BloggeRhythms

From the outset, one of the most critical problems with the health care tax was that it was to be administered by the government via the IRS. Because, there's simply no way that outmoded, incapable, conglomeration of bureaucrats could possibly do an effective job. They just don’t know how, and never will.

 

Therefore, it's no surprise that while according to the administration, about 11.4 million people signed up this season, errors in tax information mean that nearly 1 million people may have to wait longer to get their tax refunds this year.   

 

California, which is running its own insurance market, just announced a similar problem affecting about 100,000 people in that state.

 

Fox News reports that, “The Obama administration revealed Friday that it sent about 800,000 HealthCare.gov customers a tax form containing the wrong information, and asked them to hold off on filing their 2014 taxes. 

 

The self-inflicted bungle follows weeks of administration officials touting a successful enrollment season -- one that saw far fewer technical glitches than the rocky launch in late 2013.”

 

However, aside from technical inability to administer the health tax, even the enrollment figures were misstated.  

 

Forbes.com’s  Avik Roy writes that, “We also can’t predict whether or not the uninsured fraction will be higher in 2015 than it was in 2014. But if we carry forward the more generous Kaiser estimate of 57%, and combine it with the 84% retention rate, we can estimate that about 5.4 million previously uninsured individuals would be enrolled in Obamacare’s exchanges by the end of the 2015 enrollment period, based on current figures.

 

Needless to say, 5.4 million is not as impressive as 11.4 million. And it means that  the White House is being deceptive when it claims that there are 11.4 million sign-ups “thanks to the Affordable Care Act.”

 

What’s more, as far as enrollment goes: “Basically, the main people signing up for Obamacare exchange coverage are the ones who most heavily benefit from the law’s complex subsidy scheme: those with incomes near the poverty line, those with expensive diseases, and those nearing retirement. Most others are staying uninsured.

 

"For all of the disruption that Obamacare has caused, it’s worth noting how few people the law has helped."

 

Which is perhaps why last Fall, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said, “it wasn’t the change we were hired to make.”

 

Which brings us to today’s update on Bill Clinton’s wife.

 

Fox’s Chris Stirewalt writes that, “Hillary Clinton’s family foundation has decided to continue accepting money from foreign governments and oligarchs, despite the practice having been revealed in a series of damning reports. The organization announced that it might reconsider “should Secretary Clinton decide to run for office,” which is a pretty funny thing to say about a woman who is hiring staff, picking out a headquarters and who has been seeking the highest office in the land for the better part of a decade. If there were some concern about the ethics of what is clearly a shady practice, wouldn’t the correct answer be to stop now and consider resuming if Clinton opts not to run?”

 

Now, Mr. Stirewalt’s a very bright, well-informed guy so it’s probable that his last question was facetious, or perhaps, rhetorical. Because, as he and everyone else even remotely aware of the Clinton’s attitude toward money in any amount knows their mantra is to grab it when and wherever they can and worry about the consequences, if any, when they’re caught red-handed.

 

That’s it for today folks.

 

Adios