It’s More Than Just Politics aka What happens when you put Democrats in office pt.6 (Attack of the Republican Blogs)

Today on your favorite political blog for young Republicans: It’s more than just politics aka yet another example of the ridiculous consequences that occur when you put Democrats into any form of office.

It’s looking like this socialist, clusterf*ck of a healthcare reform bill will face its final committee vote on Tuesday according to top Senate Democrat Harry Reid.

The bill that the Finance Committee will be voting on is a 10-year, $829 billion proposal that supposedly covers 94 percent of eligible Americans while (allegedly) reducing the federal budget.

As you may already know, Reid and other Senate Democrats who happen to be in support of this misguided attempt at healthcare reform have been busy lately characterizing GOP leaders as “partisan protesters” and “divisive”. But the fact is, Senate Dems have purposely mischaracterized or blatantly left out several key details about this bill that many Americans are still not aware of.

It’s only so long that Democrat PAC ads featuring elderly citizens and children and puppies and pretty background music can fool the American people. As much more facts come out about this bill, I’ve noticed the tide starting to shift against this Democratic version of healthcare reform.

For one, this legislation is filled with tax hikes. It starts by taxing those who earn over $10,831 per year and don’t buy health insurance-a tax that increases to $3,800 as income rises. Health Insurance, health care devices and prescription drugs are also taxed, adding to the cost of health care, and decreasing the amount of competition amongst health care related businesses.

The bill also cuts $500 billion in Medicare spending, which includes over $130 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage and almost $120 billion in Medicare cuts for hospitals and facilities that care for seniors (remember the adorable elderly people featured in their TV ads?). The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) says they expect the Medicare Advantage plans to lose around 2.7. million enrollees over the next ten years as a result of this bill being passed, while also stating that “premiums in the new insurance exchanges would tend to be higher than the average premiums in the current-law individual market…”

In other words, the cost of insurance will increase, as opposed to the claims being made by the Obama administration otherwise. But wait…it gets a lot worse.

This current bill includes what’s being called an “individual mandate”, which in essence would force all Americans to purchase health insurance. Subsidies will be given to those who earn up to three times the federal poverty level, while those who don’t qualify for the subsidies will be taxed up to $3,800 if they don’t buy insurance. So basically, if you can’t afford to buy insurance then you’ll be taxed almost $4,000. Does that make any sense to anyone? Leaving people caught in between being unable to afford insurance and having to pay this nonsensical tax? Ask yourself: If someone living at or below the poverty line had $4,000 to spend in discretionary income-don’t you think they would buy their own insurance as opposed to being taxed for not having it? And where would the tax money come from? If someone’s in what’s considered to be a lower class tax bracket, chances are they don’t pay income taxes anyway and actually get a tax refund every year.

Again, this is just the type of absurdity that can be expected when Democrats get elected to any form of office.

I can go on and on about how forcing all the uninsured into insurance could bring as much as $200 billion a year in new premiums to insurance companies (including $465 billion in subsidies over the next ten years), allowing law enforcement agencies unobstructed access to medical records (do you want that?), how this bill does nothing to add lawsuit reform to help curb frivolous lawsuits…you get the picture.

As Garet Garrett famously stated, “social gains that cost more than society can afford, especially those that are founded on the doctrine of dividing what there is instead of producing more, are bound in a little time to annul themselves.”

Socializing health care will not solve the problem. Raising taxes will not solve the problem. Government intervention will not solve the problem (bailouts anyone?) Punishing those who can’t afford health care will not solve the problem.

The only feasible solution is to elect the party in 2010 and 2012 that’s committed to cutting waste, lowering taxes, lessening bureaucracy, strengthening our country and providing economic growth and opportunities to all Americans; that party is the Republican Party. Vote GOP!

In closing, I’d like to give a special thanks to all of our Armed Forces, the RNC, the Missouri Republican Party, the Illinois Republican Party, Freedom Works, the College Republican National Committee, the National Black Republican Association, the Wall Street Journal, KSDK Channel 5, KTVI Fox 2 News (thanks for the follow on twitter!), the best assistant/god sister/too many things to name aka Jeanette (your aura…get it?), Missy (I just do like Just had said) and to all of my Republican Blogs and Bloggers (We’ve already won), my Libertarian blogs and bloggers (join us), my Democrat blogs and bloggers (Stop trying to socialize America), and to all Political blogs and bloggers: Let your voice be heard. GOP in 2012! If you’re not on the right, you’re wrong. Ready by 2011 to win in 2012! Follow STL_Politics on Twitter.
Links: http://freedomworks.org

http://grandoldparty2011.blogspot.com

“Obamacare” aka what happens when you put Democrats in office pt.5 (Attack of the Republican blogs)

Today on your new home for all young Republicans: Change. As you’ve all noticed, I’ve recently made some changes to my site that I think will make it more accessible to all of my readers. It’s a new look, and a new format. But as some things change-others will always remain the same. Liberals will always be idiots.

Have you ever encountered someone in a bar that happened to be so blatantly ignorant about politics that you just wanted to grab them and choke them? Someone who’s’ never bothered to research the history, agenda or voting record of any person they’ve ever voted for but who complains when their taxes go up? Someone who’s’ never came to the realization that who you put into any office (local, state, federal) directly affects what legislation is or isn’t passed and how those decisions directly affect their life?

Unfortunately (or fortunately for us in 2012), I see this type of destructive, self-deprecating behavior on a daily basis. It’s almost like most democrats are suffering from abusive spouse syndrome.

This week, in yet another example of Democrat Party lunacy, House leaders are proposing adding a tax on insurers in their bizarre attempt to reduce the price of their misguided (socialist) health care bill. Read more:

By Deirdre Walsh
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that an excise tax on high-end insurance plans, similar to the one included in the Senate Finance Committee’s health care overhaul legislation, was “under consideration.”
But Pelosi added that leaders are looking at other proposals to offset the costs of the bill.
“We have to see how much money we need, and if we’re taking the bill down in costs, there are other provisions in the Senate bill that bend the curve that might be more palatable. We’ll see,” she added.
House Democratic leaders and key committee chairmen met Friday to try to come up with a final version of the House health care bill. Much of the discussion centered on how to cut about $200 billion in costs from the measure.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the House bill costs $1.1 trillion over 10 years, but President Obama told Congress he wants a bill that costs $900 billion.
The House Democrats’ health care plan includes a surtax on wealthy Americans. The graduated tax would apply to families making more than $350,000 a year, with the rate increasing as income levels go up. But a number of freshmen Democrats argued that the initial income level should be raised so the tax doesn’t unfairly burden small businesses.
Leaders have now agreed to apply the surtax on those making more than $1 million a year. But losing some revenue from the surtax is forcing Democratic leaders to look for other sources of funding.
Democratic leadership aides say that if the House moves ahead with a tax on insurers, it would probably modify the Senate Finance Committee version, because many Democrats are worried the Senate plan would hit middle-class families.
See what happens when you put democrats in office? In closing, special thanks to all of our Armed Forces, the RNC, the Missouri Republican Party, the Illinois Republican Party, the College Republican National Committee, the National Black Republican Association, the Wall Street Journal, KSDK Channel 5, KTVI Fox 2 News (thanks for the follow on twitter!) and to all of my Republican Blogs and Bloggers (We’ve already won), my Libertarian blogs and bloggers (join us), my Democrat blogs and bloggers (Stop trying to socialize America), and to all Political blogs and bloggers: Let your voice be heard. GOP in 2012! If you’re not on the right, you’re wrong. Ready by 2011 to win in 2012! Follow STL_Politics on Twitter.

Top Ten Political Scandals of 2008

Today on my Republican blog: I’m not in the habit of posting other peoples work, but I came across a great article on Washington Post.com that I think everyone should read. Great work by Amanda Zamora on this piece. And don’t forget: Get on your Republican blogs, your Libertarian blogs and (unfortunately) your Democrat blogs. Let your voice be heard… and GOP in 2012! Enjoy!

Top 10 Scandals of 2008
POSTED: 03:08 PM ET, 12/22/2008 by Amanda Zamora
TAGS: Barack Obama, Charlie Rangel, Congress, Eliot Spitzer, FBI, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Kwame Kilpatrick, Ponzi scheme, Rod Blagojevich, Ted Stevens, Wall Street, anthrax, bailout, federal courts, finance, fraud, mortgage lending

From Albany to Alaska, from Chicago to Wall Street, 2008 produced a bumper crop of political and business scandals.

Sen. Ted StevensThe editors here at The Post’s Investigations blog have sorted through the greatest hits of the year — from the first hints of a corruption probe into Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens last January to the FBI’s wiretap of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich in December. With so much to choose from in 2008, you might have a different ranking. Let us know.

10. Hillary’s 1996 Trip to Bosnia » During her unsuccessful bid to become Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) made a point of describing a rather harrowing encounter at an airport in the Bosnian city of Tuzla in 1996. She described a scene involving “sniper fire” in the war-torn region and claimed she had to duck as she ran to an awaiting vehicle. Videos taken during Clinton’s landing showed an otherwise peaceful setting. The former first lady was forced to admit to a “mistake” in memory.

There was supposed to be some sort of greeting ceremony, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles
— Clinton, describing the scene at the Bosnian airport in 1996. She later admitted to being mistaken about the episode.

9. Rangel Hounded by Ethics Questions » Rep. Charles B. Rangel, the New York Democratic congressman who heads the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has been at the center of a swirl of questions since July, including a questionable gift from an oil executive to his charitable foundation, the use of office stationary to solicit contributions and the below-market-rate rentals of apartments in New York and Washington.

I have to give that some serious thought. Yes, I may give up the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, give up the seat I’ve had for 38 years, and say woe, woe, woe, woe, how could this happen to me.
— Rangel, sarcastically speaking at the same July press conference, in response to a question about whether he will resign his chairmanship.

8. Palin’s Family Feud » When Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin became the GOP vice-presidential candidate, her political record came under intense scrutiny, including the most controversial point during her gubernatorial term — the dismissal of the state’s police commissioner. Palin had fired Walt Monegan after unsuccessfully pushing the state’s top cop to fire her ex-brother-in-law, a state trooper. “Troopergate” became a hot-button campaign issue and two independent reports released around Election Day didn’t agree on whether Palin had erred in firing Monegan.

(My thoughts) “went to my ex-brother-in-law, the trooper, who threatened to kill my dad yet was not even reprimanded by his bosses and still to this day carries a gun, of course.
— Palin, in a July 17, 2007, e-mail to Monegan, relaying a story about how a Alaska state proposal to prohibit people considered mentally ill from carrying firearms made her think of her ex-brother-in-law.

7. AIG Goes to California » The subprime mortgage mess was encapsulated by the quick fall of American International Group Inc., the giant insurance firm, which got $124 billion from the government in October as it teetered. Lavish trips for senior managers after the bailout, including a $400,000 weeklong excursion to the St. Regis resort in Orange County, Calif., didn’t help matters.

I was not aware of it, and if I had been, I would not have let it happen.
— AIG CEO Robert Willumstad, speaking to congressmen about an executive trip to the St. Regis resort in California (after the federal bailout had been secured).

Bars!
— An unknown audience member during the congressional hearing, responding to a question from Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who had wondered aloud what $10,000 on “leisure dining” at the St. Regis was actually spent on.

6. The Mayor and the Text Messages » Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is spending four months in a county jail after he was convicted of lying under oath to hide an affair with his chief of staff. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice Sept. 4 as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. The Detroit Free Press had obtained dozens of sometimes-racy text messages between Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty, which showed the extent of the relationship.

LOL LOL! (Expletive) that. Never busted. Busted is what you see! LOL.
— Kilpatrick, in a text message to Beatty on Sept. 13, 2002, talking about whether the romantic liaison between the pair was seen by the mayor’s bodyguards.

Check out Scandals No. 1 though 5 after the jump:

5. ‘Uncle Ted’ Indicted, Convicted, Loses Seat » Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was charged with accepting illegal gifts from a wealthy oil executive and was convicted of seven felonies in a federal trial in October. He vowed to fight the conviction and hold onto his seat, but the Republican icon lost re-election.

The worst that can happen to us is we run up a bunch of legal fees, and might lose and we might have to pay a fine, might have to serve some time in jail. I hope to Christ it never gets to that…I don’t think we have done anything wrong.
— Stevens, speaking to onetime friend, wealthy oil executive Bill Allen, in a secretly-recorded phone call in October 2006 that was played during his trial.

4. Edwards and His Mistress » Former presidential candidate John Edwards, once a North Carolina Democratic senator, found himself in hot water after the National Enquirer revealed he had an extramarital affair with a campaign videographer. Edwards admitted the affair in a nationally-televised interview with ABC but denied he was the father of Rielle Hunter’s child. The baby’s birth certificate was noticeably missing the name of a father.

John EdwardsI don’t know if that picture is me. It could well be. It looks like me. I don’t know who that baby is. I have no idea what that picture is.
— Edwards, speaking to ABC News about a photo published in the National Enquirer allegedly showing him holding the child of his former lover, Rielle Hunter. Edwards has denied being the father of the baby.

3. Spitzer and the Hooker » New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, once a shining star in the Democratic Party, was forced to resign in March after federal investigators discovered he hired an expensive escort during a trip to Washington. The former state attorney general saw his career go up in smoke, although he ended up not facing any criminal charges.

Eliot SpitzerGreat, OK, wonderful.
— Spitzer, speaking to an escort company operator when told that his prostitute for the evening would be a young brunette named “Kristen,” according to a federal affidavit.

2. Tapping The Governor’s Phone » An FBI wiretap in late November and early December caught Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat for future jobs, lobbying connections for his wife and even his own Cabinet position. The fallout is still being felt. Blagojevich has been charged but refuses to resign.

I’ve got this thing and it’s (expletive) golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there.
— Blagojevich, talking about potentially selling President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, according to a federal wiretap.

Whether you tape me privately or publicly, I can tell you that whatever I say is always lawful and the things I’m interested in are always lawful. And if there are any things out there like that, what you’ll hear is a governor who tirelessly and endlessly figures out ways to help average, ordinary working people.
— Blagojevich, speaking to reporters the day before he was arrested on federal corruption charges.

And, drumroll, please. The No. 1 scandal of the year…

1. Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme » New York financier Bernard L. Madoff came under investigation in December after his two sons, both business partners, told federal authorities that their father admitted to running possibly the largest Ponzi scheme in American history. Investors are still coming forward but Madoff has estimated that investors lost $50 billion.

Bernard Madoff (By Ruby Washington / AP)It’s a proprietary strategy. I can’t go into it in great detail.
— Madoff, speaking to Barron’s in 2001 about his approach to trading on Wall Street.

By Amanda Zamora | December 22, 2008; 3:08 PM ET