Well, hold on a second, George. Here -- here's what's happening. You and I are both paying $900, on average -- our families -- in higher premiums because of uncompensated care. Now what I've said is that if you can't afford health insurance, you certainly shouldn't be punished for that. That's just piling on. If, on the other hand, we're giving tax credits, we've set up an exchange, you are now part of a big pool, we've driven down the costs, we've done everything we can and you actually can afford health insurance, but you've just decided, you know what, I want to take my chances. And then you get hit by a bus and you and I have to pay for the emergency room care —Barry Hussein SoetoroThe president’s main argument for Mandated Healthcare was that it would bring down cost if everyone were forced to buy his healthcare plan. So why has the Soetoro administration granted nearly 1,400 waivers for various portions of the new health care reform law. This Means that not everyone will be forced to buy Obamacare. If this is true, the fact that the president has allowed his cronies to be waivered out of the healthcare law mean that cost will not be lowered for the rest of us. (see 1:27min video)
In addition to that, the Soetoro Solicitor General Neal Kumar Katyal believes that Obamacare is meant to punish the rich. He believes if individuals object to mandated Obamacare they should make less money.
“So it’s a penalty on earning a certain amount of income and self insuring. It’s not just on self-insuring on its own. So I guess one could say, just as the restaurant owner could depart the market in Heart of Atlanta Motel, someone doesn’t need to earn that much income. I think both are kind of fanciful and I think get at…”--Neal Kumar Katyal (source)
This is a list of companies and states that have been given waivers from Obamacare (see list)
The fact that so many have been granted waivers from “Mandated Healthcare” speaks to the utter failure of the concept of mandated healthcare and gives repeal of Obama it’s most forceful argument.
Following are testaments to the sheer Left-wing plutarchy and cronyism that is Obamacare.
According to Michael Barone, National Review Online, May 26, in the 14 months since the Health Care Reform bill known as "Obamacare" was signed in March 2010:
— (So far) 1,372 businesses, state and local governments, labor unions and insurers (covering 3,095,593 individuals) have been granted waivers from Obamacare. Union members have gotten 50.3 percent of the Obamacare waivers.
— Two of the states granted waivers were Nevada and New Hampshire, both states considered crucial in next year’s presidential election.
— In April, 38 waivers were granted to restaurants, nightclubs, spas and hotels in the congressional district of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. (Her office said she had nothing to do with it.)
Given the above, it is fair to ask: If Obamacare is so great, why do so many people and organizations want out of it? If 1,372 waivers have been granted so far (most of them to organizations supporting President Obama), how many do you think have been denied? (Can anyone say "Chicago politics"?)--Terence McManus (source)
What do we have in Washington -- a president and Congress, or a politburo?
The Democratic establishment in control of the executive branch and Senate are handing out waivers to the new health care law like candy -- in many cases to organizations that enjoy the Democrats' favor.
Consider: Unions have been among the leaders in seeking and receiving permission to opt out of "Obamacare" -- and in April, a whopping 20 percent of the waivers were granted to entities in the district of former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the chief proponents of the law.
Funny thing, how "need" happens in such geographic clusters!-- Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff (source)
President Barack Obama and his administration’s willingness to use the extraordinary powers granted under ObamaCare to expand his political power has been on full display in recent weeks. More troubling are new initiatives that seek to hobble his, and the Democratic Party’s political opponents in next year’s elections.
The use of federal programs and regulations to favor allies and punish or intimidate opponents raises serious questions about the president’s commitment to a pillar of our liberty, that all should be treated equally before the law. --Charles Kadlec (source)
If Obamacare is so great, why are its biggest supporters seeking waivers of its costly provisions? And why are Obama backers the primary recipients of the many waivers from Obamacare that have been granted? As Dr. Milton R. Wolf notes,So which is it Mr. president, Mandated healthcare for all or waivers from this healthcare mess for your friends and supporters? Any way one looks at it, it’s unfair and it’s failed. Obamacare must be repealed.
"seven entire states and 1,372 businesses, unions and other institutions have received waivers from the law. The list includes the administration’s friends and allies and, of course, those who have the best lobbyists. More than 50 percent of the Obamacare waiver beneficiaries are union members, which is striking because union members account for less than 12 percent of the American work force. The same unions that provided more than $120 million to Democrats in the last two elections and, in many cases, openly campaigned in favor of the government takeover of your health care, now celebrate that Obamacare is not their problem. But the political payoffs don’t stop there. The Obama administration didn’t forget its closest friends in the latest round of waivers. Although there are 435 congressional districts across America, nearly 20 percent of the new waivers, amazingly, found their way to a single district -- Mrs. Pelosi's [the liberal former Speaker of the House of Representatives]."
While liberally granting waivers to its allies, the Administration has flouted the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), refusing to respond to FOIA requests about its criteria for waivers or why it has denied waivers to other applicants. It is now being sued in federal court for violating FOIA.-- Hans Bader (source)
