Health Care Reform Pushed Ahead Despite Opposition
by PubliusBy Tom McGillvray, Cary Smith, and Gary MacLaren
As state legislators, we are used to the federal government treating the states like its red-headed stepchild. Washington dictates, and we are expected to follow. Whether it’s transportation, health care, or education, federal money comes with federal strings—and more often than not, the strings outlast the money and the states end up picking up the tab. And the current debate over health care reform is no exception.
We were willing to give President Obama the benefit of the doubt when he called for more discussion and debate. He certainly seemed willing to reach across the aisle to include his political opponents in his recent health care summit. But, given just how much of any health care reform bill is bound to fall on the shoulders of the states to implement and fund, he should have included us—a point which House Minority Leader John Boehner made in a letter to Rahm Emanuel.
But this new era of “bipartisanship” was short lived indeed. Just ask Congressional leaders like Jon Tester and Max Baucus if they support the so-called nuclear option of passing a health care bill Americans don’t want through a questionable legislative maneuver. If Congress does manage to pass the President’s health care reform proposal it is sure to include a mandate for individuals to purchase health insurance.
However, being forced to buy health insurance, or being forced to buy a particular health plan, just doesn’t sit right with independent-minded Montanans, or the rest of Americans judging by recent polls. This is why we plan to introduce the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act, a state constitutional amendment that protects individuals, employers, and health care providers from being forced to participate in any health care system and preserves individuals’ right to pay directly for care.
This model legislation to protect the health care freedom of Americans is picking up steam and has already been signed into law in Virginia and is pending in 37 other states. Health care freedom will be on the ballot in Arizona in November, and has passed at least one house of the legislatures in Idaho, Missouri, and Tennessee
The President and Senators Tester and Baucus say that a government requirement to purchase health insurance will only affect the uninsured. But according to a Cato Institute, the individual mandate could force 100 million Americans to switch to a more expensive plan they don’t want or need.
In Montana, we recognize the need for health care reform, and we are not waiting for a federal solution. We are pursuing our own reforms with bills that will cut red tape and over regulation, provide tax relief, and protect individual freedom—all of which will help make health insurance more affordable for more of our citizens.
We know that the uninsured can’t get meaningful coverage with a one-size-fits-all health insurance plan. That’s why we plan to introduce targeted solutions to help the diverse uninsured population, like ALEC’s Affordable Health Insurance Act, which provides incentives for young-and-healthy “invincibles” to purchase high-deductible health plans; the Health Care Choice Act for States, which allows citizens to purchase quality, affordable coverage across state lines; the Health Care Tax Relief Equity Act, which provides tax equity for individuals purchasing health insurance on their own; and the Mandated Benefits Review Act, which puts an institutional check on costly health insurance mandates.
President Obama does deserve credit for adding a handful of ideas from his opponents to his legislation but that hardly makes up for its estimated trillion dollar price tag or anti-individual freedom elements.
Tom McGillvray is assistant minority leader of the Montana House of Representatives and represents the 50th District, Cary Smith represents the 55th District in the Montana House, and Gary MacLaren represents Montana’s 89th House District. All three have served on the Montana House Health and Human Services Committee.
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102 Comments
The holy grail of the progressive movement is at hand, the passing of government controlled health care.
Indiana…Who is protecting Hoosiers from ObamaCare?
Remember we vote in November; and your yes vote for ObamaCare will = "only" 36,000 plus one jobs lost.
State legislatures, Please do stand up for us.
Why is it that so few magistrates understand the Doctrine of Interposition today?
Our Founders certainly understood it.
Please stand in the gap for us!
Somehow I don't think Obama will "allow" states to exercise their state's rights.
Why is obama in a hurry? When people find more and more about the truth about him and how he usurped the presidency there will be a revolt unseen before in american history
The Hellthcare debacle will be null and void when the Usurper is exposed.
"As state legislators, we are used to the federal government treating the states like its red-headed stepchild."
Why? Because you accept the premise of those pushing for "Big Government".
"…federal money comes with federal strings—"
Where does "federal money" come from? The States? The PEOPLE?
"We were willing to give President Obama the benefit of the doubt…"
Because you're stupid? You DO understand his social philosophy, don't you?
"…being forced to buy health insurance, or being forced to buy a particular health plan, just doesn’t sit right with independent-minded Montanans,…"
Is it Constitutional? Does he have the legitimate authority to do this? Or only because you don't LIKE it?
"President Obama does deserve credit for adding a handful of ideas from his opponents…"
Again, why? So you can appear to be "reasonable"? A dress on a pig anyone?
I hold the Republican Party to be the most responsible for this current debacle. Sure, they have fought against it now that it has been thrust upon us, but why did it ever even get this far?
Republicans are supposed to be the party of "smaller" government and "lower" taxes.
"Smaller" than what? By whose definition or standard? Obviously that of the Democrats. Never mind the Constitution.
"Lower" taxes? Please explain, I'm listening…
I blame the Republicans because their governing "philosophy" seems to be "Compromise" or "be reasonable so people like us". Except the real answer is: They don't have one. Or rather, "we will reward our supporters when we are in control". Not terribly inspiring, as the last two elections have shown.
How about consistently embracing the mantle of LIMITED government as outlined by our founding documents? How about only "necessary" taxes, so as to properly fund it.
Return that "federal money" back to the people and they can more wisely use it at the state and local level. Where the tax-and-spend can be more closely monitored by the people, where those who hold the purse strings are far more accountable, where a bad policy doesn't affect the entire nation, where it belongs in the FIRST PLACE.
You are not in Washington to tell us how to live our lives. You are not there so you can dispense favors to your cronies. You are not "in the arena" "playing a game" and should not be "working the system". Shame on you!
You ARE there to protect the freedom and liberty of your constituents from ALL threats both foreign and DOMESTIC! Including factions and pressure groups who seek to usurp our liberty and property to serve their own ends.
"Health care" "reform" is the last pound of flesh to tip the scales in favor of permanent Statism. Once we are demoralized, "comprehensive" immigration "reform" is next. Amnesty will guarantee a permanent majority and the death of a noble experiment. It IS coming…
LEAD! Thinking people are ready to follow and help!. We are running out of time…
We will remember come November! Fire’em all!
Dude,
Not to nit-pick, but please capitalize "American"…
The hard facts for Nancy Pelosi:
http://crosssection.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/nanc...
Hell the states should just say NO. If the feds say no more fed money then don't send anymore money to the feds. Have some balls state politicians. We have a union of states ya know United States. No reason the feds should be able to dictate what the states do Tell Odumbo to shove it up his ass. Time to make a stand. Whatever happened to guts in this country my God are we all just deballed eunuchs? All the sacrifice given by those that came before us to give us this country and we can't even stand up to one Megalomaniac as President. Sickening.
Yeah a lot of good that will do when the plan is already in place. Yeah just wait to the next election we will show them. Bull only massive demonstrations and resistance will work. But that would mean putting down the remote control and getting off our butts. Not going to happen with the worst generation. To Hard.
Sorry to post again so soon, but read that article again and just feel the whiny, weak victim-hood attitude that permeates the whole damned thing. It makes me sick!
YOU are there because you failed to stand up for us in the first place! These people did NOT make a secret of who they were! If someone has two horrible ideas that you can't support do you "compromise" and allow them to implement one? Do you accept a bad premise in hopes of reaching a compromise so it is only less bad? If someone were trying to kidnap your two children would you give them one to be "fair"? No, you would do everything within your power to stop them. Apparently freedom, liberty and the principles of a limited government are not so precious to those who pledge to protect and defend them…
And now it is time for a beer before I blow a gasket…
Here's the thing I struggle with. The Constitution enumerates a limited number of powers to the Federal government and also disallows many others. I tend to think that, over the years, the several states have failed in THEIR responsibility to uphold states rights to redress grievences against Washington. For that?… I have to blame We The People for electing state legislatures. This is why I think the Tea Party is a positive influence in the populace and where I believe hope resides. Most folks (minus the comitted left) really need to wake up and educate ourselves as to what this nation is suppoesed to be.
First, the Constitution does not give Congress the power to require that Americans purchase health insurance. Congress must be able to point to at least one of its powers listed in the Constitution as the basis of any legislation it passes. None of those powers justifies the individual insurance mandate. Congress's powers to tax and spend do not apply because the mandate neither taxes nor spends. The only other option is Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce.
Congress has many times stretched this power to the breaking point, exceeding even the expanded version of the commerce power established by the Supreme Court since the Great Depression. It is one thing, however, for Congress to regulate economic activity in which individuals choose to engage; it is another to require that individuals engage in such activity. That is not a difference in degree, but instead a difference in kind. It is a line that Congress has never crossed and the courts have never sanctioned.
In fact, the Supreme Court in United States v. Lopez (1995) rejected a version of the commerce power so expansive that it would leave virtually no activities by individuals that Congress could not regulate. By requiring Americans to use their own money to purchase a particular good or service, Congress would be doing exactly what the court said it could not do.
Some have argued that Congress may pass any legislation that it believes will serve the "general welfare." Those words appear in Article I of the Constitution, but they do not create a free-floating power for Congress simply to go forth and legislate well. Rather, the general welfare clause identifies the purpose for which Congress may spend money. The individual mandate tells Americans how they must spend the money Congress has not taken from them and has nothing to do with congressional spending.
Associated Press Barack Obama. A second constitutional defect of the Reid bill passed in the Senate involves the deals he cut to secure the votes of individual senators. Some of those deals do involve spending programs because they waive certain states' obligation to contribute to the Medicaid program. This selective spending targeted at certain states runs afoul of the general welfare clause. The welfare it serves is instead very specific and has been dubbed "cash for cloture" because it secured the 60 votes the majority needed to end debate and pass this legislation. A third constitutional defect in this ObamaCare legislation is its command that states establish such things as benefit exchanges, which will require state legislation and regulations. This is not a condition for receiving federal funds, which would still leave some kind of choice to the states. No, this legislation requires states to establish these exchanges or says that the Secretary of Health and Human Services will step in and do it for them. It renders states little more than subdivisions of the federal government.
This violates the letter, the spirit, and the interpretation of our federal-state form of government. Some may have come to consider federalism an archaic annoyance, perhaps an amusing topic for law-school seminars but certainly not a substantive rule for structuring government. But in New York v. United States (1992) and Printz v. United States (1997), the Supreme Court struck down two laws on the grounds that the Constitution forbids the federal government from commandeering any branch of state government to administer a federal program. That is, by drafting and by deliberate design, exactly what this legislation would do.
The federal government may exercise only the powers granted to it or denied to the states. The states may do everything else. This is why, for example, states may have authority to require individuals to purchase health insurance but the federal government does not. It is also the reason states may require that individuals purchase car insurance before choosing to drive a car, but the federal government may not require all individuals to purchase health insurance.
This hardly exhausts the list of constitutional problems with this legislation, which would take the federal government into uncharted political and legal territory. Analysts, scholars and litigators are just beginning to examine the issues we have raised and other issues that may well lead to future litigation.
America's founders intended the federal government to have limited powers and that the states have an independent sovereign place in our system of government. The Obama/Reid/Pelosi legislation to take control of the American health-care system is the most sweeping and intrusive federal program ever devised. If the federal government can do this, then it can do anything, and the limits on government power that our liberty requires will be more myth than reality.
Wanna bet?
Judge Napolitano has it right….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n2m-X7OIuY&fe...
Sorry. You all had your chance. We will handle it from here.
It's all hands on deck right now– it's the time!
We can repeal it but much better to stop it now. Call, write, send money, and sign the petitions now, and tell your friends — Support those groups now that support you.
There's an online Tea Party petition out there right now against the reconciliation being used.
There's also the Dickmorris.com site where it lists all the vulnerable congressman to focus on. Also can donate there to run adds against them in their home districts.
Now is the time. Spread the news. Sorry, I don't have the links.
.
It's all hands on deck right now– it's the time!
We can repeal it but much better to stop it now. Call, write, send money, and sign the petitions now, and tell your friends — Support those groups now that support you.
There's an online Tea Party petition out there right now against the reconciliation being used.
We'll see!
It's all hands on deck right now– it's the time! Let's show them what the Free Market system can do.
We can repeal it —but much better to stop it now! Call, write, send money, and sign the petitions now, and tell your friends — Support those groups now that support you.
There's an online Tea Party petition out there right now against the reconciliation being used.
There's website: dickmorris.com that lists all the vulnerable congressman to contact. Call now, call often.
Donate on the same site: –They will run adds against the congressman in their own local districts.
Sorry I don't have the links handy. Good luck to all. Spread the word.
.
Touche"
http://cheezburger.com/View.aspx?aid=2626400000
Everyone needs to ask WHY ? WHY is he doing this ?
Also – why is everyone droppign out? I mean it seems to good to be true.. I think somthing fishy is going on … maybe Congress will not be needed?
JOBS !!!! JOBS !!!! Yes it is that simple Mr. President !!!!
And that's why Obamao is in such a hurry. The November elections loom near and he has to pass healthscare reform to appease Andy Stern, whose unions contributed $60 million to Obamao's election campaign, and other unions for a grand total of $150 million in donations, AND he needs to pass amnesty for illegals while dangling a healthcare care under their noses to get them to vote for the Dems in order to ensure permanent majority party rule. The election cycle has already started and Obie is behind the curve.
Washington"s plans for Universal Health Care is a violation of two of our fundamental rights as stated in our Constitution: The Ninth and Tenth Amendments. The right of the people against an all powerful Federal Government and the right of the people to decide for themselves what the government is NOT given power over by the Constitution.
I applaud your passion and the effort put into your post. Excellent. The problem is that you focus on details and seem to expect honest behavior and judicial responsibility. The sad fact is that the left has a consistent philosophy and the right does not. They want statism/socialism/fascism/collectivism/crony capitalism…. whatever label you care to apply. The right believes it is being honest and is willing to "deal" (compromise) since there is no absolute right or wrong, only differences of opinion (really? I don't believe that, do you?). Since they are a bunch of weak, naive p***ies, we are left holding the bag. Since the Left IS consistent and DOES have a philosophy, they are happy to continue compromising an inch at a time. When we compromise, we are conceding some legitimacy to their views. When they compromise they are accepting that they must go slow enough not to be called on their game. They are not beneath lying, cheating and any other form of deception necessary to achieve their vision. If we continue to fail in our efforts to push back, if we continue to "compromise", the only end result will be slavery and our "elite" masters doling out the "goods" (on what basis?). Philosophy, not technicalities, will WIN the argument and the day. PLEASE read Ayn Rand's "For the New Intellectual" and "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal". Ignore that she was an Atheist if it bothers you. Read, and you will see that she understood both the purpose of our founding fathers and the ways of our enemies.
Oh, and sorry I didn't get back to your earlier post: I forgive you for being a part of Cowboy Nation. Sadly I am a Bears fan, though I am encouraged by free agency signings. Peace… (but not in the hippie way…)
I don't think hes gonna have a choice look at what Virgina's already done.
You're off to a great start bankrupting the country for generations to come. Hope you're young because if you aren't, you won't be getting the healthcare you've been promised. You'll only be getting the bill. But if you're young, you'll be getting the bill for not only your forced healthcare (more than you'll probably need at a price you won't want to pay), but you'll also be footing the bill for the great unwashed. Of course, you could be one of those.
Also, have fun further devaluing the dollar and sinking our credit rating. BTW, that includes devaluing YOUR dollar, not just mine.
I feel your frustration. Why does it seem like we are blowing into the wind while the "players" take baby steps to placate us but never really DO anything of significance?
Many of us normal folk would like to run for office, but we don't have the crony ties or the treasure chest befitting for it. Oh no, representation is by the privileged class for the privileged class. We don't matter.
RNC confirms it by declaring what they do to manipulate us donors. Yea, we "small donors react to fear." It is all a game to far to many people. They don't think about the lives of us because their little nest is feathered.
Until the Marie Antoinettes can start living by the laws they make for everyone else, don't expect much to change.
Man's depravity is on full display. There is no such thing as a servant's heart anymore. But that has to start at home, and how many of American's are willing to sacrifice? Nope. Decadence and American Idol win the day.
"President Obama does deserve credit for adding a handful of ideas from his opponents to his legislation but that hardly makes up for its estimated trillion dollar price tag or anti-individual freedom elements"
It is exactly this sappy mentality that has gotten us to where we are today….
President Obama does deserve credit,….. CREDIT FOR WHAT????????
Sprinkle a few fresh and delicious herbs on top of a plate full of rotten food,,,,,,,,,,
Should we give the chef some credit for making the food a little less rotten???????
Sorry fellas (writers),… you need to wake up. ……….Obama gets a compliment from me….
after his goodbye speech.
Everyone is forced to purchase auto insurance yet not many people have a problem with that.
Everyone is forced to pay taxes directly out of their paychecks yet not many people have a problem with that.
Everyone is forced to pay into social security yet not many have a problem with that.
You could go on and on. I think the health care debate has finally got high cost fatty up off the couch which has been a good thing.
So many other programs act in the same manner as this health care bill yet never interested anyone.
I do like the way you are handling this Gitmo thing there Paulie
We did get rid of the "Patriot Act"…..didn't we?????,….. after all,…
the troops are all home now,… aren't they?????,……..ahh who cares about all these things anyway…….
now that our economy has roared back.
The 3 amigo's in DC
http://www.narf.tv/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/car...
Your brief descriptions of how you intend to fix healthcare in Montana are also part of the problem.
It's so nice that you are providing certain tax breaks and incentives for some.
It's so nice that you are going to arrive and save the day and open up purchasing across state lines you MORONS.
Here is an idea, i know its foreign to the United States, but it's called FREE MARKET.
Do you get involved with McDonalds to make sure they provide a low cost and reasonably tasty hamburger?
Now shut up about your silly self righteous programs.
One man, one vote? How about one contribution? No bribes (sorry, campaign contributions) acceptable to ANY candidate from ANY voter not registered and currently eligible to vote for them? No out of state, out of district contributions? No money except from an identifiable INDIVIDUAL, duly reported within 24 hours of receipt? Needs some work, I admit, but get the foreign (i.e. not from MY district) money out of the process and we might see better accountability. Help me…
If this death-care thing passes there will be blood in the streets and thankfully stinky dread lock wearing Marxist pothead NEA schooled SEIU state college indoctrinated know it all do nothing wannabes fear real America's appreciation for the second amendment…
Of course if it doesn't pass we may be forced to share that appreciation of the second amendment with those very same stinky dread lock wearing Marxist pothead NEA schooled SEIU state college indoctrinated know it all do nothing wannabes anyway…
Bring it on punks!
Breaking the 9th and 10th amendments of our Constitution will lead to the 2nd amendment….. jr. The last thing the silent majority want is to see our country ravaged with war (take away our freedoms ANY of them and you give us no choice). We have spoken and the elected and corrupt idiots (washington politicians) are still trying to push socialism down our throats.
I don't think generation 0 is much of a worry. This is the weakest generation America has had in a long time. They don't want to earn anything…they think there entitled. Its not the kids fault and there not all like that for sure. The agenda's being preached in most the classrooms both in collage and public schools are stacked with progressivism. We've sat bye and let these evil progressives dig in deep this time. I think its gonna be a rocky road for awhile but I believe in our Republic and the silent majority of Americans (who are no longer silent).
What have I told you about the hippie comments?
lol
RAVENS ALL THE WAY
"We were willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt……..He certainly seemed willing to reach across the aisle…..". Surely you jest. ;^) <Hanzo>
They don't want any. All show and no go I'd bet money on it.
I have been telling everyone I know for the past 6 months that Obama and the progressives would not give up on their HCR. The reason is because it was always about government control and not about cost or quality. Blue dogs do not believe the lies the progressives are telling you, their agenda is not the Democrats or WE THE PEOPLES agenda.
Anything that Obama said he would add into the bill after the 7 hour HCR summit is not in any bill, he can only recommend it to Congress to pass. In addition, if the House agrees to the Senate bill, Obama will sign it. He will say enough time was wasted on negotiating it and he will then move on to cap-n-trade and immigration. He doesn't care about the abortion issue, it is the overall government grabbing agenda he is after.
What have I told YOU about HIPPIES?
Ray Lewis? +1, Better than Brian U
"Trent Dilfer, starting quarterback, Superbowl Champion."
Admit it, six words never expected to be strung together in all of human history… in ANY language…
How many more months til pre-season?
Peace…(but not in the hippie way…) LOL!
The problem is the Government meddling in Health care. The reason for the current problems are caused by the Government in the first place with Medicare and then the mandating insurance companies to provide certain coverage all without regard to an individuals current health. Insurance is a risk assessment transaction; x number of likely to remain healthy folks buy insurance which pays for the cost of those who wind up needing it. When coverage mandates are given the force of law, this increases the likelihood that claims will occur more frequently, thus raising premiums. Medicare has long distorted the health care sector by forcing doctors to receive less money for care than is profitable for them to provide. (astronomical premiums for liability coverage is mostly responsible for this and for drug companies charging sky high rates for their drugs).
Tort reform and buffet style options in insurance coverage would go far to correct the distortions. Allowing interstate competition among insurers and paying doctors and hospitals fees that at least reimburse them for their actual expenses would go far to lowering the premiums required to gain coverage thus allowing more people to be able to purchase insurance and increasing the available resources to pay for claims.
Until people recognize that the health insurance must factor in risk and is not a health plan, then maybe we can get the government to stop screwing up the system.
You said a mouth full. Ha!
Double Ditto either way.
You have no real second amendment rights, look what happened after Katrina. The national guard and police went around and confiscated peoples guns.
Tom, Cary, and Gary,
Thank you!
I was waiting for Montana's great statesmen to get on with the business of blocking this Progressive Puppet Bacus madness. The only problem is that Montana only does the legislation stuff every 2 years and this isn't one of them.
Is there a way to get this done this year?
McDonald's is gross. +Hanzo+
Well said and excellent points all. Have a drink on me. (cheers)
McDonald's is shit…. to be avoided at all costs.
yes I agree, but a successful product is often not a good product, and so we have high paid marketing people.
I offer another example, Bud Light, can you even call it beer, but look at the success.
Missy thanks…took your advise
One of many, many lies…
The 10th Amendment states: "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." Many states appear determined to enact state laws to block federal healthcare legislation.
32 states are using their constitutionally protected power to block, limit, or outright declare unconstitutional any attempt by the federal government to require citizens to purchase health insurance.
Arizona for instance”: Arizona: HCR 2014 is a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would, among other things, forbid passage of any law compelling any person to participate in any health care system. This bill has passed both houses of the state legislature and will now go to the people for ratification on the next ballot.
Obama might get HC passed but the states will have solid backing from their residents to ignore the idiocy and then rise up to oust those who passed the bill and to repeal its tenets.
The massive anti Obama sentiment then, will be one thing uniting the country against conceived evil.
November can’t come soon enough.
Where are the non-Baby Boomers' in the BIGs?
This IS AB's thunder. But getting the pre-baby boomers (their future) away from the Progressives is key. Forget the 13 or 14 years olds. We will just switch schools like we switch shampoo. The TRUTH is there like a pile of gold. YOUR CHILDREN. THEIR FUTURE.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU! (Roses Honey! What time is Dan Rather on?)
My only chance (in the 50 states). Your only chance. You twenty somethings must run away from this sinister trojan horse. WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE?
You make some good points, but you're shooting at the wrong messenger. The writers of this post are members of the State of Montana legislative bodies; they represent their constituents, who are citizens of Montana, not those of us who reside in the other 49 states. They are sharing their views with the rest of us, presumably so that we can benefit from any of those ideas we like, by encouraging our own state senators and representatives to draft similar legislation based on the Montana model(s).
Excellent post but Elvis is not dead, he just moved out of the lime light. I saw him last in Vegas! Almost everyday sometimes several times a day.
I live in New York State, and expecting NY to stand up for individual freedom and the free market is like expecting to chat with the ghost of Elvis. NY is already a turbulent cesspool of leftist ruin containing cities that are mirror images of Detroit. The Governor, Patterson, is a scandal drenched liberal weakling who accidentally replaced Spitzer, a scandal ridden liberal bully. The taxes in NY have systematically taken out business after business taking millions of jobs with them. NY was hit very hard by the Fannie-Freddie Housing entitlement blitz. Nearly 60% of all families in urban areas in NY are at least on food stamps. NYC is a leftist parasite feeding off of the more moderate up state, and people keep voting Democrat. Where I live, we haven't had a Republican Mayor since 1954. I hold out little hope that the welfare state of NY will stand up to the Federal Government regarding new entitlements. I guess I'll just ask Elvis' ghost when next I see him.
1) We have to buy car insurance as a protection for the OTHER driver in case we get into an accident. health insurance is meant to protect the individual. There is a huge difference.
2)Who says we don't have a problem paying taxes directly out of our paychecks. I sure do. However, those taxes were meant to go for the things that the constitution specifically calls for like funding the military, upkeep of national roads, and a few others. Most everything else was meant to be a local matter including the funding of schools.
3)I have a HUGE problem paying Social Security taxes now that it look like it is going to go bankrupt way before I retire. yet another big government scheme that was supposed to be self-funding that was instead used as a slush fund for BIG GOVERNMENT failed programs.
Yes, I could go on and on how big government handouts do not work and never have worked. Judging from history I would say a big entitlement has about a 50 year full-term cycle before it goes bust.
What opposition? If you were an opposition that mattered than you'd have the majority now wouldn't you? Elections have consequences.
If it were only that easy… If companies don't take taxes out of their employees' paychecks, the IRS goes after the employer. The only way around this is to pay everyone under the table to avoid federal taxes. For every dollar paid to the employee, at least 16 cents must be sent to the federal government right after the paycheck is cut – this is for employer and employee contributions for Medicare, Social Security, and Federal Unemployement. When the IRS is shorted, they go after the employer <to use the Dick Chenney phrase> "big time." Keep in mind this is before you even get into Federal Income Tax widtholding – the employee can get this to zero if they sign a W-9 instructing the employer to not take any money out of their check.
Not to mention, the forced purchase of auto insurance is done at the state level, not federal. Also, one is also forced to purchase auto insurance only if one owns and automobile, and only if it is operated on public roads. Owning a car is a choice. Owning a metabolism? Not so much.
I too have big problems with the two later items, as well. Especially in the later case, the government is stealing from me outright. It even spends my money printing and mailing a lie to me every year, telling me how much of a benefit I've accumulated in their little Ponzi scheme.
So I suppose you think minorities don't have rights?
the 1/2 billion dollars in new taxes needed to fund Obamacare wont cost anyone a penny. I believe you Obama cause you're good at math
the smallest political minority is the INDIVIDUAL
The Senate is not a majoritarium institution.
[...] by Beck Rulez Health Care Reform Pushed Ahead Despite Opposition Obamacare worth the price to Democrats Steyn on Obamacare’s Kamikaze Raid on [...]
Bud Light?At the risk of offending other's frail sensibilities, any adult beverage with the word "light" associated with it is not beer. What a novel concept that was when light beer first came out, "diet beer".
Is that beer for fat people?
But Johnny, Bud light is wrapped in red,white and blue packaging, and they have those really cool horses on there. Don't you love America and horses? +Hanzo+
I offer yet another example, diet soft drinks.Besides trying to appeal to our patriotism, etc., these slick marketing types will also attempt to reach our wallets by supplicating our ego through vanity. Just imbibe all diet products and you'll be able to fit in your Speedo thong by Summer, Johnny!
It's all ego importuning, in one form or another.
+Hanzo+
NO NO NO NO Johnny Knox. WRONG ALL AROUND . No auto insurance if NO Auto. NO TAxes if NO Job or Poverty And again NO Social Security if no Job.
Dumb Ass
I am for a change in our voting laws as i am tired of people who don't contribute having a say on spending:
You pay income tax.
You have payed and are retired.
You served this great nation
One of the above should be what is required for you to have the right to vote.
You no pay, You have no say!
While I am at it: Drug tests for anyone who collects welfare, food-stamps and or subsidized housing!
You know, it is amazing what comes out of the mouth of babes.
http://www.pjtv.com/v/1475
The one and only reason that this is such an 'emergency' to Obama is because of the up coming elections! He knows that if HE give free health care to the illegals, he will have their vote….even thought they have no right to vote in this country!! It's called a take over of our government by socialists!!!
"He certainly seemed willing to reach across the aisle to include his political opponents in his recent health care summit. "
I call BS on that statement. that whole summit was designed to feed his ego. Obama thought he was going to do a smack down and look like a big man and he ended up looking foolish.
The states can only protect themselves from this if the fed acts within the US Constitution. The entire Obamacare proposal is unconstitutional, so I'm guessing they don't care about the rule of law and will force it. States can stand up but they must be strong. The fed will bribe the states with new money or threaten to take away funding they already get. Will these states stand firm on the rights of the people? Or will they cave to big govt bribery?
Way to go Montana. The states need to stand up to the federal government and take back there rights given to and/or reserved for them through the 10th Amendment.
People are waking up. The Main Stream Media is no longer in control of what is and isn't news.
Any time Bill…
I really liked the dumb ass part lol.
Of course, CA will do nothing to protect its citizens.They want federal dollars….
Most people on the street probably couldn't even tell you why we even had a revolution to get freedom from Britain…..(the answer is the taxes)And yet here we are paying way more than the British Empire ever wanted in the 1770's….to our own government!
this is all frustrating as Hell. What it boils down to is the Republicans do not want to be labeled
the party of NO. It sounds too negative. Sorry boys & girls, when the Dems are going bat-sh!t
crazy with our money, NO sounds pretty good to me. Many Senators, especially Senators, have
a high & mighty grand perception of the BODY, & seem there-by to lionize themselves by associa-
tion. They begin to view themselves as aristocracy. Excuse me while I up-chuck. Should we vote
in someone in the vein of Jesse Ventura? We want to see someone body slam this Dem majority
House & Senate & I mean RIGHT NOW! It's become clear in the last few days how dirty Nazi &
Harry are playing the game, it's time for the R's to show us their STUFF!…….. PRAY FOR GRIDLOCK!
Sorry Bus Prof,………..but tell me how 'under the table' will work. I am able to deduct the monies
I pay employees as Labor expense. If I pay 'under the table' I am not able to use this deduction.
So for each employee I pay 40K / year I lose a 40K deduction. Where do I get the money to pay
'under the table' if I am in a business that takes in no cash? This leaves me paying the 40K but
not showing it as an expense, meaning more income for me, meaning more income tax for me.
Are you sure you are a Bus Prof?
don't know about Montana, but in Txz the Gov can call up the Legislature to address specific
issues any time.
MarkG………..finally I have an ally……….if we could raise the voting age to 25 it would eliminate most
of the immediate influence liberal academia has on young skulls full of mush. There are so few
who are still in academia after 25, as a block they couldn't influence an election anyway. Even those
still attending Univ after 25 are usually more serious students working in Ma & PhD. There should
be an exception to this for folks serving in the Military. If you're old enough to die for our country, you've
got sense enough to vote, even at 18 years of age.
Demand your State Legislators pass TORT REFORM. It will never be passed in the US Congress,
but each state WILL pass it, if we apply the required amount of pressure. GRIDLOCK EVERYDAY!!
I like how one of the concessions he made to the Republicans was to get rid of waste and fraud. In other words if it wasnt for the Republicans the waste in fraud would be ok. Our President is a real dummie
cornpone, If I need to explain the entire process "under the table" to you I would not suggest you going that route.
"If someone has two bad ideas that you can't support do you compromise………….."? I know I
begin to sound like a broken record, but here I go again. To a lawyer, compromise is akin to
an 0rgasm. They have their soul & passion removed in law school, it's a game to them. They
only care about the money. Through some process that I do not understand they are able to
detach themselves from the outcome, & its effects on their constituents or clients. I have no
earthly idea how we may slap them back to reality, I wish I had a clue. GRIDLOCK ANYONE?
So… What? Throw all the lawyers out? Again with the kidnapper, do you throw one of your children to the wolf? Do you meet someone half-way on a patently BAD idea? Republicans disappoint because they, unlike the Dems, DO NOT have a philosophy! Dems are all too happy to play the waiting game. We have to tell them HELL NO, WE WON"T GO!!! F**K this half-ass "I'll meet you in the middle" crap. The result is an ever shifting middle that drifts LEFT. NO MORE! ENOUGH! WE HAVE A BIRTHRIGHT! STOP SELLING OUR CHILDREN DOWN THE RIVER! THE TIME IS NOW OR THE OPPORTUNITY MAY BE NEVER AGAIN!
Wake up cornpone! I don't give a shit what we have to deal with now, I want a fundamental shift BACK to what this country was founded for. I am tired of dealing with demons. Throw them out! LIMITED GOVERNMENT should be easy. Let the individual States f**k up as they please. It is much easier to change policies when your neighbor has found a better way. That is why this country was designed this way. FEDERALISM, NOT STATISM!
Thanks for raising my blood pressure…
Think I'll buy ANOTHER gun now…
This administration obviously suffers from ADD! Cap and tax. No wait, healthcare! No wait, jobs! No wait, stimulus! NOW WAIT, STOP THE BS! obummer and his cronies are truly a PATHETIC BUNCH of LIARS and CON ARTISTS with a progressive agenda to ram down the throats of the MAJORITY of the American people. Send these clowns back to Chicago where they belong so they can be with their favorite LOONS! You know, rev wright, racist farrakahn, dumb father flager, weatherman ayers, i don't pay taxes bigmouth jackson, and the rest of the CHICAGO SCUM! November 2012 won't get here soon enough, but November 2010 will help to put this country back on track!
Xerxes: But I am a generous god. I can make you rich beyond all measure. I will make you warlord of all Greece. You will carry my battle standard to the heart of Europa. Your Athenian rivals will kneel at your feet if you will but kneel at mine.
King Leonidas: You are generous as you are divine, O king of kings. Such an offer only a madman would refuse. But the, uh, the idea of kneeling, it's- You see, slaughtering all those men of yours has, uh, well it's left a nasty cramp in my leg, so kneeling will be hard for me.
——————
Xerxes: It isn't wise to stand against me, Leonidas. Imagine what horrible fate awaits my enemies when I would gladly kill any of my own men for victory.
King Leonidas: And I would die for any one of mine.
Not asleep……… GF, said, " I'm tired of dealing with demons". I'm also tired of these demons,
who are mostly lawyers. Why has tort reform never been able to gain traction? Identify the enemy,
isolate the enemy, ridicule the enemy……………. Who IS the enemy? The enemies of small Gbmt
we desire are many, but the largest class is lawyers. They have the most to lose, if we wrest
power from the Feds.
In regard to the Republicans philosophy, they should embrace being the party of NO. When
NO is bringing this lunatic spending spree Congress is now engaged in to a halt, who would
not embrace NO? But no is so negative, they whine, maybe we can reach compromise. Tough
sh!t, I say. All your Congressman has to do is keep up with public opinion polls in their home
districts, or hold a town hall meeting to find out what his constituents opine. Also it's about
time our Congress begins to use the Net for more than a place to beg for money. They don't
read our e-mails any longer. Wouldn't a chat-room sponsored by your local Representative be
novel. It certainly would challenge us to keep up with the actions our Reps are taking in our
home districts. Many of us don't even keep up with the 'pork' our Reps bring home, who benefits
who gets the contract in the district. Local Universities are recipients of some of this largess
which goes through the Univ to the most generous contributors to the Reps campaigns. Fools
that we are, most of us say, "well it's for the kidz, their education is of utmost importance". I again
say BS, 80% of this money doesn't enhance true education, it's used to enhance the lives of the
liberal elite, who are daily using their position to turn their students against the very ideals that
would lead to Small Gbmt. My Congressman, who has a perfect conservative voting record, in
his last tele-question call asked a long list of conservative questions, then threw in a question
about how we felt about funding for new projects for our local Univ. I e-mailed about a month
ago to ask him to publish the results of his poll on his website. My bet is, even in this very con-
servative district, the opinion of my fellow citizens was quite Liberal on this issue. We conserva-
tives lack consistency.
Do you have a link to what Virginia passed???
Embattled dem congressmen I was pushed out for health care,They know that I voted no,so they got rid of me and now they can pass the health care bill. We the people need congressmen or women who will stand up to this and not back down. Now they are pushing these people out,we the people need to stand up and say that is enough,no more,know matter what the party is. This was reported on drudge report.And where is the party who stands for not voting for this is standing behind the no vote. Who is backing who,or they afaid.Rahm would sell his own mother"son of the devils spawn" The congressmen and Rahmi naked showdown in the gym showers.I'm in the showering naked as a jaybird and here comes Rahm emmanuel,not even with a towel wrapped around his tush poking his finger in his chest,yelling at me. All at Drudge Report…..Unbelieveable. The president knows what is going on. It is ashame that we have to come to this. Also,the unions have everything to do with this…We need to stop this before it gets worse.
[...] ICYMI – Breitbart Features Op-Ed from Montana Rebublicans Health Care Reform Pushed Ahead Despite Opposition [...]
If you collect unemployment or welfare, you should be working 20+ hrs /week doing some kind of public service (cleaning roads, etc…)
Just one of Obama's lies about healthcare bill
Obama says they will cut 1/2 trillion from Medicare and expand its solvency.
CBO says in their letter of December 23rd:
“To describe the full amount of HI trust fund savings as both improving the government’s ability to pay future Medicare benefits and financing new spending outside of Medicare would essentially double-count a large share of those savings and thus overstate the improvement in the government’s fiscal position.”
That is they would have to spend the money twice.
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