The giant hydra of smoke, mirrors, barbed wire and rationing, a.k.a. the so-called “health care reform” bill has been posted online. If you would all turn to page 2,099 you will find the passage that allows the U.S. Federal Government to reform your health care by…Taking over student loans?

Geez, that’s right. I forgot the last time I went in with body aches, fever, chills, and sneezing that along with the Z-pac I may need a student loan. Of course! It’s what I’ve been doing wrong and why I seem to get this seasonal flu every, like, season. If I had only added Government Provided and Administered Student Loans to my treatment I’d be cured! Just take two or four or six or whatever and when you decide you can’t pay them back down the road – or if you go to work in an approved government service field – your loans will be magically forgiven*! (*forgiven meaning that middle class taxpayers will render more tax unto Caesar to pay for you to blow off your debt or work for a “government approved” entity (i.e. whatever they’ll be calling “Organizing for America” or ACORN or whomever 20 years from now).

Did I miss something? HOW do student loans affect “more affordable and universally available health care”? Or Pell Grants (same page)? Or the “College Access and Completion Innovation Fund” (same page)? Or “Investment in historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions” (same page)?

And does getting a student loan or providing more Pell Grants mean I can still keep my doctor?

Add this steaming pile a manure to the talking points as to why this bill is a complete sham.

Now I know how the mainstream media missed this – they are very busy covering important things…like the Massa scandal. And, uh, something Sarah Palin said. And…

But another big dropped ball by the Republicans. They’ve had weeks to add this nonsense to the other talking points, AND missed a big chance to hit the President square in with this early on during the Health Care Summit/Fashion Show and Car Meet last month. In fact, I’m surprised Alexander didn’t pause in the middle of his opener and say, “By the way, Sir, did you know there’s nearly 22 pages in ‘your approved bill’ about taking over the Student Loan system and giving grants to all these colleges for completely non-medical purposes? How does this affect your stated goal of making health care more affordable and efficient?”

Add this to the Louisiana Purchase, the CornHusker Kickback, $300 million for a hospital in Connecticut and, well, you get it. It’s all politics as usual – at least as usual when you believe in the expansion of the Federal Government. It’s yet another reason why this bill is less about reform and all about expanding government, bureaucracy and taxes.

But hey, maybe it’s just silly ol me not being sophisticated enough to know that when I say “Improve the health care system, make care more affordable, more efficient, and more accessible,” I really mean “I need the government to run student loans, too!”

Another slam dunk. Not that I don’t like the post office or postal workers. I do. They’ve always done right by me. Which is why this is even more frustrating. The stories I hear from my local postal workers about bureaucracy, inane rules, imperious management and a union structure that often makes it more advantageous to work slowly or not at all than to respond to customer needs are beyond frustrating. Meanwhile, they’re sitting on one of the most trusted – and until recently with the onset of more efficient competitors in the package sector (FedEx, UPS, etc.) – the most accessed services in the world.

But the existence of key stakeholder buy-ins like pre-existing consumer trust, high usage, facility of services, and  - again, until recently, a virtual monopoly on this service – didn’t keep the government from mucking it up and running up huge cost overruns while decreasing access and services. Not only have they done so, they tacitly admit the extent of their own failings by allowing FedEx and other competitors to put drop boxes on post office property.

Now if this is how the Federal Government has completely mismanaged something as relatively straight forward as delivering mail, imagine what they will do when they are put in charge of creating protocols for diagnosing and treating illnesses. Or injuries. Or chronic diseases like diabetes. Or acute conditions like cancer.

If the idea of the government presiding over your health care scares you more than the idea of a big insurance company doing so, then you know the answer here.

But if you still really trust the government to run something as complex as a health care system (and if you do, then ask yourself why so many doctors won’t accept Medicare patients; or why we are all not clamoring to get our care in V.A. hospitals) then please take a look at how the government has completely screwed up something as straightforward as delivering letters and packages.

And then ask yourself: Do you want the people who run the Post Office (and the IRS, and H.U.D. and the Department of Education and Sallie Mae and Freddie Mac and…) to make decisions about the medical care for you, your kids and your loved ones?

Yet another simple talking point being missed by the Republicans (and how do you know they’re missing it? Because they should be out there repeating it over and over to preface or frame any domestic issue right now).

And really, this one just writes itself. Now, the man has said he’s not an ideologue, so you have to wonder – does he just not listen to the people? Or is it that he just doesn’t care? Or perhaps both.

And when the Republicans are asked for their solution? Refer to talking point #1: Cut. Federal. Spending.

An oldie but one that has a special, resonating significance for the left. And hey, when in doubt, use their own empty rhetoric against them. Especially when it fits.

How well does it fit? Consider that, just when you thought nothing could be worse than the second-guess-your-doctor-and-deny-you-care protocols of the big insurance companies, the federal government decides they’re going set up a system that will fix everything. Meanwhile they’re telling us to pay no attention to the incomplete, inefficient, underpaying, over administrated health care systems they already run – Medicaid, Medicare, and the V.A. Those aren’t historic like this one, so they’ll get this gross expansion of federal government health care system right (finally!) – even though they’re admitting that it’s being created by an awful bill with lots of bad ideas and a bunch stuff that ultimately will cost (us) a whole lot more than what they are saying it will cost.

Remember – this is a crisis! We need to fix this now…or actually, 4 years from now. That’s when all this will go into effect to start to begin to end the crisis. The crisis that’s so urgent. That needs fixing now. Or soon.

Hey, it’s better than doing nothing right? Like handing a band-aid to someone with a laceration. Or giving aspirin to a person with a broken arm. Or given someone a car with bald tires, blown steering and no brakes. Remember, all that fits under the category of: “It’s better than doing nothing!”

Oh, and you get to pay for your neighbor’s care, too! While you’re also paying to bail out banks. And GM. And Chrysler. And funding some really neat special projects that were added into the stimulus bill that never really stimulated anything besides the buddies and favorite lobbyists of certain Congress Humans. See, you’re so used to getting treated this way. Why push back now?

Don’t worry, though. Unlike those other health care systems the government runs, they’ll get this one right. Why? Because they’re the government. Don’t you watch movies or ’24′ or have ‘The West Wing’ DVD set? The government knows how to do stuff right, silly! Look at the Post Office and Social Security and H.U.D. and Welfare and the Department of Education and the Department of Energy…uh…well, have you seen the private congressional subway? That runs really well. As to do the elevators in the Capitol building. The private ones, anyway.

Keep your laws off my body. Repeat it like a cheer. Or a battle cry.

So they are saying it’s a crisis that we absolutely, positively MUST FIX…4 Years from Now(!?!)

This is the single most important talking point that is not being repeated by opponents to this bill. The taxes/fees start next fiscal year, yet fixing the “broken system” and “crisis in care” doesn’t start for another four years.

So that woman Mr. Obama spoke of at his “white coat” show last week who is “desperate” because she can’t get care with her long since defeated pre-existing cancer condition? She still has to wait four more years to get that care with his bill. So does that woman who wore her dead sister’s teeth. And the constituent who needs chemo but has no coverage…and the dialysis guy, and, well, you get it.

This is the biggest and easiest target out there on this take over barely disguised as a sham bill. Actions speak louder than words. The actions behind this bill does not begin to happen until 2014. That should be THE talking point. Period.

After that you can pile on with any of its other flaws. But the fact that this “vital care” that’s “in crisis” is so critical that we need to fix it…four years from now.

Total give me a break moment. And the Republicans are still missing it.

Hammer them with this! There is no clearer message on what a shakedown this is!

President Obama knows what’s good for you. No matter what you say.

When the recession hit, President Obama promised to focus on fixing the economy. And then he went to work on health care.

Three months later, with unemployment climbing past 8% he stay focused…On health care.

Six months later, unemployment reaches 9%. President Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi worked desperately…On health care bills voters were now saying they didn’t want.

12 months later, with employment at about 10%, President Obama spent nearly half of his State of the Union Address talking about ways to fix the economy. A few weeks after that he called for a national summit at the White House…On health care.

We’re into our second year of the Obama Administration. Unemployment remains near 10%. More Americans are out of work than at any other time since the Great Depression. In response, this Wednesday, Mr. Obama will give what has been called an important speech…On health care.

Harry Reid is talking about health care. Nancy Pelosi is talking about health care. All while Americans say they need jobs.

President Obama says he’s not an ideologue, so maybe he just doesn’t want to listen to the American people. Maybe, despite so many of us out of work and asking for him to cut government spending and make America good for business again, he still thinks he knows what’s best for you. No matter what the experts say. No matter what the polls say. No what you say.

Maybe the only people he’s listening to are Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. After all, they know what’s best for you.

No matter what you say.

They’re doing it again.

The Democrats are framing the Republican “side” of big national issue on a couple of buzzwords bear no relations to the facts. Worse, the Republicans are apparently letting them get away with this (once more).

John Ward his this piece on The Daily Caller’s site today that details how President Obama/The Democrats have been shaping the issue of health care since the break at the so-called Health Care Summit last week. The talking point being pushed is that main difference is that the Republicans are for “fewer regulations on the insurance industry.”

Now, if someone actually watched the six-plus hour snooze-fest that was this event, they would be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of mentions by the Republicans regarding reducing industry regulation, never mind being big fans of it (they aren’t – the Dems just want much more control and are couching it as ‘more regulation’). But of course the facts are not germane here. It’s all about spin and this one was pre-packaged and ready to go by the Dems.

The intent is simple: repeat ad nauseum that the Republicans favor less regulation of the insurance industry as the major pillar of their opposition plan. The implication: They did this with the banks and it ruined the economy; now they want to do it with health care.

Or as I like to say: “Damn the facts. Seize the message.”

Perhaps the greatest example of this is the illegal immigration issue. Notice how when this issue is discussed in the MSM or anywhere else today it is almost invariably termed “immigration” not “illegal immigration.” That was a frame-job executed about six years ago with a very simple yet effective message in its intent: “Virtually all of us in this country are the descendants of immigrants, so how can you be against immigration!?” By omitting “illegal” and focusing on “immigration” “illegal” quickly became lost deeply below the main argument, subverting all the rational and emotional triggers that “illegal immigration” should hit and replacing them with “immigration.” From there they moved on to “Being anti- immigration = racism.” So now you’re four steps removed from the “illegal” part and dealing with a whole different set of emotions and facts. Meanwhile, the original issue/argument is buried and out of the conversation.

So now they are combining the message that the Republicans are “pro-Insurance companies” (which are of course evil) and “against regulation” (the same hands-off attitude that almost gave us the second great depression). Nevermind that the ObamaCare/Senate/House bills all reward big insurance by forcing everyone to own coverage.

So Republicans, right here – right now – DO NOT LET THEM GET TRACTION ON THIS MESSAGE. This must be refuted NOW before it becomes a new “fact” for the MSM to eagerly regurgitate over and over again.

The Republicans must counter-punch immediately with their own message. It can be crafted on:

1) Coburn’s message about Government controlled healthcare (medicaid/medicare/VA) having 33% of every dollar wasted and we want to give them control over more!?! (btw, both Obama and Hoyer agreed with this 33% figure during the summit and then  moved on quickly).

2) Ryan’s message that the Dem plan grossly expands government, spend money they don’t have, and it is not revenue neutral/”paid for.”

3) Perhaps most simple of all – if this is so important then why doesn’t it begin until 2014 – and yet why do the taxes begin now? If this is a crisis then why was NO stimulus money spent on health care?

Seize back the message. Repudiate and advance your own talking points. This afternoon, tonight, tomorrow and then repeat. At the very least, control your own message. Do not let the opposition define you. That’s a loss every time.

As was barely noticed by the U.S. news media, but widely reported in Canada and Europe, Danny Williams a Canadian Provincial Premier (the equivalent of a Governor) eschewed the oft-touted Canadian single-payer health care system to come to the U.S. for a heart procedure. There are plenty of important details in this piece but perhaps the most important, he came to the U.S. to get a specialized heart procedure because:

It’s rarely performed in Canada, and when it is, it’s rationed, you could die waiting for it, and if you get it they use a method that is over 10 years old, more destructive to the patient’s health, much more dangerous, and requires a much longer recovery period.

Before going into other specifics, this news item should be exhibit #1 at the “Health Care Summit” Thursday if only for this reason:

“This was my heart, my choice and my health,” Williams said. ”I did not sign away my right to get the best possible health care for myself when I entered politics.”

The implication here is clear – when it came time to an urgent matter regarding his own health, Williams, who has been a huge proponent of nationalized health care in Canada, preferred to go out of pocket and out of the country to get the best care available. Where did he go? Why to the “broken health care system” in The United States. The same “broken” system which apparently has the most advanced procedure for his condition available in the world.

By the way, the man is a multimillionaire, so he could afford to go anywhere in the world. Except it appears, his home country, which we are told, has one of the best health care systems in the world. So good, in fact, he was worried that this same system wouldn’t offer him treatment treated before his condition killed him:

“I would’ve been criticized if I had stayed in Canada and had been perceived as jumping a line or a wait list.”

In fact, he goes on to say in the article that the physicians he spoke to in Canada had only done this procedure three or four times each, and each had done so using a technique that was archaic, requiring the fracturing of his sternum. This would cause an extended recovery time.

Finally, even if he wanted to pay for “jumping a line” or getting the procedure outside of the Canadian system, he couldn’t do that in Canada because, as a result of their government “single payer system,” it’s illegal to provide for-profit or individual payer health care. It’s either the government, with their protocols, formularies and wait lists, or, well, the great beyond.

Unless of course you’re a rich government official. Then all you need is a plane ticket south and a platinum card.

South being the U.S. – the place where we’ve been told the health care system is “broken” and in “crisis.” There, Mr. WIlliams was able find a physician who had done 8,000 open heart procedures and could do this one using a more modern, less damaging method that required no breaking of bones.

“I wanted to get in, get out fast, get back to work in a short period of time,” the premier said.

Read the whole article – and please, someone on the Republican “Meeting Team” read it before this Thursday circus dressed up as a meeting happens. Then look at the most basic take-aways here:

- When his own life was on the line, an elite member of a government with much lauded nationalized health care decided he’d rather leave the country and get care in the U.S., where the “health care system is broken.”

- He tacitly admits that if he wasn’t a member of the elite, he would’ve been on a waiting list and could’ve died before getting treated.

- The procedures available in Canada were not as advanced, nor the doctors as experienced, as in a country that doesn’t have government controlled health care.

- Because of this his recovery period – if he had survived the wait list – would’ve been much longer in the Canadian system, costing more in lost productivity and quality of life.

With politicians especially, actions speak louder than words. When faced with a life or death choice between the health care that he has personally touted and supported throughout his career, this millionaire Canadian law-maker chose to do what most of the people he “serves” cannot do – go get better care.

In addition to presenting all of this Mr. Boehner, Mr. Cantor, Mr. McConnell, and the rest, you need to ask the President one more question on Thursday:

Where will we go if the U.S. government takes over health care?

Today in Nevada, President Obama said, “We can’t wait to reform the health care system…It’s vital for our economy to change how health care works in our country.” He went on to pimp his “Health Care Meeting” at The White House. In the last 24 hours his mouthpieces also leaked that the President has his own plan (jeepers, really?) and continues to push for a Public Option.

Meanwhile, the counter-punch from the Republicans has been…? Other than the initial letter sent by the house leadership, the best they’ve offered is Rep. Cantor “demanding” reconciliation be removed from the process.

Are you kidding me?

Where is the messaging? Where is the outrage at the rigged game that was set up when President Obama decided who he’d let the Republicans bring? Where’s the push-back on a meeting that starts with a stacked deck, two failed bills and more Democrats than Republicans “allowed” to attend!?

Memo to whomever is supposed to be handling the messaging here. Most Americans still haven’t heard:

- The President chose the participants for both sides of this meeting.

- There will be 25% more Democrats at the table than invited Republicans.

- The reason so-called health care “reform” has been stalled in Congress is because Democrats can’t pass it even when they had a year long super-majority (you cannot hit this point enough).

- The President has refused to walk away from the failed House and Senate Bills.

- The President wants a “bipartisan meeting” but he picked the players for both sides in advance – What’s fair and bipartisan about that? (another point that can’t be repeated often enough).

And how about countering with this today after President’s remarks in Nevada:

- “The American people need action on jobs now. So what does the President do? He calls a health care summit at The White House. Does he still not get it?”

- “More than 8 million Americans are unemployed today. So what is the President focusing on? Health Care. Still. And this man says he’s not an ideologue? Maybe that’s true. Maybe he just doesn’t relate to the average American.”

- The President is telling people to stay away from Las Vegas, but it’s OK for him to go as long as its to raise money for Harry Reid.

Watching the lack of messaging coming from the Republicans at a pivotal moment is absolutely mind-boggling. Perhaps they have a grand, super smart plan for next week – and I really hope they do. Because if not, they are either incredibly inept, incredibly arrogant, or both. With the MSM out there regurgitating the White House party line, repeated, consistent messing is essential to cut through the din.

Remember: there’s a difference between saying “No” and saying “We want real reform. Not invitations to meetings where the other side sets all the rules and picks all the players.” Give the reasons and show the disingenuousness on the other side.

Also remember: this did not end with Massachusetts. But it could begin to boomerang on the Republicans if they don’t get a clue very quickly.

Today on CBS (http://bit.ly/ajebXH), Vice President Biden lauded the 1-year anniversary of the $780 billion Economic Stimulus Bill – remember that one? The bill that we needed to enact now to keep unemployment below 8%. The magic bullet that was “filled” with “shovel ready” jobs that could be ready to go within 60-90 days. Yeah, that thing.

So today, Vice President Biden was asked if, a year late, did the American people get their money’s worth?

“Absolutely, although I don’t think the realize it. Number 1. Number two was designed to have two stages to it. We’ve only been half way through the act.  The job-creating portion is really loaded in the second half, but yes they really have gotten their money’s worth.”

Biden also said the stimulus had “created or saved 2 million jobs.”

He did not explain why, with unemployment rising rapidly when the bill was pass, that the “job-creating portion is really loaded in the second half.”

Yet, only two days before, on the same network, soon-to-be former Democratic Senator Evan Bayh said: “If I could create one job in the private sector by helping to grow a business, that would be one more than Congress has created in the last six months,”  (http://bit.ly/a8ypZt)

So which is it?

We’ve heard the 2 million jobs created or saved phrase uttered ad nauseum by the mouthpieces of this administration and we want to believe  – we really, really do. So give them to us.

It’s a finite number – 2 million. If you’re so sure, give us a definitive list explaining:

1) Which companies or entitites, thanks to stimulus dollars, hired people they weren’t going to hire anyway.

2) Which companies “saved” jobs that were positively identified to be cut before the stimulus was passed.

The Republican Leadership and elected membership should be shouting in unison: “Release the list of the full 2 million jobs so we and the news media can cross-check it.”

Or for the rest of us: “Free the 2 million.”

(btw, great opportunity for some entrepreneurial individual – t-shirts that say: “I was Created or Saved.”)

If it checks out then this administration would have a tremendous victory on its hands that I think would be widely applauded. It would also give them great leverage to pass Stimulus II (a.k.a. “The Jobs Bill” – wait, I thought the job-creating portion from the last bill was about to kick in?…I get so confused by these people who know how to fix things; they are so much smarter than the rest of us).

So anyway, yes it’s been a year since this historic bill was passed and we’ve heard this “2 million” number for months. Time to call them on it.

Show us the jobs.

It’s time for the Obama Administration to put up or shut up about “the 2 million.”