After over three years of being the most profligate spender of other people's money since the Earth was a cooling ball of gas, Barack Obama has finally found one place where he's willing to make real budget cuts: healthcare for America's military.
Specifically, the president has offered up a plan to force active duty service members and veterans to sign up for Obamacare and leave Tricare (the current U.S. subsidized health insurance program for the military) by raising the cost of premiums until it's unaffordable.
Obama's plan, which would go into effect immediately after elections, would raise Tricare premiums 30% to 78% in the first year...and then go up 94% to 345% every five years thereafter until every last man and woman who has served in uniform has had to quit the system and settle for whatever crumbs Obamacare will throw them.
Roughly speaking, that means a retired officer would be paying four times more for insurance in five years than he or she is now. And 16 times more in 10 years.
Experts say that the slash-and-burn reduction in military benefits is likely to hurt efforts to recruit or retain soldiers...which is probably exactly what Barack Obama wants.
Of course, none of this would be happening if this president and his party were even the least bit serious about real deficit reduction. But instead we get years without budgets, and gimmicky and pointless cost-cutting committees and supercommittees.
Followed by the Commander-in-Chief's cold and calculated order for members of the military to sacrifice themselves on the deficit grenade...and all to shield the despicable little Chicago politician who is twirling the grenade's pin on his finger.
A scene we'd like to see with R. Lee Ermey of "Full Metal Jacket"
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32 comments:
Pretty goo cartoon, Stilton, but I doubt The Gunny would have said "poo"!
@DrJim- I really, really had to be careful to capture the feeling of The Gunny's colorful language without actually using any of it. Mind you, I'm fine with that language...but I didn't want to shock any of the gentler readers here.
If you follow the link from Ermey's name under the picture, it will take you to the Youtube clip of his amazing performance in Full Metal Jacket.
I can see an analogue between SJ and Private Joker.
Anyway, I don't know why people are criticising Obama for cutting funding for veterans/serving members of the military. I mean, he really *needs* that money, to buy votes from Blacks and Hispanics...uh, I mean, "to support the needy".
If all of those racist military types would just stop voting Republican, maybe Obama wouldn't be *forced* to punish them? - After all, the *only* reason anyone wouldn't vote for Obama is because they were racist, right?
Gunny has spoken out against Obama's plan to impose socialism on the US to a group of Marines. He reminded them that the Marine Corps will always be here but the Obama regime won't. Hope he's right.
@AHD: Hope he's right on BOTH counts...
drjim,
Yep, Gunny sure would have used "different" words, but I'm afraid all us us on this blog would be visited by the Gestapo were we to use all the words we would LIKE to use whe we talk about the asshat.
Even more frustrating is the media's uncanny ability to completely ignore crap like this but then freak the hell out when a conservative says the word God or something.
Grrr....
Unions get obamacare waivers. The military - past, present, and future - gets screwed.
Thank you for your service, indeed.
This seems like such an odd thing to do with an election looming. Why do this now? Has obama totally written off the military vote? Does he think the union support will overcome the military backlash? Or has he simply taken leave of his senses?
Occam's Razor...
@Coon Tasty- Exactly. Obama is taking benefits from the most deserving so he can give them to most easily bought on election day.
And while you joke about the race card, in this election Obama will have more of them up his sleeve than a crooked Riverboat gambler.
@Angry Hoosier Dad- NO ONE should make the mistake of thinking that R. Lee Ermey was just an "actor" in Full Metal Jacket. What we saw on screen is who the man is, and he recently made a speech in which he referred to the Obama administration as deliberately trying to drive our nation into bankruptcy so socialism could be imposed. So here's a big and entirely sincere Hope n' Change salute to the great man. We need more like him.
@Emmentaler- I'd happily take the bet that the Marine Corps will be here long after the Obama regime is a bad memory.
@Colby- Freedom of Speech or not, the bounds of taste keep me from expressing myself as accurately and directly as I'd frequently like to when it comes to this president and his party. But for now, at least, I can look at that picture of Gunny and the Bamster nose to nose, and imagine the dressing down Mr. Soetoro so richly deserves.
@CenTexTim- You bring up a hugely important point that I forgot to include in the commentary. The same legislation which raises the price of health insurance for our military people specifically exempts unionized workers for the military. So it's right there in our faces: this president values unions and their kickbacks more than our men and women in uniform and their sacrifices.
As far as the timing goes, it makes perfect sense when you think about it. The cuts don't happen until after the election, meaning Obama can take credit for lowering costs now...but since no one is seeing their rates go up yet, there won't be any backlash (at least, that's what he's hoping. This issue is making noise in the conservative blogosphere, but the MSM couldn't care less). It's the same strategy Obama has used with taxes, Obamacare, and a lot more: he tries to hide the real pain until after the next election.
And boy, does my inner "Gunny" want to add a few choice words about that...
I don't curse but man, for what Obama has done, I'm thinking its rather fitting....unfortunately.
Impeach the traitor. Yesterday.
CenTexTim,
The Chief Cornholer just crapped on the unions by putting the nix on the Keystone pipeline, so maybe this is his way of resuming his kissing of union ass.
This guy is an enigma. He is half Chicago thug hitman and half ass kisser.
Colby - also 1/2 commie college kid, 1/2 alcoholic Kenyan bigamist. Go figure
I suppose he'll screw over anyone who is not in the one system he wants to create: this Obamacare thing, which is more bureaucrats than it is healthcare. He's going to force private insurers out of business, he's going to ban or make almost impossible even just paying for your own healthcare out of your own pocket. He's going to go after every single non-single payer government run healthcare operation he can find. He's not starting with the military, nor will he finish with them. He's gutting Medicare and Medicaid, and I'm sure any thing else lying around healthcare wise. He's going to tax medical machine & tool manufacturers into the ground. He's going to regulate hospitals into submission. He's going to force religious hospitals to close by mandating they do things they don't want to do. He's got a plenitude of destruction for the healthcare system of this nation.
And because he's economically clueless, he and his followers think it's going to be "free health care." Only I can't seem to find any healthcare, as in hospitals, doctors, nurses, in ObamaCare, but plenty of Office of This, Bureau of That.
As for bankrupting the nation into socialism, well, I'm not so sure he gives a damn what the final result will be, so long as the nation is bankrupt and destroyed. I don't think he cares whether it decays into mob violence. I just don't think he cares one way or the other, so long as the nation is wrecked.
Pete (Detroit),
Wait a minute. That adds up to 4 halves. So, I guess he isn't "The One." He is rather, "Number Two" (like Dr. Evil's assistant).
My math is flawed, though. I just realized he is also half arrogant snob, and half clueless moron who has never lived in the real world.
Hardly a surprise, and not really new. Do recall that a few years ago when he proposed that non-active vets be required to use private care instead of the VA. He well knows that 80% or so of the military vote goes anti-Democrat, and that his social-elite base despises vets (John Kerry not withstanding) as they mindlessly regurgitate their "support the troops" tripe. It's just another gotcha in store (like the upcoming tax hit) for after the elections in 2013.
@Suzy- It gets harder and harder to use "words that heal" when referring to this president.
@Colby- Isn't it funny how, in Obama's world, the government can't do enough for union members, but job creators and soldiers aren't doing their "fair share?"
@Pete(Detroit)- All of these "half this, half that" descriptions sound like a recipe. For disaster.
@Jim Hlavac- Your comment reminds me of the healthcare situation in Hawaii. Because of all of the subsidies and supports, the residents of the islands were found to have the "best access to healthcare" of the 50 states. BUT...
"Access to healthcare" was defined ONLY as having some sort of insurance coverage (private or public). But the paperwork hassles and government BS have created a doctor shortage as physicians flee Hawaii in droves. The result? Hawaii now offers third world medicine, and the residents have the "best access to healthcare" but very few doctors willing to give it to them.
And that's the kind of "success" Obamacare is promising for the rest of the country.
And frankly, I agree that Obama would like to see this nation obliterated. God knows he's doing his part.
@Colby- You guys have currently got Obama divided into so many parts that he sounds like a Saran-wrapped guest star on "Dexter."
@John the Econ- You're right that none of this is a surprise anymore. Obama clearly dislikes and disrespects our military. He does, however, like the fact that they have to take his orders - unlike the rest of us.
AMEN! to every comment here!!
A. B. O.!!!!!!
@SJ - " Obama divided into so many parts that he sounds like a Saran-wrapped guest star on "Dexter." "
Well, hope (and change!) springs eternal...
Colby - sounds like a #1 AND a #2 - ergo, a total waste..,
He's half Chicago thug hitman and half ass kisser...1/2 commie college kid, 1/2 alcoholic Kenyan bigamist
But MOST of all, he's 100% Labrador Retriever...
(With requisite apologies to Warner Brothers...)
@Pryorguy- ABO is absolutely my guy in November.
@Coon Tasty- I'm going to pretend that you're hoping the president will pursue a career in TV acting next year.
@Emmentaler- I apologize for not knowing immediately, but is that an Animaniacs reference? The wonderful, multi-talented music director for that show (Richard Stone) was one of my closest friends. He's no longer with us, but his merriment lives on. And gosh, how I miss him...
@Pete(Detroit)- Oops, I almost overlooked your comment. I think your "number one" and "number two" analogies are exactly right, so you should feel flushed with pride.
I hate this new editor. THat last got away from me due to its "funtionality". Anyway...
He's half Chicago thug hitman and half ass kisser...1/2 commie college kid, 1/2 alcoholic Kenyan bigamist...half arrogant snob, and half clueless moron
But MOST of all, he's 100% Labrador Retriever...
(With requisite apologies to Warner Brothers...)
@Stilt: The way Øbama is behaving, he's either nuts, knows he's a lame duck and is trying to impose as much damage as he can, or he's pretty certain he ain't goin' anywhere. Something just don't smell right, as they say.
In the last two, the possibility exists that the Marine Corp will exist no more through either lack of funding, or disbanding when they will not bend to the new tyranny (but there'll always still be plenty of Marines. Semper Fi.).
Still, trying to find something redeeming (which is admittedly almost impossible to countenance), I wonder if he really doesn't understand the damage he's doing. He's clearly a narcissist, so seeing past the big "me" is difficult if not impossible, and I am pretty firm in my belief that liberals simply cannot see thing pragmatically; everything is seen through their filter of the poor, poor, poor and those who take advantage of them (some posit that they are actually mentally defective in this regard...).
Shudder
Ah, that was painful. He and his ilk are just ass-hats. C'mon November - let's see what you have in store...
@Stilt: Way older than that. Porky Pig and Charlie the dog (and, I recall, another dog trying to get into a dog show, talking with the narrator. ca 1950 at the latest, but I think earlier. Back when Mel Blanc was in his prime, and Bugs Bunny humor was not quite as pedestrian as I find the "modern" ones to be...
And I really hate this new comment system. Did I mention that?
@Emmentaler- Ah, classic Warner Brothers! Great stuff, and definitely one of the primary influences on my sense of humor.
And I hate this comment system too. I looked into Wordpress once, but just couldn't wrap my mind around it (and would have a terror of trying to migrate this blog to another system). But I hate the fact that Blogger keeps making it harder for us all to talk to each other. Mind you, my overall philosophy of life is "everything gets worse," but I wouldn't mind being wrong occasionally!
@SJ - Puhleeze. -The man already has a well-established career as an actor.
OK, I'll accept the terms, but I want to know where I can get a copy of Full Metal Jacket with Ermey saying THAT to Obummer. I would pay real money for that. Or Bernanke could just print it!! LOL ;-)
@Coon Tasty- It would be very natural for Obama to transition into professional acting. They just need to tell him a script is a "paper teleprompter."
@Anonymous- I'd pay money to see that too. Maybe I'll do something about it...
Stilton,
I very seldom disagree with you, but would like to point out that actors are not allowed to read off the script when performing. They have to actually memorize it. BO would fail miserably at movie or stage acting. The only thing he has memorized is the number on the credit card we stupidly gave to him.
@Colby- Oh, he can still read from cue cards held just out of camera range. Have you ever seen those news events where he DOESN'T have a teleprompter in front of him? It turns out in the back of the room, there are multiple giant-screen TV sets scrolling words for him to say.
Seriously, between the teleprompter and the autopen, I don't think we need the actual man in the office at all.
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