Dems to face backlash

Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., chairman of the House Republican Conference, told ‘Fox News Sunday’ that the House health care reform vote proves Democrats have not listened to American concerns about over-spending, bailouts and government takeovers.

He said that Democrats will pay at the polls because their actions prove they are NOT LISTENING to the American people.

According a a Fox newstory
“The message from last night is that the Democrats didn’t get the message in August or last Tuesday,” Pence said, referring to the town hall meetings over the summer where members of the public protested the plan and last Tuesday’s election where Democrats lost two big governor’s races.
“I think the American people are deeply frustrated with a liberal establishment in Washington, D.C. that is ignoring their will.”

Michael Steele warned the Democratic Party that they had better pay attention to “what the people out here are saying,” Steele said. “You can no longer dismiss people by sitting on your cell phone when they’re talking to you or calling them un-American or making them feel like you don’t give a heck about what they’re concerns are.”

Saturday night, I watched Democrats working on crossword puzzles, playing Solitaire on laptops and more – if they were there at all. (Most members weren’t there until about 15 minutes before the vote that put Pelosicare over the top 220-215.)

Part of our political process includes corrections at the ballot box to fix over-reaching political agendas. November 2010 will undoubtedly restore some balance to the force.

So this is how liberty dies…

…with thunderous applause.

In Star Wars III, Senator Palpatine finally usurps control of the Republic to create a new Empire. He said: “”In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society which I assure you will last for ten thousand years”, to wild cheers from those in the gallery.  Padme Amidala then utters the above quote.

Last night, I watched the US House of Representatives shred the US Constitution a little more, impose heavy financial burdens on our grandchildren and mock the right for choosing freedom. As a guest of Congressman Jason Chaffetz, I  and three of my teenagers sat in the House gallery for 5 hours listening to the “debate” and watching the final vote on Pelosicare. I watched the Speakers pro tem ignore the lack of decorum on the part of the Democrats, but ignore or even penalize the Republicans who tried to protest.

I heard the Republicans ask multiple times “How are we going to pay for this?” and not once did the Democrats answer. Of course, the answer is in the bill – cut Medicaid Advantage for seniors , raise $700 billion in new taxes, fine those individuals who remain uninsured or those small businesses unable to provide insurance and even limit HSA’s (Health Savings Account) to a max of $2500 so families cant use pre-tax dollars to pay for their own healthcare and according to the liberal “Commonwealth Fund“, will look to find $634 billion by denying individuals access to treatments that are not “cost-effective”.

In creates over 100 new bureaucracies, new czar positions, creates or expands 43 entitlement programs, has a public “option” (a mandate, really), will impose additional taxes on individuals and businesses who do not have or provide insurance, accompanied by toothy fines and possible jail time of up to 5 years – and uses the word “shall” over 3200 times.

The Democrats who ran the show last night allowed their own Reps speak over their allotted time and cut off the Republicans.  They let D’s address the people in the gallery, when by rule they are supposed to address the chair.  They permitted the people in the gallery cheer and clap – unless it was for the Republicans, then security shut them down.  When the vote c9unt hit 218 – the number needed to win – the gallery erupted.  Visitors were shuffled in and out during the evening and by the end, I was apparently the only conservative remaining.

Of course the debate was a formality and the vote a foregone conclusion.  Pelosi would not have allowed it to come to the floor if any other outcome would have been possible.  The final count was 220-215. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the bill and one Republican - Congressman Joseph Cao – voted for the bill.  Apparently the freshman from Lousiana only wanted to serve one term.

Even though this version of the bill will not become law (the Senate needs to get one passed, then the two versions will be merged by Reid and Pelosi), it’s one more giant step in the wrong direction.  The quote from Star Wars ran through my head all evening.

Obama’s Frightening Insensitivity

NBC stations around the country – hardly a right-wing news organization – are carrying a story today about Mr. Obama’s handling of the Fort Hood shooting yesterday.

Acccording to the story
After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. The White House was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective.

But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and, inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a “shout-out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner.” Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?

Anyone at home aware of the major news story of the previous hours had to have been stunned. An incident like this requires a scrapping of the early light banter. The president should apologize for the tone of his remarks, explain what has happened, express sympathy for those slain and appeal for calm and patience until all the facts are in. That’s the least that should occur.

The article continues

Did the president’s team not realize what sort of image they were presenting to the country at this moment? The disconnect between what Americans at home knew had been going on — and the initial words coming out of their president’s mouth was jolting, if not disturbing.

It must have been disappointing for many politically aware Democrats, still reeling from the election two days before. The New Jersey gubernatorial vote had already demonstrated that the president and his political team couldn’t produce a winning outcome in a state very friendly to Democrats (and where the president won by 15 points one year ago). And now this?

It is truly unfortunate that Obama and his advisors were unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation and respond appropriately from the get-go.

Tragedy at Fort Hood

A soldier slated for deployment to Afghanistan – a psychiatrist, no less – opened fire at an Army base in Texas. A life-long Muslim, Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly yelled Allahu Akbar!, as he opened fire at close range, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others.

The shooting took place 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Readiness Center, where soldiers undergo medical screening before being deployed or after returning from overseas.

“I was confused and just shocked,” said Spc. Jerry Richard, 27, who works at the center but was not on duty during the shooting. “Overseas you are ready for it. But here you can’t even defend yourself.”

Soldiers at Fort Hood don’t carry weapons unless they are doing training exercises.

The shooting rampage could have been worse, if not for the actions of police officer Kimberly Munley, reports CBS News correspondent Don Teague.

Munley was shot in the exchange of fire but not before shooting Hasan four times. She was in stable condition after undergoing surgery, according to Lt. Gen. Robert Cone.

A cousin, Nader Hasan, told The New York Times that after counseling soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder, Hasan knew war firsthand.

“He was mortified by the idea of having to deploy,” Nader Hasan said. “He had people telling him on a daily basis the horrors they saw over there.”

Shurtleff suspends Senate campaign

This morning on the Doug Wright show, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced he is suspending his campaign for the US Senate.

In a letter sent to supporters, he said

I have chosen to take pause because my daughter’s health is very fragile. She is struggling with emotional issues and has recently been placed in a treatment center. Her recovery depends on the focus and energy we give her as parents over the next several months.

He continued:

Many of you know that I had a serious motorcycle accident a few years ago, and I would have lost my leg if I had not paused and taken the time to receive medical treatment to take care of it. I am not willing to lose my daughter, so I am suspending my campaign to care for her and my family. Most folks understand physical illness; it is my hope that people will learn how serious and dangerous mental illness can be.

Kudos to him for putting his family first.

Chaffetz on proposed medical device tax

Congressman Jason Chaffetz takes a minute to talk about the new tax imposed on ALL “medical devices”, roughly 80,000 different items.

Election results

Nationally, the Republicans took 2 big governorships out of the hands of Democrats – Virginia and New Jersey – both by very comfortable margins. In VA, the GOP also swept the Lieutenant Governor’s race and the Attorney General’s race. In the NY23 race, Democrat Bill Owens defeated Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, prompting Brad Woodhouse, DNC spokesman, to say “The only competitive race that was really about the Obama agenda, we won.”

Locally, a number of incumbents were defeated in our municipal races. In Utah county, Saratoga Springs, American Fork, Lehi, Cedar Hills, Pleasant Grove, Spanish Fork, Highland, Mapleton and Payson all have new mayors. The Payson race saw write-in candidate Richard Moore defeating the incumbent mayor. In Salt Lake county, voters really cleaned house in Herriman and Draper, voting in new mayors and all new city council members while West Jordan Melissa Johnson, who ran on a campaign of fiscal conservatism. All in all, there were numerous changes across the state.

Congrats to the winners tonight and a big thank you to all who ran – being willing to toss your hat in the ring says a lot.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

From Congressman Mike Pence

Standing on principle

Heard of Doug Hoffman yet?  He’s the former Republican, now Conservative party candidate whose popularity just forced Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava to drop out of the NY23 race.  Scozzafava is a liberal Republican who supports gay marriage, abortion rights, big labor, union bosses and card check.  Before Scozzafava dropped out of the race, Hoffman received endorsements from people like Fred Thompson, Dick Armey, Sarah Palin and Governor Pawlenty, and since Saturday, a whole host of other big names in the GOP has jumped on the Hoffman bandwagon and support has been pouring in.

In an op-ed that recently appeared in the New York Post, Hoffman said: “I didn’t leave the Republican Party, the party left me.”

He continues:

The battle I wage is not a lonely one. Like-minded citizens in the district, the state and the nation have joined me in this fight. It is a battle that has been joined by current and former elected Republican officials, conservative activists and members of the ever-growing Tea Party and 9/12 movements. And if the GOP picks liberal candidates for the midterm congressional elections next year, they may find that there are a lot more people out there like me who won’t go along. We are not going to win by becoming more like the Democrats. We’re going to win by standing up for our beliefs. It’s principle over party.

I agree.
I believe in freedom and a system that promotes more freedom, not less.  I also believe there are moral absolutes.  I expect our leaders to have principles they actually adhere to, not just pull out at election time. I also do not believe it is possible to be all things to all people – that leaves you pleasing no one, including yourself.  To  quote Larry Winget, “If you can get along with everyone and everyone loves you, then you don’t stand for much. A person who stands his ground for his principles and won’t compromise his integrity is not loved by everyone.”  As a constituent, I don’t ask for perfection. I don’t expect to agree with everyone on everything. I don’t have a “litmus test” where one vote I disagree with sinks the ship, but a pattern of deviating from principle is problematic and will likely ensure I work for that person’s replacement come election time. I expect there to be a “line in the sand” on some issues and that ALL issues be filtered by principle, not political expediency.

I believe that “we the people” have the right to expect leaders who believe in:
*an adherence to the Constitution – separation of powers, limited government, local control/states’ rights
*freedom - freedom to try, freedom to fail, freedom from government intrusion, freedom to choose what’s best for me and for my family.
*equal opportunity, not equal outcome
*limited government
*sanctity of life – beginning of life, end of life and everything in between
*protection, promotion and preservation of the traditional family
*accountability, which naturally brings with it openness and transparency
*fiscal responsibility/discipline – stop spending money we don’t have and placing our grandchildren into life-long debt
*honesty
*moral integrity
*service to others (voluntarily, not mandated)

Again, I’m not asking for people to be “perfect”.  I don’t expect to agree with politicians 100% of the time. In fact, since I can and do change my mind, I don’t even agree with myself 100% of the time….for example, I used to hate politics. Now I love it.   I do, however, expect integrity and for people to stand on principle. I am asking for those involved in the Republican party to adhere to the platform. To quote Montesquieu, The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded. We need leaders who do as John Adams advised and: “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”

By the numbers – Pelosi’s health scare bill

The  Wall Street Journal just published an article titled “The Worst Bill Ever“.  In it, they say

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has reportedly told fellow Democrats that she’s prepared to lose seats in 2010 if that’s what it takes to pass (Pelosi)Care, and little wonder. The health bill she unwrapped last Thursday, which President Obama hailed as a “critical milestone,” may well be the worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced.

In a rational political world, this 1,990-page runaway train would have been derailed months ago. With spending and debt already at record peacetime levels, the bill creates a new and probably unrepealable middle-class entitlement that is designed to expand over time. Taxes will need to rise precipitously, even as (Pelosi)Care so dramatically expands government control of health care that eventually all medicine will be rationed via politics.

The Republican Conference lays it out “by the numbers”:

5.5 million-Number of jobs that could be lost as a result of taxes on businesses that cannot afford to provide health insurance coverage, according to a model developed by Council of Economic Advisors Chair Christina Romer

$729.5 billion-Total new taxes on small businesses, individuals who cannot afford health coverage, and employers who cannot afford to provide coverage that meet federal bureaucrats’ standards

$1.055 trillion-New federal spending on expanded health insurance coverage over the next ten years, according to a Congressional Budget Office preliminary score of the bill

.7%-Percentage of all that new spending occurring in the bill’s first three years-representing a debt and tax “time bomb” in the program’s later years set to explode on future generations

$88,200-Definition of “low-income” family of four for purposes of health insurance subsidies

114 million-Number of individuals who could lose their current coverage under the bill’s government-run health plan, according to non-partisan actuaries at the Lewin Group

43-Entitlement programs the bill creates, expands, or extends-an increase from H.R. 3200

111-Additional offices, bureaus, commissions, programs, and bureaucracies the bill creates over and above the entitlement expansions-more than double the number in H.R. 3200

3,425-Uses of the word “shall,” representing new duties for bureaucrats and mandates on individuals, businesses, and States-also more than double the number in H.R. 3200

$60 billion-Loss sustained by taxpayers every year due to Medicare fraud, according to a recent 60 Minutes expose; the government-run health plan does not reform the ineffective anti-fraud statutes and procedures that have kept Medicare on the Government Accountability Office’s list of high-risk programs for two decades

Zero-Prohibitions on government programs like Medicare and Medicaid from using cost-effectiveness research to impose delays to or denials for access to life-saving treatments

$634 Billion-Amount that could be saved by denying individuals access to treatments that are not “cost-effective,” according to a report by the liberal Commonwealth Fund; Section 1160 of the bill gives bureaucrats in the Obama Administration virtual free rein to develop a new “high-value” reimbursement system for Medicare by May 2012

2017-Year Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted-an entitlement crisis exacerbated by the bill, which according to the Congressional Budget Office will increase the federal budgetary commitment to health care by $598 billion in its first ten years alone

$2,500-Promised savings for each American family from health reform, according to then-Senator Obama’s campaign pledge-savings which the Administration’s own actuaries have confirmed will not materialize, as the Pelosi health care bill would increase the growth of health care costs

The Wall Street Journal article  concludes

Mr. Obama’s own Medicare actuaries estimate that the federal share of U.S. health dollars will quickly climb beyond 60% from 46% today. One reason Mrs. Pelosi has fought so ferociously against her own Blue Dog colleagues to include at least a scaled-back “public option” entitlement program is so that the architecture is in place for future Congresses to expand this share even further.

As Congress’s balance sheet drowns in trillions of dollars in new obligations, the political system will have no choice but to start making cost-minded decisions about which treatments patients are allowed to receive. Democrats can’t regulate their way out of the reality that we live in a world of finite resources and infinite wants. Once health care is nationalized, or mostly nationalized, medical rationing is inevitable—especially for the innovative high-cost technologies and drugs that are the future of medicine.

Mr. Obama rode into office on a wave of “change,” but we doubt most voters realized that the change Democrats had in mind was making health care even more expensive and rigid than the status quo. Critics will say we are exaggerating, but we believe it is no stretch to say that Mrs. Pelosi’s handiwork ranks with the Smoot-Hawley tariff and FDR’s National Industrial Recovery Act as among the worst bills Congress has ever seriously contemplated.

Pelosi is pushing for a vote this week.  Now that’s scary.