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The Overheated Case Against Romneycare

The Overheated Case Against Romneycare | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it

by DAVID FRUM, The Daily Beast


Philip Klein writes a rebuttal to my praise for Romneycare. At the core of his argument is found this remarkable—even breathtaking—statement:


"Some of us simply don’t believe that the way to fix our health care system is for the government — whether at the federal or state level — to mandate, regulate and subsidize the purchase of health insurance."


"Some" may disbelieve these things, but even among conservatives, it is unlikely to be a very big "some."


No government subsidy for the purchase of health insurance? Already in 2008, the exclusion of employer-provided healthcare benefits was subsidized to the extent of $131 billion a year, the single biggest tax expenditure in the tax code.


The ill effects of this subsidy are pretty notorious by now. Equally notorious is the difficulty of eliminating it. The concept of exchanges + mandates was developed (and advocated by conservative Republicans for almost two decades) precisely in order to work around the subsidy. Philip may think it would be neater and cleaner to eliminate it outright? Good luck to him in finding even a corporal's guard of Republicans in House or Senate who will publicly agree.


No government regulation of health insurance? Insurance regulation in the United States dates back almost to the very beginning of the republic. States took the lead through the 19th century. [MORE]

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Support the Coffee Party USA

Support the Coffee Party USA | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
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Banking union on the cheap will fail

Banking union on the cheap will fail | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
A recent Free exchange column discusses the European Central Bank's troubles in providing support to peripheral economies (summary here). We are...
Coffee Party USA's insight:

This is an interesting article for many reasons.


1. There are two different versions.

    A. There is a detailed version.

    B. Then there is also a "click for summary [here]" to be directed to the

         quick easy read version.

    C.There are different experts rather than one in the full version.

    D. Last but not least many comments are good reads and one points

        out that the plan would socialize risky debt but allow

        banks to profit with a capitalistic style loaning to make new debt.


Excerpt from the short easy to read site:


"To battle this problem, the ECB could take a page from Britain, which has used a "funding for lending" scheme to improve the flow of credit to businesses. In it, banks that raise lending to small and medium-size enterprises can go to the Bank of England and swap their relatively risky assets for ultra-safe government bonds. Those in turned can be used as collateral to obtain cheap bank financing. When all is said and done banks should be healthier and the flow of credit to firms should resume."

Does anyone see something wrong with that picture? When was the last time a bank ask you to give them your risky debt for money? Why not have the borrowers just go to the Bank of England to get the loan in the 1st place and let the banks deal with their risky debt? Great article with lots of curious details to ponder.
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Strange Political Bedfellows Join Forces Against the Common Core

Strange Political Bedfellows Join Forces Against the Common Core | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Progressives and conservatives are not big fans of the new Common Core State Standards. Here’s why. (ExxonMobil is an ardent supporter of Common Core standards. Why does this upset some people?
Coffee Party USA's insight:

ONE WORD! AMEN!

 

Excerpt:

 

“Instead of a community, we started to become distrustful of each other and wary of our colleagues, our parents, and our administrators,” he said. “Schools are no longer safe or nurturing for children. And that’s no accident.”

Common Core State Standards aim to implement more clear and measurable standards for all students. In doing this, it could also bring something else to the table that many parents and teachers do not like—more testing.

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Still on trail of Obamacare repeal

Still on trail of Obamacare repeal | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Candidates in deep-red states try to score points with the issue.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Mississippi Gov.Bryant fights to keep the vote on Medicare extension from happening and leaves the whole program in the state unavailable soon unless there is a special session called. He says he will rule over medicare needs by executive order if need be. Other states are also trying creative, maybe even childish means to reject Obama care.

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Chris Hayes explains why Citizens United is the real scandal behind the IRS scandal | The Raw Story

Chris Hayes explains why Citizens United is the real scandal behind the IRS scandal | The Raw Story | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Chris Hayes does a great job explaining why the IRS should broaden their investigations to far more than the Tea Party and conservative groups because the Citizens United ruling has changed and likely corrupted the use of what was intended by social welfare, tax except status.

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The Personal is Political | BillMoyers.com

The Personal is Political | BillMoyers.com | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Nine organizers share their "stories of self," explaining how life experiences compelled them to take action.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Bill Moyer presents some very inspirational leaders in this show. Feel free to take a minute to be inspired.

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US Weighs Wide Overhaul of Wiretap Laws - New York Times

US Weighs Wide Overhaul of Wiretap Laws - New York Times | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
US Weighs Wide Overhaul of Wiretap Laws New York Times WASHINGTON — The Obama administration, resolving years of internal debate, is on the verge of backing a Federal Bureau of Investigation plan for a sweeping overhaul of surveillance laws that...
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Here is an issue both parties all too often seem to have no problem about standing together to achieve. How much and how to spy on citizens? In fairness this article seems to indicate in this current case this involves traditional court ordered wiretapping. Saudi Arabia has threatened to cut off Skype if they don't give them the codes to allow ease dropping that America and some other selected countries possess.

 

How and when to spy on individuals is a topic every citizen might want to pay attention to because it is our privacy and it is the message we send to the world on how to spy. The opportunity for abuse or misuse of spying technology matters in a democracy and those companies discussed that would be the major players in making all this happen are also major financial donors into the political process. 

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Influence of big-money 'SuperPACs' not so clear

Influence of big-money 'SuperPACs' not so clear | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
CHICAGO — There's a scary bedtime story on money in politics about how the U.S. Supreme Court 's 2010 Citizens United ruling unleashed a tidal wave of corporate cash into politics and drowned out the voices of the little people.
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Camp, Baucus and a new tax code

Camp, Baucus and a new tax code | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
They are readying an effort that will engage public citizens in the tax reform process.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

We need to follow closely who these reforms would help the most and if that tax reform help is really needed.

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McConnell Tries To Show He's Still At Home In Kentucky

McConnell Tries To Show He's Still At Home In Kentucky | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
The Senate minority leader is up for re-election next year, and polling in his state shows his popularity is suffering.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

I don't live there anymore or his vote would be suffering more. I voted for him often in my younger days. I think we've both changed a lot since then. I grew a bigger heart and mind. He grew a bigger head then it appears failed to fill it with anything other than himself. I will say this it is hard to stay great when you must acquire so many millions and really billions to hold your job. Most likely you have to have something to sale to someone that you can make parting with those funds worth the investment and that leads to bad business on both sides of that fence and poor government  for the rest of us.


Time has come for all of us to wake up, pay attention as broadly as we can and weigh in on the things that matter. With our voices and our dollars we can counter the self interest of those that lay their bets down. We might want to think of who to write in on the ballot though  just in case the game is as it appears.....Rigged on the choices listed on the ballet. Often it feels like those running are prepaid cell plans and none of us can use them because we are not on the account and weren't given a password.

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Obama Selects Billionaire Campaign Backer as Commerce Secretary - Truthdig

Obama Selects Billionaire Campaign Backer as Commerce Secretary - Truthdig | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Barack Obama has once again dropped all pretenses of being a progressive president by nominating Penny Pritzker—a major campaign contributor with a personal fortune estimated at $1.85 billion and a history of dogging bank regulations—to head the...
Coffee Party USA's insight:

I think the jury is in now, assuming it was still out for some that were waiting to see how Obama proved out on the decisions that show how progressive or liberal Obama is today. Action always speaks louder than words. Tom Vilsak, one of Monsanto's award winning, own was picked by Obama in the first term and the multinational biotech industry is poised to dominate and monopolize, and privatize the food of the world as well as all other living things not fully people. As weird and sci-fi as that sounds, only last month there was court fight over who could patent certain human tissue with certain cancer cells thus blocking anyone else from seeking answers for that type of cancer.

 

Obama has now appointed a historically, anti-labor Pritzker as head in Commerce. The same week he appointed to head of the FCC Tom  Wheeler, an industry user friendly, former telecom/cable lobbyist to watch and regulate Wheeler's own friends and frequent meal tickets to be head of the FCC.

 

This should all fly by with much support from the GOP an of the Democrats that are equally well funded by these same industries. Watch and see. The GOP and the Koch boys couldn't have done this sweep better. The GOP should give Obama their top awards because he is delivering everything extreme GOP libertarian dreams... That is unless these people prove different than their track record. Don't hold your breath for that to happen though. It appears that the two parties are reuniting on what the always unite for.... They unite to serve the interest of those that fund their campaigns and provide great lobby jobs for those who served these industries and wealthy individuals well while in office to provide gross rewards once they are not in office. Official's family members also hold lobby jobs with these groups for a life time.. 


Well... we, the average guys and gals of the Tea Party, Moveon, and Occuppy and others can agree on one thing and we better make good on it. It's OUR country and we HOLD the power! None of these outside groups want to see the corporations OR the government ruling everyone else as bullies. They certainly don't want both team-up agianst them. All want a stake in acheiving the life each dreams and having input into making sure that happens. So we better put our heads, hearts and efforts together and decide of steps for making that happen.

 

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John Stewart describes how the Monsanto Protection Act was snuck in under our noses.

Jon Stewart Says Congress is an Old Fart In taking on the Monsanto Protection Act last night on The Daily Show, Jon Stewart faulted Congress for being mostly...
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Well what can money buy you? How about a free pass to ignore court orders? This was strongly supported on both political sides by the way. Monsanto and the biotech's must have real big pockets to be the only one's in the country that get to ignore court orders....unless you are the Senate that can "vote" to allow certain "corporate personhoods" to ignore court orders. John does a great job of framing this picture for us.

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Club for Growth - SourceWatch

Club for Growth - SourceWatch | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Looking at Rubio's top donor I found this as #1...Koch industry is #8. Where ALEC and others focus on corrupting State policy this group seeks to corrupt national policy with it's funds.


From opensource.com there is this for Rubio donors:


1Club for Growth$363,826$363,826$02Elliott Management$118,648$118,648$03Senate Conservatives Fund$105,494$95,494$10,0004Goldman Sachs$90,942$75,942$15,0005Flo-Sun Inc$71,000$71,000$06McM Corp$59,400$59,400$07NextEra Energy$49,740$37,240$12,5008Koch Industries$42,200$22,200$20,0009WPP Group$40,333$36,833$3,50010The Villages$37,262$37,262$011State Farm Insurance

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There's no need for all this economic sadomasochism

There's no need for all this economic sadomasochism | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
David Graeber: If Reinhart and Rogoff's 'error' has discredited the prevailing policy dogma, now is the time for an alternative that works
Coffee Party USA's insight:

These are well thought out points and surely deserve a thoughtful, reflective reading.


Excerpt:

"Even before we knew Reinhart and Rogoff's study was simply wrong, many had pointed out their historical survey made no distinction between the effects of debt on countries such as the US or Japan – which issue their own currency and therefore have their debt denominated in that currency – and countries such as Ireland, Greece, that do not. But the real solution to the eurobond crisis, some have argued, lies in precisely this distinction."

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The IRS and the Real Scandal

The IRS and the Real Scandal | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it

"Finally, all of this, coming at a time when the Supreme Court has deemed corporations “people” under the First Amendment and when income and wealth are more concentrated at the top than they’ve been in over a hundred years, has enabled America’s financial elite to further entrench their wealth and power and thereby take over much of American democracy."

Coffee Party USA's insight:

Yes there was and is a real reason the IRS needs to check those conservative social welfare tax-free groups out. They should be doing that for all of them, the tea party and all others on all sides of the politically active groups to include right, left and middle. Just what soup kitchen did the Tea Party run or did they even do a social welfare tearoom? Some progressive groups are in that same boat.

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Greenpeace says IRS targeted group

POLITICO Pro Report: The environmental group offers to testify on its experience under Bush in 2004.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

This isn't really a shock. Paranoia in National leadership around the globe and in the USA, combined with the temptations from being able to spy better than in any other time in history are leading to strange behavior from many national organization that are intended to "protect us".

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Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock

Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
The news that scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo seems almost certain to rekindle a political fight that has raged, on and off, since the creation of Dolly the sheep.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

We all love much of what science and discovery has done or revealed to date for us but not all of us share that pride in every situation. What do you think of cloning new life and it appears that includes human life now?

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Large Corporations Seek U.S.–European 'Free Trade Agreement' to Further Global Dominance

Large Corporations Seek U.S.–European 'Free Trade Agreement' to Further Global Dominance | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is the latest plan of conglomerates to strengthen their grip over the planet.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

I would have more of a comment but for me this article pretty well says it all as far as I'm concerned. I would just add we need to wake up, pay attention and weigh in loudy on plans that impact our lives so dramatically.


Excerpt:


"The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is the latest corporate-driven agenda in what is commonly called a “free trade agreement,” but which really amounts to  ‘cosmopolitical corporate consolidation’: large corporations dictating and directing the policies of states – both nationally and internationally – into constructing structures which facilitate regional and global consolidation of financial, economic, and political power into the hands of relatively few large corporations."

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Wait, They Say He’d Make The Perfect Marine — So Why Are We Trying To Get Rid Of Him?

Wait, They Say He’d Make The Perfect Marine — So Why Are We Trying To Get Rid Of Him? | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
WARNING: If you have a soul, this video will stir it.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

One Word! Powerful! Please feel free to share! If you don't get upworthy.com on your facebook news feed you are missing out!

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Immigration reform advances, Heritage on defense

Immigration reform advances, Heritage on defense | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it

Excerpt from column by Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post

 

...The Heritage Foundation is in a tailspin. To Politico and then to me, Heritage’s vice president of of communications, Mike Gonzales, denied that he or Heritage has hired acrisis management firm. If not, Heritage should. More details about the unsavory work of one of its anti-immigration report authors are coming to light. Chris Moody reports: “Heritage Foundation analyst Jason Richwine, the co-author of a study claiming the immigration reform bill pending in the Senate would cost taxpayers $6.3 trillion, wrote two articles in 2010 for a website founded by Richard Spencer, a self-described ‘nationalist’ who writes frequently about race and against “the abstract notion of human equality.”


Another report suggests that “Richwine is not the only scholar conservative immigration opponents in the current debate have relied on and who’ve published eyebrow-raising views in the past. The Heritage Richwine snafu will bring fresh scrutiny to other scholars, immigration advocates said.”

Former vice president of research Burton Pines is also denouncing Heritage’s work. He is quoted as saying; “It’s a new Heritage and it’s one that’s not standing by the principles of Ronald Reagan. I’m puzzled why they came out with this study and I’m more puzzled why they seem to be against immigration.”
 

In a word, it’s a mess. Only four months on the job, former senator Jim DeMint, who came to Heritage with no scholarly credentials, is caught in a firestorm of Heritage’s own making. A backlash that tarnishes the report and anti-immigrant forces more generally may undermine opponents of the Gang of Eight. But to the extent it raises questions about whether Heritage is still a respected think tank (and not a political oppo center), DeMint will find himself under the gun. A conservative scholar at another think tank emailed me, “I just don’t understand why [former president Ed] Feulner among others did not see this disaster coming.” More conservatives will be asking the same thing, I imagine. [Read full article]

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Schumer Destroys Top GOP Talking Point Against Immigration Reform

Schumer Destroys Top GOP Talking Point Against Immigration Reform | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
(Credit: ABC News)On Thursday, as the Senate Judiciary Committee took up a comprehensive immigration reform bill that allows the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants to earn a path to citizenship, Sen.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Here's the up side up of inclusive style immigration reform.

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House GOP ties debt ceiling, tax reform

House GOP ties debt ceiling, tax reform | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Momentum is building to link a rewrite of the Tax Code to raising the debt limit.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

This is a topic worth thinking about. I don't remember the part about individual rates lowered to 25%, but I do remeber hearing that is a push from and for the corporate side that would tempt them to stop off shoring their money.


I'm not sure why we have allowed them to offshore their profits untaxed and hold American business charters or haven't auctioned off their assets in the USA for such a practice. Maybe we should also put that on the table.

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Israel Loves Iran: The Facebook Campaign That Launched a Love Avalanche

Israel Loves Iran: The Facebook Campaign That Launched a Love Avalanche | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Barack Obama talked a lot about peace during his recent trip to Israel. Meanwhile, social networks are actually creating it.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

How do we go around the Washington, State houses and other global obstructionist leadership to get things really done the way we dream them and need them? Well how about DIY global outreach like the one in this article uses to encourage peace and harmony?

 

How about global "stay local" consumerism as the mainstay that will feed our neighbors, own children and communities within all our global villages?

 

How about really having local town hall and front porch meetings that most show up for with adult code of conduct requirement.

 

How about presenting real questions like how do we create income in a global situation where there will be more people and ever fewer jobs due to the fast advancements of technology that will be affecting all aspects of traditional income earning labor? How do we turn all this online data collecting into shared income because all of the people of the world are collecting and providing the data?  Right now we pay to spend hours collecting, originating and sharing data but only a few get income from the collection, creation or sharing. Do we still need money/gold as a driving source of economy and value or is there a new way waiting out there in the future?

 

How do we collectively do our best to insure man's future will include healthy air, water and soils, which provide and give life to an ever increasing rather than diminishing diversity?


DO IT YOURSELF (DYI) LOVE AND PEACE! LOVE IT! Let's use this technique across the board to "be the changes we want to see".

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Monsanto's Hometown Paper Takes Missouri Senator Roy Blunt to Task for Monsanto Protection Act

Two weeks after the passage of the Monsanto Protection Act, Monsanto's hometown paper, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch comes out with a blistering editorial titled
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Excerpt;

From The St. Louis Post-Dispatch via fooddemocracynow.org

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has come out with a blistering editorial titled "Blunt's 'Monsanto Protection Act' Undermines Legislative Process'", taking Missouri Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) to task for sneaking the provision, Section 735 into H.R. 933, the must pass continuing resolution that funds the U.S. government for the next 6 months.

The editors of Monsanto's hometown paper were appalled enough, something rare these days, to take the time to write a scathing editorial, calling the Monsanto Protection Act, "a sleazy bit of business", noting that the crop biotech and factory farm industries both took advantage of the funding emerency and "larded up" the continuing resolution "with a lot of special interest deals".


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In Conversation: Jaron Lanier talks to James Bridle on Who Owns the Future?

Jaron Lanier is a technology inventor and philosopher who has been dubbed the prophet of the digital age. He coined the phrases 'Virtual Reality' and 'digita...
Coffee Party USA's insight:

This is really a very worthy talk to listen to. Jaron Lanier presents critical info we need to think about in deciding who owns the future. 

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Politics Done Right With Egberto Willies - May 04,2013

Politics Done Right With Egberto Willies - May 04,2013 | Coffee Party News | Scoop.it
Politics Done Right With Egberto Willies is a political talk show on current events. While the show has a admittedly liberal bent, it seeks to engage citizens of all political ideologies to foment a healthy discourse.
Coffee Party USA's insight:

Be sure to tune in!

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