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

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

CA Repub Assembly's 2007 Scorecard

The Assembly Members receiving perfect scores were Assemblyman Joel Anderson, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, Assemblyman Mike Duvall and Assemblywoman Mimi Walters. In the Senate, Senator Jim Battin, Senator Dave Cogdill, Senator Dennis Hollingsworth and Senator Tom McClintock received perfect ratings.

Congressional District 8 - SF

CD08, SF, gerrymandered for Democrats.

CA Republican Convention in SF has ended

Conservatives rule! At least at the past CA Republican Convention held in SF 2/22-24/08. The conservative version of the CA Republican Party Platform passed, with minimal input from the Libs in the GOP. Having seen the discord at the Indian Wells convention last September, I was totally surprised that passing a conservative Platform was relatively painless. And both sides were civil, with well-reasoned arguments - exception: 2-hr. discussion re CA water, not abortion, which the media loves to write about. In spite of the anonymous emails I got blasting Shawn Steele, the CRP ex-Chairman who was running for RNC Committeeman, won his race against Tim Morgan, who had been Committeeman for past 12 years. Shawn is conservative, Tim is "moderate." I also got anonymous emails criticizing Chairman Ron Nehring, but he ran the Convention very well, I thought. And, he's CONSERVATIVE.

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...."

Oops, I missed this story

33 Senators Voted Against English as America's Official Language June 6, 2007: Akaka (D-HI) Bayh (D-IN) Biden (D-DE) Wants to be President? Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Cantwell (D-WA) Clinton (D-NY) Wants to be President? Dayton (D-MN) Dodd (D-CT) Wants to be President? Domenici (R-NM) protecting his Senate seat... Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Not unusual for him Feinstein (D-CA) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Wanted to be President Kohl (D-WI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Disappointment here..... Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Obama (D-IL) Wants to be President? Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Senate Majority Leader Salazar (D-CO) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-M) Full story...

Danoodle's NYC blogger begins UN gig

Gillian Duke, at Danoodle hq's in NYC, has started a gig at the UN. Looking forward to Gillian's blogs from the organization Danoodlers love to hate. Can we hear sweetest words in nyc, Press Pass ?

My First Blog

Hi Bay Area Republicans. I am attending the CA Republican Party Convention this weekend, so hope to blog from there. Stay tuned.

FYI, my name is Barbara Howey, and I'm Chief Danoodler. It's not all about...me?? Or, is it? Perhaps, but I want to cover all things Republican on this blog, as well as other stuff (Marin, news, gossip, events) as the mood strikes. I will also have Guest Danoodlers (Bloggers, and Contributors).

I want to change the perception of Republicans - square, uptight, un-cool, but I can't change their honesty, forthrightness, steadfastness, generosity, patriotism, and their exceptional brainpower! Over the years, I've found Republicans to be extremely, to-the-max, informed on local and national issues, which is definitely more than I can say for some Democrats in Marin!

We are outnumbered in Marin and San Francisco, but we Republicans will keep plugging away, trying to ignore snide remarks, insults, and downright deranged thinking of Dems in Bay Area.

So relax, and enjoy the Danoodle Blog. I welcome your feedback.

Howey Bio

Barbara Howey is serving her fourth term on the Marin Republican Central Committee representing the 1st District, San Rafael and Terra Linda. She was first elected to the Committee in 2000. She was the Committee's Communications Chair/Webmaster, from March 2003 - May 2007.

Barbara attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and George Washington University, Washington, D.C. She joined the Foreign Service in 1969 as a Secretary, and was immediately sent to Vienna, Austria, for 2 years. She returned to the State Department, Washington, D.C., and the Council on Foreign Policy. From 1973-75 she worked on the Executive Staff of Dr. Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State, where she traveled widely and often on Dr. Kissinger's "shuttle diplomacy" trips to the Middle East, Europe, and the Far East.

Upon moving to the Bay Area in 1975, Barbara worked for the Social Security Administration; PBS's national television show OVER EASY with Hugh Downs and Mary Martin; and for the Levi Strauss Tourage clothing line in San Francisco.

Barbara was a conservative Democrat until 1992. After seeing what was going on in Education after her daughter entered school, she came to her senses and re-registered as a Republican that year. Her husband, a life-long Republican, was very happy!

Barbara began her Bay Area political activities in 1996 when she founded a conservative speaker's group, United Conservatives of Marin. She left UCOM in 1998 to manage Republican Russ Weiner's campaign for California State Assembly, Sixth District.

In 1999 Barbara co-founded Howey-Moi Associates, a public relations firm that represented Bay Area Republicans and national conservative organizations.

She is currently an empty-nester. She is a member of the Nob Hill Republican Women Federated, Marin Republican Women Federated, Novato Republican Women Federated, and has volunteered for various Republican activities for the past 9 years.

Barbara launched Danoodle.com on July 31, 2007.