Pursuing Freedom

GOP Seniors Health Care Bill of Rights.

2009-08-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

The GOP has announced the following promise to the nation's senior citizens though the announcement of a "Health Care Bill of Rights."

Six bullet points in easy to understand English: (Text is below)

-PROTECT MEDICARE AND NOT CUT IT IN THE NAME OF HEALTH CARE REFORM

-PROHIBIT GOVERNMENT FROM GETTING BETWEEN SENIORS AND THEIR DOCTORS

-PROHIBIT EFFORTS TO RATION HEALTH CARE BASED ON AGE

-PREVENT GOVERNMENT FROM INTERFERING WITH END-OF-LIFE CARE DISCUSSIONS

-ENSURE SENIORS CAN KEEP THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE

-PROTECT VETERANS BY PRESERVING TRICARE AND OTHER BENEFIT PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES

This senior's health care bill of rights document is a complete game-changer for the current debate. Here is why: It's simple, easy to understand, and acknowledges the fears seniors have about health care. In addition, since it is simple to understand it also creates accountability for both the GOP and the Obama Administration to live up to the principles stated above.

From the political standpoint it is key to note that Seniors are a very important and powerful group of voters. In addition, they have until recently been very solidly democratic voters as a legacy from the days of FDR when he created the "old age insurance" (Social Security) and from democrats who ushered in Medicare. Every video I see of town hall attendees asking questions contain a large number of seniors asking to not have their health care coverage changed or taken away and now they have a party who has made a claim to make those concerns a key part of the opposition agenda.

While the GOP's politics don't always reflect my libertarian views I do recognize that effective opposition to Government involvement in health care will at least preserve some of the freedoms we have left as it relates to our medical care. This new seniors Health Bill of Rights is not the complete package but it is a savvy and effective way to bring the debate and the health care agenda back in line with the concerns of our seniors.

Health Care Town Halls: Tipping point for an Extremist Administration's Agenda?

2009-08-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

A couple of thoughts about the public reaction to the Bill to have the Government take over the Health Care Industry.

- What took the Public so long to realize how radical of an agenda is being pushed by the Obama Administration?

-Why did it take the Public so long to become upset that the Representatives are not even reading the bills prior to voting on them? This is the third one since Obama took office where this could happen. First the Stimulus Spending Bill and then the Massive Energy Tax (Cap and Trade) Bill.

-Why is the Obama administration attacking the public when they are demanding to have answers to their legitimate concerns about a bill that will affect everyone in this country?

-Why would the radicals in Washington even consider trying to create such a bad health care bill with such a disproportionate cut that directly affects the elderly? Given that the elderly vote in such large numbers this would seem to be political suicide.

-How can the radicals in Congress not believe the protests and concerns of the public on health care are real and legitimate when the polling shows that a clear majority disapprove of the bill after they have had a chance to understand what is in it?

-Why are many of the Representatives deciding to hide from the Public and not communicate with the constituents? Why don't they care what the people they represent think about this very important issue?

Lots of questions I know. Here is the reality. I think the Public is waking up to the fact that many leaders in Washington, DC think it doesn't matter what the Public thinks. Why not? These very established Representatives and Senators have powerful organizations with big budgets that engage in corrupt "machine" politics to ensure re-election. As a result they are increasingly disconnected from how the real voters feel. As they pursue a greater and greater radical agenda that helps their own special interest groups they move farther and farther away from the disenfranchised public. So the Public reaches a boiling or tipping point and decides to send a message to those radical lawmakers. I believe this is where we are at now. The government has gone too far this time and now people are really upset.

Here is the scary part. The worst possible approach that the government could take is to ignore or miscategorize this Public expression when it occurs. The reason for this is that when the Government is dismissive toward the overall Public that is Angry and feeling Disenfranchised bad things start to happen. We don't want the Public to feel that the representation that the Public should have is a lie. Then they feel that they really don't have a voice at all and the people chosen to represent them are refusing to listen to them. This doesn't have to get uglier as long as they listen to the will of the Public.

The best possible outcome here would be that this bill is defeated and then in it's place they can create a far less radical bill that is narrowly targeted to help provide better health insurance coverage for the relatively small number of people (16 Million or so who don't qualify for other programs and are not in the country illegally.) Now that is a plan I think everyone could get behind!

Forced to purchase Medical Coverage?

2009-07-31T11:09:00.001-07:00

I am having a real problem with the idea that the Government will not provide me the Freedom of choice on what insurance (or any other product) I should buy. This includes the Freedom to decide I do not wish to spend my earned dollars on an insurance policy at all. Although you can make the argument that this is to the benefit of the social collective it seems that this is completely at odds with any type of personal liberty that adults should enjoy.

It's also a very slippery slope. If it is ok for the Government to control my purchasing of insurance why can't they also control any/all of my purchasing decisions? Uncle Sam can tell me which light bulbs (CFL only), cookies, fruits (organic?), and what temperature I am allowed to keep my thermostat at. etc.

Believing in Freedom also means allowing people the Freedom to make choices that might be different than the leaders of a controlling government might wish you would make. Stand up for Freedom and tell them they do not have the Right to force you to purchase anything you do not want and you acknowledge the responsibility to shoulder the consequences of your own actions.

Economic Insurgency- Charity

2009-07-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

I would like to encourage everyone of large or small means to donate as much as you can to charities that you trust. If you are extremely wealthy this might involve some help from a tax lawyer but please begin planning now. Well run charities do a lot to help many people in need. In addition, as the tax laws are written today, you are able to make tax free donations to charity (The government doesn't take it's usual cut since charitable donations are deductible.)

It's important to plan ahead if you are going to be donating large amounts of money though because Obama has made it clear that he intends to tax donations. Why? Well because people who want to donate money to charity to help people are usually the same people who don't really trust the government to run social programs that compete with the charities. Government greed is a major factor. More money given to charity means less tax revenue to the corrupt government officials. Plan ahead. Set up trusts, foundations, etc. Bill Gates understands this. He wants to help the people of the world and puts Billions of Dollars into his foundations (tax free) to actually help people vs. funding a wasteful government that is unwilling and unable to do the same.

In summary, give freely to charity. It's a win win. Less tax money for the government to waste and you actually get to help people as well.

It's Political (purely) not Economic

2009-07-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

I have been reading "The Forgotten Man" which is a book about the Great Depression in order to better understand what steps were taken, what happened, why it happened and why the United States stayed mired in a Depression for so much longer than other nations.

Here is what I am beginning to understand. Many of these laws are marketed as economic fixes or reforms but are purely designed to be bribes to special interest groups to insure re-election and greater power and control.

The similarities to our current situation is striking and scary. The Wagner Act was a big gift to Big Labor to get the unions on FDR's side. Today we have the "Employee Card Check Act" to create unions where the prospective members do not get to have a secret ballot. Such laws were designed to help unions at the expense of businesses (large and small) so they will end up hiring less employees or simply go out of business which will increase unemployment. If you look at such laws through an economic or mathematical lens is it terrible. Through a political lens it is brilliant.

The TVA was designed as a Public Plan to complete with Private Utilities that generated electrical power for the people at the time. With Public Funding subsidizing the constructions of the power plants (Dams) and many many broken agreements with the power distributors. This pummeled the stock of the utility companies and resulted in many lost jobs. They wanted the government to completely take over the Utility business. Today the Leftists wish to create a public plan to enable to government to take over the health care business. The non-partisan CBO (Congressional Budget Office) shows how the plan will increase health care costs and will increase taxes on small businesses (majority of 1040 tax filers over 200K.) The difference is that the TVA actually did result in lower electrical costs in the end for some end users even with such an unfair advantage of using public funds. The government takeover of health care won't provide any economic advantage for anyone and will decrease the supply of health care providers (TVA at least increased the supply of power when 50% of the country didn't have electric power.) The health care will will ration and lower the supply of health care to the public even not counting the expected doctor loss from long hours, lowered government premiums, increased paperwork costs, and jackpot payout lawsuits from trial lawyers. A true economic lose lose situation but a political win since despite the problems the regime will claim to be helping people afford medical coverage that will no longer be available when your doctor quits.

Taxes under FDR increased to 79% at the highest levels. In addition FDR seriously harmed any type of economic growth by adding inheritance taxes, estate taxes, capital gain taxes, etc. Since most small businesses would prefer to self-finance their own growth from profits reinvested in the business tax increases cripple small businesses to a much greater level than large businesses. Today every spending program that the leftists can dream up they attempt to fund by taxing these same small businesses who today are the job creators for around 99% of all newly created jobs. It's a political calculation that they can tax a minority of the population to REDISTRIBUTE the money via services of government programs that CONTROL an economic segment and reap the votes from the special group receiving the benefit. The economic problems that occur are: Small businesses never get created (not economically feasible to do so in high tax environment), jobs are never created/lost which businesses are not created/cut back/fail. However, what I now understand it that the point is not to make things better for everyone and to improve the economy. It's simply about power and control of the (much poorer now) masses. Strategy- Step 1 vilify Rich/Successful. Step 2. Tax Rich. Step 3- when Rich stop spending/investing/growing business go back to Step 1.

There are economic insurgency steps even average people and small businesses can take to begin to starve the beast that is gaining power and destroying the prosperity and culture of America. I'll try to articulate them in an upcoming series of blogs coming soon. Steps you can take to help your family and accelerate the failing economic (or is it political) policies/initiatives of the current regime.

Freedom of Trade and Private transactions outside US in Danger

2009-07-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

Article on US Tax Haven Crackdown

It appears that the Thuggish US Government is going to assume that anyone who takes or moves money abroad for any reason is a Tax Criminal. Again flouting the rights of it's citizens the "soon to be Police State, United States of America" is going to create new laws where the burden of proof is on the accused not the accuser where the prosecution, judge and jury are all in the power of the IRS. Despite the very large number of legitimate transactions that occur outside the US since we are now a fully Global Economy this purely political stunt is required to flame the fires of the "class war" that unethical politicians use to gain votes.

Of course if the US would merely adapt a simplified & flat/fair tax code even the "true" tax criminals would probably not bother because it wouldn't be worth the effort.

Instead they will decide to trample the freedoms and rights of everyone including the majority who are not doing anything wrong. What a crock! Presumed gulity until proven innocent is not freedom.

If Obama is really looking to save some money he probably might want to think about not spending the remaining 92% of the 700 Billion dollar boondoogle or perhaps stop giving hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to terrorist governments in the middle east. Just sayin'

10,000 Pennies

2009-07-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is a really good web video visual to give some perspective on the costs of the proposed Government Health Care Takeover. Worth a look. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/user/10000Pennies

Real Freedom Requires Free Enterprise and Free Markets

2009-07-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

I am a realist enough to understand that most of our markets are not completely free. Your freedom is threatened when you are not allowed to make your own choices about what you wish to spend your money on. You absolutely should be allowed to make that choice. It's core to your freedom.

Here is an example. In PA (where I live) I have Utility Choices. Even though they are not unlimited I do have some choices. One choice is to pay extra per kilowatt to use power from certain sources. If it was important to me I could choose to spend more to power my house with wind generated energy and choose to spend less on generic baby diapers. Nothing wrong with that. Choices are good. (Generally speaking. Bad when they are subsidized but that is an issue for another time) The problem occurs when the Government decides that you should not have the Freedom to make your own choices because you might not make the one that they want. People shouldn't be punished or unfairly taxed because they choose to buy something that some government official happens to disagree with. If I am being punished or taxed to make the choice they want me to make I am not free. (Like in the Cap and Tax energy bill that passed the House of Representatives on Friday without anyone reading the bill, AGAIN!)

Here is another example. Arbitrary bailouts are also the polar opposite of freedom and free markets. I, as the taxpayer, should not be forced to have money redirected from my earning and used to give an unfair advantage to a particular car company. I lose the freedom of being able to choose the best product (car) I wish to buy from a number of competing car companies. Let's say for example that I wanted to spend my money to buy a Ford but now I cannot since my taxes were raised to give public money to GM. As a customer I should have had the freedom to choose what company I would patronize to purchase a new car but it was taken away or minimized.

To be free to make our own choices and for businesses to be free to engage in free enterprise we cannot have entire sectors of the economy controlled and owned by the government. (ex: Banking, Automotive, and Health Care.) Since the government is run by political parties who have certain interests and agendas the people and the businesses need to be protected. Protection from a meddling government is not only desirable but imperative to a free society. Fortunately we have a document "The Constitution" that outlines what the government CANNOT do. This is largely being ignored by the ruling regime. (It is getting worse as time goes on.) I believe we need people to advocate for freedom through their freedom of speech, peaceful demonstrations (Ex: Tea Parties), and through the Legal System (Lawsuits that challenge the unconstitutional laws being passed by the corrupt lawmakers.) Hopefully as this blog matures and I become more connected to other people and resources this movement can take shape and start to create a change toward increased freedom that we can all be proud of.

I'm issuing IOU's to the IRS and the PA Department of Revenue

2009-07-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

This week California (One of the states that refuses to spend less money than they bring in via Tax Revenue) instead of paying their bills is issuing IOU's.

This brings me to my current idea. If the government can issue IOU's to the people then the people should be able to issue IOU's to the government.

I am issuing an IOU for the next 50 years of Federal, State, and Local Income Taxes (This includes payroll taxes.) If things work out for me I'll send the money then. Thanks! Good luck running your so-called "government" without any money. Oh wait! You already are! My IOU still stands.

New Class of Black Hole Discovered

2009-07-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

In recent news a new class of black hole has been discovered. It appears it is named the Obama Health Care Plan and it only sucks away Jobs, Doctors who are paid under the costs of services by Medicare, Tax Deductions for Health Care Costs, Americans earned money in the form of increased taxes, and is predicted to suck the entire GDP of the United States in record time.

Can't we send Bruce Willis up on the Shuttle to take care of this threat?

Oh I forgot. That only works on actual cosmic doomsday scenarios and not fiscal planet GDP killers.

What is the Freedom Angle you might ask? Well, the freedom already exists for anyone to create a company to do a better job than the existing 1300 insurance companies in the private sector. To make it truly free you need to make all Medicare Taxes (See your paycheck) illegal since medical care for some should not be subsidized by others. Actual premiums need to be collected by the people on the medical insurance plan. In addition any medical care program needs to function within a self contained budget and not be allowed to have 38 Trillion Dollars in unfunded liabilities (Medicare has this now BEFORE any enlargement of the Government into the Health care Sector.) How about some equal treatment under the law? You want medical insurance you pay for it. Any and all medical plans should be subject to the competition of the market and the natural laws of economics (not allowed to be manipulated by unfunded government liabilities and strong arming of forcing medical providers to accept medicare payments below the costs of the services provided.)