Two New Payoffs Are In Reconciliation Bill

Not only does the Reconciliation Bill not take out the previous pay offs and buy offs and bribes like the Cornhusker Kickback, Louisiana Purchase, Florida MediCare exemptions, Conneticut hospital deal and the like, but two more bribe measures are hidden inside this legislation. 

The first one is a buy off for Dennis Kucinich for Ohio in which physician owned hospitals get special provisions.  Pennsylvania gets the same deal.  You don't suppose that is a deal to get Jason Altmire to change to a "yes"?  If he jumps, then you know why.

The second buy off is being coined the Bismarck Bank Job to get Kent Conrad.  The Washington Post explains this deal as "the Bank of North Dakota would be eligible to continue issuing student loans with federal guarantees of repayment on default -- an exception to a measure that would eliminate the program effective July 1, cutting out financial middlemen and expanding the federal government's direct-loan program. The aides justified the exception on grounds that the Bank of North Dakota is the only state-owned bank in the nation."

The President and Democrats seem to think we do not care about procedure even as they accuse us of focusing too much on procedure, but this is the reason why we are outraged.  The Constitution has been thrown out and parliamentary procedure be damned.  They will cram this through come hell or high water.

Karl Marx Disappears From Michelle O Newsweek Cover

Here is the Newsweek Cover featuring Michelle Obama and the article she has written on fat kids:

HillBuzz has pointed out that Karl Marx appears to be sitting in the middle of the apple. When the White House heard about this, they asked Newsweek to cut the internet message off so that the table and apple no longer can be seen.  Here is what you see now:

HillBuzz writes:

Early this morning, 3/16/10, it looks like the White House ordered Newsweek to crop the photo so the apple is no longer visible online. Newsweek has cut the table out completely, now, because whatever’s going on in this photo was noticed by the public.

We spotted this photo late last night, and put it up immediately.

It’s clear as day that’s Karl Marx posing proudly in front of a woman who is “proud of apples for the first time in (her) adult life” after finding this Marxist one.

She’s like the crazy old lady who used to find potato chips that looked like cartoon characters or Abraham Lincoln, who went on the Tonight Show to tell Johnny Carson all about it. Well, now we’ve got a First Lady who finds communists in fruit and shows them off to Newsweek.

Public Option In Reconciliation Package

The Reconciliation Package that has finally been released for public consumption has a little something crammed in there.  The Public Option is rearing its ugly head again.  Not only is the inurance exchange expanded, but there is a whole section devoted to the Public Option.  You can find it starting on Page 116 of the PDF.  Here is some of that:

Title II Subtitle B—Public Health Insurance Option


SEC. 221. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION AS AN EXCHANGE-QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN.


(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—For years beginning with Y1, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this sub9 title referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall provide for the offering of an Exchange-participating health benefits plan (in this subdivision referred to as the ‘‘public health insurance option’’) that ensures choice, competition, and stability of affordable, high quality coverage throughout the United States in accordance with this subtitle. In designing the option, the Secretary’s primary responsibility is to create a low-cost plan without compromising quality or access to care.


(b) OFFERING AS AN EXCHANGE-PARTICIPATING HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN.— (1) EXCLUSIVE TO THE EXCHANGE.—

The public health insurance option shall only be made available through the Health Insurance Exchange.


(2) ENSURING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.—

Consistent with this subtitle, the public health insurance option shall comply with requirements that are applicable under this title to an Exchange-participating health benefits plan, including requirements related
to benefits, benefit levels, provider networks, notices, consumer protections, and cost sharing.


(3) PROVISION OF BENEFIT LEVELS.—The public health insurance option—


(A) shall offer basic, enhanced, and premium plans; and


(B) may offer premium-plus plans.

Conservative Victory In Texas Over Curriculum

For the past week, a debate over textbooks and curriculum has been boiling over in Texas.  Liberals and conservatives have been jockeying back and forth about the historical figures and facts that should be included in social studies curriculum for the next ten years.  Towards the end of the week, most of the liberal Democrats had gotten up and left during the negotitations.  It would appear that there will now be a conservative victory in Texas for a true patriotic history.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

New standards in history class
Texas board endorses conservative-backed curriculum
By GARY SCHARRER
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle


March 13, 2010, 7:27AM
 
AUSTIN — The State Board of Education tentatively approved new standards for social studies Friday with members divided along party lines — some blasting them as a fraud and conservative whitewash, others praising them as a tribute to the Founding Fathers that rightly portrays America as an exceptional country.
 
The standards, which will influence history and government textbooks arriving in public schools in fall 2011, were adopted by 10 Republicans against five Democrats after weeks of debate and across a racial and ideological chasm that seemed to grow wider as the proposal was finalized Thursday.

The document faces a public hearing and a final board vote in May.

Desperate Obama Postpones Trip To Indonesia And Australia

The White House Spokesmoron has said that the President is really feeling momentum with the ObamaCare legislation and does not want to stop that forward motion by leaving on his Asian trip.  Yeah right!  If this tax and spend bill was moving forward, then it would already be passed.  The President would not have had to drop his deadline of March 18th.  Our government continues the cram down and thinks that it is so important the President has to stay in Washington, D.C. until March 21st.

The truth is that these representatives are scared to death to leave Washington and return home for their spring break without passing the measure.  Obviously, polls show that the American public does not want ObamaCare and so there is a real fear there that the Democrats who are on the fence, will get off the fence and vote no.

McClatchy DC reports:

Democrats still face other challenges beyond rounding up votes in the House.  First, members are still waiting for an analysis of the second bill from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which is expected shortly. Thirty-nine House Democrats opposed the version of the bill that the House passed in November and most have signaled that they still do, because they see it as costly and as more government intrusion.

"Look at the history of the Congressional Budget Office numbers. They're often way off," said Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss.

Also, 10 to 12 House Democrats are said to be concerned about Senate language on abortion that's less restrictive about the use of federal money than what the House passed Nov. 7. Indications are that the Senate's position will prevail, though no decisions have been made yet.

And even more despicable then the backroom deals found in the Senate bill are the measures that deal with student loans that are being offered via reconciliation.  What do student loans have to do with healthcare?

McClatchy DC again reports:

The reconciliation, or amending, legislation also is expected to include a plan to overhaul the nation's student loan system, allowing the government to lend directly to qualified students.

Dodd Goes It Alone On Financial Reform

These Democrats are really amazing!  They call for bi-partisanship and yet continue to forge forward with important legislation alone.  Democrat Chris Dodd - who got a sweet deal on his mortgage but thinks he is the authority on finance reform - has been negotiating with Republican Bob Corker for some time, but has decided that he will just power forward with his own plan.

Democrats Pulling Out All Stops On ObamaCare

Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are frantic because they just do not have the votes to pass ObamaCare and cram it down the collective throats of the American people.  This has caused the two congressional leaders to seek other ways of passing the bill.  Backroom deals have served their purpose, but something else must be done to get past the Democrats that do not support federal funding for baby killing.

Louise Slaughter has come up with an idea of preparing a rule that would allow the Senate bill to pass the House after the House approves a corrections bill that would make changes to the Senate version.  This way the Democrats would not have to vote on the Senate bill in the House.  Unconstitutional?  You bet!  The House has to approve the new rule, approve the corrections bill and then reconciliation can begin.  Which takes us to the following letter sent from Harry Reid to Republican leader Mitch McConnell:

March 11, 2009

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Republican Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Leader McConnell:

Eleven months ago, I wrote you to share my expectations for the coming health reform debate. At the time, I expressed Democrats' intention to work in good faith with Republicans, and my desire that – while we would disagree at times – we could engage in an honest discussion grounded in facts rather than fear, and focused on producing results, not playing partisan politics.

Obviously, the opposite has happened, as many Republicans have spent the past year mischaracterizing the health reform bill and misleading the public. Though we have tried to engage in a serious discussion, our efforts have been met by repeatedly debunked myths and outright lies. At the same time, Republicans have resorted to extraordinary legislative maneuvers in an effort not to improve the bill, but to delay and kill it. After watching these tactics for nearly a year, there is only one conclusion an objective observer could make: these Republican maneuvers are rooted less in substantive policy concerns and more in a partisan desire to discredit Democrats, bolster Republicans, and protect the status quo on behalf of the insurance industry.

In fact, the attacks on the health care bill are part of a broader pattern. As has been well documented, your caucus conspicuously shattered the record for obstruction last Congress by demanding gratuitous procedural votes on even the most non-controversial matters, and by stalling the work of the Senate despite the urgency of the serious problems facing our country. Senate Republicans are on pace to again break their own record this Congress, illustrated by Sen. Bunning's effort to prevent the Senate from acting to extend families' unemployment and health benefits even after those benefits had expired.

While Republicans were distorting the facts in the health care debate and inflicting delay after needless delay, millions of Americans have continued to suffer as they struggle to afford to stay healthy, stay out of bankruptcy and stay in their homes. Thousands of Americans lose their health care every day, and tens of thousands of the uninsured have lost their lives since this debate began. Meanwhile, rising health costs have contributed to a rising federal budget deficit.

To address these problems, 60 Senators voted to pass historic reform that will make health insurance more affordable, make health insurance companies more accountable and reduce our deficit by roughly a trillion dollars. The House passed a similar bill. However, many Republicans now are demanding that we simply ignore the progress we've made, the extensive debate and negotiations we've held, the amendments we've added (including more than 100 from Republicans) and the votes of a supermajority in favor of a bill whose contents the American people unambiguously support. We will not. We will finish the job. We will do so by revising individual elements of the bills both Houses of Congress passed last year, and we plan to use the regular budget reconciliation process that the Republican caucus has used many times.

I know that many Republicans have expressed concerns with our use of the existing Senate rules, but their argument is unjustified. There is nothing unusual or extraordinary about the use of reconciliation. As one of the most senior Senators in your caucus, Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, said in explaining the use of this very same option, “Is there something wrong with majority rules? I don't think so.” Similarly, as non-partisan congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein said in this Sunday's New York Times, our proposal is “compatible with the law, Senate rules and the framers' intent.”

Reconciliation is designed to deal with budget-related matters, and some have expressed doubt that it could be used for comprehensive health care reform that includes many policies with no budget implications. But the reconciliation bill now under consideration would not be the vehicle for comprehensive reform – that bill already passed outside of reconciliation with 60 votes. Instead, reconciliation would be used to make a modest number of changes to the original legislation, all of which would be budget-related. There is nothing inappropriate about this. Reconciliation has been used many times for a variety of health-related matters, including the establishment of the Children's Health Insurance Program and COBRA benefits, and many changes to Medicare and Medicaid.

As you know, the vast majority of bills developed through reconciliation were passed by Republican Congresses and signed into law by Republican Presidents – including President Bush's massive, budget-busting tax breaks for multi-millionaires. Given this history, one might conclude that Republicans believe a majority vote is sufficient to increase the deficit and benefit the super-rich, but not to reduce the deficit and benefit the middle class. Alternatively, perhaps Republicans believe a majority vote is appropriate only when Republicans are in the majority. Either way, we disagree.

Keep in mind that reconciliation will not exclude Republicans from the legislative process. You will continue to have an opportunity to offer amendments and change the shape of the legislation. In addition, at the end of the process, the bill can pass only if it wins a democratic, up-or-down majority vote. If Republicans want to vote against a bill that reduces health care costs, fills the prescription drug “donut hole” for seniors and reduces the deficit, you will have every right to do so.

Sincerely,

HARRY REID
United States Senator
Nevada

Are Gates And Ahmadinejad Having A Secret Meeting

James Lewis at American Thinker has brought it to my attention that both Secretary of Defense Gates and Iranian Dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be in Afghanistan at the same time.  Is this a coincidence or will there be some kind of secret meeting and agreement? 

Lewis writes:

Funny coincidence. SecDef Robert Gates is going on a surprise visit to Afghanistan. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also happens to be going to Kabul, overlapping with the Gates visit. It's possible they will just drive past each other in Kabul. But it seems more likely that they are going to finalize some sort of agreement that's been bubbling up behind the scenes. Possibly the Afghan government, which wants good relations with both Iran and the US, will try to broker an agreement.

Worried yet?

This administration has totally avoided any negative public language about the Tehran regime, in spite of democracy protesters being openly bloodied in the streets, and being tortured and executed behind the scenes. Obama's public silence may indicate behind-the-scenes negotations.

The question is: What would the US be gaining and giving up? The only plausible answer has to do with Iranian nuke development. Robert Gates is not a Carterite appeasement type, but this administration seems to be following that well-worn path to perdition.

Sean Penn Squelches Free Speech

Libtard Progressives like to proclaim that they are all about fairness and equal rights, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Actor Sean Penn firmed up that truth last week on an appearance he made Friday on "Real Time With Bill Maher."  The two men had been discussing Hugo Chavez and his portrayal here in America by common sense journalists and people as a dictator.

Sean Penn said, "Every day, this elected leader is called a dictator here, and we just accept it, and accept it.  And this is mainstream media, who should -- truly, there should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kinds of lies."

So much for freedom of speech and the press.

Muslim Summit On Entrepreneurship

President Obama is continuing his pandering to the Muslim world and now is reaching out via business.  Friday, the White House announced they will host a "summit on entrepreneurship."  The goal is to build economic ties with the Islamic world.  Forty countries will be represented at the conference scheduled to take place April 26-27 in Washington, D.C.

White House Spokesmoron Robert Gibbs said, "The summit will highlight the role entrepreneurship can play in addressing common challenges while building partnerships that will lead to greater opportunity abroad and at home."  So what, are we looking for an easier way to ship weapons to our enemies?  When will the White House wake up and realize that we do not have to and should not embrace Islam influence in this country, nor on our economy.  The pandering and outreach has not lead us forward in a positive direction with the Muslim world.  Instead they still plan to attack us and make attempts to attack us.  Islam has turned young American citizens against their country as well, as we have seen with recent attacks at Ft. Hood and arrests of five men overseas.

This was not a recent development though.  President Obama mentioned the conference in his Cairo Speech.  This is part of that "new beginning" Obama described in the speech.  He described the meeting as an opportunity to "identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world."