WASHINGTON, D.C. Sept. 24 (DPI) — Will Congress and its staff be able to exempt themselves from the mandates and constraints of The Affordable Care Act?

With little press coverage, Congress has managed to exempt itself from the new law, which mandates coverage, penalizes those who don’t participate and doesn’t allow existing high-quality health-care coverage without penalty. And despite efforts to overturn the exemption, it appears congressmen and their staffers will be allowed to retain their valuable benefit.

According to The New York Times, Congressional staffers were “panicked” about the possibility that their generous coverage will be cut back or eliminated because of the new law, which Congress passed in 2010 and begins to take effect next month.

But isn’t a backlash against such blatant double-dealing inevitable? At some point, yes, but so there has been little.

Still, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion article by William Bennett and Christopher Beach today pointing out the obvious hypocrisy of the exemption. Hundreds of readers posted a barrage of bitter comments on the matter.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324665604579080921594857770.html?mod=trending_now_2

Supporters of the exemption, mostly Democrats, said congressional staffs would suffer a “brain drain” if current staffers were forced to leave their jobs because of reduced health-care coverage.  That spurred hoots of derision on comment boards.

A sampling from wsj.com:

“The double standard is a damn outrage…. no matter if the law sucks or not, it does not give Congress or the White House the right to exempt themselves from it! They should stick the law to themselves instead of the American people.

Any wonder why the White House and DC politicians (Republicans AND Democrats) are both hated?!

Washington DC having a “brain drain.” Give me a break. These are not the smartest people in the room.”

“Congress complains that without its special subsidies the Hill will suffer a “brain drain” ”

I’m not sure about the rest of you, but a “brain drain” in Washington sounds like just the thing this country needs.