Kevin Price
From Facebook
The term "crisis" is thrown around rather liberally today, but there should be no question that our nation is in a desperate situation today. Our problem is not merely fiscal, but political and cultural. Our deficits and growing debt are driven by a government that is no longer constrained by the rule of law.
Generally speaking, most politicians are on the bandwagon of supporting an increase in government power and spending. On the political left, the argument is that the government's spending should be unchecked, it is the people and business that needs to be watched. For the vast majority of those on the right in Congress, the answer is a sad response of "yes, government can spend where it wants... the only question is how much." They fight back with pleas of, "this amount of spending may be dangerous," when they should be declaring that we are committing economic and political crimes.
On the political landscape today, it is hard to find members of Congress who are willing to speak with honesty about the direction our nation is going, one of the few exceptions is Ted Poe of Texas. Poe has been a frequent guest on my radio show and he voted against bailouts and TARP even when the conventional wisdom was that they were necessary. Recently, he has become aggressive in his disdain for a government that is out of control.
Congressman Poe has introduced House Resolution 959 which expresses the sense that many member of Congress "challenge the authority of the federal government to require by law that Americans purchase health insurance, or any goods or services." Substantively, bills like this have little importance. If a majority pass it, there will be no actual change in the law. However, there has been little discussion of all on what the limits of government are, so I find this action very refreshing.
Congressman Poe notes that "Any bill that requires Americans to buy something under the guise of a tax or pay a fine, violates House procedural rules. This legislation is based on the premise that such a bill is an unconstitutional exercise of legislative taxing authority. Thus any such bills brought to the floor would be ruled out of order."
There is a growing movement towards the restoration of the federal system established by the Founding Fathers and it is based on Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which states: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States."
The Congressman goes on to describe the direction this nation is drifting towards: "It is a very slippery slope to allow Congress to expand this authority for the purpose of forcing American citizens to buy health insurance or anything else," Congressman Poe continued. "We must heed the confines of our Constitution, not ignore it in a mad rush to expand the federal government or reinterpret its meaning to serve a political purpose."
I, for one, am only interested in supporting candidates of Congress who share a similar view. The Constitution is the law of the land and every member who swears to defend it should be bound to that reasonable standard.
Kevin Price is a syndicated columnist whose articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media. Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tribute to a Historic Year 2009
This was forwarded to us in an email from CeCe Dettore. The video was made by a young lady (JZ) that we hope will soon be blogging here.
"The Problem with HealthCare Reform" by R. Randall Sukman, M.D.
This speech on HealthCare Reform was given by Dr. R. Randall Sukman at the November 21st Branson TEA Party:
This represents Nancy Pelosi's gift to the american people. A 2,000 page, 1.3 trillion dollar new bureaucracy for healthcare. This is CECIL'S TEXT BOOK FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE. If you read this (CECIL'S TEXT BOOK FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE), you may be an internist. If you read this (2,000 BILL), you are likely an insomniac.
We have the best healthcare in the world. When Canadians, who by the way hate socialized medicine, need a knee replacement or timely treatment, they come to the United States. We have the mecca of healthcare, Mayo's Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, M.D. Anderson Cancer Treatment Facility, Barnes Hospital-Missouri. We have university hospitals which train not only American doctors but many of the doctors that practice all over the world. We have emergency rooms, hospitals and clinics in almost every town. I bet you would be hard pressed to find a person, with or without health insurance, that couldn't find a provider to care for them at times of need.
Yes, Mr. Obama, I will see an indigent patient for free and NO, Mr. Obama, I will not take out a child's tonsils just for a bigger reimbursement.
Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Our system may not be perfect, but I'm worried. It's about to get a whole lot worse.
THE CASE AGAINST "OBAMACARE"
The plan is to require employers to either provide "government approved" health coverage to all employees or pay a stiff penalty (a tax). Now I run a small business-it just happens to be a medical clinic. We have 10 salaried employees, including myself. We are a non-profit clinic. At the end of the year, hopefully we break even financially. Now the government says I must supply my employees with health insurance-lets say $500 per month per employee, that's $60,000 per year. Where does the money come from? I have a choice:
1. I can raise my price-but I can't since the government sets my prices.
2. I can lay off an employee-adding 1 more to the already 4million who have lost their job since Obama took office.
3. I can sell my clinic to a larger system,Skaggs, Cox, St. Johns-just another casualty of "Obamacare".
And I represent many other small businesses. Yesterday, I was practicing this talk at the Quick-Mart on Mount Branson. Another Mom & Pop business struggling to survive in today's economy. This becomes very personal to their employees when they realize, with the addition of healthcare they may have insurance, but they won't have jobs. And by the way, if you don't carry insurance you may be sent to prison. I can see it now-3 prisoners in the yard "I was convicted for killing a family of 3"; "I was convicted of armed robbery and arson"; and "Well, you have nothing on me-I didn't have health insurance".
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS PLAN?
I'm not much of an economist, but this I understand:
<---------|-----------|----------|-----------|--->
Slave 25 50 75 100
Socialism Free
If one makes $100 and goes to a store where everything cost $100 or less, they are free to choose anything in that store. But if someone takes 25% away, they have less freedom, less choice to choose. If one takes 50% from them, they have even less freedom, less choice...and 75%...and if one works all day, and at the end of the day, all of the money they earned is taken from them...they have no choice, no freedom. They are now a slave.
In the United States there are two types that can take our money from us without our permission. The thief comes, sticks a gun in our ribs and demands our pay. We hand him the envelope and he takes the money. Or, the thief comes, sticks a gun in our ribs demanding our pay. We hand him the envelope. When he opens it, it is already empty. He says, Uncle Sam has beat me to you.
This plan is going to be expensive! Nancy Pelosi says this is a 1.3 trillion dollar plan. I suspect this is code talk for 2 to 3 trillion dollars. And that figure doesn't even include the 300 million dollars in pork Louisiana's senator, Mary Landreau, was paid for her vote.
Just to give you a handle on the size of these numbers:
1 million seconds = 11 1/2 days
1 billion seconds = 31 1/2 years
1 trillion seconds = 32,000 years
It is estimated we will need $750 billion dollars in new taxes to pay for this-much of this falling on small business. We are also going to tax the very wealthy-people making $250,000 per year. Now we already take Federal, State, Property taxes, plus taxes on gas, food, ect., ect....., let's say 50% of ones income. So the very rich now make $125,000 per year. Now we are going to tax them some more. We can also tax "cadillac" health plans-except of course if you belong to a union, or if you are a senator or congressman. Now wait a minute, if this plan is supposed to be so good for all of us, but it is not good enough for our elected officials? No it is not. They have exempted themselves from this and will continue to get their "beyond cadillac" plans.
Mr. Obama promises there will be no increase in taxes on the poor or middle class, but we can have a "sin" tax on cigarettes, alcohol, and soft drinks. Who does he think consumes these products. There is even a proposal to tax plastic surgery like BOTOX. Finally, even Nancy Pelosi will have to contribute.
Obama says he wants government to "compete with private insurance companies" to drive down the cost of healthcare and if you like your current health insurance, you may keep it. But the reality is , there is no such thing as the government competing with private insurance companies. Because government writes the rules and is funded through taxation. Private industry focuses on revenue.
Government creates a large Bureaucracy enables it to enforce it's own rules and regulations. Bureaucracies by nature cost a lot of money. The obvious comparison is the Post Office competing with Federal Express and UPS. The Post Office is less efficient, slower, far more expensive to run and always looses your mail. Like the Post Office, if government mismanages or miscalculates their health care plan, they raise taxes or ration benefits. If private insurance or Federal Express or UPS mismanage, they go out of business. The ultimate end game is a one payer system--SOCIALIZATION OF HEALTH CARE.
RATIONING OF HEALTH CARE
The debate of abortion comes down to one thing, when does life begin--is it:
1. At conception?
2. When the heart first beats?
3. When the fetus is viable?
4. When the baby is out of the birth canal? or
5. 1 week or 1 year after birth?
The flip side of this debate is when does death occur?
1. When you quit breathing and your heart quits beating?
2. When your cost outweigh your assets?
3. When you are no longer productive to society?
4. At age 85, 75 or 65?
The corner stone of "Obamacare" is to impose a "global budget" on medicare. A fifteen member board, appointed by the President, will dictate what is covered and how it will be paid for. The committee will have to meet certain budget targets every year. Starting in 2015, medicare may not grow more rapidly on a per capita basis than by a measure of inflation. By the way this plan has been touted as not adding to the national debt. This is because we start paying for it in 2010, but the benefits of insurance don't begin until 2015. That is, we collect for 10 years and only pay for 5 years. After 2019, it could only grow at the same rate as GDP + 1%. These hard budget caps means there is only so much money to be divided up for care, with no account for demographic changes, longer life spans, higher incidence of diabetes, heart disease, cancer or other diseases. It leaves little room for medical innovation. The commission is mandated to go after "sources of excess cost growth", meaning treatments which are too expensive.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU
Just this week we then heard about the new recommendation that women not needing mammograms until the age of 50 and them not yearly. According to this month's Internal Medicine News, "Breast Cancer Deaths Higher without Routine Screening." Did you know your doctor will be penalized financially if they order too many referrals or too expensive tests on you? "If it bothers you, but you aren't going to die from it, please just live with it." It means you may wait weeks or months to get an appointment with your primary care provider, and specialty care-it will be a long time. As President Obama put it in June, "Maybe you are better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller".
The Medicare Commission will function much like the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which rations care in England, or a similar board in Washington state created in 2003 to control costs. The Washington Commission, called Health Technology Assessment, is composed of eleven bureaucrats, including a chiropractor and a naturopath. If they determine something isn't cost effective, it isn't covered. This year it is targeting frivolous luxuries like knee replacement, spinal cord stimulators, specialized care for autism, MRI of the abdomen, pelvis and breast for cancer patients.
I'm also frustrated by the AMA (American Medical Association). I have never belonged to the AMA, and I know few physicians who do. The AMA does not speak for me any more than AARP does.
FINALLY, I DO BELIEVE OUR HEALTH INSURANCE NEEDS TO BE REFORMED:
First we need to allow small businesses to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower costs, jut like corporations and labor unions do.
Second, we need to establish access programs allowing individuals with pre existing conditions access to quality, affordable coverage.
Third, we need to be allowed to purchase health insurance across state line, just like we purchase auto insurance, thus allowing competition for insurance companies.
Fourth, we need to promote increased patient accountability through healthcare savings accounts.
Fifth, there must be malparactice reform--protecting doctors and hospitals from frivolous lawsuits.
The only way to take the politics out of health care is to give the individual more power to control medical dollars. And the first step should not be to create even more government spending commitments. The core problem with government run health care is that it doesn't make decisions in the best interest of patients, but in the best interest of government.
This ends the formal presentation I prepared, but someone in the crowd asked me: "Why with the majority of Americans opposing Nancy Pelosi's healthcare plans, do they continue to push them so hard?" Just a thought, Social Security was the greatest Ponzi scheme ever perpetrated on the Atmerican people. Bernie Madoff doesn't have anything on our government. All entitlement programs are basically Ponzi schemes-medicare, medicaid, welfare, ect.....Maybe we are just out of money to continue paying for these, so now we need a new Ponzi scheme.
This represents Nancy Pelosi's gift to the american people. A 2,000 page, 1.3 trillion dollar new bureaucracy for healthcare. This is CECIL'S TEXT BOOK FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE. If you read this (CECIL'S TEXT BOOK FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE), you may be an internist. If you read this (2,000 BILL), you are likely an insomniac.
We have the best healthcare in the world. When Canadians, who by the way hate socialized medicine, need a knee replacement or timely treatment, they come to the United States. We have the mecca of healthcare, Mayo's Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, M.D. Anderson Cancer Treatment Facility, Barnes Hospital-Missouri. We have university hospitals which train not only American doctors but many of the doctors that practice all over the world. We have emergency rooms, hospitals and clinics in almost every town. I bet you would be hard pressed to find a person, with or without health insurance, that couldn't find a provider to care for them at times of need.
Yes, Mr. Obama, I will see an indigent patient for free and NO, Mr. Obama, I will not take out a child's tonsils just for a bigger reimbursement.
Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Our system may not be perfect, but I'm worried. It's about to get a whole lot worse.
THE CASE AGAINST "OBAMACARE"
The plan is to require employers to either provide "government approved" health coverage to all employees or pay a stiff penalty (a tax). Now I run a small business-it just happens to be a medical clinic. We have 10 salaried employees, including myself. We are a non-profit clinic. At the end of the year, hopefully we break even financially. Now the government says I must supply my employees with health insurance-lets say $500 per month per employee, that's $60,000 per year. Where does the money come from? I have a choice:
1. I can raise my price-but I can't since the government sets my prices.
2. I can lay off an employee-adding 1 more to the already 4million who have lost their job since Obama took office.
3. I can sell my clinic to a larger system,Skaggs, Cox, St. Johns-just another casualty of "Obamacare".
And I represent many other small businesses. Yesterday, I was practicing this talk at the Quick-Mart on Mount Branson. Another Mom & Pop business struggling to survive in today's economy. This becomes very personal to their employees when they realize, with the addition of healthcare they may have insurance, but they won't have jobs. And by the way, if you don't carry insurance you may be sent to prison. I can see it now-3 prisoners in the yard "I was convicted for killing a family of 3"; "I was convicted of armed robbery and arson"; and "Well, you have nothing on me-I didn't have health insurance".
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS PLAN?
I'm not much of an economist, but this I understand:
<---------|-----------|----------|-----------|--->
Slave 25 50 75 100
Socialism Free
If one makes $100 and goes to a store where everything cost $100 or less, they are free to choose anything in that store. But if someone takes 25% away, they have less freedom, less choice to choose. If one takes 50% from them, they have even less freedom, less choice...and 75%...and if one works all day, and at the end of the day, all of the money they earned is taken from them...they have no choice, no freedom. They are now a slave.
In the United States there are two types that can take our money from us without our permission. The thief comes, sticks a gun in our ribs and demands our pay. We hand him the envelope and he takes the money. Or, the thief comes, sticks a gun in our ribs demanding our pay. We hand him the envelope. When he opens it, it is already empty. He says, Uncle Sam has beat me to you.
This plan is going to be expensive! Nancy Pelosi says this is a 1.3 trillion dollar plan. I suspect this is code talk for 2 to 3 trillion dollars. And that figure doesn't even include the 300 million dollars in pork Louisiana's senator, Mary Landreau, was paid for her vote.
Just to give you a handle on the size of these numbers:
1 million seconds = 11 1/2 days
1 billion seconds = 31 1/2 years
1 trillion seconds = 32,000 years
It is estimated we will need $750 billion dollars in new taxes to pay for this-much of this falling on small business. We are also going to tax the very wealthy-people making $250,000 per year. Now we already take Federal, State, Property taxes, plus taxes on gas, food, ect., ect....., let's say 50% of ones income. So the very rich now make $125,000 per year. Now we are going to tax them some more. We can also tax "cadillac" health plans-except of course if you belong to a union, or if you are a senator or congressman. Now wait a minute, if this plan is supposed to be so good for all of us, but it is not good enough for our elected officials? No it is not. They have exempted themselves from this and will continue to get their "beyond cadillac" plans.
Mr. Obama promises there will be no increase in taxes on the poor or middle class, but we can have a "sin" tax on cigarettes, alcohol, and soft drinks. Who does he think consumes these products. There is even a proposal to tax plastic surgery like BOTOX. Finally, even Nancy Pelosi will have to contribute.
Obama says he wants government to "compete with private insurance companies" to drive down the cost of healthcare and if you like your current health insurance, you may keep it. But the reality is , there is no such thing as the government competing with private insurance companies. Because government writes the rules and is funded through taxation. Private industry focuses on revenue.
Government creates a large Bureaucracy enables it to enforce it's own rules and regulations. Bureaucracies by nature cost a lot of money. The obvious comparison is the Post Office competing with Federal Express and UPS. The Post Office is less efficient, slower, far more expensive to run and always looses your mail. Like the Post Office, if government mismanages or miscalculates their health care plan, they raise taxes or ration benefits. If private insurance or Federal Express or UPS mismanage, they go out of business. The ultimate end game is a one payer system--SOCIALIZATION OF HEALTH CARE.
RATIONING OF HEALTH CARE
The debate of abortion comes down to one thing, when does life begin--is it:
1. At conception?
2. When the heart first beats?
3. When the fetus is viable?
4. When the baby is out of the birth canal? or
5. 1 week or 1 year after birth?
The flip side of this debate is when does death occur?
1. When you quit breathing and your heart quits beating?
2. When your cost outweigh your assets?
3. When you are no longer productive to society?
4. At age 85, 75 or 65?
The corner stone of "Obamacare" is to impose a "global budget" on medicare. A fifteen member board, appointed by the President, will dictate what is covered and how it will be paid for. The committee will have to meet certain budget targets every year. Starting in 2015, medicare may not grow more rapidly on a per capita basis than by a measure of inflation. By the way this plan has been touted as not adding to the national debt. This is because we start paying for it in 2010, but the benefits of insurance don't begin until 2015. That is, we collect for 10 years and only pay for 5 years. After 2019, it could only grow at the same rate as GDP + 1%. These hard budget caps means there is only so much money to be divided up for care, with no account for demographic changes, longer life spans, higher incidence of diabetes, heart disease, cancer or other diseases. It leaves little room for medical innovation. The commission is mandated to go after "sources of excess cost growth", meaning treatments which are too expensive.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU
Just this week we then heard about the new recommendation that women not needing mammograms until the age of 50 and them not yearly. According to this month's Internal Medicine News, "Breast Cancer Deaths Higher without Routine Screening." Did you know your doctor will be penalized financially if they order too many referrals or too expensive tests on you? "If it bothers you, but you aren't going to die from it, please just live with it." It means you may wait weeks or months to get an appointment with your primary care provider, and specialty care-it will be a long time. As President Obama put it in June, "Maybe you are better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller".
The Medicare Commission will function much like the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which rations care in England, or a similar board in Washington state created in 2003 to control costs. The Washington Commission, called Health Technology Assessment, is composed of eleven bureaucrats, including a chiropractor and a naturopath. If they determine something isn't cost effective, it isn't covered. This year it is targeting frivolous luxuries like knee replacement, spinal cord stimulators, specialized care for autism, MRI of the abdomen, pelvis and breast for cancer patients.
I'm also frustrated by the AMA (American Medical Association). I have never belonged to the AMA, and I know few physicians who do. The AMA does not speak for me any more than AARP does.
FINALLY, I DO BELIEVE OUR HEALTH INSURANCE NEEDS TO BE REFORMED:
First we need to allow small businesses to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower costs, jut like corporations and labor unions do.
Second, we need to establish access programs allowing individuals with pre existing conditions access to quality, affordable coverage.
Third, we need to be allowed to purchase health insurance across state line, just like we purchase auto insurance, thus allowing competition for insurance companies.
Fourth, we need to promote increased patient accountability through healthcare savings accounts.
Fifth, there must be malparactice reform--protecting doctors and hospitals from frivolous lawsuits.
The only way to take the politics out of health care is to give the individual more power to control medical dollars. And the first step should not be to create even more government spending commitments. The core problem with government run health care is that it doesn't make decisions in the best interest of patients, but in the best interest of government.
This ends the formal presentation I prepared, but someone in the crowd asked me: "Why with the majority of Americans opposing Nancy Pelosi's healthcare plans, do they continue to push them so hard?" Just a thought, Social Security was the greatest Ponzi scheme ever perpetrated on the Atmerican people. Bernie Madoff doesn't have anything on our government. All entitlement programs are basically Ponzi schemes-medicare, medicaid, welfare, ect.....Maybe we are just out of money to continue paying for these, so now we need a new Ponzi scheme.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lieberman Staffer Threatens to have Tea Party Patriot Coordinators Arrested
Below is an article written by Mark Meckler about one of the lowlights at the "Government Waiting Rooms" at the Code Red Rally in D.C. today.
Mark is one of the National Coordinators for the Tea Party Patriots.
From Parcbench --
Mark is one of the National Coordinators for the Tea Party Patriots.
From Parcbench --
Today, Tea Party Patriots from across the nation spent most of the day in DC visiting a variety of Senator’s offices to express our opinion that they should not pass the health care reform bill currently before the Senate. Most staffers were polite enough, though usually we were not permitted any time to speak with a Senator or senior staff. However, clearly the Tea Party Patriots were making their presence known in the Senate office buildings as we executed operation Government Waiting Rooms. As we sat waiting to speak to Senators who wouldn’t show their faces, we got the feeling of what it would be like in government controlled health care system; lots of waiting and no results.
The day turned far more interesting when we heard that Senator Joe Lieberman was on the fence. Three of us decided to head up to the seventh floor to see if the Senator would spare a few minutes and speak with us about his position on the pending bill. Accompanied by fellow Tea Party Patriot National Coordinator Sally Oljar, and California Patriot Michael Greer, I entered Lieberman’s office and we asked to speak with him. We were advised that he wasn’t there, but as we had done in all the previous offices we had visited, we indicated that we’d be happy to wait for him.
Unfortunately, Sen. Lieberman’s staff reacted quite differently than all the other staff we had encountered. The gentleman who appeared to be in charge told us that we had to leave the Senator’s office. He kept repeating that the Senator would not be meeting with us, and that he wanted us to leave. As we sat peacefully in the small waiting room, I simply responded to him by telling him that we were happy to wait. When he again insisted we leave, we engaged in a civil discussion where we advised him that as citizens, we felt we had a right to be there, in a building which we pay for. Finally, he threatened to call the Capitol Police and have us arrested for “loitering.;” We advised him to do whatever he needed to do, but that we weren’t leaving.
Eventually, six armed Capitol Police arrived. One officer entered the waiting room and advised us that the staffer was asking us to leave, and that if we didn’t leave, we’d be arrested. I asked the officer if it was a police request that we leave, and told him that we were law abiding citizens and would leave if he asked us to. He seemed hesitant to do so, and ultimately left the room to speak with the staffer without asking us to leave. After several minutes of pow-wow between the officers and the staffer, we decided to leave before the situation escalated further. It was clear, with six officers on hand, they did intend to arrest us.
All across the country, Senators refuse our calls, ignore our emails, throw away our letters and refuse to meet with us.. Today — in the Senate office building — Senate staff literally threatened to arrest three members of the Tea Party Patriots, including two National Coordinators. When one of the most “moderate” Senators threatens to have well groomed, quiet, cooperative tea partiers arrested simply for sitting in the office waiting to meet with a Senator, it is clear that representative democracy is on
its death bed in this country.
Sound too outrageous to believe? Watch the video and see your government at work.
Reason #972, 461 Against Government Health Care
A great example of what happens when the government gets involved with anything - in a rush to get enough vaccines for the swine flu, it sounds as if they bought the cheap stuff from the bottom shelf....
Of course the vaccine is still safe - they were given a watered-down dosage!
Hundreds of thousands of swine flu shots for children have been recalled because tests indicate the vaccine doses lost some strength, government health officials said Tuesday.
The recall is for about 800,000 pre-filled syringes intended for young children, ages 6 months to nearly 3 years. The shots, made by Sanofi Pasteur, were distributed across the country last month and most have already been used, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors were notified of the voluntary recall on Tuesday. Dr. Anne Schuchat, a CDC flu expert, stressed that parents don't need to do anything or to worry. The vaccine is still safe, she said. (Yahoo News)
Of course the vaccine is still safe - they were given a watered-down dosage!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tea Party Patriot Action Alert: Passion to Action List
Fellow Patriots,
Many of you are probably wondering, "Are we really making a difference?!?” The answer is a resounding YES!!!!
The Senate still has not voted on Cap and Trade and their goal was for that to be law by now. The Senate and House Leadership expected the health care bill to be out of Congress (both the House and the Senate) before the August recess. As we know, even with the help of a White House pay off, it barely squeaked by in the House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is scrambling to get the 60 votes he needs.
With your continued help and we can make sure this does not happen. Together, each and everyone of us is making a difference. And this is why the below Action Alert is so important!
One thing we are asking you to do that is different this week is to call not just the Targeted Senators and your own Senators but also the Senate Minority Leadership (see list of phone numbers below).
Erick Erickson from Redstate.com explains why it is important that the Republican minority fight the government takeover of health care in the Senate with everything they have. We implore you to take the time to read this article in Redstate.
To defeat this bill which will take away our liberty, we need Republicans to step up to the plate and exercise their rights in the Senate as much as we need the targeted Senators to vote no on the bill.
From what we are gathering, many of the Senators in the minority need to know that we support them. Today we were notified that the Senate offices have been buried with calls from AARP members urging them to support the Senate health care bill. It is very important that we encourage these Senators to stand up and fight. They seemingly do not have the courage and conviction to do what is right because it is the right thing to do on their own.
They need us to give them that courage! This week we are going to give it to them!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
8:45 AM For those in DC, meet at Upper Senate Park to break into groups and go into the Senate Office Buildings to talk to our Senators for Government Waiting Rooms.
1:30 PM for those in DC, Senate Emergency Call Rally in Upper Senate Park, hosted by Americans for Prosperity and others.
If you can go to your Senators local district offices, do so.
Where: Senator Voinovich's Office
Date: Tuesday 12/15/09
Time: 3:00pm - 5:30pm
Address: 1240 E. 9th Street Cleveland, OH 44199 (E.9th & Lakeside)
If you cannot personally visit, PLEASE make phone calls and send faxes to DC and the local district offices. Ask your Senators to vote NO on the health care bill. If your Senator is already voting no, ask the Senator to exercise every single parliamentary procedure in the Senate to stop this bill. Tell them you personally and on behalf of other Tea Party Patriots from around the country support their no vote and their actions to stop the bill.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party
Call the Targeted Senators (listed below) and tell them to vote no on health care. Remind them that our country was founded out of frustration over high taxes and inadequate representation. Remind them that between 51 - 56% of Americans do not want this bill and they represent us, We the People.
Repeat the calls to the Senate Minority Leadership telling them to do what it takes to stop the bill.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Call the Targeted Senators again and tell them to vote no on health care. Remind them that between 51 - 56% of Americans do not want this bill and they represent us, We the People.
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4843, DC Fax Number: 202-228-1371
Sen. Ben Nelson, Nebraska
DC Office Number: 202-224-6551, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0012
Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5824, DC Fax Number: 202-224-9735
Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4041, DC Fax Number: 202-224-9750
Sen. Michael F Bennet, Colorado
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5852, DC Fax Number: 202-228-5036
Sen. Mark Pryor, Arkansas
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2353, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0908
Sen. Robert Byrd, West Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-3954, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0002
Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4024, DC Fax Number: 202-228-6363
Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2023, DC Fax Number: 202-224-6295
Sen. Jon Tester, Montana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2644, DC Fax Number: 202-224-8594
Sen. Mark Begich, Alaska
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-3004, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2354
Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5623, DC Fax Number: 202-228-1377
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2541, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2499
Assistant Senate Minority Leader John Kyl, Arizona
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4521, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2207
Senate Republican Conference Chair Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4944, DC Fax Number: 202-228-3398
Senate Republican Party Conference Secretary Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-6665 DC Fax Number: 202-224-5301
Senate Republican Policy Committee Chair Sen. John Thune, South Dakota
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2321 DC Fax Number: 202-228-5429
You are the heart and soul of the Tea Party Patriots. Thank you for promoting the causes of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets with us!
Many of you are probably wondering, "Are we really making a difference?!?” The answer is a resounding YES!!!!
The Senate still has not voted on Cap and Trade and their goal was for that to be law by now. The Senate and House Leadership expected the health care bill to be out of Congress (both the House and the Senate) before the August recess. As we know, even with the help of a White House pay off, it barely squeaked by in the House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is scrambling to get the 60 votes he needs.
With your continued help and we can make sure this does not happen. Together, each and everyone of us is making a difference. And this is why the below Action Alert is so important!
One thing we are asking you to do that is different this week is to call not just the Targeted Senators and your own Senators but also the Senate Minority Leadership (see list of phone numbers below).
Erick Erickson from Redstate.com explains why it is important that the Republican minority fight the government takeover of health care in the Senate with everything they have. We implore you to take the time to read this article in Redstate.
To defeat this bill which will take away our liberty, we need Republicans to step up to the plate and exercise their rights in the Senate as much as we need the targeted Senators to vote no on the bill.
From what we are gathering, many of the Senators in the minority need to know that we support them. Today we were notified that the Senate offices have been buried with calls from AARP members urging them to support the Senate health care bill. It is very important that we encourage these Senators to stand up and fight. They seemingly do not have the courage and conviction to do what is right because it is the right thing to do on their own.
They need us to give them that courage! This week we are going to give it to them!
Passion to Action Weekly To Do List
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
8:45 AM For those in DC, meet at Upper Senate Park to break into groups and go into the Senate Office Buildings to talk to our Senators for Government Waiting Rooms.
1:30 PM for those in DC, Senate Emergency Call Rally in Upper Senate Park, hosted by Americans for Prosperity and others.
If you can go to your Senators local district offices, do so.
Where: Senator Voinovich's Office
Date: Tuesday 12/15/09
Time: 3:00pm - 5:30pm
Address: 1240 E. 9th Street Cleveland, OH 44199 (E.9th & Lakeside)
If you cannot personally visit, PLEASE make phone calls and send faxes to DC and the local district offices. Ask your Senators to vote NO on the health care bill. If your Senator is already voting no, ask the Senator to exercise every single parliamentary procedure in the Senate to stop this bill. Tell them you personally and on behalf of other Tea Party Patriots from around the country support their no vote and their actions to stop the bill.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party
Call the Targeted Senators (listed below) and tell them to vote no on health care. Remind them that our country was founded out of frustration over high taxes and inadequate representation. Remind them that between 51 - 56% of Americans do not want this bill and they represent us, We the People.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Repeat the calls to the Senate Minority Leadership telling them to do what it takes to stop the bill.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Call the Targeted Senators again and tell them to vote no on health care. Remind them that between 51 - 56% of Americans do not want this bill and they represent us, We the People.
Targeted Senators
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4843, DC Fax Number: 202-228-1371
Sen. Ben Nelson, Nebraska
DC Office Number: 202-224-6551, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0012
Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5824, DC Fax Number: 202-224-9735
Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4041, DC Fax Number: 202-224-9750
Sen. Michael F Bennet, Colorado
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5852, DC Fax Number: 202-228-5036
Sen. Mark Pryor, Arkansas
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2353, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0908
Sen. Robert Byrd, West Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-3954, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0002
Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4024, DC Fax Number: 202-228-6363
Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2023, DC Fax Number: 202-224-6295
Sen. Jon Tester, Montana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2644, DC Fax Number: 202-224-8594
Sen. Mark Begich, Alaska
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-3004, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2354
Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5623, DC Fax Number: 202-228-1377
* Senate Minority Leadership *
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2541, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2499
Assistant Senate Minority Leader John Kyl, Arizona
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4521, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2207
Senate Republican Conference Chair Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4944, DC Fax Number: 202-228-3398
Senate Republican Party Conference Secretary Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-6665 DC Fax Number: 202-224-5301
Senate Republican Policy Committee Chair Sen. John Thune, South Dakota
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2321 DC Fax Number: 202-228-5429
You are the heart and soul of the Tea Party Patriots. Thank you for promoting the causes of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets with us!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Questions that Should be Addressed by Environmentalists
Kevin Price
From Facerbook
The world is about to meet in Copenhagen about the future of Global Warming. In spite of chilling news of the revelation of thousands of emails that indicate that the alarmists have distorted information about climate change, world leaders seem to be on pace to move on with an aggressive agenda designed to massively expand government control in virtually every industry. The environmental agenda includes heavily taxation and increased regulation of many industries.
With this agenda, it is time to ask some serious questions.
What kind of impact have these policies had on other countries?
Although most European countries have been passionate in its environmental activism, one of the most aggressive has been the country of Spain and the results have been disturbing for any country considering a similar approach.
A study (by Gabriel Calzada Álvarez PhD) about Spain's efforts provides an insightful view of the negative impact the pursuit of green jobs have had on the economies of Europe. The chasing of "green jobs" is nothing new, according to Calzada. He points out that European countries have lived under regulations and subsides for the development of such industries since 1997, and the economic impact has been both impressive and very negative.
According to Calzada, Obama's "model country" of Spain has lost 2.2 jobs for every job created. That translates to 9 jobs lost for every four new jobs provided. Calzada goes on to extrapolate the numbers and points out that, if the US was "fortunate" enough to create 3 to 5 million green jobs, it would do so at the lost of at least 6.6 to 11 million jobs that already existed. For most Americans, this is simply too big of a price to pay.
What is also disturbing is how much these green jobs cost. According to the study, each job cost an incredible $800,000 each. This for jobs that often only pay approximately $15 an hour. In a situation where the US unemployment rate is growing at a rapid pace, this type of cost for employment and the trade off of pre-existing jobs is a difficult sale.
The technology/prosperity question.
The countries with the worse environments, generally speaking are poor and have primitive technology. The countries who have made the biggest strides in the environment are economically rich. When countries are poor they simply have fewer resources to improve the environment or to make better technology.
I remember an encounter I had while conducting seminars on Free Market economics. When I traveled to Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, I was in shock at the pollution levels. Poland was particularly bad. I remember escaping to a local park because of the trees there made it easier to breathe. Much of the time my eyes simply watered and I coughed. It was miserable. I had a meeting with an economist in the Polish government and he noticed my distress and he quickly concluded it was due to pollution levels. He said that Poland did not lack regulations and in fact "we have the toughest environmental laws of any country in the world." Sure enough, I did my homework, and that was true at the time. This gentleman became quite philosophical about the problem, stating "the problem was recognized long ago by Aristotle who said 'What is common to the greatest number gets the least amount of care. Men pay most attention to what is their own; they care less for what is common; or at any rate they care for it only to the extent to which each is individually concerned. Even when there is no other cause for inattention, men are more prone to neglect their duty when they think that another is attending to it.'" The economist went on to say that he hoped that the efforts the country was taking towards free markets would lead to more ownership and better care of the environment.
Later, in another meeting he said, "the answer to these environmental problems are found in technology, not regulation." I liked the sound of that, so I asked him to go on, he said"as we recover economically and have more ownership, we will enjoy greater capital formation, which will lead to better and more efficient technology. That, more than anything else will reduce pollution." I casually responded, "I have never seen a poor country that was not polluted" he shrugged his shoulders, lifted his hands in the air and said "neither have I."
The rhetoric coming from Copenhagen seems to be ignoring the scandalous emails that have rocked the environmental movement, the negative impact this agenda has had on jobs, and the linage between prosperity and technology. Watch carefully what comes out of this event.
From Facerbook
The world is about to meet in Copenhagen about the future of Global Warming. In spite of chilling news of the revelation of thousands of emails that indicate that the alarmists have distorted information about climate change, world leaders seem to be on pace to move on with an aggressive agenda designed to massively expand government control in virtually every industry. The environmental agenda includes heavily taxation and increased regulation of many industries.
With this agenda, it is time to ask some serious questions.
What kind of impact have these policies had on other countries?
Although most European countries have been passionate in its environmental activism, one of the most aggressive has been the country of Spain and the results have been disturbing for any country considering a similar approach.
A study (by Gabriel Calzada Álvarez PhD) about Spain's efforts provides an insightful view of the negative impact the pursuit of green jobs have had on the economies of Europe. The chasing of "green jobs" is nothing new, according to Calzada. He points out that European countries have lived under regulations and subsides for the development of such industries since 1997, and the economic impact has been both impressive and very negative.
According to Calzada, Obama's "model country" of Spain has lost 2.2 jobs for every job created. That translates to 9 jobs lost for every four new jobs provided. Calzada goes on to extrapolate the numbers and points out that, if the US was "fortunate" enough to create 3 to 5 million green jobs, it would do so at the lost of at least 6.6 to 11 million jobs that already existed. For most Americans, this is simply too big of a price to pay.
What is also disturbing is how much these green jobs cost. According to the study, each job cost an incredible $800,000 each. This for jobs that often only pay approximately $15 an hour. In a situation where the US unemployment rate is growing at a rapid pace, this type of cost for employment and the trade off of pre-existing jobs is a difficult sale.
The technology/prosperity question.
The countries with the worse environments, generally speaking are poor and have primitive technology. The countries who have made the biggest strides in the environment are economically rich. When countries are poor they simply have fewer resources to improve the environment or to make better technology.
I remember an encounter I had while conducting seminars on Free Market economics. When I traveled to Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, I was in shock at the pollution levels. Poland was particularly bad. I remember escaping to a local park because of the trees there made it easier to breathe. Much of the time my eyes simply watered and I coughed. It was miserable. I had a meeting with an economist in the Polish government and he noticed my distress and he quickly concluded it was due to pollution levels. He said that Poland did not lack regulations and in fact "we have the toughest environmental laws of any country in the world." Sure enough, I did my homework, and that was true at the time. This gentleman became quite philosophical about the problem, stating "the problem was recognized long ago by Aristotle who said 'What is common to the greatest number gets the least amount of care. Men pay most attention to what is their own; they care less for what is common; or at any rate they care for it only to the extent to which each is individually concerned. Even when there is no other cause for inattention, men are more prone to neglect their duty when they think that another is attending to it.'" The economist went on to say that he hoped that the efforts the country was taking towards free markets would lead to more ownership and better care of the environment.
Later, in another meeting he said, "the answer to these environmental problems are found in technology, not regulation." I liked the sound of that, so I asked him to go on, he said"as we recover economically and have more ownership, we will enjoy greater capital formation, which will lead to better and more efficient technology. That, more than anything else will reduce pollution." I casually responded, "I have never seen a poor country that was not polluted" he shrugged his shoulders, lifted his hands in the air and said "neither have I."
The rhetoric coming from Copenhagen seems to be ignoring the scandalous emails that have rocked the environmental movement, the negative impact this agenda has had on jobs, and the linage between prosperity and technology. Watch carefully what comes out of this event.
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