April 28, 2014

Obamacare's Poll Numbers Improve In Republican Districts

WASHINGTON -- Attitudes toward the Affordable Care Act continue to shift in the law’s favor, even in Republican-held congressional districts, a new poll set to be released Monday by a Democratic firm will show.


The poll, which was conducted by Democracy Corps in battleground congressional districts and shared in advance with The Huffington Post, shows 52 percent of respondents want to “implement and fix” the 2010 health care reform law versus 42 percent who want to “repeal and replace” it. Those numbers were 49 percent to 45 percent, respectively, in the firm's December poll.


According to the findings, 43 percent of respondents in districts held by a Republican member of Congress now say they oppose the health care law because it “goes too far.” That number was 48 percent in December. Opponents still outnumber the 41 percent who say they favor the law. However, Democracy Corps also registers 9 percent of respondents in Republican districts who say they oppose the law because it does not go far enough, a group that ostensibly includes a chunk of voters who wanted a more liberal piece of legislation. (How big that chunk is, is unclear.)

In Republican districts that are the most likely to flip to Democratic control in the 2014 elections, the shift of opinion toward the Affordable Care Act is equally pronounced. Fifty-four percent of respondents from those districts now support implementing and fixing the law versus 40 percent who support repealing and replacing it. In December, those numbers were 48 percent and 44 percent, respectively.


Meanwhile, in Democratic districts, Obamacare seems headed to majority-support status. Democracy Corps records 44 percent of respondents in those districts as favoring the law with 44 percent opposing the law because it goes too far. Eight percent oppose the law because it does not go far enough -- a portion of those likely Democratic voters who wanted either single payer or a public option. In December, those numbers were 42 percent in favor, 46 percent opposed and 6 percent who wanted the law to go further.





Full story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/obamacare-poll-numbers_n_5223315.html

April 28, 2014

Polls Show Rising Acceptance for Obamacare

Source: The Fiscal Times

As it turns out, the majority of Americans say they are okay with businesses adding a nominal surcharge to each bill in order to help pay for their employees health coverage.


That’s according to a new survey from Bankrate.com, which found that 68 percent of those polled say they don’t mind paying a higher bill so businesses can provide their workers with insurance. Younger people especially seemed to approve of this approach—about 64 percent of 18-29 year olds, while only 39 percent of people 65 and older said they were okay with this practice.


“While most Americans may be able to swallow an extra 25 cents on their bill at their favorite restaurant, a sizable chunk (22 percent) said they would stop going to the business. I can only imagine this number increasing if businesses try to charge too much,” Bankrate.com insurance analyst Doug Whiteman said in a statement.


Still, for the time being, the survey’s findings are more good news for the White House—which has enjoyed a slew of recent polls suggesting that the public’s perception of the ACA is beginning to improve


Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/polls-show-rising-acceptance-obamacare-091500620.html

April 13, 2014

This might be too soon but................

I fully understand the tragedy ongoing in the Indian Ocean. But I thought this was funny. Mods feel free to yank this if it lacks sensitivity. I do understand.

April 5, 2014

Cop pulls gun on African American kids building a tree house

Police in Georgia forced a group of fifth graders to the ground at gunpoint this week as they attempted to build a tree fort in their own neighborhood.



According to 911 records, Henry County Police were called after a neighbor noticed the children “chopping off tree limbs,” an activity she claimed was hurting the environment and creating “tripping hazards.”

Police arrived on scene to find 11-year-old Omari Grant and his friends playing in a small patch of trees, prompting at least one officer to reportedly draw his firearm and force the boys to the ground.



“I was thinking that I don’t want to be shot today, so I just listened to what they said,” Grant said.



As the children lay face down, the officer allegedly screamed profanities as he forced them to spread their arms and legs. Grant’s mother, Janice Baptiste, detailed her son’s experience in an interview with WSB-TV.

“All he could get out at the time was, ‘Mom, he had a gun in my face, he had a gun in my face,’” Baptiste said. “So my son was of course traumatized by that.”

After the children were searched, Grant was taken back to his home by the officer, who also startled Baptiste with his unstable appearance.

“He just came with such an attitude,” Baptiste said. “His whole physical appearance was one of, ‘I’m Mr. Big and bad.’”

Grant says he is now hesitant to play outside in his own neighborhood, afraid of the very police he always looked up to.

“I learned that they’re supposed to help you, not make you feel scared to even come outside,” Grant said.

Edgar Dillard, whose wife made the 911 call, was reportedly stunned to hear of the neighbor boys’ encounter with police.

“Yeah, that’s pretty shocking to hear that a gun was pulled on a child,” Dillard said.

Baptiste has filed an excessive force complaint with the department, which has now opened an internal investigation. When questioned about the officer’s actions, Sgt. Joey Smith remained relatively tight-lipped.

“If it was justified then we’ll deal with it, if it wasn’t we’ll address it as well,” Smith said.

Despite the investigation, both officers remain on duty.



Full Story (including video) below:
http://mto.mediatakeout.com/external/68555