New BluePrint proposed by the Obama administration on Health Care

Washington (CNN) -- The Obama administration raised the stakes in the health care debate Monday, releasing a new blueprint that seeks to bridge the gap between measures passed by the Senate and House of Representatives last year.If enacted, the president's sweeping compromise plan would constitute the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid more than four decades ago. The White House said it would extend coverage to 31 million Americans.
Among other things, the White House said it would expand Medicare prescription drug coverage, increase federal subsidies to help people buy insurance and give the federal government new authority to block excessive rate hikes by health insurance companies.It increases the threshold -- relative to the Senate bill -- under which a tax on high-end health insurance plans would kick in.As with both the House and Senate plans, it includes significant reductions in Medicare spending in part through changes in payments made under the Medicare Advantage program.
President Obama's plan does not include a government-run public health insurance option, an idea strongly backed by liberal Democrats but fiercely opposed by both Republicans and key Democratic moderates.
It also eliminates a deeply unpopular provision in the Senate bill worked in by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska, that would exempt his Midwestern state from paying increased Medicaid expenses.
Administration officials said Obama's measure would cut the deficit by $100 billion over the next 10 years. They estimate the total cost of the bill to be $950 billion in the next decade.The Senate bill would cost an estimated $871 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, while the more expansive House plan has been estimated to cost more than $1 trillion.
The release of Obama's plan sets the stage for a critical televised health care summit Thursday with top congressional Republicans. The White House is trying to pressure GOP leaders to present a detailed alternative proposal in advance of the meeting.
"We view this as the opening bid for the health meeting" on Thursday, White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer told reporters. "We took our best shot at bridging the differences" between the House and Senate bills. "It is our hope the Republicans will come together around [their] plan and post it online" before the meeting.
President's health care blueprint
Pfeiffer said Obama will come to Thursday's meeting "with an open mind." The president's willing to back decent Republican ideas if the two sides can have an "honest, open, substantive discussion" in which "both parties can get off their talking points," he said.
GOP leaders have indicated they will attend the meeting but have urged Democrats to scrap the Senate and House bills completely.They characterized Obama's proposal Monday as setting the stage for a meeting that will amount to little more than political posturing.
"The president has crippled the credibility of this week's summit by proposing the same massive government takeover of health care based on a partisan bill the American people have already rejected," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.  "This new Democrats-only backroom deal doubles down on the same failed approach that will drive up premiums, destroy jobs, raise taxes and slash Medicare benefits. This week's summit clearly has all the makings of a Democratic infomercial."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, released a statement calling the plan "disappointing that Democrats in Washington either aren't listening or are completely ignoring what Americans across the country have been saying."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed the GOP criticisms, arguing that Republican leaders had asked for this week's meeting for months. "If they're not the party of no, Thursday's the perfect venue to be the party of yes," Gibbs said.
Highlights of Obama's proposal
Under Obama's plan:

• The health and human services secretary would work with a seven-member board of doctors, economists and consumer and insurance representatives to review premium hikes. This Health Insurance Rate Authority would provide an annual report to recommend to states whether certain rate increases should be approved, although the secretary could overrule state insurance regulators.
• New health insurance subsidies would be provided to families of four making up to $88,000 annually, or 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Compared with the Senate bill, Obama's proposal lowers premiums for families making between $44,000 and $66,000, according to the White House. Compared with the House legislation, it lowers premiums for families making between $55,000 and $88,000.
• The Medicare prescription drug "doughnut hole" would be closed by 2020. Under current law, Medicare stops covering drug costs after a plan and beneficiary have spent more than $2,830 on prescription drugs. It starts paying again after an individual's out-of-pocket expenses exceed $4,550.
• A 40 percent tax would be imposed on insurance companies providing so-called "Cadillac" health plans valued at more than $27,000 for families. The tax would kick in starting in 2018 for all plans. In contrast, the Senate bill would apply the tax to plans valued at more than $23,000 for families. The House bill does not include the tax, which labor unions vehemently oppose.
• The federal government would assist states by picking up 100 percent of the costs of expanded Medicaid coverage through 2017. The federal government would cover 95 percent of costs for 2018 and 2019, and 90 percent in the following years.
• Health insurance exchanges would be created to make it easier for small businesses, the self-employed and unemployed to pool resources and purchase less expensive coverage.
• Total out-of-pocket expenses would be limited, and insurance companies would be prevented from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions. Insurers would be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person's gender or medical history.
• Individuals under Obama's plan would be required to purchase coverage or face a fine of up to $695 or 2.5 percent of income starting in 2016, whichever is greater. The House bill, in contrast, would have imposed a fine of up to 2.5 percent of an individual's income. The Senate plan would have required a person to buy coverage or face a fine of up to $750 or 2 percent of his or her income. All three plans include a hardship exemption for poorer Americans.
• Companies with more than 50 employees under Obama's plan would be required to pay a fee of $2,000 per worker if the company does not provide coverage and any of that company's workers receives federal health care subsidies. The first 30 workers would be subtracted from the payment calculation. As with the individual requirement, this represents a compromise between the House and Senate plans.
• Some $40 billion in tax credits would be established for small businesses to help them provide health care options for their employees.
• States could choose whether to ban abortion coverage in plans offered in the health insurance exchanges. Individuals purchasing plans through the exchanges would have to pay for abortion coverage out of their own funds. The White House is following the Senate's lead. The stricter House version banned abortion coverage in private policies available in the exchange to people receiving federal subsidies.
• Illegal immigrants would not be allowed to buy health insurance in the health insurance exchanges. They would be exempted from the individual insurance mandate. As with abortion, the White House is adopting the Senate's language.

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Bush Official Cleared of misconduct regarding 'torture' memos

In a CNN report by CNN Justice Producer Terry Frieden, it now appears that Bush administration lawyers have been cleared of all allegations concerning professional misconduct for writing "torture" memos.
Why? Because the Justice Department claims that these lawyers did not exercise bad professionalism, but may have exercised poor judgment.
The decision was made from a top career Justice Department executive David Margolis, who reversed a recommendation of investigators that found two lawyers memos did not constitute professional misconduct. The two lawyers in question, John Yoo and Jay Bybee will not have to face potential disbarment. These attorneys were part of a team headed by Steven Bradbury, who provided legal counsel to the executive branch during the second term of George W. Bush.

As expected, the decision was popular amongst the Republicans but not accepted too well by the Democrats who expressed their criticism of the Bush Administration lawyers.

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President Obama Addresses the U.S.-Islamic World Forum

The President emphasized that the U.S is ending in the war in Iraq, creating partnerships to isolate violent extremists in Afghanistan, and pursuing a two-state solution that recognizes the rights and security of Palestinians and Israelis

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Mullah Baradar Captured - Taliban Leader Next in Power to Mullah Muhammad Omar

A few days ago, the top military cammander of the Taliban was captured in Karachi, Pakistan. The mission was carried out by both American an Pakistani intelligence forces. So how big a capure is it considered? It is extremely significant, as the commander named Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is the most significant figure captured since the beginning of the Afghanistan War over eight years ago. The Taliban founder, Mullah Muhammad Omar, is the only person more significant in the Taliban operation. He has reportedly had very close ties to Osama bin Laden before the September 11 tragedy in New York City.

For the last several days, both the Americans and Pakistani intelligence have taken part in interrogating Mr Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Information to find the one-eyed cleric, the spiritual leader of the Taliban named Mullah Omar.

The American and Afghan forces were in a major skeremish in southern Afghanistan when Mullah Baradar was caught. Due to the sensitive nature of the capture and what it actually means, the White House asked the New York Times to delay the release of information in a story, in an attempt to gain more intelligence .

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was known to run the Taliban's military operations and is definitely a big blow to the terrorist organaization.

Because of catching such a high Taliban figure, major cooperation amongst people in Afghanistan is now taking place, indicating that people feel less threatened because of his capture, and that the credability of the Taliban working in Afghanistan has been greatly diminished.

The Taliban may not be able to protect and continue to hide Osama bin Laden as well as they have since 2001, the bombing of the Twin Towers in New York City. If this is actually true, then it may be possible that Osama bin Laden can be flushed out and caught. So yes, the capture of this Taliban commander was very significant.

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President Obama Struggles both at Home and Abroad

President Obama was elected as the 44th President because of his sincere desire for change. But lately he has faced a number of issues, with the costly wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, health care negotiations nearly at a stand still along with an economy that's taking way too long to show some kind of come back. The President warned when the Stimulus bill was passed, that the United States must  be patient, as the change he has predicted and now trying to deliver will take time.
But now, how much more do you think he can do? His failure to close the deal so far on the health reform bill puts his abilities even abroad to act in danger of stalling.  President Obama visitied 21 countries in only his first year in office.  He's even had talks with countries that most people would consider his enemies.  But even with all of the hard criticism, President Obama and Secretary of State have to make some very tough decisions abroad. Iran is boastfully declaring that it will continue with its nuclear program, despite United States beliefs that Iran is engaging nuclear activities that don't seem to be all peaceful. The United States will engage in further tuff sanctions against Iran if they do not  comply with UN wishes of its members, namely the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France.

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What you may not know about Presidents Day

By Ed Hornick, CNN

February 15, 2010 11:32 a.m. EST
 
Washington (CNN) -- Retailers open their doors Monday and roll out big sales to entice customers. Government employees -- along with kids -- have the day off. But do you know why?

If you answered "Presidents Day," you're technically wrong.

The actual federal holiday is called "Washington's Birthday," after the nation's first president, George Washington.

According to the Gregorian calendar, adopted by England and its colonies after Washington was born, his birth date was February 22, 1732. (The Julian calendar has him born on February 11.) He is viewed as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history and was also much adored during his lifetime.

"In the earlier years, when it was celebrated, it was more than celebrating his birth, it was celebrating what we liked about Washington: He walked away from power, a very poignant lesson for people," said presidential historian Doug Wead.

It wasn't until 1885, though, that February 22 became designated a federal holiday to honor Washington.

Presidential historian C.L. Arbelbide wrote in a 2004 article in the National Archives publication "Prologue" that succeeding generations found "significant ways to periodically resurrect his memory," as evidenced by the laying of the Washington Monument's cornerstone in 1848.

"The numerous tributes continued to reaffirm George Washington's place as the original 'American Idol,' " Arbelbide wrote in the article titled "By George, IT IS Washington's Birthday!"

Wead, who was special assistant to President George H.W. Bush, said Americans later fell in love with another president with similar attributes.

Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12, 1809, became a popular figure after freeing the slaves and ending the Civil War. But it wasn't until his assassination in April 1865 that Americans began to see Lincoln in a different light.

"Lincoln, because he was assassinated, he overnight became a beloved figure and suddenly a genius," Wead said.

Although he was considered "a buffoon and dumb during his time," after his death, everything he said was re-read and studied, Wead said.

In 1968, Congress debated whether to combine the two president's birthdays into one holiday, but decided against it. The legislative body passed the Monday Holidays Act that year, which said existing federal holidays would now be observed on Mondays to give government workers a long weekend.

The bill went into effect in 1971 and deemed that "Washington's Birthday" would be moved from February 22 to the third Monday in February.

But even today, Congress does not necessarily celebrate the day with the official title. While the House and Senate celebrate February 15 as "Washington's Birthday" this year, their weeklong recess is known as "President's Day District Work Period."

Though his birthday is a federal holiday, not all states celebrate it on the same day. While Congress has the authority to create federal holidays, states and the private sector do not have to observe them.

With the confusion over whose birthday it is and when it is celebrated, many Americans have simply lost interest in the day's true meaning, Wead said. The reason? Presidential nostalgia has been replaced by criticism and controversy.

"We don't have that [nostalgia] anymore. Part of that is cynicism about presidents today -- Nixon, Johnson, Carter, Clinton, Bush ... there's less respect," he said. "There was a lot of respect for Washington because he walked away from power. That was just unheard of."

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President on Health Care Reform in Cincinnati, Ohio

Last Tuesday on February 9th, President Obama addressed a group of supporters at the AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic In Cincinnati, Ohio. In th height of his speech, the President told the crowd that the "Republicans need to put up, or shut up". Since it appears that the Republicans seem to oppose what the President thinks would help this country concerning health care reform, he now invites the Republicans to serve up their solutions to one of the most enduring problems that this country has to face, and that is Health Care Reform.
From now until February 25, the Democratic and Republican leaders have time to gather their thoughts and discuss compromise, but of course the Republicans really do not want to compromise, rather than to start over. Why? Because they want to show the country that the President's ideas regarding health care reform are theirs, not his. They want to dis-credit him for his ideas, then steel them and reinvent them as their own.
The two groups will have time to discuss possible compromises in a half-day, televised gathering on February 25th. Republicans claim that the President is jamming health care reform down their throats, but that may only be because after President Obama courted the ideas to the Republicans without success.
Even though the Senate Proof Filibuster is no more, the President will still eventually sign health care reform into law, as the fact is this is the first time for such a change within health care policies for the last 70 years. It would have been great if the health care reform vote would have taken place before the start of the new year, because in the off election year for a President, the Congress will be deciding it's future by electing Republican and Democratic leaders. The focus is slowly changing away from Health Care Reform, but President Obama is determined to keep his focus on Health Care. Watch the following video and listen to his views.

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Vice President Joe Biden tears into Dick Cheney on Meet the Press

UPDATE, 10:15 AM ET: See details from Cheney's interview below.
In a much-anticipated Sunday showdown between Vice President Joe Biden and his predecessor Dick Cheney, Biden has drawn first blood.
Asked to respond to a range of harsh attacks on the Obama administration leveled by Cheney, Biden first gathered himself. "Let me choose my words carefully here," he told David Gregory in a pre-taped interview for Sunday's "Meet the Press."
Then Biden let loose with several minutes of his most pointed criticism of Cheney since the 2008 presidential campaign, when Biden claimed that Cheney had "done more harm than any other single elected official in memory in terms of shredding the Constitution."
Speaking to Gregory, Biden charged at least four times that Cheney was "rewrit[ing] history" with his recent attacks, and declared that President Obama has amassed a success rate in countering terrorism that "exceeds anything that occurred in the last Administration."
Cheney will appear on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.

TRANSCRIPT......

DAVID GREGORY: Let me ask you about some of the criticism that's been leveled at this Administration by former Vice President Dick Cheney. He has argued that this Administration has failed to treat the fight against terrorists as war. He cites the decision related to Khalid Sheik Muhammad to offer him a civilian trail as one example. Giving the Christmas Day Bomber the privileges of the American criminal justice system is another example. The decision to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison. What do you say?

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Let me choose my words carefully here. Dick Cheney's a fine fellow. He's entitled to his own opinion. He's not entitled to rewrite history. He's not entitled to his own facts. The Christmas Day Bomber was treated the exact way that he suggested that the Shoe Bomber was treated. Absolutely the same way. Under the Bush Administration there were three trials in military courts. Two of those people are now walking the streets. They are free. There were 300 trials of so-called terrorists and those who engage in terror against the United States of America who are in federal prison and have not seen the light of day. Prosecuted under the last Administration. Dick Cheney's a fine fellow, but he is not entitled to rewrite history without it being challenged. I don't know where he has been. Where was he the last four years of the last Administration?

DAVID GREGORY: What about the general proposition that the President according to former Vice President Cheney doesn't consider America to be at war and is essentially soft on terrorism? What do you say about that?

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I don't think the Vice-- the Former Vice President Dick Cheney listens. The President of the United States said in the State of the Union, "We're at war with Al Qaeda." He stated this-- and by the way, we're pursuing that war with a vigor like it's never been seen before. We've eliminated 12 of their top 20 people. We have taken out 100 of their associates. We are making, we've sent them underground. They are in fact not able to do anything remotely like they were in the past. They are on the run. I don't know where Dick Cheney has been. Look, it's one thing, again, to-- to criticize. It's another thing to sort of rewrite history. What is he talking about?

DAVID GREGORY: You have often said, when I've asked you and others, that you never impugn a man's motives. But why do you think Dick Cheney is speaking out and being so critical of the President and the Administration so publicly?

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I don't know. I-- I-- I'm not gonna guess about his motive. All I know is he's factually, substantively wrong. On the major criticisms he is asserting. Why he's insisting on that. He either is misinformed or he is misinforming. But the facts are that his assertions are not accurate.
DAVID GREGORY: You would not be this outspoken or critical when you're out of office. Is that fair to say?

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Well, I-- I-- I would hope I-- look, it's one thing to be outspoken. It's another thing to be outspoken in a way that misrepresents the facts. And I-- I guess-- again, I-- it's almost like Dick is trying to rewrite history. I can understand where the-- why that would be-- you know, an impulse. And maybe he isn't-- literally, I'm not being facetious. Maybe he's not fully informed of what's going on. I mean, the progress we have made. There has never been as much emphasis and resources brought against Al Qaeda. The success rate exceeds anything that occurred in the last Administration. And they did their best. I'm not-- I'm not impugning their effort. It's simply not true that the President of the United States is not prosecuting the war against Al Qaeda with a vigor that's never been seen before. It's real. It's deep. It's successful.
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Dick Cheney's interview with ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl aired on Sunday morning. Some notable moments:

-- Cheney laughed at Biden's claim that Iraq would end up being a great success of the Obama administration.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised by my friend Joe Biden," he laughing.
"I'm glad he now believes Iraq is a success," Cheney said. "For them to try and take credit for what has happened in Iraq strikes me as a little strange. ... So if they are going to take credit for [Iraq's success] - fair enough - for what they've done while there are there - but it ought to go with a healthy dose of 'thank you George Bush' up front. And a recognition that some of their early recommendations with respect to prosecuting that war were just dead wrong."

"I think the biggest strategic threat the United States faces today is the possibility of another 9/11 with a nuclear weapon or a biological agent of some kind. And I think Al Qaeda is out there - even as we meet - trying to do that," Cheney said to ABC's Jonathan Karl.

"Now, President Obama has taken them off the table. He announced when he came in last year that they would never use anything other than the U.S. Army Manual which doesn't include those techniques. I think that's a mistake," Cheney said in an exclusive interview on "This Week."

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Bad Weather in D.C. Area

The thought of global warming took a backseat on Monday, as it appears that the Congress in Washington got another break by getting a day off today because of another grueling snow storm that hit the D.C. area on Monday. Anywhere from 10-20 more inches of snow fell in different areas of Maryland, Virginia and the D.C. area. The recent snow fall broke a January 7-8, 1996 record of 23.2 inches. Weather patterns are extremely unusual throughout the country as the grounds a particularly wetter this winter than normal. The northeast United States has been hit with one snow storm after another, and February being usually a good month promising snow, there should be no drought in the spring. As an example, a record of 32.4 inches of snow fell on the Dulles International Airport in D.C. over the last two days, and still another five more inches are expected in the Washington-Baltimore areas.

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POS Register Systems Available for Retail Business

If you happen to be in business and if you sell directly to the public, you must have to tools that can help you sell merchandise along with keeping track of your inventory. Such POS systems are available for retail, restaurant, or salon environments. The systems come in all sizes, depending on your need. Software products such as POS, inventory or barcode scanner products are also available. It is important to purchase these types of devices from a company that supports what they sell. Advisers are available between Monday and Friday between the hours of 7:30AM and 4:00PM PST at 1-800-903-6571 or by email.

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