Commentary Snippets #3

As the Progressive elites hatch a compromise Senate healthcare "reform" bill behind closed doors, here are a few items to ponder: 1) contrary to White House assurances, Obamacare WILL fund abortions. In fact, each time the Republicans introduced an amendment to specifically prohibit federal funds for abortion in all five congressional healthcare bills, they were soundly defeated by the Democratic majority; 2) CBO’s estimate that Obamacare will reduce deficits by $81 billion over the next ten years does not take into account that while taxes and fees will begin in 2010, Obamacare itself will not be implemented until 2013. So, we can count on HUGE deficits after 2019. Yes, my friends, our Progressive overseers genuinely believe “we the people” are, in fact, insufferably stupid; 3) “employer mandates” will cost the economy up to $50 billion/year, and up to 9 million low-wage and part-time employees will lose their employer-based health insurance; 4) with a public option, millions of Americans who are satisfied with their current coverage will be forced out of their private health insurance plans and into the public option; 5) though the “individual mandate” provision in these bills is manifestly unconstitutional and will, therefore, likely be challenged in court, that won’t stop the Progressives. With Obamacare, individuals must either enroll or face onerous penalties of up to $1900; 6) Obamacare will mean the massive and costly expansion of the Medicaid program which will exacerbate state fiscal woes; 7) to reduce the deficit, all reform proposals will require billions in Medicare cuts which, if enacted, would adversely affect medical services to millions of seniors; but since no one really believes that such draconian Medicare cuts will happen, that illusory $81 billion in “savings” by 2019 will quickly balloon into a $300-$400 billion deficit; 8) the Price Waterhouse Coopers audit shows that Obamacare will drive up premiums ( vs making coverage more affordable) above what those costs would be without the reform: by 2016, the cost of coverage for the typical family will rise by $6,000 under current law and by $9,000 if Obamacare is adopted; 9) to placate generous trial lawyers, tort reform, which could save billions each year by reducing the need for defensive medicine, will not be part of any final Democratic bill; 10) reportedly, the White House is prepared to approve an increase in payments for doctors in return for their support for Obamacare, an estimated $250 billion cost not yet factored into the liberals’ rosey 10-year forecast; 11) despite the economic and healthcare carnage wrought by Obamacare, 25 million people would still be uninsured!

Again, folks, this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with improving healthcare quality or reducing healthcare costs for Americans. It’s ALL about the expansion of government power over our lives. To bring down healthcare costs without jeopardizing the quality of care, no intelligent person on the Hill can honestly believe that throwing the baby out with the bath water is the solution to our healthcare problems. So, there must be an ulterior motive. The short of it is that the Progressives well understand Lenin’s assertion that providing universal healthcare is a surefire stepping stone to socialist domination. (See previous healthcare posts where more sensible and market-based approaches to reforming healthcare are discussed.)

If the Obama-run Census Bureau has its way, and there's every reason to believe that it will, Fox News could be barred from airing bureau ads aimed at instructing and encouraging public participation in the census. On its website, the bureau asserts that media with “controversial talk” formats will be denied ad deals. No matter. Given the White House’s open war with Fox News, I’m sure a commercially fluorishing Fox isn’t banking on any ad money anyway.

Despite Obama’s gift of $900 million for Palestinian “humanitarian aid”, meaning Swiss bank accounts, Fatah remains extremely upset with Obama for failing to more aggressively push Israel to abandon its settlements on the West Bank. Tch, tch, tch. Poor misunderstood, victimized Fatah. As far as I’m concerned, let this shamelessly unrepentant terrorist horde which so callously celebrated the death of 3000 innocents on 9/11 eat…..cake.

The much maligned “birthers” may yet be vindicated--and none too soon for these United States of America. Seems one Judge Carter may actually allow Barnett v Obama to go forward, this despite the feverish Obama legal team’s attempts to block any such attempt. Stay tuned.

While the recent District of Columbia v. Heller case upheld the individual right to keep and bear arms in federally administered areas, it did not settle the question of Second Amendment rights for individuals in areas outside direct federal jurisdiction. Thus, this winter the Supreme Court will hear the McDonald v City of Chicago case which will decide whether Second Amendment rights are protected from state and municipal government encroachments as well. While it seems academic that one’s right to bear arms for self-defense is constitutionally unassailable, nevertheless Chicago’s handgun ban has remained in effect for the last 27 years, effectively denying law-abiding citizens from possessing firearms to defend themselves, their families, and their homes. The suit was brought by four Chicago residents, the Second Amendment Foundation, and the Illinois State Rifle Association. Obviously, Americans shouldn’t have to choose between violating unconstitutional gun ban laws or protecting themselves and their loved ones. (Lest we forget where Obama's heart is in all this, in 2004 State Senator Obama voted against Illinois Senate Bill 2165 which would have allowed citizens the right to possess and to protect themselves with handguns. In short, this administration remains viscerally opposed to protecting individual Second Amendment rights.)

The Heritage Foundation calculates that cap-and-trade, if passed, will result in 1.9 million fewer jobs in 2012, $9.4 TRILLION lost in economic growth by 2030 and nearly a 90% increase in energy costs for all Americans by 2030. Yes, incredibly, the Progressives are still pushing very, very hard for cap-and-trade. What better way to weaken our economy and to advance their Marxist agenda for America. Remain vigilant, folks. Forewarned is forearmed. Be prepared to push back aggressively.

Money speaks louder than words. Currently, Iran is China’s biggest trading partner and supplies 14% of China’s oil imports! Awash in foreign currency estimated at $2 trillion, and with a burgeoning need for Iranian oil to fuel it’s red-hot economic growth, China plans to increase its investments in Iran by $120 billion over the next several years. Combining those stats with the fact that America is relying on Beijing to help fund Obama’s $9 trillion deficit over the next ten years, is it really any wonder why meaningful economic sanctions against Iran have been impossible? But, fear not. My bet is that Israel, free of Chinese economic pressures, will soon pull the plug on Iranian nuclear development. Like my T-shirt proclaims, “Don’t Worry America. Israel is Behind You”. And thank God for that!

The redoubtable Mark Steyn warns that one of every eight workers in New York State—or 1.2 million—is a unionized government employee, and thus a reliable vote for the Democrats, the Party of Big Government. He aptly describes this public sector growth as a debilitating “matastasization” which is fast becoming an “existential threat to democracy”. No kidding, huh? Whatever happened to the lofty principle of “public service”? And to add insult to injury, these so-called “public servants” are also unionized! We’re quickly approaching a crossroads, folks: either we meekly adopt a Socialist Republic of America or we return to the small government free enterprise sytem that built this country. And while fending off the Progressive onslaught, I hope we’ve learned that there can be no worthwhile compromise with Progressives, Statists, Marxists and Socialists.