Last night, Stephen Colbert looked at two ways Republicans are trying to sabotage Obamacare, from trying to force a government shutdown to defund it, and then at the state level where they're trying to prevent the Navigators from educating people who need insurance about the benefits.
From Day One I have vowed to stop Obamacare or die trying, and knowing my luck, I'd almost die and then get nursed back to life by Obamacare. And folks, I am not alone in my crusade. Yesterday, the Republican leadership announced their simple yet simple-minded plan to cripple all government health care.
9/18/2013:
SEAN HANNITY: The groundwork has been set for a monumental showdown on Capitol Hill, and it all comes down to a very simple formula. Either Democrats vote to defund the train wreck that is Obamacare, or they will risk shutting down the federal government.
JOHN BOEHNER: This week the House will pass a CR that ... defunds Obamacare.
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, R-MN: Can you see the smile on my face? I am so happy because I think we're getting to a consensus now with the Republicans. ... I think that we can take a victory lap.
Yes, a victory lap, because Obamacare is dead!!
(balloons drop as Stephen twerks with Death to the tune of "Blurred Lines")
(audience cheering)
Maybe.
Because there are still a few wrinkles to iron out before this brave act of extortion takes effect.
CAROL COSTELLO (9/19/2013): You know that these things probably won't pass the Democratically-controlled Senate, and the President would veto it even if it did.
KIRSTEN POWERS (9/18/2013): They're putting something in there that is absolutely a non-starter. ... This is like saying we can pass a budget if you can prove there's life on Mars.
But if there is life on Mars, at least it's going to have to buy its own health care.
And folks, when it comes to stopping Obamacare, there is no time to lose because the stool sample is about to hit the fan.
BILL HEMMER (9/17/2013): Two weeks from today, the first Americans can start signing up for the exchanges under Obamacare. That's the first of October.
Obamacare is coming, folks! Run for your lives! No, wait! Don't run for your lives, cuz that will make you healthier, and that's just what he wants! (audience cheering and applause)
And folks, worse than the cost or the bureaucrats or the death panels, the most dangerous thing about Obamacare is that people might like it.
As conservative writer Byron York recently Yorked:
BYRON YORK (7/11/2013): The White House knows that once those payments begin, repealing Obamacare will no longer be an abstract question of removing legislation not yet in effect. Instead, it will be a very real matter of taking money away from people. It's very, very hard to do that.
Yeah, it's like the old saying, give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Try to take that fish away again, and that guy will fuck you up with a halibut.
The key to implementing the President's plan are the so-called Obamacare Navigators. Now, what does an Obamacare Navigator do?
CHRIS HAYES (9/13/2013): So, you're asking what does an Obamacare Navigator do?
Yes I am.
CHRIS HAYES (9/17/2013): They "help low-income, uninsured residents sign up for the state's expanded insurance program".
OK, thank you. They help you learn about Obamacare. That's why Republican lawmakers are restricting and regulating health care Navigators in 16 states. In 16 states, they are withholding information from the public, and no one is working harder to keep their citizens in the dark than the Sunshine State. Jim?
9/15/2013:
YOLANDA FERNANDEZ, NBC8 ANCHOR: Tension over how to implement the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, appears to be surfacing again in Florida. This time, it has to do with the so-called Navigators, who are supposed to help people wade through the system to sign up for health coverage. ... The Florida Department of Health is saying that those Navigators can't operate inside county health department offices.
LAUREN MAYK, NBC8 REPORTER: The State Department of Health put out a notice, saying Navigators couldn't "conduct activities on the grounds of the health departments".
Yes, we need to keep the health care Navigators away from the uninsured. Because shouldn't the search for health care really be more about the journey? (audience laughter) Besides, folks, just who are these Navigators? They could be dangerous. I mean, just listen to Florida Attorney General and friend's mom you had a crush on (audience laughter) Pam Bondi.
FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI (8/16/2013): These Navigators will have our consumers throughout the country's most personal and private information. Tax return information. Social Security information. And our biggest fear, of course, is identity theft.
Yes, these Navigators could steal the identity of the uninsured poor. I mean, that could ruin their credit rating. (audience laughter) That's why Florida is putting another safeguard against the poor learning about Obamacare. While health centers "can accept brochures and other outreach material about insurance, ... the materials will ... only be distributed if someone asks for it".
That makes sense. You can only ask for the material that will inform you about the program if you know about the program enough to ask for the material. (audience applause) Then, you just have to fill out the Möbius form.
Hopefully, folks, hopefully, one of these plans will kill Obamacare. If not, I guess Republicans can just vote to repeal it again. And yes, I know they've already tried that 41 times. But you know what they say. If at first you don't succeed, try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try try again. And if that fails, try try try try try try try try try we'll be right back. Try try try try try try....
Video below the fold.
Stephen also noted how Republicans are
against Michelle Obama when she tells people to drink more water.
He then looked at the latest in
ammunition to fight Muslim extremists.
Meanwhile, Jon looked at ways
employers are trying to get around Obamacare by screwing over their employees with
deranged billionaire John Hodgman.
Aasif Mandvi then had his first
Back in Brown segment to discuss Indian-American news.
Stephen talked with musician
Jack Johnson, who performed "
Home" and "
Don't Believe a Thing I Say". Jon talked with
Chelsea Clinton about her work at the Clinton Foundation.