PROTECT OUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS!

Protect our rights to carry! Congress needs to hear from us and we need to tell them we're going to continue exercising our constitutional rights! Including our Second Amendment rights!

The National Rifle Association is a huge part of the tip of the spear defending us against those politicos who wish to strip us of our liberties. Sign the petition here. Let our politicos know how you feel!

As mentioned, us Americans, in particular those of us who are law abiding gun owners are under assault by those politicos who wish to strip us of our guns. This is America and our Constitution is still in effect!

We need to put an end to this seemingly endless assault on our liberties!

IMHO

Our POTUS Donald J. Trump is new to politics. He doesn't know any better... yet.

Well, our POTUS Donald J. Trump just had one helluva introduction to Politics 101 and he's still surviving.



Don't think for a moment that the whole political structure in this country isn't being manipulated, affected by the global politico community. It is! The argument is our POTUS Donald J. Trump better be a fast learner or he's going to be gutted and devoured by that global politico community, our politicos included.

Our POTUS Donald J. Trump doesn't know any better. Our POTUS Donald J. Trump isn't a politico, YET. Let's hope it stays that way.

That's why he's saying what's on his mind. That's why he's genuine, direct, frank in his discussions, his reactions. He has no time for the "kinder, gentler, more sensitive" approach. He calls things as he seems things and if he's wrong he'll back up, regroup and attempt to make it right.

THAT'S WHY HE WAS ELECTED!

But the existing politicos... locally, nationally and globally... well, they won't give him a second's notice before they pounce on him.

If I were the POTUS I'd wear their angst, their banter, their disdain, their lack of trust in him as a badge of honor. They're blatantly admitting that our POTUS Donald J Trump has no experience re: being a thief, a liar, a malcontent, a blight on society, a self serving public leach... I could go on but you get the idea.

They're admitting that POTUS Donald J. Trump doesn't know his way around the politico arena... locally, nationally or globally.

Hell! Trump said that himself!!! He told us that up front!

They're admitting that our POTUS Donald J. Trump isn't a member of their precious sorority, their "all about me" club. They're admitting that our POTUS Donald J. Trump doesn't fit in with them and their needs, wants, greeds. He doesn't share their lust for power, authority.

Nope. They're admitting that our POTUS Donald J. Trump is, well... just one of us... but with a helluva lot more money than us, as individuals. Which, quite frankly is why I voted for him. He was by far, without any doubt the best choice for me to make of the last two standing. He is just one of us...

Naivety, gut reaction, logic, experience and frankness seems to be the order of the day for our (so far) non-politico POTUS Donald J. Trump. I find that refreshing... refreshing as all get-out.

IMHO

James Comey was a failed FBI Chief... or did he intentionally "fail"?

Well, word has it that James Comey lied under oath but hey, I'm not following the hearings that much these days simply because they're nothing more than a show, a song and dance. Comey can and most likely will lie all he wants to but nothing will shake out of it. I see little, if any difference between the republicans and the democrats these days other than the fact that the politicos in each party are all about destroying the "other" party... democrats want republicans gone, republicans want democrats gone. Both are liberal as all get out in my book.

Comey was either derelict or he intentionally failed to adequately conclude key investigations as an agent and as the FBI chief.

Comey appears to have been heavily influenced by the likes of Obama, Clinton, Lynch and many, many other politicos who had (and still have) their sights set on the final push to bring our nation to its knees and make our republic a socialist state.

He and the rest of the politicos almost pulled it off were it not for the true power of the vote by the people!

IMHO

Maxine Waters... "You can't impeach a member of Congress!"

http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/05/30/maxine-waters-confronted-video-donald-trump-impeachment-lying-man?nmsrc=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=scoop&utm_medium=email

'You Aren't Representing Me': Trump Supporter Confronts Maxine Waters

As seen on Tucker Carlson Tonight

---

A Trump supporter confronted frequent presidential critic Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and asked why she wasn't being properly represented.

The woman asked Waters why she is not representing the Trump supporters in her Los Angeles district.

"I can't stand him. He's the most horrible man I've ever seen in my life," Waters said. "Your president is a dishonorable, lying man."

"He talked about grabbing women by the private parts. He lies every day," Waters said, adding that Trump is "in bed" with Russian petroleum oligarchs.

The woman asked Waters why she criticized Trump for the "Billy Bush tape," but stayed silent about the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

"I don't care about Clinton, I care about [Trump]," Waters responded, turning to walk away.

Waters told the woman she will continue to work against Trump until he is impeached.
The woman said she, in turn, will work until Waters is impeached.

"You can't impeach a member of Congress," Waters claimed as she walked away.

A former member of Congress, Tennessee founding father Sen. William Blount did face the threat of impeachment.

In 1797, the Senate dismissed all charges against him - for allegedly trying to get Britain to purchase the neighboring Louisiana territory from the cash-strapped French.

Watch the clip above, and check out Tucker Carlson discussing other controversial comments made by Waters.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bwa Ha note:

Actually Waters, you're not representing anyone but your own selfish agenda revealing you to be the true self serving politico you are!

Is It Time To Resist?

Our nation as we know it, as we knew it. Is it under siege? Are we just waiting for the other shoe to fall?

obummer and his cronies have this country in more turmoil than I have ever seen in my 60 years of life. I grew up in a military family loyal to the flag, the country, the cause! I enlisted in the Army 3 days after graduating from high school. We were at war and my country needed me so I enlisted.

Since 1975 I have served and am still serving my community in Law Enforcement. I'm intimately familiar with the concept of "harm's way" and view my weapons (personal and government issued) as professional and personal tools of freedom, of peace.

I'm not all that fond of the direction we're heading as a nation and I sure don't trust the current regime's empty promises. There's no doubt in my mind we're being groomed for a more humble, more submissive role in world leadership. I truly believe this latest pack of politicos who're ruining our country are hell bent on bringing us to our knees... call it atonement, call it whatever but they're of the belief we need to suffer, to apologize to the rest of the world for our freedoms, our successes we've enjoyed over the many decades of industrial and financial growth. It's my belief these politicos, both sides of the aisle, are sharing a shame of sorts for our progress made over the decades of prosperity we've enjoyed as a country, as a nation of free thinkers, workers, doers...

I'm not ashamed, I'm not atoning. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Neither should you, neither do you! We achieve and this group of politicos cry foul?!

Folks, this country as we know it is in harm's way!

What's in store for us? Who knows!

I have no doubt we'll be finding out pretty soon.

The following is some information that was "tweeted" to me today. I thought I'd share it here. Has it come to this? I hope not!

Plan to Resist

By: Craig Bowden January 6, 2013

We are at a critical moment in our nation’s history. The elitists in Washington DC appear they are moving to take away our right to keep and bear arms in direct violation of our second amendment rights.

As such, if legislation is passed it is your right to lawfully resist any attempt to confiscate your arms.

I have come up with a basic plan to hopefully combat this situation and I beg you to please listen to what I have to say.

1. Currently, it is only proposed at this stage. No legislation has been passed. As such, I need everyone who reads this to buy ammo and guns. Also, start training steadily to ensure your accuracy.

2. Since nothing is up for vote quite yet I need each and every one of you to contact your Congressman and Senators every single day until they get the hint.

Email them every day and call once a week. Do not let up the pressure. 3. Sign this petition (also sends an email to your representatives). petition

4. If legislation is passed we must push out state Attorney Generals to sue the federal government so it can be heard before the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. If they won’t listen to you push gun rights groups to sue.

5. DO NOT TURN IN OR REGISTER YOUR WEAPONS. Make them come for them. And keep them stored in different locations.

6. If they do come for you and your weapons do not allow them in your home. It is unconstitutional for them to be there.

7. Video record any attempt to arrest you.

8. I am calling everyone to network with friends and family to create phone trees. Texting 2A to a family member or friend is their signal to call everyone to head to your home to witness, photograph and video everything.

9. Once the media has been taken, upload it immediately. On twitter use the hash tag #2Aalert to notify all in the patriot network.

10. Send to all media outlets possible. Local, as well as independent.

11. Protest in front of court houses, police stations, etc. if anyone you know is unconstitutionally detained.

This is a basic outline of how we will resist. Email any stories to me at Craig_Bowden2020@hotmail.com.

And please forward this to everyone!

Charlie Reese’s Last Column in the Orlando Sentinel!

I never read Reese's stuff before this, never really read the Sentinel. Someone forwarded this to me and I have to admit THIS IS A GREAT COLUMN!

Now I wish I would have read more of his stuff.

------------------------------------------

Charlie Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...
He has been a journalist for 49 years.
He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the poem and the list of taxes at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House now? He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ...

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44..75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom, if agreed, stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!

A citizen's comments regarding Illegal Immigration in the U.S.A.

A citizen’s comments in response to a report on “The Blaze” entitled: Obama Admin Will Circumvent Congress With New Illegal Immigration Rule

Posted By: Citizen with Common Sense (Yahoo I.D.)... • St Louis, Missouri • 01/06/12

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Listed below are several of the arguments that have been used by misguided people to try and justify illegal immigration. Next to each is the reason why that argument has no merit.

1) They are an economic necessity - Not true. The idea that a bunch of desperately poor, uneducated, unskilled, non-English speaking foreigners are an economic necessity is ludicrous. In fact, when you compare cost vs. benefit, it is obvious that they are not only NOT a necessity, they are not even an asset. Rather, they are a liability and a huge one at that.

2) They do work Americans won’t do - Not true. They do work Americans won’t do for $7 an hour (especially if Americans can collect welfare and unemployment instead). Of course, if you got rid of the illegals, the jobs wouldn’t pay $7 an hour. The people who wanted the work done would have to pay a wage that was attractive enough to get Americans to do the work. And it might even be enough to get Americans off the unemployment and welfare dole and back into the taxpaying workforce!

3) We benefit from all that “cheap” labor - This is nonsense. The only people who benefit from the cheap labor are the unscrupulous people who hire illegal immigrants. Taxpayers are left holding the bag. Ultimately, it is they who must pay to support all the Americans who have been put out of work by illegals and must also provide billions of dollars in services and benefits to the illegals themselves.

4) They are just trying to make better lives - Aren’t we all? The difference is that most of us understand that we DO NOT have a right to acquire by illegal means those things that we find difficult to acquire by legal means. And we certainly don’t have the right to do it in a foreign country.

5) It is impossible to round up and deport the illegals - We don’t have to. All we have to do is remove the incentives that brought them here in the first place. No jobs. No housing. No taxpayer financed services or benefits (including education). Once we remove the incentives that brought them here, they will leave on their own.

6) Immigration control is racist / xenophobic - This is just another play of the race card by people who have no other cards to play. Immigration control is the world-wide status quo. There is nothing racist about it. Furthermore, the USA welcomes LEGAL immigrants of all races and ethnicities from all over the world who have gone through the legal immigration process. This is not just a bad argument, it is an attempt to create racial hatred and division.

7) We are a nation of immigrants - This is the “BIG LIE”. The vast majority of Americans are native-born. I am not an immigrant. Nor were my parents. Nor were my grandparents. We are a nation that has, historically, allowed and even encouraged LEGAL immigration. And we continue to do so. The issue at hand is illegal immigration, which has nothing to do with legal immigration.

8) They are people. We must treat them humanely - Yes & yes. But lets not pretend like they are victims who were dragged here kicking and screaming against their will. Nothing could be further from the truth. They came of their own free will and for their own benefit and they broke the law to do it. People should not be rewarded for breaking laws and committing crimes. Sending them home is the right thing to do. There is nothing “draconian” or “mean-spirited” about it.

9) It is wrong to break up families- Yes. Unfortunately, families are often broken up by criminal activity. If you don’t believe it, just drop by any prison or jail on visiting day. We can’t keep families together if some family members choose to participate in criminal activity.

10) They work & contribute to our society - So do I. And if I break the law and commit crimes, I can expect to pay a penalty of some kind. Anything from a small fine to the death penalty. I do not receive a reward. Why should we treat foreign criminals better than our own citizens?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< WOW!!! Great post!!! What more can be said? Pass this along to your representatives and senators.

Now a Response From a Senator...

...to the same email.

Patty Murray (D- Washington State) answered the same email with the following message.

On Wed, 7/29/09, Senator@murray.senate.gov wrote:


From: Senator@murray.senate.gov
Subject: Response from Senator Murray
To: ########
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 2:49 PM

Dear ########:

Thank you for writing me to share your thoughts on health care reform. It is good to hear from you.

Health care reform is one of the most critical issues facing our nation. Our current health care system is unstable and unsustainable. Too many people do not have health care coverage and many of those who have coverage are worried about losing it in this uncertain economy. Businesses and families are finding it harder and harder to deal with increasing health care premiums.

In addition, Washington state family budgets cannot sustain the continual rise in health care costs and hidden taxes in the form of rising premiums to cover the uninsured. If we do not get health care costs under control, local, state and federal government budgets will have to take on the weight of rising health care costs. While health care reform may require an initial cost investment, I strongly believe that it will pay off in the long term and the cost letting the system become more unstable is much greater. Without reform to our health care system, premiums will continue to rise, coverage will become more uncertain, businesses will lose competitiveness and it will be harder for Americans to have access to care.

After months of hearings and over 50 hours of public markups, I was pleased that on July 15th, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed the Affordable Health Choices Act. The Affordable Health Choices Act lays out policy changes for health care reform in America. This package works to rein in health care costs with a goal of lowering them in the long term and ensure that all Americans have access to high quality, affordable health care coverage. It allows those who like their health insurance to keep it and provides options to those who do not have access to health insurance coverage.

This bill includes provisions to implement several key health insurance reforms. For example, insurance companies would no longer be able to refuse coverage to individuals due to preexisting conditions, patients' out-of-pocket expenses would be limited and all annual and lifetime caps on insurance coverage would be eliminated.

The passage of the Affordable Health Choices Act out of the HELP Committee is a major step in the longer process of health care reform. The Senate Finance Committee is also working on many aspects of health care reform and the Affordable Health Choices Act will need to be combined with this legislation in the future. The Finance Committee is expected to release their proposal soon. In addition, the House of Representatives is working on a separate version of health care reform legislation.

As the Senate moves forward on health care reform legislation, I will be weighing the many concerns that I am hearing from constituents all across Washington state. As this effort continues, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind. You can find more information on my Website at http://murray.senate.gov/healthcarereform/.

Again, thank you for contacting me about this important issue. If you would like to know more about my work in the Senate, please feel free to sign up for my weekly updates at http://murray.senate.gov/updates. Please keep in touch.

I hope all is well in Lacey.

Post comments.

Again, general discussion about the professed evils of our current system yet no real substantive fixes. I took particular note of her comments...

"This package works to rein in health care costs with a goal of lowering them in the long term and ensure that all Americans have access to high quality, affordable health care coverage.

Yet the plan is to provide health care to everyone! Including the illegal aliens who are pouring across our borders daily. Once we get this health care reform shoved down our throats we won't be able to fit into the hospital's and clinic's reception areas. They'll be crowded with non-citizens demanding health care.

Further, she states "It allows those who like their health insurance to keep it and provides options to those who do not have access to health insurance coverage. But what she really fails to mention is the fact that we, those of us who chose to purchase health care, already have our coverage! and those who didn't opt to purchase health care already have coverage via the emergency rooms and free clinics throughout the nation! albeit lacking at times. But then again, they get what they pay for. That's the chance they took when they opted not to participate in a health care plan.

Now, a reply to Murray's letter:

Ms. Murray,

Does this mean you'll be participating in the same health care system you're trying to compel your constituents to participate in? Will you be foregoing your publicly provided blue ribbon health care as a Senator to participate in the version being prepared for us, the citizens? I'd be real interested in knowing the answer to that question... from you and your "colleagues", our public servants. I realize there's a proposed provision that "allows those who like their health insurance to keep it" however, with the proposed plan I see no incentives for the private Fee For Service providers to maintain certain coverages.

Unlike the health care plans Congressional, Judicial and Executive government employees are provided by the public I don't see those of us who do have reliable and reasonable health care coverages being carried much longer by the private companies after this proposed "plan" kicks in. Be realistic Senator, your plans are to tax us and them out of our coverages! Tell the truth!

So, until you and all of the other PUBLIC SERVANTS in Washington D.C. sign on to the proposed public health care plan (without perks!) I will continue to be opposed to it... and to you and to every other public servant who votes for it... republican, democrat, whatever.

If you want true control of costs associated with the health care system you should look to establish some sort of tort reform to the current structure. Eliminate those HUGE, exorbitant payouts to attorneys for attorney fees, etc. Face the REAL problems and fix those! Don't create a problem that really doesn't exist and certainly don't label it a "critical issue"!

Get on with the tort reform relating to health care lawsuits, not health care reform. My health care works great.

There's a bunch of us out here who aren't buying into government's health care proposals.

Thanks for your reply.

######,
A taxpaying Washington State, USA citizen.


P.S.

Things are fine in Lacey, thank you.

A Representative's Reply...

...to a health care query emailed to him in July.

Here's Representative Adam Smith's (D- Washington State) reply to an email to him addressing concerns regarding the government's proposed health care reforms. The letter was much like the open letter that I posted on this blog last month.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

--- On Fri, 7/24/09, Representative Adam Smith wrote:

From: Representative Adam Smith
Subject: Re: IMA MAIL ON WEBHEA
To: dher490@yahoo.com
Date: Friday, July 24, 2009, 8:12 AM

July 24, 2009

Dear ######,

The United States Congress is entering a critical stage in the effort to reform our country's health care system. I believe very strongly that, with the right legislation, we can provide quality, affordable care to all Americans while controlling costs and improving quality.

The House has now introduced, through a tri-committee process, its first bill aimed at substantially changing that system. I fear, however, that this bill doesn't recognize the need for reform that will not only create universal access for all Americans, but that also fundamentally changes our broken and inefficient health care system to control costs and improve quality. The cost of adding the nearly 50 million uninsured Americans into our current health care system without structural changes in health care delivery, as this bill does, could collapse the health system. And, by so doing, we will have missed a tremendous opportunity to change how all Americans receive health care in ways that will address the significant shortfalls that currently exist in the quality of that care.

The Tri-Committee legislation, while it makes great strides toward covering more Americans, is unsustainable. The draft is too expensive and misses the most fundamental problems with our current system. We will be unable to provide quality care for those Americans who would gain coverage under this legislation if we do not remedy the current wasteful spending and out of control costs in health care. Further, I am concerned that the Obama Administration has released several promising ideas but has not yet put forth a solid legislative proposal around which Congressional leaders can coalesce.

Achieving the essential goal of affordable health care and universal access to care can only be achieved and sustained through cost containment measures. In this country we do too many unnecessary tests, prescribe too many unnecessary drugs, perform too many unnecessary surgeries, and have too many unnecessary hospitalizations. With greater emphasis on primary care, prevention, and paying for quality outcomes instead the amount of services there is a way to reform health care that could not only rein in costs, but could also improve the quality of care dramatically.

If we are going to be able to provide universal coverage to all Americans without bankrupting our economy, we have to eliminate fee-for-service (FFS) medicine. It has led to massive overutilization of treatment and tests. The current FFS model, and basis of our health system, rewards the quantity of services provided rather than the quality of care. In this system, providers are overburdened and incentivized to fit in too many patients. Providers must rush through appointments, which means that they can often order treatments, tests, and specialists that they may have otherwise determined to be unnecessary if they were afforded more time with their patients.

Unfortunately, however, the debate on overhauling FFS medicine has taken a disappointing turn in Congress. The argument has been made that, if we move away from FFS, it will lead to rationing of necessary tests and treatments. Correcting the flawed FFS system is not about rationing medicine or valuing one kind of care over another. Rather, it is about more efficiently expending resources. There are studies that show that regions of the country that spend the most on health care and perform the most tests and procedures have a lower quality of care than those areas that have lower costs. The debate, then, should not be about denying care but about reducing overutilization of unnecessary services and promoting higher quality care, both of which save money.

The problem is particularly apparent in Medicare where the reimbursement rate formula fails to reward efficient health care regions at a fair rate and overutilization is rampant. As a result, Washington state and others like it with very efficient health systems, where providers order fewer unnecessary tests and treatments, have very low reimbursement rates compared to other regions of the country.

This system is not only unfair to states like Washington, it is incredibly wasteful and unsustainable for the entire health care system. Providers are paid for the amount of care whether or not it is of high quality and in the best interest of the patient. The Tri-Committee bill does nothing to reform this system, and also adds to the problem by basing the public option on this same failed fee-for-service reimbursement model.

If health care reform rewarded doctors for the quality of the care they provide, rather than the quantity of tests, referrals, and visits, we could greatly reduce the amount of services and provide better, more efficient care and cover more Americans in a sustainable way.

I believe a public plan option and broader health reform is our opportunity to get off of fee-for-service medicine. I am supportive of a public option that includes both a reformulated reimbursement system and a focus on preventative care with discounts for people that make progress on preventable and controllable heath conditions.

As you know, preventative care is about more than tests and taking medications, it is also about promoting healthy behaviors and individual engagement. Health care should be a shared responsibility between patients and providers and that should be reflected in how people pay for insurance. There are several common preventable, controllable, health conditions that can lead to larger problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and smoking. Pricing that rewards efforts to improve or control these problems is not only fair, but also incentivizes individuals to actively engage in their own health, ultimately driving down the cost of care.

Many companies that self-insure their employees have had great success with risk-based pricing. The system they uses gives discounts to people who make progress on or control the issues mentioned above and charges people who don't control them more. Using this model, these companies have had great success with not only improving the health of their employees, but also with keeping health care costs low while the rest of the country saw inflation in costs. There is no reason why this model could or should not be applied to all federal health care programs including the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) in which Members of Congress participate.

The Tri-Committee bill makes great progress toward covering more Americans. But, the introduced legislation makes minimal progress toward containing costs which will mean that our health system will remain unsustainable, our federal debt will continue to grow, and the burden of an excessively expensive health care system will continue to be an impediment to economic growth.

It is also important for the White House to take a more active role in formulating health care reform legislation. To date, the Obama administration, while very supportive of Congressional efforts to reform health care, has not yet introduced its own legislative text. It is necessary for the White House to contribute concrete ideas to this debate so that Congress and the American people can know exactly where President Obama stands. I would encourage you to contact the White House and urge the President to present his own version of health care reform legislation.

Now is the time to fundamentally reform our health care system in a way that expands access while containing costs to instill efficiencies in the system that pay for the expansion. I am hopeful that these issues will be addressed as health care reform moves forward and I look forward to working with my colleagues and President Obama on these important issues.



Sincerely,

Adam Smith

Member of Congress



AS:sm



If you'd like to receive occasional e-mail updates from my office, please visit my website to sign up - http://www.house.gov/adamsmith/IMA/newsletter.shtml.


Sincerely,

Adam Smith
Member of Congress

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Post comments:

Obviously, from the response given by Smith it's apparent the government has every intention of shoving this half baked plan down our throats! Smith discusses costs, preventive care, Fee For Service care, availability, etc. but fails to provide any real substance to the discussion. He does allude to expanding access while containing costs but has offered up no real ideas.

Bottom line, he's offering cool aid to us. He's lost my vote!

Here's the reply that was sent to Smith. Short and sweet. Let's see what Smith's reply will be to this query. I'll bet he won't reply.


August 09, 2009 10:43 a.m.

Adam Smith
Member of Congress


Adam,

Does this mean you'll be taking the lead and abandoning your current health care plan(s) to participate in this one that is being advocated for all of us?

######
A taxpaying Washington State, USA Citizen

How about this for some great news!!!

This is coming from an article I read on Yahoo news yesterday. I was going to comment on it yesterday but got tied up at work. Go figure!

Here’s the info with some of my comments tossed in…

"Fla. sheriff targets illegals
By MELISSA NELSON, Associated Press Writer Wed Jun 27, 2:27 PM ET

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - The sheriff's department has developed a remarkably effective — and controversial — way of catching illegal immigrants: Deputies in patrol cars pull up to a construction site in force, and watch and see who runs.

Those who take off are chased down and arrested on charges such as trespassing, for cutting through someone else's property, or loitering, for hiding out in someone's yard, or reckless driving, for speeding off in a car.U.S. immigration authorities are then given the names of those believed to be in this country illegally.

"It's not wrong for them to run, but it's not wrong for us to chase them either," said Sheriff Frank McKeithen, who created his Illegal Alien Task Force in April to target construction sites in this Florida Panhandle county."

I hate to break the news to some of you folks but this has been around for quite awhile. I’ve seen it used on lumber and cedar mills up here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s very effective and although “controversial” to illegal immigrant advocates (i.e. the ACLU, Catholic Church, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, etc.) it’s been dubbed an effective, proper and legal tactic in this neck of the woods anyways.

”Immigrant advocates say the technique is repugnant, and the ACLU says its constitutionality is questionable.

Illegal immigrants are leaving town. And builders are worried the crackdown will deprive them of the labor they need to take part in a building boom in which Panama City's Beach cheap spring-break motels are being torn down and replaced with high-rise condos."

”Illegal immigrants are leaving town.” Isn’t that the overall goal of immigration reform? Convince those who are in this country ILLEGALLY to leave. Wouldn’t it make sense to get those who are going through the proper legalization process LEGALIZED ahead of the line-cutting, demanding, want it all now cockroaches who infested this fine country over the past couple of decades?

Why aren’t the ACLU, the Catholic Church, the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund and the other immigrant advocate groups out there defending those who are trying to get things done the RIGHT WAY? Why do these organizations insist upon protecting those who are here ILLEGALLY? Why defend the criminals over the righteous?

”The sheriff said the raids are justified under a long-standing Florida law prohibiting employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.

His department has conducted dozens of these raids over the past three months, sometimes using five or six patrol cars, and has reported more than 500 people to immigration officials since November.”

Finally, someone with balls who will stand up and work WITH the INS. I heard yesterday that the 25 largest cities in the United States are sanctuary cities for ILLEGALS. Go figure! But if you or I were to cross the street outside of a crosswalk in any of those cities, if we were to inadvertently run a red light we’d be stopped, cited and our entire pedigree would be run through the computer. They’d certainly be identifying us, the LEGAL citizens.

”The Mexican American Legal Defense Fund is investigating the arrests because "the intimidation factor is of great concern," said Elise Shore, regional counsel for the organization.

Benjamin Stevenson, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, said he finds the tactic troubling."Why are they sending out six or seven agents to investigate a paper crime, and are they causing them to run in the first place through intimidation?" he asked.”

What would be the source of intimidation? Perhaps uniformed law enforcement officers driving up to a work site to do their job. The ILLEGALS surely know their status and are going to run… why not? That’s not intimidation, that’s good police work. It’s a simple drive up and watch the roaches flee type of work. Then they simply follow those who flee until they break a law. Once a law is broken the officers intervene and do their job to protect and serve the taxpaying public who’s paying their salaries.

I thought that’s what the whole law enforcement profession was all about… to protect and serve.

When I was a kid growing up out here in the Pacific Northwest we would have little parties in the woods called “keggers”. Someone of legal age would buy at least one keg, give out a location and we’d all go to that location after school, usually on a Friday evening. We’d be partying down pretty good and the local deputies would quite often pull up in force. Those of us who were under the legal age would take off running through the forests. The deputies would chase some of us. Some would get caught, most wouldn’t. Those who didn’t run were identified by the deputies and were “released” because they were of legal age.

This is not a new tactic… just an effective one.

”As the debate over illegal immigration plays out in Washington, McKeithen is among a growing number of state and local officials taking it upon themselves to enforce immigration laws that up to now were regarded as a federal responsibility.

For example, Farmers Branch, Texas, is trying to prohibit apartment rentals to illegal immigrants in the Dallas suburb. Georgia passed a law requiring employers to verify the immigration status of all new employees.

Barbara Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami, would not comment on the sheriff's tactics.

McKeithen has asked Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum for a legal opinion on his tactics. A spokeswoman for McCollum said the office is researching the request.”

Yea Baby!!! The dhimmicrats and those few spineless republicans had it handed to them yesterday, eh? I think the debate over illegal immigration was pretty much put on ice with yesterdays IN YOUR FACE defeat of that Kennedy/McCain amnesty bill congress tried to shove down our throats.

”McKeithen is already under fire from civil rights groups over the videotaped 2006 death of a 14-year-old boy who was roughed up by guards at a juvenile boot camp operated by the sheriff's department. Eight former employees are facing manslaughter charges.”

Although tragic, what the hell does this have to do with the deputies chasing ILLEGAL immigrants? Those who “roughed up” the 14 years old inmate are facing manslaughter charges. Give them their day in court. It’s not as if someone tried to cover the incident up and really has no relevance to the ILLEGAL roach infestation currently at hand.

”The sheriff said that more recently, his officers have been making fewer arrests of workers who flee, and are concentrating more on asking employers for the paperwork on their employees. Sheriff's deputies then arrest workers whose documents are found to be fraudulent.”

More good police work! What’s wrong with sending deputies to check the documents of employers to ensure the documents are not fraudulent? Isn’t that what this whole law enforcement thing is all about? To follow up on tips, leads, to act on trends to ensure the community they’re sworn to protect and serve is protected and served appropriately?

If these officers weren’t doing their jobs the community would most likely be in an uproar. And rightfully so!

”Mexican illegal immigrant Jose Madrid, 28, said he has been unable to find a construction job over the past six weeks because of the crackdown, and hasn't been able to send money to his parents and his 7-year-old son back home.”

Oh… poor Jose! If he can’t find a job then something right is happening for once.

All of those folks who have been saying the laws we currently have in place ”just simply aren’t effective enough” should stand up and take notice of Jose’s plight.

He can’t find a job in construction because the police are enforcing the immigration laws… those VERY laws that are currently on the books. The money that he can’t send home to his parents and his 7 year old son can be earned by a fellow citizen and used here in this country to support his or her family.

What a concept!

"We immigrants, we are leaving Panama City. People are afraid they will be deported," he said. "The companies don't want to hire illegal people. Now they're only hiring those with papers."

Cool! Especially the part about ”The companies don’t want to hire illegal people. Now they’re only hiring those with papers.” Spoken by one of the very ILLEGAL's himself!

Wow! So what MELISSA NELSON, the Associated Press Writer is telling us in her recent article is that the Sheriff’s law enforcement tactics are working very well!
Those laws that our congressmen and congresswomen have been claiming to be unenforceable, those very tactics that we’ve been told are inept and simply won’t work are being used quite effectively by Sheriff Frank McKeithen in Florida.
Fantastic work Sheriff!

“Developer Louis Breland is finishing the first phase of a $750 million beach condo project. "Subcontractors could not function without immigrant laborers for painting, rebar and steel work. They are the best workers," he said. "Without them, the cost of construction would be 10 times as much and nothing would get built."

How about cutting back on your fat cat profits you get from using the ILLEGAL crowd? How about doing things right? How about hiring those who live in this country LEGALLY and paying them a wage for once? How about supporting those families who ARE your fellow citizens rather than sending the money home with those who have no intentions of spending any of it here?

I have no compassion for ILLEGAL immigrants who are being hunted down like the dogs they are and shipped back to where they came from. I also have no compassion for those "contractors" who are circumventing the system, taking advantage of our "social" medicine and aren't paying their fair share of labor and industries insurance for their "employees". They're making huge bucks by cheating the system.

No compassion! NONE!

I'd provide the direct link to the article but Yahoo's archived it by now. So go to Yahoo and do a search if you're interested in reading it in its entirety.