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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCBO delivers welcome news to Obamacare backers
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/cbo-offers-welcome-news-obamacare-backers#break
CBO delivers welcome news to Obamacare backers
02/04/14 05:06 PM
By Steve Benen
If Republican press releases and reports from conservative and major media outlets are any indication, the Congressional Budget Offices findings on the Affordable Care Act are simply brutal. National Review, which probably published its report before actually looking at the CBOs findings, ran this headline: The CBO Just Nuked Obamacare.
As we discussed earlier, the coverage has been profoundly misleading. Despite what Americans are being told, the CBO did not find that the health care reform law would cost the nation over 2 million jobs. What it actually said is that the law will empower more than 2 million Americans to leave the workforce if they want to, no longer feeling forced to stay at a job in order to have benefits for them and their family.
Why Obamacare critics consider this a bad thing remains unclear.
But Michael Hiltzik, to his credit, took the reporting one step further.
The ACA is cheaper than it expected.
It will markedly increase the number of Americans with health insurance.
The risk-adjustment provisions, which Congressional Republicans want to overturn as a bailout of the insurance industry, will actually turn a profit to the U.S. Treasury.
Given all this, why are the first news headlines on the CBO report depicting it as calling Obamacare a job killer?
Because a whole lot of congressional offices issued press statements before getting their facts straight? Because a few too many reporters dont understand CBO reports as well as they should?
This is one of those strange days in which most of the political world seems to have gotten an important story backwards. The Affordable Care Acts critics have spent the day eagerly touting a CBO report that offers a whole lot of good news for the Affordable Care Acts supporters and much of the media has played along in a depressing display.
Indeed, the CBOs findings which, again, are readily available online for all to see actually add fresh evidence that discredits talking points pushed by the laws detractors.
For Obamacare critics, the law has increased part-time employment over full-time employment. The CBO found there is no compelling evidence to support the argument.
For Obamacare critics, the law will worsen the nations finances. The CBO found that the Affordable Care Act will actually reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next 20 years.
For Obamacare critics, the law will force consumers to pay more for health care. The CBO found that the Affordable Care Acts premiums are even better than originally projected.
For Obamacare critics, the law will cause the ranks of the uninsured to swell. The CBO found that the Affordable Care Act will bring coverage to 13 million Americans this year and 25 million Americans over the next two decades.
Conservatives whove spent the day urging Americans to look at the CBO report have inadvertently encouraged the public to review a document that supports the White Houses arguments.
Whisp
(24,096 posts)okaawhatever
(9,491 posts)half of America from knowing the truth. MSNBC can continue to keep beating the truth drum, but we need a way to call out the right wing media on their lies. What's the best way to do this?
lpbk2713
(43,110 posts)I think there will be more than a few RWingers in Congress who will be in need.
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)no it doesn't dopey read again ......The CBO Report: New York Times: "A new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office says that the Affordable Care Act will result in more than 2 million fewer full-time workers in the next several years, 2million fewer workers not jobs
teenagebambam
(1,593 posts)I've been working six hours from home for the past 2 years, because it was full time and had benefits (my same-sex spouse works in a state which doesn't recognize our marriage, so there was no buying in to his insurance.) But planning to leave at the end of this semester and go part time if needed (and my husband's work state may have their hand forced soon anyway!)
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)in for a pound of propaganda on this one:
Their headline as of now:
OBAMACARE EFFECT: 2.5M stop
full-time work = 2.3M full-time jobs lost
(It is almost more like a plea to believe the lie than a headline)
How they came up with the math I do not care to even read from their propaganda site.
sheshe2
(86,210 posts)the facts that were really written is almost laughable! Thank you Steve Benen, for setting them straight once again.