Thursday, August 15, 2013

Congress: Exempting Themselves From Federal Laws For Nearly 50 Years...

Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that our elected lawmakers write and pass laws that apply to everyone but them?  Or they pass laws that, while they are subject to following them, they find ways to get around them so they are minimally affected.  Take the Affordable Care Act, for example.  (Take it as far away as you can, while you're at it.)

The Affordable Care Act, a document of over 2000 pages, was shoved down our throats by the Democrats (and a few turncoat Republicans) without the benefit of anyone actually reading it.  Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the House, said "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what's in it."  That should have been scary enough.  But it got worse...

“I love these members, they get up and say, ‘Read the bill,’” said Rep. John Conyers (D), of Michigan. “What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?"  Hey John - need I remind you that you ARE a lawyer?

Seriously - how could any American taxpayer believe that a bill was good when the members of Congress voting for it didn't even know what they were voting for?

Now, three and a half years after it was signed into law, the President has delayed parts of it, probably illegally.  Because an election is coming up next year, the employers mandate to either provide health insurance or pay a fine has been delayed so that less people will have their hours cut or be laid off.  Don't want to disenfranchise the voters just before an election.  The out of pocket spending cap for consumers has been delayed until 2015.  I heard yesterday that the reason for this delay is that doctors, pharmacies and insurance companies do not communicate in real time, nor will they be able to do so anytime soon. Consumers might be made to pay for prescriptions even after they've met the cap because there is no way for the doctors and pharmacies to know they have reached it.  And that could lead to legal action by consumers against doctors and pharmacies.  Congress and their staff have just been given a subsidy (extra pay) to offset the increased costs of their insurance due to the law.  Are any of you Obamacare supporters going to get more money from the government to help pay for your insurance costs?  See what I mean about going around so they are minimally affected?

How about the concerted effort by Democrats this year to level more gun control on the American people?  Even though they were unsuccessful, some in the House and Senate want to ban Americans from owning guns at all.  They want you to be unable to protect yourself and your family while many of them own weapons or have armed security to protect them.  Once again - "let's pass a law that affects the American people but it won't affect us."

Now, how about one that stinks to high heaven and helps our elected officials get uber wealthy while "serving the American people."  I'm talking about insider trading.  Congress seems to be immune from the penalties of insider trading on Wall Street and many of them are getting filthy rich because of it.

According to a report by FOX News last year, Congress is still exempt from:

— The Freedom of Information Act.

— Investigatory subpoenas to obtain information for safety and health probes.

— Protections against retaliation for whistleblowers.

— Having to post notices of worker rights in offices.

— Prosecution for retaliating against employees who report safety and health hazards.

— Having to train employees about workplace rights and legal remedies.

— Record-keeping requirements for workplace injuries and illnesses.

Of course, there are those who will not believe this because it came from FOX.  To them I say - do the research yourself and see what you find.

Why do we continue to allow our elected officials to do whatever they want instead of what the people want?  Over 70% of Americans were against the health care bill yet it was passed anyway.  And we keep voting to keep them in office.  The old saying about insanity comes to mind...

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