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White House Small Biz Chief’s Frustrating Interview: Won’t Explain Per-Worker Cost of ‘Obamacare’ but Will Talk About Blueberry Jam

Nov. 21, 2012 2:32pm Becket Adams

Karen Mills, head of President Obama’s Small Business Administration, during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” was determined to talk about everything and anything so long as it didn’t have to do with the per-worker cost of “Obamacare” to small businesses.

“Do you know what the average cost is for, let’s say, per-employee for ‘Obamacare’ for a small business?” host Joe Scarborough asked.

“You know,” Mills responded, “right out there now, we are seeing momentum in small businesses and, for the first time in a number of years, we are getting small businesses who’ve got a plan for the future. They’re investing, they’re coming to us for more loans – we just had a record year in loan guarantees.”

Mills talked about the importance of Small Business Saturday (which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday). She talked about the importance of sales growth for small businesses. She even talked about homemade blueberry jam.

What she didn’t talk about, however, was the per-employee cost of “Obamacare.” She avoided that question like her job depended on it (which, now that we think about it, it might).

Kind of impressive, really:

Also notable was when, earlier in the same interview, Scarborough asked Mills about small business owners who claim “Obamacare” will force them to cut their employees’ hours.

Why is this notable? Because, apparently, Mills had no idea what he was talking about.

If that surprises you, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Scarborough is right there with you:

Final Thought: We are genuinely impressed with Mills’ redirection of that conversation. The cost of “Obamacare” to homemade blueberry jam? No problem!

Seriously though, what is it with blueberries and MSNBC?

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(H/T: NewsBusters). Front page photo courtesy the AP.

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Comments (75)

BHOHG2G
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:40pm
Don’t worry too much. Sometimes knuckleheads have to drive the bus off the cliff to prove just how stupid and egotistical they are to everyone that knew better in the first place. By the end of the next four years or sooner, 0 will be on a plane back to Kenya with his true believers. Then the hardcore kool-aid will be passed out and everyone will get to meet the REV Jim Jones again.

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- BlueStrat
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 4:38pm
  Mills reminds me of that one female member of President Commacho’s Cabinet from the movie “Idiocracy”. Same dazed and lost look.
  
  I was waiting for her to say “But it’s got electrolytes!”.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 5:06pm
  lol BLUES….
  
  as i recall, all the women in that movie were considered to be hookers.
  
  Report this comment
- rickc34
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 11:31pm
  I doubt if anyone has read the bill yet.. remember Pelosi let’s pass it first then we will make it up later. Stupid idiot.
  
  Report this comment
- Jesse_J
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 6:23am
  It’s too bad that a nation has to suffer just so the incompetent can feel in control. Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
  Report this comment
JustAnAverageCitizen
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:38pm
Does anyone really expect that any gov’t official knows any of the details of obamacare? It was passed to completely control every citizen in the US. Details aren’t important – the Dictator in Chief will make them up as we go along.

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- booger71
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:42pm
  All that is clear from the “rules” that were released yesterday, that it will slam smokers, and older people
  
  Report this comment
chikonabike
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:38pm
Wait, did I miss something? Is “blueberry pie” the new racist code word?

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- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:59pm
  It’s code for “drink your Kool-Ade”
  
  Report this comment
ColoradoMaverick
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:37pm
In hr defense, she probably knows a hell of allot more about blueberry jam than she does about the true costs of Obamacare!! Incompetent idiots are running this country!! Ahhhhhhhhh!

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Chromo200
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:21pm
It is just money .. Washington can print more and would not worry about how it is going to affect the rest of the population.

It is just money, the rich are going to pay more, give more, and live a frugal life style. We are all going to live happily ever after.

We don’t have to work, just sit and write poems, draw pictures and play on our guitars. We can all move to Southern California, Arizona and enjoy the warmth and sunshine. Obama Administration ca build these high rises and we can all live in them and be happy.

Why work, the administration is going to take of us.

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heavyduty
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:17pm
First you have to find a liberal that’s smarter than a moron to answer intelligent questions. Then you have to frame in such a way that they can’t do anything but answer the question!

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BlackCrow
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:16pm
Come on folks, she is doing a bang up job of doing Dear Leader’s bidding. Close down those sub chapter S corporations and soak the evil rich. We have to move more commerce to those firms who will support us with their big donations. We know the only reason they give to us is because they are scared of us and the more small firms we can put out of business the more fear we can build in the ones that survive.

(Sarcasm Font)

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elosogrande
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:13pm
This woman is even a bigger joke than Scarborough. He didn’t have the balls to ask her to answer his question.

Every loser at MSNBC is nothing more than a water-carrying, fellow traveler for Barack Obama. It is ridiculous to hear them claim to be journalists.

By the way, Mills isn’t even smart enough to know when to use the word “strongly”, rather than “strong”. Obama could at least appoint people who are articulate.

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zoro51
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:08pm
FIRE THIS COW NOW shes clearly INEPT to run the dept shes a SOCIALIST SUCK UP A PAID CRONY

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- MC Wombat
  Posted on December 3, 2012 at 4:12pm
  OK….but why would she get fired by this administration for simply being who she was hired to be?
  She’s excited because more people are coming to the government for money. She probably swooned when she heard how many people are now on the food stamp program. Does she know that people can get up to $2200 per month for Section 8 housing? Obamaphones make her feel a thrill going up her legs. WIC & Welfare cause her to fall on the floor in orgamic delight!
  America — It Is Time To Shut Up & Eat Your Blueberries! (Government Blueberries of course!)
  
  Report this comment
My Two Cents
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:07pm
I loved the look on her face. To me, it said how dare you ask me to expose the truth.

If the head of the SBA does not know the cost burden that Obamacare will place on business owners she should be fired. I would say she is incompetent but according to Clyburn that would make me a racist. It wouldn’t matter that she is white.

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AbrahamsSheepdog
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:03pm
But we have had loans go up! Oh goody . And Spendmas is coming! Look a big yellow birds over there->

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:57pm
Of course they will not talk about Obamacare and the coming nightmare it will be with business; they on the left need the damage to occur so the Republicans can somehow be blamed.

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- desertspeaks
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:15pm
  it would seem as though obama has an aversion to hiring anyone that actually knows anything to do with actually running a business!
  
  Report this comment
- JustAnAverageCitizen
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:33pm
  Why not DesertSpeaks. After all, Americans elected a president that doesn’t have a clue as to how to run a country. Apparently the only qualification you need now is to be both black and liberal. Allen West can never be president for this reason, though I sure wish he was. Maybe he’ll run in 2016
  
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:57pm
She has got to be the Mother of The Three Monkeys!

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- oxycontinxx
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:02pm
  nah………..she cant be.
  
  obama, holder, and clyburn are too old to be her sons. !!!!
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:05pm
  If you listen closely you hear the soviet national anthem playing behind her….
  
  “Sing to the Motherland, home of the free,
  Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong.
  O Party of Lenin, the strength of the people,
  To Communism’s triumph lead us on!”
  
  Report this comment
darkeningskies
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:55pm
hahahahahahahaha!!! a kenyan that was elected the president of America. YOU FOOLS

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darkeningskies
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:54pm
this one should be barefoot and pregnant……and her progeny should be aborted

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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:53pm
“Why is this notable? Because, apparently, Mills had no idea what he was talking about.”
=============================================
Sounds like the rest of Zero’s Administration, none of them know what they are doing. Obama hired people just like him.

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- starman70
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:15pm
  It wasn’t terrorism, it was demonstraationd in reaction to the sick and disgusting video malinging the prophet. It’s not about what Obamacare might cost the small businessman, it’s about Blueberries. It’s not about running guns on the Mexican Border, it’s about catching the drug dealers.
  
  Nobody in the Washington looney bin which is Odummer’s administration will tell the truth about anything. They are masters of obfuscation and masters of changing the subject. Of course, this useful idiot might not have ever thought about the impact of Obamacare on small busineses. She like most of the rest of his pack of liars has no clue of reality. They say movie stars live in a fantasy world, well they have nothing on this administration whatsoever. Tooth fairies and pixie dust will solve everything.
  
  Report this comment
skippy6
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:50pm
You idiots that voted for POTUS have a short memory…. She can’t give you a number because she has not read the entire bill….Remember ding bat PEEElosi Said we have to pass it to see what’s in it!!! It is a good question though, one that won’t be answered until you get the bill…

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darkeningskies
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:49pm
hahahahahahahaha……a liberal oblablaa bimbo……we pay for her ineptness

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- AvengerK
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:08pm
  Forward!
  
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AvengerK
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:46pm
LOL….”the day I got to provide healthcare for my workers, that’s when I called my business a sucess”???? Ladies and Gentlemen…this statement defies description let alone logic.
You get the government you deserve….

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- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:56pm
  Fools leading fools. God was voted out. What’s next?
  
  Report this comment
- Freedom from liberals
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:56pm
  lol, we just had a record in loan guarantees. You meant to say we had a record in loan guarantee defaults. She also said she hasn’t heard of one case where Obummer care is going to hurt small business.. First, we need to teach you how to read, then grab the WSJ and shove it in front of your lobotomized brain.. Companies have already announced thousands of lay offs and others are cutting hours to avoid paying the high cost of Obummer care. Pure idiot, may God help us.
  
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mcsledge
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:42pm
Obamacare… what a treat.

Employers will limit hiring because of benefit costs.
Employers will drop benefits and pay the fine because its cheaper.
Doctors stop assisting Medicare patients.
Insurance costs will rise to cover (pre-conditions, no limits and extended stays under parents coverage).
The self-employed will find insurance costs sky rocket thereby limiting take home pay.
The unemployed spike Medicaid costs.

Pure utopia! Thanks America. May you know prepare to reap what you have sown.

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- AvengerK
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:00pm
  No no no MCSLEDGE..here’s the best part…Who seems to be getting the tough end of the stick with these reduced hours and anemic hiring? Hospitality, retail and service workers..the very ones who voted for Obama.
  Here me out…Darden restaurants, Denny’s.. heck..let’s throw in Hostess too…all announced reduced hours and added cost to the consumer or massive layoffs either directly because of Obama or the already high costs their unions impose on them. All these newly fired or reduced-work hour people now have to either buy health insurance under the Obamacare mandate or pay it’s taxes..sorry..fines..because their employer is choosing to pay the taxes..sorry fines… rather than the cost of covering them. It works out cheaper for the employer in some cases.
  
  So now you’ll have tens of thousands employees who will have their hours reduced to under 30 hours a week and will either be forced to buy insurance or pay the taxes. Now..they’re not covered already because they likely feel they can’t afford it or don’t want it..how will they afford it working less hours for less take home pay?
  
  But “phew”..thankfully…abortions won’t be taken away from us and we have a president that “understands” us..isn’t that what we wanted?
  
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- AvengerK
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:25pm
  Typo: “hear me out”.
  
  MCSLEDGE…my guess is the inevitable ballooning cost of Obamacare on Medicaid is the excuse his sucessors will use to make the “nationalised health” argument. They will say that the free market solution of Obamacare (I know…stop laughing) and it’s attempt to make “fair” the “unfair” just wasn’t enough…we need national health..nothing else will work.
  
  Report this comment
- S-O-B-E-R
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:42pm
  How many people will be paying the tax because it’s cheaper than the insurance and STILL not have medical care? expletive deleted.
  
  Report this comment
perry1980
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:41pm
Change the Narrative. that is how they do it

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- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 4:02pm
  At least she’s a little slick about it…
  
  Wasserman-Schultz, on the other hand, is belligerently ridiculous about her deliberate misdirection.
  
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Cavallo
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:40pm
The cost of regulations on business and private citizens is always much much more than they ever say it will be. This has been the case in the past (maybe with a few isolated exceptions, but I can’t think of any). The hiring will slow to a belly crawl, from the drunken crawl it already is, and layoffs and employee downgrades (from full to part time) will increase speed. This is the new normal, this is the new America, this is what Forward will look like.. Forward off a cliff.

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- The Gooch
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:06pm
  And this is exactly what the majority appears to want. We are, thru proxies, becoming the architects of our own demise. Funny how history repeats… and we aren’t above it.
  
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AvengerK
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:40pm
By the way…much like during the 2008 campaign Obama promised to put together a “civilian national security force”…Obama promised this campaign to create a “Department of Business”….LOL. Comedy gold….

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- Lt_Scrounge
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 3:41pm
  They did establish and fund a “Civilian Defense Corps” under the GIVE Act and it is the single scariest piece of legislation that I have ever attempted to decipher. I didn’t bother reading the other sections, only the parts relevant to the “Civilian Defense Corps” and it’s frightening. Not only are they intending to create this force, their recruiting is targeted towards young adults raised in single parent inner city homes (you know the kinds of people who are rampaging in the streets) “former” street gang members, juvenile delinquents and young adults who have aged out of foster care. The psychological profile for this demographic tends to include phrases like “low self esteem”, “limited education”, “Susceptible to manipulation”, “Easily influenced by peer pressure”, “Gang Mentality”, “Nihilistic tendencies”, “Impulse control issues”, and “criminal tendencies”. This is the psychological profile for recruits for a Gestapo type unit, not a law enforcement unit. Additionally not only will religious facilities or services NOT be provided, they won’t be tolerated. Yes, they specifically state in the law that even self organized prayer meetings will not be permitted.So they are not only intending to recruit thugs, they intend to arm and give them advanced tactical training as well. Keep in mind that many of these recruits would not be allowed to serve in the military because of their morality issues, but the Obamao administration wants them at their dispo
  
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The Gooch
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:40pm
So… the Affordable Health Care Act migh not be so affordable? Who knew!?! Oh, wait; the GAO. Maybe someone could direct this hack to that information.

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- AvengerK
  Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:51pm
  If you don’t mention the cost per employee..it isn’t real.
  
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AvengerK
Posted on November 21, 2012 at 2:37pm
“we just had a record year in loan guarantees”….LOL…yes..like Solyndra’s loan guarantee worked out so well didn’t it?

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