As the days go by and we inch closer and closer to 2012, I can’t help but begin to feel the fear growing within me.
The situation is growing deeper and more dire. I don’t think people realize the quagmire the Republican Party faces in 2012. This isn’t your normal political climate. There’s a two front war, a health care revolution, a debate about the end of a recession, a record federal debt, and a world growing less and less influenced by the United State.
All of that alone is enough to be a daunting task to unseat a president. In 2004, the argument was made that because we were in a war, Bush would not be deposed by Kerry because he had war experience. Well, is it too far out of spectrum to suggest that, because Obama has been weathering this storm, he would not be unseated for the same ‘experience’ standard.
As laughable as putting experience and Obama together might be, for once, it might not be too off point.
But its more than that. Obama is not just president. He’s not just a man. He’s a movement. That’s where this political climate begin to get scary. Men are defeatable. Presidents are fallible. But a full fledged movement? Well, thats a whole different beast. Obama represents all the “change” democrats wanted to see. He overcame the odds, beat the system by wearing Hillary out before crushing McCain. He has changed the old guard in Washington- younger people are getting their chance to big things in the White House. He’s doing the one thing no other POTUS has ever done before- humanizing the White House. In previous presidencies, the White House was seemingly built on a pedestal. You didn’t hear about the underlings. The president was the focus and everybody else just happened to be the fuzzy background in his grand picture. But now, its different. Obama has done a masterful job of making his White House appeal to the every day person. His staffers have posed for Maxim, his speechwriter Jon Favreau made both the 100 Most Influential and 100 Best Looking lists in the same year. The White House has become approachable. Its no longer the shining house on the Hill, but just another place of business that happens to be a million times cooler and more important than any place you’ve ever works.
Thats what scares me. As many missteps as he has made, the movement keeps picking up steam. Regular people are willing to forgive quickly because...”he’s just a regular guy”. The president has always had this air of regality in the past. They’ve all had normal tendencies, but at the end of the day, they always stood above the chaff because they had to. Not him. He’s addicted to his Blackberry, like us. He had a problem with smoking, like so many of us. He enjoys filling out March Madness brackets, like us.
Forget health care blunders. Forget the rising defecit. Forget Government Motors. He’s one of us.
That is what gives me nightmares at night. 2012 is becoming more and more of a pipedream for the GOP and conservatives as a whole. We will probably split the power and regain a ton of seats in Congress. Boehner says there should be as many as 100 seats in play and I fully believe that’s truth. We will probably regain majority within Congress or at least pick up enough seats to ruin the liberal agenda.
But thats recoverable. In the scope of national politics, Congress is a bunch of nameless, faceless ranks that take the brunt of the blame for whatever bad happens. With the exception of a few people who rise above the facelessness- Pelosi, Reid, McCain, and now Scott Brown, you couldn’t name half the people there. They are all just people, just ordinary people, defeatable as any other politician. 2012 will be a Congressional dogfight, one that would make Michael Vick salivate, for sure.
But the prizefight may be over before it even begins.
The GOP currently has no superstars. They have not groomed anyone to enter the fight and stand a reasonable chance. Its going to be like Pacquiao v Clottey from a few weeks ago, where Clottey got talked up, then stood around and did nothing and was made to look a fool for entering the ring.
To defeat a movement, you need a countermovement. What does the GOP currently have? The Tea Party. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Tea Party is, without a doubt, a countermovement.
But of a different breed.
The Tea Party gives everyday people a chance to stand up, to exercise their rights to free speech against politicians. But who has risen from the Tea Party ranks to challenge Obama in a manner that could translate into a presidential race?
Sarah Palin? No way. Her resigning from gubernatorial duties in Alaska was the worst move she could ever make. So not only is she the crazy veep candidate that kept McCain’s boat barely afloat, but she’s a quitter. Probably to collect those fat paychecks from books, pundit appearances, etc. If Sarah Palin runs, it will divide America worse than Obama did. Which is what we can’t afford right now.
Glenn Beck? He’s a TV pundit. Presidencies built upon talking heads are the stuff of poorly written movies.
Newt Gingrich. His time was ten years ago.
There are names in the race already or names from 2008, but none of them evoke any real emotions.
Romney- Mormonism is a strong thing to overcome. Governing a liberal state is another. He is far too establishment to get over.
Bobby Jindal- Years away. The young governor from Louisiana could be a contender, but there has been NOTHING done to pump him up. No opportunities to turn him into a brand name.
McCain- He didn’t even really want to run in 2008. He’s done. He is a great man. One of the best America has. Just not suited for the presidency. Its not that he would do a bad job.....its just that he wouldn’t do a great job either.
Huckabee- Made the transition to television. Paycheck is too good on TV. I don’t think he has a reasonable shot.
Giuliani- Disinterested. He was the strong favorite in 2008 and I think he had the best chance to unseat Obama. He was on the verge of ‘movement’ status with the America’s Mayor moniker, but nobody harnessed it properly. His brain trust screwed him with their ‘place now, work later’ focus on dismissing the early primaries/caucases and using Florida as their launch pad. Iowa and New Hampshire are NEVER overlookable. In 2000, McCain stood a chance at beating Bush because of New Hampshire. 1992, Clinton did the same thing in NH. Iowa is a coinflip- it built the fire that legitimized Obama and it created the flareout that became Huckabee’s campaign.
Tim Pawlenty- He’s been my personal pick since McCain won the nomination in 2008. It was obvious McCain wasn’t going to win, but his vetting of T-Paw made a lot of sense as a VP candidate. He’s got the best credentials. He’s probably the best choice. But he’s just a man. A very bland man at that. The self styled “Wal-Mart Conservative” hasn’t branded himself, hasn’t stepped out into the spotlight to create any aura around him. Its obvious he wants the presidency, but finishing 4th in CPAC voting because nobody knows you is a horrible way to come out of the gate.
The GOP needs a movement. They need to rally behind a non-polarizing figure that understands what the people want. That can speak well, that isn’t your normal dehumanized politician.
You know who stands that chance?
Scott Brown.
It makes sense. He’s a firebrand. His grassroots campaign appealed to the entire US. He pulled the world into Massachusetts for that race. He created a mini-movement behind him. He became larger than life. Scott Brown became more than just a man, Scott Brown became a rallying cry for conservatives across the US who were already tired of the direction Obama had been taken us.
Our hopes in 2012 may rest upon a former Cosmo model who captured America’s hearts and minds with one of the most surprising and oddly played campaigns in Congressional history.
Are you worried yet?
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tea Anyone?
Last April 15th, I was downtown Cleveland for a meeting. I had heard a few days prior that there would be a "Tea Party" rally that day near the courthouse so I decided that since I was already in the area I would check it out. The weather that day was absolutely awful. It was about 45 degrees and overcast with a brisk wind coming right off the only recently melted lake. I thought to myself that it was not exactly a conducive recipe for a big turnout. I was also skeptical because never in my lifetime had I really seen conservative minded people protest in large numbers. I had watched countless numbers of liberals protest the war and other issues during the Bush years, but I had always been told that Republicans did not protest because they had jobs to go to. I guess desperate times call for desperate measure then because I was pleasantly surprised to see so many patriotic Americans brave the elements last tax day waving flags and signs to voice their opposition to a government they believed was becoming too big and spending way too much money.
We are now a year removed from the initial Tea Party experiment and we can now put into perspective how this little movement has exploded into a political juggernaut. Not since the rise of the New Left during the early 1960's has a true grassroots political movement risen to such prowess in such a small amount of time. While it is true that the organizers of the Tea Parties have done a magnificent job in creating this political force, the real credit must be given to the current administration and their accessories in the Congress. This government has become to large and grotesque while simultaneously spending our country into bankruptcy that we the people now know that it is up to us, not our inept representatives in Congress to do what our Constitution says and organize to voice our opposition. Regardless of what our complacent media says, the Tea Party is a movement made up of regular, hardworking Americans who realize the severity of our current situation. Most of the people who make up this movement have never been politically active before, but their love for this great yet diminished land has forced them to be silent no longer.
The aforementioned American media have done their best over the past year to ridicule and silence the Tea Party. The liberals who run the networks, newspapers and magazines have become so desperate that they have had to resort to their trusted and predictable nuclear option -- racism. The left has always used the race card against conservatives to try to marginalize our politics but this time it is different. A black man is now the president and according to the media, all we care about is the color of his skin...not his policies. MSNBC in particular is on a daily basis trying as hard as they can to make a connection between the Tea Parties and racism. Comedian Janine Garofalo said last year on that network that we are nothing but a bunch of "Teabagging rednecks". How nice. CNN, by the way, has also used the word "Teabaggers" to demean this movement. Op-ed's have run in prominent newspapers like the New York Times and Washington post equating the Tea Parties with the Ku Klux Klan and George Wallace supporters. The media ignores the broader movement when reporting and scourers the crowd to magnify the few nuts in order to paint us all with the same brush. It is funny because I do not remember this type of scrutiny of the anti-war protest that called for the murder of George W. Bush. In fact, I remember an instance when our local news rag of record, "The Plain Dealer" actually printed a map and directions to an anti-war rally so that the participants could find the easiest route. I am sure the five people that showed up were overcome with appreciation.
Despite their pathetic attempts, the American people thus far have had and still hold a positive view of the Tea Party. Level headed and free thinking Americans know that we have absolutely no issue with the president because of his ethnicity, we care about the fact that we have accumulated a $13 trillion dollar debt that is growing with every passing day. We care that a government that was created of the people, by the people and for the people is now perishing as a result of government growth and intervention. We care that only 50 years ago President John Kennedy told us to ask not what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country, but now it has become the exact opposite. We care that everything that has made this country so successful and powerful over the past 235 years is unraveling into an unsustainable and unamerican welfare state akin Western Europe and other socialized nations. We want to get back to a country that rewards success and ingenuity, but that will never hesitate to help the helpless, just not the clueless. We want to be a nation that again relies on the individual to be responsible for himself not one that provides a safety net for anyone who is simply unwilling to try.
The Tea Party stands for all of these things, as do I think most Americans. Regardless of what the media or the administration tell you, they are listening to us. They know the significance of this movement, if it was not such a threat to their power they would not waste the time in trying so hard to marginalize it. That is why we can not stop being boisterous. We mustn't stop until our country is once again on the right track and we can take the first step in that direction this November. Remember, the last revolution also started with a Tea Party.
BMN
We are now a year removed from the initial Tea Party experiment and we can now put into perspective how this little movement has exploded into a political juggernaut. Not since the rise of the New Left during the early 1960's has a true grassroots political movement risen to such prowess in such a small amount of time. While it is true that the organizers of the Tea Parties have done a magnificent job in creating this political force, the real credit must be given to the current administration and their accessories in the Congress. This government has become to large and grotesque while simultaneously spending our country into bankruptcy that we the people now know that it is up to us, not our inept representatives in Congress to do what our Constitution says and organize to voice our opposition. Regardless of what our complacent media says, the Tea Party is a movement made up of regular, hardworking Americans who realize the severity of our current situation. Most of the people who make up this movement have never been politically active before, but their love for this great yet diminished land has forced them to be silent no longer.
The aforementioned American media have done their best over the past year to ridicule and silence the Tea Party. The liberals who run the networks, newspapers and magazines have become so desperate that they have had to resort to their trusted and predictable nuclear option -- racism. The left has always used the race card against conservatives to try to marginalize our politics but this time it is different. A black man is now the president and according to the media, all we care about is the color of his skin...not his policies. MSNBC in particular is on a daily basis trying as hard as they can to make a connection between the Tea Parties and racism. Comedian Janine Garofalo said last year on that network that we are nothing but a bunch of "Teabagging rednecks". How nice. CNN, by the way, has also used the word "Teabaggers" to demean this movement. Op-ed's have run in prominent newspapers like the New York Times and Washington post equating the Tea Parties with the Ku Klux Klan and George Wallace supporters. The media ignores the broader movement when reporting and scourers the crowd to magnify the few nuts in order to paint us all with the same brush. It is funny because I do not remember this type of scrutiny of the anti-war protest that called for the murder of George W. Bush. In fact, I remember an instance when our local news rag of record, "The Plain Dealer" actually printed a map and directions to an anti-war rally so that the participants could find the easiest route. I am sure the five people that showed up were overcome with appreciation.
Despite their pathetic attempts, the American people thus far have had and still hold a positive view of the Tea Party. Level headed and free thinking Americans know that we have absolutely no issue with the president because of his ethnicity, we care about the fact that we have accumulated a $13 trillion dollar debt that is growing with every passing day. We care that a government that was created of the people, by the people and for the people is now perishing as a result of government growth and intervention. We care that only 50 years ago President John Kennedy told us to ask not what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country, but now it has become the exact opposite. We care that everything that has made this country so successful and powerful over the past 235 years is unraveling into an unsustainable and unamerican welfare state akin Western Europe and other socialized nations. We want to get back to a country that rewards success and ingenuity, but that will never hesitate to help the helpless, just not the clueless. We want to be a nation that again relies on the individual to be responsible for himself not one that provides a safety net for anyone who is simply unwilling to try.
The Tea Party stands for all of these things, as do I think most Americans. Regardless of what the media or the administration tell you, they are listening to us. They know the significance of this movement, if it was not such a threat to their power they would not waste the time in trying so hard to marginalize it. That is why we can not stop being boisterous. We mustn't stop until our country is once again on the right track and we can take the first step in that direction this November. Remember, the last revolution also started with a Tea Party.
BMN
Friday, April 2, 2010
The Fall of the Last Great Empire- It's a Big F*****' Deal
We spent a lot of time focused on health care, and deservedly so. Its a big deal. It continues to unfold over the coming weeks, but there are many, many other things in the world that need to be talked about. While we’re at home, worried about the effects health care will have, watching the rest of the pork be pulled out and explained and shoved down our throats as to why its good for us....things continue to get worse.
The horrible thing is, President Obama hasn’t done much to make things better. The President of the United States is supposed to be a man of honor who goes out of his way to ensure everyone has a voice....to uphold the First Amendment. What has he been doing since health care passed? Why, wouldn’t you know it, he’s out bandstanding throughout America, mocking conservatives for their stance against health care, telling them to ‘bring it’ and being overly derisive against a massive portion of America. Oh yeah, he’s also capitalizing by selling shirts that say “Health Reform is a BFD (Big F----- Deal) [you can view those and his other PR ideas at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fbtshirtpoll ]
I sit back and try to rationalize these actions, but I can’t. I really, really can’t. Wasn’t this the SAME constituency who, years ago, DEMANDED Governor Schwarzenegger’s head on a pike for calling them ‘girlie men’? These are the same people who become outraged and cry absolute bloody murder when something a little off color is said in public. These are the same people who cried foul when, at Strom Thurmond’s 100th birthday, Trent Lott spoke up and said things would be better if he had been elected president. Yeah, I get it. Thurmond ran on the Dixiecrat ticket, which was largely racist. Take into context what he said and where- he made a comment speaking well of this man, the longest tenured Senator in US history, on his birthday. Looking into beyond that is so absurd, but thats what they did. They shamed him out of his leadership position and eventually out of Congress altogether because they had their panties in such a bunch.
Grow some thicker skin. Obama is out trashing conservatives left and right these days. He’s making t-shirts about it. Throwing everything in our face. Yeah, change and bipartisanship. That’s exactly what he’s doing. Its sickening. This man speaks out of one side of his mouth then goes out and does something else. He makes cries that bipartisanship needs to happen, yet he impedes the process by mocking conservatives for their ideas.
You know what? I’m glad health care passed. Its going to ruin him. Its going to ruin Democrats. Its the death knell. You know why? “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”-George Santayana There’s an elephant in the room nobody has addressed yet. Why has nobody brought up what happened to countries who turn to socialized health care?
It’s because those countries lose power. They become less viable. They lose military strongholds. They cut funding across the board. The great thing about America has always been our ability to act alone- the pioneer spirit. We do things together as a people. We overcome amazing obstacles because of our individuality. We fight for everything we accomplish and recieve.
Health care ruins all of that. Gone will be that pioneer spirit. You get free health care. Why try and better it? Look at Canada. Canada had the 4th largest Navy in the world. What happened when socialized health care came into effect? Well.....Canada is laughable as a military power.
Same with Great Britain.
Same with most of Europe as a whole.
Well, you say, that doesn’t matter. We don’t need a big military anymore. We can cut costs and shrink the military to pay for this needed reform.
Can we? Can America afford it? Can the world afford it?
Like it or not, America is a world stabilizer. We keep things in check. Our military power protects those states, I’m looking at you Canada and Britain, that don’t have strong militaries to pay for their health care. What happens when we shrink our hard power to pay for health care?
I’ll tell you what happens- we lose. If you pay attention to the news at all, you’ll see Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin paid a visit to President Hugo Chavez and his country of Venezuela, to bolster support.
Now, if you know anything about politics, you know what a horrible person Chavez is, how poorly his country is run, and how much he hates America. With Obama in office, you see what is happening? Countries that wouldn’t have paid him the time of day out of fear are talking to him, seeing what he needs.
Russia has promised to help them develop nuclear power and a space program. China and Iran stand behind Venezuela.
Who are America’s three biggest threats with nuclear capabilities.
China.
Russia.
Iran.
If you remember, during the Bush Administration, Putin was a strong ally of the United States. This would have never happened.
Today? Russia scoffs at us and Obama’s insistence on ignoring Russia and what they bring to the table.
It’s a scary thing to look at. As we push toward this new health care program (I know I said I wouldn’t talk about it, but I guess it tied in. Oh well.....), the rest of the world prepares to step in when we, same as our allies, fall into the same military weakness that prevents us from having a strong presence in the world.
If things don’t change....if this isn’t repealed...if we don’t figure this out...we could very well be saying goodbye to the last Superpower.
If you’ve ever taken a history class, you have learned about the rise and fall of the great empires- Rome, Egypt, Mongols, British....
Welcome to the accelerated decline of the last great empire.
The horrible thing is, President Obama hasn’t done much to make things better. The President of the United States is supposed to be a man of honor who goes out of his way to ensure everyone has a voice....to uphold the First Amendment. What has he been doing since health care passed? Why, wouldn’t you know it, he’s out bandstanding throughout America, mocking conservatives for their stance against health care, telling them to ‘bring it’ and being overly derisive against a massive portion of America. Oh yeah, he’s also capitalizing by selling shirts that say “Health Reform is a BFD (Big F----- Deal) [you can view those and his other PR ideas at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fbtshirtpoll ]
I sit back and try to rationalize these actions, but I can’t. I really, really can’t. Wasn’t this the SAME constituency who, years ago, DEMANDED Governor Schwarzenegger’s head on a pike for calling them ‘girlie men’? These are the same people who become outraged and cry absolute bloody murder when something a little off color is said in public. These are the same people who cried foul when, at Strom Thurmond’s 100th birthday, Trent Lott spoke up and said things would be better if he had been elected president. Yeah, I get it. Thurmond ran on the Dixiecrat ticket, which was largely racist. Take into context what he said and where- he made a comment speaking well of this man, the longest tenured Senator in US history, on his birthday. Looking into beyond that is so absurd, but thats what they did. They shamed him out of his leadership position and eventually out of Congress altogether because they had their panties in such a bunch.
Grow some thicker skin. Obama is out trashing conservatives left and right these days. He’s making t-shirts about it. Throwing everything in our face. Yeah, change and bipartisanship. That’s exactly what he’s doing. Its sickening. This man speaks out of one side of his mouth then goes out and does something else. He makes cries that bipartisanship needs to happen, yet he impedes the process by mocking conservatives for their ideas.
You know what? I’m glad health care passed. Its going to ruin him. Its going to ruin Democrats. Its the death knell. You know why? “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”-George Santayana There’s an elephant in the room nobody has addressed yet. Why has nobody brought up what happened to countries who turn to socialized health care?
It’s because those countries lose power. They become less viable. They lose military strongholds. They cut funding across the board. The great thing about America has always been our ability to act alone- the pioneer spirit. We do things together as a people. We overcome amazing obstacles because of our individuality. We fight for everything we accomplish and recieve.
Health care ruins all of that. Gone will be that pioneer spirit. You get free health care. Why try and better it? Look at Canada. Canada had the 4th largest Navy in the world. What happened when socialized health care came into effect? Well.....Canada is laughable as a military power.
Same with Great Britain.
Same with most of Europe as a whole.
Well, you say, that doesn’t matter. We don’t need a big military anymore. We can cut costs and shrink the military to pay for this needed reform.
Can we? Can America afford it? Can the world afford it?
Like it or not, America is a world stabilizer. We keep things in check. Our military power protects those states, I’m looking at you Canada and Britain, that don’t have strong militaries to pay for their health care. What happens when we shrink our hard power to pay for health care?
I’ll tell you what happens- we lose. If you pay attention to the news at all, you’ll see Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin paid a visit to President Hugo Chavez and his country of Venezuela, to bolster support.
Now, if you know anything about politics, you know what a horrible person Chavez is, how poorly his country is run, and how much he hates America. With Obama in office, you see what is happening? Countries that wouldn’t have paid him the time of day out of fear are talking to him, seeing what he needs.
Russia has promised to help them develop nuclear power and a space program. China and Iran stand behind Venezuela.
Who are America’s three biggest threats with nuclear capabilities.
China.
Russia.
Iran.
If you remember, during the Bush Administration, Putin was a strong ally of the United States. This would have never happened.
Today? Russia scoffs at us and Obama’s insistence on ignoring Russia and what they bring to the table.
It’s a scary thing to look at. As we push toward this new health care program (I know I said I wouldn’t talk about it, but I guess it tied in. Oh well.....), the rest of the world prepares to step in when we, same as our allies, fall into the same military weakness that prevents us from having a strong presence in the world.
If things don’t change....if this isn’t repealed...if we don’t figure this out...we could very well be saying goodbye to the last Superpower.
If you’ve ever taken a history class, you have learned about the rise and fall of the great empires- Rome, Egypt, Mongols, British....
Welcome to the accelerated decline of the last great empire.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Health Care Reform: Sure its historic, but is it a good historic?
(Written by New Breed contributor and resident law adviser Kathryn)
It is troubling to be living in America in at time that the government is truly not listening to the American public, and passing legislation that is both unpopular and quite possibly unconstitutional. The Heath Care Reform was signed into law with all the media attention on the highly scripted moment on Tuesday, with a high amount of backlash.
Perhaps I should take a moment to introduce myself, and the perspective that I am coming from. I am currently a law student with a healthy skepticism of the government as a whole. I identify myself as a conservative, but am open to ideas from both sides of the isle. I am further along then just my first year, so I am just educated enough to be really dangerous in the legal field. I also come from a medical family who has never had to deal with medical malpractice as a defendant, but nonetheless have instilled in me a healthy respect for the field as a whole. Which is why I feel that that this Health Care Act is more of a detriment then the cure for the illness of the lack of insured in this country.
Sure the American people need to have heath care that would be affordable and available to all, but is this really the best our government could do? In many ways I feel that this particular round in the political arena was geared toward showing that the party in control of the government could get something done, rather then crafting legislation that might actually accomplish the goals put forth. A thousand page piece of legislation with so many loopholes and throwbacks to contributing states is not what this country needs. The fact that half of those voting did not even bother to read the document should tell you how well this piece of legislation is crafted.
The legislation takes way from people the right to choose. This is a fundamental issue in the American society. WE are a free nation. WE are able to choose if we want to drive and have to purchase car insurance, or if we want to take the bus and save the expense. We are free to choose our own destiny and path in the world, not one that is predetermined by the government. WE THE PEOPLE have the right to be free from government tyranny and forced fines for not purchasing insurance. What ever happened to “no taxation without representation” for the American public? If the current administration thinks that they are representing the will of the American people maybe they should look at the polls showing that the public is against this act by a +10.5 spread on average.
Even if we give the current administration the benefit of the doubt and say that they were truly trying to help the people and not just push their own political agenda, there is still the constitutional issue. The Tenth Amendment, which I hope the people in power are familiar with, says that the powers that are not expressly given in the constitution are reserved for the states. This is why there have already been 12 state Attorney Generals who filed suit a mere two minutes after the law was signed, alleging the law is unconstitutional based on the Tenth Amendment. I have not read this complaint yet, but if I were the one writing it I would have included the overreaching aspects of the new law that controls state actions. The states have always been in control of insurance practices. They are the ones who have been in the real trenches with insurance issues; maybe they should be the ones who are on the forefront of change.
On the topic of what could have been done instead of the current Act, how about tort reform? I know, I know it is not the sexiest topic to overhaul the tort system, or even the most popular among attorneys, but it would be effective in getting insurance under control. It seems that most people assume that the insurance companies have a huge pool of money that they can draw from to pay out massive settlements to everyone who suffers from a hangnail well under a doctor’s care, but this is not true. Attorneys that get into medical malpractice (and I am not saying all are this way, after all there are many in my profession that are very moral and ethnical people who really are looking to do the best for their clients) tend to get into the field looking for a big pay out that they can retire on. But the money that is paid out in the court cases comes from the pockets of all who pay into insurance. Think about it. If the total profit margin on the insurance business is only $5 million and there is a $10 million pay out that they have to deal with, where do you think that the extra money comes from? Answer: you and me. If you impose a cap on the amount of money that can be given out then the premiums could go down and insurers maybe more willing to take on “high risk” people who, let’s face it, they are afraid to take not only because of the health cost, but the risk of lawsuits later down the line. It stands to reason that the more issues a person has the greater risk there is in having some type of slipup and resulting law suit.
Oh, but I am not paying the insurance company that pays out for malpractice suits of doctors you may say, but the cost is still being passed on to you. Once again, think about it, where are the costs going to come from? If you sue a doctor they are going to be covered by malpractice insurance. The money is not coming out of the doctor’s pocket, but the insurer who covers them. When a jury gives a huge payout for malpractice, the insurer covers the cost and the cost for all of the doctors insurance goes up. When the cost goes up, doctors have to charge more, thus the higher cost of health care. If the government took control of that aspect then there would be no need to do this “Overhaul of Health Care.”
How about also regulating the cost of prescription drugs? This current law does nothing to help the rising cost of drugs. Maybe, the government should be giving incentives to make affordable drugs and encourage the making of generic drugs after the patent expires, not expanding the rights of drug companies and prevent the making of generic drugs. But this would mean that the politicians would have to stop listening to the lobbyists flying them of private plains to tropical islands of “conferences” and actually take a stand.
Fix those two elements and this past year of legislation would not have needed to take place.
It is not as if there was not government control over the health care system in the first place. Currently insurance agencies set their payouts to doctors based on the Medicare standard. That is were they pass on the cost to those that they cover. The insurers will pay out the same as the government to the physician not any more, because if it is good enough for the government it is good enough for them. The problem is that the doctors still need to be paid. They have large insurance policies to pay for after all, so the extra cost is once again passed on to you and me.
Another way to fix the problem is to work on increasing jobs in this country. If people are employed they will generally be given benefits, or at very least have the ability to pay for insurance if they want it. That’s it, give incentives to actually grow small business and that could help much more then just the health care aspect of the current state of the country.
The cost of this program is so stunning in a deficit of a few trillion dollars that it almost is not worth mentioning. Almost. The fact that health care cost is the largest growing cost for the federal government should have been taken into account. Any extra funds going to government heath care is just he wrong way to go. The best part of the suggestions above? They have little to no cost.
Maybe if Washington thought about more then the need to push forward a law that so many were against and make sure that a “historical” event happened during this administration, we would have gotten the change that was actually needed. But for now we are stuck with a law that is more then likely unconstitutional and all those who are against it are racist and small-minded. If the law actually did make a difference then I would be all for it, but as it stands now this law is only going to make things worse.
I could go on with the counter arguments, but I feel that this post I already long enough.
It is troubling to be living in America in at time that the government is truly not listening to the American public, and passing legislation that is both unpopular and quite possibly unconstitutional. The Heath Care Reform was signed into law with all the media attention on the highly scripted moment on Tuesday, with a high amount of backlash.
Perhaps I should take a moment to introduce myself, and the perspective that I am coming from. I am currently a law student with a healthy skepticism of the government as a whole. I identify myself as a conservative, but am open to ideas from both sides of the isle. I am further along then just my first year, so I am just educated enough to be really dangerous in the legal field. I also come from a medical family who has never had to deal with medical malpractice as a defendant, but nonetheless have instilled in me a healthy respect for the field as a whole. Which is why I feel that that this Health Care Act is more of a detriment then the cure for the illness of the lack of insured in this country.
Sure the American people need to have heath care that would be affordable and available to all, but is this really the best our government could do? In many ways I feel that this particular round in the political arena was geared toward showing that the party in control of the government could get something done, rather then crafting legislation that might actually accomplish the goals put forth. A thousand page piece of legislation with so many loopholes and throwbacks to contributing states is not what this country needs. The fact that half of those voting did not even bother to read the document should tell you how well this piece of legislation is crafted.
The legislation takes way from people the right to choose. This is a fundamental issue in the American society. WE are a free nation. WE are able to choose if we want to drive and have to purchase car insurance, or if we want to take the bus and save the expense. We are free to choose our own destiny and path in the world, not one that is predetermined by the government. WE THE PEOPLE have the right to be free from government tyranny and forced fines for not purchasing insurance. What ever happened to “no taxation without representation” for the American public? If the current administration thinks that they are representing the will of the American people maybe they should look at the polls showing that the public is against this act by a +10.5 spread on average.
Even if we give the current administration the benefit of the doubt and say that they were truly trying to help the people and not just push their own political agenda, there is still the constitutional issue. The Tenth Amendment, which I hope the people in power are familiar with, says that the powers that are not expressly given in the constitution are reserved for the states. This is why there have already been 12 state Attorney Generals who filed suit a mere two minutes after the law was signed, alleging the law is unconstitutional based on the Tenth Amendment. I have not read this complaint yet, but if I were the one writing it I would have included the overreaching aspects of the new law that controls state actions. The states have always been in control of insurance practices. They are the ones who have been in the real trenches with insurance issues; maybe they should be the ones who are on the forefront of change.
On the topic of what could have been done instead of the current Act, how about tort reform? I know, I know it is not the sexiest topic to overhaul the tort system, or even the most popular among attorneys, but it would be effective in getting insurance under control. It seems that most people assume that the insurance companies have a huge pool of money that they can draw from to pay out massive settlements to everyone who suffers from a hangnail well under a doctor’s care, but this is not true. Attorneys that get into medical malpractice (and I am not saying all are this way, after all there are many in my profession that are very moral and ethnical people who really are looking to do the best for their clients) tend to get into the field looking for a big pay out that they can retire on. But the money that is paid out in the court cases comes from the pockets of all who pay into insurance. Think about it. If the total profit margin on the insurance business is only $5 million and there is a $10 million pay out that they have to deal with, where do you think that the extra money comes from? Answer: you and me. If you impose a cap on the amount of money that can be given out then the premiums could go down and insurers maybe more willing to take on “high risk” people who, let’s face it, they are afraid to take not only because of the health cost, but the risk of lawsuits later down the line. It stands to reason that the more issues a person has the greater risk there is in having some type of slipup and resulting law suit.
Oh, but I am not paying the insurance company that pays out for malpractice suits of doctors you may say, but the cost is still being passed on to you. Once again, think about it, where are the costs going to come from? If you sue a doctor they are going to be covered by malpractice insurance. The money is not coming out of the doctor’s pocket, but the insurer who covers them. When a jury gives a huge payout for malpractice, the insurer covers the cost and the cost for all of the doctors insurance goes up. When the cost goes up, doctors have to charge more, thus the higher cost of health care. If the government took control of that aspect then there would be no need to do this “Overhaul of Health Care.”
How about also regulating the cost of prescription drugs? This current law does nothing to help the rising cost of drugs. Maybe, the government should be giving incentives to make affordable drugs and encourage the making of generic drugs after the patent expires, not expanding the rights of drug companies and prevent the making of generic drugs. But this would mean that the politicians would have to stop listening to the lobbyists flying them of private plains to tropical islands of “conferences” and actually take a stand.
Fix those two elements and this past year of legislation would not have needed to take place.
It is not as if there was not government control over the health care system in the first place. Currently insurance agencies set their payouts to doctors based on the Medicare standard. That is were they pass on the cost to those that they cover. The insurers will pay out the same as the government to the physician not any more, because if it is good enough for the government it is good enough for them. The problem is that the doctors still need to be paid. They have large insurance policies to pay for after all, so the extra cost is once again passed on to you and me.
Another way to fix the problem is to work on increasing jobs in this country. If people are employed they will generally be given benefits, or at very least have the ability to pay for insurance if they want it. That’s it, give incentives to actually grow small business and that could help much more then just the health care aspect of the current state of the country.
The cost of this program is so stunning in a deficit of a few trillion dollars that it almost is not worth mentioning. Almost. The fact that health care cost is the largest growing cost for the federal government should have been taken into account. Any extra funds going to government heath care is just he wrong way to go. The best part of the suggestions above? They have little to no cost.
Maybe if Washington thought about more then the need to push forward a law that so many were against and make sure that a “historical” event happened during this administration, we would have gotten the change that was actually needed. But for now we are stuck with a law that is more then likely unconstitutional and all those who are against it are racist and small-minded. If the law actually did make a difference then I would be all for it, but as it stands now this law is only going to make things worse.
I could go on with the counter arguments, but I feel that this post I already long enough.
Sins of the Father, Debts of the Children
(Written by New Breed contributor Mark Balzano)
Even now as I write, the liberal wing of the Democratic party is ringing drums and patting each other on the back for the health care reform they have been seeking for the last 100 years. The bill they say will insure the poorest of the poor and drive down the national debt for all by taking care of our weakest will just drive up the national debt and put an increasing strain on the producers of our society. I, for one, am actually one of the poor that will benefit from this bill since I am below the poverty line; but I’m against this bill for what it means for us Americans as a whole.
For those who love the fact that no longer will Americans be excluded from health insurance, let me ask this question…do you deserve to pay the same car insurance as those who have had two accidents in the last year? If this bill was applied to car insurance we should all pay the same rates. It doesn’t matter if you have had three or four tickets or multiple accidents…you get to pay the same and not be denied coverage as if you’re a perfect driver. If you apply basic economics, the equation you get is something like this: if the insurance company can’t make its money back off the highest of risks, it needs to make money off all risks it invests in; meaning the responsible drivers pay more for those who aren’t responsible at all.
If you let emotions take hold in the argument, you can easily say ‘well driving a car is no where near the same as your health insurance’…and I just need to ask…why? This new bill allows a 30 year old smoker to insure the day they learn they have cancer, as much as it allows a healthy 30 year old to insure on day one. Once again I ask, where will the money to pay for the smoker come from? If you can’t refuse the smoker insurance then you need to make your bottom line up from the healthy young person who never did anything to affect their health except live.
The government has been raiding the cookie jar of Social Security and Medicare to pay for bloated government since they were both created. Each is showing signs of instability which will lead to higher retirement ages and increased cost and zero debt savings. The United States is already horribly in debt due to rampant spending on social welfare programs. The question I leave you with is- are you willing to pass a horribly written and corrupted compromised bill today, so that your grandchildren can pay for it tomorrow?
Even now as I write, the liberal wing of the Democratic party is ringing drums and patting each other on the back for the health care reform they have been seeking for the last 100 years. The bill they say will insure the poorest of the poor and drive down the national debt for all by taking care of our weakest will just drive up the national debt and put an increasing strain on the producers of our society. I, for one, am actually one of the poor that will benefit from this bill since I am below the poverty line; but I’m against this bill for what it means for us Americans as a whole.
For those who love the fact that no longer will Americans be excluded from health insurance, let me ask this question…do you deserve to pay the same car insurance as those who have had two accidents in the last year? If this bill was applied to car insurance we should all pay the same rates. It doesn’t matter if you have had three or four tickets or multiple accidents…you get to pay the same and not be denied coverage as if you’re a perfect driver. If you apply basic economics, the equation you get is something like this: if the insurance company can’t make its money back off the highest of risks, it needs to make money off all risks it invests in; meaning the responsible drivers pay more for those who aren’t responsible at all.
If you let emotions take hold in the argument, you can easily say ‘well driving a car is no where near the same as your health insurance’…and I just need to ask…why? This new bill allows a 30 year old smoker to insure the day they learn they have cancer, as much as it allows a healthy 30 year old to insure on day one. Once again I ask, where will the money to pay for the smoker come from? If you can’t refuse the smoker insurance then you need to make your bottom line up from the healthy young person who never did anything to affect their health except live.
The government has been raiding the cookie jar of Social Security and Medicare to pay for bloated government since they were both created. Each is showing signs of instability which will lead to higher retirement ages and increased cost and zero debt savings. The United States is already horribly in debt due to rampant spending on social welfare programs. The question I leave you with is- are you willing to pass a horribly written and corrupted compromised bill today, so that your grandchildren can pay for it tomorrow?
Monday, March 22, 2010
A New Breed Is Rising (An Introduction)
I suppose, though we started with a bit of a bang when it comes to content, we must take a moment to slow down and explain things a bit. Consider this a mixture of an About Us, Q&A, whatever you want to call it..
When I came up with the idea of a blog group comprised of young conservatives, the goal was simple: to be groundbreaking and do something different. I mean absolutely no offense to the myriad blogs out in the internet right now focusing on conservatism, but everywhere I visit, every blog I read, nobody even makes weak attempts to catch the attention of the conservative youth. Its sad.
It is my opinion that the reason liberals are in power right now, regardless of the gaffes made by previous Republican regimes, is because of the groundswell of the youth movement. Conservatives across the country are just now waking up to the fact that utilizing and mobilizing a youth movement is necessary for survival in today’s world. But they have no idea how to go about it. The GOP is so antiquated in thought, both the politicians and constituents over 35, that mobilizing a youth movement would be near impossible for them to do. They don’t capture our minds, they don’t engage us intellectually, they barely pay us attention.
It makes sense, though, if you analyze it. The current Republican Party stakes its beliefs and actions behind the thoughts of fiscal conservatism. In the eyes of a fiscal conservative, spending money to utilize the youth of America would prove to be a losing investment because the youth have no money to contribute, no power to wield, no capital to lend to the party. So, in the eyes of the fiscal conservative, its a losing bet.
We know that isn’t the case. Look what happened with Obama. Its proof positive just how strong the youth movement can be. We don’t have money, but we have power, we have voices, we have the ability to work. Its not going to be older generations out there making phone calls, raising money, engaging in conversation in debates, or rallying the public. Its the youth who makes the difference. It is us who can sway today’s politics.
This is a new power. In the past, yes, youth movements were not the most successful, but the advent of technology have given us a power few have yet to understand or properly utilize. We don’t even fully understand it.
Its with that in mind that I am putting together the New Breed. Its a want to create a youth movement in the conservative realm that transcends party power, beltway politics, money, etc. I don’t want it to matter who you are, where you come from, how educated you are- if you have an opinion, if you have a voice and you want to share it this should be your avenue. We cannot sit idly by anymore and hope the GOP power structure will eventually wake up and reach out to us, we need to stand up and make them recognize the power we have and the help that we can provide.
I know it sounds a bit idealistic, and I completely agree that it is. Its a big and lofty goal. But all great things start at a simple dream. This is my dream. For a youth movement to rise within the GOP and combat the power the Democratic Party and liberals throughout the US have a monopoly over. There are a lot of us out there and we have the power to make a change. Its up to us to open up though, to make our stance known, and to be proud of what we believe in.
My hope is, that over the coming days and weeks, we begin to develop a small list of writers from different backgrounds who can contribute to our writings. I want to develop a group who speak for many different people. A group that people can stand behind. We will write about things that matter to us. Don’t expect your usual conservative fare. Don’t expect pretentiousness. We will be real. We will be opinionated. We will be completely open. Some of us share different beliefs, but at the core are conservatives.
Backgrounds don’t matter. Education doesn’t matter. Networking doesn’t matter. This is new and fresh. Share your beliefs, share your opinions, share your opportunities. Create a movement that people have to notice. We are all Americans and we can come together behind that uniting force and do great things.
I hope you join us as we attempt to begin something great...
-M
When I came up with the idea of a blog group comprised of young conservatives, the goal was simple: to be groundbreaking and do something different. I mean absolutely no offense to the myriad blogs out in the internet right now focusing on conservatism, but everywhere I visit, every blog I read, nobody even makes weak attempts to catch the attention of the conservative youth. Its sad.
It is my opinion that the reason liberals are in power right now, regardless of the gaffes made by previous Republican regimes, is because of the groundswell of the youth movement. Conservatives across the country are just now waking up to the fact that utilizing and mobilizing a youth movement is necessary for survival in today’s world. But they have no idea how to go about it. The GOP is so antiquated in thought, both the politicians and constituents over 35, that mobilizing a youth movement would be near impossible for them to do. They don’t capture our minds, they don’t engage us intellectually, they barely pay us attention.
It makes sense, though, if you analyze it. The current Republican Party stakes its beliefs and actions behind the thoughts of fiscal conservatism. In the eyes of a fiscal conservative, spending money to utilize the youth of America would prove to be a losing investment because the youth have no money to contribute, no power to wield, no capital to lend to the party. So, in the eyes of the fiscal conservative, its a losing bet.
We know that isn’t the case. Look what happened with Obama. Its proof positive just how strong the youth movement can be. We don’t have money, but we have power, we have voices, we have the ability to work. Its not going to be older generations out there making phone calls, raising money, engaging in conversation in debates, or rallying the public. Its the youth who makes the difference. It is us who can sway today’s politics.
This is a new power. In the past, yes, youth movements were not the most successful, but the advent of technology have given us a power few have yet to understand or properly utilize. We don’t even fully understand it.
Its with that in mind that I am putting together the New Breed. Its a want to create a youth movement in the conservative realm that transcends party power, beltway politics, money, etc. I don’t want it to matter who you are, where you come from, how educated you are- if you have an opinion, if you have a voice and you want to share it this should be your avenue. We cannot sit idly by anymore and hope the GOP power structure will eventually wake up and reach out to us, we need to stand up and make them recognize the power we have and the help that we can provide.
I know it sounds a bit idealistic, and I completely agree that it is. Its a big and lofty goal. But all great things start at a simple dream. This is my dream. For a youth movement to rise within the GOP and combat the power the Democratic Party and liberals throughout the US have a monopoly over. There are a lot of us out there and we have the power to make a change. Its up to us to open up though, to make our stance known, and to be proud of what we believe in.
My hope is, that over the coming days and weeks, we begin to develop a small list of writers from different backgrounds who can contribute to our writings. I want to develop a group who speak for many different people. A group that people can stand behind. We will write about things that matter to us. Don’t expect your usual conservative fare. Don’t expect pretentiousness. We will be real. We will be opinionated. We will be completely open. Some of us share different beliefs, but at the core are conservatives.
Backgrounds don’t matter. Education doesn’t matter. Networking doesn’t matter. This is new and fresh. Share your beliefs, share your opinions, share your opportunities. Create a movement that people have to notice. We are all Americans and we can come together behind that uniting force and do great things.
I hope you join us as we attempt to begin something great...
-M
Why I am a Conservative
Welcome to the New Breed! I share Mickey’s excitement in starting this blogging adventure, and hope that we can welcome new writers as our blog expands. I thought I would start by giving just a simple introduction to why I am a conservative.
Everything I have learned, I have learned from my family. Growing up, I saw how hard my grandparents and parents worked for what they have. My siblings and I saw from an early age how hard work pays off. If we couldn’t afford it, we didn’t get it and even if we did have the money, we were still cautious about how we spent it. It was important to save, because you never know when something necessary might need fixed – like a car, the water heater, the dishwasher. I wish the federal government could learn to operate like that.
My political opinions have the tendency to anger people. I’m not afraid to speak my mind, and welcome educated debate on any issue. Everyone has a right to their opinion (thank you, first amendment) but if you are going to engage in a political debate, I hope you have facts and evidence to back up your opinion and do not just sprout empty, mindless rhetoric like our current President.
The greatest love I have I have for my country. I live in Washington, DC and never tire of seeing Capitol Hill, the White House, and the memorials that line the National Mall. Every time I see a flag, I pause to remember the millions of veterans who made it possible for me to live in a free, exceptional country that is unlike any other country in the world. My love for American History runs rampant, and it will probably be obvious in my blogs about Constitutional issues and the direction our country is headed.
Mickey is absolutely correct – young conservatives represent a growing number of voters (over half of CPAC attendees this year were students!). These young conservatives need a place to speak their mind, gather support, and gain encouragement to go out and effect REAL change. I hope this blog provides that for some of you, and I hope that you don’t back down but rather continue to stand up for conservative principles.
Everything I have learned, I have learned from my family. Growing up, I saw how hard my grandparents and parents worked for what they have. My siblings and I saw from an early age how hard work pays off. If we couldn’t afford it, we didn’t get it and even if we did have the money, we were still cautious about how we spent it. It was important to save, because you never know when something necessary might need fixed – like a car, the water heater, the dishwasher. I wish the federal government could learn to operate like that.
My political opinions have the tendency to anger people. I’m not afraid to speak my mind, and welcome educated debate on any issue. Everyone has a right to their opinion (thank you, first amendment) but if you are going to engage in a political debate, I hope you have facts and evidence to back up your opinion and do not just sprout empty, mindless rhetoric like our current President.
The greatest love I have I have for my country. I live in Washington, DC and never tire of seeing Capitol Hill, the White House, and the memorials that line the National Mall. Every time I see a flag, I pause to remember the millions of veterans who made it possible for me to live in a free, exceptional country that is unlike any other country in the world. My love for American History runs rampant, and it will probably be obvious in my blogs about Constitutional issues and the direction our country is headed.
Mickey is absolutely correct – young conservatives represent a growing number of voters (over half of CPAC attendees this year were students!). These young conservatives need a place to speak their mind, gather support, and gain encouragement to go out and effect REAL change. I hope this blog provides that for some of you, and I hope that you don’t back down but rather continue to stand up for conservative principles.
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