Imperial Presidency

Health Insurance Premiums Continue To Rise Under Obamacare

"Yesterday the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report that claims to highlight how Obamacare is working for Americans—but in reality, it actually shows how the law has fallen short of candidate Obama’s promises. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then one chart in the report tells the tale. Figure 3 of the HHS report (below) highlights what happened when insurers requested to increase premiums by more than 10 percent—triggering a new rate review process established under Obamacare. While some of these premium increases were modified or withdrawn, nearly three in five (57.8 percent) were approved 'unmodified' by regulators." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHealth Insurance Premiums Continue To Rise Under Obamacare

Health Insurance Premiums Continue To Rise Under Obamacare

"Yesterday the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report that claims to highlight how Obamacare is working for Americans—but in reality, it actually shows how the law has fallen short of candidate Obama’s promises. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then one chart in the report tells the tale. Figure 3 of the HHS report (below) highlights what happened when insurers requested to increase premiums by more than 10 percent—triggering a new rate review process established under Obamacare. While some of these premium increases were modified or withdrawn, nearly three in five (57.8 percent) were approved 'unmodified' by regulators." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHealth Insurance Premiums Continue To Rise Under Obamacare

Is It Time to Feel Sorry for the President and other Obamacare Supporters?

"It must not be fun having to explain to people that their private financial and medical information will now be in the hands of some of the least competent people in America. Or imagine what it must be like when some of your biggest allies start complaining about the law. Such as union bosses. Or government bureaucrats. And what about stories about cost overruns. And how about all the bad news about limited choice in the infamous Obamacare exchanges. Or rising insurance costs. Our privacy will be compromised, our choices will be limited, our costs will increase, and the government will squander more of our money. All for a law that even left-wing groups are learning to despise." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIs It Time to Feel Sorry for the President and other Obamacare Supporters?

White House leans on industry for bottled water push

"First Lady Michelle Obama is launching her new Drink Up initiative at an event Thursday in Watertown, Wisconsin. According to the White House, the American Beverage Association and International Bottled Water Association are both promoting the effort. The two associations are the major lobbying forces inside the Beltway for both the bottled water and beverage association. According to the visitor's logs, one of the American Beverage Association's lobbyists, Susan Neely, visited the White House several times. The American Beverage Association is a lobbying heavyweight that has spent $680,000 so far in 2013. The bottled water association has spent $60,000 so far in 2013." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House leans on industry for bottled water push

What Happens When You Can’t Believe A Thing The President Says?

"These are only a few of the many, many instances where Obama or his minions have been caught in false, deceiving or misleading statements — even under oath. It has become so pervasive that people have grown very skeptical of the president’s assertions. Yet amazingly, some of those same skeptics now defend Obama’s claim that U.S. troops will not be used in Syria. Would that be like his absolute denial to Russert? Maybe Obama means it, or maybe he’ll change his mind. No one can know for sure. The country needs to be able to trust a president and his staff and believe what they say. But that’s not the case anymore." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Happens When You Can’t Believe A Thing The President Says?

Obama on Iran: Diplomacy can work when backed with military threats

"Barack Obama has revealed an exchange of letters with Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani but warned his reluctance to strike Syria should not devalue US threats of force to thwart an Iranian nuclear bomb. The US president, in an interview aired Sunday, publicly confirmed the outreach to Rowhani for the first time, and said he believed the Syria chemical arms drama showed that diplomacy could work if backed by threats of military action. In his interview, Obama said that the outcome of the Syrian deal offered Iran a 'lesson' in the benefits of diplomacy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama on Iran: Diplomacy can work when backed with military threats

Pat Buchanan: Putin ‘Made A Better Case’ Than Obama On Syria

"Conservative pundit Patrick Buchanan says Vladimir Putin's op-ed in the New York Times is an 'outstanding piece' that 'made a better case against U.S. strikes in Syria' than President Obama has done in arguing for U.S. strikes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPat Buchanan: Putin ‘Made A Better Case’ Than Obama On Syria

Obama admin. sends guns to Syria…without background checks

"Have these rebels, who reportedly have ties to terrorist groups, gone through background checks? Does this transfer of light weapons and munitions to Syrian rebels go against the grain of the United Nations’ Small Arms Trade Treaty, which the president has said he supports and would sign? There have been allegations that the Syrian rebels have strong connections to al Qaeda, the same organization that claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks in 2001, and has been linked to last year’s Benghazi attack, and we’re giving these people weapons? Does it seem that the president is [little] concerned about putting guns in the hands of people whose idea of justice is public execution?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama admin. sends guns to Syria…without background checks

Russian lawmaker charged with racism over ‘Obama banana’ image

"A pro-Kremlin lawmaker and former Olympic gold medallist faced a racism row Saturday after she posted a photo-collage of President Barack Obama juxtaposed with a banana on Twitter. Irina Rodnina posted on Twitter a photomontage that purports to show Obama and his wife gazing at a hand in the foreground holding up a banana. After the post sparked a storm of disgust on Saturday, Rodnina deleted the message, but insisted she believed she had done nothing wrong. 'Freedom of speech is freedom of speech! Deal with your hangups yourself,' she wrote defiantly on Twitter, saying the post had boosted her rating." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRussian lawmaker charged with racism over ‘Obama banana’ image