THIS FIGHT OVER OBAMACARE IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE The government shutdown is happening because Democrats are trying to save government subsidies for people who never qualified for Obamacare subsidies until Covid. You read that right. Why are they fighting so hard? Because this is what Obamacare was supposed to do. It was never about saving money, there is literally NOTHING in the entire bill that will actually bring down the cost of healthcare. No free market injections, no nothing. It was always designed to do one thing: be a middle step to single payer. Today I've got Brian Blase from the Paragon Institute on about this post he sent out:
This is why these subsidies have to go and why the Dems are fighting so hard for them. He joins me at 1pm to discuss.
HICK IS OUT THERE REWRITING HISTORY ON THE SHUTDOWN This is the Democrats talking point when it comes to the shutdown.
And FYI it's a complete lie. The Obamacare expansion was done as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, which ZERO Republicans voted for. Then continued as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which ZERO Republicans voted for. The DEMOCRATS put the sunset provision which they now say will "destroy" healthcare in THEIR bill. I asked Chat for a summary:
2010
ACA (H.R. 3590)
Original subsidy up to 400% FPL
Permanent
Democrats only
2021
American Rescue Plan Act (H.R. 1319)
Removed 400% cap, lowered premium %
2021–2022
Democrats only
2022
Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376)
Extended subsidy expansion to 2025
2023–2025
Democrats only
Does that look like a Republican created problem? No, because it ISN'T. I called out Hick on this idiocy on X but this is what they are saying. I'll keep reminding you of the lie.
MORE UGLY CRIME STATS FOR COLORADO Yesterday I talked about this story by Mike O'Donnell where he looked at crime stats and today I've got this story about where Colorado falls in another survey that isn't good. I've got Mike on at 2:00 to discuss it all.
CAN SOMEONE SUE HERE? This is a good story by Mark Hillman on the creative ways that the Legislature decided to raise our taxes without putting it to a vote of the people. You should read it and I'm gonna get Mark to tell me if I have standing. Jerks.
WHY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS MATTER The Teachers union in the Springs is gearing up for a strike. The one day strike that will see over 200 teachers sick out for one day is all because the district didn't do a contract with the union, even though the district says their new Master Agreement gives better pay and better working conditions. They proved the union useless so the unions must fight back. What they should do is vote to decertify the union in the district completely like DougCo did. Just saying.
IMPORTANT POINTS FROM THE DENVER SCHOOL BOARD DEBATE And if you can't be bothered to watch the debate here at least read this article. If they say Super Marrero is doing a good job don't vote for them. Period.
I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN THE HOSTAGES COME HOME But it seems Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of the cease fire and hostage exchange part. Here's hoping Hamas doesn't do something stupid.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG IS MEDDLING IN DENVER POLITICS AGAIN This time over the flavored tobacco ban that the City passed recently which is going to be on the ballot this November for repeal. Bloomberg believes that no one should use tobacco products and by gosh he's going to use the force of government to make that happen. He's donating big bucks to the campaign to defeat the repeal.
RTD IS REMINDING PEOPLE HOW UNRESPONSIVE THEIR SERVICE IS by putting out a news release reminding people headed downtown for a Paul McCartney concert, or the Avalanche game, or the Great American Beer Festival that they need to plan accordingly if they want to use the train to get out of the city. Not one mention of "we're adding cars" or "we're adding buses" because of the huge crowds, just a reminder of when the last train runs so you can make your plans fit what RTD provides, rather than the other way around. Oh, and remember when RTD was going to buy all electric buses? Not so fast.
RTD is not going to be successful anytime soon. Oh, and someone got stabbed on an RTD bus in Aurora.
I LOVE AURORA PD CHIEF TODD CHAMBERLAIN In a story about a man in charge of SRO's for Aurora PD being arrested for child exploitation the Chief provided a pitch perfect statement. Read this:
“This is a sad and angering day for the Aurora Police Department and the community we serve....The allegations against this individual are disturbing and completely contrary to the values and mission of this department. This person has brought shame and disgrace to the badge and to an honorable profession. Such behavior undermines the trust and legitimacy that our officers work hard to earn every day...I want to make it absolutely clear; these actions will never be tolerated. This case will be investigated thoroughly, and the individual will be held accountable through both the criminal justice system and our internal processes.”
Read more here about the Sergeant the FBI arrested here. Chamberlain pulled no punches but didn't engage in any of the "we've got work to do" claptrap used by the awful Vanessa Wilson that disparages all officers over one bad apple. He put the blame squarely where it belongs.
IS XCEL'S PUC APPROVAL TO OVERRIDE ELBERT AND EL PASO COUNTY IN THE BAG? One would think so as the energy giant is already filing eminent domain cases against Elbert county landowners to take their land for the giant transmission project that will cut through Elbert and El Paso without providing them ANY power at all. As Xcel doesn't have the approvals needed for the plan yet, why would they take this step unless they think the approval is just a rubber stamp on what they want? This is why monopolies suck. Right here.
DEMOCRAT VIOLENCE IS THE INSURRECTION This is a great column by Glenn Reynolds about the rising violence in the Democrat party. Not on the Left, but from within the party itself. It's gross really. Oh, and here's a story about how the daughter of TWO PROFESSORS is working with ISIS and any Islamist group she can find while shouting death to America. She seems nice.
ZOHRAN MAMDANI IS COOL WITH WOMEN BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED Because he put his desire to not be seen as a meddling foreigner above the safety of Egyptian women who were being attacked at protests. Read it all here, this guy is so gross. But have you seen this? It's magic. Oh, it's AI, but it's Magic.
JAMES COMEY THOUGHT HE WAS ABOVE THE LAW And Matt Taibbi writes here about new revelations that the FBI went looking for reasons to investigate the Trump campaign. Of course they did. Of course.
WHY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS MATTER This is from some years ago. But this is what they think of parents.
MAYOR MIKE SAYS IF WE DON'T AGREE TO BILLIONS BEYONCE WILL SKIP US NEXT TIME I could not make this up if I tried. Mayor Mike Johnston says if Denver voters don't agree to take on $2 billion dollars in debt Beyonce's concert tour will skip Denver next time. And they will say 950 million but the total repayment is well over 2 billion so don't let them get away with that.
HEADING TO THE GREAT AMERICAN BEVERAGE FESTIVAL? You heard what I just said, the festival which is world renowned for beer is now all about beverages, with selections of cider, cocktails, hard seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages along with beers you've never heard of and many you have. As people drink less beer and less booze overall, the festival has to work a little harder to remain relevant. Read more here.
KRISTI NOEM IS KIND OF KICKING ASS As DHS Secretary. I have had an interaction with her at an event that has me suspicious of her, but she has proven me wrong, as she has this writer at HotAir.com. Watching her stick up for the men and women in her department has been really inspiring to me.
SWIFTIES ARE BIG MAD ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM And I LOVE it. It's so different than the last album (which was a tired retread of her recent albums in my opinion) but this story about how fans are reacting brings Misery to mind. Not the emotion, the movie and book of the same name. I think it's super easy for people to get too attached to celebrities these days. And then that attachment can lead them to believe that person owes them something. That feels like this.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE WORST VACATION EVER You can apparently go on a running tour. No thank you. No thank you at all. I literally can't think of a worse sounding vacation to go on ever.
SODA OF ANY KIND CAN RAISE YOUR RISK OF NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE And yes, that includes diet soda, which seems to raise the risk EVEN MORE. I think energy drinks are behind the rise in fatty liver disease in young people. Those things are the devil.
AI ISN'T QUITE READY FOR PRIME TIME WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL And I've found this out already, as I used Chat to plan a trip and then cross checked it and found everything cheaper elsewhere. Not to mention when I used to plan our day in Kyoto it was totally wrong on how long it would take us to get from point a to point b. Read this for more.
CHARLES KURALT'S SECRET FAMILY I mentioned this in passing the other day when on Ross's show but it's a fascinating story. Thanks to listener Alex for sending it along.
THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT THE "GOOD OLD DAYS" THAT YOUNGS ARE PINING FOR John Stossel breaks down the differences between the "good old days" being idealized by young people and they weren't what they think they are.
A YOUNG GENTLEMAN IN ACTION
MORE BIG BROTHER CUTENESS