With tomorrow being April Fool's Day: American Taxpayers should tell Congress "We are not being fooled"

American Taxpayers To Congress:

"You Are Not Fooling Me!!"

Call Congress on April 1st!

Dear American Taxpayer,

On this Thursday, April 1st we are asking you and everyone who supports the FairTax to call their two United States Senators and Member of the House of Representatives to tell them you are not fooled!

Just think, hundreds of thousands call their Senators and Member of Congress, all on one day: do you think that will get their attention?

You bet it will!

Tell them you and hundreds of thousands of FairTax supporters are not being fooled, and are not fooling around anymore!

Call and tell them:

• Taxes are out of control, and you know it.


• Deficits are out of control, and you know it.


• Gifts of taxpayer money to banks and special interests are out of control, and you know it.


• The economy and the future of country are out of control, and you know it.
  

Your Senators and their phone numbers:

• Charles 'Chuck' E. Grassley - (202) 224-3744


• Tom Harkin - (202) 224-3254

Your Member of the House of Representatives:

• David 'Dave' Loebsack - (202) 225-6576

Make three calls, all on April Fool’s Day. Tell your Senators and Member of Congress you are not fooled, you know what is happening to our nation.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans calling every Senator and Member of Congress on one very appropriate day, April Fool’s Day! They will never forget it!

Make your three calls this Thursday, April 1st!

We received the above e-mail from http://FairTax.org.

peace

State of Iowa Legislature begins 2010 Legislative Session

The challenges facing the State of Iowa will fall on the shoulders of the Iowa Legislature and Governor Chet Culver as they began the 2010 Legislative Session on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 10 a.m. The Iowa Legislature plans to cut off business two weeks early in 2010.

Iowa Legislature opens 2010 session facing budget challenges - The Gazette

Iowa Legislature Opens Shortened Session on Budget - ABC News
AP The Iowa Legislature convened Monday for a shortened session with legislative leaders promising to make deep cuts needed to ...

Iowa Legislature set to start brief session focusing on big budget problems - WQAD
Culver stands to gain from shortened legislative session - DesMoinesRegister.com
LAWMAKERS RETURN: Legislators are getting back to work Monday and their focus ... -WHO-TV

Iowa Legislature: New session, old tactics - DesMoinesRegister.com (blog)
Iowa could get as much as $175 million, which looks mighty appealing in such a tight budget year. But there are significant strings attached, ...

In Cedar Rapids, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) meets with the Chamber of Commerce, speaks at the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids at a Noon luncheon, then heads to Anamosa for a Town Meeting.

Businesses tell Grassley that failures will accelerate - The Gazette
CEDAR RAPIDS — Business failures from the June 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids will be higher than necessary because of the slow and ...

peace

Did you catch the Heritage Foundation update on Senate Finance Committee Health Care Bill?

This was a note on October 1, 2009 on Facebook from the Heritage Foundation on Obamacare: Day Six In The Senate Finance Committee

The Senate Finance Committee continued its mark-up of the America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009 on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

President Barack Obama made a couple of very high-profile promises concerning key issues that have emerged during the August recess and in contentious congressional town hall meetings. In his September 9, 2009 address to Congress and the nation in a special session of Congress, the President said that Americans could be assured that in his version of health care reform, there would be no federal funding of abortion nor the use of taxpayer funds to cover illegal immigrants.

In the key policy decisions of the Senate Finance Committee, those promises counted for little.

Protection of the Rights of Conscience (Hatch Amendment C13)

As noted, President Obama told Congress and the nation that, “no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place”. In that spirit, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) presented two amendments to remove any uncertainty and reinforce the President’s very public commitment. Sen. Hatch’s first amendment would have protected federal conscience laws; it would have prohibited discrimination against medical professionals who did not want to practice or participate in abortion and protect the right of conscience of physicians and other health care professionals, as well as officials of health care facilities, organizations, and insurance plans. Countering Senate Democrats who declared the amendment unnecessary, Sen. Hatch said the bill’s language was ambiguous, and he sought to erase all doubt in the Committee’s intentions regarding the issue. The Committee voted against Sen. Hatch’s amendment 10-13. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) voted with Senate Democrats against the amendment, while Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) voted with Hatch and Senate Republicans for the amendment.

Federal Funding for Abortion (c-14)

Sen. Hatch’s second amendment would have prohibited federal funds from being used for elective abortions or to subsidize insurance plans that cover abortions. Hatch provided that nothing would stop insurers from offering supplemental policies for abortion—but plans funded or subsidized by the federal government could not provide abortion. Sen. Hatch’s amendment also provided exceptions to this law in the cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother. Hatch’s rationale was to codify official promises made on both sides of the aisle that taxpayer dollars would not fund abortions. Though the Hyde Amendment already provides for such a restriction on the use of taxpayers’ money, it must be passed every year. Sen. Hatch’s amendment would have also written the President’s promise into law. The Hatch amendment failed in the Senate Finance Committee 10-13. Senators Snowe and Conrad also crossed party lines again in their votes.

Using Taxpayers Dollars to Cover Illegal Immigrants (Grassley Amendment C8 )

In his address on health care, President Obama also stated that, “…there are those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms…I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.” This statement ignited South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson’s controversial outburst.

To secure the President’s commitment, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced an amendment that would require proof of citizenship in order to access federal health programs. Sen. Grassley’s amendment would have required proper identification in applying for Medicaid benefits: Medicaid applicants, or the guardian of an applicant under the age of 18, would present government-issued identification at the time of application for Medicaid or CHIP benefits. Sen. Grassley’s amendment failed by a vote of 10-13. It was a party line vote, with Senate Democrats voting against the Grassley amendment.

Increased Consumer Costs. (Enzi Amendment C4, Grassley Amendment F1, and Hatch Amendment F17)

The President has said repeatedly that he would oppose middle class tax increases, and that, as a result of health reform, the typical American family would see a $2500 annual reduction in their health premium costs. Nonetheless, the Senate Finance Committee “mark” contains various taxes, which would be tantamount to middle class tax increases. These include taxes on insurance companies based on their market shares, taxes on drug manufacturers, taxes on medical device manufacturers, and taxes on clinical laboratories. Economists know, of course, that such additional taxes are passed on to consumers through higher insurance premiums and higher costs for drugs and medical devices. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) proposed amendments to protect Americans against these proposed tax increases.

Sen. Enzi’s amendment would have required that- before implementing the bill’s new insurance rating rules, each state’s State Insurance Commissioner would have to certify that insurance premiums would not rise for a majority of residents. This amendment failed by a vote of 10-13 along a party line.

Sen. Grassley’s offered an amendment to strike the bill’s additional fees on health insurance plans. Title VI of the Chairman’s mark imposes a fee of $60 billion on insurance providers, which would be apportioned among all health insurance providers based on their market shares. The Grassley amendment was also defeated on a party line vote.

Finally, Sen. Hatch offered up an amendment that would have required the Government Accountability Office to certify that consumers would not pay the higher taxes imposed on health insurers, manufacturers of drugs and medical devices, and clinical laboratories. During the debate , Chairman Baucus expressed the novel belief that such annual fees would be borne by companies, and that they would not be passed onto the consumers. In that spirit, Sen. Hatch’s amendment would have codified the Chairman’s good intentions. The Committee nonetheless voted, along party lines, against the Hatch Amendment by a 10 to 13 vote.

The Senate Finance Committee, once again, has given ordinary Americans another insight into the gap between official Washington’s promises and the reality of the health care legislation being developed in Congress. Based on the President’s clearly stated intentions, on such matters as illegal immigration and taxpayer funding of abortion, it is obvious that the White House Office of Congressional Relations needs to do a better job communicating them to the Senate.

Other links on the Senate Finance Health Care discussion:

A look at the Senate Finance health care bill -The Associated Press
The Senate Finance Committee pushed ahead Wednesday on a comprehensive health care bill. The panel hopes to finish the legislation by week's end. ...
Senate Panel Expects to Finish Thursday on Health-Care Bill - Washington Post
America Wants to See Health Care Bill - FOXNews
US Sen Panel Approves State Health Insurance Plan Measure - Wall Street Journal

Point of Information: Two Paths to a Public Option in Health-Care ... - Washington Post
Two amendments considered, and defeated, Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee both aimed to get to the same place -- creating a government-sponsored ...
Senate Dems will push public option - Politico
Rockefeller: Time for Insurance Companies to Spend Money on Actual ... - Daily Kos (blog)
An Attempt to Force Insurance Companies to Dedicate More Cash to Care - The Washington Independent

peace

So, we have 17 candidates for 6 Council positions in Cedar Rapids for November?

Three for Mayor, five for two At-Large positions, choices in District 1 and 3, but District 5 incumbent stands unopposed as Cedar Rapids prepares for 11/3/09 City Election.

17 hopefuls file for 6 C.R. Council seats - The Gazette

http://www.neighborhoodnetworknews.com/ doesn't list all candidates, but interviews are found on Robin Kash's web site. As of today, web site only lists 15 of 17 candidates for City Council.

Cedar Rapids mayoral candidates’ first impression - The Gazette

Who's on the Ballot in Cedar Rapids? - KCRG ‎
Incumbent Kay Halloran is not running for re-election due to health concerns. City Council district 1 is between incumbent Kris Gulick, Ryan Russell, ...
Cedar Rapids Mayoral Candidates' First Impression - KCRG

Other News of Interest ...

Grassley believes Obama distorted his comments on health care - The Gazette

Sen. Chuck Grassley said Thursday President Obama distorted his comments this summer about the Democrats’ health care reform proposals and that he resents it. Grassley, R-Iowa, recalled that he was asked at a town hall meeting in August about the draft bill, including whether it would insert a bureaucrat in place of a physician in advising a patient about end-of-life planning. Grassley said he merely commented that the draft bill should not “determine whether you’re going to pull the plug on grandma.” Then-Gov. ...

Iowa Department of Economic Development Director resigns - The Gazette

The surprise resignation the state’s economic development director apparently stemmed from questions about the use of tax incentives lawmakers approved to stimulate the film industry in Iowa. The resignation of Mike Tramontina as director of the Department of Economic Development (DED) was announced by Gov. Chet Culver’s office late Friday afternoon ...

Republican Party of Iowa: Governor misleads Iowans about state ... - IowaPolitics.com (press release) - Danielle Plogmann
Governor Culver's statement is deceptive and misleading. Due to the receipt and expenditure of one-time federal stimulus money to backfill shortfalls in ...

peace

The Impact a Supreme Court selection can have on the Second Amendment

The Thursday, July 16, 2009 edition of The Star Tribune features an article titled, Sotomayor: from guns to Perry Mason. For more on the constitutional significance of the Second Amendment read Public Interest Institutes's Brief titled: Do citizens have the right to keep and bear arms? and District of Columbia v. Heller.

NRA Opposes Sotomayor, Cites 'Hostile View' of Gun Rights‎ - Wall Street Journal blogs
The NRA criticized several of the positions Sotomayor had taken on Second Amendment rights. “It is only by ignoring history that any judge can say that the ...

Don't Mess With Sotomayor‎ - Washington Post

Sen. Graham's Second Round of Questioning at Judge Sotomayor's ...‎ - Washington Post

On a local note, Iowa Senator Charles Grassley questioned Sonia Sotomayor in 3Rd round of questions on July 16, 2009. Senator Grassley's questioning was not directly related in any way to the Second Amendment, Transcript from the Washington Post and focuses on "stare decisis." Senators Grassley and Leahy discuss Sotomayor o... - YouTube

peace

What direction is Health Care Reform heading and where should it head in the USA?

Today's post comes from the article in the Friday June 19, 2009 edition of the Washington Post. The paper features an article titled: "Senate's Health-Care Draft Calls for Most to Buy Insurance, Nixes Obama's 'Public Option.'" For more on the issue read the Public Interest Institutes's Brief: "A Healthcare Prescription for Iowa."

"A draft proposal in the Senate to overhaul the nation's
health-care system would require most people to buy health insurance, authorize
an expansion of Medicaid coverage and create consumer-owned cooperative plans instead of the government coverage that President Obama is seeking." - Washington Post

On Thursday June 18, 2009, the Washington Post article reported that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) met with four Republicans, including Iowa's Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking GOP member on the panel, along with two Democratic colleagues in an attempt to find bipartisan consensus. Baucus dubbed the group "the coalition of the willing."

The Economist has an interesting article dated April 23, 2008 titled "Health Care Around the World: Switzerland." Google's highlight of the Apr 23, 2008 article ...

"Still of all the countries with universal health care, Switzerland's is the
most market-oriented and merits discussion. Switzerland's health" ... - Google

Movement towards the President's government health care system has raised concerns with many that it could have an impact on innovation. Today, the United States ranks number one as The Economist article dated June 8, 2009 titled "Top Countries for Biotechnology Innovation" points out.

Overall the Top 5 Countries for Biotechnology Innovation (source: The Economist):

1. U.S.
2. Singapore
3. Denmark
4. Israel
5. Sweden
   

You can see the full list of rankings here. More discussion on these rankings can be found here.

The health care debate in Washington D.C. is extremely important. We need to keep health care costs at the consumer level. As was mentioned in one of the articles, "When patients are paying for health care costs directly, they are more sensitive to what those cost are."

We need to empower the public. Why are consumers restricted to purchase health insurance beyond their state? Congress prohibits basically interstate commerce when it comes to health care insurance. Wouldn't increasing competition have a positive results on controlling premium costs and care?

Like with housing and food subsidies, we do need to help those disadvantaged in our society. We do need to make sure the consumer has some responsibility and stake in the system. We need to encourage prudence in our society. When it comes to discussing health care and other public policy issues... remember, Character Counts!

peace

The 111th Congress from the State of Iowa

State of Iowa

Senators for the State of Iowa
Grassley, Charles [R]
Harkin, Thomas [D]

House Members for the State of Iowa

IA-1
Braley, Bruce [D]
IA-2
Loebsack, David [D]
IA-3
Boswell, Leonard [D]
IA-4
Latham, Thomas [R]
IA-5
King, Steve [R]

http://twitter.com/cidsports

peace

Negative Advertising: Local Races

So, I tune in on the TV and I hear a political advertisement taking down a local candidate for Iowa State House District 37, on issues that relate to Federal government and Federal public policy and their apparent support for our President, George W. Bush.

I guess all is fair in love and way; and competing in two-party political races?

The local candidate sent me an e-mail stating the following:

The first one went up on Sunday. There was no truth to it. The ad tried to
connect me to Bush's "failed economic plans" and accused me of shipping jobs
overseas, causing the mortgage crisis, Prititizing social
security," etc. The attack was so bad that Senator Grassley called
out the Democrats on O Kay Henderson's blog http://learfield.typepad.com/radioiowa/2008/10/raising-social.html and
even Todd Dorman of the Gazette commented http://24hourdorman.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/grassley-and-i-confused/.

While the candidate is not in my Iowa House District, I have to agree that political campaigns have gotten negative and clearly have resorted to issues and scare tactics that have no relationship to Iowa House district that she is running in.

The candidate in the e-mail went on to say the following:

If anyone questions my positions, have them call me at 431-6150 or to to my
website http://www.reneeschulte.org/ where there is a link on the front page
with the truth.

We need to find a way to bring back the Douglas-Lincoln public conversations. While the Al Smith Foundation Dinner was great humor, it would have been interesting to watch Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama meet in Town Meetings through out the Presidential campaigns, rather than the media driven Presidential Debates.

Of course, lets make sure that we get out and vote. Where do I go to Vote in the State of Iowa on Election Day: November 4, 2008?

We encourage you to gather the information about the candidate and to Vote in the General Election on November 4th!

peace