Point Blank

We Did a Little Digging
In 2012, the percentage of people without health insurance decreased to 15.4 percent from 15.7 percent in 2011. The number of uninsured people in 2012 was not statistically different from 2011, at 48.0 million.

Both the percentage and number of people with health insurance increased in 2012 to 84.6 percent and 263.2 million, up from 84.3 percent and 260.2 million in 2011.

The percentage of people covered by private health insurance in 2012 was not statistically different from 2011, at 63.9 percent. This is the second consecutive year that the percentage of people covered by private health insurance was not statistically different from the previous year’s estimate. The number of people covered by private health insurance increased in 2012 to 198.8 million, up from 197.3 million in 2011.

The percentage and number of people covered by government health insurance increased to 32.6 percent and 101.5 million in 2012 from 32.2 percent and 99.5 million in 2011.

The percentage and number of people covered by employment-based health insurance in 2012 were not statistically different from 2011, at 54.9 percent and 170.9 million.

The percentage and number of people covered by Medicaid in 2012 were not statistically different from 2011, at 16.4 percent and 50.9 million. 

The percentage and number of people covered by Medicare increased in 2012 to 15.7 percent and 48.9 million, from 15.2 percent and 46.9 million in 2011.  (Statistics come from the U.S. Census Bureau)

Liberals are fond of quoting the statistic of 48 million people without health insurance as the raison d'etre for Obamacare. Well, let's look at it another way: 265 million Americans representing some 85% of the population DO have health insurance! (And - truth be told - many of the 48 million CHOOSE not to have insurance.) However - bringing a sledge hammer to the problem - Liberals have decided to blow up the entire health care system in order to solve a problem affecting a minority. It is as though they wanted to change the definition of marriage because .01% of the population representing gay couples decided they wanted to get married. Oh wait, that happened!


Glitched
Nevertheless, disarray has distinguished the project. In the last 10 months alone, government documents show, officials modified hardware and software requirements for the exchange seven times. It went live on Oct. 1 before the government and contractors had fully tested the complete system. Delays by the government in issuing specifications for the system reduced the time available for testing. (NYT, 10/21/2013)

This from one of Obama's major media supporters. Occasionally journalism happens.


Surged
Over the weekend, the administration announced a “tech surge” that would bring in “the best and the brightest from both inside and outside government” to fix the Web site. (NYT, 10/22/2013)

Which raises the inevitable question: why weren't the "best and brightest" working on the website from the start?

You know the answer. It was (somehow) because of the Republicans!


Cancellation Policy
Insurance companies are also already sending out notices to millions of consumers cancelling individual policies because they are non-compliant with ObamaCare's new mandates. Kaiser Health News, usually a cheerleader for the law, reports that "Florida Blue, for example, is terminating about 300,000 policies, about 80 percent of its individual policies in the state." Kaiser Permanente in California has sent notices to 160,000 people, Highmark in Pittsburgh is dropping about 20% of its individual market customers, and Independence Blue Cross of Philadelphia is dropping about 45%.

Remember when Mr. Obama said you could keep your policy if you liked it? (WSJ, 10/21/2013)

Liar, liar. Pants. On. Fire. 


Exceedingly
"The point is the essence of the law, the health insurance that's available to people, is working just fine. In some cases, actually, it's exceeding expectations." (President Barack Obama)

"Keep in mind the insurance doesn't start until Jan. 1." (President Barack Obama, same day)

Kudos to James Taranto (WSJ, 10/21/2013) for highlighting this Obama gem.


Seriously
Obama’s pitch sounded a bit desperate and perhaps it should. The product he rolled out three weeks ago was seriously defective. (Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 10/21/2013)

Highlighting a Liberal columnist (there have been a few) who at least is telling the truth. Others have tried to feed America the sham line that the problem with Obamacare is that it is working TOO well.


Declined
Several donors declined to speak for attribution because they did not want to anger the president. One called Mr. Obama’s White House holiday events “cuckoo clock parties,” because “he comes down, gives a speech, poses for some photos and pops back inside.” (NYT, 10/22/2013)

Interesting article contrasting the styles of Bll and Hill Clinton and 'Too Cool for School' Obama. The Legitimate Media has already begun the inevitable pivot to the next President Clinton.


Collapsed
Experts have long pondered the cause of the crisis that led to the Late Bronze Age collapse of civilization, and now believe that by studying grains of fossilized pollen they have uncovered the cause.

In a study published Monday in Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University, researchers say it was drought that led to the collapse in the ancient southern Levant.

Theories have included patterns of warfare, plagues and earthquakes. But while climate change has long been considered a prime factor, only recently have advances in science given researchers the chance to pinpoint the cause and make the case. (NYT, 10/23/2013)

Amazing....3000 years ago civilization in a portion of what is now the Middle East suffered catastrophically due to climate change. Must have been all those SUVs...or camels.


Issued
Lawyers and advocates take issue with the Vermont Department of Mental Health’s proposed rules for emergency involuntary procedures, saying they would violate the law and the civil rights of psychiatric patients. (VTdigger.org, 10/21/2013)

And as to the civil rights of mentally healthy citizens to be safe from the mentally ill?

Epoch Of Belief

Starving
What is it? It’s a proposal to raise the auto registration fees on all those vehicles that use little or no gasoline, and therefore pay little or no gasoline tax. That means they make no (or paltry) contributions to the Transportation Fund, which is now so starved for cash that lawmakers are on the verge of raising the gas tax by … well, by almost 7 cents a gallon now but primed to go up automatically as fuel prices rise.

And as the legislators know, the Transportation Fund’s troubles have barely begun. As cars get more fuel efficient and more drivers opt for hybrids like the Toyota Prius or all-electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, gas tax revenues are likely to decline even more. (VtDigger.com, 3/24/2013)

Here's a head-turner for ya! Because cars like the Toyota Prius use less gas, their owners do not pay as much in gas taxes. So Repubs suggest an extra levy. (Because we have to pay for all those crumbling roads and bridges. And whatever else that politicians use gas taxes for.)  It sounds like a guerrilla tactic to us.  

Dems in Vermont probably do not like taxing their green constituents, but say that they will have to look at it because, well it's a tax and Dems love taxes!


Slim Shady
Senate Democrats face a tough battle next year to hold on to their slim majority. Going on record in support of legislation that the gun lobby so vehemently opposes could cost some vulnerable incumbents their seats — and potentially make Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the majority leader. (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 3/21/2013)

Actually Robinson is imprecise. He should have written: "Going on record in support of legislation that voters so vehemently oppose could cause some vulnerable incumbents their seats..." 

See the difference?


Live And Let Die
“Keep Santa Cruz Weird” was the longstanding, if unofficial, motto for this small beachfront city proud of its tolerance and its offbeat vibe. People came for Santa Cruz’s 1960s-imbued live-and-let-live attitude, its progressive politics, the great weather, the University of California campus, the hard-partying surfing scene and the freewheeling drug culture.

But “Keep Santa Cruz Safe and Clean” began appearing on bumpers in recent years as the city was rattled by acts of violence, its streets and parks seemingly overwhelmed by homelessness and drugs. To hear the supporters of the new slogan, Santa Cruz’s famous tolerance was guilty of enabling. (NYT, 3/24/2013)

The city of Santa Cruz is doing some soul searching after the death of two police officers. According to the article, the accused killer had similar run-ins with law enforcement in Portland, Oregon and Berkeley, California. 

Let's think for a moment. What is the connective thread in this story?


Imagining
A $585,000.50 bill for one night at a hotel is either the result of an unimaginable amount of room service, or, if you're a member of Vice President Joe Biden's posse, it's just another night in Paris. (Huffington Post, 3/25/2013)

Still no word on when White House tours will resume...


Goal-Oriented
Obama's real goal, of course, is to destroy employment-related insurance and force everyone into the insurance exchanges. This will lay the basis for single-payer, government-funded, socialized medicine in the United States: his stated goal. (DickMorris.com, 3/19/2013)

You already know this, but a good reminder from Morris.