Called by Republicans, Health Insurers Deliver Unexpected Testimony

Called by Republicans, Health Insurers Deliver Unexpected Testimony

House Republicans summoned a half-dozen health insurance executives to a hearing Wednesday envisioned as another forum for criticism of the Affordable Care Act. But insurers refused to go along with the plan, and surprised Republican critics of the law by undercutting some of their arguments against it.


So the health insurance executives didn't bow to the GOP...they must be making money off Obamacare.



'The White House released a massive report on the effects of climate change called the National Climate Assessment. Which beats its original title: 'It's Gettin' Hot in Here.' Although the report might have more impact if they didn't release it RIGHT when the weather got nice.' –Jimmy Fallon

The World Is A Safer Place Without Saddam

• Israel fires back at U.S. envoy over peace talks' failure
• China blames U.S. for stoking tensions in South China Sea
• Congress Mulls Funds for New Guantanamo Prison
• Putin hails 'return' of Crimea; fighting kills 3
• NATO chief: Putin's Crimea visit 'inappropriate'

"The political scene in Washington one of few places I've seen that's more grasping and desperate than show business. Hollywood and politics are very different, of course. One puts out big-budget crap filled with explosions. And the other one is Hollywood." –Craig Ferguson

More Tax Cuts For Corporations?

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted 274-131 to approve making a tax credit for business research and development (R&D) costs a permanent part of the federal tax code for the first time.



Republican Shenanigans

• Florida town’s choice: Violate Supreme Court ruling or open meeting with Satanic prayer
• ‘Bone-head’ lawmakers in South Carolina try to censor books with gay-friendly themes
• Breaking with GOP, Romney Backs Minimum Wage Hike
• Center Ring at the Republican Circus

More Christians Mad They Can't Offend Us

Yesterday HGTV pulled the plug on a pilot for a show starring brothers David and Jason Benham after outcry over their views on social issues like gay marriage, and today the Benham brothers responded in a statement, expressing disappointment but also making their Christian beliefs clear to their critics.




Face it: The biggest risk for the GOP is if they indulge the base on Benghazi and don't impeach. No way out now.- LOLGOP

These Guys Are Armed Ticking Time Bombs. What Could Possibly Happen?

 Nevada congressman whose district includes the ranch of a cattleman battling the federal government over grazing rights on public land says he wants the rancher’s armed supporters to leave.

"The community wants them to go," Rep. Steven Horsford, a freshman Democrat, said in an interview. The armed militiamen, some openly brandishing semi-automatic rifles, have been posted outside the Bunkersville ranch of Cliven Bundy for weeks.



Rock The Voter News

• Harvard Plans to Hail Satan, Confirms Conservative Fears About Harvard
• Pelosi says House Dems divided on Benghazi probe

Christian Right Continue The Crusade

The Attorney General of Montana announced he will fight to allow the “Big Mountain Jesus” war memorial to remain on public land.

"Donald Sterling's girlfriend said she's 'going to be president of the United States' one day. Yeah, like we're going to elect someone who secretly records people's private phone calls and conversations." –Jimmy Fallon


Business News

• Oil prices edge higher, set for a weekly gain 
• Yahoo yanks anti-abortion ads for violating its policies
• Bar cars make last run on Metro-North trains
• Navy pays a penny to get rid of carrier

It's About Fracking Time!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it wants to gather public comment on whether it should require chemical manufacturers to disclose the content of fluids used for oil and gas production, a possible step toward greater federal oversight of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.



If you got away with impeaching Clinton, invading Iraq & crashing the economy, you might think focusing on #Benghazi not jobs was smart too.- LOLGOP

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I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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Odd News

• London Cops Test Wearable Cameras
• This Makeup Printer Could Destroy The Cosmetics Industry
• Florida Airline Pilot Spots UFO at Springsteen Concert
• The most popular baby names are ...
• Bird attack knocks tooth out of man’s mouth (with video)

Time To Deflate Photo

Aluminium cast of an ants nest.

Peace.

Krauthammer: Climate change is ‘superstition’ like ‘rain dance of Native Americans’

Krauthammer: Climate change is ‘superstition’ like ‘rain dance 
of Native Americans’

Author and Time magazine conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer said earlier this week the belief in global climate change is a mere “superstition” akin to the “rain dance of Native Americans.”



Guess who’s back? Monica Lewinsky. She did an interview in the upcoming Vanity Fair. This is big news … in 1998. If you are happy that Monica Lewinsky is back in the news that means you're probably an aging writer because it was the golden age of comedy, ladies and gentlemen.- David Letterman

The World Is A Safer Place Without Saddam

• Attacks in Iraq, Including Cafe Bombing, Kill 12
• Western missions in Yemen on alert as army advances against Qaeda
• Iran, six powers hold 'useful' nuclear talks; agreement elusive
• Ukraine says peace road map has some common ground with its ideas
• Delaware Air Force base on lockdown after report of suspicious person
• German lawmakers decide to quiz Snowden

The GOP's Benghazi committee should have to register as a Super PAC.- LOLGOP



Republican General Attacks Cheney - Not Benghazi

In a fiery appearance on MSNBC’s The Ed Show, Former Bush administration official and retired U.S. Army Col. Lawrence Wilkerson said that he is ashamed of his party, the GOP, for continuing to investigate the government’s response to the 2012 attack in Benghazi. Wilkerson told host Ed Schultz that the Republican Party should instead be investigating “war crimes” orchestrated by former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Republican Shenanigans

• Republicans have an 82 percent chance of winning back the Senate
• Conservative Groups Spend a Fortune Attacking Republicans
• The Country's Most Republican Company? The Makers of Wonder Bread
• Louie Gohmert blasts 800-page WH report: ‘This climate change was global freezing in the 1970s’
• CNN host explodes after guest denies calling Michelle Obama’s Nigerian girl tweets ‘cheap’

Benghazi versus 9-11

The chairman of the select committee soon to be established to investigate the Benghazi attack, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), joined CNN host Jake Tapper on Wednesday to discuss how that investigation might unfold. After conceding that Gowdy was not in Congress at the time, Tapper pressed him on why Republicans seem more concerned about the intelligence failures that led to the Benghazi attack and not those that led to the Iraq War.

OH: The people who say the government is coming for your guns are actually coming for your health insurance.. - LOLGOP



Rock The Voter News

• The USA Freedom Act: Bill to end NSA’s bulk collection of phone records advances
• Our Alarming Food Future, Explained in 7 Charts

I WANT A GOVERNMENT THAT'S JUST SMALL ENOUGH TO CREATE A IMPEACHABLE SCANDAL WHEN A DEMOCRAT IMPROVES THE ECONOMY TOO MUCH. - LOLGOP

The Electoral College in 2016

Last week I gave the Democrats a better than 80 percent chance of winning the 2016 presidential election if the popular vote is evenly split.  The estimate is based on taking into account the long-term trends across the states and projecting where they’ll be in 2016.  Here I discuss the Electoral College math behind the prediction in order to clarify the Republicans’ disadvantage.

Richard Branson has announced plans to develop a new type of plane that could fly from New York to Tokyo in one hour. Apparently the engines are powered by human screams. - Seth Myers

Business News

• US reveals steps to improve oil train safety
• Fannie, Freddie to Pay $10.2 Billion in Dividends to Treasury
• Nearly half of all home sales all-cash deals
• Vermont becomes first US state to mandate GMO labeling

The difference between the Tea Party and Republicans is the Tea Party watches Fox News' commercials.- LOLGOP

Remember Donald Sterling?

Reviled NBA owner Donald Sterling, after denying he was a racist, hinted that his league-ordered sale of the Los Angeles Clippers is anything but a slam dunk.
Sterling declared himself a color-blind global humanitarian in yet another secretly recorded chat...

The U.S. Treasury Department booked a $114 billion surplus in April, the largest for that month since 2008, according to the latest estimates from the Congressional Budget Office released Wednesday.




The Los Angeles District Attorney is now investigating Donald Sterling’s mistress after she allegedly threatened to release more audio recordings in order to blackmail him. Sterling is very upset because he prefers to be whitemailed. - Seth Myers

A new survey in Britain shows that one out of six people would have sex with a robot. While five out of six people don’t like how you’re looking at that Roomba.- Seth Myers

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Odd News

• Florida woman gets land-clearing company to bulldoze trailer of neighbor she doesn’t like
• United States full of ‘witchcraft,’ bishop warns during conservative prayer event
• Journalists in Jordan fight on live TV talk show
• NSA's gibberish tweet not what it seems
• Make way for ducklings, New York style

Time To Deflate Photo

Peace.

Georgia GOP candidate: ‘I’d rather see another terrorist attack’ than submit to ‘jack boot’ TSA

Georgia GOP candidate: ‘I’d rather see another terrorist attack’ than submit to ‘jack boot’ TSA

A Georgia Republican candidate said he would rather see another terrorist attack than submit to the “jack boot” thugs in the Transportation Security Administration.



This maroon is the guy/gal in line at the airport who argues with the TSA agent, "Why should I give up my water bottle, I just paid $5 for it." OR "I am a __________ (fill in the blank, in this case a surgeon) and I need my key chain penknife." And then it escalates....international flights are the worst for these types of maroons.



GOP leaders have announced their Benghazi committee will have 7 Republicans, 5 Democrats & 4 of Cliven Bundy's steer guarded by 5 militias.- LOLGOP

The World Is A Safer Place Without Saddam

• South Korea warns North Korea over new nuke test
• Six wounded in knife attack at southern China rail station
• NATO commander says must consider permanent troops in Eastern Europe
• Israel's Peres says Netanyahu blocked 2011 peace deal
• Vietnam and China face off in South China Sea

Vladimir Putin has signed a new law banning the F-word from movies. Now the Russian version of "Wolf of Wall Street" is eight seconds long. You sit down and it's over.-Conan O'Brien

Bush's Hand Holding Friends

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced the editor of an Internet forum he founded to discuss the role of religion in the conservative Islamic kingdom to 10 years in jail and 1,000 lashes, Saudi media reported on Wednesday.

Republican Shenanigans

• Sarah Palin: Hillary Clinton may change mind on abortion once she’s grandma to ‘real baby’
• Lynne Cheney: ‘One would hope’ all Clinton mistresses get mag covers before Hillary runs
• Charlie Crist: ‘Intolerable’ racism and hate for Obama is why I left the GOP
• Stephen Colbert mocks Bible-loving Okla. lawmakers for getting bamboozled by Satanists
• Comedian John Fugelsang on government prayer: ‘Scalia law is a lot like Sharia law’

Republicans vow to search for the answers about Benghazi until they discover the questions.- LOLGOP

"Don't even ask the Supreme Court (on Net Neutrality), because they once had a case like this, and one of the justices asked, 'What's the difference between email and a pager?'" - Bill Maher



Cheney Chomping At The Bit

Lynne Cheney posed this question about the timing of Monica Lewinsky’s first-person essay in Vanity Fair: Were the Clintons behind this?

“I really wonder if this isn’t an effort on the Clintons’ part to get that story out of the way,” Cheney, wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, said during a Tuesday night interview on Fox News. “Would Vanity Fair publish anything about Monica Lewinsky that Hillary Clinton didn’t want in Vanity Fair?”

Tea Party candidate - n. someone who admits what Republicans actually believe. -LOLGOP



Texass Baptists

Houston Baptist University president Robert B. Sloan, Jr. said last Friday that same-sex marriage was not a civil rights issue because being gay was like being an alcoholic.

Rock The Voter News

• Driver Detained After Following Obama Daughters' Motorcade
• Obama to Al Roker: Climate change is a problem affecting

Analysis that lumps together Hillary and Jeb is terrible. Hillary is a one-of-a-kind pioneer. Jeb is the second Bush too many.- LOLGOP



GOP Money Laundering Operation?

There are a few things you should know about the Virgin Islands Republican Party: It has no full-time staff, has not had regular meetings for nearly two years, and only about 4 percent of the $200,000 it has raised since last fall has gone to party coffers.

Business News

• Oil rises on industry data showing stockpile fall
• Asia stocks down after tech jitters shake Wall St
• Fast-food worker strike about to go global

"Can't we walk and chew gum at the same time? Can't we at least raise the minimum wage while people are starving, and then look for the better opportunities at the same time?" - Bill Maher




Water Is Going To Be The Gold Of Tomorrow

The warming of Earth, with human consumption of fossil fuels as the main cause, will have severe consequences for every region of the United States, according to the Third National Climate Assessment released Tuesday morning by the Obama administration.

A new study found that a growing number of dog owners are giving their pets anti-anxiety medication as a way to calm them down and reduce unwanted stress in their lives. Then dogs said, “Or, you could just sell the vacuum cleaner.”- Jimmy Fallon

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Odd News

• Man is fined for drunk driving in a car that was being pushed
• Philadelphia Suspects Didn't Like Gas Prices; Shot a Hess Gas Station Clerk and Sold It Cheaper
• Real estate agent mails angry letter to older couple who park on their own lawn
• Politician accused of stealing campaign signs because he was caught on camera, stealing campaign signs
• Long way down: New video of World Trade Center BASE jumpers surfaces

Time To Deflate Photo

The submerged forest of Lake Kaindy, Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Peace.