Posted on 08/05/2013 11:26:07 AM PDT by xzins
Senators, representatives, and their top aides will be able to stay under the current subsidized health care system.
That means they will continue to get a taxpayer-funded contribution to help pay for their health care premiums.
A last-minute deal worked out before Congress went on their five-week summer vacation gets lawmakers out of the original language of Obamacare, which said members and their aides had to use its health care plans.
Republicans like Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana slammed the move, calling it a "behind-closed-doors deal, announced right after Congress is safely away from the crime scene."
"This is exactly why America rightly hates Washington," Vitter charged. "Obamacare's a train wreck, even for Congress. So it gets fixed -- for Congress only. What the flip about fixing it for America?"
This says that Congress believes ObamaCare is broke. (Not exactly a news flash)
But, it also says that the House had to go along with this, meaning it had to proceed under the Hastert rule....a majority of REPUBLICANS had to support it at some point earlier in the process.
Wow, they don’t even pretend any more, do they?
Where’s the vote ... fire every one that voted for this.
The ruling elite shows its scorn for normal people.
They extract money from the working, productive people for their exorbitant lifestyle.
They make laws for normal people, and not for themselves.
Will the brain-dead public notice and give a danm?
The law says Congress and staff are not exempt.
SO, they just agreed to ignore that I guess.
Don’t the house and Senate have to vote to amend ObamaCare to exempt Congress and staff?
In a sane world.
I honestly don't have anything printable to add to that.
It’s a financing scheme they’re using as a work-around, if I understand correctly.
The Train Wreck known as Obama[don’t]care is intentionally designed to fail and was always intended as an interim step to SINGLE PAYER RUN “SYSTEM” RUN BY THE FEDS. If everyone hates it, and massive numbers of doctors leave the profession, plus half the hospitals close, this is all fine Barry, et.al They fully expect to be able to sell their Dream for You & Me (but not them) when we are sufficiently horrified and abused. By that time, Larry the Cable Guy will be accepted to medical school.
Thanks John Roberts! /s
How can a “deal” rise above an actual law?
If they are above petty things like laws, then why in the world should we obey this law?
I have plenty of things to say and would but then I’d be banned from FR for life.
Don't worry. We won't.
Start asking all of your doctors what their cash price is.
Better question: if they are exempt from the consequences of laws, are they not also exempt from the protections of the law?
At this point I think everyone is in agreement with you.
Where’s the vote list?
As I understand, this was not put to a vote - It was done by Executive Action.
By Michael Kitchen LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- The White House has approved a deal that will create a regulatory fix for members of Congress and their staff related to some of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, according to media reports. Under the law, popularly referred to as Obamacare, lawmakers and their aides were required to source health insurance "created" by the law or offered through one of its exchanges; and without the subsidies they currently have, the members of Congress would have faced thousands of dollars in additional premium payments each year, the reports said. However, the Office of Personnel Management now plans to rule that the government can continue to make a contribution to the health-care premiums of the lawmakers and their staff, according to unnamed congressional sources and a White House official. (This report has been updated to clarify the regulatory changes.)
Basically, it sounds like Obama "decreed" it just like he "decreed" the employer mandate exemption.
Don't worry. We won't.
Are you prepared to refuse to pay the Obamacare fine for not complying?
I'm not sure yet. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Watch unions be exempted next.
Look at the rate differential for young men vs young women. Another Obama war.
My niece already had an after-hours, cash-only MRI much cheaper than the advertised prices.
So Yes, it is headed that way.
Their constituents hsould be waiting for these bastards with hot tar and feathers.
We ahve done this to ourselves. As long as incumbency is a given for elected Congressional and Senatorial officials, they will remain the Houses of Lords.
This is as nice as I can put it right now.
SCREW these people!
With the IRS doing the collecting I can't see how you can refuse.
What’s the best kind of rope and trees to do what has to be done?
An old stately oak and a visit to one’s favorite marine/boat supply store for some of the best rope imaginable.
I always liked those awesome hangman’s knots they tied in the old westerns.

I don't obey laws made by the lawless. I don't even consider them guidelines.
... and then the poor (the Obama voters), who can't afford the fines and don't pay taxes.
I think our PINO and Holder have shown us a number of times that they ignore the laws they don’t like and violate the Constitution with reckless abandon. I have come to expect that of them. What is really unforgiveable is the so-called “Other Side” letting them get away with it all so easily.
We can ignore the law like Barry, but I am quite sure we would end up in big trouble. Still trying to decide where my line in the sand is drawn....I am ashamed to say...
“deemed” passed...or something like that.
When it comes to Congress Boehner can do more than pass meaningless Obamacare repeals.
Let’s use the five week recess to make it a hot August for Congress critters when they are back home. Americans should be incensed that Congress gets a special deal while the rest of us get the shaft.
>>Are you prepared to refuse to pay the Obamacare fine for not complying?<<
Refuse too long and your door will get kicked in....oh round 3:30am. You won’t be dreaming those fellers clad in black with automatic weapons.
It is luverly to be Tsar.
The Politburo always gets better medical care than the peasants. Doesnt everyone know that by now?
I’m pretty sure that Obamacare fazed out the old “subsidized” health insurance plans that gov’t employees had available. Rather than “exempting” the Gmen, which isn’t actually possible since there will be no place to “stay”, this new scheme is more of a payroll thing wherein the guy who writes their paychecks will be able to throw in a little “obamastash money” to cover some/most of the difference the Gmen will see when they go to a new plan such that their out-of-pocket will not change as much. They’re just being given a “raise” without re-publishing the pay scale.
I’m not saying it’s not a clusterflock but it appears to be managed as a payroll issue. The cute part is that, since thousands of people are involved, it’s not a small amount of money, and congress will eventually have to vote on the change in the congressional budget. In the short term the question to ask is “where the bleep did they get the money to hand out the raises to everybody?”
It is unimaginable how big a mess this obamacare thing is now.
I’d think that the Congressional republicans would be all over the news tonight spewing forth on how special exemptions get handed to everyone but employers, and that NOW that CONGRESS itself has been exempted that THAT gives the right to DEFUND specific portions of ObamaCare since they’ve been DRUG INTO IT, a separate branch of the government.
I'm almost 70 years old...if you young folks aren't 'in the streets' over this outrageous act...what will it take to get you worked up?
These politicians are acting like they're royals.
Mark my word, once they get these benefits, they'll go with them even when they leave congress.
You may not be able to afford your own but, you will pay these benefits for the 'royals' or you'll be jailed.
You better do something NOW!
I seem to recall that they make an income of approximately 4 times the average family of 4 income in the US. Yet, they admit that it is unaffordable to the upper class while forcing it down the working class’ pocketbook!
These people are sickening.
Support Mike Lee's effort to defund it: DontFundIt.com
No the have trained the public to except what they say years of dumbing down is paying off for them.
If you are afraid of a fight then perhaps you should stay on the curb, clap when necessary. I guess you have to decide whether you have anything worth defending. A fight isn’t a first choice for many of us but failure to fight when necessary is fatal. I drew my line about four decades ago after an unfair audit showed me there was always reason to fight to win. And remember you are not alone——there are something like 100 million of your closest friends out here who are armed to the teeth and not interested in taking cheap crap from heavy handed bureaucrats.———————Semper Fi
The first time the jack boots try that, will probably be the last. The country's like a dry prairie just waiting for the right spark to light it up. With odds at 100: 1, it's the last thing they want.
No, I expect the regime will punish folks through the courts and other alphabet agencies, for refusing to pay the fine. That's even if Obamacare survives that long. As soon as implementation begins, I expect to see a slew of lawsuits at the federal level. The exemptions they've granted so far, are clearly unconstitutional.
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