Displaying 0 To 0 Of 0 Comments What If? The Affordable Care Act and the Supreme Court I lived in Belgium and Germany. Both have a mixed system with special provisions for those who are visiting or temporary residents. Seemed the best to me since I also spend time in Canada and the UK » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:59 pm Cher’s thinking on this is sharper than mine. When I read her response all I could think is…me too. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:57 pm You see Kennedy siding with the Conservatives. What about severability? » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:56 pm I agree with all you say but today’s SCOTUS action seems to indicate that most of the justices do not. The crux appears to be that the means of financing the entire system, and of bringing costs down in the ACA, the Mandate, is a bridge too far; an application that is not justified and for which precedent would be very damaging. Kennedy certainly made it clear that he was troubled by the means. My guess right now is that the court strikes down the mandate but permits severability. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:55 pm You are asking the questions that come to my mind. Who pays for it and how does the pool keep from becoming just the worst risks? I will add another concern. The pool expansion will require further legislative action which will be blocked in the House and the Senate as currently composed. Yes? So does this raise the stakes even higher for the elections. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:51 pm Listened to the hearing recording and yes both raised the issue asking if both of these programs would also be considered to wide a reach if they came before this court. They were not shouted down, but they were walked over by Roberts who intervened with secondary questions. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:48 pm Constitutionality has never been an objective standard. Recall that antebellum Supreme Court upheld slave owner rights regularly. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:46 pm Correct. The justices play devil’s advocate all the time. They come into the chamber having read a great deal, having been briefed by their clerks, and having reviewed amicus briefs in summary form (or in full form after reading the summary). The arguments from the attorney’s are interrupted regularly with questions, observations and judgements. It is hard to know why they are asking what they ask. Is it to poke holes or to make the attorney show that the case is supportable in oral argument as well? Does it give away position? At times but not always. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:44 pm Ok, that is the laugh I needed and the warning to avoid the Turner Terror Network. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:40 pm Why do the justices have to pay attention to the impressing the right wing? why do they have to play to the GOP when they have lifetime appointments? Just asking, not being critical. You may have an insight here I am missing. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:39 pm What will be the backlash if the public wakes up to what will be lost and what will never come to be if the conservative justices act for the GOP? » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 27, 2012 @ 3:36 pm KT…commerce clause is the key and I think it is the linch pin in the entire ACA structure. This Supreme Court will not risk another Citizens United black eye. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 10:02 pm Comparisons of the U.S. health system to that of our major competitors shows that universal coverage is not only more effective, it is more efficient saving the economy hundreds of billions every year. Your last paragraph spins out the wider implications on governance in the nation and the impact of the ACA loss on other social programming. I agree with all of it. I do not think there is a practical way to do reform without a mandate. The mandate provides financing, wide scale buy in, and the means to leverage its influence to help control premiums. Your prediction of a nation which is no longer a nation but a loose confederation of barely cooperating feudal bodies makes it clear that the GOP philosophy places the country at risk. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 10:01 pm Correct. There is no mechanism for enforcement. The law makes it clear….no one is coming after you. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 9:50 pm Funk….like the source you provided and the analysis contained within. I agree that the mandate was the wiser move. It works better than the two alternatives proposed, but there is another reason why the mandate was perceived to be a winner….the GOP strongly supported it. Members of Congress, Governors, think tanks, lobbies…favored it. They developed it as their response to Hillarycare and then held onto the idea. So why oppose it….because THIS fix is not THEIR fix. And Obama is public enemy #1. I think SCOTUS will do as you suggest for the reasons you suggest. Commerce Clause is a very strong argument; even if many have no idea what ACA does- the justices do- and they do not want to be blamed for undoing so much good; and CU has blighted their name. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 9:49 pm Bito…good points. And of the 80 percent who think they get noting out of ACA, most do not understand the impact on premiums, the quality of coverage and the completeness of coverage….all of which affect real costs and outcomes. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 9:41 pm KQ…..It has to fit on a bumper sticker, or a t-shirt, or in a sound bite….The contemporary American is willing to search for the truth if he can do it in 30 seconds. Not a rant. Truth. The thing about RomneyCare is that his legislation tied into a whole series of other legislative packages and programs. Much of the Mass. bill is made of reference numbers that take you to far more info. We are uninformed because we choose to be. Sad. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 9:39 pm I think that Obama and the Dems will win either way this goes. They win bigger if SCOTUS upholds the law, but if it does not then the Dems get to trot out all that is or will be lost making the GOP and the court they own look very bad. The polling supports your positioning. Nearly 50 percent say they want the law revoked but when the individual elements are tested the law gets overwhelming support. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 9:00 pm “What if you hadn’t written this.” The quote of the night. Love it. Nice analysis. I had no idea I was doing all of that. I wrote this in its first form as a guide for me writing on other blogs and it has been reworked many times. I think your point about journalistic integrity is a new angle. Why can’t the professional do what I just did? Answer. They can but they either choose not to or are compelled not to. Here is an article from Alternet re. a major change in its 2003 code of ethics regarding its stance in challenging false information. I think it might be something you will useful as you further develop your thinking here. http://www.alternet.org/story/154620/is_the_media_ready_to_stop_letting_politicians_lie_?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=alternet » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 26, 2012 @ 8:55 pm KT Very admirable effort…which follows from your very admirable struggle to put your life into order. The authority carried by this short lesson in the Tao is the authentic experience you share with us at the start. The Higher Power issue is very complex….too many of the Anonymous programs ask that you surrender to a child’s understanding of the divine, the eternal, the all present…..which thinkers like yourself find hobbling. SO you went looking for the divine and found it in the Tao. Incredible really. I have read your analysis/translation/interpretation/application of the 1st Ideogram. Beautiful and Moving. I also walked through the video. I need to spend time with both and will. When I have absorbed your teaching (first hand via your writing) and your video reference (shared wisdom). I will share with you what arises within me. I knew you would be good at this. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 25, 2012 @ 8:40 pm AdLib..so much work, so much energy, so very funny, so very clever. Thanks. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 21, 2012 @ 7:26 pm COMPARING THE ETCH-A-SKETCH TO THE MITT-A-SKETCH HOW THE ETCH-A-SKETCH WORKS HOW MITT-A-SKETCH WORKS The left nob is the axis of political positioning as he maneuvers from left to right to center to right to center to……each in response to the voter profile. The right nob is the axis of public impression and connectedness as he moves from the jocular, funny/silly, Davy Crocket praising, grits loving, birthday singing, man of the people…….to the serious, professional, down to earth, veteran businessman. Don’t like it…just turn it over and shake. Start from scratch. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 21, 2012 @ 7:08 pm Huffington Post Openly Launches Campaign to Attack Obama Bourne PS..you replied as we do here when the thread runs out… » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 25, 2012 @ 8:19 pm Just some of the info going into my confused perspective. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 25, 2012 @ 8:16 pm Yeah…we need to agree to disagree regarding what I regard as the open question of AH motivation and behavior. I am not convinced in either direction now. As to HP, the interaction with so many others, some of whom I influence and some of whom influence me is a value. HP and Planet are two very different experiences. Room for both in my world. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 25, 2012 @ 8:15 pm I have the same experience but I find the interaction with so many…some of whom I think I influence to make my time use valuable. At the same time I have made some headway on some of the issues which have been discussed here. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 25, 2012 @ 8:12 pm My opinion of AH is all up in the air in no small part thanks to the very critical perspective people who I very much respect- you among them. On the other hand I look at HP and at Arianna’s shift from a public association with the GOP to a public association with liberal/progressive issues/causes as the counter-argument. For example Huffington offered to provide as many buses as necessary to transport those who want to go to Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on October 30, 2010, from the Huffington Post Headquarters in New York City. Ultimately, she paid for 150 buses to ferry almost 10,000 people from Citi Field in Queens to RFK Stadium in DC. The only self-promotion on her part was ‘Huffington Post’ written on the bracelets needed to get on the bus. She is very active in Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness which has attracted a number of those from the left. Here is something she wrote re. charities and giving to them: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/charity-may-begin-at-home_b_115082.html I have seen her name associated with a number of causes and fundraising efforts. But, your insights re. the Koch brothers is worthy of notice. Motives can be very mixed. So, my personal jury is still out. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 25, 2012 @ 11:25 am Bourne….outstanding contribution. Just the kind of thinking and discourse this site values. I have to say that you, Ad Lib and a bunch of other folks here really level a lot of criticism at Arianna H. I truly do not know if she deserves it. I think you and others here have made a good case in support of your critique. I can’t really argue it. Still I value HP as an important place for conversation and some limited debate for a whole lot of people. The critiques you and others have leveled at the HP limitations are very real and I have made the same observations. Your comments on the Greek ethos, the modern Greek ethos, is EXTREMELY important. It is cutting edge and certainly provocative. I know it is not PC to characterize people by ethnic groups, but my knowledge of history as common experience that shapes people tends to support your thinking that there is a Greek way of thinking. I also find your discussion of the “feminine” as it relates to the Greek identity completely intriguing. I do not know if I accept it, but it raise my curiosity and I will consider it carefully. I now understand the point you were reaching for at HP. And it is a very good one. That discussion by you is exactly the kind of writing which HP does not permit and the length of that discussion is certainly outside the standards. I hope to read a LOT more of this kind of thinking from you. The structure here seems to me to be right up your alley. When will you be penning your first article? I think you have something significant to say. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 24, 2012 @ 9:25 pm In Buddhist philosophy/theology…suffering arises from want….want arises from desire…therefore to end suffering end desire….thus the Buddhist value self-emptying….a very Eastern approach….Paul arises out of Greco-Roman thinking and is, as a result, Western. Still, I agree, when it comes down to it, Paul and Buddha are not so far apart as is often the case with the wise. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 20, 2012 @ 1:58 pm AdLib…in response to your last comment. I think you are pretty much on target in all of this. As I said before my perspective on Arianna has been informed by you, Kalima, KilgoreTrout, SueinCa et. al. and I am much less certain in my thinking regarding her. Again, is she a trojan GOPer? much of the content on the Post certainly does not built that case is she a new born Progressive Zealot demanding unremitting fervor from one and all? is she really trying to walk the balance beam? is she all about generating hits on the site which generate dollars? is she an unrequited “fan” who sees herself as being slighted by the man she supported and he has not responded in kind? I really do not know, but I found her blog damned irritating and I went after it. I will continue to do this every time. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 19, 2012 @ 8:18 pmComments Posted By MurphTheSurf3
An Etch-A-Sketch is a thick, flat gray screen in a plastic frame.
There are two knobs on the front of the frame in the lower corners.
Twisting the knobs moves a stylus that displaces aluminium powder on the back of the screen, leaving a solid line.
The knobs create lineographic images.
The left control moves the stylus horizontally.
The the right one moves it vertically.
Mitt’s aluminum powder flat face screen is the malleable veneer made of his desire to, above all else . be president and his willngness to change any position if it promotes that cause.
«« Back To Stats Page
Home Stats