Big Government Has Destroyed the City Of Detroit

Steven Crowder illustrates the long term effects of Socialism.

The Nation is Against Obama, But He Continues to Drive His Socialist Agenda

56% disapprove of Obama. Today's Rasmussen poll shows Obama has hit another low in voter support.

Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of men Strongly Disapprove along with 39% of women. Most African-American voters (58%) Strongly Approve while most white voters (53%) Strongly Disapprove.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans Strongly Disapprove as do 52% of unaffiliated voters. Forty-seven percent (47%) of Democrats Strongly Approve.

For the second straight day, the update shows the highest level of Strong Disapproval yet recorded for this President. That negative rating had never topped 42% before yesterday. However, it has risen dramatically since the Senate found 60 votes to move forward with the proposed health care reform legislation. Most voters (55%) oppose the health care legislation and senior citizens are even more likely than younger voters to dislike the plan.

Rasmussen goes on to note that 51% still blame Bush ... so this cartoon is apt:


The rhetoric has been turned up to boiling, with Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse calling Republicans who oppose health care Nazi's. On the Senate floor, he describes those who oppose him and Obama as Nazi's.

They have ardent supporters who are nearly hysterical at the very election of President Barack Obama. The ‘birthers,’ the fanatics, the people running around in right-wing militias and Aryan support groups, it is unbearable to them that President Obama should exist.

Investors Business Daily describes what just happened this week.

• This was a vote on a Democrat-concocted scheme that Americans have rejected every time it's been proposed for 100 years and that is opposed again, by 54% to 41% by the public at large, by 2-to-1 by practicing physicians and by every last member on the Republican side of the aisle.

• The vote was taken without any members having read the main 2,074-page bill, let alone the 383 pages of amendments that were tacked on at the last minute to buy off senators, including Nebraska's Ben Nelson, Louisiana's Mary Landrieu and Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders.

• Despite growing public opposition, Democratic members had the nerve to call those who questioned their monstrosity "obstructionists" and worse. Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse called health care bill foes "birthers," "fanatics" and "people running around in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups." Is this what Democrats meant when they said they seek bipartisan solutions to the nation's problems?

• The bill contains at last count 18 new taxes totaling an estimated $406 billion — including significant new levies on those earning less than $250,000, a major breach of Obama's pledge not to raise taxes by "one penny" on those in that income group.

Is it a crime to oppose this? As far as I remember, we still have freedom of speech. For how much longer, I wonder. Unless we act, free speech will be curtailed, as Obama and his socialists do not relish being "unloved".

Congressional Reform Act

Congressional Reform Act of 2009



1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

2. No Tenure / No Pension:

A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans..

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.


6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people..

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/10.

The American people did not make this contract with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

THIS is What a Socialist Take-Over Feels Like

The world, and especially the USA, is lurching, sliding and falling into the social morass called socialism. This slide is pushed and lauded by The Left.

I immigrated to the USA over 20 years ago, with Ronald Reagan's ideals drawing me here.  This is not what I expected would happen, that our freedoms, as promised in the Constitution, would be so rapidly chipped away by creeping and now leaping socialism -- the tyranny this time, not of a British King, but of government itself!

For you and other freedom loving people, what does it mean?

• Fewer choices can be made by you: What doctor you see, what medicines you take, what football championship you watch.  See House Bill Aims To Sack College Football BCS System.  Government is operating as if they are kings, with no limit on their power, no constitution.


• Government will be a higher social class: Instead of government service being something where you trade security and protection from competition for lower wages, government now pays more!  See Six-Figure Federal Salary Gravy Train.  "The growth in six-figure salaries has pushed the average federal worker's pay to $71,206, compared with $40,331 in the private sector."


• You will have less money to do what you and your family want: As incomes drop, all prices associated with and affected by government go up.  And taxes will and must go up to pay for reckless spending in Washington.


• Government will spend like drunks: See Business as Usual in Washington: Another Bloated, Pork-Filled Omnibus Spending Bill. Spending is up 8% (3rd year in a row), $561 billion more than baseline.  The spending, according the The Heritage Foundation, is runaway.  2009 Earmarks now total 8,939, and will exceed 10,000 by the end of the year.

What did President Obama say about fiscal responsibility in his inauguration speech?

"And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."

If he believed that, he would veto the Omnibus bill.

What did he say about earmarks?  During his transition into office in January 2009, he promised a

"new higher standard of accountability, transparency and oversight. We are going to ban all earmarks, the process by which individual members insert projects without review."

But in March 2009, he signed a bill with 8,500 earmarks.   He said:

"this piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability that the American people have every right to expect and demand."

And just days ago in December 2009, Obama himself put in a $700 mln earmark.

No, Obama is leader of the socialist revolution now going on in America.  He is following Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, Rule 10: "If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive".  Say that reckless spending is Good, and it is true.  Say that the private sector is the problem, that government is the solution, and it is true.

This is just one year of the socialist revolution.  Fight it, as there is more to come unless people tell their elected officials: ENOUGH!

We need another Reagan!!

Are You *Really* Unemployed?

Further to my previous post on government statistics, here comes this YouTube video from

The Unemployment Game Show: Are You *Really* Unemployed? - From Mint.com

Unemployment Down Because of Government Data Manipulation?

Mike "Mish" Shedlock does a daily blog commentary on the global economic situation, which is quite balanced and strongly recommended.  He is a skeptic and digs for motivations and the truth.

Today's post has an excellent analysis on how, with the loss of 11,000 jobs in November, total unemployment actually went (???$!#$!@) down?  How is that possible?

In regards to the economy, the jobs picture presented on Friday was a mirage. One even has to wonder if the BLS is purposely playing games knowing full well a massive revision in the January numbers (coming out in February), will subtract 80,000 jobs a month for a full year.

I doubt the unemployment rate is under 10% a year from now, or even two years from now, unless the BLS numbers show large declines in the labor force (as they did in the November Employment Report on Friday).

The actual figures ...


Here is his analysis:

Unemployment dropped by .2% even though 11,000 jobs were lost and it should take at least 100,000 jobs just to keep up with demographics. Instead note the drop in the civilian labor force by 98,000.

Moreover, those "not in the labor force" rose by 291,000 constituting nearly all of the decline in unemployment.

That drop in the labor force is not normal to say the least. It should have risen by 100,000 minimum.

Naturally, our hot-air president used this numerical manipulation as a talking point for the success of his stimulus program.

More bloggers are beginning to question the accuracy and transparency of this manipulation.  TPM headlines their post: "We Just Counted Less Unemployed People", and offers an untampered statistic putting unemployment at 12%!!

Why should we trust the government figures when all aspects of data and communications are politicized? We shouldn't. Dig deep and believe your gut. This is rot of the core!

In any case, the number of people out of work is so high that it will be impossible to stem foreclosures and have a strong recovery, if any recovery at all.  Of course, will Obama and the Democratic congress get out of the way, lower taxes and regulations, and let the economy recover ... or will they ...

Dig us deeper into debt with Government job creation efforts?  As I mention before, the eggheads in this administration think they alone can solve all the nation's problems.  So the Washington Post reported yesterday.

"The president thinks we should and must do everything in our power to create an environment for job growth and job creation," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Friday morning. When asked whether Obama will back the use of bailout funds during a speech about the economy next Tuesday, Gibbs said, "It's certainly being looked at. Yes."

Plato said:

The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.

Is the White House Soft on Terrorism?

Thanks to the IBD...

We Know He's Hard Left - As Popularity Sinks

It's December.  Time again to look at President Barack Obama's popularity, according to the folks at Rasmussen.



Wow! a 35% swing in just 10+ months! And most of that big move has come from the Independents who voted for BHO last November. Seems the change we thought we would get was not what BHO wanted to do. Like take over every aspect of our lives!

Not surprising, if you look at another interesting graphic:

The Obama White House has very few people(the smallest in history) who have practical private sector experience.  What we have is a bunch of egg-heads that think government is the solution to EVERY problem we face:  global warming (if it exists), jobs, health care, banking, cars .. the list is ... literally .. endless.

They consider the massive debt to be an academic abstraction .. not realizing the dire and long term consequences of their actions.

Our only hope is a sensible senate, and a big sea change in the 2010 elections.

You Commit 3 Federal Felonies a Day

Finally the New York Times has noticed that government is too big, too intrusive and too vague.  The net result is that it makes all of us felons.

If we all (inadvertently) commit a federal crime, or 2 or 3 a day, then all of us are vulnerable.  Any government body that decides they don't like our position on any issue can use the force of government to charge us with a crime.  And it is likely that, because of the broad and vague nature of the ever expanding federal government, we are guilty of SOMETHING.

Harvey Silvergate has written a book called "Three Felonies a Day" that covers this topic in excellent detail.

No social class or profession is safe from this troubling form of social control by the executive branch, and nothing less than the integrity of our constitutional democracy hangs in the balance.

A number of cases are now in front of the Supreme Court.  Let's hope they knock down the oozing of federal intrusion into every part of our lives.

Here is a Cato Institute interview with Harvey Silvergate on his book.

Ronald Reagan -- We Could Use You Now!

Ronald Reagan's Inaugural Address.

D-Day for American Freedom

The Pelosi power-grab ... I can't reasonably call it health care reform .. is being pushed by the Democratic house leaders and the White House today.  They hope to get a bill, any bill, as along as it takes over the economy, through the House this weekend.

For those in the United States, you MUST call your Congress member today and tell them this is not reform; it is a blatant power grab by Washington; tell them to vote NO.

Do you want some reasons why?  How about over 1900 pages of them?  Fortunately, Open Congress has summarized the bill in digestible form.

A few of the highlights:

• It requires all Americans to purchase comprehensive health insurance plans that provide more health benefits than most current health care plans.


• It requires the federal government to provide health insurance (public option) and long-term care insurance (CLASS program).


• It mandates price controls for health insurance, medical services, medical equipment, and prescription drugs.


• It provides unlimited funds to 30 grants and programs.


• It creates 74 new types grants. Each type may be granted multiple times by the Secretary of Health and Human Services at her discretion.


• It prevents states from receiving grant money if they enact tort reform.


• It creates federal insurance exchanges that are supported by national call centers to guide consumer choice, handle enrollment, process claims, and handle complaints. All communications must be supported in every language and culture in each state.


• It limits FSAs, MSAs, and HSAs only to prescription drugs and insulin. It eliminates the option to make pre-tax purchases of non-prescription drugs, eyeglasses, dental care, etc.


• It creates several new federal agencies. One is the "Health Choices Administration" (see p. 131), which oversees Health Insurance Exchanges. Another is the "Indian Health Services", which oversees healthcare services to American Indians.


• It creates several new offices, such as the “Office of the ombudsman”, "Office on Women's Health", and “Office of Indian Men’s Health”.


• It creates a massive expansion of the Department of Heath and Human Services, which already runs Medicaid and Medicare. It assigns more than 1000 new responsibilities to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This includes giving away hundreds of grants worth billions of dollars, and overseeing a budget increased by hundreds of billions of dollars to support literally thousands of new regulations, penalties, sanctions, moratoriums, audits, investigations, oversights, surveillance, approvals, lawsuits, negotiations, services, awards, scholarships, loans, contracts, rebates, reimbursements, compensations, exemptions, waivers, reforms, offices, committees, task forces, centers, programs, standards, requirements, measures, methods, priorities, goals, rules, policies, processes, protocols, guidelines, plans, studies, surveys, reports, publications, web sites, call centers, data centers, facilities, training, and jobs. Almost every page in the bill gives new powers to the secretary.


• It gives the Secretary of HHS discretionary power to set prices, deny coverage, and ration health care.


• It requires the government to track personal information such as the hiring of nurses and doctors along with their wages, benefits, turnover, and tenure; the tracking of drugs prescribed by doctors, the personal financial transactions of doctors, and the personal investments made by doctors.


• It creates a new "Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research", which is given unlimited access to all information from all federal departments and agencies.

Stop Obama from Signing the Copenhagen Takeover of US Rights!

Now this is serious.

CALL YOUR SENATOR!  Tell him or her to tell the President NOT to sign the Copenhagen treaty.  That "treaty" dictates that we pay the world our carbon "debt".

This is the new world order, led by THE LEFT.

We don't want it; we don't need it!

Obama's Popularity Sinks As Agenda of Socialism Revealed

As each month goes by, the serious business of socializing America becomes more evident.

Two-thirds of the American auto industry is taken over. In that process, unions have their pensions plans topped up by the taxpayers.  Hundreds of years of case law is tossed out and pensioners living on GM bonds are told, "damn the law, unions voted us in.  You're screwed".

Out banking system is a lap dog for the President.  Hell, if you paid me a few Billion $$, I might too.

School children are taught to sing praises to our glorious President.

The health care takeover will break the economy, which is on its knees.

The silver lining in all this is the American people.  The American people, from who the Government derives its "consent to govern", smells a rat when they see one.

Government Success Stories (Not!)

 The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
 Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
 Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
 War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.
 Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
 Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
 The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

I Think We Should See A Pattern In This Government --- Marxism!

Excellent video --

Government Chooses Winners Who Pay Them Off

I have a friend whose mother was living her retirement from coupons on GM bonds. When the government "restructured" GM, she was put in line AFTER the unions, and lost her income.

According to THE LAW, bondholders are entitled to the first dibs when a company collapses. But if you donate millions to the BHO election campaign, you might get paid back in BILLIONS, and little old ladies living on a pension are screwed.

Rodney Johnson at HS DENT has posted an excellent review at the Dent Financial Blog.

I'll quote the article here:

Not every loser chosen by the government is a fat cat banker making millions of dollars, or a perceived corporate bad actor such as Lehman. Many are just ordinary people, which is what makes some of the choices of the US government over the last year so much more difficult to fathom. At issue is the results of the auto industry bankruptcies earlier in the year and how the pension mess has fallen out. We have written on this subject numerous times, and today the NYT has a feature on it (NYT, B1, 10/27/09). The example “loser” is a woman who took early retirement at Delphi as the company encouraged, received a pension of $2,925 monthly since retirement, but after the end of the bankruptcy she will receive $390 monthly. That’s correct - from $3k a month to $400. I’d say that qualifies as losing.

 

So what was makes her a loser? Not being in a union is the short answer, but it’s not the full answer. When GM spun off Delphi in the late 1990s, the Delphi United Auto Workers were given a promise that if their pensions were underfunded by Delphi that GM would “top-up” the payments. So far, so good, as these are the dealings of private companies with their labor.

 

Then Delphi does indeed go bankrupt in the mid 2000s. The company quits making full contributions to their pension plans for all workers - UAW, United Steel Workers, white collar workers, etc. In fact, they make tiny fractional payments. Just as you would expect, four years and one heck of a bear market later, the pensions are all dramatically underfunded. So Delphi does what is expected of a company in bankruptcy, they kick their pension obligations to the PBGC, which pays according to a very un-generous schedule, NOT according to what your pension benefits were at the company. This is where the Delphi UAW workers hold up their trump card, the one that says GM has to “top-up” their pension payments in the event of underfunding. Still, so far so good. Except, GM is now bankrupt too.

 

This is where the winners and losers are sorted.

 

GM now agrees to make those payments. But there’s more. The steel workers, electrical workers, and other unions cry foul because only the UAW is covered. So GM graciously agrees to top up all union payments. White collar payments? No. Nada. Zip.

 

Where did GM get the funds to make such payments, since they were bankrupt? From taxpayers, who infused the company with $53 billion.

 

This is the same convoluted scheme that allowed unsecured creditors (union health trust) to jump ahead of secured creditors (bond holders).

 

There are real consequences to these actions. Those that control capital, both investors and corporate officers, will long remember these actions and include them in their decision-making in the years to come. To pretend that such things have no consequence is disingenuous. To treat these situations lightly, when they have such a devastating and unequal affect on people, is callous.

Is This Legal? Can a Government Department Encourage Partisan Politics?

The Lou Dobbs radio show pointed out yesterday that the Health and Human Services web site had a button on it that asked for "Support for Health Reform This Year", I couldn't believe it.

Believe it!

On the right column, there is a link to healthreform.gov, clearly an advocacy site. When you navigate there, we are told:

This is an official U.S. Government Web site managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

How can the US government be involved in unofficial advocacy?

Is this legal? I thought our government (unlike the elected politicians) had to be neutral to politicking?

Is Cap and Trade a Means for Gore to Make Money?

I found this YouTube video on C3 headlines.

OMG What is the US Becoming?

I took a week off for a family vacation in Ireland. My wife has her roots there and I love the people there .. family and joyous people ... until you let the government set the tune ...

21% of Ireland's youth are unemployed. What type of society does a country become when young people cannot get jobs?  Set the minimum wage above the rate they are worth and you will get lots of unemployment .. lots of happy Unions .. and a call for more dole (as they call it in Ireland) to cure the "problem" .. caused by government interests.

Ronald Reagan said: "Government is not the solution.  Government is the problem".  We have created a monstrous problem led by our communist leader, Barrack Hussein Obama.  I call him communist because, as he said "judge me by the people I surround my myself with".

Surely we know now that there are more than 50% of the White house staff that are avowed Marxists and/or Communists. Van Jones, Cass Sunstein, Valerie Jones, Anita Dunn ...   Every one devoted to Communism, Communism heroes. They extol  Marxist and Socialist leaders, like Mao Tse Tung, Che, and Castro -- people who have collectively MURDERED over 50 Million people ... this is change we can believe in???

Unlike Ireland, the slide to socialism is subtle .. the USA slide is violent and driven by a radical white house and its Communist and Marxist staff.

GOD SAVE AMERICA!

Big Public Option Problems in Canada

I know of many Canadians who flee to the United States to get health care, either because they don't have to wait, or because the care is better.

In fact, Canada's own federal Health Minister, Belinda Stronach, went to the USA for her cancer breast surgery.

Thomas Sowell has noted that Canadians turn to the US  health care system for better care; where will we turn if we allow our system to be socialized?

An IBD editorial today notes "The Revolt Up North".  Remember that buying your own healthcare is illegal in Canada.  So Canadians are suing for better service.

Canada's high court found that "delays in the public health care system are widespread and that, in some serious cases, patients die as a result of waiting lists for public health care." As Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin wrote, "Access to a waiting list is not access to health care."

While Canada considers a return to a private system, the USA must avoid government takeover now.

Have Your Read the Proposed Health Care Bill?

Here are excerpts, thanks to Jeff Jacobs and Alan Peters:

Sec. 113, Pg. 21-22 of the Health Care (HC)

Bill MANDATES a government audit of the books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self-insure in order to “ensure that the law does not provide incentives for small and mid-size employers to self-insure”!

Sec. 122, Pg. 29, Lines 4-16 - YOUR HEALTH CARE WILL BE RATIONED!

Sec. 123, Pg. 30 - THERE WILL BE A GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE deciding what treatments and benefits you get

Sec. 142, Pg. 42 - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. You have no choice!

Sec. 152, Pg. 50-51 - HC will be provided to ALL NON-US citizens.

Sec. 163, Pg. 58-59 beginning at line 5 - Government will have real-time access to individual’s finances & a National ID health care card will be issued!

Sec. 163, Pg. 59, Lines 21-24 - Government will have direct access to your bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.

Sec. 164, Pg. 65 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in unions & community organizations (ACORN).

Sec. 201, Pg. 72, Lines 8-14 - Government is creating an HC Exchange to bring private plans under government control.

Sec. 203, Pg. 84 - Government mandates ALL benefit packages for private Health Care plans in the exchange.

Sec. 203, Pg. 85, Line 7 - Specifications of benefit levels for plans means that the government will define your HC plan and has the ability to ration your health care!

Sec. 205, Pg. 95, Lines 8-18 - The government will use groups (i.e., ACORN & AmeriCorps) to “inform and educate” (sign up) individuals for government plan.

Sec. 205, Pg. 102, Lines 12-18 - Medicaid-eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No freedom to choose.

Sec. 223, Pg. 124, Lines 24-25 - No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No “administrative of judicial review” against a government monopoly.

Sec. 225, Pg. 127, Lines 1-16 - Doctors – the government will tell YOU what you can make. “The Secretary shall provide for the annual participation of physicians under the public health insurance option, for which payment may be made for services furnished during the year.”

Sec. 312, Pg. 145, Lines 15-17 - Employers MUST auto-enroll employees into public option plan.

Sec. 313, Pg. 149, Lines 16-23 - ANY employer with payroll $400,000 and above who does not provide public option pays 8% tax on all payroll.

Sec. 313, Pg. 150, Lines 9-13 - Businesses with payroll between $251,000 and $400,000 who do not provide public option pay 2-6% tax on all payroll.

Sec. 401.59B, Pg. 167, Lines 18-23 - ANY individual who does not have acceptable care, according to government, will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Sec. 59B, Pg. 170, Line 1 - Any NONRESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay for their health care.)

Sec. 431, Pg. 195, Lines 1-3 - Officers and employees of HC Administration (government) will have access to ALL Americans’ financial and personal records.

Sec. 441, Pg. 203, Lines 14-15 - “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.” Yes, it says that.

Sec. 1121, Pg. 239, Lines 14-24 - The government will limit and reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income and poor are the ones affected.

Sec. 1121, Pg. 241, Lines 6-8 - Doctors, it does not matter what specialty you have; you’ll all be paid the same. “Service categories established under this paragraph shall apply without regard to the specialty of the physician furnishing the service.”

Sec. 1122, Pg. 253, Lines 10-23 - The government “validates work relative value units” (sets value of doctor’s time), professional judgment, methods etc. (defining the value of humans).

Sec. 1131, Pg. 265 - Government mandates and controls productivity for private HC industries. “Incorporating Productivity Improvements into Market Basket Updates that Do Not Already Incorporate Such Improvements.”

Sec. 1141, Pg. 268 - The government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.

Sec. 1145, Pg. 272 - Treatment of certain cancer hospitals: Cancer patients and their treatment are open to rationing!

Sec. 1151, Pg. 280 - The government will penalize hospitals for what government deems preventable readmissions (incentives for hospital to not treat and release).

Sec. 1151, Pg. 298, Lines 9-11 - Doctors, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission and the government will penalize you for that action.

Sec. 1156, Pg. 317, Lines 13-20 - “PROHIBITION on physician ownership or Investment.” Government tells doctors what/how much they can own.

Sec. 1156, Pg. 317-318, Lines 21-25, 1-3 - “PROHIBITION on Expansion of Facility Capacity.” The government will mandate that hospitals cannot expand (“number of operating rooms or beds”).

Sec. 1156, Pg. 321, Lines 2-13 - Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required.

Sec. 1162, Pg. 335-339, Lines 16-25 - The government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures. Rationing.

Sec. 1162, Pg. 341, Lines 3-9 - The government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans (Part B), HMOs, etc. This will force people into a government plan. “The Secretary may determine not to identify a Medicare Advantage plan if the Secretary has identified deficiencies in the plan’s compliance with rules for such plans under this part.”

Sec. 1177, Pg. 354 - Government will RESTRICT enrollment of special needs people! “Extension of Authority of Special Needs Plans to Restrict Enrollment.”

Sec. 1191, Pg. 379 - Government creates more bureaucracy – “Telehealth Advisory Committee.” HC by phone or the Internet – dial 1 for your health care advice?

Sec. 1233, Pg. 425, Lines 4-12 - Government mandates Advance (Death) Care Planning consultation. Think Senior Citizens and end of life. END-OF-LIFE COUNSELING. SOME IN THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED RATIONING HEALTH CARE FOR THE ELDERLY.

Sec. 1233, Pg. 425, Lines 17-19 - Government WILL instruct and consult regarding living wills and durable powers of attorney. Mandatory end-of-life planning!

Sec. 1233, Pg. 425-426, Lines 22-25, 1-3 - Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.

Sec. 1233, Pg. 427, Lines 15-24 - Government mandates program for orders for life-sustaining treatment (i.e. end of life). The government has a say in how your life ends.

Sec. 1233, Pg. 429, Lines 1-9 - An “advanced care planning consult” will be used as patient’s health deteriorates.

Sec. 1233, Pg. 429, Lines 10-12 - “Advanced Care Consultation” may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans - from the government.

Sec. 1233, Pg. 429, Lines 13-25 - The government will specify which Doctors (professional authority under state law includes Nurse Practitioners or Physician’s Assistants) can write an end-of-life order.

Sec. 1233, Pg. 430, Lines 11-15 - The government will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life, according to preset methods (not individually decided).

Sec. 1302, Pg. 468, Lines 16-21 - “Community-Based Home Medical Services means a nonprofit community-based or state-based organization.”

Sec. 1302, Pg. 472, Lines 14-17 - PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION: One monthly payment to a community-based organization. Like ACORN?

Sec. 1308, Pg. 489 - The government will cover Marriage and Family therapy. This will involve government control of your marriage.

Sec. 1308, Pg. 494-498 - The government will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating and rationing those services.

Sec. 1401, Pg. 502 - Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research Established. Big Brother is watching how your treatment works.

Sec. 1401, Pg. 503, Lines 13-19 - The government will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic medical records. “The Center may secure directly from any department or agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to carry out this section.”

Sec. 1401, Pg. 503, Lines 21-25 - The government may secure data directly from any department or agency of the US, including your data.

Sec. 1401, Pg. 503, Lines 21-25 - The “Center” will collect data both “published and unpublished” (that means public & your private information).

Sec. 1401, Pg. 506, Lines 19-21 - An “Appointed Clinical Perspective Advisory Panel” will advise The Center and recommend policies that would allow for public access of data.

Sec. 1401, Pg. 518, Lines 21-25 - The Commission will have input from HC consumer representatives.

Sec. 1411, Pg. 524, Lines 18-22 - Establishes the “Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund.” More taxes for ALL.

Sec. 1441, Pg. 621, Lines 20-25 - The government will define “NEW Quality” measures in HC. Since when does government know about quality?

Sec. 1442, Pg. 622, Lines 2-9 - To pay for the Quality Standards, government will transfer money from “qualified entities” (government Trust Funds) to other government Trust Funds. More Taxes.

Sec. 1442, Pg. 624, Lines 19-23 - Qualified Entities: “The Secretary shall ensure that the entity is a public, nonprofit or academic institution with technical expertise in the area of health quality measurement.”

Sec. 1442, Pg. 623, Lines 5-10 - “Quality” measures shall be designed to assess outcomes and functional status of patients.

Sec. 1442, Pg. 623, Lines 15-17 - “Quality” measures shall be designed to profile you, including race, age, gender, place of residence, etc.

Sec. 1443, Pg. 628 - The government will give “Multi-Stake Holders” pre-rulemaking input into selection of “quality” measures.

Sec. 1443, Pg. 630-31, Lines 9-24, 1-9 - Those Multi-Stake Holder groups include unions and groups like ACORN deciding what constitutes quality.

Sec. 1444, Pg. 632, Lines 14-25 - The government may implement any “Quality measure” of HC services that bureaucrats see fit.

Sec. 1444, Pg. 632-333, Lines 14-25, 1-9 - The Secretary may issue nonendorsed “Quality Measures” for physician and dialysis services.

Sec. 1251 (beginning), Pg. 634 to 652 - “Physician Payments Sunshine Provision” – government wants to shine sunlight on Doctors but not government. “Reports on financial relationships between manufacturers and distributors . . . and between physicians and other health care entities.”

Sec. 1501 (beginning), Pg. 659-670 - Doctors in Residency – government will tell you where your residency will be, thus where you’ll live.

Sec. 1503 (beginning), Pg. 675-685 - Government will regulate hospitals in EVERY aspect of residency programs, including teaching hospitals.

Sec. 1601 (beginning), Pg. 685-699 - Increased funding to fight waste, fraud, and abuse. (Like the government with an $18 million website?)

Sec. 1619, Pg. 700-703 - If your part of HC plan isn’t in the government’s HC Exchange but you qualify for federal aid, you don’t have to pay.

Sec. 1128G, Pg. 704-708 - If the Secretary determines there is a “significant risk of fraudulent activity,” on HC provider or supplier, the government can do a background check.

Sec. 1632, Pg. 710, Lines 8-14 - The Secretary has broad powers to deny HC providers and suppliers admittance into HC Exchange. Your doctor could be thrown out of business.

Sec. 1637, Pg. 718-719 - ANY Doctor who orders durable medical equipment or home medical services is REQUIRED to be enrolled in, or eligible for, Medicare.

Sec. 1639, Pg. 721 - Government MANDATES that Doctors must have face-to-face with patient to certify patient for home health services.

Sec. 1639, Pg. 723-24, Lines 23-25, 1-5 - The same government certifications will apply to Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s health plan: Your kids).

Sec. 1640, Pg. 723, Lines 16-22 - The government reserves right to apply face-to-face certification for patient to ANY other HC service.

Sec. 1651, Pg. 734, Lines 16-25 - Proposes, for law enforcement sake, that the Secretary of HHS will give Attorney General access to ALL medical data.

Sec. 1701 (beginning), Pg. 739-756 - The government sets guidelines for subsidizing the uninsured (and you have to pay for them).

Sec. 1704, Pg. 756-761 - The government will shift burden of payments to Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) to states (your taxes).

Sec. 1711, Pg. 764 - The government will require preventative services - including vaccinations (no choice).

Sec. 1713, Pg. 768 - Government-determined Nurse Home Visitation Services (Hello union paybacks).

Sec. 1713, Pg. 768, Lines 3-5 - Nurse Home Visit Services – Service #1: “Improving maternal or child health and pregnancy outcomes or increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Compulsory ABORTIONS?

Sec. 1713, Pg. 768, Lines 11-14 - Nurse Home Visit Services include determinations of economic self-sufficiency, employment advancement and school-readiness.

Sec. 1714, Pg. 769 - Federal government mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Abortion and government control intertwined.

Sec. 1733, Pg. 788-798 - Government will set and mandate drug prices, therefore controlling which drugs are brought to market. (Goodbye innovation and private research.)

Sec. 1744, Pg. 796-799 - Establishes PAYMENTS for graduate medical education. The government will now control your doctor’s education.

Sec.1751, Pg. 800 - The government will decide which Health Care conditions will be paid. Say “RATION!”

Sec. 1759, Pg. 809 - Billing Agents, clearinghouses, or other alternate payees are required to register. The government takes over private payment systems too.

Sec. 1801, Pg. 819-823 - The Government will identify individuals “likely to be ineligible” for subsidies. Will access all personal financial information.

Sec. 1802, Pg. 823-828 - Government sets up Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund. Another bottomless tax pit.

Sec. 4375, Pg. 828-832, Lines 12-16 - Government will impose a fee on ALL private health insurance plans, including self-insured, to pay for Trust Fund!

Sec. 4377, Pg. 835, Lines 11-13 - Fees imposed by government for Trust Fund shall be treated as if they were taxes.

Sec. 440, Pg. 837-839 - The government will design and implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids and families that are expecting children.

Sec. 1904, Pg. 843-844 - This Home Visitation Program includes the government coming into your house and teaching/telling you how to parent!

Sec. 2002, Pg. 858 - The government will establish a Public Health Fund at a cost of $88,800,000,000 (That’s Billions).

Sec. 2201, Pg. 864 - The government will MANDATE the establishment of a National Health Service Corps.

o Sec. 2201 - “Fulfillment of Obligated Service Requirement”

o Sec. 2201, Pg. 864-875 - The NHS Corps is a program where Doctors perform mandatory HC for 2 years for partial loan repayment.

Sec. 2212, Pg. 875-891 - The government takes over the education of Medical students and Doctors through education and loans.

Sec. 340L, Pg. 897 - The government will establish a Public Health Workforce Corps to ensure an adequate supply of public health professionals.

Sec. 340L, Pg. 897 - The Public Health Workforce Corps shall consist of civilian employees of the United States as Secretary deems necessary.

Sec. 340L, Pg. 897 - The Public Health Workforce Corps shall consist of officers of Regular and Reserve Corps of Service.

Sec. 340M, Pg. 899 - The Public Health Workforce Corps includes veterinarians. Will animals have heath care too?

Sec. 2233, Pg. 909 - The government will develop, build and run Public Health Training Centers.

Sec. 2241, Pg. 912-913 - Government starts a HC affirmative action program under the guise of diversity scholarships.

Sec. 2251, Pg. 915 - Government MANDATES cultural and linguistic competency training for HC professionals.

Sec. 3111, Pg. 931 - The government will establish a Preventative and Wellness Trust fund, with initial cost of $30,800,000,000 (Billions more).

Sec. 3121, Pg. 934, Lines 21-22 - Government will identify specific goals and objectives for prevention and wellness activities. More control of your life.

Sec. 3121, Pg. 935, Lines 1-2 - The government will develop “Healthy People & National Public Health Performance Standards.” They will tell us what to eat?

Sec. 3131, Pg. 942, Lines 22-25 - “Task Force on Community Preventive Services.” More government? Under the Offices of Surgeon General, Public Health Services, Minority Health and Women’s Health.

Sec. 3141, Pg. 949-979 - BIG GOVERNMENT core public health infrastructure includes workforce capacity, lab systems, health information systems, etc.

Sec. 2511, Pg. 992 - Government will establish school-based “health” clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!

Sec. 399Z-1, Pg. 993 - School-Based Health Clinics will be integrated into the school environment. More government brainwashing in school.

Sec. 2251, Pg. 915 - Government MANDATES cultural and linguistic competency training for HC professionals.

Sec. 3111, Pg. 931 - The government will establish a Preventative and Wellness Trust fund, with initial cost of $30,800,000,000 (Billions more).

Sec. 3121, Pg. 934, Lines 21-22 - Government will identify specific goals and objectives for prevention and wellness activities. More control of your life.

Sec. 3121, Pg. 935, Lines 1-2 - The government will develop “Healthy People & National Public Health Performance Standards.” They will tell us what to eat?

Sec. 3131, Pg. 942, Lines 22-25 - “Task Force on Community Preventive Services.” More government? Under the Offices of Surgeon General, Public Health Services, Minority Health and Women’s Health.

Sec. 3141, Pg. 949-979 - BIG GOVERNMENT core public health infrastructure includes workforce capacity, lab systems, health information systems, etc.

Sec. 2511, Pg. 992 - Government will establish school-based “health” clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!

Sec. 399Z-1, Pg. 993 - School-Based Health Clinics will be integrated into the school environment. More government brainwashing in school.

Sec. 2521, Pg. 1000 - The government will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?

Cato Institute: Big Spending Government - Does it Work?

Hospital Care - DMV Style

A story today in Investors Business Daily today headlines 45% Of Doctors Would Consider Quitting If Congress Passes Health Care Overhaul.  It shows that the heads of various organizations, like the AMA and AARP, often don't reflect the interests of their members.  Readers might ask why they wouldn't volunteer to be government employees.

It reminded me of the transformation of the Canadian health care system, that turned independent business people (doctors) into government employees.  I lived there at the time, and knew a medical doctor who specialized in speech therapy.  She was very focused and had taken years to attain her credentials and reputation.

One day, she announced to us that she was quitting and going back to business school.  Her reason stemmed from the mind numbing indifference of the people she worked with everyday.  They had to work by the government rules.  The spark had been extinguished.  She chose to start again, rather than participate in the indifference that a cost-driven bureaucracy must dictate.

Now The Left will cry "But we have compassion".  Yes, no doubt, there are people who care at the DMV ... but the experience, state by state through the country, is surprisingly uniform and dull, waits are long, and service does not improve.

Image that everyday, every hospital you walk in, is like a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles.  We do not want the government to take over more of the health care system than it already runs.  And we do not want medical professionals to feel that they are government employees.

Thomas Sowell noted recently that Canadians who can afford it come to the USA for the very best care.  Where we will go if our care becomes like Canada?

A Great Summary of the Freedom Loving 9-12 Citizens!

Who Issued this Credit Card to Congress?

9-12 Protest in Washington, DC today

Would you Want Health Care from the Post Office?

The President admits the Post Office is in trouble, Medicare is in trouble, Medicade is in trouble. Heck Obama told us on May 23, 2009 that "We are out of money now"

So why in whole tarnation do we want the government to do "more" for us, when they are squandering our wealth? get out of the way and free up the markets in healthcare, don't mess them up more!

Finally, Mainstream Media Takes on Government Health Care: Dogs Get Better Service than People!

OK, I missed this when it came out, but we have an ABC report that shows that government health care is not a desirable alternative -- now, or in the future.

Dogs get better service than people!

What Would Jack Webb Tell Obama About Healthcare?

I like this clip found on http://glennbeckclips.com

Fed Fighting to Keep Spending (Rescue) Secret

Pamela Geller's site has a nice report and follow-up titled "FED BEGS FOR SECRECY ON FAILED BANK BAIL OUT".

The argument the Fed is making is that if we knew what they were spending money on, without any oversight and approval from the people by the way, it would place undue stress on those banks.

Even those in Congress openly wonder how The Fed can spend billions without any approval, just by printing more dollars.

William Greider has an excellent article in The Nation where he explains the destructive and uncontrolled actions of this quasi-government body.  Since the Fed has been in place, almost 100 years now, we have seen booms and busts, and persistent protection of bankers who are "in the club".  His prescriptions, in my view, do not go far enough, as he suggests we retain the money printing press ... which will always be subject to political manipulation.

Read the article, Dismantling the Temple, and learn more.  A bit of a left of center view, but worth a look.

If You Think Health Care is Expensive Now, Wait Until it is Free!

A couple of items cross my desk that gave me pause.

The first was an excellent IBD editorial yesterday.

There is no free lunch, as the article insists, contrary to the "its free!" cry from some of my Canadian relatives. In France

a Frenchman making a monthly salary of 3,000 euros has 350 of them deducted for health insurance. Then the employer throws in an additional 1,200 euros.

That is a whopping 36% of his total compensation cost going to health care. Thank God it is free, otherwise, no-one could afford it.

Is the care better?

during an August 2003 heat wave — when many doctors were on vacation and hospitals were stretched beyond capacity — 15,000 elderly citizens died.

Second item is this chilling email from my sister-in-law, from Canada.

I know you have been spending a lot time reading and writing about the Canadian health care system and I thought I'd give you an example of a problem we have.

About two weeks ago, my dad accidentally cut off his finger cutting wood. Anyway, he went to the emergency room (he had the finger) and they couldn't sew it back on because they couldn't get surgeon to the hospital for 5 hours and the tissue died. Frankly, I don't think they had the skills or technology anyway, but he did sit there for 5 hours waiting for a surgeon. I don't know if you find that interesting but I did.

Are you as chilled as I am? Government run health care is not the answer. IT will be MORE expensive (sorry Mr. Obama) and produce poorer results.

The 9-12 Project

No need to comment. This video says it all.  Visit the 9-12 project.

The Fed - Savior or Destructive Force?

News is now emerging that Bernanke is lobbying for his new term as head of the Fed, and will be re-nominated by Obama today.

As I noted previously, Bernanke has been wrong in his outlook and prescription for the economy since 2005.  How sure can we be that his current prescriptions for the financial crisis will be the cure?  The even bigger question is: how likely is it that government intervention at such a scale can possibly get it right?

I am afraid we can be sure that the Fed will continue to be the problem, and will continue to destroy wealth for everyday Americans, while supporting constituencies: its members and the government.  (Members benefited from the  Fed bailout -- look at the NY Fed roster - GE, JPMorgan, etc.)

The Fed and its system is an enormous government intervention that we have had now since 1913. Since it was created, it shifted control of money and interest rates to the government.  Since then, we are assured of wild booms and busts, and persistent inflation.  The Fed cannot be neutral, as it is a government controlled body.  So it bends policy to befit its members, and to support government spending.

The Fed members are a closed shop of financial and government appointees, even though the theory was that The Fed was supposed to be independent of government. With so much government control of banks, the banks, who elect members, are under the thumb of government to pack the Fed's 12 regional boards.

So yesterday, we have  Denis Hughes, president of the NY AFL-CIO joining the New York Fed! AS THE CHAIR!  Welcome Labor to control of interest rates!  What ever happened to free market for money?  I guess we will not see that until we abolish the Fed, which is unlikely to happen.

The Fed is generally regarded as a positive and stabilizing force in the economy, but trust me, they are an insidious and destructive government intervention ... and they almost always get that intervention wrong.

Fasten your seatbelts.

Howard Dean Speaks What The Left Really Believes: Profits are Inefficient!

My Gosh!  At least Howard Dean speaks without a vieled cloak.  He says yesterday on Face the Nation that

"Private health care insurance is incredibly inefficient. Not because the private sector is by nature inefficient. But because they are investor owned and a huge proportion of the money they take in has to go to return on equity."

So in a short sentence, Dean tells us what The Left really thinks. Profits are bad. They are not the reward for providing a good service, but is money removed from the system that could otherwise serve the "public good."


Is this socialism, or what?

Bob Scheaffer lets Dean spout on without any challenge.

Watch CBS Videos Online

"The Mob" is Not as Organized as "The Left"

The mainstream media reports that people protesting at town halls, on the web, and those calling and writing their congressmen are "mob", organized right-wing extremists and Republicans.

Those same so-called objective reporters suggest that it is the common American that really wants socialized health care. hell, we've got Medicare, and that's government run. If you' re against government run health care, you must also be against Medicare ... the trap is laid ... You must be un-American! they claim.

The reality is that "The Left", which includes the President, the White House, Pelosi and Reid, is extremely organized. The 501 (c) lobby groups do not hide the fact they have the support of the president. Organizing for America has the web url "barackobama.com". These groups have well-oiled shock troops that are mobilzed to "balance" a protest, and present opposing views.

BarackObama.com is not a big fan of argument, reason or discourse. Subscribers are instructed what to do, what to say and when and where to say and do it.

Here are some of the emails that BarackObama.com has sent out to instruct the troops:

• Aug 12: I had signed up to "visit" a Senator's office on behalf of BarackObama.com. The emails provided me with "my orders":
  

  
  

  We put together a step-by-step guide you can use to plan your visit and maximize your impact. You can download the guide and additional information to drop off at the office here:

  
  

  http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/HC_OfficeVisits/OfficeVisit_MD.pdf

  
  "We put together a step-by-step guide you can use to plan your visit and maximize your impact. You can download the guide and additional information to drop off at the office here: DOWNLOAD YOUR OFFICE VISIT GUIDE"

  
  The Office Visit Guide instructed me to print out the guide, practice my pitch by writing it out, specific steps I should take when I visit the office and, of course, told me what my talking points where. I was scheduled at a specific office at a specific time to "take up my post" in the fight against those who might oppose BarackObama.com


• Aug 13: I received a follow-up email asking me for a report on my visit.


• Aug 18: I received an email from BarackObama.com:
  

  "Frightened crowds have flooded town halls, and the office of a Georgia representative was defaced with a swastika. Check out the site today and then spread the word to your friends. These lies are no accident. They're part of a deliberate plot by the special interests who profit from the status quo to kill any reform at all."

  
  

Can we recall a time in American history where the President of the United States allowed his name to be used by a political action group to push an agenda. This is highly organized and don't let The Left's media shills tell you otherwise.

What Healthcare Rationing Looks Like: Death, But No Death Boards

A lot of buzz has been made that there will be "death panels" (Sarah Palin) that will make life and death medical decisions.

Fortunately, teh end-of-life counselling mandate  looks like it is losing steam, if not already dead, in the Senate.

That doesn't mean the death panels won't happen!! Let me walk through the logic where government management of "pricing" must lad to rationing.  That rationing leads to deaths.

Like the frog who slowly dies in cold water being boiled, no-one rings a bell and says "Mrs. Smith will be terminated."  It is the mind-numbing bureaucracy of government controlled health care that achieves the same effect.

Again, once government assumes the role of paying for a substantial part of health care costs, either through subsidy or direct pay, it has a vested interest in controlling costs.

In Canada, where I immigrated from, the governments response was to restrict the number of practicing doctors, close hospitals and reduce spending on new equipment and procedures until there were well established.  (Where would they be well established?  In the United States, of course, that encouraged experimentation and development of new cures!)

Since the supply of services is controlled (and therefore costs become predictable and manageable), how do you manage the demand side of the equation?  In a free market system, price intermediates.  But in a perfect socialist society, we can't allow that to happen!  We will just have people line up for services.  We will have a "board of experts" decide the order in which they line up.

This bureaucratic board, combined with a limitation of services, is effectively is the death sentence for many people.

So in Canada, in 2008, you wait 17.3 weeks for your general practitioner.  900,000 people are waiting for hospital beds. Death rates from colon cancer is projected to be 66% higher in Canada.

Government control kills.

Ok, Mr President. Is Everyone Who Disagrees with You Evil?

I have been documenting the on-going use of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals by The Left and the President. Never before have we seen such an ideological White House, so well versed in radical practices.  It views the pursuit of its agenda as a crusade, and sees the destruction of opposing views as  a means to an end.

Ridicule, polarization and the use of power are employed by the White House to attack those who want to debate issues.

Viz:

• In Montana last week, Obama told us that insurance companies are holding us hostage.
  

  "We are held hostage at any given moment by health insurance companies that deny coverage or drop coverage or charge fees that people can’t afford”

  
  


• Next, Obama attacks the media, the same people who provided no critical and balanced analysis of his policies. "TV loves a ruckus. You've got to be careful about those cable networks." I guess even friends can be enemies if they don't play along.


• The numbers prove that Obama's polarizing efforts are succeeding. Today's Rasmussen Poll shows 32% of people Strongly Approve of Obama, 41% Strongly Disapprove. (In G W Bush's final month in office, 43% Strongly Disapproved.)


• Every media outlet, every Democratic "action": committee, every George Soros radical organization is demagoguing town hall protesters. David Andersen characterizes the attacks:
  

  "The Democrats are losing ground according to the polls and evidenced by the disquiet at town halls from Oregon to New York to Texas to Delaware. They have decided not to address the issues the people have passionately brought up. They have decided to characterize people who differ with them as a staged mob. This is so outrageous that it is beyond the pail.
  
  Since when are people not suppose to express their agreement with a speaker by cheering? Are they not allowed to express their collective disagreement with a proposal with a collective response to a question by saying just say no?"

  
  


• Paul Krugman, the Nobel Prize winning economists, who has an unproven theory that we can spend, spend spend our way to prosperity, admits that "Obama will deal with the death of his postpartisan dream".


• Obama attack dog Nancy Pelosi, well trained in Alinksy Rules, said last week that American citizens that exercise their free speech rights are Un-American. This is exactly the same term she used in March 2009 to describe raids on illegal immigrant work sites!!!   So let me get this straight ... Free speech is Un-American ... Upholding the law is Un-American ...

Polarization. Avoid the issue. Attack and demonize the other side.  Is this the Change people voted for?

Health Care Protest "Real, Grass-Roots" - Democratic Senator

Finally, a level headed Senator McCaskill (D-Mo) admits that people who showed up at her towns halls about health care were "real, grass-roots" people.


Now, this seems to contradict the "experts" over at the fair and balanced MSNB  Olbermann, always fact based interviews the very balanced Arianna Huffington. (NOT!)


What evidence does anyone have that the concerns are not genuine? (None!)  Why not, like Ms McCaskill is doing, deal with the issues, instead of diverting the issue to the messengers?

Again, I fear we are seeing brilliant execution of Salinky's Rule #12 , gladly supported by media "progressives".

The Solution to Overspending on Credit? More Credit, of Course!

When I was very young and was learning about money, I would scratch my head when I passed by roadside signs: "Bad Credit, No Credit -- No Problem".  So let me think this through .... If I had overspent, had racked up too many loans, and perhaps even started to default on some of them .. but I really really really wanted a new purchase, say a car ... my solution was MORE CREDIT!

Wow!  If you spend beyond your means, just borrow more!

Reality sunk in as I matured.  The ultimate destination for unbridled spending in our personal lives is bankruptcy, not greater prosperity.  Unless, of course, I had a magic spring of cash in my basement that would simply print more money when I needed it.  Ahh!  Fantasy Land ...  I have since learned that I just have to generate more revenue, or cut my spending to generate and accumulate wealth.  What an old fashioned concept!

Along comes our Federal Government, with the ability to create fiat money (print money).    And what are they doing in response to the "debt crisis"?  You got it!  Spend more money!

An excellent article, The Debt Crisis Cannot Be Solved with More Debt by David Saied documents how rapid our expansion of debt has been.

Consumer credit, which in 1950 was only 6% of total gross domestic product (GDP), has by 2009 tripled to 18% of GDP. Bank credit, which in 1947 was 45% of GDP, has by 2009 risen to 67% of GDP. Household debt, which in 1957 was only about 45% of national income, peaked at over 120% of national income by 2007. According to the congressional budget office (CBO), federal debt, which was at an already-high level of 41% of GDP in 2008, is expected to balloon to 200% of GDP by 2038. The CBO expects federal debt to grow to 60% of GDP by 2010.

As simply as this is not sustainable in our households, it is not sustainable at the national level.

Well -- It Seems the AARP is Listening to its Membership!

The AARP has been widely viewed as bring the in the bag for Obama's health care "reform" plans.

Maybe not so!

Today, Newsmax reports:

At the town hall in Portsmouth, N.H., Obama said, "We have the AARP onboard because they know this is a good deal for our seniors." He added, "AARP would not be endorsing a bill if it was undermining Medicare."

But Tom Nelson, AARP's chief operating officer, said, "Indications that we have endorsed any of the major healthcare reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate."

It's good to see that the AARP is listening to its members. I guess the commotion at the town halls isn't just "right wing radicals" as The Left is trying to paint. It has to include some real people, honestly concerned that this plan is going the wrong way!

Obama-backed Rules for Radicals Exposed!

A 501 (c) called Health Care for America Now (HCAN) boasts that "its principles for reform are supported by President Obama". It's steering committee includes ACORN, AFL-CIO, MoveOn.org, NAACP, National Council of La Raza, National Education Association, and the SEIU.

In case you didn't notice, this is The Left at its best, with many of these organizations funded by "progressive" George Soros.  It's hard to say that the hand-painted signs at the health care protest are well-funded, right-wing orgaized protests, especially when facing this highly-organized response SWAT team.

Last week, this group issued a memo to its ground forces, detailing (in 2500+ words) how to respond to "right wing activists" and "tea-bagger" protesters who are protesting at Member of Congress and President Obama's meetings. Tsk, tsk .. we really don't want freedom of speech if we disagree with it, do we?

It is a very good implementation of many of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.

The HCAN memo provides tactics to use to thwart everyday Americans who are upset at the sweeping proposals for health care "reform".

Do they want a debate on the issues?  HCAN says:

"Do not debate on their “policy” points. Remember, they are seeking a platform to distort the truth about reform by making health care about abortion, rationing, euthanasia, etc. Rather than try to reply with the truth (which won’t move them anyway) we should respond with our message and at every turn re-focus the agenda on communicating with the Member of Congress."

Alinsky' Rule 10 says "If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive." In other words, if you tell everyone that government health care will be all rosy, maybe people will believe you.

So Obama supports, according to HCAN, grass-roots activists who want to avoid the policy issues and cram down their points of view.

Application of Bully Rules from MSNBC "Host"

I posted Saul Alinksy's Rules for Radicals a few days ago.

Here is a perfect example of someone who knows how to use the "rules" to drive a radical agenda. Peter Schiff stays on point, despite the rude and unseemly "host".

Obama / DNC - Community Organizers, Or President?

Wow ... the President is an activist!

I found "guidance" from the DNC on how to visit my local Senator / Congressman's office and how to spread the word.

Here we have a website BRANDED under the President's name that has a feedback web site (my.BarackObama.com/OfficeFeedback) telling us

1. The position we should be taking.
   

   I SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT’S HEALTH INSURANCE GUARANTEES
   No Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions
   No Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays
   No Cost -Sharing for Preventive Care
   No Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill
   No Gender Discrimination
   No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage
   Extended Coverage for Young Adults
   Guaranteed Insurance Renewal

   
   


2. Talking points to argue in our politicians office.
   

   THE COST OF INACTION in Maryland
   810,000 are uninsured today in Maryland, and 740 Marylanders will lose
   their health coverage because of rising costs.
   The average family premium in Maryland costs $1,100 more because our
   system fails to cover everyone.
   Our broken health insurance system will cost the Maryland economy
   as much as $3.9 billion this year in productivity losses due to lack of
   coverage.

   
   

Now someone help me ... When was the last time that the President of the United States created guidelines for "community organizing?" and grass roots activism?

Our President is selling hard ... not willing to take feedback that is contrary to his agenda .. and willing to mount his brown-shirts to do his bidding.

Very ominous!!

Real Solutions for Health Care

Ok -- as promised ... let's look at solutions...

Spying On Americans --- Obama Style

In December 2005, the Washington Post and New York Times broke an article, stating that Bush Authorized Domestic Spying.  Caroline Frederickson of the ACLU said:

"It's clear that the administration has been very willing to sacrifice civil liberties in its effort to exercise its authority on terrorism, to the extent that it authorizes criminal activity."

Hmmm ... think the new version has greater respect for civil liberties to fight ... er... not terrorism ... but .. Americans who don't like their policies?!

Roll forward to 2009 and a new President in office. Citizens exercising their first amendment rights to free speech protest against the health care "reforms" proposed by the new party in power.

And in August 2009 on http://www.whitehouse.gov, we are asked to snitch on fellow Americans:

"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

Let me see ... Bush was fighting terrorism and intercepted calls to terrorist states ... now American don't like the health care proposal and the White House is asking you to spy on your neighbor.

Reactions

• Sen John Cornyn (R-Tex) wrote the President asking:
  

  "I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed “fishy” or otherwise inimical to the White House’s political interests."

  
  


• The Left has begun labeling Americans who come out and exercise free speech as "Republicans and their rightist allies", "mob rule", and "political terrorists".  (Ah, so the program is to fight terrorism, just like Bush was!)


• Bloggers are comparing the actions to Nazi Germany.
  

  "He actually wants people to tell on those of us who oppose the healthcare “reform.” He wants his supporters to send his people (his SS enforcers, I assume) information about who and where his policies are being resisted."

  
  

This is politics, Chicago-style.  Don't agree with the "chosen one", and you will be spied on, smeared and then what?

This is a dangerous and ominous development.

What Are We Trying to Accomplish in HealthCare?

When you read the health bills in Congress and the analysis of them, you have to ask, what the heck are we trying to accomplish?

• Is it to cover everyone?  The so-called, Universal Coverage.

That raises 2 issues:  1. Do we cover people who freely choose not to have coverage?   2. Can we afford it?

Forcing people to play:  We don't need to force everyone into care, unless we assume that government will be the nanny for everyone, that people cannot make free decisions in a free society.  Many people decide, for good and various reasons that are no concern of the state, that they do not want to pay for health care insurance.  They pay for services as they use them.  Personally, I would rather have a real "insurance" program that protects me against disaster (like my auto insurance), but leaves me to shop for regular services like a checkup (or an oil change).

Can we afford it? If we agree that the number of people that we will have to pay for is 15 million, then the annual cost to give them an $8,000 "insurance" plan would be $120 Billion per year, or $1.2 Trillion in 10 years.  Given the financial state of the federal (and state and local) governments today, can we afford $1.2 Trillion OR MORE?  Remember, the first estimates of the cost of Medicare have been exceeded by over 10 times.  We can surely rest assured that any estimate of a government run program will be much higher than any conservative estimate.

• Is it to lower costs of health-care?

Hmm? What example (just give me one!!!) can we point to where government action has actually lowered the costs of anything?  If the US Government ran Intel, we would still be using 286 chips that cost $500, instead of chips that run millions of times faster for $100.

Will the government be reforming tort law and reducing the costs of malpractice insurance (which by the way, costs more than the costs of covering those 15 million people we mentioned)?  Nope!  Aren't trial lawyers the top contributor to Democratic PACs?

In a free market, the competitive forces of supply and demand will eventually drive prices down.  Many argue that we do not have a free market in healthcare.  As mentioned before, we don't have insurance per se.  We get a "unlimited pass"  once we have paid our out-of-pocket, and we don't have an incentive to shop.  (Perhaps that is where we should focus reforms.)

Nope: the only way a government plan can control costs is to limit the supply of services, aka "rationing".  In the UK and Canada, that is exactly the way they control costs.

If you remember your basic economics courses, a market will clear when supply and demand are cleared by a market price for those services.  When a government eliminates price, demand will be high ... which requires a government to take control of all supply of services and limit them to the "affordable" budget.

When I was studying for my MBA (and was living in Canada at the time), I took a course in Political Economy under Professor John Crispo, an outspoken political commentator in Canada.  A presentation from one of my fellow students was a sign of the coming future of healthcare in Canada.

Telling us in 1983 that she reflected Government healthcare ministry policy, she said that we had 3 cost problems: "Doctors, Doctors, Doctors".  That policy had its consequences.   In the 1990's, Canada was losing up to 771 doctors per year to the United States.  Today, Canada has about 188 doctors / 100,000 population.  The United States has 256, or 36% more.  How long will it be before a government bureaucrat decides the problem with healthcare costs is doctors?

Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.  The bills presented in Congress do not accomplish even these objectives, but certainly will reduce our liberties.  The examples of government success in this area are nil.  The examples of government waste, corruption and bad outcomes are plentiful.

Is this Reform? or a Blantant Power Grab?

An excellent article in IBD this week bullet points the extra powers our legislators want to hand over to government control.

Among the powers given to governmental:

• Seniors must submit to "advance care planning consultation" (aka end-of-life discussions) every five years, or more often if there is "a significant change in the health condition of the individual, including diagnosis of a chronic, progressive, life-limiting disease, a life-threatening or terminal diagnosis or life-threatening injury" (Pages 425 and 429). Will these consultants advise seniors to hurry up and die because they are costing too much money?
• Government bureaucrats will conduct "Comparative Effectiveness Research" to decide the effectiveness of treatments and drugs. That is the exotic label for rationing and, as House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., admitted, drugs and treatments that are "found to be less effective and more expensive will no longer be prescribed" (Pages 502 and 520).
• Government bureaucrats (not the medical profession) shall determine national priorities for research (Page 505).
• Preference in awarding grants or contracts will be given to entities that have trained "the greatest percentage" of public-health workers in the government and that have trained large percentages of "under-represented minority groups" (Pages 909 and 910). Think Acorn!

If we need reform, this is NOT reform, but a slide towards socialism at its worst.