Fayette County Commission Race Down to Brown Versus Smith

Harold Bost has decided to withdraw from the Fayette County Commission Race.  Bost was running against Incumbent Jack Smith.  Bost will be supporting former Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown.

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Congressman Lynn Westmoreland: Health bills deadly for Georgia small businesses

As federal reports out today show Georgia and the rest of the nation continuing to add to the unemployment rolls, congressional Democrats are forging ahead with health care proposals that will put small businesses on life support and hemorrhage more jobs.

“I hear each week from small business owners in Georgia’s 3rd District who are cutting back, trying to make ends meet, struggling to make payroll,” Westmoreland said. “They tell me in no uncertain terms: Adding on new health care taxes and mandates will leave us with no choice but to slash the number of employees we have. That scenario should scare congressmen even if our economy is at full employment, but it should serve as a huge flashing red light at a time when unemployment is at a 26-year high.”

The bills under consideration would impose a $208 billion tax on small businesses that cannot afford to provide health plans for their workers. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office asserts this mandate “could reduce the hiring of low-wage workers.”

Westmoreland calls the mandate “a tax on jobs.”

In addition, the primary House bill, HR 3200, would impose more than $500 billion in other taxes, including a surtax that will fall disproportionately on small business owners.

“There are many Georgians who are rightly leery of a government takeover of our health care system – 17 percent of the biggest economy in the world – and I’m one of those Georgians who has a problem with the idea,” Westmoreland said. “Regardless, I acknowledge that Americans can have legitimate differences of opinion on whether the so-called ‘public option’ is the right way for us to go. But we should all agree that our national focus right now should be on reviving our economy and creating jobs. As we’ve experienced in this painful recession, good-paying jobs are no longer a given. We have to create the right climate for small businesses to expand – or at this place and time just get back on their feet. Taxing small businesses for providing jobs takes us in the wrong direction.”

Westmoreland points out that Georgia has lost 131,900 jobs since the stimulus bill passed in February and its unemployment rate now tops 10 percent.
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Obama and Saving Newspapers

Next on the bailout agenda is the bailout of newspapers. I was framing a blog in my mind about the issue when I came across the article below by Michael Reagan. He pretty much touches on most of the points I was going to include, but you know I still have to expound, pontificate, blather a little bit...

The world of the news is changing. We're going through a shift that is rather like the industrial revolution and every other change that has occurred due to new innovations. People are in the process, especially the "next generation", of moving from the printed page to the Internet. (To my green friends: isn't that better than killing trees and wasting energy for printing, etc., etc.). I think we'll always love the printed word on paper, but maybe that's just 'cause I love to curl up on the couch with a good book. I'll have to admit that I get all, very bit, of my news from the Internet though.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of revenue making abilities on the Internet... yet... (although we're doing pretty well most days at the Fayette Front Page, Georgia Front Page and Arts Across Georgia ;-). It'll come. At least it'll happen as long as government keeps their mitts out and allows the free market to do its thing. (side note: check out the "net neutrality" issue)

One surprising fact, or not so surprising if you lean conservative, that Mr. Obama always seems to overlook is that the more conservative leaning news print vehicles are actually thriving. Ditto on television. The failing big-guy newspapers aren't paying much attention. They'd rather go down with their bias than survive I suppose... well, guess they're not going down as long as the President is willing to bail them out, huh?

One big issue for me, aside from throwing our tax dollars at yet another business that can't hold its own, is the so-called "freedom of press" issue. We've seen the President and pals meddle overmuch in the auto industry, the banking industry and they're worming their way into other businesses and industries as I type. What happens to the writing at a newspaper when their very existence depends on government hand-outs? Ya think they're going to print the "party line" or the facts if they hurt their chances of hanging onto those federal dollars?

I don't like where we're heading in this country. I don't like big government, it's become "The Blob" from that old Steve McQueen movie. It's growing and it's going to take a lot to freeze it, then shrink it. Probably not the best analogy as I don't really think it needs to be killed, just reformed. Hmmm, maybe I'll write a script for a Blob movie remake where the hero converts it, saves it, fixes it and it does good works... Yep, I went from the ridiculous to the even more ridiculous, a bad analogy is just a bad analogy and their ain't no fixin' it. Hey, if you saw the remake of "The Blob" my idea for a new story-line has to be a heck of a lot better .

Newspaper Profitability -- Is it Critical to our Democracy?
by Michael Reagan
Today, as you read this column in your favorite newspaper, I hope that you can appreciate the irony of where I am choosing to voice my opposition to President Obama's expressed "happiness" to look at proposals to provide federal funding to help "rescue" the struggling print segment of the Fourth Estate. Just what we need.more of our tax dollars going to pick and choose segments of the public sector that the administration deems worthy of assistance.
http://townhall.com/columnists/MichaelReagan/2009/09/23/newspaper_profitability_--_is_it_critical_to_our_democracy

Herman Cain: Health Care Name Switcheroo

Hello Intelligent Thinkers,

Watch out! The Democrats are changing the terminology again. They are now talking about a "public option" in reference to a yet to be defined insurance co-operative. Calling it a "public option" makes it sound more appealing, but the "devil is in the details" as we discovered in H.R. 3200.

The good news is that President Obama and several Administration officials stated over the weekend that they are open to health care reform legislation that does not include the "government health insurance option".

Also, Senator Conrad (D-ND) said that the government option was a non-starter if they were going to get any kind of bi-partisan bill.

The "government health insurance option" and the "end-of-life counseling" provisions have been the most hotly contested areas of the Democrat's proposals in Congress. However, they are starting to show some signs of listening to "We the People". Although this is a good sign, beware, we have not heard from Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi on this yet.

The "Seven Ways to Make Health Care in America Better" have not changed. Let's hope they start listening to those ideas.

Don't forget to attend a town hall meeting of your Members of Congress so they can hear from you directly.

Thanks for speaking out. I know it is making a difference.

Herman Cain - Head Coach
Intelligent Thinkers Movement (over 43,000 members!)

As a reminder, my weekly commentary is now being published online exclusively by WorldNetDaily.com.

HERMAN'S UPCOMING APPEARANCES

Cap and Trade: Get 'em to change their vote!

From my friend Steve:

Dear Friends: Jill Rethman of Hawaii send out the message below (I've put it in italics) regarding the "Cap and Tr8tor" Republicans who voted for the absurd cap and trade bill that will cost many Americans their jobs . . . and all Americans higher energy prices. As you know, the bill passed by a vote of 219-212. In the vote, 211 Democrats voted for the bill . . . along with 8 (eight) Republicans. As Jill indicates, it's essential that we put pressure on the Republicans to change their votes. If four of them do, Cap and Trade will be defeated, as it should be.

ALOHA, ALL!

My friend Garry alerted me to the fact that those who voted for the Cap and Trade bill have until Wednesday, July 1, to change their votes. This means that if we put enough pressure on the eight Republicans who voted for this ridiculous bill, they could change their "Yeas" to "Nays"!

Wouldn't that be a great Independence Day gift?

Here they are with their contact info:

Cap and Tr8tors - 8 Republicans Who Voted for Cap and Trade

Call and fax them!!! Let's burn up their lines - I understand the congressional switchboard was frozen Friday because of all the calls.

GOD BLESS AMERICA - PASS THIS ON!

P.S. When calling, be respectful but firm. State that you are a concerned American who doesn't want higher taxes and higher costs. Request that they change their votes for the good of current and future Americans and that we are counting on them to do the right thing. If they all change their votes, the bill goes down!

Coming This Summer: Health Care WarsThis Time It's Personal

by Newt Gingrich

The Washington battle that will most directly and profoundly affect you and your families' lives is the battle for the future of our health care system, which will play out this summer.On one side are forces advocating a big government, big regulation approach that will transform the private health system into a government-dominated bureaucracy.

On the other side is a new plan that gives individual Americans control over their health care, and provides the affordability and choice that makes that control meaningful.Both sides share the goals of providing health insurance to all Americans and reining in health care costs. The difference is how each plan would get there. One by government controlling - and ultimately rationing - your care. The other by you controlling and making informed decisions about you and your families' most precious possession: Your health.

A Transformative Proposal for Health Care: The Patients Choice Act

While the nation waits to see the plan President Obama will put forward, last week Senators Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Representatives Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) introduced The Patients' Choice Act of 2009. They should be applauded for their leadership. The Patients' Choice Act is a serious, transformative proposal that, if enacted, would dramatically improve our health care system and the health of individual Americans. Unlike government-centered plans that empower bureaucracies, The Patients' Choice Act empowers individuals.

Empowering Individuals Instead of Bureaucracies

The Patients' Choice Act takes on the toughest challenges we face: improving individual health and managing chronic disease; delivering the best quality care; expanding affordable coverage to every American; and putting Medicare and Medicaid on solid, sustainable ground. And every idea starts in exactly the right place: with the individual. Individuals should be empowered and encouraged to decide for themselves what is best for them. From choosing what doctor to see to what insurance to buy to what course of treatment to take, only an individual-centered health care system will bring about the real change we need. According to its sponsors, the main goals of The Patients' Choice Act are these:

Emphasize Prevention: Focusing on prevention not only leads to better health but lowers long term costs.

Create a Market that Works for Patients: The Patients' Choice Act gives insurance companies incentives to cover chronically sick patients, provides businesses transparent rules, and gives patients convenient and affordable options.

Guarantee a Choice of Coverage Options: Patients can choose from a variety of private insurance plans.

Insist on Fairness for Every Patient.

Fairly Compensate Patient Injuries: The bill creates a legal system that serves the interests of the injured, not the interests of trial attorneys.

No Tax Increases or New Government Spending: For each American, our country already spends almost twice as much as other industrialized countries spend on health care. It's time we got something better for our money.

Restore Accountability to Government Programs: Our children and grandchildren will face future tax increases to pay for the $36 trillion in unfunded liabilities in the Medicare program alone unless something changes. And, according to some estimates, fraud and waste account for 10 percent of all health care spending. That's approximately $100 billion each year.

Include Ideas for Governors and States: Washington has proven time and again that a one-size-fits-all mandate won't work. True health reform must include governors, states, and every American citizen.

It's Time to Move From Ideas and Options to Real Solutions

The Patients' Choice Act complements the thoughtful work done so far by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican member. They have published three detailed papers exploring what reform options are being considered in three major areas: improving the delivery of care, expanding coverage, and paying for reform. They've invited public comment throughout the process and worked with industry representatives, in public hearings and in private meetings.

The introduction of this transformative legislation is proof that it's time to move from options to real solutions. The Center for Health Transformation (CHT), which I helped found, is working with both sides of this debate to encourage legislation that encompasses a number of policy proposals that are necessary to transform our health system. Our proposals span the entire health care spectrum from improving individual health, converting to an electronic health system, combating fraud and waste in our Medicare and Medicaid programs, and expanding coverage to every American.

10 Essential Principles of Health Care ReformCHT has developed the following 10 principles which we believe must be included in any major health reform bill:

• Every American should be encouraged and incentivized to take personal responsibility for his or her health.
• Every American should have genuine access to quality, cost-effective care that best meets his or her individual needs.
• Every American should have health insurance coverage (private or public) that is affordable, accessible, and portable-no matter where he or she chooses to work or live.
• Health care providers should deliver the best possible care based upon best evidence or best practice.
• Every provider of care, from doctors and nurses to pharmacists and hospitals, should be interconnected with an electronic health record for every American.
• Payment to providers should be based on the quality of care delivered, not the number of transactions or services provided.
• Cost, quality, and performance information should be available and accessible to all consumers.
• Government should promote and encourage competitive, market-based solutions in the private sector.
• Government should offer effective, efficient, and sustainable public programs for those who need them.
• Government should aggressively invest in targeted clinical research, laying the foundations for future breakthroughs and cures.

You can read our entire plan here along with a checklist for you to grade any proposals your representatives put forth. The problems we face in health care know no political party, and neither do all the solutions. As the debates begin in earnest over how to actually solve these problems, everyone should be encouraged to offer ideas. We are at our best when we work collaboratively to put forth bold, transformative solutions.

Newt Gingrich

(Shared with permission)

One word for Atlanta Tea Party: Wow!

One word to describe it in the title, but a lot more in this short post! I'm one tired puppy right now but I had to share as I guzzle my morning caffeine. We had a blast yesterday at the Atlanta Tea Party. I didn't get home until close to midnight, then I had to watch the midnight Hannity repeat to see what I'd missed! Yawn and double yawn

Our small group of three left Fayette County for the Capitol yesterday around 4 p.m. When we arrived the place was already jamming up with fellow tea party-ers.

On our trip downtown and our walk from the Five Points Marta station to the Capitol we ran into a lot of people who, as a testament to the lack of interest by the mainstream media, didn't have a clue what was going on across the nation.

We understand there were over 800 Tax Day Tea Parties across United States. Here in Peachtree City, GA a small one was organized for noon that attracted between 400 to 500 people. Not bad for a tiny county during a work day when most commute outside the county! Ann Eldredge put together a slide show of the event on the front page of http://www.fayettefrontpage.com/ if you'd like to see it.

In Atlanta as the crowds increased the energy level increased. So many great signs, so many great people! It was a well-behaved crowd.

Speaker after speaker rose to share their thoughts. We were directly in front of the podium, right behind the press stand. Unfortunately, a television screen set rather low cut off some of our view of the stage. By the time Sean Hannity arrived we'd moved down enough so that we were almost directly behind him (he faced away from the crowd for his show so we'd all be in the background). If I'd been just a bit taller you might have been able to make me out in the crowd... ah well, no crowd fame for our group.

I won't bore you with all the details. It's one of those "had to be there" type events. Next best is the visual of television. Way down the totem pole of communication is a blog written by a very sleepy gal with a hoarse throat from yelling and chanting. There was a lot of spontaneous eruptions of 'USA, USA', 'fairtax' and other words and phrases.

The mainstream media did a great job of making our local Tea Party appear minuscule yesterday. When we were sitting in crowds two blocks deep, packed like sardines with people still streaming off Marta, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported there were around a thousand people at the event. We had just heard it announced that we had over 10,000 in the area. Quite a discrepancy, hmmm... On the way home I flipped on the news to see what was being reported. I perked up when the announcer said "tens of thousands" but then she ruined it by saying "across the country". Ha. That kind of reporting is what's killing mainstream media.

According to most reports we came close to hitting somewhere between 15 - 20 thousand last night. Normal, everyday, average Americans showed up at the events. Sure there were a few fringe elements. I watched and noted that some of the media zoomed in on the 2 or 3 "kooks" in the crowd. I was told by friends who called that the msm was focusing on interviewing that element in many cases. I'm as fed up with the msm as I am the tax and spend government.

Ah well, I can't fix much of anything alone. But with all the groups forming across the country, with all those who are frustrated and fed up across the country, we might have an impact. The excitement and crowd last night energized me and gave me hope.

I hope the enthusiasm and momentum from last night continues. I expect it will.

I hope that those who didn't find a tea party yesterday will get involved and help the movement spread to the front steps of the White House. I think that's going to happen, too.

Obama's Bad Science Bailout

Yesterday's Executive Order may not have surprised conservatives, but it certainly shocked the Left. Although most of the country expected President Obama to make good on his promise to reverse the federal restrictions on embryonic stem cell (ESC) research, the final order turned out to be far more extreme than ESC's biggest proponents had hoped. Most believed the President would maintain some semblance of restraint and allow experimentation only on those embryos discarded by fertility clinics. Unfortunately, no such limits exist. The President not only cracked ajar the door to ethically-challenged research, he flung it wide open--leaving the very scientists who demanded this money potentially in charge of its limitations.

Under the President's directive, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), unless Congress intervenes, will determine what, if any, boundaries there might be on how we obtain these embryos. With no clear policy from the White House, you and I could be footing the bill for research that clones embryos just to scavenge their parts.

If that's the case, our policy will condone the creation of life for the sole purpose of experimenting on it. Ronald M. Green, a Dartmouth College bioethicist, said, "There are lot of people on the left and the right sides of our political spectrum who are opposed to that--to create a life to destroy it."

President Obama justified the idea yesterday, saying, "As a person of faith, I believe we are called to... work to ease human suffering." But killing to cure doesn't make murder more acceptable, just like giving stolen goods to the church doesn't justify larceny. As Yuval Levin, the former executive director of President Bush's Council on Bioethics writes in today's Washington Post, "In science policy, science informs--but politics governs, and rightly so."

By shielding this research from any public or congressional scrutiny, the President may as well tear up his social contract with the American people. When we're talking about human life and taxpayer dollars, voters have a right to know who's going to monitor the scientists. The appetite for this research may be insatiable, but as Levin says, "[Science]... is no substitute for wisdom, prudence, or democracy."

Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) disagrees. A longtime proponent of unethical research, DeGette urged Congress to make Obama's executive order permanent. "Congress must quickly pass complementary legislation so that no future anti-science administration will be able to hinder progress... Congress absolutely must not delay in codifying the directive to prevent science from being subject to the whim of politics." Here is the first of what we expect to be many fierce attacks on the Dickey-Wicker Amendment--the only policy remaining that protects taxpayers from directly funding the destruction of human embryos. Please help us keep this important barrier in place. Contact your Congressmen and urge them to support the Dickey-Wicker and the bipartisan Patients' First Act. Unlike President Obama's order, it promotes science that is not only ethical but effective.

Additional Resources FRC: Stem Cell Success Stories

Family Research Council:
801 G Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
P: 202/393-2100 or 800/225-4008
W: frc.org

A Nation on Welfare

Let's see, $700 billion for TARP, $410 billion scheduled in more spending this year (omnibus package that I bet most of you haven't even heard about yet), NOW we're at over a trillion in the so-called stimulus package... how much has the government tossed at and/or committed to willy-nilly throwing at trying to fix the problem?

Try this number on for size - $9.7 TRILLION dollars according to an article in Bloomberg today (see below).

Not a paltry trillion like they're talking about in the Senate today... NINE point SEVEN trillion.

The $9.7 trillion in pledges would be enough to send a $1,430 check to every man, woman and child alive in the world. It’s 13 times what the U.S. has spent so far on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Congressional Budget Office data, and is almost enough to pay off every home mortgage loan in the U.S., calculated at $10.5 trillion by the Federal Reserve.

You know, I think I could fix the problems real easy with less money than that. Somewhere in MY stimulus package would be a cut in government spending and government agencies.

While I might send some money out to individuals, it would be judicious. You and I might be able to manage our money carefully and wisely. However, when I think about all those who've won the lottery and ended up in worse shape after they blew it, I'm not inclined to just cut everyone a huge check. We don't need to set up another generation to think thriving means waiting for a government check.

Incentives to work? Help in creating jobs... real jobs, not fixing lawns in D.C. or buying condoms or many of the other programs in the current stimulus.

We've created a monster and rather than trying to kill it or tame it, we're feeding the darn thing.

It struck me recently that we have become a nation on welfare. The government is supporting so many agencies, groups, people, and now industries, that we're dependent. We grouse about the Welfare program and how we've created a welfare mentality, but watch what we're ALL doing. The schools are dependent on government money. How many agencies live and die with government subsidies? The Arts, national public radio, roads, transportation, the list goes on an on. Everyone is clamoring for government grants. What about research? We have government agencies, AND we have private industry research that is dependent on government grants.

Our colleges aren't self-supporting. Even with huge alumni endowments, corporate donations and tuition they are seemingly in dire need of handouts from the government.

The list of government intrusion and life-support goes on and on.

The government doesn't even KNOW where it's spent the money they've thrown at the problem thus far! And the government isn't willing to share what it does know about the spending:

Bloomberg requested details of Fed lending under the Freedom of Information Act and filed a federal lawsuit against the central bank Nov. 7 seeking to force disclosure of borrower banks and their collateral. Arguments in the suit may be heard as soon as this month, according to the court docket. Bloomberg asked the Treasury in an FOIA request Jan. 28 for a detailed list of the securities it planned to guarantee for Citigroup and Bank of America. Bloomberg hasn’t received a response to the request. The Bloomberg lawsuit is Bloomberg LP v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 08-CV-9595, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

I know the lawsuit was filed during the last administration, however, we're now supposedly under a more "open and transparent" administration. They're going to put everything out on the Internet so we can wade through it if we'd like. Nothing is out there yet, private groups are putting the info on the stimulus package out there for us to read (www.readthestimulus.org). Even when everything is out on the Internet (assuming it ever happens), do you trust the government to put all the details out there? Can you understand government-speak?

They're good at candy-coating bad bills. Think about the Fairness Doctrine which shuts down free speech, or the Employee Free Choice Act which takes away free choice by stopping employees from voting via secret ballots.

These are two excellent articles and I hope you'll read through them. I didn't even begin to touch on the issues they raise!

Regarding the 2nd half of TARP spending (approx. $350 billion):
U.S. Delays Finance Plan as Officials Debate Debt (Update1)
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner delayed the announcement of the Obama administration’s financial-recovery plan as officials debated proposals aimed at addressing the toxic debt clogging banks’ balance sheets....
...Officials continue to consider a so-called bad bank to buy them, perhaps in cooperation with private investors, such as hedge funds and private equity. It’s unclear how big a role there’ll be for federal guarantees of securities that remain on banks’ balance sheets...
...For now, the government doesn’t intend to ask for more money, while leaving open the option of requesting more later. Most of the second half of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program has yet to be allocated...
...Geithner will try to sell the plan as a clean break from the Bush administration, while offering many of the same programs and policy tools bequeathed by former Secretary Henry Paulson...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a7g9LIzUPd5w&refer=home

U.S. Taxpayers Risk $9.7 Trillion on Bailouts as Senate Votes
The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government’s commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation’s home mortgages.
The Federal Reserve, Treasury Department and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have lent or spent almost $3 trillion over the past two years and pledged to provide up to $5.7 trillion more if needed. The total already tapped has decreased about 1 percent since November, mostly because foreign central banks are using fewer dollars in currency-exchange agreements called swaps.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aGq2B3XeGKok&refer=home
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Georgia Republican Delegation Calls on Obama to Allow Offshore Drilling, Development of Oil Shale Fields

The nine Republican members of Georgia’s congressional delegation today called on President Obama to scrap plans to halt exploration of our domestic energy resources. News reports say Obama plans to re-impose a ban on offshore drilling and to rescind a plan to develop oil shale fields in the western United States.

The letter to Obama was signed by Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss as well as by U.S. Representatives Jack Kingston, Tom Price, Lynn Westmoreland, Phil Gingrey, Paul Broun, Nathan Deal and John Linder. The text of the letter is below:

January 22, 2009

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write in regards to recent news reports that your Administration is considering ordering a hold on an executive order issued by President Bush to allow offshore drilling in previously banned areas. These same news reports indicate that the Department of Interior will rescind a plan to develop oil shale fields in the western United States. We respectfully write to ask that you not reinstate an executive moratorium on offshore energy exploration and production and that you not rescind the Department of Interior plan for oil shale exploration and recovery.

Environmentally responsible offshore oil and natural gas exploration and recovery, as well as oil shale exploration and recovery, are essential components of a comprehensive energy policy that will enable the United States to become energy independent. Exploration and recovery of these resources is critical to our national security and economic wellbeing. We believe allowing for exploration in these areas is also consistent with your priorities of economic growth and environmental protection.

Sharing a great post on Israel, Gaza, Hamas

Let me set this up just a bit before I share the blog.

A good friend, Gen. Jack Wheeler (ret.) started sending me some of the newsletters and other information he receives regarding the military. One of the newsletters, Multi-national Force Iraq (MNF), had such great articles I thought it would be worth following up to see if we could reprint some in our various military sections and blogs on the Fayette Front Page and Georgia Front Page.

I tracked down a general email and sent a request for permissions.

The affirmative response came from Fred Wellman, another friend. Fred lived in Peachtree City for a number of years and was actually running for Mayor when September 11th shocked us all. He decided not to run, re-enlisted in the Army, moved to wherever they sent him, and has now served three tours in Iraq. Last I heard he was Chief of Public Affairs, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq.

We emailed back and forth a few times and in one of the emails he included a link to his blog, Armed and Curious, Home of the Heavily Armed Tourist. I check it off and on just to see how he's doing. The following is his take on the situation in Israel, posted Jan. 5th.

Of dumb rockets and dummer people
I have been watching the unfolding battle in Gaza very eagerly and with much less detachment than I think the normal observer would because of my intimate association with rockets after three tours in Iraq. It sickens me how much many observers are castigating Israel for finally responding to the withering rocket fire they have endured for 8 years in southern Israel.
http://armedandcurious.blogspot.com/2009/01/of-dumb-rockets-and-dummer-people.html

Amendment to Constitution to repeal 22nd Article: Remove Presidential term limits

I'm not overly concerned about this --- yet --- but it bears watching.

Rep. Jose Serrano (NY-16) has introduced H.J.Res.5 which proposes to amend the Constitution of the United States to repeal the 22nd article of amendment. This would remove the limitation on the number of terms a President may serve.

He introduced it January 6th, 2009.

There are no co-sponsors which leads me to believe this might just be grandstanding, maybe wishful thinking... then again, it may be the beginning of a future movement that could take the country by surprise. I can't see this going anywhere at the moment, if ever. Let's hope it will never gain any momentum.

Git-R-Done brought this to my attention via email (www.realusa.ning.com - Conservative Talk) and I'm certainly glad he's watching! We need people who will be vigilant on issues like this one.

Serrano has one of the smallest districts in the country geographically. Located in the Bronx, it's small, but jam-packed with a mainly Hispanic population according to various sources I checked on the Internet.

Check out Serrano's stances on issues here: http://whereistand.com/JoseSerrano

H.J.RES.5
Title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.
Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] (introduced 1/6/2009)
Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee.
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/webreturn/?url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.j.res.5:

Military Alert: Will Obama go after TRICARE?

We had a call last night from a military friend who was concerned about reports that Barack Obama's administration was considering cutting or completely eliminating TRICARE for the military.

TRICARE provides comprehensive health care services for servicemembers, retirees and their dependents through a network of authorized providers and military facilities. It's an excellent program and allows our low-paid military access to reasonable healthcare.

The news that the Congressional Budget Office included numerous proposals to cut or eliminate TRICARE benefits for some or all of our military is burning up the wires in military circles. While the proposed cuts to TRICARE are only a small portion of the 115 healthcare options being presented to Obama and Congress, enacting any one of the proposals could have staggering affects on the bottom line for our active-duty and / or retired military.

I listened Sunday morning to George Stephanopoulos' (This Week) "interview" (and I use that term lightly, almost jokingly) of President-elect Barack Obama. One of the topics that George fed to Obama was that everyone would be expected to sacrifice. Obama expanded on the subject with a little prompting (see below for actual comments and a link to the full interview transcript).

I raised my eyebrow when I heard that one. I don't know of many who aren't sacrificing something already these days. Exactly what is he going to expect those barely hanging onto their homes to sacrifice? What about those without a job? Or is the "everyone" he's talking about only those who are above a certain socioeconomic level? Who's going to decide? There are lots of questions which will be answered over the next few years.

However Obama decides to spread the wealth and enforce sacrifices, I don't believe we should expect any additional sacrifices from our soldiers. The proposed cuts and changes (listed below) would take money from the pockets of retirees who gave their entire working life in service to our country. They worked for their benefits. They earned them unlike many others who get handouts from the government without any expectation of service.

Healthcare is the least we can do for our military. The idea that the incoming administration is even considering increasing costs, cutting benefits or doing away with TRICARE for many is disgraceful. It also flies in the face of the statements Barack Obama made during his campaign.

I'm hoping that everyone will put this issue on their watch list. If it looks like Obama is leaning toward enacting any of the horrific cuts to military healthcare being proposed by the Congressional Budget Office, we need to raise the alarm and make it a HUGE issue.

Here are some of the changes being proposed:

TRICARE FOR WORKING-AGE RETIREES– Fees, co-payments and deductibles would be raised for retirees under 62 to restore the relative costs paid when TRICARE began in 1995. TRICARE Prime enrollment would be raised to $550 a year for individuals from $230. Retiree families would pay $1100 versus $460 today. Co-pays for doctor visits would climb to $28 from $12 and users of TRICARE Standard and Extra would pay an annual deductible of $350 for an individual and $700 for families. Congress has declined to support such increases for the past three years.

FEES FOR ACTIVE DUTY FAMILIES– Dependents of active duty members enrolled in TRICARE Prime, the managed care network, would pay new fees equal to 10 percent of the cost of health services obtained either in military treatment facilities or through civilian network providers. Total out of pocket costs would be capped, however.

To help offset these costs, dependents would receive a $500 non-taxable allowance annually. Those who elect to use alternative health insurance, rather than TRICARE, could apply the $500 toward their health insurance premiums, co-payments or deductibles.

CBO estimates these fees would save $7 billion over 10 years and encourage Prime enrollees to “use medical services prudently.” It also would entice more spouses to enroll in employer-provided health plans instead of TRICARE. The downside, CBO said, would be financial difficulties for some Prime enrollees despite the cap on out-of-pocket costs. Also, CBO said, spouses induced to rely on employer health plans could see health coverage interrupted during military assignment relocations.

TRICARE-FOR-LIFE FEES– The military’s health insurance supplement to Medicare could see higher user costs. Under this option, beneficiaries would pay the first $525 of yearly medical costs plus one half of the next $4725 of costs charged to Medicare. So the extra out-of-pocket cost for TFL users would be up to $2887.50 a year. This amount would be indexed to rise with Medicare costs. The change would save $40 billion over 10 years. But CBO said it also could discourage some patients from seeking preventive care or proper management of chronic conditions. So it could negatively affect some patients’ health.

TIGHTEN VA ENROLLMENT– The VA healthcare system would be directed to disenroll 2.3 million Priority Groups 7 and 8 -- individuals who are not poor and have no service-related medical needs. Estimated savings would be $53 billion over 10 years but Medicare spending would rise by $26 billion in the same period as elderly among these vets shifted to Medicare. (Addded 1/16/09: Option 28. End Enrollment in VA Medical Care for Veterans in Priority Groups 7 and 8, page 56)

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CBO eyes military retirees, vets for health cost cuts
By Tom Philpott
A new report from the Congressional Budget Office shows why some military retirees and veterans could face higher out-of-pocket costs if the Obama administration and Congress take bold moves to reform the U.S. health system and to make federal health programs more efficient.
Among 115 “options” presented, though not endorsed, in the CBO report, several focus on raising TRICARE out-of-pocket costs for retirees and one for families. Others would tighten access to VA hospitals and clinics, or raise VA health fees, for veterans with no service-connected conditions...
http://www.fra.org/AM/template.cfm?template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7397&section=news

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Proposed Tricare Cuts Could Cause Problems For Military Families and Retirees
January 7, 2009
It’s pretty much a given fact that the men and women serving in our country’s Armed Forces aren’t paid a whole lot. A large majority of them are living paycheck to paycheck, barely getting by. Many of our Veterans are in the same position, some even worse off, as evidenced by the numbers of homeless veterans in our country. When I read about this particular proposal to cut Tricare benefits for Military Families and Veterans I was none too happy...
http://soldiersmind.com/2009/01/07/proposed-tricare-cuts-could-cause-problems-for-military-families-and-retirees/

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From Care2 posted during the election:
Barack's Plan For Military Families
Source: my.barackobama.com
Six local military wives joined the roundtable discussion to speak about their concerns and to find out how Barack's plan to support Virginia military families will help them...
Elaine, a 46-year-old military spouse and mother of teenagers, is a breast cancer survivor – she was diagnosed two years ago and worries that if her husband retires, she will not have proper health care insurance available for her full recovery process. Her husband was enlisted and recently became a commissioned offer in U.S. Navy active duty. Obama’s plan will help Elaine’s Family by fighting for pay parity for troops, providing better support for military families during deployment. Obama has fought against cuts to Tricare, which serves active duty troops as well as retirees. Obama’s health care plan will provide affordable health care options to all Americans and will prohibit insurers from discriminating against patients for preexisting conditions...
http://www.care2.com/politics/42150

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Exerts from 'This Week' Transcript: Barack Obama
Go here for full interview: http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Economy/story?id=6618199&page=1

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me press you on this, at the end of the day, are you really talking about over the course of your presidency some kind of a grand bargain? That you have tax reform, health care reform, entitlement reform, including Social Security and Medicare where everybody in the country is going to have to sacrifice something, accept change for the greater good?
OBAMA: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And when will that get done?
OBAMA: Well, the -- right now I'm focused on a pretty heavy lift, which is making sure that we get that reinvestment and recovery package in place. But what you describe is exactly what we're going to have to do.
What we have to do is to take a look at our structural deficit, how are we paying for government, what are we getting for it, and how do we make the system more efficient?
STEPHANOPOULOS: And eventually sacrifice from everyone.
OBAMA: Everybody is going to have to give. Everybody is going to have to have some skin in the game.

Obama's comments on Healthcare cuts during the Stephanopoulos interview:

STEPHANOPOULOS: So how do you pay for health care?
OBAMA: Well, you know, these are going to be major challenges. And we're going to have to make some tough choices. Now what I've done is indicated to my team that we've got to eliminate programs that don't work.
And I'll give you an example in the health care area. We are spending a lot of money subsidizing the insurance companies around something called Medicare Advantage, a program that gives them subsidies to accept Medicare recipients but doesn't necessarily make people on Medicare healthier.
And if we eliminate that and other programs, we can potentially save $200 billion out of the health care system that we're currently spending and take that money and use it in ways that are actually going to make people healthier and improve quality.

More on the Fayette County School Board...

I wrote a blog a few days ago (Fayette County, GA schools in the news... ) about the situation in the Fayette County school system. The School Board is trying to maintain the school system at its current level of service while money is dwindling. It's easy to sit on the outside and point fingers when we're not part of the internal process. I have concerns like most in the county, which I voiced in my blog so I won't repeat myself.

I asked for suggestions on what the School Board should do, what should be cut. We posted the request for ideas on the top of the Fayette Front Page, too.

I've received a number of replies, only one of them offered any suggestions for where cuts should be made. They all trashed the School Board. We chose not to publish any of the nasty comments, it's just not our style. We'll still take positive suggestions, though.

The one we included on here (Dire Straights for Fayette County Students) didn't offer any suggestions on where to cut, but the author made an interesting suggestion that parents be able to write off all the things they purchased for students on their taxes.

I thought that one was a pretty good idea. We're all being taxed to pay for the schools. Why shouldn't parents be able to write off what they "donate" to help the school system provide good education?

I've heard outrageous costs are dumped into a parent's lap if they want their child to play football, be a cheerleader or participate in many school sanctioned or run efforts. What about the cost of the band instrument? What about all the school supplies parents buy for not just their own child, but their classmates?

I don't have any young children in Fayette County schools so I can't really remember all the various things that required an additional outlay of cash. I sold plenty, and bought plenty, of wrapping paper and junky things to friends that I sure wouldn't purchase if it weren't to "help" buy extras for the schools. I'm still buying stuff from friends to help their children.

Have you ever thought about how much money is being fed to the school system outside of our taxes? I heard it's something like $600 if your child is chosen as a cheerleader...

Schools are big business. Someone told me they considered it the biggest industry in the United States the other day. It's true. It's the biggest outlay of cash for parents and non-parents alike.

In Fayette County we're lucky. We have a great school system and I know the Board is fighting within the system they've inherited to keep it that way. I know they're suffering from HUGE cuts from the State, property taxes are down, and other taxes are also down as we all hold onto our pocketbooks.

They're being bombarded from all sides.

Parents expect the same levels of service, yet the money isn't there to maintain those levels.

I don't know what the answer is on that front. But I do think having a tax write-off for parents who expend extra dollars for students is a good idea.

Dire Straights for Fayette County Students

I'm still at a loss to understand how the Fayette County Board of Education is out of money for our schools. Didn't they think to put some away for a rainy day? Or did they waste way too much of it when the economy was rolling in the green?

The students and their parents are now receiving pleas from teachers to help. Now the parents have to step up their donations to the individual teachers' needs if they want to continue with our legendary education in Fayette County. As I recall hearing from parents, just going to school in August means an outlay of cash for our public education. Now, the parents will have to increase their donations.

Sure would help the struggling parents if they could get a tax write off. I also bet the donations would go up as well.

The New Republicans

Ning sites seem to be the latest Internet wave... We have one set up for the Fayette Front Page (http://fayettefrontpage.ning.com/), there's one for the Read My Lipstick Network which I run (http://readmylipstick.ning.com/ - unfortunately I'm not doing much to promote it so it's slow going), and then there's the one that is catching tons of media attention, Team Sarah (www.teamsarah.org). I'm a member of a number of other conservative ning sites, I won't bore you with a list!

Joining the growing ning movement is another great group I wanted to let you know about, The New Republicans (http://thenewrepublicans.ning.com/). I posted a letter to the editor on here a month or two ago from its founder, Steven, a college student here in Georgia. He is now everywhere. He's chatting on Facebook, Twittering and probably has a MySpace page. He's pumped and he's starting a movement!

I'm really excited about the wave of conservative enthusiasm that is erupting across the country. I'm even more excited about the ages of those catching the conservative bug. The faces we typically see on the talk shows and news are considerably older, wearing suits and looking, well, like the stereotypical image of a Republican.

The New Republicans is geared toward young Republicans. All of the sites I'm involved with or run are made up of all ages. I couldn't begin to pinpoint the ages of the majority with any certainty, but there are a lot of young parents, college students, 20-somethings, and a smattering of older conservatives. Maybe the relative youth of the various participants has to to with the medium we're using, the Internet.

I will have to say that a few of my new friends are older, too. Some are going on-line for the first time.

I hope you'll go out wandering on the Internet and get involved in some of the groups that are sprouting. If you're looking for a good starting place I'd suggest going to www.readmylipsticknetwork.com. Visit the link page and start wandering.

Also, check out Twitter. It looks intimidating when you first set up your account, but it's really a breeze. Once you sign up, go visit www.topconservativesontwitter.com and start "following" some of the Twitter accounts listed on there. Pretty soon you'll be a-twittering with the best of 'em.

Here's a link to Steven's page on the site: http://thenewrepublicans.ning.com/profile/Steven

http://thenewrepublicans.ning.com/

Defined Benefits Gets Temporary Government Bailout, Er, Legislation

Defined benefits are a hot topic in Fayette County, GA. Well, it's a hot topic for those responsible citizens who realize what the future holds for the county should our esteemed local commissioners vote to burden the county with it.

For those of you who have been following the ongoing debate, I thought you'd be interested to know the Federal government, yep, the Federal government (that would be Congress) has just unanimously passed The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act designed to provide temporary relief to retirees and employers sponsoring defined benefit pension plans. President Bush is expected to sign the legislation into law.

This Act, among other things, addressed the unanticipated increases in pension funding requirements.

Hello, Fayette County! Is anybody seeing the bailout trend? Is anyone listening?

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Sputter!..!!...sputter... Obama... $1 TRILLION Stimulus Plan... nooooooooo

I'm astounded by all the money that is being spent, wasted, spread around. It's easy to spend money when it's not yours I gather. There was a time when that wouldn't have been true. Only the ill-trained, the uncaring, those with low standards would take someone else's money and spend it willy-nilly like it was "free" money. Used to be it was considered moral and right to spend money belonging to others with care, with more precision than you would your own.

Not so these days.

I don't think it's real to the people making the decisions. I know there is no way they can understand the full implications of their choices.

It seems as though those in Washington won the mega-mega-lottery and they're determined to spend it all in a month.

I've tried to picture how things are working in D.C. as these people who probably don't even balance their own check books try to decide how to "fix" our economy. There are hundreds and hundreds of people scurrying about trying to be important, trying to look like they're part of the solution. They don't feel like they're doing their job if they don't "do something".

So they're listening to this guy sell this plan and that expert tout another plan. They're wading through stacks of paper which tells them whatever the person writing it wants them to know. Or, in reality, they're having their staffers wade through those stacks and they're just reading a synopsis or getting a verbal report.

I listen to the financial experts on the tube discussion the various problems with the economy, the stimulus packages, the bailouts and related issues. You can't get two of those who supposedly live, breath and bath in finances to agree with what's best for the stock market and our economy. How in the world are those in Washington, who know nothing, nothing, nothing, going to correct the money woes of the world?

Don't you just love the idea of an Auto Czar? Three huge mega companies with diverse ways of handling their businesses, with intricate business dealings, are going to be told by ONE man (or woman) how to run their business? I would suggest that everyone go back and read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

The politicians are doing what they always do --- throwing money at the problem. It's not real. It's not their money. It has no connection to reality. Especially when you're dealing with millions and billions and now trillions.

Where does all this money come from? Me. You. Our children. The future.

I feel like I'm living in bizarro world. We've entered a world that has no connection to reality and those of us living our daily lives have no input and no way of stopping what's happening. We just pay the bills.

All their efforts thus far have not fixed even the tiniest segment of any part of any part of the problem. Everyone is yelling "do something" and so they're "doing something".

Unfortunately I think it would be better is they did nothing.

Obama's Economic Advisers Considering $1 Trillion Stimulus Plan
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/12/obamas-economic-advisers-considering-trillion-stimulus-plan/
President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is considering an economic-stimulus program that will be far larger than the two-year, half-trillion-dollar plan under consideration two weeks ago, people familiar with the team's thinking tell the Wall Street Journal.
The president-elect is expected to be briefed on the broad parameters of the plan next week, with aides still hoping for Congress to pass a bill by the time Mr. Obama takes office Jan. 20.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/12/obamas-economic-advisers-considering-trillion-stimulus-plan/

Mel Martinez (FL) to retire; Brownback to run for Gov. (KS)

The 2010 election is already starting to get interesting and this one isn't quite over! I understand Norm Coleman is ahead at the moment and probably will "win" by a slim margin. However, the lawsuits have started already so who knows when it will officially be over. I read that Al Franken is asking the Democrat controlled Congress to intervene on his behalf, but didn't bother reading the details.

Mel Martinez, (R-Florida) has announced he won't run in 2010 which is going to lead to a very hot race for his seat. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) is looking at running for Governor.

Here's a link to one of the stories that includes both tidbits and details (others I found don't mention both):

Mel Martinez To Retire
Florida Sen. Mel Martinez (R) has decided against seeking a second term, a decision he will formalize shortly in the Sunshine State, according to an informed party source.
Martinez's decision was based on a desire for more free time and a less scheduled life, said the source. The first term senator also was an almost certain Democratic target in two years time although those familiar with Martinez's political prospects insisted his strengths in South Florida, coupled with his political base along the I-4 corridor, made his path to reelection possible.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/mel_martinez_to_retire.html?hpid=topnews?hpid=topnews

Saxby headed to a run-off?

When I went to bed late last night both Fox News and CNN had declared Saxby Chambliss a winner. I woke up this morning to discover he may be headed to the run-off of all run-offs. As I type he has 49.8% of the vote with the Secretary of State's office still opening early or absentee (?) ballots from "heavily populated counties". Those heavily populated counties are probably not going to favor Saxby as clearly as some other rural counties.

We'll see what happens. If he goes into a run-off you're going to see so many ads from both sides it will have you turning off your television and your phone recorder. Both sides will view this as a death-match and throw everything they have at it.

Why Georgia is one of the only (or maybe one of the very, very few) to require a 50 plus 1 victory is beyond me. It always seems to favor the candidate who took the least votes and had the least support of the two.

Look at our local election here with Peter Pfeifer. He had two tough opponents yet he came within a hair of winning the election outright. If he had taken just a tiny fraction of his Peachtree City opponents numbers he'd have won outright. Instead he ended up in a run-off and as always, the number of people who came out was laughable. The "underdog" won as usual, thus the guy who got a fraction of Pfeifer's votes now takes the seat in January.

Whether it's a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or "other" in that situation, it doesn't seem logical to force a run-off.

On a good note, I just got the work that Al Franken lost by a slim margin. Due to state rules there will be an automatic run-off the race was so close.

I was kinda hoping Louisiana would ditch Landrau just because of Katrina, but that didn't happen although if I remember the numbers it was also fairly close.

Elizabeth Dole lost in North Carolina.

I'm still half asleep. I stayed up until McCain gave his concession speech last night, very diplomatic and gracious by the way. Then I woke up at the crack of dawn and couldn't get back to sleep. That after rising yesterday before 5 a.m. to be a poll watcher, running back and forth to cover the suspicious package threat at Republican headquarters in Fayetteville and trying to keep up with the Fayette Front Page, the Christian City Chair-ity event (mark your calendars for Dec. 1st for a really cool event), the Read My Lipstick Network, and on and on it goes... Yours truly was one busy and tired puppy and it'll take me a day or two to recover!

Keep the faith, we have a tough road ahead of us but we're strong!