Tipsheet

Sebelius: 'No Idea' if Obamacare Increases Deficit

You know Kathleen Sebelius well. She's Secretary of Health and Human Services, which, among other things, makes her in charge of implementing Obamacare.

You'd think she'd know the law inside and out, and that she'd be able to at least semi-coherently answer questions about it at a Senate hearing. But when Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) asks her about the program's effect on the national debt, she melts into a stuttering puddle, and he schools her on the economics of the law.

The most damning exchange occurs when he asks her about healthcare waivers, which would exempt certain employers from having to provide healthcare to their employees, thereby driving up the out-of-pocket expense for individuals. Sebelius, however, seems to have no idea what he's talking about when he asks her about the effect these waivers will have on the system:

JOHNSON: Just waivers from having to implement portions of the healthcare law that probably would have allowed those – or forced those workers – off their employer-sponsored care.

SEBELIUS: Again, I’d be happy to answer these questions, but I have no idea what waivers you’re talking about–

JOHNSON: The waivers that HHS has granted to employers not–

SEBELIUS: Which do what?

JOHNSON: Not having implemented sections of the healthcare law.

SEBELIUS: There have been waivers granted to employers, yes.

JOHNSON: And had those waivers not been granted, chances are, those employees probably would have lost their employer-sponsored care, correct?

SEBELIUS: I have no idea. I mean, I’m happy to answer those one at a time and look at the waivers and see what–

JOHNSON: Unfortunately, I’m pretty short on time.

I know Nancy Pelosi said we'd have to pass the bill to see what's in it, but you'd think that two years down the road, Sebelius would know.

Watch the full exchange, and marvel once again at the fact that there are Americans who want this lady running their healthcare: