CNBC and RePost.US: ObamaCare And The American People

On September 23, 2013, CNBC published a piece related to public and political perceptions of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA, AKA ACA & ObamaCare). The article offers four invaluable graphics that indicate most Americans are not interested Tea Party repeal ACA votes. Each House of Representatives repeal vote is reported to cost the US tax payer from $1.4 million  USD to $1.6 million USD. If we take the higher reported figures and multiply against the number of House votes (51) the math will lead to $81.6 million in “big government” derangement. Your well gerrymandered (district) GOP representatives are so secure in their seats, they disregard the will of the majority. They disregard our will on a number of key issues while performing cowering servitude to money brokers who want millions kicked-off medical coverage some have never had in their lives.

CNBC:  Most Americans against defunding Obamacare: Survey

How about another perspective on ObamaCare? 

Memo to Democrats: Embrace Obamacare (via Liberaland)

Although it is only March, the post mortem has already been written for the Democratic performance in November’s  midterm elections.  CNN’s John King said the situation is “bleaker than bleak.”  A Democratic strategist said the numbers portend…

Why Is US Electronic Media Joining The Kochs And The GOP As Pied Pipers Of Misinformation

During a two week period when American news media has proven it is about little more than attracting viewers to prop-up ratings. This week we find yet another example of crafty people obviously longing for attention or money who manage to lead networks news shows astray.  

Fox News has been at the pinnacle of such flawed and misleading reporting; NBC and CBS also joined the charade parade with episodes that should have generated thoughts of, “Let’s dig deeper for more details.”  Yet neither of the three networks performed above the level of a college journalism intern. Since, we know those television management teams, producers and editors are at least fairly competent professionals, their ‘lazy’ reporting is suspect. Suspect as to motive and intent.

We know the Fox News mission regarding the ACA: join the GOP,  libertarians and the Kochs in killing the humane critical program. CBS and NBC’s flawed reporting were astounding and uncharacteristic. The misleading reports were especially astounding since non-network professionals literally busted the networks. A writer employed by Salon Dot Com recently screeded on misleading reporting.  And believe it or not, Greta Van Sustren (and her team) over on Fox busted a false CBS report, and another writer with the LA Times recently busted CNBC’s “Obama Hatter” Maria  Bartiromo guiding a guest down a path that the network had to know was an oasis.  We use the figurative “Oasis” based on past anti-administration and anti-Obama “hatred” from Bartiromo. Each case of misleading on-camera performances not only harm the potential good of the ACA, the stories also provide viewer induced ratings that garners revenue. 

The ACA is providing significant opportunity for news ratings. But, it is not the only politically charged issue that provides prime ‘red meat’ for administration haters, GOP politicians and network ratings. Ratings seeking may not have been the ultimate motive or enticement for a comparable flub by 60 Minutes. 

There are few news shows and electronic news weekly magazines that can compare to 60 Minutes as a former without question credible investigatory source on information. CBS’s 60 Minutes team has also fallen victim to ‘red meat’ hunters and monthly ratings scrimmages. An alleged Benghazi insider sat for an interview with 60 Minutes, which led to a 47 minute segment on Fox News. Media Matters is reporting there are major issues with the alleged witnesses story.  As I watched the segment I wondered how the CBS news magazine guest   could have been on the scene of the killings and fires an escape as he apparently escaped.  Isn’t it amazing no one at the network had the same thought. Or, if there was a thought about the guy’s credibility, it was shuttered away for some reason. How could highly compensated (supposed) investigatory professionals and producers violate a basic canon of journalism: seek validation or seek more than a single source?

We are embedding the 60 Minutes video and linking to the Media Matters piece.  You simply must watch this interview and follow with a quick read of the Media Matters piece.

http://mediamatters.org/embed(direct link to video)

Media Matters:

60 Minutes Benghazi Report Takes A Huge Credibility Hit

As previously stated, we have grown to expect such non-credible exhibitions from Fox News.  When historically reliable and formerly credible media joins in the hunt for red meat, we as a nation are seeing the early stages of real trouble.  Obama Derangement Syndrome has been historically avoided by credible media.  When the likes of NBC, CBS (60 Minutes) join the feeding frenzy, we open ourselves up for further dissolving into a well set plutocracy trap by people such as the Koch brothers and their well funded GOP. 

Each Sunday millions watch 60 Minutes. If the Media Matters piece we believe and posted here is accurate, we wonder if 60 Minutes will broadcast a clarification.  We know the Media Matters revelation will not get a mention on Fox News. 

It is critical that credible media revisit such misleading reports. 

The “Thousand Mile Storm”

Federal Government leadership and strategic wherewithal makes GOP policy and rhetoric appear tragically comical. 

The “Thousand Mile Storm – Sandy” with reports of high waves crest in the Eastern Great Lakes and reports of associated winds in Paris, France has led to an Obama Administration decision that constitutes an Executive Branch rarity.  The Energy Department will act to support recovery efforts in the nation’s eastern corridor according to CNBC News…..

The Energy Department will release fuel from the northeast heating oil reserve to help in the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.

The CNBC article provides details of the fuel release and indicates a first time release of heating oil reserves.

A Brief look at US Strategic Oil Reserves

Strategic Petroleum Reserve  Quick Facts  The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a U.S. Government complex of four sites with deep underground storage caverns created in salt domes along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coasts.  The caverns have a capacity of 727 million barrels and store emergency supplies of crude oil owned by the U.S. Government.

WIKI The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is an emergency fuel storage of oil maintained by the United States Department of Energy. It is the largest emergency supply in the world with the capacity to hold up to 727 million barrels (115,600,000 m3).  Access to the reserve is determined by the conditions written into the 1975 Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), primarily to counter a severe supply interruption.  The SPR was created following the 1973 energy crisis. The current inventory is displayed on the SPR’s website Inventory Current inventory –  Click to open inventory update window  Highest inventory –  The SPR was filled to its 727 million barrel capacity on December 27, 2009; the inventory of 726.6 million barrels was the highest ever held in the SPR. Previous inventory milestones  2008.  Prior to Hurricane Gustav coming ashore on September 1, 2008, the SPR had reached 707.21 million barrels, the highest level ever held up until that date.  A series of emergency exchanges conducted after Hurricane Gustav, followed shortly thereafter by Hurricane Ike, reduced the level by 5.4 million barrels.  2005.  Prior to the 2008 hurricane releases, the former record had been reached in late August 2005, just days before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.  Hurricane Katrina emergency releases of both crude oil sales and exchanges (loans)  totaled 20.8 million barrels.  Crude oil inventory distribution  Bryan Mound – holds 254 MMB in 20 caverns – 78 MMB sweet and 176 MMB sour.  Big Hill – holds 170.1 MMB in 14 caverns – 73 MMB sweet and 98 MMB sour.  West Hackberry – holds 228.2 MMB in 22 caverns – 120 MMB sweet and 108 MMB sour. Bayou Choctaw – holds 73.2 MMB in 6 caverns – 22 MMB sweet and 52 MMB sour. Current storage capacity – 727 million barrels

CNBC

The Energy Department will release fuel from the northeast heating oil reserve to help in the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.

This release includes diesel fuel for emergency equipment and buildings, including electrical generators, water pumps, GSA buildings, trucks and other vehicles.

“Today’s announcement is part of the broader federal effort to respond to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “This loan from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve will help ensure state, local and federal responders in the impacted area have access to the diesel fuel they need to continue response and recovery efforts.”

This is the first time fuel has been released from the heating oil reserve.

Read More 

Natural disasters involve planning and recovery measures from the energy department.  During the GOP primaries the nation was again reminded of GOP longing to reduce the federal government by as many as five agencies. 

 Five federal agencies that are on Ron Paul’s hit list:

“Presidential hopeful Ron Paul’s new proposal to slash federal spending would wipe out large chunks of the government’s research portfolio. The congressman from Texas and Republican candidate has unveiled a budget  plan to reduce the deficit that would eliminate five federal departments: Energy, Commerce, Interior, Education, and Housing and Urban Development. In one fell swoop, such a step would erase, among other programs, the Energy Department’s $5-billion Office of Science, the $4.5-billion National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the $750-million National Institute of Standards.

If you are thinking, Paul quietly left the campaign trail, do not relish in that thought.  Mitt Romney picked-up after Paul, and now will not speak one word about disaster preparedness and relief. 

Mitt spoke not long ago….

Disaster coordination is one of the most vital functions of “big government,” which is why Mitt Romney wants to eliminate it. At a Republican primary debate last year, Mr. Romney was asked whether emergency management was a function that should be returned to the states. He not only agreed , he went further. 

“Absolutely,” he said. “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction. And if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that’s even better.” Mr. Romney not only believes that states acting independently can handle the response to a vast East Coast storm better than Washington, but that profit-making companies can do an even better job. He said it was “immoral” for the federal government to do all these things if it means increasing the debt.

The GOP has reaped federal government malfeasance on this nation for far too long.  We have suffered from their paradigm false belief in no regulation  We have felt the bear death experience of their policy and practices regarding taxes and wars. Their obvious deference and pandering to big business has led to unbalanced administration of taxes policies.   And, their social agenda has resulted in proliferation of a higher level of intolerance for minorities and beyond belief authoritarianism towards women (especially women of child-bearing age). 

                 

Are we to follow the GOP on their deep rooted agenda to “return…..to the states”? The nation’s states are ill-equipped to handle major catastrophes like Katrina and Sandy.  There must always exist a central authority with requisite professionals, competent experts, and distribution channels for such emergencies.   

The states with influences like ALEC, lobbyist, legislators with less wherewithal in any form of governance  and no professionally competent disaster agencies couldn’t prepare to deal with a Katrina or a Sandy or worse for many years.