The presumptive Speaker of the House of Representatives to ABC in the aftermath of the 2010 Republican landslide election:
DIANE SAWYER: But you’re not gonna declare this way or the highway, at this point?
JOHN BOEHNER: It’s only been 48 hours since the election. I do think that — my job is to listen to the American people
That’s right Mr. Speaker, you work for We the People, not President Barack Obama or the Washington press corps. You will be speaker because of tea partiers that decided to take a chance on the Grand Ole Party and who will not abide Washington-speak avoidance on major issues that put 20% of America on the economic sidelines. Your job is to listen and act accordingly.
The “structure” of the Bush tax cuts and temporary tax cut impotence
President Obama recently blamed the impending income and other tax hikes on January 1, 2011 on the “structure” of the Bush tax cuts. Of course, the reason that the Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire is because then Senator Obama and fellow Democrats refused to allow them to be permanent via filibuster in 2003 and via majority control in 2007. As a result of the continuing temporization of tax policy throughout the naughts, the investor-incentive effect of the tax cuts were rendered mostly impotent, especially in recent years.
Boehner’s recent statements on the matter show that he understands that for the tax cuts to have the power to move investment capital off the sidelines, they need to be made permanent for all taxpayers, across the board.
This Gamecock-American hopes you will listen to those that urge you to stand firm on this matter during the impending Lame Duck Session. Do not agree to anything less than making the Bush tax cuts permanent for all income groups. When confronted by those class-envy Democrats that would blame you and the GOP for causing a rise in taxes for the middle class on New Year’s day, remind Obama that Americans do not divide themselves into classes and assure Americans that the first act of the new GOP House will be to send the Senate a bill to correct the matter before Groundhog Day.
Do not accept the narrative of the left. You were made Speaker by adults drinking tea. We can handle the truth.
The truth about ObamaCare’s pre-existing condition mandate to private insurance companies
This rooster has been pleased to hear Boehner and McConnell promise votes to repeal ObamaCare in toto; threaten to de-fund the program; and to vote against the individual and other mandates. However, I have already heard Boehner refer to the mandate that private insurance companies ensure pre-existing conditions as a provision that would be retained.
Mr. Would-be-Speaker, why would anyone buy private health insurance before they get sick if they can’t be turned down for pre-existing conditions? I can’t think of a reason.
Don’t you understand that this anti-risk assessment provision alone would eventually destroy the private health insurance industry? Wouldn’t we be better off telling the truth to the American people up front? Wouldn’t it be better to break down state barriers to interstate competition so that premiums would fall low enough for some private companies to choose to cover some pre-existing illnesses and have a small safety-net program for the rest?
I think so.
Listen to Rush Limbaugh
In a recent e-mail exchange, Limbaugh laid out his to-do list, which includes repeal of the health-care law and the financial-regulatory-reform bill; ending the ban on offshore drilling; the reprivatization of General Motors, Chrysler, and the student-loan program; a spike in the heart of cap-and-trade legislation (he regards global warming as a hoax); the elimination of the capital-gains tax; a reduction of the corporate tax rate to 20 percent; and replacement of the progressive income-tax code with a flat or “fair” tax.
Listen to DeVine Law Gamecock
DeVine would also like to see Clinton-Gingrich Welfare Reform restored. It was eliminated in the non-Stimulus Bill. Suspend all stimulus spending that saves state and local government jobs. States need to pare their employment rolls just like the private sector. Besides, less government employees means less people to meddle in our affairs as we try to bail ourselves out of this recession.
Speaking of which, would it be too much to ask that the House pass a bill expanding oil exploration on land and sea; reduce regulations to streamline nuclear power plants, oil drilling and oil refineries. Talk about a jobs bill, that would be a huge jobs bill.
Pass laws that are pre-emptive strikes against executive overreach in regulating carbon emissions.
Don’t let ObamaDems cut the U.S. Navy. The USN is the firewall that keeps us a superpower and a free world. Obama has wrecked the economy, but we can come back to prominence so long as we remain master of the sea.
Repeal all laws that have granted favoritism to labor unions whether it be in hiring; sub-contracting; or pensions.
Investigate Attorney General Eric Holder’s Just-Us Department refusal to protect white Americans from voter intimidation and other forms of racial discrimination. Pass laws that mandate equal protection of the laws and the dismissal of those employees that have stated that the Civil Rights laws only apply to protect minorities. You can reference the Fourteenth Amendment.
Finally, for now, make clear that 48 states will never be forced to bail out California and New York.
Thanks for listening.
Mike DeVine
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Charlotte Observer, The Minority Report and Examiner.com archives
Jeff Emanuel
Neil Stevens
Mike, well said
GordonTaylor (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 1:08PM EDT (link)I was so elated over the outcome of the mid-terms it finally got me back here to RS.
I’ve been absent far to long, but as always you have carried the banner high. Great writing and keep it up!
Gordo rocks! nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 1:15PM EDT (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
GC rocks more...
GordonTaylor (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 2:58PM EDT (link)N/T
That is an excellent "todo" list! (nt)
larueladue (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 1:26PM EDT (link)Boehner gets it, but its hard to break old habits, so we must stay in his ear - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 1:59PM EDT (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
I think there should be an opening for insurance companies...
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 2:00PM EDT (link)to run with catastrophic insurance for individuals 18+ quite like car companies provide and if I had the seed money I would most certainly start one. I do not think that any American should have to lose everything they own due to sickness and in that something must be done for those who cannot afford regular insurance but want to be protected in case of.
I also want to see the lawyers get their you now whats handed to them as well tort reform MUST be on the top of the agenda. This ability to sue for absolutely nothing and making attorneys rich while the doctors and hospitals go broke is unsustainable.
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
agreed jaded - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 2:20PM EDT (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
About that pre-existing thing
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 2:13PM EDT (link)Game,
Here’s real world issue that falls into that pre-existing condition conundrum.
I know a guy here locally who has had heart problems, stints, treatments and other care for his condition, aka a pre-existing condition. He has been and is insured, however he can only move his employment to new company that has group coverage or work for himself because of his pre-existing condition. He’s actually selling his house to move to a cheaper condition because his small employer is raising his contribution due to ObamaCare and in part due to his employer’s cost increases thanks to his heart condition.
That’s a different form of the pre-existing condition argument, one of people who are insured now but for reasons can’t change jobs or buy private insurance. That’s not quite the same as immortal 20 something year olds who decide to spend their money on a new iPhone instead of heath care and then come down with something and want to buy insurance after the fact.
I don’t have an answer here, not sure what is a fair and just (to we the tax payers and we who pay the bills), but this is one of those sticky issues.
Thinking more about this, I think TexasGalt has dealt with the company insurance problem, I very much would appreciate his views/experience on this topic.
______________________________________
Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
I think there has to be a short-term, transition, and long-term solution but
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 2:28PM EDT (link)in the short-term there will be some pain in individual cases that is largely unavoidable. In general, the long-term solution of reintroducing market forces and competition across state lines for larger risk pools, could bring premiums down to where some companies would offer pre-existing and catastrophic coverage at reasonable rates. You could then have a much smaller program to cover the rest as welfare.
You can also amend the B/R Code exemptions for medical costs to prevent financial wipe-outs at some amount.
First things first: repeal ObamaCare.
Then let’s be pro-active in ending state monopolies in insurance. This is precisely the kind oif situation that doomed the Art of Confederation and why we empowered the fed govt to regulate interstate commerce in the Constitution. It was Ferry boats then.
Then we have the courts go too far in allowing congress to regulate intrastate commerce in many areas as if it were interstate. Yet, in this instance of health ins, Congress doesn’t exercise its power in an area tailor-made for it.
more later
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
We can do things to strengthen HSA accounts/high deductible/low insurance premiums now
JSobieski (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 2:33PM EDT (link)I suspect that Obama and Dems would even go along with some of the ideas. Decoupling insurance from employment is the first step to liberate a health care market. In some ways, the Obamacare straightjacket makes it even easier for enhanced HSA usage.
An op-ed in last week’s WSJ called for a federal charter for HSA coverage. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704462704575590344022699132.html
I like to call it the “trojan horse” pathway to repeal
http://www.redstate.com/jsobieski/2010/11/04/a-trojan-horse-for-killing-obamacare-in-2011/
Did you know that China has been losing manufacturing jobs since 1995? For the specific data, see Table 1 in the following link: http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/07/art2full.pdf
HSA's a good idea, put can't be a major part of the solution absent major market
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 10:15AM EDT (link)reforms that bring down the cost of services and premiums.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
The major market reform is to end state monopolies and allow competition
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 10:19AM EDT (link)across state lines that will increase the size of risk pools; and tort reform, esp on evidentiary standards (as the jury verdict caps can often only be changed by amending state constitutions; and to reduce the size and scope of Medicare and Medicaid’s perversion of the price competition.
Also must take steps to stop the drop in the supply of doctors.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
First and foremost....... Defunding.
Kenny Solomon (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 3:14PM EDT (link)The House controls the nation’s finances.
If it were up to me – and it ain’t – top of the list, things to do, day one, hour one, minute one, would be to completely defund ‘The Office Of Information And Regulatory Policy‘.
That’s Sunstein’s bunch – Czar Central. The Nudge Express. It all goes through there….. The clearing house for administrative evil.
Immediately following, lose this madness direct from The White House: The Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
That’s a fully-loaded up ICLEI bazooka on a Federal level pointed squarely at the head of every American —- Warning – Warning – Danger Will Robinson – Warning !
That “grant” above is the start…. just the start…. of an agency to enforce ICLEI throughout the nation, voiding state sovereignty and rights.
Oh, I forgot again.
All that Totalitarian stuff…… “It can’t happen here.”
Never mind.
love it o wise one - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, November 6th at 4:00PM EDT (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
yes, de-funding is major and your examples educate me in how much, but
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 10:21AM EDT (link)the main problems with ObamaCare are mandates on states, ins cos and individuals that require no funding.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
I don't like saying it this way, but it's my opinion and I gotta go with what I know.
Kenny Solomon (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 10:33AM EDT (link)Sunstein’s office – his overseeing all the Czars, parsing “information” and giving the “nudge” to regulations PLUS that ICLEI stuff makes Obamacare look like a ‘pick up after your pooch’ ordinance.
Just my two cents…… adjusted for the current value of the dollar, makes it about 3/10 of a penny.
Must admit that I'm clueless on the meaning of the above. Kenny, you may have to talk to me like a 5 year-old! smile
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 10:41AM EDT (link)I know this. The mandates, before regs are written, require the coverage of pre-existing conditions, which requirement alone is anathema to the very existence of a private insurance industry and would eventually destroy the industry and leave the government as the only insurer, whether de-funding takes place or not. That one mandate alone is fatal to our medical care industry.
Then their are the mandates for individuals and states.
So before you ever reach de-funding, the game could be lost, sooner rather than later as we see ins cos already falling due to already imposed mandates and the increased costs caused thereby.
Yes, I’m all for defunding most of the government! except for defense and the post office. Heck, I’m for Milton Friedman’s negative income tax to replace welfare and HUD etc.
But you will have to more clearly explain the “pooch” pick-up ordinance! smile, seriously, I have no idea what you mean.
My purpose here is that conservatives not be deluded into thinking that a de-funding strategy is the key to defeating ObamaCare. Its important, but the key votes are on the mandates, and I fear that Republicans will be too timid to take on the pre-existing condition mandate due to its popularity among an economically-ignorant electorate.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
If I go into it deep, the bandwidth gurus on the site here will yell at me.
Kenny Solomon (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 10:57AM EDT (link)But the ICLEI thing is not just ‘going green’ – not by a long shot. It’s Totalitarian mandates for things as innocent as…… here’s just two examples……..
What’s in your garbage as individual items have to be separated into multiple containers, including compostable, recyclable organic, recyclable non-organic, non-recyclable, etc.
There’s also the simple task of your town re-painting the lines on a few miles of roadway…… We came close to that happening here in Florida on a statewide Constitutional Amendment – that thankfully went down 75/25………… ‘Green’ paint, 100% organic, fully authorized by teh gubmint regulatory agencies, the ok to do the job literally approved by voters on a regularly scheduled election date on it’s own ballot initiative, requirements for the work itself – the painting machinery – down to the touch-up brushes – must all be approved by the agencies….. bet your bippy that the labor is mandated to be union, etc……
It’s all there…… http://www.iclei.org
Take the time to check into them….. They’re not hiding and they’re really proud of what they’re doing.
You can also bet your town and county – at least most of the Democrats in elected and especially appointed positions – are involved directly or through proxies.
gotcha and thx for the info - will study further - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Sunday, November 7th at 11:35AM EDT (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Well said
runner12 (Diary) Tuesday, November 9th at 6:08PM EDT (link)We need to hold the newly elected Congress’ feet to the fire to get all of the above accomplished.
Not usually a big fan of Gingrich, but he did have a good strategy to repeal ObamaCare. His first step was to obviously repeal it in the House, which we could do easily with the thumping we gave the Dems last Tuesday. Second, send out letters to all of the Senators in vulnerable states in 2012 and put massive pressure on them to sign on. Given that their colleagues lost their jobs for voting for it, maybe they will think they can keep theirs by voting to repeal it. Lastly, put together 50 million signature petition and send it to Obama, Then he will have to either go against that many people and be a one-term President, or sign repeal.
Of course all of this would have to include a clear cut, easy to understand message on why Obamacare is such a disaster (which would be easy, considering what a train wreck it is). Sounds like a pretty good plan to me.