There is a movement underway to remove the Exeter dam and let the river drain. There is some local support as well as a drive from the Department of Environmental Services. There are all kinds of reasons; but, none of them make sense to those of us who live along the river.
By removing the dam the hundreds of acres of wetlands and wildlife breeding areas will be wiped out. The river will become a mud flat from all the silt and solids that have settled over the years. For over 200 years the river was used a dump and I cannot estimate what it will cost to clean up old toilets, bicycles and who knows what that will have to be cleaned out. Oh, don’t forget the smell that will permeate along the river and down town area that is now covered by water.
One of the problems is the Town lied to us when, after a number of local floods, the town refused to open the gate at the dam to lower the river before a storm. At the time and the lie was, opening the gate only dropped the river two inches. I was even told that the town had a study done that proved that point. When I was told this by a selectman I asked him if it was too late to get our money back because the report was full of Pelosi.
I have lived on the river for almost 60 years and watched the river get drained to something close to a stream and that usually took about 24 hrs to do that and 36 hrs for the river to refill after the gate was closed. When that happened people could not get to their boats because of the muddy silt and in general it was a mess.
My prediction is, if the dam is removed the campgrounds on the river will suffer because people will not be able to use the river for swimming, canoeing, fishing etc. It will directly affect wildlife issues, including migratory bird breeding and fishing areas.
Leave the dam alone, manage the gate to prevent flooding, lower the river once or twice a year to let nature clean it out and do the “ nature thing” and everyone will be happy.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE
As we move forward on the health care debate it is almost impossible to follow the debate. We have gone from “health care is broken” to the insurance companies are evil capitalist money grabbers. The argument seems to rest on what the pollsters say people will buy into or think is true; the action words are think is true.
It appears that a growing number of Americans do not trust the federal government and with good reason. In short Obama is in trouble and the glitter has come off “the hope of change”. Part of the problem is he hasn’t come off the campaign trail yet and settled into being president. I have a simple understanding of this and that is he knows how to be a candidate but not president; so we don’t have a real president only a real candidate and a growing number of people are seeing this and do not trust him. This is what is happening to the health care debate.
Let’s remember that hospitals set the rates for health care. Insurance companies set the insurance rates. These come about by direct negotiations between the insurance companies and the hospitals/health care providers arguing over what the lowest prices the hospitals/health care providers will take as payments from the insurance companies for each procedure you have to go through. There are a lot of games played in between, even after an agreement is reached and a contract is signed. What we have dealt with in the legislature is the insurance companies not paying their bills to the hospitals in a timely manner, repeatedly claiming the hospital/health care provider used the incorrect code for billing purposes and generally just fooling around to delay payments.
As far as hospitals go the trend seems to be not about health care delivery; but, re-imbursement rates and payments. I’m sorry but the patients come second CEO bonuses come first. Hospitals put large sums of money out to the NH Hospital Association to lobby for the hospital issues, PR people and then they hire private lobbyists that know their way around the Concord political scene to push through special issues.
We are not dealing with brand new special problems dealing with health care; what we are dealing with is the age old problem of greed. Remember the famous question I asked at a health care study committee, “why is the cost of health care so expensive in the Seacoast” because people in the seacoast can afford it. Very revealing answer and truthful, no pussy footing around, right to the point.
It appears that a growing number of Americans do not trust the federal government and with good reason. In short Obama is in trouble and the glitter has come off “the hope of change”. Part of the problem is he hasn’t come off the campaign trail yet and settled into being president. I have a simple understanding of this and that is he knows how to be a candidate but not president; so we don’t have a real president only a real candidate and a growing number of people are seeing this and do not trust him. This is what is happening to the health care debate.
Let’s remember that hospitals set the rates for health care. Insurance companies set the insurance rates. These come about by direct negotiations between the insurance companies and the hospitals/health care providers arguing over what the lowest prices the hospitals/health care providers will take as payments from the insurance companies for each procedure you have to go through. There are a lot of games played in between, even after an agreement is reached and a contract is signed. What we have dealt with in the legislature is the insurance companies not paying their bills to the hospitals in a timely manner, repeatedly claiming the hospital/health care provider used the incorrect code for billing purposes and generally just fooling around to delay payments.
As far as hospitals go the trend seems to be not about health care delivery; but, re-imbursement rates and payments. I’m sorry but the patients come second CEO bonuses come first. Hospitals put large sums of money out to the NH Hospital Association to lobby for the hospital issues, PR people and then they hire private lobbyists that know their way around the Concord political scene to push through special issues.
We are not dealing with brand new special problems dealing with health care; what we are dealing with is the age old problem of greed. Remember the famous question I asked at a health care study committee, “why is the cost of health care so expensive in the Seacoast” because people in the seacoast can afford it. Very revealing answer and truthful, no pussy footing around, right to the point.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Budget Storm Clouds Looming--Latest News & Notes from Jeb Bradley
The ink is barely dry on the New Hampshire budget signed into law by Governor Lynch on June 30. Only 2 months have elapsed in the 24 month spending blueprint, but problems Republicans warned about are intensifying like a hurricane ready to make landfall. More ominously, a Plan B strategy dealing with budget problems is not even discussed in the polite company of Democratic legislative leaders. In fact the chair of the House Finance Committee said publically a Budget Plan B is not even necessary.
Here is why Budget Plan B is more urgent every day. Tax revenues are well below expectations. When the budget was negotiated among House and Senate Democratic leaders, a funding gap between desired spending and available revenue was papered over when budget negotiators inflated revenue expectations by $75 million in the dark of night. Observers warned this $75 million was optimistic. Two months into the budget, those warnings are reality. Action needs to be taken now but Democratic leaders seem smug with happy talk that the budget will magically balance.
Here are the facts: July’s revenue was $4.7 million below expectations. August was even worse with total revenues $17.6 million below expectations. Rooms and meals was $3.7 million under estimates – even after the tax was increased from 8% to 9%. Tobacco taxes were $2 million less than predicted – even after a huge 45 cent increase on a pack of cigarettes. Business revenues were off by nearly $3 million.
To be fair, the July and August $22.3 million revenue hole needs to be taken in the context of not being historically large revenue months. However, September’s revenue figures will be a bell-weather as many businesses and individuals make estimated quarterly payments. If September underperforms and continues the July / August trend, New Hampshire is staring down the gun barrel of a very large revenue deficit. And no one should forget that the $22.3 million hole comes despite 38 new or increased taxes or fees in this budget.
Revenue deficits are only one part of the problem. The state is in a losing streak in court cases. Superior Court Justice Diane Nicolosi ruled in favor of the New Hampshire Health Care Association and blocked the State from keeping $9 million that nursing homes claim they are entitled to. Belknap County Superior Court Justice Kathleen McGuire ruled that a budget provision, which transferred $110 million from a fund controlled by the Joint Underwriting Association to the State’s General Fund to balance the budget, is unconstitutional.
Justice McGuire’s well researched, clearly written and completely unambiguous ruling, held that the politicians who supported this proposed $110 million transfer, are in violation of both the ‘takings’ and ‘contracts’ clauses of the New Hampshire Constitution and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.
While the State has appealed Justice McGuire’s decision, nobody in Concord ---- except the Democratic cheerleaders who proposed this $110 million sleight of hand transfer ---- believe the state will win the appeal.
A third lawsuit is about to be filed by the New Hampshire Municipal Association over the budget downshifting of state expenses to towns and cities. The Municipal Association has estimated the downshift will increase local property taxes by $90 million which is why nearly 150 towns and over 50 school districts will join this lawsuit.
In the face of mounting budget problems, Democratic legislative leaders have spent the summer barn storming across New Hampshire on their “truth and responsibility” tour. These leaders are claiming that state spending has been reduced by 1%. If the assertion was true – the Democratic architects of the budget would deserve credit.
But --- it is always easier to fall for the narcotic of believing your own spin rather than focusing on facts. Again, here are the facts. Total state spending increased by nearly $1.1 billion or 10.48% according to the non-partisan Legislative Budget Assistant (LBA). Putting that spending hike in context, it is critical to recall that total state spending increased by 11.17% in the previous budget according to the LBA.
The responsibility part of the tour by Democratic legislators must be intended to remind voters they have an obligation to dig deeper into already thin wallets to pay for this explosive growth in state spending at a time people fear they will join the 50,000 unemployed New Hampshire citizens. Thus Democratic leaders plead that the 38 new or increased fees or taxes are somehow responsible.
There is scant recognition in Concord how bleak our budget picture is. Nor will it improve until the national economy starts to grow out of ruinous deficits, bad debt, bailouts, government takeover of companies, and the bloated stimulus that has actually increased the unemployment rate to 9.7%. Most experts believe the jobless rate will climb to over 10% before things begin to turn next summer. These stark conditions should compel Democratic leaders in Concord to develop Plan B immediately.
That is precisely why Republicans called upon Governor Lynch to release the results of his call nearly a year ago for agency heads to produce budget plans that spend 3% less than their department did in previous budgets. That is the responsible way to confront a growing budget deficit—with spending cuts.
Our parents always taught us to say what we mean and mean what we say. Unfortunately, the more Democratic leaders tout “truth and responsibility” in regards to their budget, the more they mean taxes. The House Speaker recently said she was open to an income tax. Perhaps that’s honest. But it should be a stark warning to everyone who wants our state to remain a low tax haven – that income tax proponents are lurking. And the only way to fight an income tax is with fiscal discipline and spending cuts.
Here is why Budget Plan B is more urgent every day. Tax revenues are well below expectations. When the budget was negotiated among House and Senate Democratic leaders, a funding gap between desired spending and available revenue was papered over when budget negotiators inflated revenue expectations by $75 million in the dark of night. Observers warned this $75 million was optimistic. Two months into the budget, those warnings are reality. Action needs to be taken now but Democratic leaders seem smug with happy talk that the budget will magically balance.
Here are the facts: July’s revenue was $4.7 million below expectations. August was even worse with total revenues $17.6 million below expectations. Rooms and meals was $3.7 million under estimates – even after the tax was increased from 8% to 9%. Tobacco taxes were $2 million less than predicted – even after a huge 45 cent increase on a pack of cigarettes. Business revenues were off by nearly $3 million.
To be fair, the July and August $22.3 million revenue hole needs to be taken in the context of not being historically large revenue months. However, September’s revenue figures will be a bell-weather as many businesses and individuals make estimated quarterly payments. If September underperforms and continues the July / August trend, New Hampshire is staring down the gun barrel of a very large revenue deficit. And no one should forget that the $22.3 million hole comes despite 38 new or increased taxes or fees in this budget.
Revenue deficits are only one part of the problem. The state is in a losing streak in court cases. Superior Court Justice Diane Nicolosi ruled in favor of the New Hampshire Health Care Association and blocked the State from keeping $9 million that nursing homes claim they are entitled to. Belknap County Superior Court Justice Kathleen McGuire ruled that a budget provision, which transferred $110 million from a fund controlled by the Joint Underwriting Association to the State’s General Fund to balance the budget, is unconstitutional.
Justice McGuire’s well researched, clearly written and completely unambiguous ruling, held that the politicians who supported this proposed $110 million transfer, are in violation of both the ‘takings’ and ‘contracts’ clauses of the New Hampshire Constitution and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.
While the State has appealed Justice McGuire’s decision, nobody in Concord ---- except the Democratic cheerleaders who proposed this $110 million sleight of hand transfer ---- believe the state will win the appeal.
A third lawsuit is about to be filed by the New Hampshire Municipal Association over the budget downshifting of state expenses to towns and cities. The Municipal Association has estimated the downshift will increase local property taxes by $90 million which is why nearly 150 towns and over 50 school districts will join this lawsuit.
In the face of mounting budget problems, Democratic legislative leaders have spent the summer barn storming across New Hampshire on their “truth and responsibility” tour. These leaders are claiming that state spending has been reduced by 1%. If the assertion was true – the Democratic architects of the budget would deserve credit.
But --- it is always easier to fall for the narcotic of believing your own spin rather than focusing on facts. Again, here are the facts. Total state spending increased by nearly $1.1 billion or 10.48% according to the non-partisan Legislative Budget Assistant (LBA). Putting that spending hike in context, it is critical to recall that total state spending increased by 11.17% in the previous budget according to the LBA.
The responsibility part of the tour by Democratic legislators must be intended to remind voters they have an obligation to dig deeper into already thin wallets to pay for this explosive growth in state spending at a time people fear they will join the 50,000 unemployed New Hampshire citizens. Thus Democratic leaders plead that the 38 new or increased fees or taxes are somehow responsible.
There is scant recognition in Concord how bleak our budget picture is. Nor will it improve until the national economy starts to grow out of ruinous deficits, bad debt, bailouts, government takeover of companies, and the bloated stimulus that has actually increased the unemployment rate to 9.7%. Most experts believe the jobless rate will climb to over 10% before things begin to turn next summer. These stark conditions should compel Democratic leaders in Concord to develop Plan B immediately.
That is precisely why Republicans called upon Governor Lynch to release the results of his call nearly a year ago for agency heads to produce budget plans that spend 3% less than their department did in previous budgets. That is the responsible way to confront a growing budget deficit—with spending cuts.
Our parents always taught us to say what we mean and mean what we say. Unfortunately, the more Democratic leaders tout “truth and responsibility” in regards to their budget, the more they mean taxes. The House Speaker recently said she was open to an income tax. Perhaps that’s honest. But it should be a stark warning to everyone who wants our state to remain a low tax haven – that income tax proponents are lurking. And the only way to fight an income tax is with fiscal discipline and spending cuts.
Friday, August 28, 2009
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!!
There is a truism in politics that if an election goes too far to the right the next election will swing too far to the left or too far to the left the next one will go too far to the right. I think that is what is going to happen in the next two election cycles. I’ve seen too many situations where unchecked power is corrupting and I’m seeing it now on the federal and state level.
Unfortunately I believe the Democratic Party has been infiltrated by the liberal socialist element of our country. The Republicans have always had a fringe element of nuts and maybe I just have gotten use to dealing with and fighting with them.
What I see is a dismantling of the American historical structure of government and the economy. I also see the present government treating us like idiots and those who see it and disagree are all labeled as right wing extremists by the left wing socialists. What is even scarier is the evangelical fanaticism of the left in their blind obedience to Obama. I try to look at things objectively so I can understand what is going through someone’s mind. What I see in DC is scary.
If a politician has to lie to get his agenda through, it is probably not a good agenda. For example when DC tells us we have to spend our way out of this recession. I always thought if you’re in debt, stop spending until you get your revenues in line with your expenditures. Both the state and federal government are doing just the opposite. I guess they know more about it than you and I do because we elected them. On the other hand I was asked, a long time ago, who is the real fool; the fool or the people who follow to and listen to the fool?
As a probation/parole officer I use to tell people I supervised that if faced with any situation, if it doesn’t feel or seem right, don’t do it. I think, to a point, this advice still holds true, if it doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t.
The government already has socialized health care, it is called Social Security and it is doing well. WRONG: It is going broke. We have the VA and that is doing well: WRONG: At best it is hit and miss, remember in S. Florida where the VA hospital did numerous Colonoscopies and never cleaned the scope, between procedures.
Now let’s take a look at how this national health care program is being sold. First we are going to have a public option, which is the government run alternative to private insurance. Now that has been taken out, oops, then put back in, oops I think it was taken out, no they just changed the name to cooperatives; then Obama went to the religious community and invoked god into the discussion. Now he is naming the bill after Ted Kennedy. If Obama thought it would help get this bill through he’d name it the Lee Quandt National Health Act of 2009.
I think the DC crazy bug has bitten some of these people. The only hope that we have left is the 2010 elections, we have to bring (star wars phrase), “balance back into the force” by taking back the State Senate, the US Senate and the US House of Representatives and the State Legislature, that way we can keep stupidity in check.
Unfortunately I believe the Democratic Party has been infiltrated by the liberal socialist element of our country. The Republicans have always had a fringe element of nuts and maybe I just have gotten use to dealing with and fighting with them.
What I see is a dismantling of the American historical structure of government and the economy. I also see the present government treating us like idiots and those who see it and disagree are all labeled as right wing extremists by the left wing socialists. What is even scarier is the evangelical fanaticism of the left in their blind obedience to Obama. I try to look at things objectively so I can understand what is going through someone’s mind. What I see in DC is scary.
If a politician has to lie to get his agenda through, it is probably not a good agenda. For example when DC tells us we have to spend our way out of this recession. I always thought if you’re in debt, stop spending until you get your revenues in line with your expenditures. Both the state and federal government are doing just the opposite. I guess they know more about it than you and I do because we elected them. On the other hand I was asked, a long time ago, who is the real fool; the fool or the people who follow to and listen to the fool?
As a probation/parole officer I use to tell people I supervised that if faced with any situation, if it doesn’t feel or seem right, don’t do it. I think, to a point, this advice still holds true, if it doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t.
The government already has socialized health care, it is called Social Security and it is doing well. WRONG: It is going broke. We have the VA and that is doing well: WRONG: At best it is hit and miss, remember in S. Florida where the VA hospital did numerous Colonoscopies and never cleaned the scope, between procedures.
Now let’s take a look at how this national health care program is being sold. First we are going to have a public option, which is the government run alternative to private insurance. Now that has been taken out, oops, then put back in, oops I think it was taken out, no they just changed the name to cooperatives; then Obama went to the religious community and invoked god into the discussion. Now he is naming the bill after Ted Kennedy. If Obama thought it would help get this bill through he’d name it the Lee Quandt National Health Act of 2009.
I think the DC crazy bug has bitten some of these people. The only hope that we have left is the 2010 elections, we have to bring (star wars phrase), “balance back into the force” by taking back the State Senate, the US Senate and the US House of Representatives and the State Legislature, that way we can keep stupidity in check.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
EXETER TAX BILLS
I’m not sure what one of the selectmen is trying to do by pushing the message about our citizens and taxpayers falling on tough times and not being able to pay their tax bills/water and sewer bills on time. The innuendo is being pushed that those who have fallen on tough times are dead beats and trying to “game the system”. Although this economy is tough on all of us my family was lucky enough not to have fallen on times as tough as some and our bill is paid.
I am probably one of the most fiscally conservative people when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars you’ll find. I will spend money on stuff we need; but, not always on what we want. Tax dollars do not belong to anyone but the taxpayers, plain and simple and it is governments responsibility to spend as few of them as possible to keep government running, understanding that government needs that tax revenue to run. Let’s use Obama’s line, this is a teachable issue. As a town we need to cut back on spending because our revenue stream is not there. This isn’t the state where phony revenue projections are used to balance a bogus budget.
People can argue over the current way we raise our tax dollars, property taxes vs. income and sales tax; but, the bottom line is if people are having a hard time paying their property taxes they probably would have a hard time paying their income taxes because they don’t have any money.
Holding them up to public embarrassment and perhaps scorn is not the way to increase the money flow into our town coffers, in fact it is kicking someone when they are down. This is public information and people have a right to know who is not paying their taxes and can go to the town offices and see the info; but, this time it is a little different when the local paper puts it on the front page and we don’t see the same treatment for other towns. The question needs to be asked, “What is the agenda here and who is behind it”, because this is not how to collect delinquent tax revenues.
Exeter is a caring town, a tolerant town and a generous town to a point. Three million dollars is a lot of money to be owed and we all share in the fact that the town is down that 3 million; but, again we have a process to collect this and we should; but, if people don’t have the money right now, then they don’t have the money right now. We shouldn’t be putting them under more financial or emotional stress by holding them up for public embarrassment or ridicule.
We have a statutory procedure on how to deal with the non payment of property taxes and it doesn’t include intentionally embarrassing the taxpayers who are behind in their payments nor will it help bring in the payments due.
As a country we will pull out of this recession and as a community we will survive. For those of you who are having a tough time I can only say don’t give up, keep the faith and we will come through this OK. No matter if you’re a town official or not, this will give you a better understanding of what tough times are. I can’t say it will make you a better person; but, it will make you a wiser and more compassionate person.
Let’s stop trying to get cheap name time in the newspapers and understand that we are still in the worst recession since the great depression and people are feeling the pain, some are feeling a lot of pain, member(s) of the board of selectman need not capitalize on this for political gain.
I am probably one of the most fiscally conservative people when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars you’ll find. I will spend money on stuff we need; but, not always on what we want. Tax dollars do not belong to anyone but the taxpayers, plain and simple and it is governments responsibility to spend as few of them as possible to keep government running, understanding that government needs that tax revenue to run. Let’s use Obama’s line, this is a teachable issue. As a town we need to cut back on spending because our revenue stream is not there. This isn’t the state where phony revenue projections are used to balance a bogus budget.
People can argue over the current way we raise our tax dollars, property taxes vs. income and sales tax; but, the bottom line is if people are having a hard time paying their property taxes they probably would have a hard time paying their income taxes because they don’t have any money.
Holding them up to public embarrassment and perhaps scorn is not the way to increase the money flow into our town coffers, in fact it is kicking someone when they are down. This is public information and people have a right to know who is not paying their taxes and can go to the town offices and see the info; but, this time it is a little different when the local paper puts it on the front page and we don’t see the same treatment for other towns. The question needs to be asked, “What is the agenda here and who is behind it”, because this is not how to collect delinquent tax revenues.
Exeter is a caring town, a tolerant town and a generous town to a point. Three million dollars is a lot of money to be owed and we all share in the fact that the town is down that 3 million; but, again we have a process to collect this and we should; but, if people don’t have the money right now, then they don’t have the money right now. We shouldn’t be putting them under more financial or emotional stress by holding them up for public embarrassment or ridicule.
We have a statutory procedure on how to deal with the non payment of property taxes and it doesn’t include intentionally embarrassing the taxpayers who are behind in their payments nor will it help bring in the payments due.
As a country we will pull out of this recession and as a community we will survive. For those of you who are having a tough time I can only say don’t give up, keep the faith and we will come through this OK. No matter if you’re a town official or not, this will give you a better understanding of what tough times are. I can’t say it will make you a better person; but, it will make you a wiser and more compassionate person.
Let’s stop trying to get cheap name time in the newspapers and understand that we are still in the worst recession since the great depression and people are feeling the pain, some are feeling a lot of pain, member(s) of the board of selectman need not capitalize on this for political gain.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
CAN ANYONE TELL ME?
Can someone tell me how many people are uninsured? Obama started out saying there were 48 million, then it went down to 47 million then in one of his last speeches it was 46 million then I heard another Obama administration official say it was 45 million. My god, the longer we wait the less the numbers and the cheaper it should be. It is like a reverse auction.
The republicans claim the number is about 5 million, which, depending on how they define uninsured, is probably an accurate number. The problem is government is government and politicians are politicians. Both lie, manipulate and work numbers to fit their arguments.
The people I feel sorry for are the ones who don’t question how these numbers come about and how did they arrive at them?
The current discussions and plans for reforming our health care or health insurance programs have gone right off the scale of common sense and meaningful reform. It is no longer even a question of whether we need reform; it is a question of trying to find who is telling the truth in the discussions. Obama has committed political capital in pushing through a reform. He is a very good speaker; but, frequently does not know what he is talking about without his teleprompter and even then the info is wrong, and gets off message easily. Those who have a praise a rock star mentality will go nuts because I said something negative about their hero who can do no wrong, say nothing wrong and do nothing right. One of the funniest emails I’ve read was saying the difference between god and Obama is god never thought he was president. President Bush was never classified as Roman Orator when he was in office either.
The political battle and firestorm surrounding health care and health insurance reform is now centering on trust. Who do you trust and who is telling the truth and who do you believe. Inherently, republicans do not trust government or bureaucrats neither did our founding fathers when they wrote the constitution.
Some of the rhetoric, at face value is invalid and our common sense tells us that: Government is going to save us money. I don’t think so.
Government is going to make the system more efficient. I don’t think so.
Medicare is more efficient. I don’t think so; Medicare is so racked with fraud and bureaucratic mismanagement it needs an over haul.
Government is not going to knock off Grammy and Grampy. If most of our health care spending is spent in the last 6 months of our lives trying to save us (many times in vain and this is very sad) then savings comes from a triage program that determines who can make it and who can’t and don’t spend the money on cases that government feels cannot survive; that is a savings and I am against it.
We could go on and on; but, the bottom line is there is no real bill ready for prime time so all of these discussions are just Pelosi (read prior posts).
The republicans claim the number is about 5 million, which, depending on how they define uninsured, is probably an accurate number. The problem is government is government and politicians are politicians. Both lie, manipulate and work numbers to fit their arguments.
The people I feel sorry for are the ones who don’t question how these numbers come about and how did they arrive at them?
The current discussions and plans for reforming our health care or health insurance programs have gone right off the scale of common sense and meaningful reform. It is no longer even a question of whether we need reform; it is a question of trying to find who is telling the truth in the discussions. Obama has committed political capital in pushing through a reform. He is a very good speaker; but, frequently does not know what he is talking about without his teleprompter and even then the info is wrong, and gets off message easily. Those who have a praise a rock star mentality will go nuts because I said something negative about their hero who can do no wrong, say nothing wrong and do nothing right. One of the funniest emails I’ve read was saying the difference between god and Obama is god never thought he was president. President Bush was never classified as Roman Orator when he was in office either.
The political battle and firestorm surrounding health care and health insurance reform is now centering on trust. Who do you trust and who is telling the truth and who do you believe. Inherently, republicans do not trust government or bureaucrats neither did our founding fathers when they wrote the constitution.
Some of the rhetoric, at face value is invalid and our common sense tells us that: Government is going to save us money. I don’t think so.
Government is going to make the system more efficient. I don’t think so.
Medicare is more efficient. I don’t think so; Medicare is so racked with fraud and bureaucratic mismanagement it needs an over haul.
Government is not going to knock off Grammy and Grampy. If most of our health care spending is spent in the last 6 months of our lives trying to save us (many times in vain and this is very sad) then savings comes from a triage program that determines who can make it and who can’t and don’t spend the money on cases that government feels cannot survive; that is a savings and I am against it.
We could go on and on; but, the bottom line is there is no real bill ready for prime time so all of these discussions are just Pelosi (read prior posts).
Friday, August 14, 2009
OBAMA’S CREDIBILITY IS GONE!!
Many of us, both democrats and republicans have worked hard over the years to make our health insurance program in NH fair, equitable and assessable. I don’t think there is any question that every person in our state and country should have access to health care. The problem that kept arising was who was going to run it and how was it going to be paid. Each time a proposal was put forth, even to look at, the insurance company lobbyists would come by and take well positioned state reps and senators out for lunch or make sure they bought a few $250 tickets to their fundraisers so they could talk in a more relaxed setting.
I must be one of those angry people who have had enough. Although there is some anger most of it is pure frustration. First of all when my fellow republicans were in charge nothing of any substance changed, we blew it and health care and insurance became a debatable divisive issue.
The democrats didn’t have control of the political process so they, and it is how the system works, threw stones and criticized the republicans posturing for the next election and nothing got done; again money and influence controlled the process.
Now we have Obama, who in my and many people’s opinion is a socialist, pushing a socialist’s political agenda, with health care and insurance being the issue of the day.
The issue of health care and health insurance has been trumped by whether Obama wins or loses a political issue or whether we republicans can stop or not stop that agenda. It is not an issue of right or wrong it is an issue of winning or losing. Politicians are watching the polls and tailoring their arguments to fit the mood of the day. This equals not getting any straight forward, simple, honest answers; only political rhetoric that sounds good with no meaningful answers or resolutions to our questions.
This bill will do this; this bill says that from the democrats. No this bill will kill our senior citizens and because of the lack of doctors will cause health care rationing from the republicans. What I laugh at is there is no bill; it is only the first round of ideas coming out of the House of Representatives on the way to the senate.
The real fight will be in the senate because there are less members and they are cheaper and easier to buy; the special interest money will be flowing, honesty and integrity will once again be compromised and we will end up with something that totally screws up our health care, probably our economy, and we will be worse off.
Obama is more concerned about nationalizing our country than he is fixing what’s wrong. Politically speaking the Democratic Party leadership has become the leadership of socialism which conflicts with our countries very fabric. What the current political establishment is showing is that they do not want some of our socialist programs to fit into our capitalist society; they want the socialist agenda to take over and control our country and us as individuals. This is why Obama is losing credibility.
I must be one of those angry people who have had enough. Although there is some anger most of it is pure frustration. First of all when my fellow republicans were in charge nothing of any substance changed, we blew it and health care and insurance became a debatable divisive issue.
The democrats didn’t have control of the political process so they, and it is how the system works, threw stones and criticized the republicans posturing for the next election and nothing got done; again money and influence controlled the process.
Now we have Obama, who in my and many people’s opinion is a socialist, pushing a socialist’s political agenda, with health care and insurance being the issue of the day.
The issue of health care and health insurance has been trumped by whether Obama wins or loses a political issue or whether we republicans can stop or not stop that agenda. It is not an issue of right or wrong it is an issue of winning or losing. Politicians are watching the polls and tailoring their arguments to fit the mood of the day. This equals not getting any straight forward, simple, honest answers; only political rhetoric that sounds good with no meaningful answers or resolutions to our questions.
This bill will do this; this bill says that from the democrats. No this bill will kill our senior citizens and because of the lack of doctors will cause health care rationing from the republicans. What I laugh at is there is no bill; it is only the first round of ideas coming out of the House of Representatives on the way to the senate.
The real fight will be in the senate because there are less members and they are cheaper and easier to buy; the special interest money will be flowing, honesty and integrity will once again be compromised and we will end up with something that totally screws up our health care, probably our economy, and we will be worse off.
Obama is more concerned about nationalizing our country than he is fixing what’s wrong. Politically speaking the Democratic Party leadership has become the leadership of socialism which conflicts with our countries very fabric. What the current political establishment is showing is that they do not want some of our socialist programs to fit into our capitalist society; they want the socialist agenda to take over and control our country and us as individuals. This is why Obama is losing credibility.
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