Carolina Journal News Reports

Obamacare Expected To Cause 80-Percent Spike In Average Individual Premiums

BCBSNC says one-third of health policy holders will pay much more despite tax credits

By Dan Way

Sep. 6th, 2013

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RALEIGH — Individual health insurance premiums in North Carolina would spike as much as 80 percent on average due to the effects of Obamacare mandates if plans submitted by Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina receive federal approval as expected.

Younger, healthy consumers representing one-third of individual policy holders would bear disproportionately “substantial increases” to offset the costs of insuring older, less healthy populations and the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, BCBSNC officials acknowledged. 

The 80-percent average increase comes from comparing the 2014 rates for the lowest-cost “bronze” Obamacare plans announced Thursday by BCBSNC to a statewide average of current individual-policy premiums compiled by the Manhattan Institute for Public Policy Research, a New York-based nonprofit research organization. Manhattan researchers used data from the federal government to compile their low-cost 2013 premium averages for each state. They calculated the lowest-available rates for different age groups and for policies offering different levels of coverage. (Methodology explained here.)

When the federal health law takes effect Jan. 1, individuals will be required to purchase an insurance policy approved by the federal government or pay a fine to the IRS. The maximum penalty per adult will be $95 in 2014 and will rise to $695 in 2016.

BCBSNC, which controls 85 percent of the state’s individual health insurance market, announced a sampling of its 26 new plans crafted for sale in all 100 counties on the federal health exchange marketplace. 

“We know that the premiums that Blue Cross and Blue Shield released [Thursday] are definitely increasing across the spectrum of all ages,” said Katherine Restrepo, health and human services policy analyst at the John Locke Foundation. “It’s not looking too good.”

CONTINUED:  Obamacare Expected To Cause 80-Percent Spike In Average Individual Premiums

NYT: Syrian Rebels' Murder Addiction 'Poses Dilemma' | Godfather Politics

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." -- Inigo Montoya 

Inigo was talking about his companion's use of the word "inconceivable," but he could just as easily been talking about the New York Times' notions of what constitutes a "dilemma." 

Under the headline "Brutality of Syrian Rebels Posing Dilemma in West," the NYT has posted a video smuggled out of Syria by a former rebel who grew disgusted with the actions of his compatriots. 

In the video, a group of Syrian rebels has five captured government soldiers on the ground, their shirts removed and hands tied behind their backs. The men have clearly been beaten. After some mumbo-jumbo, the rebel commander and his boys shoot the soldiers in the backs of their heads. 

"The video also offers a reminder of the foreign policy puzzle the United States faces in finding rebel allies as some members of Congress, including Senator John McCain, press for more robust military support for the opposition," the NYT reports. 

The article goes on to state that "elements of the opposition have assumed an extremist cast," and that the plan for the U.S. to bomb Syria "has raised the prospect that American military action could inadvertently strengthen Islamic extremists and criminals." If the New York Times were any more blase about the human carnage caused by the liberals' rebel champions, we'd need a defibrillator.


CONTINUE READING:  NYT: Syrian Rebels' Murder Addiction 'Poses Dilemma' | Godfather Politics

What kind of president would throw in the world’s lot with evil al-Qaeda?

What kind of a president could reportedly sleep when four courageous Americans were being slaughtered in a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya—but within a week of the first anniversary of the tragedy send the U.S. military to fight side by side with al-Qaeda in Syria?

What kind of president could play 15 rounds of Spades while the SEAL Team 6 sent by him was taking out Osama bin Laden?

What kind of president would allow his Secretary of State to announce to the world that Saudi Arabia would be willing to finance the U.S. attack on Syria?  John Kerry could have added and “we’ll borrow the rest from China”.

No kind of president.  And that’s precisely what Barack Hussein Obama really is.

Obama has always needed to be the ‘Man from Nowhere’ in order to avoid accountability for anything he does.

This ‘Man from Nowhere’ cuts and runs from his own words.  That’s what Obama did yesterday in Sweden when he said: “The World set the red line, not me”.

Like so many cowardly deniers in the world today, Obama refuses to acknowledge that in many places, including Syria, Muslims are killing Muslims. 

What kind of president on the day before he was to sell congress on attacking Syria, would send out a White House video addressing the Islamic Society of North America’s 50th annual convention, congratulating Muslims for “the many achievements and contributions they have made to American society from its early history to the present day”?

CONTINUED:  What kind of president would throw in the world’s lot with evil al-Qaeda?

Where is the Rule of Law?--Canada Free Press

“A lie can go half way around the world before truth can even put its pants on.” – Mark Twain

Where are common sense, logic, critical thinking, belief in God, accountability, and the Rule of Law? Have they been replaced by the Fabians’ Social Justice Doctrine, controlled chaos, endless corruption, good is bad, evil is good, mindless propaganda, and political correctness? 

The Rule of Law is the cornerstone of our Republic and, without the Rule of Law, there is tyranny. Sen. Rand Paul wondered about the Rule of Law on the floor of the Senate: “Either we’re a nation of laws or not.” He continued, “If we ignored our own laws, are we in any position to preach to the rest of the world about democracy and the Rule of Law?” (C-SPAN radio 7/31/13)

The Rule of Law is necessary for freedom, justice, and equality to prevail, without it we are ruled by a government of men and women who make arbitrary decisions on a whim. When the Rule of Law is not respected, nobody is truly safe from government encroachment, intrusion, and abuse.

When ICE agents were ordered by DACA directive to violate federal law in non-deportation policies because of lack of jurisdiction, the ICE agents’ lawyer said, “There has to be a forum in which the rule of law can be restored.” Kris W. Kobach, the lawyer for the ICE union continued, “This is without question a lawless amnesty being imposed upon America. All Americans, regardless of how they feel about the amnesty, should be concerned when a president can flagrantly ignore the law and violate the Constitution.” 

Has this administration followed the Rule of Law or have they deliberately ignored it? Is this the new norm?

In the tsunami of executive orders and laws passed against the wishes of the majority of the American people, was it legal to give Congress and its staffers a 75% subsidy to insulate them from the expensive and harmful effects ofObamacare?

Was it legal to give exemptions from the unaffordable Affordable Care Act to special groups and not enforce the law across the board in a timely manner, as it was passed?

CONTINUED:  Where is the Rule of Law?

The Most Embarrassing President of My Lifetime

“Speak softly and carry a big stick.” — Teddy Roosevelt
“The buck stops here.” — Harry Truman
“I didn’t set a red line.” — Barack Obama

Barack Obama is, without question, the most embarrassing president of my lifetime — and that is saying something, since my life so far has encompassed 12 presidencies, some of which have brought a lot of embarrassment to the nation. Even Richard Nixon, with his Watergate scandal, Jimmy Carter, with his malaise, and Bill Clinton, with his lewd behavior in the Oval Office, could not top this president for pure, unadulterated disgrace.

Of course, in Obama’s case, it is not a matter of personal scandal like it was for Clinton. By telling the world a year ago that he was drawing a red line in the hot desert sands of Syria — that red line being the use of chemical weapons — he created the debacle that currently threatens to engulf the Middle East. He blustered at the time that if the regime of Bashar al-Assad crossed that red line, there will be a price to pay. No one yet knows what that price will be, but from the current discussion, it appears that it will involve the destruction of at least three camels, four sheep, a half-dozen goats and an abandoned aspirin factory. That oughta show ‘em!

What it will do, in all likelihood, is unify the Islamic crazies in the Middle East and turn Assad into a regional hero, emboldening him to attack Israel, secure in the knowledge that the United States has no stomach for a wider war.

CONTINUED:  The Most Embarrassing President of My Lifetime

Israeli Official Calls Barack Obama Coward : Freedom Outpost

With Barack Obama's Rose Garden statement on Saturday, the Israeli website Marriv is reporting that an unnamed diplomat official in Jerusalem bluntly called Barack Obama a "coward" for stepping back from an attack on Syria. 

"Obama is a coward; it is obvious that he does not want to attack and is looking for reinforcement [for this approach]. It is hard to believe that after Congress turns down his request, he will go on an operation like this on his own, without support from the international community, without the support of public opinion and without Congress," the source said. 

The site went on to say that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to see specific action by America in Syria and restore credibility and strengthen the American deterrence in the region. 

Maariv reported (English translation from Hebrew via Google): 

"Netanyahu wants to attack American symbolize the centrality of the U.S. in the region and will also through a strong message against Iran and extremists in the region. PMO estimated that the American government under the presidency of President Barack Obama wants to reduce the military presence in the region and get involved in wars in the region. However, the desire to engage in domestic issues and foreign policy move focus from the Middle East to the Far East. Despite the differences between the crisis in Syria and Iranian nuclear program, Netanyahu fears American hesitancy to act Syria sends a negative message to Iran that the U.S. military will not act to stop its nuclear program.  According to the sources, it is difficult to avoid the impression that following the American hesitancy Israel will probably be left alone and forced to act alone against Iran without U.S. Israeli officials estimated negative impact of U.S. hesitancy will also increase the motivation of extremists like Hezbollah in the Middle East.  Some estimated that Obama's reference to Congress is an attempt to buy time to find diplomatic solutions to prevent an attack. One possibility is that Assad will destroy or transfer its chemical weapons arsenal to Russia or another country at a price of no attack. Several senior diplomats said that Assad forwarded messages in this regard to the Russians. However, no official confirmation." 

CONTINUED:  Israeli Official Calls Barack Obama Coward : Freedom Outpost

Town Hall Erupts: Why Haven’t You Filed To Impeach Obama Yet?

Congressman Michael Burgess is questioned by a young man, at a town hall meeting, who offers the question all of us are asking “What’s it going to take for you to file Articles of Impeachment?” “I’m a college student, just months away from getting my undergraduate degree.  I like almost everyone here am deeply concerned about the mess and dysfunction of this government – especially with this administration.” Both times this President took his oath of office he swore to preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States.  Literally, he has not done so.  He’s broken his oath of office.   President Obama has committed dozens of impeachable offenses…(applause) You, Congressman Burgess, you have also sworn, and I quote, “to support defend the constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic, and to faithfully discharge the duties of the office.”   In my hand, I have a list of the offenses President Obama has committed for you or for anyone else to see….”


CONTINUED:  Town Hall Erupts: Why Haven’t You Filed To Impeach Obama Yet?