http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:13:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en UPDATE: I'm receiving emails from folks who say an unsubscribe link was at the bottom of the Axelrod email they received. I'm also receiving more emails from people, including on Capitol Hill, who are saying they received Axelrod's "viral" talking points memo despite never having signed up for White House ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/14/does-the-obama-white-houses-self-proclaimed-viral-email-violate-federal-law/ The “Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” the House health overhaul bill, creates the position of Health Choices Commissioner, or “Insurance Czar.” The Insurance Czar would be appointed by the President to oversee the Health Choices Administration. This would be the 33rd federal ‘czar’ appointed by President Obama since his ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/14/health-care-bill-fact-of-the-day-creating-another-federal-czar/ See it for yourself below, as Bill Burton, a spokesman for Barack Obama's White House, says: I don't think that Speaker Pelosi was just claiming that people were wearing swastikas [at health care town hall meetings]; people are showing up to events with swastikas, dressed up as Hitler, with signs invoking ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/13/spokesman-for-obama-white-house-people-are-showing-up-to-events-with-swastikas-dressed-up-as-hitler/ The debate over health care reform — what constitutes it and what public opinion of such reform really is — has become more polarizing as the summer has gone on. Below are five key liberal talking points about health care “reform” and an accompanying dose of truth their peddlers so ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/13/5-liberal-myths-about-health-care-reform/ The "Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" imposes a "surtax," or income tax increase, on all Americans making $280,000 a year or more. Under the bill, those making $280,000 ($350,000 for couples) will have their taxes increased by 1 percentage point, those making $400,000 ($500,000 for couples) by 1.5 percentage ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/13/health-care-bill-fact-of-the-day-creating-the-highest-federal-tax-rates-in-20-years/ The New Testament book of Matthew contains a well-known allegorical tale known as the “Parable of the Ten Talents.” In this story, Jesus told of a man who entrusted his property to three servants while he was away. One servant was given five silver talents; another two; and a third ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/12/the-federal-government-should-clean-up-its-own-medicare-mess-before-taking-on-the-entire-health-care-system/ The arrogance of Democratic lawgivers is plain to see any time they step in front of a camera or microphone, but never is it on such full display as when they actually have to deal with their constituents. Take, for example, this video of Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson-Lee, who is willing ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/12/sheila-jackson-lees-d-tx-constituents-are-important-just-not-more-important-than-her-cell-phone-conversations/ Under the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee's "Affordable Health Choices Act," local governments can apply for "community transformation" grants to build jungle gyms, sidewalks, bicycle paths, and grocery stores, to install streetlights, and to establish new farmers' markets. The dollar amount of these grants, and of the total ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/12/1health-care-bill-fact-of-the-day-billions-in-pork-barrel-spending-for-community-transformation-and-beautification/ I don't know if I've seen a worse public speaker in my lifetime more lionized for his public speaking ability than President Barack Obama (D-IL). The homage paid to him by pundits and anchors across the country for his supposedly unique combination of intelligence and eloquence is shown almost by ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/11/to-channel-michael-dukakis-i-seriously-cant-believe-we-lost-to-this-guy/ The latest report from Rasmussen shows only 42% of Americans now support Congressional Democrats' and President Obama's proposal for a government-centric overhaul of the American health care system. This poll shows that the decline in support for the President's plan, which began in earnest in late June, has continued unabated. Two ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/11/rasmussen-support-for-obamas-government-centric-health-care-overhaul-down-to-42/ The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee's "Affordable Health Choices Act" contains an "employer mandate," or a legal requirement that all American businesses with 25 or more employees offer health insurance to their workers. The penalty for failing to comply with this mandate to offer employees health insurance is a ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/11/health-care-bill-fact-of-the-day-providing-businesses-with-an-incentive-to-end-employer-sponsored-health-insurance/ House Resolution 3200, the "Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009," fulfills President Barack Obama's promise that "If you like your health plan, you can keep it" – technically. Under the Democrat-sponsored bill, existing insurance policies are "grandfathered" into the new, overhauled national health care system, meaning that you have the ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/10/health-care-bill-fact-of-the-day-once-obamacare-takes-effect-your-only-alternative-is-government-approved-or-government-run-health-insurance/ Bob Hahn's comment to my earlier post about Organizing/Obama for America's call for supporters to flood legislative offices in an effort to create the appearance of support for the very unpopular health overhaul proposal got me thinking. Here's Bob's comment: What if nobody cares? This is a pretty risky maneuver by ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/09/what-if-obama-threw-an-astroturf-party-and-nobody-came/ As ordinary citizens across the country continue to ratchet up their level of interest and activity in the legislative process, President Obama and his campaign arm, Organizing (formerly "Obama") For America, are struggling to cope with the tufts of grass sprouting up in the midst of their carefully astroturfed national ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/09/obama-campaign-flooding-legislators-offices-with-supporters-in-effort-to-give-appearance-of-public-support-for-unpopular-health-overhaul/ With well over half of America firmly in opposition to the Obama/Kennedy/Pelosi health overhaul plan, Democrats are grasping at anything they can possibly find to reassure themselves that they are still both right and representative of the "collective American will" on this and myriad other issues. To that end, Jen ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/05/panicking-democrats-seeking-reassurance-that-nobody-could-possibly-disagree-with-them-legitimately/ Update: "The RNC is inciting angry mobs to shout out legitimate discussion at public events across the country and now they want to ignore people who deplore their tactics," said DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse about the DNC's failed effort to incite angry mobs to flood the RNC with phone calls. *       ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/05/clever-rnc-staffer-turns-democratic-outrage-mob-incitement-back-on-its-source/ As President Obama called on his activists around the country to attend "thousands of events this month" in an effort to convince legislators that they, not the 55% of voters who oppose the Obama/Kennedy/Pelosi health care overhaul proposals, represent the majority of Americans (or, as a DailyKos diarist put it, ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/05/democrats-attack-the-mob-as-the-community-organizer-in-chief-unleashes-his-hordes/ The former Community Organizer is at it again. Not content to request that any who question his health care proposal online or "in casual conversation" be reported to the White House by their fellow citizens, the Astroturfer in Chief is seeking to rally his remaining foot soldiers in an effort ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/05/whats-that-about-astroturfing-mr-president/ If you see anybody publicly opposing President Obama's plan to implement a government-centric overhaul of the health care system, the White House wants you to report that person (or persons) ASAP. From the White House website: There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/04/call-for-informants-if-you-oppose-obamacare-the-white-house-wants-to-know-about-it/ As the Senate Finance Committee takes its health care overhaul negotiations into the August recess, President Obama and key Senate negotiators are still struggling to find a way to afford the flagging health care overhaul proposal's trillion dollar price tag. Their latest proposal, a new tax on so-called "gold-plated, Cadillac" ... http://www.redstate.com/jeff_emanuel/2009/08/04/proposal-to-tax-cadillac-health-coverage-will-hit-lower-and-middle-classes-hardest/