Received on 11/21/09
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Showing posts with label john thune. Show all posts
Showing posts with label john thune. Show all posts
Monday, November 23, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Big Speech - Part 2
Before I get started this blog, check out John Thune's new website offering fact checks, good blogs, and other info on healthcare reform that we can support.
I looked at five quotes from President Obama's speech in the last blog and I'd like to look at a few more here.
Quote #6: "Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch."
I agree. Unfortunately that's not what's going on. What we're getting is a complete overhall and possible governement takeover of health care. Rather than focusing on fixing the causes of our health care system problems we are on track to replace our current system with a whole set of new problems. Instead of fixing what we know is wrong, we're throwing it all out and creating new problems we can barely define. So, if Obama really means what he said, let's get to work and fix the problems. Let's not create new problems while leaving the old ones in place.
Quote #7: "Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses, hospitals, seniors' groups, and even drug companies -- many of whom opposed reform in the past."
This is a difficult statement to make as well as talk about. My take is that there are a few groups who have gotten on board because they know they'll get preferential treatment when the government gets in charge. They're just being financially smart to position themselves to still be around in 10 years. I wouldn't take all this support to mean they are ideologically on board with Obama. AARP is counted as one of those senior groups offering support and they are being hammered by their own membership as a result. I can't imagine the cries we'll be hearing from those Doctors and Nurses when they have to struggle agains their own government when trying to help their patients. Drug companies will get their money no matter what and most hospitals are already non-profit in their status anyway. Besides all this, it's the support of the American people that Obama doesn't have and that's the whole problem.
Quote #8: "But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government. Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.
"Well, the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed.
"Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do."
I noticed a lot of smug looks from the democrats along with great cheers. I understand there are partisan politics at work but you can't pull this argument out for a couple of reasons: first, the democrats have full charge of Congress and, as they have pointed out over and over again, they can pass this thing on their own. That's as partisan as it gets. The reality is probably that they couldn't get it through even on that basis but there are some democrats with unusually large egos who want to lord it over the Republicans, and every American, that they hold all the keys, have all the power, and have a mandate to do whatever they see fit. This tactic is backfiring in dramatic fashion with the American people right now and an appropriate response will be to send the majority of these democrat senators and representatives packing. Now before you call that a partisan statement, I'll even admit that I would prefer a different democrat in their place if that was the only way to get them out. You can't run rough-shod over the American people. We're the ones that hold the real power in this country and every politician will do well to never forget that. Unfortunately some already have.
So the time for bickering is indeed over. The time for action indeed is at hand. It is indeed time for Congress to do what the American people have sent them to Washington to do. The American people are speaking loudly right now about what that is but I'm not sure our President, let alone a great deal of Congress, is even listening. So I would add to the end of this statement from Obama that it's time for this countries politicians to become more concerned with what the American people are saying and lead in that way.
I'll handle some more quotes in my next blog and I want to end this blog by saying this: We've been seeing a lot of our democrat politicians act like they think they know what's best for our country even if the people don't agree. There are times for leaders to do the right thing no matter what the people are saying and they often will suffer the consequence of being sent home in the next election. I realize that there are many democrats who honestly believe a governement-run health care system is the best thing for America. And, even though America has been speaking loudly against it, they are still going to push for it. I can respect the kind of honesty and integrity it takes to stick by your beliefs even though I respectfully disagree with their beliefs. I believe George Bush stood by this beliefs and, despite a lot of criticism, stuck by his guns and pushed to declare war on Terrorism. In the end it cost a lot Republicans their seat in Congress. That's a trend that is sure to swing back sooner rather than later given the current trends in politics. I am certain George Bush was sticking by his belief that he was doing what was best for our country. He was being honest with us.
I'm still trying to get a read on Barack Obama and I am uncertain about his honesty. Time will tell but I hope he honestly believes he is doing the best for our country. I don't agree with his beliefs and politics but I will respect him if shows honesty and integrity through all this. So far he's been using a lot of fuzzy logic, fuzzy math, and fuzzy politics to get his way. I'm very concerned about his association with radicals and his continual effort to get them into his cabinet and other positions of power.
In the end, we may determine that President Barack Obama did everything he could to change America in ways he thought was best for America. But I'm afraid that his idea of what America should look like is considerably different than what our founding fathers thought America should look like. I'm also afraid his idea is far different than my idea as well as the ideas of the vast majority of Americans. All Americans may disagree about what that picture really looks like but I don't believe there a great many who want to trade in capitalist democracy for socialism, fascism, or communism. All three of those, I believe, are to be found somewhere in President Obama's ideological picture of what America should look like.
I looked at five quotes from President Obama's speech in the last blog and I'd like to look at a few more here.
Quote #6: "Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch."
I agree. Unfortunately that's not what's going on. What we're getting is a complete overhall and possible governement takeover of health care. Rather than focusing on fixing the causes of our health care system problems we are on track to replace our current system with a whole set of new problems. Instead of fixing what we know is wrong, we're throwing it all out and creating new problems we can barely define. So, if Obama really means what he said, let's get to work and fix the problems. Let's not create new problems while leaving the old ones in place.
Quote #7: "Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses, hospitals, seniors' groups, and even drug companies -- many of whom opposed reform in the past."
This is a difficult statement to make as well as talk about. My take is that there are a few groups who have gotten on board because they know they'll get preferential treatment when the government gets in charge. They're just being financially smart to position themselves to still be around in 10 years. I wouldn't take all this support to mean they are ideologically on board with Obama. AARP is counted as one of those senior groups offering support and they are being hammered by their own membership as a result. I can't imagine the cries we'll be hearing from those Doctors and Nurses when they have to struggle agains their own government when trying to help their patients. Drug companies will get their money no matter what and most hospitals are already non-profit in their status anyway. Besides all this, it's the support of the American people that Obama doesn't have and that's the whole problem.
Quote #8: "But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government. Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.
"Well, the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed.
"Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do."
I noticed a lot of smug looks from the democrats along with great cheers. I understand there are partisan politics at work but you can't pull this argument out for a couple of reasons: first, the democrats have full charge of Congress and, as they have pointed out over and over again, they can pass this thing on their own. That's as partisan as it gets. The reality is probably that they couldn't get it through even on that basis but there are some democrats with unusually large egos who want to lord it over the Republicans, and every American, that they hold all the keys, have all the power, and have a mandate to do whatever they see fit. This tactic is backfiring in dramatic fashion with the American people right now and an appropriate response will be to send the majority of these democrat senators and representatives packing. Now before you call that a partisan statement, I'll even admit that I would prefer a different democrat in their place if that was the only way to get them out. You can't run rough-shod over the American people. We're the ones that hold the real power in this country and every politician will do well to never forget that. Unfortunately some already have.
So the time for bickering is indeed over. The time for action indeed is at hand. It is indeed time for Congress to do what the American people have sent them to Washington to do. The American people are speaking loudly right now about what that is but I'm not sure our President, let alone a great deal of Congress, is even listening. So I would add to the end of this statement from Obama that it's time for this countries politicians to become more concerned with what the American people are saying and lead in that way.
I'll handle some more quotes in my next blog and I want to end this blog by saying this: We've been seeing a lot of our democrat politicians act like they think they know what's best for our country even if the people don't agree. There are times for leaders to do the right thing no matter what the people are saying and they often will suffer the consequence of being sent home in the next election. I realize that there are many democrats who honestly believe a governement-run health care system is the best thing for America. And, even though America has been speaking loudly against it, they are still going to push for it. I can respect the kind of honesty and integrity it takes to stick by your beliefs even though I respectfully disagree with their beliefs. I believe George Bush stood by this beliefs and, despite a lot of criticism, stuck by his guns and pushed to declare war on Terrorism. In the end it cost a lot Republicans their seat in Congress. That's a trend that is sure to swing back sooner rather than later given the current trends in politics. I am certain George Bush was sticking by his belief that he was doing what was best for our country. He was being honest with us.
I'm still trying to get a read on Barack Obama and I am uncertain about his honesty. Time will tell but I hope he honestly believes he is doing the best for our country. I don't agree with his beliefs and politics but I will respect him if shows honesty and integrity through all this. So far he's been using a lot of fuzzy logic, fuzzy math, and fuzzy politics to get his way. I'm very concerned about his association with radicals and his continual effort to get them into his cabinet and other positions of power.
In the end, we may determine that President Barack Obama did everything he could to change America in ways he thought was best for America. But I'm afraid that his idea of what America should look like is considerably different than what our founding fathers thought America should look like. I'm also afraid his idea is far different than my idea as well as the ideas of the vast majority of Americans. All Americans may disagree about what that picture really looks like but I don't believe there a great many who want to trade in capitalist democracy for socialism, fascism, or communism. All three of those, I believe, are to be found somewhere in President Obama's ideological picture of what America should look like.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
John Thune Town Hall Meeting
John Thune recently sent me an email with a link to video for his town hall meeting in Aberdeen, SD on August 20, 2009. Here is the link to watch his response to questions asked.
http://johnthune.com/townhall?utm_source=main+update+list&utm_campaign=1d0a39be66-sd_townhall_follow_up8_27_2009&utm_medium=email
I appreciate John Thune and I hope I'm watching a future president. He thinks like I do.
http://johnthune.com/townhall?utm_source=main+update+list&utm_campaign=1d0a39be66-sd_townhall_follow_up8_27_2009&utm_medium=email
I appreciate John Thune and I hope I'm watching a future president. He thinks like I do.
Friday, August 7, 2009
My Representatives
I've been pleased to find that it's easy for me to tell my representatives how I feel about things. I just go to http://www.senate.gov/ and http://www.house.gov/ and look up my representatives by state. I can then send out an email expressing my opinion.
Then I wait for responses. I desire responses that are thoughtful and show me that my representative actually has an opinion on the subject. They may disagree with me but I want to know they've thought about it and that they want to hear my voice.
I am in South Dakota and I've recently sent messages to my representatives about the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor (I'm still opposed) and about healthcare reform. So here are my results:
John Thune: I voted for you and you keep voting the way I would vote. Obviously I like that. You opposed the confirmation of Sotomayor and you have provided well-thought responses to my emails. Thank you Senator Thune for listening and for caring enough about what you do to have your own opinion and to value mine.
Tim Johnson: I didn't vote for you and never will. I have unpopular opinions regarding your health and fitness for congressional duty. I recently received a well-written letter from you regarding your position on health are reform. An email would have been better (and cheaper) but I appreciate the response. In your letter you said, "We have a moral obligation to fix the problems that plague health care in America . . . ." I disagree with that. Healthcare is a privilege, not a right. Perhaps we've believed healthcare is a right for too long to understand that concept anymore. So when I couldn't afford health insurance, I just went without. Those results are mine to live with and if it was important enough to me to make sure I had it, I'd find a way to get the resources to pay for it. By the way, I have health insurance and that insurance is cheaper today than it was 9 years ago. I accomplished that because I have a choice in who my insurance provider is and I took the time to find a plan that suits my needs. So, in my view, I am not dealing with the "skyrocketing cost of health insurance." Now, consider the current hospital system. Certainly the majority, if not all, Americans have access to a non-profit hospital. These hospitals typically do a fine job of finding a way for writing off medical expenses or finding alternative funding for those who need there services. The more the government becomes involved, the less the American people do. Donations will decrease and more of the burden will be placed upon the government. Costs will go up as well as problems with the system.
You wrote in your letter, "While the wealthiest Americans receive generous tax breaks, the number of average citizens who cannot obtain access to basic medical services and struggle to pay health insurance costs continues to grow." First of all, this is another way of saying, "Let's make the wealthy pay more to cover the costs of those less fortunate." That's redistribution of wealth and that's socialism. We are a democracy, for now. Second, that statement does not take into account that the wealthiest Americans are employing the less fortunate Americans and, in a great many cases, are offering health insurance to their employees in ways that already absorb much, if not all, of that cost.
You also wrote in your letter, "There has been a great deal of misinformation swelling around reform, lately, and I want to be clear in stating this is not a 'government takeover' of our health care system, nor a means of rationing care." First, President Obama has consistently talked about universal health care and most of the talk from the plans being put forward say this is just that, a government takeover of our health care system. You can say it isn't but I still call a spade a spade. Second, this reform may not see immediate rationing of care but it has an almost certain potential of reaching that state within a number of years. You have to consider what other politicians will do with this in the future as we open the door to ideas that offer a greater devaluing of life than we already have. Just listen to the ideas of Rom Emmanuel and see where his ideas are taking us.
Recent news reports say we now have a $1.3 Trillion deficit in the last 10 months. You mention in your letter that Obama has already created a $694 billion reserve fund for health care. Perhaps we would be better off applying that towards the deficit. I can't carry a deficit in my business and I don't think my government should be allowed to either.
Your letter was silent on the issue of abortion in the health care debate. The AP has confirmed that current health care reform options on the table absorb the cost of abortion. I am significantly displeased with the fact that my tax dollars already get sent to facilitate this terrible injustice all over the world. You've made your position on this issue very clear over the years and I sincerely pray for a change of heart in you that will help you to see this travesty for what it is. Regardless, I should never be forced to pay for that which I disagree with on such a passionate scale. In over 95% of abortion cases it is nothing more than an elective procedure. In that sense it is no different than a face-lift. In a moral sense, it is something far far worse. I DONT WANT TO PAY FOR SOMEONE ELSES KILLING OF AN INNOCENT CHILD!
All disagreements aside, I wish to state that I appreciate a much longer letter in response to this issue. Although it's well-written, it is still nothing more than the party line on this issue. I'd like to hear about where you may disagree with the president and your colleagues in Congress. Talk about what you see that we reall need to do to fix health care. Be inciteful and not just another outlet for the party voice. That voice represents very little, if any, of my own beliefs.
You also voted in favor of Sotomayor and your response to that issue was a short form letter that shows me you don't have an opinion of your own, rather just the party line. Please prove me wrong about that last statement. I want to know that you care about my voice and not just the party voice that shouts from somewhere other than South Dakota.
Stephanie Herseth: I didn't vote for you and I disagree with you often. But, your responses to me on these two issues show that you have thought about your position. I respect that. I was even pleasantly surprised to find we were not that far apart on Healthcare Reform. Thank you for having your own voice, even if I disagree. It is important to me that you are a Blue Dog Democrat. Our country cannot survive with the size of deficits are taking on. Soon no one will be willing to lend us the money we need because the amount we are borrowing is unpayable. I have hope that conservative values with regards to fiscal responsibility will keep health care reform from becoming exactly what the majority of Americans do not want - universal and government-run and controlled.
Then I wait for responses. I desire responses that are thoughtful and show me that my representative actually has an opinion on the subject. They may disagree with me but I want to know they've thought about it and that they want to hear my voice.
I am in South Dakota and I've recently sent messages to my representatives about the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor (I'm still opposed) and about healthcare reform. So here are my results:
John Thune: I voted for you and you keep voting the way I would vote. Obviously I like that. You opposed the confirmation of Sotomayor and you have provided well-thought responses to my emails. Thank you Senator Thune for listening and for caring enough about what you do to have your own opinion and to value mine.
Tim Johnson: I didn't vote for you and never will. I have unpopular opinions regarding your health and fitness for congressional duty. I recently received a well-written letter from you regarding your position on health are reform. An email would have been better (and cheaper) but I appreciate the response. In your letter you said, "We have a moral obligation to fix the problems that plague health care in America . . . ." I disagree with that. Healthcare is a privilege, not a right. Perhaps we've believed healthcare is a right for too long to understand that concept anymore. So when I couldn't afford health insurance, I just went without. Those results are mine to live with and if it was important enough to me to make sure I had it, I'd find a way to get the resources to pay for it. By the way, I have health insurance and that insurance is cheaper today than it was 9 years ago. I accomplished that because I have a choice in who my insurance provider is and I took the time to find a plan that suits my needs. So, in my view, I am not dealing with the "skyrocketing cost of health insurance." Now, consider the current hospital system. Certainly the majority, if not all, Americans have access to a non-profit hospital. These hospitals typically do a fine job of finding a way for writing off medical expenses or finding alternative funding for those who need there services. The more the government becomes involved, the less the American people do. Donations will decrease and more of the burden will be placed upon the government. Costs will go up as well as problems with the system.
You wrote in your letter, "While the wealthiest Americans receive generous tax breaks, the number of average citizens who cannot obtain access to basic medical services and struggle to pay health insurance costs continues to grow." First of all, this is another way of saying, "Let's make the wealthy pay more to cover the costs of those less fortunate." That's redistribution of wealth and that's socialism. We are a democracy, for now. Second, that statement does not take into account that the wealthiest Americans are employing the less fortunate Americans and, in a great many cases, are offering health insurance to their employees in ways that already absorb much, if not all, of that cost.
You also wrote in your letter, "There has been a great deal of misinformation swelling around reform, lately, and I want to be clear in stating this is not a 'government takeover' of our health care system, nor a means of rationing care." First, President Obama has consistently talked about universal health care and most of the talk from the plans being put forward say this is just that, a government takeover of our health care system. You can say it isn't but I still call a spade a spade. Second, this reform may not see immediate rationing of care but it has an almost certain potential of reaching that state within a number of years. You have to consider what other politicians will do with this in the future as we open the door to ideas that offer a greater devaluing of life than we already have. Just listen to the ideas of Rom Emmanuel and see where his ideas are taking us.
Recent news reports say we now have a $1.3 Trillion deficit in the last 10 months. You mention in your letter that Obama has already created a $694 billion reserve fund for health care. Perhaps we would be better off applying that towards the deficit. I can't carry a deficit in my business and I don't think my government should be allowed to either.
Your letter was silent on the issue of abortion in the health care debate. The AP has confirmed that current health care reform options on the table absorb the cost of abortion. I am significantly displeased with the fact that my tax dollars already get sent to facilitate this terrible injustice all over the world. You've made your position on this issue very clear over the years and I sincerely pray for a change of heart in you that will help you to see this travesty for what it is. Regardless, I should never be forced to pay for that which I disagree with on such a passionate scale. In over 95% of abortion cases it is nothing more than an elective procedure. In that sense it is no different than a face-lift. In a moral sense, it is something far far worse. I DONT WANT TO PAY FOR SOMEONE ELSES KILLING OF AN INNOCENT CHILD!
All disagreements aside, I wish to state that I appreciate a much longer letter in response to this issue. Although it's well-written, it is still nothing more than the party line on this issue. I'd like to hear about where you may disagree with the president and your colleagues in Congress. Talk about what you see that we reall need to do to fix health care. Be inciteful and not just another outlet for the party voice. That voice represents very little, if any, of my own beliefs.
You also voted in favor of Sotomayor and your response to that issue was a short form letter that shows me you don't have an opinion of your own, rather just the party line. Please prove me wrong about that last statement. I want to know that you care about my voice and not just the party voice that shouts from somewhere other than South Dakota.
Stephanie Herseth: I didn't vote for you and I disagree with you often. But, your responses to me on these two issues show that you have thought about your position. I respect that. I was even pleasantly surprised to find we were not that far apart on Healthcare Reform. Thank you for having your own voice, even if I disagree. It is important to me that you are a Blue Dog Democrat. Our country cannot survive with the size of deficits are taking on. Soon no one will be willing to lend us the money we need because the amount we are borrowing is unpayable. I have hope that conservative values with regards to fiscal responsibility will keep health care reform from becoming exactly what the majority of Americans do not want - universal and government-run and controlled.
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