was on display last week. The strategy has worked marvelously and is still working.

Egypt Stays One Step Ahead of Obama [Dan From New York]

Guest post by Dan From New York


I had argued some time ago that the fall of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt dealt a crushing blow to Obama’s scheme to empower the Islamist side in Israel’s volatile region – one which would be hard-to-impossible for Obama to turn back.

Now comes word the Egyptian military has taken further steps to shore up its gains; gains which Obama is now in no position to reverse.

To date, most of Obama’s foreign debacles have been easy for him and the White House media to sweep under the rug.

But this one is different. It’s disruptive, permanent and impossible to cover up.


12/25/2013

Egypt Names Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Group


CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's military-backed interim government has declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group, a dramatic escalation that gives authorities more power in cracking down on them.

Hossam Eissa, the Minister of Higher Education, read out the Cabinet statement after long meeting on Wednesday.

Eissa said: "The Cabinet has declared the Muslim Brotherhood group and its organization as a terrorist organization."

Eissa added that the implications of the declaration punish those who belong to the group, financing it and those promoting the group's activities.

Continue reading here...

Image: Frontpage

An Apology From Santa

Another Biff Spackle exclusive.


Larwyn's Linx: The Left is Too Smart to Fail

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

The Left is Too Smart to Fail: Daniel Greenfield
Deadlines? Obamacare don’t need no stinkin’ deadlines: William A. Jacobson
Merry Christmas! Christ the Lord, our Saviour, was born to us on this day: Scoop

White House Message of the Day: Ace
Covered Oregon: If you didn't hear from us, you're probably not covered: RWN
Are NY Cops using Armslist to try to develop intel on gun owners?: Bearing Arms

This Day in Health Care History: Ed Driscoll
Cruciphobia At Mt Soledad: The Cross The Left Can’t Bear: Michelle Malkin
VA bans kids from giving Christmas cards to bedridden Vets: Poor Richard

Economy

Paul Ryan Doubles Down on Cutting Veteran Pensions: Matthew Boyle
Treasuries Wild? Wait Until the Fed Really Tapers: Jeff Carter
Dear Entitlement Idjits: Uncle Jay

Dumb Politicians: Walter Williams
Obamacare Shock: Strip Assets From Dead Seniors: Doug Book
Insufficiently Servile: Dale Franks

Scandal Central

Obama extending Obamacare deadline, eh, indefinitely at this point: Moe Lane
Wow… Even the ACLU Hates Obama Now: IMAO
No one in Rahm Emanuel's administration managed to see this one coming: SCC

Snowden: I kept my oath to uphold Constitution; NSA Chief Clapper did not: Poor Richard
Thank you, President Wilson and Happy Birthday Federal Reserve!: Protein Wisdom
More Democrat Sexytalk: Ace

Media

Krauthammer’s Power Move: Force Democrats to Swear Off a Bailout of Insurance Companies: Noah Rothman
Obama is Asked About His ‘Lie of the Year’… Ignores the Question: Publius
CBS's Giles Complains ObamaCare Fiasco Over-Covered by Media: MRC

The Twenty-Sixth Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting: MRC
New Obamacare ad promotes harmful stereotypes about gay people: Red Alert
Ted Cruz Delivers Christmas Message: ‘Good Will is Infectious’: TPNN

NBC Takes One Yet Again for the (Obama) Team: Ed Driscoll
The Media's Deliberate Distortion of Phil's Biblical Worldview: Bradford Thomas
ObamaCare botch fuels Dem feud in Maryland: Fox

World

Exclusive: Under Pressure, White House Pulls Egypt Ambassador Pick: Yochi Dreazen
Christmas in Islamic world is a life or death experience: Raymond Ibrahim
Marks & Spencer tells Muslim staff they can refuse to serve customers buying alcohol or pork: Daily Mail

With Government Corruption Scandal, Turkey is Rebelling Against Ergodan Again: Ace
Kabul rocked by blasts near U.S. embassy; Taliban reportedly claims responsibility: Twitchy
The 'Palestinian' terrorists who stole Christmas: Matzav

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Who’s Selling Credit Cards from Target?: Brian Krebs
Uber CEO taunts price critics, points to airline “surge pricing”: Jeff John Roberts
Avegant Glyph: A 3D VR headset that beams the display directly onto your retina: Graham Templeton

Cornucopia

The Never List: Joshua M Brown, The Reformed Broker
A Politically Correct Night Before Christmas: Diogenes
Interesting Gift Idea: OG&M

Image: Mele Kalik-Obama #5 [MOTUS]

QOTD:

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Best Screen Grab Ever

Awesome (teh), via Ace:



BRILLIANT: Bankrupt Illinois Paying People to Drive Electric Vehicles

Just when you think the nitwits running Illinois have hit rock bottom, you read something like this:

Among the many virtues of living in Oak Park, here is one that many residents may not be aware of: It's a great place for electric vehicles (EVs).

In addition, Oak Park owners of EVs can take advantage of incentives offered by Illinois and the federal government. Consider this: In the first year of owning my 2013 Chevy Volt, I received $2,500 more in tax credits and rebates than my total car payments. This is possible because of a federal tax credit of $7,500 and a 10% rebate of the MSRP offered by Illinois, one of the most generous state incentives in the country.


...Even greater availability will be coming soon with the new public charging stations on North Boulevard. It amazes me that more Oak Parkers aren't taking advantage of the opportunity to own cars that can be driven without paying for fuel. If an Oak Park service station offered a free gallon of gasoline, no strings attached, can there be any doubt that Oak Parkers would line up for their free fuel?

...With Integrys supplying the village with electricity that is 100% from renewable sources, Oak Park EV owners can drive with zero net emissions. Even better, like the new ones on North Boulevard, the EV charging stations in the Avenue Garage are tied directly to the solar panels on the garage roof. When I charge my car for free there, I have the satisfaction of knowing I'm driving with power from the sun.

The article was written by someone called "Michael Trenary" -- if that is his real name -- who simply adores the fact that taxpayers are funding his Chevy Volt. Sans government intervention, Trenary would be paying his own fare on a $250,000 car. We call that the free market.

When government distends, contorts and otherwise twists the free market system, we end up with the housing bust (courtesy of the Clinton HUD) and the student loan bubble (courtesy of government-subsidized student loans). Suffice it to say that the EV bubble will end just as badly.


Hat tip: BadBlue Car News.

Congratulations to Ruth Marcus and David Gergen, 2013 Winners of MRC's Most Hilarious Commentary Awards

The Media Research Center has awarded its annual prizes for the year's worst reporting. Congratulations are due to Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus and CNN's David Gergen, who were named co-winners for the funniest commentary of 2013.


You can see the complete slate of winners here. Congratulations to all of the award recipients: you're truly among the world's worst reporters!


NEW COMIC BOOK: The Adventures of Krugtron the Invincible

Based upon "WHY PAUL KRUGMAN DOESN’T LIKE US. AND VICE VERSA"


For more epic mockery of Krugman's inane and error-prone "analyses", see Krugtron the Invincible, Part I, Part II, and Part III by historian Niall Ferguson.


Larwyn's Linx: Women declare War on Obamacare

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

Women declare War on Obamacare: William A. Jacobson
Obama Obamacare Sign-Up Failed: “System Couldn’t Verify His Identity”: IM41
ObamaCare's New Year Day’s Surprise for the Elderly: Realities

Happy Healthcare Day: ObamaCare Support Drops to All-Time Low: JWF
Heller II: Defeating Red Tape & Second Amendment: Frank Miniter
Press Conference Announces Georgia Obamacare Nullification Bill: TAC

ObamaCare Chaos Continues: Arnold Ahlert
An Israeli security expert on why the TSA is all wrong: Matzav
Boehner's Christmas Wish: To Roll the Tea Party: Joshua Green

Gallup Poll: Barack Obama’s Greatest Success... Nothing: ScarMonk
Maryland’s clown-show gubernatorial Democratic primary heats up: Moe Lane
Drug tests for welfare recipients: Bookworm

Economy

A Spoonful of Sugar: Peter Schiff
14 NEA Affiliates Have Almost $700 Million in Unfunded Liabilities: Greenroom
40 Million Compromised Credit Cards at Target – For Sale: Mish

Scandal Central

Susan Rice Calls Benghazi A “False Controversy”: WZ
Conservative lawmakers’ secret Mideast trip could foreshadow Obama downfall: Erik Rush
Obama administration secretly extends health-care enrollment deadline by a day: WaPo

Climate & Energy

Environmental Fascists Move to Ban Plastic Gift Cards: AmPower
Here’s A Handy Dandy Warmist Survival Guide For Christmas Climate Change Discussions: RWN

Media

Duck -- And Cover: Cold Fury
Stand Up to the Bullies: Mark Steyn
Phil Robertson Doubles Down: No Apologies. He Meant What He Said.: RWN

The Invisible Appalachian Redoubt: Woodpile Report
The Day Groklaw Closed Its Doors: Katherine Noyes
Juan Williams Hypocrisy: Free Speech for Me, but Not for Thee: Trey Sanchez

Encouraging Lessons From The “Duck Dynasty” Imbroglio: David Limbaugh
Joe Manchin Accidentally Explains Media silence on Arapahoe: DTG
CNN’s Brit Twit Piers Morgan Says 1st Amend. Should Only Cover Speech HE Likes: Publius

World

The Most Underreported Foreign News Stories of 2013: PJM
Americans held hostage in Hillary-approved, UN-peace-kept-South Sudan: RWN
Susan Rice Invents New Euphemism for 'Lying' on 60 Minutes: TruthRevolt

The Christian Exodus: Allen West
Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished: Barton Gellman, WaPo
Security researcher cancels talk at RSA conference in protest of NSA Revelations: ComputerWorld

Bill To Increase Sanctions On Iran: Michael Barone
Important Military Purge Update: Villainous Company
Air force attacks targets in Gaza: Times of Israel

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

The Ten Most Important Cars Of 2013: Jalopnik
FOSSCAD Unveils 3D Printable 75 Round Drum Magazine for AR-15 Rifles: TAG
Chromebooks charge into business market, capture 20% of commercial notebooks: Mark Hachman

Cornucopia

It’s A WONderful Life: The Coloring Book...and The Movie???: MOTUS
What I See: C&S
Son of a Beach: Hopenchange

Image: Han Solo's Blaster Sells for $200,000
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Matt Bevin for U.S. Senate

QOTD: "You keep bringing up England, as if there exists there some higher ideal that we should aspire to. In England, the population is made up of subjects, not citizens. Those subjects have traditionally been denied the use and ownership of arms, all the way back to when that referred to swords and daggers. Times have changed, and the restrictions there have eased somewhat, but the underlying ethos remains. I, on the other hand, am a citizen, not a subject, and the ownership of guns is ingrained in my national heritage, and has been since we used those guns to win the right to no longer be called subjects. The ownership of those guns also carries the intrinsic promise that no one who calls himself an American will ever again be forced to be a subject. It’s just that simple. And no amount of regurgitating of gun control statistics will ever change that simple fact.”" --Matt in FL

Monday, December 23, 2013

RANDOM CRAP COMIX: Super Troopers

Just because.


For the uninitiated, the opening scene is here.


Susan Rice Stars as Pajamaboy on "60 Minutes"

Guest post by Investor's Business Daily

NSA Spying: The diplomat who blamed four American deaths in Benghazi on a video claims the denials by the director of national intelligence of blanket surveillance of Americans were inadvertent false representations.

It might have been slightly more credible had Pajama Boy appeared on CBS' "60 Minutes" broadcast on Sunday instead of Susan Rice. The current national security adviser and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations participated in a puff piece that might have been an episode of, "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?"

For viewers, it was deja vu all over again.

Rice went on five Sunday talk shows on Sept. 16, 2012, five days after an al-Qaida-linked terrorist attack killed four Americans — including the first U.S. ambassador to die on duty in three decades — to parrot the administration lie that it was a spontaneous demonstration provoked by a video. This time, she claimed she had no time to revisit a "false controversy" about talking points, or, as President Obama has described Benghazi, just one of many "phony scandals."

Rice did have time, though, to repeat the line that she subbed for Secretary Hillary Clinton that Sunday because Clinton "had just gone through an incredibly painful and stressful week" and "had to reach out to the families, had to greet the bodies upon their arrival at Andrews Air Force Base."

Part of that stressful week in September 2012 included Clinton repeating the video lie to Charles Woods, father of Tyrone Woods, one of the four killed in Benghazi, in front of his son's casket.

SHHH: No one tell Karl Rove or the RNC -- Chris Christie as popular as moldy bread in poll of conservatives

Granted, it's a non-scientific poll (click here to take it), but the results thus far can not be encouraging for the GOP establishment.

After all, the readers of this august journal are what we might call Constitutional Conservatives, Tea Party Patriots, Reaganites, and other assorted patriots. The Republican Party may know them as "the base", the same cadre of Americans that swept the feckless John Boehner to power in 2010.


The lesson learned for Karl Rove and Reince Preibus: your pals Jeb Bush and Chris Christie are about as popular as skin lice and mildew, respectively.

Not that the Chamber of Commerce and the rest of the corporatists care; their agenda is levering government to achieve wealth. Our agenda is the opposite: it is to enable free enterprise by restoring the Constitution.


Politifact Has Now Officially Completed its Transition From Embarrassment to Laughingstock

Guest post by Jon Cassidy

When the White House press secretary can mock you for your evasive, evolving explanations, it’s time to get out of the fact-checking game.

PolitiFact’s 2013 Lie of the Year may be the most dishonest thing it has ever done. It takes the tatters of the organization’s reputation and rips them into smaller tatters — call ’em tatteritos.

The newspapers around the country that signed on with PolitiFact when it seemed like such a good idea ought to pull their support now. They can fact check the right way on their own if they want.

If they care about their own credibility, they need to part ways with PolitiFact, which refuses to abide by a basic principle of journalism: acknowledging and correcting one’s errors.

Larwyn's Linx: Federal Judge: Obama Partnership With Cartels Deeper Than Weapons

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

Federal Judge: Obama/Cartel Partnership Deeper Than Weapons: Free Patriot
Amash: Obama ‘setting the stage for something very dangerous': Grae Stafford
Bigger, Badder NDAA 2014 Quietly Passed House and Senate: Activist Post

OR Exchange: If We Don't Call on Monday, Seek Coverage Elsewhere: WZ
The Psychology Of Gun Controllers: Herschel Smith
Obamacare goes unprotected – No enrollment Plan B: Mandy Nagy

Verily, It Is A Clusterduck: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton
Stopped in 80 Seconds: Armed Response, Not Gun Control: NRA-ILA
Let's start with a little Police State this morning...: III Percent

Economy

Serf City: Crockett Lives
Demand Socialist Health Care Now!: Western Rifles
The next Detroit? Atlantic City, Las Vegas facing collapse: MyFoxNY

Obama Christmas card reveals a zero at center of our government: Bookworm
Team Obama Cashing Out: James Oliphant
China Interest Rate Crisis: 7-Day Rate Doubles to 10% in a Week: Mish

Scandal Central

Ethnicity And Race Designations Required?: IBAA
Sex Predators Unleashed: Experts cash in on predator law: Sun-Sentinel
Transparency! Administration tries to stop federal judge from ruling on NSA legality: Poor Richard

Climate & Energy

Bringing Abuses By EPA to a Halt: Wheeling News-Register

Media

So, Justine Finally Landed …: R.S. McCain
Two gay males to get married on 2014 Rose Parade float: FAM
Krauthammer: WH Will Ask For Bail Out Of Insurers After Ruining Them: WZ

Researcher Kathleen Geier Slams 'Very Privileged' Family Cancelled Under ObamaCare: American Power
Mordor Up Close: Erick Erickson
Amanda Knox makes me feel VIOLATED : Eyes For Lies

World

Iran Threatens To Retaliate If Senate Passes New Sanctions: WZ
Has Kerry Heard of the Palestinians' "Hitler"?: Khaled Abu Toameh
Former Eagles cheerleader now stars for Army: Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY Sports

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Using Tor Anonymously: Victory Girls
Board Game of the Year 2013 Runner-up: Pandemic: Pocket Tactics
The Weirdest Limos Of All Time: Jalopnik

Cornucopia

VOTE: 2013 Toxic Queen of the Year – MALE and FEMALE: Gay Patriot
Is Barack Obama Using a Fake Soc. Sec. Number? Gov’t May Be Forced to Answer: Warner Todd Huston
Quote of the Day: SINTA

Image: From NFL Cheerleader to Army Intelligence Officer
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Want more like Ted Cruz in the Senate? Here's how to help.

QOTD: "Do we, as a Party, stand for something or not? Forfeiting away our future, breaking promises to our nation's Veterans and failing to acknowledge that we have accumulated a national debt larger than the value of everything we produce in the country in an entire year, is not governing, it's cowardice.

If today's Democratic Party wants to own debt, joblessness, big-govt medicine, and prioritizing those who have violated our laws over those who have shed blood defending what those laws represent, then they can have it. I will have no part of it.

I cannot and will not support a "managed decline". Sadly, those who wish to preserve their power at the expense of the country know no better. There is better, but when you are blinded by power "better" is only defined by your next election." --Dan Bongino

Sunday, December 22, 2013

TAKE THE SURVEY: Pick your preferred presidential candidate for 2016

I come up with 11 serious names.

Who is your top presidential candidate for 2016?
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Who's your favorite -- and why?

Miss Duck Dynasty? Try Quack Dynasty Instead!

Guest post by The People's Cube


Since A&E's Duck Dynasty proved to be a lot more popular with Americans than their messianic president, the A&E Network is now working on a substitute series that will be just like the indefinitely suspended Duck Dynasty, only with the Obamas - a progressive Washington family running a growing government business out of the White House while pretending to have American values.

David Axelrod says about the new show, "If this doesn't improve the President’s failing ratings, nothing will.


Read the rest of the thread at The People's Cube

DEATH PANEL COMIX: The Shocking Obamacare Surprise Awaiting Seniors on New Year's Day

Based upon Andrew Mangione's reporting.


This story needs to go viral. Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Side-question: Biff is wondering whether the comic book format is worthwhile. Any comments or feedback are appreciated.


CNN: Christians to Blame for People Not Having Health Insurance

Guest post by Mac Slavo

As tens of millions stand to lose their health insurance benefits over the coming months, mainstream establishment mouthpiece CNN has been investigating why there are so many poor and under-insured Americans.

In an investigative report titled The Obamacare ‘scandal’ you haven’t heard about CNN journalist John Blake thinks he’s figured it out.

It’s not that the government has created an air of learned helplessness, or shipped jobs to foreign countries through restrictive legislation and taxes, or that Americans have seen their purchasing power decrease exponentially making it impossible for them to meet their basic needs.

And the Patient Affordable Care Act certainly can’t be to blame, even though the health exchanges don’t work, and people are being rapidly removed from their current insurance policies because of regulations set forth by the new law, or that those who do manage to sign up will see a tripling of their rates which will further impoverish them.

No, the problem, according to CNN, is the Christians; specifically, the Christian pastors and their churches in southern states who have apparently done nothing to address poverty or failed to push their governments to expand social health care services through forced wealth redistribution.