PLAY THIS CLIP FROM PAUL RYAN. LISTEN. LEARN. FIGHT.
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/ID/221269&start=29165&end=29446
If you are not a Paul Ryan Republican, you will be after you play this.
HEALTH CARE AND THE FUTURE OF AMERICA
AS I WRITE THIS, I AM IN NYC AT a conference of talk show hosts. The only thing on everyone’s mind is the pending vote on government control of our health care system. I can’t say at 2:51 PM Eastern time what will happen. But I want to share some thoughts about what could happen and the future of our country.
First, hats off to the Republicans so far. They have done everything that could be expected of them. Not a single one will vote for this monstrosity of a bill, this looming disaster. Some superstars have arisen from this struggle, like Paul Ryan. He has shone brightly in his performance, whether it was confronting President Obama mano-mano or dealing with Louise Slaughter today in the Rules Committee. Honestly,any leftist or Democrat should be embarrassed by her. I have met smarter rocks.
And I hope all those who didn’t vote for Republicans, stayed home, voted third party, are pleased with the results. I hope you all enjoy Obamacare.
What will the future hold if this passes? Well, consider these numbers: in 1965, when Medicare Part A was established, estimated cost in 1990 was $9 billion. Actual cost: $67 billion. In 1987, when a special hospital subsidy was established for Medicare, estimated cost in 1992 was $100 million. Actual cost: $11 billion, a factor of 100 times the original in just five years. And, in 1983, a home care benefit was established with an estimated cost in 1993 of $4 billion. Actual cost: $10 billion.
So, I think we know costs will go way up, quality will go down, doctors will leave their practices and the Left will blame the insurance companies and demand more government control and intervention. The best health care system in the world will be severely, perhaps mortally wounded, and we’ll fight this battle all over again. The Left will lie again ( example – the Republicans favor the status quo, only Democrats care – a LIE, ignoring the 32 bills introduced by Republicans ), afraid to debate the merits of their case, and many of you will simply be ground down, worn out and give up.
But, the Republicans can fight,and so can you. We can file lawsuits, over so many issues, and then we can remember in November. Give the Republicans the majority, and they can begin to dismantle this monster. They may not be able to repeal it, until we get a new President, but they can fight and change and, ultimately, refuse to fund it. The taxes start now, the policy changes in several years ( I think a tacit admission that theyare fudging on the cost numbers ), that gives us time.
This bill may not pass tomorrow. I pray it doesn’t. But if it does, we must resolve to continue to fight. This fight is about so much more than who your doctor will be and how expensive your health care will be. It is a fight for the very soul of America. That a legislative body would go so far and be willing to twist the rules to pass such a substantial and unpopular bill negates the very meaning of representative government and a republic. The bill will restrict your liberty in the health care field, negating the very meaning of individual choice. The bill cannot help but impair the quality of the care you receive. This country, our nation, was built as a republic, with individual liberty a birthright and protected by government, and quality products and services the natural result of the market process. This bill strikes at this foundation, thus striking at America’s heart and soul. That’s why we must defeat it,and if it passes, why we must continue to fight, no metter how weary we are, no matter how tired we might get, no matter how hopeless it may seem. We stand on the shoulders of giants who fought for what was right, without counting the odds first, without tiring, without fail, until they won. For our kids, for our future, for our nation, we can do no less.
THIS IS THE WEEK WE DECIDE HEALTHCARE
WELL, THE DRAMA CONTINUES in DC, as everybody has an opinion on whether the votes are there for Obamacare. FWIW, I think not, and I don’t think the Democrats will try some dazzling or obscure rule or motion to pass it without having the votes. It’s easy to talk about sacrificing seats, maybe even the majority at the polls in November to achieve passage of Obamacare if you are in leadership and have a safe seat. It’s not so easy if you are one of the sacrificial lambs whose primary instinct is political survival. If they had the votes, the bill would be passed. And after a year, what is there new to offer or bribe or cajole with?
The Presdient toured Ohio today and held a rally for his plan, joined by Ohio Governor Strickland. The crowd size was near 200; that’s right, the number between 199 and 201. Two hundred. The public doesn’t want this bill, they want jobs, but he has no idea how to restart the economy, generate wealth and create jobs, meaningful, permanent jobs, so he talks about health care. His domestic policy is a shambles: health care stalled after a year of deadlines, speeches, rallies and relentless campaigning; Cap and Trade is dead; the economy is stagnant, debt and deficits growing so rapidly, he is going to go down in history as the most fiscally irresponsible Chief Executive in history. Ad he wants to tackle immigration next? He truly is the gift that keeps on giving. I just hope there is a country left.
Robert Samuelson, a econ writer for the Washington Post has a great piece today, entitled ‘ Obama’s illusions of cost-control ‘. Read it and learn that the tale of emergency room care adding significantly to the cost of health care and that universal coverage will lower that cost is a myth; that the lack of health insurance, in all probability, has little or no impact on your health; that covering the uninsured is not the system’s problem, uncontrolled spending is and Obamacare doesn’t deal with this, in fact, spending will go up if it’s adopted. Did you know that the total profits of the largest 14 health insurance companies represent 0.4% of total health care spending? Not 40%, not 4%, but .4%. Read it.
Then call your Congressman. I know, I know, you’ve done that, but you have to do it again. Thank the good guys for holding firm, ask the yes votes to reconsider, ask the undecideds to vote no. Numbers are on this blog under ‘get involved’ . Call. Don’t let up. And, if you have a chance, AFP, Americans for Prosperity, is sponsoring demonstrations outside Brian Baird’s offices, 4-6 PM tomorrow, Tuesday. Olympia address is 120 Union Avenue. Vancouver is the Howard Building, 750 Anderson. Come on by if you can.
BTW, IMHO, one of the Republican heroes arising form this fight is Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. Keep your eye on him. He won 64% of the vote in his district in 2008 while Obama carried it in the Presidential race. He is the future of the Republican Party, if it has one.
A COUPLE OF OTHER quick items. The Gallup poll shows that Americans are less worried about global warming, less convinced that it’s effects are happening now and more likely to believe that there is uncertainty about it in the scientific community. The number thinking the effects of global warming are exaggerated is 48%; in 1997 it was 31%. And, the tax wars continue in Olympia as the Legislature, that is the Democrats in the Legislature are in special session as they try to figure out a tax package to pay for the increased spending in their budgets. The Senate spends $2.95 Billion more and the House spends $2.7 Billion more over the current budget. The budget has NOT been cut. Particular programs may have been cut, but overall spending is up, way up. Meanwhile, Moodys has given our state negative bond rating outlook, noting that our per capita bond indebtedness is twice the national average. And, I was honored to address the Tea Party Summit held in Ellensberg on Saturday. Good people, concerned about their future, their kids’ future and the future of their state and country. I talked to a lot of them, and I don’t think the D’s have the faintest idea of what is waiting for them on election day. If they weren’t screwing up our country and state so badly, I could almost feel sorry for them.
DON’T FORGET TO JOIN Americans for Prosperity. www.americansforprosperity.org
SOME MISC WEDNESDAY WORDS
YOUR CENSUS FORMS are coming soon, and I have a suggestion. It asks a lot of questions which are not the government’s business, particularly on race. So, I recommend following Michelle Malkin’s suggestion that for Question Nine, everybody check the ‘ Some Other Race’ box and write in American. It’s time to take a stand. I have heard that millions of people answered this way in 2000, so let’s make it tens of millions in 2010. Spread the word, twitter, facebook, blog, word of mouth, scream it from the mountaintops. We are Americans.
DID YOU HEAR NANCY PELOSI yesterday, in referring to the Obamacare bill, say, ” But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of controversy.”? Wow, what can you say…..
FORBES MAGAZINE REPORTS that sales taxes across the country are rising in states and cities. The highest reported is 12% in Arab, Alabama ( this is not a misspelling ), 11.5% in Bellwood, Illinois and 11.125% in Mansfield, Arkansas. We aren’t that far behind…..
A STUDY IN USA TODAY earlier this week examined comparisons between Federal, state and local government pay and private sector pay. This little gem was included in the Federal comparison: ” These salary figures do not include the value of health, pension and other benefits, which averaged $40,785 per Federal employee in 2008 vs. $9,882 per private worker, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.”.
THREE MEN FROM HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA are scheduled to be arraigned this week on assault and hate crime charges for allegedly shooting a man they thought was gay in the face with a BB gun. Hateful Christians, evil right wingers, they should all be locked up and….wait a minute. The three, Shafiq Hashemi, 21, Sayed Bassam, 21 and Mohammed Habibzada ,24 , were arrested. They confessed according to police, stating they came to San Francisco to target gay people. Hmmmmmm….
A POLL RELEASED BY THE DEMOCRACY CORPS-THIRD WAY, a James Carville outfit, found some surprising numbers on public opinion about foreign policy and national security. By a 51%-41% margin, Americans think the standing of the US has dropped during the Obama presidency. Those believing the Republicans would do a better job on national security than Democrats: 50%-33%. Republicans also get the nod from the public when it comes to ensuring a strong military by a 58%-27% margin. This from a leftist polling organization. Are the Republicans listening???
ON SUNDAY MORNING, IN NIGERIA, bands of machete-wielding Muslims attacked Christian villages around the city of Jos, killing 500 Christians. This follows attacks in Januarythat left nearly 500 Muslims dead after disputes between the nomadic Muslim tribes and the Christian tribes that are mainly farmers got out of hand. Nigeria is currently undergoing a power struggle between a Muslim President who is ill and a Christian Vice-President by the name of Goodluck Jonathan. BTW, check out the movie Tears of the Sun, the Bruce Willis action flick, which deals with the situation in Nigeria.
DID YOU KNOW…
that six of the 10 richest counties in the US are in the DC metro area?
that 16% ( that’s 1 in 6 ) of Americans 14-49 are infected with genital herpes?
that according to the government bean counters, the CPI for health insurance premiums fell 3.2% in 2009?
that according to the CBO, under the President’s long term budget plans and projections, the share of the debt held by the public grows from $7.5 Trillion
this year to $20.3 Trillion in 2020?
That Congressman Chris Van Hollen, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told ABC news that no Democrats would lose their
seats in 2010 because of the health care debate? I want some of what he is drinking……..
BTW, join Americans for Prosperity. Check out www.americansforprosperity.org
AMERICA WINS THE OSCARS, FINALLY
WATCHING THE OSCARS TONIGHT, it was satisfying to see Avatar lose best picture and director. James Cameron made Avatar as a comment on America, an anti-American statement: evil American military, happy indigenous people oppressed by evil corporate and American interests, I mean, come on, this is a guy who wears a ‘Free Mumia’ T-shirt. What do you expect? I have heard that it’s a well-made movie, brilliant in fact, but it’s all about bashing Bush, America and capitalism.
Many expected Avatar to sweep the Oscars given it’s quality, commercial drawing power and it’s message. But surprise, The Hurt Locker beat it badly, winning best pic and best director ( oddly enough, an ex-wife of Cameron’s ). I know many veterans have concerns about some of the technical portrayals in The Hurt Locker, but it is a story in which the American military is portrayed in a realistic and positive light and Kathryn Bigelow, the producer, accepted the Best Producer award in the name of the American military, then Best Picture in the name of all in uniform who serve and protect us. And, no boos from the audience.
Then, Sandra Bullock wins Best Actress for The Blind Side, a great story of a Christian family giving a second chance to a promising young football player from the wrong side of the tracks. She was outstanding in the role and deserved her victory. It was a good night for the good guys in Hollywood.
If you haven’t seen one or both of these films, see them. You won’t regret it.
