Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Showing posts with label Political Corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Political Corruption. Show all posts
Monday, August 06, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Budgetary Magic: Funding of Obamacare
From reading and listening to all the learned pundits it seems remarkable that no one has really ever tried to show in some concrete way how the 111 Congress and the Obama Administration were able to say with a straight face that they passed ObamaCare and balanced the budget all at the same time. Remember they wanted to give 43 million people health insurance and not increase the federal deficit... the problem was how to pay for it.
Here is how they were able to do it:
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Here is how they were able to do it:
- Make the drug companies reduce the prices of their drugs by $80 billion (coercision?)
- Take $500 million from Medicare and Indian health service (deception?)
- Force 300 million buy health insurance for $900 million (constitutional?) (tax)
- Increase payroll taxes
- Force 50 states to use Medicaid to subsidize the future regional health pools (constitutional?)
- Regulate the insurance industry to force them to reduce costs
- Force the insurance industry to accept more people
The CBO was able to certify that the budget would not be busted because ObamaCare was going to push all the costs to the states and citizens of this country which meant the cost to the federal government would not result in a deficit.. The only thing that the federal government will now pay is the cost of regulating the insurance industry and the enforcement efforts by the IRS.
The consequences of this White House and Congressional shell game was to shift the cost burden onto the shoulders of the citizens and the states. They did not reduce costs - they just rearranged the cost pools until the burden was off Uncle Sam. We will either pay for this legislation through payroll taxes, income taxes, or being forcibly required to pay for federally mandated health insurance's coverage which the consumer will have no choice except to write the check. The federal government will dictate everything - the cost of insurance, what will be covered by insurance policies, etc.
Eventually the insurance industry will no longer exist; we will be left with only the federal government selling us our insurance policies. I am not looking forward to the day that we have to stand in line to buy insurance policies like we have to purchase car tags.
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Monday, August 29, 2011
TERM LIMITS
TERM LIMITS
Barney Frank is the poster child for term limits in Congress.
2000: Frank called the concerns about Fannie and Freddie “overblown” claiming there was no federal liability whatsoever.
2002: Frank said “I do not regard Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as problems. I regard them as assets.”
2003: Frank opposed reforms saying he did not “regard Fannie and Freddie as problems.”
2004: With Fannie’s accounting scandal, Frank again insisted they were not in any crisis. “Even if the two went belly-up, he said, I think Wall Street will get over it.”
2008: Frank said the losses and foreclosures was the fault of Wall Street. “The private sector got us into this mess….the government has to get us out of it.”
2010: Frank is now supports abolishing Fannie and Freddie – a little late on seeing the problem.
Fresh eyes on a problem can usually see something that someone close to the problem overlook. Barney Frank obviously overlooked the problem year after year. If you feel this is an important issue please forward this email along with your own comments to your respective Representative/Senator and ask them for their opinion.
ABOLISH
I am also in favor of abolishing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac along with the retirement of old worn out politicians.
Friday, January 14, 2011
John Kerry Invokes Giffords’ Shooting to Push For “Clean Energy” Legislation…
Weasel Zippers » Blog Archive » John Kerry (D-Lurch) Invokes Giffords’ Shooting to Push For “Clean Energy” Legislation…: "Congresswoman ‘s Gabrielle Giffords’ (D-Ariz.) shooting in Tucson, Ariz., last weekend has brought up several questions about the partisan nature of our current political climate. But today Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said in a speech at the left-leaning policy think tank Center for American Progress that working in a bipartisan manner on infrastructure and clean energy could help overcome the “divisive political rhetoric” in the wake of the Tucson tragedy.
“In the weeks and months ahead, the real issue we need to confront isn’t just what role divisive political rhetoric may have played on Saturday — but it’s the violence divisive, overly simplistic dialogue does to our democracy every day,” Kerry said
“The frustrating reality is that our American political system is increasingly paralyzed and Balkanized into a patchwork of narrow interests that have driven the larger ‘national good’ far from the national dialogue altogether,” he said.
He added that while building and investing in America has always been a bi-partisan issue, currently “partisan paralysis” has kept us from rebuilding the infrastructure investment made through the years from politicians on both sides of the line.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
“In the weeks and months ahead, the real issue we need to confront isn’t just what role divisive political rhetoric may have played on Saturday — but it’s the violence divisive, overly simplistic dialogue does to our democracy every day,” Kerry said
“The frustrating reality is that our American political system is increasingly paralyzed and Balkanized into a patchwork of narrow interests that have driven the larger ‘national good’ far from the national dialogue altogether,” he said.
He added that while building and investing in America has always been a bi-partisan issue, currently “partisan paralysis” has kept us from rebuilding the infrastructure investment made through the years from politicians on both sides of the line.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Obama ready to deploy executive powers against GOP Hill | Washington Examiner
Obama ready to deploy executive powers against GOP Hill | Washington Examiner: "President Obama challenged congressional Republicans to embrace the 'shared responsibility' of governance even as the White House appears ready to use unilateral executive powers to battle Capitol Hill. With Republicans taking over the House and increasing their number in the Senate, Obama faces the possibility of having his agenda stalled with limited room to maneuver -- making for tough sledding in the two years leading up to his 2012 re-election bid.
In response, Obama is expected to make more frequent use of executive orders, vetoes, signing statements and policy initiatives that originate within the federal agencies to maneuver around congressional Republicans who are threatening to derail initiatives he has already put in place, including health care reforms, and to launch serial investigations into his administration's spending.
'There is going to be an effort on the president's part to use [executive powers] to satisfy his base and institutionalize what he can,' said John Kenneth White, professor of politics at the Catholic University of America.
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency begins regulating greenhouse gas emissions at some energy plants and factories -- a move Obama pushed for after his cap-and-trade environmental legislation stalled in Congress.
The move angered many Republicans, who are vowing to block the new regulations they say threatens the nation's fragile economic recovery and who objected to an end-run around the legislative process.
'It's unclear what recourse Republicans have, but I think you will see a lot of battles where Obama's nominees are held up over regulatory decisions that are not directly related,' said Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist and former Senate staffer. 'The legislative branch really feels they should control the laws that affect people.'
Obama said during his 2008 campaign that he wouldn't use signing statements, codicils presidents can attach to bills challenging
or refusing to enforce parts of a law, the way his predecessor, President George W. Bush, did. But since taking office, Obama issued signing statements on budgetary matters, foreign aid, commission appointments and more -- along with a memorandum promising to use 'restraint' whenever exercising that power.
The administration defended Obama's use of such powers, including making recess appointments, as a proper exercise of his authority and often as a response to Republican obstructionism. On signing statements, press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama used them to highlight 'what problems might be inherent in a piece of legislation, without asking that the federal government disallow or ignore congressional intent.'
Obama also hasn't hesitated to make policy through executive order, including freezing federal workers' pay, launching an investigation of the BP oil spill and cracking down on Somali outlaws.
'He is the manager in chief, and things like signing statements and however you thwart the will of Congress, sure -- there are lots of things that go on other than passing new laws and giving out money that are all part of managing this incredible enterprise,' said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution expert on the presidency.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
In response, Obama is expected to make more frequent use of executive orders, vetoes, signing statements and policy initiatives that originate within the federal agencies to maneuver around congressional Republicans who are threatening to derail initiatives he has already put in place, including health care reforms, and to launch serial investigations into his administration's spending.
'There is going to be an effort on the president's part to use [executive powers] to satisfy his base and institutionalize what he can,' said John Kenneth White, professor of politics at the Catholic University of America.
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency begins regulating greenhouse gas emissions at some energy plants and factories -- a move Obama pushed for after his cap-and-trade environmental legislation stalled in Congress.
The move angered many Republicans, who are vowing to block the new regulations they say threatens the nation's fragile economic recovery and who objected to an end-run around the legislative process.
'It's unclear what recourse Republicans have, but I think you will see a lot of battles where Obama's nominees are held up over regulatory decisions that are not directly related,' said Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist and former Senate staffer. 'The legislative branch really feels they should control the laws that affect people.'
Obama said during his 2008 campaign that he wouldn't use signing statements, codicils presidents can attach to bills challenging
or refusing to enforce parts of a law, the way his predecessor, President George W. Bush, did. But since taking office, Obama issued signing statements on budgetary matters, foreign aid, commission appointments and more -- along with a memorandum promising to use 'restraint' whenever exercising that power.
The administration defended Obama's use of such powers, including making recess appointments, as a proper exercise of his authority and often as a response to Republican obstructionism. On signing statements, press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama used them to highlight 'what problems might be inherent in a piece of legislation, without asking that the federal government disallow or ignore congressional intent.'
Obama also hasn't hesitated to make policy through executive order, including freezing federal workers' pay, launching an investigation of the BP oil spill and cracking down on Somali outlaws.
'He is the manager in chief, and things like signing statements and however you thwart the will of Congress, sure -- there are lots of things that go on other than passing new laws and giving out money that are all part of managing this incredible enterprise,' said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution expert on the presidency.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Importance of Issues - Rasmussen Reports™
Importance of Issues - Rasmussen Reports™: "With a new Congress scheduled to swing into action this week, the number of voters who rate the economy as a Very Important issue has reached its highest level since early August 2008.
A new national telephone survey finds that 87% of Likely U.S. Voters view the economy this way, well above the importance they place on any other issue on a list of 10 regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The new finding is up five points from 82% in late October and has consistently been the issue voters place the highest level of importance on since regular tracking began several years ago.
Republicans will have majority control of the House in the new session of Congress, and voters continue to trust the GOP more than Democrats on the issue of the economy as they have since June of last year.
Voters trust Republicans more on seven of 10 issues, with the two breaking even on the issue of health care which earns the second highest level of concern: 71% of voters describe it as a Very Important issue.
Separate polling finds that voters still strongly support repeal of the national health care law passed by Democrats last March, to update and in mid-December, a majority of voters for the first time since March said they believe the law will be repealed by the new Congress.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 29-30, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters now view government ethics and corruption as Very Important. For years, this issue fell just behind the economy, but since July it has taken the number three spot in terms of the level of importance voters attach to it.
Sixty-five percent (65%) regard taxes as Very Important, showing little change since early March 2009.
Voters give nearly as much weight to the issue of Social Security, which is seen as Very Important by 64%. This finding has shown little fluctuation for years now.
Americans are receptive to a proposal by President Obama’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission to increase the level of income taxable for Social Security, but most don’t like the idea of raising the retirement age.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters rate education as a Very Important issue, the lowest finding since early April.
Showing no change from the previous survey, 57% classify immigration as Very Important. Early last May, this issue jumped in terms of voter importance as the debate over Arizona’s immigration law began heating up.
Despite voter pessimism about the war on terror and the war in Afghanistan, just 54% of voters view the issue of national security and the war on terror as Very Important, the lowest level measured in months.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
A new national telephone survey finds that 87% of Likely U.S. Voters view the economy this way, well above the importance they place on any other issue on a list of 10 regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The new finding is up five points from 82% in late October and has consistently been the issue voters place the highest level of importance on since regular tracking began several years ago.
Republicans will have majority control of the House in the new session of Congress, and voters continue to trust the GOP more than Democrats on the issue of the economy as they have since June of last year.
Voters trust Republicans more on seven of 10 issues, with the two breaking even on the issue of health care which earns the second highest level of concern: 71% of voters describe it as a Very Important issue.
Separate polling finds that voters still strongly support repeal of the national health care law passed by Democrats last March, to update and in mid-December, a majority of voters for the first time since March said they believe the law will be repealed by the new Congress.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 29-30, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters now view government ethics and corruption as Very Important. For years, this issue fell just behind the economy, but since July it has taken the number three spot in terms of the level of importance voters attach to it.
Sixty-five percent (65%) regard taxes as Very Important, showing little change since early March 2009.
Voters give nearly as much weight to the issue of Social Security, which is seen as Very Important by 64%. This finding has shown little fluctuation for years now.
Americans are receptive to a proposal by President Obama’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission to increase the level of income taxable for Social Security, but most don’t like the idea of raising the retirement age.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters rate education as a Very Important issue, the lowest finding since early April.
Showing no change from the previous survey, 57% classify immigration as Very Important. Early last May, this issue jumped in terms of voter importance as the debate over Arizona’s immigration law began heating up.
Despite voter pessimism about the war on terror and the war in Afghanistan, just 54% of voters view the issue of national security and the war on terror as Very Important, the lowest level measured in months.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)