Chad’s Morning Brief: Congress Won’t Lose Health Care Subsidies Due to Obamacare, New York City Schools Ban Emotional Words, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of August 8, 2013. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or on your iPhone/Android with the radioPup App.
1. Obamacare and Congress (link)
Members of Congress and Hill staffers won't be losing their health-care subsidies after Obamacare kicks in. The President personally made sure of that.
Members of Congress and Hill staffers will not lose their health-care subsidies from the government when Obamacare is implemented because of an exception proposed Wednesday by the Office of Personnel Management.
Under the current system, the government covers most of the cost of health-care premiums for members and their staffers. But an amendment to the Affordable Care Act — proposed by Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley — threw those subsidies into question saying that members and staff must enter into the exchanges or be covered by insurance “created” by law.
The potential for staff losing the subsidies led to concerns of “brain drain” from the Hill if staffers left as a result of the increased costs.
Last week, when President Barack Obama came to the Hill to meet with Senate Democrats, he informed them that he would personally get involved to sort out the confusion, and the White House said that OPM would issue guidelines this week.
The guidelines, released Wednesday, allow for members and staff to retain their subsidies from the government, an exception in exchange for giving up “premium tax credits” that they would otherwise be eligible for under Obamacare.
“The amount of the employer contribution toward their Exchange premiums is no more than would otherwise be made toward coverage under the [Federal Employee Health Benefits] Program,” the OPM release notes.
“These proposed regulations implement the administrative aspects of switching Members of Congress and congressional staff to their new insurance plans — the same plans available to millions of Americans through the new Exchanges,” said Jon Foley, OPM Director of Planning and Policy, in a statement.
2. Emotional Words Banned (link)
New York City is trying to get rid of "unpleasant emotions" in schools. One way they have decided to go about doing this is to ban certain words that may upset students.
In an effort to eliminate potential "unpleasant emotions" among students, the New York Department of Educationhas placed a ban on mentions of "birthdays," "dinosaurs," "Halloween," and "dancing," in city-issued tests, the New York Post reports.
According to the paper, the mandate is meant to curb fear that references to those topics might stir controversy among students. Dinosaurs, officials said, could bring up evolution, Halloween could suggest paganism, and birthdays might create animosity among students who are Jehovah's witnesses, since they don't celebrate them.
CBS New York reports the word "poverty" is also not allowed, as "words that suggest wealth" might cause some students to feel excluded. The Center for Educational Innovation's Sy Fliegal told the station the new rules aren't necessary.
“The Petersons take a vacation for five days in their Mercedes … so what," Fliegal said, according to CBS New York. "You think our kids are going to be offended because they don’t have a Mercedes? You think our kids are going to say, ‘I’m offended; how could they ask me a question about a Mercedes? I don’t have a Mercedes!’”
The department is also banning mentions of "divorce" and "disease," in case students have loved ones who are separated or suffering from an illness. "Slavery" is also flagged and "terrorism" is considered too scary.
Department officials told FOX News Nation that the mandates are simply meant to be sensitive to a diverse student body.
“This is standard language that has been used by test publishers for many years and allows our students to complete practice exams without distraction,” a Department of Education spokeswoman told the publication, insisting the move is not censorship.
Wow. No wonder this country is gaining more sissys and entitled young people. This is just pathetic and will do nothing but hurt kids and their future.
3. Frullo Backs Branch (link)
State Rep. Dan Branch who is running for Texas Attorney General against State Sen. Ken Paxton and Railroad Commissioner Barry Smitherman released the names of 53 Republicans in the House who support his campaign. On that list was the name of Rep. John Frullo. According to the Dallas Morning News:
“For the past 10 years, the Republican members of the Texas House of Representatives have led the way in passing conservative legislation that has been a model for our nation,” Branch said. “I have been proud to work alongside so many strong conservatives to support an environment that has helped foster the Texas Miracle while protecting limited government and traditional values. I am grateful for and honored by the generous support of my peers, and I look forward to continuing to work with them as the next Attorney General of Texas.”
According to a news release, Branch is endorsed by a majority of members of House Republican Caucus. And the endorsements “represent of cross-section of Texas.”
Interesting that Frullo would endorse in this race. I don't see the upside at all for Rep. John Frullo in endorsing any candidate. No word yet on who Rep. Charles Perry is backing.
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These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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