Political Favors and Obamacare

Oh yeah, this plan is full of crap and full of favors to be paid back. But this is the President that said he was not going to have an Administration with politics as usual. Well, no it’s politics as usual. It’s worse. The lobbyists have been so visible and their numbers so high that some had to be turned away. There’s a steady stream of lobbyists getting their piece of the Obamacare pie.

JOHN R. LOTT, JR: ObamaCare Will Save Money? Don’t Believe a Word of It…

By John R. Lott, Jr.
Senior Research Scientist, University of Maryland

President Obama is selling government health insurance to the American people as the way to save money. That government health insurance will merely provide competition to keep private insurance companies from gouging their customers. . .

. . .There are a couple of problems with Obama’s argument. Government is just not known for its cost effectiveness or quality. And the way for government enterprises to survive is with massive taxpayer subsidies and charging customers prices below the firm’s actual costs, driving more efficient private firms out of business. These subsidies mean that when government enterprises “win” they do so by driving more efficient private firms out of business. . .

. . .Already the Congressional Budget Office is predicting a federal budget deficit of over $9.3 trillion. Just that new debt alone means an extra $103,000 for each of the 90 million tax filers who actually pay taxes. Depending on government to magically find ways to create efficiency will only ensure huge additional expenditures and debt. It can also jeopardize a health care system where 89 percent of Americans are happy with the health care that they receive.

Click here to read the full article

Now how about this. You’re gonna love this. You know if you have healthcare benefits at work, they will be taxed. YES ALL OF YOU. Well, no not all. UNION MEMBERS are exempt. Talk about pay back. Obama’s shoes are parked under labor’s bed (Click here to read my post about his refusal to meet with mayors because he would have to cross a picket line). Pathetic and politics as usual – only worse! Oh let’s not forget the VAT tax (click here to read my post on the VAT tax).

Listen to Neil Cavuto talk to Steve Forbes about this mess

Or read this in the Wall Street Journal. It’s true. I don’t make this up.

Democrats and the Health Tax Taboo

To understand why Sen. Max Baucus has taken so long to release his health-care reform, tune in to Oregon radio. That's where Mr. Baucus's fellow Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden, has been flayed by unions for his own reform proposals.

"The last thing we need is to pay more," moans a radio ad aired by three labor outfits, including the National Education Association. It excoriates Mr. Wyden for daring to fund his plan with what has become liberal taboo: taxes on existing health-care benefits.

Mr. Baucus, the Finance Committee chairman who is helping lead the Obama health effort, is still deciding what to include in the bill. But his far bigger headache remains how to pay for this blowout. He and other Democrats have been inching toward the taboo benefits-tax, putting them on a collision course with liberal special interests like unions. Mr. Baucus's newest solution? A union payoff. . .

Click here to read the full article

My question is, why can’t we do the same thing that Safeway is doing? Hmmm, I guess the problem is the Safeway plan doesn’t include political favors and paybacks.

How Safeway Is Cutting Health-Care Costs

Market-based solutions can reduce the national health-care bill by 40%.

By STEVEN A. BURD

Effective health-care reform must meet two objectives: 1) It must secure coverage for all Americans, and 2) it must dramatically lower the cost of health care. Health-care spending has outpaced the rise in all other consumer spending by nearly a factor of three since 1980, increasing to 18% of GDP in 2009 from 9% of GDP. This disturbing trend will not change regardless of who pays these costs -- government or the private sector -- unless we can find a way to improve the health of our citizens. Failure to do so will make American companies less competitive in the global marketplace, increase taxes, and undermine our economy.

At Safeway we believe that well-designed health-care reform, utilizing market-based solutions, can ultimately reduce our nation's health-care bill by 40%. The key to achieving these savings is health-care plans that reward healthy behavior. As a self-insured employer, Safeway designed just such a plan in 2005 and has made continuous improvements each year. The results have been remarkable. During this four-year period, we have kept our per capita health-care costs flat (that includes both the employee and the employer portion), while most American companies' costs have increased 38% over the same four years.

Safeway's plan capitalizes on two key insights gained in 2005. The first is that 70% of all health-care costs are the direct result of behavior. The second insight, which is well understood by the providers of health care, is that 74% of all costs are confined to four chronic conditions (cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity). Furthermore, 80% of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is preventable, 60% of cancers are preventable, and more than 90% of obesity is preventable. . .

Click here to read the full article

Now to continue the story about George Walpin.(click here for my previous post) If you think this administration cares about you and yours, think again. If you cross him and don’t goose-step to his wishes you are screwed. Ask Inspector General Walpin.

OK, I'm getting really tired of placating the naysayers but just for you that say the letter I posted, yesterday, was a fraud and made up--here you go. Stop hanging on to shreds of hope that the facts I present might be wrong. So far, they're not. I do my homework, as best I can. But, just for you so you don't have to go look it up. Here's Janet Cantreras talking about her letter. If you missed it, click here to read my post and the full text of her letter.

Now, believe it??? Go sign the petition. If the site has crashed keep trying. Yes, so many people are sick and tired of this the server keeps crashing. I got on this morning and there are over 70,000 signatures in 2 days.

OK, to really get you reading, here’s the daily reading list from CNS News. It's Thursday's list but, trust me the issues didn't disappear overnight. Just the facts. Learn and make a responsible decision. Don’t be swayed by the Obama Media Machine.

Today's Headlines

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Reading Miranda Rights to Terrorists Is 'Crazy' and 'Stupid,' Republican Congressmen Say
(CNSNews.com) – The Justice Department confirmed last week that FBI agents in Afghanistan are reading Miranda warnings to suspected terrorists captured there, a practice that Republican lawmakers this week branded as "crazy" and "stupid."
Democrats Bury ‘Community Transformation’ Plans in Health Care Bill
(CNSNews.com) - Senate Democrats inserted a wide-ranging provision for “Community Transformation Plans” in their half-completed health care bill, outlining the proposal on page 382 of the 615-page bill. Some Republicans have criticized the provision as a means to funnel money to liberal activist groups under the canopy of “community organizations.”
Text of Most Controversial Element in Health-Care Bill Is Missing from Publicly Released Draft
(CNSNews.com) - The Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee unveiled a draft of its health care reform bill for the first time Tuesday, but the bill omitted particulars about the biggest controversy in the debate – the public health insurance option. The section dealing with a “public option” says only, “Policy under discussion.” The public option involves the creation of a government-run health insurance provider.
White House Stands by Obama's Claim That Single-Payer Health Care Works In Other Countries--It's Just Not Sure Which Countries Obama Meant
White House (CNSNews.com) - Two days after President Barack Obama told the American Medical Association that a single-payer health care system “works pretty well” in some countries, the White House said it did not know to which countries the president was referring.
Administration Says Obama Can Extend Federal Benefits to Homosexual Couples Despite Defense of Marriage Act
White House (CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama’s move to grant new benefits to homosexual partners of federal employees is only a first step, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who said the president is pushing for Congress to pass legislation allowing greater benefits. But opponents of the move believe it could violate the federal law known as the Defense of Marriage Act.
Obama Appoints Homosexual Activist Who Promotes Pro-Gay Clubs in Public Schools to be 'Safe Schools' Czar
(CNSNews.com) – Kevin Jennings, appointed by President Obama to be assistant deputy secretary of education in charge of the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, is the founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), an organization that is a prime force behind the creation of “gay-straight alliance” clubs in high schools--and some junior highs--around the country.

Tens of Millions from Economic Stimulus Spent on Trivial Projects, GOP Report Claims
White House (CNSNews.com) - About $15 million in taxpayer funds went to repairs for little-used bridges in rural Wisconsin. Nearly $10 million went to renovate an abandoned train station that has not been used in three decades. Also, $3.4 million went to an “eco-passage” for Florida wildlife to safely pass under a highway. These were a few of the projects mentioned in a report from the office of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), one of the Senate’s biggest fiscal hawks, in criticizing how money from the stimulus law is being spent.
ABC Says It Has Rejected Advocacy Ads 'Forever,' Including During the Upcoming Obama Primetime Special
(CNSNews.com) – A spokesperson for ABC News said Wednesday that an ad offering a free-market alternative to President Obama's health care reform plan -- submitted for airing during the network’s upcoming primetime special on Obama's health care plan -- was rejected because the network does not accept “advocacy advertising.”
Harry Reid Vows Action on ‘Comprehensive’ Immigration Bill That Includes Amnesty
(CNSNews.com) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) vowed Monday that the Senate would consider a “comprehensive” immigration reform bill that would include giving amnesty to illegal aliens -- an item he referred to as “bringing the 11 million people out of the shadows.” Reid said the Senate would take up a massive new immigration bill after it deals with health care issue and energy.
45 Percent of Swine Flu Cases Found in USA
(CNSNews.com) - Of the 39,620 cases of novel H1N1 influenza reported worldwide as of June 17, almost half of them are in the United States. The U.S. leads the world with 17,855 laboratory-confirmed swine flu cases – up from 13,217 reported cases on June 12. Some of the most recent victims were young and seemingly healthy.