Some Common Sense Ideas #2, Regardless of What President Obama, His Czars (Such as Recently Resigned Green Jobs Advisor, Van Jones), & Other Supporters (Referred to as a Group as the “Nazis Without Brains” or “NWB”) Say.

Well, I can see from the prior comment, “Rational debate & discourse is sorely missed and it is the fault of the GOP & the GOP alone..” that I have gotten the attention of the NWB, & they are waking up (too bad that didn’t happen last November). It’s good they’re waking up, because that’s my intent. But, just to show there’s no hard feelings, I want to personally invite the NWB to leave that group & join the Thinking People. That starts w/a discussion of the issues, which was not done much above. That’s part of the NWB strategy-distraction.

But, before we get into the issues, let’s check the scoreboard.

“WASHINGTON (AP) -- Public disapproval of President Barack Obama's handling of health care has leaped to 52 percent, according to Associated Press-GfK poll… Just 42 percent approve of the president's work on the high-profile health issue…[and] Obama's marks are also declining on the economy, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of how he's handled that issue.” [Alan Fram, Associated Press Writer, 9/9/09]. Do these figures tell you anything about your guy’s performance?

The economy is really issue #1 for most people. As you recall, President Obama & his buds assured us that spending (wasting) trillions of dollars would keep the unemployment rate below 8%. Let’s check on that.
“The nation's unemployment rate surged to a 26-year high of 9.7 percent last month as employers slashed jobs in nearly every corner of the economy…. In a broader measure of the job malaise facing most Americans, a measure of unemployment that includes workers who are too discouraged to keep looking for jobs and those working part-time who would rather have full-time jobs rose to a record 16.8 percent from 16.3 percent in July.”[The Washington Times on line 9/4/09].
The problem is that President Obama and the Democrats believe in wasteful spending, not to help the economy, but to gain power.
Things such as pouring billions of dollars into the car companies & other companies, to keep special interests (e.g., unions) happy will serve to significantly decrease the chances of any recovery. (I completely favor workers having the right to legally organize into unions, as they now do.) A quick, orderly Chapter 11 (Reorganization) Bankruptcy is preferable. Other examples of wasteful spending that only serve to increase the Federal deficit are: a project to convert signs in Interstate 19 south of Tucson back into miles, in Portland, Oregon, a plan to spend another $1 million on covered garages for people's bicycles, the City of Redmond, Washington wants to spend $11 million to build a bridge connecting two adjacent portions of Microsoft headquarters, an earmark of $200,000 for gang tattoo removal in Southern California, Senator Tom Harkin's nearly $2 million earmarked for swine odor research in Iowa, Harry Reid’s $350 Billion train from Southern California to Las Vegas, etc.

The wasteful spending has got to stop. It does not promote long term job growth & decreases the chance of any recovery, and yes, by increasing the Federal deficit burdens our children & grandchildren.

Small businesses traditionally have created over 60% of the new jobs in this country. At this time, President Obama and Democrats in Congress are considering these taxes/costs/additional expenses on small businesses:

1) Higher income taxes;
2) Higher energy costs; &
3) In the case of those small businesses which do not already provide health insurance, increased costs for health insurance. (There are a lot of people who would much rather have & keep a job, than get government required health insurance for awhile & then lose their job because their small business employer has been forced out of business.)

The above would:

a) Decrease the likelihood that the small business owners would hire new workers; and

b) Decrease the money that the families of the people that would not be hired would have to spend; w/a continued negative multiplier effect, w/the net result of decreasing employment, spending, growth, & (decreasing or destroying) any chance of recovery.

Instead of imposing these new taxes/costs/additional expenses on small businesses, those should all be eliminated (decreased in the case of income taxes) in favor of additional tax deductions and credits to encourage hiring new workers, R & D, decreasing the costs of producing goods so more can be sold domestically and exported.

We need to stop the wasteful spending & especially help small businesses and all businesses so that we can get people working again. As the experts are now saying: “How do you put together a consumer economy that works when the consumers are out of work?” “No Recovery in Sight” by Bob Herbert N.Y. Times staff writer.

It’s a huge mistake to not allow drilling for oil wherever reasonable in this country, as long as we still need it, & for now we do, & subject to strict environment protections. By opposing that, in one fell swoop, President Obama is:
a) Decreasing Federal Tax Revenues
b) Decreasing State Tax Revenues for some states;
c) Decreasing employment in this country
d) Increasing money flowing out of this country to other countries,
e) & in some cases we strongly suspect, increasing the flow of money to terrorists who want to kill us.

‘One of his [Obama’s] early moves was to delay the implementation of a new plan for the Minerals Management Service that would include new leasing rules, an act that kicks the offshore drilling can even further down the road. Obama's Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has also canceled plans to drill on lands in Wyoming and Utah. [Detroit news.com 4/16/09]

We need reasonable health care reform. We cannot afford the Democrats’ plans of which Douglas Elmendorf, Director of CBO has stated are likely to lead to higher, not lower, medical spending overall. "A patient-centered health-care reform begins with individual ownership of insurance policies and leverages Health Savings Accounts, a low-premium, high-deductible alternative to traditional insurance that includes a tax-advantaged savings account. It allows people to purchase insurance policies across state lines and reduces the number of mandated benefits insurers are required to cover. It reallocates the majority of Medicaid spending into a simple voucher for low-income individuals to purchase their own insurance. And it reduces the cost of medical procedures by reforming tort liability laws." ["How to Fix the Health-Care 'Wedge'" by Arthur B. Laffer, WSJ.com 8/5/09] Low-income individuals would need additional governmental monetary assistance for deductibles. Lower premiums would enable most individuals to pay deductibles, & there would be no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. There are other possibilities, provided they do not include a government option. A government option would eventually destroy all other (private) options, & the government option would become the only option.]

Health care reform must not include death panels or death encouraging. Section 1233 of HR 3200, the Democrat’s main healthcare reform measure under consideration, mandates “Advance Care Planning Consultation”, & even suggests possible ways to allow a person to die. For example, “antibiotics”…”artificially administered nutrition and hydration” [water] can be withheld “among other items” [HR 3200 page 430]. The preceding would “open the door” to the Federal Government issuing regulations authorizing specified individuals to make life or death decisions about people in the health care system.
The booklet , "Your Life, Your Choices..." which, as of July 2, 2009, the VA under President Obama specifically told health care practitioners to refer veterans to is intended to steer/pressure veterans to death, and that is unconscionable.
One of the Instructions, which attempts to push them over the edge (to death) as follows:

"If you checked 'worth living, but just barely' for more than one factor, would a combination of these factors make your life 'not worth living?' If so, which factors?"

There is no question that President Obama and some (but not all) Democrats want to pressure people to “choose death”, & that is outrageous.

We should not, as taxpayers, pay for the health insurance of the 12 Million illegal aliens in the U.S. HR 3200 provides for that, & we definitely cannot afford it, and it is definitely the intent of the Democrats. The Democrats defeated a proposed bill by the Republicans that would have expressly prohibited that.

I just don’t believe that the majority of Americans want their President always apologizing for the country, buddying up to Iran as its government slaughters their own people on the streets (& on TV), or prosecuting members of the CIA who were working to, and did, save many lives.

The course that this country is on must be changed, before it crashes on the rocks. I welcome discussion.

Another American Patriot For Preserving America

Some Common Sense Ideas, Regardless of What President Obama, His Czars (Such as Recently Resigned Green Jobs Advisor, Van Jones), & Other Supporters (Referred to as a Group as the “Nazis Without Brains” or “NWB”) Say.

This article covers these topics:

1) Items that should NOT be part of Health Care Reform; &
2) Items that SHOULD be part of Health Care Reform.
3) Health Care, 'Death Book' for Veterans, & Other Information
4) The President’s Proposed 9/8/09 Speech to Students

1) Items that should NOT be part of Health Care Reform:

a) A “government option” (which is contained in the Democrats’ proposals) that can drive private insurers out of business, either by cutting reimbursements or peeling away subscribers currently enrolled in private insurance plans, can’t be part of healthcare reform. A government option would not encourage competition, but would destroy it.

Supporters of the government option argue that required preventive services would help offset the huge cost increases associated with the government option. However, in his 8/7/09 letter (to U.S. Congressman Nathan Deal) Douglas Elmendorf, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) states, “Although different types of preventive care have different effects on spending, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall.”

b) Health Care Reform must not include a “government option” which necessarily includes rationing (death panels are part of rationing). Section 1233 of HR 3200, the Democrat’s main healthcare reform measure under consideration, mandates “Advance Care Planning Consultation”, & even suggests possible ways to allow a person to die. For example, “antibiotics”…”artificially administered nutrition and hydration” [water] can be withheld “among other items” [HR 3200 page 430]. The preceding would “open the door” to the Federal Government issuing regulations authorizing specified individuals to make life or death decisions about people in the health care system.

c) We should not, as taxpayers, pay for the health insurance of the 12 Million illegal aliens in the U.S. HR 3200 provides for that, & we definitely cannot afford it.

b) Health Care Reform must not include a “trigger”, which would install a “government option” if certain standards are not met within a certain time period. This basically ensures a “government option”, & the destruction of all choice.

2) Items that SHOULD be part of Health Care Reform:

a) Tort Reform. As a very first step we must have meaningful liability & lawsuit reform. There should be reasonable limits on the amounts of damages people can sue for (for example $500,000), keeping in mind that a trial attorney may retain a portion of what the patient recovers.
A big chunk of the cost of health care is costly and exhaustive testing doctors resort to because their lawyers advise them to “cover their backsides” and a surgeon may pay $200,000 or more per year for malpractice insurance. Without Tort Reform, Health Care Reform is not really reform at all, but is Health Care Fraud, & a way of funneling tax money to trial attorneys.
b) We need to adopt the Republican proposals to further improve the existing health care system in the U.S by providing people with tax benefits to offset their costs, medical savings accounts, & maintain the private (with absolutely no government) health care delivery system, with a private “pool” (so patients & small businesses may unite with the purchasing power of millions) and health-care cooperatives w/coverage for everyone, including those w/ pre-existing conditions, & those who lose their jobs & their health insurance with it. For those who truly cannot pay the premiums, the Federal Government should pay.
[Another excellent alternative: "A patient-centered health-care reform begins with individual ownership of insurance policies and leverages Health Savings Accounts, a low-premium, high-deductible alternative to traditional insurance that includes a tax-advantaged savings account. It allows people to purchase insurance policies across state lines and reduces the number of mandated benefits insurers are required to cover. It reallocates the majority of Medicaid spending into a simple voucher for low-income individuals to purchase their own insurance. And it reduces the cost of medical procedures by reforming tort liability laws." ["How to Fix the Health-Care 'Wedge'" by Arthur B. Laffer, WSJ.com 8/5/09] Low-income individuals would need additional governmental monetary assistance for deductibles. Lower premiums would enable most individuals to pay deductibles, & there would be no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. There are other possibilities, such as pools and/or non-profit insurers, provided they do not include a government option. A government option would eventually destroy all other (private) options, & the government option would become the only option.]

c) We must allow consumers to purchase health care insurance across state lines as a further way of increasing competition & driving down health care costs

3) Health Care, 'Death Book' for Veterans, & Other Information

This concerns the VA (under President Obama) basically encouraging certain veterans to hurry-up-and-die. "This hurry-up-and-die message is clear and unconscionable. Worse, a July 2009 VA directive instructs its primary care physicians to raise advance care planning with all VA patients and to refer them to "Your Life, Your Choices." Not just those of advanced age and debilitated condition—all patients. America's 24 million veterans deserve better." "After the Bush White House took a look at how this document was treating complex health and moral issues, the VA suspended its use. Unfortunately, under President Obama, the VA has now resuscitated 'Your Life, Your Choices.'" [Bill Towey WSJ.com 8/19/09].

It is suggested that you read:

The WSJ article, &

The actual page from "Your Life, Your Choices..." which, as of July 2, 2009, the VA specifically told health care practitioners to refer veterans to [per Foxnews.com 8/23/09 Transcript referred to below]. That page is intended to steer/pressure veterans to death by asking about such things as: "get around in a wheelchair", "can no longer contribute to my family's well being", "I live in a nursing home", "I cannot seem to 'shake the blues', and more.

Then for the questions there is a section headed "Life like this would be:" & the options include, but are not limited to:

"worth living, but just barely", &
"not worth living".

But wait, there's more. If a veteran was maybe on the edge of deciding whether he or she (after serving our country) wanted to live or die, look under "Instructions" for one of the Instructions, which attempts to push them over the edge (to death) as follows:

"If you checked 'worth living, but just barely' for more than one factor, would a combination of these factors make your life 'not worth living?' If so, which factors?"

And just to seal the deal (or should I say "put another nail in the coffin"?) the VA follows that up with "If you checked 'not worth living," does this mean that you would rather die than be kept alive?" All this is on the referenced actual form.

Also see:

• Transcript: 'Death Book' Debate on 'FOX News Sunday' - FOX News Sunday ...

'FNS' Interview: Transcript: 'Death Book' Debate on 'FOX News Sunday', Does Department of Veterans Affairs counsel former soldiers on end-of-life issues?
o www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,541820,00.html

Former Governor Sarah Palin has excellent information on death panels on her "Face Book" site.

If you are so inclined, please feel free to forward this to all people interested in protecting good & decent people from being pressured into choosing death, & especially to our great veterans. If this isn't stopped this could be the fate of veterans under the above, & the fate of all of the rest of us under President Obama's Health Care Plan. For example, Health Care Reform must not include a “government option” which necessarily includes rationing (death panels are part of rationing). Section 1233 of HR 3200, the Democrat’s main healthcare reform measure under consideration, mandates “Advance Care Planning Consultation”, & even suggests possible ways to allow a person to die. For example, “antibiotics”…”artificially administered nutrition and hydration” [water] can be withheld “among other items” [HR 3200 page 430]. The preceding would “open the door” to the Federal Government issuing regulations authorizing specified individuals to make life or death decisions about people in the health care system. You can see why the “Nazis Without Brains” or “NWB” love this stuff.

4) The President’s Proposed 9/8/09 Speech to Students

For more information, please see my main information source, FoxNews.com. I sent the following to President Barrack Obama at his official web site: WhiteHouse.gov :

“I deeply resent your attempts to indoctrinate our children to support you politically. In advance of your September 8, 2009 address to students, the Department of Education, apparently with your approval, had offered educators "classroom activities" to coincide with your message. Students in grades pre-K-6, for example, were encouraged to "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals."
Teachers were also given guidance to tell students to "build background knowledge about the president of the United States by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama."
During the speech, "teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful."
For grades 7-12, the Department of Education suggested teachers prepare by excerpting quotes from Obama's speeches on education for their students to contemplate -- and ask questions such as "Why does President Obama want to speak with us today? How will he inspire us? How will he challenge us?"
Activities suggested for after the speech include asking students "what resonated with you from President Obama's speech? What lines/phrase do you remember?"
It is my understanding that after a significant public outcry, the Department of Education has modified its suggested lesson plans. However, your intent is clear – the indoctrination of our children toward your socialist and/or communist (e.g., see the speeches of your recently resigned green jobs advisor, Van Jones) goals. That is just as unconscionable for you to do now as it was for Adolf Hitler and his Hitler Youth program.

The speech should only include legitimate topics, including, but not necessarily limited to, working hard, staying in school, & not taking drugs.”

Another American Patriot For Preserving America

Here is what I want: reasonable access to quality health care that is reasonably affordable and reduces government & insurance company bureaucracy and provides choice of providers. Now that the pols have a reasonable goal which presupposes universality and elimination of pre-existing conditions, they can gather all the groups together and say, "we may never build this, but as a practical matter in understanding health reform, lets try to build this." The only rule is that everyone will have to do one thing differently, change the way we do one thing to improve it and sacrafice one thing currently in place...do, change and sacrafice at least one thing to make this a better system for everyone.