Imperial Presidency

US Relaxes Health Law Income, Insurance Status Rule for Exchanges

"Until now, the administration had proposed that exchanges verify whether new applicants receive employer-sponsored insurance benefits through random checks. It also sought to require marketplaces to verify each enrollee's income status. But final regulations released quietly on Friday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) give 16 states and the District of Columbia, which are setting up their own exchanges, until 2015 to begin random sampling of enrollees' employer-insurance status. The rules also allow only random— rather than comprehensive—checks on income eligibility in 2014." Continue reading →

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Oliver Stone on NSA Spying

"Some have claimed that Americans don't care about the revelations that the NSA is conducting massive surveillance on our private communications. But Oliver Stone isn't buying it. In a video produced with the ACLU, Director Oliver Stone shares some of his reflections on the NSA spying program and the disastrous legacy of unchecked government abuse of power. All Americans should stand up for our civil liberties at this critical moment in history, he says-- by asking our representatives in Congress to roll back the surveillance state." Continue reading →

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Pepe Escobar: Towards a Snowden endgame

"The US Ambassador in Austria, William Eacho, was responsible for spreading the (false) information about Snowden being on board Bolivia President Evo Morales' Falcon - leading to the denial of overflying rights in France, Spain, Portugal an Italy. Eacho - a former CEO of a food distribution company with no diplomatic experience whatsoever - was appointed by Obama in June 2009. Why? Because he was a top Obama fundraiser. Eacho did little to disprove those who sustain that the NSA really needs to 'analyze' every phone call, email and tweet on the planet - otherwise they could never obtain such pearls of intelligence as pinpointing Snowden on Evo's plane." Continue reading →

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Obama (Scut Farkus), Europe (Grover Dill), and Snowden (Ralphie)

"It is obvious that nobody in the highest levels of government thought through the implications of the bonehead decision of the advisor who decided that the government was going to get Edward Snowden off that plane. It never occurred to him that Snowden was not on the plane. It never occurred to him that toadies in Western Europe would resent the fact that they were exposed as toadies. Finally, he never figured out that this would enable two near-communists and the anti-American President of the number-four oil-exporting nation to the United States the opportunity to offer asylum to Snowden, when they had not had the courage to do this prior." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama (Scut Farkus), Europe (Grover Dill), and Snowden (Ralphie)

Former Federal Judge On Obama Suspending the Law

"President Obama's decision last week to suspend the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act may be welcome relief to businesses affected by this provision, but it raises grave concerns about his understanding of the role of the executive in our system of government. Article II, Section 3, of the Constitution states that the president 'shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.' This is a duty, not a discretionary power. While the president does have substantial discretion about how to enforce a law, he has no discretion about whether to do so. This matter—the limits of executive power—has deep historical roots." Continue reading →

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White House dodges questions of Egyptian ‘coup’ as military aid continues

"The Obama administration attempted to sidestep questions over the legality of military aid to Egypt on Monday, claiming it was not in its 'best interests' to decide yet whether the armed overthrow of the country’s elected president amounted to a coup or not. US law prevents any administration providing support to the leaders of a military coup, but the White House announced it will not suspend foreign aid to Egypt for now, pending further review. 'We have had a long relationship with Egypt and the Egyptian people and it would not be wise to abruptly change our assistance programme,' said spokesman Jay Carney." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House dodges questions of Egyptian ‘coup’ as military aid continues

Is It Good News or Bad News that the White House Has Delayed the Obamacare Employer Mandate?

“So part of me is happy that the White House has bumped into reality and now admits that it hasn’t been able to come up with a workable plan for the employer mandate.  But another part of me is unhappy.  … Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIs It Good News or Bad News that the White House Has Delayed the Obamacare Employer Mandate?

The Ten Most Disturbing Things You Should Know About the FBI Since 9/11

"1. USA Patriot Act Abuse; 2. 2008 Amendments to the Attorney General's Guidelines; 3. Racial and Ethnic Mapping; 4. Unrestrained Data Collection and Data Mining 5. Suppressing Internal Dissent: The FBI War on Whistleblowers; 6. Targeting Journalists; 7. Thwarting Congressional Oversight; 8. Targeting First Amendment Activity; 9. Proxy Detentions; 10. Use of No Fly List to Pressure Americans Abroad to Become Informants." Continue reading →

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CDC Report Fatally Shoots Obama’s Theory of Gun Violence

"Obama earlier this year issued an executive order commanding the Centers for Disease Control to do a study of gun violence in America — as if gun violence is caused by a disease. The CDC did what it was told. It has issued a report. It shoots down Obama. 'Between the years 2000-2010 firearm-related suicides significantly outnumbered homicides for all age groups, annually accounting for 61 percent of the more than 335,600 people who died from firearms related violence in the United States.' This creates a major problem for Obama. It’s difficult for the government to prosecute users of unregistered handguns who kill themselves." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCDC Report Fatally Shoots Obama’s Theory of Gun Violence