Waddya Think?

I want some thoughts people. I'll give it a start for you: My first impression was to mass produce similar signs and start selling them to all the doctors I know. Your thoughts?

The Death of Self-Reliance

One of my political "friends" on Facebook linked this article from FoxNews.com today. A glimpse:

As Democrats tout the moral underpinnings of the federal health care system overhaul -- ensuring health care coverage for nearly all Americans -- one senator appeared to go off message when he said the legislation would address the "mal-distribution of income in America."

After the Senate passed a "fix-it" bill Thursday to make changes to the new health care law, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the influential Finance Committee, said the overhaul was an "income shift" to help the poor.

"Too often, much of late, the last couple three years, the mal-distribution of income in American is gone up way too much, the wealthy are getting way, way too wealthy and the middle income class is left behind," he said. "Wages have not kept up with increased income of the highest income in America. This legislation will have the effect of addressing that mal-distribution of income in America."

So, the good news is that there is a Democrat telling the truth out there. Dennis Miller was just on O'Reilly tonight saying that the only ailment not covered by the health care overhaul is busting your butt. Cracked me up, no pun intended. :)

The Power of Positive Thinking

I think some happy thoughts amidst the insanity are in order:

1. Rasmussen Reports - "One week after the House of Representatives passed the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats, 54% of the nation's likely voters still favor repealing the new law."

Wow, when I watch NBC the reporters seem so naively fascinated that there are people out there who don't understand how great this bill is. Sometimes they even furrow a brow and ask a very "serious" and "pointed" leading question so that the guest can give one of their 12 repeat answers. You know the ones we keep hearing that highlight the importance of this government takeover to all of us? Then I start to think for just a second that maybe I'm crazy. And maybe I'm alone in my thoughts. Nope. We are not.

2. Again from Rasmussen (since I was there anyway) - A national telephone survey finds that 52% of U.S. voters believe the average member of the Tea Party movement has a better understanding of the issues facing America today than the average member of Congress. Only 30% believe that those in Congress have a better understanding of the key issues facing the nation.

I have written about the Tea Party before and I'll say it again: they are the next best thing to a 4th of July party without the lemonade, barbecue, and fireworks. The people I've been with at every Tea Party I've gone to are some of the most patriotic people I've ever met. The only thing unusual about them is their passion, their concern, and the fact that they are getting out and doing something.

3. The Texas Board of Education - I'm so sick of political correctness and all of the nonsense it has produced. Apparently so is the Texas Board of Education. A strong conservative voting bloc within the board has held true to their convictions. Liberals call their proposed amendments to the latest social studies text up for renewal "conservative" but I argue they are mainstream. One of my favorite proposals is to add American Exceptionalism to the texts. From one of the board members, Don McLeroy:

"The issue that's most important to me, I guess, I'll be making an amendment about American exceptionalism. I'd like to add that to the U.S. history. And what I see is American exceptionalism is it's American values, the values of the individual, the values that we have of the limited government, that those things that have made us great, have made us different from the rest of the world. I don't want to be just like the rest of the world. I don't want to share the world's values. America's different. Our students need to understand that."

I can honestly say I don't KNOW a person who doesn't believe this. People who don't should not live here - they are the ones sucking us dry. All of the proposed amendments will be posted online for public viewing in April before the vote in May. I will post a link to this TRANSPARENT process for you when it is available.

Oh, and why is this important? Almost 90% of all textbooks in the country are impacted by what Texas purchases because of their volume. See, it pays to be the size of a small country! This is how the battles are won - one at a time.

Hopefully these little tidbits give your mind some ease!

Sickening, Really!

Watching things unfold on the House Floor right now only reinforces my respect for some of these political commentators who go on the air right after a speech. I am totally speechless. Breathe. Okay, now some thoughts.

The negotiations that took place in the past few days blew my mind. The methods being used tonight are historical. The Constitution of the United States was completely trashed tonight by the people who are in control. Scary time we live in. John Boehner pointed out that the passing of this bill was historically changing what our forefathers intended for our country. I couldn't agree more.

Then, to sit and listen to Nancy Pelosi fling statements like "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and "entrepreneurship friendly" was almost more than I could stand. The specific use of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" was a slap in the face of conservatives everywhere who hold the language of the Bill of Rights up as their own guide for how the government should behave. "Health care for all" will bring our citizens greater happiness, so we're in line with the intent of the Bill of Rights?

As I was watching Pelosi tonight, it was hard not to wonder about the numbers. Everyone is so absorbed with the 45 million people who do not have coverage...The 31 Million who will supposedly be covered by this bill. What about everyone else? Do any of my friends who back the Democratic party realize that THEIR lives will not be improved? The majority of working, voting, Americans will pay for this. You can't force the insurance companies to take everyone, and force everyone to buy insurance, without some backlash. You can't have a socialized industry properly functioning in a capitalist society. And this "entrepreneurship friendly" business...good grief. That's the last thing they want to see. I HATE being lied to.

The immediate effects of this bill - all of the things that will hit first - will come across as positive to the American people. I'm not sure anyone will remember all of the negative things set to go into effect in 2014, 2 years after election time (little things like taxes on YOUR health care policy.) I am committed to reminding people. I'll be remembering as my taxes start climbing in 2011.

I learned something today too. I've always wondered why the Pro-Life/Pro-Choice debate was so big in the political spectrum. I mean, I understood to some degree but I felt like it was overplayed. This bill passed today because the Pro-Life Democrats (whatever that is) were bought out. Strange that it played such a role today.

Al Sharpton is on FoxNews...I need to check out before Obama comes on and makes my stomach virus flare back up!

Dennis Kucinich

Representative Dennis Kucinich, a liberal Democrat, took a ride on Air Force One earlier this week with President Obama.

Now his "no" vote has been switched to a "yes." This liberal Democrat did not support the Senate bill because it didn't include a public option. In other words, it was not liberal enough. So, a little meeting with Obama and his concerns have been eliminated? Maybe there is some "hope" for his liberal ideology? Yikes.

Priceless

Action Time, Again

Doesn't it seem like liberal Democrats are simply trying to wear us out? I mean, are we really having this scene play out again this week? The Tea Party is in Washington rallying today. I wish I could be there just for the camaraderie so I don't feel like I'm losing my marbles as I watch the insanity unfolding on the health care bill this week. I drove past a number of empty GM dealerships this past week between Dallas and Houston. It only made me angry thinking about how successful dealerships were just arbitrarily chosen to shut down because the government said so. Anyone foolish enough to think that their quality of life will improve with the government playing a larger role in their healthcare is living in the clouds. Just drive by an empty dealership that has been stripped down to the light pole stubs and see where we are heading.

The Democrats are threatening to ram the Senate bill from last fall down our throats with reconciliation. They will all "deem it passed" which they claim is not actually voting FOR it. In the meantime, some of the congressmen who were once "no" votes are being swayed by various things into a "yes" vote. Maybe the SIEU and their threats to flood their opponents campaigns with money if they vote against the bill? That could be effective, who knows. Here are four former "no" votes who are leaning towards "yes" due to the current political pressure from Obama, fellow Democrats, unions, whoever else stands to make a ton of money from this bill, etc. Pretty much everyone but their constituents are swaying their opinion. If you'd like to have a say, give them a call or send a fax. Especially target Rep. Altmire from Pennsylvannia.

It seems redundant, but I guess if they want to keep asking the same dumb question we have to keep giving them the same solid answer. Keep up the pressure!

Rep. John Boccieri, Ohio, 16th
http://boccieri.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3876, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-3059
Local Office Number: (330) 489-4414, Local Fax Number: (330) 489-4448
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care

Rep. Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania 4th

http://www.altmire.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-2565, DC Fax Number: (202) 226-2274
Local Office Number: (724) 378-0928, Local Fax Number: (724) 378-6171
Voted Yes on Stupak
Voted No on Health Care

Rep. Bart Gordon, Tennessee 6th
http://gordon.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-4231, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-6887
Local Office Number: (615) 896-1986, Local Fax Number:
Chief of Staff: Donna Pignatelli email: donna.pignatelli@mail.house.gov
Voted No on Health Care

Rep. Brian Baird, Washington 3rd
http://www.baird.house.gov/
DC Office Number: (202) 225-3536, DC Fax Number: (202) 225-2478
Local Office Number: (360) 695-6292, Local Fax Number: (360) 695-6197
Voted Yes on Stupak

Reading "Between the Lions"

Of all the articles I read yesterday trying to wrap my head around what happened during the 7 1/2 hour health care summit, THIS one by David Bauder for the Associated Press stood out. A snippet:

By 2:30 p.m., at the opening of the session's second half, Fox News Channel had shifted to its studio show (occasionally showing a mute picture of the summit on a portion of its screen) and CNN's Wolf Blitzer was reporting on poll results. Both covered it fitfully in the afternoon. MSNBC moved on to the Finland-Sweden ice hockey game from the Olympics. PBS aired "Between the Lions."

Another one I totally agreed with:

Fox spent the most time presenting uninterrupted coverage before the lunch break. Afterward, the network cut back sharply following it after reporting that its online poll found 90 percent of respondents saying the event was just "political theater."

I agree that it was political theater and I don't see any true backlash due to bad behavior or performance on the part of the Republicans who were there. The only thing I find alarming today is the abundance of news coverage stating that either the senate bill or the bill proposed by the President this past week are going to be rammed through no matter what. So taxpayer dollars were wasted a charade yesterday when nobody was really planning to change anything.

But I REALLY Need A Pony...

The title suggests what has been on my mind this week as President Obama unveiled his very own personal trillion dollar health care plan as the alternative to the other two similarly priced plans already on the table. On every side the people of America are saying "NO" to this. Not "no, thank you." People are screaming "NO!" from the rooftops, yet just like a child who is determined to break down their opposition, here he is again.

Tomorrow Obama is hosting a televised Health Care Summit where he plans to produce some sort of "bipartisan" charade to make it look like he really wants to consider outside ideas. It seems like a political setup to me and I find it all very troubling. The President has said that they will not start from scratch, so the starting point will be the current proposals. Given that everyone knows Republicans are not on board with those proposals it seems impossible for Republicans to not look like the "naysayers" Democrats are projecting them to be.

Further disturbing to me is that I believe every major speed bump for health care legislation by this administration has been the result of concerned citizens. I don't view any of the sitting Republicans as responsible for the difficulty Democrats are having in passing their socialized medicine framework. That being said, it seems more fitting for the President to take on his true critics - the citizens who have been writing the letters, sending the emails, and making the phone calls. Do the Republicans really know what we want? I have little faith that they will deliver tomorrow night, yet they are being posed as the only people against this legislation. I feel a underrepresented.

On that note, have you seen this? It's...interesting. I've had it emailed to me a few times and I'm not sure what I think. It was on the Fox News homepage today.

Expand Your Mind

I read this article today about economic policy and thought it was an informative read from history. I know very little about the presidencies in the early 20th century - what can I say, I went to public school. Seems like all I've ever heard were negative things about Warren G. Harding. Maybe I was brainwashed by progressives? :)

Here are some snippets I found interesting:

One of Harding's campaign slogans was "less government in business," and it served him well. Harding embraced the advice of Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon and called for tax cuts in his first message to Congress on April 12, 1921. The highest taxes, on corporate revenues and "excess" profits, were to be cut. Personal income taxes were to be left as is, with a top rate of 8 percent of incomes above $4,000. Harding recognized the crucial importance of encouraging the investment that is essential for growth and jobs, something that FDR never did.

Top rate of 8%??? What? We've come a long way. I think I read this week that in 2011 when the Bush tax cuts expire, the top rate will be almost 40%. That's federal tax. Add Social Security, Medicare, and state tax if applicable and wow. When every other dollar of ANYONE's money in our country is going to the government, something is very wrong.

Powerful senators, however, favored giving bonuses to veterans, as 38 states had done. But such spending increases would have put upward pressure on taxes. On July 12, 1921, Harding went to the Senate and urged tax and spending cuts. He noted that a half-billion dollars in compensation and insurance claims were already being paid to 813,442 veterans, and 107,824 veterans were enrolled in government-sponsored vocational training programs.

In 1922, the House passed a veterans' bonus bill 333-70, without saying how the bonuses would be funded. The senate passed it 35-17. Despite intense lobbying from the American Legion, Harding vetoed the bill on September 19— just six weeks before congressional elections, when presidents generally throw goodies at voters. Harding said it was unfair to add to the burdens of 110 million taxpayers.

I'm sure this was largely controversial, but he was sticking to his guns on fiscal responsibility. It doesn't matter how much you want or even need something - if you don't have the money you can't afford it. Long lost policies we all must embrace if America is ever going to be great again.

Harding's Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover wanted government intervention in the economy— which as president he was to pursue when he faced the Great Depression a decade later— but Harding would have none of it. He insisted that relief measures were a local responsibility.

I haven't heard a politician say that relief measures were a local responsibility in my lifetime. I would LOVE to hear it. I completely agree and I know that if our individual communities would take care of their poor, hungry, and afflicted the federal government would not have anything left to do. It's our job - mine and yours. Not Washington's.

Click HERE to read the full article.