He has since been arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct, a Class 4 felony carrying a potential sentence of 1 - 3 years and fines up to $25,00, if convicted.
It also helps if the lies are promoted via multiple channels (Hint: In Jussie’s case, the LA concert, social media and the Robin Roberts, GMA interview). Why? Because the presumption is that the more that we hear a lie, especially coming from multiple sources the more it becomes credible. In other words, the more familiar we are with the lie the less likely we are to question it. It’s important to note here that the concept of “fire-hosing” is theorized as a demonstration of power rather than a means of persuasion. That’s right. The perpetrator is not trying to convince anyone that they’re telling the truth, they are asserting their authority over the restraints of reality. The powerplay is to degrade the fact-checker by forcing them to argue the obvious. So, the public is essentially strong-armed into working for the truth. In sum, the use of fire-hosing is to usurp the power of truth and reduce it to just a position – a perspective, - a version of reality, - a simple matter of opinion. Remember Rudy Guiliani, “Truth isn’t truth?” Enough said. 
Bing Images - Jussie Smollett (The Robin Roberts, GMA Interview)
Jussie Smollett’s Case
Based on this theory, we can see elements of the “firehose” method in Jussie’s account of events, here are just a few:
Now, while Jussie is innocent until proven guilty – it looks really bad for him at this point. With all these discrepancies, it’s hard to point out just one. But, first, what is the likelihood that he would even be recognized. There were subzero temperatures in Chicago that night. Wouldn’t he have been bundled up with a hat, coat, and scarf to be out in that weather? The most telling, in my opinion is when he made the point of telling Robin Roberts (the Good Morning America interview) that the noose was tied around his neck. Then doubles-down by saying he left it on because he wanted the police to see it. The rope could’ve been tested for DNA, there was no reason to leave it on. Also, did anybody notice how much he smiled during that interview or when he said the attackers “…would never be found?” Just an observation but, I digress. The evidentiary question here is: What Black (person) would leave a noose on after being lucky enough to get away? I was easily reminded of Trump’s “…just stick with us, don’t believe what you hear from the fake news…” statement than when Jussie repeated over and over again, “…it’s truth, you just don’t want to believe…” Still again, Jussie has the presumption of innocence until and if there is a conviction.
The Political Environment
So, how did this case become a right versus left campaign? On the cusp of the 2020 election year, the accusations and mud-slinging had already begun but the Jussie Smollett case added just the right fuel to the fire. Jussie, himself, injected political overtones with “…red hat wearing, white attackers shouting “MAGA country…” and “…going hard against 45…” assertions. We can also consider the (unconfirmed) statistic that nearly 85% of news media outlets are liberal and employ journalists who are registered Democrats. If so, it stands to reason why the right readily purports the culpability of the so-called liberal media to be “virtue-signaling” its base with politically correct sentiments such as ‘always believe the victim’ #METOO. On the other hand, the left never misses an opportunity to indict the right with accusations of “dog-whistling” its base to incite violence and exacerbate the country’s racial divide #MAGA. (Gone are the days of traditional party politics – “identity politics,” in other words, race-baiting is the order of the day.) Then, the rallying of support from Hollywood celebrities, presidential hopefuls, veteran Congress members, and the like, certainly seemed to confirm suspicions giving the necessary ammunition to solidify the right’s position. The end result is that all hate crimes have come into question and “white privilege” is now challenged by the latest induction to the dogma “Victimhood Chic.” That is, playing the role of victim as a form of status. ‘Victimhood Chic’ posits that prominent minorities are accruing critical acclaim, prestige and, even, financial gain (i.e. Colin Kaepernick) if they can successfully garner enough public sympathy around a noble cause. It’s a stretch, but that’s where this is going. And, in the view of revisionists, Jussie Smollett fits the bill. The Jussie Smollett Case: Motivations and Consequences So, why should we be concerned with Jussie’s guilt or innocence? There is much speculation about his motivations for this alleged crime, such as:
But we haven’t heard from Jussie since his arrest, so who really knows? In the words of Charlemagne the God (Breakfast Club), “…we cannot become what we claim to hate.” The problem is that in the era of fake news, alternative facts, dog-whistling, and virtue-signaling, why is there a need to adapt the tactics of a spectacle-driven culture to accomplish a goal? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if his reasons were personal, political, or professional. Integrity matters. Besides this and most importantly, is the fear of a chilling effect this may have on future victims of hate crimes. Conservative media outlets are already using the case as a symbol of false claims. And, with this ammunition the misfortune would be that there are more incidents…without remedy. It’s going to be interesting to see how defense attorneys are able to spin this story. But, rest assured, with the high-potential of undermining the critical cause of social justice and civil rights, there is no room for error. Related Posts: The Racial Wealth Gap Explained http://www.canmichigan.com/blog/the-racial-wealth-gap-explained Poverty & Welfare, Human Behavior, and the Trump Election http://www.canmichigan.com/blog/poverty-welfare-human-behavior-and-the-trump-election Links: Jussie Smollett Story Shows Rise of Victimhood Culture https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/02/jussie-smollett-story-shows-rise-victimhood-culture/583099/ The Culture of Victimhood https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-who-stray/201406/the-culture-victimhood The Russian “Firehose of Falsehood” Propaganda Model https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/perspectives/PE100/PE198/RAND_PE198.pdf Why Obvious Lies Make Great Propaganda https://www.vox.com/2018/8/31/17804104/strikethrough-lies-propaganda-trump-putin
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States with Pending CMMS Work Requirement Applications:
Medicaid Work Requirement Exemptions and Criteria for Extending Coverage Healthy Michigan enrollees (non-disabled Obamacare recipients) with incomes below the poverty line will not be affected by the work requirement rule. Other categories of exemptions from Medicaid work requirements:
To remain enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) once you have reached or exceeded of the Federal Poverty Limit (FPL) you may continue benefits if:
Healthy Michigan (HMP) enrollees who have reached income and lifetime benefit levels will be offered one (1) of two (2) options to retain coverage:
The Marketplace Option The Marketplace Option requires that you purchase coverage through the Federal Healthcare Exchange. Participants who select this option will be required to change (opt-out) of their eligibility status from the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) in order to be eligible for the Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit and cost-sharing subsidies. It is important to remember that the “individual mandate” provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare imposes a tax penalty on individuals who are without health insurance each year. The current tax penalty, effective January 1, 2019 is $0. However, persons who were uninsured for more than two (2) months in 2018 may be subject to a $695 fine plus inflation, or up to 2.5% of their household income. You may be exempt from the Obamacare tax penalty if:
Open enrollment for 2019 was from November 1, 2018 to December 15, 2018. Special enrollment periods are considered for a change in life event or family status. Contact the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) for more information. A link is provided below. The Cost-Sharing Option Recipients may choose to continue their Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) coverage by paying a “cost-sharing” premium of 5% of their income. Effective 4/1/2018, Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) recipients who are not medically frail and who have been enrolled at least twelve (12) months will be required to complete a “health risk assessment” or to purchase a qualified plan through the Marketplace.
Medicaid Work Requirement Healthy Lifestyle Limitation
Healthy Michigan (HMP) recipients who have reached income levels between 100 – 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and who have been enrolled for 48 months will be mandated to complete a “Healthy Behavior Assessment.” There will be an intentional effort to make the healthy behaviors incrementally more challenging in additional to the 5% premium contribution payment. That is, you may be required to quit smoking or engaging in other activities deemed high-risk behaviors that contribute to poor health. Recipients who do not comply with these two (2) conditions may have their benefits suspended. Social and Fiscal Implications of the Medicaid Work Requirement Rule The New York Times (2010) reported a projection by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicting that there would be 54 million uninsured people by the year 2019. Estimates regarding the fiscal impact of the Michigan workforce engagement rule suggest a 5 to 15% caseload reduction and $5 to $20 million dollars annual savings in the state budget. There are approximately 670,000 Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) enrollees, with an estimated 130,000 (about 20%) exemptions, and 540,000 non-exempt. Of the 540,000 non-exempt participants, an estimated 5 to 15% will lose their health coverage for various reasons due to the new Medicaid work requirements. These estimates do not speak to the increase in administrative costs and technology upgrades that will be required to implement the program. Nor does it provide insight into the increased demand on support services such as child care, transportation, and workforce development programs due to the loss of coverage. The American Journal of Public Health suggests that the lack of insurance kills 45,000 people a year: “More Americans die of lack of health insurance than terrorism, homicide, drunk driving, and HIV combined.” According to the American Journal of Medicine: “…18% of those filing bankruptcy in 2007 cited illness and medical bills as having contributed to their financial failure.” Was this post helpful? Leave a comment and share your thoughts. If you need case management services or assistance, please contact us by completing the confidential Contact Form. Also, consider donating to continue this important work and expand our reach to the broader community. Contact Us: http://www.canmichigan.com/reach-out-to-us.html Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=u9ZbQw7yTRWAm9K4Yl2MKERd76oKf_lBrejXuVLAx0j5rsSTG72gmICfR9S-bVY4az_Imm&country.x=US&locale.x=US Related Posts: Healthy Michigan Medicaid Work Requirement Bill http://www.canmichigan.com/blog/healthy-michigan-medicaid-work-requirement-bill State Assistance Programs Enforce Work Requirements for Government Benefits http://www.canmichigan.com/blog/state-assistance-programs-enforce-work-requirements-for-government-benefits The Working Poor: On Welfare with A Job http://www.canmichigan.com/blog/opinion-the-working-poor-on-welfare-with-a-job Links: Medicaid.gov State Waiver’s List https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/index.html Nationwide Snapshot of State Proposals to Implement Work Requirements https://nashp.org/state-proposals-for-medicaid-work-and-community-engagement-requirements/ Feds Approve Michigan’s Medicaid Work Requirement, beginning 2020 (Detroit Free Press) https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/12/21/work-requirements-approved-michigan-medicaid/2388961002/ Feds Approve Michigan’s Medicaid Work Requirement (Detroit Free Press) https://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/wellness/2018/12/21/feds-approve-michigan-medicaid-work-requirement/2389697002/ Feds Approve Michigan’s Medicaid Work Requirement, beginning 2020 (Lansing State Journal) https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/12/21/work-requirements-approved-michigan-medicaid/2388961002/ Medicaid Healthy Michigan Plan (Lansing State Journal) https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/02/06/medicaid-healthy-michigan-plan/2788952002/ 4 Things to Know About Michigan’s Medicaid Work Requirements https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/06/14/michigan-medicaid-work-requirements/699643002/ Michigan Senate Bill 897 http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billanalysis/House/htm/2017-HLA-0897-78EF78F9.htm DIFS – Shopping for Health Coverage https://www.michigan.gov/difs/0,5269,7-303-12902_35510-263900--,00.html Op Ed: Medicare For All: Yes We Can http://pnhp.org/news/op-ed-medicare-for-all-yes-we-can/ |
Deborah MitchellWelcome to The Community Advocate Network. My name is Deborah Mitchell, I am a graduate in Social Work and Registered Social Work Technician. My human service background began in 2007 which includes medical case management and service navigation for the indigent population, outpatient mental health counseling with substance use and abuse disorders, supportive employment and job development for mental health consumers, and structured living domicile management. Archives
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