Barack Obama: The Best Thing to Happen to America?

No, no! I really have NOT lost my mind. Bear with me. Barack Obama may just be the best thing to happen in a generation for a number of reasons. In the many years I have been watching American politics – from a distance – he has done more to engage, awaken the American people than any other president. Oh sure, when George W. Bush was in office, certain pockets of America were afflicted with Bush Derangement Syndrome, which perpetuated oft-repeated demonstrations and slogans: Bush Lied, They Died; or No War for Oil, blah blah, followed by “all in good fun and taste” posters that made any decent person cringe. Mostly though, while the fringe elements (aided and abetted by the mainstream media, of course,) were making asses of themselves, regular Americans were busy raising their families, earning a living, pretty much secure in the knowledge that America was safe from outside attacks.

Now we have Obama, and I see a conscious decision on the part of many Americans to be engaged in the protection of their country, that I had not witnessed before. Yes, I also see a huge divisiveness since the election of the silver-tongued senator who promised to unite America. This community organizer, who campaigned on the slogans of "Change you can Believe in" and "Yes, we can!" is discovering that Americans who feel the most basic fabric of their country is under threat are not willing to sit idly by and allow anyone, foreign or domestic, to tear apart the communities that are America.

After many years of watching America the beautiful on the world stage, I now see an underbelly of America that is ugly, with a president who travels the world in fine style (what about the carbon foot print?) and apologizes to the world for the stellar reputation that America has enjoyed as a leader.

From the government taking over the car industry, to the banking industry, to cap and trade, the American health care industry, and most egregiously, now encouraging neighbor to report on neighbor if they dare to argue – even in “casual conversation” –against policies doomed to failure, Obama and his union thugs are finding out decent, hardworking Americans are mad as hell....

Go to Family Security Matters and read the rest here.

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Oh Jerusalem!

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget her cunning.

If I do not remember thee,
let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth;
if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Psalm 137: 5-6

Jersalem, City of Gold, City of David, City of G-d, Capital of both Ancient and Modern Israel is suppose to be handed over, both sides, Old and New City, the Palestinians Arabs before any further talks will be permitted.

The sixth Fatah General Assembly decreed on Saturday that the return of both east and west Jerusalem to Palestinian control was a "red line" which was non-negotiable, and would need to be fulfilled before any peace talks with Israel could renew, Israel Radio reported.

According to the report, a document adopted by the Fatah delegates of the assembly declared that Palestinians would "continue to be sacrificed until residents of Jerusalem are free of settlements and settlers." The document went on to state that all of Jerusalem, including the surrounding villages, belonged to the Palestinians, and lands conquered following the Six Day War shared the same status as those located within the Green Line.

Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz blasted the statement Saturday, saying that the declaration was a clear message to all those who maintained the "illusion that the Palestinians were prepared for compromise," Israel Radio reported.

Israel should take legal steps in response to the decree, Israel Radio quoted the minister as saying. According to the report, he urged the government to expand the municipal authority of Jerusalem to include Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, Gush Etzion, and Beitar. In addition, Katz encouraged further construction in surrounding neighborhoods so as to increase Jewish presence in the city.

This is totally unacceptable to all of Israel. Even the most left-wing, person in Israel will not accept this.

But it seems Barack Hussein Obama has already accepted it and will try to impose it on Israel.

Take the example of the US Consulate in Jerusalem. It has already declaired Jerusalem, Old and New City, as the Capital of the nation of Palestine. It is written in English and Arabic, there is no news from the elected Mayor of the city, Nir Barkat, and children of US citizens born in Jerusalem, Israel are listed as Jerusalem, Jerusalem (soon to be changed to Palestine).

I guess this is the change that was talked about and we are suppose to accept. Only this change is not acceptable.

Perhaps the Israelis should do their own bit of change. Like changing one thing in the City of Jerusalem:

Now that's CHANGE I can believe in!

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Sale-abration National Yard Sale

Soldiers’ Angels announces the First Annual Sale-abration, a nationwide garage/yard sale to be held on October 3! This special event with draw together people from across the country as they clear out their homes, support the troops, and spread the word about Soldiers’ Angels.

In addition to having the chance to get rid of cool and useful items they no
longer use, sellers will be awarded a hand-signed Day of the Deployed proclamation from Soldiers’ Angels founder Patti-Patton Bader. Soldiers’ Angels will also supply each seller with 25 SA wristbands to motivate the first 25 customers at each garage sale, and cards to go inside holiday care packages for the troops will be available at each site for customers to sign.

Registration is now open. If you would like to hold a sale, please sign up. Information packets and further details will go out to all sellers in coming weeks. In the meantime, sign up and start spreading the news to your friends and neighbors. This could be a great event for a school or church, or a Scout/youth group. Get your whole neighborhood involved in one big yard sale!

If you would like to assist someone else who is holding a sale, keep checking the registration page to see if there is one scheduled near you and follow the contact information given.

Sellers who register will receive information packets soon, including flyers
and suggestions for improving the sale and its impact. After Labor Day, help
with press releases and local media will also be available.

Please sign up now if you’re planning on a garage/yard sale for
Sale-abration. You can email saleabration@soldiersangels.org with any questions not addressed here (remember, information packets will be sent to registered sellers in coming weeks).

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Why People Are Upset With The Health Care Bill.

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

I find it ironic and a bit strange that in the Land of the Free, elected officials would be using strong arm tactics to silence dissent. Instead of inquiring why their constituents are upset with HR 3200, and listening to their concerns, they are employing hired goons (union workers and members of ACORN) to stifle dissenting opinions. These goons are not registered in their districts, thus are not their constituents.

There are valid points that the "Angry Mob" as Speaker Pelosi and other members of the Democratic leadership calls them. Points they refuse to listen to.

Here are just a few of the points of contention in HR 3200 that has angered so many: (Just a listing of less then 1/2 of the 1,017 pages of the bill.)

Page 16: States that if you have insurance at the time of the bill becoming law and change, you will be required to take a similar plan. If that is not available, you will be required to take the government option!

Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!

Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!

Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)

Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.

Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.

Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.

Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.

Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (example: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)

Page 72: All private health care plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Health care Exchange.

Page 84: All private health care plans must participate in the Health care Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens.

Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.

Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.

Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.

Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.

Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.

Page 126: Employers MUST pay health care bills for part-time employees AND their families.

Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll.

Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll.

Page 167: Any individual who doesn't have acceptable health care (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).

Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Health care Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.

Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that.

Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected.

Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)

Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.

Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private health care industries.

Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.

Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!

Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.

Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.

Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in health care companies!

Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.

Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on "community" input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.

Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.

Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.

Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.

Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (health care by phone).
Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?

Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.

Page 425: Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.

Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.

Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.

Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.

Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.

Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.

Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.

Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.

This bill is a recipe for death and disaster. Forced Euthanasia, Rationed Health Care, and a Government control of your Medical and Financial records, with no say from you.

Our "Elected Officials" seem to have forgotten that they do not hold permanent positions. They have a "Temp Job" predicated on the supposition that the constituents bosses are pleased with the job they are doing. Today the members of Congress act as if their constituents' bosses' opinions have no merit. Their hubris is beyond measure, with most, if not all of the members of Congress feeling as if their seats are safe and secure.

They are not! No seat in Congress is a safe seat. Anger enough of your constituents bosses and they will discover that simple, but basic fact.

The time has come for the people of the United States to take back their government. As Thomas Jefferson once wrote:

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

It is time to stop fearing our Government, but to have the Government start fearing us.

It is time we tell Congress that this bill is unacceptable to the American people, that if you vote for this bill it will result in a rude awakening for you on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 when their Constituents Bosses relay the words to them:

You're Fired!

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Dear Mr. President

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

I am not going to wait for someone to snitch on me. I will snitch on myself instead.

I am a middle aged white woman, a widow and mother of 2 grown daughters. I am a veteran of the US Air Force and the widow of a retired Air Force NCO.

I am the citizen who attends City Hall meetings, School Board meetings, who gets involved in working and demanding good government. I am a citizen. And I am your boss. Just like the other 300 million citizens of this great nation. And I don't like your proposed bill: H.R. 3200: America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009.

While there are some good points in the bill, this proposed law does nothing to correct the problems with the Health Care Industry. It forces American citizens into a single-payer plan regardless of their rights and choices. It forces a raise on taxes to Middle Class Americans to pay for this new system. And in the end, it will lead to a system of rationed Health Care that is now in effect in Great Britain, Canada and most of Europe. A system in which the survival rates for Cancer (to use just one example) are lower than the US (the quality of medicine is the same).

This is not what the American people want or asked for.

What we want is for our existing Health Care Providers to provide the service that they are being paid for. That preexisting conditions be covered. That screening for Cancer on a yearly basis be provided. That necessary medical exams and tests be done.

No person should have to go into debt to pay for their health care if they are already paying for it through an Insurance company. And the premium costs should be regulated to insure that the average family can afford it.

For those who through their own stupidity or hubris refuse to insure themselves, then they will be forced to bear the full costs of their Health Care if they become ill. It is time that people take responsibility for their actions.

In the past Congress has been able to regulate the Health Care Industry. The passage of Newborns’ and Mothers’Health Protection Act of 1996 (NMHPA), signed by President Bill Clinton was a step in the right direction and was done with bi-partisan cooperation. Congress could do it again and such moves would improve the quality of Health Care in this country.

I suggest that during your summer vacation you sit down and actually read this bill. Then wonder why no Member of Congress will answer the question: "Would you put yourself and your family under this plan?" I ask that of you Mr. President. If not, why? And then why should I?

On a personal note.

I find your tactics in trying to pass this bill unworthy of the Leader of the Free World.

Having neighbor spy on neighbor, children spy on their parents, friends spy on friends is more the tactics of the Soviet Union (which locked up political dissenters in Psychiatric Hospitals for speaking out) or Nazi Germany (which sent political opponents to Concentration Camps).

In the United States, dissenting political speech is protected by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. You don't have to agree with what is said, but you cannot prevent the words from being spoken.

What your representative, and thus you said was:

"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

These are the words of a dictator, not an "elected official" with a temporary position subject to the will of the people.

Thank you for your time and patience. I know that you mean well with this idea, but this bill is not the right answer. Perhaps it is time to sit down, examine the issue fully, and do it right, not do it fast.

Findalis
Monkey in the Middle (http://findalismonkeyinthemiddle.blogspot.com/)

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