Yes-23 » ok folks

What Happened to Representative Government? Deem It Passed?

RodZ — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:10:17 +0000

Ok folks let’s look at the health care reform bill. What do we know? We know that it was created behind closed doors, in secret, it will cut Medicare benefits, it counts dollars spent twice, the poverty level base line is raised to accommodate more folks in Medicaid, it will supposedly insure 30 million folks currently without coverage at great expense to all of us. We know that sweetheart deals were made to get votes, we will pay for 10 years to get 6 years of coverage, we know our taxes will grow exponentially, we know that when the exchange is created the government will control health care coverage, we know that we all will be forced to buy coverage or pay a fine, and on and on, show me the benefits.
Nancy Pelosi says we need to pass this so the American people will know what it contains. She and Harry Reid think we are stupid and don’t know what is good for us. I say we know what is good for us and this bill is not.
The Democrats keep saying that we the people are not concerned with the process and dismiss anyone who brings it up. I know I am concerned that this Administration and the Democratic leadership keep find ways around what used to be the constitutional process to get what they want, regardless of what the American people want. Go to Glenn Beck’s website or listen to his TV program today, he has a matrix he is going to publish that shows all the circumvention methods that these people have used, it is eye opening. I will try to repost it here when it becomes available.
We must continue to call and write these people in charge and let them know this is a Democracy and just because you won an election doesn’t mean it suddenly became a dictatorship.

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Why New Jobs Bill? Last Stimulus Is NOT Working

RodZ — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:37:10 +0000

Ok folks lets get real. We hear how the stimulus has saved 2 million jobs and yet once again the latest jobs report says we just lost another 500 thousand jobs. What a bunch of crap. If you look at the big stimulus bill you will find a bunch on non job producing spending period. High speed internet for rural areas does not create permanent jobs. Studies and research for green technology does not create jobs. I have detailed many such items in previous posts. Government spending does not create jobs. Government spending on these levels only creates deficits and debt.
I have had conversations with some of you about the benefits of these policies. Many of you tell me that by putting money in the hands of people through extending unemployment benefits puts money into the economy. It does and it helps the unemployed for a short time. In addition one reader provided a link to an analysis by Mark Zandi Chief Economist at Moody’s Economy.com, published in Jan of 2009. I have read this report and now a year later I still think he got it wrong. Here was one prediction that I think will not occur “The House stimulus plan will not reverse the current recession, but it will provide a vital boost to the flagging economy. With the stimulus, there will be 4 million more jobs and the jobless rate will be more than 2 percentage points lower by the end of 2010 than without any fiscal stimulus. Without stimulus, unemployment will rise well into the double digits by this time next year, and the economy will not return to full employment until 2014.”
The unemployment rate is growing and certainly not be a full 2 percentage points lower by the end of the year. Full employment is not achievable by 2014 considering we need thousands of jobs a year just to employ new people entering the job market for the first time. He is right in his assessment that the plan will not reverse the current recession in fact I believe it will extend it long term. The more money the government borrows means less money available for private investment and growth. Private investment creates new business, expansion of existing business and JOBS.
We are faced with increasing taxes. The President has stated he gave 95% percent of us a tax cut. I won’t argue this but I will say that cut will be offset by the expiring of the Bush tax cuts next year. If you look at all the legislation you will find some tax relief to business but you will also find enormous tax increases in these bills. The state and federal governments are increasing consumption taxes. They are in the health care bill they are in the form of fees and taxes at the local and state levels. everything you buy or use seems to have a tax buried in it.
I know that if we continue to spend at this rate without regard to the long term consequences we will have an economic crisis worse that what we are experiencing currently. This government needs to look at the entire federal budget and reduce the cost of these programs. I don’t mind paying taxes, I don’t like paying taxes for social agenda items that we cannot sustain because the money is always spent on other things. Pay Go is a good idea but I don’t believe it will work without spending cuts, extreme spending cuts.

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Healthcare Reform: Stephen Fraser Letter Controversy, More Truth Than Fiction?

RodZ — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:14:51 +0000

Ok folks the Stephen Fraser letter has made it’s way to factcheck and they have decided that it is not accurate. In addition they claim to have traced the originator through twitter and determined that a conservative blogger constructed this letter and there is no Dr Stephen Fraser. Now the liberals have debunked the letter and they can move on and continue to support this terrible bill.

But wait a minute why don’t we look a the full context of what the bill is saying? Is this letter truly inaccurate? First this letter is about HR3200 but the contents are in HR3962 so it is relevant.

Lets look at one of the letters claims about HR3200: Claim: Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process). This in now found in HR3962 page 111.

Factcheck determination: False: Actually, the section starting on page 30 sets up a “private-public advisory committee” headed by the U.S. surgeon general and made up of mostly private sector “medical and other experts” selected by the president and the comptroller general. The advisory committee would have only the power “to recommend” what benefits are included in basic, enhanced and premium insurance plans. It would have no power to decide what treatments anybody will get. Its recommendations on benefits might or might not be adopted.

This is true, but if one looks at this section of the bill in full context one might wonder if there is more truth than fiction here.

While it is true that the committee will make recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services concerning benefits, one should ask the question where else will the benefits be decided other than the committee? While it is true that they are not empowered to decide what benefits you will receive, their recommendations will certainly carry a tremendous amount of weight and will probably be accepted. The bill states that the Secretary of Health and Human Services SHALL adopt the benefit standards through a process governed by section 553 of title 5, United States CodeS, which reads as follows:

“This section applies, according to the provisions thereof, except to the extent that there is involved – (1) a military or foreign affairs function of the United States; or (2) a matter relating to agency management or personnel or to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts. (b) General notice of proposed rule making shall be published in the Federal Register, unless persons subject thereto are named and either personally served or otherwise have actual notice thereof in accordance with law. The notice shall include – (1) a statement of the time, place, and nature of public rule making proceedings; (2) reference to the legal authority under which the rule is proposed; and (3) either the terms or substance of the proposed rule or a description of the subjects and issues involved.

Except when notice or hearing is required by statute, this subsection does not apply – (A) to interpretative rules, general statements of policy, or rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice; or (B) when the agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding and a brief statement of reasons therefor in the rules issued) that notice and public procedure thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. (c) After notice required by this section, the agency shall give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making through submission of written data, views, or arguments with or without opportunity for oral presentation.

After consideration of the relevant matter presented, the agency shall incorporate in the rules adopted a concise general statement of their basis and purpose.

Page 118 of HR3692 clearly states that the Secretary SHALL adopt an initial set of benefit standards and provide for period up dating of those standards.

So, given this would it not follow that the committee will determine your benefits? Worse yet would it not follow that the Secretary of Health and Human Services will determine your benefits? THE GOVERNMENT will determine your benefits period.

Lets look at the us of the terms treatments/benefits used in the context of this letter. Isn’t the term benefits a word used to describe the collective treatments, surgeries, prescription drugs, out/in patients services and other things you will receive through your plan? If so then the committee recommendations and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (GOVT) will determine the “treatments” and other services you will receive.

If carry this logic further you will see that they will also determine the price of these services via what they are willing pay as compensation for these services. If you take the next step you might ask yourself if this will also control the salaries of our medical professionals. Medicare already sets the limits of compensation for services, the insurance companies use the Medicare model to negotiate the benefit compensation with their preferred providers. Logic dictates that if the Government controlled healthcare program is the only one in town the medical professionals will have to settle for these limits.

I would say there is more truth in this letter than one would suspect. I will leave you to make your own decision on that subject. I have read the bill and have my own interpretations and opinions on what I have read. I will leave you to make your own.

I post these chain letters once in awhile to stimulate the debate in order to get people discussing the issues, to read the bills and determine on their own if these laws are to our benefit. I would hope folks would use things like Factcheck as a starting point and determine on their own whether a bill or and issue is good for the citizens of the United States. Please folks read the bills and formulate your own opinion.

Finally, It is well documented that there is a Dr. Stephen Fraser, Did he write the letter? I don’t know, if he did at least he is engaged in the debate. If it was written by the conservative blogger: I condemn your actions, you are undermining the argument and all of our credibility when you hide behind a false identity. If you read the bill and these are your concerns stand behind them and identify yourself as what you truly are. Stop the crap and man-up.

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Terrorist Trials: Is This Another Political Move

RodZ — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:31:50 +0000

Ok folks lets just think about it. These nut cases went before a military tribunal and plead guilty. The ACLU and others went nuts and brought the issue to the courts. The Supreme Court ruled that these particular tribunals violated the crazies rights. The court issued guidelines and Congress produced a law incorporating the guidelines. For some reason the Bush Administration didn’t follow through and prosecute the bad guys and Obama inherited the problem. Now Eric the Attorney General of the US has decided to prosecute them in New York City in a criminal court. The problem, as I see it, is these same folks who stopped the tribunal are now part of Eric babies staff, hmmm makes you think, I hope.

I believe the bigger problem is the lefts desire to prosecute the CIA, Cheney and Bush for war crimes. They see this a path to that end. This trial will be a circus, it will be costly, it will allow the enemies of this country to spin whatever the verdict is to support their cause. If a judge is following law he will have to disallow most of the evidence. If a judge is following the law he will have to release them on a technicality. If a judge is following the law these nuts will walk and our enemies will see us as weak.

The risk of a criminal case tried in the US is that many classified intelligence items may be exposed, including names of operatives. This will hamper the effectiveness of our intelligence processed and may endanger lives. It will also have a negative effect on how our allies will trust us in the future.

The name of this game is discredit the previous administration at all costs. The military tribunals have been used for years and have proven to be fair and produced just verdicts based on the evidence. They were designed for specifically this situation. There is no need to put the American criminal justice or America on trial. The excuse of showing the world how fair we are is unnecessary. The enemies of the this country will spin this to show us as weak, stupid and whatever else they want to no matter the outcome.

I know this is just an underhanded, back door attack on this country by people who want to change it into something only they envision as a good place. All the indicators are there if you open your mind and eyes, think and see what is happening. We have many people in this country who think the government should redistribute the wealth, run most of our lives and modify our behavior so the world will like us. To all of these people I say be careful what you wish for.

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