October 11, 2009
Oct 11 01:37 The Easiest Fisk I've Done In Ages Oct 11 02:34 Baucuscare Questions Oct 11 03:02 Trouble Brewing in DFL-land? Oct 11 03:42 Not that This Race Is Over But... Oct 11 14:18 Grayson Lying Again Oct 11 15:01 My Interview With Eva Ng Oct 11 16:45 Ng Interview Transcript Oct 11 23:58 Defend THIS, Democrats
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The Easiest Fisk I've Done In Ages
Jeannette Blonigen-Clancy is a DFL activist from Central Minnesota who frequently submits LTEs to the St. Cloud Times. She has another LTE in this morning's edition that's particularly easy fisking. In her attempt to criticize Mrs. Scholar's column, Ms. Blonigen-Clancy made some wild statements, some of which lacked substantiation. Here's the first instance:
Why was there no outcry upon learning that the Bush administration wiretapped phones and computers to eavesdrop on the private lives of American citizens?The NSA didn't wiretap the phones of American citizens. PERIOD. The NSA is all about collecting foreign intelligence. When the NSA spotted communications going from a country like Pakistan or Afghanistan to someone in the United States, they turned that information over to a domestic intelligence agency. That agency then applied for a wire tap warrant.
Here's another of Ms. Blonigen-Clancy's revealing statements:
If they "transcend party politics and focus on government spending and loss of freedoms," why did Banaian mention critically only Democratic politicians?Mrs. Scholar interviewed Leo Pusateri and myself for her column because we were the primary organizers of September's 9/12 TEA Party in St. Cloud. The only Democratic politicians who were mentioned in the article were Speaker Pelosi and Howard Dean. I know because I brought them into the interview. In other words, Mrs. Scholar mentioned them because she was quoting me.
I said that Speaker Pelosi's priorities didn't represent the priorities of many rank-and-file Democrats. I know that because I've had Democrats tell me that they didn't agree with Speaker Pelosi's views. The Democrats that I've talked with have specifically mentioned Cap and Trade and on health care reform.
I mentioned Howard Dean because he said that "We're in a battle between good and evil and we're the good." Here's precisely what I said in the interview:
"Neither Republicans nor Democrats have cornered the market on good ideas. We need to reject the politics of Howard Dean: 'This is a battle between good and evil and we are the good.'"I've long respected, though not necessarily agreed with, Democrats like John Breaux, Zell Miller, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Scoop Jackson. If we had more of those type of Democrats in Congress, they wouldn't have voted for the irresponsible legislation that this Congress has passed. We wouldn't have been in the bad shape that we're currently in.
This statement epitomizes what the libertarian TEA Party activists are opposed to:
It would make more sense for citizens to unite in opposition to $100 million bonuses, to pressure Congress to reregulate Wall Street, to pressure the present administration into waging peace in Afghanistan.I'm all for private citizens and stockholders speaking out if they think a CEO is making too much money. That's part of their rights under the First Amendment. What I'm opposed to, though, is government setting corporate pay scales, mostly because the Constitution doesn't give them the authority to interfere in such matters.
As bad as that statement was, this one's totally agravating:
Concern about government spending and loss of freedom is legitimate, but the TEA parties obviously were planned by right-wing political groups manipulating the public's uneasiness in this critical time of American history.As a principle organizer of the St. Cloud TEA Party, I'll freely admit that CMCC, aka the Central Minnesota Conservative Coalition, sponsored the event. What I reject is that we're attempting to manipulate the public during this time of great apprehension. We stand for a positive set of principles, starting with honesty, accountability and the notion that politicians work for us, not vice versa. We believe in the literal translation of the Constitution and we believe that government functions best when government respects the Tenth Amendment.
Rather than attempting to manipulate people, the TEA parties are attempting to prevent politicians from manipulating the people.
Ms. Blonigen-Clancy's misuse of the word manipulate is especially galling considering its definition :
to manage or influence skillfully, esp. in an unfair mannerRather than attempting to manipulate people, the TEA parties are attempting to prevent politicians from manipulating the people.
Ms. Blonigen-Clancy obviously is deeply suspicious of conservatives. Perhaps that's because she isn't willing to consider the possibility that conservatives and libertarians have worthwhile ideas. If that's the case, then I feel sorry for her. I hope some day she starts thinking things through rather than drinking the liberal Kool-Aid.
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 1:37 AM
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Baucuscare Questions
With Democrats waving the oft-cited CBO report on Baucuscare as 'proof' that Democrats are fiscally responsible, I'll strenuously object. It's nothing of the sort. In fact, it's proof that Democrats refuse to say no to spending restraint if there's a tax that can be raised instead.
Serious flaws still exist in Baucuscare, not the least of which is the gigantic unfunded mandate that would get dumped into the states' laps with the massive expansion of Medicaid. I cited a number of Democratic governors who opposed the Medicaid expansion because it represented an unfunded mandate. There aren't many state-level politicians who would welcome the obligation of paying for the Medicaid expansion without federal assistance.
If the Medicaid expansion goes through as currently written, it will be a huge new expansion of entitlement spending in decades. Here's the only question that needs to be asked on whether that would help curb health care inflation:
Has there ever been an entitlement program that curbs inflation?
The answer is no because entitlements aren't concerned about inflation. They're only concerned with maintaining their budgets for the next year. That isn't what we need right now, especially considering the inflationary problems we're experiencing with health care.
Another question that must be asked is whether Baucuscare taxes medical products will have an adverse effect on health care costs. Again, the answer is a resounding yes. It certainly will have an adverse effect on health car pricing because the cost of those products that would experience a tax increase would pass that expense along to the consumer.
How would these increased prices on medical products make health care affordable?
Here's a question that hasn't been asked yet:
If President Obama and the Democrats don't support a single-payer, government-run health care system, why does each of the Democrats' health care bills eliminate or nearly eliminate Medicare Advantage? If Democrats only want to provide competition to the evil insurance companies, shouldn't they fight to preserve Medicare Advantage?
CBO scoring is a useful tool to a point but getting a 'deficit neutral' rating shouldn't be the only criteria that legislation is rated by. Far more important is whether the policies in the bill improve people's lives and whether they can be sustained.
The tax increases are needed to sustain the continued growth in health care spending. The Democrats' legislation doesn't curb spending even by a tiny fraction. That's why it should be rejected outright. If the Democrats can't get medical inflation under control, then it's only a matter of time before they're complaining about properly funding their latest entitlement or before they're back asking to raise taxes.
That sounds suspiciously like starting from square one to me. That's no bargain, especially considering all that we will have invested in health care reform.
In short, deficit neutrality is just a minor criteria in assessing whether legislation sets the right policies. In my opinion, it'd be better if we let the private sector deal with this issue as much as possible, then use the government to provide the safety net.
Techorati: Deficits , Deficit Neutrality , CBO , Baucuscare , Entitlements , Inflation , Medicaid , Unfunded Mandates , Medicare Advantage , Taxes , Excise Tax , Tax Increases , Max Bucus , Democrats
Cross-posted at California Conservative
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 2:38 AM
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Trouble Brewing in DFL-land?
After reading this article in the Hill , it's fair to ask whether a split is developing within the Sixth District's DFL:
Two Democrats looking to face Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) could be headed to a primary after one of them cried foul over labor endorsements.Here's what MPR is reporting :
The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party likes to avoid primaries, with candidates often pledging to abide by the state party's endorsement in the race. Those pledges sometimes fall by the wayside when it becomes apparent who will win the backing, and that appears to be the case in the 6th district.
Sixth District Congressional candidate Dr. Maureen Reed says she'll no longer pledge to abide by the DFL endorsement after being overlooked by several labor unions.Who the unions support is their business. Still, it stinks of cronyism when they endorse a candidate without even interviewing the other candidate in the rase, especially when that 'other candidate' has raised an impressive amount of money thus far.
Since entering the race five months ago, Reed has said she would seek the DFL party endorsement to challenge incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. But Reed's pledge to abide by that process is now wavering. State Sen. Tarry Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, who's also running in the 6th district, has been piling up several key endorsements from organized labor. Reed says she now wants to keep her options open, including running in a primary, because she never got a shot at those union endorsements.
"We weren't even screened," Reed said. "I didn't even get a call saying we're going forward, would you like to come in Maureen and screen with us? And that's been disappointing to me. If this isn't an open and fair process here, maybe I should keep my options open."
At minimum, the various unions should've interviewed Reed. That way, when they publish their endorsement, they can say some positive things about the candidate they didn't choose. In so doing, they can avoid fracturing the party by appearing to have conducted the process fairly.
That aside, it's still difficult to picture a winning scenario for Ms. Reed. She doesn't have Clark's name recognition and she apparently hasn't ingratiated herself enough with the DFL's GOTV operation (unions).
I suspect that Reed's chances of getting the DFL endorsement just went from slim to nonexistent. Still, it's worth Reed's while to have caused this stir. She didn't have anything to lose, really. I further suspect that, when the time comes, the party elders will tell her in totally uncertain terms that she needs to step aside so Tarryl has a better shot at defeating Michele Bachmann. Whether she's willing to take that advice is anyone's guess.
At the end of the day, it's difficult to picture how Tarryl Clark or Maureen Reed defeats Michele. This is a solidly conservative district. Despite her controversial statements, Michele Bachmann still represents the Sixth District's priorities exceptionally well. Couple that with this being a definitely anti-Democrat cycle and it's difficult, if not impossible, to picture Dr. Reed or Sen. Clark winning.
Techorati: Unions , Cronyism , Endorsements , Tarryl Clark , Maureen Reed , Primary , DFL , Michele Bachmann , Conservatism , Election 2010
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 3:02 AM
Comment 1 by eric z. at 11-Oct-09 08:33 AM
Name one substantial thing Bachmann has done since going to DC?
One.
Right.
I cannot think of one either.
If regularly cashing the paychecks, cozying to Bill O'Rielly, demonizing ACORN, and not doing the job by trying to promote prosperity and improvements in the district is representing the district "exceptionally well" I have to wonder what you'd call doing the job poorly ...
By being who she is, she makes Mark Kennedy and the job he did look super, and that's a tall order.
By being who she is and keeping her name in the news in ways that illustrate to electorates nationwide how bad things can get and how fortunate they are, whoever their Rep. is, Bachmann is representative of a faction of the GOP much more than a representative for her district. Being who she is and publicity mongering as she does, helps the Dems nationwide by making a spectacle of herself they can all point to.
As to the unions, neither of us is in one, so who are we to tell them how their leadership should operate? They did not endorse Bob Olson last time, nor Wetterling the time before that, and from your GOP perspective that should make you happy since Bachmann won both times.
Now that scales have fallen from their eyes and they endorse a strong candidate like Clark, you have problems?
Would you have been happy had they endorsed Reed? Were you critical in 2008 when GOP leadership flummoxed Ron Paul and his supporters in Minnesota? Were you telling the GOP leadership to act differently then? They're your leadership after all, hence, more likely to listen.
Not that consistency is a major virtue, but ...
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 11-Oct-09 10:31 AM
As to the unions, neither of us is in one, so who are we to tell them how their leadership should operate?While I'm not a union member, that doesn't mean I can't offer an opinion on their cronyism. The thought that they'd shut Dr. Reed out of the process entirely smacks of them getting behind the scenes assurances from Sen. Clark.
This only adds to the perception that Sen. Clark will represent the unions, not the good people of MN-6.
Not that This Race Is Over But...
I wouldn't say that the race for Virginia's next governor is over but I heard a rumor that Creigh Deeds had to stick a sock in the fat lady's mouth after reading this Washington Post poll :
McDonnell leads 53 to 44 percent among likely voters, expanding on the four-point lead he held in mid-September. Deeds's advantage with female voters has all but disappeared, and McDonnell has grown his already wide margin among independents. Deeds, a state senator from western Virginia, is widely seen by voters as running a negative campaign, a finding that might indicate that his aggressive efforts to exploit McDonnell's 20-year-old graduate thesis are turning voters away.The only worse news that Creigh Deeds could've gotten was that Charlie Rangel's accountant was his new campaign finance director. This is horrible news. I won't say that this is Deeds' curtain call but I won't say things are looking good for him, either.
Much of the movement since last month has come in Northern Virginia, where Deeds's 17-point lead has been whittled significantly, even in the area's left-leaning inner suburbs.
What's especially troubling for Deeds is that (a) Northern Virginia, the most liberal part of the state, isn't giving him a big enough margin to offset the conservative parts of the state where Bob McDonnell should rack up big margins, and (b) women voters aren't supporting the Democrats' candidate. Anytime that the Democrats hope to win, they need to win a significant majority of the female vote.
They need to do this because they historically don't get enough support from men.
That isn't the only depressing news for Democrats from the Washington Post poll:
The poll indicates that the GOP is well-positioned to emphatically end a recent Democratic winning streak, with Republicans Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli each holding identical 49 to 40 percent leads over Democrats Jody Wagner and Steve Shannon for lieutenant governor and attorney general.If Republicans win all three top-of-the-ticket, statewide races decisively in Virginia, that will give them a substantial fundraising lift as well as giving the party's base a significant confidence boost. Since it's so close to DC, it's bound to get the Republicans' attention there, too. If Republicans see that they can win decisively in Virginia, that will stiffen the spines of some GOP wobblies.
Based on this information, I'd say that Deeds hasn't run a high quality campaign:
Also in recent weeks, Deeds has struggled in several appearances in Northern Virginia, including a debate last month in Fairfax County that he followed by bungling questions from reporters about whether he supports a tax increase. That lengthy scene has been turned into a campaign commercial by Republicans and is airing across the state.The worst thing that can happen to a gubernatorial candidate is for them to look indecisive or unsure of themselves. Nothing is as big a turnoff to voters looking for leadership than indecision.
After writing this post, I'm changing my mind. It's time to put this race to sleep. Creigh Deeds won't win.
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 3:47 AM
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Grayson Lying Again
If Alan Grayson keeps up this pattern of telling bald-faced lies, people will soon mistake him for Valerie Plame's husband, Joe Wilson. Since Rep. Grayson first took to the House floor , Rep. Grayson has been shameless in his mischaracterizations of the Republicans' health care plan. As I noted here , Rep. Grayson knows he's lying because the Republicans have posted their plan on their solutions website :
The Republican plan implements comprehensive medical liability reform that will reduce costly, defensive medicine practiced by doctors trying to protect themselves from overzealous trial lawyers. Additionally, it provides Medicare and Medicaid with additional authority and resources to stop waste, fraud, and abuse that costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year.I also noted that Rep. Grayson knows about the bill co-sponsored by Reps. Paul Ryan and Devin Nunes and Sens. Tom Coburn and Richard Burr. Rep. Ryan was nice enough to talk about the bill in this interview I did with him:
To lower the costs of health care, the Republican plan increases fairness in the tax code by extending tax savings to those who currently do not have employer-provided coverage but purchase a health plan on their own. This provision would provide an "above the line" deduction that is equal to the cost of an individual's or family's insurance premiums. The plan also provides immediate substantial financial assistance, through new refundable and advanceable tax credits, to low- and modest-income Americans so all Americans have access to health coverage.
1. Here in Minnesota, there are 65 separate mandates on health insurers, all of which drive up the cost of a health insurance premium. With Ted Kennedy & Co. writing health care 'reform', isn't it likely that their legislation will contain lots of expensive mandates? Wouldn't that necessarily drive up health care costs?Should we believe anything Rep. Grayson says when all this information about a high profile piece of health care reform legislation is available? People are free to decide for themselves but I'm not buying Rep. Grayson's shtick. Rep. Grayson's fundraising letter is as filled with hyperbole as an Al Gore speech on global warming. Here's a sample of Rep. Grayson's fundraising letter:
Yes. That is one of the major problems with a public plan. Insurance shouldn't be one-size-fits-all. The public plans being proposed by Ted Kennedy and others will likely mandate a lot of coverage that not everyone needs, making it more expensive for everyone. We've seen this problem at a state level where a state mandates coverage for something like hair regrowth formula, that only a small percentage of the population even wants access to, but ultimately, those mandates drive up the cost of insurance for everyone, even those who don't use much coverage at all. The Patients' Choice Act addresses this problem by allowing insurance plans that sell health insurance through state exchanges to be exempt from these mandates. These plans only need to meet the minimum benefit standard prescribed by the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan. People need to be able to purchase health insurance that isn't heavily loaded with mandates.
Democrats are for health care reform. Republicans are against health care reform and quite simply, Barack Obama.I hope Florida's Republicans hang these statements around Rep. Grayson's neck, then tell voters, quite justifiably in my opinion, that Rep. Grayson doesn't have the integrity or the gravitas required to represent Floridians in Washington, DC.
If Barack Obama were somehow able to cure hunger in the world, the Republicans would blame him for overpopulation.
If Barack Obama could somehow bring about world peace, they'd blame him for destroying the defense industry.
In fact, if Barack Obama has a BLT sandwich tomorrow for lunch, they will try to ban bacon.
That he thinks he can tell these lies to his constituents speaks volumes about his attitude towards them. Let's hope his constituents give him a rude retirement party 13 months from now for treating them with such condescension.
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 2:28 PM
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My Interview With Eva Ng
This afternoon, I had the pleasure of interviewing St. Paul Mayoral candidate Eva Ng. It's safe to say that she's a fiscal conservative and someone who's willing to work hard to stay in touch with St. Paul residents.
Her agenda of watching each line item like a hawk is a stark contrast with Chris Coleman's irresponsible spending habits.
One think that impressed me was her commitment to lobbying the legislature to improve the business climate in Minnesota:
EVA NG: The state has much influence in the City's fate. I have asked for a permanent seat at the House Caucus. And I don't intend to hire someone else to do that job. I will do it myself.During the interview, it was apparent that Ms. Ng's first and highest priority will be to recruit new jobs to St. Paul. Here's what she said on that subject:
GARY: What is your plan to revitalize St. Paul?The situation in St. Paul is grim. Ms. Ng states the case well with this set of statistics:
EVA NG, Candidate for St. Paul Mayor: My plan to revitalize St. Paul begins with freezing tax and fee rates. Then work to reduce them. I will have to put successful organizational structures in each City Hall Department to cultivate efficiency. Then, I will have to expand our tax base.
GARY: That's an ambitious plan. How do you plan to rally the people of St. Paul to support this plan?
EVA NG: Gary, nothing is ever easy. Everything takes work and persuasion. I plan to start a New Enterprise Incubation Center in St. Paul to sow seeds for new upstarts. I also want to form at least two volunteer delegations to target suitable businesses to call St Paul home.
EVA NG: Citizens of Saint Paul, we face a time of economic uncertainty, unemployment rates approaching 10%, businesses fleeing, and residents leaving. As a result, we have nearly 30% office space vacancies downtown, an estimated 2,400 to 4000 foreclosed or abandoned homes, and a much heavier tax and fee burden on each resident and commercial entity.Putting St. Paul on the right track is a Herculean task, one that won't be righted overnight. It's important that St. Paul corrects the mistakes of the Coleman administration ASAP. It's time that St. Paul elects a leader whose first priority is putting St. Paul back to work. Now isn't the time for them to elect someone whose heart isn't into making the difficult decisions and setting the right priorities.
Follow this link to contribute to Eva's campaign. If you want to bring change you can be proud of to St. Paul, I strongly encourage you to make a contribution to Eva's campaign.
It's time for St. Paul to give Chris Coleman the time he needs to ponder his future. It isn't the time to tolerate the irresponsible status quo that Mayor Coleman represents.
Check back here later for the full transcript of the interview.
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 3:01 PM
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Ng Interview Transcript
Here's the full transcript of my interview with St. Paul Mayoral candidate Eva Ng:
GARY: What is your plan to revitalize St. Paul?I'd like to again thank Ms. Ng for taking time out of her busy schedule for the interview. I'll also take this opportunity to say that Eva Ng is a fiscal conservative, which is what St. Paul desperately needs. She would be a major upgrade of Chris Coleman in my opinion.
EVA NG, Candidate for St. Paul Mayor: My plan to revitalize St. Paul begins with freezing tax and fee rates. Then work to reduce them. I will have to put successful organizational structures in each City Hall Department to cultivate efficiency. Then, I will have to expand our tax base.
GARY: That's an ambitious plan. How do you plan to rally the people of St. Paul to support this plan?
EVA NG: Gary, nothing is ever easy. Everything takes work and persuasion.
I plan to start a New Enterprise Incubation Center in St. Paul to sow seeds for new upstarts. I also want to form at least two volunteer delegations to target suitable businesses to call St Paul home.
GARY: I think those are great ideas. Stopping capital flight is only half of the solution. Starting capital formation is the other half to the equation.
EVA NG: The suitable businesses, ideally, will be growing employers and job creators. Yes, you got my drift perfectly.
Saint Paul is also a port city. It deserves to have a pre-eminent marina complex which does not exist.
GARY: Will you lobby the legislature to enact tax reform to make St. Paul & Minnesota more business friendly?
EVA NG: Most definitely, that is something I have been saying since the beginning. The state has much influence in the City's fate. I have asked for a permanent seat at the House Caucus. And I don't intend to hire someone else to do that job. I will do it myself.
GARY: I like the idea of you doing the personal lobbying. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis does that, saving St. Cloud approximately $100K annually.
EVA NG: Very cool. It also shows how much the city cares.
GARY: We know that making government more efficient will save St. Paul taxpayers money. Will some of those savings be invested in making St. Paul more safe?
EVA NG: It can be. However, I see that we already spend close to $100,000,000 on police. We want to look at successful procedures and practices, as well as meeting of objectives before we blindly invest. For now, I don't see enough enforcement (which, in itself, brings in revenue). Until I feel we're operating optimally and deserve more investment, I'd hold off. The taxpayers could use a break.
GARY: Nice answer. Taxpayers definitely can use the break.
Lots of mayors complain about unfunded mandates. Is that something that you plan on looking into, too?
EVA NG: Elaborate a little, please.
GARY: This winter, during the Legislature's Listening Tour, Brainerd & St. Cloud city officials complained that the legislature had passed mandates, then refused to fund the things that they were mandating the cities to do. If the legislature is going to tell you what to do, shouldn't they also pay for that?
EVA NG: I see. State Legislature run amuck. What's new? Yes, it is reasonable to expect the State Legislature to not write checks they cannot cover.
GARY: Nothing new under the sun. Isn't that the problem, though? LOL
EVA NG: That's why it is important for mayors to have a continual dialog with the State Legislature. They can't read our minds.
And I think that is why our City had always had a reserve fund. However, Chris Coleman has already burned through that fund, to the max.
GARY: Good point. I think it's important that the legislature hears from mayors, too, because it's a reminder that they should rethink their priorities if they can't pay for things.
Eva, Isn't the Coleman administration famous for setting poor priorities that lead to higher property taxes?
EVA NG: Absolutely. Some of the decisions being made are outright juvenile.
GARY: Tell St. Paul voters your biggest disappointment with regards to Mayor Coleman's decision-making.
EVA NG: They wanted to build a new ice-skating rink across the street from the Xcel Center, which, itself, is already an ice-skating rink. They invested in leopard printed buses to take children to the zoo, but not to our own zoo. They spend $19.7 million/yr on economic development and do not get much return on the investment.
They also have this second shift project which has buses rattling down the street hour after hour, empty of the kids they were supposed to transport and help. No one is measuring any program for success. Just money thrown out the window with no recourse.
GARY: It sounds like you'll have a fulltime job the first year + just cleaning up the existing mess.
EVA NG: Mayor's Coleman's decision making has been to serve groups to which he is beholden, not the the real interest of the citizens of Saint Paul. Recently, we see that he is a true political animal. He got out of the gubernatorial contest to save his hide in the Saint Paul mayor's seat. I see everything he does is nothing but self serving.
A public figure's job is supposed to be serving the public. The decisions being made by the mayor should be focused on the well-being of the people.
You've made an excellent point in having a fulltime job just cleaning up the existing mess. My estimation is about 3 years of cleanup work is necessary. I will be busier than a one-armed paper hanger in a windstorm. Cleaning up the mess while forging progress to set our city up for future stability. I will have to surround myself with some really effective people.
GARY: Do you plan on holding frequent town hall meeting so you stay in touch with your constituents?
EVA NG: Yes, I have a communications plan. I plan to have formal neighborhood listening sessions. One per week, from 5 pm to 9 pm, for each of seven wards. I will re-visit quarterly. My hope is to address the top three gripes in each Ward during one administration. I also wish to set up an online forum where the people can give me their input and sentiments directly (by topic). That way, I can back up my research with real citizen input to get things done.
GARY: Your highest priority, though, is to restore prosperity to St. Paul by recruiting businesses that can flourish in St. Paul?
EVA NG: My highest priority is to stop the hurting. Senior citizens on fixed incomes, school teachers, part time workers, single parents are all being taxed out of their homes, and they can't afford to move.
But, hand in hand with stopping the hurting is growing the tax base to lighten the tax and fee burden for everyone involved.
GARY: Good luck with that. If ever a city needed to rethink its spending habits & its priorities, it's St. Paul.
EVA NG: In the long run, no city can survive without jobs. I must create jobs. That's why we have to be more business friendly. To attract businesses, we must have our house in order. We need to provide good amenities to attract them. A low crime rate and a good school system are part of the equation.
Gary, you've got a good handle on that. I hate to see Saint Paul having to sink deeper into the abyss before they realize this. It'll be too late, and too much has to be done to rescue it.
I am wondering if I am sane to even want to try what I am proposing.
GARY: Eva, Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview. If you could tell St. Paul residents one thing, what would that one thing be?
EVA NG: Really nice question. Citizens of Saint Paul, we face a time of economic uncertainty, unemployment rates approaching 10%, businesses fleeing, and residents leaving. As a result, we have nearly 30% office space vacancies downtown, an estimated 2,400 to 4000 foreclosed or abandoned homes, and a much heavier tax and fee burden on each resident and commercial entity.
I am running for Mayor of Saint Paul because I believe that my experience over the past 30 years in turning around difficult situations, making the most out of every dollar, and influencing others to help "right the ship" is exactly what Saint Paul needs at this specific time in our history in the Office of Mayor.
We must pull Saint Paul out of this downward spiral by first freezing the property tax and fee rates, followed by finding ways to reduce them. Then, we have to create jobs. We also have to ensure the safety and security of our neighborhoods.
You are dealing with incumbent who has already mentally checked out of the mayor's office since March of 2009, and has been running for governor or Lt. governor on your payroll. He still hasn't signed the Pledge to Keep Faith with the City of Saint Paul, and he could change his mind after the election. There's a lot of work waiting to be done for the people, and we need a fulltime mayor. Someone like me, who has no other agenda than to serve the people of Saint Paul, with all my heart, all my might, and all that I am.
On Nov. 3rd, I ask for your support and your vote. My website is EvaForMayor.com
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 4:45 PM
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Defend THIS, Democrats
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, gather round and learn how to take on the Democrats on health care reform. If Republicans don't use Wendy Williams' op-ed in the WSJ , then Republicans deserve humiliation. Not just defeat. Humiliation.
My husband retired from IBM about a decade ago, and as we aren't old enough for Medicare we still buy our health insurance through the company. But IBM, with its typical courtesy, informed us recently that we will be fined by the state.I'm with Mrs. Williams on this. In fact, I've been sympathetic to this argument for a VERY, VERY long time. Let me count the ways.
Why? Because Massachusetts requires every resident to have health insurance, and this year, without informing us directly, the state had changed the rules in a way that made our bare-bones policy no longer acceptable. Unless we ponied up for a pricier policy we neither need nor want-or enrolled in a government-sponsored insurance plan-we would have to pay $1,000 each year to the state.
My husband's response was muted; I was shaking mad. We hadn't imposed our health-care costs on anyone else, yet we were being fined ("taxed" was the word the letter used).
First, government doesn't have the right to tell me what I have to buy for my own good. PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE!!! Second, because they don't have the constitutional authority to force me to buy anything, they certainly don't have the constitutional authority to fine me for not doing the thing that they don't have the constitutional authority to make me buy.
But for the sake of argument, let's stipulate that they have that authority. Why would anyone think that it's good policy to tell a person that they have to buy something presumably for their own good but then tell them that the product that they've purchased for their own good doesn't meet the government's standards?
I've heard the argument that governments mandate the purchase of car insurance. I can't argue that that mandate exists. What I can argue is that mandating car insurance and mandating the purchase of health insurance is an apples to oranges comparison at best. In fact, I think I can make a strong argument that it's an apples to potatoes comparison.
First, government doesn't mandate whether I buy full coverage or comprehensive or simply liability coverage. Next, government doesn't tell me the size of the deductible on the various coverages I choose to buy.
If a profitable company like IBM offers its employees and its retirees a health insurance policy, then it's likely a pretty decent policy. Admittedly, it likely isn't a Cadillac plan like the unions often negotiate but it doesn't need to be.
The goverment shouldn't have the right to establish regulations that prohibit the sale of HSAs, which already exist.
The thing is, it's the Democrats' priority to give people fewer options. Democrats say it's to increase people's options but that's spin. If they wanted more options, why do all of the Democrats' bills attempt to eliminate Medicare Advantage, a program that's extremely popular? If you said that they want to eliminate it because it's actually coverage provided by private insurers, you would've won the prize because that's exactly why Democrats want to eliminate it.
Republicans should go to school on this information:
For the first two years of the mandate, our IBM health insurance was seen as acceptable in the eyes of the state. This year the rules changed. The state requires that health plans cap out-of-pocket expenses for individuals (not including monthly premiums) at $2,000 a year. Our plan's cap is $2,500.Mitt Romney and Ted Kennedy said that the legislation would bring health care costs down by insuring everyone. That myth has been exposed. The Williamses had done the responsible thing by buying health insurance that fit their needs. Deval Patrick said that he knew better. He imposed a fne on the Williamses for making a responsible decision.
Ten years ago, we had excellent coverage through a more gold-plated plan. But we found that it was no longer worth paying the premiums and scaled back to a more modest policy. Today, we pay about $300 a month for catastrophic care. If we went with the next step up in plans offered to us by IBM, our monthly premium would increase to $800. We simply don't need to pay that kind of money for the amount of health care we actually consume.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE???
If I were advising Republicans, I'd tell them that they should demand that Democrats explain why this is responsible policy. I'd have Republicans asking the question why it's responsible public policy to fine people for buying health insurance policies that fit their families' needs. I'd tell Republicans to ask Democrats what gives them the right to say that policies that were purchased by a corporation like IBM isn't sufficient in the eyes of the government.
I'd also ask Democrats why they think it's smart public policy to mandate a plethora of coverages that people don't need. Why should Massachusetts mandates that each health insurance policy include coverage for in vitero fertilization. I'm betting that the Williamses don't need that coverage.
I'd have Republicans study this paragraph, too:
IBM seems like a rock of stability compared to the state of Massachusetts. It's apparent that state health-care policies can change at the whim of politicians in Boston, and we might not be able to adjust to the new rules. The way we figure it, if we sign up for a state-subsidized plan we will be at the mercy of the state.These might be the scariest 6 words in the English language when put together: at the mercy of the state. What a frightening thought. Why do the idiots in DC think that they know better what my health insurance needs are than my doctor and myself? They don't know better than I know. Just on that information alone, they should excuse themselves from the decisionmaking process.
Finally, Republicans should pay attention to this:
But what bothers me most is that a similar health-care mandate is being proposed in Washington, and some of the same promises that were made here are being made again-such as that the mandate will never hit middle-class folks with a new tax. When asked about the mandate, Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe said recently, according to the New York Times, "It surprises me that we would have these high-level penalties on average Americans."President Obama's promise that people making less than $250,000 wouldn't get hit with a tax increase of any sort is spin. It made him sound reasonable. Unfortunately, it isn't something that he believed in. What President Obama believes in is maximizing the amount of control the government can exert on people.
Well, I don't find it surprising. The mandate in Massachusetts was sold as something that wouldn't penalize people like my husband and me. But those political promises were only good for as long as it took to get the mandate enacted into law.
Remember the key to understanding President Obama is to compare his promises to his actions, then to study how long it takes before he brakes his promises.
Once the legislation is passed, bureacrats that aren't accountable to anyone can change the rules of the game without much effort.
What could possibly go wrong?
Posted Sunday, October 11, 2009 11:58 PM
Comment 1 by eric z. at 12-Oct-09 07:07 AM
Perhaps the healthcare providers are missing the boat.
I have read of primitive societies where the herbalist-healer in the village would have some person come by with a couple of chickens to pay the fee, the healer would then briefly consider the situation, mix up an herbal brew - take it, and by that gain insight to return from the trip to advise the sick person on what is wrong and what to do.
I am surprised Humana and Kaiser have overlooked possibilities.
While that has little directly to do with pricing such services I suppose the healer knew who in the village could afford a pig instead of two chickens and priced accordingly.
Is that the entire basis of current reform proposals?
Delineate who can afford a pig, two chickens, a single scrawny fowl, or nothing at all; and then try to work back from that to a stable system that does not have any faction taking up weapons against another. It seems the Baucus committee did little else.
