Welcome to the Twilight Zone

On October 3^rd, 2009 Saturday Night Live mocked President Obama as a man elected “to bring this country change we could believe in”, but who has thus far accomplished “jack and squat”. Less than a week later, President Obama is the “surprised and deeply humbled” recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize is to be awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” (more…)

Partisan Politics Reach a New Low

American journalist H. L. Mencken said, “A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of.” If Mencken were alive today and a witness to this week’s political happenings, I suspect a satisfied smirk would grace his face, as he realized that his observation is just as apt today as it was during his lifetime. Last week, President Obama’s speech to American children was heralded by much controversy and murmurs of the indoctrination of our country’s youth. Representative Joe Wilson then caused quite a stir with his outburst during the President’s address on health care reform. While it seemed as if partisan politics could not possibly reach a lower level, they did. (more…)

Desperately Seeking Reform, Obama Spreads Disinformation of His Own

On Wednesday evening, after Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress, a customer came into my place of employment and began to make small talk with my co-worker and me. After a few minutes, he inquired, “Did you see President Obama’s speech? What he’s pitching sounds pretty good to me; that is, if it actually comes to pass as he says it will.” I admit—the plan for which Obama laid the vague foundations is rather appealing, but like this gentleman, and so many other Americans, I sincerely doubt that we have the full story. While our President intended to clear up any “misconceptions” or “disinformation” about his health care plan, I find it necessary to clear up some of the disinformation he put forth Wednesday evening.

At the beginning of his speech, Obama acknowledge the economic crisis our nation faces and remarked that while “We are by no means out of the woods… I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink.” Excuse me? I must not have heard correctly. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate currently stands at 9.7%, up significantly from the 6.5% unemployment rate in November 2008, when Obama was elected, and the 7.6% unemployment rate in January 2009, the month our President was inaugurated. Let’s not forget that Obama promised the American people that unemployment would not rise above 8.5% if his whopping $787 billion stimulus package were approved. Additionally, while Obama never misses an opportunity to remind us that he inherited a trillion dollar deficit from the Bush administration, he neglects to mention that the deficit has grown to $11.4 trillion under his watch. If this is an economy that has been pulled “back from the brink”, I would hate to see what an economy in crisis looks like.

Next, Obama expressed dismay that we are “the only advanced democracy on Earth” to allow more than 30 million citizens to go uninsured. Hold on a minute, Mr. President! In recent days, both you and your administration have decried the plight of some 47 million uninsured Americans, but now that number has decreased by 17 million; where did these people go? Clearly, Obama lowered his estimate in an effort to thwart the criticism that many Americans are uninsured by choice, not necessity. However, this lower estimate of approximately 30 million is still too high, states former Director of the Congressional Budget Office Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who went so far as to say the estimate is an “incomplete and potentially misleading picture of the uninsured population.” On his Thursday broadcast, conservative talk show host and president of the Landmark Legal Foundation, Mark Levin stated that he believes the number of uninsured people with no other choices is approximately 12 million. The variances in these numbers are caused by several factors. First, the uninsured figure touted by our politicians includes all American citizens and illegal immigrants who have been without coverage at some point during the year. In truth, 45% of these people are uninsured for four months or less; 15% of the chronically uninsured are eligible for government care but not taking advantage of it, and 27% of those in their twenties choose not to have health insurance. Additionally, 8.4 million uninsured Americans have an annual income of $50,000 to $74,999, while 9.1 million make over $75,000. Considering these statistics, it becomes clear that while some of our fellow citizens cannot afford health care, many simply choose not to purchase it, for whatever reason. Personally, I feel that this is a risky decision to make, but I firmly believe in a person’s right to exercise personal responsibility and spend their money as they wish; under President Obama’s plan, however, individuals will be required to carry health insurance.

Hoping to allay the concerns of the insured, Obama promised, “If you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance… Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.” Supposedly, Obama’s proposed healthcare reform will not only allow the insured to keep their coverage: it will make it better. People will no longer be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and they will receive routine check-ups and preventative care—like mammograms and colonoscopies—at no charge. Although this reform is designed to “save money”, I fail to see how it will accomplish that. Call me cynical, but I have learned that very little in this world is done for free. Surely, doctors will not perform these tasks without expecting compensation, and why should they? Just as a plumber or mechanic expects to be paid for his time and efforts, so does a doctor. I learned a long time ago that money, regretfully, does not grow on trees; therefore, I have to believe the money to cover the check-ups will result from an increase in insurance premiums. Furthermore, though Obama promised the insured that they will enjoy added “safety and security”, I believe reality will prove to the contrary. Initially, insurance companies will strive to compete with the government option in order to retain business, but it is simply impossible for a company to compete with an entity as large as the federal government, especially when that entity does not have to earn a profit from its endeavors. Thus, while the President promises that he is merely adding a government option—and not creating a single-payer health care system—and is not outwardly lying, the implementation of such a government option will likely spell death for private insurance companies.

When Obama moved on to describe the “marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices”, I found it interesting that he stated that our Congressional representatives attain their healthcare through these means. Granted, this is the type of system they use, but let it be clear that members of Congress are exempt from the government-run healthcare option. That’s right: the plan that is going to save American families from sub-par healthcare and daunting medical bills is seemingly not good enough for our representatives. In response to this hypocrisy, Representative John Fleming of Louisiana’s Fourth District created a petition demanding that Congress members enroll themselves in whatever health care plan they support. Numbers from August show that about 150,000 disgruntled Americans have signed the petition. Coupled with the most recent Rasmussen poll, which shows 42% of voters in favor of the plan and 53% opposed, this information exhibits a remarkable lack of fervor for the President’s health care reform, causing one to wonder why this legislation must continue to be rammed through the Congressional chambers.

After providing nebulous descriptions of the health care options the public will have access to, Obama turned to the task of correcting the “bogus claims” made by opponents of the bill. First, he reassured Americans that there would be no “panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens”. Yes, admittedly the phrase “death panel” is nowhere in the House bill H.R. 3200. However, the fear that senior citizens will be denied care is not unfounded. Section 1233 of the bill refers to an “Advance Care Planning Consultation”, during which the elderly patient will be—according to the bill—asked “key questions and considerations”, such as “living wills and durable powers of attorney”. The patient will also be informed of resources such as “palliative care and hospice” as well as “orders regarding life sustaining treatment” (i.e. do not resuscitate orders).The doctor providing this consultation is not only permitted to initiate the conversation, he or she is also given monetary incentive to do so. There is something wrong with this picture. Certainly, I believe that all adults should be aware of living wills and the like and I feel that it is a person’s right to decide whether or not they wish to receive life support. I do not believe, however, that these decisions should be made in an impersonal environment with a medical professional; first and foremost, these are issues that should be mulled over inwardly and with family. It is no surprise that stipulations like Section 1233 are included in the bill, though, for a great sum of money can be spent, futilely some might say, in the last few months of one’s life.  Now we are at the heart of the problem with nationalized health care: nothing is free, and when demand is greater than supply, some must go without the coveted resources.

Obama then turned to another “misconception”: “that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants.” This too, Obama pledged, is false. Again, information to the contrary should give discerning Americans pause. Though Section 246 of H.R. 3200 states, “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States”, this does not mean that they cannot receive medical care, only that they will not receive credits toward it. Furthermore, Section 152 of the bill is (surprise, surprise) contrary to Obama’s claim. Under this section “all health care and related services (including insurance coverage and public health activities) covered by this Act shall be provided without regard to personal characteristics”. If this isn’t enough to convince you, Andrew Napolitano, lawyer and judge, pointed out that, according to the Constitution, if the United States mandates health care for all individuals and makes it available to some, it must provide it for everyone, regardless of citizenship. President Obama is a constitutional lawyer; he has either conveniently forgotten this stipulation of the Constitution or… He lies! Wait a moment, I don’t need to say that—Congressman Joe Wilson already did. For the record, I do not condone Wilson’s actions. His brief outburst during the President’s speech was disrespectful and ill timed, but it is not the first time we have witnessed this sort of behavior in the political arena, and, unfortunately, it will not be the last. Whether you believe there was truth in Wilson’s word is none of my business, but I do believe we need to move on from the incident, considering that Wilson has apologized profusely.

The next “misunderstanding” Obama sought to address was the allegation that federal dollars would fund abortions. Once again, the President denied this statement. My point here is not to debate the morality of abortions, but to examine the President’s words in accordance with previous cases and the bill. According to Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, abortions will be considered a “mandatory health benefit funded by federal tax dollars”, unless a clause explicitly stating otherwise is included in the legislation. Supporters of the bill claim this will not happen, because the Hyde Amendment prohibits public funding of abortion. The amendment only applies to programs that receive government funding every year, however; since the proposed legislation will not receive annual appropriations, the Hyde Amendment does not apply. Moreover, Section 2511 of the bill provides funding for “school-based health clinics” under the care of a “sponsoring facility”, which many fear would be Planned Parenthood. In a speech to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund in July 2007, then-candidate Obama remarked, “reproductive care is essential care… it is at the center and the heart of the plan that I propose”. Only time will tell if this prediction will come to pass, but if it does, there is likely to be outrage among citizens across the country. A nationwide poll indicates that 55% of Americans believe it is wrong for the government to fund abortions, and 58% believe it has no obligation to do so. Furthermore, despite President Obama’s insistence that his $900 billion health care plan would not add “one dime to our deficits”, analysts find this claim a difficult pill to swallow. Though Obama pledges to raise the money through reduction of waste and fraud, he does not deny that some of the revenue to fund the bill will be generated by increased taxes. The only promise he makes is that “the middle class will realize greater security, not higher taxes.” Even the Congressional Budget Office believes the health care bill will add $1 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade, with the actual costs of the program amounting to much more.

In my mind, the essential problem with President Obama’s address was his insistence in offering the American people ill-defined, hazy approximations of health care reform. Representative Louie Gohmert acknowledged this with a hand-written sign on his lap that simply read, “What bill”. As Obama spoke, it seemed as if he were on the campaign trail once more. He has already issued the clarion call for change; isn’t it time his compatriots get a clear picture of what it looks like? President Obama, this country deserves more than rhetoric and half-truths; it deserves to have its voice heard. If polls continue to indicate opposition to your health care plan, I hope you would set your own special interests aside and listen to the people. That’s one reform on which we can all agree.

Sources:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/06/26/how_to_lie_with_statistics_–_again_97189.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080703043.html

http://www.drudge.com/news/125033/hr3200-require-illegal-immigrants

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17086

http://aclj.org/media/pdf/ACLJ_SchoolBasedClinicsMemo_091109.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqww8jmizug

Reforming California: Can We Save Ourselves From Financial Ruin?

Oh, California, how the mighty have fallen! The Golden State has long been the subject of many wistful anthems, like the Mamas and the Papas’ California Dreaming and the Beach Boys’ California Girls.  And why not? This state of ours is blessed with nearly constant sunshine, beautiful beaches and, of course, Isla Vista. Unfortunately, California is now privy to another claim: a $26.3 billion budget deficit. In the past week, the state has issued $354 million in IOUs, and will continue to do so until our legislators in Sacramento manage to find a solution to the budget crisis. To be honest, it’s not looking good; two weeks into the fiscal year, and lawmakers continue to squabble as they search for a solution to the shambles in which our finances lie. (more…)

Affirmative Action: Helping or Hindering a Colorblind America?

Recently, Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s name has graced dozens of headlines, rolled off the tongues of liberal and conservative political commentators alike, and been passed around the Internet like a viral video. Why the hubbub about this Puerto Rican justice from the Bronx? To begin with, President Obama nominated Sotomayor, a federal appellate judge, to the United States Supreme Court in May. Then, on June 29, 2009, the Supreme Court overruled a decision made by a district court and upheld by the 2^nd Circuit Court—on which Sotomayor sits—on the controversial Ricci v. DeStefano case. (more…)

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