Friday, February 26, 2010
Home Court Advantage Didn’t Help Obama
Posted by: Townhall.com Staff at 10:49 AM
Guest post from Ernest Istook with the Heritage Foundation
President Obama used his health care summit to give his side every advantage possible. Whenever opponents spoke, he got to respond. By appointing himself the moderator, Obama gave himself the first word, the last word, and the most words.
Overall, Obama gave Democrats over twice as much speaking time as Republicans. The 17 GOP’ers attending received a collective 110 minutes. By himself, Obama hogged 119 minutes of microphone time and gave his 21 fellow Democrats an additional 114 minutes. When called to account for this, Obama proclaimed it fair because, “I’m the President.”Obama exercised free rein to cut off opponents, speak sharply, and pass judgment on whether others’ arguments were legitimate. He wasn’t just a player; he also was the referee.
Despite giving his side all the advantages, most commentators agree that Republicans held their own or even carried the day. CNN’s David Gergen proclaimed that Republicans “had their best day in years.”
A key moment was when Obama—arguing passionately with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)–claimed his plan would reduce the cost of private health insurance, and then the President was forced publicly to back down from that claim.
As media such as the Daily Caller reported:
Later in the session, after an aide handed the president a note, Obama admitted he had been wrong: ‘What the Congressional Budget Office is saying is, is that if I now have the opportunity to actually buy a decent package inside the exchange, that costs me about 10% to 13% more but is actually real insurance, then there are going to be a bunch of people who take advantage of that. So yes, I’m paying 10% to 13% more because instead of buying an apple, I’m getting an orange.’
It was a crucial point because, for many Americans, the key issue is not whether government provides health care for the uninsured, but whether it lowers costs for the already-insured. Whether the number of uninsured is estimated at 30 million or 46 million (and both numbers are deceptive, it still represents only 10-15% of the population.
Among the 85-90% of Americans who have insurance, the main concern is affordability, not availability. Obama’s most important health reform promise to them was his oft-repeated pledge to lower their health insurance costs by $2,500 per year. Being forced to admit on live television that his plan fails to do that—and instead increases premiums—was the low point of the summit for the President.
As Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) noted, “It’s just another example of why because the bill has to raise so much money, it ends up hurting the very people that we want to help.”
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) offered Obama a clear chance to embrace a premium-reducing solution. For example, she said, those Californians who face up to 39 percent increases in premiums should be given “the ability to go to Oregon, where they could buy a policy for 25 percent less, or individuals in New Jersey who could go to Pennsylvania and buy a policy and lower their cost 26 percent, or go to Wisconsin and buy one and lower their cost 74 percent.”
The need for a plan that lowers premiums rather than increases them is a major reason why the best course for Congress would be to start over. Lawmakers should take a different approach, rather than try to ram through Obamacare and impose it on a country that does not want it.
Norman To Consider Another Tax Increase
By · CommentsBusier than ever, Municipal Court seeks to up fees (tax increase)
The Norman City Council will be asked to adopt an ordinance upon first reading Tuesday night that will allow the Municipal Court to increase its court costs, (tax increase) which haven’t been upped in more than a decade. (The fact is the state law would not allow an increase)
Apparently the Legislature passed legislation allowing all cities to raise fees by $5 – so no surprise, most cities are doing just that. My friend is an assistant City Attorney in Valley Brook – they raised theirs by $5 a couple of months ago. Looks like Norman will do the same tonight. What also irks me is that Norman claims “rising users” necessitate the fee increase. That is bogus. In the real world, the cost of production/service actually goes down per unit as you produce/serve more. So they should actually be lowering the fees, not raising them.
The liberals at city hall just can’t pass up another tax increase. We have to vote out all the tax and spend liberals. Remember next month is the election.
Americans Signs Petition To Repeal The First Amendment
By · CommentsLegislators Violate State Constitution
By · CommentsOpen letter to Speaker Benge/President Pro-Tempore Coffee:
I write to express my deep concern and disappointment in the Legislature’s action last session to direct $16 million dollars to OMRF and $1 Million to the Jim Thorpe Association.
As an active Republican (I currently am Chairman of the Cleveland County Republican Party), I am particularly disappointed that this multi-million dollar pass through was orchestrated by a Republican controlled Legislature.
Once upon a time, Republicans used to oppose such inappropriate and underhanded expenditures of taxpayers’ money. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago when you were in the minority that Republicans would vehemently oppose these pass through deals made by the Democrats. Like most Oklahomans, and certainly the majority of Republicans, I remember the dog food plant that the Democrat-controlled Legislature appropriated tax dollars for.
Art. 10, § 15(A) of the Okla. Const. says it very plainly:
“15. Pledge or loan of credit – Donation – Exceptions.
A. Except as provided by this section, the credit of the State shall not
be given, pledged, or loaned to any individual, company, corporation, or
association, municipality, or political subdivision of the State, nor
shall the State become an owner or stockholder in, nor make donation by
gift, subscription to stock, by tax, or otherwise, to any company,
association, or corporation.” (Emphasis added.)
See Op. Atty. Gen. No. 80-283, wherein appropriations to the Oklahoma
Historical Society were deemed in violation of the Constitution’s
Prohibition. You can get to the opinions of the Okla. A.G. from the
OSCN website.
Article 10, beginning with § 14 and including §§ 15, 16, 17 (local govt.) and 19. § 14 restricts the levy and collection of taxes to public purposes. § 15(A) prohibits the giving, pledging or
loaning the credit of the State (i.e. public funds) to any individual, company, association, municipality or political subdivision, except as provided in (B) thru (E).
Now that we are in the Majority – it looks like nothing has really changed. Sure, you don’t send the pass through to dog food plants -instead it’s going to medical research.
Republicans can and should support medical research. But the cause is not the issue here. Republicans must stand for accountability and transparency in government. The pass through scheme called for in Senate Bill 153 violates conservative principles and the Oklahoma Constitution, as our Republican leaders, you should know better than to keep on doing what the Democrats always did!
If you truly felt like spending $16 million for the OMRF and Jim Thorpe Foundation, then you should have done so in an open and honest manner. My understanding of the State Constitution is that it forbids such direct appropriations to private entities. Do you think that there is a good reason why there is such a prohibition in place?
While I am very disappointed in your leadership or lack thereof on this issue, I remain a devoted Republican. Please explain your position and offering reform minded solutions to how we can avoid this type of underhanded appropriation of taxpayers’ money.
Sincerely yours,
Robert L. Cleveland
Below is a short list of some of the companies that received state money.
1. Oklahoma quality awards program $75,000
2. Native American culture and education authority fund $7,079,742.00
3. Worldwide Creative Conference. $500,000
4. National Finals Rodeo ( Las Vegas) $200,000. This has nothing to do with Oklahoma
5. Indian Nations (Creek, Osage, and Tulsa Counties) $45,625
6. Jim Thorpe $1,000,000,00
7. OMRF $16,000,000,00 (private company that the Governors wife and another Henry are on the Board of Directors.
Here is a list of State Representatives that respects the Oklahoma Constitution and voted NO on the $16 million to OMRF and the $1 Million to Jim Thrope.
Banz, Cooksey, Dank, Derby, Faught, Johnson, Joyner, Kern, McCullough, McDaniel, RMoore, Murphey, Peterson, Reynolds, Ritze, Schwartz, Terrill, Thompson, Trebilcock, Wesselhoft, Wright.
In the Senate only one State Senator did not vote in favor of giving tax payers dollars to private companies. Senator Steve Russell.
The above elected officials are the only elected officials that voted to follow the Oklahoma Constitution. I, personally called numerous elected officials asking why they voted to violate the State Constitution, it’s clear they are more interested in being given a committee assignment (power) than doing what is best for the tax payers of Oklahoma. It is a total shame that we have elected Republicans that care more about following the orders of Speaker Benge and Senator Coffee than they do about the Oklahoma Constitution. Like one Legislator, stated to me, “If I had not followed Speaker Benge, directions, I would have lost my committee assignment”
Bobby Cleveland
AMR-7 Arthritis Pain Relief Gel – Great Success
By · CommentsJust wanted to give a little update on AMR-7 arthritis pain relief gel that Bob and Rod are launching nation wide. The Oklahoman, Norman Transcript and The Cleveland County Chronicles has written articles about it and its success. Many local pharmacies and Doctors have sold many hundreds of AMR-7. Take a look at this testimony from Kim Lock owner of Kendall’s Restaurant in Noble.
You can get it locally in Norman and Oklahoma City or on the web at www.getamr7.com.
