The Affordable Care Act

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by whell

I suspect that' not the crux of the issue. The left wants to characterize (spin?) this effect of Obamacare as somehow "liberating" to the employee: They can cast off the shackles of that unwanted job and go pursue their interests. I think it remains to be seen how this will actually pan out. The CBO numbers are estimates, not actual. The actual effects / numbers likely won't be known for some time.

However, I think its dubious to frame the estimated impact as positive. I think Milbank actually swerved pretty to the crux of the issue here:

"Sounds nice, except the CBO said its more pessimistic workforce view had been shaped by recent studies, “in particular” those looking at “expansions or contractions in Medicaid eligibility for childless adults.” In general, the CBO explained, phasing out subsidies to buy health insurance when income rises “effectively raises people’s marginal tax rates . . . thus discouraging work.”

Citing studies that suggest raising marginal tax rates (whether that occurs due to a subsidy phase out or actually increasing tax rates) "discourages work" is likely that last thing that ardent supporters of big government solutions want to talk about.

I agree pretty much with all of the above. However, I strongly disagree with the concerted effort by the GOP to characterize the report as reducing jobs rather than workers by 2 million. If they are at all literate, they know full well what the report says and it says nothing about losing 2 million jobs. In fact, it says the opposite (i.e., its impacts will be negligible in that regard). In fact, I have a hard time seeing how this is a bad thing. People leaving the workforce voluntarily to either start businesses or retire create jobs or open up existing job slots for those seeking employment, respectively.

I gotta hand it to the GOP, however, for being better at creative messaging than the Dems.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by whell

Some will, yes. I think that is what the CBO was saying. Some who can will shift from taking W-2 income to taking other forms of income, or getting paid in cash rather than taking W-2 wages. Some will decide they can make due earning less income. Nothing really new about any of this.



Not if the Dems and Repubs keep pushing immigration reform.

Except that those people are already here and working.


Nah the guys at the CBO are not smoking Marlboros. The only reason I quit at 73 was because the company was bought and the job stopped being fun. I could have looked for another fun job but I was tired of dealing with the idiots in HR.

[whell]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Except that those people are already here and working.

But not all are generating W-2 income. That's the key.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by whell

But not all are generating W-2 income. That's the key.

Do you really think that the underground economy is that huge? That gardeners and laborers are really a big drain on the taxes of everyone else?

[whell]

Originally Posted by finnbow

I agree pretty much with all of the above. However, I strongly disagree with the concerted effort by the GOP to characterize the report as reducing jobs rather than workers by 2 million. If they are at all literate, they know full well what the report says and it says nothing about losing 2 million jobs. In fact, it says the opposite (i.e., its impacts will be negligible in that regard). In fact, I have a hard time seeing how this is a bad thing. People leaving the workforce voluntarily to either start businesses or retire create jobs or open up existing job slots for those seeking employment, respectively.

I don't know what the GOP is saying. I do, however, see a number of businesses - from large retailer like Kroger to small/medium sized businesses - opting to slow hiring or expand their part time labor force. This is a direct reaction to health care reform, as noted here. Now, the shift to expand part time employment preceded the PPACA, but the PPACA does seem to be pouring gasoline on that particular fire.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by whell

Blah...blah. In other words, "Here read this whell. I'll continue to cast unfounded aspersions on you and anyone else who disagrees with me as long as I don't have to deal with facts and reason. That in the end we don't give a shit about the facts. We'll just continue to throw shit at the wall and see if it sticks."

Oh poowr whewl, did I hurt youwr widdow feewings whewl? I'm sowwy whewl.

Then again...take a fucking hike...the shit throwing started when you decided to refer to my post as histrionic.

Whell takes the phony high ground...yet again. All the while not giving a shit for bankrupt families with dead members who might otherwise still be sitting up feeding themselves.

[bobabode]

Interesting op ed in the Post. here Quoting CBO Dir. Elmendorf .

Yeh I know it's the Plum Line but 2000 comments in 2.5 hours? The Faux sock puppets are out in force on this one.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by JBS...

Damn, we all should of listen to him... When did Beck start at fox?

Um, 2009. That's about the Tme Libs started claming he was a Gold Scammer.

hmmm, you might want to review your own chart there Bob. Price is still up

And if you would of sold early in 2013, Big Bucks

I guess I'm some kinda genius for getting $38 an oz. selling some family silver when it was falling off of $45 per troy oz., eh? Pretty good for a nailpounding construction puke on eBay.

The point I was making is that if Obama keeps it up, all you geniuses who have your money tied up in bullion will be taking a bath. The economy improves and the value of bullion drops. Right?

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by 4-2-7

Are you kidding that is this week? So taper QE4 by 20 billion and then print 600 billion all at once.

No, that is a file photo, posted tongue-in-cheek in response to the bolded in the previous post. Hence the smilies.

[bobabode]

Look!! A squirrel?