Taxing “Cadillac” health plans in order to pay for universal healthcare? What does that sound like? Let’s hope this proposal does not pass.
Supporters claim that the tax will cause employers to hunt for cheaper plans in order to avoid the tax, forcing insurers to lower their prices. Critics claim that this will lead to rising costs for employers, and by extension, families and individuals.
But wait, there’s more!
Nancy Pelosi offered up an alternative, which would be to tax insurers’ “windfall profits”. Genius! Let’s take away the incentives for running a successful business to pay for healthcare for everyone.
Folks, I was curious about people calling the health care protests “astroturf;” meaning, the protesters are recruited to be there by right-wing fringe leaders like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and, the mobfather himself, Rush Limbaugh.
But, people seem to be missing the point. Nancy Pelosi, for example, called those asking questions of the Messiah “Un-American.” But, in 2006, she said, “I’m a fan of disruptors.”
But, if it turns out these groups are getting marching orders from groups,–in the words of Rush Limbaugh–’bout damn time.
And I completely agree. The aggressor sets the rules, folks. The left-wing loons set a precedent for disruptive behavior, and to refer to the questioning of an elected official as “Un-American” is simply that.
Now, let’s take a look at the real astroturf.
Now, I must admit, I get my marching orders from MoveOn.org. I receive their email…just so I can know what’s going on in the world outside of my God and Guns…
Here is part of an email from August 7, 2009:
Check it out–as well as just who is laying astroturf–after the jump…
Folks, this was crazy. A couple of days ago, Megyn Kelly asked Bill Burton about the “enemies list.” She asked if the White House will keep the email addresses of the people being reported. He could not, and actually refused to answer the question.
Megyn Kelly Discusses “Enemy\’s List” With WH Press Secretary:
Now, it turns out, that people are receiving unsolicited emails from the White House.
Major Garrett has received emails from folks saying they received emails from the White House.
Apparently there is a lot of “disinformation” regarding the health care system. And apparently, “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.”
They are asking you to turn in people. Folks, please. Turn me in!
Here is what you can tell them…
Matt Harrington of The Harrington Report thinks the best way to reform health care is:
Tort Reform
Matt Harrington of the Harrington Report thinks that:
Obama wants to force private insurance companies out of business.
Obama wants a single payer system.
Obama means what he said; including wanting to eliminate private health insurance. Nothing was taken out of context.
The only “misinformation” is coming from the White House.
People should continue to attend town hall meetings and give their congressmen the what for, even if they are called extremists.
So, folks, if you are reading this, please, listen to our fearless leader, turn me in. Shoot an email over to “flag@whitehouse.gov” and tell them that I am propagating propaganda.
Click above to see my email, turning myself in.
Now, call me crazy for turning myself in…but I want to know what is going on here.
Did anyone flag themselves or someone they know? Let’s hear about it!
UPDATE: Lots of views on this post. I hope you’re all reporting me!
UPDATE: WH press secretary Robert Gibbs, when asked about the flag email and he said, “I cannot understand your question.
Here is the transcript–from Whitehouse.gov, which I think is hilarious–of Robert Gibbs denying flag@whitehouse.gov.
Q Do you know how many e-mails have been sent to the flag at whitehouse.gov address? And, secondly, isn’t the White House required by law to save all correspondence it receives, so will it be informing individuals whose e-mails have been forwarded that they might want to have a chance to correct the historical record about the alleged fishiness of their e-mails?MR. GIBBS: I, for the life of me, didn’t understand your question.
Q Is the White House required to save the e-mails?
MR. GIBBS: Obviously, the National Archives documents correspondence with the White House.
Q So the people whose e-mails have been forwarded, they won’t be informed that their e-mails are being forwarded to the government?
MR. GIBBS: Maybe I’m missing something. I’m sure you’re hashing some nefarious plot, but I, for the life of me, can’t understand it.
And finally, O-man had this to say, “But I don’t want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess. I don’t mind cleaning up after them, but don’t do a lot of talking.”
UPDATE: August 10, 2009:
This sort of “community reporting project” is happening in my home city of Sacramento, California. They are asking folks to report their neighbors for wasting water.
For those that are out of the loop on Sacramento news and politics…apparently, we don’t have a whole lot of water…even though the river which runs behind my house has been pretty high…
I have sent another email to flag@whitehouse.gov…Check it out…
Click for full size.
UPDATE: August 17, 2009:
The White House has acknowledged that members of the general public have received unsolicited emails from the White House regarding health care reform. However, they are passing the buck onto advocacy groups saying that the groups sign their members up for updates from the White House…
So, as it turns out, the White House has removed the email address flag@whitehouse.gov. It no longer exists. They also acknowledged that folks were receiving unsolicited emails from the White House, saying,
“It has come to our attention that some people may have been subscribed to our email lists without their knowledge –- likely as a result of efforts by outside groups of all political stripes -– and we regret any inconvenience caused by receiving an unexpected message. We’re certainly not interested in anyone receiving emails from the White House who don’t want them. That’s one reason why we have never — and will never — add names from a commercial or political list to the White House list.
Now, if I could just stop everyone there for just a second, the egregious grammatical error in the second sentence is really rather stunning…
Now, this news doesn’t mean that they have stopped collecting information. They have retooled their mechanism and are now going through the Reality Check website…
Folks, this video includes Barack Obama saying he is for a “single payer system.” He also says that the government run “public option” will eliminate private insurance. The video also shows Jan Schakowsky bragging about tearing down the health insurance system–you may remember my post on that earlier this year…
Barack Obama has expressed interest in appointing a new czar. The Health Choices Commission Czar…
Now, folks, The Health Choices Commissioner will decide what health care choices you have…or, probably more fitting, what health care choices you don’t have.
According to the AP, the office will “oversee medical plans nationwide.” But, ladies and gentlemen, I thought we had state regulators for that sort of thing…
I don’t really know much more about the office, but, as soon as I know…you will know…
Yes, folks. According to Yahoo News, Tim Geithner wants to impose new guidelines for publicly traded companies to better match pay with long-term performance.
He said that he does not want to put caps on the pay…but that sounds like what they’re going to do…but just call it something else.
What gets me about this is how they support unions and a minimum wage…in short, not being paid by your performance, while wanting that for executives…
This KILLS me. Honestly, folks. Why is everything going to (…) heck?
The FDIC has given a Massachusetts based bank a “needs to improve” rating for having Zero, count ‘em, Zero delinquent loans or foreclosures.
How much sense does that make? Punish a bank for DOING WELL! Welcome to the era of Big Government, folks: where bad behavior is praised, and excellent behavior is punished.
The FDIC said that they did not promote their loans well enough under the, get this…COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT. For those that are too young or don’t read enough, that’s what caused this whole housing crisis.
FOXNEWS:
“East Bridgewater Savings ended 2008 with $135 million in assets, deposits of $84 million, $87,000 in profit, and a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 31.6 percent — more than three times higher than many community banks in Massachusetts, the Journal reported. Its net loans and leases equaled 21 percent of assets, compared with 72 percent among 385 similar banks across the country.”
It kills me. They are doing what they should, and the government tells ‘em they aren’t doing it right. This is horrible.
Apparently, the Obama administration did not know until a couple weeks ago that the Insurance failure giant AIG would be paying their lovely executives $165 million. So much for transparency. We need to get some god damn Windex or something because this window into the intricate workings of government that was promised us by the Messiah is so scummed up with the likes of Turbo Tax, Glibs, and Bela Pelosi, Barry doesn’t even know what the hell is going on.
This is horrible, folks. People said Bush was a horrible president, but what will be said of Barry Obama? If it wasn’t for this God damn “unprecedented” economic colapse, he wouldn’t have a damn thing to blame for his amazing lack of leadership prowess. First its a “catastrophe,” then its “not as bad as we originally thought.” Now, this makes blood shoot from my eyes.
Remember when John McCain said that the fundamentals of the economy were sound? And Barry and his goons read him the riot act? And MSNBC types said that McCain was an idiot?
WHAT ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH IS OBAMA DOING NOW?
It kills me, folks. There isn’t enough tape in the world that can keep my head from exploding.
Remember when Obama said that companies like Caterpillar need the economic stimulus to prevent job cuts? Well, Caterpillar is going to cut 2,454 jobs…
What was the point of the economic stimulus, then? It artificially inflated the stock market; congrats. This is excellent. The poster company for the economic stimulus is cutting jobs.
Is it possible the “little blow” Barry did as a kid has turned his brain to mush? I think so…
Here’s what you can do, folks. MELT the phone lines! Call your congressman and tell him enough is enough. The government works for you! If they don’t listen to you, FIRE them! You’re the boss.
