The Reactionaries Speak

Tired of hanging around the house, attending to to the same old mundane tasks?

Then get yourself to the Minnesota State Capitol on Saturday, March 13th.

Starting at noon there will be a “Kill The Bill Rally”

Speakers include:

Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN CD 6)

Sue Jeffers (KTLK FM 100.3)

Ed Morrissey of “Hot Air”

Barb Davis White Candidate for US House (MN CD 5)

Twila Brase of CCHC

Be there!

Remember, it’s fun to yank the chain of the libs!

I don’t care who you are, That’s some funny stuff right there.

Tonight, America began the road back from the fascist dictatorship that hangs over our country, like a damp Minnesota winter day.

There is much left to do.

On Feb.2 I will be going to my precinct meeting to see if my local GOP has the guts to take the lead that Scott Brown has given us.

I will report back on that process, and my thinking on “seeing the sausage made”

To Al, Amy, and Keith:

Enjoy what’s left of your limited careers in politics, because if we can do it in Mass. we sure as hell can do it here.

Team America, Fuck Yeah!!!!

I sent this out to my 2 Senators, and my Congressman today:

As the Christmas Holiday approaches, I would like to remind you, as a servant of the people, have a duty to uphold the oath you swore when you took your job.

A yes vote for the hopelessly Unconstitutional Health Care Reform Bill before you, will hasten the end of your career as a public servant, for the American people will not tolerate any further incursion into their personal freedom.

Your blind adherence to the party line in this matter, despite the fact that over half the American citizenry oppose these bills, House and Senate, shows the lack of ability you possess to “see the writing on the wall”.

You will be replaced at our earliest opportunity, and when you leave Washington in shame, realizing the damage you have done to America’s economy, and the spirit of America’s people,  it is my sincere wish you are never heard from again in any public setting.

This address speaks to me by the sheer simplicity of the message, along with the genuineness of the President in delivering it. During this time marshall law was declared in Poland, and the Polish Ambassador to the US defected along with his wife. The President invited them to the White House. During their conversation the Polish Ambassador asked Reagan for a favor, to light a candle and put it in the window of the White House to symbolize the light of freedom and hope for the Polish people. Reagan did not hesitate, and lit a candle and placed it in a second floor window. News of this found it’s way through the Iron Curtain to Poland and is talked about to this day.

We face this very crisis here in America right now. Our “elected representatives” are in the midst of fundamentally changing the very nature of the American economy through the adoption of the unconstitutional Health Care Bill. We as a Nation will be put under the thumb of a unresponsive government, and made to purchase a product that we do not want, need, or have an affinity for. We, as a people will be taxed, herded into a pool, and perhaps jailed for not playing along with this unconstitutional piece of legislation.

During this Christmas season, I think each of us will be well served by lighting a candle, and considering what actions each of us will have to take to preserve our God-given freedoms.

A while back, I sent this letter to both my Senators and my Representative.

“As a voting Minnesotan, I need you to uphold your oath of office, and not vote to pass federal control of the healthcare system.

This is an issue that cannot be defined as a duty of the Federal Government under the Constitution, therefore a vote for this bill is a direct act against the oath you swore when you accepted your job as a representative of the people of Minnesota.

A vote for this bill will signal the people of Minnesota that you have abdicated your Constitutional duty to the people of Minnesota, and you will be removed from office at our next opportunity.”

This is the response I received from Representative Keith Ellison:

Thank you for contacting me about reforming America’s health care system.  I appreciate hearing from you and I am proud to represent you in the United States Congress.

Like you, I consider meaningful reform of our nation’s health care system vital to the future economic prosperity of our country.  Over the next decade, health care costs are expected to rise by 71 percent, with the costs for average families increasing by $1,800 annually.  During the same time, one out of every five dollars that Americans earn will be spent on health care; in thirty years, this figure will rise to one of every three dollars.  Clearly, America’s working families cannot wait for reform.

While not perfect, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, provides quality affordable health care for all Americans by building on what works and fixing what is broken.  H.R. 3962 improves the quality and lowers the cost of health insurance for those who are currently covered while expanding coverage to 36 million more Americans, including 45,000 people in Minnesota’s Fifth District.  This landmark legislation makes historic changes including ending discriminatory insurance industry practices like the denial of care because of a pre-existing medical condition, dropping coverage if you are sick, and eliminates co-payments for preventative care.  These changes will provide a tangible, positive impact on the everyday lives of all Americans.

Additionally, the current Medicare prescription drug law has a coverage gap.  Currently, a senior under Medicare has 75% of their drug costs covered by the government, up to $2,700.  After that dollar amount has been reached, seniors are responsible for 100% of the costs of their prescription drugs up to $6,153.  After that dollar amount is reached, the federal government is responsible for 95% of the costs above that upper limit for the rest of the year.  H.R. 3962 closes this so-called “donut hole” or, prescription drug coverage gap, for seniors and strengthens Medicare services by providing free preventive care and making program improvements to ensure better coordinated care for our seniors.  Finally, the bill allows young people to stay on their parent’s health plan until their 27th birthday and provides access to affordable group insurance rates for small businesses along with a tax credits to help them insure their employees.

In a country as great as ours I find it unacceptable that we have 46 million Americans, including nine million children, without health insurance.  I believe that every American deserves to live a healthy, productive life and that profiteering from the sickness of America’s families is unconscionable.  I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that Congress acts this year to reform our nation’s broken health care system so that quality, affordable health care is no longer just a luxury for those with means.

As always, feel free to contact me on any issue of concern.  You can sign up for our e-newsletter by visiting www.ellison.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Keith Ellison
United States House of Representatives

This is an unmonitored email account.  Please use our webform at http://ellison.house.gov to contact our office.  Replies to this email will not be read.

Well there you go, 3 for 3 of Minnesota elected officials absolutely ignore a citizen’s request to do their Constitutional duty.

More to come.

A while back, I sent this letter to both my Senators and my Representative.

“As a voting Minnesotan, I need you to uphold your oath of office, and not vote to pass federal control of the healthcare system.

This is an issue that cannot be defined as a duty of the Federal Government under the Constitution, therefore a vote for this bill is a direct act against the oath you swore when you accepted your job as a representative of the people of Minnesota.

A vote for this bill will signal the people of Minnesota that you have abdicated your Constitutional duty to the people of Minnesota, and you will be removed from office at our next opportunity.”

This is the response I received from Senator Amy Klobuchar:

Dear Michael:

Thank you for contacting me about health care.  Knowing your views is important to me as I work to ensure that Americans have affordable, high quality health care choices.  I am committed to protecting what works and fixing what’s broken in our health care system.  It is getting harder and harder for Americans to pay for health care and that is why I am focused on making it more affordable.

Good health care is a very personal matter for me and my family.  When my daughter was born she was very sick. But due to an insurance company rule, I was forced to leave the hospital just 24 hours after she was born.  Along with other mothers, I went to the state legislature and got one of the first laws passed in the country guaranteeing new moms and their babies a 48-hour hospital stay.  That experience was a crucial part of my decision to enter public service and fight for common sense health care solutions.

Americans rightfully expect to choose their own doctors and their own health plans.  While protecting these basic principles we must reform the way our system delivers quality care, and in so doing reduce costs, provide safeguards so that people don’t lose their coverage if they lose or change jobs, and promote wellness and prevention.  According to the Congressional Budget Office, each year nearly $700 billion is spent on health care services in the United States without improving health outcomes.  We must make the system cost-effective, proactive and stable.

I believe the following priorities should guide our health care discussions:  First, we must reform our system to reward high-quality, efficient care.  As it happens, doctors and hospitals in many regions of the country, including Minnesota, practice exactly this kind of medicine.  However, Medicare does not currently reward them for it.  The problem is that, despite periodic efforts at reform, Medicare pays for quantity not quality.  States that have historically delivered low quality, inefficient care are still rewarded for wasteful practice, while efficient states such as Minnesota are punished.  For example, according to a study by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, if spending for chronically ill patients everywhere in the country mirrored the efficient level of spending in the Mayo Clinic’s home region of Rochester, MN, Medicare could save $50 billion in taxpayer money over five years.  To rein in costs, we need to have all states aiming for high-quality, cost-effective results like those we have achieved in Minnesota.  That’s why I’ve introduced bi-partisan legislation that would create a “value index” as part of the formula used to determine Medicare’s reimbursement system.  My bill would give physicians an incentive to maximize the quality of their care to patients and help to reduce costs.

One of the driving forces behind Minnesota’s well-earned reputation for high quality health care is a team approach of coordinated, accountable care, including prevention, and measures to remove perverse financial incentives from patient care decision-making.  The beauty of integrated care systems is that a patient’s overall care is managed by a primary care physician in coordination with specialists, nurses and other care providers, as needed.  To better reward and encourage this collaboration, we need to have better coordination of care and less incentive to bill Medicare purely by volume.  Increasing the “bundling” of services in Medicare’s payment system has the potential to deliver savings and start encouraging quality, integrated care.  The lesson of the high-quality, efficient states like Minnesota is that someone has to be responsible for the care of the patient from start to finish.  Bundling will help ensure that practice is rewarded.

Second, America has a serious problem with health care inflation, runaway costs and wasteful spending.  Ever-rising drug prices are among the leading causes.  The “non-interference” clause in Medicare Part D expressly prohibits Medicare from negotiating directly with drug companies to obtain lower drug prices for seniors and lower costs for taxpayers.  To reduce prescription costs, health care reform legislation should allow the government to negotiate the drug prices for Medicare Part D.  I also support the re-importation of drugs from Canada to help slow sky-rocketing increases in pharmaceutical pricing.

I also believe we can reduce drug prices if we intensify scrutiny of the anti-competitive practices of drug companies.  Last year, after hearing concerns from Minnesotans that a life-saving medication for premature infants had suddenly and dramatically increased in price, I requested the Federal Trade Commission investigate this case.  As a result, Ovation Pharmaceutical — the company with sole rights to the drug — was charged with price-gouging and anti-competitive practices in violation of federal antitrust law.  Greater competition in health care will go a long way to reducing costs.

Another way to incentivize more affordable health care in general is to better regulate insurance and create meaningful competition for health care services.  I have long advocated for an option like the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to give everyone access to the same health care benefits as members of Congress, and that is one of the competitive options under consideration, along with many others.  I am especially focused on making sure that any reforms make it easier for small businesses and the self-employed to afford health care.

Third, I want to ensure that health care reform takes into account the needs of rural Americans. People in rural areas are less likely to have access to employer-provided health insurance, which means more people rely on the individual insurance market or public programs like Medical Assistance and, in Minnesota, MinnesotaCare.  Rural Minnesotans also tend to be older and may have

to travel long distances to visit their health care providers.  Similarly, we must ensure that all Americans have access to primary care physicians.  We are facing a shortage, especially in rural areas, and research suggests that improving access to primary care can reduce reliance on specialty care and improve the efficiency and quality of the health care we receive.

Finally, it is imperative that health care reform does not ignore the importance of elder care.  Seniors want to be able to live independently and stay in their own homes as long as possible.  Family support is essential to making that option available.  However, elder care responsibilities can result in high out-of-pocket health and long-term care expenses for families that care for aging parents and relatives.  I have sponsored three pieces of legislation, the AGE (Americans Giving care to Elders) Act, the Long-Term Care Affordability and Security Act, and the Long-Term Care Insurance Consumer Right-to-Know Act to assist families who care for aging family members and to improve understanding of long-term care insurance policies.  The legislation is designed as a starting point to relieve the financial and other burdens faced by family caregivers.

Time and time again, the President has used Minnesota as an example of cost-effective, high-quality care because Minnesota is ahead of so many states when it comes to health care.  Before supporting any specific health care plan, I want to make sure that it works for Minnesota-that is makes health care more affordable for families, individuals and small businesses in our state.  Unless we make a long-term effort to reduce costs, we will not make health care more accessible and responsive to Americans.  One of the most important parts of my job is listening to what the people of Minnesota have to say to me.  I am here in our nation’s capital to do the public’s business and to serve the people of our state.  With that in mind, I hope you will contact me again in the future about issues of concern to you.

Sincerely,

Amy Klobuchar

United States Senator

Sweet!!!

Yet another “public servant” not addressing the letter I sent

From BigGoverment, and a tip o’ the hat to SharpElbowsStl.blogspot.com

One guy did this. Think of thousands of us everywhere these weenies show up. What fun!

A while back, I sent this letter to both my Senators and my Representative.

“As a voting Minnesotan, I need you to uphold your oath of office, and not vote to pass federal control of the healthcare system.

This is an issue that cannot be defined as a duty of the Federal Government under the Constitution, therefore a vote for this bill is a direct act against the oath you swore when you accepted your job as a representative of the people of Minnesota.

A vote for this bill will signal the people of Minnesota that you have abdicated your Constitutional duty to the people of Minnesota, and you will be removed from office at our next opportunity.”

This is the response I received from Senator Al Franken:

Dear michael, (note the small “m” on my name, that’s the way I entered it on the form I filled out)

Thank you for contacting me about health reform. I appreciate you sharing your views on this issue of critical importance.

When I traveled around the state during the month of August, Minnesotans were asking three basic questions about health care. How are we going to bring down the costs of health insurance? What happens if one of my kids has a pre-existing condition, and I lose my job, or want to switch to a better job? If something bad happens to my family, are we going to have to sell the house or go bankrupt trying to pay off the medical bills? These are the questions I heard most, and they are all great questions. And now they are the ones that I’m focusing on in the Senate.

We must pass health reform this year because too many Minnesota families are burdened with high health care costs, and are afraid of losing the coverage they have. Premiums for Minnesota residents have risen 90 percent since 2000, and 444,000 Minnesotans went without health insurance in 2008. If we don’t act now, Minnesota families will pay an average of 40 percent of their annual income in health care costs by 2016. This path is unsustainable.

If you or your spouse loses a job, hits a rough patch or falls sick, you should not need to worry about health insurance. And if you want to pursue a small business venture but are afraid to leave your current job, concerns about health insurance shouldn’t stop you.

Health reform will bring real change for Minnesota. If we pass health reform, insurance companies won’t be able to deny you coverage or charge more because of pre-existing conditions. There will be no annual or lifetime caps on benefits. Minnesotans without insurance would be able to buy a high-quality plan through the health insurance “Exchange,” which works like a Travelocity for health insurance. For Minnesotans who are having trouble making ends meet, there will be subsidies to purchase Exchange plans, similar to the current MinnesotaCare program.

Every day that I’m here in Washington, I’m proud that Minnesota sets the standard for health care quality in this country. Health systems like the Mayo Clinic provide coordinated, patient-centered care that the rest of the nation can look to for leadership. Minnesota’s not-for-profit health insurance companies also create a unique environment which puts patients before profits. Minnesota’s commitment to health care quality is commendable, but I know we can still do better.

As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, I recently introduced a bill with the Minnesota model in mind that requires insurance companies to spend at least 90 percent of health insurance premiums on health services, not wasteful administrative costs and profits. I’ve also introduced S. 2734, the Diabetes Prevention Act, which is bipartisan legislation to help the 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes to make healthy lifestyle choices and prevent diabetes from developing. This will save lives and money, in Minnesota and across the country.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move sensible health reform legislation that will benefit Minnesotans by bringing much needed quality, affordability, and security to our health care system. Please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind throughout this process.

Thank you again for contacting me, and please don’t hesitate to do so in the future regarding this or any other matter of concern to you.

Sincerely,

Al Franken
United States Senator

Nice, huh?

This is the response when you give a sitting Senator a direct instruction on a matter of policy, and let him know that he will  removed from office, should he choose to ignore advice given.