Hinojosa’s staff exhibited silly judgment in calling the county judge and city police prior to the event with concerns that the protesters might damage Veterans Plaza or litter near the congressman’s local office. The fact is most of the protesters are veterans, or veterans’ family members, who have given much for this nation. These are working folks who pay their taxes and are worried about the future of this once great nation, and they have every right to be concerned.
On Tuesday, the White House admitted that the economy is far worse than had previously been projected. Deficits will run $1.5 trillion next year and unemployment will continue to surge into next year. The real numbers are probably worse because the White House has overstated the economy’s recovery all along to minimize future deficit projections.
Despite President Barack Obama’s mantra that health care costs too much and his plan will save all of us money, the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office has repeatedly shown that nationalizing health care will add trillions more to our growing budget deficits.
All the government giveaways won’t mean a thing if they destroy the dollar and our economy in the process. In simple South Texas terms, the relationship between government and the economy used to be like a 10-pound tick on a 50-pound dog. Now we’re looking at a 50-pound tick on a 10-pound dog. Not only will that dog not hunt; it won’t even survive.
Citizens who have attempted to contact our congressman have been told his schedule is too full during the congressional recess – apparently every single minute of it – to conduct a town hall meeting here.
Shame on Rep. Hinojosa’s office for trying to impede free speech. Shame on Hinojosa for not having the guts or integrity to meet with the taxpayers on these issues that threaten the future of this nation.
I do think it is a sad day though when various representatives across our land refuse to hear the concerns of those who do not agree with that representative's party's ideals and plans. I think it is a shame when they "see no need to have a town hall meeting in a the northern portion of their district" because they apparently already know how they are going to vote on a matter.
On the matter of health care "reform" some representatives in other states have gone as far as saying publicly that it did not matter if all their constituents voiced opinions against it, they would vote approvingly for it any way. I surely hope that those people that are represented by them will run, not walk, to vote them out of their seats at first opportunity for being treasonous against the Constitution.
Many if not most of our representatives have become mere politicians for their party and no longer seem concerned to represent the wishes of the ones who elected them. They have been in office so long and absorbed in the politics of the Beltway so long that they think their congressional or senate seat belongs to them and they do any thing they must to keep it. Representatives and Senators of both parties are guilty of doing this. An WE THE PEOPLE are guilty of allowing it. Those seats belong to us, the voting public and we are responsible for the persons who are seated in them.
I personally think it's time for a change, a house cleaning if you will, in Washington DC.
I for one know that there are people who need some assistance for their medical care. I believe it is the moral obligation of their fellow man to provide that assistance. Perhaps a government agency is the best vehicle to take that assistance to these truly needy people and if so, that will be well and good and I will gladly pay my fair share toward the burden. However, I do not for a minute believe the numbers (touted by Congress and the President and affirmed by a biased media)given us of those needing help. At first it was said to be 36 million. Then, it was 47 million. Lately, the number has grown to 50 million. I don't buy it.
Illegal aliens from many nations now burden our health care system to some degree. That is a given. Until our representatives do something about illegal residents amongst us we are stuck with being their financial hosts and caretakeers. I believe they should be given necessary primary care when ill and then turned over to the authorities for identification and possible deportation according to the current immigration laws on the books. Let them obtain ongoing care in their rightful country of origin and may they have a long and happy life. I welcome them to come back here, legally, through proper channels, to be a contributor to our great country, as soon as they may. Legal immigrants are welcome here as many as are allowed by the law of the land.
Many of the supposed 50 million people who are without health care do not want it. They are able to purchase it, sometimes at reduced rates through their employers, but do not see it as a priority in their lives. The are free under our Constitution to make that choice and that is the way it should be. If they need medical care down the road of life they should receive it and then be obligated to pay for it, for as long as that may take, just like everybody else.
Still others of the 50 million say they want health care but cannot afford it, but they seem to afford cable television, movie rentals, cellular telephones, expensive car payments, dining out, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages at the same time. I have nothing against you or anyone else partaking in any of these things. We have the liberty to do so and you can indulge yourself legally in any kind of entertainment you want. But don't tell me then that you can't afford to purchase health care and don't expect me to afford it for you, claiming it to be your "right". Medical insurance is a luxury that you are free to purchase from a plethera of vendors.
Listen, I have an idea. Congress, why don't you figure out how to repair the insolvent Medicare and Medicaide programs. Fix Social Security and quit robbing from it's funds to waste on pork barrel projects for special interests. Make a way to cut costs and cover the 15 million or so that truly fall into the category of being needful of medical coverage that truly can not afford it. Don't reinvent another monstrous socialized medicine plan and force it on the majority of citizens who are happy with their private based health coverage or happy with none at all. Do the job you've been sent to Washington to do, not the will and whim of your party leaders or the wishes of the lobbyists who pad your wallets.
This is not about Democrat vs. Republican. This is not liberal vs. conservative. This is about you being an honorable person elected to represent the people in a strong but limited representative republic form of government as established by the constitution and doing your job to protect and uphold the constitution as you once took oath to do.
As to the question about George W. Bush and his increase of government spending... George W. Bush was never a conservative as far as I am concerned. He was a moderate and fiscally liberal Republican. The expansion of government during his two terms was unacceptable to me and a shame. Some of the war spending following 9/11 was legitimate but much of the latter probably was not. But you know, I'm not privy to the information our Congress and Senators had when they approved the war against Iraq, so unlike many, I can't positively say it was overtly unjustified at the time and that they all misstepped by approving and funding those military actions. I certainly hope they all voted their conscience and the way their constituents wanted them to. I know mine voted the way I would have at the time, based on my understanding of the information I gleaned through various sources.
Yes, government expenditures went through the roof during those 8 years of the prior administration. Our Congress and Senators are to blame for that, not the president. Those expenditures were tripled in the first 100 days of the current administration's tenure, with money that did not exist. Again, it was our elected representatvie who are to blame, not the president. Our representatives are not minding the till the way I would at home. At least at my house, when the cash flow gets lean I cut back on spending. I certainly don't go out on a spending spree on credit and buy goods equal to twice what I will make in the next year they way they have. I think they slept through economics class.
Enough of my rant. Thanks for the opportunity SouTex.com. To all you good people; register to vote, vote your conscience, defend your liberties, contribute to that which is good and right. Good day.
Yeah, I'm getting his dancing graphics too. It must be nice to not have to work and produce anything. I guess he got home so late from the fishing trip that Mommy didn't tuck him into bed last night. It's almost too bad that the weather didn't start getting rough on a three hour cruise so the Minnow would be lost!
We're probably not hearing from the right-wingers today because Hellfire uses several other logins to bolster his rants, so if he sleeps then they all sleep. He can't tolerate anybody that has an opinion that differs from his own as we now know. For a laugh, google "squirrel with nuts" to get the picture that he should use for his avatar since he tends to go for the low-hanging fruit. :-o
With the money coming back into the Feds from the TARP and the economy coming back to life, the decision to release that money probably saved a few million jobs. It'a great example of why the government is there to "promote the general welfare" of our citizens. If our employers weren't making people work 60 hours a week or more, then more jobs would also be coming our way.
I also laughed at Bush's FEMA director. But Brownie had other such great mentors as Cheney, Rumsfeld, Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, and Alberto Gonzales. Remember that those that can--do, those that can't--manage.
Let's pray for those less fortunate and fight the good fight. I agree that healthcare for all is a moral imperative--I heard that our side is showing up at the town halls in record numbers even in conservative regions such as College Station to point out that health care is a necessity. The conservatives had 15 years of control at the state and federal levels and accomplished nothing to make the private insurance market more affordable or available.
Have a safe drive home today.
Sorry, can't laugh at that. Nor at the Bush administration's very slow response to Katrina, which was problem. But his FEMA director did such a good job, right?
Keep laughing, I'll keep posting.
Healthcare for all is a moral imperative.
What is a bigger concern is that one right-wing radio speaker (I believe his name is Neal Boortz) that referred to Katrina as a Godsend because it cleared the "debris" from New Orleans. When this commentator spoke of "debris" he was not only referring to destroyed property, but human beings also.
It is callous to refer to a human being as "debris" after a disaster, just like it callous to refer to someone as a "resource" in an employment situation. In that instance, maybe the correct term is "commodity" since that is something that is used then disposed of. It is hypocritical to declare ourselves as a "just" society and the greatest nation on Earth when we show such disregard for our fellow citizens?
I agree that we should shoulder the responsibility to improve our lives and not depend on others for assistance. We can also believe that because if we put aside some money and other items that we are in control of our lives. Unfortunately, things happen that we are not in control of such as natural disasters and medical problems. It is easy to believe that we will never need assistance from others and that others don't deserve assistance from us. However, if something terrible happened to you, I bet that you'll change your mind about those ideas and welcome whatever help can be provided.
Let's think about this in local terms--what about the people near Lagarto who lost their homes a few months ago due to the wildfires? If you are someone whose mistrust of government and financial institutions lead to keeping cash at home then it would be desperate situation. If your employer was also devastated, then that budget that you supposedly control would be meaningless since you would no longer be employed. Before thinking that I'm insured, what if the insurance company could not pay the claim because it was bankrupt--it would be a state guaranty fund (yes, government) that would be responsible for the claim payment.
Let's face the facts folks, at sometime in our lives nearly everybody will need some help whether it is financial help, emotional support, or assistance with physical infirmities as we age. I've never received assistance from any governmental entity in my life and other than a brief period of unemployment after college, have been working for over 20 years. I hope that I never have to ask for help from the government, but I also realize that if an unforeseen circumstance occurs that I would prefer to not be subjected to survival of the fittest.
Just a few thoughts to ponder before labelling liberals as the bad guys and protesting their beliefs. We need to quit squabbling and try to work together to make this country even greater than what we have already achieved.
If anyone has heard about the Phoenix pastor who said he prays for Obama's death, I want to say that I and any sane person abhor his comments. This man is not a conservative. He is as big a nut and disgrace as the Rev Jeremiah Wright. I hope all sane people join me in condemning this reprehensible behavior. I sincerely hope Obama is not elected to a second term. I pray he stays safe and in good health and God will give him wisdom and guide him to make the right decisions for our country
Yeah, we remember Katrina. Funny how that happened under the watch of your GOP president George W. Bush.
If all the conservatives stayed true to their ethics and lived within their means, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE BUDGET UNDER GEORGE W BUSH?
They are DEMOCRATS.
They want healthcare reform.
They don't want to be part of your stupid rantings about government bills that haven't made it out of committee.
Rep. Hinojosa did not take your bait and come to Beeville to get ambushed. He represents a District, not your poor selfish little Beeville Republican interests.
Get over yourselves. You lost. You have a Black President. Stop hiding your ill-concealed racism behind your "fear of govt". You weren't so scared when Bush rammed Homeland Security down our throats or spent billions and billions on a war of choice.
You're all a bunch of hypocrites. Put on your duncecaps and go sit in the corner with the other mishbehaving juveniles.
Oh, and have a nice Liberal 4 years.
If they are out there with their idiotic signs, and half of them didn't even make sense, they are not having their free speech inhibited.
They are in the paper, they walked around, and they got laughed at by almost everyone who saw them.
Hellfire - no one "got" anyone. I bet you would go to this conference, wouldn't you?
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhdkk9g6_2dzbt3z8n
Enjoy a nice Liberal 4 years, Hellfire.
Please stew in your own tears.
HAVE A GOP DAY!!!
The editorial was not referring to the newspaper's free speech, but to that of the protesters.
Why do people usually call the police on their neighbors? To support what the neighbors are doing, or to dissuade them and to intimidate them?
It's called putting a chilling effect on matters of speech. This is the office of an elected representative of the people. Whether we agree with the protesters' position or not, they should have the right to peacefully gather and voice their concerns. It doesn't matter if it's Cindy Sheehan parked outside George Bush's gate or Tea Party Patriots here. If it's public property they're on and doing no damage, they have a right.
There was no cause for Hinojosa's staff to call the police and the county judge. It was just bad form for folks supposedly there to help represent the people of District 15 to try to muzzle their voices.
Have you read the bill - HR 3200?
Pages 284 - 288, Sec. 1151 - states it would reduce potentially preventable hospital readmissions:
Go here to read it for yourself if you don't belive me: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname_111_cong_bills&docide_f:h3200ih.pdf
What it means:
This section amends the SS act
The government has the power to determine what constitutes an "applicable [medical] condition." (Don't doctors do this?)
The government has the power to determine who is allowed readmission into a hospital.
This determination will be made by statistics: when enough people have been discharged for the same condition, an individual may be readmitted.
This is government rationing, pure and simple.
There can be no judicial review of decisions made here. The appointed Secretary is above the courts. (so I guess that means you have no recourse, especially if its a rare illness!)
The plan also allows the government to prohibit hospitals from expanding without federal permission; page 317-318 of the HR3200 bill.
Page 239 Line 14-24 - The government will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income,poor will be affected.
Page 58 & 59 Lines 21-24 - the government will have direct access to your bank accounts for electronic funds transfer - They will have access to all your personal finances. (doesn't this sound like invasion of private information? - Do you really want that much government power over you?)
Before you go whole hog on National Healthcare, check out how it works in Massechusetts, Oregon, and recently Hawaii, which had to dismantle it because those who had healthcare went to the government healthcare and they ran out of money - so they had to do away with it in Hawaii (it was catered to children only)
Oh yeah, one more important point. With the Obama correction on the National deficit for the next 10 years, he now states that we are in the hole for $9 trillion dollars. Each day they print money with no backing, making the dollar slip in value, how in all good conscience, can the government (you and me, if you pay taxes, I do) can we ever get out of the debt and you want to add onto it with Government run healthcare!
HAVE A GOP DAY!!!
How did he impede your free speech? You're writing to this paper, you stomped around with your silly signs and spoke out all you want.
Free speech does not mean anyone has to listen to stupid rantings of misguided people who don't give a darn about their fellow Texans.