Good Debate Will Keep America Great

America was built on the fundamentals of Freedom. The Founding Fathers were a group of industrialists, businessmen and farmers that understood the basic principles of hard work, individualism and lack of governmental interference would lead to prosperity, economic freedom and happiness. They understood that government was necessary, but, they also understood it was a necessary evil.

The first major political dispute in this country was the constant battle between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. These two men almost single handedly were responsible for the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They both understood that individualism held the key to the economy. However, they strongly differed on many issues.

Adams was a Federalist. He believed in a strong central government, albeit limited in scope. Jefferson, on the other hand, believed in States’ rights. He believed that the central government’s power was derived from the people and should be very limited. The Federal government was primarily necessary to protect the country. Jefferson was a firm believer in the Tenth Amendment and its principles. You can review my prior article about this Amendment for background. But, that is not what I am talking about today. This article is about the way government operates today and what is necessary of our leaders to keep America great.

What is the main difference between governmental disputes today and the disputes of the Founders? In my opinion it is a deep lack of mutual respect between the opposing sides.

Jefferson and Adams were on both sides of the political spectrum. But, they had tremendous respect for each other. Both of them believed the other had strong arguments and had to be reckoned with. In fact, despite their bickering, the two were always close friends and it is rumored that when Adams died, his last words were roughly, “At least Jefferson still lives.” Little did he know that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier on the same day. Both of them dying that day was not the only coincidence that day. It also happened to be July 4; the day this country was created primarily because of them.

Today, we have extreme governmental infighting. The Democrats that control Congress do not want to hear the opinions of the Republican minority. They are intent on passing whatever legislation they are pushing, whether it be “Cap and Trade,” or Health Care Reform, regardless of the opinions of the minority. And, the war of words from the Democratic side is blistering. From the “great” Pelosi stating that protesting Health Care Reform is “Un-American,” to the blind arguments of Barney Frank, the opposition is ignored and ridiculed.

The Republicans are not immune to this hatred as well. There are many in my party that are attacking the current Administration as being Fascist and Hitleresque. Calling President Obama a socialist is fare political argument, but comparing him to Hitler is not.

And, based upon what I have heard since the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, I fear the rhetoric is going to get worse. As all of you who read my column already know, I am no fan of the Kennedys or of Teddy’s political leanings in any way, shape or form. However, one thing I did not know until this week was that Teddy was considered the master of compromise in the Senate. Per an interview with Oren Hatch this morning, he was always capable of finding the one thing in a bill that the other side could clasp onto. If this is true, then where is the next compromiser now that he is gone?

I can assure you, he or she is not coming from the far left. The language from Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Barney Frank (who from what I hear is salivating at the thought of replacing Kennedy), Chris Dodd, and Barbara Boxer, et. al, is that the Republicans be damned. We have got the votes, to hell with them. Even if the controlling party has to invoke Reconciliation in the Senate, they are going to pass Health Care Reform and anything else that fits their blind ambition.

President Obama is also guilty of this. Although he was elected under the promise of bipartisanship and change, he is doing neither. Allowing Attorney General Eric Holder to begin investigating the interrogation practices of the Bush Administration is setting a dangerous precedent. And, it is breaking his campaign promise of moving forward. It is bringing up the past for what: political gain; revenge; appeasement of the far left; who knows? It is not going to mend any political fences in Washington. It is just going to open up old wounds and further separate the opposing sides of government.

So, where will this spirit of compromise come from? Maybe in the 2010 elections? If the Republicans can gain control of the Senate and/or the House, in the same way they did in 1994, President Obama will be forced to compromise and listen. He will have to listen to the strong voices of Eric Cantor, Oren Hatch and the other Republican members of Congress. We may actually then have a working government again.

But first, the name calling has got to stop. Both sides of the aisle have got to learn to respect the opposing argument and listen to it. You cannot govern with blinders on. Listening is one of the most important ways to learn. Being an attorney by trade, one of the first things I learned when practicing is that both sides may “agree to disagree.” Until that occurs within Congress, the greatness that is America will remain stalled.

As I have said many times in this column, I love my country. I am a proud American. I always have been and always will be. We must remain true to our Founding Fathers. The power of this country is in the individual, not the government. It is in the creativity, drive and ambition of the individual, regardless of that person’s background. I am the child of working class Italian-Americans. Everything I have achieved has been through my own doing with the support of my family. And, that is the same for all great Americans. Let us do whatever is necessary to keep America great. Let us learn to listen.

© 2009 by Frank T. DeMartini. Permission to copy will be freely granted upon request.

The Measure of a Man by Ira Schwartz

“Doctor Death”, death panels, euthanasia of our seniors. Those 10 second sound bites have filled the media since the bomb that is HR 3200 was dropped. But let’s step back, back to how all of this started, back to ground zero, back to July 24th. On that day “The New York Post” printed an article by Betsy McCaughey titled “Deadly Doctors”. In this article McCaughey surgically slices and dices Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the president’s new Health Care advisor, on his published writings regarding patient care. I have listed a link to the article below so I won’t go into it too deeply. However I will say McCaughey paints Dr. Emanuel as the devil incarnate. Her only proof of this second coming of evil are the numerous quotes from and references to a number of Dr. Emanuel’s works. At least she properly listed her sources saving me hours of searching the internet for the material. After reviewing her references I discovered every single quote she used was grossly taken out of context. It was also painfully obvious Ms. McCaughey had never read any of Dr. Emanuel’s academic papers, especially the ones she quoted from. If she had she would have read Dr. Emanuel clearly stating in several of these papers, “I am not advocating this.” Can we say, “Yellow Journalism?” But this train wreck doesn’t stop here. Oh no, like a bad dream it gets worse.

On the floor of the House of Representatives Republican Michele Bachmann blatantly used the McCaughey article as gospel in her attack against the white house’s appointment of Dr. Emanuel to his new post. From her speech, which is available on “YouTube”, it is obvious that Bachmann, like McCaughey, failed to do her homework. But this gets better.

The ex republican vice presidential candidate and ex governor of Alaska (A lot of ex’s there don’t ya think) the “late but at least I arrived at the party”, Sarah Palin got her two cents in. And like all the rest before her, she boldly marched into the fray armed only with the facts as told by McCaughey. And I quote from her speech:

“Rep. Michele Bachmann highlighted the Orwellian thinking of the president’s health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of the White House chief of staff, in a floor speech to the House of Representatives. I commend her for being a voice for the most precious members of our society, our children and our seniors.

Of course, it’s not just this one provision that presents a problem. My original comments concerned statements made by Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a health policy advisor to President Obama and the brother of the President’s chief of staff. Dr. Emanuel has written that some medical services should not be guaranteed to those “who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens....An obvious example are not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia.” Dr. Emanuel has also advocated basing medical decisions on a system which “produces a priority curve on which individuals aged between roughly 15 and 40 years get the most chance, whereas the youngest and oldest people get chances that are attenuated.”

Actually Palin’s partial quote was from an article written by Dr. Emanuel for the “The Lancet”. He was discussing the merits of “The Complete Life System”. A system he did not create. The exact quote is:

“When implemented, The complete Life system produces a priority curve on which individuals aged between 15 and 40 years get the most substantial chance, whereas the youngest and oldest people get chances that are attenuated.”

It’s a little different once the quote is read in context isn’t it.

So who is Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel? Dr. Emanuel is an M.D. as well as holding a Ph.D.; Wikipedia lists him as an American NIH bioethicist (the study of ethical controversies brought about by advances in biology and medicine) and a fellow at the nonprofit bioethics research institute “The Hastings Center”. He is a leading opponent of euthanasia laws, sometimes called state-assisted suicide, and a proponent of a Guaranteed Healthcare Access Plan. He held the position of associate professor at Harvard Medical School in 1997 and now holds the position of Director of the Clinical Bioethics Department at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Dr. Emanuel is also the brother of Rahm Emanuel, the current White House Chief of Staff.

So what are we left with? No death panels, no Doctor Death no euthanasia’s only misquotes and misrepresentation and a compulsion of stating opinions and suppositions as facts.

Martin Luther King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Betsy McCaughey was nationally embarrassed by John Stewart on “The Daily Show” when she tried to defend her article. She later resigned from her position on the Cantel Medical board never apologizing for her misrepresentation of the facts. Republican Michele Bachmann remains silent on the issue as does “The New York Post”. Sarah Palin continues on her merry way, blindly rolling along telling everyone she said nothing wrong…again. Meanwhile every reputable medical journal, medical organization, newspaper (no not “The Post”) and magazine has come to the defense of Dr. Emanuel, the only person who seems to have stepped up to the plate. When asked about the rumors surrounding him Dr. Emanuel simply replied, “This is certainly untrue and a distortion of my record.” No biting retort, no complaints, no political rhetoric, not even a mention that his own sister suffers from Cerebral Palsy. He adds later, "We (the Emanuels) are pretty thick-skinned. I am not going to change my colors. I am not going to crawl under a rock."

If he did he would have to share it with the likes of Betsy McCaughey and Michele Bachmann.

After watching the widespread anger currently being aimed at the Democratic Party I would have expected better from the GOP. They need to understand that this tidal wave of dissent can as easily sweep Republicans away as Democrats. With Speaker Pelosi screaming at the top of her lungs how all those not in favor of Healthcare Reform are un-American the people need to see one party take the high road. The party that can achieve this will be the party the people follow.

Speaking of taking the high road I would like to add one final note. On July 25th at a Town Hall meeting in Sun City, Arizona Senator John McCain again showed the country and the world what a true American he really is. Below is a section taken from an article by Paul Lester published on “Deadline USA”.

“During the meeting in the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona, Obama's former rival defended the president after an attendee asked: "Doesn't he [Obama] know that we still live under a constitution?"

"I'm sure that he does," McCain said. After the crowd erupted into laughter, the Arizona senator said: "No, no. I am serious. I am sure that he does and I'm sure he respects the constitution."

"No!" the attendees shouted. McCain responded: "I am absolutely convinced of it. I just believe, my friends, that there is a fundamental difference in philosophy and about the role of government. That is why we have competition for public office and competition amongst parties, and competition about different ideas and vision for the future of America. I'm convinced the president is absolutely sincere in his beliefs."

McCain pleaded for a more civilized debate on healthcare: "He is sincere in his beliefs, we just happen to disagree. And he is the president. And let's be respectful.”

I wish more of our representatives on “The Hill” had the honor and courage Senator John McCain showed by crossing party lines to defend his ex rival and his president. He is the essence of what it means to be a true America.

As a footnote to all of this several senators have decided to exclude a provision on End-Of-Life care from the House version of the Healthcare Reform proposed bill. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement on August 13th that the provision had been dropped from consideration because it could be misinterpreted or implemented incorrectly. Someone is listening.

References:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07242009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/deadly_doctors_180941.htm
http://www.examiner.com/x-12837-US-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m8d15-Ezekiel-Emanuel-the-Deadly-Doctor-has-sister-with-Cerebral-Palsy-and-Sarah-Palin
http://www.scribd.com/doc/18280675/Principles-for-Allocation-of-Scarce-Medical-Interventions
http://www.thelancet.com/lancet-about
http://www.theodoresworld.net/archives/2009/08/rep_michele_bachmann_discusses.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_McCaughey
http://www.fresh-thinking.org/publications/JAMA_perfect_storm.pdf
McCain video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2U4wQEF65w

Health Care Reform Logics – An Insider’s Perspective by: Deborah A. Cook

Just so most of you think that the arguments against Obamacare are not coming from people on the right, here is an article written by an acquaintence that is on the left and also has issues with the whole health care debate. I will be writing again on Friday or so and Ira will be publishing an article on here tomorrow. Please let me know what you think about the other writers and their opinions. Thank you.

In an earlier article in this blog, the author writes; “Who would have ever thought Healthcare reform would be the catalyst to ignite a firestorm like the one that is now raging across our country.” Since we traveled down this road some 15 or so years earlier I think most of us who remembered that time knew we would face the same level of divisiveness and controversy from both sides as we are seeing now. I, for one, am glad it’s caused this stir among us; it’s damn time this country awoke from its lull and started paying attention to the issues surrounding our legislators. I hold so very many conflicting viewpoints on the issue of health care reform I am struggling with which one I should bring up first.

To be fair, my political tendencies tend to lean towards the left side of the spectrum with more of a centrist’s mindset. I can embrace ideas on both sides but deflect those ideas which come from the extreme perspective of either. Unfortunately I believe the current political climate in DC is so bought and paid for by special interests and lobby groups that when any of our legislators speak I question the true motives of anything that is said. It has ceased being a government “of the people, by the people and for the people” for a very, very long time. Therefore I am enormously mistrustful of anything either side might propose “in our best interest” anymore. We the people do not possess the economical clout which will gain us any credible attention from these legislators. We are merely the avenue with which they hope to float the proposals they are aligning themselves to which are clearly in the best interest of those who line their pockets. Most of our legislators, particularly those who have made a lifelong career out of serving, aren’t there because they feel it’s the right thing to do by our citizenry and our country. I am confident regardless of which affiliation a person feels a closer association with knows these facts as well as I do. It’s a political game of tennis with both sides lobbing the ball to and fro in order to serve those who afforded them the financial wherewithal to maintain their economic status.

Having said all that, I now want to give my perspective as to the current issue of health care reform. In recent history I have spent some time listening intently to those who feel passionately on both sides and I find great merit in both arguments. While one side will tell us we don’t want big government controlling our health care the other side states that the current health care system is shattered and requires intervention to bring it back to a place where the focus returns to the well being of the patient. As an individual who actually works in this industry I can tell you I see valid arguments to both of those points. To date our government hasn’t done such a good job caring for our seniors under the current Medicare programs and I see rampant abuse and mishandlings which frightens me when considering allowing them to take on such the enormous project of managing health care for all. On the other hand, I do have a moral problem with our medical society being set up in such a way that somehow a patient’s illness or health care need is viewed as opportunity for financial gain and profit. This factor alone serves to complicate the entire system of health care in our country. It can be said that one’s ability to heal or be healed is in direct correlation to the level of insurance coverage and how much that coverage will pay for unnecessary, duplicated procedures and consultations which have very little to do with the actual care of the patient. It’s a numbers game and those numbers are preceded by dollar signs. I see it each and every day and I’m flabbergasted as to how skillfully the process is implemented. Yes, there are sound and reasoned arguments on both sides of this issue which speak to serious and lasting changes within the system.

So how do we solve this? Currently we have entities on both sides of this issue who serve to benefit the most financially spending egregious amounts of money to skew the facts and ensure their own preferred outcome. Their dollars are being spent to initiate a frenzy of emotions in order to ignite the populace and divide the country in half. There are mistruths on both sides being thrown about in hopes of instilling fear and doubt, again to garner the preferred outcome of the financiers.

I could speak more specifically to the strategies that are put in the place which only serve to cloud and confuse but I think it is critical to stay on topic here so I won’t. We all see it for ourselves every day.

I have spent most of my life in management and if these were the tactics I utilized towards addressing a problem I would’ve been considered an abject failure. Since our government should be a fiscally responsible entity must like a business we would be well served to follow some of the practices adopted by those who are deemed the most successful in the business world.

First and foremost we should gather a team of the greatest minds available to us with expert or firsthand knowledge of the industry for this process that would:

1. Identify the problem;
2. List the issues which arise as a result of the problem;
3. List the potential solutions to each one of the issues;
4. Prioritize those solutions in order of efficiency, cost factors and desired
results;
5. Implement those solutions as agreed to by all the participants;
6. Meet and review after 30 days to ensure those practices adopted were addressing the problem as it was originally identified; and,
7. Make changes as necessary and continue to meet regularly for evaluations sake.

I am boggled that every major issue our legislators are forced to address becomes so complicated and mired in controversy that departure from any real solutions ends up being explained away on the nightly news and typically blamed on the opposing side.

I know I’m merely a layperson and I don’t obtain an income from those who serve to benefit the most on the issue, but I have chosen to make my life’s work improving one’s ability to maintain a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. I think it would be advantageous to all of us to gather the greatest minds involved in this industry, from the CEO’s of health care facilities and insurance companies to the Doctors, nurses. CNAs and technologists who actually are responsible for quality care of the patient. Included in this mix should be patients themselves who can offer us a greater perspective from their vantage point. Once these folks are gathered, lock them all in a room and impress upon them that the meeting will not end until a REASONABLE and OBJECTIVE proposal is adopted with the primary goals being patient care and financial sustainability for those who are directly responsible for said patient care.

We can all sit around screaming and hollering about how the other side has it all wrong and raise the red flags of panic as to the severe damage that will take place as a result of their actions. This can be said for both sides and in the interim the problem moves further and further away from our grasp. We’re adults and we need to start acting like adults. I say we start this entire process over and remind ourselves that the real problem is that health care in this country is broken and identify which steps we can take towards repairing it. Keep in mind, we all will be a patient some day, this is not a “them” problem it is an “us” problem. I don’t want token measures which sound good in theory but actually do nothing, and I certainly don’t want the foxes minding the chicken coop without some input from the chickens themselves.

In closing I would ask that you note the solutions portion of this submission does not mention any input from our illustrious politicians. That wasn’t an error in omission by any means. To date I don’t see any of them with the capacity of solving anything except forwarding their own personal agendas. Rather than allowing the politicians and the main stream media pundits on both sides to allow us to focus on what divides us we need to turn our attentions to identifying those items which we share common goals on and can all find agreement towards. It really is “we the people” who possess the objectivity to see things for what they really are and not how others tell us they are. We owe this to the future generations as well as to ourselves. What a wonderful concept to think that those who may come after us on this plain can look back and say “those people got it right”.

© 2009 by Deborah A. Cook

Big Government, Big Mistake

The biggest success of the Spending Bill”, oops “Stimulus Bill,” is ending. Yup, that is right; “Cash for Clunkers” is going away on Monday. Why? Because it was such a big success, the government ran out of money for the program not once, but twice. This time President Obama is shutting it down. No more money. It is finished. The official spin is that is brought the automobile industry back from destruction. Or, did it?

In my opinion, it is just another example of a government program that did not work contrary to what I said in a prior column. To begin with, the government mistook the popularity of the program and only allocated one billion dollars of stimulus money to the bill. That money ran out in less than two weeks. Then, Congress immediately allocated another two billion dollars. That money is running out in less than four weeks. Another Big Government miscalculation!

But, the problem with “Cash for Clunkers” is even deeper than that. Automobile dealers started threatening this week to stop utilizing the program because they were not getting the government money. They were selling cars under the program and waiting for the check to show up. Some dealers have not gotten any money at all yet. So, they threatened to stop using the program. Fearing another publicity debacle, a few days later, the President ended the program. Smells fishy right? Maybe, the dealers will be waiting a long time for the money, and the government wants to stop the bleeding because it cannot handle the demand and does not want the situation to worsen.

Further, I have been told that there are people in Southern California that are buying crappy cars for $500.00, taking them to a dealer and leaving with a new car. The only problem is that the new car is sometimes heading south of the border. No payments to be ever made. And, no repossession, because the cars are gone. Really smart; right? Another carefully thought out government plan! The taxpayers are now paying for cars that may not get paid for or kept in America. Big Government, Big Mistake!

“Cash for Clunkers” is just another example of a long list of government failures. It seems that every time the government gets involved in anything domestic, it fails. The first example shall be Social Security. To most people this is the most successful of Roosevelt’s New Deal. Well, it is bankrupt and many people in my age group believe they will never see a dime from any money they have contributed to the program.

From its conception, Social Security has been problem filled. Congress has tried to save it countless times and it still goes broke every few years. I remember during the Reagan administration, we were promised that Social Security was fundamentally sound after another tax hike to keep it funded. How many times have we heard this same story since then? And, again Social Security is broke. Big Government, Big Mistake!

Do we even need to talk about the great success of Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society?” Or, should I just say that most of the programs are no longer in existence and those that are, well, they are broke. Let us start with Medicaid and Medicare. Both parts of the Johnson plan and both are broken and broke.

The welfare programs of the Great Society have pretty much been eliminated. And, who eliminated or fixed them? A Democratic President that admitted they needed fixing. But, did he do it with a Democratic Congress? No, he did it with a Republican Congress. In summary, the Great Society is just another example of: Big Government, Big Mistake!

How about a few words now about the biggest government failure ever: the United States Postal Service. If there was ever an entity that needed to be privatized, this is it. Take it away from the government and it will immediately become a profitable and lean organization, instead of the nearly bankrupt mess that it is. Who can be proud about an organization that’s claim to fame in the last twenty years is coining the phrase, “Going Postal!” Big Government, Big Mistake!

So, why do we insist on creating more programs? Obamacare is the latest program on the table. I and my blogging partner Ira Schwartz have written ad nauseam about this pending social disaster. The people are openly rebelling against it. And yet, Congress does not get it. The Democratic Congress has stated within the last 24 hours that this bill is going to be rammed through even if it does not get one Republican vote; even if the Blue Dog Democrats oppose it; even if they must invoke Reconciliation in the Senate; and most of all, even if the majority of the country opposes it.

Barney Frank told his constituents at a town hall meeting this week that he did not even care what he was being asked about the health care bill. Obamacare was good for the country and it was going to happen. He did not even answer questions asked because he did not have respect for the people asking them. Nancy Pelosi does not care. Barbara Boxer does not care. Harry Reid does not care. President Obama does not care. It is going to happen. And, when it does, what will be the result: Big Government, Big Mistake!

Do everything to stop it for the reasons cited in prior columns and because it is bad for the country. Force the Democrats to come up with a bipartisan health care bill that the whole country can be happy with! We cannot afford one more, Big Government, Big Mistake!

© 2009 Frank T. DeMartini. Permission to copy will be freely granted upon request.

Cry “Havoc” and let slip the Dogs of War By Ira Schwartz

Who would have ever thought Healthcare reform would be the catalyst to ignite a firestorm like the one that is now raging across our country. Certainly not the Democrats who have spent more time back peddling this week then the whole Egyptian army did in its numerous wars with Israel. Even though some Republicans are happily shouting as loud as they can, “I told you so”, they had no real clue either. By trying to force HR 3200 down our throats, the administration unwittingly opened Pandora’s Box. Decades of frustration and anger over issues that have nothing to do with healthcare came pouring out. The people are speaking loud and clear and miraculously somebody seems to be listening. AARP has begun serious damage control and retracted its support from The Presidents Healthcare Plan. Rumors have it that close to half a million of their subscribers cancelled their membership because of AARP’s earlier support of the bill. In an attempt to deflect some of the anger away from the administration and towards the Healthcare Industry, the Healthcare Reform Bill is now being called the Health Insurance Reform Bill. While it is obvious someone is listening, it is equally obvious from the confused looks on our representative’s faces at town hall meetings, that they are still not getting it.

Lately several representatives were asked if this Healthcare Reform Bill was so good for the American people would they join it too. The answer to a man (or woman) was, “Uhhh. I’ll get back to you.” The reason for the hesitation is Congress has the Rolls Royce of all medical plans and only the president has a better one. The federal plan includes the legislator and his family and covers everything from brain surgery to a hang nail. Best Hospitals, best doctors, state of the art equipment; anytime, anywhere. Do you know what this coverage costs: Between $35.00 and $100.00 a month. Do you know what we would get for that? “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.”

But let us take this one step further. The standard salary for our representatives is $174,000 per year. The speaker makes $223,500, the majority and minority leaders make $193,400. That is just salary. To list all the perks they receive would take several pages so let us just say they pretty much equal the base salary. This does not include travel expenses which is a whole other section. Now, when a representative retires or is voted out of office he retires with his healthcare intact and at least a $15,000 a month pension…FOR LIFE. Most retire with at least twice to three times that much; sweet deal huh? Is it any wonder they spend so much money to stay in office? Is it any wonder that three quarters of our representatives are millionaires? Is it any wonder that when asked if they would be willing to join in the public’s healthcare plan they stutter and side step the question? Is it any wonder the American people are angry?

Non violent dissent in a democratic society is a good thing. It keeps the government honest and reminds them who actually hold the nations power. It also, for better or worse, allows our government to read the pulse of their constituents. This public outcry against the Healthcare Reform Bill…Health Insurance Reform Bill…whatever it is called today, is a good and healthy expression of democracy at its best. This is what America is all about…open dialogue among its citizens and government. Sure screaming matches occur but that just indicates the passion and desire of our citizens to be heard. And in the end, we will be heard either at Town Hall meetings or at the ballot box. It will be our representative’s choice as to where the showdown occurs. They have unwittingly released “The dogs of war” on themselves. The only question left is will they listen and understand all the barking or swat them on the nose with a newspaper.

I cannot in good conscience end this article here. Earlier in the week a section of the government’s website whitehouse.com was brought to my attention. I went there and this was what I found...

“There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”

So now it appears our government is adopting Soviet cold war tactics when dealing with its citizens. While stating my opinions on several blogs numerous misguided and mentally challenged individual actually threatened to turn me over to “flag”. Little did they know I had already turned myself in with the following email:

"When I was told of this link my first reaction was disbelief. My country was asking Americans to turn other Americans in for posting opinions different than the current administrations. My disbelief turned to horror when I actually went to this site. It’s a sad day for democracy and even a sadder day for the present administration. If spreading unsubstantiated rumors and lies were a crime all the politicians on Capitol Hill would be in jail. When did it become acceptable for this government to resort to Russian style tactics to suppress the right of free speech? How dare you trample on our liberties this way? How dare you drag through the mud the memories of every man, woman and child who gave their lives in the name of liberty. It is not those who disagree with the government that need to be singled out and brought to everyone’s attention but those who, under the guise of patriotism, try to suppress it. “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Said by a great American. It’s obvious all of you on Capitol Hill have forgotten what that means."

Everyone needs to go to this link and express their outrage that any American administration would have the gall to do this. Besides being embarrassing it’s unpatriotic, undemocratic and thoroughly un-American.

© 2009 By Ira Schwartz

Health Reform and The Tenth Amendment

To begin with, I would like to thank Ira Schwartz for his contribution to the blog this week. The article was very informative and directly to the point on HR 3200 which in my opinion, is one of the worst pieces of legislation ever to be considered by Congress. It, not only, would lead us down the path of socialism, but, in the process, would bankrupt the entire country. Mr. Schwartz gave a very succinct and direct critique of the bill. However, I would just like to state, that if you read the bill, you will find many more problems. The issue of space just did not allow Mr. Schwartz to write more.

I am very happy to see that citizens are showing up at Town Hall meetings throughout the country and voicing their complaints about that bill and health care reform in general. It is actually quite funny watching Congressmen squirm when the tough questions are asked. And, it is even more interesting when they cannot respond to the tough questions because they have not read the bill or are even familiar with its contents.

I suggest you continue going to the Town Hall meetings and voice your concerns. And, do not be afraid to get angry. The Democrat and Republican Congressmen must know they will not be reelected if HR 3200 passes as it is currently written. But, please, do not get violent. Violence at these meetings will do nothing except make the opposition look weak and dumb, and hurt the path of Democracy. Violence at these meetings is similar to me being called a racist this week because I stated on a public forum that HR 3200 should not pay for medical services for illegal immigrants. Remember, the protest ways of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

The attendance at the Town Halls is working! Within the past twenty-four hours, a few Senate and House Members, including one Democrat, stated they will not pass a bill with the current language regarding even the possibility of the so called death panels. Keep up the good work America! The people are winning!

The power of the people brings to mind the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which is very short, but is also one of the most controversial sections of the document. There are many people who believe that it is the primary cause of the Civil War: i.e. did the states, not the Federal Government have the right to determine whether to be slave or free? Ronald Reagan believed in the amendment more than anything else, as did Thomas Jefferson. It simply states in its entirety: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

There are many people that feel that the Constitution was already clear on this issue and that the Tenth Amendment is actually, a redundancy. However, the Supreme Court has, within the last 25 years, actually used the Tenth Amendment as a rationale in deciding a few cases. See, e.g. New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144 (1992), and Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority (1985). Prior to these cases, the rationale used exclusively by the Supreme Court for limiting States’ rights was the Commerce Clause of the Constitution which is very simple on its face. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution states: “[The Congress shall have power] to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.” This simple phrase as interpreted by the Supreme Court has given Congress the authority to slowly strip away powers granted to the States specifically in the Constitution and through the Tenth Amendment. In its most simplistic form, the Supreme Court has determined that everything legislated by Congress has some effect on Interstate Commerce and therefore, is within the power of the Federal Government. Maybe, the Supreme Court is now changing its analysis?

So, will power come back to the States or the people in the future? If Ron Paul had been elected President, the answer would have definitely been yes. In fact, we would be looking at the end of the Federal Reserve too which is probably a good thing. But, unfortunately the answer is currently “no”. President Obama, through his executive powers and the use of Congress, is turning the Federal Government into the ultimate power. Health Care is just one example.

Any normal interpretation of the Tenth Amendment would imply that health care and its regulation should be a power reserved to the states and/or the people. This is also the case with marriage and other personal issues. However, by the power of the Commerce Clause, the Federal Government will be able to regulate it unless the Supreme Court radically changes precedent.

I wonder why no one is bringing up the Tenth Amendment at these town hall meetings. Maybe, people should start arguing it while they are mentioning the other problems with HR 3200. Give the power back to the people in deciding personal issues, including, but not limited to health care.

A few closing thoughts. In the last week, my favorite target, Nancy Pelosi, put her foot in her mouth again. How dare she say that citizens protesting HR 3200 are Un-American. If anything, she is being Un-American for making that statement. Remember, Freedom of Speech and Assembly is a right in this country. I suggest her arrogance, Ms. Pelosi, read the Constitution before she opens her mouth in the future. We already know she is not going to read HR 3200 even though she allegedly drafted it. The least she can do is read the Constitution. In fact, it should be a requirement that all Congressmen have a copy of that little document in their pocket 24 hours a day. It is good reference material, especially when they are thinking of violating it.

Lastly, I would like to state that one of the main proponents of the HR 3200 is Joe Sestak from Pennsylvania. For all of my readers in his district and surrounding districts in Pennsylvania, let him know his job is on the line. This man is thinking of running against Arlen Spector and has delusions of even greater power. I have seen him speak. He is a true liberal and must be stopped in the same way Nancy Pelosi and her other cronies must be stopped by voting them out of office.

On the economy, do not let the President’s propaganda machine fool you, but this recession is definitely not over. In fact, it appears that we are in the first deflationary spiral in this country since the Great Depression. Based upon the CPI announcement this morning, consumer prices have fallen 2.1% over the past twelve months. The last time that happened was 1950. And, it has not happened this extensively since the Great Depression. And, I do not know if it has ever happened at a time when the government is printing so much paper money. If we were not printing paper money, how low would prices have fallen; ten percent, twenty percent or more?

Last week, I failed to mention that the Jekyll Island book about the Federal Reserve which I recommended was referred to me by my good friend Robert Spaeth. It is also recommended reading by Ron Paul. Again, check it out.

In closing, I would like to repeat. Keep up the good work at the Town Hall meetings. Let us destroy HR 3200 and hopefully, the Senate will be able to write a true bipartisan health care reform bill. It is the only chance we have as the Senate might try to stop the Democratic onslaught in the House.

©2009 by Frank T. DeMartini. Permission to copy will be freely given upon request.

The Right To Choose by Ira Schwartz

If there is one basic right that is the cornerstone of our democracy it is “the right to choose”. We can choose our religious and political beliefs, our government leaders, where to live and what jobs we take. We can, for right now, even choose whether or not to enlist in the military. The right to choose is the most sacred of all our rights and is what sets The United States of America apart from most of the other countries of the world.

Now along comes HR 3200, known to most as the Healthcare Reform Bill. I have heard this bill touted as the best thing since Hippocrates first penned his now famous oath or the worst thing since the Spanish Inquisition. I figured the truth lay somewhere in between. I am sad to say I was wrong. After checking dozens of websites listing the pros and cons of HR 3200 and actually reading sections of the bill, which by the way is more confusing than a GPS gone bad, I have come to the conclusion this bill is very, very bad medicine. It’s not even a good bill. But the real scary part of it is…IT TAKES AWAY OUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE. Below are a few of the major problems with this bill.

If this bill passes as it currently is written everyone will be required, by law, to have health insurance, either thru your own private plan or the governments. If you don’t choose a plan the government will choose one for you. If you opt out of the plan you will still be required to pay the premium only now it will be called a “tax”. Can you say “Taxation without representation?” Any way you slice it, you lose your right to choose.

When you are eventually enrolled in the governments plan, and we all will be sooner or later, you will be given a little device called “A Beneficiary Identification Card.” This card is like an ATM card on steroids. It will contain your complete, updated daily, financial and medical records. You must use this card each time you go to the doctor or seek medical attention. The government’s medical administrator will determine, after reviewing your financial and medical profile, if you qualify both financial and medically for treatment. This essentially means if you can’t afford to pay the co-pay right then and there you get no medical attention. These are their words folks not mine. If you don’t believe me use the link listed below and go to page 58 paragraph (D) of proposed bill HR 3200.

AARP likes this bill because they say, “it takes care of the elderly.” It’s obvious they haven’t really read this bill either. Page 102 of the bill states that the Commissioner shall provide a process for any person eligible for Medicare who has not enrolled in an “Exchange provided” health care plan to be automatically enrolled in Medicaid whether they want to or not. Again you have no choice.

But just when you thought it was safe to remove your reading glasses along comes Page 124 (f) Limitations of Review – “There shall be NO administrative or judicial review of a payment rate or methodology.” Simply put, you have no means to protest their decision. The Health Gods have spoken. You are royally screwed. You have no choice.

While our present Health Care system isn’t perfect it does work. If HR 3200 passes it will, in time, destroy that system leaving a huge, ponderous governmental machine in its place. Do we really want a large version of Medicare or worse a larger, more inefficient version of the Veteran’s Administration? The only real solution is a partnership between the government and the health care companies to create “together” affordable healthcare for all. We did it with Car Insurance we can do it with healthcare. You pay for the coverage you want, ala carte healthcare. If you need additional coverage you simply call the agent and order it. Simple, fast and at a fraction of the cost of HR 3200. More importantly it would allow us to remain in control of our own medical care and not some faceless bureaucrat in Washington whose only concern is the bottom line. The right to choose would be where it belongs…with us.

This bill needs to be defeated at all costs. If it passes it allows the government to control us, the people, instead of the people controlling the government. It will set a dangerous precedence. Write your congressman or congresswoman, your senator, the president. Make your voice heard at town meeting. The right to choose is that important.

I’ve only listed a few of the major problems associated with this bill. If you’d like to read more there are dozens of websites where the information is readily available. Just sort out the facts from the political rhetoric. For those of you that would like to read all 1000 plus pages of HR 3200 for themselves the link is: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3200ih.txt.pdf

A bottle of Tylenol or scotch should be within easy reach before you start. Good luck.

© 2009 by Ira Schwartz

The Groundsell Begins?

It has been almost two weeks since I have had a chance to write and a lot of things have happened in that time. Most of them evolve around the health care mess that may be the beginning of Obama’s fall from grace. It seems with each passing day that the “City on a Hill” which has been Obama is beginning to become the slums of Chicago which is where he began his political career.

But, to begin with, I have to do something that I never thought I would do and I never thought was in the realm of possibility. Based upon the knowledge available thus far, I have to give kudos to Bill Clinton. Unless evidence appears that he sold the country out or promised something to the North Korean government, he is owed a thank you for precipitating the release of the two imprisoned American journalists. So, kudos are being given to a Democrat in this column. A bet a whole bunch of you never thought that would happen!

I wish I could say the same about anyone else in the Democratic Party. But, unfortunately I cannot. The Democratic members of Congress are currently walking around the country attending town hall meetings with their constituents and are holding scripted material with speaking points probably written by the DNC or Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid on how to react to the brewing storm over the evil and hated health care “destruction” bill.

The Democratic propaganda machine has gone so far as to say that Fox News and Radical Right Wing Political Groups are planting crazies at the town hall meetings and tea parties to save the Republicans’ crumbling organization in an attempt to embarrass Democratic members of Congress. Has it even dawned upon the Liberal Media and the DNC, that maybe there is a growing grass roots movement against them? That, in eight short months, they have gone from the saviors of the western world to “business as usual,” in Congress as stated so eloquently in this column last week by Ira Schwartz.

And, most important of all, isn’t this Democratic Propaganda Machine now the pot calling the kettle black? It seems that after eight years of them using the same sleazy tactics on the Bush Administration, they just cannot believe that maybe this is really the people speaking. The citizens complaining at town hall meetings are not “plants” but a real grass roots swell. The people want their country back. The DNC is firm in their belief that the RNC would use exactly the same tactics as it has used in the past. Planting people at political rallies to cause a raucous is not only a DNC trick, but also the documented behavior of ACORN.

All the DNC should do is read some of the comments written by the readers of both right and left wing blogs. The anger within the country is real. The people of this country do not now and have never wanted European style socialism. In fact, even within the hallowed bastion of the Democratic Party, the “People’s Republic of Southern California,” there is a growing grass roots movement against Obama’s radical policies. If that is not true, how can you explain the mysterious appearance of posters depicting President Obama as the Joker (The Late Heath Ledger) with the word “Socialism” written beneath the image? No one would have ever believed that this could happen in Southern California.

Isn’t Southern California the place were the posters ridiculing Bush, Cheney etc., became a national phenomenon? Isn’t Southern California the place where a Republican has not been elected to a national position in eons? Isn’t Southern California the place where a conservative must attend secret meetings so as not to fear for his/her career because of his/her political views? And, now, the first physical depiction of a growing groundswell against President Obama is appearing here in, of all places, Southern California!

Maybe, during the summer recess, the members of Congress will begin to get the picture. The first term Democratic members may begin to fear for their jobs as they hear the complaints about what they are doing. Maybe, this will be the final nail in the coffin of “cap and trade,” and the beginning of true bipartisanship on health care reform. Maybe, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will begin to get the message. Although, I am very sure that since they believe they are holier than though, the grass roots movement could hit them in the head like a brick and they would never get it.

At this point, I would like to state a few things about “Cash for Clunkers.” This brilliant part of the stimulus bill has been an incredible success. However, our inept Congress has managed to screw this one up too. For example, the one billion dollars allocated to the program did not even last two weeks. It is now gone and Congress is scrambling to allocate another two billion dollars before summer recess to keep it going. Secondly, there was no condition on the type of cars purchased under the program. So, Congress, in its infinite wisdom is spending taxpayers’ money to make the Japanese rich. Four out of five of the top selling cars under this program are not American. Big surprise huh? I guess you cannot get people to buy unwanted GM or Chrysler vehicles even if you are giving the vehicles to them.

If Congress was trying to give the American carmakers a back door bailout, they forgot the most important part which would be that Americans would have to buy American cars in order to qualify for the taxpayer funded rebate. Duh!

Lastly, I think that everyone that is obsessed with this economic downturn should read the following book: “The Creature from Jekyll Island, a Second Look at the Federal Reserve” by G. Edward Griffin. Although it may have a little too much conspiracy theory spin, it is a good read and explains the monetary system of the United States in the clearest manner I have seen to date. It also may cause you to believe that going back to gold and/or silver standard may be the way to go.

In closing, I would like to thank Ira Schwartz and Chris Holmes for contributing columns last week as I was tied up in post-production trying to finish my latest film. Hopefully, they will continue contributing, if not weekly, then biweekly columns from this point forward!

©2009 by Frank T. DeMartini. Permission to copy will be granted freely upon request.