Before the scheduled Saturday vote to bring the Health Care Bill to the Senate floor, we need absolute assurances that if this bill is brought to the floor the majority leadership will not seek to pass this bill by reconciliation. If such assurances are not made, then don’t let this bill be sent to the Senate floor.
If this bill were to be passed by reconciliation, the country would be tore apart. The American public is already irate, because they feel legislators are not listening to them. Reconciliation would absolutely drive people up the walls. It would be like holding a lit match to tender. Reconciliation must not be even considered.
Signed,
The Electorate
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Health Care Bills are Travesties
The House and Senate health care bills are simply a redistribution of health care. The 85% of Americans who now have health care insurance will receive a lower quality of health care and will be forced to pay more for that health care. About half of those who do not have health care will receive mediocre health care. Approximately thirty million people will still not have health care coverage.
The purpose of health care reform was to provide high quality, lower costing health care to all. Instead, this country will spend trillions of dollars, which we do not have and can not afford, to reduce the quality of health care. We must also pay more for the privilege of receiving this inferior health care. We must submit to massive government controls and regulation of our health care. Why are those in Washington surprised that we think this is a really bad deal? Why can Washington not recognize that we do not want their health care bills? The American public is not stupid.
Neither the House’s health care bill nor the Senate’s health care bill deserves a single vote. They are travesties. They are massive spending and taxing bills. They gut Medicare. They will bankrupt this country.
I hope both Florida senators vote “No” on the Senate bill. If there is a joint bill I hope all three of my legislators vote against it. Do not force this monstrosity on your constituents and this country.
Signed,
The Electorate
The purpose of health care reform was to provide high quality, lower costing health care to all. Instead, this country will spend trillions of dollars, which we do not have and can not afford, to reduce the quality of health care. We must also pay more for the privilege of receiving this inferior health care. We must submit to massive government controls and regulation of our health care. Why are those in Washington surprised that we think this is a really bad deal? Why can Washington not recognize that we do not want their health care bills? The American public is not stupid.
Neither the House’s health care bill nor the Senate’s health care bill deserves a single vote. They are travesties. They are massive spending and taxing bills. They gut Medicare. They will bankrupt this country.
I hope both Florida senators vote “No” on the Senate bill. If there is a joint bill I hope all three of my legislators vote against it. Do not force this monstrosity on your constituents and this country.
Signed,
The Electorate
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Patriotism, an essay by a 14 year old son of an Army father
This essay was written by the son of one of my daughter's friends. He shows a real and touching meaning of patriotism as it defines his everyday life. We may give occasional thought to our troops whether stationed here or abroad, but frequently, forget about those on the home front helping them soldier on. In this essay, the son demonstrates not just love of his country but a profound love and respect for his father.
I have a big, virtual hug for you, sweetie. Young men like you are one of the reason's I'm proud to be an American. - The Electorate
PATRIOTISM
BY: H Peterson
Patriotism is the love of your homeland .It is also about the blood sweat and tears that are shed for it and the sacrifices that are made to keep it free. My father is in the military and has been away from home for 2 years. He comes home in December before Christmas this will be the first Christmas that we have had with him in that time. Patriotism is not always easy especially for military families. You can love your country and still struggle with the hard parts of that love.
Patriotism is more than just a word and only just a word until you see it in action. It’s the families left behind, the many moments you can’t get back, the holidays you miss and wishing for an end to fighting that will bring your parent home. It’s doing without because you know that why they are gone is important.
I am surrounded by people every day who can’t imagine being apart from their Dad for as long as we have, but could you imagine our country without people willing to do that to keep this nation free?
Patriots are the ones who are loyal to their country and stand up for what they believe in. No matter what branch of the military someone is in, we should make it clear that we are all thankful, even if some people don’t show it just know they are better off for what you do.
I have many friends and family members in different branches, the Marine Corp, the Air force and the Navy, they all have one thing in common, all of them sacrifice and so do their families. They have taught me pride and a sense of family.
We should honor our heroes at all times by keeping in mind that what they do doesn’t pay a lot; it has long hours and can be dangerous. When someone decides to support their military they also act like a patriot.
This is the link where his mom posted it on her blog: This Life is Not For Sissies: In the Words of My Son
I have a big, virtual hug for you, sweetie. Young men like you are one of the reason's I'm proud to be an American. - The Electorate
PATRIOTISM
BY: H Peterson
Patriotism is the love of your homeland .It is also about the blood sweat and tears that are shed for it and the sacrifices that are made to keep it free. My father is in the military and has been away from home for 2 years. He comes home in December before Christmas this will be the first Christmas that we have had with him in that time. Patriotism is not always easy especially for military families. You can love your country and still struggle with the hard parts of that love.
Patriotism is more than just a word and only just a word until you see it in action. It’s the families left behind, the many moments you can’t get back, the holidays you miss and wishing for an end to fighting that will bring your parent home. It’s doing without because you know that why they are gone is important.
I am surrounded by people every day who can’t imagine being apart from their Dad for as long as we have, but could you imagine our country without people willing to do that to keep this nation free?
Patriots are the ones who are loyal to their country and stand up for what they believe in. No matter what branch of the military someone is in, we should make it clear that we are all thankful, even if some people don’t show it just know they are better off for what you do.
I have many friends and family members in different branches, the Marine Corp, the Air force and the Navy, they all have one thing in common, all of them sacrifice and so do their families. They have taught me pride and a sense of family.
We should honor our heroes at all times by keeping in mind that what they do doesn’t pay a lot; it has long hours and can be dangerous. When someone decides to support their military they also act like a patriot.
This is the link where his mom posted it on her blog: This Life is Not For Sissies: In the Words of My Son
The True Cost of the Health Care Bill
Recently someone in the administration stated that accounting was not an exact science. Excuse me, it most certainly is an exact science – at least it is out here in the real world. Apparently in Washington it is not. The Senate’s new health care bill is a fine example of this.
It was announced that over ten years it would cost 849 billion dollars and would have a surplus of 127 billion dollars. This sounds good until you observe the creative accounting tricks that are used. The rules of mathematics are suspended in Washington. One does not have to equal one. It can equal anything that politicians desire. Mathematical facts are deliberately obscured in this new health care bill.
The bill is paid for by over 400 billion dollars in cuts in Medicare. Old people are not popular in Washington. Old people will remember this in the next elections. At some point politicians may decide that it is against their interest to make these cuts. The bill is also paid for by taxes, fines and fees. Do you remember that there is a recession going on in this country? Individuals and companies can not afford more taxes.
This bill is paid for by taxing Americans and slashing Medicare for ten years. The benefits are received for only six years – some parts for less than that. A true cost analysis should be for ten years of payment and ten years of program. It has been estimated that ten years of the program would cost 2.5 trillion dollars. Let’s stop comparing apples and oranges.
This bill does not address the doctor fix. This will cost an additional 250 – 300 billion dollars. Oops, there goes the surplus.
This bill applies another accounting trick. This bill greatly increases the number of people on Medicaid. The federal government only pays about half the costs of Medicaid. States are required to pay the rest. This is an unfunded state mandate. The public will have to pay higher taxes at the federal level and pay for it again at the state level.
Can we not at least be honest about what this bill will actually cost? Congress needs to stop trying to fool the public. This is a BAD bill. Please don’t vote for it.
Signed,
The Electorate
It was announced that over ten years it would cost 849 billion dollars and would have a surplus of 127 billion dollars. This sounds good until you observe the creative accounting tricks that are used. The rules of mathematics are suspended in Washington. One does not have to equal one. It can equal anything that politicians desire. Mathematical facts are deliberately obscured in this new health care bill.
The bill is paid for by over 400 billion dollars in cuts in Medicare. Old people are not popular in Washington. Old people will remember this in the next elections. At some point politicians may decide that it is against their interest to make these cuts. The bill is also paid for by taxes, fines and fees. Do you remember that there is a recession going on in this country? Individuals and companies can not afford more taxes.
This bill is paid for by taxing Americans and slashing Medicare for ten years. The benefits are received for only six years – some parts for less than that. A true cost analysis should be for ten years of payment and ten years of program. It has been estimated that ten years of the program would cost 2.5 trillion dollars. Let’s stop comparing apples and oranges.
This bill does not address the doctor fix. This will cost an additional 250 – 300 billion dollars. Oops, there goes the surplus.
This bill applies another accounting trick. This bill greatly increases the number of people on Medicaid. The federal government only pays about half the costs of Medicaid. States are required to pay the rest. This is an unfunded state mandate. The public will have to pay higher taxes at the federal level and pay for it again at the state level.
Can we not at least be honest about what this bill will actually cost? Congress needs to stop trying to fool the public. This is a BAD bill. Please don’t vote for it.
Signed,
The Electorate
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Health Care: Please Vote "No"
Soon you will face one of the most important votes that any senator has ever been asked to make. Will you place the health care of this nation into the hands of the federal government? Will you take our health care decisions out of our hands and place it into the hands of bureaucrats? At one fell swoop will you turn one-sixth of our economy over to Washington? Big government is not the answer. It has never been the answer. Frequently it is the problem.
Recently a government panel – with no radiologists or oncologists on this panel – decided that women over forty no longer needed yearly mammograms. This panel stated that mammograms are now only necessary every two to three years for women over fifty. The American Cancer Society and most doctors do not agree with the decision of this panel. Everyone knows that early detection of this disease is vital. Soon insurance will no longer pay for yearly mammograms. How many women will die as a result of this decision, if the decision is allowed to stand?
This is the kind of decision that bureaucrats make. They are only concerned with the bottom line. That is why our health care decisions need to remain in our hands and the hands of our chosen doctors. We do not want to be “cost effective”. We want to be healthy and alive.
Congress promised cheaper, high quality health care for all. The proposed bills deliver more expensive, lower quality health care which still does not cover thirty million people. The bills cut Medicare and create new taxes and fines. Take these plans back to the drawing board.
Your vote, especially on cloture, will help determine whether we will keep our health care under our control or if the federal government will take over and manage our health care. The federal government is not noted for its efficiency and the public dreads a government takeover. I ask that you vote to keep health care in the hands of the people.
Signed,
The Electorate
Recently a government panel – with no radiologists or oncologists on this panel – decided that women over forty no longer needed yearly mammograms. This panel stated that mammograms are now only necessary every two to three years for women over fifty. The American Cancer Society and most doctors do not agree with the decision of this panel. Everyone knows that early detection of this disease is vital. Soon insurance will no longer pay for yearly mammograms. How many women will die as a result of this decision, if the decision is allowed to stand?
This is the kind of decision that bureaucrats make. They are only concerned with the bottom line. That is why our health care decisions need to remain in our hands and the hands of our chosen doctors. We do not want to be “cost effective”. We want to be healthy and alive.
Congress promised cheaper, high quality health care for all. The proposed bills deliver more expensive, lower quality health care which still does not cover thirty million people. The bills cut Medicare and create new taxes and fines. Take these plans back to the drawing board.
Your vote, especially on cloture, will help determine whether we will keep our health care under our control or if the federal government will take over and manage our health care. The federal government is not noted for its efficiency and the public dreads a government takeover. I ask that you vote to keep health care in the hands of the people.
Signed,
The Electorate
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Happy Birthday to the US Marine Corps!
Special Birthday Message for the 234th Birthday of the Marine Corps
I wanted to send out a special Happy Birthday and a giant Thank You to all the members of our US Marine Corps and also to their families for all their sacrifices and support in defense of our great nation. Happy Birthday and Thank You!
If you see a Marine today, shake their hand (or hug them), and wish them a happy Corps birthday.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Congress Can Do Better
The health care reform bills now being considered in the House and Senate are monstrosities. We were told that health care would be cheaper; would be higher quality; and include everyone. The American public was skeptical – apparently rightly so. These huge convoluted bills do the exact opposite.
Health care will cost more. Insurance premiums will go up because of punitive taxes and fines. Taxes will go up to help pay for the program. The national debt will go up. The Congressional Budget Office states that the House bill costs more than projected. Both versions will cost more than projected, since all government programs exceed their projected costs. These bills are too expensive.
The government option will drive private insurance companies out of business. Private companies can not compete with the might and power of the federal government. They can not compete with the federal government financially. The government can tax, print, and borrow at will.
The quality of health care will go down. As the rolls of Medicare increase, its budget is being cut by five hundred billion dollars. Of course, this will affect the quality. These bills add more patients to our health care system, but the number of doctors remains constant. Some type of rationing will be necessary. The government decides what type of treatment is required to be covered or not be covered by insurances. The government, not the doctors, decides what treatment is acceptable and “cost effective” – goodbye old folks.
While more people are covered, by no means are all legal Americans covered. This goal too was not met.
These are poorly crafted, inadequate, undesirable bills. Health care goals are not met. Can not Congress write a bill that provides high quality, affordable, health care to more people and still maintains the doctor-patient relationship? This needs to be done in the private sector. Medicare and Medicaid are poorly run and do not provide high quality health care. Do not denigrate the health care system we currently have. Congress can do better.
Signed,
The Electorate
Health care will cost more. Insurance premiums will go up because of punitive taxes and fines. Taxes will go up to help pay for the program. The national debt will go up. The Congressional Budget Office states that the House bill costs more than projected. Both versions will cost more than projected, since all government programs exceed their projected costs. These bills are too expensive.
The government option will drive private insurance companies out of business. Private companies can not compete with the might and power of the federal government. They can not compete with the federal government financially. The government can tax, print, and borrow at will.
The quality of health care will go down. As the rolls of Medicare increase, its budget is being cut by five hundred billion dollars. Of course, this will affect the quality. These bills add more patients to our health care system, but the number of doctors remains constant. Some type of rationing will be necessary. The government decides what type of treatment is required to be covered or not be covered by insurances. The government, not the doctors, decides what treatment is acceptable and “cost effective” – goodbye old folks.
While more people are covered, by no means are all legal Americans covered. This goal too was not met.
These are poorly crafted, inadequate, undesirable bills. Health care goals are not met. Can not Congress write a bill that provides high quality, affordable, health care to more people and still maintains the doctor-patient relationship? This needs to be done in the private sector. Medicare and Medicaid are poorly run and do not provide high quality health care. Do not denigrate the health care system we currently have. Congress can do better.
Signed,
The Electorate
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Wrong Direction
I, as are many other Americans, am alarmed at the direction that this Congress and Administration is trying to take our country. The federal government seeks more and more power and control over the private sector and over our lives. Bigger government is not the answer. It is the problem. Our latest financial disaster was precipitated by the sub-prime mortgage collapse. The federal government was the primary cause of this crisis. The federal government not only encouraged these bad loans it required them, by Congressional acts. Banks would not have approved these unsound loans without the pressure from the federal government.
The strength of America does not lie in the federal government. The strength of America lies in the determination and ingenuity of its people. We do not want the government to give us “free stuff”. We only want the opportunity to work hard and use our talents to better our lives and the lives of our families. Big government is stifling us. Get out of our way and let us try to succeed. Thomas Jefferson once said that any government big enough to give you everything you want...is big enough to take everything you have. We do not want this type of government.
I honestly think that Congress knows we do not want these policies that they are seeking to force down our throats. That is why the bills are written in secret and then rushed through Congress. That is why they seek to pass them in a non-election year. They hope we will forget about what they have done. We will not forget.
If Congress continues to not represent us and our opinions, they will not represent us in the future.
The strength of America does not lie in the federal government. The strength of America lies in the determination and ingenuity of its people. We do not want the government to give us “free stuff”. We only want the opportunity to work hard and use our talents to better our lives and the lives of our families. Big government is stifling us. Get out of our way and let us try to succeed. Thomas Jefferson once said that any government big enough to give you everything you want...is big enough to take everything you have. We do not want this type of government.
I honestly think that Congress knows we do not want these policies that they are seeking to force down our throats. That is why the bills are written in secret and then rushed through Congress. That is why they seek to pass them in a non-election year. They hope we will forget about what they have done. We will not forget.
If Congress continues to not represent us and our opinions, they will not represent us in the future.
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