Beijing More Stable Than Washington

I think this guy really gets it - Obama and the Democrats are not only foolish but fundamentally incompetent. In their attempts to use the force of government to manhandle individuals and every private entity, they shake the very foundation of what has made our nation great and our economy the most successful in the world. When entrepreneurs see more opportunity and confidence in the stability of China than of the United States, it raises (or should raise to the Obama Administration and Congress) critical questions about what is happening in Washington. I agree with him that much of the public has at least got the sense that things are being done that undermine our ability to be strong and move forward.

Go to this link and watch the 2 minute video of the owner of the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas being interviewed by CNBC reporter. Judge for yourself.

Another Nugget on the Shrinking Private Sector

From today's Corner at National Review Online: "Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in U.S. history during the first quarter of this year, a USA Today analysis of government data finds."

Do we really want a society dominated by government rather than individual citizens and the free associations of those individual citizens?

We Need Entrepreneurs!

Newt Gingrich: "Federal spending alone this year accounts for 25% of our nation's gross domestic product. If you add state and local spending, the number is closer to 50%. No economy can thrive when nearly half of all economic output is directed by politicians rather than entrepreneurs and small businesses." What do we do about it? We get candidates into office who understand this seemingly simple idea that Democrats in Washington either don't understand or don't respect.

More Signs Voters Not Heard in D.C.

When a Republican is winning in normally solid-Democrat Hawaii, something is afoot: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/10/AR2010051002125.html

Congress Tries to Duck Blame, Blame Others

From U.S. News editor, Mortimer Zuckerman: "The problem is that the Obama administration is eager to blame the economic decline on a bunch of “fat-cat,” “greedy bankers” from Wall Street who were bailed out by the government. The president himself stated to the bankers, “You guys caused the problem.” They did not. These particular problems were caused by the bubble in the housing market created in large part by Congress. Democrats who seek to cast Wall Street as the villain forget the congressional mandate they placed on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to put 55 percent of their funding into mortgages for people at or below the median income. This SEC civil fraud charge against Goldman conveniently fits into their political agenda."

A Different Feeling in the Air

I have a couple of posts planned based on my attendance at a medical record software conference the past couple of days, but I wanted to start with a note.

I've been coming to this conference for something close to 5 years now. Although the conference itself has gotten larger in that time, the energy level I feel here has diminished. It could just reflect perspective from my own state of mind, but I believe this is a valid observation.

My sense is that the fundamental reason the energy level and enthusiasm has diminished is that this conference used to be, in the true spirit of American innovation and entrepreneurship, an idea factory, with people motivated and anxious to find better solutions and make them happen, and share ideas with others.

Some of that still happens, no doubt. And there are many terrific advances and improvements we are seeing, many of them the end result of this ongoing 'idea factory' process and development over the years.

But where before there was a sense that WE were involved in making a difference, and that our individual efforts could change things, the feeling I get now is more of resignation, more of taking notes on our marching orders from government as dramatic increases in regulation and government power and control take hold. This seems to be the message of this conference. My take home is: "the government is now calling the shots, and your/our job is now to understand those the best we can, and minimize our risks and costs in the face of the demands of government."

Why is that so deeply dispiriting to me? There can be advantages in terms of having consistent processes across many organizations. There are some requirements that can lead to some general improvements in medical care. But they come at a heavy cost, not least of which may be the lessening or loss of that vital, energetic, sometimes-chaotic yet amazing power of American innovation.

And yet, as evidenced by my efforts and yours in blogging, sharing, discussing, and spreading the word, it's possible all is not lost, that we can recapture that power in our society. But it will most certainly take sustained and intelligent efforts from all of us. We need to re-convert many of our fellow family, friends, and other Americans to the wonder and power that comes when government is kept limited, it's power applied only within specific bounds, and the government otherwise stays out of our lives, and allows us to determine the directions of our lives individually and together as we voluntarily choose, contribute, and work.

Be strong, folks! This is a critical year, and it must be OUR year.

Cool...the Spirit of Freedom Lives!

Not for every generation, perhaps, but I liked this...

Oh, So Now We Know...

Since only sketchy or no details about the Health Care DIsaster bill were available to the public or the media before it was passed (doesn't that make you feel good about the process?), we are only now seeing better evaluations trickle out about the costs of the bill.

Below is a portion of a report out today from Fox News regarding the evaluation from the Dept. of Health and Human Services on the cost of the bill. You should keep one thing in mind on the little comment inserted about "that increase could get bigger." This evaluation is required by the bill to assume that a 20% cut in Medicare reimbursement will be allowed to occur. This is the same 20% cut that has been "scheduled" to occur for years now. Every time it comes due to take place, Congress postpones it for anywhere from a week to a month to a year. This is the exact same proposed cut that in the past month we've seen postponed for a number of days at a time, some 3 or 4 times.

Why doesn't the "cut" take place? Because if it did, many hospitals, clinics, and doctors that care for Medicare patients would go under financially or have to stop caring for Medicare patients. That would create a huge crisis because Medicare patients would not have ready access to care in many cases. That situation will not improve with time, which is why I can't see it realistically ever taking place.

If you never implement that 20% cut, then the cost of the health care bill increases significantly, even dramatically. Now can you understand why Congress made sure the bill never addressed this problem? They didn't want the bad press that would come with it, since it would make it even more obvious that the bill will INCREASE the cost of health care in the U.S.. And yet it's as real as the sun, earth, and air.

Here's the excerpt:

"WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law will increase the nation's health care tab instead of bringing costs down, government economic forecasters concluded Thursday in a sobering assessment of the sweeping legislation.

A report by economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department said the health care remake will achieve Obama's aim of expanding health insurance -- adding 34 million Americans to the coverage rolls.

But the analysis also found that the law falls short of the president's twin goal of controlling runaway costs, raising projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years. That increase could get bigger, however, since the report also warned that Medicare cuts in the law may be unrealistic and unsustainable, forcing lawmakers to roll them back."

Full story here.

We Are Americans First

Two recent reports caught my attention. One was a caller to a radio talk show - I think it was the Sean Hannity Show - an immigrant to the United States from a Central American nation. He expressed his support for the principles of the Tea Party, identifying them as the founding principles of America and the reason for America's success and uniqueness, and reasons he personally loves America. He clearly had not bought into the 'party line' from Democrats that he should support them because they would 'take care of' him or 'level the playing field' for him or give him special advantage. He loves America because he has personal freedom of expression and choice, and opportunity for success and improvement of his and his family's fortunes.

The second was an oddly posed question from an NBC reporter to a participant at a Tea Party rally who is black. The exchange was reported this way, as a "news report, brought to our attention by the fellows at NewsBusters.org, involved NBC reporter Kelly O'Donnell and tea-party activist Darryl Postell. O'Donnell approached Postell at a Washington rally, and hilarity ensued:

O'Donnell: There aren't a lot of African-American men at these events.
Postell: [laughs] Right.
O'Donnell: Have you ever felt uncomfortable?
Postell: No, no, these are my people, Americans.

Good for Mr. O'Donnell! Aren't you uncomfortable here? - as though his skin color should determine that. No, I'm not uncomfortable here because these are my people - we are Americans first and I share core principles and values with these folks, this group I'm a part of. Good for him!

These two examples represent what our focus is an needs to be. The principles we stand for are for our freedom and opportunity - and those are as valuable and worthy of fighting for for all Americans, regardless of where we were born, our skin color, our accent, or any other factors that many in government and the media try to divide us by.

Eyes on a Different Prize

I'm convinced that with Obama and the Democrats (as with most politicians, to be honest), the key is to watch what they DO, not what they SAY so much.

For most Americans right now, they would hope that leaders in government would 'keep their eyes on the prize' - the prize to us being the priority of getting the economy moving and job creation geared up (which generally means getting off the back of the private sector so companies can find ways to create jobs and the innovation that spurs job creation).

To Obama and Democrat leaders, however, their eyes are on a different prize - their 'prize' is to take command of huge swaths of the economy not only for now but to make that control a permanent feature of American life and society. That's a big reason why they pushed and maneuvered so hard to get the Health Control Disaster Bill passed - in spite of the political hit it appeared they would and have taken. It's about power. It's about control. It's NOT about economic growth - despite their words to the contrary.

What's the evidence for this? Well, there are many evidences, but I'll give one here that I watched closely because it impacts on my profession and interest area (technology in medicine). Remember the ridiculously named "American Reinvestment and Recovery Act" of a year ago? That was also nicknamed the "stimulus" bill where about a trillion dollars were spent (i.e. mostly borrowed) with the purported purpose of stimulating the economy and job creation.

As part of that act, there was the separately named HITECH section of the act. This designated over $30 billion to be applied to speed the adoption of computerized records technology in the U.S. - it was also sold as part of the stimulus bill to create jobs and economic activity.

Only one problem: of the over $30 billion, only about $2 billion was supposed to be spent in 2009-10, which is the time frame we needed to get the economy and job creation going. The rest was DESIGNATED TO BE SPENT FROM 2011-2015! Think about that! It was NOT about creating jobs and getting us past the recession. It WAS/IS about extending federal influence and control over another area of the economy and healthcare. That's what I mean - watch their actions and you will see that Obama and the Democrats eyes are on a different prize than us...and it's disturbing to say the least.

Crazy Spending, Trivial 'Cuts'

Want to get a sense of scale as to how much the federal government is spending under the yoke of Obama and the Democrats, how much debt we are being crushed with, and what a trivial joke is Obama's promise to "cut" $100 million from his multi-trillion dollar budget?

Watch this short little video clip.

Democrats and Coercion

Denver Post columnist, David Harsanyi, on Obama and the Democrats: "What does it say about your cause that nearly every policy idea you cook up is based in some form or another on coercing the American people?"  I think this guy gets it!  He's got some other great columns you may want to read if you've got a few moments.  

Former NY Governor Pataki Weighs In

True enough, governor.

"Former New York Gov. George Pataki announced Wednesday the creation of a national organization that will work to repeal the Democrats' health care overhaul, which he called a "horrific" and costly bungle..."I can't recall anything remotely like this in my lifetime," Pataki told FoxNews.com. He said the law was passed in the face of substantial opposition from the public and hastily rammed through Congress by its chief architects, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.  "We can't just roll over and accept it as a fait accompi. That's what I think the president, Pelosi and Reid thought would happen," Pataki said. "We're going to fight, mobilize and get this repealed." ... A Rasmussen poll released Monday found that 58 percent of Americans support repeal."

Americans Determined to Wipe Smirk Off Government's Face?

Much can change over several months in politics, but here's more evidence Americans are understanding more and more what Obama and Democrat progressives/liberals are trying to do, and they don't like it:

Many Ways Government Can Now Control Our Options

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and the discussion turned to the curious "bundling" by Congress of the health care bill with the federal take-over of the student loan program.

"Take over" meaning that rather than the federal government serving the relatively inert position of guaranteeing student loans, it "cuts out the middle man" of private lenders and puts the federal government in the direct position of loan-making.

With that power, of course, the government also gains power over our individual choices and options.  Example: you have worked hard in school and been accepted into your choice of medical schools.  Turns out it's expensive and demanding, meaning it would be nearly impossible to have outside employment while going through the medical school.  So you apply for a student loan.  Since it's from the government, let's say the government "has determined" that we don't need more surgeons but we do need more pediatricians.  So they will give you a loan if you commit to go into pediatrics, but not if you go into surgery.

You might say "hey, the government wouldn't do that."  Really?  You trust that?  Look at the history of what government is willing to do once it is given the power and permission to do so.

Beyond this additional encroachment on your personal choices and freedoms, the bundling of the student loan take-over withe the health care bill represented yet more accounting games designed to make the bill look financially prudent, when it is anything but.

It's going to take months of steady and compelling effort on all of our part to make Democrats pay for this in November so we at least have a chance to get some of our freedoms back and try to pull the nation back from the brink of financial insolvency.  Be strong, folks!

Another Piece of the Bad Economic Consequences Puzzle

The March 25th Wall Street Journal contained an article that points out yet another way in which the health care bill has nasty economic consequences.

Turns out that many of America's largest companies (i.e. largest employers) are advising their employees and their investors that they are having to cut their profit forecasts due to the added financial burdens the health care bill is now placing on them.  In addition, these companies are looking at ways to try to survive these costs, whether it is lessening the health care plan coverage they currently give their employees, or increasing the out-of-pocket expenses their employees will bear, or covering fewer of their part-time workers.

Remember that promise from Obama over-and-over-and-over that "if you want to keep your plan, you can keep it, and if you want to keep your doctor, you can keep them?"  Well, apparently that will often not be true, in large part because your current plan and your current doctor may not be available to you once the burden of cost of this bill hits with force.

Remember, too, that among the many shenanigans the Democrats pulled to create the illusion of being fiscally responsible, they are hitting us with the taxes and higher costs now, but most 'benefits' (such as they are) won't come for years.

It's mind-boggling how messed up this bill makes things.  And Obama bet his presidency on this bill?  Good luck with that.

This Bill as a Liberal/Progressive Stepping Stone - Only the Beginning

"This is perhaps the left’s most brilliant rhetorical feat – magically transforming failed corporate-statist half-measures they once championed into examples of the sorry state of the status quo and arguments for yet more statism. And you’ll see it again in about ten years, when well-meaning but dim liberals start calling federal subsidies for health-care coverage “socialism for rich insurance companies,” and argue that what we really need is a single-payer system.

This is why the right fought Obamacare tooth and nail. Not because we’re racist, or heartless, or socialist(!) We fought it because we know that statist intervention usually exacerbates the problems it is meant to fix, and worse, that it becomes the new normal, the baseline for bigger, more complex future expansions of state power. All this lets folks like my reader sleep easy, safe and sound in the knowledge that “at least we’re doing something for a change.”" - This is from an NRO Online blog post this morning.  Read the rest here.  

Educate Yourself: Topic 3 - Why the bill endangers us

With all the effort Obama and the Democrats have spent badmouthing the American medical system, you might not know the following fact: if you exclude homicides and accidents, Americans live longer on average than any other people on earth.  In other words, the aspects of longevity that are affected by the quality of our healthcare system are better for Americans than for the citizens of any other nation on the planet.

Does that surprise you?  I suspect it would, given the way this awful bill had been 'sold' to us.  So with such a top-notch medical system we have access to, why would we we want to mess with it in ways designed to lower the quality of our system?  Good question.

Let's look at how this bill will negatively affect the quality of our health care system.  First of all, the bill creates a number of pressures in the system that will put the squeeze on insurers.  That will translate to additional pressures on reimbursement for medical services.  These pressures appear to me at this point designed to fall heavier on medical subspecialists, and perhaps somewhat less on primary care physicians.  Because only a relatively small percentage of medical costs are paid to physicians for services, this will have little impact on overall health care costs.

At the same time pressures come to bear to reduce payments for services provided by physicians, there are (by reports) 30+ million people being added to the rolls of the insured who would be expected to create a big spike in the demand for medical services.  There will not suddenly be additional physicians or other providers to handle this.  My experiences is that physicians are busy these days.  I doubt there is much "excess capacity" that could handle the extra load.  Perhaps because the bill collects extra taxes for 10 years but doesn't help many people for 4 years or so (accounting games yet again), there may be a little time to try to train more providers, but there's been no talk of this and training people costs money, too.

At the same time the system squeezes payments to physicians and overloads them with work, the government will increasingly dictate medical decisions, and will undoubtedly add more paperwork to the system (doesn't government always?).  Oh, and if there are physicians still doing ok financially, most of the new taxes dictated by this bill are being placed on those making over $200,000 per year.  So take another chunk out.

This isn't a pity party for docs I'm trying to spell out here...it's a reality check.  Many of you are aware of the number of years of intense dedication (and the amount of debt typically) required to become a physician.  People go through it for a number of reasons, but it helps knowing that for the most part you can anticipate a decent income once you've gone through the long arduous process.  I do not think it's a stretch to say the effects of this bill will be deflating and demoralizing for providers of health care.  There will be some who will retire early.  Some will not go into medicine who might have otherwise...but more importantly I fear that the quality of our medical providers will go down.  The "best and brightest" in America tend to go where there is decent income to be had.  If that is no longer in medicine, many of our best and brightest will look elsewhere.

These pressures are also going to affect the quality of service given to people.  How can I say this?  Well, addition to creating another overworked, underpaid work force, there is the simple fact of history...can you give me an example of the federal government aggressively inserting itself to control a system or organization, and that system or organization providing better service than the private sector?

No, at the end of the day, I believe the consequences of this bill on the profession of medicine, and the quality of our health care will be damaged severely, and unless something is done to change what this bill does, it may never recover.  And this (for those of you who know me) from an incurable optimist.

One more little nugget for you to digest.  This bill also adds a tax on companies that innovate and create new and better medical devices and supplies.  What better way to lessen the creativity that makes our medical system, for now, the best in the world.

Educate Yourself: Topic 2 - The bill’s drag on the economy

With a bill this complex extending the federal government’s groping fingers around a system that is one-sixth of the U.S. economy, it would take at least a full book to even begin to assess the overall impact of this bill on jobs and the overall American economy.

That said, there are several economic effects of this bill that we can look at and get a basic understanding of.  

Let’s start with the fact that since insurance companies now cannot deny coverage to individuals for pre-existing conditions (not entirely a bad thing, but the way it’s done in this bill will have some serious consequences, as we shall see), and since the federal government will now decide upon a list of things insurance companies will be required to cover, insurance companies, in order not to go bankrupt, will have to raise premiums and other direct costs to individuals they cover.  The CBO estimate is 10-15% increase in costs on average.  I will be surprised if it is not significantly higher than that.  

Next, take the fact that the costs of this bill are approximately $1 trillion over 10 years.  As we’ve noted in brief, accounting tricks and sleight-of-hand along with tax increases allowed Congress to claim that this will be more than paid for and thereby actually lessen the federal deficit by a little bit.  This, to me, is a laughable claim, but there it is.  Regardless, the hard costs described in the bill (the obligation being laid on us, our children, and grandchildren) is about $1 trillion.  

That $1 trillion has to come from somewhere.  But where?  We will go into this more in another section, but for now realize that a large chunk of it will come from tax increases.  Bear with me for a moment as we look at this.  

The tax increase I want to focus on here is the tax on employers (businesses).  Many businesses in recent years have really struggled to be able to afford health insurance for their employees.  Now these costs will be [at least] 10-15% higher, and likely go up from there.  These businesses then would have a choice to make.  They could (a) just suck it up and pay the extra - assuming their business is making sufficient profit to cover those added costs; or (b) they could cover it but may need to cut pay or cut jobs or other cost-cutting measures to be able to afford the added costs for remaining employees; or (c) they could decide they simply can’t afford the added costs, and they can decide not to give health insurance as a benefit to their employees.  The health care bill in this case would then slap a tax on companies that decide to do this.  The result compared with pre-health-care-bill would be a group of individuals who used to have health insurance as a benefit from their employer who now do not - and would then have to go to either an exchange system to get their own individual plan or go to a public plan.  And the business?  Well they’ve just been saddled with a significant tax increase.  Where does that money come from?  Same options as above: from profits if the company is lucky enough to be flush with cash, or else from employee compensation, or cutting jobs, or other cost cutting measures...or if the company is able to they can increase the price of their products, and guess who pays that?  Right on.  Us.  That wouldn’t be technically called a ‘tax’ but it’s another cost to you and I because of this whole thing in any case.  

And for the individual employees in this situation, you will indeed be required to either buy a plan from the health insurance exchange or see if you qualify for a public plan...or else you can get fined and/or imprisoned if you don’t sign up for a new plan.  Listen, DO NOT mess with the federal government, OK?  If they say you will have health insurance, then by golly you WILL have it.  

In the final analysis, although there are some potential economic positives that could come from this bill, the big elephant in the room to me is simply the $1 trillion obligation it lays on us, added on top of the $1 trillion bail out program on top of the previous $1 trillion dollar bail out program.  All of these obligations must be paid in full (and with interest) at the end of the day, and ultimately the only place that can come from is from you, and me, our children, our grandchildren, and future generations.  

And because government uses money inefficiently and is very poor at reigning in costs, this ties up money that would otherwise be applied to additional economic activity of working, buying, and selling.  Translation?  It will hinder our rate of economic growth for years to come.  

Just another ‘feather in the cap’ for this awful bill.  

Educate Yourself: Topic 1 - the new Advisory Board

What you will hear from Democrats trying to “sell you” on what they already did:

The “Medicare Advisory Board” is established by this bill to ‘directly control payments for Medicare benefits’ to help lower medical costs for people in this program.  This is a perfect example of how government works when it is trying to control costs.  It should be a good thing that they are “independent” from the functioning of Congress (once the members are approved by Congress, that is), because Congress is terrible at controlling costs.  However, by definition they will be looking at “the good of the whole” and making the overall Medicare budget work better.  What they won’t do because they can’t, is look out for each individual patient, nor will they pay much attention to the effect on health care providers and organizations.  Thus it turns into either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ direct rationing of health care by committee. 

Here’s an example to make it more understandable: a few months back, you may recall that the government-funded group called “U.S. Preventive Services Task Force” (USPSTF) reviewed the data they have available about mammograms - their cost, risk vs. benefit analysis, etc.  They recommended against women getting mammograms in their 40’s, primarily because it was not found to be cost effective.  Women and women’s groups around the country were immediately up in arms about this.  The head of the Center for Disease Control quickly called a press conference to assure us all that ‘hey, it’s ok everyone because this is just a recommendation from this group - it will not change your insurance coverage and mammograms are still covered like before - so just talk to your doctor about what’s right for you to do.’  

Very nice.  This sort of worked because the USPSTF does not have real power to change coverage or reimbursement for the tests it evaluates.  The new Medicare Advisory Board, however, would indeed have such power.  So the next time the USPSTF says something is unnecessary or not cost effective, that can and will become in fact what you are allowed to get.  Medicare already plays this game with any number of tests and services or treatments - if it has deemed that only certain groups at certain ages can get text X, then that’s just the way it is.  You’re 49 years and 9 months old and want to get your screening colonoscopy?  Sorry, but if you do get it, you either get the bill sent to you personally or the doctor and facility that did it are forced to ‘eat’ the cost themselves.  Now you’re 50?  OK, now it’s covered.  

Does private insurance do things like this?  Yes and no.  They do set up ‘rules of coverage’ and we have to deal with those.  However, it is usually more like a negotiation...depending on how strict an insurance company wants to be with a particular test or treatment, it may be an easy or difficult negotiation, but if the doctor and patient both feel some test or treatment is important and needed, we can push and give reasons and get those approved in most cases.  When we work with Medicare, however, it’s just a done deal, and although I’m sure in theory there exists some way to appeal, I’ve not seen it work that way in practice.

So point one from this bill is the creation of a committee that will determine what tests and treatments you can and can’t get.  Theoretically this will apply initially only to government funded plans, but I guarantee it will become the ‘de facto’ standard across the board for private plans as well the way the system will now be structured. 

SO, welcome to one example of new government rationing of your health care options! 

The War to Repeal Starts TODAY

The gauntlet has been thrown down by Democrats hell-bent on extending control of government over our lives, apparently untroubled by the costs that will add more debt to our already overburdened nation.

A bill that was passed only in the most sickening manner with sleight of hand, bribes, raw political threats, and secrecy?  Never mind that!  Passed with accounting trickery that would make Enron blush?  It's all for your own good - you just don't understand that yet!  A bill sold as a deficit-reducer that will add over a trillion dollars to our federal spending and half-a-trillion of that added to our national debt?  Hey, it'll all work out, never fear!  A bill that doesn't even address most of the fundamental issues creating pressures and problems in our health care system?  We'll fix that later, trust Congress to do the right thing!  A bill that increases taxes on businesses and individuals, imposes penalties if you don't make specific decisions the government deems best, and will increase health care costs to those of us with jobs and health insurance?  Hey, don't be selfish - it's for the good of all!  A bill that will add significant burdens to a health care system and providers already very busy while reducing payments for services provided?  Never fear, somehow the system will handle it with no decrease in quality of care and service - not sure how, but again just trust us!

This bill is a disaster in so many ways one hardly knows where to start but let's try beginning with this: the federal government has just thrust itself into yet another area of your life.  Your personal choices and options will now be limited and controlled by the federal government.  Does that inspire confidence in you?  You think the feds and Congress can do this right?  Can you think of a single solitary large scale service-oriented system at which government has done well?  Especially at the federal level?  And this bill puts Congress in the drivers seat for a much larger, more complex system than it HAS EVER ATTEMPTED BEFORE.

The challenge before us could hardly be more daunting, as it has perhaps no comparison in our history.  What we must do is mount such a massive effort between now and November that we will overwhelm the Democrats.  It must be the most unmistakable message that it cannot be missed even by the thick-headed mainstream media.  It must let everyone in Washington know that we expect them to REPEAL this bill and give us back the freedom they took.  There are other ways to resolve problems in our health care system without destroying what is the best health care system in the world.

What I'm asking of each of you is this:
(1) make sure you are registered to vote where you live.
(2) find a few reliable internet sites that will allow you to keep in touch with and support this effort in your area and across the nation.
(3) look for opportunities to talk to other about this.  E-mail discussions, blogs, letters to editors, calls to talk radio shows and politicians, talking to and educating your family and friends - we need to create a groundswell that builds over a full 8 month period.  Our lives are busy and people's attention spans are short but we must find a way to do this.  If there is one moment in history we need to rise up with stamina and determination and never give up, it's now.  This is our Revolutionary War.  The patriots of 1776 had a long, hard slog to fight the British for 7 years...they never gave up.  That's our inspiration for the next 8 months.  We cannot get discouraged, cannot tire, cannot weaken.  In fact, we must get stronger every month that passes.

Please keep in touch and let's make this thing happen.  We are Americans, and we will NOT tolerate being dictated to by the elites, ruined and warped with power, in Washington.