OnePimpTiger
02-05-2011, 10:41 AM
Waivers from Obamacare: Waivers for Favors (http://blogs.forbes.com/aroy/2011/01/31/waivers-for-favors/)
Then came the news last week the Department of Health and Human Services has granted over 700 waivers to Obamacare’s obtuse rule that businesses drop “mini-med” plans in favor of more expensive, comprehensive coverage. Many businesses, such as McDonald’s, were faced with dropping their health coverage entirely, rather than face the prohibitive expense of complying with the new law. So rather than repealing the regulation, HHS has taken it upon itself to grant waivers arbitrarily to those whom it deems fit.
The Casablanca-style shocker is that, of the more than 2 million workers who will benefit from the HHS waivers, 40 percent belong to labor unions...
...According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, labor unions represent less than 7 percent of the private sector workforce, compared to 40 percent of HHS’ waivers. Does anyone seriously believe that HHS is handing these waivers out based on merit and need, rather than political self-interest?
This is the one of the key contradictions in the progressive approach to public policy. Progressives believe that the private sector is corrupt, and only the government can regulate the economy in a way that is truly neutral and public-spirited. As William Schambra describes in a perceptive essay in National Affairs, however, the dream of meritocratic, technocratic government has never been realized, and never can be. Whenever government is put in charge, those with political connections are put in charge alongside.
If the unions were so pro-Obamacare and it's ability to save the common worker, why are they now obtaining waivers to avoid its regulations?
And waivers from "global warming" regulations: Obama issues global warming rules in January, exempts GE-powered plant in February (http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/02/obama-issues-global-warming-rules-january-gives-ge-exemption-febr)
Last month, the Obama EPA began enforcing new rules regulating the greenhouse gas emissions from any new or expanded power plants.
This week, the EPA issued its first exemption, Environment & Energy News reports:
The Obama administration will spare a stalled power plant project in California from the newest federal limits on greenhouse gases and conventional air pollution, U.S. EPA says in a new court filing that marks a policy shift in the face of industry groups and Republicans accusing the agency of holding up construction of large industrial facilities.
According to a declaration by air chief Gina McCarthy, officials reviewed EPA policies and decided it was appropriate to "grandfather" projects such as the Avenal Power Center, a proposed 600-megawatt power plant in the San Joaquin Valley, so they are exempted from rules such as new air quality standards for smog-forming nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
There's something interesting about the Avenal Power Center:
The proposed Avenal Energy project will be a combined-cycle generating plant consisting of two natural gas-fired General Electric 7FA Gas Turbines with Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) and one General Electric Steam Turbine.
Maybe GE CEO Jeff Immelt's closeness to President Obama, and his broad support for Obama's agenda, had nothing to do with this exemption.
Seems like if these policies are so great for Americans, Obama would stand by them and not need to grant waivers. Apparently that's too sensible.
Then came the news last week the Department of Health and Human Services has granted over 700 waivers to Obamacare’s obtuse rule that businesses drop “mini-med” plans in favor of more expensive, comprehensive coverage. Many businesses, such as McDonald’s, were faced with dropping their health coverage entirely, rather than face the prohibitive expense of complying with the new law. So rather than repealing the regulation, HHS has taken it upon itself to grant waivers arbitrarily to those whom it deems fit.
The Casablanca-style shocker is that, of the more than 2 million workers who will benefit from the HHS waivers, 40 percent belong to labor unions...
...According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, labor unions represent less than 7 percent of the private sector workforce, compared to 40 percent of HHS’ waivers. Does anyone seriously believe that HHS is handing these waivers out based on merit and need, rather than political self-interest?
This is the one of the key contradictions in the progressive approach to public policy. Progressives believe that the private sector is corrupt, and only the government can regulate the economy in a way that is truly neutral and public-spirited. As William Schambra describes in a perceptive essay in National Affairs, however, the dream of meritocratic, technocratic government has never been realized, and never can be. Whenever government is put in charge, those with political connections are put in charge alongside.
If the unions were so pro-Obamacare and it's ability to save the common worker, why are they now obtaining waivers to avoid its regulations?
And waivers from "global warming" regulations: Obama issues global warming rules in January, exempts GE-powered plant in February (http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/02/obama-issues-global-warming-rules-january-gives-ge-exemption-febr)
Last month, the Obama EPA began enforcing new rules regulating the greenhouse gas emissions from any new or expanded power plants.
This week, the EPA issued its first exemption, Environment & Energy News reports:
The Obama administration will spare a stalled power plant project in California from the newest federal limits on greenhouse gases and conventional air pollution, U.S. EPA says in a new court filing that marks a policy shift in the face of industry groups and Republicans accusing the agency of holding up construction of large industrial facilities.
According to a declaration by air chief Gina McCarthy, officials reviewed EPA policies and decided it was appropriate to "grandfather" projects such as the Avenal Power Center, a proposed 600-megawatt power plant in the San Joaquin Valley, so they are exempted from rules such as new air quality standards for smog-forming nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
There's something interesting about the Avenal Power Center:
The proposed Avenal Energy project will be a combined-cycle generating plant consisting of two natural gas-fired General Electric 7FA Gas Turbines with Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) and one General Electric Steam Turbine.
Maybe GE CEO Jeff Immelt's closeness to President Obama, and his broad support for Obama's agenda, had nothing to do with this exemption.
Seems like if these policies are so great for Americans, Obama would stand by them and not need to grant waivers. Apparently that's too sensible.