Who Cares About The Constitution?
The sad thing is I think this is the typical attitude of most Democrats.
Rep. Bobby Bright Not In Favor Of Repealing Obamacare
I know that Rep. Bobby Bright has voted right on all the "big bills" (all the bills you hear reported on by the media). He claims to be pro-life and pro-gun, and his approval rating shows that he's pretty popular down in your district.
If you think he's doing a pretty good job and you might as well leave him in office, think again. He recently stated his opposition to a repeal of Obamacare:
While Rep. Bobby Bright, D-Montgomery voted against the bill he said he is hesitant to jump on board with a full-scale appeal.
“While I strongly disagree with many aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and voted against the bill, I believe it’s premature to discuss repealing a bill that was just passed and has yet to be signed into law by the President,” he said.
“A wholesale repeal, or legal challenge, of the bill ignores the fact that this legislation contains some good parts, many of which will go into effect soon.”
He thinks he can have it both ways on health care. He can vote against the bill, but vote to keep it in place once it passes. If he doesn't fully support repealing the health care bill...well that's as good as voting for it in my book.
I urge all conservatives in the 2nd district to take another look at Bobby Bright--there are solid conservative alternatives...Martha Roby for instance.
Milton Friedman on Curing American Health Care
Sen. Beason's Presser on Alabama Health Care Freedom Act
Here are a couple of pictures of the crowd:
Democrats put Senator Beason's Health Care Freedom Act on the special order calendar today...after the bingo bill. The Senate Democrats pulled out their bag of tricks and passed the bingo bill around 6:30 PM. They then moved on to consideration of SB 233. Senator Rodger Smitherman began to filibuster. The Senate then decided to adjourn and will take up SB 233 on Thursday.
Birmingham News Editorial Board Doesn't Get It
Senator Scott Beason dropped the Alabama Health Care Freedom Act at the beginning of the legislative session. On February 2, 2010, the bill passed out of committee. Up until now, Senator Lowell Barron has prevented the legislation from getting on the special order calendar for a floor vote.
The Birmingham News Claims this is just a ploy by Sen. Beason to score political points.
Beason's bill and the others are nothing more than political grandstanding, with an eye toward the November election. Alabama can't pick and choose which federal laws it wants to follow. We saw how well that worked in the 1860s and the 1960s.But Alabama Republicans have made the political calculation that standing up to the federal government on health care is a winning issue. House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, who is also chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, at least was honest about it in a Huntsville Times story. "It's a good issue for us, regardless of whether we pass anything or not," he said. "People are going to take it out on Democrats in Montgomery and Washington."
If this was a political ploy Sen. Beason wouldn't have been dropped the bill until after Obamacare passed. If this was a political ploy, Sen. Beason would have stopped after the initial vote to put SB 233 on the special order calender--a vote Democrats did not participate in. Instead, Sen. Beason gave the Democrats a chance to do what the people of Alabama wanted them to do.
Let me say again--40 other states have passed or are considering this legislation. We are beyond politics now. People have reached their limit where the federal government is concerned. Both Democrats and Republicans have signed on to Sen. Beason's legislation to stop enforcement of the health care bill. The Birmingham News' complete dismissal of the legislation as Republicans trying to score political points shows that they just don't get it.
WaPo Poll Shows Voters Still Oppose Obamacare
The WaPo poll he mentions shows that:
Democrats still insist that when voters experience life under Obamacare they will thank the Democrats for shoving it down their throats. It must be nice to live in the land of delusion...Passions remain strongest among the plan's detractors, as 26 percent of all adults said they are angry about the changes enacted by Congress, up from 18 percent in August. That includes 54 percent of all Republicans. Fewer Americans, 15 percent, said they are enthusiastic about the new measure, including 40 percent of liberal Democrats.Among opponents, there is near-universal support (86 percent) for efforts to cancel the changes either through a new vote in Congress or through the courts. Since passage, Republican leaders have called for repeal of the new law and replacement with more modest changes.Many key provisions of the new law have been highly popular in recent polling, particularly insurance changes such as extending coverage to young adults and eliminating exclusions based on preexisting conditions. But the intensity of the overall opposition adds to the Democrats' challenge in pitching those benefits to voters, with just over seven months until the midterm elections.
Alabama Health Care Freedom Act
On Thursday, the Democrats once again tried to play games with the people of Alabama. Senator Scott Beason continued his filibuster, until (mistakenly he admits) he allowed them to take a second vote to put his bill on the special order calendar. While this vote failed as did the first, some Democrat legislators were thrilled to be allowed to get a vote for this bill on record.
Democrats in the Alabama legislature must think we're really stupid. They think that because they vote FOR a bill, after doing everything they can to KILL the bill, we will only pay attention to the last vote and all will be well. I certainly hope they are in for a big surprise in November.
Update: I'm hearing (but not confirmed) that the Alabama Black Legislative Caucus has scheduled a press conference at 12:30 on Tuesay. It sounds like they're trying to pull the same stunt the gambling folks did and screw up our press conference. I hope this will serve as even more motivation for people on our side to make the trip.
Rally for Health Care Freedom Act
Senator Scott Beason will be explaining the bill to the media and explaining why it's important that Alabamians be allowed to vote on this crucial constitutional amendment which prohibits any person, employer, or health care provider from being compelled to participate in any health care system.
Additionally, we will be presenting the coalition letter in support of the four bills facing the state legislature. If you or your organization hasn't signed the letter yet, please check it out here.
It’s vital that we pressure certain Democrats into allowing these bills on the floor to be voted upon. There are four things we can do right now:
1) Continue to call and e-mail your state legislators.
2) Sign the coalition letter linked above.
3) Show up from the press conference on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in Montgomery.
4) Pass this information on to your conservative organizations, e-mail lists and friends.
Help Pass the Alabama Health Care Freedom Act: Sign the Coalition Letter!
SB 233, sponsored by Sen. Scott Beason, is the farthest along in the process. It has come out of committee and now awaits a floor vote. Senator Lowell Barron has been the obstruction to getting the bill on the floor. The House bills, sponsored by Reps. Bentley, Gipson, and Galliher/Ward, have not even been voted on in committee.
Members from several conservative organizations around the state have worked together to craft a coalition letter expressing our support for the Alabama Health Care Freedom Act, legislation which opposes the federal government's recent move to mandate health insurance coverage for all individuals.
The basic line is that Alabama won't allow (by constitutional amendment) for the federal government to dictate which doctors we can see, which insurance plans we like, and that the federal government can't determine the relationship we have with our doctors.
We will be conducting a news conference early next week to publicize the organizations, candidates and individuals supporting this legislation. The time of the conference will be announced as soon as we have the details confirmed.
We are requesting that we get as many organizations, candidates and individuals sign on to the coalition letter as possible before the news conference. The text of the letter, as well as an online signup form, is available on the Internet here: Alabama Health Care Freedom Coalition Letter
Thank you for your assistance in stopping ObamaCare at the Alabama state line!
Update on Sen. Scott Beason's Bill to Protect Alabama Citizens From Obamacare
I got a call around noon today from one of our Tea Party members to see if I could join them at the State House regarding Sen. Lowell Barron's holding Sen. Beason's bill, SB 233, from being added to the calendar for the current session. This is a constitutional amendment that will provide cover for citizens of Alabama as protection from Obamacare. I have to add that Sen. Beason is my new hero and please call to thank him for his efforts.
We were able to sit in on a rules committee meeting where the calendar for the day was reviewed and approved. Sen. Steve French requested that the bill be added to the calendar. Sen. Barron told him that he thought that bill still had some things that were "difficult to understand" and refused to add it to the calendar. If it’s difficult to understand, then he’s in desperate need for a remedial reading course. Barron then called for a vote to approve the calendar which was
seconded by Sen. Wendell Mitchell. He then called for a vote to approve the calendar which was seconded by Sen. Wendell Mitchell.
We then spoke to Sen. Mitchell and told him how vital it was that this bill reach the floor and asked that he get it on the calendar. He told us he really liked that bill and that he would definitely vote on it; one of my friends asked just how he would vote and he said that he would vote for the bill, yet he added nothing to the discussion when Sen. French asked that it be added to the calendar. He has the influence to push this to the calendar but it was obvious that he has no intention to do so.
The most telling point of our conversation with Sen. Mitchell was when one of my friends apologized to him for not knowing exactly how the process worked for getting a bill on the calendar. He responded with, "That's okay, you're not supposed to understand how it works." As Sen. Beason told us later, that's probably the most truthful thing he said to us.
I'm still outraged by that statement as well as how he treated us like little housewives that didn't have anything better to do. He was so dismissive of us and it was obvious that he has a deaf ear to his constituents.
Bottom line - the arrogance in D.C. is glaringly apparent throughout every level of government and every bit of that arrogance has a "D" behind their name. Sen. Barron was so proud of himself and almost broke his arm in patting himself on the back for allowing Republican bills on the calendar - he even pointed out to the two Republicans in the meeting that they got first billing on the calendar with one of their bills, which brought laughs from the Democrats in the room.
Please, please, please - if you can get to Montgomery at anytime during the last days of this session - GET HERE!!! We have to fill the halls on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next 5 weeks. The Tuesday sessions start at 2:00 p.m. and the Thursday sessions start at 10:00 a.m. I will be there this Thursday and as many of those remaining days as possible. There are 2 bills in the House, but Sen. Beason's bill is the best of the 3. I live in the area so let me know if you need info. If you can't physically make it, melt the phones, faxes, and email to the following:
Seth Hammett 334-242-7668 (Speaker of the House)
Lowell Baron 334-242-7858 (Rules Committee Chairperson) He also HAS the power.
Tom Butler 334-242-7854 (Health Committee Deputy Chairperson)
Zeb Little 334-242-7855 (Senate Majority Leader)
I know that the AGs have filed suit but we need to hit this monstrosity from every angle possible.
As a last note, if you've never sat in the Senate gallery during a session, it's quite an education. They spent the first hour today acknowledging their tour groups in the gallery, reading proclamations to honor deceased constituents, and discussing their upcoming softball game between the House and the Senate. And we wonder why nothing is accomplished???
Luther Strange Reacts To Passage of Obamacare
Friends,
Sunday’s healthcare vote was truly historic, but for all of the wrong reasons. The close vote, that largely followed regional lines, showed once again the cultural, social and economic divide that currently runs so deep in this nation.
Generally, sweeping legislation that fundamentally alters the role of government in the life of the individual is adopted by a bipartisan majority. In the case of yesterday’s takeover of 20 percent of our economy and our personal health choices by the federal government, no such agreement was present. Instead, we witnessed the modern day version of the old smoke filled room – arm twisting, job promises, pay offs and threats to secure this narrow victory over the wishes of the American people.
Speaker Pelosi and President Obama can try all they want to liken this legislation to Social Security, Medicare or Civil Rights – but in every case, those pieces of legislation were passed by large bi-partisan majorities. Our system of government was established to prevent what happened yesterday – a narrow, regional majority forcing its will on recalcitrant states and citizens.
We all should do everything in our power to dismantle this illegal monstrosity in its cradle. As your Attorney General, I intend to join or initiate as many legal actions as possible to challenge the constitutionality of every conceivable aspect of this law. And I will work with the legislature and governor to ensure that our State passes the appropriate laws to give these cases the greatest chance of success.
But today, I think we must reflect upon what yesterday’s action in the House means for our nation as a whole. Starting with the stimulus bill, then the auto and financial bailouts and now healthcare nationalization, we have seen trillions added to our national debt with stunning speed. A debt that threatens to turn our nation into a third world country begging for handouts from the IMF. And for what purpose?
It would appear that the real purpose of these measures has been a massive transfer of wealth from the productive parts of the nation in the South, Midwest and Rocky Mountain states to the Northeast, Rust Belt and West Coast. The beneficiaries (commonly called Blue State America) all share similar traits – high taxes, gigantic deficits, bloated public sector budgets, impossible pension obligations, over regulation of business and out of control unions.
Yesterday was one more step in destroying those states like Alabama that have a balanced budget and friendly business environment to prop up economically unviable states like California, Michigan, New York and New Jersey. As businesses have left those states in droves for better operating environments, their tax revenues have declined. Instead of responsibly cutting government and spending to respond, those states have borrowed massive amounts of money and have hired even more government workers in response. Now, through the policies of this Administration and Congress, they seek to raid those states with free markets and low taxes by having the federal government redistribute our wealth and place a debt on us and our children that we did not seek, did not need nor wanted.
That is no Union. It is the act of an empire. And if we are to prevent further deepening divisions and resentments building between areas of the country, we must restore fiscal discipline to Washington, but most importantly assert our rights once again as states and be willing to vigorously defend those rights.
Our Constitution is very explicit about the specific rights and powers of the federal government. Yet we hardly seem to take large swaths of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights seriously anymore where those limitations are addressed. We ignore them at our peril because to do so undermines, in the minds of the people, the legitimacy of union. That is not a healthy state of affairs and it cannot hold.
- Luther
Interview with Rep. Paul DeMarco
Historic Vote On Health Care
A good friend just sent me this remider in the wake of today's passage of today's very partisan vote to nationalize health care:
Social Security: 284 Democrats/81 Republicans
Medicare: 248 Democrats / 65 Republicans
ObamaCare: 224 Democrats (rule/procedures adopted by just 8 votes) / 0 Republicans, twenty plus Democrats siding with Republicans.
He also pointed out a very apt quote:
"America will fall without a shot being fired. It will fall from within."
Nikita Khrushchev
Constitutional Challenges to the Health Care bill
Here's what he says about the individual mandate:
On the "Cornhusker Kickback":But the individual mandate extends the commerce clause's power beyond economic activity, to economic inactivity. That is unprecedented. While Congress has used its taxing power to fund Social Security and Medicare, never before has it used its commerce power to mandate that an individual person engage in an economic transaction with a private company. Regulating the auto industry or paying "cash for clunkers" is one thing; making everyone buy a Chevy is quite another. Even during World War II, the federal government did not mandate that individual citizens purchase war bonds.If you choose to drive a car, then maybe you can be made to buy insurance against the possibility of inflicting harm on others. But making you buy insurance merely because you are alive is a claim of power from which many Americans instinctively shrink. Senate Republicans made this objection, and it was defeated on a party-line vote, but it will return.
On "Deem and Pass":Some states are threatening lawsuits to block the special deals brokered by individual senators in exchange for their votes. Unless the reconciliation bill passes the Senate, such deals could remain in place. Article I of the Constitution allows Congress to tax and spend to "provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States." Normally, this is no barrier to legislation benefiting a particular state or city. Congress can always argue that, say, an Air Force base in Nebraska benefits the United States as a whole. But the deals in the Senate bill are different. It is really hard to identify a benefit to all the states from exempting one state from an increase in Medicare costs or allowing only the citizens of Florida to get Medicare Advantage.
The whole purpose of the "deem and pass" procedure -- which was advocated by Rules Committee Chairman Louise Slaughter -- was to avoid a separate vote on the Senate bill, which many House members find objectionable, and instead vote on the reconciliation bill and simultaneously "deem" the Senate measure passed. Although Democrats cited prior examples of deem and pass, "the Republicans did it" is not a recognized constitutional argument -- especially if the public and the justices have never heard of such a thing. This constitutional objection seems to have succeeded, as House leaders decided on Saturday to take a separate vote on the Senate version, rather than "deeming" it passed.
And finally, on the Health Care Freedom Acts that many states have passed or are attempting to pass:
Several states are considering measures attempting to exempt their residents from an individual health insurance mandate. While such provisions may have a political impact, none is likely to have any effect on the legislation's constitutionality. Under the 10th Amendment, if Congress enacts a law pursuant to one of the "powers . . . delegated to the United States by the Constitution," then that law is supreme, and nothing a state can do changes this. Any state power to "nullify" unconstitutional federal laws has long been rejected.
D-Day
The bottom line is this: If they aren't sure they have the votes they will not take a vote today. As fellow blogger and lawyer Doug Mataconis so aptly pointed out in the United Liberty podcast, the only thing worse than another delay, is a vote that doesn't pass.
Why You Should Oppose Obamacare: 32 Quotes From Democrats
Why You Should Oppose Obamacare: 32 Quotes From Democrats
Here's a peek at a couple of the more colorful quotes:
This bill represents a giveaway to the insurance industry. $70 billion dollars a year, and no guarantees of any control over premiums, forcing people to buy private insurance, five consecutive years of double-digit premium increases. -- Dennis Kucinich
And from our favorite "post partisan" President:
And what I believe that means is we’ve got to break out of what I call, sort of, the 50-plus-one pattern of presidential politics. Which is, you have nasty primaries where everybody’s disheartened. Then you divide the country 45 percent on one side, 45 percent on the other, 10 percent in the middle — all of them apparently live in Florida and Ohio — and battle it out. And maybe you eke out a victory of 50-plus-one, but you can’t govern. I mean, you get Air Force One, there are a lot of nice perks to being president, but you can’t deliver on health care. We’re not going to pass universal health care with a 50-plus-one strategy. -- Barack Obama
A Good Analysis of the Health Care Vote
This thing is going to come down to the wire. I hope people in the swing districts will continue to pressure their Representative. If there was an undecided in Alabama, I'd be camping out on their doorstep all weekend.
House Passes Slaughter Rule 222-202
Here are the 28 Democrats who had the guts to stand up to Pelosi and protect the Constitution:
Adler (NJ) Arcuri Boren Bright Carney Childers Cooper Costello Dahlkemper Davis (AL) Giffords Herseth Sandlin Holden Kosmas Kratovil Lipinski McIntyre McNerney Melancon Michaud Minnick Mitchell Nye Perriello Shuler Stupak Taylor Teague
House Budget Committee Approves Reconciliation Bill
Please keep calling!! If you want the most up to date info on who to call go here.By a vote of 21 to 16, the House Budget Committee on Monday advanced a budget reconciliation bill to the next stage of the legislative process.As yet, the bill contains no specific language related to health care; those provisions are to be added by the House rules committee later this week. Instead, the bill establishes a legislative framework by which to modify the Senate-passed health care bill. Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the senior Republican on the budget committee, called the reconciliation bill “a legislative Trojan horse.”
Democrats Attempt More Trickery To Pass Health Care
Phillip Klein broke the story last night for the American Spectator. For the full story, check out his post.
Also, Rep. Paul Ryan has a great piece on what real health care reform should look like in today's WaPo. Check it out
The Numbers Don't Lie
Members of Congress should heed this warning closely. Ultimately, it's not the White House or Nancy Pelsoi that will get them re-elected. Each of the "Blue Dogs" will have to answer to their constituency, and looking at these numbers...it doesn't give them a lot of wiggle room. I hope they keep that in mind while they are put through arm twisting, shower summits, bribes and/or sweetheart deal cutting.The survey shows astonishing intensity and sharp opposition to reform, far more than national polls reflect. For 82% of those surveyed, the heath-care bill is either the top or one of the top three issues for deciding whom to support for Congress next November. (That number goes to 88% among independent women.) Sixty percent want Congress to start from scratch on a bipartisan health-care reform proposal or stop working on it this year. Majorities say the legislation will make them and their loved ones (53%), the economy (54%) and the U.S. health-care system (55%) worse off—quite the trifecta.Seven in 10 would vote against a House member who votes for the Senate health-care bill with its special interest provisions. That includes 45% of self-identified Democrats, 72% of independents and 88% of Republicans. Three in four disagree that the federal government should mandate that everyone buy a government-approved insurance plan (64% strongly so), and 81% say any reform should focus first on reducing costs. Three quarters agree that Americans have the right to choose not to participate in any health-care system or plan without a penalty or fine.
Bottom line: The numbers don't lie. Vote NO on health care and your constituents might let you keep your seat.
Alabama Legislature Should Pass Health Care Freedom Act
The legislation essentially stands up to the federal government and says “back off our health care.” It is part of a group of laws gaining in popularity called nullification laws. Nullification is based on the 10th amendment principle that any power not specifically given to the federal government lies with the states. Nullification laws are increasingly used to combat what many agree is an overstepping of bounds by the federal government. Not one of these laws have been challenged in court, so it will be interesting to see how the battle develops.
Alabama has several Health Care Freedom bills pending. Senator Scott Beason has introduced SB 233 in the Senate, and Reps. Mac Gipson and Robert Bentley have each introduced the same version in the House (HB 42, HB 47). Both House bills have had one reading and been referred to the House Committee on Health. Sen. Beason’s bill has had a second reading and been placed on the calendar. It awaits a favorable third reading from the Senate Health Committee.
Virginia just did it. 37 other states are trying to do it. Alabama should do it. The Alabama Legislature must pass SB233, HB42 or HB47, better known as the Health Care Freedom Act, immediately.
Update on Obamacare
While things are looking bad for the Democrats right now, things can change in the twist of an arm. We must keep our eye on the ball and not let them distract us with charades like reconciliation while they work to get the Senate bill passed in the House. Keep calling House members and letting them know the only accpetable vote is a NO vote. The NRCC has very helpfully put together a website where you can keep track of who's yes/no or on the fence. The information is changed as new data comes in. It's called Code Red and here's a link:The House passed its version of the health bill in November by 220-215. Of those 220, one was a Republican who now is a no. One Democrat who voted yes has died, two Democrats who voted yes have resigned, and one Democrat who voted no has resigned as well. So if everyone but the Republican votes the way they did four months ago, the score would be 216-215.But not everyone is ready to vote that way. The House bill included an amendment prohibiting funding of abortions sponsored by Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak. The Senate bill did not. Mr. Stupak says he and 10 to 12 other members won't vote for the Senate bill for that reason. Others have said the same, including Minnesota's James Oberstar, chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Dan Lipinski, a product of the Chicago Democratic machine.Mrs. Pelosi may have some votes in reserve—members who would have voted yes if she needed them in November and would do so again. But we can be pretty sure she doesn't have more than 10, or she wouldn't have allowed the Stupak amendment to come forward at the last minute the first time. She also might get one or two votes from members who voted no and later announced they were retiring.But that's not enough—and there are other complications. Voting for the Senate bill means voting for the Cornhusker kickback and the Louisiana purchase—the price Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid paid for the votes of Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu. It's not hard to imagine the ads Republicans could run attacking House members for sending money to Nebraska and Louisiana but not their home states.
News Flash: Some Americans Would Prefer High-Deductible Plans
I hope Republicans will take heed of this information and continue to focus on ways to give Americans more choice in their health care not less.The RAND Health Insurance Experiment, the largest study ever done of consumer health purchasing behavior, provides ample evidence that consumers can make informed cost-value decisions about their health care. Under the experiment, insurance deductibles were varied from zero to $1,000. Those with no out-of-pocket costs consumed substantially more health care than those who had to share in the cost of care. Yet, with a few exceptions, the effect on outcomes was minimal.And, in the real world, we have seen far smaller increases in the cost of those services, like Lasik eye surgery or dental care, that are not generally covered by insurance, than for those procedures that are insured.In fact, a study by Amy Finklestein of MIT suggests that nearly half of the per capita increasing health care spending is due to increased health insurance coverage.No one is suggesting that people shouldn't have insurance. But insurance is ultimately meant to spread the risk of catastrophic events, not to simply prepay your health care. Your homeowners insurance covers you if your house burns down. It doesn't pay to mow your lawn or paint the fence. Read more.