Why Obamacare Architect's Admission of Dishonesty Should Matter to Every American

M

miles

Guest
Five years ago it was already obvious that the Obama administration and congressional Democrats were engaged in an elaborate deception, a series of them really. But back then most of the media and much of the public didn't seem to believe it. Now things have changed.

A list of administration lies might be a good topic for a book. But to just hit a few of the health care related highlights, we were told that the public option was not a Trojan horse, that it was about choice and competition. This was a bald faced lie. We were told we could keep our plans and doctors period, end of sentence. That was a lie. We were told Obamacare would reduce premiums by $2,500. That was a lie. That Obamacare was not a tax. Lie. That the VA was a model of socialized medicine. True, but not in the way they meant. All of these lies built upon one another, creating a vision of health reform that was all upside and no downside. And the Democrats barely, despite the obvious displeasure of citizens, forced it through, though only just barely.

What followed was several more years of various lies being told to adjust and protect the program. We were told, still incredible, that the White House had no idea what a disaster the launch of the federal exchange was going to be. We were told it was off to a great start, when in fact it only managed to enroll 6 people on the first day. We were told the problem with the site was too many excited customers when in fact the site crashed under just over a thousand users. We were told HHS had no enrollment targets when in fact there was an enrollment target memo. We were told the figures on enrollment were not available when in fact HHS was collecting data from insurers. We were told the rollout was just like the one in Massachusetts when in fact it was not. We were told the rollout was just like Medicare part D when in fact it was not at all. We were not told about a hidden Obamacare exemption that could have applied to almost anyone (it was finally added to the website after a WSJ report about it). On and on the administration and its allies in the media just lied about what was happening.

And slowly, slowly under the weight of all these lies and lies to cover up other lies, people got the message. The government isn't being honest with us. They're just saying whatever they need to say at that moment. And, despite the fact that the major media didn't touch a lot of these individual stories, word still got around as if by osmosis. The President's poll numbers started to go down and Obamacare's numbers went down or, at best, never went up.

And now, with the statement by Jonathan Gruber we may have reached the ne plus ultra of statements confirming this administration's essential dishonesty. Here you have one of the consummate Obamacare insiders--cited 71 times in DNC emails in 2009 alone-- saying on video that the bill was designed to fool stupid voters, in fact to fool them by fooling the non-partisan CBO which is supposed to be an honest broker.

Incredibly, even at this point, there are some, like MSNBC's Ronan Farrow and Washington Post writer Jose DelReal willing to suggest we're just missing the nuance. Somehow this plain admission of dishonesty isn't about what Gruber said or about what it tells us about the administration he worked closely with for years (even on the HHS payroll), it's about missing context.

This is standard operating procedure for the far left but unlike 5 years ago, I don't think many people are buying it these days. It has taken a long time, but Gruber's embarrassing admission may be the last one some people needed to see what has really been going on all along. What his statement shows is that if there's any possible political advantage in doing so, this administration is going to lie to your face. And that applies not just to Obamacare but to everything.
 
For the uninformed (liberals) among you, here is what the article is referring to:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of Obamacare’s architects was recently caught in a nasty moment of honesty that has the potential to further damage Democrats who signed on to the Affordable Care Act.

Jonathan Gruber, who served as a technical advisor to President Obama during the ACA’s planning phases, revealed during a panel discussion that Obamacare was not designed as a tax, and that the lack of transparency about the new law was the only thing that saved the controversial legislation from an untimely death in Congress.

“This bill was written in a tortured way to make sure CBO did not score the mandate as taxes. If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies. Okay, so it’s written to do that. In terms of risk rated subsidies, if you had a law which said that healthy people are going to pay in – you made explicit healthy people pay in and sick people get money, it would not have passed… Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really really critical for the thing to pass… Look, I wish Mark was right that we could make it all transparent, but I’d rather have this law than not.”
 
For the uninformed (liberals) among you, here is what the article is referring to:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of Obamacare’s architects was recently caught in a nasty moment of honesty that has the potential to further damage Democrats who signed on to the Affordable Care Act.

Jonathan Gruber, who served as a technical advisor to President Obama during the ACA’s planning phases, revealed during a panel discussion that Obamacare was not designed as a tax, and that the lack of transparency about the new law was the only thing that saved the controversial legislation from an untimely death in Congress.

“This bill was written in a tortured way to make sure CBO did not score the mandate as taxes. If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies. Okay, so it’s written to do that. In terms of risk rated subsidies, if you had a law which said that healthy people are going to pay in – you made explicit healthy people pay in and sick people get money, it would not have passed… Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really really critical for the thing to pass… Look, I wish Mark was right that we could make it all transparent, but I’d rather have this law than not.”

The end justifies the means.

As long as they got their little pet collection of kitchen sink wish-lists for lobbyists, corporations and the all important nose under the tent...any deception is justified.
 
The end justifies the means.

As long as they got their little pet collection of kitchen sink wish-lists for lobbyists, corporations and the all important nose under the tent...any deception is justified.

Obama took a huge dump on the United States. Methinks it will be a long time before they fall for another hopey-changey type of huckster.
 
It's why the 2014 election turned out like it did.

"My policies are on the ballot. "
 
Five years ago it was already obvious that the Obama administration and congressional Democrats were engaged in an elaborate deception, a series of them really. But back then most of the media and much of the public didn't seem to believe it. Now things have changed.

A list of administration lies might be a good topic for a book. But to just hit a few of the health care related highlights, we were told that the public option was not a Trojan horse, that it was about choice and competition. This was a bald faced lie. We were told we could keep our plans and doctors period, end of sentence. That was a lie. We were told Obamacare would reduce premiums by $2,500. That was a lie. That Obamacare was not a tax. Lie. That the VA was a model of socialized medicine. True, but not in the way they meant. All of these lies built upon one another, creating a vision of health reform that was all upside and no downside. And the Democrats barely, despite the obvious displeasure of citizens, forced it through, though only just barely.

What followed was several more years of various lies being told to adjust and protect the program. We were told, still incredible, that the White House had no idea what a disaster the launch of the federal exchange was going to be. We were told it was off to a great start, when in fact it only managed to enroll 6 people on the first day. We were told the problem with the site was too many excited customers when in fact the site crashed under just over a thousand users. We were told HHS had no enrollment targets when in fact there was an enrollment target memo. We were told the figures on enrollment were not available when in fact HHS was collecting data from insurers. We were told the rollout was just like the one in Massachusetts when in fact it was not. We were told the rollout was just like Medicare part D when in fact it was not at all. We were not told about a hidden Obamacare exemption that could have applied to almost anyone (it was finally added to the website after a WSJ report about it). On and on the administration and its allies in the media just lied about what was happening.

And slowly, slowly under the weight of all these lies and lies to cover up other lies, people got the message. The government isn't being honest with us. They're just saying whatever they need to say at that moment. And, despite the fact that the major media didn't touch a lot of these individual stories, word still got around as if by osmosis. The President's poll numbers started to go down and Obamacare's numbers went down or, at best, never went up.

And now, with the statement by Jonathan Gruber we may have reached the ne plus ultra of statements confirming this administration's essential dishonesty. Here you have one of the consummate Obamacare insiders--cited 71 times in DNC emails in 2009 alone-- saying on video that the bill was designed to fool stupid voters, in fact to fool them by fooling the non-partisan CBO which is supposed to be an honest broker.

Incredibly, even at this point, there are some, like MSNBC's Ronan Farrow and Washington Post writer Jose DelReal willing to suggest we're just missing the nuance. Somehow this plain admission of dishonesty isn't about what Gruber said or about what it tells us about the administration he worked closely with for years (even on the HHS payroll), it's about missing context.

This is standard operating procedure for the far left but unlike 5 years ago, I don't think many people are buying it these days. It has taken a long time, but Gruber's embarrassing admission may be the last one some people needed to see what has really been going on all along. What his statement shows is that if there's any possible political advantage in doing so, this administration is going to lie to your face. And that applies not just to Obamacare but to everything.

Ah.

An opinion piece. That's nice.
 
I am going to promise myself not to react anymore to the pundit followers but do you really think anyone but people who think like you are moved by your argument? Nope. Unless GW and Obama tagged teamed and stabbed your entire town to death then the evil him or evil that or whatever is ridiculous. Do you think he slips into the night with burkas and the ISIS manifesto? If you say "Yes" go to the hospital and declare yourself mentally incompetent. Do it for the sake of humanity.
 
I am going to promise myself not to react anymore to the pundit followers but do you really think anyone but people who think like you are moved by your argument? Nope. Unless GW and Obama tagged teamed and stabbed your entire town to death then the evil him or evil that or whatever is ridiculous. Do you think he slips into the night with burkas and the ISIS manifesto? If you say "Yes" go to the hospital and declare yourself mentally incompetent. Do it for the sake of humanity.

So, your health care premiums went down by $2500?
 
It used to be Bush lied, people died, now it's just the usual suspects following the "punditry."

A_J's corollary #9, “When a Republican does it, it is a high crime and misdemeanor, when a Democrat does it, then it is, *shrug*, they ALL do it...”
 
It used to be Bush lied, people died, now it's just the usual suspects following the "punditry."

A_J's corollary #9, “When a Republican does it, it is a high crime and misdemeanor, when a Democrat does it, then it is, *shrug*, they ALL do it...”

The new premiums quotes come out this month, right?

And don't all the delayed business mandates kick in in Jan.?

Ishmael
 
I am going to promise myself not to react anymore to the pundit followers but do you really think anyone but people who think like you are moved by your argument? Nope. Unless GW and Obama tagged teamed and stabbed your entire town to death then the evil him or evil that or whatever is ridiculous. Do you think he slips into the night with burkas and the ISIS manifesto? If you say "Yes" go to the hospital and declare yourself mentally incompetent. Do it for the sake of humanity.

what the FUCK does this mean:confused:
 
it DOESNT matter

its nuance

we DONT understand cause we are NOT smart enough

Axelrod says Obola is so smart, we don't understand his genius
 
The new premiums quotes come out this month, right?

And don't all the delayed business mandates kick in in Jan.?

Ishmael

All timed politically.

And *gasp* don't look now, but to help Landrieu, the Senate is going to take up and 'pass' Keystone...

:eek:
 
The new premiums quotes come out this month, right?

And don't all the delayed business mandates kick in in Jan.?

Ishmael

I'd like the Litlibs to explain why The Fraud postponed both until after the election.

I'll wait.
 
All timed politically.

And *gasp* don't look now, but to help Landrieu, the Senate is going to take up and 'pass' Keystone...

:eek:

She said the other day if she loses it will be because of racists and misogynists.

Democrats are fucking pathetic.
 
Disguised as "Net Neutrality."

Liberals are so good at masking their real intentions. Kind of like the "Affordable Care Act."

Reminds on the old joke about the Holy Roman Empire, it wasn't holy, it wasn't Roman, and it wasn't an empire...

;)

It's not affordable, it's not about health care and it was an edict.
 
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