US Politics Mega-thread - Page 8153

On July 22 2017 06:44 Wulfey_LA wrote:
I remember having all these stern arguments about the horrors of unmasking. How serious it was. How Hannity was totally right in his accusations that Susan Rice was UNMASKING AMERICAN PATRIOTS. And now for the lulz conclusion. Burr is the Republican Senate Chair of whatever sub-group is investigating Trump/Russia.

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/888488364843970561

Tenn. county inmates given reduced jail time if they get a vasectomy

Inmates in White County, Tennessee have been given credit for their jail time if they voluntarily agree to have a vasectomy or birth control implant, a popular new program that is being called “unconstitutional” by the ACLU.

On May 15, 2017 General Sessions Judge Sam Benningfield signed a standing order that allows inmates to receive 30 days credit toward jail time if they undergo a birth control procedure.

Women who volunteer to participate in the program are given a free Nexplanon implant in their arm, the implant helps prevent pregnancies for up to four years. Men who volunteer to participate are given a vasectomy, free of charge, by the Tennessee Department of Health.

County officials said that since the program began a few months ago 32 women have gotten the Nexplananon implant and 38 men were waiting to have the vasectomy procedure performed.

Judge Benningfield told Nashville-based WTVF that he was trying to break a vicious cycle of repeat offenders who constantly come into his courtroom on drug related charges, subsequently can’t afford child support and have trouble finding jobs.

“I hope to encourage them to take personal responsibility and give them a chance, when they do get out, to not to be burdened with children. This gives them a chance to get on their feet and make something of themselves,” Judge Benningfield said in an interview.

First elected in 1998, Judge Benningfield decided to implement the program after speaking with officials at the Tennessee Department of Health.

“I understand it won’t be entirely successful but if you reach two or three people, maybe that’s two or three kids not being born under the influence of drugs. I see it as a win, win,” he added.
Inmates in the White County jail were also given two days credit toward their jail sentence if they complete a State of Tennessee, Department of Health Neonatal Syndrome Education Program. The class aimed to educate those who are incarcerated about the dangers of having children while under the influence of drugs.

“Hopefully while they’re staying here we rehabilitate them so they never come back,” the judge said.

District Attorney Bryant Dunaway, who oversees prosecution of cases in White County said he is worried the program may be unethical and possibly illegal.

“It’s concerning to me, my office doesn’t support this order,” Dunaway said.

“It’s comprehensible that an 18-year-old gets this done, it can’t get reversed and then that impacts the rest of their life,” he added.

On Wednesday, the ACLU released this statement on the program:

"Offering a so-called 'choice' between jail time and coerced contraception or sterilization is unconstitutional. Such a choice violates the fundamental constitutional right to reproductive autonomy and bodily integrity by interfering with the intimate decision of whether and when to have a child, imposing an intrusive medical procedure on individuals who are not in a position to reject it. Judges play an important role in our community – overseeing individuals’ childbearing capacity should not be part of that role."

On July 22 2017 07:15 Nevuk wrote:
Is this even legal?


www.abc15.com

On July 22 2017 07:28 GreenHorizons wrote:


Short answer: Yes, until the courts say no.

But holy shit, you only get 30 days credit for a vasectomy. That's the real crime. That's gotta be worth at least a year.

Seriously though, doesn't help when you think about this part.





Just hoping some already infertile prisoners are able to take advantage.

The parliamentarian has made a determination that certain provisions of the Republican “Better
Care Reconciliation Act” released on June 26, 2017, violate the Byrd Rule. This means that,
should the Senate proceed to the bill, these provisions may be struck from the legislation absent
60 votes.
Notably, the parliamentarian has advised that abortion restrictions on the premium tax credit and
the small business tax credit, and the language defunding Planned Parenthood, violate the Byrd
Rule. Further, the “Buffalo Bailout” which was used to secure votes in the House has also been
found to violate the Byrd Rule – threatening other state-specific buy-offs.

Provisions Subject to a 60-vote Byrd Rule Point of Order
• Defunding Planned Parenthood: This section prohibits Planned Parenthood from receiving
Medicaid funds for one year. (Sec. 124)
• Abortion Restrictions for Tax Credits: Two separate provisions contain Hyde Amendment
language to prevent premium tax credits and small business tax credits from being used to
purchase health insurance that covers abortion. (Sec. 102(d)(1) and Sec. 103(b))
• Sunset of Essential Health Benefits Requirement for Medicaid: This provision states that,
beginning in 2020, states no longer have to cover essential health benefits in their Medicaid
alternative benefit plans. (Sec. 126(b))
• Funding for Cost-Sharing Subsidies: This section replicates current law by providing
funding for the subsidies through 2019. (Sec. 208)
• Stabilizing the Individual Insurance Markets (“Six Month Lock Out”): This section
imposes a six-month waiting period for individuals attempting to enroll in coverage in the
individual market who cannot demonstrate that they have maintained continuous coverage.
(Sec. 206)
• Medical Loss Ratio: This section allows states to determine how much insurers are allowed
to spend on administration, marketing, and profits versus health care. (Sec. 205)
• Availability of Rollover Funds: This provision allows states that spend less than their
targeted block grant amount to rollover funds to the following year and to use funds for nonhealth
purposes, specifically repealing the provision of the Social Security Act that prohibits
states from using Medicaid funds to build roads, bridges, and stadiums. (Sec. 134 –
1903B(c)(2)(D)) (Note: this provision has been removed from the most recent draft).
• Decrease in Target Expenditures for Required Expenditures by Certain Political
Subdivisions (“Buffalo Bailout”): This provision limits the ability of New York State to
require counties other than New York City to contribute funding to the state’s Medicaid
program. (Sec. 133 – 1903(c)(4))
• Grandfathering Certain Medicaid Waivers; Prioritization of HCBS Waivers: This
section says that the Secretary will encourage states to adopt Medicaid Home and
Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers but does not set forth any actual details for this
plan. (Sec. 136)
• Reporting of CMS-64 Data (T-MSIS): This provision requires the Secretary of HHS to
submit a report on Congress recommending whether expenditure data from the Transformed
Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) is preferable to data from state CMS-64
reports for making certain Medicaid decisions. (Sec. 133 – 1903(h)(5))
• Coordination with States: This section requires the Secretary to consult with states before
finalizing Medicaid rules. (Sec. 137)
Provisions Not Subject to a 60-vote Byrd Rule Point of Order
• Medicaid Work Requirements: This provision allows states the option to impose work
requirements on Medicaid enrollees who are nondisabled, nonelderly, and nonpregnant.
Pregnant women are exempt from any work requirements for 60 days after giving birth. (Sec.
131)
• Providing Safety Net Funding for Non-Expansion States – This section provides $10
billion for non-expansion states. (Sec. 129)
• State Stability and Innovation Fund: This section includes abortion restrictions on funding
for the State Stability and Innovation Fund by tacking the Fund onto the CHIP program.
(Sec. 106)
• Equity Adjustment: This provision provides for adjusting the per capita cap targets of lowand
high-spending states to promote equity. (Sec. 133 – 1903(c)(5))
• Repeal of Cost-Sharing Subsidy Program: This section permanently repeals cost-sharing
subsidies beginning in 2020. (Sec. 209)
• Reporting of CMS-64 Data: This provision requires states to include information on per
capita cap enrollment and expenditures, psychiatric hospital expenditures, and children with
complex medical conditions in their Medicaid expenditure reports. (Sec. 133 -- 1903(h)(1))
Still Under Review
• Waivers for State Innovation (Essential Health Benefits): This section amends Sec. 1332
of the ACA to allow states to waive age rating, essential health benefits, and pre-existing
condition requirements so long as their proposal does not increase the federal deficit. (Sec.
207)

On July 22 2017 08:32 Mohdoo wrote:


Annnnnnnnnnnnnd see ya, Sessions.

On July 22 2017 07:28 GreenHorizons wrote:


Short answer: Yes, until the courts say no.

But holy shit, you only get 30 days credit for a vasectomy. That's the real crime. That's gotta be worth at least a year.

Seriously though, doesn't help when you think about this part.





Just hoping some already infertile imprisoned people are able to take advantage.

On July 22 2017 06:44 Wulfey_LA wrote:
I remember having all these stern arguments about the horrors of unmasking. How serious it was. How Hannity was totally right in his accusations that Susan Rice was UNMASKING AMERICAN PATRIOTS. And now for the lulz conclusion. Burr is the Republican Senate Chair of whatever sub-group is investigating Trump/Russia.

https://twitter.com/yashar/status/888488364843970561