Rational Nation USA

Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth The old adage be carful what you wish for certainly comes to mind with this one. THE HILL - Republicans in Congress are worried the Supreme Court will hand them a major headache this month if it rules against the federal health insurance exchanges in more than 30 states, ending subsidies for millions of people. While the Affordable Care Act remains broadly unpopular, two new polls show a majority of Americans don’t want to do away with its subsidies, a core component of the law. This poses a conundrum for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). They are under pressure from colleagues up for reelection in swing states and districts to extend the subsidies, at least temporarily, if the court strikes them down. But doing so would risk a backlash from the conservative base. The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decision in King v. Burwell, which could strip 6.4 million people of health ...

Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Affordable Care Act has made it possible for approximately 7.5 million individuals who would otherwise have no insurance coverage to feel more secure. 7.5 million qualified for tax payer funded subsidies that either significantly lowered, or eliminated altogether, the cost of health insurance. A good thing. There are others like myself (my wife is covered under medicare with an appox. $120.00 monthly premium) who do not qualify for a subsidy yet the monthly premium cost for even the low cost higher deductible bronze plan is affordable. But I'm okay with this because of my relative good health and my decision not to reduce my life activities so I can pour in excess of $5.000.00 per anum into the coffers of an insurance company. The forgoing does not include dental and vision. There must be a more effective avenue to take in pursuing affordable health care coverage for all. The ACA, aka ObamaCare, a start in the right direction but ob...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation U S A Liberty -vs- Tyranny Washington (CNN) - The Affordable Care Act, which is the signature domestic achievement for President Barack Obama, was passed along party lines in 2010, when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Since that passage, Republicans have fought to either repeal, defund, or severely restrict the law. A push by congressional conservatives to defund the law was the catalyst for October's 16-day long partial federal government shutdown, the first in nearly two decades. As Americans began to better understand the flaws in the ACA and struggle through perhaps the most customer unfriendly sign up experience in human history, as well as more and more people now realizing the Affordable Care Act is really the Unaffordable Care Act for many, support for ObamaCare continues its descent. CNN, a slightly left leaning cable news network has just released a nationwide CNN/ORC International poll indicating ObamaCare is decid...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny As the floodgates of bad news for ObamaCare and President Obama seem to continue to widen. Or, is it just more anti Obama nutter talk fueled by the wacko right wing extreme obstructionists of the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party? According to Mark Halperin health care rationing and "death panels" are going to be a reality of the ACA. This from TPM One of the Beltway's best-known pundits gave credence this week to perhaps the fringiest of all Obamacare conspiracy theories. In an interview on Monday with the conservative Newsmax, Time's Mark Halperin said that so-called "death panels" are enshrined in the Affordable Care Act. "It's going to be a huge issue," Halperin said. "And that's something else about which the President was not fully forthcoming or straight-forward." "So, you believe there will be rationing, a.k.a 'death panels'?...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e r ty -vs- Tyr a nny The President signature, and flawed legislation, the ACA is unquestionably going to impact the President and the democrats who solidly supported him and his push for the legislation. With the President's credibility, indeed even his honesty in question by many, his task over the remainder of his administration is formidable. Some, like Nancy Pelosi, the loyal soldier she is have a different opinion... Washington (CNN) – House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Sunday neither she nor President Barack Obama misled the American people when they said, during the run-up to the passage of Obamacare, that people could keep their health insurance plans. Pelosi clarified their remarks, saying they only meant people could keep their plans if they had already signed up before Obama signed the bill in 2010. But there is this... He said it over and over again. Like this time: “So let me begin be saying this t...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny President Obama may be facing his Waterloo. Self made and potentially as destructive to his legacy (and the viability of the party that stood solidly behind him) as anything the Republicans could have done to railroad his signature domestic legislation the ACA, or his legacy. Starting with the horrendous roll out, followed by millions of cancellation letters from health insures precipitated by ACA regulations, the realization by Americans that the President had, at the very least mislead them with his repeated promises they could keep their health insurance and their doctor, his proposed executive "fix" to the problem he and his administration created, a fix that itself may be outside his administrative authority, and finally his own party is beginning to question his course as they seem to be lining up behind the bills put forth by Republican Upton or Democrat Landrieu. It certainly must be tough to be ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty - vs- Tyr a nny I found the following article by Ann Althouse interesting. More than just interesting really. Refreshing and honest as well. In yesterday's interview with Chuck Todd, Obama said: " You know, one of the lessons -- learned from this whole process on the website -- is that probably the biggest gap between the private sector and the federal government is when it comes to I.T. ... Well, the reason is is that when it comes to my campaign, I'm not constrained by a bunch of federal procurement rules, right? " That is, many have pointed out that his campaign website was really good, so why didn't that mean that he'd be good at setting up a health insurance website? The answer is that the government is bad because the government is hampered by... government! "And how we write -- specifications and -- and how the -- the whole things gets built out. So part of what I'm gonna be look...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny Questions: Do you trust this man? Do you think this issue is resolved? Is it just me or has the Tea Party left reason for the realm of wishful dreams? Then there is the following from FDL ... " It would seem that Senator Cruz should be in a more sour mood given that his plan to stop Obamacare is set to be thwarted. Things really seem to be going poorly for Cruz as the Houston Chronicle, one of his home state’s most prominent papers, took back its endorsement of him. " Houston Chronicle - "When we endorsed Ted Cruz in last November’s general election, we did so with many reservations and at least one specific recommendation – that he follow Hutchison’s example in his conduct as a senator. Obviously, he has not done so. Cruz has been part of the problem." And this. "In three week period following Cruz’s speech — even as GOP’s national approval ratings plummeted — conservatives fra...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation U S A Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny "Declaration" by John Trumbull depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As Americans watch and witness the evolution of our democratic republic as it locks itself into partisan ideological positions that may result in the shutdown of our government and have far reaching global economic implications I found some solace, and hope, in the following article . I have reproduced it here (in full) in the hopes that authentic modern day Patriots will rally around our defining principles and "do the right thing." By James Roger Sharp - This year marks the 237th anniversary of our revolution and independence. And while we celebrate this milestone, it should not be lost sight of that the American Revolution is universally viewed as one of the most extraordinary and significant events in modern history. A major catalyst for revolutions throughout the globe, it mad...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Libe rty -vs- Tyra n ny For sure the healthcare system in America has been in need of serious overhaul for sometime. One should give the President credit for tackling the system that is both expensive for those who's company does not provide health insurance. Which often results in many being uncovered due to the EXCEEDINGLY HIGH cost for private health insurance. Something I know a bit about having had to use COBRA coverage as my company continued on a ten year "rightsizing", which of course was in the name to remain competitive and thereby lose the fewest jobs possible. Net job loss over ten years; 1300 jobs. The wave of the future methinks. Back to the point of the post. Many are enamored of ObamaCare and have been sold on how it will improve, if not solve our present healthcare nightmare. However, the truth is ObamaCare while having some positive benefits . mostly for the lower economic strata also carries with it some ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny It has allegedly been said as one gets older they get wiser. This is quite probable as the experiences of a long and productive life gives a person many references that naturally become part of their life experience and mold their philosophy of existence. Of course that assumes the individual chooses to use reality and the truth of rational unemotional thought to guide them. Both in their analysis as well as their ultimate conclusions on every important issue of their life. I was not a advocate nor a supporter of William Jefferson Clinton in his hay day as President and Commander in Chief. He was, as they say, just a bit too progressive as well as being a bit untrustworthy. I shall leave it to Hillary to clarify the forgoing statement. Forgive me as I have digressed... I stumbled across the following article published today in THE DAILY BEAST , a leftist rag I rarely visit. On the rare occasions when I do i typi...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny h/t: The Griper's World Points methinks everyone should be able to understand.

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com Fox Nation - "There is not only an economic element to this, a legal element to this, but there is a human element to this. And I hope that's not forgotten in this political debate Ultimately, I'm confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected congress. And I would like to remind conservative commentators that for years what we have heard is that the biggest problem is judicial activism and that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law. Well, this is a good example and I’m pretty confident this court will recognize that and not take that step” By all means Mr. President, now that you've made your political points (as illusory as they are) cut us some slack for not understandin...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny Reuters - Sixty-eight percent disapprove and 24 percent approve of how Obama is responding to price increases that have become one of the biggest issues in the 2012 presidential campaign. In the past month, U.S. fuel prices have jumped about $0.30 per gallon to about $3.90 and the Republicans seeking to replace the Democrat in the November 6 election have seized upon the issue to attack his energy policies. The disapproval reaches across party lines, potentially spelling trouble for Obama in the election, although the online survey showed voters hold oil companies or foreign countries more accountable than politicians for the price spike. "Obama is getting heat for it but people aren't necessarily blaming him for it," said Chris Jackson, research director for Ipsos public affairs. Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents all disapprove of the president's handling of gas prices, acc...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Given the unconstitutionality of the individual mandate it is not surprising voters want the Supreme Court to kill ObamaCare. Classical liberals and Libertarians especially understand the dangers of the individual mandates at the federal level. USA Today A new poll shows that most voters want the Supreme Court to overturn President Obama's health care law, with opposition and support falling largely along party lines. Overall, voters oppose the law by 48%-40%, according to the Quinnipiac University survey. Democrats support the Obama health care effort by 70%-19%, while Republicans oppose it by 86%-8%. The Quinnipiac survey found independent voters opposed to the law by 45%-38%. Of course, voters won't decide the fate of the health care law in the Supreme Court -- that's up to the justices, and they are likely to make a ruling by late June. Whatever the court's ruling, health care figures to be ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -v s- Tyranny Mitt Romney has said rather decisively he is not waking away from ObamaCare's model, RomneyCare of Massachusetts . While admitting that his healthcare hasn't worked out perfectly he still believes it was the right thing for the Bay State. There are many who disagree and for good reason. Even given RomneyCare there seems to be a growing consensus among conservative pundits that Romney is going to be the GOP standard bearer in 2012. With his liberal Rockefeller style politics it is hard to get ones arms around just why his nomination is becoming almost a forgone conclusion. From his recent interview with Neil Cavuto. ( National Review Online ) Don’t expect Mitt Romney to backtrack on his Massachusetts health-care plan at any point this election cycle. “I am sure there are many people who have calculated, and perhaps correctly, that the healthcare plan I put in place in Massachusetts is not good for me pol...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny There is little doubt but what ObamaCare will ultimately find its way to the Supreme Court as federal judges question the legality of individual mandates. ATLANTA – Judges on a federal appeals court panel on Wednesday repeatedly raised questions about President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, expressing unease with the requirement that virtually all Americans carry health insurance or face penalties. All three judges on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals panel questioned whether upholding the landmark law could open the door to Congress adopting other sweeping economic mandates. The Atlanta panel did not immediately rule on the lawsuit brought by 26 states, a coalition of small businesses and private individuals who urged the three to side with a federal judge in Florida who struck down the law. But the pointed questions about the so-called individual mandate durin...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism June 2'nd 2011, Mitt Romney shared the following thought on the Sean Hannity show. Romney's statement leaves no room for doubt. He is on the record, he will repeal ObamaCare if elected. As the full interview is made available it will be posted here at Rational Nation USA . There were certainly things that a conservative can find issue with in the full interview. Certainly he will need to explain his MA. RomneyCare with clarity, and how it differs from ObamaCare, as well as his reasons for supporting mandates in MA. Even considering this Romney's solid and clear statement with respect to repealing ObamaCare if elected is most assuredly not one of them. UPDATE 6/4/11 Pretty much Republican boilerplate issues. Romney continues to present himself as a RINO that will likely represent the old Rockefeller wing of the party. Notice that while acknowledging waste in militar...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism It really bothers me to have to go there. I mean it really, really, really bothers me. The reason? Because no one, especially an American citizen should ever feel the need to go there. You ask, were exactly is that? To which I must reply to fight tyranny in our own democratic republic. But sadly, because of republican statists like GWB, and the current statist BO,iberty minded individuals have but little choice to go there in defense of our constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. Our Statist in Chief, after ram rodding his so called health care reform down the throats of all Americans, has saw fit to exempt his cronies from comply with the very law he and his statist cronies foisted upon all of America. I refer to " The Waivers. " that exempt those granted said waiver from complying with ObamaCare. Presently there have been over 1,000 waivers granted to Obama cronies. From The Washington ...

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism The question I ask today my fellow independent conservative is this... Does the image to your right really represent the truth? Or does it represent an illusion created by the political forces, both progressive and conservative, that want nothing more than to control your life based on a particular political ideology. Such ideology would be, as we have grown accustomed to seeing, based on their own political interests. Such interests as viewed through the lenses of their political prognosticators and or beneficiaries. As politicians and the courts continue to scrutinize ObamaCare, perhaps one of,  if not the most ill advised pieces of legislation since FDR's New Deal, answering the hypothetical questions asked above is of the utmost importance to our nations understanding of freedom. liberty, individual responsibility, the right to individu...