McKinsey analysis finds health insurance premiums shot up 279% on average, mostly because of guaranteed issue and community rating

From the story here from Sally Pipes:

The analysis was conducted by McKinsey for the Department of Health and Human Services. The consulting firm looked at rate hikes in four states: Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Tennessee. Premiums in each had doubled or tripled since 2013 -- the year before Obamacare went into effect. 

In Georgia, the average premium for the equivalent of a mid-level "Silver" plan for a 40-year-old male went from $94 a month in 2013 to $323 a month in 2017. In Tennessee, it went from $104 a month to $431.

Nancy Pelosi: Our founders were successful disruptors of the status quo

"[O]ur Founders were successful disruptors of the status quo."

Status quo: Instagram and YouTube, Facebook and Twitter . . ..

Hm.

Remember that secret pallet of money Obama sent to Iran?

Never pass up an opportunity to remind everyone Arizona's Republican Senators SUCK!

Donald Trump elected because of people behaving like Bill Prady

Works for me.

Story here.

Book by Hillary pastor pulled after publication, found to be "riddled with plagiarism" not just one instance

WaPo reports here.

If Trump has any balls he'll veto any Continuing Resolution which punts The Wall

Story here.

Republicans promised "regular order". We're not getting it.

DACA rescinded with a drop-dead date of March 5, 2018: Pressure transferred to Congress, where it belongs

From the story here:

Acting DHS Secretary Elaine Duke has issued a memo formally rescinding DACA and starting what the administration calls an "orderly wind down."

The government will not process any new applications or requests for DACA protection.

People currently protected will not be affected before March 5, "so Congress can have time to deliver on appropriate legislative solutions," according to Duke.

Current DACA holders' protection from deportation and work permits will remain in effect until they expire, at which time they will no longer be shielded. The government will hear all pending applications for DACA protection and renewals and decide on them on a case-by-case basis.

Excellent Ann Coulter retweet storm of Donald Trump in 2013 busting GOP chops for death wish over illegal immigration

If you're justifying giving money to the RNC because you like Trump, you are an idiot

It's politically smart for Trump to dump DACA in Congress' lap, but we didn't vote for that

Congress looks dumb all by itself, with or without any help from Trump.

Just cancel the DACA executive order and be done with it. If that's not enough incentive for Congress to act, I don't know what is. DACA is nothing more than the open borders clothing gladly worn by the Congress, given to it by Obama after he raped it.

Congress needs to be humiliated bigly. Make it stand there nekkid.

Laugh of the Day: When the first thing that pops into your head on seeing a picture of Bibi's wife for the first time is Zoey Tur

Why Trump should think Republicans can come up with a fix to DACA in six months when they can't fix Obamacare in seven years is beyond me

It sucks trying to make a bunch of losers winners.

Trump's full-time jobs record so far puts him sixth out of eight presidents since JFK/LBJ

BAMN (By Any Means Necessary) is a violent Marxist group with teachers as members, active in Michigan and tied to antifa, the NEA and NAMBLA!

And our property tax dollars pay their salaries!

From the story here:

One of BAMN’s most prominent organizers is Yvette Felarca, a Berkeley middle school teacher and pro-violence militant. Felarca currently faces charges of inciting a riot for her role in the Sacramento violence. ...

BAMN is active within both the National Education Association — the nation’s largest teacher’s union — as well as with local and regional teacher’s unions in Michigan and California. Last year, 17 different BAMN members ran for elected positions on the Detroit Federation of Teachers, according to a newsletter sent out by the DFT. BAMN also ran five candidates for different national leadership positions with the NEA in 2017.

John McCain's enjoying himself one last time in Italy

Story here.

He most enjoys himself, it seems, whilst pretending he's the leader of the free world, no matter what country he's in.

Grand Rapids, Michigan, climate update for August 2017

The back of summer was broken last month, and August showed it:

Max Temp: Actual 88, Mean 92

Min Temp: Actual 47, Mean 47

Av Temp:   Actual 68.7, Mean 70.2

Precip:       Actual 1.72, Mean 3.04

CDD:         Actual 140, Mean 188.

The average of the last twelve ONI values is -0.266, the lingering effects of the five month long Weak La Nina, indicating a very slightly cool ocean in the tropical Pacific over the last year.

I used 22% fewer kWh this August than last, but stayed comfortably cool nonetheless.

It's alright by me if Houston rebuilds, as long as it's like this

Every passing day on which Trump fails to rescind DACA only validates its original executive overreach

Rescind the illegal executive order already, not because its content is wrong, which it is, but because the order is an offense to the constitution.

The Laugh of the Day comes from James Woods, remember him?