The occasional open thread: last thread for 100 miles edition

I signed up with Xbox Live1 and they gave me a randomly-assigned user name, DatingHippo602. It didn’t suit me, so I changed it to “LastGas100Miles.”

Place your Obama conspiracy comments not related to the current articles here. Better do it now, ‘cause this thread’s gonna close in two weeks.


1No, I don’t have an Xbox.

About Dr. Conspiracy

I'm not a real doctor, but I have a master's degree.
This entry was posted in Open Mike and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

204 Responses to The occasional open thread: last thread for 100 miles edition

  1. Curious George says:

    Sheriff Arpaio does it again. Not to be outdone by President Obama, Sheriff Arpaio is seeking FAA approval for the use of drones in Maricopa County, Arizona. Sheriff Arpaio has assured everyone that the drones will not be armed. (That’s a relief I’m sure for the locals.) I thought Arpaio already had two drones working for him, one named Zullo the other named Gallups. They drone on and on incessantly about absolutely nothing. 😮

  2. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Looks like birthers are predictably hanging all their hopes and dreams on Vogt’s doomed case. You’d think they’d have learned by now, but dope springs eternal.

  3. Curious George says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: Looks like birthers are predictably hanging all their hopes and dreams on Vogt’s doomed case. You’d think they’d have learned by now, but dope springs eternal.

    Zullo and Vogt need to reveal to the public the female forger’s name. They won’t. The Maricopa County PA should be informed. He won’t be. Birfers will continue to fall for anything.

  4. Bob says:

    Vogt’s filing is nothing more than “Birther porn.”

  5. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Just once, I’d like to see a judge look at something like Vogt’s nonsense, let out a long put-upon sigh, then look at the bailiff and say “Pistol whip them, then throw them out of my court room!”
    Anywho Foggy posted some very good stuff debunking Vogt’s tripe over at birther report. Might wanna read it before the fearful falcon/admin cleanses it.

  6. Curious George says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: Just once, I’d like to see a judge look at something like Vogt’s nonsense, let out a long put-upon sigh, then look at the bailiff and say “Pistol whip them, then throw them out of my court room!”Anywho Foggy posted some very good stuff debunking Vogt’s tripe over at birther report. Might wanna read it before the fearful falcon/admin cleanses it.

    Interesting read at ORYR. Currently they’ve posted Sharon Rondeau’s Post & Email interview with Doug Vogt. I found this excerpt to be especially amusing:

    “These people better understand that if it gets to a grand jury and they find that the evidence I have is correct – and they’ll find more of the conspiracy – the penalty for treason is death. I can’t imagine these people escaping that particular penalty because of the nature of the crime and what Obama has done to the country in getting us to over $8 or $9 trillion more debt than Bush had when he left office. These people are going to hang. It’s the worst crime in American history; nothing comes close.”

    Just a hint Mr. Vogt. This won’t make it to the grand jury. However, it may make another not-so interesting chapter in the book that you are writing.

  7. CarlOrcas says:

    Curious George: Interesting read at ORYR.

    “Interesting” indeed! If one had any doubt that Mr. Vogt is seriously demented after reading his court filing this interview will remove all doubt.

  8. JPotter says:

    Curious George: what Obama has done to the country in getting us to over $8 or $9 trillion more debt than Bush had when he left office.

    What a hilarious slip!

    If running a deficit is a crime ….

  9. Curious George says:

    CarlOrcas: “Interesting” indeed! If one had any doubt that Mr. Vogt is seriously demented after reading his court filing this interview will remove all doubt.

    Actually, I feel sorry for the man. It must be a difficult way to live. I hope he sees the light.

  10. Curious George says:

    JPotter: What a hilarious slip!If running a deficit is a crime ….

    What can one say? It’s hilarious but in some ways sad. I hope he does okay when the judge ignores his request for a grand jury. That will be difficult. But, a great addition to his book.

  11. CarlOrcas says:

    Curious George: Actually, I feel sorry for the man.It must be a difficult way to live.I hope he sees the light.

    I agree. I can’t imagine living the way he and other birthers do but that doesn’t make their stuff any less vile.

  12. CarlOrcas says:

    JPotter: If running a deficit is a crime ….

    You missed the invisible qualifier: Running a deficit is only a crime if the President is black.

  13. nbc says:

    CarlOrcas: You missed the invisible qualifier: Running a deficit is only a crime if the President is black.

    Vogt just does not like our President because he is a muslim and a communist… At least that is what he believes. Ignorance fueled by hatred does not make for very good research.

  14. CarlOrcas says:

    nbc: Vogt just does not like our President because he is a muslim and a communist… At least that is what he believes. Ignorance fueled by hatred does not make for very good research.

    I’ve seen a lot of crazy over the years but never anything quite as pathological as the hatred for Obama. It is totally impervious to facts or logic.

  15. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Another one bites the dust.
    http://wvrecord.com/news/263637-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-filed-by-texas-federal-prison-inmate-claiming-obama-is-kenyan

    Here’s my favorite part!
    “Judd was seeking Obama to be removed as president and for Judd to replace him as president. He was representing himself.”

  16. Jim says:

    Just a bit OT here, but of interest for those trekkies amongst us.

    http://news.yahoo.com/captain-kirk-navy-destroyer-135551630.html

  17. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Please tell me its another case of someone legally changing their name to that a of a fictional character, like that US National Guardsman who legally changed his name to “Optimus Prime”.

  18. Curious George says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: Another one bites the dust.http://wvrecord.com/news/263637-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-filed-by-texas-federal-prison-inmate-claiming-obama-is-kenyanHere’s my favorite part!“Judd was seeking Obama to be removed as president and for Judd to replace him as president. He was representing himself.”

    And he had a fool for a client.

  19. jayHG says:

    Whoa…….Edge got the Zot over at FR because he was doing his usual refusing to read something differently from what he wants it to read re Cruz……..he’s gone…and it looks like that Jim Robinson guy did it personally.

  20. donna says:

    Fox Corrects CBS News Obamacare Insurance Plan Loss “Horror Story”

    Greta teed up the interview using the same setup as Crawford’s piece, that Barrette is “finding out she will have to pay 10 times as much for health insurance” because “she is losing her current plan to Obamacare.”

    “I have a copy of your Florida Blue insurance and it’s about $54 a month,” Greta continued, “and now I understand that under Obamacare, it’s going to go up, at least they said that the policy they would offer you under Florida Blue, would be $591; is that correct?”

    Actually, the plan BCBSFL was only one of many plans Dianne has to choose from, 10 of which are cheaper than that $591, and based on her income, she’d only pay around $209 a month, but Greta did cut right to the chase about the quality of her old plan.

    “Your $54 a month policy is a pretty, you know, bare bones policy, “Greta said. “Why do you want to keep that one, except for the price? Maybe you can get something better with a subsidy?”

    AND THEN, a subsequent interview that was to take place on Fox News with Ms. Barrette, was cancelled, after Greta poked holes in the story.

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/30/1251682/-Wow-Fox-Corrects-CBS-News-Obamacare-Insurance-Plan-Loss-Horror-Story

  21. MattR says:

    donna: Fox Corrects CBS News Obamacare Insurance Plan Loss “Horror Story”

    Looks like Greta read either the Mediaite piece or the Wasington Post blog that pointed out all the flaws in the CBS piece. Good for her for looking at the details rather than breathlessly repeating the headline. I am sure CBS will be correcting the record shortly /sarcasm

  22. J.D. Sue says:

    Curious George: Interesting read at ORYR

    —-
    Kudos to Vogt for explaining how Obama is both the son of Davis and not a natural born citizen born in Hawaii. That sure was pretty mean and selfish of Obama’s grandfather–shipping his 8-month-pregnant only daughter off to Kenya while she was 8 months pregnant, just to protect his own CIA security clearance!

  23. JPotter says:

    donna: Your $54 a month policy is a pretty, you know, bare bones policy,

    Perhaps the media will clue in (haha) that a coverage based on mandated individual insurance would collapse if a minimum standard of coverage was not defined–and enforced?

    What good would a setup like Romney/ObamaCare do, if an individual could avoid the penalty by signing up for one of those “discount” cards that used to be advertised on 1-800 commercials and call it “insurance”?

    So, yes, crap policies that insurers used to over, which were nearly free money for them (high deductibles = no claims to cover (barring catastrophe)), won’t fly under an exchange-based scheme.

    Just like auto insurance has minimum standards. Duhhhhhhhhh.

  24. Rickey says:

    Apparently none of these so-called news organizations employ fact checkers anymore. And of course they assign these stories to reporters who know little or nothing about insurance. All they do is compare prices without ever stopping to question if one is a Cadillac and the other is a Yugo.

    Elsewhere, Bloomberg News reported on a Pennsylvania man who was outraged to learn that his existing policy was being cancelled. Bloomberg never mentioned that the man is a Republican running to be the Commissioner of his Township.

  25. CarlOrcas says:

    J.D. Sue: —-
    Kudos to Vogt for explaining how Obama is both the son of Davis and not a natural born citizen born in Hawaii.That sure was pretty mean and selfish of Obama’s grandfather–shipping his 8-month-pregnant only daughter off to Kenya while she was 8 months pregnant, just to protect his own CIA security clearance!

    Well…..sometimes a man’s just gotta do what a man’s gotta do…..doncha know?

  26. CarlOrcas says:

    Rickey: Apparently none of these so-called news organizations employ fact checkers anymore. And of course they assign these stories to reporters who know little or nothing about insurance. All they do is compare prices without ever stopping to question if one is a Cadillac and the other is a Yugo.

    The media are doing a terrible disservice to the American people with their so-called reporting on this very important issue. They should be ashamed of themselves.

  27. MattR says:

    Rickey: Apparently none of these so-called news organizations employ fact checkers anymore. And of course they assign these stories to reporters who know little or nothing about insurance. All they do is compare prices without ever stopping to question if one is a Cadillac and the other is a Yugo.

    Not only that, but the insurance companies are cancelling Yugo level policies and trying to push their customers into Cadillac plans while hoping the customers don’t realize that there are Toyotas and Fords available that are both more affordable and better suit their needs.

    (EDIT: The woman who Greta Van Susteren interviews (which Donna linked to) received a letter from BCBS telling her that her old $54 policy was cancelled and that unless they hear from her by November 1, they were enrolling her in a new $591 policy to “ensure that she has continuous health coverage”)

  28. J.D. Sue says:

    MattR: Not only that, but the insurance companies are cancelling Yugo level policies and trying to push their customers into Cadillac plans while hoping the customers don’t realize that there are Toyotas and Fords available that are both more affordable and better suit their needs.

    —-
    Well put.

  29. J.D. Sue says:

    MattR: (EDIT: The woman who Greta Van Susteren interviews (which Donna linked to) received a letter from BCBS telling her that her old $54 policy was cancelled and that unless they hear from her by November 1, they were enrolling her in a new $591 policy to “ensure that she has continuous health coverage”)

    —-
    Wow. Did you hear which state she is in? Sounds like a great class action suit!

  30. MattR says:

    J.D. Sue: Wow. Did you hear which state she is in? Sounds like a great class action suit!

    Florida. Here is a link to an image of the letter. (see paragraph 2)

    I have not yet checked it for layers to determine if the image is a forgery.

  31. Benji Franklin says:

    CarlOrcas: If one had any doubt that Mr. Vogt is seriously demented after reading his court filing this interview will remove all doubt.

    No kidding! What must it be like to accumulate significant amounts of information and not be able to apply it sensibly, or process it reasonably. You know, for 5 years now, in trying to describe the jarring lunacy of several members of the Birther Clown Troupe, I increasingly regret the pre-Birther era carelessness with which I formerly used negative superlatives (like ‘crazy’, ‘demented’, ‘insane’, and the like) to describe behavior which was by comparison to many Birther hijinks, barely even eccentric.

    Vogt seems to believe most of his inane patter, and is therefore, absolutely crazy. I hope the court tells him that, but I doubt they will. On the other hand, Corsi, Gallups, and Zullo know there was no forgery, and no crime, (that’s why they know that legal criminal prosecution is hopeless and have abandoned it) but once they were able to get foolish haters out there to support their political attacks on liberals, there is no limit to the disregard for the truth they will keep trying to sell their supporters to provoke the next round of PayPal button pushes.

  32. donna says:

    Another Phony Obamacare Victim Story

    That sounds like it sucks! But here are some things the story never tells us.

    http://prospect.org/article/another-phony-obamacare-victim-story

    Time to Investigate Those Insurance Company Letters

    It’s as though you get a letter from your car dealer saying, “That 2010 Toyota Corolla you’re leasing has been recalled. We can supply you with a Toyota Avalon for twice the price.” They’re not telling you that you can also get a 2013 Toyota Corolla for something like what you’re paying now.

    http://prospect.org/article/time-investigate-those-insurance-company-letters

    Junk health insurance
    Stingy plans may be worse than none at all

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/03/junk-health-insurance/index.htm

    people were warned in 2010

    http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/120285-enzi-demands-do-over-on-healthcare-grandfathering-clause

  33. CarlOrcas says:

    Benji Franklin: Vogt seems to believe most of his inane patter, and is therefore, absolutely crazy. I hope the court tells him that, but I doubt they will. On the other hand, Corsi, Gallups, and Zullo know there was no forgery, and no crime, (that’s why they know that legal criminal prosecution is hopeless and have abandoned it) but once they were able to get foolish haters out there to support their political attacks on liberals, there is no limit to the disregard for the truth they will keep trying to sell their supporters to provoke the next round of PayPal button pushes.

    You can kind of admire the grifters – Zullo, Corsi and Gallups – for their ability to carry on with the scam until it runs its course. Corsi appears to have moved on. I can’t figure out where Zullo and Gallups go from here.

    Vogt, on the other hand, seems to be a true believer and that is really scary.

  34. Notorial Dissent says:

    Curious George: Actually, I feel sorry for the man.It must be a difficult way to live.I hope he sees the light.

    I’m afraid Dougy is too far, too long, down the rabbit hole for that. This latest round of delusion is far milder than some he has had.

    Remember, this is the man who single handedly found a missing mountain in Israel and Moses’ altar. Why this should have been child’s play for him.

    He has also been exposing the greater depths of his lunacy to anyone who will give him the time of day and it is truly dark and scary in there.

  35. The Magic M says:

    CarlOrcas: I can’t figure out where Zullo and Gallups go from here.

    Zullo might inject himself into the various murder conspiracy theories when Hillary runs – after all, some of those would actually be “cold cases” he might feel a need to “investigate” (i.e. collect stuff from crank websites and pass it off as his own research).

    Gallups might find a theory of how Hillary is the Antichrist and Obama was just a precursor (just like those bad religious horror stories where they first tried to stop Satan from having a child, then that child from having a child which would bring the Apocalypse, this time for real, we swear… or maby it will be the next generation).

  36. The Magic M says:

    CarlOrcas: I’ve seen a lot of crazy over the years but never anything quite as pathological as the hatred for Obama. It is totally impervious to facts or logic.

    Because it’s rooted in racism, and racism has never been a logical “choice”. People don’t go “hey, I’ve read so many bad things about black people, I think it’s a good idea to start not liking them anymore”.
    It’s just like you can’t argue with “true believers”, science be damned, because religion isn’t a rational choice either (neither being religious at all nor the particular denomination).

  37. donna says:

    Ted Cruz’s Dad: I’d Like To See Obama ‘Go Back To Kenya’ (VIDEO)

    Rafael Cruz, a Cuban immigrant and pastor, made the comment while speaking to the North Texas Tea Party on his son’s behalf in September 2012. Mother Jones’ David Corn surfaced video of Cruz’s remarks on Thursday.

    At a recent event in Colorado, he also suggested that Obama is a practicing Muslim.

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ted-cruz-s-dad-obama-should-go-back-to-kenya-video

  38. Curious George says:

    MattR: Not only that, but the insurance companies are cancelling Yugo level policies and trying to push their customers into Cadillac plans while hoping the customers don’t realize that there are Toyotas and Fords available that are both more affordable and better suit their needs.(EDIT: The woman who Greta Van Susteren interviews (which Donna linked to) received a letter from BCBS telling her that her old $54 policy was cancelled and that unless they hear from her by November 1, they were enrolling her in a new $591 policy to “ensure that she has continuous health coverage”)

    This is not always the case. We had an excellent affordable “Ford” health insurance plan that was cancelled by the insurance company. To buy the same “Ford” health insurance plan our premium will more than double. There was nothing “Yugo” about our previous plan. We had no choice in the cancellation and we couldn’t keep our plan as promised by President Obama. Very disappointed. In 2009 he was quoted as saying ” If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.” Really? As it now stands, many people across the country will not be able to keep their current health care plan, no matter what, period. And many cannot access Healthcare.gov because it simply does not work.

  39. Thomas Brown says:

    Curious George: We had no choice in the cancellation and we couldn’t keep our plan as promised by President Obama.

    Which just goes to prove who’s really in charge here: THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. They say what they’ll offer, they say when prices are going up, they cancel the old plans. They tell you what they’ll cover. They tell you what medications you can have, and for what cost.

    The ACA didn’t REQUIRE your company to cancel the plan, did they?

  40. CarlOrcas says:

    Curious George: As it now stands, many people across the country will not be able to keep their current health care plan, no matter what, period. And many cannot access Healthcare.gov because it simply does not work.

    How about calling an insurance agent?

  41. CarlOrcas says:

    The Magic M: Because it’s rooted in racism, and racism has never been a logical “choice”. People don’t go “hey, I’ve read so many bad things about black people, I think it’s a good idea to start not liking them anymore”.
    It’s just like you can’t argue with “true believers”, science be damned, because religion isn’t a rational choice either (neither being religious at all nor the particular denomination).

    I agree that racism is the main cause but this is so much more virulent than your run of the mill racism that I think there is more to it and that is the demographic shift coming to America and the panic that prompts in some people. Fear and racism create a particularly toxic stew.

  42. JoZeppy says:

    Intersting, or at least ironic…Cuban born father of the Canadian born senator has gone birther.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/rafael-cruz-birther_n_4181207.html

  43. MattR says:

    Curious George: This is not always the case.

    Very true, but the fact that it is happening at all is problematic.

    As to your specific situation, I would be curious to know why your Ford insurance did not meet the ACA minimum standards. Did the insurance company give you a reason or just tell you that it had to be done? There are definitely legitimate, quality plans that don’t qualify for one reason or another (ie. don’t include maternity coverage), but I also think that some insurance companies will take advantage of the uncertainty to unnecessarily move customers out of unprofitable plans and into more profitable ones while blaming it on the ACA.

  44. Rickey says:

    Curious George: This is not always the case.We had an excellent affordable “Ford” health insurance plan that was cancelled by the insurance company.To buy the same “Ford” health insurance plan our premium will more than double.There was nothing “Yugo” about our previous plan.We had no choice in the cancellation and we couldn’t keep our plan as promised by President Obama.Very disappointed.In 2009 he was quoted as saying ” If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period.No one will take it away, no matter what.”Really? As it now stands, many people across the country will not be able to keep their current health care plan, no matter what, period.And many cannot access Healthcare.gov because it simply does not work.

    Even if you are having trouble accessing healthcare.gov, you can use the Kaiser calculator, enter some basic information and get a realistic quote on what it will cost you to get a comparable policy through the exchanges.

    http://kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/

    A new study by a senior fellow at the Brookings Insitution has concluded that only 3% of Americans are going to be adversely affected by Obamacare, and that’s only if you consider paying more for better coverage to be an adverse effect.

    http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/10/obamacares-three-per-cent.html?mobify=0

    Unless your income exceeds four times the poverty level for your family size, you will qualify for a subsidy. But your current insurance company isn’t going to tell you that. If your current insurance is out to screw you, you should be looking for a different company anyway.

  45. jayHG says:

    donna:
    Ted Cruz’s Dad: I’d Like To See Obama ‘Go Back To Kenya’ (VIDEO)

    Rafael Cruz, a Cuban immigrant and pastor, made the comment while speaking to the North Texas Tea Party on his son’s behalf in September 2012. Mother Jones’ David Corn surfaced video of Cruz’s remarks on Thursday.

    At a recent event in Colorado, he also suggested that Obama is a practicing Muslim.

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ted-cruz-s-dad-obama-should-go-back-to-kenya-video

    Wow….just wow…….

  46. JPotter says:

    In an article titled “Morsi Trial Expected to expose Obama’s ties to Muslim Brotherhood”, the Canada Free Press, fleshes out that bold title with such raw meat as:

    “Cairo, Egypt–Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s trial begins on Monday November 4th, (Valentine’s day in Egypt), and intel rumors are rife that the trial will prove President Barack Obama’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.”

    … which also happens to be the first sentence of the article. And the only one making any reference to the promises made by the title.

    Way to make a case, CFP! Truly, you are Canada’s WND. Or is WND “our” CFP? WTF cares, eh? 😉

  47. Curious George says:

    Thomas Brown: Which just goes to prove who’s really in charge here: THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. They say what they’ll offer, they say when prices are going up, they cancel the old plans. They tell you what they’ll cover. They tell you what medications you can have, and for what cost. The ACA didn’t REQUIRE your company to cancel the plan, did they?

    Our plan didn’t have maternity coverage (don’t need it) and it was purchased after the ACA became law. I’m told it can’t be grandfathered into the ACA.

    Maybe the Blue Cross / Blue Shield representative on the board would be able to tell us why this is happening. Is it the law, or is it the insurance company?

  48. JPotter says:

    Thomas Brown: The ACA didn’t REQUIRE your company to cancel the plan, did they?

    Nope, but it sure gives them an excuse to!

    Thomas Brown: Which just goes to prove who’s really in charge here: THE INSURANCE COMPANIES.

    Always! They’re the main opposition to a single-payer system. Who really stands to lose if middle men are eliminated? The middle men, duh. They’re addicted to the employer-based model of insurance (higher subscription rates!) … and have the most to gain by convincing the public that people need insurance.

    Keep people focused on and anxious about changes to the insurance they have … distracts them from wondering about why they “have to have” insurance at all!

  49. Curious George says:

    JPotter: Nope, but it sure gives them an excuse to!Always! They’re the main opposition to a single-payer system. Who really stands to lose if middle men are eliminated? The middle men, duh. They’re addicted to the employer-based model of insurance (higher subscription rates!) … and have the most to gain by convincing the public that people need insurance.Keep people focused on and anxious about changes to the insurance they have … distracts them from wondering about why they “have to have” insurance at all!

    Update, Our medical insurance policy can’t be continued because it was not purchased on or before March 23, 2010, according to the ACA I’m told. So, if I purchased the plan on March 23, 2010, the plan would be continued and “grandfathered” into the ACA. It would not be discontinued. Mr. Obama said nothing about this little gem. (Remember, the law had to be passed so that we would know what’s in it? Now we know.) So now, no matter what, I can’t continue with the same plan that I like. If I do nothing, the insurance company will automatically sign me up for a similar plan at more than twice the cost! They simply pull the rug out from underneath your feet and slam you with a more expensive premium.

  50. CarlOrcas says:

    Curious George: They simply pull the rug out from underneath your feet and slam you with a more expensive premium.

    Have you looked at other available plans?

  51. Curious George says:

    CarlOrcas: Have you looked at other available plans?

    We’re still looking Carl.

  52. I hope someone can help me out.

    I remember watching a video or transcript of Mike Zullo presenting Cold Case Posse evidence that Obama’s birth certificate was a forgery. He described their testing process and then he talked about expectations of the test, saying that no one could expect an exact reproduction of the White House birth certificate, but that one should be able to reproduce the major characteristics of it.

    I have looked high and low, and not been able to find it. Does anyone remember where this was? I reviewed the 1st and 2nd Cold Case Posse/MCSO press release transcripts and various videos.

  53. W. Kevin Vicklund says:

    Curious George: Update,Our medical insurance policy can’t be continued because it was not purchased on or before March 23, 2010, according to the ACA I’m told.So, if I purchased the plan on March 23, 2010, the plan would be continued and “grandfathered” into the ACA. It would not be discontinued.Mr. Obama said nothing about this little gem. (Remember, the law had to be passed so that we would know what’s in it?Now we know.)So now, no matter what, I can’t continue with the same plan that I like. If I do nothing, the insurance company will automatically sign me up for a similar plan at more than twice the cost! They simply pull the rug out from underneath your feet and slam you with a more expensive premium.

    At a guess, what happened is that your company decided to restructure your healthcare plan in such a way as to lose grandfathered status. That, or the insurance company deliberately dicked you over by offering a plan that it knew would not meet the requirements of the PPACA.

  54. donna says:

    Jim: What about the Alabama affidavit?

    Alabama Civil Appellate Cases Released November 1, 2013

    http://alabamaappellatewatch.com/

  55. JPotter says:

    Doc, I’ve never re-subjected myself to the CCCP clown shows (once is enough!), so I have to ask re: the QotD …. did Zullo really say “Optical Character Recognition–really that’s a fancy way of saying you scan it into a computer and a software program picks up the characters, the fonts, the little letters and makes them sharper, makes them look better.”?

    That’s hilarious! Not only did he completely mangle his description of OCR—and completely miss the purpose of OCR processes and the nature of their ourput—he also made a great approximate description of the purpose and output of MRC compression!

    Oh, the delicious irony. 😀

  56. donna says:

    Curious George: Our plan didn’t have maternity coverage (don’t need it) and it was purchased after the ACA became law. I’m told it can’t be grandfathered into the ACA.

    Maybe the Blue Cross / Blue Shield representative on the board would be able to tell us why this is happening. Is it the law, or is it the insurance company?

    my plan has coverage for circumcisions, Erectile dysfunction drugs, Vacuum erection devices, Penile implants, Vasectomies, prostate cancer screenings, etc

    it’s called “comprehensive coverage” – NO, i don’t need ANY of that coverage

    but i am happy coverage includes maternity care, breast cancer screenings, that Insurance companies will no longer be able to charge women more than men,that Women can no longer be denied insurance for having a “pre-existing condition” like a previous c-section, that Women no longer have to pay a co-payment for birth control, that Women now have access to depression screenings, that Women can seek counseling for domestic violence at no added cost, and that Women are entitled to a mammogram every two years

  57. CarlOrcas says:

    donna:
    Jim: What about the Alabama affidavit?

    Alabama Civil Appellate Cases Released November 1, 2013

    http://alabamaappellatewatch.com/

    Any day…..uh……make that any month now.

  58. Rickey says:

    Curious George: Our plan didn’t have maternity coverage (don’t need it)

    But your plan does include treatment for prostate problems and testicular cancer, coverage which women don’t need.

    Are you suggesting that there should be separate policies and premiums for men and women?

  59. Rickey says:

    Curious George: We’re still looking Carl.

    Have you tried the Kaiser Calculator to find out what similar plans will cost you through the exchange? It only takes a few minutes.

  60. Arthur says:

    donna: Maybe the Blue Cross / Blue Shield representative on the board would be able to tell us why this is happening. Is it the law, or is it the insurance company?

    my plan has coverage for circumcisions, Erectile dysfunction drugs, Vacuum erection devices, Penile implants, Vasectomies, prostate cancer screenings, etc

    it’s called “comprehensive coverage” –

    Exactly. This is insurance. It functions when costs and risks are spread among a large number of people. Complaining about having to pay for insurance for things you won’t use, is like a childless couple complaining about having to pay property taxes for education. The point of living in a community is to share responsibilities so you can share the benefits.

  61. CarlOrcas says:

    Curious George: We’re still looking Carl.

    Clarify something for me: The plan you had…..was that a personal policy or one through your employer?

  62. donna says:

    Arthur: Exactly. This is insurance.

    i remember when (lop-it-off) kyl said “I don’t need maternity care,” Kyl said. “So requiring that on my insurance policy is something that I don’t need and will make the policy more expensive.”

    Sen. Debbie Stabenow, interrupted Kyl: “I think your mom probably did.”

  63. What Zullo actually said was:

    “OCR, octal, octnal, oh my God, [pause] optical character recognition–really that’s a fancy way of saying you scan it into a computer and a software program picks up the characters, the fonts, the little letters and makes them sharper, makes them look better.”

    I was being kind.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uICO4l5PRcs

    Start listening around 54:45.

    Note: often the Quote of the Day archives will have hyperlinks to original sources (Features menu).

    JPotter: Doc, I’ve never re-subjected myself to the CCCP clown shows (once is enough!), so I have to ask re: the QotD …. did Zullo really say “Optical Character Recognition–really that’s a fancy way of saying you scan it into a computer and a software program picks up the characters, the fonts, the little letters and makes them sharper, makes them look better.”?

  64. CarlOrcas says:

    Dr. Conspiracy: “OCR, octal, octnal, oh my God, [pause] optical character recognition–really that’s a fancy way of saying you scan it into a computer and a software program picks up the characters, the fonts, the little letters and makes them sharper, makes them look better.”

    I was being kind.

    Too kind!

  65. charo says:

    Curious George,

    If you decide to go through an insurance agency instead of the exchanges, please understand that you may not be able to get the federal subsidies. Additionally, here is an article that you might want to read. I don’t know your specific situation, so the article may be inapplicable.

    http://swampland.time.com/2013/10/30/another-glitch-americans-could-miss-out-on-obamacare-subsidies-for-insurance-in-2014/

    I read something the other day that never even occurred to me. If you are hospitalized, often you are charged by a doctor that you don’t even remember seeing. If that doctor is not in your plan, you will have to pay out of network. If you have surgery, the anesthesiologist and others on the team may or may not be in your network. Since the implementation of the ACA, who will be the providers in your network is a serious question.

  66. Jim says:

    Well, well, well. It looks like Mike Zullo has disappeared from the birther scene! Congrats Doc, you’ve silenced a birther!!!

    john, are you going to concede defeat like Zullo? hehehe

  67. G says:

    What are you basing this on? Do you have any link to support what you just said?

    Jim:
    Well, well, well.It looks like Mike Zullo has disappeared from the birther scene!Congrats Doc, you’ve silenced a birther!!!

    john, are you going to concede defeat like Zullo?hehehe

  68. Dave says:

    You can’t believe everything you read. What you describe below sounds like somebody’s imagination. If the hospital is in-plan, then every doctor that sees you at that hospital is covered.

    charo:

    I read something the other day that never even occurred to me.If you are hospitalized, often you are charged by a doctor that you don’t even remember seeing. If that doctor is not in your plan, you will have to pay out of network.

  69. Arthur says:

    G: What are you basing this on? Do you have any link to support what you just said?

    I don’t think that Zullo is going away, but the posters at Birther Report are complaining about his current silence. Some say, “I told you so!” and point to Orly Taitz or Mike Vogt as the real hope for birtherism. Others believe that Zullo has gone quiet in order to write a book. A patriotic few still have faith in him, while others are demanding that he implement “Plan B”–only problem, “Plan B” is like R.C.’s real name: nobody knows what it is.

  70. sfjeff says:

    Can someone point me to that great list of citations articles that list Obama’s place of birth as Hawaii?

    I seem to always lose it

  71. G says:

    Yeah, but really, how long has Zullo been “silent”. Mere days or a few weeks without his idiotic blather? Maybe he took a vacation or caught a cold or needed to spend some extra time trying to make used car sales…I mean who knows. But the fact that a small amount of time has passed without him breaking wind with his birtherisms is causing any “notice” in birtherdom only serves to show how barren and adrift their lame little movement is anymore… Like any bad penny and pathetic twit desperate to hold on to his fleeting 15 minutes of small cult fame, he’ll pop up again soon enough.

    Let’s simply enjoy any few days of silence from that twit as simply a day without his added idiocy. I doubt it is anything more than that.

    Arthur: I don’t think that Zullo is going away, but the posters at Birther Report are complaining about his current silence.

  72. gorefan says:

    sfjeff:
    Can someone point me to that great list of citations articles that list Obama’s place of birth as Hawaii?

    I seem to always lose it

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/96756764/Barack-Obama-Was-Born-in-Hawaii

  73. gorefan says:

    G: I doubt it is anything more than that.

    I suspect he just doesn’t have anything new to say. Birthers complain when he just repeats the same old stuff. So when he has “breaking news” I’m sure we’ll here from him again.

  74. Curious George says:

    CarlOrcas: Clarify something for me: The plan you had…..was that a personal policy or one through your employer?

    Personal.

  75. Curious George says:

    charo: Curious George,If you decide to go through an insurance agency instead of the exchanges, please understand that you may not be able to get the federal subsidies. Additionally, here is an article that you might want to read. I don’t know your specific situation, so the article may be inapplicable.http://swampland.time.com/2013/10/30/another-glitch-americans-could-miss-out-on-obamacare-subsidies-for-insurance-in-2014/I read something the other day that never even occurred to me. If you are hospitalized, often you are charged by a doctor that you don’t even remember seeing. If that doctor is not in your plan, you will have to pay out of network. If you have surgery, the anesthesiologist and others on the team may or may not be in your network. Since the implementation of the ACA, who will be the providers in your network is a serious question.

    Thanks very much for the information. The article fits my situation perfectly. And yes, I knew that the automatic enrollment by the insurance company would negate the subsidies. And yes there is a potential issue with out of network providers. Currently one of the major insurance companies is using a Band-Aid approach encouraging their cancelled customers to enroll directly with the company until the Federal Exchange is operating correctly. Qualifying for subsidy access then becomes a question. Another interesting problem is that the Federal Exchange is quoting rates for “couples” for Blue Cross, which are significantly lower than the “family” rate. Blue Cross tells me that they don’t offer a “couples” rate. More kinks to be worked out.

  76. Curious George says:

    Arthur: Exactly. This is insurance. It functions when costs and risks are spread among a large number of people. Complaining about having to pay for insurance for things you won’t use, is like a childless couple complaining about having to pay property taxes for education. The point of living in a community is to share responsibilities so you can share the benefits.

    I was simply stating why my coverage (lack of maternity) was not the same as an ACA approved plan. However, if my coverage (without maternity) was purchased on or before March 23, 2010, under the ACA law it would have been “grandfathered” and I could have continued with a plan that I liked with no cancellation. As it stands, I can’t keep the plan that I like, “no matter what.”

  77. Curious George says:

    Rickey: Have you tried the Kaiser Calculator to find out what similar plans will cost you through the exchange? It only takes a few minutes.

    Yes. Thanks.

  78. Curious George says:

    Rickey: But your plan does include treatment for prostate problems and testicular cancer, coverage which women don’t need. Are you suggesting that there should be separate policies and premiums for men and women?

    No I’m suggesting that I was told by our President that “If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your healthcare plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.” Not true.

  79. bobj on phone says:

    If birthers are so in love which the Constitition, why are criminals ( lyin’ Lucas, crazy Cody, fool Fitzy), nutcases ( Owens, Adams, Nash, Trowbridge, etc) and incompetent lawyers ( Taitz, Klayman, Aputz, Sibley) given more credibility than the STATE of Hawaii?

    I am asking you john. Or Scott e , hermitan; you too. Can any birther give a reason to not trust Hawaii? I ask for a few reasons, but mostly because my sister was born in Hawaii, and if she runs for Prez I want to be able to support her run.

    Also birthers, why only the thumbs up on birther report? Are you guys really that insecure?

  80. charo says:

    Dave:
    You can’t believe everything you read. What you describe below sounds like somebody’s imagination. If the hospital is in-plan, then every doctor that sees you at that hospital is covered.

    Prior to the ACA, I would have agreed. Now, I don’t see that as a guarantee with doctors opting out.

  81. charo says:

    Rickey: But your plan does include treatment for prostate problems and testicular cancer, coverage which women don’t need.

    Are you suggesting that there should be separate policies and premiums for men and women?

    Should Medicare increase its costs to help share the expense of newborn care and pediatric dental and vision care? Those are now essential benefits that must be covered under the ACA to make the insured’s policy more comprehensive.

  82. CarlOrcas says:

    charo: Should Medicare increase its costs to help share the expense of newborn care and pediatric dental and vision care? Those are now essential benefits that must be covered under the ACA to make the insured’s policy more comprehensive.

    Medicare does cover vision care for eligible participants depending on what plan you have and, of course, it doesn’t cover children because…..well, they’re children.

  83. Dave says:

    Perhaps your objections to Obamacare would be better based on things that are actually in Obamacare, on not on your imagination.

    Are you aware that insurance with a limited list of doctors is not new? Most employer-based insurance I’ve had has had a limited list of doctors. If you’ve never seen this before, you’re lucky, but it has always been more the rule than the exception. So it is not a big surprise that some policies on the exchanges have limited lists of doctors. This is not an Obamacare thing, this is an insurance thing.

    charo: Prior to the ACA, I would have agreed.Now, I don’t see that as a guarantee with doctors opting out.

  84. Arthur says:

    Curious George: No I’m suggesting that I was told by our President that “If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your healthcare plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.” Not true.

    Yes, you’re correct. Now what?

  85. CarlOrcas says:

    Arthur: Now what?

    Obviously we need a Whine Festival…..quick before winter comes.

  86. charo says:

    CarlOrcas: Medicare does cover vision care for eligible participants depending on what plan you have and, of course, it doesn’t cover children because…..well, they’re children.

    That is the whole point. People have chosen plans that skip services that they do not need, such as maternity care, newborn care, pediatric care, even mental health services.

  87. charo says:

    Dave:
    Perhaps your objections to Obamacare would be better based on things that are actually in Obamacare, on not on your imagination.

    Are you aware that insurance with a limited list of doctors is not new? Most employer-based insurance I’ve had has had a limited list of doctors. If you’ve never seen this before, you’re lucky, but it has always been more the rule than the exception. So it is not a big surprise that some policies on the exchanges have limited lists of doctors. This is not an Obamacare thing, this is an insurance thing.

    http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/29/health/obamacare-doctors-limited/

    I don’t believe you have followed the issue all that much, maybe because you are not affected. Millions aren’t. Millions are.

  88. charo says:

    CarlOrcas: Obviously we need a Whine Festival…..quick before winter comes.

    Wow.

  89. CarlOrcas says:

    charo: I don’t believe you have followed the issue all that much, maybe because you are not affected. Millions aren’t. Millions are.

    “Millions aren’t. Millions are” what?

    There have always been doctors who wouldn’t take original Medicare.

    Now with most (I say that without checking but I bet it’s true) going for some sort of Medicare Advantage program to pick up Part B and D in one plan they are in an HMO/PPO plan with approved providers.

    As an employer we found ourselves changing plans every couple years as premiums rose and plans changed and every time the first thing we did was make sure that the doctors used by our folks were part of the plan.

    The only plan every doctor takes is CASH.

  90. CarlOrcas says:

    charo: That is the whole point.People have chosen plans that skip services that they do not need, such as maternity care, newborn care, pediatric care, even mental health services.

    Actually, charo, it is more a matter of plans “skipping services” than people picking and choosing what they want covered.

    BTW……Medicare does cover pregnancy.

  91. charo says:

    CarlOrcas: “Millions aren’t. Millions are” what?

    There have always been doctors who wouldn’t take original Medicare.

    Now with most (I say that without checking but I bet it’s true) going for some sort of Medicare Advantage program to pick up Part B and D in one plan they are in an HMO/PPO plan with approved providers.

    As an employer we found ourselves changing plans every couple years as premiums rose and plans changed and every time the first thing we did was make sure that the doctors used by our folks were part of the plan.

    The only plan every doctor takes is CASH.

    The comment was to Dave. As for Medicare covering pregnancy, I know. I looked it up to see if Medicare recipients have the same essential coverage that is being required for everyone else to make it “better.” Newborn care, pediatric care not covered. Wouldn’t that make Medicare deficient?

    There are millions of whiners right now.

  92. CarlOrcas says:

    charo: The comment was to Dave. As for Medicare covering pregnancy, I know. I looked it up to see if Medicare recipients have the same essential coverage that is being required for everyone else to make it “better.”Newborn care, pediatric care not covered. Wouldn’t that make Medicare deficient?

    There are millions of whiners right now.

    1 – Medicare has always covered pregnancy. Nothing new with the ACA.

    2 – Medicare has always covered the birth. How it covers newborn care I don’t know. As far as continuing pediatric care that may be provided for those on Medicare Disability.

    3 – You actually are going in the right direction though I doubt you recognize it. It would have been easier to simply extend Medicare to everyone than build a whole new system.

    Yes, there are quite a few uninformed whiners. Six months from now I predict they will be much quieter.

  93. JPotter says:

    charo: Newborn care, pediatric care not covered.

    Medicaid.

  94. JPotter says:

    charo: There are millions of whiners right now.

    Next time, support single-payer.

    Obamacare is a double-down on the incredibly inefficient patchwork insurance system, with some much needed regulation. It’s a bit better than doing nothing …. but not much.

  95. charo says:

    JPotter: Medicaid.

    Medicaid has an income limit. I agree with most of your comment, except I am not at single payer right now.

    In March I was planning to switch jobs and asked a friend who has his own company that prepares insurance quotes for businesses and individuals. He had one of his workers help me out.

    ******
    I have attached health insurance quotes to this email for your review. While they are from a wide range of carriers with a lot of difference in benefits, there are still other plans designs to choose from. Please let me know if there is something else you had in mind.

    When looking at these, please keep in mind that Capital Blue Cross and Health America are the two carriers that cover pre-existing conditions from the start of the policy. The other carriers require a 12 month wait for this coverage. I would be glad to meet with you to discuss these options further. Please also feel free to call the office or email me with questions regarding these plans.
    *******
    Well, the email that I saved is missing the attachments, grrr. Anyways, the plan offered good coverage but did not cover maternity or newborn care. It did cover pediatric care because I requested insurance for myself and three children. I can’t remember the exact specifics but it was less than $400 month, $1500 deductible. I think the deductible went towards the out of pocket expenses. In any case, the plan was not outrageous, but my husband’s deductible was only $1,000 (rest the employer covered) so we went with his. The plan offered to me would have been canceled because of the lack of maternity care. The insurance plan was not substandard at all. I can’t speak for the quality of others’ insurance being canceled, but that was my experience.

    Oh, and I did the Kaiser calculator and even with a subsidy, the plan offered to me in March of this past year was cheaper.

  96. charo says:

    CarlOrcas: Yes, there are quite a few uninformed whiners. Six months from now I predict they will be much quieter.

    You are being really disrespectful to Curious George (and others) who does not appear to be an idiot, and is not a whiner but reasonably concerned. He has checked into his situation, and you have not.

  97. CarlOrcas says:

    charo: You are being really disrespectful to Curious George (and others) who does not appear to be an idiot, and is not a whiner but reasonably concerned.He has checked into his situation, and you have not.

    Charo,

    There are a lot more people discussing the ACA than you and George and most of them are incredibly uninformed.

    I appreciate George’s concern but as others have pointed out to him he appears to be comparing apples and oranges and wondering why he can’t make apple pie out of oranges.

    As far as the other anecdotes are concerned it is impossible – without a lot more information – to know if they were even good deals let alone compare them to what the ACA mandates.

  98. charo says:

    CarlOrcas: Charo,

    There are a lot more people discussing the ACA than you and George and most of them are incredibly uninformed.

    I appreciate George’s concern but as others have pointed out to him he appears to be comparing apples and oranges and wondering why he can’t make apple pie out of oranges.

    As far as the other anecdotes are concerned it is impossible – without a lot more information – to know if they were even good deals let alone compare them to what the ACA mandates.

    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HEALTH_OVERHAUL_YOURE_CANCELED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-11-02-09-44-38

    You’ll see more and more of the anger. As for Curious George, I simply don’t understand your comments. How is his comment comparing apples to oranges?

    Update,Our medical insurance policy can’t be continued because it was not purchased on or before March 23, 2010, according to the ACA I’m told.So, if I purchased the plan on March 23, 2010, the plan would be continued and “grandfathered” into the ACA. It would not be discontinued.Mr. Obama said nothing about this little gem. (Remember, the law had to be passed so that we would know what’s in it?Now we know.)So now, no matter what, I can’t continue with the same plan that I like. If I do nothing, the insurance company will automatically sign me up for a similar plan at more than twice the cost! They simply pull the rug out from underneath your feet and slam you with a more expensive premium.

    He told you that he has an individual plan. You are not in his situation. Your attitude is 1) you are wrong or if you’re not 2) suck it up.

    That won’t fly with the millions who are being hurt.

  99. charo says:

    Whatever4: Of course Medicare should increase costs for those expenses, but the cost will be minimal as newborns and children aren’t eligible for Medicare. Pregnancy and childbirth, however ARE currently covered by Medicare. Not all recipients are over 65. Medicare also includes disabled individuals who get SSDI, and some of those get pregnant. Children born to Medicare recipients aren’t eligible for Medicare but may be eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.

    The point is, a plan is canceled if is missing a coverage that someone absolutely does not want and/or need. Medicare is not going to increase costs for newborns or pediatric care. There would be outrage, even if the cost were minimal. Pregnancy is covered because there are some on disability of childbearing years. Medicaid, CHIP is available for children, although that is complicated. I have dealt with both of those programs. My daughter has some hearing loss, and it is time for her insurance renewal. The call lines for questions about medical assistance (which covers hearing aids for kids) are so busy that there is a message to call back. I tried for 2 days to get a question answered. I ended up just submitting what I think is correct. Interestingly, the CHIP program in our state is funded by taxes on tobacco. lol. Don’t smoke, but smoke.

  100. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    The denizens of birther report seemed to be in a bit of a funk, the last couple of days.
    They were handed some perfectly good birther porn, but the usual suspects were of a mindset along the lines of “It sounds too good to be true, so it probably is…*sigh*”
    Its like their collective spirit has been crushed.
    Something about bigots having a sad, because things aren’t going their way, gives me warm fuzzies! Its why I peek in at the freepers every time a new state okays marriage equality.

  101. CarlOrcas says:

    charo: You’ll see more and more of the anger.

    And, I predict, you will see it fading away as people get better informed and get better help in sorting out their options.

    As it regards the first person in the AP story, Dean Griffin, there is a glaring hole in the story. It says he is 64. That means he has something less than 12 months to enroll for Medicare (assuming, of course, he has enough time in the system) and that isn’t even mentioned in this story. Bad reporting.

    It is just another anecdote without enough information to form any real opinion about the person’s situation let alone the broader questions about the ACA.

    As far as comparisons for George go without a lot more information there just isn’t anyway to say what’s better for him in the big picture. There are too may elements to just focus on the premium or even premium and out of pocket expenses. That’s what I mean by apples and oranges.

  102. Dave says:

    The article you link to says the hospital in Concord, NH does not take any insurance plan offered on the exchange. That’s about the only fact in there — it also makes a lot of vague statements about doctor networks being “narrow.”

    The hospital not participating is certainly a hardship for those people who live in Concord, have no employer health care plan, and qualify for tax credits. I won’t deny that. But this story certainly doesn’t support any of the sweeping generalizations you’ve been making.

    I feel like I’ve had pretty good health insurance all my life, all through employers, and I’ve had to change doctors several times due to insurance network issues. It’s inconvenient, but it’s not new.

    charo:
    I don’t believe you have followed the issue all that much, maybe because you are not affected. Millions aren’t. Millions are.

  103. CarlOrcas says:

    Dave: The article you link to says the hospital in Concord, NH does not take any insurance plan offered on the exchange. That’s about the only fact in there — it also makes a lot of vague statements about doctor networks being “narrow.”

    More bad reporting. I had to look through a number of stories to find one at CNN that explained the reason Concord Hospital isn’t taking the insurance is because state’s only provider won’t negotiate “sustainable contract terms” meaning they wanted to pay less than it cost the hospital to provide the service. http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/29/health/obamacare-doctors-limited/index.html

    So in this case the problem is the insurance company – Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield – and not the exchange or the ACA or Obama.

    It’s interesting to look at the map of New Hampshire and notice that there appear to be several other hospitals within 20 to 40 miles; a short drive in many large cities.

    As you note the only “fact” in the story was essentially accurate but, in the end, woefully lacking in context. That kind of crap doesn’t do anyone any good.

  104. Lupin says:

    So it turns out that the LAX shooter was a right-wing lunatic who believed in the same anti-Obama cr*p discussed hetre many times before:

    http://splcenter.org/blog/2013/11/02/hatewatch-exclusive-alleged-lax-shooter-referenced-patriot-conspiracy-theories/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

  105. Lupin says:

    FYI the edit function appears to be disabled.

  106. aarrgghh says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: Something about bigots having a sad, because things aren’t going their way, gives me warm fuzzies! Its why I peek in at the freepers every time a new state okays marriage equality.

    how sweet the taste the bitter tears of bigots, knaves, charlatans and thieves can be — t’is like the nectar of the gods.

  107. Works for me even when logged out. Time zone related? Try refreshing your browser.

    Lupin: FYI the edit function appears to be disabled.

  108. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Well, Falcon is back to his old despicable self.
    He’s hopping up and down screaming that the shooting at LAX was a false flag operation.

  109. Arthur says:

    I just heard Josh Dubois interviewed on NPR. Dubois was President Obama’s faith outreach director and has just had a book published called “The President’s Devotional.” Although I’m an atheist, I’m not necessarily opposed to religion, and I’m thinking of buying the book as I’m interested in the kind of inspiration Obama has relied upon to get through the last five years of political turmoil and personal attacks.

    Dubois was recently asked about people who attack the president’s faith, and his comments on their illogical beliefs reminded me of the contradictory notions that birthers have about Obama’s origins.

    “Yeah, it was fascinating how people could maintain two simultaneous beliefs; one inaccurate view on the president’s faith and claiming that he’s a Muslim when obviously he’s a committed Christian, and also attacking his Christian faith at the same time. But somehow, people were able to believe both things simultaneously, so you know it was a rough and tumble two years, but he obviously emerged from that in a successful place. And I think you know it strengthened our faith in the process to, certainly mine and the presidents as well. You know, anytime you go through a period of intense attacks like that it forces you to realize what matters most to you and so I think it was a bit of a defining period for both of us.”

    http://thegrio.com/2013/09/25/parners-in-faith-an-interview-president-obamas-former-faith-outreach-director-josh-dubois/#s:dubois_obama-3-16×9

  110. Arthur says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG:
    Well, Falcon is back to his old despicable self.
    He’s hopping up and down screaming that the shooting at LAX was a false flag operation.

    I saw that, too. What does it say about this personality, that whenever a man who is suffering from mental health problems kills people, Falcon’s first response is to deny it happened or turn the blame on the government? My guess is that he’s suffering from some kind of mental illness, sees something of himself in the perpetrator, and so must deflect the blame.

  111. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    I bet he’s a holocaust denier too.

  112. CarlOrcas says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG:
    Well, Falcon is back to his old despicable self.
    He’s hopping up and down screaming that the shooting at LAX was a false flag operation.

    Let’s give credit where credit is due. FALCON’s source is none other than Carl Gallups whose source is a “former military officer and veteran of several wars” whose source is a “high ranking officer in whom he places much trust”.

    But the capper is the short video with the Airport Police Chief that Gallups twists like a hot state fair pretzel into an inadvertent confession.

    http://ppsimmons.blogspot.com/2013/11/exlusive-tsa-shooting-was-false-flag.html

  113. bovril says:

    In a vain attempt to control the message, ORYR, after first removing the thumbs up, thumbs down function for the posts of bile has partially re enabled it with thumbs up only.

  114. CarlOrcas says:

    bovril:
    In a vain attempt to control the message, ORYR, after first removing the thumbs up, thumbs down function for the posts of bile has partially re enabled it with thumbs up only.

    Deleting all of Bill Bryan’s (Foggy) messages from Sharon Rondeau’s interview with Doug Vogt was pretty subtle.

    http://www.birtherreport.com/2013/10/doc-expert-unloads-obama-forgery.html

  115. G says:

    Your guess sounds spot on to me…

    Arthur: I saw that, too. What does it say about this personality, that whenever a man who is suffering from mental health problems kills people, Falcon’s first response is to deny it happened or turn the blame on the government? My guess is that he’s suffering from some kind of mental illness, sees something of himself in the perpetrator, and so must deflect the blame.

  116. Thinker says:

    A birthery excerpt from “Double Down,” Mark Halperin’s and John Heilemann’s new book about the 2012 Obama campaign. In 2011, when birtherism was heating up because of Trump the blowhard, Obama was going through some of his mother’s things and found some sort of commemorative birth certificate from Kapi‘olani, complete with a footprint! http://www.today.com/books/double-down-how-obama-beat-birthers-2012-8C11511690

  117. Dr Kenneth Noisewater says:

    Thinker: A birthery excerpt from “Double Down,” Mark Halperin’s and John Heilemann’s new book about the 2012 Obama campaign. In 2011, when birtherism was heating up because of Trump the blowhard, Obama was going through some of his mother’s things and found some sort of commemorative birth certificate from Kapi‘olani, complete with a footprint! http://www.today.com/books/double-down-how-obama-beat-birthers-2012-8C11511690

    You know what birthers are going to do now? They’re going to ask for this booklet and then they’re going to claim it’s a fake when he shows it.

  118. Northland10 says:

    CarlOrcas: More bad reporting. I had to look through a number of stories to find one at CNN that explained the reason Concord Hospital isn’t taking the insurance is because state’s only provider won’t negotiate “sustainable contract terms” meaning they wanted to pay less than it cost the hospital to provide the service.

    So in this case the problem is the insurance company – Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield – and not the exchange or the ACA or Obama.

    For a while, I was unable to use the hospital that was only a mile from me because BCBS and them got into a snit about reimbursement amounts. The situation was resolved when the hospital was purchased by a larger health care group. Luckily, I had no need for services during that time.

    I am finding many horror stories of ACA are actual pre-existing conditions in the health care industry but not often noticed by the public until now.

  119. CarlOrcas says:

    Northland10: For a while, I was unable to use the hospital that was only a mile from me because BCBS and them got into a snit about reimbursement amounts.The situation was resolved when the hospital was purchased by a larger health care group.Luckily, I had no need for services during that time.

    I am finding many horror stories of ACA are actual pre-existing conditions in the health care industry but not often noticed by the public until now.

    There is nothing new here, you are absolutely right.

    Twelve years ago I had two heart stents implanted. My procedure had to be performed at a hospital across town because my insurance company at the time had a special deal there versus the one next door to my doctor’s office.

  120. justlw says:

    1. My wife has “Royals” on her playlist.
    2. I’m riding my bike to work these days.

    This happened in my brain during this morning’s ride.

    Birthers
    by Verna and the Bots
    Lyrics by justlw
    With apologies to Lorde

    ===

    I’ve never seen no Hawaiian microfiche
    I cut my teeth on theories
    On the Internet
    And I’m not sure of my address
    “Care of Mom’s basement” —
    It should get to me.

    But everyone’s like, “Born here, get over it, he’s elected and our president,”
    Short form, long form, Onaka’s got his back too,
    We don’t care,
    We’ll be impeaching him in our dreams.
    But everybody’s like, “CRS, Wong Kim, who the heck’s Vattel?”
    “Hundred cases lost now, can’t you see the trend here?”
    We don’t care,
    We make stuff up out of the thin air.

    And we’ll always be birthers (birthers)
    Orly’s got a bit soft,
    And Donald’s gone (as it were) dark,
    But Tracy’s still got crazy spark.
    And Lieutenant Zullo (Zullo),
    Our mustachio’d king bee,
    Oh baby we drool (we drool, we drool, we drool)
    For every Cold Case fantasy.

    Cold Case Posse has cracked the code,
    They’ve tested everything known to man
    That scans things.
    And everyone who knows us knows
    It’s not about race —
    But he’s really Muslim-y

    But everyone’s like “Congress, Supreme Court” — yeah they’re in the tank too
    Soros, Alinsky, every judge on earth too,
    They’re all in,
    We’re building bunkers out in our yard,
    But we got the ridin’ bikers, truckers, millions on the overpass,
    Two hundred cases lost now, we don’t see no trend here,
    Almost there
    He’ll be caught up as a usurp-air

    And we’ll always be birthers (birthers)
    Mighty keyboard warriors
    Reality just ain’t for us.
    But we sure can raise a fuss, for
    Gruppenfuhrer Zullo (Zullo),
    And Double-Yew N D
    So baby we drool (we drool, we drool, we drool)
    For every numb nut fantasy.

    Ooh
    Ooh (ooh)
    We’re relevant in our own dreams,
    And we’re in love with drama queens.
    Ooh
    Ooh (ooh)
    Life is great without a brain
    There ain’t nothin’ we can’t mis-explain.

    And we’ll always be birthers (birthers)
    Black guy in the White House
    “Will of the people”’s not for us
    We crave a whiter shade POTUS
    So we’re hoping Zullo (Zullo),
    Gets them frogs marchin’ soon,
    And baby we’ll drool, (we’ll drool, we’ll drool, we’ll drool)
    For each and ev’ry fantasy.

  121. The Magic M says:

    justlw: We crave a whiter shade POTUS

    And so it was that later
    As the birther told his tale
    That he said, ‘I like my POTUS
    With a whiter shade of pale’.

    (Apologies to Procol Harum)

  122. The Magic M says:

    Dr Kenneth Noisewater: You know what birthers are going to do now? They’re going to ask for this booklet and then they’re going to claim it’s a fake when he shows it.

    Or they’ll go “it proves nothing, it has no legal value, it’s not a birth certificate”.

  123. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    WND doesn’t birf anymore, but I like to go there from time to time, to see if they’re still detached from reality. Spoiler Alert: They are!

    One of the new(read:recycled) headlines is about how “Impeachment talks are gaining traction!”. It’s a redress of a story they re-run every few weeks.
    Seems like their new version of “Any day now!” to me. Of course WND has always operated under the mistaken idea, that if they “report” something hard enough, it’ll somehow become reality.

  124. G says:

    Not surprised at all that “impeachment” is their new meme. With no re-election possibility, “impeachment” is their new magic reset button fantasy…

    Andrew Vrba, PmG:
    WND doesn’t birf anymore, but I like to go there from time to time, to see if they’re still detached from reality. Spoiler Alert: They are!

    One of the new(read:recycled) headlines is about how “Impeachment talks are gaining traction!”. It’s a redress of a story they re-run every few weeks.
    Seems like their new version of “Any day now!” to me. Of course WND has always operated under the mistaken idea, that if they “report” something hard enough, it’ll somehow become reality.

  125. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    I do look forward to the tidal wave of “BAAAAAAAAAAW! We couldn’t stop him! He got away with it!!!!” come January 20th 2017.

  126. roadburner says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: I do look forward to the tidal wave of “BAAAAAAAAAAW! We couldn’t stop him! He got away with it!!!!” come January 20th 2017.

    i’m already moving my money out of marching frogs, and re-investing in companies that make WAAAAAAAmbulances

  127. Keith says:

    McAuliffe wins Virginia.

    Tea Partiers to claim that Cuccinelli wasn’t crazy enough in five…four…three…

  128. justlw says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG:
    I do look forward to the tidal wave of “BAAAAAAAAAAW! We couldn’t stop him! He got away with it!!!!” come January 20th 2017.

    As we all crawl out of our bunkers to a scorched, treeless landscape, and begin the slow, painful process of rebuilding civilization from scratch.

  129. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    justlw: As we all crawl out of our bunkers to a scorched, treeless landscape, and begin the slow, painful process of rebuilding civilization from scratch.

    And bottle caps shall be the new currency!

  130. I had a birther dream last night. I don’t have many, but this was a rich and vivid one. I and a handful of Obots were attending a court hearing. The Plaintiff was a teenage boy. Dreams fade quickly and I don’t remember many details now. Chit chat with the Obots was pleasant. I talked to the judge on one of the breaks about ordering transcripts. It was just a nice dream.

  131. Note: The search feature on this blog has changed to return results sorted by relevance rather than most recent first. For example, now if you search for “reggie love”, you will get the article about Reggie Love rather than the more recent article that just mentions him.

  132. Crustacean says:

    Pure genius in those lyrics, El-Dub! Probably has something to do with the increased blood flow and release of neurotransmitters in the brain due to the exercise. Have you thought about ditching your office desk and just riding while you work? You can pretty much do everything from an iPhone these days, right?

    I find it interesting that “Royals” has been called a racist song. Maybe if Lorde had written it while doing yoga or something…

    justlw: It’s not about race —
    But he’s really Muslim-y

  133. I see RC has his 2nd article up in the “Driving the final nail into the Cold Case Posse ‘investigation’ coffin” series. I’m looking forward to Part 3.

  134. JPotter says:

    Dr. Conspiracy: “Driving the final nail into the Cold Case Posse ‘investigation’ coffin”

    Is that a coffin, or a keg o’nails?

    Dr. Conspiracy: I had a birther dream last night.

    I had a dream that David Lee Roth was going around selling juicers to church groups.

    Got to stop crashing out while infomercials are on!

  135. Andy Martin’s boycott of Hawaii is in its 4th year.

    http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/2009/04/andy-martin-boycotts-hawaii/

  136. justlw says:

    Dr. Conspiracy: Andy Martin’s boycott of Hawaii is in its 4th year.

    This explains why Ka’anapali felt so refreshingly birther-free when we went. Thank you, Andy Martin!

  137. G says:

    I’m surprised that the TP Birther loss in AL last night hasn’t gotten any mention. This article did an interesting introspective on the loss and just how in trouble the establishment GOP is in trying to take the party back from their crazy base:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/06/1253574/-Underfunded-birther-nearly-wins-runoff-in-Alabama-GOP-congressional-primary

    A relevant excerpt to reflect upon:

    One reason the Ted Cruzes and Sarah Palins of the world wanted nothing to do with Young is that he was such an extreme lunatic that he almost made them look reasonable by comparison. Case in point: Young actually said during the campaign that he believed President Obama was born in Kenya.

    So Bradley Byrne and the GOP establishment vastly outspent a candidate who was so extreme that he couldn’t even win the backing of national tea party groups and yet managed to win by just five points. From their perspective, that’s certainly better than losing, but the lesson here isn’t that Republicans have finally figured out how to tame the tea party, it’s that they didn’t have the confidence to challenge the tea party until they found an opponent who was so nuts that not even the tea party wanted to associate itself with him— and that even then, they still almost lost.

  138. G says:

    And in more Birther news, looks like WND, unhappy with last nights election results, decided to pout and publish another birther article – one written by notorious british goofball Lord Monckton – demanding both impeachment and imprisonment of the President, based on the birther BS:

    http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/wnd-obama-should-not-merely-be-impeached-he-should-be-imprisoned?

  139. Lupin says:

    G: ne written by notorious british goofball Lord Monckton

    “goofball” is exceedingly kind for that walking pile of toxic sludge.

  140. Lupin says:

    G: I’m surprised that the TP Birther loss in AL last night hasn’t gotten any mention. This article did an interesting introspective on the loss and just how in trouble the establishment GOP is in trying to take the party back from their crazy base:

    I assume the turnout must have been pretty low?

  141. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Lupin: “goofball” is exceedingly kind for that walking pile of toxic sludge.

    I think “walleyed gobshite” suits the man rather well.

  142. Keith says:

    Lupin: “goofball” is exceedingly kind for that walking pile of toxic sludge.

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: I think “walleyed gobshite” suits the man rather well.

    Hey, c’mon youse guise. He’s just a comedian doing his job.

    Classic Comedians with Craig Reucassel

    No need to get so personal.

  143. Majority Will says:

    Republican Jesus: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/06/16/republican-jesus/

    (excerpt) Republican Jesus ™, by the way, is a big supporter of the Confederacy. Why he let them lose the War of Northern Aggression is a mystery. But all “real” Americans know that the South will rise again and Republican Jesus ™ will lead the way back to glory. Or something like that. How the Northern and Mid-western Red states fit into this Southern revival is also a mystery.

    Republican Jesus ™ loves guns. Loves them! Never mind all that silly talk of beating swords into plowshares! Every good member of the church of Republican Jesus ™ should have, at minimum, enough armament to hold off an invasion by those commie Nazi liberal hordes that are coming any day now. Or the ATF, whichever shows up first. Or maybe just enough to wipe out a schoolroom filled with kids when their excellent parenting skills manifest themselves in the next Columbine tragedy.

    Remember, conservatives, to complain about anti-bullying programs being government overreach afterwards!

    Republican Jesus ™ loves the rich. Ignore that whole “camel through the eye of a needle” garbage. Republican Jesus ™ wants you to be prosperous! It’s called “prosperity theology” and it percolates throughout the conservative religious fervor. God rewards the faithful with material wealth. Very spiritual stuff. If your idea of spiritual is a McMansion.

    But Republican Jesus ™ is not just about love. Republican Jesus ™ also hates and, boy, does he hate!

    Republican Jesus ™ hates the poor. This is the flip side of “prosperity theology”. If God rewards the faithful with riches, than the poor are obviously NOT of the faith and deserve what they get. This is, in part, why conservatives hate the social safety nets of welfare, food stamps and Medicaid. Those (and by “those” I mean those) people don’t worship Republican Jesus ™ and are unworthy of being helped. Besides if you feed them, they’ll just breed!

  144. She received a very wise reply:

    there’s always BENGHAZI.

    justlw: GOP will revert to default #birther settings as soon as #ACA website is fixed. Set your watch – that train is never late.

  145. justlw says:

    Dr. Conspiracy: She received a very wise reply:

    there’s always BENGHAZI.

    I saw (and agreed with) that, but I decided to go simplistic and leave it out.

    Benghazi (I always think of the hyenas in The Lion King giving themselves shivers by saying “Mufasa!”) is “birtherism for grown-ups” — it’s the conspiracy theory you can bring up in public and not look like a total idiot. But it’s still a conspiracy theory.

    A recent example: as part of the Mufasa (“oooo… say it again!”), er, Benghazi aftermath, the Clinton-led Department of State, following the recommendation of the review board, suspended four of its officials. The board explicitly said the personnel’s actions did not warrant dismissal, and they were indeed not dismissed.

    The Kerry-led Department has continued to follow the review board’s recommendations, and in the next step in this process, has reassigned these officials to new duties, and they’re now back at work.

    So, according to a HuffPo commenter:

    She tried to fire 4 at State she said were responsible, but Kerry has reinstated all of them.
    Someone is lying.
    Kerry or Hillary?

    (I’m pretty sure that if you’re a Cabinet-level official, you don’t “try to fire” people: you fire them.)

  146. Slartibartfast says:

    I was bored and commented over at the rock that Adrien Nash crawled out from under (passing water all his life or something…). He made a comment about Dr. Dunham being in Seattle in August of 1961 and I was wondering if anyone knows what evidence exists regarding her whereabouts between President Obama’s birth and the following spring (or whenever she was definitely in school in Seattle).

    I recall some discussion of the matter here many moons ago, and I think that the consensus was that she was probably living in Hawai’i taking extension classes in the fall and didn’t arrive in Seattle until later, but I have no idea how to find it.

    If anyone could help out, I’d appreciate it.

  147. Someone obtained her transcript from U Hawaii and from U Washington, the UW grades were labeled “extension”; however, David Maraniss in his book, “Barack Obama: The Story,” says: “Within a month of the day Barry came home from the hospital, he and his mother were long gone from Honolulu, back on the mainland, returned to the more familiar turf of Mercer Island and Seattle and the campus of the University of Washington. (Maraniss doesn’t provide footnotes.)

    There is a separate biography of Ann Dunham, “A Singular Woman” by Janny Scott, but it doesn’t give any useful details from this period.

    Slartibartfast: I recall some discussion of the matter here many moons ago, and I think that the consensus was that she was probably living in Hawai’i taking extension classes in the fall and didn’t arrive in Seattle until later, but I have no idea how to find it.

  148. Slartibartfast says:

    Thanks Doc!

    Given my high opinion of Dr. Dunham, I really should read “A Singular Woman”, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet…

  149. Slarti- another thing Adrien is ignorant of: Muslim adoption practice is the child keeps the name of the biological father.

  150. Slartibartfast says:

    Something which I specifically pointed out to him.

    The thing which the birthers really don’t get about that point is that it destroys the whole “Barry Soetoro” meme. If President Obama really was adopted by Lolo Soetoro (and obtained Indonesian citizenship thereby), then he would have been called “Barry Obama” legally and there would be every reason to use that name in signing up for school as he would have been Constitutionally entitled to attend. If, however, he really was only a US citizen and Lolo was merely his stepfather, there is great incentive to register him under his stepfather’s name and as an Indonesian citizen in the hopes that no one would question the presumption.

    The problem with Adrien is that he does a written version of a “Gish Gallop” and it is impossible to address all of his misconceptions and errors.

    W. Kevin Vicklund:
    Slarti- another thing Adrien is ignorant of: Muslim adoption practice is the child keeps the name of the biological father.

  151. Dunham wrote a book too– Surviving Against the Odds: Village Industry in Indonesia by Dunham, S. Ann, Alice G.Dewey, Nancy I.Cooper and Maya Soetoro-Ng (Nov 30, 2009)

    Slartibartfast: Given my high opinion of Dr. Dunham, I really should read “A Singular Woman”, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet…

  152. Monkey Boy says:

    JPotter: Next time, support single-payer.

    Obamacare is a double-down on the incredibly inefficient patchwork insurance system, with some much needed regulation. It’s a bit better than doing nothing …. but not much.

    Even better would be a UK-style National Health Service. There per capita healthcare costs are much lower than the US, everyone (even visitors) is covered, and costs are contained.

    And, if someone doesn’t want to rub elbows with the hoi polloi, private practices and medical institutions would be allowed.

  153. JPotter says:

    Monkey Boy: Even better would be a UK-style National Health Service.There per capita healthcare costs are much lower than the US, everyone (even visitors) is covered, and costs are contained.

    And, if someone doesn’t want to rub elbows with the hoi polloi, private practices and medical institutions would be allowed.

    Exactly.

    The faux concerned, like charo, criticize and fret but refuse to offer solutions. There’s two extreme possibilities here: every person a payer, or one payer for all persons. Everything in the middle is a muddled up mess.

  154. gorefan says:

    Slartibartfast:
    I was bored and commented over at the rock that Adrien Nash crawled out from under (passing water all his life or something…).He made a comment about Dr. Dunham being in Seattle in August of 1961 and I was wondering if anyone knows what evidence exists regarding her whereabouts between President Obama’s birth and the following spring (or whenever she was definitely in school in Seattle).

    I recall some discussion of the matter here many moons ago, and I think that the consensus was that she was probably living in Hawai’i taking extension classes in the fall and didn’t arrive in Seattle until later, but I have no idea how to find it.

    If anyone could help out, I’d appreciate it.

    That was based on a newspaper interview with Susan Blakely, a friend in Washington who said that Stanley Ann showed up in Seattle with a several week old Barack. I think there was also another friend who was interviewed that said something similar.

  155. justlw says:

    For your enjoyment, or to scare your dog, a report on the latest from Rebecca Mansour:

    The Sarah Palin War-on-Christmas Soundboard

    This got me to thinking what a Sarah Palin Advent calendar would look like, and I concluded that obviously it would have only 7 windows, with a nut behind each one.

  156. The European says:

    Monkey Boy: Even better would be a UK-style National Health Service.There per capita healthcare costs are much lower than the US, everyone (even visitors) is covered, and costs are contained.

    And, if someone doesn’t want to rub elbows with the hoi polloi, private practices and medical institutions would be allowed.

    I have no experience with UK health care. I know that nearly everybody really concerned seems to like it.

    The US-problem with health care is the same as most of your other problems: capitalism at its worst. You must be rich (or willing to go very deep in debt) to become a doctor. Afterwards (nearly) all of your doctors think they are entitled to become millionaires.

    I tell you about France: When I consult my doctor (4 times a year because of blood-pressure) I pay 23 Euros cash for the consultation, which may well last 15 minutes. This price is government-fixed. I am reimbursed by my health care (22 Euros). I have to pay 1 Euro. The medicaments are paid completely by my health care without any cash down. The prices for medicaments are fixed in negotiations between industry, health care and the government.

    I talk a bit with my doctor, who is my age. He loves his job. His wife is a teacher. They get around well. He never dreamt of becoming a millionaire.

  157. The European says:

    I have to add that the Americans here probably can’t even imagine that studying medicine is f r e e somewhere. It is in Germany and the Scandinavian countries – which I know for sure – but as far as I know it is free in France as well. You only have to be gifted. Being rich helps not so much. So much less incentives for millionaire-dreams.

  158. john says:

    WKA differentaties Citizen at Birth and Natural Born Citizen but not to the point that it really matters. WKA was a “Citizen at Birth” but NOT “Natural Born Citizen”. Nevertheless because both classes of citizen operate under the same principals under the law, the court felt compelled to rule in favor of WKA. As I have stated in the past, the difference in citizenships can be very seen with following analogy:

    WKA or persons like him look like a NBC, They Sound like a NBC, They Feel like a NBC and They taste like a NBC. However the DNA is dfferent than that of a NBC. However, DNA is something that can be only viewed under the microscope and in the eyes of the law it is the senses that matter. As such citizens at birth are treated the same in way of rights as they to Natural Born Citizens.

    But always remember that ONLY NBCs can be POTUS. Even if someone very very very close to being an NBC they are still not an NBC.

  159. It doesn’t make any more sense this time than it did before.

    john: As I have stated in the past, the difference in citizenships can be very seen with following analogy:

  160. As I travel more in my retirement, I get a better appreciation of the different approaches in other countries to the same problems.

    As for doctors becoming millionaires, a million ain’t what it used to be.

    The European: The US-problem with health care is the same as most of your other problems: capitalism at its worst.

  161. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    John, repeating a failed, flawed analogy doesn’t make it any more correct.
    That’s something you birther fools don’t seem to grasp. Making a meme out of something won’t make it fact. Ever.

  162. Kate says:

    john: WKA or persons like him look like a NBC, They Sound like a NBC, They Feel like a NBC and They taste like a NBC. However the DNA is dfferent than that of a NBC. However, DNA is something that can be only viewed under the microscope and in the eyes of the law it is the senses that matter. As such citizens at birth are treated the same in way of rights as they to Natural Born Citizens.

    But always remember that ONLY NBCs can be POTUS. Even if someone very very very close to being an NBC they are still not an NBC.

    Your “analogy” is completely useless to the situation as described above. You describe a country where there are more than two types of citizens and that does not apply to the U.S.
    There are only two types of citizens, natural born citizens and naturalized citizens. Therefore, anyone who is a citizen at birth, meaning they don’t need to be naturalized, is a natural born citizen. Naturalized citizens go through a process to become citizens that does not apply to those born on U.S. soil. Your so-called argument makes no sense whatsoever, as usual.

  163. Curious George says:

    John, you really don’t have a clue do you? BTW, who is the female forger suspect? You’re so close to the inner circle, you must tell us who she is.

    John, I would suggest that you read Rawle’s “A View of the Constitution.” It was reportedly used at West Point as a text book. It shreds the birther nonsense.

  164. Joey says:

    john:
    WKA differentaties Citizen at Birth and Natural Born Citizen but not to the point that it really matters.WKA was a “Citizen at Birth” but NOT “Natural Born Citizen”.Nevertheless because both classes of citizen operate under the same principals under the law, the court felt compelled to rule in favor of WKA.As I have stated in the past, the difference in citizenships can be very seen with following analogy:

    WKA or persons like him look like a NBC, They Sound like a NBC, They Feel like a NBC and They taste like a NBC.However the DNA is dfferent than that of a NBC.However, DNA is something that can be only viewed under the microscope and in the eyes of the law it is the senses that matter.As such citizens at birth are treated the same in way of rights as they to Natural Born Citizens.

    But always remember that ONLY NBCs can be POTUS.Even if someone very very very close to being an NBC they are still not an NBC.

    The plaintiffs in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark stated unequivocally that the court was ruling on whether Wong Kim Ark was a natural born citizen.
    In their brief for the Court, they wrote: “Are Chinese children born in this country to share with the descendants of the patriots of the American Revolution the exalted qualification of being eligible to the Presidency of the nation, conferred by the Constitution in recognition of the importance and dignity of citizenship by birth? If so, then verily there has been a most degenerative departure from the patriotic ideals of our forefathers; and surely in that case American citizenship is not worth having.”

    http://librarysource.uchastings.edu/library/research/special-collections/wong-kim-ark/AppellantsBrief.pdf

  165. Joey says:

    John says: “But always remember that ONLY NBCs can be POTUS. Even if someone very very very close to being an NBC they are still not an NBC.”

    At least nine different courts have ruled that Barack Obama IS a Natural Born Citizen. No court has ever ruled that he is not a Natural Born Citizen.

    Here’s the definitive statement from one of those rulings that was appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and not overturned:
    Swensson, Powell, Farrar and Welden v Obama, Administrative Law Judge Michael Mahili, State of Georgia Administrative Hearings:: “For the purposes of this analysis, the Court considered that Barack Obama was born in the United States. Therefore, as discussed in Ankeny, he became a citizen at birth and is a natural born citizen. Accordingly, President Barack Obama is eligible as a candidate for the presidential primary under O.C.G.A. under Section 21-2-5(b). February 3, 2012
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/80424508/Swensson-Powell-Farrar-Welden-vs-Obama-Judge-Michael-Malihi-s-Final-Order-Georgia-Ballot-Access-Challenge-2-3-12

  166. CarlOrcas says:

    john: However the DNA is dfferent than that of a NBC.

    How?

  167. RanTalbott says:

    justlw: This got me to thinking what a Sarah Palin Advent calendar would look like, and I concluded that obviously it would have only 7 windows, with a nut behind each one.

    Nah: you’d definitely have to have a moose, and a Mama Grizzly®.

    Oh, and the North Star. You can’t have a Palin celebration without the North Star shining down on it.

  168. Arthur says:

    john: As I have stated in the past, the difference in citizenships can be very seen with following analogy:

    john, you need to review how to construct an effective analogy. It seems you’re trying to use an analogy to explain your unconventional definition of natural-born citizenship by comparing it to something else. While it’s true that writers use analogies to make challenging concepts easier to understand, their analogies are only effective if they’re easily grasped. I think you’re probably trying to compare natural-born citizenship with DNA, but you haven’t made a concrete comparison.

    Analogies can also be faulted if they fail to illustrate a comparison that makes sense, and after reading your post several times, I still can’t figure out the nature of your assertion. If it’s true that you’re making a comparison between natural-born citizenship and DNA, your analogy fails because you don’t explain what the commonalities are between DNA and natural-born citizenship. Here’s another failed analogy, with apologies to “The Simpsons.”

    “Son, a natural-born citizen is a lot like a refrigerator. They’re about six feet tall, 300 pounds. They make ice, and . . . um . . . Oh, wait a minute. Actually, an NBC is more like DNA.”

  169. Keith says:

    john:
    WKA or persons like him look like a NBC,

    Really? What does an NBC look like?

    They Sound like a NBC,

    Really? What does an NBC sound like?

    They Feel like a NBC

    Really? What does an NBC feel like?

    and They taste like a NBC.

    Really? What does an NBC taste like? (and is this an assertion related to your culinary experience or your sexual experience?)

    However the DNA is dfferent than that of a NBC.

    Really? In what way is the DNA of an NBC different than that of a non-NBC? Does it have anything to do with skin color?

    However, DNA is something that can be only viewed under the microscope and in the eyes of the law it is the senses that matter.

    Is that so? So I guess I would need to provide my guests with a microscope to enhance their senses if I were to obtain one of these artworks? Or is that only required for my lawyer?

    As such citizens at birth are treated the same in way of rights as they to Natural Born Citizens.

    Obviously. People who gain their citizenship at birth ARE Natural Born Citizens. Since you like analogies, your assertion is like saying that automobiles are treated the “same in way of rights as they to” Motor Vehicles.

    But always remember that ONLY NBCs can be POTUS.Even if someone very very very close to being an NBC they are still not an NBC.

    There is no such thing as ‘very very close to being an NBC’. You either are, or you aren’t. To stretch my analogy, a four wheeled vehicle without an engine or motor for self propulsion is not ‘very very close’ to being an automobile – it is a wagon or a trailer or whatever.

    If you think that you can trace ‘Natural Born Citizenship’ (a ‘LEGAL CONCEPT’) via DNA (a ‘BIOLOGICAL/CHEMICAL MECHANISM’), when there isn’t even a DNA marker for ‘race’ (a ‘SOCIOLOGICAL CONSTRUCT’), you are so far off base that you are drifting into ‘aliens left their anal probe in me and now I’m my own satellite dish’ territory (HT to South Park).

    Your attempt to use DNA as an analogy fails on every level, and exposes your innate argument as one that is essentially racist, in every way.

  170. Rickey says:

    JPotter: Exactly.

    The faux concerned, like charo, criticize and fret but refuse to offer solutions. There’s two extreme possibilities here: every person a payer, or one payer for all persons. Everything in the middle is a muddled up mess.

    Of course we do have real socialized medicine in the U.S., namely the VA Healthcare System. Single payer and all of the providers are employees of the Federal government.

    The irony is that many of the veterans I know are opposed to “socialized medicine” but they love their VA healthcare.

  171. Steve says:

    john:
    WKA differentaties Citizen at Birth and Natural Born Citizen but not to the point that it really matters.WKA was a “Citizen at Birth” but NOT “Natural Born Citizen”.Nevertheless because both classes of citizen operate under the same principals under the law, the court felt compelled to rule in favor of WKA.As I have stated in the past, the difference in citizenships can be very seen with following analogy:

    WKA or persons like him look like a NBC, They Sound like a NBC, They Feel like a NBC and They taste like a NBC.However the DNA is dfferent than that of a NBC.However, DNA is something that can be only viewed under the microscope and in the eyes of the law it is the senses that matter.As such citizens at birth are treated the same in way of rights as they to Natural Born Citizens.

    But always remember that ONLY NBCs can be POTUS.Even if someone very very very close to being an NBC they are still not an NBC.

    You’re splitting hairs, John.
    As Marcia Clark once said “Hairs cannot be split.”

  172. Monkey Boy says:

    Dr. Conspiracy: As for doctors becoming millionaires, a million ain’t what it used to be.

    I think that the term millionaire here is a metaphor for “as rich as croesus.”

  173. The Magic M says:

    john: However, DNA is something that can be only viewed under the microscope and in the eyes of the law it is the senses that matter.

    So in keeping with your analogy:

    1. SCOTUS in WKA did not know about DNA and therefore incorrectly pronounced Wong an NBC.

    2. All other courts that heard birther challenges to Obama don’t know about DNA and therefore erroneously consider him an NBC.

    3. (This is the kicker.) The Founders however knew about DNA but chose to keep their ahead-of-time knowledge secret and never even so much as mention DNA in the Constitution.

    This time the “secret alternative meaning the Founders told no-one about” crank claim almost sounds like the “the ancient Indians knew about quantum physics, DNA and airplanes” crank claim.

  174. The Magic M says:

    gorefan: a friend in Washington who said that Stanley Ann showed up in Seattle with a several week old Barack

    Well, you can never convince those who will claim “her real baby died and she bought another off a Kenyan woman on the streets”. Which is what we would hear even without any foreign back story in Obama’s life (i.e. even if he had had two US parents whose ancestors had been living in the US since the Mayflower days).

  175. Paul Pieniezny says:

    The European: The US-problem with health care is the same as most of your other problems: capitalism at its worst. You must be rich (or willing to go very deep in debt) to become a doctor. Afterwards (nearly) all of your doctors think they are entitled to become millionaires.

    I tell you about France: When I consult my doctor (4 times a year because of blood-pressure) I pay 23 Euros cash for the consultation, which may well last 15 minutes. This price is government-fixed. I am reimbursed by my health care (22 Euros). I have to pay 1 Euro. The medicaments are paid completely by my health care without any cash down. The prices for medicaments are fixed in negotiations between industry, health care and the government.

    OK, I’ll bite and give you the situation in Belgium, which has neither the UK, nor the French system. Until recently, there were no restrictions as to who or how many could study medicine, and university degrees are and were heavily subsidized and thus cheap, which explains why some people would say Belgium has too many doctors, reducing greed by competition. But some Belgian doctors do dream of becoming millionaires, they are called surgeons.

    1) at the first level of medical care you have consultations at a general practitioner’s cabinet. Those will cost you 24.15 euros. But how much you get back from the mutual society (mutuelle in French) depends on whether you have a medical dossier agreement with that doctor, making her (sometimes him) your house doctor for a year. If she is, you get back 20.15, if not, you only get Any adult who works or receives a pension pays about 80 euros annually to a mutuelle of his choice. That used to be tax deductible, but is no longer so. Prescribed medicine, if marked essential by the health service, is also subsidized, but asain not free (with rare exceptions like medrol for asthmatics). So, at this level, costs are kept down by dissuasion fees, “own contributions”.

    2) Then at the next level you have specialist treatment, dentists, ophthalmologists, whatever. With them, you are never sure how much you will pay and how much you get refunded. Your “own contribution” can vary from less than 7% (17.88 on a 256.36 ophthalmologist’s bill) to almost 55% (21.72 out of 40). Note that osteopaths and psychiatrists are not part of the health system yet. They tend to charge less than general practitioners (24), dentists (32 minimum for a simple consultation) or other specialists (40 minimum for a simple consultation).

    3) Where things have gone from bad to worse is operations at hospitals. The first question the surgeon’s secretary now tends to ask you is whether you have hospital insurance. Doctor’s fees depend on whether you will spend the night in a single-bed room, a two-beds room or a communal room. Take a single room and the doctor can charge you whatever he wants (and you only get the standard refunds, dissuasion fees apply here too). Take a communal room and the doctor’s fee is restricted to the official tariff. It is the double beds room that causes discussion nowadays. There is a law proposal to further restrict fees there. Too late for me, I have been billed 440 euros for an inguinal hernia operation and one night in a two beds room. That is why people take hospital insurance. Costs me 700 euros annually for a policy that covers stays in two beds rooms (for a family with four persons over 21 and one child). Hopefully, the new law will get the premium down. Of course, surgeons will not get to be millionaires any slower, they will just charge the single bed roomers even more. Note that costs charged by the hospitals also vary according to the number of beds, but they are counted as “own contributions”, even though they are also covered by hospital insurance.

    Because not everyone can afford hospital insurance (and some people, particualrly the small evangelical minority refuse to take it on religious grounds) and some families can get unlucky and have a lot of medical costs in one and the same year, there is a proviso that no family will pay more than 1,700 euros or 2,278 US dollars a year in “own contributions”, counting all consultations, all essential medicine, the dissuasion fees at a hospital and the cost of staying at a hospital. Anything above that is refunded. There is a lower extra limit of 660 euros (737 USD) for the own contributions involving children below 19.

    The system, which works by contributions out of wages and pensions and a special annual surtax on unearned income when it is over a certain level (which everyone tries to stay below, of course) is infortunately not self-supporting and needs annual subsidies. Hospital insurance too is going up every year and companies play around with the age bands.

  176. Paul Pieniezny says:

    “If she is, you get back 20.15, if not, you only get Any adult who works or receives a pension pays about 80 euros annually to a mutuelle of his choice.”

    Got cut off in the middle of an edit.

    You should read:
    “If she is, you get back 20.15, if not, you only get 16.16 back. Dissuasion fee, or as we call it “brake money”. Any adult who works or receives a pension pays about 80 euros annually to a mutuelle of his choice.”

  177. Lupin says:

    The Magic M: the ancient Indians knew about quantum physics, DNA and airplanes” crank claim.

    Now you crushed another of my dearly-held beliefs! 🙂

  178. Lupin says:

    Dr. Conspiracy: It doesn’t make any more sense this time than it did before.

    No it really does NOT. His insane DNA analogy (I’m being generous in applying the word) just does not work.

  179. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    I think the only reason John knows the term DNA is because of what he sees on CSI.
    And as we all know, those programs are firmly grounded in fact! 😉

    Oh, and John, that was sarcasm. I feel the need to point that out just for you, on account of how inhumanly stupid you are.

  180. Keith says:

    Keith: Is that so? So I guess I would need to provide my guests with a microscope to enhance their senses if I were to obtain one of these artworks? Or is that only required for my lawyer?

    Oops. I left off the link to the artwork in question: From life comes art.

  181. Birther Report is up to its usual standards with this comment directed at me:

    That’s too bad for you Dr. Rope Smoking Retard. You will have to continue fornicating with goats and other assorted barn yard animals until you are able to afford the mental health care you so obviously need.
    Buck Ofama

  182. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Dr. Conspiracy:
    Birther Report is up to its usual standards with this comment directed at me:

    I wonder if that kid’s mom knows that he’s using her computer to type such filth.

  183. Rickey says:

    Dr. Conspiracy:
    Birther Report is up to its usual standards with this comment directed at me:

    That’s too bad for you Dr. Rope Smoking Retard. You will have to continue fornicating with goats and other assorted barn yard animals until you are able to afford the mental health care you so obviously need

    Birthers have a bizarre obsession with bestiality.

  184. JPotter says:

    Rickey: Birthers have a bizarre obsession with bestiality.

    In the field of … umm … creative writing, authors are limited to what they know.
    It’s always potty humor, homosexuality as icky dirty, and barnyard lovin’ from these people.

    Hmmm.

    What explains the relative dearth of incest references from wingnuts?

  185. RanTalbott says:

    JPotter: What explains the relative dearth of incest references from wingnuts?

    Their cousins made ’em promise to never speak of it in public.

  186. JPotter says:

    Lupin: No it really does NOT. His insane DNA analogy (I’m being generous in applying the word) just does not work.

    I rather enjoyed his “analogy”. It was one of those tragicomic moments in which a speaker holds forth, supremely confident that they are revealing undeniable, obvious truth to the uninitiated … only to reveal their own flaws while contributing nothing to the discussion at hand!

    I mean, he went to such lengths to demonstrate that the status “natural born citizen” is—gasp!—different from other possible status. Wow. Really? And he managed to do twist himself into a pretzel of the obvious in such a way to confirm (again), that, to him, those he considers ‘others’ are less than human.

    Perfectly oblivious. Complete lack of empathy. He fits right in with the GOP’s merry band of serial gaffers! Maybe they should “shut that whole thing down” 😛

  187. Northland10 says:

    Dr. Conspiracy:
    As I travel more in my retirement, I get a better appreciation of the different approaches in other countries to the same problems.

    As for doctors becoming millionaires, a million ain’t what it used to be.

    This morning, the press were reporting about a mansion that burned down in Lake Forest early in the morning. The reported that it was worth around, 1.9 million. In Lake Forest? 6,000 square feet, though not small, hardly qualifies as a mansion in my book, especially in Lake Forest.

  188. Northland10 says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: I wonder if that kid’s mom knows that he’s using her computer to type such filth.

    Most of the mouthy students I had were far more clever in their insults than what you find on BR.

  189. Keith says:

    Northland10: This morning, the press were reporting about a mansion that burned down in Lake Forest early in the morning.The reported that it was worth around, 1.9 million.In Lake Forest? 6,000 square feet, though not small, hardly qualifies as a mansion in my book, especially in Lake Forest.

    Perhaps the 1.9mil included land value?

    I can’t fine Keswick Lane, Lake Forest on Google Earth. I found Keswick Court in Lincolnshire though. Lake Forest and Lincolnshire are a few miles apart. Suburbs? Wrong street? I dunno.

    Anyway the houses in Keswick Court look like they could be pushing 2 million. I wouldn’t call them mansions exactly, but they ain’t cheap looking and they do look like they are in a ‘nice’ neighborhood.

  190. G says:

    Thought I’d share this: Crazy old birther, Butterdezillion caught the attention of the bloggers at this website for one of her other “stuck on stupid” delusions – her poison dart assassination theories over at Freeperville. They do quite a hilarious take down of her. Worth the read:

    http://www.rumproast.com/index.php/site/comments/the_fever_swamps_not_so_deep_anymore/

  191. The Magic M says:

    JPotter: I mean, he went to such lengths to demonstrate that the status “natural born citizen” is—gasp!—different from other possible status. Wow. Really?

    Just like some birthers believe that quoting John Jay’s

    Permit me to hint whether it would not be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of foreigners into the administration of our national government ; and to declare expressly that the command in chief of the American army shall not be given to, nor devolve on any but a natural born citizen.

    means their Vattelist argument automatically becomes true.

    I mean, what they actually say is simply: “Hey look, the Constitution requires NBC!” Yes, birthers, thank you, we already knew that.

  192. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Cody Robert Judy is crazier than ever!
    His latest scheme to remove Obama, apparently revolves around him singing horrible songs in music videos with Dollar General toy robots…
    http://codyjudy.blogspot.com/2013/11/crossfire-song-asks-is-gop-willing-to.html

    I’m gonna go lie down now…that was far too much stupid for me to absorb in one sitting.

  193. Daniel says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG:
    Cody Robert Judy is crazier than ever!
    His latest scheme to remove Obama,apparently revolves around him singing horrible songs in music videos with Dollar General toy robots…
    http://codyjudy.blogspot.com/2013/11/crossfire-song-asks-is-gop-willing-to.html

    I’m gonna go lie down now…that was far too much stupid for me to absorb in one sitting.

    He can’t actually think he’s a talented singer… can he?

  194. nbc says:

    Daniel: He can’t actually think he’s a talented singer… can he?

    I can honestly, although not with a straight face, say that he is a much better singer than he is a presidential candidate or a pro-se.

  195. RanTalbott says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: His latest scheme to remove Obama, apparently revolves around him singing horrible songs in music videos with Dollar General toy robots

    It also appears to include sacrificing naked virgins (well, women, anyway…) on fiery altars. Maybe he should call for volunteers from among the uber-jingoistic birthers the next time he has a posting on ORYR. They’re always babbling about the need for “the blood of patriots”.

    What got me initially was him saying “enjoy the pictures I took of the Veteran’s Day parade”, and opening with shots of marching robots. Leading one to speculate about whether he really is from another planet.

  196. Northland10 says:

    Keith: Perhaps the 1.9mil included land value?

    I can’t fine Keswick Lane, Lake Forest on Google Earth. I found Keswick Court in Lincolnshire though. Lake Forest and Lincolnshire are a few miles apart. Suburbs? Wrong street? I dunno.

    It is here

    In most other communities, it would probably be a mansion. However, when the median housing prices is around $780,000, 1.9 million is not as much. Coldwell Banker has 27 listings for places over 3.5 million in Lake Forest.

  197. Dave says:

    I’m sure everyone has heard the flap about the quickly retracted 60 Minutes report on the Benghazi attack, and that the featured source “Morgan Jones” had written a book telling the same now-discredited story, which the publisher has pulled.

    I thought it was interesting to note that the publisher, Threshold Editions, which publishes a list of books by and/or for right-wing lunatics, has also published a couple books by Jerome Corsi — among them “Obama Nation.”

  198. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    RanTalbott: It also appears to include sacrificing naked virgins (well, women, anyway…) on fiery altars. Maybe he should call for volunteers from among the uber-jingoistic birthers the next time he has a posting on ORYR. They’re always babbling about the need for “the blood of patriots”.

    What got me initially was him saying “enjoy the pictures I took of the Veteran’s Day parade”, and opening with shots of marching robots. Leading one to speculate about whether he really is from another planet.

    Well to be fair, he might have been talking about Cybertronian Veterans day. Kup has some hella cool war stories! 😉

  199. CarlOrcas says:

    Dave: I thought it was interesting to note that the publisher, Threshold Editions, which publishes a list of books by and/or for right-wing lunatics, has also published a couple books by Jerome Corsi — among them “Obama Nation.”

    Threshold is an imprint…..part of…..Simon and Schuster which is owned by CBS that caters to the conservative market.

    The question is when did the contract with Threshold get signed and was it a quid pro quo for the 60 Minutes interview.

  200. Arthur says:

    RanTalbott: Leading one to speculate about whether he really is from another planet.

    Close.

    “Judy was diagnosed as having a variety of mental disorders, including paranoid schizophrenia, delusional disorder, manic depression and paranoia.”

    http://www.deseretnews.com/article/371141/CODY-JUDY-WANTS-KIDS-TO-VISIT-HIM-IN-PRISON.html

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.