Posted by
Eric Jay on Thursday, August 13, 2009 9:00:00 PM
It is amazing what one can learn with the click of a button. You know how Senators and Congressmen say they can't possibly read every page of every bill simply because it is too large? Well, be an average, everyday voter, say Joe or Sally the Plumber. One who wakes in the morning, prepares the family breakfast, get them ready for school, and head off to work. Certainly, I (we) don't have a bevy of lawyers, aides de camp, nor special interest groups to feed me the sections that are important to them. We do, however, have the internet. Without the new media, which includes the internet, chat rooms, Twitter, Ffacebook, etc. information is exchanged freely and at the speed of, well what, light? It is nearly instantaneously.
I was trolling an aggregator (Bloglines, love it!) when I came upon this little nugget (
Wizbang):
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First, I notice some unusual wording in the Senate Bill. Looking at Section 399HH, "National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care".
In Part A of that section, under 'Requirements', the Senate Bill directs the Secretary of the Health Choices Administration (HCA), to "address the health care provided to patients with high-cost chronic diseases" [ (Sec. 399HH, (2)(B)(i) ]
One may wonder why the emphasis on high-cost chronic diseases, and certainly one may excuse the patients suffering from, say, AIDs, Cancer, Diabetes, Alzheimer's, or any other of a number of similar maladies for asking why their conditions appear to be targeted.
That same section directs the HCS Secretary to "address gaps in quality and health outcomes measures, comparative effectiveness information, and data aggregation techniques, including the use of data registries" [ (Sec. 399HH, (2)(B)(ii) ].
Wording like that is certainly evocative of 'Big Brother', and just why should Americans expect uniform levels of "health outcomes" in every region and city? Effectiveness in health issues often depends not only on resources but the skill of the professionals and on the patient.
And there's nothing like an open-ended excuse, like this one:
"address other areas as determined appropriate by the Secretary." [ (Sec. 399HH, (2)(B)(ix) ].
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Sounds pretty suspicious to me. It sounds like we can't really trust those in Washington, D.C.. You can't get a straight answer. The site that maintains the legislation for veiwing is very difficult to get into without significant effort.
Why the rush? Why the secret sessions with big businesses- where is the transparency? Why can't Senators and Congressman and Senators read the legislation? Why aren't they paying attention to the polls (their own for goodness sake) let alone the frustrated, yelling elderly and run of the mill "protestors?" These even include well dressed lawyers, doctors, businessmen and women.
Yes people. We are at one of those defining moments in our history. Are we going to move toward the Socialist utopia dreamed up in the minds of Democrats, with nationalized banks, insurance, automobile companies (oops, already there folks), telephone (cell and analog), power companies, manufaturing, THE PRESS. Perhaps, when the press begins to get pressure from the White House toward takeovers/bailouts then we will get the straight poop. It is disgusting how MSM salivates for President Obama when he rings that bell!
What I would love to see happen is one Republican or a team to come out and say here is our plan (got that not just opposition), a bona fide, written plan- the new Contract with America. Then sell the plan as the real plan to lower costs, to make insurance available to all, yada yada.
I have a nice suggestion, Sarah Palin is out of "work." She can step up to the plate and take the licks. She showed during the campaign she can do it. Whoever it is, this will be a launching point to the Presidency as well as larger majorities in Congress. Too many Republicans, Independents, Undecideds, Libertarians, are disaffected by this issue and this is the opportunity of a lifetime! The stimulus didn't work, the HealthCare reform is a shambles, now is the time to strike!!! The Government has bankrupted Social Security, MediCare, Amtrack, US Postal Service, it can't do this. Nor can we handle another entitlement that adds somewhere in the neighborhood of trillions.
Hey, wait a minute. I am one of those with an "expensive chronic illness." With my Arachnoiditis/Failed Back Surgery Syndrome I am at the doctor, E.R., Urgent Care all the time and not to mention the myriad of meds I have to take. Certainly, if I were a bureaucrat in D.C. looking at my situation I'd cut back treatment on me and those like me to save a few bucks...another great reason to rise up and speak against these foolhardy bills. These are also only a stepping stone to Single-Payer and socialized medicine. We are on a slippery slope, people.
That is precisely why so many are showing up and protesting. This emotional issue that touches every one virtually on a daily basis. In addition, those who are on the right, Conservatives, Libertarians, etc. don't tend to rally around an issue and protest. We don't typically pay a bunch of people to be bussed somewhere to "protest" and hold up manufactured signs with talking points. We typically are too busy. Busy running a business that actually makes a profit, make payrolls, get our children to soccer or swim lessons, etc. This issue, however, hits the vein straight on. Whether one is elderly, a businessman or woman, a banker, whatever this issue is huge. It is a turning point.
This is about power, about money and not just about "HealthCare" or "Health Insurance Reform, whatever the current moniker is. The Democrats want to move the country in the direction of complete control by the government and preferably them. My Dad used to tell me an old Real Estate adage which I think we can apply here: power, power, power!
The Dems are so off put they can't believe that anyone would argue against them. In order for that to happen those opposing have to be nefarious or as Madame Speaker would say un-American or as other Dems have deemed the protesters: brown shirts, likened them to Nazis, and so on. Afterall, don't patriotic Americans know that the Democrats know what's best in every circumstances.
Even more in the bill that opponents point out are the old "death committees." Bureaucrats making decisions whether or not a procedure is cost effective for the patient based on age, health, potential, etc. Well, there is this nice little nugget:
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Looking now to Section 1233 of HR 3200, we see the following fascinating passage regarding mandatory "advance care planning".
"Such consultation shall include the following:
''(A) An explanation by the practitioner of advance care planning, including key questions and considerations, important steps, and suggested people to talk to.
(E) An explanation by the practitioner of the continuum of end-of-life services and supports available, including palliative care and hospice, and benefits for such services and supports that are available under this title." [ Sec. 1233 (hhh)(1) ]
Yes, you read that right. By law, anyone over 65 would have to be advised at least once every five years about the 'benefits' of ending their life.
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This legislation cannot pass in its current form. Here is the link to the bill:
America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009; we have really only scratched the surface of what lurks beneath this behemoth. We cannot allow the Democratic leadership of Obama/Reid/Pelosi cram down this legislation. They haven't even paid much attention to their own sites' poll. At current count the numbers are staggeringly against passage: 16% in favor, some 84% against. No polls that are honest will show that there is a majority of in favor of this mess.
In addition, the Democrats are merely shifting the discussion. The more they talk about who the protestors are, the less they must talk about the legislation. Classic bait and switch...