20% of New ObamaCare Waivers Go To Nancy Pelosi's District - Will Media Notice?
As NewsBusters previously noted, there were 204 ObamaCare waivers issued in April, and almost 20 percent of them went to establishments in former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) San Francisco district.
The Daily Caller's Matthew Boyle reported Tuesday:
Pelosi’s district secured almost 20 percent of the latest issuance of waivers nationwide, and the companies that won them didn’t have much in common with companies throughout the rest of the country that have received Obamacare waivers.
Other common waiver recipients were labor union chapters, large corporations, financial firms and local governments. But Pelosi’s district’s waivers are the first major examples of luxurious, gourmet restaurants and hotels getting a year-long pass from Obamacare.
For instance, Boboquivari’s restaurant in Pelosi’s district in San Francisco got a waiver from Obamacare. Boboquivari’s advertises $59 porterhouse steaks, $39 filet mignons and $35 crab dinners.
Boyle noted a number of the establishments getting these waivers are very high-priced eateries in Pelosi's district, many of which as a Bay Area resident I can attest to being some of the finest in the nation.
As Hot Air's Ed Morrissey noted Tuesday:
[O]ne might think that a restaurant that charges $59 for a porterhouse steak as Boboquivari’s does could afford to fit its health care plan to Pelosi’s own specifications. The same goes for Café Mason, with its $60 entrees, and Tru Spa, which Allure Magazine calls “the best day spa in San Francisco.” If these kinds of high-tone joints can’t afford ObamaCare, then how can anyone else?
The odds of one Representative getting 20% of a batch of waivers from the Obama administration as a coincidence seems rather high. Once again, we have to wonder exactly how waiver applications are judged and approved. With its high percentage of unions and party leader constituents, this is looking more and more like a mechanism for political payoffs.
Indeed.
Just think if current Speaker John Boehner (R-Oh.) had procured these waivers for his district in Ohio. Can you imagine the media uproar?
Let's see whether Pelosi's shenanigans get much attention from her sycophants in the press.
Stay tuned.
*****Update: Michelle Malkin and Jamie Dupree have more on this subject.
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Comments
Well, let's give everyone a
Submitted by jessieH on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 10:41am.
Well, let's give everyone a waiver. Repeal obamacare.
Let's see the list of waiver applicants who HHS denied
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 10:58am.
Has anyone seen the criteria that HHS uses for granting or rejecting waiver requests? I'd like to see how many contributors to Democratic campaigns have been denied.
Even those who are against repeal of Obamacare can't deny that this process is inherently unfair and favors the rich, who were the very targets of Pelosi and Reid.
There aren't likely to be any.
Submitted by NL207 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:03am.
If they deny anybody who applies for a waiver, HHS opens the door to a 14th Amendment equal protection lawsuit against Obamacare. That's the last thing they want. The Dems seek to impose this draconian monstrosity in secret and under the radar of the voters. Ergo, there will be no enforcement until 2013 at the earliest --- after the election.
There must be some rejections
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:37am.
I don't think the 14th Amendment will apply here, basically for the same reason that the Congress can legislate tax loopholes for specific business enterprises, presumably under the Commerce Clause.
The underreported story on Obamacare is that fact that the Administration had to manipulate the numbers in order for the CBO to declare the Act deficit-free. But by already granting waivers to over 1300 enterprises, the Act is automatically running at a deficit, and it hasn't even been fully enacted yet.
Obama knew this game. Pelosi and Reid were counting on Americans having memories as short as their own. And the MSM doesn't want to report this stuff for fear of damaging Obama's re-election chances.
If you don't know of any rejections ...
Submitted by NL207 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 3:19pm.
how can you safely assume there are any?
There are Google hits to Rep. Trey Gowdy (SC-4) claiming there have been applicants rejected for political reasons, but this is a youtube video.
I also found this amusing account of rejection, but I take its accuracy with a grain of salt.
I do not think executive branch waivers of enforcement would be exempt from equal protection. The other things you cited are all Acts of Congress. We are speaking of unequal enforcement here by the executive. This is exactly what the 14th Amendment was written to combat.
All in favor?
Submitted by almostacowboy on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:44am.
Aye!
Tru Spa waiver
Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:20am.
Must be the place Nancy gets her botox done.
To paraphrase Gore Vidal (talking about Reagan) . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 12:10pm.
. . . Nancy Pelosi is a credit to the embalmer's art.
When will the repubes get off their butts...
Submitted by Dave. on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:31am.
...and rip the financial guts out of this insane legislation?
What are they waiting for?
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
They tried.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 8:07pm.
Both during the budget/gov't shutdown fight AND the fight to pass Paul Ryan's budget plan. Reid and Obama vowed to block/veto anything that tried to defund Obamacare, and the MSM spun everything to make it look like the GOP was trying to cut off soldiers' paychecks, kill everyone's grandma, etc.
Obama and Reid are nothing more than spoiled children playing political games, and as long as they have a compliant news media, they'll keep getting away with it.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
It's not her fault
Submitted by Sua Sponte on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 12:19pm.
She's a democrat. And besides...it's all Bush's fault
Site Address for complete list of waivers?
Submitted by jqc1985 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 1:08pm.
Does anyone have the site address for the complete list of all waivers granted? I'm having trouble finding it.
Thanks!
jqc1985
Submitted by bkeyser on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 1:15pm.
The waiver list can be found here. 1372 one-year waivers have been granted thru April 2011.
Thanks!
Submitted by jqc1985 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 1:49pm.
Thanks bkeyser!
Everyone notify you congressmen
Submitted by cyborg0012 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 1:09pm.
I've already emailed, and tried to call one senator. Everyone needs to pester congressmen until something gets done.
This is Nothing New for this Waste of Human Flesh
Submitted by jqc1985 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 1:47pm.
Pelosi is such lying you-know-what.
During healthcare debate, the issue of generic biotechnology agents was brought up, primarily to reduce cost. Generics cost much less than the so-called “pioneer drug”.
The evil Pelosi shot down this potential cost saving law, because Genentech, a biotech company, is in her district, and such a law would have significantly restricted their earnings, and thus the money flow into her district.
And Reid and Obama shot down lower cost generic drugs from Canada. Senator Drogan had sponsored a bill that would have allowed Americans to purchase less expensive drugs from Canada. But Harry Reid kept Dorgan’s drug reimportation amendment off the floor for 7 days, despite the fact that Dorgan had the 60 votes he needed for cloture. Senate Democrats effectively had to filibuster their own health care bill for a week to do so, something they could not have done without Reid’s coordination. During that time, the White House got HHS to write a letter behind Dorgan’s back saying that reimported drugs were unsafe.
While a senator and as a presidential candidate Obama supported importing medications but as president he made a deal with the drug companies so Americans cannot purchase less expensive medications from Canada.
Obamacare was really all about wealth redistribution.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 8:00pm.
Particularly the kind of redistribution where everyone is forced to pay into a system that will pump money into Democrat friendly businesses and congressional districts, and from there, Democrat campaign coffers.
It's the same deal with welfare programs, green energy/climate change initiatives, and compulsory union membership. The Democrat party IS corruption.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
cut off Ms Nancy and her funding
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 2:15pm.
no cash for you lady.
make that very clear.
Pelosi and her ObamaCare waivers
Submitted by Gary Hall on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 4:45pm.
A quick check of the Los Angeles Times (a full time advocacy front for everything ObamaCare) for "Pelosi + waivers" returned. . . . wait . . . . drum roll, please . . . here it comes:
Surprise.
For my own amusement, I forwarded the story to the LAT's staff writers who write on health care issues, ObamaCare, etc., as well as their editors.
Expect nothing, but it sure would be helpful for the voters and taxpayers to see all these very disturbing stories.
(;~/ gary
What....are you nuts?
Submitted by Blonde on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 7:53pm.
Oh wait, never mind.
I know you....the eternal optimist!
I'll wait w/you Gar...no worries. We can turn into petrified stone together, waiting for the MsM to lay it all out.
Cheers!
I'm thinking about dreaming up a Key Lime Pie Ice Cream. (Iguana Man bought me a Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine). Wish you were here to help me with the results......alas.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Slow down the Jug-eared-nut...
Submitted by Dbak61 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 10:56pm.
..er, juggernaut of Obama-care. EVERYONE should file for a waiver. The processing time alone...and with bureaucrats and staffers on it. Obummer-care would never happen.
And there should be no waivers granted for the likes of people who keep putting Pelosi in office. Same goes for Harriet Reid. Force feed their constituents what they're trying to shove down everyone else's gullet, and maybe they'd be sent packing next time 'round after the votes are counted.
Pelosi is a crook and a hypocrite.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 7:49pm.
Corrupt and arrogant, she's one of those 'do as I say, don't do as I do' type people.
I hope more than anything the Supreme Court completely trashes Obamacare. Nothing would please me more than watching her signature legislative accomplishment be tossed out like the worthless piece of trash it is. Well, except maybe her being kicked out of congress and tossed in jail for corruption.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
oohhh, miss pelosi
Submitted by ph250 on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 9:42pm.
id hit it..........with a 2x4! over and over and over
Pelosi is the most corrupt person in the US House of Representa-
Submitted by daveinboca on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 12:52am.
tives and probably all of Congress. She is a whore, which is an insult to all those young sex workers who have to work to make a living. I hope all that Botox rots out her brain, which isn't far from being completely worm-eaten already.
Well, she DID say that we
Submitted by killa37 on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 2:39am.
Well, she DID say that we would have to 'vote for the bill to read what is inside of it', right?? So now that these businesses know what a travesty it is, they want a waiver.........even the ones who support Pelosi AND Boy Blunder!!!!
You couldn't make this crap up!!!!!
waiver
Submitted by alvin on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 3:16pm.
The media did notice and interviewed the company that requested the waivers:
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) played no role in the process by which health care waivers were granted to a number of businesses in her district, according to the company that actually requested the waivers on behalf of its clients.
Flex-Plan Services, a third-party benefits administrator based in Bellevue, Wash., made the formal applications for waivers from President Barack Obama's health care law, said its founder, Hilarie Aitken.
"I don’t tend to vote Democratic, but I feel bad for Nancy Pelosi," Aitken said.
I've got one description of this issue:
Submitted by Benjamin on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 2:28am.
it's in-your-face tyranny!