Teacher’s union campaigns for Obamacare – demands waiver so law will not apply to them

I mentioned health care mandate waiver requests on Oct. 6 (two days ago). The big discussion was centered around McDonald’s and their mini-med health care programs that would not meet medical loss ratio requirements in the law. Now we learn a branch of the American Federation of Teachers – who campaigned and donated big dollars in support of Obamacare – requested a waiver since some members would lose their health insurance.

Specifically, we’re talking about the New York City branch of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) named the United Federation of Teachers. I noted the exact same thing Rush Limbaugh noted in his radio show yesterday.

So the Obama administration can apply – or not apply – the law at it’s discretion? Two thousand-plus pages of garbage federal law that nobody has read or understands … and this is what we get. Just another symptom of the disease.

At about the same time my post went up Wednesday morning, Michelle Malkin noted McDonald’s was not alone. Many other groups, including the teacher’s union in New York City, got a waiver.

Of course, the Obama administration defended their position on granting waivers to whomever they like. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is the one with that power … and she’ll yield it as she sees fit, damn it!

Today, Kyle Olson at Big Government notes the true hypocrisy, with my emphasis in bold.

ObamaCare was such a great idea at the time – the AFT [parent organization of the NYC United Federation of Teachers] gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to Healthcare for America Now, the leading organization pushing for the government takeover of health care.

It was announced Thursday that the UFT has requested and received an Obamacare-waiver after it discovered their members would end up losing their health insurance plans.

A New York teacher named Liza Frenette wrote the following on the NYSUT (New York State Union of Teachers?) website. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.

Myth: Health care reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors.

Fact: You can keep your existing insurance; reform will expand your medical options, not eliminate them.

I wonder if Frenette got a waiver?

Update: A comment from “Mrs. Tink” over at a forum I occasionally lurk at (Glock Talk)…

Kathleen Sebelius is an embarrassment. First, she warns companies off telling the truth about Obamacare, threatening tangible repercussions. Then, she goes around like the Waiver Fairy, waving her magic Obamacare wand and spiriting companies out from under the Umbrella of Oppression. Unbelievable.

Aha! Waiver Fairy … we have a winner!

Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

5 Comments

  1. Odonna on October 8, 2010 at 6:55 am

    Whatever happened to "equal justice under the law"?  All or nothing, baby.  All or nothing.



  2. PatRiot on October 8, 2010 at 7:08 am

    The pool of individuals who will pay for Obamacare just got smaller.  The amount they will pay just went up. 

    All because the Feds and those like AFT being thoughtful of "those who can't" with someone elses money.

    Nothing suitable for family reading left for me to say.



  3. phil on October 8, 2010 at 7:26 am

    1950:  I went to school in a two-room schoolhouse, third grade downstairs, fourth grade up.  30 third graders, 30 in fourth.  Total staff, two teachers, one janitor. (No, not a custodian!)  What is the student to teacher ratio now?  Or, looking at the number of cars in the school parking lot, the teacher to student ratio?  Sorry, teach.  You're already overpaid and underworked.  You supported these liberal clowns; suffer the consequences!



  4. TomL on October 9, 2010 at 3:01 am

    By granting waivers they are postponeing the unintended consequences to a future date beyond the current elections. After all the Dems don't want to be explaining why its not going to work all thru the campaign season.



  5. Dimsdale on October 10, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    Equal protection under the law also requires equal application.  Nobody should be exempt from any lawy (particularly congresscritters!), nor should they be selectively applied.

     

    If they had taken the time to write the law fairly, and debate it reasonably, they would not need to scramble like this.



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