Quote by Raine:
Good morning from Annapolis!

I fluffy Friday!

Rube Goldberg Survives

Holy seven million, Batman! The Affordable Care Act, a k a Obamacare, has made a stunning comeback from its shambolic start. As the March 31 deadline for 2014 coverage approached, there was a surge in applications at the “exchanges” — the special insurance marketplaces the law set up. And the original target of seven million signups, widely dismissed as unattainable, has been surpassed.

But what does it mean? That depends on whether you ask the law’s opponents or its supporters. You see, the opponents think that it means a lot, while the law’s supporters are being very cautious. And, in this one case, the enemies of health reform are right. This is a very big deal indeed.

Of course, you don’t find many Obamacare opponents admitting outright that 7.1 million and counting signups is a huge victory for reform. But their reaction to the results — It’s a fraud! They’re cooking the books! — tells the tale. Conservative thinking and Republican political strategy were based entirely on the assumption that it would always be October, that Obamacare’s rollout would be an unremitting tale of disaster. They have no idea what to do now that it’s turning into a success story.

So why are many reform supporters being diffident, telling us not to read too much into the figures? Well, at a technical level they’re right: The precise number of signups doesn’t matter much for the functioning of the law, and there may still be many problems despite the March surge. But I’d argue that they’re missing the forest for the trees.

Quote by Raine:
We are home!

Quote by wickedpam:
this is lovely! Honey Maids Response to Hate

Judge To End Ohio Ban on Recognizing Gay Marriage

A federal judge in Ohio said Friday he will strike down the state's ban on gay marriage, a move that doesn't compel the state to perform same-sex weddings but forces Ohio to recognize gay couples legally wed elsewhere.

Judge Timothy Black announced he intends to issue a ruling on April 14 prohibiting officials from enforcing the voter-approved law that does not recognize marriages of same-sex couples from other states.

The case was brought by three lesbian couples who want the names of both parents listed on their babies’ birth certificates, according to lead counsel, Al Gerhardstein.

"In Ohio, a husband is named on a child’s birth certificate and legally recognized as the 'natural father' even when his wife becomes pregnant through artificial insemination and he is not a biological parent. Plaintiffs seek the same treatment," argued Gerhardstein.

Quote by Raine:
My retiring congressperson, who I generally respect isn't going out on a high note with this idea.

I understand what he is saying, and there is a part of me that agrees. It's not that they don't get paid enough. It's that they aren't doing what they get paid to do.

That said, Moran lives 15 minutes (by car or train) from his place of employment. I'd gladly approve of a per diem based on cost of living in DC compared to home districts. That said the cap should be based on the days worked, compared to the days NOT SPENT IN DC.

The more days spent in DC... the less per diem amount you get.