How are the nation's Governors responding to Washington DC today?

Today's article is from the Monday, July 20, 2009 edition of The Washington Times. The Times features an article titled, Governors resist footing federal projects' bill. For more on the Administration's Keynesian economic policies read Public Interest Institutes Brief titled: Follow the Constitution rather than Keynes.

"Governor Jindal has seen enough, as a health-care policy expert, he
strongly believes that the House Democrat[ic] plan would be a disaster for the
long-term health of the American people, and the long-term health of the
economy." - Curt Anderson for Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA)

Morning Fix: Jindal Rises Again -Washington Post ‎
"Governor Jindal has seen enough," said Curt Anderson, a consultant for Jindal. "As a health-care policy expert, he strongly believes that the House ...

The Heritage Foundation reported on Facebook on July 20, 2009: Governors Balk at Obama Health Plan

President Obama just got turned down by America’s governors. Obama wanted governors to endorse his proposed overhaul of health care, but ran into opposition over the runaway costs, as reported by The New York Times. Instead he got this:
Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, a Democrat, said he feared Congress was about to bestow

“the mother of all unfunded mandates.”
“Medicaid is a poor vehicle for
expanding coverage,’ added Mr. Bredesen, a former health care executive. “It’s a
45-year-old system originally designed for poor women and their children. It’s
not health care reform to dump more money into Medicaid.”
Mr. Bredesen was
far from alone in his concern. “As a governor, my concern is that if we try to
cost-shift to the states we’re not going to be in a position to pick up the
tab,” said Gov. Christine Gregoire of Washington, also a Democrat.
“I’m
personally very concerned about the cost issue, particularly the $1 trillion
figures being batted around,” said Gov. Bill Richardson, the New Mexico Democrat
who served in the Clinton cabinet and ran for president against Mr. Obama.

Governors worry that Obama’s plan for a major expansion of Medicaid not only will break the bank in Washington, but also in the states—since they would be required to kick in part of the costs. That would worsen the multi-billion dollar shortfalls they already must address. Problems with the governors could be enormous for the White House. As The Heritage Foundation’s Dennis Smith wrote:

Congress and the Obama Administration are banking on using Medicaid to provide
coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. As many as one-third of those who
are uninsured could end up on Medicaid if it is expanded to 150 percent of the
federal poverty level. . . . State opposition could be a tremendous blow to
health care reform. Governors can be game-changers if they mobilize before
momentum is built behind specific legislation that expands Medicaid.

National Write Your Congressman web site reports ...

Blue Dogs Stand Firm on Health Care

The fiscally-conservative Blue Dog coalition of lawmakers in the House is not happy about the way health care legislation is moving through Congress. Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), Chairman of the Blue Dogs’ health care force, said on Monday that “the leadership has misread this…one” when they ignored Blue Dog requests to be included in drafting measures for health care reform.

“I think between the financial crisis, the auto bailout, the omnibus ... the
stimulus bill, the energy bill, I think it’s reached a point where not only the
Blue Dogs are saying, ‘Let’s slow down here.’ The people back home want us to
stop the spending, they want us to have time to read these bills, they want us
to have time to debate and understand these bills, and they don’t see that
happening.” - Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)

But, the leadership doesn’t get it, said Ross.

“I think they underestimated the Blue Dogs on this … We’re more united than
we’ve ever been, and so it’s not as easy as inviting one member in after the
next and finding out what their pet project is and helping them with their pet
project for their vote. This is much bigger than that.” - Rep. Ross

Ross said the legislation in its current form will not have the support of Blue Dogs. His tough stance against the overhaul bill drew praise from fellow Blue Dogs and other supporters in Congress.

“He’s doing a good job, and he’s right. When you’re right, you get a lot of
support. Mike has told the Speaker he wants health care reform, but there
need to be changes. So far the message isn’t getting through, for whatever
reason. I don’t know where they’re coming from on this.” - Rep. Collin
Peterson (D-MN)

"He’s expressing a huge sentiment shared by many in our Caucus. We’re trying
to save the bill and do what the president says we need, which is to control
costs.” - Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA)

Table of Contents from the nwyc.com:

Blue Dogs Stand Firm on Health Care
Senators Ask House Members for Advice
Exploring an Overhaul of REAL ID
Health Measures Could Weaken Economy
Consumer Financial Protection Authority

peace

Continuing the theme: Is Government the problem or the Solution?

Today's article comes from Guest Opinion Column, by Representative Jeff Kaufmann (R-Wilton) in the Iowa Press-Citizen earlier this month. Further, he wrote the following piece in the Coralville Courier: Your Capitol Voice for today. For more on Iowa state government and budget issues, read Public Interest Institute Brief: No Income Tax: The Key to Economic Growth.

Take a look at the following highlights from this week's newsletter from:

National Write Your Congressman, 214-342-0299 http://www.spesend.net/SpeClicks.aspx?X=2R0QE581HQM573RS00ZMWI

Vol. 13 No. 1-3
Monday, January 26, 2009

National Write Your Congressman’s Mission
To encourage responsible
Americans to use their influence in government to preserve the freedoms set
forth by our Founding Fathers.

Mortgage Bill Added to Stimulus Package
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said representatives are considering legislation aimed at preventing foreclosures by allowing judges to alter the terms of primary residential mortgages in bankruptcy proceedings. Senate lawmakers had also indicated that they might include such a provision in their version of the stimulus plan. (S.1) Click here for more information on this issue.

Wage Bias Bill Advances in Senate
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which would allow workers who allege discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, religion, age or disability to sue anytime within 180 days of receiving their last discriminatory paycheck, has advanced in the Senate. The House passed a broader version of the legislation earlier this month. The two bills will have to be reconciled before a final bill can be sent to President Obama for his signature.
The measure would overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision in which justices ruled 5-4 that Ms. Ledbetter, a supervisor at a Goodyear Tire Plant in Alabama who discovered she had been paid less than her male counterparts for nearly 20 years, could not sue because she had failed to challenge the discrimination within 180 days of the time it first occurred. (H.R.11) (S.181) Click here for more information on this issue.Click here to voice your opinion on this issue.

Guantanamo Bay to be Closed
President Obama issued a series of executive orders requiring closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year, ordering a review of detainee policies and requiring that all interrogations of detainees follow the Army Field Manual interrogation guidelines.

Product Safety Law
Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) is calling for Congress to revise and delay a law that institutes a ban on lead in children’s products. It is scheduled to go into effect Feb. 10, but Rep. Barton says it is too broad and could potentially harm small businesses.

Renewable Energy
Lawmakers are considering a bill that supporters say would be a major step toward addressing climate change and dependence on fossil fuels. Critics of the bill say that it would raise electricity bills for consumers in regions, such as the Southeast, with limited solar and wind resources. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is sponsoring the bill. (H.R.598)

House and Senate Vote on TARP Funds
The House passed a resolution of disapproval designed to temporarily block the release of the second half of the $700 billion financial bailout fund. However, the Senate last week rejected a similar resolution, thus allowing the Obama administration to tap the remaining $350 billion in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) created last fall. The remaining funds are scheduled to be released on Jan. 27. (H.R.384)

Public Insurance Programs in Stimulus Package
Two House committees approved sections of an economic stimulus bill that are intended to expand public insurance programs to cover many of the unemployed and accelerate the use of electronic medical records. Republicans were excluded from the drafting of the stimulus measure and oppose both its price tag, which is $825 billion, and its policy proposals, which they say represent a huge expansion of government. President Obama has agreed to meet privately with Republicans to address the issue. (H.R.598)

Broadband Provisions in Stimulus Package
House members could include a bill in the stimulus package that would provide $2.8 billion in grants for wired and wireless broadband deployment in parts of the country that have little or no Internet infrastructure. (H.R.598)

Cidsports and our public policy blog encourage you to network with your government officials in 2009. We need to encourage accountability and transparency at all levels of government.

House Republicans Call for More Transparency and Oversight in the Budget Process in the State of Iowa.

peace

Interesting article on Roosevelt health records... Secrecy, so what's next?

A Roosevelt Cover-Up? Political article December 10, 2008 from Newsweek.

We have a new president coming in 2009. In many respects, there has been a lot of secrecy on his background.

Clearly, facts and perceptions have been clouded by both sides in some of the partisanship communications that clearly occurred during the campaigns.

So, what's the New Deal for 2009?

Our President-elect would like to hear from you.

Share your vision for what
America can be, where President-Elect Obama should lead this country. Where
should we start together?

Whether you are Red, Green or Blue, it's clearly important to participate in the process. A site to consider... National Write Your Congressman, which is a vehicle to communicate with elected officials and the media.

http://twitter.com/cidsports

peace

We need more taxes... Globally, Nationally and Locally, right?

Globally, the Wednesday, December 3, 2008 edition of The Wall Street Journal in the Opinion section featured an article titled We Need a Global Carbon Tax. For more on the issue of global warming, read Institute Brief: Global Warming: Making the Evidence Fit the Theory.

The National Write Your Congressmen web site had a headline titled Letting the Bush Tax Cuts Expire. The web site mentioned, the following, which will have the same effect of a tax increase if the tax cuts are allowed to expire...

"With President-elect Barack Obama counting the days until his presidency
begins, Democrats in Congress are beginning to think about how they will
address
the tax cuts implemented by the Bush administration."

Locally, KCRG's web site is reporting in a December 4, 2008 story by reporter Mark
Geary: Shoppers Debate Potential New Local Sales Tax. The article reports that some on the City Council want to create a two percent local sales tax. Some would like the State of Iowa to allow the City Council to introduce the city sales tax without a vote of the people. Current Iowa
State law requires a public vote.

It is cold in the air in Cedar Rapids tonight, per twitter.com...

Joe_Winters
Tonight: Clearing and cold - Low near -3...wind chills near -10. More
snow on
Saturday - 1 to 3 inches during the morning. What a December!

Well, there appears to be more than chilly temperatures in the air. Taxes increases: globally, nationally and locally are clearly in the air today.

http://twitter.com/cidsports

peace

Welcome Back: National Write Your Congressman

In the past, I have been a member of the National Write Your Congressman. In honor of the Election of 2008, I have rejoined this organization. My biggest issue: Limited Government.

The full story, as the picture above mentions, is as follows:

NWYC Celebrates 50 Years

"This October marks 50 years of service for National Write Your Congressman
(NWYC).
For half a century, freedom-loving Americans have turned to NWYC to help
them express their views on vital issues that our lawmakers face every day in
Congress."

"As we continue to fulfill our mission “to encourage responsible
Americans to use their influence in government to preserve the freedoms set
forth by our Founding Fathers,” NWYC would like to thank you for joining us as
we work toward a better government."

"It is your opinions that matter to lawmakers; your vote that makes a
difference; and your voice that is heard above the roar of lobbyists and special
interest groups in Washington. We hope that NWYC can continue to help you
express your opinions to your members of Congress for many years to come." - National Write Your Congressman

Whether you are Blue, Green, Red or trying to determine your political view points, it is important you stay informed, communicate with your representatives and hold your representatives accountable for their votes. Be American: Participate and Vote!

peace