I wrote the following letter to my senators regrading the health care reform bill. Please feel free to us all or any part of it when writing to your legislators.
They need to answer some questions and be held accountable for their actions.
Its Common Sense!!
Dear Senator
The Health Care Reform Bill was able to pass through the Senate along party lines. In all probability the Senate Democrats and House Democrats will be able to work out a compromise between their two bills and have the votes to present a Congressional bill to the President in a couple of months.
Several things about this bill bother me.
1. The rush - all we have been hearing is how important it is for this legislation to be passed and we have seen the midnight oil burning at the Capital to demonstrate the importance of this legislation. If it is so important why will it go into effect in 2013? Why aren't you taking the time to get all of the details right at the beginning so that when the President signs on the dotted line it can go immediately into effect?
2. Medicare and Medicaid - as I have stated in previous correspondence, I do not believe there can be any effective health care reform until the government proves it can manage Medicare and Medicaid. Currently there are billions of dollars stolen every year from both programs in fraud scams. Recently a news show interviewed members of a special FBI investigation unit in southern Florida, as well as some of the criminals they caught who revealed how easy it was to steal from Medicare and Medicaid.
Before there can be reform, the government has to be properly managing Medicare and Medicaid. If the government can not clean up the fraud in those programs, then the current reform will only generate more fraud, and increase the tax burden on an already over burdened populace.
3. Lack of bi-partisan support - the fact that not one Republican will sign onto to the bill makes me nervous. I know there are ideological differences but if the true goal of this bill is to better things for the American public, then why are no Republicans on board? Is this really a bill for the good of the American public or is this to make President Obama and the Democrats look good for the short term?
4. Cost - who foots the bill? I heard that my premiums will be rising. My fear is that with the 2013 start date insurance companies will be free to raise premiums as high as they want, just like the banks have gone crazy in raising interest rates on credit cards. Congress failed to protect us from the banks - even though our tax money bailed them out - and I fear that the insurance companies will follow the lead of the banks.
What assurances can you offer that my medical premiums will not become unaffordable and that I will be forced into a plan that offers less coverage?
Do you honestly believe that this bill is the best thing for the American people, that it will truly be cost effective and that it will not put our country deeper into debt?
I eagerly await your response.
Happy New Year!
Michael Wolfe
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Flying Terrorists
The news is once again filled with a story about an "alleged" terror attack on an airline. I use the term "alleged" because the young Nigerian in question, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, although charged has not been convicted.
The fact that the explosive and syringe were found on him, not to mention the fact that he started a fire, makes him guilty to me, and rather than waste the expense of a trial, I think he should be sent off to that maximum security prison in Illinois where the rest of the Gitmo gang is probably headed.
What I want to know, is if the young man was on a potential terrorist list, did USA Intelligence share this with Netherlands Intelligence? Was Abdulmutallab on a Europe wide alert list, or did the USA fail to share the information?
If a flyer is on the terrorist watch list, does TSA routinely take these individuals aside and do body searches, or do they mainly follow normal procedure? If someone is on a terrorist watch list I want to know why they are no subjected to a body search as part of the normal routine.
After all, if you are on some kind of suspicious terrorist watch list, then logic tells me this individual needs to be subjected to special attention whenever they use public transportation. In my mind that means trains and buses, as well as airplanes.
Which leads to another question, what precautions are in place for train and bus travel?
Since Abdulmutallab boarded his final flight in Amsterdam I will be curious to see what hearings in the USA Congress will resolve. Will Netherlands Intelligence share what they find out about whether Abdulmutallab obtained the explosives in the Netherlands, or did he bring them from Nigeria? Will Nigerian Intelligence share anything they find out about Abdulmutallab and his activities in Nigeria?
If USA Intelligence does not get the whole story, then the gaps are going to be hard to fill in.
Finally, what effect will all of this have on air travel in the USA? Will we be forced to more detailed searches and longer delays?
What is the best method to protect American flyers with the least amount of inconvenience?
I will be writing to my senators with specific questions and I will share the letter and any responses.
If the USA is going to truly fight a world wide war on terror, then we and the rest of the world need to start cooperating fully to bring about a victory in this long running war.
Its Common Sense!!
The fact that the explosive and syringe were found on him, not to mention the fact that he started a fire, makes him guilty to me, and rather than waste the expense of a trial, I think he should be sent off to that maximum security prison in Illinois where the rest of the Gitmo gang is probably headed.
What I want to know, is if the young man was on a potential terrorist list, did USA Intelligence share this with Netherlands Intelligence? Was Abdulmutallab on a Europe wide alert list, or did the USA fail to share the information?
If a flyer is on the terrorist watch list, does TSA routinely take these individuals aside and do body searches, or do they mainly follow normal procedure? If someone is on a terrorist watch list I want to know why they are no subjected to a body search as part of the normal routine.
After all, if you are on some kind of suspicious terrorist watch list, then logic tells me this individual needs to be subjected to special attention whenever they use public transportation. In my mind that means trains and buses, as well as airplanes.
Which leads to another question, what precautions are in place for train and bus travel?
Since Abdulmutallab boarded his final flight in Amsterdam I will be curious to see what hearings in the USA Congress will resolve. Will Netherlands Intelligence share what they find out about whether Abdulmutallab obtained the explosives in the Netherlands, or did he bring them from Nigeria? Will Nigerian Intelligence share anything they find out about Abdulmutallab and his activities in Nigeria?
If USA Intelligence does not get the whole story, then the gaps are going to be hard to fill in.
Finally, what effect will all of this have on air travel in the USA? Will we be forced to more detailed searches and longer delays?
What is the best method to protect American flyers with the least amount of inconvenience?
I will be writing to my senators with specific questions and I will share the letter and any responses.
If the USA is going to truly fight a world wide war on terror, then we and the rest of the world need to start cooperating fully to bring about a victory in this long running war.
Its Common Sense!!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
President Obama's Campaign Promises
President Obama during a recent interview with Oprah gave himself a B+ for his performance to date. Needless to say, I think he has given himself a very favorable curve, especially based on what I have seen of his performance to date.
Troops are being pulled out of Iraq, but at a slower rate than promised and now it appears that more will be staying than in the original plan.
The USA's commitment to Afghanistan has increased with the ordering of an additional thirty thousand troops, not to mention billions in finanical aid. Where is the end of al-Quada and the Taliban?
There are still prisoners in Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) even though the President promised it would be closed in the first year of his Administration. There is talk of the prisoners being moved to a high security facility in Illinois, but nothing has been finalized.
Health Care Reform is an on going battle being fought along clearly partisan lines. What happened to the spirit of cooperation and unity in government?
Where are the new jobs? Where are all the new Green businesses? Unemployment has slowed down, but for millions nothing has improved.
Where are strong regulations to control banks? They are paying off the bail out money, paying employees big bonuses, increasing interest on credit cards, withholding loans for home buyers, and taking no precautions for the future. Why is the Obama Administration not making things tougher on Wall Street?
Other areas not going well. Obama failed to bring the Olympics to Chicago. Personally I do not think he should have even gone to plead the city's case, but the fact is he went and lost. Not a pretty picture.
Obama receives the Noble Peace Prize but no one, including himself, understands why. Regardless of the justification supplied by the Noble Committee, it still looks like Obama got the prize based on future hopes as opposed to any real action he has performed to date.
Climate control and saving the environment. Obama went to Copenhagen and failed miserably. Now,to be fair he tried, but it is evident other world leaders do not hold him in that high esteem because he could not even get the nations to agree to an enforceable plan. In truth, it looks like business will continue as always and future generations will pay the price for the greed of their ancestors.
Overall, I give Obama a C-. A lot of talk, a lot of promises but very little to show.
He got elected by people who really thought he was different, that he was more than just another politician, that he was a man of his word and that he would make things happen. Having been part of the system he knew how it worked, so he should only have promised what he knew was doable. Instead, he stayed a politician wanting to win and has put us in our current situation.
Understand that I know he can do nothing on his own. He has to deal with the Congress. But having been a part of Congress he knew what obstacles he would be up against and he should have been honest about them up front. Instead he gave the impression that he could overcome the obstacles and thus far he has failed miserably.
The real challenge for Obama is to see if his Administration can turn things around or he could end up being another one term president.
Actions speak louder than words, now Obama's actions need to live up to his words.
Its Common Sense!
Troops are being pulled out of Iraq, but at a slower rate than promised and now it appears that more will be staying than in the original plan.
The USA's commitment to Afghanistan has increased with the ordering of an additional thirty thousand troops, not to mention billions in finanical aid. Where is the end of al-Quada and the Taliban?
There are still prisoners in Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) even though the President promised it would be closed in the first year of his Administration. There is talk of the prisoners being moved to a high security facility in Illinois, but nothing has been finalized.
Health Care Reform is an on going battle being fought along clearly partisan lines. What happened to the spirit of cooperation and unity in government?
Where are the new jobs? Where are all the new Green businesses? Unemployment has slowed down, but for millions nothing has improved.
Where are strong regulations to control banks? They are paying off the bail out money, paying employees big bonuses, increasing interest on credit cards, withholding loans for home buyers, and taking no precautions for the future. Why is the Obama Administration not making things tougher on Wall Street?
Other areas not going well. Obama failed to bring the Olympics to Chicago. Personally I do not think he should have even gone to plead the city's case, but the fact is he went and lost. Not a pretty picture.
Obama receives the Noble Peace Prize but no one, including himself, understands why. Regardless of the justification supplied by the Noble Committee, it still looks like Obama got the prize based on future hopes as opposed to any real action he has performed to date.
Climate control and saving the environment. Obama went to Copenhagen and failed miserably. Now,to be fair he tried, but it is evident other world leaders do not hold him in that high esteem because he could not even get the nations to agree to an enforceable plan. In truth, it looks like business will continue as always and future generations will pay the price for the greed of their ancestors.
Overall, I give Obama a C-. A lot of talk, a lot of promises but very little to show.
He got elected by people who really thought he was different, that he was more than just another politician, that he was a man of his word and that he would make things happen. Having been part of the system he knew how it worked, so he should only have promised what he knew was doable. Instead, he stayed a politician wanting to win and has put us in our current situation.
Understand that I know he can do nothing on his own. He has to deal with the Congress. But having been a part of Congress he knew what obstacles he would be up against and he should have been honest about them up front. Instead he gave the impression that he could overcome the obstacles and thus far he has failed miserably.
The real challenge for Obama is to see if his Administration can turn things around or he could end up being another one term president.
Actions speak louder than words, now Obama's actions need to live up to his words.
Its Common Sense!
Senate Health Care Bill
It appears that the Democrats in the Senate are just about ready to pass their version of a health reform bill. Evidently there has been a lot of back room negotiating and compromising but Senator Harry Reid is promising a bill to the President by Christmas Eve.
The fact that evidently no Republicans have sign on, even Olympia Snow, makes me wonder if we really want to place the future of our health care in partisan hands. If all bi-partisan efforts have failed, do we really want to be saddled with a plan that will pass with the barest majority necessary?
Of course, once it comes out of the Senate, then the Senate and House will need to come together and work out the differences between their two bills, so that a final plan can be presented to the President.
Will the House go a long with the Senate, or are we in for some more long nights and backroom deals?
Will a finalized bill ever reach the President?
I am curious to see what the final result of all of this will be. I think that in the end the two houses of Congress will not be able to come to an agreement and that President Obama will once again have failed to deliver on a campaign promise.
I am going to try and read through the new bill the Senate wants to pass, although I have a feeling I will not get far. The language really gets to be a problem. Maybe Congress needs to pass a law that all legislation needs to be written in terms the average American can understand without assistance from an attorney.
Congress is suppose to make laws for the people, the people should be able to read the laws.
Its Common Sense!
The fact that evidently no Republicans have sign on, even Olympia Snow, makes me wonder if we really want to place the future of our health care in partisan hands. If all bi-partisan efforts have failed, do we really want to be saddled with a plan that will pass with the barest majority necessary?
Of course, once it comes out of the Senate, then the Senate and House will need to come together and work out the differences between their two bills, so that a final plan can be presented to the President.
Will the House go a long with the Senate, or are we in for some more long nights and backroom deals?
Will a finalized bill ever reach the President?
I am curious to see what the final result of all of this will be. I think that in the end the two houses of Congress will not be able to come to an agreement and that President Obama will once again have failed to deliver on a campaign promise.
I am going to try and read through the new bill the Senate wants to pass, although I have a feeling I will not get far. The language really gets to be a problem. Maybe Congress needs to pass a law that all legislation needs to be written in terms the average American can understand without assistance from an attorney.
Congress is suppose to make laws for the people, the people should be able to read the laws.
Its Common Sense!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Democrats and Health Care Reform
Just when you thought the Democrats in the Senate were going to join together and pass the health care bill they assure us the country really needs, they fall apart.
Howard Dean comes out of left field to state the bill in a fraud and useless. Others are raising issues regarding abortion coverage, others about the lack of a national option and others, well they just want their couple of minutes of TV time.
John McCain came out on the Senate floor to let everyone know he is in agreement with Howard Dean about the need to start the health care package at square one.
Independent Joe Lieberman was shocked when he asked for additional time to speak, thinking it was an automatic and new Minnesota Senator Al Franken objected. Evidently Al had heard enough from the Senator from Connecticut and wanted to give the floor to someone else.
Now some of the Senate leaders are threatening to stay in session through Christmas to get the legislation to pass. I doubt that will happen.
What I think may happen is that all of the work of both the House of Representatives and the Senate will come to naught, the crisis in Afghanistan will heat up (especially if the rumor of a possible coup in Pakistan proves true) and health care will be placed on the back burner, just like when Clinton tried.
The fact that the Democrats cannot or will not united on a bill which is so important to their Democrat President shows just how bad things are getting.
Let's hope that the differences they are fighting over are real and not just political. Let's hope that no one is putting their campaign for reelection above the needs of the American people.
If their hesitation to vote in favor is based on conscience and the true best interest of the American people, then more power to them. However, if their motivation is for self serving purposes, then I hope their constituents see through them and vote them out of office. They are not the kind of representatives we want or need on Capital Hill.
Its Common Sense!
Howard Dean comes out of left field to state the bill in a fraud and useless. Others are raising issues regarding abortion coverage, others about the lack of a national option and others, well they just want their couple of minutes of TV time.
John McCain came out on the Senate floor to let everyone know he is in agreement with Howard Dean about the need to start the health care package at square one.
Independent Joe Lieberman was shocked when he asked for additional time to speak, thinking it was an automatic and new Minnesota Senator Al Franken objected. Evidently Al had heard enough from the Senator from Connecticut and wanted to give the floor to someone else.
Now some of the Senate leaders are threatening to stay in session through Christmas to get the legislation to pass. I doubt that will happen.
What I think may happen is that all of the work of both the House of Representatives and the Senate will come to naught, the crisis in Afghanistan will heat up (especially if the rumor of a possible coup in Pakistan proves true) and health care will be placed on the back burner, just like when Clinton tried.
The fact that the Democrats cannot or will not united on a bill which is so important to their Democrat President shows just how bad things are getting.
Let's hope that the differences they are fighting over are real and not just political. Let's hope that no one is putting their campaign for reelection above the needs of the American people.
If their hesitation to vote in favor is based on conscience and the true best interest of the American people, then more power to them. However, if their motivation is for self serving purposes, then I hope their constituents see through them and vote them out of office. They are not the kind of representatives we want or need on Capital Hill.
Its Common Sense!
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