An Imperial Presidency In The Making?

by Dr. Chuck Baldwin: Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal carried a story entitled "Obama Steps Up Confrontation." It said in part, "On Thursday, the president challenged Republicans who planned to campaign on repealing his health-care bill with, 'Go for it.' Two days later, he made 15 senior appointments without Senate consent, including a union lawyer whose nomination had been blocked by a filibuster. . . At a bill-signing event Tuesday, he is set to laud passage of higher-education legislation that was approved despite Republican objections through a parliamentary maneuver that neutralized the party's filibuster threat."

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) called Obama's decision to federalize most
student loans "really brazen" and "the most under reported, biggest Washington takeover in history." If history teaches us anything, it teaches us that power always craves more power. And there are only 2 ways to check power: internally, through self-discipline and humility; or externally, through equally determined and equipped counter-forces.

Americans should thank God that George Washington was our first President, because no one exemplified self-discipline and humility more than he did. After having led the colonies to perhaps the most miraculous revolution in world history, Washington was universally adored and even idolized. There were many that even attempted to make Washington America's king. He flatly refused this proposal, of course. (Compare Washington's character and humility to former President G.W. Bush, who, on this subject, said, "If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator.")

The concept of an American monarch may seem foreign to us today, but remember that a monarchy was the only form of government the colonists had ever known. And there can be no doubt that a monarchy (or some form of it) has been the single most popular form of central government that the nations of the world have utilized. But remember, too, the theme of America's War for Independence was "No King But Jesus." And no one believed that more than General George Washington did.

Like most of America's founders, Washington distrusted government in general and despised big government in particular -- even though people were willing to make him government's imperial ruler. Listen to the Father of our country: "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."

Unfortunately, there hasn't been a man of George Washington's caliber in the White House for many a moon. Instead of distrusting and limiting the central government, the vast majority of modern Presidents have completely ignored the constitutional role of the Presidency, and have sought to expand the authority of the executive branch of the federal government to proportions never allowed in the Constitution or envisioned by its creators. And Barack Obama is following the example of his predecessors by continuing this malevolent model (with increased rapidity, I might add). The above-mentioned stories are just the latest examples of what is fast becoming an imperial Presidency. It seems that every day another example of executive arrogance and usurpation of power takes place.

Given the lack of genuine humility and character of America's President -- and the unwillingness of Congress and the Supreme Court to restrain his unconstitutional propensities--it is left to the states and the People to hold this would-be king in check.

And here is another reason to be thankful for America's founders: they recognized the ultimate role of the states in safeguarding and protecting liberty. As James Madison said in Federalist 45, "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."

In Federalist 39 Madison said, "Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body, independent of all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new Constitution will, if established, be a FEDERAL, and not a NATIONAL constitution." (Emphasis in the original.)

If America's founders desired that a national -- or monarchical -- government be established in the United States, what was the purpose of the original 13 colonies retaining individual statehood? Why would each State retain its authority as "a sovereign body," if not to serve as a vanguard against the encroachment upon liberty by the central government?

And never has liberty been more vulnerable to oppression and tyranny than right now! Why? Because ever since 9/11, both political parties in Washington, D.C., have placed America in a state of perpetual war. This fact alone puts the federal government in a position to become America's oppressor.

In the first place, the Congress of the United States (then controlled by Republicans) abdicated its constitutional obligation to be the sole determiner regarding America's entrance into war by providing then-President Bush with virtually unlimited and unchecked ability to determine and wage war clearly outside the perimeter of constitutional authority. And since taking over the federal government last year, Democrats in Washington, D.C., have followed suit.

But listen to Madison: "The executive [President] has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war."

Furthermore, the condition of unending, perpetual war only serves the purpose of lessening liberty. To quote Madison again: "No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare." Madison also declared, "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." And one more from Madison: "The means of defense against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home."

One needs to only look around to observe that Madison's warnings are quickly becoming a reality in these United States.

What all this means is that the American people cannot rely on Washington, D.C., to control itself. We cannot trust Washington politicians and bureaucrats to have the character and self-discipline to honor the Constitution and defend our liberties. If we are to preserve our freedom in this country, it will be up to the body politic in each State to do it. If the Congress and Court in Washington, D.C., will not rein in this burgeoning monarchy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, then the states and People must.

At this point, I do not believe there is any way to avoid it: a showdown between freedom-loving states and the federal government is inevitable. But not only is it inevitable, it is absolutely necessary! The central government in Washington, D.C., is quickly morphing into a monarchy--or at the very least an oligarchy. And neither the Donkeys nor the Elephants inside the Beltway are willing to do anything to stop it. Either the states determine to defend the rights and liberties of the American people now, or we are destined to be governed by DC's despots. Furthermore, we cannot cede to the US Supreme Court -- or to any other federal authority -- our independence, and most certainly, those fundamental elements necessary to our very survival. Only the states and the People, respectively, can maintain these bulwarks.

The question is, Will my State raise the "Don't Tread On Me" flag and sincerely defend my liberties? And the follow-up question is, If my State will not do it, which states will, and what will I do? We have little choice. Either we join with a State that will fight for our liberties and help procure freedom for our posterity, or we follow radical unionists (and globalists) into a modern-day monarchy that is marching America toward oppression and servitude.
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Dr. Chuck Baldwin is a Pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida and radio talk show host of “Chuck Baldwin Live” - a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Chuck Baldwin is a writer/columnist whose articles and political commentaries are carried by a host of Internet sites, newspapers, and news magazines. In 2008, Chuck was the Constitution Party Presidential Candidate.

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Tags: Chuck Baldwin, Imperial Presidency, freedom, Federalism, Republic, State's rights, U.S. Constitution, James Madison, George Washington, monarch, Barack Obama, Tyranny, Oppression
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Real Science Should Trump Politics

by Bill Wilson, Guest Editorial: Remember when President Obama vowed to "restore science to its rightful place?" His inaugural commitment, followed by executive orders, carried a message that methodologically sound science would trump politicized, ideological science.

It turns out, however, that the president's love affair with science isn't quite as clear-cut as it first seemed. Shortly after his inaugural pledge, Obama issued an Executive Order directing his chief science advisor to ensure that administration policies be based on sound science. The EO called for the appointment of science advisers on credentials rather than political leanings, and transparency about scientific decisions. “The public must be able to trust the science and scientific process informing public policy decisions,” he said. One year later, Obama has yet to earn a passing grade on his scientific integrity pledge.

For one thing, Obama simply has not acted, a point driven home by the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists, a left-wing advocacy group that normally supports the administration. They point out that Obama last year called for a science strategy to be developed within 120 days of his inauguration.

Yet the Office of Science and Technology Policy has still not finalized a plan, which leads to uneven application among federal agencies. Other shortcomings are apparent as well. Sunshine is indeed a disinfectant, allowing the public to identify ideologically-based “science” that has driven public policy decisions in the wrong direction.

But too many Freedom of Information Act requests for underlying scientific data used to formulate conclusions still languish too long in federal bureaucracies, effectively denying the public from being able to identify ideologically-driven “science.” Foot-dragging on transparency is one of Obama’s greatest failures. He still has not established guidelines for promoting open communication among scientists, the media, policymakers and the public. Nor has it set a process to release all scientific papers early in the policy process, before they might be altered by political appointees.

Another troublesome development involves the scientific advisory panels that are vital in agencies, especially the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For example, an FDA scientific advisory panel was directed by Congress last year to make recommendations on the impact of menthol in cigarettes. It’s a question for which sound scientific studies would seem to be needed.

Yet, according to one Wall Street analyst, some members of the administration-appointed panel have already come out for a menthol ban. And yet others have what appears to be a clear conflict of interest as they have worked for pharmaceutical firms that sell smoking cessation products. Given these viewpoints and conflicts, it’s questionable whether the public could trust their analysis. It’s a bit like having a Red Sox fan call balls and strikes at a Yankees baseball game

To “restore science to its proper place,” the Administration still must convince the public that it has washed ideologically biased science from government and that appointees to scientific positions throughout government are dedicated to methodologically sound science, not to a pre-determined agenda. It may be that the Obama administration never really had any intention of doing what it discussed with lofty rhetoric in its executive orders. If that is the case, substituting left-wing “science” under the ruse of “sound science” is no way to ensure that the public trusts the scientific process, and ultimately for the Obama Administration trust is the issue.
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Mr.Bill Wilson is President of Americans for Limited Government. This article was submitted to the ARRA News Service Editor and also appears in the Washington Examiner

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Tags: President Obama, science, executive order, Obama, Administration, Bill Wilson, ALG, Americans for Limited Government
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ObamaCare Flatlines: The Voice of the American People

Polling data since the passage of the Democrats’ government takeover of health care shows what the American people really think about President Obama’s policies.
64%: USA Today/Gallup Poll: “USA Today/Gallup poll found 64% saying the law will cost the government too much. Also, the poll found that 65% said the law will expand government's role in health care too much." 3/30/2010

54%: Rasmussen Poll: “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.” 3/29/2010

56%: CNN Poll: “A new CNN poll shows that a majority of Americans, 56%, disapprove of the new health care law while 42% approve. Also, 53% of those polled were either displeased or angry at the passage of the bill, while only 45% were enthusiastic or pleased.” 3/30/2010

54%: Mason- Dixon Poll: “Miami Herald: Florida voters dislike the new healthcare law so much that President Barack Obama and the state's top Democrat, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, are paying a hefty political price, according to a new survey and analysis by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research. Only 34% of Florida voters support the new law while 54 percent are against it, according to the poll. Opposition is significantly strong among two crucial blocs: those older than 65 and voters with no party affiliation. Seniors disfavor the bill by a 65-25% margin, while independents oppose the law 62 -34.” 3/27/2010

50%: The Washington Post Poll: “Overall, 465 of those polled said they support the changes in the new law; 50% oppose them. That is virtually identical to the pre-vote split on the proposals and similar to the divide that has existed since last summer, when the country became sharply polarized over the president's most ambitious domestic initiative.” 3/28/2010

Read Prior ObamaCare Flatlines:
Layoffs and Jobs Losses
An Overdose of Job Killing Taxes
Silence! Dems Trying to Bully Employers on ObamaCare's Job-Killing Impact
Wait, What? President Obama Admits ObamaCare Not Cutting Costs Like He Promised

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Tags: ObamaCare, polls, American people, government health care
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Today in Washington, D.C. - Mar 31, 2010 - GOP Advocates Repeal & Replace ObamaCare Which Evidences Major Cost Impacts On Employers

Congress still on recess but many members responding to the negative economic effects of the health care bill. Even more major employers are announcing millions of dollars in new costs this week thanks to Democrats’ job-killing health care bill, while small business owners fret that they’ll be next. Last week, we saw that Caterpillar and John Deere announced the new law will cost each around $100 million each in new taxes. AT&T announced it would cost the company $1 billion, AK Steel said the law will cost it $31 million, and 3M said it will cost that company $90 million. Yesterday, Prudential Financial announced that the health care bill will cost it $100 million and Illinois Tool Works said their company will see a $22 million cost.

Today, we learn that Boeing says "it will take a charge of $150 million due to the recent health care overhaul legislation. The aircraft maker, based in Chicago, says the charge will hurt earnings by 20 cents per share in the first quarter of 2010.” And we learn that aerospace and defense industry supplier “Goodrich Corp. says it expects to incur a one-time charge of $10 million, or 8 cents per diluted share, against its first-quarter results. The company cites the recently passed U.S. health-care reform legislation.”

Apparently appalled that their massive $2.6 trillion takeover of 1/6^th of the economy is generating trouble for businesses and negatives headlines, Democrats have demanded explanations. The Wall Street Journal writes in an editorial today, “Democrats have responded to these writedowns not by rethinking their policy blunder but by hauling the CEOs before Congress on April 21 for an intimidation session. The letter demanding their attendance from House barons Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak declared that ‘The new law is designed to expand coverage and bring down costs, so your assertions are a matter of concern.’”

Meanwhile, small businesses are worried that the mandates and fines in the Democrats’ health care bill will fall on them as well. Already tanning salon owners and employees across the country are reeling from the new tax imposed on their businesses. But today, another AP story points out, “The national law doesn’t require businesses offer insurance but hits employers with 50 or more workers with an annual $2,000-per-employee fee if the company doesn’t insure them and the government ends up subsidizing their workers’ coverage. . . . For critics, one of the most troubling aspects of the laws is the fines. Massachusetts has already fined more than 1,000 companies over $18 million for failing to offer medical insurance to their workers. . . .

“Such penalties make Doug Newman, owner of Newman Concrete Services in Richmond, Maine, nervous. In the past 18 months, as the economy battered the construction industry, Newman’s work force shrunk from 125 employees to just 25. He is worried that once the economy turns and he begins to hire back workers, he’ll face a critical decision when he nears the 50-worker mark and is no longer exempt from penalties. Newman now pays 60 percent of his employees’ individual premiums and 40 percent of their family premiums. ‘The 51st employee could mean $100,000 in costs. I’ve been calling it the concrete ceiling,’ he said. ‘No employer is going to hire No. 51 if it brings all these mandates down on you, because they’re pretty onerous.’”

It’s been just one week since President Obama signed his unpopular health care bill into law and so far we’ve seen major employers hit with millions of dollars in new costs, other companies preparing to lay workers off, some small businesses hit with a new tanning tax, and others bracing for the impact of new fees and mandates.

This health care bill is a job killer, and it should be repealed and replaced. As House Republican Leader John Boehner told The New York Times yesterday, “Republicans will fight to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with common-sense reforms that focus on lowering health care costs while protecting American jobs.” The message continues to be “repeal and replace” ObamaCare:

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH):> “Republicans will fight to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with common-sense reforms that focus on lowering health care costs while protecting American jobs.” (“Obama Signs Bill On Student Loans And Health Care,” The New York Times, 3/30/10)

SEN. SCOTT BROWN (R-MA):“For starters, we can work in a bipartisan manner to repeal the worst parts of this bill. Americans have been clear that they do not like its $2.6 trillion cost, the higher taxes on families and businesses, the runaway spending, the state mandates, the sweetheart deals, and overcharging students to pay for health care. We should replace the worst parts of this legislation with solutions that would actually lower costs and improve the quality of care — such as allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines, measures that will prevent waste, fraud and abuse, support for increased prevention and wellness programs, and reforms to limit costly litigation and defensive medicine.” (Sen. Scott Brown, Op-Ed, “The Health Care Fight Is Not Over,” The Boston Globe, 3/30/10)

SEN. JIM DEMINT (R-SC): “We’ll find out in November who won or lost this battle. Over 60% of Americans still want Republicans to fight to repeal this. So what I do next is I`m trying to replace those who voted for this bill. I want to repeal it. And I want to replace it with some real reform that puts patients in charge of their health care again.”(CBS’ “Face The Nation,” 3/28/10)

NBC’s DAVID GREGORY: “Senator Graham, despite what you say, is a campaign of repeal -- you're a pragmatic legislator -- is that realistic?” SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): “Yes, only if you replace it. It is realistic to let the American people know the Class Act, which is a new entitlement where the government offers long-term health care insurance to the population, collects $78 billion in premiums to use to be paid for this bill so when the money is spent to pay for the health care bill, and when you need your Class Act coverage, there is no money there. It is good to repeal the cuts in Medicare and to repeal the massive tax increases and replace it with opportunities to buy insurance from the private sector without cutting Medicare and raising taxes and using budget Ponzi schemes like the Class Act. Yes, there is a way to do that, and 16 million people are dumped into Medicaid. My state is going to get killed by having to serve more Medicaid people. It's going to hurt state budgets.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 3/28/10)

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Tags: Obamacare, economic costs, employers, GOP, Repeal the bill, government health care
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"Don't Listen, Don't Enforce"

Tony Perkins, FRC Washington Update:
The Clinton Administration compromise policy known as "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is bad enough, given that it conflicts with the actual statute passed by Congress (which says that allowing homosexuals in the military "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion"). But today, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced new regulations that leave the Pentagon tiptoeing even further around enforcement of the statutory law. The new guidelines will sharply narrow the kind of evidence that can be used to begin an investigation of alleged homosexuality, while raising the rank of those authorized to initiate such investigations to general and admirals--who have no time to deal with disciplining individual service members.

The net effect will be to add a "Don't Listen, Don't Enforce" approach to the already unacceptably weak "Don't Ask Don't Tell" compromise. Unless and until Congress changes the law--which would be a serious mistake--the President and Secretary of Defense should live up to their oath to "faithfully execute" the law, instead of seeking out ways to evade it. Over eighty percent of the world's countries--including the ten largest military forces in the world, ones designed to actually fight and win wars, not just march in parades--still exclude homosexuals from the ranks of the armed forces. National security, not political correctness, should determine our military personnel policies.

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Tags: military, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Tony Perkins, FRC,
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Continued Damage From Government Health Care

Boeing, Goodrich, And Illinois Tool Works Join Companies That Project Major Losses As A Result Of The Newly Passed Health Care Law
“Boeing Says It Will Take A Charge Of $150 Million Due To The Recent Health Care Overhaul Legislation. The Aircraft Maker, Based In Chicago, Says The Charge Will Hurt Earnings By 20 Cents Per Share In The First Quarter Of 2010.” (“Boeing To Take Charge On Health Care Reform,” The AP, 3/31/10)

“Goodrich Corp. Says It Expects To Incur A One-Time Charge Of $10 Million, Or 8 Cents Per Diluted Share, Against Its First-Quarter Results. The Company Cites The Recently Passed U.S. Health-Care Reform Legislation.” (“Goodrich Foresees $10M Charge From Health-Care Reform,” Charlotte Business Journal, 3/31/10)

“Charlotte-Based Goodrich (NYSE:GR) Is A Global Supplier Of Systems And Services To The Aerospace And Defense Industries.” (“Goodrich Foresees $10M Charge From Health-Care Reform,” Charlotte Business Journal, 3/31/10)

“Illinois Tool Works Inc. Lowered Its First Quarter And Yearly Earnings Forecast Tuesday Due To Costs Related To The Health Care Legislation Recently Passed By Congress. The Industrial Equipment Maker Said It Will Record A Tax Adjustment Of $22 Million, Or 4 Cents Per Share, To Reflect The Fact That Future Medicare Prescription Drug Subsidies Received By The Company For Retiree Prescription Drug Coverage Will Now Be Taxable.” (“Illinois Tool Works Lowers Outlook,” The Associated Press, 3/30/10)

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Tags: government health care, economic costs, Boeing, Goodrich, Illinois Tool,
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New Health Care Law Continues to Show Signs of Hurting the Economy

Another Company Reports $100 Million Loss From Health Care Reform As Medical Device Manufacturers And Small Businesses Brace For Impact
PRUDENTIAL: HEALTH CARE LAW WILL COST THEM $100 MILLION
“Insurer Prudential Financial Inc. Said Monday That It Will Take A $100 Million Charge In The First Quarter In Relation To The Recent Health Care Overhaul Legislation. The life insurance and annuities provider said in a regulatory filing that it will take the charge against earnings in the first quarter.” (“Prudential To Take $100M Health Care Charge In 1Q,” The Associated Press, 3/30/10)

“Prudential Joins A Growing List Of Companies That Have Said They Will Take Accounting Charges Because Of The Health Care Bills. AT&T said last week it would take a $1 billion charge in the first quarter. AK Steel Corp., 3M Co., Caterpillar Inc., Deere & Co. and Valero Energy have also said they would take smaller charges.” (“Prudential To Take $100M Health Care Charge In 1Q,” The Associated Press, 3/30/10)

VIRGINIA MEDICAL DEVICE DISTRIBUTOR EXPECTS HIGHER COSTS
“The Health-Care Reform Bill Signed By President Obama Last Week Brings With It New Excise Taxes On The Medical Device And Pharmaceutical Industries.” (“Health-Care Reform Brings New Taxes,” Richmond BizSense, 3/29/10)

“Wayne Sale, The Owner Of A Henrico-Based Medical Supply Distributor Health First Who Heads Up A National Trade Group That Opposes The Tax, Says He Expects Manufacturers To Pass The Cost To Him.” (“Health-Care Reform Brings New Taxes,” Richmond BizSense, 3/29/10)

SALE: “It Directly Affects Me Because My Manufacturers Have To Take It On To The Bottom Line … Now They Will Sell Me What They Sell For $25 For $28 To Make Up The Difference.” (“Health-Care Reform Brings New Taxes,” Richmond BizSense, 3/29/10)

“LARGE TAX ON… LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASS WOMEN”
“Tucked Away In The Federal Health Care Reform Legislation Is What Many Say Is An Unfair Tax On Women. It’s Being Called The Tanning Tax, a 10 percent tax on tanning salon services that’s set to start in July. The government says the tax will generate $2.7 billion over 10 years.” (“Tanning Salons Upset Over 10 Percent Tax On Services,” WSAV NBC [Savannah, GA], 3/29/10)

“‘At First I Thought It Was A Joke, Because I Thought Surely They’re Not Going To Impose Such A Double Digit, Large Tax On… Lower And Middle Class Women,’ Said Shannah Lane, Owner Of Tan-Tastic Tanning.” (“Tanning Salons Upset Over 10 Percent Tax On Services,” WSAV NBC [Savannah, GA], 3/29/10)

“Owners Of Salons Such As Siren Tan In West Des Moines Said Are Not Happy About It. Congress will be collecting an extra 10 percent tax on indoor tanning starting July 1. The plan is to raise $2.7 billion during the next 10 years. In part, it will be used to pay for health risks blamed on too much tanning.” (“Tanning Tax Burns Salon Owners,” KCCI [Des Moines, IA], 3/29/10)

“‘I Think It's Sad The Government Comes In And Tells My Customers They Are Going To Be Charged More If They Chose To Look Good,’ Said Jody Wilson, Owner Of Siren Tan.” (“Tanning Tax Burns Salon Owners,” KCCI [Des Moines, IA], 3/29/10)

“Marcy DeVries Bought Grand Rapids' Westside Sun Spa A Few Months Ago, Which Finally Fulfilled Her Lifelong Dream Of Owning Her Own Salon.” (“10 Percent Tanning Tax To Start July 1,” WOOD-NBC [Grand Rapids, MI], 3/29/10)

DEVRIES: “We're Just Surviving Right Now … It's Going To Affect Us As Business Owners Because We'll Take The Hit Because We Have To Lower Our Prices Again To Keep Our Customers.” (“10 Percent Tanning Tax To Start July 1,” WOOD-NBC [Grand Rapids, MI], 3/29/10)

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Tags: government health care, economy, Prudential
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Today in Washington, D.C. - Mar 30, 2010 - More Polling Shows Americans Do Not Beleive In ObamaCare

Congress is in Recess. Another week brings yet another poll showing that Americans simply don’t by the claims from the Obama administration and congressional Democrats about what their $2.6 trillion health care takeover will do. Less than a quarter of Americans in a Gallup poll released today believe the key claims made over and over by proponents of the bill: Only 21% believe costs will go down; 22% predict their own health care situation will improve; 23% say the deficit will get better; and 24% think their health care coverage will improve. Meanwhile, pluralities see all four areas getting worse under the Democrats’ bill.

And though President Obama has sold the bill as reducing health care costs and Democrat leaders like House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have claimed it’s the biggest deficit reducing measure in over a decade, these talking points ring hollow with a majority of Americans. The Gallup poll finds 50% believe they’ll see higher costs for themselves and their families, 55% believe overall costs of health care in the U.S. will get worse. And 61% say the deficit will get worse thanks to the Democrats’ health care bill.

The skepticism of regular Americans to this health care boondoggle is certainly warranted, considering the stories that are coming out one after another of the consequences of passing this ill-considered bill. The AP reports today, “Under the health care overhaul, young adults who buy their own insurance will carry a heavier burden of the medical costs of older Americans — a shift expected to raise insurance premiums for young people when the plan takes full effect. Beginning in 2014, most Americans will be required to buy insurance or pay a tax penalty. That's when premiums for young adults seeking coverage on the individual market would likely climb by 17 percent on average, or roughly $42 a month, according to an analysis of the plan conducted for The Associated Press. . . . The higher costs will pinch many people in their 20s and early 30s who are struggling to start or advance their careers with the highest unemployment rate in 26 years.”

Even the number two Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin, admitted that premiums will still go up if this expensive health care bill became law. He said on the Senate floor, “Anyone who would stand before you and say well, if you pass health care reform, next year's health care premiums are going down, I don't think is telling the truth. I think it is likely they would go up, but what we're trying to do is slow the rate of increase.”

And throughout the debate on the health care bill, both the Congressional Budget Office and the Obama administration’s own actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said the Democrats’ bill doesn’t lower costs. CBO said federal health care spending “would increase by about $210 billion” and CMS stated that the bill “would increase [health expenditures] by an estimated total of $222 billion” over the next decade.

So it’s easy to see why the public just doesn’t believe the claims of Democrats. Today, President Obama is celebrating signing the partisan reconciliation bill that makes the original health care bill even worse, through higher taxes, more Medicare cuts, and more special deals. I believe most readers will agree with the words of Senator Mitch McConnell on Saturday, “Most people aren’t interested in celebrating a bill that makes their lives more complicated, takes more out of their paychecks and puts decisions they’re used to making themselves into the hands of federal bureaucrats. Most people aren’t celebrating the fact that their insurance premiums will go up. Seniors aren’t popping champagne corks at more than a half a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts. And, job creators, already struggling in a down economy, aren’t doing any cartwheels over all the mandates and new taxes they’ll have to shoulder as a result of this bill.”

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Tags: Washington D.C., polls, polling, Gallup, government health care, higher premiums, CBO
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The Smear Continues

by Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: While the liberal media continues to lecture conservatives about civility, news broke today that the FBI arrested a Pennsylvania man, Norman Leboon, for making an online death threat against House Republican Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia. Last week, Leboon posted a profanity-laced rant against the conservative Jewish congressman on YouTube. In his diatribe, Leboon, who claims to be a Muslim convert, threatened to kill Cantor and his family. It turns out that Norman Leboon also donated $505 to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

The man appears to be a complete loon who has made many threats, so I won’t try to make him a “poster boy” for the Left. But, if the situation were reversed – if a Tea Party member who donated to John McCain’s campaign had been arrested for threatening to assassinate a Democrat leader – it would be headline news for days. There would be calls for the GOP to renounce and condemn the Tea Party. There would be much ink spent on column after column about the extremism on the Right. And, of course, all of it would be due to obvious racism.

Over the weekend, New York Times columnist Frank Rich again picked up the canard that conservative opposition to healthcare “reform” is based on some “ism” or phobia. Rich wrote:

“If Obama’s first legislative priority had been immigration or financial reform or climate change, we would have seen the same trajectory. The conjunction of a black president and a female speaker of the House — topped off by a wise Latina on the Supreme Court and a powerful gay Congressional committee chairman — would sow fears of disenfranchisement among a dwindling and threatened minority in the country no matter what policies were in play.”

In one sentence, Rich dismissed the concerns of nearly half the country (based on the latest polls) for its alleged racism, sexism, xenophobia and homophobia. Once again, the “tolerant” Left is proving just how intolerant it can be.

So, I ask Rich this simple question: If a future black president and a female future Speaker of the House and a wise Latina on the Supreme Court were pushing for lower taxes, smaller government, a strong national defense and adherence to our Constitution, does he really think that the streets would be filled with Tea Party members demonstrating in opposition? Of course not! They might be in the streets cheering, but I suspect Rich would still find something to complain about.
Gary Bauer is is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families. He submitted this article in an email to the ARRA News Service Editor. Bauer was a former Republican presidential candidate and served as President Ronald Reagan’s domestic policy adviser.

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Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families, liberals, left, conservatives, smears, GOP, TEA Party
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Health Care Law Hits Medical Device Manufacturers

The Tax Will Drive Marginally Profitable Companies Into The Red And Extend Losses For Those Already Losing Money”
MINNESOTA
“The Medical Device Excise Tax Aims To Raise $20 Billion Over Ten Years When It Goes Into Effect In 2013. It Will Apply To A Wide Range Of Medical Device Products--From Bed Pans To Stents Used For Propping Open Clogged Arteries.” (“Excise Tax Has Local Medical Device Makers Concerned,” Minnesota Public Radio, 3/29/10)

“Minnesota Is Teeming With Companies That Make Those Products. Med Tech Giants Medtronic, Boston Scientific, St. Jude Medical, And Many Smaller Firms Have Operations In The State.” (“Excise Tax Has Local Medical Device Makers Concerned,” Minnesota Public Radio, 3/29/10)

“’Minnesota Is Going To Take About 25 Percent Of The Hit On The Total Tax Levied Against The Medical Technology Industry,’ Said Don Gerhardt, The Chief Executive Of Lifescience Alley, A Minnesota-Based Trade Group Representing Several Industries, Including Medical Device Makers.” (“Excise Tax Has Local Medical Device Makers Concerned,” Minnesota Public Radio, 3/29/10)

“‘I Think The Real Impact Is Going To Be On The Mid-Sized And Smaller Companies, Where Profit Margins Are A Lot More Narrow, and in some cases are so narrow that the effect of the tax will push a small minority of the companies from black to red,’ Perriello said.” (“Excise Tax Has Local Medical Device Makers Concerned,” Minnesota Public Radio, 3/29/10)

MASSACHUSETTS
“In Massachusetts, One Of The Industries Touted As A Job Creator For The Future Has Been The Manufacturing Of Medical Devices.” (“Government, Industry, Bracing For Impact Of Health Reform,” The Eagle Tribune [Lawrence, MA], 3/28/10)

“But The Health Care Reform Law Contains A Hefty New Tax On These Products, Putting The Long-Term Prospects For Some Of These Companies In Doubt.” (“Government, Industry, Bracing For Impact Of Health Reform,” The Eagle Tribune [Lawrence, MA], 3/28/10)

“The 225 Medical Device Manufacturers In Massachusetts Employ 21,000 People And Generate $6 Billion In Annual Sales. Their products include such items as pacemakers, defibrillators and the tools for minimally invasive joint surgery produced by Smith & Nephew Endoscopy of Andover.” (“Government, Industry, Bracing For Impact Of Health Reform,” The Eagle Tribune [Lawrence, MA], 3/28/10)

“That The Tax Is On Sales, Not Profits, Is Significant. The Tax Will Drive Marginally Profitable Companies Into The Red And Extend Losses For Those Already Losing Money.” (“Government, Industry, Bracing For Impact Of Health Reform,” The Eagle Tribune [Lawrence, MA], 3/28/10)
INDIANA
INDIANAPOLIS STAR: “The Legislation, In Fact, Is Likely To Accelerate Price Increases In Some Areas Of Health Care. For Instance, A Tax Increase On Medical Device Companies Is Sure To Be Passed On To Consumers And Their Insurers.” (Editorial, “Vote Is Done But Debate Continues,” Indianapolis Star, 3/23/10)

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Tags: health care, increased costs, medical devices, Indiana, MINNESOTA
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Today in Washington, D.C. - Mar 29, 2010 - Obama Recess Appointments - Health Bill Costing Jobs, Threatening Small Business & Kids With Pre-Existing Conditions Not Yet Included

Congress is in recess until April 12th. Prior to the recess, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed cloture 5:30 PM on April 12th on a bill (H.R. 4851) to extend unemployment benefits that expire at the end of March, financed with deficit spending. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered a version that was paid for with unspent stimulus money (S. 3153) which the Democrats voted it down 59-40. Democrats also rejected an amendment from Sen. Chuck Grassley to the health care reconciliation bill (H.R. 4872) that would have done the same thing.

The Democrats (including then Sen. Barack Obama) during the last two years of the Bush administration used a "trick of leaving a Senator behind" to call the Senate into session every three days thereby preventing the Senate from ever being in recess and thus preventing President Bush  from making recess appointments.  However, the Democrats were now more than willing to let their beloved leader President Obama to make recess appointments. And so he did.

President Obama moved over the weekend to fill 15 key administration jobs. These recess appointments expire at the end of the congressional session. Obama's most controversial appointment was that of SEIU lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board Becker had failed to receive enough Senate votes to confirm Becker even though Senate Democrats without Republican support could have confirmed him . However, even Democrats were not all in agreement on Becker's nomination of this potentially biased union lawyer to the NLRB. This singular appointment by Obama evidences his contempt for the confirmation process of which he was a previous part.

The Center for Responsive Politics found that despite Obama's pledge to limit special influence participation in his administration, a half-dozen of these new appointees have strong union or special interest ties, or are themselves former registered lobbyists: Craig Becker, a union lawyer to the National Labor Relations Board;  Jeffrey A. Goldstein appointed under Treasury secretary for domestic finance, has worked for a variety of private political influence peddlers; Eric L. Hirschhorn,  Department of Commerce Under Secretary, is a former federal lobbyist, as is Michael W. Punke, Deputy Trade representative; Jacqueline Berrien, Chairwoman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and Chief Agricultural negotiator Indian Islam A. Siddiqui, a former lobbyist for CropLife America.

Also appointed was Pro-Abortion activist Chai Feldblum, a lesbian and Georgetown Univ. law professor to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Note, Feldblum could not surpass the 60-vote threshold even when there were 60 Democrat votes. N.Y. labor lawyer, Mark Peace to the NRLB. Michael F. Mundaca as assistant secretary for tax policy at Treasury; former Indiana Rep. Jill Long Thompson to the Farm Credit Administration Board, and Rafael Borras, under secretary for management, Department of Homeland Security. Other names pending release.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement on the recess appointment of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB): "The President's decision to override bipartisan Senate rejection of Craig Becker's nomination is yet another episode of choosing a partisan path despite bipartisan opposition. The President previously held that appointing an individual in this manner meant that the nominee would have ‘less credibility,’ and that assessment certainly fits this nomination. Additionally stunning is the Administration’s decision to recess appoint two Democrat nominees to the NLRB and leave the Republican behind. This is a purely partisan move that will make a traditionally bipartisan labor board an unbalanced agenda-driven panel.”

In addition, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) the committee’s ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee criticized President Barack Obama Monday for two recess appointments of two nominees that would have been vetted by the Finance Committee. Grassley, , said the appointments show “disregard for the Senate’s advise-and-consent role to bypass not just the full Senate, but also the committee of jurisdiction that was in the middle of vetting the nominees in its jurisdiction.”

It hasn’t even been a week since President Obama signed his massive, unpopular health care takeover into law, and every day stories appear about the economic consequences of this bill, which Democrats seem to have spent little time considering.

Previously, we reported that health care bill cost to Caterpillar and John Deere:  around $100 million each in new taxes. And that AT&T announced it would cost the company $1 billion, while AK Steel, based in Ohio, said the law will cost it $31 million, and 3M said it will cost that company $90 million. We also reported on job cuts at smaller companies in Florida, Nebraska and Indiana based at student loan companies and on the affect of the "tanning salon tax" on businesses in Oregon, Michigan, Oklahoma and Florida.


Meanwhile, even the aspects of the health care bill Democrats are proud of aren’t going to work as advertised. The New York Times reports today, “Just days after President Obama signed the new health care law, insurance companies are already arguing that, at least for now, they do not have to provide one of the benefits that the president calls a centerpiece of the law: coverage for certain children with pre-existing conditions. . . . Insurers agree that if they provide insurance for a child, they must cover pre-existing conditions. But, they say, the law does not require them to write insurance for the child and it does not guarantee the ‘availability of coverage’ for all until 2014. William G. Schiffbauer, a lawyer whose clients include employers and insurance companies, said: ‘The fine print differs from the larger political message. If a company sells insurance, it will have to cover pre-existing conditions for children covered by the policy. But it does not have to sell to somebody with a pre-existing condition. And the insurer could increase premiums to cover the additional cost.’”

This monstrosity of a health care bill is already killing jobs, raising taxes, threatening small businesses, and not living up to its promises on health insurance. It was ill-conceived and poorly understood when it was passed an partisan basis by Democrats over the overwhelming objections of the American people. As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in the Weekly Republican Address Saturday, “That’s why they’ve been clamoring for a different approach, and that’s why Republicans are committed to repealing this bill and replacing it with common sense solutions that achieve the good things that folks on both sides want to achieve without all the nasty consequences we’re already beginning to see.”

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Tags: Washington, D.C., health care, lost jobs, increase cost, taxes, President Obama, recess appointments
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Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross Lies Like a Blue Dog Democrat About National Healthcare

Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), tells constituents in Warren, Arkansas, on April 15, 2009, no one in Washington is talking about socialized health care. He also on other occasions, discussed his support of government health care as detailed in the second video with Vic Snyder on October 9, 2009.


Watch while the video remains available: The Vic Snyder Show with Congressman Mike Ross - Discussing National Health Care on Oct 9, 2009! Both these men came through the Arkansas Democratic Party system and served in Little Rock. Ross was on health care subcommittee. Ross said no one in Washington is talking about national or socialized healthcare - again a lie or his head was in the wrong place. Be careful, he can make his several blatant statements sound true by using extreme statements and exaggerations. He said, "One working age person dies everyday from not having health insurance." People do not die in Arkansas from not having health insurance. They did from disease and accidents. Lot's of mixed facts that are not relevant to national healthcare (Obamacare).

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Tags: Arkansas, Warren, Mike Ross, Vic Snyder, blue dogs, government health care, Obamacare, News, Politics video
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States Seeking to Expand Taxes to Services

It is definitely odd to be quoting from the liberal NY Times. The below article reveals that the States are in trouble and looking for other sources of more money. Much of the States' problems are caused by the pending impact of Federal programs like national healthcare. More after the article.
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The New York Times: [T]o generate more revenue, states are considering new taxes on virtually everything: garbage pickup, dating services, bowling night, haircuts, even clowns. . . . Opponents of imposing taxes on services like funerals, legal advice, helicopter rides and dry cleaning argue that this push comes as businesses are barely clinging to life and can ill afford to see customers further put off by new taxes. . . .

“This is born out of necessity,” said Gov. Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania, a Democrat. His proposed budget, being debated in Harrisburg, would tax services including accounting, advertising and data processing. . . .Most states tax at least some services, particularly items like utilities.

Nevertheless, few states have gone where political leaders in Michigan and Pennsylvania are now suggesting: adding scores of services to their states’ sales tax requirement and lowering the tax rate under a widened tax base. But from coast to coast, desperate governments are looking to tap into new revenue streams.
In Nebraska, a lawmaker has introduced a bill to tax armored car services, farm equipment repairs, shoe shines, taxidermy, reflexology and scooter repairs. In Kentucky,Jim Wayne, a state representative, and some fellow Democrats are proposing taxing high-end services: golf greens fees, limousine and hot-air-balloon rides, and private landscaping.

In June, voters in Maine will decide whether to accept a state overhaul of its tax system that would newly tax services like tailor alterations, blimp rides, and entertainment provided by clowns, comedians and jugglers. . .; [Full Article]
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It is time for States to eliminate all forms of taxation except possibly local real estate taxes and to implement  state wide sales taxes on everything except food and and medicine similar to the proposed FairTax.  Items like income taxes, payroll taxes, personal property taxes, and more could be eliminated. significant  saving would accrue to the state by eliminating collections, records and filing reports of taxes like income and payroll taxes.  Prebates could be used to aid low income families.


At the same time, State Governments need to go on a diet and reduce the size of all departments! In addition, States must stand up to the federal government and oppose unfunded mandates. We cannot afford expanded socialism promoted by the present administration.

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Tags: states, income, deficits, sales taxes, budgets, federal mandates
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Economic Damage Of Health Bill Continues

Local News Reports Say Health Bill Will “Wipe-Out 700 Jobs” In Florida, Threaten Small Businesses In Wisconsin

HEALTH BILL COSTS 700 JOBS AT STUDENT LOAN CENTER IN FLORIDA
STUDENT LOAN CENTER IN LYNN HAVEN, FLORIDA: “It's Devastating With The Swipe Of A Pen We Can Wipe-Out 700-Jobs.”“ Another potential nail in the coffin for Sallie Thursday. The U.S. Senate has passed a Health Care Reconciliation bill. The ‘fix it’ bill reshapes parts of the new health care overhaul law. The Democrats voted down all 40 Republican amendments to the bill. One of those was an amendment offered by Florida Senator George Lemieux that would have protected SallieMae and some 700 local jobs. Lemieux's proposal would have stripped the health care bill of the language which basically takes the student loan program from the private sector. The bill now goes back to the House for a final vote.  ‘It's devastating with the swipe of a pen we can wipe-out 700-jobs.’ Renee Meng said it was a sad day for the SallieMae center in Lynn Haven where she described the staff as devastated and heartbroken.” (“Time Could Be Short For SallieMae In Lynn Haven,” WJHG-NBC, 3/25/10)

Thousands of Other similar Job Losses in Other States
INDIANA: “Indiana's Unemployment Rate Held Steady In March, But With Impending Layoffs At Sallie Mae, The State May Not Be So Lucky In April… So now Sallie Mae, which currently owns 12 buildings nationwide, including five large structures like the office in Fishers, still has to determine what buildings should stay open. "For Sallie Mae, unfortunately, it is very bad news for our employees. I will give you two answers," Kroehler said. "For Sallie Mae as a corporation long-term, we will be fine. For our employees, we are going to have a lot of employees, unfortunately, who are going to lose their jobs.” (“Sallie Mae facing thousands of layoffs,” WTHR-NBC Indianapolis, 3/26/10)

PENNSYLVANIA: “Sallie Mae Decided Against Hiring 300 Temporary Workers At Its Loan Servicing Center After The Passage Of Student Lending Reform. Still to be determined are the long-term effects on the nearly 1,000 workers at the company’s facility in the Hanover Industrial Estates. “The temporary jobs that were posted in preparation for this year’s peak loan processing season have been eliminated,” Martha Holler, spokeswoman for Sallie Mae, said in an e-mail Friday. The move was in reaction to the passage Thursday of The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act that was included in the health care reform bill.” (“Sallie Mae plan for 300 temps halted,” The Times Leader, 3/27/10)

NEBRASKA: “Congressional Votes On Thursday To End Federally Subsidized Student Lending By Private Companies Will Mean Job Cuts At Lincoln Student Loan Company Nelnet, a company spokesman said Friday. "We are very disappointed by this political news," spokesman Ben Kiser said. "We believe it is poor public policy that will eliminate a part of our business and result in job losses in our community." Kiser declined to give any details about the scope of the cuts, although he said they will occur over the next several months. Nelnet employs about 2,100 people, including more than 800 in Lincoln. The provision to end the Federal Family Education Loan Program and to channel all federal student lending directly through the government was tacked on to the controversial health insurance overhaul reconciliation legislation.” (“End Of Student Loan Program Will Mean Job Cuts At Nelnet,” Lincoln Journal Star, 3/26/10)

NEW TANNING TAX IS CALLED A “DEATH SENTENCE” FOR SMALL BUSINESS SALONS IN WISCONSIN & UTAH
“The Owners Of Wisconsin Tanning Salons Say They’re Getting Burned By A New Tax In The Federal Health Reform Law. Starting July 1st, Those Who Provide Artificial Indoor Tans Will Be Taxed 10 Percent Of Their Costs.” (“Wisconsin Tanning Salons Getting Burned By New HCR Law,” WTAQ Radio, 3/26/10)

“Dale Suslick Of Madison, Who Owns 9 Shops, Calls It A Death Sentence For Many Small Salons. He Said Some Were Just Barely Making It, And They’ll Now Try To Either Sell Or Close Their Businesses.” (“Wisconsin Tanning Salons Getting Burned By New HCR Law,” WTAQ Radio, 3/26/10)

OGDEN STANDARD-EXAMINER: “Brian Moser, owner of Oasis Tanning salons in Layton and Roy, said the tax is ill-conceived and won't net the dollars that the government expects… In a weak economy, he said, the tax will hurt thousands of small, largely female-owned businesses nationwide, forcing many to close or lay off employees… "They are focusing on small businesses during a really tough economic time," he said. "That doesn't make a lot of sense…" Kenny Siler, who owns Sun Stop Salon in Ogden, also said the tax will have a significant impact on local tanning salons. "It will sink a lot of people," he said.” (“Tanning salon owners upset over health care bill's new tax,” Standard-Examiner, 3/26/10)

AT&T, 3M, And AK Steel Already Report Devastating Effects Of Health Bill
“AT&T Inc. Will Take A $1 Billion Non-Cash Charge In The First Quarter Because Of The Health Care Overhaul And May Cut Benefits It Offers To Current And Retired Workers.” (“AT&T Will Take $1B Non-Cash Charge For Health Care,” The Associated Press, 3/26/10)

“The Telecommunications Company Also Said It Is Looking Into Changing The Health Care Benefits It Offers Because Of The New Law.” (“AT&T Will Take $1B Non-Cash Charge For Health Care,” The Associated Press, 3/26/10) -- Also See TexasFred Commentary on this topic.

“3M Company Today That It Expects To Record A One-Time Non-Cash Charge Of $85 To $90 Million After Tax… Resulting From The Recently Enacted Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act.” “3M Company said today that it expects to record a one-time non-cash charge of $85 to $90 million after tax, or approximately 12 cents per share, in the first quarter of 2010, resulting from the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including modifications made in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 passed by Congress on March 25, 2010. The charge is due to a reduction in the value of the company’s deferred tax asset as a result of a change to the tax treatment of Medicare Part D reimbursements.” (“3M Anticipates New U.S. Healthcare Law to Result in One-Time Charge of $85 -- $90 Million After Tax in First Quarter of 2010,” 3M, 3/26/10)

“AK Steel Holding Corp., The Third Largest U.S. Steelmaker By Sales, Said It Will Record A Non-Cash Charge Of About $31 Million Resulting From The Health-Care Overhaul Signed Into Law By President Barack Obama.” (“AK Steel Sees $31 Million Charge From New Health Law,” Business Week, 3/23/10)

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Tags: health care bill, economy, AK Steel, 3M Company, 3M, telecommunications, AT&T, Florida, Wisconsin, Indiana, Nebraska, Utah, Pennsylvania, small business, loan center, tanning, salons
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Flags and Disrespect by Illegals at March on America

H/T Blogs for Borders.
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Youth for Western Civilization Video: Illegal immigrants marched against America on Sunday, March 21. They were told not to bring anything but American flags, as organizers were eager to promote the lie that they cared about this country. However, we saw their true colors.


NumbersUSA Video: Roy Besk interviews a veteran who strongly reacts to the treatment of the American flag during the "March for America."

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Tags: amnesty, illegal aliens, March on America, flags, disrespect, Roy Beck, NumbersYSA, Youth for Western Civilization
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Bob Parks Responds to the Liberal Obama Youth Talk

Bob Parks, Black & Right, reponds to Barack Obama and his indoctrination of American youth:

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Tags: Bob Parks, Black & Right, indoctrination, youth, Barack Obama, youth
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Democrats' Reconciliation Bill Doesn't Fix Anything - Repeal & Start Over on Health Care Reform

U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, delivered the following remarks today on the House floor:

"Well, here we go again. Last Sunday, defying the will of a majority of the American people, House Democrats rammed their health care bill through the Congress chock full of big government spending, mandates, and backroom deals.
Now, we're being asked to fix the bill by passing some sort of reconciliation measure.

"But Madam Speaker, the bill before us tonight doesn't fix anything. It doesn't fix the fact this is a government take-over of health care. It's going to mandate that every American buy health insurance whether they want it, or need it, or not.  It doesn't fix the fact that it includes about $600 billion in job killing tax increases in the worst economy in thirty years. It doesn't fix the fact that this bill provides public funding for elective abortion for the first time in American history.

"Speaker, the American people know there is no fix for Obamacare. We need to repeal this law and start over. If we repeal Obamacare, we can start over with common sense solutions that will lower costs and create jobs. If we repeal Obamacare, we can enact medical malpractice reform and use the savings to cover Americans with preexisting conditions and promote pro-life protections in the law. If we repeal Obamacare, we can reform health care in this country without putting our nation on a pathway to socialized medicine.

"I urge my colleagues in both parties.  Heed the voice of the American people.  Reject this attempt to fix a government take-over of health care. Work with us to repeal and start over on health care reform that reflects the common sense and the common values of the American people."

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Tags: US Congress, US House, Mike Pence, government healthcare,
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Today in Washington, D.C. - Mar 26, 2010 - Health Bill Cost Small Business & Companies Billions; Retirees Could Lose Drug Coverage

Yesterday, Democrats voted down 12 more Republican amendments to the health care reconciliation bill, H.R. 4872. Following those votes, a Republican point of order against the bill under the Byrd rule was upheld, and the offending provisions were stricken, requiring the bill to return to the House. The Senate then voted 56-43 to pass the bill. Last night the House voted 220-207 to approve the Senate changes to the bill, sending it to the president. The bill changes the previously signed health care bill to include even deeper cuts to Medicare, even more tax increases, and even more special deals that helped secure passage in the House of the Senate health bill.

Also last night, Senate Democrats voted 59-40 to kill a Republican bill to extend unemployment benefits for a month paid for with unspent stimulus money. Following that vote, Democrats voted 49-39 to adjourn the Senate as early as this afternoon.

The AP writes today, “The health care overhaul will cost U.S. companies billions and make them more likely to drop prescription drug coverage for retirees because of a change in how the government subsidizes those benefits. In the first two days after the law was signed, three major companies — Deere & Co., Caterpillar Inc. and Valero Energy — said they expect to take a total hit of $265 million to account for smaller tax deductions in the future.”

Ironically, President Obama travelled to Iowa yesterday to promote his unpopular $2.6 trillion health care takeover just after the announcement from John Deere.  The Des Moines Register noted that Deere is “Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer.”

At a time when unemployment is 9.7%, this health care bill offers major new burdens for employers.  New Hampshire Union-Leader’s John DiStaso wrote yesterday, “[New Hampshire’s] seasonal tourism industry is only now beginning to realize that it could get hammered by the new health care reform law.” DiStaso explains, “The bill signed into law on Tuesday by President Barack Obama fines businesses that do not provide health insurance to full-time employees who work more than 120 days a year. The assessment is $2,000 per employee, which, according to SkiNH lobbyist Bruce Berke and group president Alice Pearce, could mean as much as $1 million in fines to the big ski resorts, some of which hire as many as 500 seasonal workers.” And in Colorado, Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. President Chris Diamond told the Steamboat Pilot, “The potential impact to Colorado Ski Country member areas is somewhere between $9 million and $14 million in penalties (per year) . . . . It’s a stunning blow to any large employer like ours that employs seasonal staff.”  The same can be expected for all other parts of the country where the economy relies on seasonal tourism.  Places like the Arkansas Ozarks, cities like Branson, MO, and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN are other examples.  The Federal Government's new healthcare may be the death knell of not only seasonal businesses but numerous other businesses.  The result also means increased unemployment and a greater burders on the rest of the country. 


The AP reports, “‘You’re increasing the incentive for companies to say “We don’t want to be in the health care business any more,”‘ said James Gelfand, senior manager of health policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which fought the overhaul. American industrial companies that are struggling to compete globally against companies with much lower labor costs are particularly likely to eventually drop retiree coverage, said Gene Imhoff, an accounting professor at the University of Michigan.” Further, according to the AP, “As many as 1.5 million to 2 million retirees could lose the drug benefits provided by their former employer because of the tax changes, according to a study by the Moran Company, a health care consulting firm.”

Democrats were warned of this back in December, but plowed ahead anyway: “Deere and Caterpillar were among a group of 10 companies that sent a letter to congressional leaders in December warning of the cost increases. The others were Boeing Co., Con-Way Inc., Exelon Corp., Navistar Inc., Verizon, Xerox Corp., Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. and MetLife Inc. . . . The companies that signed the December letter warned that changing the way retiree drug benefits are subsidized would have a broad impact on the economy, and there are already indications that the effects will trickle down to individuals.”

We’re only beginning to see the negative consequences for business, for individuals, for the economy, and for our health care from this ill-considered and ideological health care bill. Thank you Democrats for moving unilaterally to destroy the American economy.  This bill needs to be repealed and replaced. 

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Tags: government healthcare, costs, retirees, drugs, seasonal businesses, companies, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C., polls, Democrats, socialized health care,
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Four Days, Four Polls - Still Show 40% Or Lower Supporting Health Care Bill

Quinnipiac, Bloomberg, CNN, & CBS Polls This Week All Show Virtually The Same Results:
40% OR FEWER AMERICANS APPROVE OF THE HEALTH BILL

QUINNIPIAC POLL APPROVAL OF HEALTH CARE BILL:
Mostly Approve: 40%
Mostly Disapprove: 49% (Quinnipiac University Poll, 3/22-23/10)

BLOOMBERG POLL APPROVAL OF HEALTH CARE BILL:
Favor: 38%
Oppose: 50% (“Bloomberg National Poll,” 3/19-22/10, P.1)

CBS NEWS POLL APPROVAL OF HEALTH CARE BILL:
Approve:  37%
Disapprove: 48% (“CBS News Poll,” 3/18-21/10, P. 4)

CNN OPINION RESEARCH POLL APPROVAL OF HEALTH CARE BILL:
Favor: 39%
Oppose: 59% (“CNN Opinion Research Poll,” 3/19-21/10, P.2)

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Tags: polls, polling, health care, government health care, CNN, CBS, QUINNIPIAC, Bloomberg
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Evil Conservatives

by Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Here we go again, folks. The liberal Washington establishment and its Big Media allies once again are trying to smear and demonize millions of Americans who oppose the radical Obama agenda. If you are against growing government power and higher taxes, and are concerned about elite disdain for our Constitution, well you must be a thug, racist, know-nothing or KKK sympathizer.

The latest effort to silence dissent began over the weekend when liberal Congressmen claimed they were spat on and suffered racial slurs when they walked through a crowd of conservative demonstrators from the Capitol to their offices. I strongly condemn such behavior, but there is little or no evidence that it happened. And if some jerk(s) did commit such offenses, it is obvious to any fair observer that they were not representative of the 30,000 people who came to Washington, D.C., to voice their opposition to Obama’s takeover of healthcare.

That crowd looked to be largely a middle class gathering of typical Americans, exercising their constitutional right to peacefully assemble and petition their elected officials. The most frequently voiced chant was “Kill The Bill!” Numerous polls indicated that the overwhelming majority of the American people shared that sentiment.

By the way, the members of Congress who marched through the crowd would normally have used the underground tunnel from the Capitol to their offices. Normally they don’t want to be bothered by pesky citizens. Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid famously said that he knows when it is summer in Washington because the tourists sweat and stink too much.

But on Sunday, these liberals chose to walk through the upset protestors in the hopes, I suspect, of provoking an incident. Nonetheless, if someone used a racial slur, I condemn it. But I also have no doubt that such a bigot in no way represents the heartfelt concerns millions of Americans feel regarding the direction our country is being taken.

The effort to smear conservatives picked up momentum in the last few days after bricks were thrown through the windows of several district offices of Democrats who voted for ObamaCare. Again, this type of vandalism is unacceptable and also not representative of the millions of Americans who don’t want more and more of our economy and lives run by liberal politicians and Washington bureaucrats. To smear these Americans because of a few thuggish acts is simply a dishonest effort to silence Middle America. Conservative Senator Jim Bunning was vehemently attacked in the media a few weeks ago when he blocked a spending bill. In short order, he was the target of death threats, but the press continued to pour on the invective.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, I received dozens of notes from people around the country whose homes and cars had been vandalized because they were displaying GOP or conservative signs. The media treated each incident as an isolated event. No one suggested the vandalism was the natural result of super-heated rhetoric by the Obama campaign and leftwing groups against conservatives and eight years of comparing George W. Bush to Hitler. And where was the media’s concern about vandalism of churches during the campaign over Proposition 8 in California?

Throwing a brick through a window is a crime and the person responsible should be aggressively prosecuted. Intimidating voters on Election Day, as the New Black Panther Party did at a polling place in Philadelphia, is also a crime. But Obama’s Justice Department dropped the case and has stonewalled any attempt to find out who allowed this violation of voting rights to go unanswered.

A Justice Department unwilling to prosecute voter intimidation when it comes from the radical Left is a much greater threat to our republic than one idiot throwing a rock into an empty office.

By this morning, the effort to smear you was becoming downright bizarre. Sarah Palin was being attacked because she announced the names of the congressmen she is “targeting” and wrote on her blog, “Don’t retreat, reload.” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is getting slapped because he said let’s get Pelosi ready for “the firing line” in November. Get it? We are supposed to believe that using words like “targeting” and “firing line” is somehow an invitation to violence.

I have been in Washington for 35 years, and the phrase “targeting” a congressman has been used frequently by both parties. At a June 2008 rally, candidate Obama brought the crowd to its feet when he said, “If they [Republicans] bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.” Now did Obama really mean that Democrats would bring guns to the debate? Of course not.

The political Left, including Pelosi and Reid, have been using supercharged rhetoric against Middle America for a long time. Speaker Pelosi and House Democrat Leader Steny Hoyer called town hall protestors “un-American.” Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid said they were “evil mongers.” You may recall that during the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama suggested that some voters in Pennsylvania were “bitter” and “clinging to guns and religion.”

Rhetoric like that has made a lot of slow-to-anger Americans, most of whom had never attended a demonstration until last year, more than a little peeved. And the media don’t care. In fact, liberal talking heads have mocked their fellow citizens with crude references. The Left is losing the debate and so they have reverted to its favorite tactics, using race and false charges of extremism to intimidate and silence the opposition.

It won’t work. Last month, a CNN poll found that 56% of Americans felt that “the federal government has become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens.”

Here’s breaking news: Rep. Eric Cantor, the second-highest ranking House Republican, says that his district office was shot at last night. Now, who would have done that? Cantor was a leading opponent of ObamaCare. He is also a Jew. I won’t hold my breath waiting for the Left to denounce the growing anti-Semitism in its ranks.

I promise you that I will vehemently fight, and do my best to expel, anyone from the conservative cause who is a bigot or a thug. But I will not surrender to a leftwing attempt to smear you and the millions of other good and decent Americans.
Gary Bauer is is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families. He submitted this article in an email to the ARRA News Service Editor. Bauer was a former Republican presidential candidate and served as President Ronald Reagan’s domestic policy adviser.

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