WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, the ObamaCare exchanges – where Americans have to go to sign up for Washington-mandated insurance – go live. With delays for large businesses, delays for small businesses, delays for some of the state exchanges themselves, the question is what happens to the average American trying to sign up?
Last year, President Obama rolled out the “Life of Julia” to try to garner support for his deeply unpopular signature domestic policy achievement. With a whopping $2.6 trillion price tag, this law includes 20,000 pages of new regulations and over $1 trillion in new taxes. But where’s Julia now? What has been her experience trying to get her Washington-mandated health care?
Sen. Orrin Hatch, in a statement released today, said “let’s take a look:”
After Julia is kicked off her employer-sponsored health insurance, who explains how to sign up for ObamaCare?
THE CHALLENGE: Julia will be assigned to a navigator – those tasked with assisting the uninsured in determining what type of coverage they qualify for. These individuals will have access to her personal information, such as her Social Security number and household income.
While Members of Congress have warned the weak privacy protections that cut corners on background checks for navigators coupled with inadequate training could potentially put consumers at risk of fraud and identity theft, the Administration has refused to improve the hiring and training requirements for navigators.
THE BOTTOM LINE: An unqualified navigator, or an impostor posing as a counselor or outreach personnel, could easily get access to Julia’s private information and steal her identity, bank account information, creating a nightmare for Julia to fix.
Is the exchange in Julia’s state ready?
THE CHALLENGE: Not all of the exchanges are ready to launch today. Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado and the District of Columbia, for example, have already delayed launching their exchanges.
According to the New York Times:
Many of the 16 directors of state-run exchanges are describing October as a “soft launch” period, when Americans can start exploring their coverage options — but on Web sites that may be incomplete, vulnerable to glitches and perhaps not ready for an onslaught of customers.
The Head of Oregon’s exchange said, “I have no idea what this thing’s going to look like on Oct. 1 …. We could crash and burn and have to close it down.”
Ed. note: Southern Utahns see: Launch of nation’s Health Insurance Marketplace just around the corner; where to get help in Southern Utah
THE BOTTOM LINE: Julia might not even be able to sign up on October 1, because of significant problems with the exchanges.
What happens now that Julia has selected a plan on the exchange?
- Will her personal data be secure?
THE CHALLENGE: Julia’s personal information – Social Security number, tax returns etc. — will be entered into the Federal Data Services Hub (Data Hub) — a new information sharing network that allows other state and federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Homeland Security, to verify a person’s information.
While the Obama Administration has said that testing has been completed, certification to operate has been granted and that the Data Hub is operational and ready to go, no independent watchdog, like the Government Accountability Office (GAO), has yet verified the security operation or made recommendations to better safeguard and guarantee the privacy of consumers.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Absent an independent review, there is no way of knowing if the exchanges have adequate safeguards to protect and secure consumers’ personal information. Launching the Data Hub with an unproven security system means Julia’s personal and financial records are at serious risk.
- Will she get subsidies?
THE CHALLENGE: Julia may be eligible to receive a subsidy, or a tax credit designed to defray the cost of purchasing health insurance, based on how much she earns. These tax credits are both advanceable and refundable, meaning the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will pay them first and verify the claims for them later, what some call “pay and chase.”
THE BOTTOM LINE: Julia could receive a bigger subsidy than she actually qualifies for and end up OWING the federal government money next tax season.
- Will Julia have the same quality health care she had?
THE CHALLENGE: Insurance exchanges will have fewer health insurance providers than before ObamaCare. According to an analysis by the Senate Finance Committee Minority Staff, 75 percent of states with federal health exchanges will have less than the 53 plan average announced by the White House.
Even more, there will be fewer provider networks in the exchanges. Insurers are keeping premiums low by reducing the number of doctors and hospitals covered by the insurance plans. The only insurer of the New Hampshire exchange, for example, is excluding 10 of the 26 hospitals in the state. And, Blue Cross Blue Shield in California’s exchange plans will only have 53 percent of the doctors and 74 percent of the hospitals that their broadest non-exchange plans.
THE BOTTOM LINE: With fewer choices in the exchanges, Julia may have limited access to quality health care.
Will Julia have to pay more for her health care than she did when she have insurance through her employer?
THE CHALLENGE: While some Americans might receive cheaper insurance than they otherwise would have, the majority of Americans will face higher insurance rates. The Manhattan Institute found individual market premiums will increase 99 percent for men and 62 percent for women nationwide.
THE BOTTOM LINE: : Depending on her plan, Julia may very well end up paying more out of pocket for her health care that she did before ObamaCare.
Submitted by the Office of Sen. Orrin Hatch
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
I know, how about you do an actual investigative news story instead of just republishing everything Mr. Hatch’s office puts out?
This isn’t a “feature” news story, this is garbage put out by Hatch to scare people.
Haven’t you been paying attention the last few months? Hundreds of companies have either layed off people, or cut them to 29 hrs because of the new and exciting health care act. Why would large companies with a keen business sense do this? People will suffer so they can keep their profit margins. So now these folks with no job or 29 hrs for their work week will now have to find a way to pay for health care. Let me put it another way: they are being “forced” to obtain health care. The IRS will now enforce this activity and in a few short years, we will not be able to recognize this country as it once was. Yep, Barry has fundamentally changed America just like he promised to.
Obamacare is a complete disaster. It may help some people at the bottom of the ladder, a little, in the very short term, but in the end it will destroy the entire ladder and everyone loses. But helping people was never the point of Obamacare: control was. And once they control healthcare (and they will, because all insurance companies will end up going out of business) they can control absolutely everything. Want a gun? No problem, but guns are dangerous so your healthcare premiums are going to triple. Ride ATV’s? Those are dangerous, so your health insurance premiums are going to double. These punishments won’t be based on actual risk-based statistics, mind you, they’ll be based on radical political agendas.
Insurance companies going out of business? Not even close. In fact, many have been hiring new people to help handle the additional load of MILLIONS of NEW CUSTOMERS.
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The ACA (Obamacare) does not REPLACE insurance companies, it ENHANCES their bottom line via all those new policies.
Since its a “fact”, why don’t you cite a single source for your claims (other than the white house, which is clearly your primary news source).
Aetna, UnitedHealth, and Anthem Blue Cross have all pulled out of Califnornia’s exchange in the last 3 months, because its impossible to profitably do business there. 58,000 people will lose their plans as a result. But I’m sure that somehow miraculously created jobs. Use Google, this is easy to verify.
Aetna was founded in Connecticut in 1850. In its HOME STATE of 153 years its pulling out of the exchange because its forced to charge premiums and offer services that are unprofitable. You see, to employ people, you have to bring in more money than you pay out, otherwise the people you employ LOSE THEIR JOBS. It’s a little thing we like to call “math”.
Medical Mutual of Ohio had to pull of out South Carolina, where it was the 2nd largest insurer. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield covers 86% of Iowa’s individuals, and it has backed out from obamacare.
Obamacare was created by idiots with the intent of forcing our nation into single-payer healthcare (AKA “socialized medicine”). That has always been its intent (see 926bPZiQhgY on youtube for video of obama and his cronies saying just this).
Please, get informed.
Aetna insurance has decided not to participate in Covered California, the state’s online marketplace (exchange), where they would compete for policies for individuals. They will continue to offer group plans through employers. That’s their choice and they are free to make it. They will, however, lose an opportunity to insure the millions of Californians who will find policies via the exchange.
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Like Aetna, UnitedHealth’s business in California is predominantly in the group market. They are another very small player as regards individual policies. They will sit out at least the first year, then re-evaluate and decide if they would like to enter the marketplace in the future.
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According to the LA Times, UnitedHealth, Aetna and Cigna, all very large companies, currently hold only 7% of the individual policy market in California.
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According to Covered California, your inclusion of Anthem Blue Cross in a group of those pulling out of the individual market is incorrect. While Anthem decided not to participate in SHOP (Small business Health Option Program), they remain a provider for individual coverage.
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The list of CA exchange providers follows:
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Alameda Alliance for Health
Anthem Blue Cross of California
Blue Shield of California
Chinese Community Health Plan
Contra Costa Health Plan
Health Net
Kaiser Permanente
L.A. Care Health Plan
Molina Healthcare
Sharp Health Plan
Valley Health Plan
Western Health Advantage
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PS: Acting like a bully does not make your arguments stronger. Rather, it turns people off and often makes them disregard what you’ve said.
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Sources:
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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-health-insure-20130523,0,1895918.story
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http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/19/business/la-fi-mo-anthem-wellpoint-health-exchange-20130719
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https://www.coveredca.com
I wish it would work as some say it will and not bankrupt and ruin the middleclass ,young working class.
It has indeed been touted as the Utopia of health insurance. I love my country and want all Americans to enjoy the fruit of their labors.
I am however having doubts about this health care bill as it appears that they are making it up as they go along. That may be good for a brilliant stand up comedian but not so good for a program of this magnitude that directly affects every American and their quality of life.
Utopia of health insurance? Hardly. Those on the right have been demonizing it since the day it was written. They have deliberately spread falsehoods, and have done their best to try to scare people, usually as a pretense for asking for more money to “keep up the fight.” Those on the left were disappointed from the beginning because it is not a single-payer system. Rather than working towards health CARE, the focus was on health INSURANCE. The left was also disappointed in the staggered implementation (it should have taken effect much sooner) and the lack of a strong effort to educate people about the details.
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Making it up as they go along? Could you clarify that? For many reasons, the law was written to be implemented over time. Is this what makes it seem like it’s being modified? Because there hasn’t been modification; our congress has been so busy casting useless votes to repeal, they have not had the time (or inclination) to pass legislation to actually improve areas where they see deficiencies.
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The exchanges (start from healthcare.gov) opened today, and open enrollment will be available for six months. Those who sign up for policies will be covered as of January 1. No one will be turned away for pre-existing or chronic conditions, and subsidies are available for those earning up to 400% of the national poverty line wage — that’s up to $94,000 for a family of four! Based on those numbers, I do not share your fears of a bankrupt middle class. In fact, the lack of job-promoting legislation from our do-nothing congress gives more to fear than does anything in the ACA.
For more information about the cost of health care under the ACA, you can reference this article from CNN.
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http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/23/news/economy/obamacare-subsidies/index.html
Really, using Sen. Hatch’s press release as a news story? Shame on you. That’s speculation, coming from a biased source.
We won’t know how well (or badly) Obamacare works until we get a lot more people insured and the insurance market has a chance to stabilize. The whole point of this is to get everybody insured, in order to share the risk, which is what insurance is for. The idea is valid from an economics perspective, but we’ll have to wait and see.
BUt I’m not sure the end result could be worse than the way things are now.My family actually has employer sponsored insurance, but with such spotty coverage, high copays and high deductibles, medical costs are still a huge problem for us. We have three jobs, two parents, one child.
I imagine a lot of independent contractors and people with pre-existing conditions will be happy to have a chance to get any kind of insurance.
Oh, Orrin, what nonsense you spew! I won’t bother to go with all the misinformation you have offered but your facts are wrong right at the beginning. “Julia” doesn’t have to have a navigator. They are there to help but you don’t need one. Just visit the healthcare.gov website and follow the instructions.
This fear mongering, spite filled old man should be put out to pasture in the next election. What a travesty that he is allowed to represent the good hearted, well meaning people of this state.
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Goodbye, Mr. Hatch. And if you would please take Mr. Lee with you…
Let’s trot out another press release directly from Senator Hatch’s PR machine and treat as actual news reporting, instead of researching the facts and writing an indecent article…really? Do you have no reporters working for you?
*independent
So I got a quote for the new plans on the exchange. It told me that with three people in my household I qualify for government support as long as I don’t make over $78,000. This is crazy the government is going to pay for almost half of my premium even though I can afford it on my own.
Where is this money coming from why do you dems don’t get the fact that our government is already unstable, and our debt is crippling us and now we are going to pay for everyone’s health care? Socialized healthcare is the goal. I don’t know why you bleeding heart dems can’t get a grip on reality. We can’t support everyone they need to do it on their own.
I’m sure with this post I’ll attract the attention of all the political bandwaggoner trail blazers here. Oh well.
To Tracie, it’s not simply a Hatch press release. Try looking into the points and not the identity of it. Arbitrary separatist identities and mental blocks preventing you from broadening your horizons and stepping out of your box. No need pre judging somethng.
To Brian and Phiilipo, you’re both kinda right. It will ruin smaller insurance companies, while favoring larger insurance companies. More consolidation of power as we’ve seen in every business sector for the past 7 years or so… Point to that is, the piece of legislation was assisted in the writing by the insurance companies themselves so of course it will favor them. For three hears it’s been said and has happened, that the rates will go up immediately and double within three years ha. And it has. What a scam. And the obamacare website and advocates said it would be “low cost and free” healthcare. Recently they edited the site to say low cost only ha. Yes, nay sayers, there is proof of that.
To Julia, we don’t know how bad it will be, but we have a good idea. And if its unconstitutional, then its probably not worth seeing how good or bad it will be. That trust is all tyranny needs, all it needs is for good people to do nothing. But by giving them the benefit of the doubt is suicide… By putting everyone on a health care plan, you’re essentially talking about turning the nation into a soocialist state. We are getting closer to communism every year. We are every form of govt but the one that the country was founded with. Not a constitutional republic anymore, not a democracy which is a fanciful idea anyways, forget favoring capitalism or the rest of the systems. We are screwed. The nanny state we are experiencing only needs a small percentage more of the population before the tides turn like it did for the Soviets or ChiComs. Follow the trends… Soft fascism has existed here for many years and Its been in our faces the past 12 years. Fasci symbols in the Senate, relatives of Nazis in govt, corporations still here that helped the likes of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. Bailouts, buyouts, what do you think facsim is? The merger of federal and corporate entities. Fascism as said my Mussolini, is better described as corporatism. Not all fascism looks like Adolf Hitler. Anyways, this is largely a socialist and Marxist piece of legislation and is ten thousand plus pages. When Maggie said they were making up the rules as it goes along, she probably means that bcus there’s so many new facts that come out as a surprise. So in that sense she’s right and her skepticism is very healthy.
To Julia again, if you think there’s high costs, high deductibles and spotty coverage now, just wait until Obamacare gets a good grip on the industry. Rates and access to health care have gotten worse since all of this. Doctors and private practice physicians are quitting over it and making statments regarding their huge challenge of remaining in business. This will definitely change things and not reform what we have, but for the worse. If one listens to the white house, then sure youll think it’s wonderful. But try getting another opinion. And a second opinion doesn’t mean the mainstream news clowns that repeat the talking points handed out by the govt. Oh do the nay sayers need proof of the govt telling the media what to report on and proof of the govt spending millions to persuade the corporate controlled media?.. With everyone getting their opinion from the mainstream news, that means local affiliates also, they don’t truly form their own opinion. Their views were thrust upon their fluoride induced lobotomized brains with the flicker rate of their new hi tech tv putting them into alpha state and also seeing the same fatherly figure news anchor in their living room for decades. Technology can be used for good.or bad. Of course the news anchor wouldn’t lie or spin things would he? Even when they are critical it’s sugar coated and mild and is a misdirection. Get another opinion, Maybe try figuring out that the legislation is not just health care. It’s going to gut one more industry, furthering the engineered collapse by design. It’s going to stifle the economy and create medical tyranny. Everyone focuses on the health insurance part, but what about the quality and quantity of care you will receive? Grandma needs a hip surgery, you need somethng minor, who will get the treatment? Well find out what obamacare says and see if the answer is simple and see if its at a low cost. Only thing will be free is the cane she gets after the surgery, oh wait, she won’t get the surgery as the elderly will be neglected. And ones life is not at a low cost. Can anyone say Death Panels? There’s word for word translations from Nazi health care to this. I’m not saying that, so don’t take my word for it. That’s basic history research folks. Eugenics coming to town to create that much needed generational gap to keep old folks from warning us of what history didn’t teach this generation yet. Oh are the nay sayers saying eugenics is an extreme word?- the leaders of society write books on it. It’s quite clear from that point of view. Moving on.
To Philipo, it’s not fear mongering bud. If the truth scares you then that’s what happens when your identity is threatened. The fear mongering is done by every presidential administration on a large scale, and you claim people warning others are a fear monger? Not that he’s a whistle blower or anythng, but we should stop judging the people and look at the concepts and this concept is that obamacare is a disaster. Pass it and we will tell you what’s in it? Really Nancy Pelosi? Shall we quote everyone of them on eadh piece of legislation until people finally understand that crap? By the way, I’m not a dem or a rep and know nothing of Hatch except what everyone says on here, but its bcus it doesn’t matter. Tell you the truth, I don’t read half the articles I’m commenting on. But I don’t think I need to bcus I’m not interested in debating little details. How about the bigger picture? Both parties are ran by the same people and the populace are stuck in a ridiculous left right paradigm. Blame game back and forth as if entertaining certain pointless debates should even be the focus. Spinning our f#!$ing wheels. It’s incredible that people can’t see the empty promises and lies by politicians. Is it the short term.memory and endless distractions that people forget or are unaware of the discourse? And why is there only 2 party’s? How bout no party, not even three party’s. Why is it so institutionalized? It’s bought and paid for and even a former president said presidents are selected not elected. It’s rigged and the figure head we see is just a puppet like almost all.the rest of them.
To Karen, my friend, you say “just go to the website and follow the instructions”, that is a dangerous mentality to have. And I hope Julia and her family makes it through the coming crisises and problems. I wish that for all. I understand the advocates for any unconstitutional legislation are misled victims of the system also and hope the truth will find them and light their way.
Can anyone tell me why a family should expect to pay somewhere around $7000(low end) for healthcare? Or why a young single male that believes.in preventative self administered natural medicine should be required to pay for health care?. The govt can’t make us purchase a private product. Of course they won’t teach you that in govt funded schools though. Don’t get me started on Common Core or No Child Left Behind or the basic concept of local children indoctrination centers we call school. Surely, the Obamas celebrity created crazed cultists will jump on that one. Like the operatives that we’re paid since 2008 to talk highly of this garbage legislation.
For you Utah Romney lovers, were you aware that Romney care and obamacare are dang near the same? it might shock you. And why is it the same?- bcus it was written by the same people, as both puppets have the same bosses. You didn’t think these guys are geniuses with all the answers did you?- they are not trained to fix any problems in society. That’s should be easy to understand. Review that statement. Politicians arent trained to fix the problems of society… They are worse than paid infomercial actors. The language they speak on their podiums is sickening. It’s RahRahRah, and filled with emotional and psychological triggers to get you hooked. They are sell outs and money rules, or further more, agendas of fraternities rule.
I’m slightly off topic and as always off the wall tonight. But I hope it gets people thinking.
Jason, a very informative man is right. But I hope he isnt falling for the fact it is already known by the people ramming this down our throats that it is going to cripple and destabilize things. It’s expected to do so. And based on the trends of every piece of legislation being passed, we shouldn’t expect anythng different. There’s plenty of lies that people think are new health care industry features with obamacare, but they’ve existed already. This bill/ law is a rip off and the writers of it think we are all dumb animals. I hope e everyone knows they don’t have to comply with an unconstitutional law. Supre Courts Justics boggle my mind now, maybe bcus the members are appointed by the phony presidents. And speaking of appointees look at the careers of the cabinet remembers ha, there’s no such thing as career politicians, at least not the cabinets as.of late, they come.from and industry and go back to that industry after they hold.office. Isn’t that a conflict of interest?- it certainly is when the ’08-’12 cabinet was comprised of more wall.street cronies than any cabinet in history and what did we see?- wall street B.S. , the US Treasury was robbed in the largest bank heist in world history. The bailout was a blank check folks and the debt is not hanging over your heads, it is indeed your @$$e$. Geitner that slimeball. Moving on. Congress is being usurped and ignored. Don’t grt me started on wars. Constitution is being dismantled and increasingly so the past 12 years, civil liberties are being destroyed, executive branch is out of control, govt is way bigger than the founders could’ve imagined, and no accountability for any agency in existence. Come on people. Wake up. You’re being boiled to death starting with cold water..
This bill /law(not) will do much more than health care. It’s going to introduce things that will change society. Obama the puppet wasn’t lying. He told the steeple exactly that he would change things. It’s a 10000+ page bill. There’s many things that can happen bcus of this and it’s all frightening to say the least. It mentions national ID cards, implantable medical.devices, RFID chips to hold first medical info. Who’s to say that then of course bank account info is next?. Oh do the nay sayers need the exact page number of the bill and the exact reading?- it’s all public and your free to read the actual legislation passed if you all weren’t zombies incapable of critical thinking and if you weren’t afraid of bogus authority. It’s not my job to baby step and walk you all threw the wake up process. I’m already holding too many peoples hands at once. If you can’t do it yourself, then you can line up, or watch the truthtellers get lined up and shot. Half the population will be the reason the other half get wiped out. Divide and conquer is an amazingly effective strategy used to control society. We are getting wiped out one demographic at a time and if you don’t stand up for the rights of your neighbors, well by the time they come for you then no one will be left to stick up for you. And when I say that, it doesn’t mean literally come grt you, it’s in whatever capacity your liberties will be threatened. Class warfare, falsely fueled racial tension, exploited nationalism, list goes on. We are being divided rather than united on everythng. Stop looking for a leader to.give you answers to everythng. Lead yourself and organize locally. True revolution not false rebellion. Let’s do somethng about all of the corruption, fraud, and deceit. I’m pretty sure that things I’ve said has labeled me a domestic terrorist by some of the many new and improved training manuals. Think I’m full of dung?- I’m sure if you think I’m spouting non sense then you haven’t followed certain pieces of literature coming from our different departments and agencies. It might shock you. Don’t take my word for it. I’m a threat to the people in control. There are threats to the establishment on this board and the powers pulling the strings behind the curtain want the threat neutralized.
P.S. Watch out for a civilian core coming door to door to snatch your personal information. Identity theft heaven now. And the next time someone wearing a uniform comes to.the door it will be to snatch more and more until you’re a whore or no longer home…. It will be cheaper to pay for the fine than to take the health care… Americans with a spine will revolt the moment money is garnished from our bank accounts to pay the fine for Obamacare, if that becomes the case. And also if we get a tax lien taken out of our homes if we don’t take the health care. To the nay sayers, I didn’t say it would happen, but I’m saying the possibility of it happening is enough of a warning for me. It’s called being informed people. Start getting in the govts business since they are in yours. Now!!! Please don’t go tell the local police or their new colla orators the DHS and NSA what I’ve said, they already listen and record everythng, (after first denying it). Just like in Germany under Nazi rule. Even the mainstream media was reporting on that, but not bcus they are still watchdogs for democracy, but bcus the elite controllers want us to know that, to test how much control they have, to test how much resistance is standing in their way, to lull us to sleep and make us feel.powerless and destroy your morale, blatant lies, scandal exposed every year, worse and worse, playing dumb, designed collapse like with each crisis bubble popping, and taxing you more, and bringing you to your knees.
The govt (and collusion with corporations) are over stepping their authority, which the authority is supposed.to be non existent and they are out of bounds on their proper role as govt. Revolution non violently preferred, but any revolution is necessary. The founding fathers revolted over less than this. Forget Obamacare I’m talking about all of it. From Patriot Act to NDAA, from no child left behind to common core, from NAFTA to NATO, from the private bankster unfederal Federal Reserve to IRS, from FBI to ATF to the CIA world drug dealers and foreign cout artists, forget about it in just AmeriKa, it’s global, all of them are criminals.
Dead on Mr. Truth!
Furthermore, why should we e bound by a law that not even the experts agree on. I mean there are only 9 Supreme Court Justices that are so post to be constitutional experts, and we can’t get a unanimous vote. If it’s so good, why’s didn’t all.of them vote yes, instead of a divided decision? 5-4, with the fifth walking out of the court room disoriented and with tears coming from his eyesd red face. What is up with that scene? What was said to him? Or what psychotropic Pharma drugs was he on? Point is, if we had suck a hard time passing an unconstitutional bill, than why should we be bound to it? This is absurdity and these are times people usually take up arms!!!!
Typo, why should we be bound?… And supposed to, not so post to haha…. And if we had such a hard time.
Flip flopping on his vote from tbe original stance. The branches of govt are now irrelevant. All three of them cant check or balance a … thing.
Ed. ellipsis