The union that represents the field agents at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has unanimously passed a “vote of no confidence” for the agency’s leadership, saying ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has “abandoned” its core mission of protecting the public to support a political agenda favoring amnesty.

Border
photo credit: t3hWIT

The resolution says that the leadership of ICE had “abandoned the agency’s core mission of enforcing U.S. immigration laws and providing for public safety,” instead it is directing its attention “to campaigning for programs and policies related to amnesty“and the creation of a special detention system for foreign nationals that exceeds the care and services provided to most U.S. citizens similarly incarcerated.

The National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council of the American Federation of Government Employees represents over 7,000 ICE agents and employees.   With a vote of 259-0 for a resolution saying there was “growing dissatisfaction and concern” over the leadership of Assistant Secretary John Morton, who heads ICE, and Phyllis Coven, assistant director for the agency’s office of detention policy and planning.

“It is the desire of our union … to publicly separate ourselves from the actions of Director Morton and Assistant Director Coven and publicly state that ICE officers and employees do not support Morton or Coven or their misguided and reckless initiatives, which could ultimately put many in America at risk,” the union said.

In a strongly worded statement, the union and its affiliated local councils said the integrity of the agency “as well as the public safety “would be” better provided for in the absence of Director Morton and Assistant Director Coven.”    

More about the Statement:

The statement also noted that:

• The majority of ICE’s enforcement and removal officers are prohibited from making street arrests or enforcing U.S. immigration laws outside of the jail setting.
• Hundreds of ICE officers nationwide perform no law enforcement duties whatsoever because of resource mismanagement within the agency.
• ICE detention reforms have transformed into a detention system aimed at providing resort like living conditions to criminal aliens based on recommendations not from ICE officers and field managers, but from “special-interest groups.”
• The lack of technical expertise and field experience has resulted in a priority of providing bingo nights, dance lessons and hanging plants to criminals, instead of addressing safe and responsible detention reforms for noncriminal individuals and families.
• Unlike any other agency in the nation, ICE officers will be prevented from searching detainees housed in ICE facilities, allowing weapons, drugs and other contraband into detention centers — putting detainees, ICE officers and contract guards at risk.
• Senior leadership ignores reports that ICE internal investigations by the office of professional responsibility conceal agency and supervisor misconduct and are used to retaliate against employees who make whistleblower-type disclosures or question inappropriate policies and procedures.

ICE documents show that during the first nine months of fiscal 2010, a total of 279,035 noncitizens were removed from the U.S. as a result of ICE enforcement.

Union Claims:

According to the union, illegal immigrants now being held in state and local jails seek out ICE agents for deportation to avoid prosecution, conviction and prison terms. They also say criminal aliens “openly brag” that they are taking advantage of a broken immigration system and will be back in the United States within days to commit crimes — while U.S. citizens arrested for the same offenses serve prison sentences.

The no-confidence vote, taken in June and made public last week in a letter by the union, said the agency’s senior leadership dedicated “more time to campaigning for immigration reforms aimed at large-scale amnesty legislation than advising the American public and federal lawmakers on the severity of the illegal-immigration problems.”

What do others say?

Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security said that the Obama administration is “simply not serious about enforcing all of our immigration laws.”  He said ICE doesn’t have the resources because it didn’t ask for them, adding that “the Obama administration did not request a single new detention bed in their most recent budget request.”

Rep. Smith claims that the limits on detention capacity that they now claim hold them back from further enforcement are of their own making, he said. ICE is running under its average daily detention capacity and that the Obama administration is not even using all the resources it has.

Michael W. Cutler, a retired 31-year U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) senior criminal investigator and intelligence specialist, said that it is clear that the marching orders coming from the administration have nothing to do with securing our nation’s borders or enforcing the immigration laws.  According to him ”It is an absolute absurdity to believe that our nation can successfully wage a war against terrorists who are determined to enter our nation and then embed themselves in our nation with virtually no fear of being identified, arrested or removed from our country”.

Janice Kephart, director of national security policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, described the no-confidence vote in a statement last week as an example of how ICE’s mission was being “skewed towards supporting an unflinching goal of amnesty by refusing to allow agents to do their job.”

Secretary John Morton, who heads ICE recently announced new guidelines telling his agents to focus on “apprehending terrorists and criminals”, causing many of agency’s rank-and-file agents to wonder who, then, is responsible for tracking down and detaining the millions of other illegal border-crossers and fugitive aliens now in the country.

The new guidelines note that ICE only has resources to remove approximately 400,000 aliens per year, less than 4 percent of the estimated illegal-alien population in the United States, and that as a result, it needed to focus wisely on the limited resources Congress had provided the agency.

He said the agency would prioritize the apprehension and removal of aliens who “only pose a threat to national security and/or public safety, such as criminals and terrorists.”  Lesser priorities were given to foreign nationals caught crossing the border illegally or using phony immigration documents to gain entry, and those identified as fugitives after failing to show up for immigration or deportation hearings.

More on Fox News – Neil Cavuto interviews Director Morton

I watched Neil Cavuto discussing this issue with Director of ICE John Morton today.  It became obvious that Mr. Morton was sticking to his talking points, defending the administrations position, defending all the work ICE has done and denying any fault.  Time and time again, he dodged the question of granting amnesty … simply repeating that he nor the administration support amnesty to “EVERYONE“.   (I don’t think anyone is suggesting it for … “EVERYONE”.)  Neil Cavuto continued to rephrase the question trying to get a straight answer.  Mr. Morton continued to dodge the real question by rephrasing his talking point and not answering the real question.

What do you say???  Papa B.

Drug Cartels and illegals are crossing the US border committing violent murders, kidnappings, rapes, and more.  Recently, Arizona passed a law that is drawing much controversy.  I am not sure I totally understand the reason for the concern.  Just to make sure we all understand.  Is the real concern racial profiling or being caught?

photo credit: jonathan mcintosh

LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT …

• IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.
• IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.
• IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.
• IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.
• IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
• IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.
• IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.

IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET...

• A JOB
• DRIVERS LICENSE
• SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
• WELFARE
• FOOD STAMPS
• CREDIT CARDS
• SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE
• FREE EDUCATION
• FREE HEALTH CARE
• A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
• BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
• THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY’S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON’T GET ENOUGH RESPECT
• AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE.

AND OMG, … IF SOMEONE SO MUCH AS ASK FOR YOUR ID, YOU WANT TO CLAIM SOCIAL PROFILING AND FILE A LAW SUIT!

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION!

IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!!!!!!!!!  Papa B!

Nashville Tennessee Flood 2010.

The video below was sent to me by a very good friend who lives near Nashville.  It’s amazing how different places handle crisis and tragedy differently.

Unbelievable! Listen up, World!  … No looting!  No crime sprees!  No waiting for a handout!  No blaming the government!

Congrats Nashville!  … A Class Act!  Music City Plays on!  This is one Boomer who is impressed and inspired!  Our thoughts are with you!  PB

For more see Nashville Flood 2010.  .

What does health care reform include … REALLY?  How does a boomer like me separate the the Facts(Bull) from the Myths(Crap)?  One side says one thing.  The other side says something completely different about the same fact.  One thing for sure, both sides have their own spin on what is and isn’t in the bill.  At least some of that spin seems to me to be a distortion of the English language.  Some of the spin is a blatant distortion of the truth.

photo credit: Wheezy Jefferson

At this point, some of the arguments your friends, neighbors or co-workers continue to debate don’t even factor into the legislation signed by President Obama.  Below are a few questions and answers.  

Questions From you … Answers from the White House.

So, what’s the truth behind the Affordable Health Care for America Act?  The following are a list of questions and answers with a definite White House “spin”.

Question: Will I be forced to change insurance?
White House Answer: No. That’s a MYTH.  If you’re satisfied with your current plan, you can keep it.

Truth: That is technically true, until such time as your current plan is no longer offered because the Company you work for can no longer afford to offer it, or you can’t afford the higher cost of it.  Even then you will not be forced to change … you just won’t be able to afford it, so you will want to change!  Papa B.

Question: Will illegal immigrants now be covered by our money?
White House Answer: No. That’s a MYTH.  In fact, undocumented immigrants are expressly excluded from coverage. Only legal immigrants who pay their share will be covered.

Truth: They are already covered by our money! The only thing they are expressly excluded from is paying for it.  They have better coverage than you and I already! They show up in the emergency room and don’t pay a cent. I am thinking about looking into how to become one.  Papa B.

Question: Will I go to jail or be harassed by the IRS if I don’t have health coverage?
White House Answer: No. That’s a MYTH.  In 2014 Americans (except Native Americans, Inmates or those with religious objections) will be required to have health insurance or pay an annual penalty. True.   However, the law prevents the IRS from using levies, liens or seizing property. Additionally, the IRS cannot impose criminal penalties (such as time in jail).

Truth: In 2014 if you don’t have health care insurance you won’t go to Jail, but you will pay a fine(penalty).  As currently laid out in the bill, the IRS will check monthly to make sure you have insurance.  If you don’t have insurance they will begin deducting withholding from you to pay the penalty(fine).  The IRS will have no need to “harass” you, they will simply take it from you.  The good news is that the fine, as defined today, is far less expensive for most than paying for the insurance coverage.  So … why buy it if you don’t think you need it.  Go to the emergency room and let the rest of us pay it … like we do now.  Papa B.

Question: I heard there was going to be a 10% tax increase across the board. Is that true?
White House Answer: No. That is a MYTH.  While there will be tax implications, most of the biggest changes apply to medical manufacturers, insurers and pharmaceutical companies.  In fact, some Americans may see no changes at all. Tax changes that could affect average individuals include …
• A 10% sales tax on indoor tanning (yes, really)
• A 0.9% increase on the Medicare tax rate
• A 3.8% tax on investment income for individuals earning more than $200,000 and households earning more than $250,000
• Taxes on high-end or “Cadillac” health care plans (this excise tax would not begin until 2018 and only apply to insurers of plans that exceed $10,200 annually for individual coverage, or $27,500 annually for family coverage)

Truth: 100% Bull … nope, I mean 100% Crap… no, I mean 100% Bull Crap! I don’t even know where to start.  All taxes affect the average individual,  no matter where they are imposed, or how big the company is that they impose them on, the they are eventually paid for by the individual tax payer in the price of the product or service that “big company” provides! Tax increases to medical manufacturers, insures, and pharmaceuticals affect will affect every average American. Companies don’t pay taxes!  People Do!

Now the tanning tax, that’s just plain hilarious.  The reasoning behind that one is that tanning inside causes health care cost to go up because of cancer implications.  Probably true, but then why can I ride a motorcycle without a helmet without paying a tax?  It sort of the same logic as not being able to smoke in a bar but, let’s legalize marijuana! The good news is that if you already have a tan, or you don’t really want a tan, this is one tax you won’t have to pay. Papa B.

Question: Will the government now pay for abortions?
White House Answer: No. That’s a MYTH.  The law already in place which prevents using federal money to fund abortions (except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to a woman’s life) is not being altered.
Truth: Finally, … the truth! … The government doesn’t pay for anything!  The tax payer does! You, however, will only have to pay for “legal” abortions per the “current” bill!  Papa B.

Question: Will I have to pay for other people’s abortions?
White House Answer: No. That’s a MYTH.  Those opposed to abortion will not be forced to assist in funding them. You can simply select a plan that does not offer them. This applies not only to people who may have objections to abortions on moral grounds, but also to those who simply have no reason to pay an extra premium for that type of coverage (such as women past their child bearing years or single men).

Truth: Read that answer again.  The first part of the answer, “No. That’s a Myth.” is just not true! One more time … if the government pays for any abortions, it comes straight out of your (the taxpayers) pocket. Your taxes will be paying for legal abortions. The rest of that answer makes no sense at all to the question.  It simply says that you can select a plan for yourself that won’t cover your own abortions.   Papa B.

Question: Does the “Public Option” mean the government will run health care?
White House Answer: No. That’s a MYTH … and a non-factor at this point.  In fact, the “public option” did not make it into the final legislation that President Obama signed. THERE IS NO PUBLIC OPTION. Even before it was dropped from the bill, it was misunderstood to be government-run health care – wherein the government would make your health care decisions. Rather, it would have been government-provided insurance option to compete with private insurance.

Truth: True, it didn’t make the bill … yet.  But again, It doesn’t answer the question.  The question asks whether the ‘Public Option” means the government will run health care not whether it is included in the this bill.  However, I would define a “government-provided insurance option to compete with private insurance” as a government run “public option”.   Papa B.

Question: Will my Medicare benefits be cut in order to extend care to others?
White House Answer: No. That, too, is a MYTH.  Brooks Jackson, director of FactCheck.org, says that although the reform package includes $500 billion in “cuts”, it does NOT include traditional Medicare benefit reductions.

Truth: Read the answer. The question is, “Will my medicare benefits be cut”?  The answer above says that “although the reform package includes $500 billion in cuts”, it “does not include traditional medicare benefit reductions“. Define “traditional Medicare reductions” That simply says it won’t cut the benefits that they traditionally cut before.  It leaves a lot of other medicare benefits that weren’t traditionally cut! Papa B.

Question: Does this mean that “death panels” are now a reality?
White House Answer: No. And they never were.  This myth was based on misunderstanding of a provision in the original bill that required payment, by Medicare, for health care practitioner-led end-of-life counseling.  This is not part of the law.
Truth: Correct!  There are no “Death Panels” in this bill.  However, the term did not just refer to required payment for “end of life counseling.  It also referred to panels of people who will determine what procedures your government health care insurance will pay for based on your situation such as age, medical history, etc.  That, in fact, is a part of this bill. Papa B.

Confused?

Confusing doesn’t even begin to describe it.  Throughout the very long debate over health care reform, a great deal of misinformation, some of it spurred by presumption or misunderstanding, was circulating.  Additionally, many changes and alterations to the proposed law were made along the way.  It is so complex, there were so many changes, and so many spins, that no one really knows what it all means or cost.   A couple of things are for certain.

1. If it really adds coverage for an additional 30 million people who currently don’t have insurance it can’t cost less.
2. No matter what the cost  … You and I are going to pay for it!

As for me … I still very confused.   You can read more at whitehouse.gov/healthreform … just don’t believe everything you read!  Whether it is Fact or Myth it is still hard to sort through the Bull Crap!  Papa B.

As a follow-up to The Real Cost of Health Care Reform – Who pays For It?, I felt compelled to further defend the case.  A friend of mine called me to contest my position concerning the business model that says that no one pays for tax increases or increased health care cost except you and me the consumer, employee, or stockholder.

photo credit: criticalbias.org

Not so, says my attorney friend.  My friend says his business is different.  His business doesn’t fit the model.  He believes that in his business there are no stockholders and he can’t defer it to his employees or customers.  He believes that his business pays for it.  He views himself as “The Business”.  In fact, he is correct.  He is the owner and in his case the owner pays for it.  Somebody has to.

He also believes strongly that the large medical malpractice settlements awarded to his clients are paid for by primarily the  insurance industry.  Also not true!     Once again, it is the individual taxpayer that foots the bill in every case.  It is built into the cost of health care in the form of medical malpractice insurance, unnecessary tests and procedures, increased hospitalizations. and other forms of defensive medical practices.  Medical malpractice insurance is paid for, not just by the doctor, but by all the people the doctor treats.  It is built into the cost of maintaining the doctors business.

As President  Obama said many times about John McCain … “he just doesn’t get it”.  I pretty sure I know who really doesn’t get it!

Who Pays For It?  Consider the following:

Whether the business is a sole proprietorship, partnership or large corporation the basic business model still applies.  In any business there are four types of people.  They are either owners, employees, customers, or suppliers.  All are individual taxpayers! Even those that don’t appear to pay taxes, in fact, do in the price of everything they purchase.

Every car, every gallon of gas, every Big Mac, every french fry, every cup of coffee, and oh yes, every beer you or I purchase has the the cost of health care and taxes built into it.  Even if you don’t work and don’t pay income tax, you pay taxes in everything you purchase.

No matter what the business is, it is the individual taxpayer, consumer, or employee, that pay the bill of increased cost.  There is no one else to pay.

If you are a sole proprietor, such as “Joe the Plumber”  you are the owner.  If you are part owner in a partnership, you are one of the owners.  If you are a stockholder of a large corporation you are an owner.  In the case of a large corporation the stockholders are made up of all types of people (grandmas, grandpas, mail carriers, pilots, engineers, retirees, CEO’s, etc.).  All are also an individual taxpayers!

COST + MARGIN = PRICE

If increased taxes or increased health care cost are forced on a business by the government ” Who Pays for it???”

Question #1

If the business is to maintain it’s current margin and does not cut other cost , then the price must go up.  Who pays?

1. The Owner/ Owners
2. The Customers
3. The Employees
4. The Suppliers

All costs, including taxes and health care insurance, are built into the price of the products, we the consumer, pay.

Question #2

If the business is to maintain it’s current price and margin then, some other business cost must go down.  Who Pays?

1. The Owner/ Owners
2. The Customer
3. The Employees
4. The Suppliers

Costs must be cut in the form of labor (wages, benefits, jobs).  As the cost of heath care benefits increase, the offerings go down or the employee contribution goes up!  Even if the costs are cut in areas such as materials, utilities, rent, etc., it is eventually paid by the employees or employees of the material or utility supplier or their subsequent suppliers.

Question#3

If the business is to hold the price and they cannot cut other cost, then the margin goes down.  Who pays for it?

1. The Owner/ Owners
2. The Customer
3. The Employees
4. The Suppliers

Sorry, there ain’t no Mr. Maytag.  All owners are individual taxpayers whether you are talking about a small business or a large corporation.  Even large investment corporations that purchase large portions of a large corporations stock are they themselves owned by groups of individual owners.

Even people who don’t work and don’t pay income taxes are tax payers.  It is built into the price of every  (legal) product or service sold.

The Cold, Hard Facts About Who Pays!

Corporations don’t pay taxes!  People do! Even corporate income taxes that support our government are built into the price the products they provide.  Corporations don’t pay them, it the consumer that pays them!

Government Doesn’t pay for anything!  Taxpayers do!

One hundred  percent of every tax the government imposes … the individual taxpayer pays …You and Me!

One hundred percent of everything the government does or provides … is paid for by the individual taxpayer … You and Me!

Anyone who doesn’t believe that really “Just Doesn’t get it!!!”

The real question is not “Who pays for it?”  There is no question about!  The real question remains … How much are You willing to pay for? … Papa B!

Caterpillar claims Health Care Reform Bill will hit their bottom line for $100 million.  John Deere claims it will cost them $150 million.  AT&T claims it is $1 billion.  No matter what the cost is or which corporations are impacted, the one thing for certain is that the tax payer will foot the entire bill.

photo credit: theqspeaks

Well, here we are.  Some people believe that “Large Corporations” have this unlimited resource or “Pot of Money” that they simply pull out when they need to pay the bills.  Then, what ever is left over goes to the “Big Wigs“, who buy mansions and fancy cars to show us how important they are.

There is an opinion that we can lay the tax burden on ” Large Corporations”  instead of the “little” guy and that the “little” guy will pay less as a result!  Sorry, it just doesn’t work that way.   It just ain’t so!!!

First of all, large companies don’t pay for tax increases.  Technically they do, but realistically, all taxes are eventually paid by the people who buy their products.  That’s a fact no one can argue!

The Basic Business Model

People invest in the stock of large corporations in order to gain a “fair” return on their money.  If a company can not return more on a person’s money than the person can get by putting in a nice safe savings account at the bank then the person would not, or at least should not, invest in that company.  Therefore, it is imperative that a company make a reasonable profit so it can return to it’s investors a fair return on their money.

The price of products are usually determined by the cost it takes to provide them as determined by all of the expenses (cost) required to produce and deliver that product or products to the market place.  It is also limited by the competitiveness of the industry the company participates in.  Never the less, you simply take (labor, material, utilities, advertising, health care benefits, warranty expense, taxes and all other costs and add a margin for profit.  The amount of margin is usually limited by the competitiveness of the industry that company competes in.

If expenses(cost) such as health care benefits or taxes go up, then it simply increases the total cost of producing the product or products.  In order to maintain profitability or margin, the price of the product must then either go up or other expenses(cost) must go down.  If the price goes up the consumer pays the increased cost of the health care or taxes in the increased price of the product.  The alternatives to increasing prices are not any better.

What if the price of the product doesn’t go up?

When health care costs and/or taxes go up, there are four things a company can do to maintain margin.

1. Increase the price of the product in which case the consumer pays more for the same product.  This is not a very viable solution if the company is to remain competitive in their industry. Everyone loses!
2. Cut jobs sometimes called improving productivity.  Everyone loses!
3. Reduce benefits or wages paid to it’s employees.  Everyone loses!
4. Move the jobs to somewhere that doesn’t have the same tax burdens or benefit costs (aka China, Mexico) Everyone really loses (unless you are from China or Mexico)!

Other Things A Company Can Do

Some will argue that there are other things you can do such as reduce material cost, reduce you utility cost, or even reduce your quality?  However, I will argue that in the big picture all of those have a chain reaction to your suppliers and/or consumers that results in the same reduced jobs, reduced benefits, and increased prices to consumers and real tax payers.

1. Reducing material cost simply puts the same burdens on your suppliers to reduce jobs and lower expenses.
2. Reducing utility usage puts the burden back onto the utility supplier to do the same as above and then next the coal companies, etc.,etc..
3. Reducing quality results in increased warranty cost, increased consumer costs or lack of competitiveness.

Who Pays for it? … You do! I do, We do! … Nobody else!

The government produces nothing.  They pay for nothing.  Everything they do, every job they add or create, every thing they supposedly pay for, every tax they impose on large or small businesses, every give away program they create is paid for from the taxes they collect from you.  The Government doesn’t make money.  Every cent they spend they get from us!

photo credit: McAli333

All increased cost are paid for by the consumer or the “little” guy.  You see there is no Mr. Maytag.  There is no Mr. John Deere.  There is no Mr. Caterpillar.  There is no Mr At&T.   There are stockholders, some are large stock holders, some are small stockholders.  There are consumers who buy the products.  There is no “Pot of Money”!

There is nobody but you and me to foot the bill for higher taxes.  It doesn’t matter where the government attempts to impose them, we pay for them!

Don’t let me mislead you, I am not for zero government.  There are things the government provides that we pay for that are absolutely necessary and appropriate.

The Real Question?

The real question becomes, “How much are you willing to pay for?”

Don’t know ’bout no $100 million, $150 million , or no $1 billion.  But, … that’s my TWO CENTS !!!  … Papa B.

Obama vs. McCrystal …

……  It is beyond my belief that the President is such a narcissist that he really believes that after spending ZERO time in the military he knows more than the career general he appointed to run the war in Afghanistan.  What is he thinking?  Or Smoking?  Is it really more important to save the Democratic seats in the November elections than to protect our troops in Afghanistan and possibly lose all that has been gained?  It may seem to be a tough decision, but who has more insight and experience when it comes to the military?  Obama and ”The Boys” … or the General?  Chicago politics has no place in the White House.  You already got the White House … time to quit campaigning and do your job!  Time to get rid of the “The Boys”.  Get rid of Raum Emanual! Get rid of David Axelrod! Get rid of Robert Gibbs.  It is time to answer the tough questions yourself and quit avoiding them.  Come on “Pres”  no one is questioning whether you are a Hawk or a Dove, but it  ain’t cool to be a pussy!  

Better to read it upside down than not to read it at all!

Healthcare Reform, the President wants this bill done and wants it done fast!  More rush to pass bills without allowing anyone to read them.  I, for one, want who ever I voted for to understand what they are voting for no matter what it is.  So why not read them?  Simple, they don’t want anyone to no what is included.

Let’s make Healthcare Reform an easy to sell to all Americans.

A simple solution for Healthcare!

I will gladly accept any plan the Congress. Senate, and the Obama Administration vote for as long as they and their families are covered by exactly the same plan and nothing more!  That makes it very easy for all Americans to have confidence in whatever plan they pass.  Anything less or more for those who vote on what our healthcare plan will be seems extremely unfair.  After all, we the taxpayers, pay the salaries of our Congressional Representatives  and Senators to represent us.

Why should any of them and their families have a different or better plan than the people who they represent?  Maybe they think they are better than the people they represent.  I can assure you Senator Edward Kennedy and many others would no longer be here if they had the plan they are proposing for us.  They also would not vote for it if they had to “live” by it.

My plan is simple.  Anyone who votes yes should be happy to accept what they voted for!  I can assure you if they have to live with it themselves they will read it and understand it.  Simple and fair … If  it is such a good deal for us, then they should be willing to accept it for themselves.

Better Plan Yet!  Just give us the same plan they have now!

Better yet just give all of us the same plan they already have.   Except for the fact that that we can’t possibly pay for it  … what’s the problem?  Just put it on the U.S. charge card, go bankrupt when we can’t make our payments, and then clean the slate.  It’s the American way!  Opps! … now that we own the banks, that won’t work either!

Or … how about we borrow the money from China, stiff them and then out nuke em!  Papa B.

The U.S. now has more Czars (31+ and growing) than Russia did (18) in it’s entire 400+ year history.  Who needs Congress?  More than 31 appointees by Barrack Obama into extremely powerful positions reporting directly to him without any Congressional hearings, approval, or oversite.  The first Czar appointed (the “Car Czar”) has now resigned under clouds of fraudulent activities.  We have a Pay Czar, Energy Czar, Green Jobs Czar, Urban Affairs Czar, Technology Czar, Great Lakes Czar, Information Czar, and Climate Czar, just to name a few.  Today he appointed a Science Czar.  “We even have a “Faith Czar”!   What about separation of Church and State?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of Obama?  This is unprecedented control by any single President, King, or Dictator.  I ran across this blog about Obama’s Czars.   It seems that Obama has done in a few months what Russia couldn’t do in 400 years.  Interesting, alarming, and worth the read.  Click on the following link ROMANTICPOET’S WEBLOG.  Is this the United States or Russia?

Killed in action the week before, the body of Sergeant First Class John C. Beale was returned to Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Georgia, just south of Atlanta, on June 11, 2009.  The Henry County Police department escorted the procession to the funeral home in McDonough, Georgia.  A simple notice in local papers indicated the road route to be taken and the approximate time.  Nowadays one can be led to believe that America no longer respects honor and no longer honors sacrifice outside the military.  Be it known that there are many places in this land where people still recognize the courage and impact of total self sacrifice.  Georgia remains one of those graceful places.  The link below is a short travelogue of that days remarkable and painful journey.  But only watch if you wish to have some of your faith in people restored.

A Heros Salute to Staff Sgt. John C. Beale from Rep. Steve Davis

Please share this widely.  So much more important and touching than issues witnessed this week on National TV.  A true reason for a Day of Mourning and Appreciation!  Thanks to all our soldiers who serve and sacrifice everything to insure our freedoms!  It is time to recognize the True American Heros!  Papa B.

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