Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Obama Admin Tells Ins. Companies do not Criticize Obamacare Publicly
CNN reports that the White House is intimidating insurance companies not to publicly criticize Obamacare:
"What is going on is, behind the scenes attempt by the White House to at least keep insurerers from publicly criticizing what is happening on this Affordable Care Act rollout. Basically, if you speak out, if you are quoted, you're going to get a call from the White House, pressure to be quiet," reports CNN. (Continues)
Monday, October 28, 2013
Obama knew that millions could not keep their health insurance
By Lisa Myers and Hannah Rappleye
NBC News
President Obama repeatedly assured Americans that after the Affordable Care Act became law, people who liked their health insurance would be able to keep it. But millions of Americans are getting or are about to get cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare, say experts, and the Obama administration has known that for at least three years.
Four sources deeply involved in the Affordable Care Act tell NBC NEWS that 50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a “cancellation” letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law. One expert predicts that number could reach as high as 80 percent. And all say that many of those forced to buy pricier new policies will experience “sticker shock.”
None of this should come as a shock to the Obama administration. The law states that policies in effect as of March 23, 2010 will be “grandfathered,” meaning consumers can keep those policies even though they don’t meet requirements of the new health care law. But the Department of Health and Human Services then wrote regulations that narrowed that provision, by saying that if any part of a policy was significantly changed since that date -- the deductible, co-pay, or benefits, for example -- the policy would not be grandfathered.
Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy.
And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.”
That means the administration knew that more than 40 to 67 percent of those in the individual market would not be able to keep their plans, even if they liked them.
Yet President Obama, who had promised in 2009, “if you like your health plan, you will be able to keep your health plan,” was still saying in 2012, “If [you] already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance.” (Continues at NBC)
NBC News
President Obama repeatedly assured Americans that after the Affordable Care Act became law, people who liked their health insurance would be able to keep it. But millions of Americans are getting or are about to get cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare, say experts, and the Obama administration has known that for at least three years.
Four sources deeply involved in the Affordable Care Act tell NBC NEWS that 50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a “cancellation” letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law. One expert predicts that number could reach as high as 80 percent. And all say that many of those forced to buy pricier new policies will experience “sticker shock.”
None of this should come as a shock to the Obama administration. The law states that policies in effect as of March 23, 2010 will be “grandfathered,” meaning consumers can keep those policies even though they don’t meet requirements of the new health care law. But the Department of Health and Human Services then wrote regulations that narrowed that provision, by saying that if any part of a policy was significantly changed since that date -- the deductible, co-pay, or benefits, for example -- the policy would not be grandfathered.
Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy.
And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.”
That means the administration knew that more than 40 to 67 percent of those in the individual market would not be able to keep their plans, even if they liked them.
Yet President Obama, who had promised in 2009, “if you like your health plan, you will be able to keep your health plan,” was still saying in 2012, “If [you] already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance.” (Continues at NBC)
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Michelle Obama’s ex-classmate is executive at company that built Obamacare website
Michelle Obama’s Princeton classmate is a top executive at the
company that earned the contract to build the failed Obamacare website.
Toni Townes-Whitley, Princeton class of ’85, is senior vice president at CGI Federal, which earned the no-bid contract to build the $678 million Obamacare enrollment website at Healthcare.gov. CGI Federal is the U.S. arm of a Canadian company. (Continues)
Toni Townes-Whitley, Princeton class of ’85, is senior vice president at CGI Federal, which earned the no-bid contract to build the $678 million Obamacare enrollment website at Healthcare.gov. CGI Federal is the U.S. arm of a Canadian company. (Continues)
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Fox Nearly Doubles CNN and MSNBC's Combined Viewers
It looks like Fox News's revised lineup is a hit with viewers.
On Tuesday, FNC almost doubled the combined total viewers of CNN and MSNBC achieving its best ratings since recent changes that included the addition of Megyn Kelly to primetime.
According to TVNewser, from 7PM to 11PM Eastern time, Fox averaged 2.534 million viewers. MSNBC had 941k and CNN 397k.
In the all important demographic of people aged 25 to 54, Fox averaged 454k. MSNBC had 213k and CNN 134k.
As for the head-to-heads, the numbers certainly won't please MSNBC chief Phil Griffin.
Greta Van Susteren at 7:00 almost doubled Chris Matthews garnering 1.99 million viewers to his 1.03 million. The demo score was 372k to 231k.
Bill O'Reilly at 8:00 nearly quadrupled Chris Hayes garnering 3.22 million viewers to his 851k. The demo score was 506k to 178k.
Megyn Kelly at 9:00 almost tripled Rachel Maddow garnering 2.825 million viewers to her 1.081 million. The demo score was 472k to 250k.
Sean Hannity at 10:00 more than doubled Lawrence O'Donnell garnering 2.08 million viewers to his 801k. The demo score was 458k to 194k. (Continues)
On Tuesday, FNC almost doubled the combined total viewers of CNN and MSNBC achieving its best ratings since recent changes that included the addition of Megyn Kelly to primetime.
According to TVNewser, from 7PM to 11PM Eastern time, Fox averaged 2.534 million viewers. MSNBC had 941k and CNN 397k.
In the all important demographic of people aged 25 to 54, Fox averaged 454k. MSNBC had 213k and CNN 134k.
As for the head-to-heads, the numbers certainly won't please MSNBC chief Phil Griffin.
Greta Van Susteren at 7:00 almost doubled Chris Matthews garnering 1.99 million viewers to his 1.03 million. The demo score was 372k to 231k.
Bill O'Reilly at 8:00 nearly quadrupled Chris Hayes garnering 3.22 million viewers to his 851k. The demo score was 506k to 178k.
Megyn Kelly at 9:00 almost tripled Rachel Maddow garnering 2.825 million viewers to her 1.081 million. The demo score was 472k to 250k.
Sean Hannity at 10:00 more than doubled Lawrence O'Donnell garnering 2.08 million viewers to his 801k. The demo score was 458k to 194k. (Continues)
Monday, October 21, 2013
Obama has one of the largest quarter-to-quarter declines of his presidency,
Obama's Job Approval Declines to 44.5% in 19th Quarter
Three-percentage-point decline in approval from previous quarter
by Jeffrey M. Jones
PRINCETON, NJ --
President Barack Obama averaged a 44.5% job approval rating during his 19th quarter in office, a decline of more than three percentage points from his 18th quarter. That is one of the largest quarter-to-quarter declines of his presidency, behind a nine-point drop in his third quarter and a six-point drop in his 11th quarter. (Continues at Gallup)
President Barack Obama averaged a 44.5% job approval rating during his 19th quarter in office, a decline of more than three percentage points from his 18th quarter. That is one of the largest quarter-to-quarter declines of his presidency, behind a nine-point drop in his third quarter and a six-point drop in his 11th quarter. (Continues at Gallup)
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Fox New's Megyn Kelly surge checks out
This is somewhat embarrassing: Last week, MSNBC president Phil
Griffin said it was "impossible" that ratings for Fox News's "The Kelly
File" -- the new show hosted by Megyn Kelly -- could have doubled on the
show's second night, and suggested Nielsen run an investigation.
“Monday we had a really good day in the key demographic, on the night that Fox News debuted their three shows, we either tied or beat them in those hours,” Griffin said. “Tuesday – you guys should be doing some investigations – I have never seen it in all my years of cable, same overnight, same everything, and they doubled their ratings in a day? It is impossible."
Well, Nielsen conducted an investigation and, according to The New York Daily News, her numbers were that good: Kelly had a 100% ratings increase on her second night in primetime. (POLITICO)
“Monday we had a really good day in the key demographic, on the night that Fox News debuted their three shows, we either tied or beat them in those hours,” Griffin said. “Tuesday – you guys should be doing some investigations – I have never seen it in all my years of cable, same overnight, same everything, and they doubled their ratings in a day? It is impossible."
Well, Nielsen conducted an investigation and, according to The New York Daily News, her numbers were that good: Kelly had a 100% ratings increase on her second night in primetime. (POLITICO)
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Obama Approval Plummets in new Poll
In today's edition of polls the media will collectively ignore, a new
AP-GFK polls finds that Barack Obama's job approval rating has
plummeted to 37%. The President's disapproval rating is up to 53%.
There is no good news in this poll for anyone, but if past is prologue, this is the number the media will pretend does not exist as they attempt to manufacture a reality where only the GOP is in trouble over the shutdown.
While the poll shows that 62% blame the GOP for the shutdown and "[a]bout half said Obama or the Democrats in Congress bear much responsibility," here are other important numbers the media will ignore in this poll:
Both Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democrat Senate Majority Leader share a dismal 18% favorability rating. (Continues)
There is no good news in this poll for anyone, but if past is prologue, this is the number the media will pretend does not exist as they attempt to manufacture a reality where only the GOP is in trouble over the shutdown.
While the poll shows that 62% blame the GOP for the shutdown and "[a]bout half said Obama or the Democrats in Congress bear much responsibility," here are other important numbers the media will ignore in this poll:
Both Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democrat Senate Majority Leader share a dismal 18% favorability rating. (Continues)
Friday, October 4, 2013
New Poll: Obama's Shutdown Negatives Higher Than President Clinton's
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As non-essential parts of the federal government
remain closed, 70% of Americans view the shutdown as a crisis or a major
problem, even higher than the 56% saying the same at the height of the
last shutdown in 1995.
Leaders looking to gain ground in public opinion are not succeeding. A majority of Americans report feeling more negatively about the Republican and Democratic congressional leadership since the shutdown began, as well as about President Barack Obama. The negative reactions toward Obama are higher than Gallup recorded toward President Bill Clinton during the 1995 shutdown, while they are about the same toward the Republican leaders in Congress. Gallup did not ask about the Democratic leaders in 1995.
President Obama's Shutdown Negatives Higher Than President Clinton's
A majority of Americans, 57%, say they now view President Obama more negatively as a result of the shutdown, while 28% see him more positively. By contrast, during the December 1995 shutdown, 49% of Americans viewed Clinton more negatively and 35% more positively. Clinton's overall approval rating would tumble to 42% by the end of the 1995-96 shutdown, but rebounded later in 1996.
Among top U.S. political figures, there are no winners in the budget standoff, at least in the early days of the shutdown. The public sees Republican and Democratic congressional leaders, as well as the president, more negatively as a consequence of the budget impasse. (Full Story at Gallup)
Latest Obama Job approval in Gallup:
Leaders looking to gain ground in public opinion are not succeeding. A majority of Americans report feeling more negatively about the Republican and Democratic congressional leadership since the shutdown began, as well as about President Barack Obama. The negative reactions toward Obama are higher than Gallup recorded toward President Bill Clinton during the 1995 shutdown, while they are about the same toward the Republican leaders in Congress. Gallup did not ask about the Democratic leaders in 1995.
President Obama's Shutdown Negatives Higher Than President Clinton's
A majority of Americans, 57%, say they now view President Obama more negatively as a result of the shutdown, while 28% see him more positively. By contrast, during the December 1995 shutdown, 49% of Americans viewed Clinton more negatively and 35% more positively. Clinton's overall approval rating would tumble to 42% by the end of the 1995-96 shutdown, but rebounded later in 1996.
Among top U.S. political figures, there are no winners in the budget standoff, at least in the early days of the shutdown. The public sees Republican and Democratic congressional leaders, as well as the president, more negatively as a consequence of the budget impasse. (Full Story at Gallup)
Latest Obama Job approval in Gallup:
GALLUP DAILY
Oct 1-3, 2013 – Updates daily at 1 p.m. ET; reflects one-day change
41% -3
52% +2
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
CNN & NBC cancel Hillary Clinton movies
UPDATE: NBC also announced Monday that it had canceled its Hillary Clinton mini-series.
ORIGINAL STORY: The planned documentary on Hillary Clinton that caused CNN to be banned from 2016 Republican debates has been canceled, its director said on Monday.
In a blog for HuffPost, Charles Ferguson said that it was a near total stonewalling by Clinton and her associates that caused him to pull out of the project, rather than any pressure from CNN:
ORIGINAL STORY: The planned documentary on Hillary Clinton that caused CNN to be banned from 2016 Republican debates has been canceled, its director said on Monday.
In a blog for HuffPost, Charles Ferguson said that it was a near total stonewalling by Clinton and her associates that caused him to pull out of the project, rather than any pressure from CNN:
When I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film. Not Democrats, not Republicans -- and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration. Not even journalists who want access, which can easily be taken away. I even sensed potential difficulty in licensing archival footage from CBN (Pat Robertson) and from Fox. After approaching well over a hundred people, only two persons who had ever dealt with Mrs. Clinton would agree to an on-camera interview, and I suspected that even they would back out. ...After painful reflection, I decided that I couldn't make a film of which I would be proud. And so I'm cancelling. (Not because of any pressure from CNN -- quite the contrary.(Continues)
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