So what exactly CAN I call the new health care control law?

Supporters of the law object to the term "ObamaCare." Somehow it is insulting to refer to the law by the name of the President who worked so intensely to have it passed.

Am I really expected to call it the "Affordable Care Act" or the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" when I think it is neither affordable nor protective of patients? I find that insulting to my intelligence!

If supporters want us to refer to a law by its formal title, how about naming it something that's more descriptive and less propaganda.

"Explosive Regulatory Control of Health Care" ERCHC

or

"Massive Arbitrary Power to the Department of Health and Human Services Law" MAPDHHS

or

"Health Insurance as Public Utilities Law." (That one at least comes out with a pronounceable acronym: HIPUL.

Or if you prefer something neutral: The 2010 Health Care Reform Law.

Until politicians stop insulting us by titling their laws with such ludicrous names, they best be prepared to be insulted right back.

.

Information or propaganda? Either way, you're paying for it.

This is just one example of why government must be severely and strictly limited in its scope:

HHS is Paying Google with Taxpayer Money to Alter 'Obamacare' Search Results

The brazenness of the Obama administration never ceases to amaze. Try typing "Obamacare" into Google, and you'll find that the first entry is now the Obama administration's www.healthcare.gov. If you don't particularly like that result, you'll probably hate the fact that you're paying for it.

You'll get the same paid-for result if you type in "Obamacare facts," "Obamacare summary," "Obamacare info," "Obamacare overview," "Obamacare questions," "Obamacare explanation," "Obamacare basics," "Obamacare pros and cons," "Obamacare and elderly," and even "Obamacare and abortion." For each of these search terms, and many others, the Obama administration's site comes up first, as a paid entry. But it doesn’t come up if you type in "ObamaCare repeal."

Read more here and here.

.

Somebody Better Tell Andy Griffith

Preface: Rep. Dave Camp, ranking Republican of the House Ways and Means Committee, has compiled this list of when different aspects of the recently passed health care legislation will go into effect. The main effect of the new health reform law is to cut Medicare benefits in order to extend coverage to the uninsured.

Read this analysis by FactCheck.org and this list of Medicare cuts which will go into effect under the new health care control law, and then ask yourself how the White House can justify the claims it makes in the Mayberry ad, let alone its use of tax payer money to fund this propaganda.

.

Docs 4 Patient Care on Berwick appointment

Docs 4 Patient Care is an active, reputable physician's group working hard to promote health care freedom. I have personally talked with a number of the board members. They are hard working, honest individuals dedicated to providing quality care to their patients and restoring independence and freedom to medical decision making. Please check them out and provide them support.

My son thinks the following YouTube clip is "scaremongering" similar to the tactics of the global warming alarmists. Perhaps he is right about the tone and the style of message--but the major difference I see is that Dr. Scherz is correct in stating that socialized medicine increases pain, suffering and death. That statement is not conjecture but fact.

Dr. Berwick openly advocates the redistribution of wealth as necessary to the provision of health care. This is the fundamental premise of socialism: from each according to his ability, to each according to his need. This is the premise which led to the totalitarianism of the Soviet Union, and is causing the current economic stagnation of Europe, and increasingly in the United States. It's time that President Obama and Speaker Pelosi were honest about their socialist intentions so that the debate in America can center on the right issue.:

Do we still believe in individual rights, freedom and limited government, or do we submit to the directives and central planning of the political elite?

Freedom or Statism.

The choice is still ours.

Dr. Berwick:

"Any health care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must, must, redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional."

62% Want ObamaCare Challenged

(Credit: CBS)

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

Maybe this country isn't ready for socialism after all.

.

A Day of Mourning

With the passage of ObamaCare, I am in mourning over the damage done to our health care freedom and to the ability of physicians to put their patients' individual best interest ahead of the needs of the common "good."

BILL PASSES 219 - 212

Pelosi Has Her 216

They haven't voted yet, but Pelosi now has commitments from 216.

Cooper and Donnelly were the last to to cave.

We'll never know what she held over each person's head in order to get this vote.

Please send letters of thanks to all those who voted no.

It's not over. The fight for freedom never is.

Up Date: Health Care Bill

Washington Post:

FDL: 214: For

208: Against

8 undecideds:

If you have the stomach to continue to call or fax, here's the numbers. 202-22.....
Rep///Phone/// FAX

Marion Berry 5-4076; 5-5602 no- but vulnerable
Rick Boucher 5-3861 5-0042

Costello 5-5661 5-0285

Donnelly 5-3915 5-6798

Paul Kanjorski 5-6511 5-0764

Lipinski 5-5701 5-1012

Mike Michaud 5-6306 5-2943

Jim Cooper 5-4311 6-1035

Down to the wire.

If you are up for it, here is the call list:http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfndp8bx_33cjs33ghk

Stupak calls a press conference for 4 PM ET.

Current FDL whip count: 208 yes, 209 no, with 5 undecideds. If you throw Lipinski and Costello onto the no side, it’s 208-211.

From the Washington Post:

Update: Stupak and 4 others confirm "yes". Declared now stands at Yes - 213; No-209

.

Out of the Frying Pan; Into the Fire

MSNBC reporting Stupak’s a yes.

Talk has it a special deal was made with Obama and an executive order.

Pelosi and Obama had their political lives on the line. Having put themselves in this life-or-death situation, they'd be willing to do everything short of murder to pass this bill. I guess we shouldn't' be surprised if they succeed.

Read more here.

For a peek at some of what we are in for, read Brian's Swartz's excellent editorial in Pajama Media "Get Ready for Health Insurance Slum Lords."

.

Tomorrow's Vote

In case you want to know:

The session tomorrow will begin around 2:00 pm ET. Three votes – potentially four – will be taken. First there will be a vote on the rule, with an hour of debate on it. Expect a vote around 3:00 ET. Then there will be two hours of debate on the reconciliation bill. That will get a vote around 5:00 ET. There would be no debate in between the reconciliation bill and the Senate bill, which would happen around 5:30 ET. If there is a motion to recommit, that would get sandwiched in before the vote on the reconciliation bill. -FDL News

Current Whip count:

For - 205

Lean No (Stupak bloc) - 10

Unknown - 9

Against - 207

List of Undecideds and contact numbers:http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfndp8bx_32hkgt3qgb

Now back to faxing.

.

Keep Calling: We're Making a Difference

House To Drop “Deem And Pass” Strategy

It's hard to tell if this is a good thing or not as far as defeating the health care bill, but it does show that at least someone in Washington is getting the message that their shenanigans are not acceptable.

The current plan is to take three separate votes.

Vote #1 is on the "rule" which in essence is a resolution to set the terms for debate.

Vote #2 is a package of amendments, essentially demands for changes which the House expects the Senate to approve once the House House passes the Senate bill.

Vote #3 The Senate bill itself.

Meanwhile, pressure and dealing with Stupak continues- maybe even an executive order in exchange for a yes vote.

Health Care count - update

HOUSE HEALTH CARE WHIP COUNT

Favor	Stupak Bloc	Undecided	Oppose
204	10	11	206

Count update from FDL.

From the Washington Post:

For: 183 Against:207 Undecided: 41

With four vacancies, Nancy Pelosi needs to round up 216 votes for a majority. If the remaining Dems voted the same as they did Nov. 7, the vote would be 216-215.

Faxing is much more difficult getting through yesterday and today. Lots of busy signals and failure to pick up.

I will be frequently updating this google doc with the whip count and representatives to target your calls, emails and faxes.

Points to consider making:

For the Stupak block:

The entire bill is anti-life, even if there is a special deal on abortion funding.

For the Undecideds:

Any bill of this magnitude which can only be passed by such a tortured, political process via marginal, if even legitimate tactics, deserves to be rejected on that ground alone.

The passage of this bill will change the vary character of our nation from one of free and independent citizens into dependent, indentured servants of the state.

Other excellent "talking points" put together by Brian Schwartz can be found at Patient Power.

Health Care "Reform" Countdown

Favor	Lean Favor	Lean Oppose	Oppose	Unknown
202	6	3	209	9

Last Updated: 6:27pm, 3/19/09

I will continue to update the google doc as people declare. Please call or fax. Very difficult to get through today.

Keep up the pressure. Still frighteningly close.

Looking Frightfully Close to Passing

Endgame: Deal with Stupak Bloc Discussed That Would Guarantee Passage of Health Care Bill

The CBO Report on Health Care Reform

It may be correct as far as it goes, but it is not the full truth.

Here is the letter I will fax to to as many undecideds and Blue Dog Dems as I can get through to today:

Dear _________

The CBO report is in---but it’s not the whole story.

Do not be fooled by figures that include 10 years of revenue against 6 years of spending. Gimmick-free accounting shows a deficit increase of $460 billion the first 10 years and $1.4 trillion in the second ten years.

Do not be fooled by cost projections for such a large entitlement expansion. History proves they have NEVER been right---usually off by a factor of 10 or more.

1966 Medicare 25 year cost projection: $12 billion

Actual cost: $107 billion

1987 Medicaid 5 year cost projection: $1 billion

Actual cost: $17 billion

1988 Medicare home care benefit cost projection: $4 billion

Actual cost: 10 billion

Do not be fooled by the report that counts on cuts to Medicare which have NEVER occurred. Or worse---that quality of care will not suffer if the cuts ever do go through.

Do not believe the blatant lie “If you like your plan you can keep it.” Medicare destroyed the private health insurance industry for seniors, and this will destroy private health insurance for the rest of us.

But the greatest cost of all is how attempts to pass this bill are undermining of the rule of law and the very mechanisms of our Constitutional republic. This bill is a direct assault on the freedom and independence of all citizens, in clear violation of the fundamental purpose of government: the protection of individual rights.

No man can morally be made the means to another’s end.

I know you know all of this.

I just want you to know that the rest of us know it too.

VOTE NO.

4 more

If you have time, here are 4 more fence sitters:

Marcie Kaptur Phone 202-225-4146 FAX 202-225-7711

Jason Altmire Phone 202-225-2565 FAX 202-226-2274

Sanford Bishop Phone 202-225-3631 FAX 202-225-2203

Melissa Bean Phone 202-225-3711 FAX 202-225-7830

It is dangerously close!!

Here's one Whip count:

Adding in Kucinich’s support, and Ann Kirkpatrick’s, to the last whip count puts the number at 193 yes, 205 no, and 208-208 with leaners. That leaves Democrats needing 8 of the final 15 uncommitted votes to come through. The group includes five who voted no last time, and 10 who voted yes. So theoretically, if nobody flips to no, the Democrats have the votes. Here are the final 15:

Lincoln Davis, Jim Matheson, Harry Teague, Travis Childers, John Barrow, Zack Space, Chris Carney, Brad Ellsworth, Jerry Costello, Henry Cuellar, Nick Rahall, Solomon Ortiz, Earl Pomeroy, Bill Foster, Harry Mitchell.

Socialized health care--and there is no question that mandatory insurance with massive subsidies is anything but socialized--is immoral and will be a financial disaster. It has NEVER worked anywhere. It always leads to more and more erosion of liberty.

Email. Call. Fax.

Do what you can!!

Lincoln Davis Phone 202-225-6831 FAX 202-226-5172

Jim Matheson Phone 202-225-3011 FAX 202-225-5638

Harry Teague Phone202-225-2365 FAX 202-225-9599

Travis Childers Phone 202-225-4306 FAX 202-22503549

John Barrow Phone 202-225-2823 FAX 202-225-3377

Zack Space Phone 202-225-6265 FAX 202-225-3394

Chris Carney Phone 202-335-3731 FAX 202-225-9594

Brad Ellsworth Phone 202-225-4636 FAX 202-225-3284

Jerry Costello Phone 202-225-5661 FAX 202-225-0285

Henry Cuellar Phone 202-225-1640 FAX 202-225-1641

Nick Rahall Phone 202-225-3452 FAX 202-225-9061

Solomon Ortiz Phone 202-225-7742 FAX 202-226-1134

Earl Pomeroy Phone 202-225-2611 FAX 202-226-0893

Bill Foster Phone 202-225-2976 FAX 202-225-0697

Harry Mitchell Phone 202-225-2190 FAX 202-225-3263

Health Care Endgame

Reposted from FIRM

By Paul Hsieh, MD

This upcoming week will be the critical week in the health care fight. Speaker Pelosi is expected to start the process for the House to hold its final vote to approve the Senate bill. The vote will probably take place at the end of this upcoming week.

Right now, they are probably still a few votes shy of the majority they need:

"Dem House vote-counter lacks health care votes now"
Associated Press, 3/14/2010

"Can Nancy Pelosi Get the Votes?"
Michael Barone, Wall Street Journal, 3/11/2010

This is an extremely risky move by the Democrats. Normally, a Speaker wouldn't plan on voting on such major legislation unless he or she was sure of having enough votes.

But the Democrats are also (correctly) concluding that time is not on their side. They have made the calculation that if they push for it now, then maybe then can squeeze out the last few votes via a combination of political carrots and sticks. For example, they have "sweetened" the deal for the wavering moderates by promising billions of dollars of new student loan subsidies.

On the other hand they recognize that if they wait much longer, then when these wavering Congressmen go back home for the Easter recess, they will get an earful from their constituents who are strongly opposed to the bill, and they'll lose even more support.

Hence, from the Left's perspective, it's now or never.

If you (like me) support free-market health reforms, this means three things:

1) We are winning. We have a chance to defeat this terrible bill. [Beth adds: The numbers are too close. Now is not the time to become complacent.]

In particular, do not uncritically accept the inevitable news stories about how the Democrats are "close to getting the votes" or how Pelosi is "confident she'll have the votes". She has to exude an aura of public confidence, otherwise her coalition will quickly unravel.

Polls repeatedly show Americans opposed to ObamaCare:

"Why Obama Can't Move the Health-Care Numbers"
Rasmussen and Schoen, Wall Street Journal, 3/9/2010

Similarly, head counts of House Democrats also show that they don't quite have enough votes yet:

"Scrambling for votes, Democrats face uphill climb to pass healthcare reform"
The Hill, 3/13/2010

"The Hill's 'Whip Count' on ObamaCare –- as of 3/13/2010"

If they had the votes, they'd have already passed it by now.

2) We must keep up the pressure.

The Democrats are pulling out all stops to find some way to get this through now, before the critical Easter recess.

At this point in time, the single most important thing you can do is contact your Congressman and tell him or her what you think:

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

This is especially important if your Congressman is one of the undecided or swing votes on these "Code Red" lists:

http://www.nrcc.org/CodeRed/targets/
Tea Party Patriots Code Red Alert

Even if your Congressman is a firm "Yes" and you disagree, it's still important to let them know where you stand. If even the liberal Democrats from "safe" seats consistently hear that their constituents are against it, it will give the wavering moderates more political cover to vote "No". They can then tell Pelosi, "Even your constituents hate this thing -- there's no way I can support it".

*** Our counter-pressure is our best weapon against the pressure that the statists will exert on these wavering Congressmen. ***

Your letter doesn't have to be long or eloquent. It just has to convey certainty, passion, and moral conviction. One short letter that I've seen against ObamaCare runs something like this:

"Please vote NO on this terrible health care plan! If you vote yes, you will destroy the ability of me and my family to receive good health care in the future. This is personal! If you vote yes, we will never forgive you for hurting our lives and trampling on our basic freedoms."

(Of course, you should express your opinion in a fashion that reflects your own style and values.)

Feel free to use all contact methods -- phone, fax, and e-mail. And please feel free to contact them multiple times over the upcoming week. In this context, repetition is a virtue!

And of course if you agree with your Congressman's position, then thank him or her. They also need our moral support.

3) If you have friends or family in other parts of the country, tell them to contact their Congressmen.

If you need intellectual ammunition for them, one of my personal favorites is from the AFCM website:

"Fifty Fallacies About Health Care" by Richard Ralston

Jared Rhoads' Lucidicus Project also has a good set of OpEds.

And of course, FIRM has its archive of articles and OpEds.

I personally think that the most important thing we can do in the next few days will be to directly contact our Congressmen and have friends/family do the same. LTEs and OpEds will still be important, but not as much as before. (That said, I'm still going to continue writing and/or disseminating some of my earlier writings to people I know around the country.)

This is the endgame, folks. Most political observers regard the health care bill as a 50-50 "toss-up" or "too close to call". It really could go either way. What happens this week will determine the course of this great country (for good or for ill) for decades to come.

Your voice could be the critical difference in swaying the right one or two minds. If you value your lives and your freedom, the time to speak up isnow!

(Anyone is welcome to forward or repost this to any appropriate recipients or venues.)


Update: Minor language and link changes made 3-16-2010