by Brett Davis
In a prelude to higher taxes, the word out of Olympia is that legislators are poised to suspend or modify Initiative 960, which requires a two-thirds legislative majority or voter approval for tax increases. I-960, which was approved by voters in November 2007, also requires the state Office of Financial Management to flag bills that would increase taxes or fees and to quantify how much those bills would cost taxpayers annually for 10 years.
The Evergreen Freedom Foundation recently asked legislators to go on record as answering the following two questions about I-960:
1) Do you support informing taxpayers about the cost of proposed legislation, and if so, will you vote to uphold I-960’s transparency provisions?
2) Do you agree with I-960 that two-thirds of the Legislature should agree before
passing tax increases?
The responses so far have ran the gamut—an enthusiastic “yes,” or two, to a definitive “no” that cited the Washington State Constitution, to canned responses that make us suspect the legislators in question didn’t even read the questions, to long-winded non-committal rejoinders (they are politicians, after all).
To see what your representatives and senators said on this issue, please check out the results so far here. We plan on updating the site once or twice a day, depending upon the volume of responses we receive.
If you find that your legislator or legislators haven’t responded, feel free to get in touch with lawmakers to ask ’em yourself. Let us know what they say.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Has It Only Been A Year?
Seriously, has it only been a year?
I just took CBS up on their offer to "grade Obama's first year in office". There are ten catagories for you to grade using the traditional A - F system.
But the best part was clicking "submit" and observing the results. So far he has 9-F's, and 1-C on Afganistan.
Economy - F
Foreign Policy - F
Health Care - F
Threat of Terrorism - F
Energy and the Environment - F
Social Issues - F
Bipartisanship - F
Overall job as President - F
It seems all his "hope and change" chickens are coming home to roost.
March for Life in Olympia
by Jerry Cornfield
At least 5,000 people squeezed onto the steps of the state Capitol for the annual March for Life.
Men, women, students and infants traveled from all parts of the state to participate in what is typically one of the largest ralllies - if not the largest - held during a legislative session.
Those attending cheered loudest for calls to end legal abortion and applauded warmly for state lawmakers, most of whom began their remarks by describing themselves as unashamedly pro-life.
Several lawmakers urged the crowd into action against Senate Bill 6452 and a companion bill in the House dealing with information provided by workers of crisis pregnancy centers to women considering abortion.
The legislation restricts what information can be collected from and shared with women who come to the centers and lays out penalties for violations. Sponsors have said their intent is to stop the flow of medically inaccurate information to those who come to the centers.
State Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, was one of several lawmakers decrying the bill as an attempt to put the centers out of existence.
"We must stop this legislation," she said.
At least 5,000 people squeezed onto the steps of the state Capitol for the annual March for Life.
Men, women, students and infants traveled from all parts of the state to participate in what is typically one of the largest ralllies - if not the largest - held during a legislative session.
Those attending cheered loudest for calls to end legal abortion and applauded warmly for state lawmakers, most of whom began their remarks by describing themselves as unashamedly pro-life.
Several lawmakers urged the crowd into action against Senate Bill 6452 and a companion bill in the House dealing with information provided by workers of crisis pregnancy centers to women considering abortion.
The legislation restricts what information can be collected from and shared with women who come to the centers and lays out penalties for violations. Sponsors have said their intent is to stop the flow of medically inaccurate information to those who come to the centers.
State Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, was one of several lawmakers decrying the bill as an attempt to put the centers out of existence.
"We must stop this legislation," she said.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Headlines
Obama Suffers Devestating Loss in Mass. Senate Upset - Newsmax
Do You Believe in Miracles? Yes! - NRO
The Scott Heard Around the World - WND
Epic Upset, GOP's Brown Wins Mass. Senate Race - Townhall
Pigs Fly, Hell Freezes Over... and GOP Wins Mass. Senate Seat - Orbusmax
Dems brace for more 2010 fallout - Politico
------------------
In terms of political symbolism, it’s hard to top Republican Scott Brown’s winning Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat in the midst of a raging national health-care debate. In truth, Brown’s win is so fantastically improbable that, as with many earlier moments in American history, it’s hard not to see something of Providence in it.
- Jeffrey H. Anderson
The People's Seat
I just wanted to let you know a little about that sign. I am 41 years old and have never in my life helped out in a political campaign. I was so repulsed by the behind the scenes dealing with the terrifying health care bill that I simply had to act.
When I heard about the Nebraska Medicaid deal, I immediately contacted Scott Brown’s campaign and volunteered to make phone calls. Scott Brown seems to be a smart, rational, even keeled person who will represent our state well in Washington. I am enthusiastically waiting for the polls to close!
Since his campaign ran out of printed signs (due to high demand), we made our own! If those in Washington are concerned about what happened in Massachusetts, they can thank Sen. Nelson.
Nancy, Massachusetts citizen and sign maker extraordinaire
WA Legislature Prepares to Gut Initiative 960
Rumblings out of Olympia indicate that the Legislature will soon move to gut Initiative 960, paving the way for tax increases and removing our ability to track the cost of proposed tax hikes.
Passed by a majority of voters in November 2007, I-960 sets a two-thirds threshold for the Legislature to raise taxes and requires the Office of Financial Management to calculate the 10-year cost of every revenue-raising bill introduced.
If legislators straight-up suspend I-960, then taxpayers will no longer have a means of determining the cost of proposed tax and fee increase bills.
Amber Gunn
Passed by a majority of voters in November 2007, I-960 sets a two-thirds threshold for the Legislature to raise taxes and requires the Office of Financial Management to calculate the 10-year cost of every revenue-raising bill introduced.
If legislators straight-up suspend I-960, then taxpayers will no longer have a means of determining the cost of proposed tax and fee increase bills.
Amber Gunn
Monday, January 18, 2010
Business of Abortion
Houston, Texas is the site of the largest abortion center in the Western Hemisphere and it opens today, January 18, 2010.
A 78,000 square foot facility, the abortion center, a Planned Parenthood facility, will be the largest abortion center in the United States, and the second largest in the world.
The center will serve as a regional headquarters for Planned Parenthood and an abortion clinic for second trimester abortions.
The six-story, 78,000 square foot building will include a surgical floor equipped to commit late-term abortions.
Continuing to target low income, minority families Planned Parenthood has strategically located the new clinic in the middle of Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods and directly across the street from the University of Houston.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Brown Leads in the Race the Whole Nation is Watching
How quickly has this race turned around?
In November, Coakley was beating Brown by 31 percentage points. Now, Brown is up by 4% -- a change of 35% in two months.
If -- repeat if -- Scott Brown wins next Tuesday, it is no exaggeration to say he will change the world of politics as we know it.
Andy Hiller
Release the People's Money
"Every dollar released from taxation that is spent or invested will help create a new job and a new salary. ..."
- John F. Kennedy
- John F. Kennedy
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The "Simple Majority" Plot to Raise Your Taxes
She has values! In fact,our Governor believes it is her moral duty to raise your taxes to fill the gap left by unrestrained Democrat spending.
The only problem is the people, took the government in their own hands by the initiative process and tied the Democrats to the weight of a 2/3 majority vote to raise taxes with I-960.
What's a Governor and her Democrat majority in Olympia to do? Well, they have a plan. Of course they do:
Governor Gregoire released her initial balanced budget that closed the $2.6 billion budget gap facing the state last month as she was legally obligated. However, she said she would have problems following through with cuts that would impact health and social services and student financial aid, among other things.
She aims to buy back $750 million worth of programs with new revenues.
“The revenue will come from new federal dollars, new taxes or both,” Gregoire said during her state-of-the-state address Tuesday. “Like you, I do not want taxes to harm the economic recovery of our families or our businesses. But I also cannot abandon my values, eliminate the safety net for our most needy and cripple our economic future.”
The governor is expected to detail how she plans to bring back programs in a tax package that will be released later this week.
Republicans have said they won’t support any budget that calls on tax increases.
A two-thirds vote would be required to pass a tax increase, but Democrats have discussed suspending the initiative requiring a two-thirds vote so a simple majority would pass any new taxes.
By Marqise Allen
The only problem is the people, took the government in their own hands by the initiative process and tied the Democrats to the weight of a 2/3 majority vote to raise taxes with I-960.
What's a Governor and her Democrat majority in Olympia to do? Well, they have a plan. Of course they do:
Governor Gregoire released her initial balanced budget that closed the $2.6 billion budget gap facing the state last month as she was legally obligated. However, she said she would have problems following through with cuts that would impact health and social services and student financial aid, among other things.
She aims to buy back $750 million worth of programs with new revenues.
“The revenue will come from new federal dollars, new taxes or both,” Gregoire said during her state-of-the-state address Tuesday. “Like you, I do not want taxes to harm the economic recovery of our families or our businesses. But I also cannot abandon my values, eliminate the safety net for our most needy and cripple our economic future.”
The governor is expected to detail how she plans to bring back programs in a tax package that will be released later this week.
Republicans have said they won’t support any budget that calls on tax increases.
A two-thirds vote would be required to pass a tax increase, but Democrats have discussed suspending the initiative requiring a two-thirds vote so a simple majority would pass any new taxes.
By Marqise Allen
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
How D's Are Negotiating Health Care
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) issued a blunt, angry statement on Wednesday, accusing the Senate of conducting negotiations with the House while holding "a gun to our head."
"The House has shown deference to the Senate in this process. But I am tired of hearing how hard it was to get 60 votes in the Senate — getting 218 votes to pass our healthcare bill in the House wasn’t easy," said Weiner, who has taken an increasingly prominent role during the healthcare debate.
"We don’t like negotiating with a gun to our head," he added.
Democratic leaders are working to reconcile the House and Senate bills, particularly a handful of issues — including a tax on "Cadillac plans" and restrictions on abortion funding — that have the two chambers at loggerheads.
"The House healthcare bill is better for the American people," Weiner said. "It includes a public option that provides choice and competition and lower costs, Medicaid relief to all states — not just one — and doesn’t tax healthcare plans that many middle-class Americans have."
Andrew Zimmermann
"The House has shown deference to the Senate in this process. But I am tired of hearing how hard it was to get 60 votes in the Senate — getting 218 votes to pass our healthcare bill in the House wasn’t easy," said Weiner, who has taken an increasingly prominent role during the healthcare debate.
"We don’t like negotiating with a gun to our head," he added.
Democratic leaders are working to reconcile the House and Senate bills, particularly a handful of issues — including a tax on "Cadillac plans" and restrictions on abortion funding — that have the two chambers at loggerheads.
"The House healthcare bill is better for the American people," Weiner said. "It includes a public option that provides choice and competition and lower costs, Medicaid relief to all states — not just one — and doesn’t tax healthcare plans that many middle-class Americans have."
Andrew Zimmermann
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Washington State Democrats M.O. for this Legislative Session
First day of our state's legislative session and Democrats are sticking by what appears to be their modus operandi for this session: call a new tax anything but a tax - a bond, a fee - then wrap in neatly in some pleasant words about "creating thousands of jobs" and the people will not even catch that it's really a tax.
Yesterday Democrat House Speaker Frank Chopp called our state's business climate one of the best in the country, and then promoted an $850 million bond proposal for energy upgrades at schools claiming that would create thousands of jobs in Washington State.
Perhaps that would fly when citizens were not aware, but everything is different now at the grassroots level. Citizens are watching.
Not only are they watching but they are alert to the fact that the money in their paycheck is being eyed by Democrats who, having already overspent with their money, are now posturing for even more.
Cleverly disguising taxes will not work this session. We're on to you.
Yesterday Democrat House Speaker Frank Chopp called our state's business climate one of the best in the country, and then promoted an $850 million bond proposal for energy upgrades at schools claiming that would create thousands of jobs in Washington State.
Perhaps that would fly when citizens were not aware, but everything is different now at the grassroots level. Citizens are watching.
Not only are they watching but they are alert to the fact that the money in their paycheck is being eyed by Democrats who, having already overspent with their money, are now posturing for even more.
Cleverly disguising taxes will not work this session. We're on to you.
Lots of Stimulus....But No Jobs
If the 2.7 millions jobs that have been lost since the so-called stimulus was signed into the law did not convince you that government spending does not correlate into economic growth, take a look at this story from the Associated Press: Stimulus Cash Doesn't Create Local Jobs:
“A federal spending surge of more than $20 billion for roads and bridges in President Obama's first stimulus has had NO EFFECT on local unemployment rates, raising questions about his argument for billions more to address an ‘urgent need to accelerate job growth.’ An Associated Press analysis of stimulus spending found that it didn't matter if a lot of money was spent on highways or none at all: Local unemployment rates rose and fell regardless. And the stimulus spending only barely helped the beleaguered construction industry, the analysis showed.”
Yet, President Obama wants to pass a second stimulus calling for billions of dollars of more spending. When will the President and Democrat leadership learn that spending money we don’t have isn’t always the remedy to fix whatever problem confronts us? When will they get the hint? Republicans have put forth a better way to give our families the relief they need that will turn our economy around.
- Michele Bachmann
“A federal spending surge of more than $20 billion for roads and bridges in President Obama's first stimulus has had NO EFFECT on local unemployment rates, raising questions about his argument for billions more to address an ‘urgent need to accelerate job growth.’ An Associated Press analysis of stimulus spending found that it didn't matter if a lot of money was spent on highways or none at all: Local unemployment rates rose and fell regardless. And the stimulus spending only barely helped the beleaguered construction industry, the analysis showed.”
Yet, President Obama wants to pass a second stimulus calling for billions of dollars of more spending. When will the President and Democrat leadership learn that spending money we don’t have isn’t always the remedy to fix whatever problem confronts us? When will they get the hint? Republicans have put forth a better way to give our families the relief they need that will turn our economy around.
- Michele Bachmann
Monday, January 11, 2010
Go to www.pushbacknotax.com to sign the petition!
More than 80 state and national groups have signed onto a coalition that was formed explicitly for the purpose of raising taxes this legislative session in Washington state. From the website:
Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition is an emerging broad-based, statewide coalition of organizations and individuals committed to securing the state's economic future by advocating for passage of a humane and sensible budget for 2010...The coalition supports a full dialogue toward a fair and humane budget that includes not just targeted cuts and reforms to make government more efficient, but a full discussion of potential revenue options as well.
Coalition partners:
•AARP Washington
•American Association of University Women - WA Chapter
•Addus Healthcare
•Alzheimer's Association - Western and Central Washington State Chapter
•Benton Franklin Parent Coalition
•Building Changes
•Cascade Chapter, Sierra Club
•Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
•Children's Alliance
•Chinese Information and Service Center
•Climate Solutions
•Community Health Center La Clinica
•Community Health Network of Washington
•Comprehensive Health Education Foundation
•Dynamic Organizations
•Earth Ministry
•Economic Opportunity Institute
•Elder and Adult Day Services
•ElderHealth Northwest
•Environment Washington
•Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims
•Family Alliance for Mental Health
•Family Resource, Education & Empowerment for Developmental Disabilities
•Food Lifeline
•Fuse
•Futurewise
•Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) Association
•HealthPoint
•Housing Development Consortium Seattle-King County
•Inland Empire Residential Resources
•Juan de Fuca Festival of Arts
•King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
•Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH)
•Lutheran Community Services Northwest
•Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State
•Minority Executive Directors Coalition
•NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
•National Association of Social Workers – WA Chapter
•New Futures
•Northwest Health Law Advocates
•Northwest Progressive Institute
•O.P.E.I.U. Local # 8
•Olympic Area Agency on Aging
•Olympic Community Action Programs
•OneAmerica
•Organizing for America
•Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)
•Pioneer Human Services
•Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington
•Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans
•Resolution Washington
•SEIU Healthcare 775NW
•Skagit Parent Coalition for Developmental Disabilities
•Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP)
•Sound Thinking
•Statewide Poverty Action Network
•The Lands Council
•The Washington Bus
•Transportation Choices Coalition
•WA Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics
•WA State Coalition Against DV
•WA State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
•Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging
•Washington Association of Churches
•Washington Community Action Network
•Washington Education Association
•Washington Eldercare Alliance
•Washington Environmental Council
•Washington Federation of State Employees
•Washington Home Care Coalition
•Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
•Washington State Coalition for the Homeless
•Washington State Hospital Association
•Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
•Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
•Washington State PTA
•Washington Student Association
•Washinton State Coalition for the Homeless
•Win/Win Network
•Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
•Washington State Labor Council
Each of these groups employs full-time individuals who are now dedicated to convincing legislators to reach into your pocket to pay for their priorities. They also have an army of paid lobbyists and employees (some of them receiving tax dollars) that can show up at legislative hearings to push for higher taxes.
The Freedom Foundation is one of a handful of groups standing in their way. Will you stand with us? Sign our petition, which asks legislators to budget OUR money the way we budget our money--by spending less! Go to www.pushbacknotax.com to sign the petition.
- Amber Gunn, Freedon Foundation
Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition is an emerging broad-based, statewide coalition of organizations and individuals committed to securing the state's economic future by advocating for passage of a humane and sensible budget for 2010...The coalition supports a full dialogue toward a fair and humane budget that includes not just targeted cuts and reforms to make government more efficient, but a full discussion of potential revenue options as well.
Coalition partners:
•AARP Washington
•American Association of University Women - WA Chapter
•Addus Healthcare
•Alzheimer's Association - Western and Central Washington State Chapter
•Benton Franklin Parent Coalition
•Building Changes
•Cascade Chapter, Sierra Club
•Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
•Children's Alliance
•Chinese Information and Service Center
•Climate Solutions
•Community Health Center La Clinica
•Community Health Network of Washington
•Comprehensive Health Education Foundation
•Dynamic Organizations
•Earth Ministry
•Economic Opportunity Institute
•Elder and Adult Day Services
•ElderHealth Northwest
•Environment Washington
•Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims
•Family Alliance for Mental Health
•Family Resource, Education & Empowerment for Developmental Disabilities
•Food Lifeline
•Fuse
•Futurewise
•Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) Association
•HealthPoint
•Housing Development Consortium Seattle-King County
•Inland Empire Residential Resources
•Juan de Fuca Festival of Arts
•King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
•Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH)
•Lutheran Community Services Northwest
•Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State
•Minority Executive Directors Coalition
•NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
•National Association of Social Workers – WA Chapter
•New Futures
•Northwest Health Law Advocates
•Northwest Progressive Institute
•O.P.E.I.U. Local # 8
•Olympic Area Agency on Aging
•Olympic Community Action Programs
•OneAmerica
•Organizing for America
•Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)
•Pioneer Human Services
•Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington
•Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans
•Resolution Washington
•SEIU Healthcare 775NW
•Skagit Parent Coalition for Developmental Disabilities
•Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP)
•Sound Thinking
•Statewide Poverty Action Network
•The Lands Council
•The Washington Bus
•Transportation Choices Coalition
•WA Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics
•WA State Coalition Against DV
•WA State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
•Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging
•Washington Association of Churches
•Washington Community Action Network
•Washington Education Association
•Washington Eldercare Alliance
•Washington Environmental Council
•Washington Federation of State Employees
•Washington Home Care Coalition
•Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
•Washington State Coalition for the Homeless
•Washington State Hospital Association
•Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
•Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
•Washington State PTA
•Washington Student Association
•Washinton State Coalition for the Homeless
•Win/Win Network
•Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
•Washington State Labor Council
Each of these groups employs full-time individuals who are now dedicated to convincing legislators to reach into your pocket to pay for their priorities. They also have an army of paid lobbyists and employees (some of them receiving tax dollars) that can show up at legislative hearings to push for higher taxes.
The Freedom Foundation is one of a handful of groups standing in their way. Will you stand with us? Sign our petition, which asks legislators to budget OUR money the way we budget our money--by spending less! Go to www.pushbacknotax.com to sign the petition.
- Amber Gunn, Freedon Foundation
Democrats Ignore the People, Republicans and the Constitution
The House of Representatives returned to Washington this week to kick off the second session of the 111th Congress--after a first half that hardly left Americans begging for more.
Although the Senate isn't slated to return until next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will use these first few days to get a head start on the messy negotiations that await both chambers on the health care bill.
Before the leadership can put this controversial issue in its rearview mirror, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have to navigate through the touchy process of merging the two bills. And right now, that "process" isn't scheduled to include Republicans.
Instead of taking the legislation to conference, where members could iron out their differences in the open, a handful of Democrats have decided to hole up in the leader's office and hash out the $2.5 trillion plan on their own.
While the Democrats try to piece together the final health care overhaul legislation, they're ignoring people, procedures, and now the U.S. Constitution.
A number of scholars are claiming that both bills violate America 's guiding document. Three such experts--Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Family Research Council Senior Fellow Ken Blackwell, and Ken Klukowski of the American Civil Rights Union--outlined the problem in the Wall Street Journal.
As they point out in their op-ed, the Constitution doesn't give Congress the power to mandate that Americans purchase health insurance.
Secondly, the Senate version includes several deals to secure the votes of some undecided senators. This kind of selective spending, which targets certain states, runs afoul of the general welfare clause.
Lastly, the legislation cannot order that the states establish things like benefit exchanges. Otherwise, Congress is rendering states as nothing more than subdivisions of the federal government.
- Tony Perkins
Although the Senate isn't slated to return until next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will use these first few days to get a head start on the messy negotiations that await both chambers on the health care bill.
Before the leadership can put this controversial issue in its rearview mirror, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have to navigate through the touchy process of merging the two bills. And right now, that "process" isn't scheduled to include Republicans.
Instead of taking the legislation to conference, where members could iron out their differences in the open, a handful of Democrats have decided to hole up in the leader's office and hash out the $2.5 trillion plan on their own.
While the Democrats try to piece together the final health care overhaul legislation, they're ignoring people, procedures, and now the U.S. Constitution.
A number of scholars are claiming that both bills violate America 's guiding document. Three such experts--Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Family Research Council Senior Fellow Ken Blackwell, and Ken Klukowski of the American Civil Rights Union--outlined the problem in the Wall Street Journal.
As they point out in their op-ed, the Constitution doesn't give Congress the power to mandate that Americans purchase health insurance.
Secondly, the Senate version includes several deals to secure the votes of some undecided senators. This kind of selective spending, which targets certain states, runs afoul of the general welfare clause.
Lastly, the legislation cannot order that the states establish things like benefit exchanges. Otherwise, Congress is rendering states as nothing more than subdivisions of the federal government.
- Tony Perkins
Friday, January 8, 2010
Phantom Zip Codes Getting Stimulus Money
The news gets worse for Recovery.org.
In November, we learned that the government’s Web site that is supposed to track stimulus spending showed stimulus being spent in non-existent congressional districts, such as North Dakota’s 99th congressional district. North Dakota actually has only one congressional district.
A number of watchdog organizations now report that Recovery.org shows stimulus funds being spent in non-existent Zip codes.
NewMexico.Watchdog.org found that Zip codes reported for some of the projects in New Mexico don’t match any Zip code known to the U.S. Postal Service. The group also found a number of Zip codes for New Mexico projects that really belong to other states. NewMexico.Watchdog.org found hundreds of thousands of dollars of stimulus spending associated with incorrect Zip codes.
In West Virginia, meanwhile, $28 million in stimulus funds were spent in four unknown Zip codes, according to WestVirginia.Watchdog.org’s review of Recovery.org. The watchdog also reports that Recovery.org shows three Virginia Zip codes as receiving funds in West Virginia.
In Nebraska, $2.2 million in stimulus was spent in four zip codes that do not exist, according to Nebraska.Watchdog.org’s review of Recovery.org’s data. The Nebraska watchdog also found a Florida Zip code indicated as receiving stimulus funds in Nebraska.
And in Washington State, according to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, “Nearly $3.5 million in federal stimulus spending has been attributed to Zip Codes in Washington state that either belong somewhere else or don’t exist at all.”
If the government doesn’t know where stimulus funds are being spent, then how can it know whether the funds are being spent wisely? How can taxpayers know?
by Alex Adrianson
In November, we learned that the government’s Web site that is supposed to track stimulus spending showed stimulus being spent in non-existent congressional districts, such as North Dakota’s 99th congressional district. North Dakota actually has only one congressional district.
A number of watchdog organizations now report that Recovery.org shows stimulus funds being spent in non-existent Zip codes.
NewMexico.Watchdog.org found that Zip codes reported for some of the projects in New Mexico don’t match any Zip code known to the U.S. Postal Service. The group also found a number of Zip codes for New Mexico projects that really belong to other states. NewMexico.Watchdog.org found hundreds of thousands of dollars of stimulus spending associated with incorrect Zip codes.
In West Virginia, meanwhile, $28 million in stimulus funds were spent in four unknown Zip codes, according to WestVirginia.Watchdog.org’s review of Recovery.org. The watchdog also reports that Recovery.org shows three Virginia Zip codes as receiving funds in West Virginia.
In Nebraska, $2.2 million in stimulus was spent in four zip codes that do not exist, according to Nebraska.Watchdog.org’s review of Recovery.org’s data. The Nebraska watchdog also found a Florida Zip code indicated as receiving stimulus funds in Nebraska.
And in Washington State, according to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, “Nearly $3.5 million in federal stimulus spending has been attributed to Zip Codes in Washington state that either belong somewhere else or don’t exist at all.”
If the government doesn’t know where stimulus funds are being spent, then how can it know whether the funds are being spent wisely? How can taxpayers know?
by Alex Adrianson
Democrats Stimulating Higher Unemployment
According to numbers released by the Labor Department this morning, our economy has lost another 85,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate remains a staggering 10%. A long way from where Democrat leadership said we would be after their $787 billion economic "stimulus" bill was signed into law last February.
Even still, Democrats in Congress continue to advance a financially reckless liberal agenda that includes higher taxes, more spending, more government bailouts and takeovers, and rising deficits and debt. For instance, Democrats are now meeting behind closed doors to negotiate a final health care bill, contemplating raising taxes on the middle-class.
This is not the formula for economic recovery and job creation. The Democrats’ plans have failed and we need a new direction and it starts with tax relief for working families and small businesses and fiscal discipline in Washington. Americans can no longer afford the status quo.
- Rep. Michelle Bachmann
Even still, Democrats in Congress continue to advance a financially reckless liberal agenda that includes higher taxes, more spending, more government bailouts and takeovers, and rising deficits and debt. For instance, Democrats are now meeting behind closed doors to negotiate a final health care bill, contemplating raising taxes on the middle-class.
This is not the formula for economic recovery and job creation. The Democrats’ plans have failed and we need a new direction and it starts with tax relief for working families and small businesses and fiscal discipline in Washington. Americans can no longer afford the status quo.
- Rep. Michelle Bachmann
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Dying Is Tax Free in 2010
This year and this year only, dying is tax free. For the first time since 1916, there is no estate tax—assuming Congress doesn’t renew the tax retroactively.
However, in 2011 current law will reset the death tax to its 2001 level of 55 percent, with a $1 million exemption. In 2009, the estate tax was 45 percent with a 3.5 million exemption.
There is one certain way to avoid the estate tax: If you spend most of your money before you die, you won’t have to pay an estate tax.
But if you use your wealth to start a business and add to the economy, the estate tax penalizes you for that. It’s one perverse result of taxing some income twice.
According to a study by Douglas Holtz-Eakin and Cameron Smith, eliminating the estate tax permanently would raise employment by 1.5million.
In this video, an estate planner explains how the death tax hits small businesses particularly hard:
by Alex Adrianson
However, in 2011 current law will reset the death tax to its 2001 level of 55 percent, with a $1 million exemption. In 2009, the estate tax was 45 percent with a 3.5 million exemption.
There is one certain way to avoid the estate tax: If you spend most of your money before you die, you won’t have to pay an estate tax.
But if you use your wealth to start a business and add to the economy, the estate tax penalizes you for that. It’s one perverse result of taxing some income twice.
According to a study by Douglas Holtz-Eakin and Cameron Smith, eliminating the estate tax permanently would raise employment by 1.5million.
In this video, an estate planner explains how the death tax hits small businesses particularly hard:
by Alex Adrianson
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Promoting a Tax as a Job
How special is that?
Powerful environmentalist lobby groups have prepared their annual Olympia wish list of legislation. And while most of their effort will reportedly go towards defending money they've already swiped legislatively, they have come up with rather clever packaging for their bigger ticket item: just call the tax a job.
And so their bill would impose a "fee" (liberal code word for tax) on petroleum products - $1.50 per barrel!
In other words if you use gasoline, motor oil, or asphalt you're going to pay.
But no worries - they will spend your money to create a few jobs described as capitol projects and retrofits dealing with stormwater.
The bill is part of the legislative agenda being pushed in Olympia by Environmental Priorities Coalition, a group of 25 environmental organizations
Coalition member Washington Conservation Voters program director Brendon Cechovic calls it "part of the solution at a time when the legislature is clearly looking for solutions.”
He further describes it as kind of a statewide stimulus package of "shovel-ready projects all over the state, at a time when we desperately need more good-paying jobs.”
A tax that comes with it's own jobs program. Now isn't that worth more to you than you taking home what you earn?
Last year a similar bill passed in the House but not the Senate.
Listen up - a state desperate for revenue will impose as many "you earn, we take" taxes on their silent prey as they possibly can.
This is another opportunity for irate tax payers to take names on who actually supports this tax.
Take names, and then take them out at the ballot box in November.
It's Twenty - Ten people...let the revolution begin!
Powerful environmentalist lobby groups have prepared their annual Olympia wish list of legislation. And while most of their effort will reportedly go towards defending money they've already swiped legislatively, they have come up with rather clever packaging for their bigger ticket item: just call the tax a job.
And so their bill would impose a "fee" (liberal code word for tax) on petroleum products - $1.50 per barrel!
In other words if you use gasoline, motor oil, or asphalt you're going to pay.
But no worries - they will spend your money to create a few jobs described as capitol projects and retrofits dealing with stormwater.
The bill is part of the legislative agenda being pushed in Olympia by Environmental Priorities Coalition, a group of 25 environmental organizations
Coalition member Washington Conservation Voters program director Brendon Cechovic calls it "part of the solution at a time when the legislature is clearly looking for solutions.”
He further describes it as kind of a statewide stimulus package of "shovel-ready projects all over the state, at a time when we desperately need more good-paying jobs.”
A tax that comes with it's own jobs program. Now isn't that worth more to you than you taking home what you earn?
Last year a similar bill passed in the House but not the Senate.
Listen up - a state desperate for revenue will impose as many "you earn, we take" taxes on their silent prey as they possibly can.
This is another opportunity for irate tax payers to take names on who actually supports this tax.
Take names, and then take them out at the ballot box in November.
It's Twenty - Ten people...let the revolution begin!
Oh No One Knows What Goes On Behind Closed Doors...
Another country song with words too real for comfort as Democrats seal the deal of their health care bill behind doors tightly closed to the American people:
The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves.
C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network.
"The C-SPAN networks will commit the necessary resources to covering all of the sessions LIVE and in their entirety," he wrote.
- Fox News
The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves.
C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network.
"The C-SPAN networks will commit the necessary resources to covering all of the sessions LIVE and in their entirety," he wrote.
- Fox News
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
18,000 WA Felons to Vote
Incarcerated felons should be allowed to vote in Washington to ensure that racial minorities are protected under the Voting Rights Act, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
The 2-1 ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means the more than 18,000 felons behind bars in the state could get back their right to vote - without having to wait until they are released from prison and are no longer on probation or parole.
- Seattle Times
The 2-1 ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means the more than 18,000 felons behind bars in the state could get back their right to vote - without having to wait until they are released from prison and are no longer on probation or parole.
- Seattle Times
Income Tax Bills Introduced In Washington State
Monday, January 4, 2010
Living on Food Stamps
The New York Times had a story up yesterday about the number of Americans living on nothing but food stamps.
In their state-by-state analysis, they show that Washington saw a 56 percent increase between June 2007 and June 2009 on those who subsist on food stamps without other income. See the chart here.
- Capitol Record
In their state-by-state analysis, they show that Washington saw a 56 percent increase between June 2007 and June 2009 on those who subsist on food stamps without other income. See the chart here.
- Capitol Record
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Obamas Plans "Non-Religious Christmas"
The Obamas were planning a "non-religious Christmas" and intended not to put the traditional White House créche scene on display.
White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers reportedly told a meeting of former secretaries that the Obamas did not intend to put the manger scene on display - a suggestion that was greeted by an "audible gasp" from her audience.
The White House confirmed that there had been discussion regarding whether to make Christmas more "inclusive."
Despite such discussions, the White House eventually bowed to tradition, reports the NY Times; the creche scene is now on display.
White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers reportedly told a meeting of former secretaries that the Obamas did not intend to put the manger scene on display - a suggestion that was greeted by an "audible gasp" from her audience.
The White House confirmed that there had been discussion regarding whether to make Christmas more "inclusive."
Despite such discussions, the White House eventually bowed to tradition, reports the NY Times; the creche scene is now on display.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
A Tenth Congressional Seat for Washington Possible
Washington state may get another voice in Congress, if projected Census numbers hold true.
The Washington Secretary of State's Office says Washington is in line to pick up a 10th congressional district. The allotment of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is based on Census population data.
According to a report by analysts at Election Data Services, Washington, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina and Utah are in line to gain a seat, while Texas would gain three.
Eight states would lose single seats. They include Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Ohio is projected to lose two seats.
The data shows that Washington's projected new seat almost went to Oregon, but the Evergreen state won out by a margin of less than 25,000 people.
This report is not official and the results could change when the final Census numbers come in next year.
It would be the first new district for Washington in 20 years.
The U.S. Senate has 100 seats, with each state automatically getting two members.
by KING5
The Washington Secretary of State's Office says Washington is in line to pick up a 10th congressional district. The allotment of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is based on Census population data.
According to a report by analysts at Election Data Services, Washington, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina and Utah are in line to gain a seat, while Texas would gain three.
Eight states would lose single seats. They include Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Ohio is projected to lose two seats.
The data shows that Washington's projected new seat almost went to Oregon, but the Evergreen state won out by a margin of less than 25,000 people.
This report is not official and the results could change when the final Census numbers come in next year.
It would be the first new district for Washington in 20 years.
The U.S. Senate has 100 seats, with each state automatically getting two members.
by KING5
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas...Because of Jesus!
Joy to the world ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ the Lord is come ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let earth receive her King ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let every heart prepare Him room ♥ ♥ ♥ And Heaven and Nature sing ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ And Heaven and Nature sing ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪...And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing!♪♫•*¨*•..........¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Too Funny
"A clearly exhausted Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid mistakenly voted no...before changing his vote to yes."Politico
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
A Bill of Bribery, Extortion, Secrecy, Fraud, and Corruption
It took a bunch of "sweet deals" made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to secure the 60 votes he needed for his health care bill.
Just when you thought secret deals with the industry, closed-door meetings and Chicago-style backroom politics couldn't get any worse... they did.
According to Reid, "A number of states are treated differently than other states. That's what legislation's all about: compromise".
Really? Rather than thoughtful policy, H.R. 3590 is the result of Democrat desperation and includes countless political handouts. In an effort to meet an artificial holiday deadline, the bill itself has come to look like a Christmas tree with goodies for all Democrat holdouts.
While over 10 states receive special deals, Senators from neglected states should be appalled, as their home state constituents will wind up paying for those "sweet deals" in other states, resulting in higher costs for their already-strapped Medicaid programs.
- RSC
Click here to read entire message.
Just when you thought secret deals with the industry, closed-door meetings and Chicago-style backroom politics couldn't get any worse... they did.
According to Reid, "A number of states are treated differently than other states. That's what legislation's all about: compromise".
Really? Rather than thoughtful policy, H.R. 3590 is the result of Democrat desperation and includes countless political handouts. In an effort to meet an artificial holiday deadline, the bill itself has come to look like a Christmas tree with goodies for all Democrat holdouts.
While over 10 states receive special deals, Senators from neglected states should be appalled, as their home state constituents will wind up paying for those "sweet deals" in other states, resulting in higher costs for their already-strapped Medicaid programs.
- RSC
Click here to read entire message.
Someone Doing Something - Call and Encourage Them!
When someone does something we should do all we can to encourage them.
As the Democrats give us "a gift that keeps on giving" - mandated healthcare - for Christmas, two Senators are raising serious Constitutional questions and need to hear the support of the American people. Here is their contact info and I hope you will contact them.
Sen DeMint - 202.224.6121
http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Sen Ensign - 202.224.6244
http://ensign.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
From RedState:
There are serious issues about the constitutionality of the individual mandate portion on the Health Care bill Democrats are about to pass.
The federal constitution sets forth the limited powers of the federal government and not one of those powers seems to suggest that the Congress of the United States can compel the citizens of the nation to buy certain products.
Senators Jim DeMint and John Ensign are going to force a vote on the issue. Democrats will be forced to take a position on whether or not the federal government can force individuals to buy products on pain of criminal penalty.
“I am incredibly concerned that the Democrats’ proposed individual mandate provision takes away too much freedom and choice from Americans across the country,” said Senator Ensign.
“As an American, I felt the obligation to stand up for the individual freedom of every citizen to make their own decision on this issue. I don’t believe Congress has the legal authority to force this mandate on its citizens.”
“Forcing every American to purchase a product is absolutely inconsistent with our Constitution and the freedoms our Founding Fathers hoped to protect,” said Senator DeMint.
“This is not at all like car insurance, you can choose not to drive but Americans will have no choice whether to buy government-approved insurance.
This is nothing more than a bailout and takeover of insurance companies. We’re forcing Americans to buy insurance under penalty of law and then Washington bureaucrats will then dictate what these companies can sell to Americans.
This is not liberty, it is the tyranny of good intentions by elites in Washington who think they can plan our lives better than we can.”
As the Democrats give us "a gift that keeps on giving" - mandated healthcare - for Christmas, two Senators are raising serious Constitutional questions and need to hear the support of the American people. Here is their contact info and I hope you will contact them.
Sen DeMint - 202.224.6121
http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Sen Ensign - 202.224.6244
http://ensign.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
From RedState:
There are serious issues about the constitutionality of the individual mandate portion on the Health Care bill Democrats are about to pass.
The federal constitution sets forth the limited powers of the federal government and not one of those powers seems to suggest that the Congress of the United States can compel the citizens of the nation to buy certain products.
Senators Jim DeMint and John Ensign are going to force a vote on the issue. Democrats will be forced to take a position on whether or not the federal government can force individuals to buy products on pain of criminal penalty.
“I am incredibly concerned that the Democrats’ proposed individual mandate provision takes away too much freedom and choice from Americans across the country,” said Senator Ensign.
“As an American, I felt the obligation to stand up for the individual freedom of every citizen to make their own decision on this issue. I don’t believe Congress has the legal authority to force this mandate on its citizens.”
“Forcing every American to purchase a product is absolutely inconsistent with our Constitution and the freedoms our Founding Fathers hoped to protect,” said Senator DeMint.
“This is not at all like car insurance, you can choose not to drive but Americans will have no choice whether to buy government-approved insurance.
This is nothing more than a bailout and takeover of insurance companies. We’re forcing Americans to buy insurance under penalty of law and then Washington bureaucrats will then dictate what these companies can sell to Americans.
This is not liberty, it is the tyranny of good intentions by elites in Washington who think they can plan our lives better than we can.”
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Democrat Switches to Republican
Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith announced Tuesday that he's switching parties – saying he can no longer align himself “with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives us further and further into debt.”“Unfortunately there are those in the Democratic Leadership that continue to push an agenda focused on massive new spending, tax increases, bailouts and a health care bill that is bad for our healthcare system,” Griffith said in a statement.
“I have always considered myself to be an independent voice and I have tried to be that voice in Congress – but after watching this agenda firsthand I now believe that the differences in the two parties could not be more clear and that for me to be true to my core beliefs and values I must align myself with the Republican party and speak out clearly on these issues.
Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.
Politico
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Dems Schedule Unpopular Obamacare Vote for Dead of Night
by Dan SpencerThe Senate version of the Democrats’ so-called health care reform is so unpopular, Nevada’s Harry Reid finds it necessary to vote on it at 1:00 a.m.
David M. Herszenhorn reports the Democrats must conduct six votes to pass their Obamacare — one of the crown jewels of Obamaism:
1 a.m. MONDAY – To end debate on “a manager’s package” that includes all the latest changes to the bill. 60 votes required.
7 a.m. TUESDAY – To approve the manager’s package. Simple majority required.
Also TUESDAY – To end debate on Mr. Reid’s original health care proposal, as amended by the manager’s package. 60 votes required.
1 p.m. WEDNESDAY – To approve Mr. Reid’s original proposal. Simple majority required.
Also WEDNESDAY – To end debate on the finalized health care legislation. 60 votes required.
7 p.m. THURSDAY, Christmas Eve (or anytime after the prior vote if all senators agree) – To approve the final bill. Simple majority required.
Reid’s 400 pages of changes to the Obamacare legislation the Democrats are rushing through the Senate were revealed only this morning, so vote the Democrats scheduled for the middle of the night will come less than 40 hours after the amendments were made available — well short of the 72 hours Democrats promised the bill would be available before any vote:
The Senator mentioned, I note, having in mind the managers’ amendment, which he has not seen and, frankly, this Senator has not seen either. I have some ideas what is in it, but I have not seen it myself. I think as a practical matter this will be available for 72 hours, as the Senator suggests. Why do I say that? I say that because it is my expectation that Senator Reid’s managers’ amendment will be filed very quickly, maybe in a day or two [emphasis added]. (Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Congressional Record, S.13289, 12/16/09)
Obamaism: Worse than socialism.
Nelson's Vote Has Been Bought
Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his caucus Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas."We're there," said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), as he headed into a special meeting to outline the deal.
Democratic leaders spent days trying to hammer out a deal with Nelson, and worked late Friday night with him on abortion coverage language that had proved the major stumbling block. Nelson also secured other favors for his home state.
Washington Post
Friday, December 18, 2009
How Cap and Trade Plans to Cripple Our Economy
By Vladimir at RedState
If you can’t understand conceptually why a Cap and Trade system is such a bad deal, how about a concrete example?
The European Union is a signatory of the Kyoto Protocols and have been dealing with a Carbon Cap and Trade system for several years. This article in today’s Wall Street Journal shows how the potential profit from the sale of carbon credits directly led to the loss of 1,700 jobs in a British steel plant.
Usually, we worry about the unintended consequences of new, far-reaching regulation. As the article makes clear, however, crippling the economies of the Western Democracies for the benefit of the “developing world” (read: China and India) is precisely the intent of Cap and Trade.
… Corus, Europe’s second-largest steel producer, is shuttering a giant U.K. steelmaking plant at Redcar, cutting 1,700 jobs. Corus blames the recession that has cut steel demand and says the British government hasn’t done enough to help it.
Whatever the truth of that, there’s little doubt that cap and trade made the closure much easier. The decline in steel production means European steelmakers have surplus carbon allowances. According to Carbon Market Data, a European research firm, in 2008 Corus had the second largest surplus of EU carbon allowances—7.5 million.
… By closing Redcar’s annual capacity of three million tons of steel, Corus will produce six million fewer tons of CO2. That means more carbon allowances, which could translate into about $300 million a year if credits hit $50. Corus is essentially being paid to lay off British workers. …
Corus was bought in 2007 by Tata, India’s largest steel company. The Indian steel industry is set to more than double production to some 124 million tons a year by 2011-2012. Were Corus to move production to a “clean” Indian factory, it could receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the Clean Development Fund.
The kicker is that none of this results in fewer carbon emissions. A Corus plant in India might be more efficient by Indian standards, but it will be no more efficient than Redcar. …
To summarize: Cap and trade is a scheme that would impose heavy carbon taxes and allowances on U.S. industries, which would then have an incentive to move overseas themselves, or to sell those allowances to overseas companies that could use them to become more competitive against U.S. companies. Like the 1,700 Brits at Redcar, American workers would be the big losers.
If you can’t understand conceptually why a Cap and Trade system is such a bad deal, how about a concrete example?
The European Union is a signatory of the Kyoto Protocols and have been dealing with a Carbon Cap and Trade system for several years. This article in today’s Wall Street Journal shows how the potential profit from the sale of carbon credits directly led to the loss of 1,700 jobs in a British steel plant.
Usually, we worry about the unintended consequences of new, far-reaching regulation. As the article makes clear, however, crippling the economies of the Western Democracies for the benefit of the “developing world” (read: China and India) is precisely the intent of Cap and Trade.
… Corus, Europe’s second-largest steel producer, is shuttering a giant U.K. steelmaking plant at Redcar, cutting 1,700 jobs. Corus blames the recession that has cut steel demand and says the British government hasn’t done enough to help it.
Whatever the truth of that, there’s little doubt that cap and trade made the closure much easier. The decline in steel production means European steelmakers have surplus carbon allowances. According to Carbon Market Data, a European research firm, in 2008 Corus had the second largest surplus of EU carbon allowances—7.5 million.
… By closing Redcar’s annual capacity of three million tons of steel, Corus will produce six million fewer tons of CO2. That means more carbon allowances, which could translate into about $300 million a year if credits hit $50. Corus is essentially being paid to lay off British workers. …
Corus was bought in 2007 by Tata, India’s largest steel company. The Indian steel industry is set to more than double production to some 124 million tons a year by 2011-2012. Were Corus to move production to a “clean” Indian factory, it could receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the Clean Development Fund.
The kicker is that none of this results in fewer carbon emissions. A Corus plant in India might be more efficient by Indian standards, but it will be no more efficient than Redcar. …
To summarize: Cap and trade is a scheme that would impose heavy carbon taxes and allowances on U.S. industries, which would then have an incentive to move overseas themselves, or to sell those allowances to overseas companies that could use them to become more competitive against U.S. companies. Like the 1,700 Brits at Redcar, American workers would be the big losers.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Falling...
by Peter Wallsten
Less than a year after Inauguration Day, support for the Democratic Party continues to slump, amid a difficult economy and a wave of public discontent, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
The findings underscored how dramatically the political landscape has changed during the Obama administration's first year. In January, despite the recession and financial crisis, voters expressed optimism about the future, the new president enjoyed soaring approval ratings, and congressional leaders promised to swiftly pass his ambitious agenda.
In December's survey, for the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing, marking a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors.
Also for the first time this year, the electorate was split when asked which party it wanted to see in charge after the 2010 elections. For months, a clear plurality favored Democratic control.
The survey suggests that public discontent with Mr. Obama and his party is being driven by an unusually grim view of the country's status and future prospects.
Democrats' problems seem in part linked to their ambitious health-care plan, billed as the signature achievement of Mr. Obama's first year. Now, for the first time, more people said they would prefer Congress did nothing on health care than who wanted to see the overhaul enacted.
"For Democrats, the red flags are flying at full mast," said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. "What we don't know for certain is: Have we reached a bottoming-out point?"
The biggest worry for Democrats is that the findings could set the stage for gains by Republican candidates in next year's elections. Support from independents for the president and his party continues to dwindle.
In addition, voters intending to back Republicans expressed far more interest in the 2010 races than those planning to vote for Democrats, illustrating how disappointment on the left over attempts by party leaders to compromise on health care and other issues is damping enthusiasm among core party voters.
Less than a year after Inauguration Day, support for the Democratic Party continues to slump, amid a difficult economy and a wave of public discontent, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
The findings underscored how dramatically the political landscape has changed during the Obama administration's first year. In January, despite the recession and financial crisis, voters expressed optimism about the future, the new president enjoyed soaring approval ratings, and congressional leaders promised to swiftly pass his ambitious agenda.
In December's survey, for the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing, marking a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors.
Also for the first time this year, the electorate was split when asked which party it wanted to see in charge after the 2010 elections. For months, a clear plurality favored Democratic control.
The survey suggests that public discontent with Mr. Obama and his party is being driven by an unusually grim view of the country's status and future prospects.
Democrats' problems seem in part linked to their ambitious health-care plan, billed as the signature achievement of Mr. Obama's first year. Now, for the first time, more people said they would prefer Congress did nothing on health care than who wanted to see the overhaul enacted.
"For Democrats, the red flags are flying at full mast," said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. "What we don't know for certain is: Have we reached a bottoming-out point?"
The biggest worry for Democrats is that the findings could set the stage for gains by Republican candidates in next year's elections. Support from independents for the president and his party continues to dwindle.
In addition, voters intending to back Republicans expressed far more interest in the 2010 races than those planning to vote for Democrats, illustrating how disappointment on the left over attempts by party leaders to compromise on health care and other issues is damping enthusiasm among core party voters.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Smoke Pot to Fight Substance Abuse
Six fearless Washington State Democrats have decided to take on the fight to treat and prevent substance abuse...by letting citizens smoke pot legally and become substance abusers. How twisted is that?
This came out in the news today:
Six House Democrats who have prefiled a bill legalize marijuana for those over age 21 want to use nearly all of the money raised for substance abuse treatment and prevention.
Still, the sponsors are a pretty mainstream bunch and there has been some movement in other states to stop treating pot use and possession as a criminal offense. The six are Mary Lou Dickerson and Scott White of Seattle, Roger Goodman of Kirkland, David Upthegrove of Des Moines, Sherry Appleton of Poulsbo and Mary Helen Roberts of Lynnwood.
House Bill 2401 is 78 pages long. But most of that is to find every reference to marijuana in state law and either remove it from criminal codes or add it to liquor laws. They also would regulate the farming, production and distribution. - The News Tribune
Still, the sponsors are a pretty mainstream bunch and there has been some movement in other states to stop treating pot use and possession as a criminal offense. The six are Mary Lou Dickerson and Scott White of Seattle, Roger Goodman of Kirkland, David Upthegrove of Des Moines, Sherry Appleton of Poulsbo and Mary Helen Roberts of Lynnwood.
House Bill 2401 is 78 pages long. But most of that is to find every reference to marijuana in state law and either remove it from criminal codes or add it to liquor laws. They also would regulate the farming, production and distribution. - The News Tribune
Personally, I think they've got way too much time on their hands, and perhaps have smoked a little to much themselves. They certainly are not up for the important job of representing Washington State citizens in our state legislature.
Mark their names people. It's time for us to join with millions of others across our nation who are tired of such nonsense and mobilizing to elect real leaders in 2010.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Democrats Gone Wild
By Leon H. Wolf
In addition to spending hundreds of billions (or trillions) of dollars on a government takeover of healthcare, and in addition to spending hundred of billions of dollars on failed economic stimulus programs, and in addition to implementing worthless environmental regulation that has the effect of a massive tax increase, the Democrats are still wildly in favor of massive increases in government spending on, well… everything!
Senate Democrats overcame a Republican filibuster to clear the way for a vote Sunday on a huge end-of-year $1.1 trillion spending bill that gives budget increases far exceeding inflation to much of the government.
The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 60-34 on Saturday to end the GOP filibuster that threatened to hold up the legislation. The final vote would send the measure to President Barack Obama.
The measure pays for Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and boosts spending for the Education Department, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and others.
In addition to spending hundreds of billions (or trillions) of dollars on a government takeover of healthcare, and in addition to spending hundred of billions of dollars on failed economic stimulus programs, and in addition to implementing worthless environmental regulation that has the effect of a massive tax increase, the Democrats are still wildly in favor of massive increases in government spending on, well… everything!
Senate Democrats overcame a Republican filibuster to clear the way for a vote Sunday on a huge end-of-year $1.1 trillion spending bill that gives budget increases far exceeding inflation to much of the government.
The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 60-34 on Saturday to end the GOP filibuster that threatened to hold up the legislation. The final vote would send the measure to President Barack Obama.
The measure pays for Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and boosts spending for the Education Department, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and others.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Reid Isn't Making History--He's Making It Up!
Yesterday Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) stood on the Senate floor and compared health care opponents to the old supporters of slavery.
"Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all Republicans can come up with is this: slow down, stop everything, let's start over," Reid said.
"If you think you've heard these same excuses before, you're right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said slow down, it's too early, let's wait, things aren't bad enough."
Today, his office may have defended those remarks, but what they cannot defend is Sen. Reid's distortion of the facts.
It was his party--not the GOP--who stood in the way of American freedom.
Every vote against the Thirteenth Amendment to free the slaves was cast by a Democrat.
Every vote against Lincoln 's Emancipation Proclamation was cast by a Democrat.
In 1922, when Republicans tried to outlaw lynching, Senate Democrats filibustered the bill until it died and continued filibustering against it until it was approved in 1957.
When the great Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally passed, Republicans in the Senate backed it 23-6, but Democrats in the majority approved by only 44-23. Without the Republican Party, it wouldn't have become the law of the land.
Sen. Reid isn't making history--he's making it up!
If his party shows this much disregard for the past, then Americans should be terribly worried about their future. When the Majority Leader is willing to rewrite history to score cheap political points, how can we trust him with something as vital as health care? We can't.
Until then, I have a suggestion. Senators who want to be on the right side of history can start by supporting innocent human life.
And if anyone deserves to be freed, it's U.S. taxpayers who want no part of abortion's bloody business.
Tony Perkins
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Climate Summit Defined
The Copenhagen Climate Summit - where world leaders and celebrities travel in private jets (more than 140 of them) to Denmark where they will be driven around in limos (more than 1200 of them) attending 12 days of meetings to develop a new global treaty on climate change...and decide how best to tax and regulate you into compliance.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Health Care's Poison Pill - Public Option
by Rick Scott
What are we up to now, six different names for the public option?
Let us count the ways desperate Democrats have tried to re-brand, re-tool, re-name or re-invent what is, by all accounts, a plot that will ultimately force millions of Americans into the waiting arms of government health care bureaucrats.
During the 2008 campaign, the public option was described as “government-run plan similar to Medicare.” Whoa…really? The same Medicare plan that cannot now meet its own financial obligations and is projected to be come up short by $38 trillion by the time the youngest Americans will need it? No wonder we haven’t heard that description much lately.
After the presidential inauguration, talk of the public option steadily picked up steam, reaching a fever pitch in August when senior citizens were shouting down their elected officials and canceling their AARP memberships in droves, and while Tea Party activists were getting their fingers bitten off at town hall meetings - all due to strong opposition against any form of government-run health care.
By late October, Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew it was a tough sell. She began slathering lipstick on the public option pig, calling it both the “consumer option” and the “competitive option.” It didn’t stick, and it didn’t matter, because a large number of House Democrats are hell-bent on getting the government’s foot in the door of private health care so they would have voted for it no matter what it was called.
But the Senate is a different ballgame, and that 60-vote hurdle is looming. To clear it, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has some serious sugar-coating to do before his colleagues will choke down any version of the public option. So far, it’s been floated as an “opt-out” public option, an “opt-in” public option, and a “trigger” public option.
Next week, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) will, as he says, attempt to “thread the needle” by recasting the public option yet again. Thus far he’s been tight-lipped about his plans, but it really doesn’t matter.
A bait-and-switch can only work when it takes the victim by surprise, an opportunity Sen. Carper and the Democrats lost months ago. Even House Finance Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has admitted that the public option will lead to government-run health care and may even be the best way to get there.
They can sugar-coat the public option all they want, but it’s still a poison pill.
What are we up to now, six different names for the public option?
Let us count the ways desperate Democrats have tried to re-brand, re-tool, re-name or re-invent what is, by all accounts, a plot that will ultimately force millions of Americans into the waiting arms of government health care bureaucrats.
During the 2008 campaign, the public option was described as “government-run plan similar to Medicare.” Whoa…really? The same Medicare plan that cannot now meet its own financial obligations and is projected to be come up short by $38 trillion by the time the youngest Americans will need it? No wonder we haven’t heard that description much lately.
After the presidential inauguration, talk of the public option steadily picked up steam, reaching a fever pitch in August when senior citizens were shouting down their elected officials and canceling their AARP memberships in droves, and while Tea Party activists were getting their fingers bitten off at town hall meetings - all due to strong opposition against any form of government-run health care.
By late October, Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew it was a tough sell. She began slathering lipstick on the public option pig, calling it both the “consumer option” and the “competitive option.” It didn’t stick, and it didn’t matter, because a large number of House Democrats are hell-bent on getting the government’s foot in the door of private health care so they would have voted for it no matter what it was called.
But the Senate is a different ballgame, and that 60-vote hurdle is looming. To clear it, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has some serious sugar-coating to do before his colleagues will choke down any version of the public option. So far, it’s been floated as an “opt-out” public option, an “opt-in” public option, and a “trigger” public option.
Next week, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) will, as he says, attempt to “thread the needle” by recasting the public option yet again. Thus far he’s been tight-lipped about his plans, but it really doesn’t matter.
A bait-and-switch can only work when it takes the victim by surprise, an opportunity Sen. Carper and the Democrats lost months ago. Even House Finance Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has admitted that the public option will lead to government-run health care and may even be the best way to get there.
They can sugar-coat the public option all they want, but it’s still a poison pill.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Not the Change Americans Were Hoping For
by RedState
A new study shows Obama has fewer advisors who’ve made a living in the private sector than any other American President in the last 108 years — since the turn of the 20th century when the business of America became business.
This is not to say that the Chief Executive should have private sector experience. And this is not to say that the Chief Executive should employ only people from the private sector.
But it is to say that we should not trust a Chief Executive to know how to fix the private sector or “create competition” in health care when there is hardly a person near him who knows anything about job creation.
That is the key. More Americans than every before are on government handouts and the Democrats intend to take over 1/6th of the American economy — health care.
This is an administration that has no understanding of and no commitment to the free market and the private sector, both of which are, at best, academic studies to ninety percent of Obama’s top advisors.
The American people, at the end of the day, believe in, work in, and want to support the private sector. The American people do not want to be dependent on the government for their food, health care, or income.
But that is Obama’s solution.
To every problem, Obama offers government. He can offer no other because he has surrounded himself with no job creators, no producers, no captains of industry, and no free market champions. That’s not the change the American people were hoping for.
A new study shows Obama has fewer advisors who’ve made a living in the private sector than any other American President in the last 108 years — since the turn of the 20th century when the business of America became business.
This is not to say that the Chief Executive should have private sector experience. And this is not to say that the Chief Executive should employ only people from the private sector.
But it is to say that we should not trust a Chief Executive to know how to fix the private sector or “create competition” in health care when there is hardly a person near him who knows anything about job creation.
That is the key. More Americans than every before are on government handouts and the Democrats intend to take over 1/6th of the American economy — health care.
This is an administration that has no understanding of and no commitment to the free market and the private sector, both of which are, at best, academic studies to ninety percent of Obama’s top advisors.
The American people, at the end of the day, believe in, work in, and want to support the private sector. The American people do not want to be dependent on the government for their food, health care, or income.
But that is Obama’s solution.
To every problem, Obama offers government. He can offer no other because he has surrounded himself with no job creators, no producers, no captains of industry, and no free market champions. That’s not the change the American people were hoping for.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Only The Beginning
By Sarah O’Connor
President Barack Obama’s mission to reform US healthcare vaulted another legislative hurdle over the weekend, but the scramble to secure his own party’s votes sheds light on the messy compromises that may be needed to get it to the finish line.
Fissures between liberal and centrist Democrats cracked open on Sunday in the aftermath of a procedural vote, which paved the way for the estimated $848bn (€570bn, £514bn) draft Senate bill to be debated on the floor.
Leaders hope there will be a vote on the bill by Christmas. If passed, the House and Senate versions will have to be mashed together.
If this weekend is anything to go by, it will not be a pretty process. All Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents voted to push the bill forward – creating a filibuster-proof majority of 60 – but some of those votes came far from quietly. A group of centrist Democrats, unhappy about elements of the bill such as a public insurance option, managed to wring concessions from the leadership in return for their acquiescence.
In what wags have already dubbed the “Louisiana Purchase”, Mary Landrieu was offered at least $100m in extra federal money for her state. Ben Nelson won the omission of a provision that would strip health insurers of their anti-trust exemption. Blanche Lincoln won more time.
The group’s disproportionate power in the debate has antagonised some liberal Democrats. “In the end, I don’t want four Democratic senators dictating to the other 56 of us and to the country, when the public option has this much support, that it’s not going to be in it,” said Sherrod Brown of Ohio on Sunday on CNN.
“But in the end, I think that all four of our colleagues surveyed this . . . and I don’t think they want to be on the wrong side of history. I don’t think they want to go back and say, ‘You know, on a procedural vote, I killed the most important bill in my political career’.”
As the debate gets going, the centrists will face increased pressure at home, where they are vulnerable to losing their seats if they are seen to let their colleagues in Washington push them too far to the left. Lobbyists on both sides of the debate are well aware of this, and are blitzing their home states with adverts.
Ms Lincoln claimed that groups had spent $3.3m on advertising in her state of Arkansas. She said she would refuse to yield to either side, but was shocked by the “unbelievable type of threats” she had received.
“These ad groups seem to think this is all about my re-election. I simply think they don’t know me very well,” she said on the Senate floor.
The group, which also includes independent senator Joe Lieberman, all said they wanted more changes made to the bill in the coming weeks.
“When I saw the bill I said, ‘This can be amended, this can be improved’,” Mr Nelson said on Sunday on ABC. He said language on federal funding for abortion, which is softer than that of the House bill, was one problem. He did signal he was willing to compromise on a public option, but said it would have to be much weaker than the current version, which has already been watered down to allow states to opt out.
“We could negotiate a public option of some sort that I might look at, but I don’t want a big government, Washington-run operation that would undermine the . . . private insurance that 200m Americans now have,” he said.
Mr Lieberman, though, was more intransigent.
“[A public option] is a radical departure from the way we’ve responded to the market in America in the past,” he told NBC. “We rely first on competition in our market economy. When the competition fails then what do we do? We regulate or we litigate.”
The weekend’s vote was a victory for Harry Reid, Senate leader, but he acknowledged that it was simply an opening skirmish in a battle that is now set to break into full force. Much of that battle will take place within his own party.
“Tonight’s vote is not the end of the debate,” he said on Saturday night. “It is only the beginning.”
President Barack Obama’s mission to reform US healthcare vaulted another legislative hurdle over the weekend, but the scramble to secure his own party’s votes sheds light on the messy compromises that may be needed to get it to the finish line.
Fissures between liberal and centrist Democrats cracked open on Sunday in the aftermath of a procedural vote, which paved the way for the estimated $848bn (€570bn, £514bn) draft Senate bill to be debated on the floor.
Leaders hope there will be a vote on the bill by Christmas. If passed, the House and Senate versions will have to be mashed together.
If this weekend is anything to go by, it will not be a pretty process. All Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents voted to push the bill forward – creating a filibuster-proof majority of 60 – but some of those votes came far from quietly. A group of centrist Democrats, unhappy about elements of the bill such as a public insurance option, managed to wring concessions from the leadership in return for their acquiescence.
In what wags have already dubbed the “Louisiana Purchase”, Mary Landrieu was offered at least $100m in extra federal money for her state. Ben Nelson won the omission of a provision that would strip health insurers of their anti-trust exemption. Blanche Lincoln won more time.
The group’s disproportionate power in the debate has antagonised some liberal Democrats. “In the end, I don’t want four Democratic senators dictating to the other 56 of us and to the country, when the public option has this much support, that it’s not going to be in it,” said Sherrod Brown of Ohio on Sunday on CNN.
“But in the end, I think that all four of our colleagues surveyed this . . . and I don’t think they want to be on the wrong side of history. I don’t think they want to go back and say, ‘You know, on a procedural vote, I killed the most important bill in my political career’.”
As the debate gets going, the centrists will face increased pressure at home, where they are vulnerable to losing their seats if they are seen to let their colleagues in Washington push them too far to the left. Lobbyists on both sides of the debate are well aware of this, and are blitzing their home states with adverts.
Ms Lincoln claimed that groups had spent $3.3m on advertising in her state of Arkansas. She said she would refuse to yield to either side, but was shocked by the “unbelievable type of threats” she had received.
“These ad groups seem to think this is all about my re-election. I simply think they don’t know me very well,” she said on the Senate floor.
The group, which also includes independent senator Joe Lieberman, all said they wanted more changes made to the bill in the coming weeks.
“When I saw the bill I said, ‘This can be amended, this can be improved’,” Mr Nelson said on Sunday on ABC. He said language on federal funding for abortion, which is softer than that of the House bill, was one problem. He did signal he was willing to compromise on a public option, but said it would have to be much weaker than the current version, which has already been watered down to allow states to opt out.
“We could negotiate a public option of some sort that I might look at, but I don’t want a big government, Washington-run operation that would undermine the . . . private insurance that 200m Americans now have,” he said.
Mr Lieberman, though, was more intransigent.
“[A public option] is a radical departure from the way we’ve responded to the market in America in the past,” he told NBC. “We rely first on competition in our market economy. When the competition fails then what do we do? We regulate or we litigate.”
The weekend’s vote was a victory for Harry Reid, Senate leader, but he acknowledged that it was simply an opening skirmish in a battle that is now set to break into full force. Much of that battle will take place within his own party.
“Tonight’s vote is not the end of the debate,” he said on Saturday night. “It is only the beginning.”
Friday, November 20, 2009
Another Saturday Night...
Call Your Senators!
Under the cloak of another Saturday night the US Senate plans to vote on whether or not to continue debate on their health care bill - 8pm to be exact.
They really DON'T want to hear from you, but since you'll be paying for the vote they take tomorrow night I would urge you to call and write them incessantly with the message "NO on cloture".
A successful cloture motion would allow them to proceed to debate. Now consider this, since 1999 the Senate has approved and passed 97.6% of all bills when lawmakers voted in favor of the motion to proceed to debate.
Cloture is the very best place to stop this insidious bill. Call every number they have....and don't forget the incessant part.
Maria Cantwell - 1-888-648-7328
For her local office numbers click here)
Patty Murray - 1-866-481-9186
For her local office numbers click here)
Under the cloak of another Saturday night the US Senate plans to vote on whether or not to continue debate on their health care bill - 8pm to be exact.
They really DON'T want to hear from you, but since you'll be paying for the vote they take tomorrow night I would urge you to call and write them incessantly with the message "NO on cloture".
A successful cloture motion would allow them to proceed to debate. Now consider this, since 1999 the Senate has approved and passed 97.6% of all bills when lawmakers voted in favor of the motion to proceed to debate.
Cloture is the very best place to stop this insidious bill. Call every number they have....and don't forget the incessant part.
Maria Cantwell - 1-888-648-7328
For her local office numbers click here)
Patty Murray - 1-866-481-9186
For her local office numbers click here)
10 THINGS ...
Here are ten things10 you should know about Harry Reid's government-run health care experiment :
1. $493 Billion In Tax Increases On Health Insurance, Medical Innovation, Payroll And Small Businesses Would Pay For The Bill. (Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
2. Americans Won't See Benefits Of This Health Care Experiment Until 2014, But They Start Paying For It In 2010.(Page 13, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
3. Reid's Bill Allegedly Reduces The Deficit By $130 Billion In Ten Years, But The Obama-Reid-Pelosi Spending Agenda Produced Deficit Of $176 Billion Last Month Alone.(Table 3, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
4. $465 Billion In Medicare And Medicaid Cuts Would Pay For Two New Unsustainable Entitlements.(Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
5. Health Care Costs For The Federal Government - And Your Family - Would Increase, Not Decrease. (Page 16, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
6. A New Medicare Commission Of Unelected Bureaucrats Would Ration Care.(Sec. 3403, H.R. 3590, Amendment In The Nature Of A Substitute, "Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act," Introduced 11/18/09)
7. The "Doc Fix" Provision That Would Add $250 Billion To The Deficit Is Not Included In The Democrats' List Price For Their Health Care Experiment.(Page 17, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
8. Taxpayer Dollars Would Fund Abortions.(Sec. 1303(a), H.R. 3590, Amendment In The Nature Of A Substitute, "Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act," Introduced 11/18/09)
9. A New Entitlement Program For Long-Term Care That One Democrat Senator Called "A Ponzi Scheme" Would Be Created.(Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09; Shailagh Murray & Lori Montgomery, "Centrists Unsure About Reid's Public Option," The Washington Post, 10/28/09)
10. States Burdened With $25 Billion In Unfunded Mandates From Medicaid That Would Force Them To Increase Taxes.(Page 7, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
View This Research Briefing At GOP.com
1. $493 Billion In Tax Increases On Health Insurance, Medical Innovation, Payroll And Small Businesses Would Pay For The Bill. (Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
2. Americans Won't See Benefits Of This Health Care Experiment Until 2014, But They Start Paying For It In 2010.(Page 13, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
3. Reid's Bill Allegedly Reduces The Deficit By $130 Billion In Ten Years, But The Obama-Reid-Pelosi Spending Agenda Produced Deficit Of $176 Billion Last Month Alone.(Table 3, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
4. $465 Billion In Medicare And Medicaid Cuts Would Pay For Two New Unsustainable Entitlements.(Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
5. Health Care Costs For The Federal Government - And Your Family - Would Increase, Not Decrease. (Page 16, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
6. A New Medicare Commission Of Unelected Bureaucrats Would Ration Care.(Sec. 3403, H.R. 3590, Amendment In The Nature Of A Substitute, "Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act," Introduced 11/18/09)
7. The "Doc Fix" Provision That Would Add $250 Billion To The Deficit Is Not Included In The Democrats' List Price For Their Health Care Experiment.(Page 17, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
8. Taxpayer Dollars Would Fund Abortions.(Sec. 1303(a), H.R. 3590, Amendment In The Nature Of A Substitute, "Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act," Introduced 11/18/09)
9. A New Entitlement Program For Long-Term Care That One Democrat Senator Called "A Ponzi Scheme" Would Be Created.(Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09; Shailagh Murray & Lori Montgomery, "Centrists Unsure About Reid's Public Option," The Washington Post, 10/28/09)
10. States Burdened With $25 Billion In Unfunded Mandates From Medicaid That Would Force Them To Increase Taxes.(Page 7, Douglas W. Elmendorf, Letter To Senator Harry Reid, 11/18/09)
View This Research Briefing At GOP.com
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Pay....or Pay
Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail.The JCT letter makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.
In response to the JCT letter, Camp said: “This is the ultimate example of the Democrats’ command-and-control style of governing – buy what we tell you or go to jail.
This is outrageous and should be stopped immediately.”
Press Release by Ways & Means Republicans
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Look at the Side by Side
Sometimes a picture speaks louder than words, so here it is - a side by side picture of Pelosi Health Care Bill and the GOP Alternative. What do you want - more freedom or more government?
Keep calling (numbers in previous post) and if the line is busy send an e-mail while you wait. Google your Rep and get on it!
And let's all call Pelosi now
(202) 225-0100 and (415)556.4862
and give her a little freedom loving patriot love too!
(202) 225-0100 and (415)556.4862
and give her a little freedom loving patriot love too!
Right Now!
Right now in Washington DC American citizens, led by Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN) are giving voice to the millions of us who oppose the Democrat takeover of our healthcare.We can't be there but we can add our voice to support them!
Right now...call both our Senators and your Representative with your strong message opposing the Democrat takeover of healthcare.
RIGHT NOW CALL:
Senators:
Maria Cantwell - (202) 224-3441
Patty Murray - (202) 224-2621
Your Representative:
1st District: Jay Inslee - (202) 225–6311
2nd District: Rick Larsen - (202) 225-2605
3rd District: Brian Baird - (202) 225-3536
4th District: Doc Hastings - (202) 225-5816
5th District: Cathy McMorris Rodgers - (202) 225-2006
6th District: Norm Dicks - (202) 225-5916
7th District: Jim McDermott - (202) 225-3106
8th District: Dave Reichert - (202) 225-7761
9th District: Adam Smith - (202) 225-8901
Press Release:
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann released the following statement as the House of Representatives approaches a vote on the Democrats’ health care reform proposal:
“The American people spoke loud and clear at town hall meetings all across the country throughout August. But, it would appear that Congress didn’t hear a word they had to say. The Democrats’ latest health care proposal unveiled late last week may be packaged a little differently, but it’s the same old bad bill as before.
“This bill is a trillion-dollar, budget-busting, government takeover of our health care system. It will put bureaucrats between people and their health care. It will lead to rationed care, hurting the most vulnerable amongst us first. It will break the bank, leaving our children to pay the bill with diminished freedoms and dwindling prosperity.
“The American people need to stand up again and make sure that Congress hears them this time. Speaker Pelosi is putting her bill on fast track to a vote – and it remains to be seen if the House will even get a chance to vote on the commonsense Republican alternatives. The people need to make a House Call on Washington this week and tell their Representatives to vote no to a government take-over of one-fifth of our economy. This is gangster government at its worst.
“I urge all Americans to come to Washington this Thursday. Come and meet up with your Representative and tell them that you want to control your health care.”
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
America's Message: Too Far Too Fast!
What Today’s Election Means
November 3rd, 2009
by Saul Anuzis
In my opinion…
The real question and really the only question is does Obama’s aggressive liberal agenda get clipped because moderate Democrats get a real taste of how main street America is not only reacting in polls…but at the polls.
In MI we will pick up State Senate seat that has been held by Democrat Mark Schauer since 2002 until his election last year to the US Congress!
That’s bodes well for MIGOP in the upcoming reapportionment battle and for the potential GOP challenger to Schauer in 2010.
VA is still a win…it’s just that polling shows us it going to be a win, so some are trying to minimize the impact.
NJ is huge…win or close, this spells trouble for the Democrats.
NY is more symbolic and important for the conservative base in our party.
Winning as a conservative vs Republican will have a great impact within the party, more than in DC.
Conservatives can win when they emphasize the right things and don’t allow their message to get co-opted. The Democrats & some of their friends in the media attempt to paint all conservatives as fire breathing cavemen.
But Dede Scozzafava was drubbed, not for being a “moderate” Republican, but for not being a Republican at all. McDonnell was an example on how to do it right.
To some extent American voters like checks & balances – they don’t like one party control – and one party dominance even less. This reflects on Obama’s agenda, Congressional Democrats aggressiveness and the apparent “out of touch” and low approval ratings of Congress in general.
Voters are trying to send the White House and Democrats a message that they’re going too far, too fast, for too many special interests, and if they don’t get the message from tonight, voters will have to send them a louder message in 1 year.
November 3rd, 2009
by Saul Anuzis
In my opinion…
The real question and really the only question is does Obama’s aggressive liberal agenda get clipped because moderate Democrats get a real taste of how main street America is not only reacting in polls…but at the polls.
In MI we will pick up State Senate seat that has been held by Democrat Mark Schauer since 2002 until his election last year to the US Congress!
That’s bodes well for MIGOP in the upcoming reapportionment battle and for the potential GOP challenger to Schauer in 2010.
VA is still a win…it’s just that polling shows us it going to be a win, so some are trying to minimize the impact.
NJ is huge…win or close, this spells trouble for the Democrats.
NY is more symbolic and important for the conservative base in our party.
Winning as a conservative vs Republican will have a great impact within the party, more than in DC.
Conservatives can win when they emphasize the right things and don’t allow their message to get co-opted. The Democrats & some of their friends in the media attempt to paint all conservatives as fire breathing cavemen.
But Dede Scozzafava was drubbed, not for being a “moderate” Republican, but for not being a Republican at all. McDonnell was an example on how to do it right.
To some extent American voters like checks & balances – they don’t like one party control – and one party dominance even less. This reflects on Obama’s agenda, Congressional Democrats aggressiveness and the apparent “out of touch” and low approval ratings of Congress in general.
Voters are trying to send the White House and Democrats a message that they’re going too far, too fast, for too many special interests, and if they don’t get the message from tonight, voters will have to send them a louder message in 1 year.
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