Opt-out versus Opt-in . What is the difference? Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced the public option (government run healthcare), with a provision that allows states to opt out of participating in the program, is the best possible solution to the nation’s perceived healthcare crisis. There are some unanswered questions concerning the opt-out option. Will the citizens of states that decide to opt out be required to pay taxes, fees or penalties to support the citizens of states that decide to participate in the program? Will the citizens of opted out states become exempt from these taxes, fees or penalties? If a state opts out can they join at a later date? If a state participates can they opt out at a later date? Would citizens of participating states be required to pay higher taxes or fees because the cost of the program is spread among fewer participants? Requiring citizens of opted-out states to pay for the care of participating states is redistribution of wealth and socialistic. Allowing states to enter and leave the program would cause the citizens to have and then not have healthcare whenever the political majority in their state changes from party to party.

Both President Obama and Vice-President Biden, along with several other politicians, have been quoted as saying healthcare is a “right”. I have read, re-read and re-reread the constitution. I did see the rights that everyone is familiar with: the right to keep and bear arms, the right to a trial by jury etc.. As much as I looked, read and hunted though, I could not find an article or amendment that bestowed the right to healthcare upon me. There must be a hidden clause somewhere in there that I just can’t seem to find. I am not a fan of or listen to Rush Limbaugh but I did see an interview with him on a national news program. Mr. Limbaugh said something that rings very true: “ A right cannot be taken from an individual”. The old adage of “Whatever the government gives, the government can take” is just as true now as it has always been. Not only can the government take away healthcare, they can ration it, change it at anytime or use it for leverage to achieve other goals. NO THANKS! I will keep mine the way it is.

In New York’s 23rd congressional district former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has endorsed The Republican candidate Deede Scozzafava for the seat vacated by John McHugh who has become Secretary of the Army. Many observers feel Ms. Scozzafava is far too liberal to be considered a true Republican. Ms. Scozzafava is a controversial candidate that supports gay marriage and abortion and also voted for tax increases and supported the Economic Stimulus Package. The result of her views is many conservatives choose not to support her. On October 16th however Speaker Gingrich offered his support. On Monday October 26th Mr. Rick Tyler, a spokesman for Mr. Gingrich, appeared on Fox News’s “Your World” with Neil Cavuto.
In the course of his appearance Mr. Tyler made several interesting comments. Mr. Tyler commended the participants of the several “Tea Parties” around the nation but noted the participants have no voice in the political process. Mr. Tyler noted the Republican Party needs to capture the energy and emotion of the Tea Parties but readily admits he did not know how this would be accomplished. Mr. Tyler also stated that as long as conservatives were voting for candidates other than Republicans the Democrats would remain in control of Congress. Mr. Tyler seemed to be suggesting that conservatives must vote for moderate Republicans to achieve change in Washington D.C…
Mr. Tyler unknowingly displayed the disconnect that exist between the Republican Party and conservative voters. There is a movement in America that is gaining in intensity and may soon become a ground swell of discontent among conservatives. Most conservative voters will not elect a liberal or even a moderate Republican. Mr. Tyler, like most Republicans I am afraid to say, has been unable to gauge the disgust many conservatives feel about the actions of the Republican Party during the past twenty years.
Mr. Tyler’s thinking is actually polar opposite of the conservative movement members thought process. The Republican Party thinks conservatives must vote for Republican candidates to achieve change. Conservatives believe Republicans must vote for conservative candidates to achieve this change. Many conservatives will vote for a third party candidate if the third party candidate is more conservative than the Republican candidate. True conservatives will do this even if the result is a Democrat winning the election. This is the only means the conservative voter has to convince Republican candidates they must be conservative or face rejection at the polls. Some conservatives are willing to go so far as to lose all 535 seats of congress to the Democrats for two years if it will convince the Republicans true conservatism is what is desired and, more importantly, sorely needed in Washington D.C..

If any one is opposed to Abortion they should be wary of House Bill 3200 (National Healthcare). The bill does not contain language that authorizes the payment to physicians who provide abortion services. A Republican amendment to the bill that would have expressly forbid payment for abortions was removed by liberals during committee meetings. A Liberal Congresswoman “assured” one of her constituents that abortions would not be paid for. If this were true why would the amendment been excluded from the bill? If abortions are not going to be funded leave the amendment in. Many Americans do not realize $400 million of taxpayer money is already spent on abortions performed in foreign countries. This was a practice supported by President Clinton but discontinued when George W. Bush became president. Re-instating this policy was one of the first actions President Obama took when he assumed office. If our Leaders support overseas abortions with our tax money why would they not support abortions within our borders. Recent polls have demonstrated the majority of Americans now oppose abortion. Our Leaders should respect the will of the majority. The amendment to not pay for abortions should be included in any and all health related legislation.

I like to watch the Fox News channel every day to learn the truth about what is happening in Washington D.C… Fox News is, as they claim, balanced and fair. I also enjoy their opinion programming including Sean Hannity. I find myself agreeing with Mr. Hannity until he talks about the remaking of the Republican Party.
Sean Hannity is wrong. Every evening Mr. Hannity touts the self awakening and re-invention of the Republican Party. Mr. Hannity espouses the talking points of Republican opposition to excessive spending and government takeovers that are ruining our country. The truth is it is easy to oppose big government when you are a member of the minority party.
Beginning in 1994 and ending in 2006 the Republicans were the majority party in both houses of Congress. With the election of George W. Bush in 2000 the national debt has been on the increase and is skyrocketing like a NASA space shuttle launch under the current administration. The Republicans did nothing to slow or eliminate the increase.
Mr. Hannity correctly states the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 under President Jimmy Carter was a major contributing factor to the financial meltdown of 2008 that led to the fiasco the current Administration likes to call the Economic Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (we call it the stimulus package). The Republicans like to say they tried to change the Community Act in 2006 but had lost the majority to the Democrats who, led by Rep. Barney Frank and Senator Chris Dodd, blocked all changes. Where were the Republicans from ’94 to ’06? Why did they not change the law while they were in the majority?
Now Governor Sarah Palin has broken ranks with the Republicans and endorsed an independent candidate in the 23rd congressional district in New York. Finally we see a politician of national stature doing the right thing. Governor Palin is endorsing Doug Hoffman to replace Republican John McHugh who resigned to become Secretary of The Army.
Governor Palin knows the time has come when candidates need to be elected based on their beliefs instead of their party affiliation. I agree whole heartedly with Governor Palin. I have voted for Republicans in every election since 1980 but I will no longer use party affiliation to determine whom I vote for. Show me a Democrat that will lower my taxes and I will vote for them. Show me an Independent that will repeal tax and spend programs and I will vote for them. Show me a Republican that will eliminate the Federal Education Department and I will vote for them.
I believe I will follow governor Palin’s lead and vote for the candidate that that best represents my beliefs and values system. It is time for Americans to begin ignoring the “R” or “D” or “I” beside a candidate’s name and vote for the person based on their beliefs and values.

Before 1913 Americans could enjoy the fruits of their labor without fear of the government confiscating a portion of their income. The 16th amendment allowed for the taxation of income which is really private property. The authors of the Declaration of Independence called this private property “the pursuit of happiness”. The personal income tax has evolved into a program that penalizes individuals for success. The “happier” a person is the more taxes they will pay. The top 50% of earners pay 100% of all income taxes while the top 25% of earners pay 86% of all income taxes. The harder a person works the more they are penalized. This creates class warfare. The top earners feel they pay more than their share of taxes while to lower income earners feel the rich can afford to help me out. If every one paid an equal percentage of their income it would create a situation that everyone felt as if they had an interest in the fiscal well being of the nation.

The time to eliminate the personal income , capital gains, estate, alternative minimum , Social Security, Medicare, self employment and corporation taxes has arrived. According to statistics calculated by Fair Tax.org, by instituting a national sales tax of twenty-three percent, all other taxes could become a footnote in history. A national sales tax of twenty-three percent would create revenue equivalent with all current federal taxes. Some argue the sales tax would harm lower income families. This problem is solved by mailing, at the beginning of each month, what is known as a prebate check to families whose income places them at or below the poverty level. The amount of the check would be determined by the number of persons in the family. The calculations are fairly complex but an example of this would be a family of four with a household income of $26,981.00. Under the National Sales tax this family would receive a monthly check of $702.00 to offset any sales tax paid during that month. This amount would increase over time because of adjustments for inflation. This measure would stimulate the economy more than any stimulus bill could ever hope to do. No income taxes would mean Americans keep and spend their own money as they deem appropriate. Tax returns would be eliminated entirely, saving billions of dollars of waste in preparation time and fees. Just imagine all of the former IRS employees that could patrol our borders and ports to keep America safe.

How weak will the U.S. dollar get before the FED takes action. Today at closing the price of oil was about $80. The price of oil has increased dramatically over the last four months, rising almost $20 per barrel. Why would the price increase as demand slips? Oil is traded on the open markets and is bought and sold in American dollars. The FED, during Obama's administration has printed more money than at any other time during our nation's history. The over abundance of dollars coupled with our struggling economy has devalued our dollar to the point other countries are considering using a different currency as the global standard. Our government needs to stop the unnecessary spending and reduce our national debt.

Both President Obama and Vice-President Biden, along with several other politicians, have been quoted as saying healthcare is a “right”. I have read, re-read and re-reread the constitution. I did see the rights that everyone is familiar with: the right to keep and bear arms, the right to a trial by jury etc.. As much as I looked, read and hunted though, I could not find an article or amendment that bestowed the right to healthcare upon me. There must be a hidden clause somewhere in there that I just can’t seem to find. I am not a fan of or listen to Rush Limbaugh but I did see an interview with him on a national news program. Mr. Limbaugh said something that rings very true: “ A right cannot be taken from an individual”. The old adage of “Whatever the government gives, the government can take” is just as true now as it has always been. Not only can the government take away healthcare, they can ration it, change it at anytime or use it for leverage to achieve other goals. NO THANKS! I will keep mine the way it is.

Ex-Governor Mitt Romney is proving voters were correct to reject him as the representative of the Republican Party in the 2008 Presidential election. During a recent interview on the Sean Hannity show Mr. Romney said each state should devise a health plan for their citizens before a national plan was implemented. Mr. Romney argues each state would be a “laboratory” conducting experiments. The Federal Government, he says, could then take from each experiment what is successful and implement a national system. I did not know Mr. Romney was a proponent of universal health care but I do know now. Mr. Romney statement is indicative of the attitudes and beliefs of today’s Republican Party. Are there any Republicans in this world that still believe in a smaller, less intrusive, less taxing government. The Democrats are the party promoting national health care. It seems as if the Republicans feel they must also propose reform but with some differences. If the Republicans wish to differentiate themselves from the Democrats they should unabashedly oppose national health care plans. To do otherwise would confirm most conservative’s view that there really is no difference between the two major political parties.

A single payer Nationalized Healthcare system will eventually result in rationed care. Currently there are 250 million Americans with health insurance. According to the National Center for Health Studies there are under 1 million physicians in the United States or about 1 physician for every 330 people. Most of these physicians are located in the Northeast states, about 4 per 1,000 people, while the Western states only average about 2 per 1,000 people. Coupled with the scarceness of physicians is the fact that 65% of them are 45 years of age or older. Adding 50 million people to the physicians patient lists will mean, on average, each physician will have to care for an additional 200 patients. Most of these physicians will retire in 20 years or less. The proposed healthcare plan will cut payments to physicians for services rendered. Will any students want to enter the medical profession, work for less money and owe a massive amount of student loans? Probably not. A shortage of physicians together with rising cost and more patients will result in a reduction of services available to patients. An Administrator, not physicians, will decide which types of treatment will be given. Are you ready?

There are a number of “give away” programs in the Cap & Trade legislation that most people do not Know about. The “Cash for Clunkers” program is one of these and will be with us forever. The bill would have the government provide vouchers for the purchase of energy efficient vehicles. Unlike the cash for clunkers the amount of the vouchers has not been determined. Another provision allows people who live in manufactured houses built before 1976 to get a rebate if they purchase a new manufactured house. Just like the cash for clunkers vouchers, the amount of the manufactured home rebate has not been determined. Another programs allows people that have lost their jobs due to this legislation be given vouchers to attend school for free. (We already know people who become unemployed because of this bill will receive 3 years unemployment) WOW! Lose your job and go to college for free. Sign me up! President Obama has said the coal industry will suffer. He plans to make the industrys’ expenses too high to be a viable business. I guess this means the American taxpayer will be funding coal miners educations while a lot of us cant afford to send our own kids to college.

The national healthcare plan must be seriously flawed. Not since 1976 has a President had majority rule in congress like President Obama now has. There are fifty-eight Democrat Senators and two Independent senators (Lieberman of Conn. And Sanders of Vermont) that vote with the Democrats 99% of the time. Two of the Republican senators (Collins and Snowe, both from Maine) are so easily swayed they may as well be counted as Independent if not outright Democrats. This a minimum of sixty and in reality sixty-two votes for Democrats on any vote. In the House of Representatives the Democrats enjoy a 256 to 178 majority. Why does President Obama blame the Republicans for non-passage of the bill (H.R. 3200)? The problem can’t be Republicans, the Democrats have a majority and could pass this bill even if every Republican congressman voted against it. Why hasn’t this happened? Because even the Democrats know this is a terrible piece of legislation that should never even be considered. America is still a center-right country even if an extremely liberal man was voted into the presidency. The Democrats congress know they must eventually return home and answer to their constituency. This is what they fear most.

The national Healthcare plan proposed by Senator Max Baucus will supposedly cost $83 billion per year. According to our peace award winning President there are 47 million uninsured people (15% of the population) in the United States. This plan would provide insurance to 22 million (7% percent of population) of these people while leaving 25 million (8%) without insurance. Our President wants to totally revamp the world’s best healthcare system for 7% of our population. Why? Only 50% of Americans pay income taxes. This means 157 million taxpayers will each have to pay $546 per year to insure 22 million. Senator Baucus stated the only way national healthcare will work is with shared responsibility. What has happened to the American ideal of Individual rights coupled with Individual responsibilities?

Lets see what is going on here! Over four million jobs lost since February. We now enjoy the benefits of the largest yearly deficit in the history of the country. We are reading terrorist Miranda rights. Our President travels the world apologizing for an imaginary abusive past. Our government has printed so much money foreign nations have serious doubts about the stability of the American dollar. Our President wants new legislation that will tax and spend future generations into a debt they will never be able to repay. A President that embarrasses our nation by falling flat on his face in Copenhagen trying to land the Olympics for his native city of violent Chicago. A President that claims police act stupidly because they arrest a friend of his. A President that awards white house positions to self admitted Communists. A President Israel has no faith in. A President even the French have no faith in. A Commander-in-Chief that fails to meet with the commanding General of our fighting forces. What is the reward for a President that manages to accomplish all this in 10 months? The Nobel Peace Prize! I guess no one else in the world has accomplished so much in so little time!

Remember everyone my new book will be released in late October. Hope you enjoy!!

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has calculated the cost of the preliminary healthcare plan put forth by Senator Max Baucus. According to the CBO the plan will cost $828 billion over the next decade and will actually reduce the Federal Deficit by $81 billion over that time span. The CBO calculates bills that are sent to them and does not make assumptions. This is probably an incorrect calculation as the plan contains $100 billion in waste and fraud elimination that has never been done before. The plan also calls for $404 billion in Medicare cuts. No politician that wants to be re-elected will ever cut Medicare spending. Medicare recipients are of an age and maturity that allows them to follow governmental happenings that will affect them. Do not believe they will allow drastic cuts in their benefits to go unopposed and politicians know this group of citizens constitutes a voting block that never fails to show up at the polling booth. This plan is in its infancy and will go through several changes before being sent to the Senate floor for approval. Conservatives and “Constitutionalist” should monitor this bills progress and vigorously oppose it. Say NO to single payer healthcare.

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is on record as saying he favors a limited role for our military in Afghanistan. During his presidential campaign, videos surfaced that showed Mr. Kerry denouncing the way the war in Vietnam was administered. Presidents Johnson and Nixon conducted a limited war and we know the results of that war and the tremendous number of American lives that were lost. Evidently Mr. Kerry has forgotten how our military was hampered by the political whims of Washington D.C.. President Obama faces a major decision concerning the way this war will be fought. The military leaders in Afghanistan are asking for an additional 40,000 troops. President Obama must commit these 40,000 or more if needed if he is confident of victory. If the President has any doubts about our ability to achieve victory he must remove all American troops from the theater of battle. To leave American troops in Afghanistan and not provide them the resources to achieve victory would be an unconscionable and immoral act that would result in the unnecessary loss of the finest of Americans. Come on Mr. President. Commit the necessary troops or pull all of them out of Afghanistan and bring them home.

I was shopping at my local extra-large national retail store this afternoon and saw something I couldn't quite figure out. A woman with two teenagers by her side was paying for three carts full of groceries. This lady used three different food stamp cards. The three cards did not have enough credit on them to completely pay the bill. This is when something happened I could not believe (never mind the fact one person had three different food stamp cards). This lady took out of her purse a roll of money that would make a Las Vegas gambler green with envy. After the woman paid her bill and left I asked the cashier if everyone had three food stamp cards. His reply was "quite a few of them do". I paid for my purchase and proceeded to my vehicle. By coincidence the lady with the food stamp cards was parked beside me and was still loading her groceries into her vehicle. I wish I had brand new Chevy Suburban like she did! How does this happen? Why is my tax money going to a person with a roll of money and a brand new suburban?

In 1967 a war was fought that lasted six days. The result of this war was Israel gaining control of the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria were the losers of this war. In his address to the United Nations President Obama noted it was time for the 32 year occupation to end. The President is only half correct; He would like Israel to withdraw from these areas and discontinue the construction of new settlements. I am in 100% disagreement with this statement. Israeli citizens live with the constant threat of acts of terrorism and rockets falling out of the sky onto their homes and businesses. Our President wishes for two equal states co-existing in peace. Unfortunately many of the surrounding Arab nations do not agree with him nor do I. The Palestinian occupation of Israel must end. Let the nations that lost the six day war provide a safe place for these people in their countries. Israel has conceded land and made several accommodations in the pursuit of peace. It is time for the surrounding countries to do the same.

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is on record as saying he favors a limited role for our military in Afghanistan. During his presidential campaign, videos surfaced that showed Mr. Kerry denouncing the way the war in Vietnam was administered. Presidents Johnson and Nixon conducted a limited war and we know the results of that war and the tremendous number of American lives that were lost. Evidently Mr. Kerry has forgotten how our military was hampered by the political whims of Washington D.C.. President Obama faces a major decision concerning the way this war will be fought. The military leaders in Afghanistan are asking for an additional 40,000 troops. President Obama must commit these 40,000 or more if needed if he is confident of victory. If the President has any doubts about our ability to achieve victory he must remove all American troops from the theater of battle. To leave American troops in Afghanistan and not provide them the resources to achieve victory would be an unconscionable and immoral act that would result in the unnecessary loss of the finest of Americans. Come on Mr. President. Commit the necessary troops or pull all of them out of Afghanistan and bring them home.

In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt campaigned on a promise of national healthcare. He lost the election. In 1945 Harry Truman, with the support of labor unions attempted to enact National Healthcare. He failed. John F. Kennedy also failed to get National Healthcare through congress. Richard Nixon proposed National Healthcare but was defeated by Water Gate. Bill Clinton asked his wife to create a comprehensive Healthcare plan and Hillary Care failed.
Now President Obama wants his bite at the healthcare pie. Five Presidents before him have tried to enact healthcare legislation and failed. There have been as many excuses why all attempts have failed as there are liberal reporters. Perhaps the main reason national healthcare proposals have failed is the American public wants to continue the virtue of self reliance and the freedom that comes with individual responsibility.
Americans instinctively know being responsible for someone else’s actions is inherently unfair and a form of Socialism. No one would expect any person to pay their neglectful neighbors speeding ticket but President Obama is asking Americans to pay their neighbors healthcare bill when that neighbor commits acts detrimental to his health.
It is only appropriate this healthcare proposal die the same death as all previous healthcare proposals.

I want everyone to know my new book "What is Your Government Doing to You?" will be out in late October. It will be available on Amazon.com. The book is a common sense approach to big government and the problems our nation is facing in these trying times. I hope you will find it a good read!

There are pundits, politicians and former presidents claiming the opposition to President Obama's policies are rooted in racism. There are race related problems in our country, but this opposition is a reflection of the President's policies, not the color of his skin. Since he was inaugurated, Obama has shown his radical left tendencies. Obama was elected with 69 million votes; 45 million of these votes were cast by white people.On February 18, Obama'sapproval rating was 61%. On September 19, that approval rating had slipped to 49%, which is a decline of 12% ( about 15 million voters). I do not believe the 12% of voters who had a change of heart about the President's policiessuddenly became racists. I do believe they realized their belief in an inexperienced leader was misplaced. In 2008 there were 28 million registered Independent voters (21 percent of the electorate). The Independents overwhelmingly chose to vote for Obama. I would assume many of the 15 million voters who changed their mind are these Independent voters. I wonder-- Do these 15 million people like it when the Democrats call them racist? I'll bet not.

Thursday, October 1: During a Senate finance Commitee meeting about the national healthcare bill, Senator Max Baucus stated "for national healthcare to work there must be shared responsibility". Think about that. Shared responsibility. America has always been about Individual Rights and the Individual Responsibilities that are attached to those rights. Now non-smokers are being asked to be responsible for the care of smokers. People that stick to a healthy diet are being asked to be responsible for those that over eat. Non-drinkers will be told to care for those that choose to consume alcohol. The loss of individual responsibilities eventually leads to the loss of Individual Rights. In the future the public will be told what they can eat, drink or smoke all in the name of healthcare.