Letter to Nancy Pelosi

I received this letter to Nancy Pelosi, dated August 11, 2009, via email and felt that it must be shared nation-wide. I think many Americans feel as this man does, I know I do. I did check to verify, using Snopes, to ensure this was a true document; it turns out it is correctly attributed to this good man, Dennis L. Guthrie, an attorney with the Charlotte, North Carolina, law firm of Guthrie, Davis, Henderson & Staton:

Dear Ms. Pelosi:
I write to you out of utter disdain! You are as despicable and un-American as the traitor Jane Fonda.

I am a soon to be 65 year-old who has voted in every state and local election since 1966. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats alike. I have worked on campaigns for both Republicans and Democrats, white and black. I served the country that I love in Vietnam , as my son did in the Middle East . I was awarded two bronze stars. I have been involved in politics since age 6 when my father was campaign manager for a truly great American Congressman, Charles Raper Jonas, who worked for his constituents and his country, and was to be admired, unlike you.

You obviously haven’t read the Constitution recently, if ever, the Federalist Papers, or even David McCullough’s book on John Adams. You ought to take the time while riding around in your government provided luxury executive jet to do just that. You represent Socialistic and even Marxist principals that our founding fathers tried to avoid when setting out the capitalistic republican form of government represented by our Constitution.

I find it interesting that you and your husband are multi-millionaires with much of your fortune being made as a result of your “public service”. You have controlled legislation that has enhanced your husband’s investments both on and off shore. At the same time you redistributed the wealth of others. Our system of a free market economy is being destroyed by the likes of you, Harry Reid, and now our President. You ride around in a Gulfstream airplane at the tax payer’s expense while criticizing the presidents of companies who produced something for the economy. You add nothing to the economy of the United States ; you only subtract there from.

I would like to suggest that you return to the city of fruitcakes and nuts and eat your husband’s canned tuna and pineapple produced by illegal immigrants and by workers who have been excluded from the protection that 90% of the legal workers in the United States have.

I await your defeat in the next election with glee.

Don’t ever use the term “un-American” again for protesters who love this country and are exercising their rights upon which this country was founded. By the way, while I served in the Army, I was spit on by the same type of lunatics who support you and who you probably supported in the 60’s and 70’s. You are an embarrassment to all of us who served so that you would have the protected right of free speech to call us un-American. But at the same time, I have the right to write you to notify you that I consider you to be un-American, as do the majority of the people of this formerly great country. You are a true disgrace to most of the people who served this country by offering themselves for public service in the United States Congress.

I feel certain your aides will not share this letter with you, but I intend to share it with many.

Let's help this man fulfill his 'commitment' to Pelosi by forwarding his thoughts to everyone in your address book! By the way, for verification purposes, Snopes link to Mr. Guthrie's letter is here.

Potential Discretionary Costs of Implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)

Obama spins it again. When will this less than presidential guy start to be honest with the American people?

The CBO advised a few days ago that ObamaCare (PPACA) would cost taxpayers and additional $115 billion, putting the bill over $1 trillion dollars (and counting). Obama and his administration immediately advised the American people, through a series of press releases and television news programs, that he would veto any funding bills for those portions of the bill if necessary. Not so fast though, according to the CBO, most of that $115 billion are for ongoing programs that are already being funded. Obama and Congress are not likely to stop funding these portions of the bill since they are already ongoing and some of the appear to be legitimately required budget items. Does Obama think the American people are stupid? When will he stop patronizing the public? He is being disingenuous when he tells the American people he will veto these portion of the bill.

The CBO states in their document, "Additional Information on the Potential Discretionary Costs of Implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)," the following:

The potential discretionary costs identified in both CBO’s earlier analysis and the letters provided on May 11 include many items whose funding would be a continuation of recent funding levels for health-related programs or that were previously authorized and that PPACA would authorize for future years. Some of those items include:

• Section 3129 – Extension of Medicare rural hospital flexibility program ($0.1 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 5207 – Funding for the National Health Service Corp ($9.1 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 5312 – Funding for Parts B-D of Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (relating to nursing workforce development) ($2.7 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 5401 – Centers of Excellence ($0.5 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 5402 – Scholarships, loans and educational assistance relating to students from disadvantaged backgrounds ($0.6 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 5601 – Federally qualified health center grants ($33.6 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 5603 – Wakefield emergency medical services program ($0.1 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 10221 – Indian health improvement act ($39.2 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

• Section 10412 -- Automated defibrillation ($0.25 billion over the 2010–2019 period)

CBO estimates that the amounts authorized for these items exceed $86 billion over the 10-year period (out of the roughly $105 billion total shown in the table that was provided along with the May 11 letter). Thus, CBO’s discretionary baseline, which assumes that 2010 appropriations are extended with adjustments for anticipated inflation, already accounts for much of the potential discretionary spending under PPACA.

In addition, there are a number of other items that could overlap some or even by a considerable amount with current law activities assumed in CBO’s baseline.

How much more will the health care take-over cost the American people? As the CBO continues to refine their score of the bill, I'm sure we will hear more on the subject of 'additional costs.'

The most important question now is when will it end, November 2012 perhaps? One could only be hopeful.

TRICARE ALERT!!!

This article, "Gates: Spending 'gusher' now off," in Politico, is a must read; specifically, on page 2, Secretary Gates talks about cutting TRICARE costs by increasing premiums and co-pays for military members:

The military’s health care system, called TRICARE, is another area that Gates said needs cutting.

“Leaving aside the sacred obligation we have to America’s wounded warriors, health-care costs are eating the Defense Department alive, rising from $19 billion a decade ago to roughly $50 billion – about the entire foreign affairs and assistance budget of the State Department,” Gates said in his speech.

It’s a perennial fight between the Pentagon and Congress, which loathes cutting such benefits – particularly for soldiers who have been fighting the nation’s wars for nearly nine years, and one the Pentagon tends to lose. But Gates wants Congress to back his request to raise the premium and co-pay.

“The increase we’re talking about would be laughable to those who have non-governmental health care,” he told reporters, adding that a family of four under TRICARE pays $1,200, compared with what the same family would pay under the federal employee health insurance program: $3,200.

What Gates ignores is the fact that the military people (especially the enlisted) don’t make as much as federal employees in comparable jobs, perhaps he should compare the ratios between health care costs vs salaries; and, oh, by the way, figure into the equation:

--military member having to fend off bullets and watch for IEDs (danger in all aspects of their jobs), which federal employees don’t have to put up with,

--the fact that military families are often being split apart from each other during extended deployments, and,

--the constant uncertainty and hardships that military families have to endure throughout the members' career such as relocations, spouses having to find new jobs, children having to attend different schools and make new friends, saying goodbye to friends, neighbors, and family every three to four years.

If nothing else, the low health insurance costs and co-pays are a promise made to our low paid military families who for hundreds of years have given much, in some cases, their lives, to keep the federal employees, bureaucrats, and the rest of the nation in their cushy, safe, lives.

Given the trials and tribulations that no other sector or industry has to contend with, lower health care insurance premiums and co-pays is relatively a very small price to pay. Our government is willing to pay for health insurance with trillions of our tax dollars with no return on the investment, yet quibbling over $50 billion for military health care that comes with a very large payback—safety and freedom. And, here's another quick question to ponder, how much of your federal and state tax dollars are going to labor union employees to pay for their health care costs? Don’t sit back and hope for the best, write your congressman/women and voice your discontent.

Will TRICARE Cover Adult Children?

Some of us, specifically military, military retirees, and military dependents, currently have TRICARE as our health insurance, and for the most part TRICARE works very well. The ObamaCare bills recently passed through congress FORTUNATELY excluded any changes to TRICARE. However, some people have asked if adult children through the age of 26 can be added to parent's coverage under TRICARE as the ObamaCare bill currently does. The answer to this question is no; it does not allow adult children to be added beyond the age of 21, or 23 (if in college), in it's current form. However, Congress will attempt to ‘fix’ TRICARE, incorporating a nanny state policy with legislation, HR 4923; I hope they don’t screw up anything with this legislation. This is when it gets scary, when they start trying to make changes to TRICARE; sometimes good intentions by clueless people can cause unintentional damage. I know that for some, this new policy may be important to ensure their adult children have some type of medical insurance coverage. For me personally, and other than for special needs children who have always been covered under the existing plan, teaching our children to be responsible adults has always been our family’s goal, this includes instilling the importance of health care, health care insurance, and self support when they become adults. My concern now is how much of an increase in funding will it require to include additional family members? And, does the house resolution include an increase in funding to existing appropriations that will be used to pay the health care costs of those additional persons or will it cut our services to accommodate that increase? In reading the resolution, it does not address any funding other than the additional premiums [“that the Secretary determines on an appropriate actuarial basis] they will receive for additional people and “credited to the appropriation available for the Defense Health Program.” On a positive note, and I say this with tongue in cheek, they are keeping those added premium in the Defense Health Program and not passing them on to the new entitlements in ObamaCare. The bottom line, I do not trust our congressmen/women, those folks in congress can screw up boiling water, so stand by and be vigilant. Below is the text answer to the question of adult children up to the age of 26; it can be found on the Congress.org site:

Will TRICARE cover adult children?

"Will the new health care bill force the military and Tricare to cover children until age 26 as civilian insurance will be required to do?" -- Brad Ortzman, Senior Master Sergeant USAF (Ret).

While most TRICARE beneficiaries have been relieved to hear that their health system will not be changed by the recently enacted health care reform legislation, those with dependent children between ages 23 and 26 may be disappointed. The health overhaul law requires health plans and insurance issuers to provide dependent coverage for adult children until they turn 26, though it does not require them to make coverage available to grandchildren. This provision goes into effect on Sept. 23, 2010. TRICARE, the single-payer health care system for veterans, currently allows beneficiaries' children to stay on their parents' plans through age 21, or up to age 23 if the child is a full-time student. However, TRICARE is governed by a different section of the U.S. code and would not be affected in any way by the new law. Lawmakers are now moving to amend the TRICARE laws to change the maximum age of coverage for dependents from 23 to 26. Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced a bill, (HR 4923), to make this change on March 24, after the health care law had been signed.

-- Frances Symes, Congress.org

Why Health Reform Will Be a Danger to Passive Patients

This article, "Why Health Reform Will Be a Danger to Passive Patients," from U.S. News and World Report, written by Bernadine Healy, M.D., is an excellent 'MUST' read that discusses some of the much overlooked realities for individuals in ObamaCare legislation. Take the time to read the article in its entirely, you'll be more informed on what to expect. In a nutshell, as discussed in the article, this reform will be a danger to everyone, if personal responsibility is not accepted:

*eventually it will have all your medical information, from "sensitive and highly personal, such as past mental-health or marital issues or a distant history of illegal drug use or gonorrhea;"

*treatments will be based on comparative-effectiveness studies not individualized to your genetic make-up;

*a bureaucratic governmental committee will use information from a preventive task force not your specialty physician when ruling on preventive tests covered;

*heavy cuts in other programs and taxes on more affluent people will take effect to pay for about half of the funding requirements, but what is NOT known is the "impact on family budgets of mandates, premiums and copayments, other out-of-pocket costs, taxes, and fines;"

*the individual MUST take control in order to buy the best policy for themselves and manage insurance costs wisely.

Can Americans own-up to this heavy responsibility; as a friend of mine stated, "you can't legislate personal responsibility...and really, THAT is the only solution to the health care crisis."

Letter From My Union, AFSCME, On Health Care Reform

Yesterday I received an email from the international president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), I've quoted it below. The link they provided takes one directly to a pre-texted email that goes directly to my House representative with words that basically say, vote FOR health care, blah blah blah... Fortunately, the pre-texted email allows you to change or add to the wording of the email going to my House representative. Since I am against this current farce of a bill that does not lower health care costs and takes our country down that slippery slope to a point of unsustainable debt and perhaps bankruptcy, I reworded my email; I've also quoted it below. I will say, however, that my representative is Darrell Issa (R-CA), and as you know from his many media appearances, he will vote 'no' on this bill (if there is a vote). We all need to take a stand AGAINST this effort. If you have not been able to call your representative, please do take the time to email them as well; or better yet, do both.

The email from AFSCME:

Dear Member,

This is the week we've been waiting for — the week when members of the House of Representatives choose to stand with us or the insurance companies.

The insurance industry operatives and Republican talking heads you see on cable TV say we need to start over and spend another year — or another decade — before we pass reform. They twist the facts to say that the public opposes reform, but what the public really opposes are attempts to water down or kill reform to keep the insurance companies happy.

AFSCME members like you are fighting the good fight and have been a critical voice for the past year in the health insurance reform debate. Together, we've made literally tens of thousands of phone calls and sent even more emails to our senators and representatives. The insurance industry has deep pockets and is doing all it can to kill reform — but we won't let them win. This is our moment.

The bill that the House will soon vote on would end the ability of insurance companies to deny coverage to those who have pre-existing conditions — or deny coverage when you get sick. It would require insurance companies to pay for preventive care. It would also allow parents to keep their unemployed children on their policies until they turn 26. And it would end taxpayer funded subsidies to Big Insurance.

The historic nature of this moment cannot be overstated. The opportunity to end insurance company abuses is a moment for which we have worked long and hard. It is a vote that will affect our children, and their children. Please take a moment now to contact your member of Congress. Tell him/her the time has come to stand up to the insurance companies. The time has come to pass health care reform.

Please go to: http://www.unionvoice.org/cam paign/stand_up_for_reform

Thanks to you, when the history books are written on this struggle, they will read: AFSCME was there.

In solidarity,

Gerald W. McEntee
International President

My email to my representative, Darrell Issa (R-CA):

It is time to end this insanity to take our state, our country, and our future over the cliff. You cannot continue to spend massive amounts of taxpayer dollars on this farce you call health care reform. You cannot enforce price controls on insurance companies without cutting the actual cost of health care provided by doctors and providers--it is foolish and ideological to think that you can, and this will only result in bankrupting insurance companies. It is insane and not logical to think that you will be able to control costs by enacting price controls on insurance companies alone.

There are real reforms that can be enacted; you can start with enacting tort reform laws, allow interstate buying of insurance, let people deduct their insurance costs as companies do now, allow health savings account deductions, provide refundable tax credits so individuals can buy their own insurance, and allow small business to pool together to buy insurance for employees in any state.

There are so many more SMARTER actions you can take. A vote FOR this maniacal action by you will equate to my vote AGAINST you in the next election. And, believe me, I will take every action necessary to build a populus to OUST you from your seat.

Health Insurance Bills and the "Deeming" Process

I could not help myself anymore. As much as I want to stay away from the white house website, I just had to send an email to Mr. Obama to let him know how I feel about the health insurance bills currently in congress and their plan to use that demon 'deeming' process. At this point, I feel I have a right to voice my concerns and feelings and I have that freedom of speech, at least for now. Here's what I wrote:

"I am thoroughly disgusted with congress' plan to force a sham of a health insurance bill. I want reform to lower costs and provide coverage for as many people as possible--wanting reform has never been a disputed issue. However, the current bills DO NOT ensure lower costs to anyone and ARE detrimental to the health of our economy. Do you NOT hear me? THE BILLS DO NOT LOWER COSTS AND ARE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR ECONOMIC HEALTH. And, the 'deeming' process congress is threatening to use for passage of these pigs (bills) is unconscionable and borders on malfeasance. For you, sir, to agree with and support the use of this 'deeming' process is in itself an act of treason against our nation. You are a most disgusting and pathetic person. I pity your beautiful children who will, for years, be ridiculed for your mismanagement of our country and your folly."