He finally really did it. As a follow-up to yesterday's executive order designed to bring back junk insurance and destabilize the Affordable Care Act's individual markets, Donald Trump late last night launched a more immediate attack on the ACA, announcing that the government would
The only silver lining I can see to this nasty mess is that Trump is doing it openly and effective immediately. The Repub Congress had planned to do it sneaky and with delayed effect so they wouldn't be held accountable in 2018.
So if we're really lucky then Congress will feel forced to step in and do something to fix this mess. Doesn't seem likely, given their track record.
Maybe, if we're lucky at all, more voters will realize what the Repubs are up to and will make them pay in 2018.
None of which helps the people hit by this. The GOP is now the Sociopath Party.
The idea of dystopian sci fi occurred to me as well, just this afternoon. I wonder if that could explain Republicans' endless drive to the sub-basement of hell. My logic is that Republicans, not unlike tRump, pretty much measure their success by whether they're the "best"/"worst"/ "most extreme" at any given thing. And like tRump, they don't care whether it's relative to reality or to fiction. So there's the rub. Sci fi writers, in recent years, have imagined more and more interesting and unusual dystopias. So its all THEIR fault! They should know that Repugs will have to outdo them!
I'm pretty sure I've read that there's a notable set of court decisions saying that the federal government MUST make payment at some point, for legally authorized activities, and that Congress failing to follow up with direct appropriation doesn't change this obligation. I'm also too NOT a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this is a more general legal precedent than just one relating to the specific laws surrounding Obamacare. And no, I can't cite sources and precedents. And yes, I'm sure this would be a very hairy legal argument. But I'm pretty sure that such 'implicit' appropriation would actually hold up. In general, all arcane legal texts aside, our federal government is, quite simply, not allowed to fail to pay its obligations. CUE the herd of lawyers!
It really demonstrates his tripartite diagnosis: unproductive, malignant, narcissism.
It's unproductive because (a) it may just be illegal and unenforceable, (b) relies on an understaffed, inexperienced upper management layer or a professional bureaucratic layer of the administration to implement, (c) because of that, it may mean the Ol' Pussy Grabber will have to have a sustained effort to make it happen, (d) is being done openly and at a poorly timed juncture because the Ol' Pussy Grabber couldn't pass the Mischel's Marshmallow test much less execute a complex strategy. In short, he's shot his wad prematurely. He always does. He has no ability to plan, execute, or manage his emotions.
It's malignant because he harms millions needlessly and accomplishes nothing policy-wise or of his personal goals. It certainly doesn't harm Barack Obama. It might make Obama sad or angry just like it does you or me. It might make Obama wistful about what could've been, but it does not real harm to him. Obama's legacy is settled. It is in the history books. The Ol' Pussy Grabber doesn't realize that he's now laying the groundwork for his own legacy, how he will be remembered. He'll be remembered as the president who deliberately and with malice aforethought caused significant harm and premature death to millions. He'll be the Goebbels and Mengele of our time. Great. Take that Obama! I can hurt millions and you can't stop me!
It is narcissistic because he can only see it from his own narrow perspective: he needs a win. He needs to take down Obamacare. The legislature failed, so he'll go the executive order route. Obamacare will be in shambles now no matter what. He won. Look, the Ol' Pussy Grabber's a winner!
He can only see it from his own narrow perspective. Obama hurt him publicly at the WH Correspondent's Dinner by making fun of him for being a dumb ass and championing birtherism. Now, he's having his revenge! Won't mom be proud of her boy? No, because mom was never and will never be proud of or approving of anything the Ol' Pussy Grabber ever did no matter what it was. She can only disperse disappointment. But, she also had her revenge!
He literally lives the old Milo Minderbinder line from Catch-22, "what is good for M & M Enterprises is good for the country." "What's good for the Ol' Pussy Grabber is good for the Ol' Pussy Grabber cuz ain't nothing exist outside of the Ol' Pussy Grabber no way no how."
Yes, it appears he cited to the wrong section but look at (c)(3)(A) above that section:"An issuer of a qualified health plan making reductions under this subsection shall notify the Secretary of such reductions and the Secretary shall make periodic and timely payments to the issuer equal to the value of the reductions."
I've been doing the irritating 'broken record' thing in NYT comments, and I'm just enough of an ass to punish folks with it here. This isn't tRump. This is the evil GOP (redundant) who, thanks to some interesting Slavic folk, have gotten their wildest wet dreams dumped in their laps. tRump can't be both a "fucking moron" AND an evil genius. But McConnell is clearly the most evilest turtle ever to walk this planet.
If my understanding of what Trump did is accurate, the new insurance plans aren't technically fraudulent since they meet Trump's standards.
They're just worthless and deceptive.
The only silver lining I can see to this nasty mess is that Trump is doing it openly and effective immediately. The Repub Congress had planned to do it sneaky and with delayed effect so they wouldn't be held accountable in 2018.
So if we're really lucky then Congress will feel forced to step in and do something to fix this mess. Doesn't seem likely, given their track record.
Maybe, if we're lucky at all, more voters will realize what the Repubs are up to and will make them pay in 2018.
None of which helps the people hit by this. The GOP is now the Sociopath Party.
Don't anybody tell Trump. He'd be jealous.
You nailed it.
Except the Repubs may be more efficient at destroying something than in actually getting legislation passed.
The more things change, the more they stay the same;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...
The idea of dystopian sci fi occurred to me as well, just this afternoon. I wonder if that could explain Republicans' endless drive to the sub-basement of hell. My logic is that Republicans, not unlike tRump, pretty much measure their success by whether they're the "best"/"worst"/ "most extreme" at any given thing. And like tRump, they don't care whether it's relative to reality or to fiction. So there's the rub. Sci fi writers, in recent years, have imagined more and more interesting and unusual dystopias. So its all THEIR fault! They should know that Repugs will have to outdo them!
Just some weird snark .... OR IS IT?
I'm pretty sure I've read that there's a notable set of court decisions saying that the federal government MUST make payment at some point, for legally authorized activities, and that Congress failing to follow up with direct appropriation doesn't change this obligation. I'm also too NOT a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this is a more general legal precedent than just one relating to the specific laws surrounding Obamacare. And no, I can't cite sources and precedents. And yes, I'm sure this would be a very hairy legal argument. But I'm pretty sure that such 'implicit' appropriation would actually hold up. In general, all arcane legal texts aside, our federal government is, quite simply, not allowed to fail to pay its obligations. CUE the herd of lawyers!
Hitler didn't die in the episode but a lot of his henchmen did, for different reasons. Think of The Purge movies.https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...
It really demonstrates his tripartite diagnosis: unproductive, malignant, narcissism.
It's unproductive because (a) it may just be illegal and unenforceable, (b) relies on an understaffed, inexperienced upper management layer or a professional bureaucratic layer of the administration to implement, (c) because of that, it may mean the Ol' Pussy Grabber will have to have a sustained effort to make it happen, (d) is being done openly and at a poorly timed juncture because the Ol' Pussy Grabber couldn't pass the Mischel's Marshmallow test much less execute a complex strategy. In short, he's shot his wad prematurely. He always does. He has no ability to plan, execute, or manage his emotions.
It's malignant because he harms millions needlessly and accomplishes nothing policy-wise or of his personal goals. It certainly doesn't harm Barack Obama. It might make Obama sad or angry just like it does you or me. It might make Obama wistful about what could've been, but it does not real harm to him. Obama's legacy is settled. It is in the history books. The Ol' Pussy Grabber doesn't realize that he's now laying the groundwork for his own legacy, how he will be remembered. He'll be remembered as the president who deliberately and with malice aforethought caused significant harm and premature death to millions. He'll be the Goebbels and Mengele of our time. Great. Take that Obama! I can hurt millions and you can't stop me!
It is narcissistic because he can only see it from his own narrow perspective: he needs a win. He needs to take down Obamacare. The legislature failed, so he'll go the executive order route. Obamacare will be in shambles now no matter what. He won. Look, the Ol' Pussy Grabber's a winner!
He can only see it from his own narrow perspective. Obama hurt him publicly at the WH Correspondent's Dinner by making fun of him for being a dumb ass and championing birtherism. Now, he's having his revenge! Won't mom be proud of her boy? No, because mom was never and will never be proud of or approving of anything the Ol' Pussy Grabber ever did no matter what it was. She can only disperse disappointment. But, she also had her revenge!
He literally lives the old Milo Minderbinder line from Catch-22, "what is good for M & M Enterprises is good for the country." "What's good for the Ol' Pussy Grabber is good for the Ol' Pussy Grabber cuz ain't nothing exist outside of the Ol' Pussy Grabber no way no how."
We are so fucked.
Lobotomy might could help. Even a chemical lobotomy could improve the Ol' Pussy Grabber.
Exactly like DACA.
By every means short of actual shooting war, Mommie Dearest Russia must be punished for doing this to us, however long it takes.
Based on reports of Trump's feelings about White House personnel, this might be just what he'd like best.
Yes, it appears he cited to the wrong section but look at (c)(3)(A) above that section:"An issuer of a qualified health plan making reductions under this subsection shall notify the Secretary of such reductions and the Secretary shall make periodic and timely payments to the issuer equal to the value of the reductions."
I've been doing the irritating 'broken record' thing in NYT comments, and I'm just enough of an ass to punish folks with it here. This isn't tRump. This is the evil GOP (redundant) who, thanks to some interesting Slavic folk, have gotten their wildest wet dreams dumped in their laps. tRump can't be both a "fucking moron" AND an evil genius. But McConnell is clearly the most evilest turtle ever to walk this planet.
Welcome to the Monkey House! You can still read us on public library computers until those are shut down, too... (sigh)