The skanner., October 02, 2013, Page 4, Image 4

Opinion
Factchecking Fear of Obamacare
“ C h a lle n g in g P e o p le to S h a p e
a B e tte r F u tu re N o w ”
B E R N IE F O S T E R
Founder/Publisher
B O B B IE D
ORE
F O STER
Executive Editor
T ED B ANKS
Advertising Manager
J ER RY F O STER
Account Executive
L IS A L O V IN G
News Editor
H
ELEN
S ILV IS
Multimedia Editor
B R U C E P O IN S E T T E
Reporter
D
AV I D
K
ID D
Graphic Designer
M
O N IC A
J. F O STER
Seattle Office Coordinator
J U L IE K E E F E
S U S A N F R IE D
Photographers
r
The Skanner Newspaper , e s ta b lis h e d
in O c to b e r 1 9 7 5 , is a w e e k ly p u b lic a -
tio n , p u b lis h e d e a c h W e d n e s d a y b y
IM M P u b lic a tio n s In c .,
4 1 5 N . K illin g s w o rth S t.,
a jo r p ro v is io n s o f th e
A ff o r d a b le C a r e A c t g o
in to e ff e c t o n T u e s d a y
a n d , lik e a ll n e w p r o g r a m s , th e r e is
a c e r ta in a m o u n t o f u n c e r ta in ty
a n d c o n f u s io n . B u t m a k in g th in g s
w o r s e a r e th e d e lib e r a te lie s th a t
h a v e b e e n to ld a b o u t w h a t s o m e
c a ll O b a m a c a r e .
To s h ift th ro u g h th e v a rio u s
c h a rg e s , I tu r n e d to o u r f r ie n d s a t
F a c tC h e c k .o rg f o r a n in d e p e n d e n t,
n o n p a r tis a n a n a ly s is . H e r e , in th e ir
w o r d s , is w h a t th e y f o u n d :
C la im : 8 .2 m illio n A m e r ic a n s
c a n ’t f in d f u ll- tim e w o r k p a r tly
d u e to O b a m a c a r e .
F a c tC h e c k .o rg s a y s : F a ls e .
T h is a s s e r tio n f r o m th e R e p u b li-
c a n N a tio n a l C o m m itte e e c h o e s
o th e r c o n s e r v a tiv e c la im s th a t th e
la w is h in d e r in g p a r t- tim e r s f r o m
fin d in g fu ll-tim e jo b s . B u t th e
R N C ’s 8 .2 m illio n f ig u r e w a s th e
to ta l n u m b e r in J u n e o f p a r t- tim e
w o r k e r s in th e U .S . s e e k in g f u ll-
tim e w o r k — w h a t th e B u r e a u o f
L a b o r S ta tis tic s c a lls ‘ p a r t- tim e f o r
e c o n o m ic r e a s o n s ’ — a n d th e r e ’s
n o e v id e n c e f r o m B L S n u m b e r s
th a t th e la w h a s h a d a n im p a c t o n
s u c h w o r k e r s . T h e r e w e r e m o r e in
th is “ p a r t- tim e f o r e c o n o m ic r e a -
s o n s ” c a te g o r y in M a r c h 2 0 1 0 ,
w h e n th e A ff o r d a b le C a r e A c t w a s
s ig n e d in to la w ( 9 .1 m illio n ) . T h e
la te s t f ig u r e , f r o m A u g u s t, is 7 .9
m illio n .
C la im : T h e la w is a jo b - k ille r.
F a c tC h e c k .o rg s a y s : O v e r b lo w n .
I t’s tr u e n o n p a r tis a n e c o n o m ic
a n a ly s e s h a v e e s tim a te d a “ s m a ll”
lo s s o f m a in ly lo w -w a g e jo b s
b e c a u s e o f th e la w . B u t a s o n e
e x p e r t to ld u s , th e r e h a s n ’t b e e n
m u c h a n a ly s is o f th is im p a c t o f th e
M
T HE C URRY
R EPORT
G e o rg e E .
C u rry
la w b e c a u s e , h e b e lie v e s , e c o n o -
m is ts th in k th e im p a c t w ill b e
m in im a l. S till, R e p u b lic a n s h a v e
c o n tin u e d to p u s h th e id e a th a t th e
la w w ill h a v e a s ig n if ic a n t e ff e c t
o n jo b s . T h is c la im m a d e o u r
“ W h o p p e r s o f 2 0 1 1 ” lis t, a n d it
h a s c o n tin u e d to b e p u s h e d in v a r -
io u s f o r m s — w ith th e la te s t b e in g
th e c la im s a b o u t p a r t- tim e w o r k .
h e a lth y ? Y o u ’ ll lik e ly p a y m o r e
( w ith o u t a c c o u n tin g f o r a n y s u b s i-
d ie s y o u m a y r e c e iv e ) . A r e y o u
in s u r e d th r o u g h y o u r e m p lo y e r ?
Y o u lik e ly w o n ’t s e e m u c h c h a n g e
e ith e r w a y.
C la im : A ll o f th e u n in s u r e d w ill
p a y le s s o n th e e x c h a n g e s th a n
th e y c o u ld n o w o n th e in d iv id u a l
m a r k e t, e v e n w ith o u t f e d e r a l s u b -
s id ie s .
F a c tC h e c k .o rg s a y s : F a ls e .
P re s id e n t O b a m a m a d e th is
c la im a t a n A u g . 9 p r e s s c o n f e r -
e n c e , s a y in g th a t b e g in n in g O c t. 1 ,
th e 1 5 p e r c e n t o f th e p o p u la tio n
th a t’s u n in s u r e d w o u ld b e a b le to
“ s ig n u p f o r a ff o r d a b le q u a lity
h e a lth in s u r a n c e a t a s ig n if ic a n tly
c h e a p e r r a te th a n w h a t th e y c a n
g e t r ig h t n o w o n th e in d iv id u a l
There’s no guarantee that your
employer won’t switch plans
C la im : P r e m iu m s a r e g o in g u p
b e c a u s e o f th e la w . P r e m iu m s a r e
g o in g d o w n b e c a u s e o f th e la w .
F a c tC h e c k .o rg s a y s : I t d e p e n d s .
O ur
sh o rt
answ er
—
“ it
d e p e n d s ” — m a y b e u n s a tis f a c to -
r y to r e a d e r s , b u t w h e th e r y o u ’ ll
p a y m o r e o r le s s th a n y o u w o u ld
h a v e w ith o u t th e la w d e p e n d s o n
y o u r c ir c u m s ta n c e s . A r e y o u u n in -
s u re d a n d h a v e a p re e x is tin g
c o n d itio n ? Y o u ’ ll lik e ly p a y le s s
th a n y o u w o u ld h a v e o th e r w is e .
A r e y o u u n in s u r e d b u t y o u n g a n d
m a rk e t.” O b a m a w e n t o n to
e m p h a s iz e th a t th a t w a s b e f o r e
in c lu d in g f e d e r a l s u b s id ie s . “ A n d
if e v e n w ith lo w e r p r e m iu m s th e y
s till c a n ’t a ff o r d it, w e ’ r e g o in g to
b e a b le to p r o v id e th e m w ith a ta x
c r e d it to h e lp th e m b u y it,” h e
a d d e d . B u t e v e n O b a m a ’s s e c r e -
ta r y o f h e a lth a n d h u m a n s e r v ic e s ,
K a th le e n S e b e liu s , h a s a c k n o w l-
e d g e d th a t y o u n g p e r s o n s w o u ld
lik e ly p a y m o r e a n d o ld e r A m e r i-
c a n s w o u ld lik e ly p a y le s s o n th e
in s u r a n c e e x c h a n g e s .
C la im : Y o u w o n ’t b e a b le to
c h o o s e y o u r o w n d o c to r.
C la im : T h e g o v e r n m e n t w ill b e
b e tw e e n y o u a n d y o u r d o c to r.
F a c tC h e c k .o rg s a y s : F a ls e .
T h e s e c la im s a r e v a r ia tio n s o n
th e f e a r th a t th e g o v e r n m e n t w ill
b e ta k in g o v e r h e a lth c a re —
c h o o s in g y o u r d o c to r, te llin g h im
o r h e r w h a t tr e a tm e n t to a d m in is -
te r, e tc . B u t th e la w d o e s n ’t c r e a te
a g o v e rn m e n t-ru n s y s te m , a s
w e ’ v e s a id m a n y tim e s . I t a c tu a lly
g r e a tly e x p a n d s b u s in e s s f o r p r i-
v a te in s u ra n c e , b y a b o u t 1 2
m illio n n e w c u s to m e r s , a c c o r d in g
to C o n g r e s s io n a l B u d g e t O ff ic e
e s tim a te s . A n d in d iv id u a ls w ill
c h o o s e th e ir o w n d o c to r s , ju s t a s
th e y d o n o w .
C la im : I f y o u lik e y o u r p la n , y o u
c a n k e e p y o u r p la n . I f y o u lik e
y o u r d o c to r, y o u c a n k e e p y o u r
d o c to r.
F a c tC h e c k .o rg : M is le a d in g .
O b a m a h a s r e p e a te d ly m a d e th is
c la im , a n d th e W h ite H o u s e c o n -
tin u e s to u s e th e lin e o n its
w e b s ite . T h e la w d o e s n ’t f o r c e
A m e r ic a n s to p ic k n e w p la n s o r
n e w d o c to rs , b u t th e p re s id e n t
s im p ly c a n ’t m a k e th is p r o m is e to
e v e r y o n e . T h e r e ’s n o g u a r a n te e
th a t y o u r e m p lo y e r w o n ’t s w itc h
p la n s , ju s t a s c o m p a n ie s c o u ld
h a v e d o n e b e f o r e th e la w . A n d if
y o u s w itc h jo b s , y o u r n e w w o r k -
b a s e d c o v e r a g e m ig h t n o t h a v e
y o u r d o c to r a s a n in -n e tw o rk
p r o v id e r, e ith e r.
C la im : C o n g r e s s is e x e m p t f r o m
th e la w .
F a c tC h e c k .o rg s a y s : F a ls e .
Read the rest online at
www.theskanner.com
P.O . B o x 5 4 5 5 , P o rtla n d , O R 9 7 2 2 8 .
Te le p h o n e (5 0 3 ) 2 8 5 -5 5 5 5 .
E -m a il: i n f o @ t h e s k a n n e r.c o m
W o rld W id e W e b s ite :
h t t p : / / w w w .t h e s k a n n e r.c o m
F ax: (5 0 3 ) 2 8 5 -2 9 0 0
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The Skanner . W e
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© 2013
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R E P R O D U C T IO N
IN
R IG H T S R E S E RV E D .
W HOLE
OR
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PA R T
W IT H O U T P E R M IS S IO N P R O H IB IT E D .
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The Portland Skanner
Republicans’ Venom Aimed at Obama
A
t p r e s s tim e , it’s u n c le a r
w h e th e r C o n g r e s s w o u ld
f in a lly e v a d e a g o v e r n m e n t
s h u td o w n o n O c t. 1 . I d o k n o w ,
h o w e v e r, th a t I a m s ic k o f th e
b u d g e ta ry
b rin k m a n s h ip
th a t
p la g u e s o u r g o v e r n m e n t. E v e r y
f e w m o n th s th e r e is s o m e c r is is o r
a n o th e r th a t h a s th e H o u s e o f R e p -
r e s e n ta tiv e s a n d th e W h ite H o u s e
a t lo g g e r h e a d s . T h is tim e , R e p u b -
lic a n s in C o n g r e s s w a n t to d e f u n d
O b a m a c a r e a s p a r t o f th e b u d g e t
th a t m u s t b e p a s s e d a n d s a y th e y
a r e w illin g to le t g o v e r n m e n t c lo s e
to m e e t th e ir g o a l. S e n a te M in o r i-
ty L e a d e r H a r r y R e id s a y s th a t
R e p u b lic a n s a r e h o ld in g a g u n to
th e A m e r ic a n p e o p le ’s h e a d s a n d
h e is n ’t ly in g .
I t d o e s n ’t s to p o n O c t. 1 . T h e
b a c k -a n d -fo rth e x is ts b e c a u s e
C o n g re ss h a s n o t p a sse d a b u d g e t
th e w a y it n o r m a lly d o e s s in c e
2 0 0 9 . N o w , g o v e r n m e n t o p e r a te s
th r o u g h a s e r ie s o f c o n tin u in g r e s -
o lu tio n s th a t m a k e it d iff ic u lt f o r
f e d e r a l d e p a r tm e n ts to k n o w h o w
m u c h th e y h a v e to s p e n d . A n d if
C o n g r e s s p a s s e s a n a g r e e m e n t to
k e e p g o v e r n m e n t o p e n , it w ill o n ly
k e e p it o p e n th r o u g h N o v e m b e r
o r D e c . 1 5 , d e p e n d in g o n w h ic h
v e r s io n ( H o u s e o r S e n a te ) o f th e
la w p a s s e s .
A n o th e r u p c o m in g d e a d lin e is
th e O c t. 1 7 d e a d lin e to r a is e th e
d e b t c e ilin g o r f u r th e r im p e r il o u r
o n c e - s o lid c r e d it r a tin g . I n e a c h
in s ta n c e , R e p u b lic a n s h a v e a n o th -
e r o p p o r tu n ity to c r o w a b o u t th e ir
O c to b e r 2 , 2 0 1 3
B ENNETT
C OLLEGE
J u lia n n e
M a lv e a u x
f is c a l m in d e d n e s s a n d a rg u e a b o u t
O b a m a c a r e . B u t, a s H a r r y R e id
h a s s a id , O b a m a c a r e is th e la w o f
th e la n d . I t ta k e s e ff e c t O c t. 1 ,
g o v e r n m e n t s h u td o w n o r n o t. T h e
R e p u b lic a n H o u s e m a y d e s p is e
O b a m a c a r e a n d th e y m a y c h a n g e
c a n n o t s ta n d th e n o tio n o f th e
A ff o r d a b le C a r e A c t.
A c tu a lly, it’s n o t ju s t a b o u t th e
A ff o r d a b le C a r e A c t, it is a b o u t
P r e s id e n t O b a m a a n d R e p u b lic a n
r e s is ta n c e to a n y th in g h e p r o p o s -
es.
T h e ir a ttitu d e s g o b e y o n d
p a rtis a n s h ip
to
venom ous
d is ta s te . Y o u ’ d h a v e to g o b a c k to
th e n in e te e n th c e n tu ry to fin d
m e m b e r s o f C o n g r e s s s o r u d e a s to
h o lle r o u t “ y o u lie ” a s a P r e s id e n t
s p o k e , a s s e r tio n s th a t th a t th in g
w o u ld h a p p e n “ o v e r m y d e a d
b o d y ” a re fa r m o re c o m m o n . It
h a s a lw a y s a m u s e d m e w h e n p e o -
p le s o q u ic k ly o ff e r th e ir d e a d
The Republican House may despise
Obamacare but they can’t stop it now
s o m e p r o v is io n s o f it, b u t th e y
c a n ’t s to p it n o w .
I n d e e d , R e p u b lic a n s a r e g e a r in g
u p f o r th e d e b t c e ilin g d e b a te ,
w h ic h is a n o th e r o p p o r tu n ity f o r
b r in k s m a n s h ip . I f th e y r e m o v e th e
A ff o r d a b le C a r e A c t f r o m n e g o tia -
tio n s , it w ill s u r e ly r e s u r f a c e w h e n
th e d e b t c e ilin g is d is c u s s e d . W e
c a n s p e n d th e r e s t o f th is y e a r, a n d
p a r t o f n e x t, w ith th is b u d g e ta r y
b r in k m a n s h ip , a ll d r iv e n b y th e
f a c t th a t m a n y R e p u b lic a n s s im p ly
b o d ie s u p f o r d is c u s s io n , a s if th e y
s o lig h tly v a lu e th e ir liv in g b o d ie s
th a t th e y ’ d o ff e r th e ir d e a d o n e in
th e n a m e o f p u b lic p o lic y. I f th e
g o v ern m en t d o es sh u t d o w n ,
“ n o n e s s e n tia l” e m p lo y e e s w ill n o t
b e p a id . T h e b u m b lin g C o n g r e s s ,
h o w e v e r, w ill c o n tin u e to b e c o m -
p e n s a te d f o r th e little th e y d o .
M a n y C o n g r e s s io n a l r e p r e s e n ta -
tiv e s d o n ’t c a r e b e c a u s e th e y d o n ’t
n e e d th e m o n e y. A la rg e p e r c e n t-
a g e o f o u r “ la w m a k e rs ” a re
m illio n a ir e s . L a s t tim e th e r e w a s a
g o v e rn m e n t s h u td o w n , p e o p le
w e r e p a id r e tr o a c tiv e ly. T h is tim e ,
b a c k p a y is u n lik e ly.
W ith s o
m any
g o v ern m en t
e m p lo y e e s
e x p e r ie n c in g p a y c u ts b e c a u s e o f
f u r lo u g h s , a n a d d itio n a l p a y c u t is
o n e ro u s. C o n g re ss se e m s u n c o n -
c e rn e d w ith th e p lig h t o f th e
a v e r a g e g o v e r n m e n t w o r k e r.
T h e o n ly g o o d n e w s in th is m e s s
is th a t th e A m e r ic a n p e o p le a r e n ’t
s tu p id . M o s t o f th e m b la m e g r id -
lo c k o n H o u s e R e p u b lic a n s . T h e
la s t tim e g o v e r n m e n t s h u t d o w n in
1 9 9 5 - 9 6 ( w h e n tw o s h u t d o w n s
la s te d a c o m b in e d 2 6 d a y s ) , th e
p e o p le r e s p o n d e d b y g iv in g P r e s i-
d e n t B ill C lin to n a s e c o n d te r m
n in e m o n th s la te r. C lin to n d e f e a t-
e d r iv a l B o b D o le in p a r t b e c a u s e
o f D o le ’s le a d e r s h ip in th e g o v e r n -
m e n t s h u td o w n .
W ith 2 0 1 4
m id -te rm
e le c tio n s im m in e n t,
R e p u b lic a n s s h o u ld b e w o r-
rie d . W h e n P re s id e n t O b a m a
s p o k e a t th e C o n g r e s s io n a l B la c k
C a u c u s d in n e r in la te S e p te m b e r,
h e a s k e d p e o p le to g e a r u p th e ir
a c tiv is m f o r th e 2 0 1 4 e le c tio n s . I f
th e H o u s e o f R e p re s e n ta tiv e s
lo o k e d m o r e lik e th e S e n a te ( o r if
m o re R e p u b lic a n s h a d
good
s e n s e ) , p e r h a p s w e c o u ld a v o id
th is c o n s ta n t b u d g e ta r y b r in k m a n -
s h ip th a t h a s p la g u e d u s f o r th e
p a st fo u r y e a rs.
Julianne Malveaux is a Wash-
ington, D.C.-based economist and
writer