The United States of Entitlement

The culture in America has grown into one of gimme, gimme, gimme.  There is an entire generation that does not know an America without government programs that give away money to citizens.  A generation that sees people living solely on the hand outs from government.  The older generations that knew life before any progressive movement are all but gone.  It is a shame that not all have listened to our grandparents and great grandparents about how life was in those earlier times.  Sure life was harder, it was tough when people relied on themselves and their local community but it brought a sense of self worth and a pride in community.

This country of ours has been through some really tough times.  There was the revolution to get the country started, the subsequent wars with England and Native Americans, the Civil War, and of course the big wars of the twentieth century and now the war with radical Islam.  No every one seems to think that the government owes them a living.  This could not be further from the truth.  This country and the government formed to keep it together is the fruits of labor, the labor of many men who had a vision of a place to live where the central government did not control every aspect of the their lives.  The governments of Europe in the 1700’s were ones that had complete control of the lives of their citizens, from their religion to how much money they could keep for themselves from there labors.  All property was owned by the government and was handed out as that government saw fit.  There was no private ownership of anything unless you were the monarch ruling the country.  The founders of this country sought several things in the forming on a new nation.  Private ownership of property, the ability to keep what they worked hard for, and self rule or the foundation of government came from the people not over the people.

These ideas and principles are still alive today, just buy fewer and fewer people.  Now I have noticed that people are not remembering history the way it was taught to me when I was growing up.  It would seem that textbooks are being changed but that is another subject.  Entitlement programs were not written in to law in this country until the 1930’s but even then the programs were designed to get people back to work and make them self sufficient.  In other words they were not supposed to be permanent.  As people got back on their feet and became more self sufficient the programs were  suppose to go away.  In the 1960's entitlement programs were expanded and a wider base of people were now entitled to handouts instead of hand ups.  What happened out of the 60's is a generation that expects to be handed everything without having to work for it.  No longer did you have to be elderly or disabled to get Social Security and Medicare.  People are getting income assistance just because they don't make enough money.  What ever happened to finding a better job or better yourself for a better job?  In 1996 President Clinton did try to reform the entitlement system by instituting time limits as well as monetary limits on benefits.  I guess that those limits don't exist anymore.

Now our government is involved in business and bailouts left and right.  It is not only an Obama or Bush problem, remember Regan did it back in the 80's but that was supposed to be a loan to be paid back.  Today we are letting the government through more and more money in to the failed automotive companies and financial institutions.  Yes if it wasn't for the money from the federal government those businesses would be dead.  No one wants another depression. No one wants to see bread and soup lines and massive unemployment.  However the monster in the closet that we are feeding by constantly throwing money at failed businesses and trying to recreate programs that are already in place instead of fixing the system.  I remember that in the Constitution the federal government of the US is to regulate interstate commerce not recreating it.  Our law makers removed a lot of the regulations that has caused the financial mess that we are in.  I say regulate the banks and financial institutions again.  regulate the medical industry don't feed into the current system.  Fix Medicare and Medicaid, don't replace it.  There are constitutional ways to fix our problems.  Let the states handle the business within their borders, or make them and make the federal government stay with in its constitutional restraints, interstate and international commerce and policy issues.

If people are going to stand in line for handouts and refuse to do anything to put themselves back on their own feet then tell them NO!  We will help you help yourself but well will not support you just sitting around collecting dust watching TV.  Go to school, get a job.  Uncle Sam is not your 'sugar daddy' get your hands out of his pockets.

1 am vote through the snow storm…

Can you imagine?  It is the middle of the night on Sunday and Senators are trekking to the Hill for a vote that could not wait until sunrise.  Lets not forget that Washington, DC just got hit by a snow storm that virtually shut the district down for the weekend.  But still Mr. Reid decided that he needed the vote while the rest of the nation slept.
Why not let everyone get some sleep and let the road crews clear the snow and vote in the morning?  Oh yeah, after the vote the Senate only has 30 hours of debate before the issue comes to vote again to move it forward and Christmas is Friday. The house is already gone and can not act of this until after the new year, but Mr. Reid wants in on their desks first thing in January.
What is the rush?  Could it be that opposition is growing against the healthcare bill?  Could be. If that is the case then it is in the best interest of the Democrats to get the bill past while everyone else is busy with the Christmas season and are distracted from what the Congress is doing.  This healthcare bill has opposition on all sides now, no one wants the thing but Pelosi and Reid want it crammed forward and put on the President’s desk as soon as possible.  Health care reform is a very important issue and needs to be discussed at length not shuffled through in the middle of the night which is what Congress is doing which tells me that its not the best thing for this country.
If your Senator or Congressman is voting in favor of this reform bill with out proper redress then maybe they don’t have your best interest at heart and should be voted out of office.  Give it proper thought and really think just how important this is to you and your family now and in the future.  Remember, we will get billed for it (taxed) several years before anyone can benefit from it. If there are any benefits to it. 
Tell Congress to slow down and do things right, you are their boss after all.

Just what is the life cycle of excuses?

From November 2008 to January 2009 we have all heard that the new administration has ‘inherited’ a mess.  That excuse was use well into the summer of 2009.  With all the legislative action that has taken place since January 20th 2009 can they still use that excuse in to the beginning of 2010? 
That is right I am still hearing that excuse all over the the television and newspapers.  Oh sure the Bush 43 administration did have problems and did have issues unresolved at the end of their term.  However, with full control of Congress and the White House the Democrats have made moves with passing legislation with out reading it or in the late night hours.  They have rushed to get legislation passed before anyone can really find out what it is that they are passing.  The Obama administration has pumped billions into the economy.  Automobile manufacturers bailouts, bank bailouts, cash for clunkers, cash for caulkers, tarp funds, I am sure that we will hear more and more currency hemorrhaging programs. 
The grace period is more than over, time for the current administration to own up to its own actions.  In less than a year the current administration has created the largest budget deficit in the history of our country.  People are now beginning to question the actions and the motives of the federal government, even though most of the media ignores public opinion.  Time for Obama, Pelosi and Reid to stand up and be counted, you three are responsible for what is going on in this country at this point in time.  People are angry and it is not at George W. Bush, it is at you three.

December 15th, Bill of Rights Day

Is this one preprinted on your calendars?  It is not on mine.  What is the “Bills of Rights Day”?

In 1941 then President Roosevelt declared the 15th of December to be the “Bill of Rights Day” to signify the importance of the Bill of Rights and the protections that it gave to each and every individual in our country.  James Madison proposed the bill of rights to congress in 1789 to insure that individual and states rights were insured against a centralized federal government.  Fears of a strong centralized federal government was threatening the ratification of the new federal US Constitution and Madison felt that these ten amendments to the constitution would insure rights to the people and protection against a strong centralized government.  These amendments were designed to protect the citizens of the United States of America from any attack on individual or states rights from the federal government.  It is important to remember that in beginning of our country the founding fathers wanted to insure that a centralized government could not infringe on the rights of the citizens, this concern came from people that lived under strong centralized governments that imposed laws, taxes, and penalties on citizens without any regard for their welfare and well being.

The Bill of Rights was ratified and came into effect on December 15th, 1791.  Many do not know that there was a preamble to the Bill of Rights which I have included here.  This preamble is not generally know because it does not appear in the constitution.

”Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine

THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent starts of its institution.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.

ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.”

“expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent starts of its institution.”  This statement says a lot about the intent of the bill of rights.  It means that people did not want a government that could arbitrarily impose laws that could infringe on the rights of the people to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We all should feel that are rights are ours and are inalienable afforded and guaranteed by our Creator.  The spirit of the Bill of Rights is that the federal government is restricted in what it can do in the name of the country and to the country, the individual is sovereign and affords authority to the government to run the day to day business of running the country and to keep the United States united.  Some feel that our country is growing away from the intent and purpose of the constitution and the fundamental ideals of our country. 

Growing movements against actions taken by Congress and the President our based on the protection against ‘misconstruction or abuse of powers’.  Their fears are real and based the preamble of the Bill of Rights.  So on December 15th and every other day of the year, think about what the Bill of Rights mean to the country and to you as a sovereign individual and act accordingly.

We the People....

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Is it me or does it seem that those we have elected to run the country have forgotten this very simple and fundamental statement? Late night and weekend sessions to pass hurry up bills that take more money out of our pockets. What happened to the promise at transparent government? Career politicians are playing fast and loose with the money of the American people.

The founders of this country wanted to get away from 'rulers' that collected as much money as it could from the citizens for use on whatever it pleased and the citizens had no say over anything. Today our federal government is growing by leaps and bounds with last minute and late night votes to pass new bills with all kinds of hidden cost.

This country use to have term limits for all elected positions except for the President. Now the office of President has term limits but not one Senator nor Congressman does. We have career politicians in Washington D.C. who want nothing more than to stay right where they are. They pass laws for regulations and restrictions on the people while they pass special benefits for themselves as well as give themselves raises. They would never give themselves pay cuts, nor subject themselves to the same programs and policies that the impose on us. Our country has grown into what it was not suppose to be.

The only problem is like the blind leading the blind we keep electing these 'stellar' individuals to office. Why? Are we that stupid that we keep sending the same people to Washington in order to keep treating us this way? My friends there is no longer any difference between Democrat nor Republican politicians. They fight and argue amongst themselves over issues and such. However, the spending is out of control which ever party is in control.

Just recently another last minute bill was past in the House of Representatives to supposedly guard against the failing of financial institutions in the U.S. Touted as the most extensive since the New Deal it places many restrictions on business and gives the Government the ability to step in any time it believes that a business is failing. The New Deal legislation was an attempt to ward off another fall on Wall Street and another depression. Well less than one hundred years later many financial institutions and automobile manufactures were facing failure and the government thought that it would be bad for the country. I agree that the loss of jobs and industry would be bad for our country. Businesses, just like people, who spend more than they make are destined for failure. It is the nature of a free market system that business who do not manage business well will fail. They worst thing that there is for a free market system is for government to get involved. Oh sure, regulate interstate commerce but to become actively involved in the running of a business is wrong, it is socialism.

It is time my fellow citizens to stand up once again and fight for our freedom. I am NOT talking about violence or armed action, I am talking about action through voting and voicing your concerns to all in elected office. If they do not listen then replace them. We are their employer, they work for us. If you do not perform your job as expected to you get to keep it? Why do politicians get to stay in office if they do not do what we want? We re-elect them blindly believing the lies they tell us. We are not that stupid! America can not stand if we continue down the path that we are going. The time to act is now not when things get worse.

Been awhile....

Yeah it has been a month since I have posted here. I have been watching events unfold in several areas, catching up on some reading, and blowing off some steam.

First, As an American and a USMC Vet I am very upset over the traitorous actions of Maj. Hasan at Ft. Hood. He deserves no quarter from anyone! They say that pour Maj. Hasan may be paralyzed from the waist down, well he is alive which is more than we can say for his victims. Being a time of war against terrorism he is nothing less than a traitor to the uniform that he wore.

Second, the Attorney General's decision to try the 9/11 conspirators in civilian courts in New York, steps away from ground zero. These individuals have plead guilty in military tribunal system, they should be sentenced not retried!

Third, Mr. Obama bowing to another head of state. Every time he does this he makes the US submissive to that country. The Emperor of Japan,isn't he just a figure head with no real powers? The United States of America is a world super power. We defeated Japan after they attacked us, they should be bowing to us.

Fourth, I have been reading up on the history of politics and political parties in America and I see the need for another radical change today. More on this later.

For now all I can say is Americans need to take inventory of their ideas and priorities. This country is going so far away from its founding principals that it is scary. Time for action!

Help a hearing impaired girl get her dog back.

If you missed the October 9th, 2009 episode of ‘Rescue Ink’, this is Pinky she belongs to and assists her owner a hearing impaired girl in Ozone Park New York. Pinky was stolen in March and has yet to be located. Please help Pinky return home. Contact Rescue Ink at 516-208-7676 or info@rescueink.org with any information.

Those pesky politicians, they still don’t get it.

Everyone is enamored about health care reform or universal health care, but what no one is saying is that the U.S. Government has already made great strides to show how well it can deal with health care for it’s citizens.  CHIP, Social Security and SSI or Social Security Disability, Veterans Administration health care, are all sterling examples of how the U.S. Government cannot do an acceptable job managing health care.  The New Deal and the Great Society sounded good when first put out in the public by the federal government but how has those programs fared since being put into action?  Social Security is going essentially bankrupt, welfare programs are a joke.  The federal government enacted programs that in most cases where passed on to the States to administer while the promised funding is not always there.  People who could really benefit from programs are denied help while others make a living receiving benefits.

If the history of the twentieth century has taught us anything is that the federal government does not do a very good job in dealing with benefits for the citizens of this country.  Maybe that is why the founders of this nation did not give the power of micro-managing the people to the federal government in the constitution.  That responsibility was left to the individual states.  People from through out the world come to the U.S. to get health care treatment because of nationalized health care in their home countries has made getting treatment near impossible.  That should tell us something!  Regulation of trade between the states is one charge of the national government so the setting of regulations of interstate trade is the  responsibility of the U.S. government, what happens within the boundaries of the individual state is the responsibility of that state as long as it does not violate the constitution of the United States.  Let Pennsylvania meet the needs of the people of Pennsylvania, Texas meet the needs of people living in that state.  I don’t need a President from Chicago nor a House Speaker from San Francisco telling me in rural Pennsylvania what I need to live or how to live.  We have a local and State government to meet the needs here if even they can get it right.

Still think that this country isn’t going socialist?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,557823,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g2:r5:c0.095182:b28033042:z10

On September 30, 2009 A long time symbol of America’s greatness was defiled. This symbol sits in one of the most famous towns in America and is seen as a icon of greatness and prosperity. A symbol of pride to everyone that sees it and lives and works under its shadow.

Eight years after our country was attacked by those who seek to destroy us someone decides to honor the anniversary of another group of people that have been less than cooperative with America. Wednesday night, September 30, 2009, the Empire State building was lit up in with the colors of red and yellow commemorating the anniversary of socialism in China. Since when do Americans celebrate the birth of a regime that is guilty of atrocities towards human liberties? Don’t we have government agencies to keep these people in China under watch in order to protect America from them?

Was it because America is in hock to China for loans because our government can not manage money? Maybe it is because there is a tendency in this country to want to go socialist. Not all Americans want this but those currently in control of the US government seem to want nothing else. With the federal government (essentially us) with interest holdings in two of the three US automobile manufacturers and the big push for a socialized health care system it would seem that the politicians in this country are turning their backs on the foundation of this great nation. Just one short year ago no one would even consider lighting the Empire State building to honor a communist regime. Oh how times have changed. No one seem to notice the poll taken on foxnews.com that showed approximately ninety seven percent of those responding did not want to see those colors on the Empire State building nor honor the regime in China. Does anyone remember Tianamen Square? Religion is tightly controlled in China. Wasn’t that one of the major reasons that this country exists, freedom of religion? The Roman Catholic Church with all its clout in the world cannot even publically name its cardinal in China for fear of his safety.

What is it going to take to wake up the sleeping silent majority in America? If this doesn’t do it what will? I volunteered to serve my country over twenty three years ago and as a veteran I am sickened at the way this country is going. I do not like where my country is headed and I believe that we all should learn from current mistakes as well as those of the past. We need to return to the principles of the ideals that this country stands for. We need to control the federal government. Yes it can happen, our power is in the constitution. The founders of this great nation new the dangers of a powerful central government and took measures to prevent it from happening here. The founders set the foundation of this great nation and we are now in the process moving away from that foundation. What happens to a building that moves off its foundation? It becomes condemned and falls. For example, if a car runs into your house and knocks your house off of its foundation. Now would you live in that house and feel safe? Likely not. That house could fall down at any minute so it is destroyed and another takes its place. That is a lesson that we all should learn and remember.(with out loosing our homes of course.) If the foundation of our nation is struck our nation will fall. I hear the jack hammers coming at the foundation now.

What are we going to do Americans? At some point in history your ancestors came to this country for the promises that the new world had to offer, the freedoms that America has come to stand for. Unless you are a Native American your ancestors came to this country to get away from an over powering oppressive government and persecution because of their beliefs. People come to this country for the freedom that it promises, freedom that they could not get back where they came from. So again, what are we going to do Americans? You can take the approach that most have been taking for years, “it doesn’t matter to me why should I worry about it, I am just one person.” Or we can harness the spirit that this country was created from and stand up for the way of life that most have taken for granted. Two hundred and thirty four years ago people stood up against the type of government that ours is turning into. We should all remember our history lessons, remember what the fourth of July stands for and stand up for our country and the way of life that most are taking for granted. Remember the real power in America is not in any political office but in the voting booth. America nor any part of it should in any way celebrate any way of life nor government that is an example of what America does not stand for.

Honest Emotion in the U.S. House Chamber

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090910/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_health_care_heckling

South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson (R) let his emotions and need for honesty get the better of him during the Presidents speech before Congress Wednesday night. While he is taking criticism for his outburst Rep. Wilson issued an apology for his outburst. The ‘Office’ of President does need to be respected so does the Chamber of Congress. Many lies or misleading statements have come out of that building. If you have ever seen coverage of speeches given in Parliament in England by anyone even the Prime Minister there is no shortage of opinion being given during the speech. In my opinion there needs to be more interaction on the part of our elected representatives so that we know that they are actually doing something on our behalf.

I grow tired of the party line canned statements after each speech, a little honest emotion shows honest opinion. Our government is broken. It is nothing like what our founding fathers wanted. There is too much government at the federal level. Our federal government was originally designed to hold together a confederation of states and to provide for common defense, to represent our group of states as a whole to the world. Two hundred thirty three years later our government has grown into a monster that acts like the US citizens our morons that can not do anything for themselves. Our elected officials in national office have taken too much power away from the state and local governments and that needs to change.

It is not completely the fault of those in national office, the people have let this happen and our doing nothing to stop it. The laziness of the American people to let someone else deal with it has given birth to this monster in Washington DC. Americans need to remember their history classes, read the federalist papers and the founding documents of this country then maybe they will remember that the true power of America is in their hands and not in the offices in Washington DC.

Political Correctness, A good intentioned idea gone horribly wrong.

     I do not know who started it nor where it came from.  The idea was to watch our words and actions so as not to offend anyone else.  It has gone horribly wrong.

     Would not it be wonderful to go through life and never be offended by anything that anyone ever says?  Political Correctness is based on something of this idea.  Watch what you say or do so as not to offend anyone and we will all get along wonderfully forever and ever.  Nice idea but it will never work.  Because we are human beings it is impossible to go through life with out ever saying anything that anyone is not going to find offense to.  Many conscientious people are trying to live by the political correctness doctrine, watching every word, having uncomfortable conversations as they try to choose words that will not offend.  These people in my opinion become very high strung in public and very bitter in private.

     Political correctness itself is nothing more than a philosophy that is designed to govern the way that people talk to each other, to defuse any situation before it even begins.  This “correctness” white washes all conversations and interactions among all people that are expected to follow this philosophy.  The reason that it has gone horribly wrong is that while a person strains to have conversations that do not offend anyone or struggle to sanitize their lives to the standard of political correctness there are many who just sit around and watch for offenses against this philosophy.  As soon as any perceived transgressions of political correctness occurs the world jumps on the offender with anger labeling that person as a racist, homophobe, sexist, or even intolerant to any other religion other than their beliefs.

     I have been in contact with many people so far in my life, in many parts of this county and others.  What has angered me is that there are always people who while not caring what they say to any one wait for others to commit an offense under the political correctness doctrine.  In America there are people that flaunt there actions, their lifestyles in front of the world for all to see.  They do this daring the world to say anything about it and as soon as anyone says anything it gets twisted into some comment against them and their lifestyle or skin color.  Here is an example; a nice family is out for a nice dinner at a restaurant giving mom a night off from cooking.  At the table near them a couple is engage in a open public display of sexual activity, not the full blown act of sex but just all over each other kissing, groping and other acts.  The family is upset over this activity especially in front of the young children.  The father complains and the restaurant management approaches the couple to ask them to stop or leave.  Now if that couple are a man and a woman, some words may be exchanged but the issue will get resolved and people will move on.  Now lets say that the couple is same sex.  An argument will usually erupt with the couple calling the family and the restaurant staff as homophobes and discriminating against them because of their sexual preference. If we say that the couple is of another race than the the complaining family you risk it becoming a confrontation with racism as its base.  While this situation originally only had to do with the actions of people in the restaurant and had nothing to do with race nor sexual preference.  However, under the doctrine of political correctness this family may never say anything for fear of the results that may happen, the restaurant management will not say anything for fear of discrimination charges and the couple gets away with unacceptable behavior. 

     Under political correctness minority groups now have the majority over a barrel.  Fading from view are the displays of faith, the holidays that people celebrate with their religion at its core.  What has taken its place are displays glorifying the life styles of homosexuals,  the plight of the minority races, displays of religions other than Christian or Jewish or even against religion.  If anyone in the majority says anything they are assaulted by the minority for whatever the perceived offense is. 

     I believe that ‘political correctness’ should be scraped and thrown away with all the garbage that it creates.  There is a standard of society that everyone must live by in order to maintain order within the society.  If you are different from your neighbor great, no one wants to be the same as everyone else.  It is not in our nature, we are each our own person.  I can guarantee that I agree with things that you do not and that is fine with me.  What I am suggesting is that the banner of political correctness is being used to disrupt the lives in America.  With all the fights in courts and in public view taking place under the banner of political correctness the very fabric of life in America is being ripped to shreds.  While life in America may have never been 100% perfect it was a lot better before the doctrine of political correctness.

We must be on watch

President Obama makes it a point to say that he will not sign any legislation that will increase the deficit in the next ten years. First ten years from now, if Mr. Obama is lucky he will be in the last years of his final term and it will no longer matter to him what the people think of him. Second has anyone read the two bills in Congress? H.R. 2252 – The national health care quality act, also know as S. 966 in the Senate, has a section on funding that should be read by everyone.

SEC. 944. FUNDING.

`(a) Trust Funds- For purposes of funding the activities under this part, the Secretary shall provide for the transfer from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund under section 1817 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i) and the Federal Supplementary Insurance Trust Fund under section 1841 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395t), including the Medicare Prescription Drug Account in such Trust Fund, in such proportion as determined appropriate by the Secretary, of $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

`(b) American Recovery and Reinvestment Funds- At the end of the recession adjustment period (as defined in section 5001(h)(3) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 496), the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer any funds appropriated under such Act and not otherwise expended to the Agency for purposes of carrying out this part.

`(c) Medicaid and Medicare Improvement Funds- For purposes of funding the activities under this part for fiscal year 2014, the Secretary shall provide for the transfer of $100,000,000 from the Medicaid Improvement Fund under section 1898 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395iii), and $100,000,000 from the Medicare Improvement Fund under section 1941 of such Act (42 U.S.C 1396w-1).'.

(c) Technical Amendment- Section 937(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-6(b)) is amended by inserting `except for part E,' after `this title'.

(d) Development of Quality Measures for Federal Health Programs-

(1) PERIOD OF CONTRACT- Section 1890(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa(a)(3)) is amended--

(A) by striking `4 years' and inserting `4 years, in the case of the first contract entered into under such paragraph, and 3 years in the case of each subsequent contract entered into under such paragraph'; and

(B) by inserting `for a period of 3 years' after `renewed'.

(2) PRIORITY SETTING PROCESS- Section 1890(b)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa(b)(1)) is amended--

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--

(i) by striking `an integrated national strategy and priorities for'; and

(ii) by inserting `in a manner consistent with the national priorities for health care quality improvement (as defined in section 4(c)(1))' after `settings'; and

(B) in subparagraph (A)--

(i) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iii) as clauses (ii) through (iv), respectively; and

(ii) by inserting before clause (ii), as so redesignated, the following new clause:

`(i) that are consistent with such national priorities for health care quality improvement;'.

(3) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS- Section 1890(b)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa(b)(5)) is amended--

(A) by redesignating clauses (i) through (iii) as clauses (ii) through (iv); and

(B) by inserting before clause (ii), as so redesignated, the following new clause:

`(i) the extent to which the priorities set and the quality improvement measures endorsed by the entity under paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, are consistent with the national priorities for health care quality improvement (as so defined);'.

(4) FUNDING- Section 1890(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa(d)) is amended by inserting `and, for purposes of carrying out this section under a new or renewed contract, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary, taking into consideration the results of the study contained in the 18 month report submitted to Congress under section 183(b)(2) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-275), for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2015' before the period at the end.

In order to pay for this new health care with out ‘increasing the deficit’ the President and Congress are going to rob from Medicare. All seniors and disabled persons in America are going to take a hit in their coverage in order to pay for others. While the majority of working America may have some form of health care it is true that not all have health care coverage. Penalizing the people dependant on Social Security and Medicare is not the answer. Seniors on these programs have no other options.

Everyone knows that when the federal government gets into anything it usually gets screwed up. Over the last several years many new companies have been advertising on info-mercials affordable health care to individuals that don’t have healthcare. It seems to me that government should be supportive of programs from companies like these not taking it away to ‘handle it’ themselves. This would be supportive of supply and demand capitalist system. At the most the federal government who is responsible for regulating inter-state trade should put caps on the costs that making healthcare more expensive. Government run health care has not worked in any Country that has it. Ask anyone who lives in those countries. Why on earth are scores of Canadians coming into our country for health care? Because they can get the care they need without having to go through a government agency.

Contrary to popular belief the central authority to our form of government is the American Citizen. Whether it be laziness or just the we have ‘better things to do’ Americans have felt content to let the professional politicians ‘handle’ the government and the affairs that effect us all. It amazes me the number of citizens that go through life and say that they don’t vote. What ever their reasons it just doesn’t make since to me. Don’t complain if you don’t put in your vote, and if you have something to complain about get involved even if its just reading the papers or watching news on TV and vote for your values and opinions in the election booth. We are the true power in America, exercise your power.

The Spoiled Child

We have all seem them, the child that we are all glad is not ours acting up in the store or some other embarrassing public place. The child locks in on something that they want and do not let up until they get what they want. They don’t care how much it cost or how it effects anyone else. That child does not care that the mortgage is due and other bills need paid and you only have enough to pay for the few groceries that are in your cart. What do we do? Whip out the plastic and go into debt to appease the spoiled child.

The reality of the situation is we all have that child now, and he lives in a big white house in Washington D. C. He wanted the stimulus bill passed and passed now and our representatives and senators gave it to him while we sat spinning wondering what it was going to cost us. Now it’s health care. We don’t know what it will cost, the details are a secret and the President says enough talking about it just do it. If you ask me it needs some more conversation on this. It is like Mr. Obama is standing there saying that ‘I want it and I want it now!’ It is time to tell him and the other spoiled children in D. C. NO!

Remedial Economics for all Law Makers!

 

     Some one needs to tell all the law makers down in Washington, D.C. as well as most state houses that all those red numbers in the budget sheet does not mean that it is Christmas time again.  (Can I still say Christmas in this country?  Who cares I still have rights under the Constitution.)  Anyway, red ink usually means that the outgoing money has become greater than incoming money.  To put it as simply as I can for most law makers, ‘you are spending more than you are making!’  For those of us not in government service that means that all the money is gone and we cannot spend anymore.  For those in government it seems not to have any meaning.  For those who collect over $169,000.00 a year from us for an annual salary they sure are free with our money.

     The President is saying that he will not sign a bill that increases the deficit in the next ten years,  meaning one of two things; first that he is not going to sign any bill during his term of office or that all costs will be deferred until he is out of office and will not be blamed for the cost.  I am voting for the second. 

     How do we know that proposed laws are bad for us?  They push them through with out giving anyone a chance to read it!  No one is saying how the proposed health care bill will be paid for except that the President is saying that payment will not be due while he is in office.  How good of a job will the government do running health care?  Look at Medicaid and Medicare as well as the Veterans Administration health care services.  Putting it simply, ‘IT SUCKS!’  In the 1960’s a democratic administration tried to give health care to those who did not have it and that system has fallen apart.  The George W. Bush administration tried to fix some problems with those services and added prescription drug coverage where there wasn’t any before.  But maybe that is what we need to do is fix what is already in place and forget about adding more flawed programs that are going to cost way to much for way to little.  Has any of you gone to the US House of Representatives site to look this bill up?  You should, it is HR 2252.  They are going to rob Medicare and Medicaid to pay for this plus what ever the Secretary of the Treasury thinks can be spared from repayment of all those bail outs.  What is left I guess will come from our pockets.  What is supposed to be health care for everyone will exclude millions of people.

     I have an idea.  Why don’t the elected officials in Washington, D. C. cut their pay by 50%.  The savings of some where near 45 million dollars could be put towards paying for some of these things they are asking us to pay.  Those who are elected to represent us should make what we do.  Not what top executives make but what the rest of us make.  Then they will hopefully have a better idea what it is like for the rest of us to make a living. 

Declaration of Independence banned on 4th of July

The home of the oldest fourth of July celebration has apparently banned for life a group that handed out a pocket copy of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights during the 2009 parade.

Excuse me?! Isn’t that what we are celebrating on the 4th of July? I don’t understand the reasoning of this. The Declaration of Independence declared our independence from England. Upon the successful effort to obtain that independence we, as a nation, formed the constitution to govern this new nation. The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the constitution of our country. It has been years since I was in a history classroom but I do remember those things being taught in class. I has only been two hundred and thirty three years since we declared our independence and the people of this nation have seemingly forgotten what the fourth of July is all about. It is not just another hallmark holiday! I would suggest that people ‘google’ the independence celebration of our nation to remind themselves as to why we have this holiday.

The Blind Leading the Blind.

      Senator Al Franken.  No it is not an introduction from “Saturday Night Live” when Al Franken did skits on the show or wrote the jokes that were not all that funny.  This might be the scariest thing in decades.  Franken who has lately tried to make a living doing nothing other than complaining and blasting conservatives with out any real solution for what he is complaining about is now a United States Senator.(Try not to be to scared children.)  Screaming and name calling is not a solution nor does it help anything but anyone, if there was anyone, who listened to Al Franken when he was on the radio knows that Franken is not capable of much else.  The State of Minnesota has unleashed something scarier than, Oh heck I can’t think of anything scarier.  Franken is going to be seated on a few key committees but sadly not for comic relief(if only).

     What is really unnerving is just who is going to mentor Franken in the ways of Congress.  Hopefully not the former Senator, now Vice-President who admitted Sunday that the Administration ‘misread’ the depth of this countries economic troubles.  Not only did they not know what was going on but they continually want to throw money in the bottomless pit.  Hidden taxes and price tags yet to be seen on government projects, we really need to be watching what is going on with the executive and the legislative branches of government.  Neither has any idea of what is going on nor do they show any desire of finding out what is happening out here in the trenches of everyday life.

     Do not get me wrong, I am not letting the Republican and Independent politicians in Congress of at all.  They are all mostly career politicians who for the most part will do anything to stay in office.  Why is the office of President the only national office that has term limits?  George Washington, our first President, had self imposed term limits as he saw the danger of people holding political office indefinitely.  Anyway, all these professional politicians have been running this country into the ground for years and even though some have been trying to warn us for along time no one has been listening.  We are responsible for putting these people in office.  Ever wonder how much we are paying these people for the job that we have given them?  A member of congress is paid one hundred sixty nine thousand, three hundred dollars a year($169,300.00).  The minority and majority leaders are paid one hundred eighty eight thousand one hundred dollars($188,100.00) and the speaker of the house makes two hundred seventeen thousand four hundred dollars($217,400.00).  This is of course not counting the benefits received.  We are paying them a great deal of money to make decisions on our behalf and how many of us are happy with the job that they are doing?  By the way I obtained the salary figures here, https://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/2008/2008-01-attach1.pdf  the “EXECUTIVE ORDER 13454 ADJUSTMENTS OF CERTAIN RATES OF PAY”.    I say that we the people need to make a move.  We need to hold these people more accountable.  We need to remove the ‘dead weight’ from government, push for term limits and reset their pay.  Remember the promise not to raise taxes to those making less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars($250,000.00) a year?  Well those in Congress fall under that bracket!  Small businesses all over the country are going to fail but your Congress person and Senator will not get a tax increase!  I say that they need to put their money with ours since we are the ones that are paying them!  We should be the ones to approve their raises and benefits, after all when was the last time you gave yourself a raise or increased benefits? 

     We need to pay more attention people to what is going on.  Don’t just blindly go into the voting both(if you actually vote – you should vote) and vote.  Make the decision based on what is best for you and your family and your community not what is best for the politician.  Think, read, investigate, and decide for yourselves.  Don’t rely on biased media to decide for you.  Do not put blind trust on career politicians that only want to stay in office and are more than willing to blindly lead you.

Report: N. Korea fires four test missiles

Report: N. Korea fires four test missiles

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-07-03-nkorea-missiles_N.htm

Talk, talk, talk, talk, and more talk. It seems to me that some one needs to forget that North Korea is going to listen to anyone other than who bank rolls them and supplies them. Some one needs to slap North Korea down and tell China to get it's little dog back in it's yard.

I realize that it is more stylish to talk to people and take the bureaucratic path, but some one has to wake up and come to the realization that some people will not listen to reason. Oops!, forgot that there is no intelligent life in Washington, DC anymore.

Palin Quit and Seals Political Future.

Today Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin up and quit the Governor's Office. Whatever her motives Gov. Palin has sealed her political future. Her term was to last through 2010. Resigning from office half way through her term will not go well if she decides to run for another office as she will be labeled as a quiter who leaves when pressure is too much. Something that we do not want in the top two offices in this country. I wish her and her family well and the peace that a private family should expect.

Senate's Apology for Slavery

Senate's Apology for Slavery



(Link to Story: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/26/senates-apology-slavery-support-reparations-riles-black-lawmakers/)



OK, we are all sorry for things that happened in the past. The end of slavery is celebrated with the "Juneteenth Holiday". With slavery coming to an end nearly one hundred and fifty years ago in the United States is anyone who was a slave actually alive today? If you ask me they would be the ones that deserve any reparations. While those alive today may have suffered due to discrimination and segregation many steps have been made to correct those wrongs. Through out our lives each and every one of us has been discriminated against. Whether it has been for disability, race, religion, political beliefs, the reasons for discrimination are endless.

The subject of reparations today is just rediculious. Is any one still alive that was actually a slave in this country? Is anyone who held slaves as property still alive? The Constitution of the United States protects against the families or in this case the descendants from paying for the activities of other family members or ancestors. Those who live in the past lead a sad, sad life and need to move on the current life. In my opinion the subject of reparations is a mute issue. No one is around that was wronged over slavery. Any descendant of slavery is a free viable member of society and is free to move about as they wish.

It would seem to me that now that we have an Afro-American President in the White House this issue needs to be put to rest for good. People need to move on, there are more important issues today.

What is more important?

I understand that the death of someone famous with a following is a news worthy event. The families and friends of those people suffer with loss and the pain of missing someone and not ever seeing them again in this lifetime. I am not heartless and I sympathize with the people dealing with loss.

What I do not understand is how one person can completely dominate news coverage. No one person is that important. There are issues that are more pressing. A vote is taking place in the U.S. House of Representatives today on an energy bill that will effect every one. Why can't I hear anything about that? This issue is important to everyone!

The life of a person is a important thing, but devoting 24 hour news coverage to one person is ridiculous. While the world is transfixed on this one person Congress is deciding how much we are going to pay for electricity. This is a more pressing issue on my life than whether a dead celebrity died of a drug overdose.