Public Displays of Democracy

Recently the media has shared many stories on the town hall meetings which are taking place all across the country. Many are challenging those who come to protest against national health care reform; both as it stands and as it has been proposed. Critics of these protesting voices claim their messages are unAmerican and are not a part of the democratic process. I could not disagree more. I would like to share another debate which took place in a public forum; one which, I believe, sets the stage for similar public displays of democracy for the many generations to follow.

A man stood before a respectable gathering to share his opinion on the state of government.

Hesitantly he began, "Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third..."

"Treason!" cried the speaker.

But the man continued on, unfettered by the challenge, "... may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it."

These are the words of Patrick Henery. The man who, in another public display of democracy, also spoke the heroic words, "Give me Liberty or give me death!"


Certainly Patrick Henry is one of the most "American" people in our nation's history. Why? He stood up for and defended the principles which he held dear. This is what it means to be American. The opposite is truly unAmerican, to sit idly by and do nothing while the principles for which you stand erode with time and neglect. Apathy is unAmerican.


Never let anyone say you are unAmerican for taking a stand and fighting for what you believe. They are wrong. This country was founded on debate and discussion. When you participate in these activities, you are displaying the exact qualities which defined the greatest Americans there ever were. Those who try to silence debate; therein lie the enemies of the United States.

TWELVE STEPS TO HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

1. End unfair tax advantages for employer-sponsored health insurance (enacted in 1942). Currently under an employee-sponsored plan, if you get laid off, you lose your insurance and become stigmatized with a pre-existing condition. Ending this special treatment will allow individuals to purchase affordable health insurance and facilitate portability of coverage, regardless of employment.

2. Allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines by invoking the commerce clause. One study estimated that that adjustment alone could cover 17 million uninsured Americans without costing taxpayers a dime.

3. Enact tort reform to end unjust medical malpractice claims. Insurance premiums paid by doctors are passed down to the consumer, making health care more expensive for all.

4. Stop regulating what insurance companies have to cover. Mandating what insurance policies must cover leads to increased prices. For example, ten states require residents to purchase coverage for hairpieces. And in 45 states, teetotalers (individuals completely abstinence from alcoholic beverages) must purchase coverage for alcoholism treatment.

5. Repeal the Kefauver Harris "Drug Efficacy Amendment" of 1962, mandating that the FDA test for not just safety but effectiveness. This drives the cost of some medications up as much as 40%.

6. Switch to a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Most Americans are over-insured. A HDHP is a health insurance plan with lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. Insurance should be for catastrophic and unforeseen risk, not for everyday regular purchases. You wouldn't purchase gas or tires with your auto insurance. You wouldn't purchase a vacuum or furniture with your homeowners insurance. So why do we insist on purchasing routine tests and medications under our health insurance plan? As a result, Doctors’ offices waste billions just in the billing process. Switch to a HDHP and save!

7. Expand Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for routine expenses. HSAs are tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). HSAs are for out-of-pocket, and non-catastrophic expenses. Having a high-deductible health insurance plan in conjunction with consumer-driven HSA are key to low cost health care.

8. Make costs transparent to the consumer. Insist that providers show consumers a detailed breakdown of services and costs.

9. Allow doctors to take their licenses from state to state. Rethink medical licensing laws to encourage greater competition among providers.

10. Congress should give Medicare & Medicaid enrollees a voucher. Let them choose any health plan on the market, and let them keep the savings if they choose an economical plan.

11. Legalize choice, competition, and responsibility. Let individuals control their health care dollars, and free them to choose from a wide variety of health plans and providers, without government interference.

12. Encourage your federal legislators to reject single-payer and public plan/government-option health care. Instead, ask them to pass The Patients' Choice Act (Senate 1099 and House of Representatives 2520). Engage your Representative Betty McCollum at 651-224-9191, Senator Amy Klobuchar at 612-727-5220, and Senator Al Franken at 651-221-1016.

Healthcare Canvass Kickoff and Rally

This is fresh from our liberal elected officials. They are all we have for representation and they need to hear what we have to say. Not they will listen to us, of course. So I urge all good conservatives to stand up, show up, be heard. Go out and canvass a neighborhood with them. Let the citizens hear what you have to say while the liberals are out pushing their march to socialism. Be sure to sign up at the link on the bottom of this post.

Canvass Kickoff and Rally with Representatives Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison (Health Care Canvass)

As Minnesotans, we know we need health insurance reform. We are sick of a few loud people dominating this debate. Please join us for a rally in support of reform.

The rally will be followed by a canvass, where we will hit the streets and talk to you friends and neighbors about the need for reform this year!

Featured speakers include:

Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Congressman Keith Ellison
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman
Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak
State Representative Erin Murphy

Time:	Saturday, August 22 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Host:	Elyse Ruiz
Location:	DFL Headquarters (Saint Paul, MN) 255 East Plato Blvd. Saint Paul, MN 55107

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/healthcarecanvass/gpffy5

MNLG Has a New Contact Phone Number

FYI: the new MNLG contact phone number is now 651-705-5011. Please remove any previous number from your records. Thank you.

Commentary on Sarah Palin's legacy

Not that she's the much-discussed figure anymore. I wrote this for another website and am sharing the link.

Sarah Palin's Legacy

Cash for Clunkers, not that it's the exciting issue anymore...

Here's something I wrote about the Cash for Clunkers program on another site:
www.associatedcontent.com/article/2011980/cash_for_clunkers_this_program_is_itself.html