House Democrats on Friday finally unveiled their long-awaited 852-page health care “reform” legislation (pdf) that engineers a government takeover of medicine.
The bill is a staggeringly expensive bureaucratic nightmare that Democrats will try to defend in a series of hearings beginning this week.
As details of this leviathan bill begin to emerge, what is becoming increasingly clear is this plan, if passed, will cost American jobs. Democrats would use the cost of a business’ annual payroll to define whether or not a small business is subject to a new eight percent federal tax. Only those with less than 10 employees on average would be spared the onerous new tax.
Subjecting these small businesses who employ 47.3 million people and provide $1.7 trillion in wages annually to the Democrats’ new tax will place these jobs and wages at risk.
Additional employer mandates that will require some small businesses to offer employee coverage would cost another 4.7 million jobs according to a model from the President’s own economic advisors.
The House Democrats’ plan also places mandates on every individual American citizen to buy health insurance or pay a hefty penalty to Washington equal to almost two percent of their annual income.
Of course, if you can’t afford to pay for the coverage, you would be forced into the government-run system that will make health care more expensive and ration care based on age, cost and survivability rates.
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has admitted that their health care plan would be financed by raising taxes.
There have been reports of a whole slew of new taxes on individuals being considered, from a national sales tax to additional taxes on cigarettes, new taxes on sodas, and raising taxes on everyone making more than $200,000 a year.
According to news reports, even the White House has admitted that statements made by the President promising you can keep your current health care coverage if you like it shouldn’t be taken literally.
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the House Republican leader, talked Friday about the Democrat plan. “This plan is nothing less than a government takeover of health care, and families and small businesses who are already footing the bill for Washington’s reckless spending binge will not support it,” Boehner said.
“Raising taxes, rationing care, and empowering government bureaucrats -- not patients and doctors -- to make key medical decisions is not ‘reform.’
This plan will make health care more expensive, reduce the quality of care for millions of families and small businesses, cost American jobs, and force untold millions of Americans off their current plans and into a government-run nightmare operated by federal bureaucrats.”
- Connie Hair
Monday, June 22, 2009
Patient/Taxpayer Friendly Health Care Plan Indtoduced
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), the man who brought you the Tax Holiday stimulus plan, has a fresh, innovative health care plan that centers on health savings accounts that give individuals control over health care spending.
(Gohmert’s “tax holiday” alternative to Obama’s stimulus plan would have simply excused Americans from paying taxes for most of the year. It would have worked -- at far greater speed and lower cost -- than Obama’s failed stimulus package.)
Every American citizen would maintain a personal, family, household or employer-provided Health Savings Account (HSA), all contributions from pre-tax dollars.
Rather than filtering money through “premiums, profits and taxes first,” patients would spend the money directly from their own HSA.
There is no limit on how much pre-tax money could be put into this health savings account. This would work in conjunction with a catastrophic insurance policy that is adjustable as the savings account grows over years and even generations.
These HSAs would roll over each year and would also be an asset that would be passed on to your family or designee.
Any amount over $3,000 could also be invested in a manner that would “include stable, inflation-protected federal treasury bonds so that your investment can have added growth.
A separate type of federal Treasury bond may be created in other legislation specifically for such investment. That way, as long as there is a United States, your healthcare savings will be there for you when you need it.”
Each person would be issued a debit card to access the funding. These cards would be coded and could only be used for health care purchases. No hassles or paperwork.
“We are rolling out a new health care plan because the plans we’ve seen so far have involved too much government and too much insurance company involvement, which has been a big part of our problem,” Gohmert said at the announcement.
“If you liked my Tax Holiday Plan, you’re going to love this one. This plan will give every American the treatment that they need, when they need it, with the doctor of their choosing and at a price that is affordable.”
You can read the plan online here.
- Connie Hair
(Gohmert’s “tax holiday” alternative to Obama’s stimulus plan would have simply excused Americans from paying taxes for most of the year. It would have worked -- at far greater speed and lower cost -- than Obama’s failed stimulus package.)
Every American citizen would maintain a personal, family, household or employer-provided Health Savings Account (HSA), all contributions from pre-tax dollars.
Rather than filtering money through “premiums, profits and taxes first,” patients would spend the money directly from their own HSA.
There is no limit on how much pre-tax money could be put into this health savings account. This would work in conjunction with a catastrophic insurance policy that is adjustable as the savings account grows over years and even generations.
These HSAs would roll over each year and would also be an asset that would be passed on to your family or designee.
Any amount over $3,000 could also be invested in a manner that would “include stable, inflation-protected federal treasury bonds so that your investment can have added growth.
A separate type of federal Treasury bond may be created in other legislation specifically for such investment. That way, as long as there is a United States, your healthcare savings will be there for you when you need it.”
Each person would be issued a debit card to access the funding. These cards would be coded and could only be used for health care purchases. No hassles or paperwork.
“We are rolling out a new health care plan because the plans we’ve seen so far have involved too much government and too much insurance company involvement, which has been a big part of our problem,” Gohmert said at the announcement.
“If you liked my Tax Holiday Plan, you’re going to love this one. This plan will give every American the treatment that they need, when they need it, with the doctor of their choosing and at a price that is affordable.”
You can read the plan online here.
- Connie Hair
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Falling.....
President Barack Obama's job approval rating fell to 58% in Gallup Poll Daily tracking from June 16-18 -- a new low for Obama in Gallup tracking,
Census Abuse
Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann says she's so worried that information from next year's national census will be abused that she will refuse to fill out anything more than the number of people in her household.
In an interview Wednesday morning with The Washington Times "America's Morning News," Mrs. Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, said the questions have become "very intricate, very personal" and she also fears ACORN, the community organizing group that came under fire for its voter registration efforts last year, will be part of the Census Bureau's door-to-door information collection efforts.
"I know for my family the only question we will be answering is how many people are in our home," she said. "We won't be answering any information beyond that, because the Constitution doesn't require any information beyond that."
Shelly Lowe, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Census Bureau, said Mrs. Bachmann is "misreading" the law.
She sent a portion of the U.S. legal code that says anyone over 18 years of age who refuses to answer "any of the questions" on the census can be fined up to $5,000.
The Constitution requires a census be taken every 10 years. Questions range from number of persons in the household and racial information to employment status and whether anyone receives social services such as food stamps.
Mrs. Bachmann said she's worried about the involvement of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, in next year's census.
- The Washington Times
In an interview Wednesday morning with The Washington Times "America's Morning News," Mrs. Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, said the questions have become "very intricate, very personal" and she also fears ACORN, the community organizing group that came under fire for its voter registration efforts last year, will be part of the Census Bureau's door-to-door information collection efforts.
"I know for my family the only question we will be answering is how many people are in our home," she said. "We won't be answering any information beyond that, because the Constitution doesn't require any information beyond that."
Shelly Lowe, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Census Bureau, said Mrs. Bachmann is "misreading" the law.
She sent a portion of the U.S. legal code that says anyone over 18 years of age who refuses to answer "any of the questions" on the census can be fined up to $5,000.
The Constitution requires a census be taken every 10 years. Questions range from number of persons in the household and racial information to employment status and whether anyone receives social services such as food stamps.
Mrs. Bachmann said she's worried about the involvement of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, in next year's census.
- The Washington Times
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Contact Information
I have received several requests for contact information for Senator Franklin so here it is:
Legislative Office (360) 786-7656
E-mail: franklin.rosa@leg.wa.gov
Rick Manugian, Senate Democrats Communications Specialist(360) 786-7569
E-mail: manugian.rick@leg.wa.gov
Legislative Office (360) 786-7656
E-mail: franklin.rosa@leg.wa.gov
Rick Manugian, Senate Democrats Communications Specialist(360) 786-7569
E-mail: manugian.rick@leg.wa.gov
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
An Open Letter to Senator Franklin
Despite the fact that Washington voters have rejected a state income tax proposal eight times, legislators continue to use every occasion to promote this devious tax schemes to the public.
Senator Rosa Franklin has once again lent her voice to this madness going so far as to call it "inevitable" and merely a "structural change in the way we generate revenue". Right!
I am responding with this open letter to her:
Dear Senator Franklin,
I am done with it! I am done with legislators spending my money and continually plotting how to take even more from my family.
A state income tax? It's not going to happen.
While my reality is a reduction in monthly income in an economy that already takes more of what we work so hard for, incredibly you continue to scheme how to take even more of what you haven’t even earned. That’s just wrong and you know it. You may not like it, but you know it.
Like a stubborn, rebellious child you whine for more money when there simply isn’t any more in my pocket.
You’re working on the wrong end of the problem but refuse to go there.
Spending is the problem - your spending! I think I’m going to stop calling you “legislators” and start calling you what you are – “spenders”. You take too much and you spend too much!
There is a deep discontent brewing among the taxpayer of our state, and there is an amazing disconnect with you spenders. The injustice of your “tax and spend” mindset is catching up with you.
The relentless quest to take more will be met with an equally relentless quest to stop the taking. It’s now literally a matter of survival in this economy.
Read my lips – NO STATE INCOME TAX! Now buck up and deal with it.
Cindy Honcoop
Senator Rosa Franklin has once again lent her voice to this madness going so far as to call it "inevitable" and merely a "structural change in the way we generate revenue". Right!
I am responding with this open letter to her:
Dear Senator Franklin,
I am done with it! I am done with legislators spending my money and continually plotting how to take even more from my family.
A state income tax? It's not going to happen.
While my reality is a reduction in monthly income in an economy that already takes more of what we work so hard for, incredibly you continue to scheme how to take even more of what you haven’t even earned. That’s just wrong and you know it. You may not like it, but you know it.
Like a stubborn, rebellious child you whine for more money when there simply isn’t any more in my pocket.
You’re working on the wrong end of the problem but refuse to go there.
Spending is the problem - your spending! I think I’m going to stop calling you “legislators” and start calling you what you are – “spenders”. You take too much and you spend too much!
There is a deep discontent brewing among the taxpayer of our state, and there is an amazing disconnect with you spenders. The injustice of your “tax and spend” mindset is catching up with you.
The relentless quest to take more will be met with an equally relentless quest to stop the taking. It’s now literally a matter of survival in this economy.
Read my lips – NO STATE INCOME TAX! Now buck up and deal with it.
Cindy Honcoop
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Reality Bites the Liberal Myth
A recent Gallup poll should put to rest the myth that America has been won by liberal thought and non-values.
Quite the contrary, 40% of Americans interviewed nationally describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004.
This means “Conservatives” are the single-largest ideological group. Who would have thought?
There is another important distinction to note in the respective ideological compositions of the Republican and Democratic Parties. While a solid majority of Republicans are on the same page - 73% call themselves conservative – Democrats clearly have a split personality. The major division among Democrats is between self-defined moderates (40%) and liberals (38%).
However, an additional 22% of Democrats consider themselves conservative, much higher than the 3% of Republicans identifying as liberal.
And while 45% of Independents describe their political views as "moderate", the majority tilt heavily to the right: 34% conservative, with only 20% identifying as liberal.
These numbers clearly portray a reality cloaked by government media. When only one in five identify themselves as liberal it is obvious the myth of liberal America is just that – a deliberately crafted and perpetuated myth that Americans apparently resist conforming to.
Reality bites!
Quite the contrary, 40% of Americans interviewed nationally describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004.
This means “Conservatives” are the single-largest ideological group. Who would have thought?
There is another important distinction to note in the respective ideological compositions of the Republican and Democratic Parties. While a solid majority of Republicans are on the same page - 73% call themselves conservative – Democrats clearly have a split personality. The major division among Democrats is between self-defined moderates (40%) and liberals (38%).
However, an additional 22% of Democrats consider themselves conservative, much higher than the 3% of Republicans identifying as liberal.
And while 45% of Independents describe their political views as "moderate", the majority tilt heavily to the right: 34% conservative, with only 20% identifying as liberal.
These numbers clearly portray a reality cloaked by government media. When only one in five identify themselves as liberal it is obvious the myth of liberal America is just that – a deliberately crafted and perpetuated myth that Americans apparently resist conforming to.
Reality bites!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Discord Grows Over Government Run Health Care
The mood was upbeat in early March when scores of powerful lawmakers and lobbyists joined President Obama in the East Room of the White House to talk about fixing the nation's health care system.
Three months later, disagreement has turned to discord over a key element of Obama's health care prescription: his insistence on a "public plan" to compete with private insurers.
America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group, is joined by the American Medical Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others that have expressed misgivings about greater government involvement.
"We're not sure that the government is very good at running a health plan," said Nancy Nielsen, president of the AMA, which heard Obama defend his plan Monday.
America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group, is joined by the American Medical Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others that have expressed misgivings about greater government involvement.
"We're not sure that the government is very good at running a health plan," said Nancy Nielsen, president of the AMA, which heard Obama defend his plan Monday.
~ USA Today
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Spend Today...Spend More Tomorrow
"Of course, the easiest way to save taxpayer money is to not spend it in the first place.
Unfortunately, Washington uses budgets and baselines that assume that whatever we spend today we will spend that much and more next year.
For example in the President’s budget submission, non-defense discretionary grows from $486 billion this year to $522 billion next year and $608 billion in five years.
While many Republicans favor an immediate cut or freeze in non-defense discretionary spending, given the current deficit, both parties ought to be able to agree at a minimum to impose discretionary spending limits that provide that non-defense discretionary spending will grow at a level not exceeding inflation.
Such a limit would produce considerable savings compared to the Administration’s budget. In fact, such a change would save $317 billion over the next five years compared to the budget submitted by the Administration."
From the Republican Report "Proposals to Reduce the Deficit and Achieve Savings for American Taxpayers" submitted to the President of the United States by Republican Leader John Boehner & Republican Whip Eric Cantor on June 4, 2009
Unfortunately, Washington uses budgets and baselines that assume that whatever we spend today we will spend that much and more next year.
For example in the President’s budget submission, non-defense discretionary grows from $486 billion this year to $522 billion next year and $608 billion in five years.
While many Republicans favor an immediate cut or freeze in non-defense discretionary spending, given the current deficit, both parties ought to be able to agree at a minimum to impose discretionary spending limits that provide that non-defense discretionary spending will grow at a level not exceeding inflation.
Such a limit would produce considerable savings compared to the Administration’s budget. In fact, such a change would save $317 billion over the next five years compared to the budget submitted by the Administration."
From the Republican Report "Proposals to Reduce the Deficit and Achieve Savings for American Taxpayers" submitted to the President of the United States by Republican Leader John Boehner & Republican Whip Eric Cantor on June 4, 2009
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