Obamacare debacle - website outsourced to Canada-based company CGI

 

This has gotten scant media coverage – the company that was awarded the Obamacare contract is a Montreal company, who has had previous failures in Canada.

 

Ironic that a Canadian company got the major portion of our tax money (gazillions) allocated for Obamacare website design, and failed.  But, we should be glad they are incompetent!

 

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2013 — Since the rollout on the first day of October of the Obamacare website, the information technology has been a disaster.

It was a system that the President claimed millions of people would go to in search of health insurance yet the website was unable to handle millions of users.

CGI Federal is the company that was the designated lead on creating and maintaining the website portal for the Affordable Care Act. By all accounts, CGI has failed to accomplish that task, despite having been paid $54 million to do so.

Some have started to question how and why a little known company was awarded such a high profile contract.

CGI is a Montreal headquartered information technology company founded in 1976 by two Canadians in their mid 20s, Serge Godin and Andre Imbeau.

Through a series of small company acquisitions they grew large enough to bid on and be awarded large contracts, including $1.4 billion in awards by the United States government.

In 2010, CGI purchased American military IT company Stanley, Inc. for $1.1 billion, which was the start of highly accelerated U.S. government contract work.

CGI previously worked on healthcare sites in Canada, although its results were questionable. According to the Washington Examiner, Ehealth, Canada’s medical agency, ultimately eliminated its medical registry for diabetics in the nation after CGI became 14 months behind schedule and missed three years of deadlines.

The IT company’s $46.2 million contract was cancelled by Ehealth on September 5, 2012…

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/political-potpourri/2013/oct/22/cgi-company-behind-failed-obamacare-website/#ixzz2ilYrFCaC

Whacko Birds? Damn Few

I couldn’t resist…this American Thinker article by friend Sally is too good not to be disseminated. 

October 2, 2013.

By Sally Zelikovsky

Holy Much Ado About Nothing, Batman, the government has shut down! Wham! Pow! Splat!

But the reality is, the roller coaster ride America has been on for the last few months is finally over and, so far, we aren't picking up the Republican bodies everyone said would be thrown from the ride.

No doubt the Democrats will make mincemeat out of the Republicans and we will continue to be blamed for everything -- not negotiating, not agreeing to conferences, single-handedly closing down the government, creating more unemployment and misery for the 800,000+ federal employees -- blah, blah, blah. Color me jaded, but there's nothing new there. And the president is already out lambasting Republicans in so obvious a partisan manner that it will not resonate well with the Indies -- they aren't gullible like the Dem party diehards.

But there is a greater point here I'd like to make: It seems most commentators on the tube or internet and many members of Congress have missed the key reason why so many grassroots conservatives, members of the Republican base and Tea Partiers supported this crazy, whacko, doomed-to-fail, extreme, hostage-holding stance to defund ObamaCare -- from conservative icons like Karl Rove and Charles Krauthammer to turncoats like Peter King, John McCain, and Lindsay Graham who endlessly brayed in opposition to the defunding efforts.

"Turncoats" is admittedly a harsh term but when was the last time you saw an entire faction of House or Senate Democrats publicly express their disagreement with fellow Democrats for a stand they took, like supporting Occupy Wall Street? Or a piece of legislation they proposed, like ObamaCare? When was the last time you heard any Democrat verbally and very publicly abuse their fellow blue coats calling them suicidal or whacko birds? Ever hear Harry Reid criticize Nancy Pelosi or Al Franken hurl invectives at Steny Hoyer? When will Republicans learn that you don't air your dirty laundry and you never speak ill of a fellow Republican -- even if it benefits you personally, politically, or financially.

It's enough we have to deal with Dan Pfeiffer referring to us as suicide bombers, Harry Reid implying we are insane, and the president refusing to negotiate with us as if we were terrorists and he was channeling Reagan. We don't need our own to feed fuel into the Democrat-controlled fire. Maybe we are insane because we keep making this mistake over and over. Turncoats like McCain, King, and Graham should have remained silent if they couldn't genuinely agree and, instead, expressed their disagreement and alternatives behind the scenes without adding to the clutter of personal insults launched by the Democrats…

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/10/whacko_birds_damn_few.html#ixzz2gbSko2KK

SF worst run city in America

To SF Weekly authors: Your excellent, excellent article applies to Washington, DC, as well. Our "leaders" there are as corrupt as SF "leaders." You certainly have a bead on SF, and I applaud you.

"It's time to face facts: San Francisco is spectacularly mismanaged and arguably the worst-run big city in America. This year's city budget is an astonishing $6.6 billion — more than twice the budget for the entire state of Idaho — for roughly 800,000 residents. Yet despite that stratospheric amount, San Francisco can't point to progress on many of the social issues it spends liberally to tackle — and no one is made to answer when the city comes up short."

Do not miss this article! http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-12-16/news/the-worst-run-big-city-in-the-u-s/

From the Hill - Washington, DC

There were about 12 Patriots in my group today. We visited (for 4.5 hrs) most of the Blue Dog Dems who were on the fence re Healthcare. Also Pelosi's office, and Woolsey's office. We encountered mostly polite receptionists and staffers, but never met with the Reps. A GA congressman, Brown, from Atlanta, stopped us in the hall, and spent about 10 mins encouraging us to continue the pressure - with our visits, with emails, telephone calls, and faxes. I also stopped in at those CA Republican Reps with a "thumbs up" when I passed their doors.

Diane, the Tea Party Patriot organizer from PA, had faxes produced from all over the country, and she handed them out at each stop. As the day wore on, our numbers dwindled. We had a female Dr from Texas who talked to Pelosi's aide for about 20 mins. Then the Dr went off on her own to lobby the Blue Dogs, stating that she thought she could be more effective in her argument/presentation alone.

All offices seemed to be aware of big event tomorrow on Capitol steps.

Woolsey's office gave me two passes to the House of Reps gallery, so I may get a chance to go & hear some of the speeches on Healthcare, either Friday, or Sat.

Real democracy in action! Barb

What caused the financial crisis - an entertaining overview

Sarah Palin's Security Clearance

(Author unknown)

Before you dismiss the fact that Sarah Palin is Commander of the Alaska National Guard, consider this:

Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It's on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units.

As governor of Alaska , Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden's and certainly by far exceeds Obama's.

She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security's counterterrorism plans.

Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country's defense. Given Alaska 's proximity to Russia , she may have security clearances we don't even know about.

According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in February, but nobody ever found out. This is a woman used to keeping secrets.

She can be entrusted with our national security, because she already is.

2008 Republican Platform - national

The Republicans' Call to Arms
September 5, 2008	by Phyllis Schlafly
We recall the words of the old popular song, "What a Difference a Day Makes; 24 Little Hours." In this political year, it was actually 38 hours, but the poetry is the same. That's the time-spread between the locking up of the 2008 Republican Platform on Wednesday at 8 p.m. and the selection of conservative Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain's Veep choice at 10 a.m. on Friday. In just 38 hours, disheartened conservatives were transformed into enthusiastic Republicans, armed and ready to storm the pseudo Greek temple that Barack Obama erected in the mile-high city of Denver. It's hard to exaggerate the turnaround in the attitude of grassroots Republicans; a CNN reporter expressed herself as "shocked." Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air to John McCain's campaign. The Republican Party Platform, hammered out by a grassroots committee with representatives from every state, gives Republicans a basis on which to rebuild their party. It's a "call to arms," a platform of bold colors with no pastel shades, just as Ronald Reagan described the 1976 Platform that Delegates adopted after rejecting the Ford-Kissinger platform. This year's Platform is a complete break from the ponderous 2004 Platform, which strung together 40,000 tiresome words. The 2008 Platform isn't about personalities; it's about principles. The 2004 Platform had endorsed the "Free Trade Area of the Americas," a foolish notion to bring about the economic integration of the Western Hemisphere and allow cheap labor to replace American jobs. The 2008 Platform sensibly calls for "a Western Hemisphere of sovereign nations with secure borders," and the committee unanimously rejected the goal of a "North American Union" modeled on the European Union. This year gave us a clear improvement over the previous Platform in regard to the English language. In 2004, Republicans called English "our nation's common language" and endorsed bilingual education, but the 2008 Platform supports "English as the official language in our nation" because it is "essential as a unifying cultural force" and omits mention of bilingual ed (often called language apartheid). The 2004 Platform had lined up with the now-defeated amnesty plan of the U.S. Senate. It endorsed a "new temporary worker program" and allowing illegal aliens currently holding jobs in the U.S. "to apply for citizenship in the same manner as those who apply from outside the United States." In a clear break, the 2008 Platform calls for building the border fence, securing our ports, enforcing existing laws against "illegal workers and lawbreaking employers," requiring the use of E-Verify, deporting criminal aliens, denying federal funds to sanctuary cities, and refusing driver's licenses, in-state college tuition rates, and Social Security benefits for illegal aliens. The 2008 Platform marks a refreshing break from the previous Platform's obsequious kowtowing to the United Nations and other international bureaucrats. The 2004 Platform had said that the United States is "committed to lasting institutions like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization." The 2008 Platform doesn't mention the WTO and includes several paragraphs of criticism of the United Nations, citing its "scandal-ridden and corrupt management," the "disproportionate" dues we are forced to pay, and its discrimination against Israel and the Vatican. The 2008 Platform specifically rejects the United Nations Treaty on Women and the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child, and expresses "deep reservations" about the UN Law of the Sea Treaty. The 2008 Platform recognizes that energy independence is vital to our national security. The Platform calls for drilling in "new oilfields" in Alaska and elsewhere, as well as developing nuclear power and clean coal. The 2008 Platform demands that "the risk of climate change" be based on "sound science without succumbing to no-growth radicalism." The Platform also cautions against "doomsday climate change scenarios." The plank affirming that "the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed," which has been part of the Republican Platform since 1984 was, of course, included again this year. The 2008 Platform becomes the most pro-life ever by endorsing the Born Alive Infants Protection Act and the ban on partial-birth abortion, both of which identify a sharp division with Barack Obama's legislative record. Four years ago, many grassroots Republicans were offended by a Platform that called public schools "a foundation of a free, civil society" and bragged about having given us "the largest increase in federal education funding in history." The 2008 Platform better represents Republicans by standing up for parents' rights to use vouchers, tax credits, private schools, or homeschooling, and to stop public schools from forcing students to answer personal, non-academic questionnaires without prior parental consent. Sarah Palin and the 2008 Platform have given Republicans a new lease on life and put John McCain on the road to victory. Read this column online. Join Eagle Forum and get The Phyllis Schlafly Report delivered to your door every month: Annual subscription $20. Best bargain in print! Easy to distribute to alert your friends. Make a donation to Eagle Forum. Eagle Forum www.eagleforum.org PO Box 618 Alton, IL 62002

The Necessity of Thanksgiving

“Tomorrow being the day set apart by the Honorable Congress for public Thanksgiving and Praise; and duty calling us devoutly to express our grateful acknowledgements to God for the manifold blessings he has granted us, the General... earnestly exhorts, all officers and soldiers, whose absence is not indispensably necessary, to attend with reverence the solemnities of the day.” —George Washington (December 17, 1777)

"In this era of overblown political correctness, we often hear tales of Thanksgiving that stray far afield from the truth. Contemporary textbook narratives of the first American harvest celebration portray the Pilgrim colonists as having given thanks to their Indian neighbors for teaching them how to survive in a strange new world. This, of course, is in stark contrast to the historical record, in which the colonists gave thanks to God Almighty, the Provider of their blessings."

For the rest of the story - http://patriotpost.us/pub/07-47_Thanksgiving.htm

Swift Kids for Truth - John Edwards

For those of you who missed tonight's Special Report with Brit Hume on Fox News:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj9bjRixkVc

Remembering Our Heroes

From Ron Nehring, Chairman, CA Republican Party:

Monday, Nov. 12. As we observe Veterans Day, we pause to remember the sacrifices our men and women in uniform have made while serving our nation. For more than two centuries, our 50 million veterans have fought to preserve our nation's liberty and democracy and the freedom of our citizens.

A special debt of gratitude is owed to the 1.5 million heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We remember and honor them, while holding dear in our hearts the families they have left behind.

Our men and women in uniform have raised and kept safe a nation that it might bestow upon us the blessings of liberty sought out so many years ago by our founders. These heroes in uniform have led this nation to victory through the darkest of moments, when victory seemed beyond grasp. Today we pay a special tribute to those who have and continue to sacrifice, so that we as a nation can live in freedom.

May God bless the United States of America and look over our soldiers and their families.

A History Quiz for our Political Wonks.

A little history lesson. If you don't know the answer make your best guess. Answer all the questions before looking at the answers. Who said it? 1) "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." A. Karl Marx B. Adolph Hitler C. Joseph Stalin D. None of the above 2) "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few, and for the few...... And to replace it with shared responsibility for shared prosperity." A. Lenin B. Mussolini C. Idi Amin D. None of the Above 3) "(We) ...can't just let business as usual go on, and that means something has to be taken away from some people." A. Nikita Khrushev B. Josef Goebbels C. Boris Yeltsin D. None of the above 4) "We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to give up a little bit of their own ... in order to create this common ground." A. Mao Tse Dung B. Hugo Chavez C. Kim Jong Il D. None of the above 5) "I certainly think the free-market has failed." A. Karl Marx B. Lenin C. Molotov D. None of the above 6) "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being watched." A. Pinochet B. Milosevic C. Saddam Hussein D. None of the above Scroll down for answers Answers(1) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/29/2004(2) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 5/29/2007(3) D. None of th e above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007(4) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007 (5) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007(6) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 9/2/2005Be afraid, Be very afraid!

California Dream ... up in smoke.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California has a reputation as a land of opportunity but residents face such steep costs that even a modest lifestyle is far out of reach for many, a report released on Wednesday said. "For many Californians, just making ends meet is a struggle," the California Budget Project, a liberal advocacy center, said in its report. "Many families live paycheck to paycheck, juggling rent or a mortgage payment with child care, food, and emergencies such as unexpected car repairs." Because of the Golden State's extraordinarily high living costs, even middle-class families must pinch pennies and cut corners to get by, according to the report. Raising a family and maintaining a modest living standard requires incomes much higher than the state's $7.50 an hour minimum wage provides -- and in many cases much more than even a median wage, the report said. In addition to some of the highest home prices in the nation, Californians face high costs from property and income taxes, insurance, home repairs, child care, transportation, food and health care -- each contributing to making the state one of priciest places to live in the United States. The center's report said its gauge for household budgeting included basic expenses and provided for more than a bare-bones existence but allowed little to no money left over for college savings, vacations or emergencies. The center estimated that to support a modest living standard in California, a single adult must earn $28,336 per year and a single-parent family must have an annual income of $59,732. A family with two working parents would need to earn $72,343 annually. Famed cities in the state such as San Francisco and Los Angeles are especially expensive. A minimum wage worker in California earns $15,600 annually.

A Happy Report - from the UN ??!!

To Gillian, Danoodler at UN: Are they smoking something at the UN?? "...So imagine how shocked I was to learn, officially, that we're not doomed after all. A new United Nations report called "State of the Future" concludes: "People around the world are becoming healthier, wealthier, better educated, more peaceful, more connected, and they are living longer." Per Stephen Moore's 10/5/07 WSJ article, "Clear-Eyed Optimists."

Hillary is SO sincere...her laugh so true....Right !!! Watch these three youtube posts.

John Stewart who is a liberal version of our own Dennis Miller does some nice homework here previewing "sincerity" as acted out laughingly by Hillary on a Sunday morning talk show jog. If we have to live with this "sincerity" for four years...some will surely lose it. Here are three examples worthy of study:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o72Cq7AgjSQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPcqy0pvdsI&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmajocHPU_U&mode=related&search=

From $4.9b to $23.2b - Congress Hard at Work

From Wall St Journal OPINION Mon 10-8-07: ..."When Congress got around to authorizing the $4.9 billion in such civil works that the Corps [US Army Corps of Engineers] identified, here is what happened: The Senate passed a bill that cost roughly $14 billion, and the House a different bill at $15 billion. Then they got together in conference and compromised -- at $23.2 billion.... ..."Mr. Bush will probably veto this monstrosity, but there's little doubt he'll be overridden. Most Republicans seem content to go along; the conference report moved out of the House 381-40 and the Senate 81-12. They're selling out twice. Democrats included GOP pork to ensure an override, weakening the Administration for the fall budget fights...."