June 26, 2013 - Goldendale Sentinel

A4 —June 26, 2013GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTONOPINIONLOU MARZELES, EDITOR AND PUBLISHERKAREN HENSLEE, PRODUCTION MANAGERANDREW CHRISTIANSEN, REPORTER/SPORTSAs Obamacare hits Congress,some members will quitThe newspaper Politico reports that dozens of members of Congressand their staffers are so worried about rising premium costsunder the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that they may quit or retirebefore the law fully goes into effect Jan. 1.Currently, members of Congress and their staff are covered bythe Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, which providesgenerous benefits, including a 75 percent taxpayer subsidy ofhealth care premiums.But an amendment to the ACA, or ”Obamacare,” sponsored bySen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, requires that, beginning Jan. 1, 2014,members of Congress and their staff must purchase their health insurancethrough a government exchange. It is not clear that theywould continue to receive their current subsidies.Members of Congress and their staff fear costs could skyrocketif their subsidies disappear. Congressional leaders fear a “braindrain” if their staffers leave.Rep. Pete Session, R-Texas, warned, “It’s going to hinder our abilityfor members to take care of their families.” Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said, “A lot of the staff stays on largely because of the benefitlevels and particularly if you’ve got peoplewith families—it’s just not right.” Rep. John Larsonn,D-Conn., complained, “Listen, this is simplynot fair to these employees. They are federalemployees.”We appreciate their concern for federal employees—butwhat about the rest of us?Since Obamacare was signed into law in 2010,private employers have been warning that itwould cause confusion, market disruption, andrising prices.Apparently, that reality is just now reachingthe lawmakers on Capitol Hill.GuestcommentaryDon C.Brunell,President,Association ofWashingtonBusinessRepublican and Democratic Congressional leaders are scramblingto find a “fix” to protect their staffers. Hopefully, in thatprocess, they will fix it for the rest of us.Most insurers are predicting big premium increases under Obamacare,a stark contrast to the president’s promise that the lawwould actually reduce health insurance costs. For example, theOhio Department of Insurance recently predicted that premiums inthat state will rise by 88 percent under Obamacare.Another unknown is how many Americans will receive premiumsubsidies and how much those subsidies will cost taxpayers. Asmany as 26 million Americans may be eligible for subsidies nextyear. The law provides subsidies to individuals with annual incomesof $45,000 and up to $94,200 for a family of four.But some families may lose their coverage entirely.Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional BudgetOffice, notes that the penalties in Obamacare for not providingemployer-sponsored coverage are so small that, faced with skyrocketingpremiums, employers will drop their existing employeehealth plans. It’s simply cheaper to pay the fine and move those employeesinto state health insurance exchanges.Holtz-Eakin estimates that as many as 40 million workers couldlose their employer-sponsored health coverage. Critics charge thatthese perverse incentives are designed to destabilize the private insurancemarket and forge a national single-payer governmenthealth care system. Regardless of intent, the impact will be severe.Some of the same labor unions that enthusiastically supportedObamacare are now having second thoughts. They’re concernedthat the incentives to push employees into state exchanges will undermineunion contracts. Historically, high-quality health benefitshave been one of the biggest enticements labor unions have to attractand retain members. If workers are shunted into the state exchanges,that benefit disappears.In Washington, D. C., congressional leaders are waiting for theOffice of Personnel Management to decide whether members ofCongress and their staffers will continue to receive their taxpayerfundedsubsidies after Jan. 1.That decision, expected in the next few months, may “fix” thingsfor the folks who work on Capitol Hill. But what about the rest ofus?LETTERS FROM THE COMMUNITYDon’t flick thoseashesTo the Editor:During this fire season, please donot flick the ash of your cigarettesoutside your car window. Please eitheruse your ashtray in your vehicleor a butt can. It is extremely dry,and fires can easily start from a cigarette.I don't wish to be burnt out ofmy home because someone couldn'tor wouldn't use their ashtray. Thankyou.Judy HartGoldendaleWhich ones are real?...June 26: 1870—The U.S. declares Christmas a federalholiday. 1959—The Great Lakes welcome oceangoingships with the opening of the Saint LawrenceSeaway. Born: László Löwenstein a/k/a Peter Lorre(1904). International Day against DrugAbuse and Illicit Trafficking. Today’s Word:Theranostics—strategy combining diagnosticsand therapeutics to monitor treatmentresponse and to increase drug efficacy.June 27: 1652—The first U.S. speed limitlaw is enacted in New Amsterdam (nowNYC). Born: Tobey Maguire (1975). Died:Shelby Foote (2005). National Orange BlossomDay. Today’s Word: Cibosity—a large cache of foodsupplies.June 28: 1778—Mary Ludwig Hays carries water tocolonial soldiers at the Revolutionary War Battle ofMonmouth, N.J. She is nicknamed Mary Pitcher.2012—The Supreme Court upholds health care mandate.Died: President James Madison (1836). NationalTapioca Day. Today’s Word: Labrose—thick-lipped.Let’s hope thefestival stays aliveThis Weekin HistoryTim O’NeillTo the Editor:From Hardshell Harmony andthe Northwest Bluegrass communitymany thanks to the GoldendaleChamber of Commerce, EarleneSullivan and Randie Carly (the volunteerswe met) for this weekend'sbluegrass festival.Over the years there has beenmany complaints and grousingabout this festival. This year weheard exactly zero complaints and agreat many compliments.Although the weather was spectacularonly one day (Saturday) thefestival was outstanding.We have no suggestions for improvementand only hope that thesponsor and ticket income was sufficientto allow a 2014 edition.From all the pickers, singers andgrinners a big thanks to the Goldendalecommunity and the Chamberof Commerce.Hardshell HarmonyBluegrass BandThe Dalles and Hood RiverChristmas becomes federal holiday, first electric stoveJune 29: 1652—Massachusetts declares it is an independentcommonwealth. It is later followed by Kentucky,Pennsylvania and Virginia. 2007—The AppleiPhone goes on sale. Died: Elizabeth Barrett Browning(1861). Waffle Iron Day. Today’s Word: Yegg—a felon,burglar, safecracker.June 30: 1896—New York City’s William.S. Hadaway, Jr., gets the first U.S. patent forthe electric stove. Despite the technologicalbreakthrough, most men still can’t boil anegg. 2013—12,309 kids unfortunately learnby experience what is meant by a quickfuse. Meteor Day. Today’s Word: Pataphysics—thescience of imaginary solutions.See Politics, Economics and Editorials.July 1: 1963—The U.S. Postal Service gives Americansmore to forget about when it introduces the fivedigitzip code. 2008—President Bush removes NelsonMandela from the Terror Watch List. Died: HarrietBeecher Stowe joins Topsy (1896). Lasagna AwarenessMonth. Today’s Phrase: Today’s Word: Enodate—to unravel,clear difficulties, to free from knots.Next Java Talk: Friday, July 5,8 a.m., Golden Coyote CoffeeTHE GOLDENDALE SENTINELOFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR GOLDENDALE AND KLICKITAT COUNTY, WAESTABLISHED 1879 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM OFFICES AT117 W. 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