Reese's Thoughts on Contraception

"I'm sorry the civility police now have an opening to demonize the entire right based on one radio comment - because it's the progressive left in this country that has viciously and systematically slimed female conservatives for their beliefs."

 - Michelle Malkin

With all that is going wrong in the country today (which I could come up with a pretty long and solid list), it seems access to contraceptives is the current hot topic. This topic has now morphed into women's health rights and "conservatives hate women". I am so fed up that I have resurrected this conservative blog to rant share my thoughts.

Here is what I WANT to say to the world:

• How much and how often you have sex is a social issue. Do not involve the government. Keep it behind closed doors where it belongs. 
• The natural consequences of sex is pregnancy and STDs (unless you and your partner have practiced abstinence prior to your relationship). If you don't want to get pregnant or have STDs you should use birth control.
• Life is filled with choices about what/how to spend your money. If you have LOTS of sex it would seem appropriate you would spend some of your income on birth control. But this is an individual choice. I will not tell you how to spend your money. 
• But just like I won't tell you how to spend your money, don't cry out that the government must somehow use taxpayer dollars to protect you from the natural consequences of your actions. 
• Churches should be able to live and lead their congregations as they choose. The government has absolutely NO right forcing churches to provide a service that goes against their religious beliefs. If you are upset the Catholic church is not providing birth control, I would suggest you are probably not a devout Catholic and your religious desires could be fulfilled elsewhere by another church. You should also not attend a Catholic university like Georgetown. 
• Mandating insurance companies to provide birth control at no cost is not feasible. Most insurance benefits require some out-of-pocket expense (co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles, premiums, etc.). It is not unreasonable for insurance companies to charge fees for birth control. This does not violate women's rights, it's merely economics and how a business operates. 
• Those who are speaking out against this ridiculous government mandate are not attacking women. They are defending personal and religious rights and demanding the government step back from this overreach. 
• Any woman who is speaking out for the misogynistic behavior of the "right" and certain talk-radio hosts, are hypocritical because where are they when conservative women are attacked?  Michelle Malkin has documented some of her hate mail here. Why haven't you come out against her attackers? 
• Yes, I'm sorry Rush (who I love dearly) used a bad term to describe a person who testified in congress about her personal life. But if you choose to testify before Congress you open yourself up to public scrutiny and yes, sometimes it's hurtful. People in the public sector are susceptible to criticism and I believe it's part of the business. Certainly the likes of Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin would have thrown in the towel long ago if they couldn't stand up tall despite the hate. 

I'm not telling you what to DO, but I will not protect you from the natural consequences of your choice. Don't expect the government to protect you and demand companies provide a service to you for free. Be smart about your social choices and if YOU deem something important, go out and make the sacrifice to get it. 

Side Effects Include...

"A lot of the ideas in terms of the exchange...and improving the purchasing power of individuals in the insurance market originated from the Heritage Foundation."

 - President Obama

You better believe The Heritage Foundation feels slandered about this recent comment from our President.  Heritage will refute this from every angle.  

But they are now working on a feature of the Side Effects of Obamacare. After the bill was passed Obama said, "After I signed it, I looked around and no asteroids had hit the planet (chuckling) and no cracks had appeared in the earth."

Again with the arrogance. Of course, people didn't believe literal Armageddon would occur, but the side effects will represent a sure decrease in our liberties and freedoms.  Here are some already highlighted by Heritage:

FIRST - Higher health insurance taxes --> Remember the tax on so-called "Cadillac" health plans? Under the reconciliation bill, a provision was added to index the threshold of what is considered "Cadillac" to the general inflation rate PLUS 1%.  Do you know what that means?  "The high cost plans tax will hit the average family plan five years earlier."  Over time most plans will fall into the "Cadillac" category and be subject to the tax.  See more here.  

SECOND - The young to pay higher premiums --> A new provision in the plan makes it more difficult to charge older people more for their premiums (as is the case today). "So how will insurers make up the difference? It 'will be shouldered by young people in the form of higher premiums.'" Heritage then suggests these young adults will choose to opt out of increased premiums and pay the penalty instead, which will only "fuel a 'death spiral' of out-of-control premium price hikes." See more here.  

THIRD - Medical devices tax will cut jobs --> Obamacare puts a new tax on medical devices to generate $2.2 billion per year in revenue. The industry simply cannot stay afloat with such a tax burden. CFO at Zoll Medical Corp has said, "We could be forced to (move) manufacturing overseas if we can't pass along these costs to our customers." But either way, it's more cost to the consumer and job losses all around.  Read more here. 

FOURTH - Obamacare fatal for your HSA --> If you use a Health Savings or Flex Spending account you should check this out.  Obamacare limits these accounts as follows: (1) restricts what you can use the money for, (2) reduces the election amounts in your FSA, and (3) doubles the tax penalty for using HSA funds for non-medical expenses. "But the worst news for those using HSAs is the provision requiring all policies to cover at least 60 percent of the actuarial value of the benefits offered."  Basically, high-deductible plans which include HSAs may no longer be viable.  Read more here. 

FIFTH - Laws no longer mean what they say --> Did you hear the leaders of the House discovered a major snafu after the bill was signed?  They messed up the provision that children no longer be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Oops.  They've since said it was their "intent to cover these children and the health care industry has kindly opted to go along.  "But is this any way to run a country? To have lawmakers and regulators coerce the private sector into doing what they simply declare to be their "intent," rather than what is actually written in the law?"  I'm pretty sure that's not how a country is supposed to be run. Be prepared for more of this...

Read more here.

If you want to know how Heritage believes the health care crisis should really be handled, read here. And in the meantime, stay informed. Don't let the press demonize you for opposing this hostile takeover of our basic rights and freedoms. Despite what the media reports, I'm not a racist nor a homophobe nor a feminist. I just refuse to tow the progressive line.

Happy Easter, everyone! We are taking a trip to be with some family. There will be no redistribution of easter eggs going on. It's a free for all, and I like it that way!

Surces:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_040110/content/01125112.guest.html
The Heritage Foundation - Side Effects
Side Effects image from The Heritage Foundation

Get Your Game Face On

"Fortunately, there are no permanent victories or defeats in Washington."

 - Edwin Feulner, President, The Heritage Foundation

I spent most of today amid my own personal chaos...that's just the life as a stay-at-home mom sometimes.  But periodically as I tried to "check-in" and assess the mood across the country, I surprisingly did not feel defeated. It appears within the corners of this great nation people are ready for a fight. Something never before seen since the colonies declared their independence and our founding fathers set a course for freedom and liberty.  

I love The Heritage Foundation. The President, Ed Feulner, had an inspiring message today.  It brought the fight to the surface. If you are even the slightest bit hesitant about Obamacare, you should get involved. Numerous states are starting on the path to block portions of the new legislation. And while repeal will be difficult, we can assure change by electing officials willing to represent the true voice of their constituents.

And because I can say it no better than Mr. Feulner, I've included some of his direct quotes below.  If this makes you want to stand up and cheer then you are in the majority. Our collective voice is tuned out in favor of power, greed and control in Washington. But we the people have the ultimate say. We can be part of this fight...one that will be worth the effort to save the American dream.

"Large majorities of Americans oppose this legislation because it offends the historic American dedication to the principle of self-government. They understand that this new law will accelerate Washington’s intrusion into our most personal and private decisions."

"Those who supported this bill are our fellow Americans, and we do not question their good will or patriotism. In public policy, however, good intentions alone do not suffice. And let there be no mistake, our philosophical differences with supporters of this bill are profound."

"If there is one good thing about the past year—one in which we have witnessed unprecedented horse-trading, press stunts, midnight votes and political manipulation in both houses of the U.S. Congress—it is that the American people have come away educated as never before about the differences between these two visions for America."

"They understand this health care bill forces individuals and employers to buy insurance policies designed by government bureaucrats. This intrusion is intended to follow us from cradle to grave."

"Instead of empowering families and individuals to make their own choices, Obamacare empowers the bureaucracy to make those decisions for them. It is this unelected bureaucracy, unanswerable to the electorate, that will determine the content of health benefits packages, including medical treatment and procedures, and how much will be paid for those services."

"Americans will not stand for it. The American love for liberty prevailed in our founding, and will prevail once again."

"Fortunately, there are no permanent victories or defeats in Washington. For millions of Americans and for Heritage, Round One of this fight is over. Today, The Heritage Foundation is answering the bell for Round Two...Help us educate our lawmakers, as well as those who aspire to become tomorrow’s lawmakers. Together we can make the persuasive case for repeal of this Intolerable Act and thereby return us to our American destiny."

Mr. Feulner ends his letter with this salutation:

Onward!

My friends.  Do not give in.  Do not be complacent.  We must press onward!!  The fight begins again.

Source:
The Heritage Foundation - Edward Feulner Letter 03.22.2010

Don't Feel Defeated...It's Not Over!

"They are trying to win this with a sense of inevitability."

 - Michael Medved

You've seen the headlines today.  I felt a little defeated this morning when I saw on FOX the House was only one vote away.  Boo hoo.

But I got worked. It's simply not true.

Congress wants you to THINK  it's over. They want the public to accept defeat before the war is really over.

Obama wouldn't have submitted himself to FOX for an interview if he didn't have the votes.
Pelosi wouldn't keep dodging questions on actual votes if she had them.
Obama wouldn't have canceled his already delayed trip on Sunday if he had the votes.

They are scrambling.  They want the public to feel defeated.

But don't go quietly!!!

Here are the numbers again:
1.877.762.8762
202.224.3121
202.225.3121

I called this morning and hit redial probably 30 times before I got through. Take ten minutes.  It matters!!

3000%!!...Insanity

"Your employer...would see premiums fall by as much as 3,000 percent, which means they could give you a raise."

 - President Obama

This is bad math...VERY bad math.  

Consider the equation as our president suggests:

Let's say your employer is paying $10,000 per year for your health care benefit.

If it goes down 100%, that would make it $0.00

If it goes down an additional 2900%, that means your employer would RECEIVE $290,000!

***

Here's the math in case you're interested: after losing the first 100%, which is the ENTIRE $10k premium, the remaining 2900% multiplied by the premium amount (10k) is 290,000

Again, 2900% x 10,000 = 290,000

Can anybody believe this!?  Do you know the audience actually clapped?!

If the Dems don't get this push for health care do you think Obama will resort to saying your premiums will go down by a "million ca-zillion percent"? 

Or maybe he'll start using his hands to illustrate the benefits of Obamacare, saying premiums will go down (stretching his arms as far as they can go) THIS much .  

I'm home with little kids all day, so that falls more in line with my every day lingo.

Mr. President, I don't believe anything you say this much {...........................................} 

(And I have long arms)

Source: Rush Limbaugh 03.16.10

Encourage Motivation NOT Entitlement

"Losing her health care ended up causing her her life."

 - Marcelas Owens (11-yrs old)

Once again, rather than talk facts and empirical data, Democrats instead play on people's emotions and portray the opponents of government-run health care as horrible, despicable people.    

This is the basic story: Marcelas Owens (now 11 yrs old) was the son of a single mother who lost her job and her insurance and later died of a fatal form of high blood pressure.

Read carefully: Yes, this is tragic and sad.  Children growing up without a mother and father is a very sad thing.  

But these are the parts of the story that are causing me to twitch:

 - Owens mother, Tifanny, was a single mother. Where was the father? When a woman makes a choice bringing about not-so-easy natural consequences (i.e., conceiving three children out of wedlock without a supportive father) does it mean the American taxpayer should fill this void? Should we be responsible? What about Medicaid? She was unemployed with three children and they say she didn't qualify...it doesn't smell right.  If she can't get Medicaid then who can?

 - The woman was TREATED at two local hospitals.  On her final visit she was hospitalized for 8 days!  I'm still trying to figure out how insurance would have helped this woman.  She had a fatal form of high blood pressure, which is very difficult to treat and most patients die within a few years. Her death could not have been avoided even WITH insurance.

 - The politicians along with Owens himself kept saying, "70 uninsured people die each day."  A caller on the Rush Limbaugh program said, "what about the other people that die each day WITH insurance?"  Who can we blame for that? Are the evil insurance companies responsible for the deaths of the uninsured AND the insured?  

 - And if 70 people dying a day is your data point, then why the long waiting period for health care reform to begin?  They are promising a short-term fix that doesn't begin for FOUR years!  Implementation is scheduled for 2013-2014, so how does passing Health Care reform next week help this little boy in the near term?  

 - Most importantly, I feel terrible about how this cute little boy (did you see his chipmunk cheeks?!) is being exploited for the democrats' progressive agenda. Sen. Murray should be ashamed...they have brainwashed Owens into thinking his country is out to get him, and Pres. Obama could have literally saved his mother. But while our Congress goes out for cocktail drinks and fancy galas, do you think they'll check up on Marcelas Owens?  NO!    

This boy needs stability.  This boy needs to settle in with his Grandma and learn to accept life's challenges.  He's only 11.  Life is going to be hard.  It's hard for everyone, but why should we feed a hatred for his country? He's going to grow up his entire life with a sense of entitlement and wait around for his government to make it right.  THIS IS A PROBLEM!!  

Enabling a child to grow up feeling cheated is reprehensible.  Why doesn't someone actually HELP this boy?  He has his whole life ahead of him, and he needs:

• A counselor. For the last two years he's been angry about his mother's death.  He should probably have some grief counseling instead.
• A mentor.  A "Big Brother"?  He needs an example and a motivator.
• Involvement.  What about school programs and sports?  
• Encouragement and love. He needs to learn to work hard and earn his way through life.

We are all born into circumstances beyond our control.  But EVERYONE has the power and capacity to improve their station.  So rather than trapse this boy all over Congress telling him mean men/women are out to get him, they should be encouraging him to work heard and create a better life than the one he grew up in.

That's American. That's Hope. That's change I can get on board with.      

Sources:
Seattle Times Story
King5 News
Rush's Commentary...good!

Imploding?

"Most voters believe the current plan will harm the economy, cost more than projected, raise the cost of care, and lead to higher middle-class taxes.  That's a tough sell when the economy is hurting and people want reform to lower the cost of care.  It's also a tough sell for a president who won an election by promising tax cuts for 95% of all Americans."

 - Scott Rasmussen and Doug Schoen (WSJ)

It's coming down to the wire.  We keep talking about the "end game" but the supposed deadline (as imposed by Robert Gibbs...pah) is only a week away.  People are scurrying like mad. Consider these recent events:

People are literally going nuts --- hello, Massa?!

Pelosi is telling us she must pass the bill in order for us to find out what's in it---umm...what?

And we have Obama's Chief of Staff targeting members of Congress in the locker room wearing, well, nothing actually...he's naked (ewwwww...sorry for the visual picture).

What is going on people!?  You can't make this stuff up.

Even SNL and David Letterman are working their sketches around this chaos.

Can anyone say "FINALLY!"

It's like the end of National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation" when Clark (Chevy Chase) gets his supposed bonus, which is actually enrollment in the "Jelly of the Month" club, and he's already promised his family a swimming pool...whoops.  His subsequent tirade (which my parents always had to edit when I was a kid) and childlike tantrum with a chain saw is classic.

I think Obama, Pelosi, and Reid are getting their "bonus" this week...and don't be fooled...it was a gift from us - the American people.  We KNOW what will happen if this bill passes and we don't want it.  Enjoy the jelly instead.

SOURCES:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704784904575111993559174212.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_031010/content/01125106.guest.html

Obama's History AGAINST Reconciliation

Obama has spoke in previous years about the budget reconciliation process and his opposition of the rule. Thanks to El Rushbo for gathering the history, which I leave for you tonight.  Velly Velly interesting...

OBAMA in 2005 about changing the filibuster rule:  

"A change in the Senate rules that really, uh, I think would change the character of the Senate, uh, forever. [snip] Uhhh, and what I worry about would be th-th-that you essentially still have two chambers, the House and the Senate, but you have simply majoritarian, uhhh, absolute power on either side, and that's just not what the Founders intended."

OBAMA in 2004 about legislation passage in the Senate:  

"My understanding of the Senate is is that you need 60 votes to get something significant to happen, which means that Democrats have to ask the question: Do we have the will to move an American agenda forward, not a Democratic or Republican agenda forward?"

OBAMA 2006:  

"Those big-ticket items, fixing our health care system. You know, one of the arguments that sometimes I get with, uhh, my fellow progressives...is this notion that we should function sort of like Karl Rove, where we -- we identify our core base, we throw 'em red meat, we get a 50-plus-one, uhhh, victory.  See, Karl Rove doesn't need a broad consensus because he doesn't believe in government.  If we want to transform the country, though, that requires a -- a sizeable majority."

OBAMA 2007:  

"The bottom line is is that our health care plans are similar.  The question, once again, is: Who can get it done?  Who can build a movement for change?  This is an area where we're going to have to have a 60% majority in the Senate and the House in order to actually get a bill to my desk.  We're going to have to have a majority to get a bill to my desk that is not just a 50-plus-one majority."

OBAMA 2007:  

"You gotta break out of what I call the sort of 50-plus-one pattern of presidential politics.  Maybe you eke out a victory with 50-plus-one but you can't govern. You know, you get Air Force One and a lot of nice perks as president but you can't -- you can't deliver on health -- we're not going to pass universal health care with a -- with a 50-plus-one strategy."

But of course, he will now use the 50-plus-one rule (aka reconciliation) for his own self-serving takeover of the health care system.  He must have had quite a revelation since becoming President if now he believes the process is ethical and appropriate. 

Source:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030310/content/01125112.guest.html