# Congress to exempt itself, staffers, from Obamacare **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 25, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655 "2013-04-25T11:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/61 "2013-04-26T18:24:09Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > While walking out to get my lunch a few minutes ago I spotted a bumper sticker I’d never seen before. “Resist Obamacare” > > Yeah, this is going to go over really well. Extrapolating from one bumper sticker to societal trends is one of the ways conservatives end up believing in silly things. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/62 "2013-04-26T23:26:06Z")
Its a ringing endorsement for Obamacare! ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/63 "2013-04-27T13:21:24Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Republican states are no exception. Plus, they drain off money from the feds by asking for handouts paid in taxes by the blue states, and they have little to show for it. So you would prefer that government programs pay more benefits to the wealthy? Interesting. Tell me more about your philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/64 "2013-04-27T13:47:26Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > NH is only that high on the list because we have no income taxes and many people claim their properties here are their main residence to evade income taxes where they really live. Only 7 states lack any income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Two states have limited income taxes on individuals (taxing only dividend and interest income): Tennessee and New Hampshire. Interestingly, Texas and New Hampshire make up for their lack of income taxes through property taxes. So if NH only appears wealthy because it’s a place for people to claim their property is located, then wouldn’t Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming be higher on that list? And how does claiming property in New Hampshire avoid taxes, when New Hampshire charges a property tax? Personally, I think the states are not wealthier (or poorer) because of their political persuasion, but because of other factors. For example, that’s where the wealthier (or poorer) people live and where the wealthier (or poorer) jobs are. People frequently move to other states when their jobs are located in other states. Otherwise, people tend to stay where they grew up. So NY will probably always be wealthy as long as Wall Street is in NY, and wealthy people grow up there. DC will probably always be wealthy as long as the federal government is in DC. Etc. Of course, it’s possible that the red states have lower incomes because lower income people are [moving there](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_population_growth_rate), since [that’s where the jobs are](http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm). But that’s more of a WAG. And I would imagine that poorer people tend to be less mobile when looking for work. But I’m not an economist, so I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stately_Greek_Automaton)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/65 "2013-04-29T13:21:18Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Taking care of the veterans is part of having a military. Not that I oppose taking care of veterans, but how do you come to that conclusion if you would deny taking care of those who are part of the overall economic structure of the country (i.e. everyone) is part of having an economy? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/66 "2013-04-29T17:08:11Z")
> [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](#): > > So you would prefer that government programs pay more benefits to the wealthy? Interesting. Tell me more about your philosophy. I would prefer that GOP states acknowledge that through their poor-hating policies and their tactic of privatizing everything, they do much worst with poorer communities and thus require a larger handout from the government. And due to that handout, they should refrain from shitting on the richer Democratic states for their policies and understand that maybe the Democratic states are helping the Republican states much more than the GOP would like to admit, and that the US should adopt more liberal policies so that we can all prosper. That’s my philosophy ---
**Author:** ![smeegoan22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@smeegoan22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smeegoan22)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/67 "2013-05-11T09:04:59Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > There isn’t anything in the Constitution about health care for former members of the military. Not a peep. Personally, I’m all for it. > > I’m just surprised that you think health care for old Americans is an abomination because the Constitution is silent on the matter; and yet you take a much more liberal (heh) view of the Constitution’s silence on veterans. There isn’t anything in the Constitution about a forced tax and death panels either. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/68 "2013-05-11T09:14:01Z")
> [@smeegoan22](#): > > There isn’t anything in the Constitution about a forced tax and death panels either. Death panels don’t exist. That was a lie that the media on the right told people to try to scare them. Don’t be scared, Smeegoan. ---
**Author:** ![smeegoan22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@smeegoan22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smeegoan22)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/69 "2013-05-11T09:19:23Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Death panels don’t exist. > > That was a lie that the media on the right told people to try to scare them. Don’t be scared, Smeegoan. The Liberal Media is now fabricating lies to protect the great ObamaCare? You belive that? Death panels are what are being pushed, and are part of the “you don’t know what’s in it until it’s law” bull. It’s the EXACT same system used in socialist healthcare around the globe. [http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid\_7207.shtml](http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7207.shtml) They really really want it. Guess what, You’ll be old someday. You would have been fully paid into the “system” and then essentially executed. You like this? ---
**Author:** ![6079smithW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/db5fbb/32.png) [@6079smithW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6079smithW)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/70 "2013-05-23T13:42:26Z")
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission = Death Panel. Republicans are all in favor of abstract solutions like “cut spending” and “reduce deficit,” but then they can’t actually support any of the details of actually DOING any of that stuff. Which is why they control the House - anybody who supports an actual solution for anything is immediately punished by the voters. See 1994 and 2010 Congressional elections; see also 1992 Presidential election. Americans hate problem solvers. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/71 "2013-05-23T13:54:22Z")
> [@smeegoan22](#): > > The Liberal Media is now fabricating lies to protect the great ObamaCare? > > You belive that? > > Death panels are what are being pushed, and are part of the “you don’t know what’s in it until it’s law” bull. > > It’s the EXACT same system used in socialist healthcare around the globe. > [http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid\_7207.shtml](http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7207.shtml) > > They really really want it. Guess what, You’ll be old someday. You would have been fully paid into the “system” and then essentially executed. > > You like this? Blue Cross/Blue Shield (my health insurance carrier through my employer) has a committee that decides which medical procedures are covered and which aren’t. Is that what you mean by “Death Panel”? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/72 "2013-05-23T13:58:37Z")
> [@smeegoan22](#): > > The Liberal Media is now fabricating lies to protect the great ObamaCare? > > You belive that? > > Death panels are what are being pushed, and are part of the “you don’t know what’s in it until it’s law” bull. > > It’s the EXACT same system used in socialist healthcare around the globe. > [http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid\_7207.shtml](http://www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7207.shtml) > > They really really want it. Guess what, You’ll be old someday. You would have been fully paid into the “system” and then essentially executed. > > You like this? From your link. > [@](#): > > The health care law explicitly forbids the board from rationing care, shifting costs to seniors or cutting their benefits, So where’s your proof that death panels exist? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/73 "2013-05-31T20:58:46Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > So the government is so incompetent that they can’t even figure out how to have this law work for their own staffers. But they know best how to make health care work for all of us? No, that’s your partisan spin. What’s happening is that a senator who opposed Obamacare tried to screw with the bill when it was being debated by offering an amendment that he expected wouldn’t pass, but it did, and his amendment wasn’t thought-through at the time because it wasn’t meant to pass. So Congress is fixing that monkey wrench. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/74 "2013-05-31T21:00:06Z")
Wow, are the “death panel” loons still out there? I honestly think there may be a new kind of mental illness that is becoming much more pervasive, much like others. A sort of political paranoia. ---
**Author:** ![6079smithW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/db5fbb/32.png) [@6079smithW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6079smithW)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/75 "2013-06-04T21:29:07Z")
Republicans Heroically Refuse to Appoint “Death Panel” Members By David Weigel | Posted Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 12:25 PM > **[The "Death Panel" Debate Is Back](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2013/05/obamacare-death-panels-boehner-mcconnell-say-gop-won-t-appoint-members.html)** > > Ever the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have been trying to undo the Independent Payment Advisory Board. In PR terms, it's a cinch—who... Republicans heroically against cost controls, er, uh, Medicare Payment Advisory Death Panel Board. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/76 "2013-06-05T13:53:29Z")
> [@Skypist](#): > > Some people never have a “young and healthy,” just a “young and sick.” Great point! Plenty of people get sick early in life, or are even born with pre-existing conditions. And even if you’re healthy and buy insurance with the hope of extending it into your less healthy years, a short break in your coverage can completely ruin that plan. Plenty of people have job loss or other factors that force them to drop insurance. > [@](#): > > Besides that, if you are employed and take your employer’s insurance, then get laid off or become unable to work, there’s no way in heck you will be able to buy your own insurance if you have a pre-existing condition unless you are at the Bill Gates financial level. True. And even if you don’t have a pre-existing conditions, someone in your family might, and they could be denied coverage or require exorbitant premiums to get covered. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/77 "2013-06-05T13:58:17Z")
> [@6079smithW](#): > > Republicans Heroically Refuse to Appoint “Death Panel” Members > By David Weigel | Posted Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 12:25 PM > > [Obamacare death panels: Boehner, McConnell say GOP won't appoint members.](http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/05/09/republicans_heroically_refuse_to_appoint_death_panel_members.html) > > Republicans heroically against cost controls, er, uh, Medicare Payment Advisory Death Panel Board. Wow. So, basically, these geniuses are saying that the government should spend as much as anyone wants to charge on any health care treatment regardless of its proven effectiveness. While opposing government spending on health care in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/78 "2013-06-05T14:06:11Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Wow. So, basically, these geniuses are saying that the government should spend as much as anyone wants to charge on any health care treatment regardless of its proven effectiveness. While opposing government spending on health care in the first place. No, it makes total sense. I mean, that’s what private insurance offers, right? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/79 "2013-06-05T16:35:45Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > No, it makes total sense. I mean, that’s what private insurance offers, right? Yes, I forgot - you can get any treatment or drug you want, covered 100%, by private insurance! How silly of me. ---
**Author:** ![6079smithW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/db5fbb/32.png) [@6079smithW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6079smithW)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655/80 "2013-06-05T16:36:30Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > No, it makes total sense. I mean, that’s what private insurance offers, right? No, private insurance won’t just pay for any crazy thing, and further, they won’t pay whatever the seller decides to charge. They have things they won’t pay for, and they have “negotiated” rates for everything that they will pay for. Check your “explanation of benefits” form sometime. It is an education. Health care providers make up outrageous prices for just about everything, and then the insurer says “nope, our book says we only pay $3.50 for that,” generally less than half what the health care provider purported to charge, and then that’s the end of it. The insurers know what the right prices are, and the health providers are always angling to gouge somebody. Their charges are outlandish and they know it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-to-exempt-itself-staffers-from-obamacare/656655.md?page=5)