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The Inevitable Iran Deal
Author: BobR    Date: 09/16/2015 13:13:37

Over the years, the Republicans have likened President Obama to a "dictator" or "tyrant". Why? Because despite all their protestations and machinations to prevent him from accomplishing his goals, he has managed to use the laws currently in place to find an avenue for progress. The anguish of impotence within the Republican-led Congress is palpable. They can't seem to understand why their pernicious tactics never seem to work.

Such is the case with the nuclear deal that we negotiated with Iran and several other countries. Because it didn't involve forcing Iran to cry "Uncle!", they consider it a bad deal. They've preached dire warnings, and demanded a "better" deal, with nary a clue as to what that means nor how to accomplish it. It's political theater at its worst.

The House has already had a non-binding (ie: toothless, ineffectual, worthless) vote on a resolution condemning the deal. It's all preemptive fodder for upcoming re-election campaigns, and - like the votes to repeal the ACA - a waste of time and taxpayer dollars, when there's a budget funding bill that requires their attention.

The deal itself has been scrutinized to death by all manner of partisans and analysts, but it's fairly solid, and better than no deal. The main goal is to use both carrots and sticks to discourage Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon. The Republicans appear to want all sticks, preferably American-made Louisville sluggers with spikes in them. In their own feeble macho imaginations, that would work. In reality, of course, the only way Iran was ever going to agree to anything was if their funds were unfrozen, and sanctions lifted. Republicans think we're wrong to "trust" them, but of course it's all about verification, not trust.

Nevertheless, the Senate Republicans tried to block the deal, and have utterly failed. This is how our democracy works, this is how our rules and laws are set up, and it's driving them nuts:
"A strong, bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives voted to reject the deal. A strong, bipartisan majority of the Senate would vote to reject the deal too," McConnell said. "If only Democrat senators would stop blocking the American people from even having a final vote on one of the most consequential foreign policy issues of our age."

Making his case for a vote, McConnell quoted Obama as saying, "I believe Congress owes the American people a final up or down vote."

This is laughable. The American people had a vote last year when they put enough Democrats into Congress to prevent the Republicans from having a filibuster-proof majority. You know - that filibuster that the Republicans used on every single bill that the Democrats tried to bring to an "up or down vote" when the Democrats controlled the Senate. Turnabout is fair play, and the Republicans hate having to play fair.

That is why some frustrated Republican senators are urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to invoke the so-called "nuclear option" (no pun intended) to bring the resolution to the floor for an up-or-down vote. This would effectively eliminate the 60-vote filibuster - probably for good. McConnell - despite being a loathsome politician - is likely smart enough to realize they will probably be losing control of the Senate next year, and eliminating the filibuster would come back to haunt them.

If they did so, they would be able to push through numerous other bills they've had to sit on. They would get vetoed, of course, and they certainly don't have the votes to override a veto, so there doesn't seem to be an upside for them to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster.

For now, though: pass the popcorn.
 

28 comments (Latest Comment: 09/16/2015 20:27:14 by Raine)
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Comment by trojanrabbit on 09/16/2015 13:14:58
Morning


Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 13:27:40
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.

Comment by wickedpam on 09/16/2015 13:30:32
Morning

Comment by BobR on 09/16/2015 13:51:27
BLOG IS POSTED

Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 13:54:05
good morning!

Comment by BobR on 09/16/2015 13:59:16
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.

In case you are interested:

Our plan (for both Raine and me) costs (monthly)
I pay: 244
Company pays: 922

PCP copay: 30
Specialist: 50

Hospital/Surgery/Emergency Room:
150/250 outpatient/inpatient copay
80% coverage

Deductible: 1150 pp / 2300 fam
Annual out of pocket max: 2750 pp / 5500 fam


Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 14:02:52
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.

In case you are interested:

Our plan (for both Raine and me) costs (monthly)
I pay: 244
Company pays: 922

PCP copay: 30
Specialist: 50

Hospital/Surgery/Emergency Room:
150/250 outpatient/inpatient copay
80% coverage

Deductible: 1150 pp / 2300 fam
Annual out of pocket max: 2750 pp / 5500 fam


How many people work for your company?

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 14:05:22
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.

In case you are interested:

Our plan (for both Raine and me) costs (monthly)
I pay: 244
Company pays: 922

PCP copay: 30
Specialist: 50

Hospital/Surgery/Emergency Room:
150/250 outpatient/inpatient copay
80% coverage

Deductible: 1150 pp / 2300 fam
Annual out of pocket max: 2750 pp / 5500 fam



I pay about 50 bucks less a month for single coverage. I really feel I am being reamed.

Comment by BobR on 09/16/2015 14:06:34
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.

In case you are interested:

Our plan (for both Raine and me) costs (monthly)
I pay: 244
Company pays: 922

PCP copay: 30
Specialist: 50

Hospital/Surgery/Emergency Room:
150/250 outpatient/inpatient copay
80% coverage

Deductible: 1150 pp / 2300 fam
Annual out of pocket max: 2750 pp / 5500 fam



I pay about 50 bucks less a month for single coverage. I really feel I am being reamed.

There are about 4000 employees here, and the benefits overall are VERY good, so ours may not be the best point of comparison

Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 14:12:09
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.
I just read it.

I c an see where you are coming from.

Have you tried healthcare.gov to price compare?

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 14:12:39
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.

In case you are interested:

Our plan (for both Raine and me) costs (monthly)
I pay: 244
Company pays: 922

PCP copay: 30
Specialist: 50

Hospital/Surgery/Emergency Room:
150/250 outpatient/inpatient copay
80% coverage

Deductible: 1150 pp / 2300 fam
Annual out of pocket max: 2750 pp / 5500 fam



I pay about 50 bucks less a month for single coverage. I really feel I am being reamed.

There are about 4000 employees here, and the benefits overall are VERY good, so ours may not be the best point of comparison


We have, excluding those freeloading socialists we have in Nova Scotia, about 1800-2000 people.

There is as well another factor in play, .com is really tight with a buck in terms of pay. The DBA for the sales recording database left and increased his pay by about a 1/3 to 1/2 as much as we were paying him.

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 14:45:47
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Raine, see my post from yesterday in answer to your question about ditching my employer provided insurance.
I just read it.

I c an see where you are coming from.

Have you tried healthcare.gov to price compare?



Yeah I was looking at that, but to figure out the subsidized price, you have to actually enroll.

Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 14:58:27
Quote by Mondobubba:


Yeah I was looking at that, but to figure out the subsidized price, you have to actually enroll.
have you tried calling this number? https://www.healthcare.gov/contact-us/

1-800-318-2596

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 15:00:35
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:


Yeah I was looking at that, but to figure out the subsidized price, you have to actually enroll.
have you tried calling this number? https://www.healthcare.gov/contact-us/

1-800-318-2596



I just might do that.


Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 15:45:25
Health insurance killed the blog?

Comment by wickedpam on 09/16/2015 15:57:50
Quote by Mondobubba:
Health insurance killed the blog?



no just working



Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 16:12:10
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:


Yeah I was looking at that, but to figure out the subsidized price, you have to actually enroll.
have you tried calling this number? https://www.healthcare.gov/contact-us/

1-800-318-2596



I just might do that.
Couldn't hurt.

and no, insurance did not kill the blog.



Comment by Will in Chicago on 09/16/2015 17:23:08
Hello, bloggers! I hope that everyone is well. (I am home after a half day of subbing and getting ready to go up north for the shiva of a cousin's husband.)

I think that what is amusing about the Iran deal is that the intelligence services in the U.S., the other negotiating partners, and Israel favor the deal. Yet the conservatives - who were so wrong about Iraq - decry the deal.

In good news, I interviewed for about 45 minutes for a local fulltime teaching job for English Language Arts and Social Studies . After waiting in the hall, the principal called me back to the office and said that I had a great interview. He explained that he had more people to interview but would be calling people to come in next week. The job hopefully will be filled by the start of October.

Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 17:27:35


I am really going to miss this man as PResident…

Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 17:35:09
Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 17:41:19
Quote by Raine:


I am really going to miss this man as PResident…


He should have is secret band of radical Muslim fedayeen infiltrate the Irving school system and subvert it from within creating a Muslim only no go zone where sharia law and only sharia law is enforced.



Comment by wickedpam on 09/16/2015 17:44:02
Quote by Raine:


I am really going to miss this man as PResident…



Me too

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/16/2015 18:00:15
BTW, I think there's a visit to Washington DC for Ahmed

Comment by Will in Chicago on 09/16/2015 18:08:54
Quote by Mondobubba:
BTW, I think there's a visit to Washington DC for Ahmed



I hope so. This young man should be held up as a role model. As for the teachers and police in Irving, Texas, I hope that his family gets a good lawyer who can ensure that he gets some justice -- and a settlement that will fund tuition at the college of his choice. (He may well get full scholarships to a few universities.)

Comment by TriSec on 09/16/2015 18:42:55
So...TriSec has just given up TRMS, cold turkey. (Last wednesday, actually.). Has the show been re-named "All About Donald" yet?



Comment by BobR on 09/16/2015 18:44:29
Quote by TriSec:
So...TriSec has just given up TRMS, cold turkey. (Last wednesday, actually.). Has the show been re-named "All About Donald" yet?


Same here - I know he's a douche... her entire viewing audience knows he's a douche... why give him the free air time?

We haven't watched in weeks

Comment by livingonli on 09/16/2015 18:48:05
These days in order to get news, you have to go to the non-US based (or only quasi-US based) news channels like BBC, France 24, or Al-Jazeera.

Comment by Raine on 09/16/2015 20:27:14
Quote by livingonli:
These days in order to get news, you have to go to the non-US based (or only quasi-US based) news channels like BBC, France 24, or Al-Jazeera.

IT a terrible state of affairs.