-
Has the IRS Already Seized Your Medical Records?
May 20, 2013 | 6 comments
-
The Grand Old Poseurs
May 13, 2013 | 72 comments
-
Obamacare Pimps Smear Lipstick on Another Pig
May 6, 2013 | 58 comments
-
Can One Iraq Vet Stop Obamacare?
April 29, 2013 | 88 comments
-
GOP at Fault for Obamacare Train Wreck?
April 22, 2013 | 106 comments
The Right Prescription
Bringing the Bureaucrats to Heel
Obama’s health care commissars need obedience training.
There was a good deal of shocked outrage last month when Dr. Donald Berwick, President Obama’s Medicare czar, defied Congress by issuing a new regulation that would have provided financial rewards to physicians who pressure elderly patients into forgoing future medical care. A similar provision had, of course, been dropped from the original ObamaCare bill due to widespread public disapproval of government-sponsored end-of-life counseling. Berwick’s brazen bureaucratic fiat has now been rescinded, but his conduct should not have been a surprise. Such edicts are perfectly consistent with the Obama administration’s general approach to governance. The unfortunate reality is that the President and his minions at Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) have repeatedly demonstrated that they do not feel bound by the will of the voters as expressed by our elected representatives.
The advice and consent of the latter were, of course, flouted by the President when he installed Berwick at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with a recess appointment last July. But Obama’s apparatchiks were throwing their weight around well before anyone had ever heard of the good doctor. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made her bones even before ObamaCare was signed into law. In September of 2009, the former Kansas governor issued a gag order to 189 private-sector corporations. Through CMS, which operates under the aegis of HHS, she directed all insurance carriers offering Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to stop communicating with their customers about the potential impact of “reform.” Her pretext for this blatant violation of the First Amendment was a letter sent by an insurance company presciently warning its policy holders that ObamaCare might adversely affect their benefits.
Sebelius’ conduct prompted an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which quietly released its findings last September. The GAO concluded that the CMS directive was, in the bland vernacular of the Washington bureaucrat, “unusual.” The directive was, in fact, unprecedented. As the GAO pointed out, “Officials from the MA organizations and CMS regional offices that we interviewed told us they were unaware of CMS ever directing all MA organizations to immediately stop an activity before CMS had determined whether that activity violated federal laws, regulations, or MA program guidance.” Sebelius offered several specious justifications for her behavior, including the following: “[W]e are concerned that federal funds not be used improperly …” This from a woman whose department used taxpayer funds to pay for Google ads redirecting searches on the word “ObamaCare.”
HHS is by no means the only federal health bureaucracy issuing peremptory edicts to private corporations. Last June, the FDA sent letters to a variety of personal genomics companies, putting them on notice that it intends to regulate direct-to-consumer tests. As Paul Hsieh, MD explains, “Recent advances in biotechnology have allowed private companies to offer affordable genetic testing directly to consumers, to help them determine their risks of developing problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and various forms of cancer.” Sound like a pretty good idea? Well, not to the commissars of the FDA. They’re afraid “consumers may make medical decisions in reliance on this information.” The director of the FDA’s “Office of In Vitro Diagnostics in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health” told Newsweek that such decisions on the part of consumers “could affect their health.”
Such bureaucratic attitudes, as Hsieh points out, “represent a new level of government paternalism over the citizenry.” Unfortunately, it gets worse. In one of the weirdest examples of mission creep in recent memory, the FDA is actually investigating international cycling. The investigation is ostensibly meant to “bring charges against any team leaders and team directors [read Lance Armstrong] who may have facilitated or encouraged doping by their riders.” And what sort of “doping” are they looking into? Some cyclists have, according to disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis, received transfusions of their own blood during the Tour de France. In other words, the FDA is spending who knows how much taxpayer money digging into vague allegations about cheating in a French bicycle race. Even if Landis is telling the truth, for once, this practice violates no U.S. law.
The FDA has, however, been more frugal with taxpayer funds when they are to be spent on treating seriously ill patients. Last July, the FDA announced that it was about to take the anti-cancer drug Avastin “off-label.” Such a decision effectively denies patients access to the drug involved because the off-label designation provides Medicare and other health insurers with a pretext to stop paying for it. For Avastin, which is used to treat breast cancer, this travesty was originally scheduled to take place in September. But, in an incredibly cynical political decision, the FDA delayed implementation until after the midterm elections. In December, however, they took Avastin off-label. Thus, as Dr. Milton Wolf phrases it in the Washington Times, “For the first time in our history, the government has banned the use of a cancer drug based not on its safety or even efficacy, but on its financial cost.”
This is rationing, of course, which brings us back to Donald Berwick and his regulatory fiefdom at CMS. He is an admirer of the third-world health system of Great Britain, which is notorious for such practices. Indeed, Berwick has long been a proponent of rationing, having famously averred that “the decision is not whether or not we will ration care, the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open.” For most voters, however, the decision is not whether to ration, but how to get rid of arrogant apparatchiks like Berwick, Sebelius, and their accomplices at the FDA. In the short term, that is probably not possible. Nonetheless, while we wait patiently for 2012, it is possible for the new GOP majority in the House to bring them to heel. As with dogs, the proper training of bureaucrats involves careful instruction on how to respond correctly to basic commands, and the first command Obama’s medicrats must learn is “come here.”
In the House of Representatives, the “come here” command is more commonly known as a subpoena. The House committees most involved in health care oversight are Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means. Both should begin training sessions in January. Once they have taught Berwick, Sebelius, et al. to come when called, the committees can acquaint them with the congressional choke chain and teach them a few tricks. One trick these badly behaved bureaucrats need to learn quickly is how to roll over and beg — for funding.
About the Author
David Catron is a health care revenue cycle expert who has spent more than twenty years working for and consulting with hospitals and medical practices. He has an MBA from the University of Georgia and blogs at Health Care BS.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (76) | Leave a comment
More Articles by David Catron
More Articles From The Right Prescription
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/01/07/bringing-the-bureaucrats-to-he
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
H/T to National Review Online
ADVERTISEMENT
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.7.11 @ 6:25AM
Give a weak uneducated immoral mind some power, the next thing you know, you have a dictator.
Mike Rogers| 1.7.11 @ 9:03AM
Like Barack Chavez Obama?
After all, we still have no proof that his education actually occurred, since the transcripts are locked away.
Be eternally vigilant until we have driven him and his Czars from office. (And then watch the replacements like hawks as well.)
Penny| 1.7.11 @ 3:30PM
The only replacement needed is BHO. The rest can be disposed of, humanely or by their own rules.
loulou| 1.7.11 @ 9:07AM
That sums it up brilliantly.
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 5:26PM
Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.
Brian Mc| 1.7.11 @ 6:51AM
So, let me get this straight. The alien hires someone while no one is looking. This new-hire sends out an edict that exclaims his minions will now determine who lives, and who dies, and they both are still at their respective jobs? Outrage would be putting it mildly.
Stevie| 1.7.11 @ 11:48PM
The alien indeed
Emma| 1.9.11 @ 5:10PM
You got it.
SonOFSam| 1.7.11 @ 8:47AM
They don't need obedience training, they need to be put down. I would be glad to preside over THAT death panel
Eric Cartman| 1.7.11 @ 10:20AM
That's a little sever, isn't it SoS? Who would run our cities if not bureaucrats? Take Detroit, for example. Well, no, not Detroit. How about Washington D.C.? Um, wait. New York! What would New Yorkers have done without bureaucrats during the recent snow storm? Hmmmm. Scratch that. New Orleans! Look at the bureaucratic response to Katrina! Well, no, on second thought . . . .
Okay smarty pants, how about the Federal Government! Huh, huh? Look how efficient they, um, . . . . well, they protect or bord . . . . . Medicare is, um, . . . well, Social Security is, ah, . . . The SEC! They got Bernie Madoff before he could do any more damage! Ahh HA! So the next time you think bureaucrats are useless, incompetent schlubs who can't do anything, just think about the SEC and Madoff, okay?
Huh, showed him!
SonOfSam| 1.7.11 @ 11:00AM
Whenever we hear all the wailing about how we really NEED a 4 trillion dollar a year federal government, I always want to propose the following: slash 10% of the budget from EVERY department, every bureau, every agency. Send every American who actually pays taxes that 10% in the form of a rebate. Put a "gag order" on every government worker; they're not allowed to bitch to the press. Then, see if ANYONE notices the damned difference. Is the level of service any crappier than usual? Are the bureaucrats more or less surly/uniformed/patronizing? Other than the rebate, do any of us notice ANY chnage in our daily lives?
'nuff said!
Ned| 1.7.11 @ 12:01PM
I always wait breathlessly, hoping that one of the oft threatened government "Shut-downs" will actually occur... after a week or so of NOBODY
noticing the government offices are closed except the bureacrats who work there, the whole spending conversation would have a completely different character.
Ned| 1.7.11 @ 11:58AM
Damn straight, Skippy!
(LMAO)
MikeD| 1.7.11 @ 1:04PM
Good Post Eric. I think the way to deal with these pieces of human garbage is to quietly keep a list of them and their actions over the next two years until barry the muslim is either thrown out on his a$$ by the voters or enough dems fear for the total destruction of their party that they actually impeach the clown as an act of self defense.
Then we just release everything every appointee did while employeed by the federal govt. and appoint a special prosecutor for every one who's life needs ruining. Is this a bit extreme? No; its the only way to deal with dem/libs and their scum 'hench-people'. Remember what always happens to the 'evil henchmen' in the movies? They always fall on their swords just before their evil monster boss is destroyed by the heroes.
Eric Cartman| 1.7.11 @ 4:38PM
It's a great idea, but it would take the Republicans to actually do it. They are getting better, but they would need two or three balls instead of the .05 they have recently grown.
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 5:28PM
Try any corporation or business or church or school - you can do the same thing. People make mistakes. As if we all don't make mistakes in every day life. Get over it already.
MikeD| 1.7.11 @ 7:47PM
Purpleguy! You're back! I thought I smelled you. It must have been the wood burning when you tried to form a coherent thought.
If any manager of any corporation behaved like barry the muslim and his paid thugs do; they'd be in jail. These 'czars' (Taken from the old russian which is certainly fitting in a quasi-communist organization like the obummer administration) are illegal manifestations of barry's delusions of grandeur and his desire to be an emperor. What he is boils down to a big eared self loving semi human puppet of george soros. And this is one tenth the venom you lefties threw at george bush.
I wonder how you, and the corrupt media, and barry's regime would react to a movie about somebody assassinating our prez barry? None of the usual culprits said a thing when it was done to george bush. Why isn't turnabout fair play?
And...WHAT IS BARRY HIDING? WHY WON'T HE RELEASE HIS PAST? WHAT IS HE HIDING? WHAT IS HE HIDING?
Gail Stoltzfoos| 1.8.11 @ 7:39PM
Very clever - love your post!
Stan Redmond| 1.7.11 @ 9:21AM
" The director of the FDA's "Office of In Vitro Diagnostics in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health" told Newsweek that such decisions on the part of consumers "could affect their health.""
There is a good place to start chinking away at the armor of Obamacare using leftist techniques. IF a "Gay" or "Liberal" gene is found and would be mothers initiate abortions on the findings of these genes in their unborn babies, AND the abortions MUST be provided free under Obamacare, there would be a reversal of unbelievable speed.
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 5:38PM
Did you miss the part where the President signed an Executive excluding abortions from being paid for by the healtcare bill? That is on top of the specific callout that abortions cannot be paid for by the healthcare bill. And, that is on top of the Hyde Amendment banning Federal dollars from paying for an abortion .
What is your real issue? Or are you just uninformed?
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 5:38PM
Executive Order that is
MikeD| 1.7.11 @ 8:05PM
If you paid attention or actually read the New York Times, you'd know that one of the main reasons the "Blue Dog dems" got their asses handed to them on election day was because barry lied! The abortion provision was in the healthcare bill, contrary to what barry and his other liars promised. Do you remember the election? It was in all the papers and on tv. The dems lost 63 seats, and it would have been worse if they hadn't stolen a few, primarily because they were caught lying about abortion.
Did you know that obama sponsored a bill in Illinois that would force doctors to allow any baby that survived a late term abortion to DIE. It made it a crime to provide any aid to a baby who lived through the attempted murder of late term abortion. Our wonderful, caring, sensitive president barry sponsored that! Look it up.
Wenchypoo| 1.7.11 @ 9:37AM
And on another note, to help usher retirees to death panels, Obama is using Bernanke, who is using CORE inflation (excludes energy and food prices) to help cut the government's cost-of-living raise bill, now that we've finally hit the big BOOMER RETIREMENT wave. Anybody who gets a check from Uncle Sam (whether employees, retirees, pensioners, military, etc) will not see an inflation-driven cost of living increase because Bernanke;s manipulating the core inflation number to keep it low--no "inflation", no raise. Expect this to keep up for either the next 20 years (expected Boomer population size) or when Bernanke finally gets kicked out.
CORE inflation = excludes food & energy
HEADLINE inflation = includes everything, as well as currency fluctuations
Headline inflation is what we're suffering from at the grocery store, the gas pump, and everywhere else. Core inflation is the government's view of what they'll pay for.
Don't get me started on gays in the military (which I favor) and the government's scheme to do away with military pensions in the future...think UNMANNED VEHICLES OF ALL SORTS. No soldiers, no retirees!
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 5:41PM
Did you miss the part where the Federal Reserve AND it's Chairman is completely independent from Congress, the President and any oversight? Obama has nothing to do with what Bernanke may or may not do, period. Stop the misinformation, or were you misinformed yourself? Check your sources.
MikeD| 1.7.11 @ 8:12PM
I'm not trying to be mean to you, but do you REALLY believe the crap you write on this site? If you do, you are really delusional. Obama's lies and illegal usurpation of federal powers is the main reason 63% of Americans do not trust him and why 87% of Americans hate the 111th congress. Where have you been? Nobody could be either that stupid or that out of touch. You have to be pulling our legs.
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 10:31PM
No offense taken... but someone must at least try to save your civic souls.
First, Congress is always distrusted. that is nothing new .. apparently you've forgotten the Bush years and other Congresses prior.
I can cite polls that say Obama's approval rating is 50%, but you wouldn't believe it, so why bother? You have a belief and you're not going to believe it anyway. Only an election will show the true poll.
Otherwise, what I said is factual .. I notice you did not counter with your own facts, just opinion and conjecture... like a good little Bundist repeating Rush Loudmouth's pearls of wisdom and taking points.
Bob Miller| 1.7.11 @ 9:50AM
The House needs a standing subcommittee somewhere to monitor and report back on all mischief planned or implemented by the many czars and czarinas. Committees in the relevant subject areas can then respond to administrative provocations or usurpations as appropriate.
Sea_Hunter| 1.7.11 @ 10:05AM
I am much in agreement with your idea, however I would push it a little further. I wold make it that no "Czar" could assume his position until appointed by Congress, denying the President any chance of a back door appointment. That appointment would not be by advise and concent, it would be an appointment made entirely by Congress. Further, that Congress would have the power to appoint a Czar over any objection of the President, and that Czar would report directly to Congress. I admit that this makes a huge inrode on the Presidents Constitutional authority over the executive, but at some point progressive presidents need to be made to heal to the will of the people.
Impeach Don't Wait| 1.7.11 @ 3:36PM
"progressive presidents need to be made to heal to the will of the people."
Thanks you!
We do need processes in place to keep this from happening again! -- As it surely will if we don't plan for it.
Dave | 1.7.11 @ 9:58AM
Interesting update that dove tails with these goons hoping to end up with a completly nationalized - American single payer healthcare system that, even before it gets out of the White House barn is already ... broke. Unfortunaly, that isn't stopping the agenda pushers and liberal keister kissers manning the (so-called) news departments and those fake prop desks at the major moring (news) outlets.
Case in point ...
This morning while quick surfing through the channels -- I stopped for about 30 seconds on a CBS network report that was regurgitating their DNC/White House daily talking point for the few sheep still taking-in a full hour to digest their full line of propoganda.
What THEY say ...
According to a recent CBS News Analysis -- if the Republicans are successful in repealing Obamacare ... the cost to the already increasing national defict will be over 230 billion dollars.
230 billion bucks? I didn't know CBS (New's) handy pocket caculators (recently found on sale at Target for $9.95- batteries not inclueded) had that many digets to run that many numbers. Actually, CBS (News) doesn't need a pocket calculator, or anything other than two hands and ten digets to run the numbers that clown college comes up with. See, in the end -- they just make it up anyway and provide no working basis to prove their Save Obama's Pelt propoganda.
Here's a tip for all the fibbing (news) networks: Be honest and drop the descriptive term "news" from your logo and just call yourselves -- The CBS Spin Hour. Then again, the word Opinion might work better for them. Why "Opinion?"
Well as my wise ol' granddad used to say: "Son, opinions are like bu-t holes. Everybody's got one."
News? Gimmie a break! John Stewart's got more street cred than than CBSNBCABCNPR et al. If for no other reason -- he's at least honest about what he's doing: Show Biz!
Johnny, tell 'em what they won. : - )
gypsy| 1.7.11 @ 11:08AM
I propose a lottery. We each pay in 20 bucks, and money goes to wounded vets, retired blue collar workers who actually BUILT America and school vouchers to spring the underage prisoners from their educational Gulags.
Lottery winners get to do the following: whenever ANYONE says something truly stupid, winners get to pimp slap 'em. Hard. Repeatedly. On Cspan.
My first nominee for awe-inspiring dumbness goes to every jackass who thinks that if we repeal a BigGovernment program like ObamaCare, somehow this action will increase the deficit.
Ned| 1.7.11 @ 12:06PM
That info comes direct from OMB... based, of course, on the intentional Dimocrat distortion of the scoring process...
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 5:23PM
What an idiotic idea ... but it would leave you out, wouldn't it?
Madison| 1.7.11 @ 10:18AM
The Constitution makes no provision for "an executive office of the president." Fund the White House building staff. Make "Old State,Navy and War" a museum. DEFUND all these "executive agencies and Tsars"
wodiej| 1.7.11 @ 10:49AM
More wasteful spending. If we cut out all the bureaucracy, the budget would be balanced in 6 months.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 5:17PM
You're so uninformed. The vast majority of the government's budget pays the people - the Armed Forces, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans, Low-income families, Farmers on subsidies, etc. - who then circulate that income back into the economy. All your cuts would do is make government services harder to get or not at all.
Gail Stoltzfoos| 1.8.11 @ 7:43PM
Amazing that everyone here is misinformed except you. You should change your name to Rose Colored Glasses Guy. For, that's what you're looking through, dude.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 8:55PM
So what do YOU think the Government does with the money?
bobmontgomery| 1.7.11 @ 10:54AM
At the risk of being labeled a radical, I suggest that the best solution is not to just bring the bureaucrats to heel, or to 'oversee' them, but to relegate their agencies to the dustbin of history. In just Mr. Catron's article alone we have to wade through HHS, FDA, CMS, MD,MA, GAO and probably LSMFT is in their somewhere. Look up the Centers for Disease Control and be amazed at how many sub-agencies, offices and commissions there are. Just like the illegal alien count, we don't even know how many agencies there are, let alone how many bureaucrats are in them. When we speak of the nanny state, it's not just the government running our lives, it's the federal government performing those functions which are not only not constitutional for them to perform, it is their performing legitimate functions of services which the several states are entirely capable of performing. This is the 21st century (a sop to you Progressives out there) and we are an educated society out here in flyover country. We can do this, and that, and the other.
David| 1.7.11 @ 10:57AM
Screw Congressional Subpoenas. Lets bring back Contempt of Congress and let some of these bureaucrats rot in prison till, the end of session.
Richard| 1.7.11 @ 12:42PM
And don't forget the electronic shock collar in your remedial decency training--instead of starting with # 1 level just go to #10. You'll save time that way.
Anthony| 1.7.11 @ 1:22PM
I think all leftists should be given mandatory end of life counseling, on a quarterly basis, especially those in government. (hint, hint)
Bureaucrats like Berwick should be marshalled up to congress and on national T.V. get waterboarded until they all get their minds right.
And if these things don't produce the requisite results, bring in Sheik Mohammad from GITMO and have him perform his favorite Islamic ritual, beheading.
Change we can really believe in!!
JeffT| 1.7.11 @ 1:41PM
The MSM went the way of Newsweek even before Newsweek became an opinion rag. CBS doesn't run numbers. They just reproduce the faxes provided by the DNC. Maybe it's time they changed their call letters to The DCN Network. At least that would be honest.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 5:13PM
Where did the MSM go? NBC alone has 2x the viewers of Fixed News...
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 5:46PM
That is complete horse pockey. "they do not feel bound by the will of the voters as expressed by our elected representatives." - Why is that when there is an election and your side loses, all of sudden the winners are supposed to follow "your voters' will" ? Republicans did not win Congress and so the Democrats proceed as before with their agenda. The R's won the House, that's all. 1/3 of the elected government. You expect the other side to run screaming in the streets " We must be Republicans now ... " I don't think so... After the dramatic wins in the lame duck session, I don't see any reason the D's should bow to the R's voters now.
MikeD| 1.7.11 @ 8:28PM
I know it is a waste of time and energy, but I'll give it one more try. First, the dems lost 63 seats in the house. The house is the only part of the congress that has every seat up for election every 2 years. The only reason the dems didn't lose the senate is because there were not that many dems up this cycle because the senators who would be up in 2010 were elected in 2004, which was not a good year for dems. About one third of the senate is up every 2 years. In 2012, of the 33 seats that will be up, the dems have to defend 21 of them because they did much better in the 2006 election. That means, unless there is a miracle, they will lose the senate; especially since 6 dems have already announced retirement or plan not to run...in states that barry lost in 2008. Right there is a likely loss from 53 to 47 seats. Unless there is a miracle or widespread vote fraud, the next senate will be roughly 56-44 republicans, maybe worse. It's just math and timing. If barry continues to piss off the voters it will be worse, maybe 60-40; which is very possible. Even if he recovers, the dems will likely lose the senate and end up down 48-52 at the best.
The race for the presidency will be just as bad. Barry has terriblt numbers, and every day pelosi and reid are in the news defying the will of the American electorate he will suffer. He's alreadt behind at least 2 republicans; and his unfavorables are over 50% which is political death.
That doesn't take into account the redistricting in electoral votes that will force barry to get a minimum of 8 more electoral votes JUST TO STAY WHERE HE WAS IN 2008. The states he won lost population and electoral votes.
Barry has fallen farther faster than any president in history. The American people have demonstrated that they do not trust him. He has lied and broken almost every promise he made. You really must be either too young to have had basic civics or live overseas where you never learned this. You'd better educate yourself before you try to go up against the people on this site. They pay attention and actually understand the intricacies of our system. You are demonstrating that you don't, and it does not help you make any points. it just displays your ignorance. Believe it or not, I'm trying to help you.
Purpleguy| 1.7.11 @ 10:23PM
We all have to have our hopes for change, don't we? But yours seems like a wish more than a hope. Your faith in the R's is commendable, but misplaced.
In less than 1 week the R's in the House have violated the US Constitution, backpedaled on their promise to cut 100 Billion from the budget the first year, will not commit to entitlement reform, the Speaker can't list one budget item he would cut, and broken their promise for more a more open and responsive Congress. Yep, buyers remorse is a real possibility.
Meanwhile, the Lame Duck Session was amazingly productive, unemployment has dropped to 9.4%, more jobs were created in 2010 than were created under Bush in 8 years, the Auto companies are profitable again, Tarp money is nearly all paid back, with interest, to the Treasury, and the economy is picking up. My, my, reality doesn't really fit your wishful scenario, now does it?
"Barry has fallen farther faster than any president in history." What idiot told you that? Glenn Beck? - and, yet, his popularity is higher than Ronald Reagan at the same point in his presidency. At this rate, his re-election will be a blowout of, oh, who?, Sarah "I can see Russia from my house" Palin, or Tim "I'm tough, really" Pawlenty, or Haley "I'm no racist, what segregation?" Barbour, or Mitt "I'm not that kind of Mormon" Romney? Maybe Grandpa McCain will run again...? Enjoy your ineffectual House of Representatives. Have a nice day.
George True| 1.8.11 @ 12:05AM
MikeD, you get an A for effort. But trying to have a logical dialogue with Purpleguy is the equivalent of trying to teach a pig to sing.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 8:54AM
Nice comment. So pleasant. Real classy of you. But I noticed you accepted my facts, since you cannot argue with them. Did you even bother to look up the information to dispute or confirm the facts? Or you will merrily go through life following others over a bridge?
George True| 1.8.11 @ 9:24AM
Purpleguy: I was not comparing you to a pig, per se. It's just that nothing you said was actually true. And no matter how much evidence is presented to the contrary, you will still ignore it and still parrot the leftist talking points. So it is pointless to try to have a conversation with you. Like trying to teach a pig to sing.
MikeD| 1.8.11 @ 4:23PM
George, It isn't worth the time or effort. This moron is so sure of his facts that he can't even count the number of days in a week. The best thing purpleguy does is to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that lefties/dems/libs are so incredibly stupid that there is no compromise possible. The only way to save our Country is to play the game the same way the dems do: Total war, take no prisoners, lie, cheat, steal to get your way. Purpleguy: you are serving a valuable function by demonstrating why dems do what they do and why they can NEVER be trusted.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 5:09PM
And, yet, I am not a liberal or a Democrat. I am a centrist, ya know the majority of the country ... You are just so far right, I seem to be a lefty to you. The funny thing is that to you my centrist ideas are lefty, to Huff Post bloggers, I'm to the right. It's quite amusing.
For all your rhetoric and bluster, you haven't proven anything with one scintilla of fact - nor has your c0mpatriot Georgie above. And, you say, "I" am so sure of MY facts. They aren't my facts, they are yours too, and it's amazing how your belief system just will not be penetrated by facts.
I sure hope you are so pleased with your Republican House now, that can only think about some political ploy they plan to play over raising the debt ceiling or repealing the Healthcare Act, that has no chance of being repealed. What happened to "JOBS,JOBS,JOBS"? Nary a word about jobs now that they've won. Suckered you again, so they can buddy up to the K Street Lobbying Corps. Which they started the first night they were sworn in attending a fund raiser that very night with lobbyists - well, at least the ones that WERE actually sworn in, per the US Constitution demands. Do you dispute that the 2 Republican Congressmen that were not sworn in broke the law by casting votes and conducting Congressional business when they were not legitimate members of Congress? I didn't think so. I know it must hurt they have already backpedaled, broken promises and have gotten off to a very rocky start - but they are your buddies. Want another chance at the election?
George True| 1.8.11 @ 5:59PM
Again, nothing you just said in that rambling screed is actually true. What color is the sky in your Bizarro World?
"...It's amazing how your belief system just will not be penetratied by facts."
Projecting, are we? That was a very succinct description of yourself, Purp.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 6:43PM
What school did you ever attend? Can you not read. At the top of this post, I clearly lay out some facts about unemployment, the lame duck session, etc. Yet, you claim I have no facts and you just keep repeating the same old mantra, as if I can be brainwashed by your incessant propaganda. You sound just like the R's ... all talk, no action. Hypocrisy all the time - say one thing and do the other. Come on, discuss the facts that I laid out if you can. If you don't, you will simply be showing yourself as a bag of hot air, not worth my typing skills.
George True| 1.9.11 @ 3:46AM
And you sound like all leftists - immune to the truth.
MikeD| 1.9.11 @ 8:26PM
The "facts" you spout are facts only in your demented little brain; just like your self described "Centrist" views. You are so far left you're meeting yourself coming around the other way. The only reason any of us even allow you to play with the adults is because you are so laughable in your delusion. Thank God there are so few of you.
ACynic| 1.7.11 @ 9:53PM
No, the health care commissars do not need training. They need to be eliminated.
Nite| 1.7.11 @ 10:27PM
Obama may not run for re-election unless he wants to present his long form birth certificate in states completely controlled by Republicans. He would not have spent millions on lawyers to keep his educational records and long birth certificate secret unless he had something to hide. So, I doubt he will be running. I wish he would try and then get a refusal for a place on the ballot.
DBL| 1.8.11 @ 11:15AM
Sadly Obama will be running for president again. Worse yet he will win through a corrupt election where the people of the U.S. votes will not count. Our country is in the hands of the worst administration ever to be in control. Their agenda or "vision" of a New World Order can only come about by bringing chaos, hunger, homelessness, joblessness. and ever growing government control of the citizens through manipulation.
ISBN 0-55950-009-3
Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 88-083670
"By embracing deception wholeheartedly at every level, finance capitalism, or rule through money, has fashioned the ultimate system yet devised for the secure exercise of power."
RCV| 1.9.11 @ 6:19PM
Any such state provisions would be invalidated by the federal courts since the States constitutionally have jurisdiction over the requirements of candidates for federal offices.
DBL| 1.8.11 @ 11:17AM
ISBN 0-55950-009-3
Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 88-083670
"Little danger to our lucrative racket exists from public-spirited regulation. Our manipulations are so complex that only the most brilliant experts could comprehend them. To most economists our Exchange operations appear to be helpful efforts to "stabilize" the market. We ruling bankers, if able to keep peace among ourselves, become richer and richer as time passes without the annoyance of exerting productive effort of benefit to others."
"The so-called Left-Right political spectrum is our creation. In fact, it accurately reflects our careful, artificial polarization of the population on phony issues that prevents the issue of our power from arising in their minds."
"By embracing deception wholeheartedly at every level, finance capitalism, or rule through money, has fashioned the ultimate system yet devised for the secure exercise of power."
George True| 1.8.11 @ 11:36AM
DBL, where do these quotes come from?
DBL| 1.8.11 @ 2:30PM
I found these from an archive. This was collected from the library of congress.The quotes are from: ISBN 0-55950-009-3
Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 88-083670
Occult Technology of Power 1874
A Project of the Society for Illuminating the Sources of Power
Copyright 1974 by Alpine Enterprises, PO Box 766, Dearborn, Michigan 48121.
Marc Jeric| 1.8.11 @ 6:31PM
I have lived under socialist/communist health care until I came here at age of 29. In a communist regime I got acquainted with their "newspeak", where "death panel" becomes "end-of-life counselling". Our commies then protest loudly that they have no death panels, as Sarah Palin said, thus cutting through their obfuscations.
Purpleguy| 1.8.11 @ 6:44PM
So, what do you like about America that was gracious enough to allow you to live here since you were 29?
Andy| 1.10.11 @ 2:22PM
The FDA is investigating Lance Armstrong because the alleged doping instances took place when his team was sponsored by the United States Postal Service. A more apt question might be "Why is the USPS sponsoring bicycle teams?", but omitting this fact is deliberately misleading.
Adidas | 8.11.11 @ 5:53AM
is good
العاب بنات | 4.10.12 @ 12:20PM
MikeD, you get an A for effort. But trying to have a logical dialogue with Purpleguy is the equivalent of trying to teach a pig to sing.