Thread.

While the wonk created Rube Goldberg contraptions known as the exchanges goes through their problems, one aspect of ObamaCare has gone off without a hitch - Medicaid Expansion:

The underdog of government health care programs is emerging as a rare early success story of President Obama's technologically challenged health overhaul. Often dismissed, Medicaid has signed up 444,000 people in 10 states in the six weeks since open enrollment began, according to Avalere Health, a market analysis firm that compiled data from those states. Twenty-five states are expanding their Medicaid programs, but data for all of them was not available.

[...] The Obama administration plans to release October enrollment statistics this week, but publicly available figures already provide a contrast between a robust start for Medicaid expansion and lukewarm early signups for new, government-subsidized private plans offered separately under the law. "Medicaid is exceeding expectations in most places," said Dan Mendelson, Avalere's president. "It is definitely a bright picture in states that have chosen to expand."

The wonky proponents of the exchanges aren't particularly interested, but it does prove that the public insurance component of ACA is the superior part of the program.

Finally there is light at the end of the moving tunnel. I think I'm done with the major construction projects: Having a contractor come in and double hang closets and turn a small closet by the kitchen into a pantry with massive wood shelves strong enough to hold heavy appliances like the VitaMix, pressure cooker, and Cuisinart, and lots of canned foods.

My computer networks, TVs and phone lines are all finally running smoothly - the art is all hung, I have a microwave again and I've started selling things that won't fit here on Ebay.

What an ordeal -- it's taken almost four weeks. Since I didn't blog the last week or two before moving, it's been six weeks since I've been able to think about blogging -- and I haven't seen much if any news.

I've got a court hearing tomorrow and am still inundated with work, but blogging should return to normal by the weekend. For all of you who stuck around, thanks!

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Last month, I wrote a post titled The Problem With Obamacare: The Republican Stuff. Ironically, to make the Republican stuff work, folks had to be forced into the private insurance market. Ezra Klein indvertently explains:

The bill [Louisiana Senator Mary] Landrieu is offering [it would let folks 'who like their insurance, keep it'] could really harm the law. It would mean millions of people who would've left the individual insurance market and gone to the exchanges will stay right where they are. Assuming those people skew younger, healthier, and richer -- and they do -- Obamacare's premiums will rise. [...] "I think it would be a real substantive mistake to do the Landrieu bill," says MIT health economist Jon Gruber, a supporter of the Affordable Care Act.

(Emphasis supplied.) Of course this has been the fundamental problem with Obamacare - its Republican ideas need the government to force people to participate in the private insurance market, and not just any insurance market, but the ObamaCare exchanges. I t did not have to be this way. More on the flip.

Busy. More thread.

Follow the thread.

This week's Amato and Armando Show November 8, a discussion of the "NFL Culture" plus our picks:

The picks (disagreement in BOLD, J for John, A for Armando): GIANTS -7 1/2 over the Raiders, BENGALS -1 (J), RAVENS +1 (A), RAMS +10 (A), COLTS -10 (J), TAMPA BAY +3 over Dolphins, EAGLES +1 over Packers , BEARS Pick (A), LIONS Pick (J), STEELERS -3 over Bills, TITANS -13 (J), JAGUARS +13 (A), SEAHAWKS -4 over Falcons, PANTHERS +6 (J), NINERS -6 (A), CARDINALS -3 over Texans, BRONCOS -7 (J), CHARGERS +7 (A), SAINTS -7 over Cowboys.

Open Thread.

The picks (2 units unless otherwise indicated): LSU +13 over Alabama, San Diego State +7 over San Jose State, Arizona -1½ over UCLA, Fresno State -9 over Wyoming, Army +6 over Western Kentucky, Kansas State +3 over Texas Tech, Texas -6 over West Virginia, Pittsburgh +4 over Notre Dame, Virginia Tech +7 over Miami (Florida), USC -17 3 units over California, Nebraska +7 over Michigan, Missouri -14 3 units over Kentucky, Navy -17 over Hawaii, Texas A&M -19½ 3 units over Mississippi State, Wake Forest +35 over Florida State, Utah State -14 over UNLV, Tulsa +17 over East Carolina, Wisconsin -8 over BYU, Minnesota -3 over Penn State, Auburn -8 4 units over Tennessee, North Carolina State +10 over Duke.

This week's Amato and Armando Show:

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

It's a jail day for me. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Did politics and the DEA get to the Mexico Supreme Court? The Court has overturned the August order of an appeals court releasing Rafael Caro-Quintero (background here.) Caro-Quintero served 28 years before an appeals court reversed his conviction, finding the federal court in Mexico lacked jurisdiction because since DEA Agent Camerena was not a consulate official or diplomat, Caro-Quintero should have been tried in state court.

After a meeting in Washington in September, Mexican Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam promised that authorities in his country would reapprehend Caro Quintero.

The U.S. is now offering a $5 million reward for Caro-Quintero's arrest. His whereabouts are unknown.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

The Supreme Court issued an opinion today in a prominent Michigan murder case, Burt v. Titlow. Details here. Shorter version: There is no constitutional right to an ethical lawyer. If your lawyer violates ethics rules in advising you or preparing your case, tough luck. Andrew Cohen has more.

The opinion is here. No surprise it was written by Justice Alito. Andrew says: [More...]