In 2010, the Federal government will conduct a country-wide census. Here is the official US Census website:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/
Many questions are being asked about this census, for example:
Who is overseeing the census—the Secretary of Commerce (as mandated by the Constitution) or the White House?
Who will the census actually count and who is legally allowed to be counted (as mandated by the Constitution)?
Who will conduct the census/door-to-door canvassing?
Is the census asking information that is too “personal”?
Does the information that is being asked have any bearing on the final outcome, which is used to determine how many Representatives will head to Congress from your district?
We’d like to know what you know/think about the upcoming census.
This is not meant to divert discussions from the health care debate, but we do believe that this is another very important issue that “We the People” need to be concerned about, especially with the 2010 mid-term elections just around the corner.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read/respond to our post. More importantly, keep on educating yourself about what our government is up to—“ Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives”—James Madison.
God Bless America!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Breaking Down the ominous number of 47 Million Uninsured.
Let us break down the infamous '47 million uninsured.' According to the Census Bureau, of that 47 million, 38 percent of them (18 million) have personal incomes of more than $50,000 a year. This means that they can afford coverage, and choose not to purchase it. Is it just to tax other working people to subsidize health coverage for these 18 million who could afford it for themselves but choose not to purchase it for themselves? Anybody with half a brain towards liberty would have to answer no to the above question.
Now that leaves us with 29 million uninsured left to explain.
Of that 29 million uninsured, the biggest chunk of them aren't even citizens. Yes, you guessed it, those pesky illegal immigrants that drive up the cost of everything. It seems that our uninsured problem is directly related to the lack of border security! Of course they wouldn't be able to be covered by private health insurers because they do not possess citizenship! Their number is about 12.6 million, or 27 percent of the original '47 million uninsured' number. This could be a higher percentage, because many prominent think tanks place the number of illegal immigrants as high as 20 million, instead of the 12 or 13 million figure. However, for the sake of argument, let us go with the most conservative figure.
Subtract the 12.6 number from the remaining 29 million uninsured number, and we come to the next stage of our breakdown, 16.4 million uninsured.
Of that remaining 16.4 million uninsured, 8 million are under the age of 18. If the parents of these young ones cannot afford to cover them either on their own family plans or independently, there are public insurance options already available for them but their parents have just not signed them up.
So that leaves us with 8.4 million uninsured, a figure less than 3 percent of the American population, and many of these are 18-20 somethings who choose not to purchase health coverage because, well, they think that they won't get sick! Health experts actually refer to this age group as the 'invincibles!' The remainder of this 8.4 million uninsured are low income and could easily be covered by either federal Medicare or state run Medicaid or some charity insurance programs, and they for whatever reason have chosen not to go and get signed up.
Certainly the 3% of Americans that are uninsured something should be done. Just not H.R. 3200. It is a Fiscal nightmare, and we do not need to bankrupt our country.
Side note: We have had a lot of questions regarding where someone can find the bill so they can read what it is all about. Well we decided to post a link to it so you can see for yourself and make your own comparison. Enjoy it is long.
H.R. 3200
Now that leaves us with 29 million uninsured left to explain.
Of that 29 million uninsured, the biggest chunk of them aren't even citizens. Yes, you guessed it, those pesky illegal immigrants that drive up the cost of everything. It seems that our uninsured problem is directly related to the lack of border security! Of course they wouldn't be able to be covered by private health insurers because they do not possess citizenship! Their number is about 12.6 million, or 27 percent of the original '47 million uninsured' number. This could be a higher percentage, because many prominent think tanks place the number of illegal immigrants as high as 20 million, instead of the 12 or 13 million figure. However, for the sake of argument, let us go with the most conservative figure.
Subtract the 12.6 number from the remaining 29 million uninsured number, and we come to the next stage of our breakdown, 16.4 million uninsured.
Of that remaining 16.4 million uninsured, 8 million are under the age of 18. If the parents of these young ones cannot afford to cover them either on their own family plans or independently, there are public insurance options already available for them but their parents have just not signed them up.
So that leaves us with 8.4 million uninsured, a figure less than 3 percent of the American population, and many of these are 18-20 somethings who choose not to purchase health coverage because, well, they think that they won't get sick! Health experts actually refer to this age group as the 'invincibles!' The remainder of this 8.4 million uninsured are low income and could easily be covered by either federal Medicare or state run Medicaid or some charity insurance programs, and they for whatever reason have chosen not to go and get signed up.
Certainly the 3% of Americans that are uninsured something should be done. Just not H.R. 3200. It is a Fiscal nightmare, and we do not need to bankrupt our country.
Side note: We have had a lot of questions regarding where someone can find the bill so they can read what it is all about. Well we decided to post a link to it so you can see for yourself and make your own comparison. Enjoy it is long.
H.R. 3200
Saturday, August 22, 2009
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”—Henry Ford
And so, over the past months, Americans have come together, first to oppose the stimulus; as of late we have been “keeping together” in our concerns over health care reform; now we must continue to “work together in success” to keep our elected officials in check ! The Senate/Congress will reconvene in a little over a week and we can’t help but wonder, will they be passing legislation “We the People” want or will they be representing their campaign contributor’s interests instead? Woodrow Wilson said, “The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy.”
With all the publicity for health care reform, we must not forget that the government is working on other legislation that “We the People” need to keep track of as well. Politicians (in our opinion) are sneaky! They try and distract us with one piece of legislation (I.E., health care reform) all the while hoping we aren’t paying attention to the other bills they want to pass!
"Usually, terrible things that are done with the excuse that progress requires them are not really progress at all, but just terrible things." -- Russell Baker
The following is a sampling of the legislation being considered: (information/summaries are from http://www.opencongress.org/bill/hot)
H.R.1475 - Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009 “This legislation would allow for deductions in prison terms (other than life terms) to be granted to prisoners whose record demonstrates that they have observed all prison regulations, have not been punished, or have participated in industrial employment, meritorious service, or outstanding duties in institutional operations.”
H.R.3245 - Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009 “This bill seeks to eliminate increased and mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses involving substances containing cocaine base. The intent is to promote fairness in subsequent sentences by not making crack cocaine more punishable than powder, for example. This is one of many pieces of legislation proposed this congressional session attempting to amend the sentences of crimes related to crack cocaine. These other bills are H.R. 18, H.R.1459, H.R.2178.”
H.R.3404 - Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 “To amend the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary extension of certain unemployment benefits and the temporary availability of further additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.”
H.R.2054 - No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 “This bill seeks to enhance the environmental literacy of American students, from kindergarten to 12th grade, to foster understanding, analysis, and solutions to the major environmental challenges facing the student’s state and the Nation as a whole. Appropriations would be provided to train teachers for such instruction, provide innovative technology, and to develop studies assessing the worth of these programs in elementary and secondary school curriculums. While mainly addressing environmentalism, this legislation also seeks to touch on healthy living programs encouraging outdoor recreation and sound nutrition.”
H.R.1751 - American Dream Act “This bill amends the Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 by giving states the authority to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien’s eligibility for higher education benefits, which have been previously tied state-residency. It additionally allows for the adjustment from status of alien to conditional permanent resident and outlines the criteria for such an adjustment by the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
H.R.1586 - To impose an additional tax on bonuses received from certain TARP recipients “A direct response to the A.I.G. bonus scandal, this bill would levy a 90 percent tax on any bonuses from bailed-out firms (TARP recipients) paid out in 2009 to individuals with incomes over $250,000. The Senate will be taking up a similar bill (S. 651) soon that proposes a bailout bonus tax of 70 percent.”
H.R.2749 - Food Safety Enhancement Act “This bill proposes greater FDA regulatory powers over the national food supply and food providers, namely granting it the authority to regulate how crops are raised and harvested, to quarantine a geographic area, to make warrantless searches of business records, and to establish a national food tracing system. Concurrently, the bill would impose annual registration fees of $500 on all facilities holding, processing, or manufacturing food and require that such facilities also engaged in the transport or packing of food maintain pedigrees of the origin and previous distribution history of the food. The bill is an enhancement to H.R.759, and to a lesser extent, H.R. 857, previously proposed food safety bills in the 111th Congress. It is also co-sponsored by the same Representatives as the latter two bills, although new to the line of support is Rep. Henry Waxman, chair of the House Energy and Commerce committee.”
H.R.2454 - American Clean Energy And Security Act of 2009 “This is the Waxman-Markley comprehensive energy bill, known for short as "ACES," that includes a cap-and-trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020. Other provisions include new renewable requirements for utilities, studies and incentives regarding new carbon capture and sequestration technologies, energy efficiency incentives for homes and buildings, and grants for green jobs, among other things.”
H.Res.554 “This resolution would require that the full text of House legislation and accompanying committee reports be continuously posted on the Internet. Moreover it seeks to establish a policy prohibiting the House from voting on legislation until 72 hours after its text is made available to Congress members and the general public. The bill’s stated purpose is to enhance public participation and improve the quality of proposed legislation by ensuring the opportunity for its review by actors ranging from State officials to members of the public.”
S.J.Res.7 “This resolution, along with H.J.Res.21in the House, proposes to alter the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, such that state-wide elections, rather than gubernatorial appointments, would be required for filling vacancies in the Senate. Introduced by Sen. John McCain [R, AZ], Sen. Richard Durban [D, IL], the resolutions comes after the controversy surrounding the appointment of Sen. Roland Burris [D, IL] by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, as well as the high number of Senators appointed early in the year (four, which actually pales in comparison to the over a dozen appointed Senators in the 79th Congress).”
S.1285 “This is a stand-alone version of the Lieberman-Graham amendment from Iraq/Afghanistan supplemental to block the public disclosed of any detainee torture photos, even if the Freedom of Information Act compelled their disclosure. The amendment was stripped from the supplemental by the House-Senate conference committee, but this stand-alone version passed the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent on June 17. The text of this bill is exactly the same as the version that was included in the supplemental”
S.752 “This bill would establish a public funding system for Senate elections and subsequently outlines eligibility and contribution requirements as well as prohibitions such those on joint fundraising committees. The same provisions are put forth in H.R.1826 with regard to House elections.”
H.R.17 - Citizens' Self-Defense Act of 2009 “ In correlation with the restrictions outlined by the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, this bill protects and provides context for the possession and use of fire arms, namely in defense of the self or family (or, when relevant, the home) against a reasonably perceived threat of unlawful bodily injury or violent felony. It also holds relevance in light of the H.R.45, the Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, which seeks to amend the afore mentioned Act of 1993.”
H.R.197 - National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009 “This bill would create a national standard allowing a person to carry a concealed weapon in a state in which they are not a resident, given that they have a valid permit and are in accordance with that state’s and this bill’s restrictions.”
S.179 - Health Information Technology Act of 2009 “This bill encourages the use of clinical health care informatics systems and services by offering monetary incentives to health care providers in order to offset the related costs of such technology. It would also seek to develop national standards regarding data and communication health information technology, working towards the goals of efficient data exchange and improved health care quality while protecting patient privacy and security.”
H.Res.615 “This Resolution urges Members of Congress, who vote in favor of a public option in health insurance, to forgo their participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and agree to enroll under that public option.”
H.R.1106 - Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 “This bill, a major part of President Obama's foreclosure prevention plan, would allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages on primary residences, provide legal protection to mortgage servicers who work out loan modifications, make several changes to the Hope for Homeowners program, reform the FDIC insurance fund, and more. A detailed summary can be found at the House Financial Services Committee's website.”
S.1261 - PASS ID Act “This bill seeks to set out minimum requirements for State driver’s licenses and ID cards regarding what data is included and what documentation must be presented when receiving such ID cards. In turn, it would shift a degree of authority from the State to the Federal level by prohibiting a Federal agency from accepting, for any official purposes, a State ID card unless that State it is materially compliant with this bill’s minimum requirements.”
H.R.264 - Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009 “This legislation seeks to provide increased protection and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants. Eligibility is extended by doubling the number of available visas from 480,000 to 960,000, by offering legalization to aliens who have been in the US for five years or are children, and by providing undocumented Haitians in the US with access to lawful permanent resident status. Additionally, the bill includes immigrant protections relating to the context of sex-related crimes as well as calling for the enhancement of Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security.”
H.R.801 - Fair Copyright in Research Works Act “This bill seeks to amend copyright code and create a new category of copyrighted works to the effect of reversing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public Access Policy. This would prohibit the government from requiring scholarly journals to make federally funded studies accessible to the public. Proponents of the bill are largely limited to the American Association of Publishers and the bill’s sponsors, namely Rep. John Conyers, who introduced it for the second time after its exact replica, H.R. 6845, died in the 110th Congress.”
S.560 - Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 “This bill (aka "card check") would change the rules governing the formation of unions, the way first contracts between unions and employers are negotiated, and how employees' rights are enforced.Under the bill, workers would be able to decide whether to hold a secret ballot vote on union formation after a majority of employees have signed union authorization cards, or to have the union certified based on the cards alone. Under the current rules, employers have the power to make that decision. The bill also designates a time line for first contracts to be drawn up between unions and employees and stipulates that if no deal is reached within 120 days, an arbitration panel will render a decision that will be binding for two years. Finally, it would increase the fines employers must pay if found guilty of violating their employees' right to unionize.”
H.R.226 - Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009 “ Although the Fairness Doctrine, requiring broadcasters to present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues, was abolished in 1987, this bill would inhibit the Federal Communications Commission from reintroducing it in the future.”
H.R.25 - Fair Tax Act of 2009 “Resurfacing for the 6th consecutive congressional session, this bill strives to repeal the income tax, employment tax, and estate and gift tax, and to replace them with a national sales tax at a rate of 23%. It sets forth provisions for the states’ collection of sales tax revenues and the Treasury’s handling of the remittances of such revenues while setting up two new tax bureaus in the Department of Treasury in the place of the IRS.”
These are just a few examples of what Congress will be discussing this fall session and as you can see, they like to dabble in a little bit of every aspect of our lives. Please choose what’s important to you, learn as much as you can about what is being proposed; contact your elected representatives (White House/Senators/Congress) and voice your concerns, repeatedly if necessary. “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” --James Madison
Thank you for taking the time to read our post. We close with quotes from Barry Goldwater (first) and Henry Ford that are very predictive for the times we live in:
“A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have,” and, “A weakness of all human beings is trying to do too many things at once. That scatters effort and destroys direction. It makes for haste, and haste makes waste.”
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
With all the publicity for health care reform, we must not forget that the government is working on other legislation that “We the People” need to keep track of as well. Politicians (in our opinion) are sneaky! They try and distract us with one piece of legislation (I.E., health care reform) all the while hoping we aren’t paying attention to the other bills they want to pass!
"Usually, terrible things that are done with the excuse that progress requires them are not really progress at all, but just terrible things." -- Russell Baker
The following is a sampling of the legislation being considered: (information/summaries are from http://www.opencongress.org/bill/hot)
H.R.1475 - Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009 “This legislation would allow for deductions in prison terms (other than life terms) to be granted to prisoners whose record demonstrates that they have observed all prison regulations, have not been punished, or have participated in industrial employment, meritorious service, or outstanding duties in institutional operations.”
H.R.3245 - Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009 “This bill seeks to eliminate increased and mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses involving substances containing cocaine base. The intent is to promote fairness in subsequent sentences by not making crack cocaine more punishable than powder, for example. This is one of many pieces of legislation proposed this congressional session attempting to amend the sentences of crimes related to crack cocaine. These other bills are H.R. 18, H.R.1459, H.R.2178.”
H.R.3404 - Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 “To amend the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 to provide for the temporary extension of certain unemployment benefits and the temporary availability of further additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.”
H.R.2054 - No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 “This bill seeks to enhance the environmental literacy of American students, from kindergarten to 12th grade, to foster understanding, analysis, and solutions to the major environmental challenges facing the student’s state and the Nation as a whole. Appropriations would be provided to train teachers for such instruction, provide innovative technology, and to develop studies assessing the worth of these programs in elementary and secondary school curriculums. While mainly addressing environmentalism, this legislation also seeks to touch on healthy living programs encouraging outdoor recreation and sound nutrition.”
H.R.1751 - American Dream Act “This bill amends the Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 by giving states the authority to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien’s eligibility for higher education benefits, which have been previously tied state-residency. It additionally allows for the adjustment from status of alien to conditional permanent resident and outlines the criteria for such an adjustment by the Secretary of Homeland Security.”
H.R.1586 - To impose an additional tax on bonuses received from certain TARP recipients “A direct response to the A.I.G. bonus scandal, this bill would levy a 90 percent tax on any bonuses from bailed-out firms (TARP recipients) paid out in 2009 to individuals with incomes over $250,000. The Senate will be taking up a similar bill (S. 651) soon that proposes a bailout bonus tax of 70 percent.”
H.R.2749 - Food Safety Enhancement Act “This bill proposes greater FDA regulatory powers over the national food supply and food providers, namely granting it the authority to regulate how crops are raised and harvested, to quarantine a geographic area, to make warrantless searches of business records, and to establish a national food tracing system. Concurrently, the bill would impose annual registration fees of $500 on all facilities holding, processing, or manufacturing food and require that such facilities also engaged in the transport or packing of food maintain pedigrees of the origin and previous distribution history of the food. The bill is an enhancement to H.R.759, and to a lesser extent, H.R. 857, previously proposed food safety bills in the 111th Congress. It is also co-sponsored by the same Representatives as the latter two bills, although new to the line of support is Rep. Henry Waxman, chair of the House Energy and Commerce committee.”
H.R.2454 - American Clean Energy And Security Act of 2009 “This is the Waxman-Markley comprehensive energy bill, known for short as "ACES," that includes a cap-and-trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020. Other provisions include new renewable requirements for utilities, studies and incentives regarding new carbon capture and sequestration technologies, energy efficiency incentives for homes and buildings, and grants for green jobs, among other things.”
H.Res.554 “This resolution would require that the full text of House legislation and accompanying committee reports be continuously posted on the Internet. Moreover it seeks to establish a policy prohibiting the House from voting on legislation until 72 hours after its text is made available to Congress members and the general public. The bill’s stated purpose is to enhance public participation and improve the quality of proposed legislation by ensuring the opportunity for its review by actors ranging from State officials to members of the public.”
S.J.Res.7 “This resolution, along with H.J.Res.21in the House, proposes to alter the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, such that state-wide elections, rather than gubernatorial appointments, would be required for filling vacancies in the Senate. Introduced by Sen. John McCain [R, AZ], Sen. Richard Durban [D, IL], the resolutions comes after the controversy surrounding the appointment of Sen. Roland Burris [D, IL] by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, as well as the high number of Senators appointed early in the year (four, which actually pales in comparison to the over a dozen appointed Senators in the 79th Congress).”
S.1285 “This is a stand-alone version of the Lieberman-Graham amendment from Iraq/Afghanistan supplemental to block the public disclosed of any detainee torture photos, even if the Freedom of Information Act compelled their disclosure. The amendment was stripped from the supplemental by the House-Senate conference committee, but this stand-alone version passed the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent on June 17. The text of this bill is exactly the same as the version that was included in the supplemental”
S.752 “This bill would establish a public funding system for Senate elections and subsequently outlines eligibility and contribution requirements as well as prohibitions such those on joint fundraising committees. The same provisions are put forth in H.R.1826 with regard to House elections.”
H.R.17 - Citizens' Self-Defense Act of 2009 “ In correlation with the restrictions outlined by the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, this bill protects and provides context for the possession and use of fire arms, namely in defense of the self or family (or, when relevant, the home) against a reasonably perceived threat of unlawful bodily injury or violent felony. It also holds relevance in light of the H.R.45, the Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, which seeks to amend the afore mentioned Act of 1993.”
H.R.197 - National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009 “This bill would create a national standard allowing a person to carry a concealed weapon in a state in which they are not a resident, given that they have a valid permit and are in accordance with that state’s and this bill’s restrictions.”
S.179 - Health Information Technology Act of 2009 “This bill encourages the use of clinical health care informatics systems and services by offering monetary incentives to health care providers in order to offset the related costs of such technology. It would also seek to develop national standards regarding data and communication health information technology, working towards the goals of efficient data exchange and improved health care quality while protecting patient privacy and security.”
H.Res.615 “This Resolution urges Members of Congress, who vote in favor of a public option in health insurance, to forgo their participation in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and agree to enroll under that public option.”
H.R.1106 - Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 “This bill, a major part of President Obama's foreclosure prevention plan, would allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages on primary residences, provide legal protection to mortgage servicers who work out loan modifications, make several changes to the Hope for Homeowners program, reform the FDIC insurance fund, and more. A detailed summary can be found at the House Financial Services Committee's website.”
S.1261 - PASS ID Act “This bill seeks to set out minimum requirements for State driver’s licenses and ID cards regarding what data is included and what documentation must be presented when receiving such ID cards. In turn, it would shift a degree of authority from the State to the Federal level by prohibiting a Federal agency from accepting, for any official purposes, a State ID card unless that State it is materially compliant with this bill’s minimum requirements.”
H.R.264 - Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009 “This legislation seeks to provide increased protection and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants. Eligibility is extended by doubling the number of available visas from 480,000 to 960,000, by offering legalization to aliens who have been in the US for five years or are children, and by providing undocumented Haitians in the US with access to lawful permanent resident status. Additionally, the bill includes immigrant protections relating to the context of sex-related crimes as well as calling for the enhancement of Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security.”
H.R.801 - Fair Copyright in Research Works Act “This bill seeks to amend copyright code and create a new category of copyrighted works to the effect of reversing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public Access Policy. This would prohibit the government from requiring scholarly journals to make federally funded studies accessible to the public. Proponents of the bill are largely limited to the American Association of Publishers and the bill’s sponsors, namely Rep. John Conyers, who introduced it for the second time after its exact replica, H.R. 6845, died in the 110th Congress.”
S.560 - Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 “This bill (aka "card check") would change the rules governing the formation of unions, the way first contracts between unions and employers are negotiated, and how employees' rights are enforced.Under the bill, workers would be able to decide whether to hold a secret ballot vote on union formation after a majority of employees have signed union authorization cards, or to have the union certified based on the cards alone. Under the current rules, employers have the power to make that decision. The bill also designates a time line for first contracts to be drawn up between unions and employees and stipulates that if no deal is reached within 120 days, an arbitration panel will render a decision that will be binding for two years. Finally, it would increase the fines employers must pay if found guilty of violating their employees' right to unionize.”
H.R.226 - Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009 “ Although the Fairness Doctrine, requiring broadcasters to present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues, was abolished in 1987, this bill would inhibit the Federal Communications Commission from reintroducing it in the future.”
H.R.25 - Fair Tax Act of 2009 “Resurfacing for the 6th consecutive congressional session, this bill strives to repeal the income tax, employment tax, and estate and gift tax, and to replace them with a national sales tax at a rate of 23%. It sets forth provisions for the states’ collection of sales tax revenues and the Treasury’s handling of the remittances of such revenues while setting up two new tax bureaus in the Department of Treasury in the place of the IRS.”
These are just a few examples of what Congress will be discussing this fall session and as you can see, they like to dabble in a little bit of every aspect of our lives. Please choose what’s important to you, learn as much as you can about what is being proposed; contact your elected representatives (White House/Senators/Congress) and voice your concerns, repeatedly if necessary. “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” --James Madison
Thank you for taking the time to read our post. We close with quotes from Barry Goldwater (first) and Henry Ford that are very predictive for the times we live in:
“A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have,” and, “A weakness of all human beings is trying to do too many things at once. That scatters effort and destroys direction. It makes for haste, and haste makes waste.”
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
“By Any Legislative Means Necessary”
The American people do not like President Barack Obama’s health care plan. According to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll 42% of Americans “think his plan is a bad idea” compared to only 36% who think it is a good idea. 40% of Americans believe Obama’s health care plan “will result in the quality of your health care getting worse” compared to 24% who believe their care will get better. And 47% of Americans oppose “creating a public health care plan administered by the federal government” compared to only 43% who support it. Facing this cratering of public support, the left in Congress is now considering abandoning moderates and independents to pass their narrow partisan ideal of health reform. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spokesman Jim Manley promised yesterday that Democrats will pass Obamacare “by any legislative means necessary.”
What exactly does Senator Reid mean by ‘any legislative means necessary’? The Wall Street Journal explains: “Most legislation in the Senate requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, but certain budget-related measures can pass with 51 votes through a parliamentary maneuver called reconciliation.” The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 created reconciliation, but Congress didn’t really use it until the 1980s. In 1993, President Bill Clinton tried to use the rule to press his health care plan through the Senate, but Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) resisted, introducing the Byrd Rule which allows any Senator to strike specific provisions or amendments from legislation if a 60 vote Senate majority agrees that the item is “extraneous” to the budget. At the time Byrd specifically argued that health care was out of bounds for a process that was intended to only apply to budgets.
But Democrats in Congress are undeterred by history, precedent, and public opinion. They are now planning to split the bill into two parts: one bill with budget-related matters and another bill with policy changes such as the insurance market reforms. They even are prepared to argue that the core of the left’s health care vision: a government-run health care plan can be considered a budget related item. The WSJ reports: “Democratic leaders have concluded they can pack more of their health overhaul plans under this procedure, congressional aides said. They might even be able to include a public insurance plan to compete with private insurers, a key demand of the party’s liberal wing.”
The American people are already sick and tired of 1,000 page bills and strong arm legislative tactics. A new Gallup poll shows that 82% of Republicans and even 40% of Democrats disapprove of the job Congress is doing. Even more troubling for the “by any means necessary” crowd is that 70% of independents share a negative view of the House and Senate. Finally, a new Pew poll shows that for the first time since President Barack Obama took office the percentage of Americans who hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party has slipped below 50%. How will independents feel about liberals in Congress if they pass a health plan that 40% of Americans believe “will result in the quality of your health care getting worse”?
Friday, August 21, 2009
Death Panels ??? How about a Death book?
The Death Book for Veterans
Ex-soldiers don't need to be told they're a burden to
Your Life, Your Choices.By JIM TOWEY
If President Obama wants to better understand why America's discomfort with end-of-life discussions threatens to derail his health-care reform, he might begin with his own Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He will quickly discover how government bureaucrats are greasing the slippery slope that can start with cost containment but quickly become a systematic denial of care.
Last year, bureaucrats at the VA's National Center for Ethics in Health Care advocated a 52-page end-of-life planning document, "Your Life, Your Choices." It was first published in 1997 and later promoted as the VA's preferred living will throughout its vast network of hospitals and nursing homes. After the Bush White House took a look at how this document was treating complex health and moral issues, the VA suspended its use. Unfortunately, under President Obama, the VA has now resuscitated "Your Life, Your Choices."
Who is the primary author of this workbook? Dr. Robert Pearlman, chief of ethics evaluation for the center, a man who in 1996 advocated for physician-assisted suicide in Vacco v. Quill before the U.S. Supreme Court and is known for his support of health-care rationing.
"Your Life, Your Choices" presents end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions, much like a political "push poll." For example, a worksheet on page 21 lists various scenarios and asks users to then decide whether their own life would be "not worth living."
The circumstances listed include ones common among the elderly and disabled: living in a nursing home, being in a wheelchair and not being able to "shake the blues." There is a section which provocatively asks, "Have you ever heard anyone say, 'If I'm a vegetable, pull the plug'?" There also are guilt-inducing scenarios such as "I can no longer contribute to my family's well being," "I am a severe financial burden on my family" and that the vet's situation "causes severe emotional burden for my family."
When the government can steer vulnerable individuals to conclude for themselves that life is not worth living, who needs a death panel?
One can only imagine a soldier surviving the war in Iraq and returning without all of his limbs only to encounter a veteran's health-care system that seems intent on his surrender.
I was not surprised to learn that the VA panel of experts that sought to update "Your Life, Your Choices" between 2007-2008 did not include any representatives of faith groups or disability rights advocates. And as you might guess, only one organization was listed in the new version as a resource on advance directives: the Hemlock Society (now euphemistically known as "Compassion and Choices").
This hurry-up-and-die message is clear and unconscionable. Worse, a July 2009 VA directive instructs its primary care physicians to raise advance care planning with all VA patients and to refer them to "Your Life, Your Choices." Not just those of advanced age and debilitated condition—all patients. America's 24 million veterans deserve better.
Many years ago I created an advance care planning document called "Five Wishes" that is today the most widely used living will in America, with 13 million copies in national circulation. Unlike the VA's document, this one does not contain the standard bias to withdraw or withhold medical care. It meets the legal requirements of at least 43 states, and it runs exactly 12 pages.
After a decade of observing end-of-life discussions, I can attest to the great fear that many patients have, particularly those with few family members and financial resources. I lived and worked in an AIDS home in the mid-1980s and saw first-hand how the dying wanted more than health care—they wanted someone to care.
If President Obama is sincere in stating that he is not trying to cut costs by pressuring the disabled to forgo critical care, one good way to show that commitment is to walk two blocks from the Oval Office and pull the plug on "Your Life, Your Choices." He should make sure in the future that VA decisions are guided by values that treat the lives of our veterans as gifts, not burdens.
Mr. Towey, president of Saint Vincent College, was director of the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives (2002-2006) and founder of the nonprofit Aging with Dignity.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Dennis Kucinich was on Fox News this morning
. . .talking about supporting government run health care! When we find the video (link) from Fox, we will post it. He can't hold a town hall, but he can go on the radio (WTAM), go on local TV (Feagler) and now he's gone national (Fox News).
UPDATE: Sorry, we're not real technological, but here's the link to the video and a transcript from Fox News as to the conversation between Kucinich and Megyn Kelly this morning: http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/25948719/united-front.htm#q=kucinich
About This Video
United Front?
Title:
United Front?
Published: Tue, 18 Aug 2009
Description: Democrats at odds over government-run health care
-
Automatically Generated Transcript (may not be 100% accurate)
" While the White House opening the door this week into the possibility of -- health care reform bill that does not include a government run option. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen -- as saying it's really not essential. And then the White House tried to dial that back after many people in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party complaint. Well now some Democrats say the government run option is not included. This bill is essentially dead on arrival democratic Dennis Kucinich of Ohio is it big supporter of a government run plan he's my guest now good morning congressman. -- fine thanks so tell -- about this because you Kathleen sibelius opened the door. And then we heard that and many who love them more liberal members of congress put some pressure on the White House saying what the congressional progressive caucus. The congressional black caucus specifically writing letters objecting saying don't don't say the public option -- government -- is that essential. It is. Your position --"
" Well first -- you know the public option that was. Offered in the bill wasn't much to begin with. The whole idea was it was going to encourage competition between insurance companies so if you don't have that that means there is no and competition between insurance companies. And that means it costs are gonna go up senate."
" Let me just clarify that -- should point meaning in order to get the conservative blue dogs -- they had the sort of -- down to the point where they were gonna make the public option plan. Compete with private insurers when it came. Two rates so that that meeting in that's why it's taken out on T."
" Right there's not going to be any competition so that means that the costs are gonna keep going up. Just like the -- the administration made with the drug companies where -- instead of reforming Medicare part. Medicare part. Cost of drugs and keep going up so -- about anyway except. You know the government subsidizing. Private enterprise and I don't think government should be interfering in the marketplace I don't -- to be picking winners and losers in the private sector but that's exactly what this bill does."
" So how do you mean how do you get a bill that's that's meaningful through at this point because you've got the Senate. At least according to Kent Conrad one of the senators whose do -- part of this bipartisan group of six and doing the negotiating and their bill says. There's not any public option in the Senate bill that does the government run -- health care is not come at a senate they get Nancy Pelosi -- saying. We're not have a bill coming out of the house that doesn't happen so how does that -- squared up."
" First of government -- is not government run when you talk about government run that they veterans. Medicare pays the bills but it's not government run system what -- is Medicare fraud that is everyone's covered because the insurance companies take one out of every three dollars and and basically right off the top. Take that money putting -- to -- what's covered. Now what's gonna happen right now what should happen actually they should go right back to square one go to the American people instead of trying to force down. The throats of the American people a bill that no one understands. A bill that hasn't been well defined. We should go back and listen to the American people and their concerns about health care and I think when we do that the people are going to. Create the momentum that's needed -- have at a -- it's gonna cover everyone what right now this thing has been bought bungled."
" What do you -- than that though that show that the -- majority of Americans don't don't lot. The government messing with their health care. Insurance right now that they didn't and 80% I think it is of Americans are pretty happy with the health care plans as they happen."
" I think it's a measure of how the -- been mishandled rather than the underlying fact of people suddenly being in love with their premiums they're -- days they're deductibles why. Why -- you know if you have government trying to help. Lower the -- by having -- Medicare for -- the next thing you'll have is a government run government might got. I mean we we really have to get some perspective on this people don't have health care because -- can't afford the premiums they're underinsured look at because the co pays and deductibles are driving them. Into the poor house so you know we've got to go back to the people start over they need if there ever was an issue they needed a hit the reset button. This is there."
" But let me just found on that because you're talking about what some might consider relatively small faction of Americans who don't have insurance or -- under insured. Because the research shows that the vast majority of Americans have insurance. And as I point out thought at that not only -- they haven't but they're happy with and that argue of people -- against your point is. Why should we be messing with the entire system why can't we just like in this down and away. That can help those of the you know that the number the administration uses -- 47 million uninsured and -- people say it's really not nearly that big it's more like fifteen million if you exclude the so called invincible for twenty somethings who don't want it conveyed. Yeah accurately -- that probably not gonna need it and you take out the illegals and sought an -- why can't we say -- it down just a cover the people who truly are mostly neat."
" we are we -- out one nation. The fact is that the insurance companies take one out of every three dollars and everyone could be covered for the money that's already in the system -- paying for universal standard of care we're not getting it. And so -- the fact is that all these polls have been taken our polls that are really based on a bad day that dynamic of the issue as it's been mishandled. When you have 47. Million Americans to use the administration figures without any care that's -- drain on the rest of the economy. When you consider the fact that you -- watching out there are paying for someone else's health care in an emergency room. Think of what happens when you start to emphasize primary care and every -- cover the cost goes down again. So we want to have a system that that is sustainable and that's what Medicare is and I of course support HR 676 on the clock that bill Medicare for -- That's the way to really control costs that's a way to help business. And industry in the United States finally give them an advantage that other countries have over businesses here by having heart health care costs driven down."
" And that -- does -- that would end in a word I do you plan on voting for a health care bill in the house that does not have a government broader public option."
" That -- as presently exist is really not sustainable and can't be supported all right I don't intend on voting for it unless something dramatically changes congressman Dennis Kucinich thank you so much for coming up. Thank you -- yeah that would make him one of the one."
WE FIND MR. KUCINICH'S COMMENTS IRONIC IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT HE HASN'T HAD ANY FACE TO FACE TOWN HALLS THAT HE WOULD SAY, "so you know we've got to go back to the people".
UPDATE: Sorry, we're not real technological, but here's the link to the video and a transcript from Fox News as to the conversation between Kucinich and Megyn Kelly this morning: http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/25948719/united-front.htm#q=kucinich
About This Video
United Front?
Title:
United Front?
Published: Tue, 18 Aug 2009
Description: Democrats at odds over government-run health care
-
Automatically Generated Transcript (may not be 100% accurate)
" While the White House opening the door this week into the possibility of -- health care reform bill that does not include a government run option. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen -- as saying it's really not essential. And then the White House tried to dial that back after many people in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party complaint. Well now some Democrats say the government run option is not included. This bill is essentially dead on arrival democratic Dennis Kucinich of Ohio is it big supporter of a government run plan he's my guest now good morning congressman. -- fine thanks so tell -- about this because you Kathleen sibelius opened the door. And then we heard that and many who love them more liberal members of congress put some pressure on the White House saying what the congressional progressive caucus. The congressional black caucus specifically writing letters objecting saying don't don't say the public option -- government -- is that essential. It is. Your position --"
" Well first -- you know the public option that was. Offered in the bill wasn't much to begin with. The whole idea was it was going to encourage competition between insurance companies so if you don't have that that means there is no and competition between insurance companies. And that means it costs are gonna go up senate."
" Let me just clarify that -- should point meaning in order to get the conservative blue dogs -- they had the sort of -- down to the point where they were gonna make the public option plan. Compete with private insurers when it came. Two rates so that that meeting in that's why it's taken out on T."
" Right there's not going to be any competition so that means that the costs are gonna keep going up. Just like the -- the administration made with the drug companies where -- instead of reforming Medicare part. Medicare part. Cost of drugs and keep going up so -- about anyway except. You know the government subsidizing. Private enterprise and I don't think government should be interfering in the marketplace I don't -- to be picking winners and losers in the private sector but that's exactly what this bill does."
" So how do you mean how do you get a bill that's that's meaningful through at this point because you've got the Senate. At least according to Kent Conrad one of the senators whose do -- part of this bipartisan group of six and doing the negotiating and their bill says. There's not any public option in the Senate bill that does the government run -- health care is not come at a senate they get Nancy Pelosi -- saying. We're not have a bill coming out of the house that doesn't happen so how does that -- squared up."
" First of government -- is not government run when you talk about government run that they veterans. Medicare pays the bills but it's not government run system what -- is Medicare fraud that is everyone's covered because the insurance companies take one out of every three dollars and and basically right off the top. Take that money putting -- to -- what's covered. Now what's gonna happen right now what should happen actually they should go right back to square one go to the American people instead of trying to force down. The throats of the American people a bill that no one understands. A bill that hasn't been well defined. We should go back and listen to the American people and their concerns about health care and I think when we do that the people are going to. Create the momentum that's needed -- have at a -- it's gonna cover everyone what right now this thing has been bought bungled."
" What do you -- than that though that show that the -- majority of Americans don't don't lot. The government messing with their health care. Insurance right now that they didn't and 80% I think it is of Americans are pretty happy with the health care plans as they happen."
" I think it's a measure of how the -- been mishandled rather than the underlying fact of people suddenly being in love with their premiums they're -- days they're deductibles why. Why -- you know if you have government trying to help. Lower the -- by having -- Medicare for -- the next thing you'll have is a government run government might got. I mean we we really have to get some perspective on this people don't have health care because -- can't afford the premiums they're underinsured look at because the co pays and deductibles are driving them. Into the poor house so you know we've got to go back to the people start over they need if there ever was an issue they needed a hit the reset button. This is there."
" But let me just found on that because you're talking about what some might consider relatively small faction of Americans who don't have insurance or -- under insured. Because the research shows that the vast majority of Americans have insurance. And as I point out thought at that not only -- they haven't but they're happy with and that argue of people -- against your point is. Why should we be messing with the entire system why can't we just like in this down and away. That can help those of the you know that the number the administration uses -- 47 million uninsured and -- people say it's really not nearly that big it's more like fifteen million if you exclude the so called invincible for twenty somethings who don't want it conveyed. Yeah accurately -- that probably not gonna need it and you take out the illegals and sought an -- why can't we say -- it down just a cover the people who truly are mostly neat."
" we are we -- out one nation. The fact is that the insurance companies take one out of every three dollars and everyone could be covered for the money that's already in the system -- paying for universal standard of care we're not getting it. And so -- the fact is that all these polls have been taken our polls that are really based on a bad day that dynamic of the issue as it's been mishandled. When you have 47. Million Americans to use the administration figures without any care that's -- drain on the rest of the economy. When you consider the fact that you -- watching out there are paying for someone else's health care in an emergency room. Think of what happens when you start to emphasize primary care and every -- cover the cost goes down again. So we want to have a system that that is sustainable and that's what Medicare is and I of course support HR 676 on the clock that bill Medicare for -- That's the way to really control costs that's a way to help business. And industry in the United States finally give them an advantage that other countries have over businesses here by having heart health care costs driven down."
" And that -- does -- that would end in a word I do you plan on voting for a health care bill in the house that does not have a government broader public option."
" That -- as presently exist is really not sustainable and can't be supported all right I don't intend on voting for it unless something dramatically changes congressman Dennis Kucinich thank you so much for coming up. Thank you -- yeah that would make him one of the one."
WE FIND MR. KUCINICH'S COMMENTS IRONIC IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT HE HASN'T HAD ANY FACE TO FACE TOWN HALLS THAT HE WOULD SAY, "so you know we've got to go back to the people".
Watchdog Groups Release Database Detailing Earmarks and Campaign Contributions
From Open Secrets --
Two of Washington, D.C.'s most reliable and respected nonpartisan watchdogs joined forces today and released a comprehensive database linking campaign contributions with earmarked spending by lawmakers.
Taxpayers for Common Sense, a national budget watchdog, provided data documenting more than 20,000 earmarked spending provisions worth over $35 billion. The Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money-in-politics on its website, OpenSecrets.org, provided data detailing $226.8 million in campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures.
"At a minimum, earmarks granted to lawmakers' friends and supporters merit scrutiny and indicate potential conflicts of interest," said Sheila Krumholz, Executive Director of the Center for Responsive Politics. "This information will help Americans decide for themselves whether their congressional representatives are beholden to the voters who elect them – or to elite interests bankrolling their campaigns."
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