Bet thread

[Mr. T]

Like I said, a little self-awareness would help.

 

 

Well, you need to read the 28th amendment then.

 

But dont let pride or arrogance stop you, go ahead and read the whole constitution.

[Pumpkin Eater]

How about this - you're just wrong. Does that work? Assuming I can tell what you're talking about.

 

Members of Congress are not exempt from the reforms. They're not excluded from paying for it, and they have to follow the same rules as everyone else, and they're not excluded from participating in the exchanges. In fact, they're forced to participate in the exchanges. When T posts something that describes the "health care gulags" that should probably tip you off that you should find your information elsewhere.

 

Republicans, with agreement from Democrats, put a measure into the bill that says that members of Congress and their staffs have to get their health care through plans created/amended by the bill, or the exchanges created by the bill. So they're actually the only people in this country who are forced to get their health care from this plan. Most of them will continue on with their existing coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which was amended by the bill. They're not allowed to buy private insurance outside of the exchanges. And again, this was a Republican amendment, and it didn't apply to the White House.

 

This is why I'm guessing the nuts are screaming about how the White House and committee staff are exempt from the reforms. They're not. They're simply not covered by the provision in the bill that the Republicans put in that specifically applied to members of Congress and Congressional staff. If you want to be upset that Leadership staff and Committee staff aren't forced into the plan, and simply have to abide by the reforms in the same way any other American would, be my guest. Let your fake outrage power your day.

 

So maybe you shouldn't get information from T. Just a suggestion.

 

Beating back the misinformation in here could be my full time job. There's something new every day, sometimes on the hour. And once it's proven false, no one ever says, "You're right. My bad." They just throw something else out there, because being wrong 20 times in a row never gives them any pause.

 

So what's next? Can't wait.

 

Don't forget politicians are great at exploiting loopholes, and that's exactly what the legislation has in it pertaining to Congressmen and Senators.

 

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/st...ressional-staf/

 

A report issued by the Congressional Research Service, on Dec. 2, 2009, at Grassley's request provides this insight: "It appears possible to argue that the definition of 'congressional staff' used . . . excludes any staff not directly affiliated with a Member’s individual or personal office," the independent research office concluded. "Should this interpretation be adopted by an implementing body or a court, it would appear that it would exclude professional committee staff, joint committee staff, some shared staff, as well as potentially those staff employed by leadership offices including, but not limited to, the Speaker of the House, Majority Leader of the Senate, Minority Leader of the House, Minority Leader of the Senate, as well as the Whip offices in both the House and Senate. Moreover, this interpretation would arguably exclude other congressional employees, for example, those employed by the Office of the House Clerk, House Parliamentarian, House Historian, Secretary of the Senate, Senate Legal Counsel, House and Senate Legislative Counsel offices."