by David Safier Mitt Romney only tells the truth when thinks he's among friends. Otherwise, he says what he thinks will get him what he wants. His "47 percent" remark, a spot-on description of his contempt for the "great unwashed," was intended for like-minded rich folk, but someone stuck a camera on a table and … Read more
Are you one of those Democrats who grumbles about the
Arizona Democratic Party’s (ADP) slide into Republican-lite territory?
Are you tired of Blue Dog Democratic candidates?
Are you tired of the party’s weak stances on hot-button
issues?
Did you ever wonder why the ADP’s Progressive Caucus has so
little power—despite being the state party’s largest caucus? (Maybe you didn’t
even know that the ADP had a progressive caucus?)
Are you ready for change?
If you said, “Hell, yeah!” to any of the above questions, then
it’s time to stop muttering and start acting. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, the Tucson
Chapters of Drinking Liberally/Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) are
holding a special meeting at The Shanty—beginning
at 6 p.m. with FREE pizza. The focus of the meeting will be on envisioning and
brainstorming a more progressive Democratic Party in Arizona. Former Arizona Legislator and PDA
Tucson coordinator Phil Lopes will lead the discussion.
Why should you attend? Read the details after the jump.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Gov. Jan Brewer has to make a decision, due Friday, that will determine whether Arizona
creates a state-run, online marketplace for consumers to use when
choosing health insurance plans, or lets the federal government create and run a health insurance “exchange” for the state.
The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Big decision looms for Arizona governor on exchange:
Brewer is among the Republican governors who opposed the law, but she has yet to indicate what course she’ll take.
“I have not made up my mind at this point in time, but I believe that
very soon I will have to determine just exactly what directly we’re
going to go. It’s a very expansive piece of legislation that has great,
huge impacts on the people of Arizona and on America. So we have to be
very cautious and do it carefully. And of course, I believe a lot in
states’ rights, and I think that we have to take everything into
consideration to make the right decision,” Brewer said on Tuesday.
Down the road, Brewer will face an equally hot-potato decision on
whether to expand the state’s Medicaid program — another key aspect of
the health care law.
Brewer’s administration has spent millions of dollars of federal
grant money on planning and preliminary work for creating a health
exchange.
Republican legislators and conservatives such as the Goldwater
Institute say the requirement for an exchange is an infringement on the
rights of states and individuals.
* * *
Meanwhile, a coalition of business groups
wants Brewer to create a state exchange so Arizona has a say in in its
design and funding.
“If we retain that control, we’re better able to customize and tweak
and make adjustments,” said Pete Wertheim, a vice president of the
Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association.
Brewer already has selected a minimum benefits package for a
state-run exchange based on current insurance coverage for state
employees. She noted in a Sept. 28 letter to the Obama administration
that the package excludes abortion coverage.
Brewer has said her administration has done a lot of planning to be
prepared but also indicated she was still studying the issue and hadn’t
made a decision.
“I’ve got to decide (whether) it’s the right thing for Arizona,” Brewer said while noting she will need legislative approval.
It’s clear that establishing a state-run
exchange would put Brewer at odds with many Republicans in the
Legislature, with no assurance that she would win the necessary
approval.
Listen up, you "states' rights" Tenthers. You have two choices. Either Arizona sets up a health insurance exchange that it runs and controls. Or the federal government will set up the health insurance exchange and run it for us. There is no third choice, kicking and screaming throwing a temper tantrum, while yelling "No, you can't make me do it! I hate ObamaCare! States' rights! Secession!" You lost. Get over it.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Elections have consequences, and the most important consequence of the 2012 election is that the Affordable Care Act (aka "ObamaCare") is the law of the land and will now be fully implemented.
The Obama administration will allow states additional time to plan
health insurance exchanges, and
to set up the marketplaces at the heart of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For hurried states, Obama administration extends health law deadlines:
States now have an extra month to send the federal government
“blueprints” for how they will have the health exchange up and running
by 2014, according to a letter Health and Human Services Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius sent to governors Friday.
They must still inform the Obama administration whether they plan to
set up an exchange by the original deadline of Nov. 16. Planning
documents must follow by Dec. 14.
Many states have already decided they will not build the insurance marketplaces, leaving the task to the federal government.
The governors of Florida, Virginia and Kansas announced Thursday they
would take this route. As many as 17 states are expected to have the
federal government run their exchanges, according to an analysis from
consulting firm Avalere Health.
* * *
Sebelius wrote to governors that the agency had “heard from many
states that additional time would allow you to submit a more
comprehensive, complete Blueprint application for your Exchange.”
“We are committed to providing you with the flexibility, resources,
and technical assistance necessary to help you achieve successful
implementation of your state’s Exchange,” she wrote.
States also have the option of pursuing a “partnership” exchange.
Under that model, the state and federal governments would each take
partial responsibility for running parts of the insurance marketplace.
States pursuing that model must notify the federal government in just over three months, by Feb. 15.
The Obama administration must certify that all states planning to
administer their own exchanges have made sufficient progress by Jan. 1.
Next October, the marketplaces will need to launch for open-enrollment
periods.
* * *
“If states don’t make this decision in the next 15 to 30 days, it’s
going to be really hard to catch up,” said Sam Gibbs, senior vice
president of sales at eHealthInsurance, which is helping states build
insurance exchanges. “That’s why Sebelius is saying, ‘You can give me
your plans later, but I still need to know which direction you’re
going.’ ”
The extended deadlines will not affect the overall implementation
timeline: Health insurance exchanges are still slated to launch at the
start of 2014.
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I have three sisters who used to act out and sing along to this Leslie Gore classic, "You don't own me," when they were kids. This video brings back a lot of memories.
Kathleen Geier writes at the Political Animal blog, The women of America have a message for Mitt Romney and the G.O.P.:
[S]ome of the women in video above include Carrie Brownstein, Lena
Dunham, Natasha Lyonne, and Miranda July. I think it’s a terrific use of
a brilliant and powerful recording/song. I’m a huge fan of girl pop and
this is definitely one of the classics.
* * *
“You Don’t Own Me,” which was released the year after The Feminine Mystique
was published, was a giant hit. It was one of Gore’s most popular
songs, second only to “It’s My Party” in sales. It climbed to number two
on the charts, right behind the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
This PSA details the GOP's war on women's rights and healthcare.
Video below the fold.