Friday, November 6, 2009

A letter from a Cincinnati 912 Project Member

Representative Boehner:
It is the blood of citizens who love this nation and its Constitution that has moistened the earth throughout this nation’s history. It is their blood that soaks into the soil of Iraq and Afghanistan today. It is they, their parents and grandparents, their children, their brothers and sisters who arrive in their nation’s capitol today. It is they who rally on the capitol steps and seek out their representatives to tell them "NO", "NO" to nationalizing the nation’s health care system, "NO" to a Cap and Trade Tax, "NO" to ignoring Constitutional Restraints imposed on the federal government.

These citizens who show up in Washington today come out of concern for their nation and its Constitution. They have taken funds from their meager savings to travel to their nation’s capitol. They have left their lives on hold and taken time away from their families and their jobs to travel to their nation’s capitol to express the sense of dread they have for the future of their nation and the future of their children. For each citizen who has traveled to their nation’s capitol today, there are thousands whose spirit they carry with them, mine among them.

These citizens who show up in DC today do not come out of hate, or even fear. They come out of concern for their nation and their nation’s Constitution. They come out of disappointment; they come for lost confidence in their representatives. They come because of the call they hear as their nation and their nation’s Constitution calls out for help, for protection from the assault upon it from members of Congress who neither understand nor appreciate the unique nature of this great nation, this great nation that simple citizens of the world see as a "Shining beacon on the hill."

Probably what most motivates these citizens arriving in their nation’s capitol today and so infuriates those whose sentiments they carry with them is the sense of disgust that is felt as protected and pampered members of Congress poise themselves to "ram down the throats of citizens" a nationalization of the nation’s system of health care and a Cap and Trade Tax that will so damage our nation, if not literally destroy her. They come out of a realization of the unfunded mandates that same Congress has imposed on our nation through a congressional monopoly over Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They come knowing that Congress has diverted reserves from Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds to other purposes. They come to say "NO" to expanding congressional monopolies over health care and the nation’s energy resources.

These citizens arriving today are the Minutemen and Women of this generation. When they arrive, welcome them, do not hide in alcoves, behind assistants or in some shady lair. Look into their eyes, for they are the Minutemen and Women of this nation’s generation. Take solace from their presence and act with them to defend our nation and our nation’s Constitution from assault within, from enemies domestic. It is their and the blood of their brethren that gave birth to this nation and has protected and nourished her and her Constitution throughout her two hundred plus years of existence. Step up to the challenge and join them in defending her today. Step up to the challenge and thank the Lord that citizens such as these still exist to lead the way today.

Emmette Boone
College Corner, OH

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Let your voice be heard! Often.

How many times have you overheard a one-sided cell phone conversation where someone is complaining about something that just happened to them. You hear this sort of thing at the mall, your workplace, the grocery store or a sporting event. They even have a special number to call to rat out an obnoxious fan that might spoil your experience at a game. In trying times like these we just can't afford to have some jerk make us miss the play that won the game! No matter what the situation we have to call someone on our speed dial to vent our frustrations.
What about your freedoms? Have you noticed lately how many of them are slipping away? Ever feel like complaining about that? We can complain about the things that really matter to our elected officials any time we please. All you have to do is save the numbers of your US Senators and US Representative on your cell phone and make the call. It only takes 30 seconds. How awesome would that be if they heard from us each time we were pissed off about paying too much taxes, wasteful spending, loosing our freedoms, or maybe when we think our civil rights have been eroded or violated?
I have those very important numbers on my phone and I urge you to do the same. Instead of saying someone should do something about that, be that someone, make the call. It sure makes me feel better than just yelling at the TV or radio.
When you call, be polite and calm. They will be much more likely to listen to your talking points. After all, the politicians always say "feel free to contact me anytime."

Friday, October 2, 2009

The Cost of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a gift to this country symbolizing international republicanism. Republicanism asserts that people have inalienable rights that cannot be voted away by a majority of voters. A democracy. When we say The Pledge of Allegiance, we say "and to the republic for which it stands", not to the democracy. We live in a republic. Although we believe in democratic law, the Rule of Law and clearly defined constitutional principles dictate the actual administration of government. "With Liberty and Justice for all." Websters dictionary defines liberty as, a: the power to do as one pleases, b: freedom from arbitrary or despotic control, c: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges, d: the power of choice.

We enjoy our liberties and freedoms purely through the limitations of our government, and not through the powers of the government.

An inscription on the Statue of Liberty written in 1883 by Emma Lazarus reads "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free....". This poem reinvented the statue's purpose, turning Liberty into a welcoming mother, a symbol of hope to the outcasts and downtrodden of the world.
Our elected officials now want to impose a surcharge or duty for the privilege of residency in this country. The proposed health care bill requires each citizen to enroll and pay the premiums, or opt out and still pay $1900 per year just to be left alone.

The plaque on the Statue of Liberty should now read "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free, your $1900 per year, and if not paid in full, face up to $25000 fine and one year imprisonment." Where is choice and freedom now? This is the new cost of liberty.

We would be best served if the interstate restrictions placed on insurance companies were removed and the free market system was allowed to flourish as other industries do. Regulation is also needed to keep insurance companies honest and fair.

Keep in mind that free people can treat each other justly, but they can't make life fair. To get rid of the unfairness among individuals, you have to exercise power over them. The more fairness you want, the more power you need. Thus, all dreams of fairness become tyranny in the end.

Our constitution guarantees us equal opportunity not equal results.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Steve Driehaus townhall meeting Aug. 26

The town hall meeting with Steve Driehaus sponsored by the Green Township Democratic Club, held at the Nathaniel Green Lodge, was a ticketed event designed to invite a more friendly crowd. Tickets were given primarily to Democratic Club members. The parking lot was full of people carrying signs trying to get their message out, myself included.
The meeting started with Mr. Driehaus taking questions from people (five at a time) and then answering them after everyone had returned to their seats. Admittedly a good way to avoid confrontation and to keep the event more productive. I don't think he could have handled one-on-one questions.
I was surprised to see a number of admitted democrats in strong disagreement with the health care bill. Some of them were Steve Driehaus good family friends. People in favor of government run health care keep harping on the same old song "because it's a right". No it's not. Read the Constitution! Is it a moral obligation? Why certainly. There isn't a health care facility in this country that already receives taxpayer dollars that will shut their door to the poor.
What about my rights as a citizen of this country?
Doesn't anyone remember the AT&T monopoly? Ma Bell as they were so often referred to had a strangle hold on the communications industry. It wasn't until the federal government broke it up that we had real competition to drive down prices and spur new technologies. Long distance charges for just minutes used to be outrageous. Before the break up of AT&T Asian and European markets had cell phones and thriving industries involving communications and the associated equipment. We had none of this.
Let alone the fact that government run health care is unconstitutional, a government monopoly of the health care industry will eliminate competition in the insurance market. Stifle new treatments and technologies as well as pharmaceutical products since they will all be funded by our tax dollars, which are in short supply. Can you say rationing care?
Speaking of tax dollars. Did you know that we are currently sending $26 billion a month overseas just to pay the interest alone on the money we have already borrowed from countries like China. So where will this money come from to pay for our health, America? Big businesses are laying people off by the thousands to protect their profit margins. Yes I said profit.
Although profit is a bad word these days, they need those profits so that you and I can retire on that money thats tied up in our retirement plans on Wall Street. Or did you think the banks just kept it all in a lock box like the federal government?
Steve Driehaus kept saying that the costs of health care just keep going up and up. Why doesn't someone address what drives the cost rather than just find another way to pay for it?
How about tort reform and letting insurers carry policies out of state? One of the duties of Congress is to promote interstate trade which is stated in the Constitution. Currently health care providers cannot work across state lines.
The health care issue is complex one to say the least. It will not be solved by one person, one point of view, or one political party, but it must be solved by one country.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Townhall meeting with Rep. Steve Driehaus

On Aug. 3 I attended a town hall style meeting with Rep. Steve Driehaus 1st District of Ohio. This was the first time I have ever been to an event such as this. When I arrived, a sign was posted on the door stating that the room was filled to capacity. I was 35 minutes early. They soon saw fit to move the meeting to a more suitable room to accommodate the unexpected crowd.
Before Steve Driehaus spoke, we were all told how to conduct ourselves and that there was internet chatter about organized groups disrupting the meeting and that there would be none of that . This comment set the tone for the evening. I saw no evidence of organized disruption or disobedience.
We just want the facts, and to be heard. Little of either happened very effectively. Mr. Driehaus started by trying to sell us a bill of goods that most were not interested in buying. He tried to answer questions that we had written on cards but his answers sounded like a sales pitch in favor of the health care bill. He did not side with the concerns and fears of his constituents. The people want specifics on how this will affect their lives and few if any were given.
This only added to the frustration of the group. People started interrupting whomever had the floor making it difficult to hear.
The health care issue is a very emotional one for most people, especially for the elderly because this dictates the standard of living for them more so than any other group. The Greatest Generation did not sacrifice, fight long and hard and give the lives of thousands of sons and fathers just to have the freedoms they fought for taken away.

Universal health care is not the answer. Health care itself is not the problem. Our current system is not perfect and it can be improved upon.

Reform of health insurance is the answer. The federal government does not need to reinvent the wheel with health care.

Monday, July 20, 2009

National Health Care

Sure, everyone would like to get something for free. But anything handed to us by the grace of the federal government is only something we have already paid for ourselves. The only money the government has, has come from taxpayers of this country. The $1.5 trillion health care plan the Obama administration is currently lobbying for will bankrupt this country.

They (Washington progressives) want to tax the wealthiest five percent (who already pay 70% of all taxes collected) an additional amount to pay for a universal health care program. This tax will create $500 billion according to studies by the Congressional Budget Office. Where will the other $1 trillion come from?

More than likely we will all see an additional column on our pay stubs where more money is sucked from our economy and handed over to the socialists who think they know what is best for us all. Meanwhile we will have fewer choices about our lives, health, standards of living and the freedoms that make this country great.

Why the rush? Obama wants this plan to be approved before the summer break.
What would be the harm in looking this plan over and debating the pros and cons of it. Are the Democrats worried that it will fail after we get a chance to see its flaws? The Democrats will more than likely blame the failure on the "scare tactics" of the Republicans. Ridiculous! They already have a majority capable of voting it into law even if all the Republicans vote no. What are they waiting for?

Saturday, July 11, 2009

More Cap-and-Trade Nonsense

The cap-and-trade legislation has such a far reaching effect on our everyday lives, that it destroys freedoms that previous generations have fought long and hard to preserve. This bill will affect every item on our store shelves since it takes energy to produce it and energy to put it there.
If this bill passes the cost of products world-wide will escalate to offset the CO2 permit manufacturers will have to buy to stay in business.

This is an indirect tax we will all pay. Once all the limited permits are sold by the federal government, there will be no more to be had. Large corporations are lining up to buy them all (like tickets to a sold out concert). If you are starting a new business and you cannot get a CO2 permit, you will be forced to close your doors or go overseas to do your manufacturing. When your product arrives in this country it will have tariffs attached to it because it was produced in a country that has not signed on to the climate change agenda.
Our federal government will grow in size to include investigators to determine what percentage of each imported product was made in a country that does not cap CO2 emissions. More wasted tax dollars, more big government.

Selling your house will become more difficult too. All home sales that receive government loan assistance (FHA ,GI,HUD) must meet new energy efficiency standards. Homes for sale must be 30% more energy efficient which may require the homeowner to replace the furnace, a/c, water heater, appliances and light fixtures with new light bulbs. Yes, they are even telling us what kind of light bulbs we must use! At this moment, thousands of homes are owned by our nation's banks who are already on shaky ground. The last thing they need is another reason to make it more difficult to reduce their enormous debt.

Trees that are planted on new construction sites have federal guidelines as well. The cap and trade bill legislates how and where trees are planted that are used to shade a building to reduce energy use. There will also be a new educational program on how to plant trees. Its a wonder we ever heard of Johnny Appleseed.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Cap-and-Trade Energy Legislation

In an attempt to legislate our behaviors and mindsets, our House of Representatives has passed another bill to limit our freedoms. While I agree that we are stewards of this Earth, we must do our best to keep the air, water and land in which we live as clean as possible. But not just for our well being but for the other creatures on this planet, as we are all intertwined in this existence. By the same token we must do what is best for mankind first and foremost. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 -- “cap-and-trade” energy legislation that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sounds like a great idea on the surface. Who doesn’t want clean energy and security? But looking deeper at the impact this legislation will have on the economy is staggering. This will be the largest tax increase in US history. Under a cap-and-trade system, government sets a cap on the total amount of carbon that can be emitted nationally; companies then buy or sell permits (tax) to emit CO2. The cap gets cranked down over time to reduce total carbon emissions. Barack Obama admits this will increase our energy costs. In the midst of an economic downturn, this legislation will tie the hands of our manufacturing capabilities and drive jobs overseas. As manufacturing leaves this country the need for those products will not go away. Instead these companies will make just as much CO2 making the same products but only on the other side of the world. The cost of skyrocketing electricity will sap the profits and disposable incomes from businesses and families alike. This will cause sharply rising inflation as companies try to recoup their losses. This legislation might have little effect on us if we could all walk to our local marketplace and purchase the items we need that were brought there by tradesmen and farmers via their oxen drawn carts.

As energy prices soar, the low income families and the elderly will see a greater percentage of their wage keeping them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Consumers will then need assistance to meet their bills and ask for the Federal Government to subsidize energy costs. After all, if our taxes can heal all of those without healthcare insurance we should surely keep them alive to treat them.