Just noticing: Observations of a blogger
Posted by Michelle Moquin on April 20th, 2014
Good morning!
To all the repubs out there: “just noticing…”
“…Ahh…Obamacare is working.”
“This Thing Is Working”
A Slew Of Good Health Care News Has Conservatives On Their Heels
The evidence continues to pile up that the Affordable Care Act is doing exactly what progressives said it would: providing the peace of mind of high-quality and affordable health coverage to millions of Americans. Despite the initial bumps, the law is actually exceeding expectations when it comes to enrollment. What’s more, Americans are sick of Republicans who have voted over 50 times to repeal the law without even offering an alternative — the law is working better than expected and it is here to stay.
19 Million Americans Covered
With President Obama’s final announcement of enrollment numbers on Thursday, the tally for the total number of Americans getting coverage (so far!) thanks to the Affordable Care Act is in:
- 8 million people have signed up for health coverage through the state and federal marketplaces.
- 3 million more have signed up for coverage through Medicaid.
- 3 million now have coverage by staying on their parents’ plan.
- 5 million people have signed up for ACA-compliant plans outside the marketplace.
Altogether, a new Gallup survey reveals that 4 percent of all Americans are newly ensured this year.
Exchanges Working And Costs Down
Opponents of the law claimed that insufficient numbers of young and healthy people would enroll in the exchanges, causing premiums to skyrocket next year. These fears also aren’t panning out; in fact, just the opposite is happening.
For one, young people are signing up for health coverage under the law in droves. The White House reported that 28% of enrollees are between the ages of 18 and 35. That’s the same percentage as in Massachusetts, which has run a successful healthcare marketplace since 2007. Gallup echoes this point, writing that “the newly insured are, on average, much younger than the overall population.”
Additionally, worries about dramatic cost increases have also proven to be overblown. New Congressional Budget Office projections for 2016 insurance premiums are 15 percent lower than previous estimates, a reduction that they estimate to save $186 billion (not to say we called it, but…we called it).
The mix of massive enrollment and a young, healthy enrollment pool has insurers who “got their first taste of Obamacare this year [wanting] seconds,” according to Politico. In at least ten states, insurers that didn’t offer coverage through the exchanges this year have said they plan to in 2015. This creates more options for consumers, and signals the strength of the ACA marketplaces.
Conservatives On Defense
As millions of people experience real, and not just theoretical, benefits of the law, Americans are getting more and more tired of the political battles to repeal it. A recent Kaiser survey found that 59 percent of Americans want keep the law in place or improve it, while only 29 percent want get rid of it. Pew reports that even a “majority of ACA opponents – representing 30% of the public overall – want politicians to do what they can to make the law work as well as possible, compared with 19% of the public that wants elected officials to do what they can to make it fail.”
And constituents are showing their frustration with their conservative elected officials’ fixation on repeal. Without any alternative to point to, and an increasingly frustrated public, these politicians have nobody to blame but themselves.
Think Progress videotaped on one such interaction at a town hall for GOP Rep. Dennis Ross (FL):
Constituent: Why do you think it is so good to deny seniors on Part D to make them pay more, about $4,000 more for medicine, and people with pre-existing conditions get denied insurance, have 26-year-olds have a harder time getting insurance because they can’t get on their parents’? Why do you think those are good ideas?
ROSS: I don’t. I think one of the most unfortunate things my party did the last three years was not offer an alternative to health care.
Ross isn’t the only Republican to face criticism recently. Paul Ryan, Scott Brown, and Chris Christie have also had constituents tell them to end their focus on repeal. Meanwhile, states that have refused to expand health care to low-income residents are also starting to face the music: the uninsured rate is dropping three times faster in states that have expanded Medicaid compared to those that have not.
BOTTOM LINE: We think just a look at a few of this week’s health-care related headlines provides the best summary: the ACA is working.
*A*C*A*!*
Readers: I am in a small girls group and I texted them this morning wishing all of them a Happy Easter and hoping that those who celebrate Passover, were enjoying the holiday as well. One sister texted me back saying how much she “loved this season of miracles and rebirth.” Her comment made me smile.
So, here’s to all of you on this Easter Sunday and nearing the end of Passover. I HOPE you all have a joyous day, and miracles happen all around you. I find that when I appreciate all that I have, the miracles just appear. And I HOPE for all of us, that this rebirth of our nation since Obama came into office will continue to go on and remain strong.
I find that although much of what is written here talks about the atrocities that are happening in our country and around the world, that if we focus on the good that we already have, and continue to appreciate and strive for solutions for the betterment for all, it will come to us. Look at Obamacare – it is working. Miracles do not have to be miraculous. All of us, working together, can make this a piece of cake.
So happy to have you all here with me. Have a wonderful day celebrating with friends and family! Share of you are inspired. Blog me.
Peace & Love…
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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April 20th, 2014 at 12:59 pm
I’m sorry to have to share another atrocity in light of today’s blog on the positive but I could not NOT post this here today. Where else would anyone have a care?
Men are just sick. This male behavior has to stop! What is it going to take? What are you waiting for aliens?! Take all the male food you want please start with Russia.
——
Six-month pregnant journalist taken to hospital for treatment after pro-Kremlin political leader ordered his aides to ‘violently rape her’ during press conference when she asked about sanctions against Ukraine
Nationalist Vladimir Zhironovsky launched his extraordinary tirade after reporter Stella Dubovitskaya asked him an innocuous question about sanctions against Ukraine.
Full Story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609016/Six-month-pregnant-journalist-taken-hospital-treatment-pro-Kremlin-political-leader-ordered-aides-violently-rape-press-conference-asked-sanctions-against-Ukraine.html
I hope she gets some kind of vindication for this.
April 20th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
The problem as I see it is that men have not evolved beyond cavemen mentality. Maybe only the emotional sets have the ability to evolve.
April 20th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
[…] Venus: Your post is frightening to me. I can’t tell you how angry and upset I was from reading the story. I am at a loss of words. I wish I had the solution to end these horrific atrocities against women. When I think of how sick and inhumane it is for a man to order a woman to be “violently raped,” and the fact that his aids did as was told, is just beyond shocking. […]
April 21st, 2014 at 1:13 pm
Social Butterfly and Michelle, I too was interested in the Cinderella story. I found this very informative. Cinderella Tales From Around the World. http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/cinderella/history.html
April 21st, 2014 at 1:31 pm
It says even more about the men of Russia. The cowards just stood there and allowed it to happen.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:39 pm
Love the posts about Russia in general, seems the frenzy against them is getting going well.
Let us not forget we invaded not one but two countries on a false pretence and that we bombed Libya “for their own good” killing at least 1500 innocent civilians by blowing them up with “wellness missiles”.
I can’t say for the future but the blood on Putin’s hands is a lot less than the blood on Bush, Blair, Obama and Cameron’s hands right now.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:41 pm
Zhirinovski has nothing to do with the Kremlin. He is a well known controversial political figure or clown depending on your point of view. No-one takes him seriously in Russia and neither should the independent.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Venus:
This guy is a clown, everyone in Russia knows that, but after this stunt he’s chance of being reelected has plummeted below zero.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:43 pm
Zhirinovsky is the type to say this stuff. One of the more amusing entries from his Wikipedia page: “To eradicate bird flu, he proposed arming all of Russia’s population and ordering them and the troops to shoot down the migrant birds returning to Russia from wintering”
April 21st, 2014 at 1:43 pm
Zhirinovsky is not a Lib Dem, he’s a very naughty boy.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:44 pm
The fact Zhirinovsky’s party is called “Liberal Democratic” always amuses me; when he and Russia are neither Liberal or Democratic.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Stormfront and the Nazis will be happy. Hitler is resurrected this Easter.
This is not the worst he has done but the Media do not report such scum.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Yeah this is the true Russian mentality,never mind what all the idiot pro Russian posters say here,this is what they are really like.
Maybe western politicians are also corrupt etc,but at least there is a thin veneer of decency, the Russians have an even thinner.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Ian#6, Poor Tu quoque argument.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:50 pm
no it damn well ISNT Ian#6. LOOK AT SYRIA. Assad wholly armed by Putin and only still in power because of him, total dead = 150,000 plus.
The difference is the West usually at least, albeit very mistakenly tries to do something for the common good ie Libya whereas Russia ONLY acts to protect its dictatorship.
April 21st, 2014 at 1:56 pm
Ian#6, A clown yes but also twice elected deputy speaker of the Duma.
April 21st, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Zhirinovsky called out Ukrainian nationalist Irina Farion. “You think she hates Russians? She loves them! Uterine frenzy — no lover, no husband, nothing. She’s got a beast between her legs! And that fire devil rushes upwards through her dumb bitch tongue.”
April 21st, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Garth#15, what are you on?….some of the most dictatorial, odious regimes in the world are friends of the West (i.e. Saudi & Bahrain).
April 21st, 2014 at 2:17 pm
Garth#15, http://www.libyanwarthetruth.com/al-qaeda-criminal-khaled-al-sharif-appointed-minister-defense-libya
That’s the Libya, which the West needed.
Now, when the West speaks about democracy, people know he’s going to rob them.
April 21st, 2014 at 2:18 pm
Ilja#8, But why and how does he get support (however much that is?).
April 21st, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Les#7;
OH REAllY? Yet fascist Putin, after invading another country and lying about it. began encouraging violence anganist gays as well as demanding Ukraine be a federation whilst in his own country destroying local government (just to weaken Ukraine forever)has SKY HIGH POPULARITY..urghh
April 21st, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Aglaya#13, most sane people in Russia ignore Zhirinovski for the clown / demagogue that he is. It is certainly not the true Russian mentality.
April 21st, 2014 at 2:43 pm
Why did those men obey him? Is Russia so depraved that a man can’t refuse to do something so vile?
April 21st, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Ilja#8, coz Russia is now the most fascist country on earth
April 21st, 2014 at 2:46 pm
Les#22, unfortunately in a country where a kleptocrat who has taken away the rule of law and criminalises NGOs and gays has a 75% approval rating.
How can you say that about the Russian mentality?? Apart form North Korea it is the most FASCIST country on earth.
I worked there and, as a foreigner, you keep your head down for fear of attack and bribes by the police, some of the most corrupt on earth..
April 21st, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Zhirinovsky is a COLONEL in the Russian Army. Any women on a possible line of advance should probably evacuate now. “According to the former CPSU Politburo member Alexander Nikolaevich Yakovlev, this party was a joint project of Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) leadership and the KGB”.
No connection to (ex) KGB man Putin then! Here’s another one “Although nominally part of the Russian opposition, he is widely seen as a servant of Kremlin policy, used to float radical opinions to test public reaction.”
“Zhirinovsky is well known for his boasts pertaining to other countries, having expressed a desire to reunite countries of the ex-Soviet “near abroad” with Russia to within the Russia’s borders of 1900 (including Finland and Poland).
He has advocated forcibly retaking Alaska from the United States (which would then become “a great place to put the Ukrainians”), turning Kazakhstan into “Russia’s back yard”, and provoking wars between the clans and the nations of the former Soviet Union and occupying what will remain of it when the wars are over.
Zhirinovsky, who encourages separatism within the Russian minority in the Baltic countries, endorsed the forcible re-occupation of these countries and said nuclear waste should be dumped there”.
And how has he changed?
“In reaction to Condoleezza Rice’s criticism of Russian foreign policy during the 2006 dispute, Zhirinovsky stated that “Condoleezza Rice needs a company of soldiers [and] needs to be taken to barracks where she would be satisfied.”
And this thing can come SECOND in opinion polls?
Seems to suggest that this is what Russians like and are like.
April 21st, 2014 at 2:50 pm
A Russian Liberal Democrat. Now as for those Right Wing types; Plutonium coffee anyone?
April 21st, 2014 at 2:51 pm
Why is this just not surprising coming from the country that brings state-sponsored homophobia, racism, corruption and props up the world’s most brutal dictators in a global bid to fight against freedom and human rights..urgh..
April 21st, 2014 at 2:52 pm
Mr Zhirinovsky is considered extreme in Russia.
April 21st, 2014 at 2:56 pm
Casper#27, LibDem – just a name in Russia. Zhirinovsky is considered populist and extreme.
April 21st, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Gwen#28, Get off your moral high horse….or are you so blind to what is actually happening in EVERY nation at the moment?
April 21st, 2014 at 3:06 pm
Ajarn#31,
EVERY NATION??? I dont see many others SUPPORTING GENOCIDAL LEADERS WITH ARMS, ENCOURAGING VIOLENCE AGAINST GAYS, INVADING OTHER COUNTRIES IN A PRETENCE OF PROTECTING PEOPLE, TAKING AWAY THEIR CITIZENS RIGHTS ONE BY ONE…tell me another apart form North Korea etc
April 21st, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Ajarn#31, Several African countries have leaders who behave very much worse. The US have supported extremists in Afghanistan merely because they were anti-Soviet – but perhaps Al-Quaida are not extreme enough for your book. Citizens’ rights? Do I notice these increasing in the UK?
April 21st, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Not all Russian men are like that.
April 21st, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Most of the men here in russia are like your white males in America. They are racist, misogynistic self-centered pigs.
If aliens are going to take them out, please don’t forget america’s sick white males.
April 21st, 2014 at 3:19 pm
Cole#33, Which in a nation of extreme right-wing nationalists where gays are tortured to death and all NGOs trying to improve rights of citizens denounced as foreign agents, is not that extreme!
Honestly IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY ALMOST THAT GUY WOULD BE A FIGURE OF HATE..
But in one where kleptocrat and brutal dictator PUTIN is lauded as a hero, well what can you expect?