Just in case you hadn’t already heard, President Barack Obama will deliver what the media is describing as a “make or break” health care speech tonight. But don’t feel bad if you have to miss it. According to the Wall Street Journal, President Obama has already given 27 speeches entirely devoted to health care and he has mentioned the issue prominently in another 92. The American people already know what Obamacare looks like: more power to Washington, less choice for patients and doctors, trillions in new deficit spending, job killing employer mandates, and unprecedented government intrusion into every American’s private life.
No wonder 44% of independents tell Gallup they would direct their Representative to vote against Obamacare (compared to only 29% of independents who would vote for it).
No matter how much the President and his liberal allies try to deny it, the American public signaled in hundreds of town hall meetings last month that they believe health care reform is headed in the wrong direction. The Obama administration may believe that the election of liberal majorities to the White House, Senate, and House meant that the American people wanted Washington to control more of our lives, but that is simply not the case.
Pew’s annual survey of Political Values and Core Attitudes found that “Independents Take Center Stage in Obama Era” and that “independents are more conservative on several key issues than in the past.” Specifically, in 2009 only 43% of independents say government should help more needy people even if it means going deeper into debt. That is down from 57% just two years ago.
Congress needs to take a fresh sheet of paper (rather than 1,000+ pages that some congressional members won’t even read) and start again to craft a reform bill with conservative principles that have proven wide support with independents. 13 years ago, President Bill Clinton cemented his standing with independents by working with conservatives to reform our nation’s welfare system. President Obama still has the chance to work with conservatives and enact meaningful health care reform. Here are just two steps the President and Congress could take to win support from both sides of the aisle:
- Start with giving states more freedom to experiment with health care reform. Give the states incentives to figure out ways to make coverage more affordable and accessible and experiment with ideas like allowing people to buy coverage from partnering states and medical malpractice reform. We’ll see what works and what doesn’t on a smaller scale and build from that.
- Level the playing field for people who can’t afford coverage by making the tax treatment of health insurance fairer for them. By giving tax breaks for health insurance similar to those enjoyed at the place of work, Americans will be able to buy and own affordable coverage. In addition, instead of expanding Medicaid, offer assistance to lower-income families with subsidies offset by existing spending.
According to The Hill, at least 23 House Democrats already have told constituents or hometown media that they oppose Obamacare as currently composed. That means Speaker Nancy Pelosi can only lose 15 more members of her caucus if she wants health reform to pass. Rather than add another $1 trillion to the national debt or create even more czars, commissioners or advisory boards to make our health care decisions, let’s demand that Congress take a step back and start over.
Quick Hits:
- ReadtoVote.org, a nonprofit group, is seeking permission to write every word of the 1,018-page House health care bill on the Capitol steps.
- According to Rasmussen Reports, 53% of U.S. voters say restricting jury awards in medical malpractice lawsuits would significantly reduce the cost of health care in the United States.
- With this year’s deficit expected to hit a record $1.6 trillion, the Senate must move legislation to raise the federal debt limit beyond $12.1 trillion by mid-October.
- President Obama will become the first American president to chair the United Nations 15-member Security Council later this month.
- Significant Senate delay on cap and trade will set back international global warming negotiations scheduled in Copenhagen this December.
Camille Paglia and Sarah Palin agree in separate editorials today that the Democrat plan will be a disaster. Camille is a liberal and Sarah claims to be a conservative. I think we are approaching a critical point where the whole idea of a federal takeover of health care, which is what Obama is touting and what the Democrats want, is going to collapse. Please keep the pressure dialed up. Everyone should write their representatives at least once and preferably several times to defeat this monstrosity.
>>> "Start with giving states more freedom to experiment with health care reform."
It won't work. The better the system the states create, the more the citizens will object to out-of-staters coming in to sponge off of the taxpayers. It must be federal, and it must be good. But that's the last thing in the world the insurance industry wants, and it is they who have given $46 million in campaign contributions. Who do you think is going to win this argument?
I don't know how many times we have to say it, this is about control, not healthcare. The only way to maybe fix this is to clear them all out and start over in '10 and '12.
Welll, I'm 70 years old and have never met a needy person. BUT I've sure met a lot of lazy people! Lots of people who refused to educate themselves, and thus were never prepared to go out into the world and support themselves!NO ONE IS ENTITLED TO THE SWEAT FROM A NOTHER MANS BROW!
Get o ff your lazy ass and work!
Start a new page for health reform. Now that makes
perfect sense, in light of the remarkable, though
acrimonious response of million of Americans during the August recess and town hall meetings.
As I reminded Mr. David Axelrod in an e-mail this morning; Sen. Lieberman's suggestion that we approach health care incrementally, due to the
severity of our economic climate, is a good idea,
and so is the initiative of co-ops. The President
acknowledged publicly on two occasions in August,
that he would consider co-ops as a viable option
within his over all health care plan.
Further, I reminded Mr. Axelrod that the plurality
of Americans do not wish to have their health care
choices dictated by the federal government, nor do
they want to underwrite the medical costs of millions of illegal immigrants, for the total cost
of illegal immigration in 2007 was $338 billion.
We hope that the President will address all of these issues in his speech tonight.
I do think that health care needs to be reformed, however, I do not agree with the Congress and Obama's plans.
I think healthcare needs to be taken out of the work place altogether and health insurance deregulated in the states so it would be legal for any insurer to write policies across state lines. Then, employers could give employees a stipend for them to spend on their own health care.
Also, Social Security laws need to be changed to cover only US citizens and LEGAL aliens are covered under the disability, medicare and medicaid programs. Thanks, Norm
This quote by US Rep. Bruce Braley of Iowa was take from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier August 30 2009 edition. Braley discussing health care reform at a forum in Waverly, Iowa on August 26th
Stated: ( For all of you who want to defeat health care and see no changes, you'll get what you want. You'll see $25,000 individual premiums in a few years for health care. I don't know a lot of families in the 1st District of Iowa that can afford that.) Nice to see that the Democrats are giving us all the facts.. Can you say Scare Tactic???
First American President to chair the 15 member Security Council. I suppose that would be an honore if we had a strong president who wanted to keep us safe and always put America first. But one who bows to Saudi kings and is a hero to Chavez I don't think so.
Congress needs to take a fresh sheet of paper (rather than 1,000+ pages that some congressional members won’t even read) and start again to craft a reform bill
ARE YOU KIDDING ME "CONGRESS NEEDS TO TAKE…AND START AGAIN " PLEASE!
YOU NEED TO GET CONGRESS OUT OF OFFICE NOW! AND STOP THIS CRAZYNESS
CONGRESS IS IN VIOLATION OF THE OATH THEY TOOK WHEN PUT INTO OFFICE "TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION" THAT SHOULD BE GROUNDS TO FIRE THE GUY ON THE SPOT! CONGRESS FAILED SO TELL THEM TO STEP DOWN. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THE HERATIAGE FOUNDATION CAN'T SEE THROUGH THIS TROJAN HORSE, YOUR BEING PLAYED! AND I THOUGHT I WAS DUMB.
THIS IS A DISTRACTION (THE HEALTH BILL) TO GET YOU TO COMPROMISE BUT STILL LETTING THEM STAY IN POWER, WOW THAT IS SMART, THEY MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE REALLY APART OF THE WHOLE THING AND THAT YOU ARE REALLY HAVING AN IMPACT YOU RALLY HAVE THEM CRYING "UNCLE".
AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY'LL BE LAUGHING AT HOW EASY YOU WERE AND THAT YOU NEVER HAD A CLUE.
"T A K E T H E M O U T!
T A K E T H E M O U T N O W!"
MY GOD OPEN YOUR EYES AND LEAD OR STEP DOWN AND GET SOMEONE WHO WILL.
Government-run "Anything" is to be shunned! In today's Washington, it is all about self-serving and power; and the public be damned. Obama has been such a huckster throughout his life that believes he can sell anything! Like P.T. Barnum he believes: "Suckers are born everyday". His handlers wrap the same poison in different packaging and expect that, eventually, the Public will swallow it.
The Health Bill should be scrapped. In every way it is POISON!
I hope that the majority of Americans or at least the majority of people that vote keep watching what is going on and keep up the intensity every chance we get. It's hard to believe the mainstream media still thinks that Obama is to big to fail and they keep providing cover. Another speech and it'll be the same stuff, it can't change because if it really was about health care, it would be signifigantly different and would include tort reform, broadened competition in the insurance industry and maybe tax breaks or health savings accounts. This is nothing more than an extreme turn to the left with the intention of growing government and the 'elites' making billilions of dollars along the way. Why would any President want to address or chair the Security Council, unless it was to deliver the severest of warnings. Why would we want to continue to villify the people at the U.N.
Same old GOP BS
"Step Back and Start Over on Health Care"
Back to When?
When REFORM passes and the Public LOVES it
The DEMOs Will get ALL of the Credit.
That will be the END OF THE GOP.
What part of "LEAVE US ALONE" don't they get???
We no longer trust them!
Tell us who we can trust in the senate or house.
We don't want anything that comes from our White
House or the United Nations!!!
About 30 years ago, Arizona came up with The Arizona Health Plan. After some growing pains, it finally emerged as CIGNA, one of the best HMOs with multiple plans available. Preventative medicine has always been their focus. They do not hesitate to give referals to the best specialists in the valley. This may be a plan to examine as a prototype. As a group plan it is excellent. As non-group for individual contractors, needs some work re: cost of premiums.
No Taxation without representation…sound familiar? The current taxes on the "producers" of this country are considerably higher than those taxes which brought about the REVOLUTION. As for REPRESENTATION, the conservatives(upon which this country was founded and built into the world's greatest superpower!), there is NONE! We conservatives who believe in FREEDOM, EQUAL RIGHTS(from the start, not at the end!), protection of our language, borders and culture, have been sold DOWN THE RIVER by a consortium of THIEVES, who have changed laws/taxes to benefit THEMSELVES and their ability to stay in POWER!!! We have one TOOL remaining short of revolution, that would be VOTE THE BUMS OUT! YOUR BUM AND OURS! AS for Health Care Reform, if its GOOD FOR US ITS GOOD FOR YOU! NO ELITIST PLAN!!! And no BOONDOGLE LIKE SS…all the SS taxes go to pay THE ADMINISTRATION AND ILLEGALS…NOT THOSE WHO PAID THE TAXES THANK YOU DEMORATS! Health care will be EXACTLY the SAME if left up to these RATS! YOU VOTE AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE YOU KNOW VOTES THE BUMS OUT! Otherwise, 3rd WORLD COUNTRY here we come. We will be asking Zimbabwe for help under Obama's socialist leadership! Just a few months in office, IMAGINE A FEW YEARS with all the communists he surrounds himself with! Hugo Chavez, Vice President. Oh dear, to quote the gecko.
When are all of us educated folks going to finally understand that it is NOT Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal. That is the condition these con men have created for us to fall into. This is nothing less than a war of We The People against those ego inflated, corrupt self serving leeches we have allowed to evolve in Washington. We The People must regain our senses and focus our combined energies toward defeating this unconstitutional intrusion into the free enterprise economy of America.We are no more represented by those we elected than we are by the lobbyists that feed their ego's. Remove the self imposed shackles of ideology bestowed upon us by these self serving greed mongers in Washington. Divide and conquer is their ploy, do not fall for it.
HR3200 has no teeth (enforcement) regarding illegal aliens – all an illegal need do is say (in whatever language) that their birthplace was within the USA, and they're "covered". Quite aside from the fact these illegals are criminals, coverage of them would cost real Americans over $30 Billion$ each year rising some 10% per annum. Mr Obama's (communist) solution will be to grant yet another Amnesty (to some 25 millions of illegals) making the point moot – till the next 30 million illegals are smuggled into the USA at which time the USA will effectively cease to exist, and this is what Mr Obama desires, the destruction of the USA, according to many opinions.
Irregardless of what OBama proposes tonight, which I think will be the same old wolf cleaned up and dressed in a better suit, it is imperative that Americans, esp at the grass roots level, keep 'the pressure on' and keep demanding the transparency that was promised to them by the current Admin.
Remember the Unites States belongs to 'We The People' not to 'Us The Politicians'.
This will be the next biggest mistake this country does. The first one was electing a socialist to the office of president, the next one is the socialized health care that obama wants. Wake up America, vote these people out of office before it is to late, the rights we have enjoyed, fought, and died for are being taken away each day. This is all about controll and power, not health acre.
Heritage seems to have forgotten some of our founding principles. This article recommends "offer(ing) assistance to lower-income families with subsidies offset by existing spending."
Excuse me, but that is Socialism via income redistribution. I AM a lower income family, but the best thing government can do is go back to its Constitutional limits, allowing people to earn the level of living that they desire.
More than almost anything, we need freedom, especially from government. I say almost because our greatest need is Jesus Christ. His influence is clearly lacking in our nation.
Isn't this right out of The Federalist papers:
"Start with giving states more freedom to experiment with health care reform. Give the states incentives to figure out ways to make coverage more affordable and accessible and experiment with ideas like allowing people to buy coverage from partnering states and medical malpractice reform. We’ll see what works and what doesn’t on a smaller scale and build from that."
This is why we have states and a Republic.
Thanks Heritage, it is good to get a reminder sometimes.
PC is Thought Control
LEE
"Give the states more freedom to experiment with healthcare."
I'm surprised that the Heritage Foundation would fall into this trap. No one needs to "give" the states freedom to experiment, except for the voters in the states that wish to experiment. This quote suggests that it is up to Congress to allow the states to experiment, but that turns our federal system on its head. Please, everyone, keep in mind that the federal government is a creation of the states, not the other way around. The federal government is, under the Constitution, limited to its enumerated powers, none of which involve health care. The Tenth Amendment makes it clear that the states reserve all of the powers not plainly given to Uncle Sam. Health and welfare are the proper province of the states, not the federal government. The fact that we have allowed the federal government to take over so much of the power reserved to the states is not a reason to allow it more! States – experiment away! Uncle Sam – butt out!
Wow, plenty of anger in here…
When we go back to the roots of this country, we'll discover, that our fouding fathers were not conservatives of their times, but liberals. They wanted to break out of English conservative tradition. This is exactly why they created the Decleration of Independence and our Constitution. From our 21-century perspective they represent conservative values (after 200 years or so any tradition, doesn't matter how controvercial at the conception, becomes an old conservative value). This is how progress perpetuates. Old is replaced with new and improved.
The issue is not conservatism or liberalism. It is the direction that our government is guiding us in. Keep us in the darkness, unaware of what is really going on in Washington.
The more ignorant population, the more power to the government and special interest!
How is it possible that the USA has the best developed medicine in the world and the healthcare system that compares to third-world country? "We, the people" are tired of Washington's spoils system and lobbying (legalized corruption). We deserve to be governed by representatives who will focus on our best interest. And we have the right to change them if we are not served by them.
I love James Garfield's quote written in 1877:
"Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature … If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces."
We need a healthcare reform that will serve ALL citizens and people who are here LEGALLY. We need a better border protection and immigration law that will be fair to all who want to move to the US. This are just two major issues. There are more, but let's make it easy on our Congress/White House to start somewhere.
For the first time in my life I'm afraid for our country.Never before have we had a President,Speaker of the house,Leader of the senate and many in congress whose purpose it is to destroy our nation so that they can become rulers,not representatives.If we don't take it back in 2010 and 2012,we will have become a dictatorship.Obama has almost acomplished in six months what it took Hitler ten years.WAKE UP PEOPLE, OUR FUTURE AND OUR FREEDOM ARE AT STAKE!
Ken Jarvis – Las Vegas writes:
Same old GOP BS
“Step Back and Start Over on Health Care”
Back to When?
When REFORM passes and the Public LOVES it
The DEMOs Will get ALL of the Credit.
That will be the END OF THE GOP.
Ken, whatever your smoking it's killing your brain cells, eventually you'll hit a critical point where you'll only have a few left. If the Bill passes in it's current form you'll be one of the people who'll receive bureaucratic consultation from the death counselors. Good luck with that.
Reminds me of a stupid salesman who thinks i'm dumber than he is, trying every which way to sell me a dead horse. He just can't realize that the longer he takes trying to sell it, the more the horse stinks!
Hozro
National Healthcare is not an entitlement under the United States Constitution. Protection of our borders and keeping the U.S. citizens safe, is.
Don't buy the lie " NEVER RE=ELECT ANYBODY TO ANY OFFICE" The longer they stay in, the more they screw us. From Dogcatcher to president.
Bible says if a man will not work, do not let him eat.
Ken Jarvis – Las Vegas
At best, you may have the IQ of a dried up pea.
Vote the Bums OUT. Your Bums and Ours!
Vote the Rats out of Office! No one should be overlooked and spared!
Impeach the marxist-radical who thinks Americans are stupid enough to believe that HE is any kind of a leader or the "president". HE HATES THIS COUNTRY AND EVERYTHING IT STANDS FOR! Get this blatant liar and America hater out of office and back to the rat infested radical inferno that he and his Chicago thugs think is so desirable and which is the ONLY VISION they have FOR YOU AND ME.
Impeach OBAMA. Get him out of office. Better yet, offer him and his thugs a one way ticket OUT OF THIS COUNTRY!!! The sooner the better.
Forget political correctness. Get off your couches and participate in this Republics struggle for survival, in the very survival of your freedom and liberty for generations to come!!!
You're not wanted here! Get out!
In the late 1800's there was a case in Virginia that said that states could regulate insurance–this was overturned in the 1940's(forgive me my memory fails) by a Supreme Court decision that said that as long as the states provided adequate supervision they would/could prevail/control. Currently, states covet this ability to control because they collect fees on policies (2%+/-) per year? depending upon the state i believe) passed on to the policy holder. If you move to a regional/national base all these states would lose this income–hense the resistance to national health care-in Congress since they're robbing their State Treasuries & getting local resistance from their governments. I'm really disappointed that the Heritage Group does not have this significant case out there in light of the current debate (but I believe your research group can find these important decisions in light of our current debate). You really need to consult some insurance experts to be a creditable source on this issue.(Sorry you brainiacs)
As a retired nurse of over 40 years, I can not see where this is much different than what most buisness do at the present. Where people get the bad part is that government only makes the rules for full time employment and now a lot of buisness only use partime workers and don't have to provide any insurance plan for these workers. This did not use to be the case.
From your own website today "According to Rasmussen Reports, 53% of U.S. voters say restricting jury awards in medical malpractice lawsuits would significantly reduce the cost of health care in the United States."
——-
Why doesn't the Heritage Foundation pick up this ball and run with it? It has the public but needs a lot of organized support in Washington, especially vs. Democratic politicians many of whom are lawyers who would have difficulty doing things that would hurt others in their profession, particularly those trial lawyers who send them a lot of money made from suing doctors for malpractice. Perhaps we should make it illegal for trial lawyers to give campaign contributions (unlikely)….but maybe your people can come up with an intelligent political angle that would bring this question squarely into the debate.
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We are headed for socialized medicine which hasn't worked in Canada or Europe. It is all about POWER, Obama appears to want unconditional power over the people. I've been to Europe & the people, not the politicions, tell me the system doesn't work, waiting periods, non covered proceedures, etc. due to age, Dr availability, etc. One person told me it was a great system as long as you are not sick. In Europe, if you are wealthy you, go to a private hospital, for treatment.If you happen to go to Canada or Europe count the number of wheel chairs, oxygen tanks etc. you see on the streets and then compare the number you see in the US. We spent 3 weeks in Russia recently & saw one wheelchair during the whole trip. ???? I am at an age where I take a lot of medications, but I feel for my grandchildren who will have to wait, or go thru waiting periods or formulas to get medications they may need. Unfortunately, we are going from the most prosperious nation on earth to who knows what.???
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I will never understand why the democriates will not listen to the people
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