Political & Elections

catahoula · Guru

RE: Government Shutdown

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

Medicare should be needs tested, too.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

i would say above my pay grade, but I do not know. i am not an economist. I am not an accountant.

one thing that concerns me big time with ACA is that in the push to cover everyone and everything with no caps, we have given the insurance companies an even bigger incentive to raise costs.

If you have ever tried to get individual insurance, it can be problematic. I went through this myself. It took four insurance companies before I could get insured due to a pre-existing condition. Yet, ironically, my price was lower than what I am seeing on the exchanges now.

What if we insured the 30 year old woman and the 80 year old woman differently - that is, most women are not childbearing past a certain age. Yet, we are going to provide maternity benefits for them both, why?

There are good parts of bill. There are bad parts if the bill. It was intentionally too comprehensive. Should have focused on the big picture - who needed insurance? How can we best serve that population?

john doe · Guru

So what are your proposals to "improve" or replace these programs?

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

Yep, and expanding Medicare was a mistake, too.

when SS was created, it wasn't meant to help an aging population live on proceeds for 10 or 20 years. Our lifespans have iextended.

I have few illusions my generation will benefit from either SS or Medicare.

longprime · Guru

Geeps20, please stay longer. I'd like to eat. evileye

Razorsharp · Guru

I got a point for infraction from Mainelonghorn for my post in the investing thread. They are a bunch of Nazis over there.

They will probably get rid of me too soon.

-- Edited by Razorsharp on Saturday 5th of October 2013 07:33:31 PM

john doe · Guru

I guess sorta like social security and medicare.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

Once you give people candy, it's hard to take it away from them.

john doe · Guru

Since the law is so terrible and flawed, it should be easy for the next Republican President and congress to change it or are Republicans afraid that by that time it will be successful and it won't be changed?

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

i just saw the warning online to others. this wholevlawcis political and flawed. It could have been done correctly - but that wasn't the point.

geeps20 · Senior Member

finally got banned by MaineLonghorn on cc today for posting the following o the ACA thread after many other quasi political posts by others:

"one party had full control..they could have passed anything they wanted..it was rushed, so we ended up with what we got..a very flawed law."


She had it out for me as my 2nd infraction was also very questionable...I would love to respond to him/her, but can't even reply to the ban message..lol

john doe · Guru

and defense workers are being furloughed because Boner won't do his job and bring it to a vote.

Razorsharp · Guru

Congress is going to vote to pay federal workers even though they did not do any work. That's crazy. If you won't work you shouldn't get paid. It does not matter what the reason is.

SamuraiLandshark · Guru

Closing the WWII memorial to WWII vets is not the moral high ground.

longprime · Guru

Brooks and Dionne on PBS Newshour are very good today, Oct 4.

A good explanation of this "game" on Washington Week with Gwen Iffil

This could be the battle that will end the Republican Party as coalition of TeaParty and the GOP. Poor Boehner, forced into a battle much like Robert E Lee was forced into battle at Gettysburg. Everyone is going to get bloodied. Some good MOC are going to lose their position, some will sacrifice themselves for the good the Nation, and a few bad ones will continue on. But unless, the Senate and PBO makes a strategic blunder, The Democrats have the high ground and need only to defend their position to win.

Back to Oregon. Hopefully pension entitlements are changed enough to where we don't have to face a financial crisis. But note not only did the PERS take significant reductions, there were also tax increases and tax reforms that affect the higher incomes and seniors.

john doe · Guru

Apparently it is a game - with the country being held hostage by the tea party or Boehner would allow the vote in the house.

longprime · Guru

Based on this evidence it is only logical to conclude that the shutdown is at least partially a propaganda tool used for the express of ticking off the citizenry.

AirNatGuard at Kingsley Field (mid Oregon to upper-NCal)and Portland OR (mid Ore to Canadian border), local news says that the base elementary schools are closed because of funding and for being nonessential. Going to make our fliers and supporting staff feel secure that we stand behind them. evileye

longprime · Guru

"Not a damn game." Jeez, it IS a game and it is call Politics. The matrix of this particular game never looked good for the Stupid Party.

Ryan is now willing to pay the First Responders for work that was unpaid for this week. Also WIC, HeadStart, National Parks, and a few others. So what is left that isn't being funded and how do the remaining workers feel being told that their work isn't valuable ? Almost/maybe, Federal workers would want to stay off the job in sympathy or start a very public appeal to help those workers who aren't being paid or funded.

winchester · Guru

I was in Virginia Beach this week. Jets from NAS Oceana seem to be flying as usual (i.e., a lot of them, all the time).

But, the scenic overlooks - small parking lots on the side of the road - along the George Washington Memorial parkway next to the Potomac River in DC are blocked off, as are some of the monuments and memorials on the mall.

Based on this evidence it is only logical to conclude that the shutdown is at least partially a propaganda tool used for the express of ticking off the citizenry.

john doe · Guru

Wait a while

Razorsharp · Guru

I posted that I was not surprised the market had held up so well despite the Non Negotiator in Chief trying to talk it down by saying he is concerned. All of a sudden it disappeared. Mods should lighten up.

longprime · Guru

Oregon Special Legislative Session concluded: Deal made.

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/10/oregon_grand_bargain_bills_at.html

Note that OR Senate bill 861, allows for COLA of 1.25% upto benefits of $60,000/yr. Expected to save $400million/yr. COLA was at 2% to all retirees prior Aug 1, 2013. After Aug 1 COLA is 2% on first $20,000 and then 1.5% upto 60,000. We'll see what really is the exact wording.

I don't have a pension. Wife's pension after 23 years of service is based on lifetime pay. No COLA.

longprime · Guru

What continually amazes me is that a state with 3.8 million people has a PERS fund that all by itself would be a top 10 mutual fund at +$50Billion (2010).

in comparison, TEXPERS, reported in 01/2013 has a fund of $28.3 Billion. Admittedly the COL in Oregon is much higher than TX.

Razorsharp · Guru

Why is PERS unsustainable?

longprime · Guru

Over promised inflation coverage that was based in 1980. Over promised growth of underlying funds (10% since reduced to now 7.75%), Vacation, and sickday stacking are allowed to accrue. Overtime stacking. Determination of pension is based on last 5 (3?) years pay. Any shortfall in the fund is made up in the immediate year by accessing participating entities. Regardless of investment selection by the employee, the pension fund is to make the assumed now 7.75% rate. Expected life expectancy was low 80's.

Tier1 employees hired before a certain date (forgot, 1998?) state picks up the employee's 6% co-contribution along with state's contribution of 6%.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/07/oregon_pers_pension_pay_gets_p.html

http://community.statesmanjournal.com/blogs/stateworkers/2011/05/27/pers-tiers-explained/

http://www.oregon.gov/pers/Pages/index.aspx

Special session has ended, after 3 days. I doubt that there are major changes. My neighbor said to me earlier that many MOL are afraid of their consitutients. Where have we heard this before. ?

-- Edited by longprime on Wednesday 2nd of October 2013 07:17:21 PM

longprime · Guru

ORegon's Capitol Building is 75 today. Took Mom out for a free piece of cake. Ran into some suits in the cafe, and asked each if they were a legislator or lobbyist (special session to deal with budget and Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS)- Told each to do what they can to fix PERS. One was a lobbyist for the teacher's union, told her to "fix PERS" because the program is unsustainable . She replied that she was trying to take a break and asked me to leave-to which I said, "This is a Public Building, and if you wanted privacy, you should go to your office. " I enjoyed that.

Admittedly Oregon's PERS is not as bad as California's and many other states. But the retirement program for Tier1 employees is really unsustainable and we had a 2% income tax increase on high income households and a reduction in allowable deductions. It is time for the retiree's and remainder Tier1 employees to reduce their expectations. Our neighbor has been retired for 10 years, both state employees who got a buy-out. At that time, the retirement formula allowed them to retire with a higher income than if they continued working, plus the bonus. Of course the calculation for the bonus was miscalculated to the retirees favor and State has been trying to do a clawback on surviving members.

Ran into my representative (neighbor up a couple of blocks and a beach neighbor). Told her that would not object to a State government closure. I am NOT infavor of a Federal closure and think the GOP is the Party of the Stupid.

longprime · Guru

Ginghrich said on yesterday's interview, that founding fathers made a Senate, House, and President. House has done its job and the Senate and President hasn't done their job in coming to the table. My math says it's two against one and the President has veto power anyway.

I don't get it. ObamaCare took decades to form and the House wants to change it before it has even started enrollment, literally do major reforms in just weeks of first enrolls and 3 months before implementation?

In States of Washington and Oregon, enrollment site are crashed. Deloitte LLP, is reported to be the Washington's implementer. Oregon has not revealed their consultant. How much of this is being outsourced out-of-country? How much are the partners of Deloitte stand to make on a successful - unsuccessful launch? Who determines success?

longprime · Guru

A Government shutdown is nothing more than a un-voted tax on the working class.

longprime · Guru

You'd think evileye .

the real vote is how much $$$ will come from their faithful constituents.

Razorsharp · Guru

It looks like the federal government will shut down. I think the public will claim the Republicans and backfire on them.