Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Monster That Ate Congress (An ObamaCare flaw may prove fatal--to the law, not to patients.)
WSJ ^ | 4/13/10 | James Taranto

Posted on 04/14/2010 6:46:49 AM PDT by rhema

[ . . . .}

But you're going to love this one, from the New York Times--unless, that is, you work on Capitol Hill:

In a new report, the Congressional Research Service says the law may have significant unintended consequences for the "personal health insurance coverage" of senators, representatives and their staff members. For example, it says, the law may "remove members of Congress and Congressional staff" from their current coverage, in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, before any alternatives are available.

. . .

. . . But because of a possible "drafting error," the report says, Congress did not specify an effective date for the section excluding lawmakers from the existing program.

Under well-established canons of statutory interpretation, the report said, "a law takes effect on the date of its enactment" unless Congress clearly specifies otherwise. And Congress did not specify any other effective date for this part of the health care law. The law was enacted when President Obama signed it three weeks ago.

That means that congressmen and their staffers may be afoul of the law right now.

If CRS is right and congressmen and their staffers are now forbidden to be insured as federal employees, this may turn out to be ObamaCare's fatal flaw. The Times observes that Congress "could try for a legislative fix," and it quotes Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, as urging just that: "After the committee completed its work, the coverage provision was redrafted by others, and that's where mistakes were made. Congress can and should act to correct the mistakes."

Good luck with that, guys. Are congressmen really going to pass legislation to rectify the harm ObamaCare did to them, while continuing to subject everyone else to this awful, hated law?

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: congress; obama; obamacare
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

1 posted on 04/14/2010 6:46:49 AM PDT by rhema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: rhema

“Are congressmen really going to pass legislation to rectify the harm ObamaCare did to them, while continuing to subject everyone else to this awful, hated law?”

Sure, why not? They passed it over massive objections and with crashing popularity numbers, so why would they suddenly care now about what the public thinks?


2 posted on 04/14/2010 6:50:23 AM PDT by ltc8k6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rhema

“Are congressmen really going to pass legislation to rectify the harm ObamaCare did to them, while continuing to subject everyone else to this awful, hated law?”

Of course they will. It’s what they do. It’s all they do. They have no remorse. They have no conscience. And they absolutely will not stop until...


3 posted on 04/14/2010 6:50:40 AM PDT by swain_forkbeard (Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rhema

Enforce the law....no fix for the priviledged.

Any decent reporters should be pelting Reid and Pelosi with questions about when Congress will lose their current healthcare coverage.

They should also ask Obama if this is what he hit the road to tout.


4 posted on 04/14/2010 6:51:06 AM PDT by rod1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rhema
...Congress can and should act to correct the mistakes."

WRONG, Chuck!............Take this as an advantage to show that Congress will have to legislate themselves a "fix" but not everybody else. Filibuster any "fix" make Congress and their staff squeal like the pigs that they are!..................

5 posted on 04/14/2010 6:54:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (Education makes people easy to lead, difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rod1
Any decent reporters should be pelting Reid and Pelosi with questions

Diogenes is still looking for an honest man and a decent reporter....

6 posted on 04/14/2010 6:55:13 AM PDT by mlocher (USA is a sovereign nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rhema

Does this apply to the President also? Is it also for retired congress criters?


7 posted on 04/14/2010 6:59:46 AM PDT by Pure Country (“I’ve noticed that every person that is for abortion has already been born.” -Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rhema

Why is it that Grassley is seemingly leading the effort to fix the turd droppings of the Democrat’s ObamaCare bill?? They passed it. Let them lead the way to clean up their own filth!!


8 posted on 04/14/2010 7:00:35 AM PDT by Obadiah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Congress should not complain.....b/c Ohaha nailed those evil insurance companies.....plus the TRANSPARENCY of the bill was exemplary........ (/snix).


9 posted on 04/14/2010 7:03:11 AM PDT by Liz (If teens can procreate in a Volkswagen, why does a spotted owl need 2000 acres? JD Hayworth)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: rhema

I hope Beck and Rush jump all over this!!!!!!!!!!


10 posted on 04/14/2010 7:07:31 AM PDT by BornToBeAmerican (If you think education is expensive try ignorance.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah

Grassley sponsored an amendment that was adopted by the Finance Committee, to have members of Congress and their staffs get their health insurance through the same health insurance exchanges where health plans for the general public would be available.

Maybe Grassley has something up his sleeve, that would help kill the bill?


11 posted on 04/14/2010 7:07:32 AM PDT by Jaidyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: rhema

It’s such a great law. Congress should be happy that they’re included.


12 posted on 04/14/2010 7:10:04 AM PDT by Tzimisce (No thanks. We have enough government already. - The Tick)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Grassley needs to go back to pig farming in Iowa.


13 posted on 04/14/2010 7:11:47 AM PDT by dusttoyou (libs are all wee wee'd up and no place to go)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: dusttoyou

Why he’s such a successful pig farmer now!.................


14 posted on 04/14/2010 7:14:29 AM PDT by Red Badger (Education makes people easy to lead, difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: ltc8k6

Oh! I hope and pray that they do! lol! That would make me sooo happy!

Can you imagine the public’s reaction to this? The Tea partiers would have a field day! lmao!


15 posted on 04/14/2010 7:30:22 AM PDT by Marie (Obama seems to think that Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since Camp David, not King David)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: rhema

When did congress ever live by the laws they impose on the rest of us?


16 posted on 04/14/2010 7:35:57 AM PDT by Vigilantcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Liz

No one should be surprised at so much public skepticism for the health care law:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89ZUZT4YrHI

People know higher taxes, more spending, and hurting small business won’t create jobs or grow the economy.


17 posted on 04/14/2010 7:37:30 AM PDT by seanhackbarth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Touche! Should have thought of that angle myself.


18 posted on 04/14/2010 7:42:06 AM PDT by dusttoyou (libs are all wee wee'd up and no place to go)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: rhema

No way sh!tweasel, you voted for it , you live with it.


19 posted on 04/14/2010 8:32:54 AM PDT by mapmaker77
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Obadiah

Congress is the worst of society. There is a nice prison in Wyoming or Montana I believe ready for occupancy. That should be there new home.


20 posted on 04/14/2010 8:35:52 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson