brookfield7

No Global Warming: One less thing to worry about? Don't count on it

2009-11-25T09:07:00.005-06:00

Last week, hackers broke into the computers at Britain's Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia. This was important because the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change uses the CRU as their source for data.

The hackers then posted over 1,000 emails and 72 documents on the internet revealing how the CRU was suppressing data that showed there was no warming of the planet:

"Those e-mails involved communication among many scientific researchers and policy advocates with similar ideological positions all across the world. Those purported authorities were brazenly discussing the destruction and hiding of data that did not support global-warming claims."

The British press is up in arms over this. Brits are, after all, ahead of us on the Carbon Tax parade. In the U.S., there has not been much coverage.

In fact, as far as President Obama is concerned, it seems it is global warming business as usual.

Despite this huge nail in the global warming coffin hitting the press last week Thursday, President Obama still met with Indian and Chinese leaders this week, to coax them "one step closer" to climate deal:

"US President Barack Obama said Tuesday the world has moved 'one step closer' to a 'strong operational agreement' on climate change at next month's Copenhagen summit after his talks with Indian and Chinese leaders."

And Obama is still planning on attending the beginning of that U.N. climate meeting in Copenhagen.

Why? Global Warming is big business and can be used to control people's behaviors.

"Obama has made climate change a top priority of his administration..." The President still wants Cap and Trade to pass early next year.

In light of this new information, that the planet isn't warming, one would hope the push for taxing and controlling carbon emissions would be halted.

American scientist John Christy was was criticized in the hacked emails for asking that IPCC reports include dissenting points of view. He said, "It's disconcerting to realize that legislative actions [Cap and Trade] this nation is preparing to take, and which will cost trillions of dollars, are based upon a view of climate that has not been completely scientifically tested."

Disconcerting indeed. If only our President would check the Drudge Report once in a while!

More Reading: Climate Emails Stoke Debate, Scientists' Leaked Correspondence Illustrates Bitter Feud Over Global Warming

Hiding evidence of global cooling, Junk science exposed among climate-change believers

Global Warming with the Lid Off, The emails that reveal an effort to hide the truth about climate science

The Day Global Warming Stood Still

How the global warming industry is based on one MASSIVE lie (The Hockey Stick exposed)

Links: Practically Speaking, Fairly Conservative, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

Defeating ObamaCare isn't about inflicting punishment!

2009-11-23T10:12:00.005-06:00

Late Saturday night, I checked Drudge to see if there was any news on the Senate healthcare procedure vote and found Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle. The opening paragraph revealed a strong media bias. (My emphasis throughout):

"Invoking the memory of Edward M. Kennedy, Democrats united Saturday night to push historic health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. There was not a vote to spare."

The article then quoted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's absurd comparison that the Republicans trying to squelch debate on his health care bill was like preventing debate on ending slavery or granting the right to vote!

"Imagine if, instead of debating whether to abolish slavery, instead of debating whether giving women and minorities the right to vote, those who disagreed had muted discussion and killed any vote," Reid said. (By the way, Republicans championed abolition.)

Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell summed up the real reason for opposing Reid's ObamaCare. McConnell "said the vote was anything but procedural -- casting it as a referendum on the bill itself, which he said would raise taxes, cut Medicare and create a 'massive and unsustainable debt.'"

The bill does create MASSIVE and UNSUSTAINABLE DEBT. That is the REAL reason for opposing ObamaCare, not to just deliver a defeat to the president! Someone has to be the grownup here and say, no. Bottom line is, we cannot afford this legislation.

By the way, Sen. Mary Landrieu corrected the perception her vote was purchased for $100 million in aid to her state; it was really $300 million! She held out for a better deal.

It is ironic that Harry Reid views his health care legislation in terms of abolishing slavery or granting rights when in reality it will*:

Create 3,425 new mandates for individuals and businesses
New mandates will be managed by 111 NEW bureaucracies
Creates massive and unsustainable debt
Fails to cover 12 million Americans
Costs closer to $2.3 trillion over 10 years; $6.4 trillion if impact on private sector is factored in
Mandates taxpayer funded abortion

Does that sound like abolishing slavery or re-instituting it?

Opposing ObamaCare isn't about inflicting a punishing defeat on the President; it's about preventing bureaucratic entanglements and an unsustainable debt-load on the American people.

Given that most Americans do not support this type of health care reform, it is becoming more and more evident that we no longer have a representative government. We do, however, have the best government pork can buy. Heaven help us.

*Statistics from Vicki McKenna's show today
More reading: The Impending Obama Borrow and Spend Disaster
Most See No Upside to Health Care Reforms
Past Post: Being "stubborn as a mule" can be a good thing

It's Health Care "Let's Make a Deal:" Call Senators! They vote Saturday

2009-11-19T21:45:00.015-06:00

Don't you love it? The rumor was, not to worry, healthcare was dead in the senate. Oh, by the way, they will begin proceedings at 10am and take a vote on a motion to proceed to debate* (cloture), at 8pm this Saturday! And the arm-twisting is in full force.

Arm twisting? Yup. Can you tell me what a $100 million dollar Medicaid subsidy for "certain states recovering from a major disaster" has to do with a health care bill?

Plenty, if you must have Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu's support to make ObamaCare fly. Cloture on the motion to proceed requires 60 votes. Sen. Harry Reid needs her. From ABC News: (My emphasis)

"Here's a case study [on arm twisting]: On page 432 of the Senate bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for "certain states recovering from a major disaster.. ...that it would be states that 'during the preceding 7 fiscal years' have been declared a 'major disaster area.'

ABC News has been told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill."

Other arms are being twisted too.

Republicans threaten to filibuster. In fact, "Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., has threatened to use a procedural move that would require Senators to read the entire health care bill before voting for it."

That's great! It not only will stall the progress but also make sure that the senators actually read the thing. You can too, the full bill is available here - and its word search-able.

Here are just a few items in the Reid version of ObamaCare:

subsidizes abortion
has a public option
removes $500 Billion from Medicare (already about $40Trillion in debt and insolvent by 2017)
increases Medicare payroll taxes
includes a 40% excise tax on plans over $8,500 single and $23,000 family/year
raises taxes by $276 Billion

The Senate version does not include the $210 Billion Doc Fix. (The House just approved Doc Fix which adds to the deficit.)

Don't believe for a minute that Reid's ObamaCare bill will reduce the deficit. Sen. Judd Gregg calculates it as $2.5 Trillion over 10 years**.

How can it reduce the deficit with things like this? "It would also provide subsidies to households with less than $88,000 income to buy health insurance. " Well, at least I can get some financial aid for our health insurance! But seriously, why is the government helping families with incomes so far above the national average?

WHAT CAN WE DO? CALL 6 SENATORS

Mark Levin urged his listeners Thursday night to call 4 key Senators, 3 of which were noted in the article: "Moderate Democrats who have expressed their reservations with the broad strokes, including Landrieu, Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, also met with Reid. " Levin added Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana.

True, they aren't our Senators, but he made a good point akin to this: If the office aid tells you you can't lobby the senator because you are out of state, politely reply that this vote effects you. If the senator votes for it, you may support their opponent in the next election. In addition, why is it OK that Senator Reid is able to lobby them or President Obama, but you can't?

What do you have to lose by making 6 phone calls? Nothing. Plenty, if you don't do it.
Wisconsin's Senators

Senator Russ Feingold (202) 224-5323

Senator Herb Kohl (202) 224-5653

I don't trust that Cap and Trade is dead for now either. When I called Feingold and Kohls' offices Thursday, I urged them both to vote against health care in any form and cap and trade. I also voiced my outrage over the 9/11 terrorists being tried in civil court.

Call the other 4 key Senators:

Mary Landrieu of Louisiana

202-224-5824

Ben Nelson of Nebraska

202-224-6551

Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas

202-224-4843

Evan Bayh of Indiana

202-224-5623

Look up your Senator here

*For clarification purposes, this sentence was changed a bit. The CNN link should shed some light on what to expect.

**Senator Judd Gregg: True Cost of Democrats' Health Care Bill is at least $2.5 Trillion and another $4 Trillion that would come out of the private economy over 10 years. Total? $6.4 TRILLION

Bad News Friday or what will Obama dump on us today?

2009-11-19T11:37:00.004-06:00

It seems every week there is some new policy change, gaffe, apology for America, or assault on liberty coming from President Obama or his administration. If you have been paying attention, you've noticed how many times the bad news is delivered on a Friday. It is very wearing.

It must be getting to other people too. On Wednesday, Nov. 18th, two related opinion pieces from Monica Crowley, A 'What now?' presidency, The endless series of unfathomable decisions and Karl Rove, The Permanent Campaign Continues , The KSM trial announcement was too important for a Friday news dump, summed up what I and other Americans are feeling. Both are worth reading in their entirety.

What is interesting to me is that they follow a similar format: They each list Obama's bad decisions in chronological order. The only real difference is that Rove supplies dates--all on Fridays.

A friend and I were just talking about this very thing: The Obama Presidency is wearing us out! Monica Crowley must have been listening in on that conversation. She wrote:

"Over the past 10 months, President Obama has subjected the country to a grueling and dizzying whirligig ride. Every day brings a new outrage, failure, resignation, scandalous revelation, incompetence, untruth, laughable spin and, most important, horrifyingly bad policy.

You cannot open a newspaper, go to a news Web site, or turn on cable news without seeing a new story that is more appalling than the last. Just when you think you've heard it all from Team Obama, the next day brings another jaw-dropper.

The man is exhausting."

As for Karl Rove's piece, today is Friday... what's the bad news for today? I don't know yet.

As for permanent campaign mode, last night, Drudge posted this revealing quote from President Obama addressing our troops in South Korea*: "You guys make a pretty good photo op." Unbelievable.

*The photo op article is about Obama's failure to make a decision on Afghanistan before Thanksgiving. I can't imagine why he is waiting. Could it be he's waiting for his health care bill to pass first so as to not alienate some Democrats?

Good Grief, President Obama, The Buck Stops With YOU

2009-11-18T10:22:00.009-06:00

President Harry Truman often said, "The buck stops here." He even had a little plaque that sat on his desk in the Oval Office, bearing that motto. It served as a great reminder that he was ultimately responsible for what went on in his administration. Truman said, "The President—whoever he is—has to decide. He can't pass the buck to anybody. No one else can do the deciding for him. That's his job."

Fast forward 60 years to the Obama administration. We have a president who doesn't seem to realize he is the man at the helm; he is responsible.

Today's latest Obama news from Beijing, China made me see red: Obama: Too much debt could fuel double-dip recession:

"President Barack Obama gave his sternest warning yet about the need to contain rising U.S. deficits, saying on Wednesday that if government debt were to pile up too much, it could lead to a double-dip recession."

..."It is important though to recognize if we keep on adding to the debt, even in the midst of this recovery, that at some point, people could lose confidence in the U.S. economy in a way that could actually lead to a double-dip recession," Obama said.

Unbelievable.

True, the debt is piling up. Lookie Mr. Obama! Click the link to see the Federal Budget Deficit as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product at a glance. The graph shows this year's amount of 9.9% is over 3 times that of last year's. (That would be President Bush's deficit, a level that alarmed conservatives like me.)

But with all due respect to the office of the president, who do you think pushed/is pushing for all that deficit spending? Obama said the Stimulus was absolutely necessary to prevent unemployment from going above 9%; it is currently at 10.2%--more realistically, it's over 17%. (The Stimulus jobs haven't even been created.) Who took over GM? Who is pushing for Cap and Trade? Who is saying we must reform health care even though it carries an unsustainable price tag?

If the President is looking for someone to blame, he can just look in the mirror. The buck stops there.

Brookfield 2010 Budget: Public hearing and vote tonight, 7:45pm

2009-11-17T08:13:00.007-06:00

The City of Brookfield is voting on the proposed 2010 budget tonight. There is a short public hearing segment on the budget at the beginning of that meeting. This is your chance to voice a concern. The Hearing/Council Meeting will begin at 7:45pm, in Common Council Chambers at Brookfield's City Hall. Agenda/Alderman Packet (Thanks Fairly Conservative)

There are certain city services most of us would agree are necessities, regardless of cost. You know, police and fire protection, keeping roads in good condition, maintaining city utilities, etc.

As for the niceties, things like bike paths, sidewalks on one or both sides of the street, boulevard plantings, faux painted retaining walls, etc., one change I would love to see is that a price tag be attached to these unnecessary expenditures. Price tag being defined as the total cost and cost per average household for initial expenditure and yearly maintenance.

It is very easy to say, yes, I like having the boulevards planted with grass, trees and flowers, or faux field stone retaining walls, or paved sidewalks/bike paths. But what are the yearly costs associated with maintaining the plantings? How about the faux painted retaining walls? How much does path snow plowing cost?

I know this is small potatoes, but as we see these types boulevard plantings becoming more commonplace, know that the cost is not just for the initial installation, but in the maintaining. Ongoing nicety maintenance payroll costs are a concern to me.

In times of plenty, maybe we can afford these niceties. But in a troubled economy, where people are unemployed or underemployed, any increase in their property tax bill is a hardship. Commercial property owners also have a tough time paying their taxes in bad times. When the mall owner has vacancies, they can become delinquent taxpayers.

Creating labor intensive niceties is creating a larger dragon as they say, and that dragon must be fed in the lean times too.

We can play all sorts of bookkeeping magic to make the 2010 budget (bottom pp4) look like it is less than last year's, but the bottom line for me is, are my property taxes going up this year as compared to last year's bill?

2010 Proposed Budget
Summary of City fund budgets
Tax Levies and Rates
General operating fund budget summary

Finance Committee Amendments

Mayor's budget calls for 2.4% rise in levy

Oh My! A Lib blog thanks and apologizes to Bush and Chaney?

2009-11-12T11:13:00.003-06:00

It is amazing to me that President Obama's approval numbers are still around 47%, when so many supporters are showing signs of voter's remorse.

Obviously, the President has lost his invincible, I'll solve it all, image, and many people are quietly changing their minds about him. But rarely do we see a turn around such as this one from a Pro-Hillary Clinton blog written by some gay guys in Chicago!*

Read this amazing post from their HillBuzz blog. Thank you former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush Here are some highlights:

"If you have been reading us for any length of time, you know that we used to make fun of 'Dubya' [Bush] nearly every day…

"Oh, how we RAILED against Bush in 2000…and how we RAILED against the surge in support Bush received post-9/11 when he went to Ground Zero and stood there with his bullhorn in the ruins on that hideous day."

"We were convinced that ANYONE who was president would have done what Bush did..."

"Well, we told you before how much the current president, Dr. Utopia [Obama], made us realize just how wrong we were about Bush. We shudder to think what Dr. Utopia would have done post-9/11. He would have not gone there with a bullhorn and struck that right tone. More likely than not, he would have been his usual fey, apologetic self and waxed professorially about how evil America is and how justified Muslims are for attacking us, with a sidebar on how good the attacks were because they would humble us. ...The world needed George W. Bush, his bullhorn, and his indomitable spirit that day…and we will forever be grateful to this man for that."

"As we will always be grateful for what George and Laura Bush did this week, with no media attention, when they very quietly went to Ft. Hood and met personally with the families of the victims of this terrorist attack."

The post brings up how the Obamas should have gone to Ft. Hood, but didn't. It took President Obama 5 days to go visit the victims, and it seems to me, that was only prompted because he was speaking at the memorial service.

"Thank goodness George W. is still on his watch, with wonderful Laura at his side."

"We are blessed as a nation to have these two out there…"

"And we are blessed to have Dick Cheney, wherever he is, keeping tabs on all that’s going on and speaking out when the current administration does anything too reckless and dangerous."

"Cheney’s someone else we villainized and maligned in the past who we were also wrong about....There has never been a Vice President more spot-on right about the dangers facing this country from Islamic terrorism."

"Thank you for your service, Mr. President. We’re sorry we didn’t appreciate you while you were in office, but we thank Heaven we’ve wised up and can see the good you are out there doing, under the radar, today."

Others are realizing You don't know what you've got 'till its gone! From the UK Telegraph, Bloodless President Barack Obama makes Americans wistful for George W Bush:

"In a sign that the Obama honeymoon truly is over, I began to hear this week the first stirrings of a wistfulness about Mr Bush. "I never thought I'd hear myself say it," one Democrat told me. 'But Obama makes you feel that at least with Bush you knew where he was on something.'"

If I have learned one thing blogging, it is that if you wait long enough, you will find common ground with those on the opposite side of the political spectrum. I just never expected I would find so much common ground on a Hillary blog. I think HillBuzz has found a new reader!

Other HillBuzz posts I found of interest: Thursday Open Thread, advocates lower taxes, smaller govt. and abolishing ACORN, among other things.
The latest ridiculous attack on Sarah Palin in Chicago: Oprah's audience complains they didn't get any free books
Why can't Jill Biden take Mrs. Utopia [Obama] shopping sometime? "...one of the biggest breaks Mrs. Utopia caught in 2008 is when Mr. Blackwell died. That man could have filled one of his Worst Ever lists with things the current First Lady has worn this week, alone. "
Republicans would be smart to blame Dr. Utopia on the media - and in particular, Oprah

* Thanks, Jay Weber, for bringing this to my attention

Thank you, Veterans, for the final salute

2009-11-10T23:16:00.014-06:00

Shortly before Memorial Day, my father, a WW2 Veteran, died. He was 90 years old and even though declining health had taken its toll since his stroke, he still held his Marine Corps days with high regard.

In planning his funeral, we were asked if we wanted military honors. Knowing how Dad valued his Marine Corps service, we said, yes.

At the internment, 9 senior veterans from the Badger Detachment of the Marine Corps League and 3 young Marines performed the honors.

First there was the 3-volley salute. Eight of the 9 Marine Vets raised their rifles and fired 3 rounds,* while the 3 active duty Marines stood at a distance facing the casket.

After the 8 gun salute, the 3 Marines approached and commenced with their ceremony.

The bugle player paced to the left and played Taps while the remaining 2 soldiers gave a final, white gloved salute.

The 2 remaining Marines then removed the flag from the casket and performed the flag folding ritual.

It was a solemn ceremony, and as the soldiers carefully folded the flag until only a triangle with stars** in the field of blue remained, the quiet time allowed each of us an opportunity to contemplate a life well lived.

When the young Marine came forward to present me with the flag, my eyes welled up with tears. I thought of this young man, and how my dad was once a young man just like him. They both had hopes and dreams. They both enlisted to serve, and possibly die for their country. I also thought of my neighbor, whose 2 sons had enlisted in the Marine Corps since 9/11. I felt a deep sense of gratitude for their service.

The young Marine handed me the flag with great solemnity and these traditional words: "On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to Country and Corps." I managed to whisper, Thank you.

Our Pastor finished the internment service with some scripture, a few words, and prayer. It wasn't a sad occasion but a celebration of a life lived well. Because of our faith, it was a celebration of the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Dad was always proud to have served as a Marine. It stayed with him until the end. They call these ceremonies, Military Honors. I can only say that it was truly an honor to witness these activities.

Thank you, Veterans, for your service to our country and for the final salute.

SEMPER FIDELIS

More information on Military Honors: Military farewells: White-gloved salutes, Taps, Flag-folding ceremonies begin healing

*The 3-volley salute "The custom originates from the European dynastic wars, where the fighting ceased for the dead and wounded to be removed, then three shots were fired into the air to signal that the battle could resume."
Afterward, one of the Veterans picked up all 21 shell casings, put them in a crimson cloth bag, and gave them to me as a keepsake.

**Taps & Flag Ceremony: (My emphasis) "A United States flag drapes the casket of deceased Servicemembers and Veterans to honor their service to America. The flag is placed so that the blue field with stars is at the head and over the left shoulder of the deceased. After Taps has been played, the flag is carefully folded into the symbolic tri-cornered shape. A properly proportioned flag will fold 13 times on the triangles, representing the 13 original colonies. The folded flag is emblematic of the tri-cornered hat worn by the Patriots of the American Revolution. When folded, no red or white stripe is to be evident, leaving only the blue field with stars. The folded flag is then presented as a keepsake to the next of kin or an appropriate family member. Each branch of the Armed Forces uses its own wording for the presentation …"

Military Funeral Honors

Past Posts: Thank you and God bless you Veterans and enlisted troops

Happy 233th birthday Marine Corps

My Favorite Marine

Fall of Berlin Wall's 20th Anniversary gladdens and saddens

2009-11-09T13:27:00.010-06:00

Remember the fall of the wall in 1989? It was like a dream come true to those like me who recall it's construction and lived through the height of the Soviet Union's power.

Fast-forward 20 years and today we celebrate the anniversary of that momentous day. But when I compare the state of our country in 1989 to the U.S.A. of today, it saddens me.

Our House of Representatives just passed the most expensive and oppressive health care reform bill AGAINST the wishes of the majority of Americans.

Ordinary citizens have risen up in unprecedented numbers for Tea Party rallies, Town Hall meetings and an impromptu' House Call press conference on the stairs of the nation's Capitol, all to no avail. Turning a deaf ear, 220 Representatives ignored their constituents' wishes and voted for it.

The house bill includes what I believe are unconstitutional mandates for insurance purchase and a hefty $25,000 fine and/or up to 5 year imprisonment for noncompliance. So much for America being called the Land of the Free.

I don't know which saddens me more: the fact that our president didn't think the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall was important enough to merit his time? or that if he would have gone, any commentary from him about New Berliners being freed from oppression would ring hollow, considering his own socialist agenda.

But I do celebrate in spirit today with those gathered in Germany and recall the boldness of President Reagan's famous words: "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall," and the bravery of leaders like Lech Walesa for freeing Poland.

``We Poles owe him [Reagan] freedom,'' Walesa said through an interpreter. ``Freedom is just like good health - when in good health, you take it for granted, and you appreciate good health only when it's gone.''

Ironic that Obama's health care bill brings more oppression to our country than anything we've seen so far, isn't it?

Four Little Words - Reagan deliberately confronted criminal regimes with what they fear most: the publicly spoken truth about their moral weakness.
Why the Berlin Wall Fell - From Truman to Reagan, the benefits of moral clarity.

POST SCRIPT: Heritage Foundation: Reagan, Obama and the Berlin Wall: "But the leftists in America do not want us to remember Reagan’s role in history. That is why President Barack Obama (the same man who found time to jet to Copenhagen at the drop of a rumor that his presence could win the Olympics for his hometown of Chicago) could not be bothered to attend the 20th anniversary of the wall’s fall last night. Instead, President Obama taped a video message that completely failed to mention Reagan or British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher."

ObamaCare passed House: Some frogs must like it hot!

2009-11-09T09:19:00.008-06:00

Sunday's news, Health Bill Passes House, sickened me, especially because the vote was so close. Although there was little hope that the Pelosi version of ObamaCare would fail, if ever there was a week that might give a House Democrat pause to rubber stamping Pelosi's ObamaCare legislation, you would think the recent turn of events would do it.

For Democrats, last week was not a good one:

Tuesday's Republican victories in Virginia and New Jersey
The expose' of falsely reported stimulus jobs
Congressmen and Senators challenging ObamaCare's Constitutionality
Rep. Michelle Bachmann's impromptu "House Call on Washington" rally on the Capitol steps attracted about 20,000 citizens
October's 10.2% unemployment numbers (highest percentage since 1983)
President Obama's flip response to the Ft. Hood murders (Video).

We often compare the slow creep toward controversial positions to a frog being boiled in a pot of water: The water heats so slowly, the frog fails to notice he is in danger, the frog doesn't jump out to safety.

But there is nothing slow about Obama's policies. He has already spent us into unsustainable debt and taken over about 30% of the economy. Obama's desire to Cap and Trade our carbon emissions will cripple our already struggling economy. His healthcare reform, the most expensive and oppressive legislation ever, will finish the job.

Hot Spots of ObamaCare:

Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee published an estimate of $2.4 Trillion for ObamaCare - HR 3962. How on earth are we going to pay for that?
Failure to purchase ObamaCare could result in up to 5 years in prison and/or $250,000 fine: "Section 7203 - misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year." "Section 7201 - felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years." [page 3]

On the surface, the only bright spot of Pelosi's ObamaCare bill was that taxpayer funded abortion was eliminated. But this was just a Trojan Horse of a gift. It was Pelosi's way of diffusing conservative opposition and making sure her bill would make its way over to the Senate. We all know it will go back into the final bill.

Republicans have felt the heat since Obama came to office; they jumped out of the pot months ago. A few Blue-Dog Democrats jumped out on Saturday night's vote, too. As for the remaining 220* Democrats who voted for Pelosi's ObamaCare, the only conclusion is that they like it hot!

*One Republican, Rep Cao, voted for ObamaCare. The Abortion omission won him over. "Cao said he did not make any deals with President Obama in exchange for his vote." ..."The president and I, we have had a very good relationship, and I thank him and his administration for their hard work in helping me to rebuild my district after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina," Cao said Sunday. "I'm pretty sure that if I were to vote no against the bill the president would still continue to work with me to address the needs of my district."

More reading: WSJ, Betsy McCaughey: What the Pelosi Health Care Bill Really Says
Betting Against Obama Health Care Increases as Time Grows Short

Report: Sensenbrenner's Town Hall on Pelosi healthcare

2009-11-03T07:41:00.007-06:00

One look at the crowded parking lots affirmed my suspicions: Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner's Town Hall meeting was going to be packed!

The meeting was in Elm Grove's Village Hall courtroom.

About 175 people packed the room with about another 75 out in the hallway.

Prior to the meeting, one woman summed up the sentiment in the room when she greeted a friend in the audience, "I've never been to one of these before, but I'm so mad!"

The colossal 1,990 page bill was sitting on the judges bench. Congressman Sensenbrenner posted the bill on his website, if you need a little light reading.
State Representative Leah Vukmir was also present, but since ObamaCare (my term throughout for government health insurance reform) is a Federal issue, most of the questions were directed to Congressman Sensenbrenner.

To aid you in viewing the subject matter, the question - Q: - or concern will be stated first, the response - A: - after. Subjects are in bold.

Q: Government control: Nearly all of the attendees who spoke, were against ObamaCare in any shape or form. The first question cut to the heart of the issue, This isn't about health care, it's about controlling our lives. Judging from the reaction of the crowd, the vast majority agreed with her statement.
A: Congressman Sensenbrenner pointed out that ObamaCare doesn't train 1 more doctor, 1 more nurse or build 1 more hospital, yet it is to cover millions more Americans. [How many more? 36 million is often referenced.] When you put all these new people in the system, we are going to have delays. I hate to use the word rationing, but we are going to end up having delays and [some government board] will decide, this person's problem is worse than this person's, Sensenbrenner explained.

Q: We're broke! Question 3 was puzzling. A woman, who was quick to point out she was an independent, chided Sensenbrenner and the audience, I'm angry at all people who think the government must pay for them. We're out of money! In other words, she was yelling at us for wanting ObamaCare!
A: Sensenbrenner replied, With all due respect, we [Republicans] all voted against the stimulus, etc....then added that the President said he will not sign a bill that adds "1 cent to the deficit". [The audience laughed.] We should not be spending money on ourselves and sending the bill to our grand and great grandchildren.

Q: What can we do to stop this?
A: Sensenbrenner: Contact your Senators and remember who votes which way 1 year from now! Good advice. Calls do influence.

Q: Republicans shut out? Is it true that Republicans aren't allowed into meetings?
A: Our bill was written in Democratic Caucus. [Yes] I will give Baucus some credit, he welcomed 3 Senate Republicans in committee [Olympia Snowe was one of them] BUT since it got out of committee, Reid re-wrote the bill. Snowe doesn't support the government run [insurance option] now in the bill.

All new private insurance company policies illegal after 2013: Sensenbrenner affirmed what we have all heard, but the president, senate, and house leaders have denied: The bill does make it illegal for anyone to sell private insurance after [ObamaCare] takes effect on Jan. 1, 2013! He then gave the example of an employer who opts out of providing group insurance to their employees after the January 1st deadline. They might do this because they can choose to pay the 8% penalty instead of the average 15% of payroll costs. Opting for the penalty saves them money. Now you, the employee, have no choice but to sign onto the government run option because it is now illegal for private insurance companies to write policies.

This private insurance policy prohibition also carries over to Supplemental Medicare plans. Not to be confused with Medicare Advantage, these are the plans that seniors purchase--at a monthly premium--to pay for the remainder of health care expenses that Medicare doesn't cover. So Supplemental Medicare policies will also be outlawed under ObamaCare.

Medicare Advantage, the privately run voluntary Medicare plan, will also suffer under ObamaCare. In Sensenbrenner's district alone, about 25,000 of those enrolled now, will lose their coverage.

Q: Constitution: What provisions in the Constitution are there to order an individual to buy a product they don't want? (Applause)
A: They say the Commerce Clause, "necessary and proper" will be used. [Sensenbrenner didn't believe this was a proper application for that clause. The Constitution's Commerce Clause deals with the activity of commerce or regulating interstate or international commerce, not mandating or regulating activities.]

Q: Hardship for small business: A small business owner expressed concern that by being forced to pay an 8% penalty because he didn't provide insurance for his workers, he would either have to drop employees, vacation days, or other benefits to pay for the new 8% penalty.
A: Sensenbrenner agreed the insurance requirement/penalty would be a hardship. One half of all jobs in the country are from small businesses...raising taxes is already a job killer, in a recession it's even more... the last guy who raised taxes during a recession was Herbert Hoover!

Q: How many unelected bureaucrats will this bill require?
A: The CBO doesn't talk about how many will need to be hired, but you don't administer a new program without people to do it. One recent program was Cash for Clunkers. It ran out of money early on, auto dealers weren't paid [on time]. ...IF we couldn't deal with a $2 billion clunker program, how will we with a $900 billion one for health care? [House Republicans have found 111 New Bureaucracies in the Health Care bill.]

Q: Voter Fraud: Our president took an oath of office to uphold the Constitution. What can we do to relive this man of his office? ...Joe Wilson was right. [...crowd affirmation of President being less than truthful.] We don't have free elections anymore. How do we go about stopping voter fraud?
A: By showing a picture ID, Sensenbrenner said. [Crowd affirmation] Since this is a state issue, Rep. Leah Vukmir was able to address how Wisconsin had a chance to finally get a Voter ID referendum question on the ballot last spring, but a certain Senator voted against bringing it to the ballot. [State Senator Jim Sullivan was one of 2 who voted to defeat the measure last year, if memory serves correctly]

Q: ObamaCare and organ transplants: One woman was for ObamaCare because she was involved with [advocating] raising money for transplant patients. [I can't see the government program, which must delay and ration care to make it fiscally viable, will be handing out organ transplants.] Is there anything you see in ObamCare that is positive?
A: If they don't allow amendments, we can't make it better. If Sensenbrenner could, he would get rid of pre-exisiting conditions, allow shopping across state lines, offer group plan rates for small businesses, use vouchers for health insurance for the poor, add medical liability reform, use health savings accounts, equalize the tax treatments for employer and private purchaser plans. He then added, I don't know what will happen with organ transplants because Pelosi's bill will have government boards making this decision vs. doctors.

Q: Doctors paid only 20% of fees: A doctor from Elmbrook Hospital: The bill is said to be backed by the AMA, I haven't belonged to the AMA for years. This bill is strictly a vehicle to control the Dr./Patient relationship. It is a single payer option. I lose 80% of income under Medicare. [Who will want to invest in becoming a doctor to only be paid 20%?] It is a misnomer that doctors get reimbursed 80% under Medicare, It's NOT TRUE.

[General affirmation]

Other questions dealt with the crushing debt level, Amnesty bill, concern over the Copenhagen Treaty, ACORN funding [still unfunded until Dec. 19th], The Fairness Doctrine, and abolishing the Federal Reserve.

There is a lot of talk about abolishing the Federal Reserve, but Sensenbrenner was quick to point out that if that were the case, monetary control would revert to the Congress! The cure would be worse than the ill, he said. Sensenbrenner does favor the audit of the Federal Reserve.

One bit of excitement was a woman fainted in the back of the courtroom. Is there a doctor in the house? A nurse friend of mine, who happened to be in the audience, promptly attended to her needs. The Elm Grove police were also of service. I believe the woman was fine.

There was a little discussion of Cap and Trade, or Cap and Tax, as Sensenbrenner likes to characterize it, and our massive deficit leading to inflation, the tax increase no politician has to vote for but every politician can run against.

2 protesters: There were 2 young men there with protest signs, Health Insurance Reform Now [signs were loosely folded, not held up], in the back of the room. They left the courtroom before the meeting officially started. Another older man stated his support for ObamaCare.

The meeting ended at about 2:30pm. The remaining portion of time was devoted to specific problems with government agencies. Representative Leah Vukmir and Congressman Sensenbrenner stayed to assist their constituents.

Congressman Sensenbrenner was on the Jay Weber radio show on Monday. He mentioned many of the same points he made at Saturday's Town Hall meeting. Program highlights.

The Pelosi version of ObamaCare, as well as the Reid Senate bill, both cover taxpayer funded abortion and insurance for illegal aliens. House Republicans have proposed many health care reforms, but they do not receive media or house floor attention. House Republicans are expected to unanimously vote against The Worst Bill Ever this week.

Will the Democrat Blue Dogs join in the nay saying? Time will tell.

N.Y.'s 23rd Congressional race more interesting: Republican quits

2009-10-31T14:01:00.003-06:00

When I posted Litmus Test: Watching Doug Hoffman's N.Y. 23rd race with great interest on Thursday, I never anticipated that the Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, would suspend her campaign on Saturday! This is amazing.

I wouldn't have known about it, but someone asked a question about starting a 3rd party at Congressman Sensenbrenner's Town Hall meeting and mentioned that Scozzafava had dropped out of the New York race. Wow. I wondered, Could that be true? As soon as I returned home, I checked Drudge. Sure enough, it was:

"Republican Dede Scozzafava announced Saturday that she is suspending her campaign in the Nov. 3 House special election in New York, a dramatic development that increases the GOP's chances of winning the contentious and closely-watched race."

Her analysis of her unpopularity shows she just doesn't get it.
"'In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be. The reality that I've come to accept is that in today's political arena, you must be able to back up your message with money—and as I've been outspent on both sides, I've been unable to effectively address many of the charges that have been made about my record,' she said in a statement. "

In my opinion, it wasn't the money, it was her anti-Republican positions! She was after all pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-stimulus spending, pro-card check, to name a few.

If she had been even a moderate Republican, I doubt conservative people from all over the nation would have rallied against her with donations of time and money.

I would like to point out that though many in the media, and even within the Republican party, would like to discount former Gov. Sarah Palin's ability to influence, she was one of the first to throw her support to the true conservative, Doug Hoffman.

It is a good thing November 3rd is just a few days away, this is getting exciting.

*The Town Hall was well attended, about 200. I hope to post a report on Monday.

Paul Ryan & Jim Sensenbrenner discuss Pelosi Health Care bill today & Sat.

2009-10-30T08:33:00.005-06:00

Congressmen Paul Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner will be discussing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's ObamaCare Health Care Reform bill today and tomorrow, all 1,990 pages of it!

Paul Ryan will be at the Franklin Library* today, Friday, Oct. 30th, at 11am, for a press conference.

Jim Sensenbrenner, along with State Representative Leah Vukmir, will be at the Elm Grove Library** at 12:30pm on Saturday, Oct. 31st. This was a regularly scheduled Town Hall meeting, but somehow, I think the discussion will be primarily about the Pelosi bill. Since Vukmir was a nurse, she will be able to add some insights into this so-called health care reform bill.

Not that Nancy Pelosi is rushing the 1,990 pages of regulation and spending, but the plan is that the House will vote on this toward the end of next week. (Can anyone even read and understand those 1,990 pages by then?)

I heard Paul Ryan on Mark Belling's show yesterday, hour 2. Give it a listen. (It is a very straight forward discussion which begins at the beginning of the hour.) Here are a few highlights:

Pelosi's bill cuts $526 billion from Medicare, WITHOUT affecting services! (Why don't they do that now?)
About 64% of Seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage private plans option.
Pelosi's bill includes $572 billion in INCOME TAX INCREASES. This would put top earners and small businesses, who file on their personal returns, into a 54% tax rate. "Capitalism can't work" at this tax rate.
Employers will be able to ditch their appprox 15% of salary designated for providing health care and just pay the 8% penalty. This will dump private insurance company group coverage, provided by employers, to the government plan. (Which underpay doctors and hospitals, like Medicare/Medicaid.) So much for you being able to keep your plan. You can't keep a plan your employer is no longer offering!
Pelosi's plan covers illegal aliens and abortion. Without any amendments to prohibit this coverage, all will be covered at taxpayer expense.
The bill CLAIMS to be budget neutral, in fact, they promise it will REDUCE the deficit by $104 billion.(If you believe that, I would like to talk to you about The Great Pumpkin.)

Oh, and did I mention that there will be NO AMENDMENTS ALLOWED? Pelosi doesn't want her Democrat members to have to vote against amendments to exclude abortion and illegal alien coverage.

I urge you to call your Representatives and Senators, since Reid's version of this will be coming to the senate soon.

Jim Sensenbrenner (202) 225-5101

Paul Ryan (202) 225-3031

As long as I am calling my senators, I am also urging them to vote against Cap and Trade, which the senate started hearings on this week.

Russ Feingold (202) 224-5323

Senator Herb Kohl (202) 224-5653

CBO's summary of the Pelosi Health Care Reform Bill (It's just 60 pages long, with a 15 page summary, instead of 1,990 pages.)

*First District Representative Paul Ryan
11 A.M. CT – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2009
Franklin Public Library, Fadrow Room
9151 West Loomis Road
Franklin, WI 53132

**Fifth District Representative Jim Sensenbrenner
12:30 P.M. CT – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2009
Elm Grove Public Library
13600 Juneau Blvd.
Elm Grove WI 53122

Litmus test: Watching Doug Hoffman's N.Y. 23rd race with great interest UPDATE

2009-10-29T08:20:00.007-06:00

The 2010 elections are being talked about as a possible comeback for Republicans. But even more important are the few early races, such as Virginia and New Jersey's governor races and New York's 23rd Congressional District race. The 23rd, to me, is the most important, because it will be the litmus test on conservatism vs rinoism in the Republican party.

In that November 3rd New York race for the U.S. House of Representatives, the GOP, several key house republicans such as House Minority Leader John Boehner (who I think has been doing a fairly good job in unifying the Republicans against the stimulus bill, etc.), and Newt Gingrich (shame on you, Newt, its stuff like this that totally dilutes any good messages you have) have endorsed liberal State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava.

Why was she selected? She isn't a Republican in her convictions! She is pro stimulus spending, pro abortion, pro gay marriage, and pro card check. Scozzafava was endorsed by ACORN, need I say more? Do we really need someone more liberal than Sen. Olympia Snowe in the House? What for? Just to get another "Republican" member who votes with the Democrats? Is it any wonder polls show that 73% of Republicans think the GOP has lost touch with its base?

The 23rd district New Yorkers fortunately still have a choice in 3rd party candidate Doug Hoffman. He is the real conservative and is endorsed by many conservatives such as Former Governor Sarah Palin, former Senators Rick Santorum and Fred Thompson, former Congressman Dick Armey, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Jim DeMint, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, conservative talk show hosts such as Mark Levin, and the New York Post.

Why is this race important to me, since I live in Wisconsin and he is running in New York?

Because if Hoffman can pull it off, it should put the fear of Tea Party attendees into every Blue Dog Democrat and every Rino Republican. It would be a signal that the sleeping giant has awakened and if these Blue Dogs and Rinos vote for any Obamacare reform or Cap and Trade, we are watching and more importantly, we are VOTING!

I really do not favor a 3rd party system, but this case is different: there is no primary for this seat because it is a special election to fill a vacancy. Third party races do sometimes work for the good*. Sen. Joe Lieberman ran as an independent and won. (He of course was the incumbent and had great name recognition.)

But still, this 23rd District is a good test case scenario. If Hoffman loses, what do you really lose? It isn't like Scozzafava would vote with Republicans much anyway.

IF the Democrat wins, same story. The seat is up for grabs again in 2010. Maybe Hoffman will run again, and this time the Republican party might realize that their supporters want a real conservative, not a republican with rino-itis.

New York's 23rd Congressional district is upstate, in the more conservative part of the state: "a district with about 46,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats." (New York state, as I have heard, is much like Wisconsin, where Milwaukee and Madison are liberal, and the remaining parts of state more conservative.)

Hoffman opponents are quick to point out his district went 52% for Obama last year, but I would think reality has since taken the bloom off that hope and change rose. Although Hoffman is not a gifted speaker his "message has clearly resonated with others who are 'fed up,' including Tea Party activists..."

The 52% who voted for the gifted speaker last November, maybe this time will go for the man of substance? That's the change I am hoping and praying for.

UPDATE: Politico: In shift, GOP leaders embrace Hoffman "In a newly-released poll commissioned by the liberal blog Daily Kos, Hoffman is within one point of Owens, 33 percent to 32 percent, with Scozzafava lagging well behind in third place with 21 percent. ...He [Hoffman] leads Scozzafava 41 to 34 percent among Republicans—a sign that GOP voters are increasingly identifying with Hoffman as the true Republican candidate."

*Abraham Lincoln was one of 4 candidates running for president in 1860. Lincoln won despite not being on the ballot in several states with 40% of the popular vote. He was the first president ever elected from the newly created Republican party.

More reading: NY23: 'Do You Believe in Miracles'?
Tuesday's Elections and the Democratic Agenda
Santorum says Hoffman is practical choice
House Republicans may face a 'civil war' over Scozzafava bid
Thompson on NY-23 race: We're not 'deaf, dumb and blind'
House Republicans may face a 'civil war' over Scozzafava bid
Poll: GOP losing touch with base

Health Care:...About those pre-existing conditions

2009-10-28T09:04:00.004-06:00

Today's post is part 2 of yesterday's Pre-existing conditions: Could any insurance company stay solvent this way?

Early on in the health care debate, President Obama promised that his health care reform would not exclude anyone because of a pre-existing health condition. (The House and Senate versions of the bill all prohibit private insurance companies from excluding pre-existing conditions.)

If you didn't know better, you might assume that no one with a pre-existing medical condition could ever get health insurance, thus making Obama's healthcare reform a necessity.

Since most people, by the time they are 40 years old, have some sort of pre-existing medical condition, does that mean they are unable to get health insurance?

Well, yes and no. It was my understanding that if a person (or their spouse) had an employer who offered group health insurance, the answer was NO, they were not banned from obtaining group health insurance.

Just to be sure of my position, I called my insurance carrier, Humana. Here is what I found out:

If you (or your family if you have a family plan) were previously insured with another company, you are covered under the new insurance carrier, regardless of treatment in the past--your pre-existing conditions.
You are still considered previously insured even if there was a lapse of up to 60 days* of insurance coverage. This would be important if you moved or changed jobs.
If you were unemployed, thus uninsured, for longer than 60 days, purchasing a COBRA insurance policy would guarantee future coverage. Wisconsin's BadgerCare and Medicaid also count as maintaining health insurance coverage.
IF you let all health insurance coverage lapse during your unemployment (or never had health insurance), and then get a job from a company offering group insurance, you may still enroll in their group policy plan. All dependent children will be fully covered immediately on family plans. You will be covered immediately for everything EXCEPT the conditions you were previously treated for. Coverage for those pre-existing medical conditions will not be covered until a 6 to 12 month waiting period has passed.

They also confirmed that pre-existing conditions were medical conditions you were treated for by a doctor in the past, such as high blood pressure.

We see that group health insurance plans then can be very helpful to people with pre-existing conditions. The offering of group health insurance by an employer becomes an important asset in evaluating future employment opportunities.

If unemployed, keeping COBRA coverage is imperative, however, the monthly premium can be prohibitive. This is one area some reform would be helpful in. Say, if unemployed, a major medical only COBRA plan could be offered? Major medical being just for major needs, thus less expensive than the more comprehensive group plan. Or, possibly some interim group plan offered for the unemployed?

The Humana reps I spoke with were from the group insurance division and did not have the facts on private policies and pre-existing conditions. But I have seen Humana ads that tout basic individual coverage for under $70/month. That rate would be for a healthy young adult. (I had a plan like that after I graduated from college and got my first job. Although I was under 25 and still living at home, my parents did not have a family health insurance plan that covered me.)

As an individual ages and experiences health issues, private insurance policy premiums rise. The very nature of insurance is shared risk.** Those that don't need the insurance help build reserves in the insurance company so that they can pay out for those in need. If those younger, healthier individuals choose to enroll in employer offered group policies, their premiums help offset the group members with greater needs.

But should Obamacare pass, those same healthy young adults, who choose to carry no health insurance, will be required to pay for Obamacare health insurance at the same percentage rate of income that the unhealthy, older adults pay.

Do we need some sort of health insurance reform? Yes, but not the House and Senate version. As I mentioned above, providing some sort of interim plans during times of unemployment would be good. Possibly group plans for those in high risk would be helpful too? These would come from the private sector. At least for the present, the pre-existing condition isn't as excluding as the president would lead us to believe it is.

*I had called 2 times. One agent told me 60 days, the other 90 days.

**With private life insurance or long term care policies, age and medical conditions enter into the equation for calculating premium rates. The higher the risk, the higher the premium. For example, my long term care policy charged me slightly more for my age group because I have low thyroid function.

Pre-existing conditions: Could any insurance company stay solvent this way?

2009-10-27T09:34:00.006-06:00

One of the many things Obamacare Health Care reform promises to correct is eliminating the pre-existing condition exclusion from private health insurance policies. As I understand it, Obamacare will force all insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions without increasing their premiums. (Page 18, lines 4 - 23 of the Baucus Senate Finance Committee bill, a pdf of all 1,502 pages of the bill.)

Another Obamacare mandate is that all Americans must carry health insurance whether they want it or not. If they do not obtain health insurance, they will be fined or taxed, initially at a rate of $200 during the year 2014 phase in period, on up to $750 in year 2017. (Page 197, lines 2 -6 of the bill)

So during the year 2014 phase-in period, some people might be tempted to not enroll in any health insurance plan. After all, under Obamacare rules, if they get sick, they just pay the $200 fine and then they can get health insurance.

How on earth could any insurance company offer that kind of coverage?

Let's just look at homeowners insurance. Wouldn't you like to eliminate your yearly premiums and not worry about a tree falling on your home or worse yet, a catastrophic total loss due to fire? If homeowners insurance followed Obamacare rules, all you would have to do is pay that $200 tax/fine and then get full coverage!

What about auto insurance? Don't bother to insure your cars, just drive uninsured. Get in an accident? Just pay the fine and get your car repaired and your insurance company will pay for damages and liability. Or, drive like a maniac, rack up accidents and tickets without worry you will be dropped or charged more.

Nice, eh?

Obviously, doing business that way, no insurance company could remain solvent for long, without raising it's premiums drastically. Yet, that is pretty much how Obamacare Health Care reform is set up in it's present state.

Maybe that is the whole idea?

Only government can offer coverage like that without solvency worries. (The government just increases taxes, fees and the deficit to cover losses.)

Unlike driving recklessly, sometimes we get sick through no fault of our own. So how do health insurance companies handle pre-existing conditions?

Stay tuned for the next installment: About those pre-existing conditions.

Thank you, Senator Kohl & Senator Feingold, for voting "Nay"

2009-10-22T20:04:00.005-06:00

I don't often have reason to say, Thank you, to our Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold. But after yesterday's Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 1776 failed, I do! Both Kohl and Feingold voted against the Cloture Motion.

In all, 12 Democrats joined all the Senate Republicans in rejecting this ram through tactic. (Check for other naysayers. Of interest to me was now Democrat Arlan Specter voted Yea, Rino Republican Olympia Snowe voted Nay.)

The Heritage Foundation's, A Whole New Health Care Ball Game explains why that failed vote was important. You see, it was the first floor vote test on Obamacare. Up until this point, the votes were just committee votes: (My emphasis throughout)

"You have to read all the way to page A-25 in today’s New York Times to learn about it, but the Senate took its first floor vote on Obamacare yesterday and the White House lost. Big. The NYT reports: 'Democrats lost a big test vote on health care legislation on Wednesday as the Senate blocked action on a bill to increase Medicare payments to doctors at a cost of $247 billion over 10 years. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, needed 60 votes to proceed. He won only 47. And he could not blame Republicans. A dozen Democrats and one independent crossed party lines and voted with Republicans on the 53 to 47 roll call.'”

The failure to move forward with S. 1776 (the "Doc Fix"), as presently written, does not mean that the Senators are necessarily against increasing payments to doctors treating Medicare patients. It just means that they did not approve of the tactics of shifting $247 billion from Obamacare Health Care Reform to S. 1776 without any means of paying for it:

"The Obama administration is trying to add $247 billion in deficit health care spending one week, and then turn around and claim their health care plan is deficit neutral the next. The trickery has come in for some heavy bi-partisan criticism. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said he thought the tactic is a “mistake”, and Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) told Politico: “I am for the fix, but I don’t think we should blow the roof off the deficit — not at a time when we are already running record deficits.”

I will call Senators Kohl 202.224.5653 and Feingold's offices 202.224.5323 and tell them, thanks for voting Nay on the Cloture Motion for S. 1776. I will also ask them to vote Nay on any future Health Care Reform bills that come to the Senate floor. In my opinion, they need to scrap the Baucus bill (and House versions) and go back to the drawing board!

More reading: An Open Letter to the United States Senate: Don't Deceive Taxpayers by Hiding Health Care Reform Costs!

Reid Plans Monday Cloture Vote on $247 Billion Health Care Bill : "...Reid's proposal would bring the cost of health care legislation to above $1 trillion, and ensure that it creates deficits -- in violation of President Obama's pledge. By doing a smaller and separate $247 billion bill, it will be easier to claim that the larger health care bill they push is deficit neutral."

Heritage Foundation: The Senate Begins Voting on Obamacare This Week: "This week the Senate is set to vote on a measure that would approve spending for almost one quarter of Obamacare’s $1 trillion price tag. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has introduced, and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is moving to the floor, S. 1776 which, as we explained yesterday, raises Medicare provider reimbursement rates by $247 billion over the next ten years and $3 trillion over the next 75...."

District 7 Informational Meeting, Wed. Oct. 21, 7-9pm

2009-10-20T18:16:00.003-06:00

The following email was sent to me by my City of Brookfield Alderpersons, Lisa Mellone and Renee' Lowerr. They will be at City Hall Wednesday evening to answer your questions regarding District 7 issues. (District 7 covers the southeast corner of Brookfield.)

Of interest for all City of Brookfield residents, is the public hearing on the proposed city budget on Tuesday, Nov. 17th, 7:45pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

District 7 Residents,

Reminder: District 7 Informational Meeting this Wednesday, Oct. 21^st from 7-9 pm (Open House) in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Topics include:

Stormwater and Flooding Issues. Tom Grisa, Director of Public Works, will give a short presentation and answer your questions pertaining to the city’s stormwater management efforts. Two large rain events in both June of 2008 and 2009 drastically impacted many residents in the city with flooded basements.

2010 Proposed Budget: There will be an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed 2010 Budget.

Mayor’s Budget

Finance Committee Amendments

In addition, there will be a public hearing on the proposed budget on Tuesday, Nov. 17^th, at 7:45 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

We hope to see you this Wednesday!

District 7 Alderpersons

Lisa Mellone and Renee Lowerr

780-0805 853-9657

How will you shoo the flu? A vaccine or vitamins?

2009-10-09T22:45:00.014-06:00

A friend asked last week, Are you concerned about the H1N1 virus? No, I said.

Will you get the H1N1 vaccine? NO! I then muttered something about they would have to hog-tie me before I would get it. I believe the vaccine is more dangerous than the actual flu.

She then asked, Are you getting a regular flu shot? I said, No, never have, most likely, never will. Why do you ask, I asked?

I'm not getting them either; I just wanted to make sure I was on the right page!

What makes her questions a little more pertinent is that she is a nurse.

I am just amazed at the flu hype. You see the regular flu shot tables set up at shopping centers and stores. People are worried that they won't be able to get their H1N1 vaccine. (Some health care workers are worried they will have to get it.)

The last time we had the swine flu scare in 1976, people rushed to get the untested vaccine and many ended up with Guillain-Barre Syndrome or French Polio. I didn't get the vaccine then and didn't get the flu either. This time around, Doctors are told to watch for Guillain-Barre again with this Swine flu scare.

So how am I planning on shooing the flu? Vitamin D. Lots of Vitamin D. Somewhere around 5,000 to 6,000 IUs a day of good quality D3 is a good place to start. (Vitamin Shoppe has Carlson brand of D3.) More and more research is showing just how vital vitamin D is in preventing many diseases and conditions. The CDC also stumbled on a link between Vitamin D deficiency and H1N1 deaths.

We Wisconsinites in the north country don't get enough sunlight to make our own Vitamin D. Supplements are the only way to ensure proper levels. My doctor tested my vitamin D levels, but certainly during flu season, increasing vitamin D3 consumption would be helpful for most people. I am not a doctor or nurse so I will just say, check out increasing your vitamin D3 intake for yourself. It might help you shoo more than just the flu.

More reading: N.Y. Health Care Workers Revolt Over H1N1 Vaccine
Swine Flu Shot Linked to Killer Nerve Disease
Watch CBS Videos Online

Tuesday: Elmbrook School Board to discuss Non-resident students

2009-10-09T22:44:00.006-06:00

Board member Glen Allgaier informed me that the Elmbrook School Board will discuss the results of his and 3 community member's analysis of Chapter 220 and Open Enrollment students in our schools at Tuesday's board meeting. This is a subject that interests me, but unfortunately, I have another commitment that night. If this subject interests you, you may wish to attend.

Along with discussing the costs, financial and otherwise, the board is also to discuss "plans for opening seats for 220 students in the fall of 2010." (Approx 7:30pm ) Agenda

The meeting begins at 6pm at the Central Administrative Offices

Too many tomatoes got you in a jam? Try tomato jam!

2009-10-09T21:23:00.006-06:00

Sometimes a homegrown tomato supply can be a feast or famine situation; after waiting forever for the first few fruits, they then all ripen at the same time. So, if you have had your fill of BLTs and tomato salads, maybe you would like to try this old fashioned favorite: tomato jam.

Tomato jam is rarely seen on the store shelves. Smucker's used to make it (don't know if they still do.) The only time I ever saw it on a menu was at Le Cellier Steakhouse at the Canada Pavilion at Disney World's EPCOT. It was spread on top of their open faced steak sandwich and it's flavor complimented the beef very nicely.

My mom made tomato jam every summer when I was a girl. and I often would help. I loved the way the jam looked in the jar with the lemon slices and cinnamon sticks showing through the glass. I also loved eating the jam on toast. When the jar was finally empty, it was a kid treat to suck on the cinnamon stick.

In my opinion, tomato jam goes rather well on light rye bread toast and served with scrambled eggs or cheese omelets.

Our recipe came from my Great Aunt Martha. Jam is best made in small batches. I usually just make the amount in 1 recipe. It makes about 4 cups of jam. You could process the jam in a water bath with canning jars and lids, but I just make it and keep it in the refrigerator. It keeps for a year or so.

Here it is: Aunt Martha's Tomato Jam

1 1/2 lemons, washed, cut in quarters, then thin sliced. Remove pips.
3 Cups tomatoes that have been peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces.
4 Cups sugar
1/2 Tablespoon butter
Cinnamon stick 1 for each jar

Small jelly or jam jars, pints or half pint jars and lids (washed in a dishwasher or sterilized) These can be canning jars and lids or used jelly or jam jars and lids that have been washed.

The process:
In a stainless steel kettle 3 quart size or larger, put in 2 C. tomatoes and 2 C. sugar into the pot. Sir in the 1/2 Tablespoon of butter to prevent scum from forming. Boil for 5 minutes. Stir to prevent burning.

Without taking off the heat, add 1 C. mixed tomatoes and lemons and another C. sugar. Boil 5 minutes more.

Add last C. mixed tomatoes and lemons and last cup sugar. Boil 5 minutes more.

Take off heat. Be careful; this is hot stuff!

Put cinnamon stick into each jar. Ladle jam into the warm jars. (I keep them in a warm oven until needed.) Leave about 1/2 inch space at top of jar. Wipe the top edge of jar with clean, damp cloth. Put jar lid on and turn upside down then back. Set aside to cool. Often the jar lids will seal down without processing--even the recycled commercial jam jars. Put in refrigerator the next day for storage.

If you want to process the jam in a water bath so you don't have to refrigerate, use canning jars and lids. Process for 10 to 15 minutes for pints.

Sometimes the jam turns out stiff; sometimes it is thin. I think it might have something to do with the amount of pectin in the lemons? Regardless of the thickness, I love the stuff. Hope you will too.

I just picked most of my remaining green tomatoes. Hopefully, they will still ripen indoors. If so, maybe a batch of tomato jam is in my future too.

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize vs. Sat. Night Live bit

2009-10-09T07:32:00.003-06:00

You can't make this stuff up. Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize!

For what? Even Saturday Night Live skewered him for his lack of accomplishment.

It is not like he hasn't done anything though. With all the bailouts and spending, we now have a deficit that is 10% of our GNP. (That level of indebtedness is considered unsustainable. The dollar is taking a beating; the price of gold has hit record highs.)

If our current deficit doesn't push us over the solvent edge, we have Cap and Trade and ObamaCare waiting in the wings to finish the job.

As for world peace, the president turned a blind eye to the Honduran and Iranian's desire for democracy and fair elections, reneged on missile shield protection for the Czechs and Poles, and is talking about a role for the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Analysis: Obama's Nobel honors promise, not action, in some ways, reads much like the script from Saturday Night Live's parody on Obama's accomplishments.

Since the deadline for peace prize applications was February 1st, just 11 days after taking office, I can only surmise that the nominator really believed Obama would solve the world's problems?

As for the peace prize committee actually awarding it to Obama, well, let's just say the president joins other great men such as President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Al Gore as peace prize recipients. The prize is often more about slapping the former president's face than anything.

More reading: Comment: absurd decision Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize

He won, but for what?

The Last Days of Homegrown Sweetcorn: Get while gettin' is good

2009-10-07T07:29:00.007-06:00

Yesterday, I stopped in at Simons, our neighborhood farmstand on Greenfield Ave. and Vista View, for homegrown sweetcorn. Good sweetcorn is one of still remaining treats of summer. (Tomatoes would be another.)

I asked how much longer the sweetcorn season would last. The Simons lady said, through the weekend, maybe a few days longer.

She explained the length of the corn season all depends on when the first hard frost occurs. If we have some clear, cold nights, it will probably freeze, and that will be the end of it. The usual last day for corn is Oct. 16. (Certainly the weather has gone into full autumnal mode--I had to break down and turn the heat on last week!)

Simons has both the bi-colored and hard to find white corn. I bought both. (The white is even more tender than the bi.)

So if you love fresh homegrown sweetcorn like I do, stock up now. Homegrown sweetcorn's days are numbered.

PS Don't forget one for the pooch! We sometimes call our dog a corn-dog; he loves corn in any shape or form. He isn't alone. The lady at Simons told me their dogs on the farm eat the corn right out of the field. My canine prefers it cooked, with a little butter. ;-) My dog also loves carrots, sweet red peppers, romaine lettuce ribs, etc. He is a real omnivore.

Quiz: Which health insurance provider rejects more claims? Private or Government?

2009-10-06T09:18:00.006-06:00

Here is a little quiz to start your day: Which mainstream health insurance provider rejects the most claims?

Would it be those evil private insurance companies that President Obama and the Democrats criticize? Or Medicare, the one ObamaCare's public option will be modeled on? The one the AMA* supports?

It's MEDICARE!

From BigGovernment, AMA Endorses Largest Denier of Health Care Claims

"Beverly Gossage, Research Fellow for Show-Me Institute and founder of HSA Benefits Consulting wondered which insurance companies rejected the most claims. She found her answer in the AMA’s own 2008 National Health Insurer Report Card. The chart below appears on page 5 of the 16-page report."

Chart from BigGovernment:

"Of the eight insurers listed, Medicare is most likely to reject a claim, sending away 6.85% of requests. This is more than any private insurer and double that of the private insurers’ average!"

The big question for seniors seeking medical treatment is, will Medicare cover it? Even when retirees purchase supplemental plans to cover the portion of their bill that Medicare does not pay for, they are still at the mercy of Medicare coverage, not even the supplement will step in. Bottom line: If Medicare doesn't approve of it, it is an out of pocket expense.

The number of claims Medicare receives is much higher than the private sector providers, but outside of Aetna, with it's 43,317 denials (6.8%) on 637,239 claims, the remaining 6 private insurers with their total of 55,708 denials on 1,805,002 claims scored better.

At least when a claim is denied under private insurance, you still have the option to appeal or to provide more information. (I have had to do that at times with mixed results.) But if the government provider rejects you, who do you go to to appeal?

By the way, not all in the AMA support the public option. “...some member physicians at the group’s annual meeting [in June] likened the notion to communism.”

If we are to reform healthcare, shouldn't we be improving the current system instead of making it worse? Shouldn't we be allowing more choice in treatment options, more control over price of treatment, and lowering the cost of treatment?

The Senate might push the healthcare bill through soon by doing some maneuvering. They certainly don't want us or even their own legislators to know what is in the bill. If it is such an improvement, why hide it and sneak it through without time to read it?

More reading: *The AMA represents less than 1/3 of all doctors, yet Obama trots them out every time he wants to promote his health care reform bill.

Doctors Protest Obama's Plan for Health Care Reform

Heard about the BigGovernment article on Mark Levin's show last night.

Olympic Egg On Face, or The Emperor Is Naked

2009-10-03T11:44:00.011-06:00

I can't decide which title is more appropriate for this post. Chicago being eliminated on the first round of voting is horribly embarrassing, considering it was the president who made the pitch to the Olympic committee and presidents usually don't do that sort of thing.

It was bad enough that Obama spent millions of taxpayer dollars to go, but he also spent precious time to make the trip. He is after all the same president who for months said he was too busy to meet with our General McChrystal to discuss Afghanistan war strategy. (Obama did finally squeeze in a 25 minute meeting while en-route to Copenhagen*.)

The most devastating expenditure of Obama's ego-trip to Denmark was his squandering of world political clout. I believe that when a leader sticks his neck out for a cause, it better be an important one. Being rejected right out of the gate was a huge slap in the face.

What is most interesting to me is the reaction of the news media that cannot understand how their darling could have come up empty handed. It reminds me of the story of The Emperor's New Clothes. The media has all been fawning over their Emperor for so long, bolstered by each other and the Democrat Party, they failed to notice he was naked--totally devoid of any real experience or solutions to our many problems.

What I hope will come from this insult is that it will wake up Senate and House Democrats who still support Cap and Trade (Tax) and ObamCare despite their constituents' opposition. I hope they will realize that it is a little difficult to ride on the Obama-euphoria coattails in the 2010 elections if the president is really naked.

Post Scripts: I don't watch Saturday Night Live, but I did see this clip from the show on Boots and Sabers: SNL Rips on Obama. The T-shirt bit was funny.

*White House angry at General Stanley McChrystal speech on Afghanistan (Obama didn't have time to meet with the General about strategy but time to call him on the carpet?)