Gallup: At Least 25% of Uninsured Americans Say They Will Stay That Way

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

Twenty-five percent of uninsured Americans say they will pay a fine rather than purchase health insurance in 2014, according to a newly released Gallup Poll.

Another 65 percent said they are more likely to purchase health insurance than pay a fine. Under Obamacare, people may sign up for insurance on one of the new exchanges; or they may get coverage through their employer, from Medicaid or Medicare, or by purchasing a plan outside the exchanges.

When Gallup asked uninsured people if they would turn to the new exchanges, 36 percent said no, they do not plan to get health insurance through a state or federal health insurance exchange in 2014. Forty-eight percent of the uninsured said yes, they would buy insurance on one of the exchanges; and 17 percent either hadn’t decided or had no opinion.

According to Gallup, the low level of familiarity with the exchanges may explain why less than half of the uninsured said they will get health insurance for 2014 specifically through a state or federal health insurance exchange.

The Affordable Care Act requires most Americans to buy health insurance by Jan. 1, 2014, or pay a fine. People who don’t get insurance through their employer may purchase it on one of the new health care exchanges — some run by the states, and others run by the federal government.

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Obamacare Website Quietly Deletes Reference to ‘Free Health Care’

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Even as President Obama and his administration are making a last minute push to encourage enrollment in Obamacare, a quiet change was made on the Healthcare.gov website regarding those who will still not be able to afford coverage after the program kicks in. From at least June 26, 2013 to as recently as September 15, under the topic, “Where can I get free or low-cost care in my community?” the following statement appeared: “If you can’t afford any health plan, you can get free or low-cost health and dental care at a nearby community health center.” Here is how the page in question appeared:

Photo Credit: Weekly Standard

Photo Credit: Weekly Standard

However, sometime between September 16 and September 23, the reference to “free” care was dropped. The title of the topic was changed as well, and now reads: “Where can I get low-cost care in my community?” Here is how the page currently appears:

Photo Credit: Weekly Standard

Photo Credit: Weekly Standard

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Democratic Congressman Eviscerates New EPA Coal Regulation

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said last Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest proposal to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants is “ill-conceived and illogical.”

Rahall, who wrote a blistering op-ed for Coal Valley News, reiterated the point that the EPA’s new regulations would essentially ban new coal plants and further the “war on coal” meme.

“It is just the latest salvo in the EPA’s war on coal, a war I have unwaveringly soldiered against, and I will work tirelessly to prevent such an ill-conceived and illogical plan from moving forward,” Rahall said.

Rahall noted that the EPA’s “wrong-headed policy” would increase energy bills, reduce energy reliability and cost jobs. He then blamed the EPA for

“This callous, ideologically driven EPA continues to be numb to the economic pain that its reckless regulations cause,” Rahall said.

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IG Report: IRS ‘Improperly Withheld’ FOIA Request Information

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

A Sept. 30 report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that the IRS may have violated taxpayer rights by improperly withholding or not adequately searching for and providing information responsive to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

TIGTA also found that “sensitive taxpayer information was inadvertently disclosed in response to nine (16.4 percent) of the FOIA/Privacy Act and four (7.4 percent) of the I.R.C. § 6103 information requests reviewed.”

“TIGTA reviewed a statistically valid sample of 55 FOIA/Privacy Act information requests from a population of 3,415 FOIA/Privacy Act requests and found nine (16.4 percent) in which taxpayer rights may have been violated because the IRS improperly withheld or failed to adequately search for and provide information to requestors,” the report, titled Fiscal Year 2013 Statutory Review of Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, said.

The IRS hired 21 new disclosure specialists in Fiscal Year 2012 and 24 new specialists in 2011, TIGTA said.

“The influx of new employees may be a contributing factor to the increased instances of taxpayer information being either erroneously withheld or not provided in error,” TIGTA said.

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Poll: Only 10 Percent Approve of Congress, 10 Pt Drop Since Beginning of September

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Photo Credit: Breitbart

Photo Credit: Breitbart

A new poll released Monday found Congress has only a 10 percent approval rating.

The low rating represents a 10-percentage-point-drop since the beginning of September and comes as a government shutdown looks likely. CNN/ORC International poll conducted the survey.

Nearly 90 percent of those polled disapprove of Congress, the highest disapproval rating CNN has ever recorded.

People have also grown increasingly bitter with congressional leadership.

“House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the two party leaders at the center of the budget negotiations that may lead to a shutdown, have become more unpopular since May, and both are facing the highest unfavorable ratings they have ever received in CNN polling,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.

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Obama Ignores Law, Waives Ban on Aiding Regimes that Use Child Soldiers

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

President Obama determined that it is once again in the national interest of the United States to waive a provision of a law against aiding regimes that use child soldiers to provide non-lethal assistance and peace-keeping support to several African countries.

By law, the president has to notify Congress that he is waiving the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008 within 45 days of making the decision. Obama’s press team published the presidential determination on Monday afternoon, with Congress on the eve of a government shutdown.

The Child Soldiers Prevention Act waiver applies fully to Chad, South Sudan and Yemen. Congo and Somalia received partial waivers.

Obama first waived the provision in 2010. Samantha Power, then the National Security Council senior director for multilateral affairs and human rights, promised “at the time that the waivers would not become a recurring event,” as The Cable recalled.

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FHA Gets $1.7 Billion Bailout, No Congressional Approval Required

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

For the first time in its 79-year history, the Federal Housing Agency (FHA) announced on Friday the need for a $1.7 billion bailout from the Treasury to cover losses on its reverse home mortgage programs.

FHA Commissioner Carole Galante said in a letter to Congress that the FHA will withdraw the money from the Treasury by Monday when the fiscal year ends. Galante does not need congressional approval to tap the funds.

“In the next few months, we expect updated data and economic forecasts to reflect what we already know to be true–the health of the fund has improved significantly,” wrote Galante.

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US Leaker Edward Snowden Among 3 Finalists for EU’s Top Human Rights Prize

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Photo Credit: Reuters

Photo Credit: Reuters

U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is among three finalists for the European Union’s top human rights prize.

European lawmakers on Monday narrowed down the list of nominees for the prestigious 50,000 euro ($65,000) award to Snowden, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, and imprisoned dissidents from Belarus.

The pro-environment Greens’ caucus said Snowden, who leaked a trove of documents on U.S. surveillance agencies’ programs, deserves to win because he “risked his freedom to protect us.”

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Controversial Homeland Security Adviser Defends Use of Muslim Brotherhood-Associated Icon on his Twitter

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An adviser to the Department of Homeland Security — who was recently promoted — is defending his use of the controversial “R4BIA” four-finger salute symbol associated with the Muslim Brotherhood as decor on his Twitter profile, a choice that elicited criticism on Sunday on the social media site and from one Israeli blog.

Mohamed Elibiary, one of 28 members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, insists the symbol is “bigger than” the Muslim Brotherhood and that to him it means “Freedom4All.” In his Twitter profile, Elibiary describes himself as not only associated with Homeland Security but also as a “proud American” who “hearts” Egypt.

Screenshot: Twitter

Screenshot: Twitter

The yellow symbol gained notoriety after Egyptian security forces raided two Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins in August, killing hundreds. The larger Cairo sit-in supporting ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi took place at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square. Rabaa in Arabic means fourth, hence four fingers and the number “4” planted between the English letters representing the symbol brandished as a tribute to those killed.

One website reportedly set up by Turkish Muslim activists describes the essence of the R4BIA icon as symbolizing more than the Muslim Brotherhood. It’s described as a “symbol of freedom” but also promotes the “return of Muslims to world stage.” It supports “justice for everyone against rotten Western values,” “a pure martyrdom,” “unification of Islamic World,” “the end of capitalists,” and “the end of Zionists.”

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Airmen say Air Force is Punishing Evangelical Christians

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091229-A-3108M-001Evangelical Christian airmen at Lackland Air Force Base are facing severe threats and retribution for their religious beliefs and some personnel have been ordered to publicly express their position on gay marriage.

“There is an atmosphere of intimidation at Lackland Air Force Base,” said Steve Branson, the pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio. “Gay commanders and officers are pushing their agenda on the airmen. There is a culture of fear in the military and it’s gone to a new level with the issue of homosexuality.”

Branson tells me at least 80 airmen attended a private meeting at the church where he heard them voice their concerns about religious hostilities at the Air Force base. It was a standing-room only crowd.

“The religious persecution is happening,” the pastor said. “It’s getting bigger every day. Gay and lesbian airmen can talk about their lifestyle, but the rest have to stay completely quiet about what they believe.”

Among those at the church meeting was Senior Master Sgt. Phillip Monk. The 19-year veteran was punished after he refused to tell his lesbian commander his position on gay marriage. I was the first reporter to tell his story.

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