Greta: Witching hour approaches for ObamaCare and politicians' staff

Greta: Witching hour for politicians' staff

'Off the Record', 10/29/13: Politicians will soon decide whether their staff members will be forced to go on ObamaCare or remain on their existing insurance plans. Guess what staff members want?

By Greta Van Susteren

Let's go "Off the Record" for a minute. We are approaching the witching hour. Just to be clear, I'm not talking about some hour on Halloween that once a year, we may get our trees decorated and toilet-papered. (By the way, don't tell me you never did something like that because I know most of you did. I read your comments on GretaWire.)

The witching hour I'm talking about here is the other witching hour. It likewise falls on October 31st and specific time 5:00 p.m ET. That is the date and hour by which our politicians have to make a huge decision, ObamaCare or no ObamaCare for their staff. Lawmakers must decide on that date and by that hour how to designate their staffers, either as "official" or "unofficial."

Staffers designated as unofficial will remain in existing federal system with taxpayers. That means you are paying part of the staff's health care costs. Of course, that's what the staffers want. They want to keep their existing plan. Sound familiar?

But if, on the other hand, senators and members of Congress designate their staff as official, the staff is then enrolled in the D.C. health exchange. That is ObamaCare. Staffers don't want ObamaCare -- not at all. ObamaCare will cost each individual staffer more money since you, the taxpayers, will not be subsidizing their premiums. So as we approach the political witching hour at 5 p.m. on October 31st, aren't you curious how Senate leaders like Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Dick Durbin --both Democrats -- what they will do to designate their staffs?

They are architects of ObamaCare, and they have been saying how great it is for you. How about for their staffs? Are they going to share that goodness with them or keep you on the hook for paying part of their staff premiums? What do you think? Go to GretaWire.com and tell us. And that's my "Off the Record" comment tonight.