Great deeds are not accomplished by great men and women; great deeds are done by normal people facing extraordinary circumstances. It is through actions during troubling and trying times taken by those of us who are ordinary that mold and shape what will become a great and historical figure. Right now, in the Senate and the House, a single Democrat or group of Democrats have the chance to become great in the eyes of this nation. From broken promises of transparency to outright lies, the Obama administration and the leaders of the Democratic Party in the House and Senate have consistently taken this country down a path it does not want to travel.

Who among you is willing to remove the “for sale” sign on your vote? Who among you is willing to demand in a loud voice for the transparency promised eight times to televise health care negotiations? Who among you will stand up to the strong arm of Chicago style politics and stare down the administration with an icy glare? Do this for the country and we will forgive all past transgressions. Show us that greatness is still a quality that means something. Step up and protect us from this madness.

The profligate vote buying in the Senate has gotten out of hand. The special treatment granted and federal lucre handed out to the states of a few balking Senators has been disgraceful. This is not compromise, it is bribery pure and simple.

As neither party in the Senate truly understands what is in the health care bill, the law of unintended consequences demands a deliberative and transparent process. The purpose behind rushing through this bill is political and completely disconnected from serving the best interests of this country and the people who live in it.

It is time for a new style of politics, not one of obfuscation, hidden backroom deals, and broken promises. Yet lately it seems many politicians in the Democratic party are pitting themselves against the will of the American people, both liberals and conservatives. America needs someone of great quality to stop this madness—someone who understands the responsibility derived from freedom and position.

Someone once said, “The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people.” The Democratic party appears deaf in this regard. We the American people implore Democrats in the Senate to stand on principle, to separate themselves from the pack, be the guardian of freedom and demand total and open transparency on our behalf. We urge you to vote against this bill. We urge you to lift the veil of deafness and hear our voices.

Related:

Pelosi: We’re “very close” to a deal with the Senate on ObamaCare. Perhaps Senator Blanche Lincoln will do the right thing.

Press corps grills Gibbs: Um, didn’t Obama totally shamelessly lie about C-SPAN?

Darkness reigns: Obama and the Vampire Congress

To understand how spineless our so-called representatives on the hill are, read this. Only by reading how Pelosi utilized the Stupak amendment to stop federally funded abortion to guarantee the passage of the healtcare bill in the House can the reader really begin to appreciate the use of strategic voting and how it can be used in the Senate to defeat ObamaCare. Dr. Hunter provides a very useful analysis of the Stupak amendment and its strategic use by the liberals and combines it with very useful insights from Rush Limbaugh. We ignore this at our own peril.

The rabbit hole of depravity inside the beltway and how politicians game the system in their own self-interest to the detriment of the country is an education in itself. It is left to us, the grassroots, and real conservative leaders to pressure Senators to make this an issue. The reader should not be surprised that some of our most prized and honored Washington conservative organizations and individuals would rather have an issue at their disposal to raise funds than actually win the battle. Self-serving interests and money trump country-first attitudes across the beltway landscape. If you are surprised at how far we have fallen so fast, look no further than the greed that exists inside the beltway and with groups and individuals outside the beltway whose only interests are to help themselves to a full plate of our money and our time. We must hold accountable not only the politicians who refuse to do the right thing and vote strategically with the goal of killing liberty destroying legislation, but those groups and individuals we have often felt to be our allies. We the people are alone out here with very little support. The battle is ours to fight, and ours to win or lose. The time to rely on so-called allied organizations and individuals is nearing an end.

At the end of this battle, we will be able to define those who are truly on the side of limited government and willing to do the hard work and those that are using current events to line their pockets. In the post-mortem of this first battle, count those organizations and individuals which pushed for strategic voting and made it their mission to push hard for a winning strategy as our allies and cast the rest aside like so much waste products.

The following is from Dr. Larry Hunter, former advisor to President Ronald Reagan and a strategical expert on controlling legislative results on the Hill:

It is now clear that we can defeat ObamaCare in the Senate but only if Republican Senators have their strategic wits about them and are perspicacious enough to vote strategically on a whole series of amendments, i.e. vote the opposite of how they ordinarily would vote on the merits of the amendments. For example, all Republican Senators must be prepared to vote at least “present,” and perhaps “no” (depending upon how many Democrats themselves are prepared to strategically vote contrary to their preferences on the merits) on removing the public option for Joe Lieberman; or to vote “present” or perhaps even “no” on an amendment adding an anti-abortion provision to the bill for Ben Nelson. The same goes for any amendments by or for Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad to reduce the cost of the proposal. I also suspect there will be several sham “fiscal-responsibility/deficit reduction” amendments offered, which Republicans will have to steel themselves to vote against. Moreover, there may be Medicaid amendments designed to reduce the fiscal burden on states that Republicans will be tempted to support, which they must vote against.

Success also will depend upon Republican Senators having the fortitude and self-discipline to refrain from offering “perfecting” amendments of their own that would make the bill more palatable to Democratic Senators on the margin such as Mary Landrieu and Blanch Lincoln. Indeed, the only amendments opponents to
ObamaCare should even think about offering to the Reid bill are amendments in the nature of a substitute that are so excellent on the merits that all conservatives enthusiastically could support and hence a sufficient majority of Democrats will certainly vote against and thus kill.

There is one overriding strategic consideration that must be kept in mind by Republicans Senators and determine every vote they cast: Majority Leader Reid is getting ready to do us an enormous favor by putting a bill on the floor (the Reid Amendment that he will offer as a substitute to H.R. 3962) that cannot get 60 votes. In other words, Reid is getting ready to put his party in a hole from which they can climb out only by “perfecting” the bill with amendments. I believe some of those amendments—two in particular (removing public option and adding an antiabortion provision)—can only succeed with Republican support. Republicans must deny Democrats any and all Republican support to perfect the bill, i.e., make it more palatable to any Democrats. If Republicans defeat all such “perfecting” amendments (by which I mean amendments that improve the bill’s prospect of passing), then we can take down the bill itself. Therefore every action taken by Republican Senators, every vote cast must be undertaken with one overriding strategic consideration: Do absolutely NOTHING to make the bill one iota more palatable to Democratic Senators such as Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson who will not vote “yea” on the Reid bill NOR WILL THEY VOTE “YEA” ON CLOTURE TO MOVE TO FINAL PASSAGE of the Reid bill as it will be configured when it gets to the Senate Floor.

If we prevent the Democratic Leadership from removing the poison provisions in the bill (especially public option and abortion), we can overcome any Leadership maneuvering to impose party discipline on cloture votes and hand out free passes on final passage votes. The free-pass strategy may work on lesser amendments along the way but it won’t work on the final cloture vote required to move to a vote on final passage if either poison pill remains in the bill. After all amendments have been disposed of, a “yea” vote on the final cloture vote to close debate on the bill and move to final passage will be understood by everyone to be tantamount to a “yea” vote on final passage, where only 50 votes will be required to pass the bill. Therefore, if we keep abortion and public option in the bill, I believe we can win the final cloture vote and prevent the underlying bill from ever coming to an up-or-down vote where Reid would be able to give out up to ten free passes to vote “nay” on final passage.

We have some very smart and dedicated staffers currently hard at work on this strategy inside the Senate. They need help, however, from outside groups to make this degree of strategic voting possible. It is not easy to convince Senators to vote strategically. We have to convince them the entire conservative movement will be behind them, explaining to their constituents what is going on and why, defending them against any critics who try to argue that ObamaCare is inevitable and therefore it is incumbent upon Republicans to make it as acceptable (least damaging) as possible. This kind of thinking is defeatist. WE CAN DEFEAT OBAMACARE IF REPUBLICANS HANG TOGETHER AND VOTE STRATEGICALLY AT EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY. Conservative groups, therefore, must send Republicans a clear and concise message that they will hold Republican Senators responsible if they fail to vote strategically and ObamaCare is enacted into law.

First, we need to have every conservative group that does key-vote rankings to announce immediately that they intend to key-vote a “yea” vote on the cloture vote on a motion to proceed to consideration of H.R. 3962 as a “yea” vote on ObamaCare. They all need to put out press releases, put it on their websites, hold press conferences and write letters notifying Senators of their intentions. And, they need to do it IMMEDIATELY because Reid may be preparing to offer a motion to proceed on Tuesday and immediately thereafter file a cloture petition, which would enable him to hold a cloture vote before the Senate goes out for Thanksgiving on Friday if he has the votes. He may be engineering this rush before Thanksgiving to prevent us from organizing to defeat cloture on a motion to proceed. If he does not have the votes by Friday, he loses nothing, as he will have the Thanksgiving recess to work on getting the votes without exposing the details of the Reid substitute amendment. Even if we think he may have the votes already, we must nevertheless make the effort to deny Reid the 60 votes on a motion to proceed before Thanksgiving. That means getting the conservative organizations and grass-roots groups in motion on Monday.

There is talk that Lieberman and other skeptical Democrats already have agreed to vote for cloture on a motion to proceed. They will justify themselves by telling constituents that they want to pass a healthcare bill this year and in order to do so a bill must first be allowed to come to the floor for consideration. They will say the leadership has assured them that there will be ample opportunity to “perfect” the bill by amending it on the floor but that the only way to amend a bill is to have it on the floor under consideration.

Of course that narrative is not true, and it is meant simply to justify their trying to cover their behinds and still have it both ways. Senators like Lieberman very well could withhold their “yea” vote on a motion to proceed precisely in order to put sufficient pressure on the leadership to force it to make the changes to Reid’s amendment that recalcitrant Democrats demand BEFORE the bill comes to the floor.

Even if we lose on this cloture vote, it will still be a useful exercise to get the conservative movement and grass roots groups organized and cooperating strategically for the fight to come on the Senate floor. Therefore, it is incumbent on our groups to make it unambiguously clear that A VOTE FOR CLOTURE ON A MOTION TO PROCEED TO H.R. 3962 is a vote for ObamaCare. That requires an immediate and massive, no-quarter-given, public-relations campaign on key-voting the cloture vote on a motion to proceed to instill this fact in the mind of the public and Democratic Senators. We cannot give Democrats ANY fig leaf to hide behind.

Second, we need to prepare the way with these same conservative groups to man up when the time comes and key vote a “yea” vote on any anti-abortion amendment as a “yea” vote on ObamaCare. Although most of these groups would not ordinarily key vote any abortion vote, they must do so on ObamaCare, and they must have time to explain to their members and the public exactly what they are doing and why, which
is why that ball must be set in motion immediately.

The same goes in spades where the pro-life groups are concerned. These groups must be made to understand that a “yea” vote on an anti-abortion amendment is a “yea” vote on ObamaCare. We must make them understand that the Stupak Amendment is a snare and a delusion, a paper tiger that won’t work if relied upon to prevent government-funded/sponsored/facilitated abortions but instead will grease the skids for government-run healthcare and wholesale abortion. They also must come to the realization, hard as it may be for them to accept, that had the Stupak Amendment failed in the House, the Pelosi Bill would have crashed and burned. (Read the details here—“It Was The Stupak Amendment, Stupak”) It will be a heavy lift to convince these groups, especially given they already are engaged making the same mistakes in the Senate they made in the House. We cannot allow the same strategic blunders to occur in the Senate. If we do, ObamaCare will pass the Senate, and conservatives will have no one but ourselves to blame.

The outside conservative groups also need to prepare the groundwork for key voting any “yea” votes on amendments to remove the public option from the bill or to replace the public option with health-insurance cooperatives or to put a trigger on the public option, all as “yea” votes for ObamaCare. Finally, we must find a way to get the grass-roots organizations out in front on this strategy. Americans for Prosperity, Patients First, FreedomWorks, Tea Parties, 9/12 Organizations—all are essential to getting behind this strategy and supporting the Republican Senators in this effort.

I know we can win this battle because we already won a warm-up version of the same kind of battle recently on the so-called “Doc-Fix” bill. It required steely-eyed determination on the part of two Senators to maneuver the Republican Leadership into acting strategically to defeat the bill. Here is what happened.

Initially, Republicans did not want to appear to be opposing the doctors who support their campaigns, and so they were not going to object to Reid bringing the bill to the Senate Floor. However, Senators Coburn and DeMint were unwilling to give unanimous consent to proceed to consideration of the bill. This compelled
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to go to Reid and demand a list of amendments in exchange for unanimous consent to proceed to the bill. McConnell told Reid his conference was united (39 Rs) in opposition unless they got amendments. Reid then went to his caucus to get the 60 votes needed (and promised by President
Obama) to invoke cloture on the Motion to Proceed, but the votes weren’t there. Reid was forced to throw in the towel and essentially stuck his thumb in Obama’s eye because the president didn’t produce the votes he promised.

There is no doubt in my mind that the reason Republicans eventually became comfortable opposing the AMA and the reason why Democrats ultimately were unwilling to go along with the massive deficit spending involved with the Doc-Fix bill was because of the large number of conservative organizations, blogs and
grassroots activists working together on the same message with the same strategy, which in turn allowed the two Republican Senators to maneuver their leadership into the correct strategy. The victory was a team effort, and it never would have happened without everyone pushing in the same direction. The play to defeat the Reid bill will be more complex and a heavier lift but it is doable, and it is now our game to lose.

Also read: Abortion clause raises problems for Obama and Britain’s Nice Nanny. Dr. Hunter emails:

Once Obama’s home invasion force is in place, the only remaining “right to privacy” in America will be the right to terminate the life of an unborn child. And, anyone who thinks legislative language such as Stupak will prevent the government-run healthcare system from turning into a wholesale abortion clinic is delusional.

In other news and opinion:

ObamaCare: Nelson is Stupak all over again, but possibly worse

While the Senate is the place to kill ObamaCare, to understand the dynamics of what must happen next it is important to understand the impact of the Stupak amendment to stop federally funded abortions on getting the bill passed in the House. Read: It Was The Stupak Amendment, Stupid. Before embarking on that journey, it is important to realize that winning this battle will require strategical voting, something many in the general public do not understand. It will require voting in a contrarian manner or at least voting present on an amendment if the vote itself will result in the death of the bill in question. To the point:

On the day of the vote on PelosiCare in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Democratic Leadership was at least 10 votes short of passing the bill because anti-abortion Members could not accept the prospect of government-funded abortions. Thus, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi allowed a vote on the Stupak Amendment, which provided anti-abortion Members a political fig leaf to hide behind even though as a matter of fact the amendment would be ineffective in preventing government-funded and assisted abortion once a government-run healthcare system is in place.

It is unambiguously clear that it was passage of the Stupak, anti-abortion amendment that allowed PelosiCare to pass the House. Had House opponents of PelosiCare had their strategic wits about them, they would have voted “present” on the Stupak Amendment, and it would have failed, thus taking down the entire Pelosi bill with it.

Defeating the entire Pelosi health bill by voting “present,” and hence defeating the Stupak Amendment would have been a far more effective way to prevent government-subsidized abortions than tacitly endorsing government-run healthcare by supporting a supposed prohibition on government-supported abortion that will be totally ineffective once a government-run healthcare system is in place. No legislative language will succeed in preventing bureaucrats, politicians and judges from finding a way to support abortions once the government takes over healthcare.

By supporting the Stupak fig leaf, anti-abortion forces snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on PelosiCare. That is what happens when single-issue politics run by Washington-based organizations strong arm Members of Congress. Four of the five leading anti-abortion organizations all issued conditional key-vote letters indicating they would score the vote on final passage of the Pelosi bill only if the Stupak Amendment was not adopted. In other words, these four groups told Members of Congress they would give them a free pass to vote “yea” on a government takeover of healthcare as long as it contained the anti-abortion fig leaf. Read the organizations’ letters: Family Research Council, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Americans United for Life, and National Right to Life Committee.

Read the whole thing, including the quoted Rush Limbaugh monologue. The Republicans knew full well Pelosi’s plan but voted in the name of political expediency to include the Stupak amendment, all but guaranteeing the passage of healthcare legislation in the House. So twisted is the current legislative process that if the general public were truly aware of the posturing and cowardice of our so-called leaders it would sicken them. As Dr. Larry Hunter wrote to me in an email:

If you haven’t already figured it out, most everything that goes on inside Washington is pure posturing and self-serving. Most of these jokers would rather have the issue to raise funds on than win the battle. I knew asking people to engage in strategic voting would be a heavy lift, and it looks like it is going to be beyond them.

The reason politicians are able to pull off these shenanigans is the complete ignorance of many, but not all, of the public to the importance of strategic voting and our unwillingness to hold accountable those whose interests are self-serving, thereby aiding the enemy in the full-scale assault on our liberties and ultimately destroying this country. We must be willing to hold them accountable for their cowardice. Even more guilty are the tools of the Democrats, the Family Research Council, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Americans United for Life, and National Right to Life Committee. The reader may be shocked to read these groups are tools of the Democrats, but a useful idiot is a tool until they decide to quit being useful idiots.

These groups should know better than anyone how strategic voting works – they lobby Washington all the time – but rather than play their cards correctly and take the time to educate their members, they would rather play right into the hands of Nancy Pelosi. As far as strategies go, our choice is either to pressure these groups to do what is in our best interests or be forced to quit considering them our strategic partners. As far as I am concerned, until they make the effort to do what is right for this country and perform the painful task required of them to educate their membership, they are as bad as the liberals trying to ram ObamaCare down our throats and I would hesitate to call them allies. Either they lack the will to do what is right, or their leadership is truly ignorant, and neither option is comforting.

The next fight in the Senate will require the same type of strategical voting – both on government funded abortion and on the public option. Many of the same players listed above will again play the role of useful idiots while spineless politicians cower in the corner at the very thought of strategic voting. It is the people who must pressure them to do what is right for this country – there will be no hiding behind skirts.

Based upon the above, it is clear how to defeat ObamaCare in the Senate.

From The Hill:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has agreed the House should vote next week on scolding Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for his outburst during President Barack Obama’s speech unless he apologies on the floor of the House.

“There was a violation of the rules of the House,” said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly. “It needs to be resolved by an apology or a resolution.”

A Democrat, likely House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), will introduce a “resolution of disapproval” Monday or Tuesday unless Wilson formally apologizes on the House floor. The House returns Monday.

Good. Bring. It. On.

Wilson should go to the floor with a television set, and play the video of the Dem caucus booing Bush during the State Of The Union address in 2005. This should be followed by his reading the Associated Press fact check of Obama’s speech to the Joint Session. The story is evidence that Obama is fact challenged. Pelosi has all but called the Tea Party liars, and Reid, Pelosi, and Obama have consistently talked about stopping the spread of lies about the healthcare bill. In order for their to be lies, there must be liars, so with their accusations, the three stooges just called a majority of Americans liars.

Wilson should bring the bill to the floor and begin to read it, challenging Nancy, Reid, and Pelosi to expose the lies they keep harping about. Every Senate and House member who participated in this slandering of the American public should be named. The public should be reminded that Senator Harry Reid called Bush a loser. Wilson should then state that he will apologize when Obama, Reid, Pelosi, every Democrat still seated today who booed Bush in 2005, and every member of the Senate and House who basically called us liars apologizes. Let’s go on the record here. Stand up Rep. Wilson and give us a show. We want to see Nanny State Nancy go slinking back into her corner and shut her pie hole.

Let’s see who steps up and who looks stupid.

In other news and opinion:

The “Section 246 Proves Joe Wilson Is A Liar” Lie. Oh yeah Joe, bring this one up to. Even Nancy’s botox treatments won’t hold up after this onslaught.

Your BlackBerry Is Un-American!

Damn These Weak-Kneed Republicans

Senate to close ObamaCare loophole for illegal immigrants that media claims doesn’t exist. You don’t say! So Obama is a liar and the spineless Republican twits in the House won’t even back him up. Excuse my French, but screw the bunch of you.

Chuck Schumer, always the blow hard, is threatening the use of reconciliation to pass health care reform. Either Schumer is operating with half a deck, or his posturing amounts to a toothless threat. If I were a betting man, my guess is that Chucky is using this threat to deflate the public opposition to the socialist health care bill (eugenics, anyone?) during the August recess. If we believe putting the fear God into Congress members to be futile, the hope is we’ll take our marbles and skulk home. Not so fast, Chucky boy. The reconciliation process is not the big bad bogeyman that Schmuck Schumer would have us believe.

Oversimplified, the reconciliation appears to be a process requiring only 50 votes in the Senate assuming the Vice President is the tie breaker. Sounds bad. OMG, they can shove it down our throats, we’re dooommeeed!

To borrow the vernacular of advertising, “But wait, there’s more!”. As Chucky stammers off his threat, he forgets some very important rules concerning the reconciliation option. Oh, that pesky Byrd rule! From The American Prospect: The Health-Reform Reconciliation Fantasy:

But reconciliation is not just a “50-vote senate,” as it’s sometimes called. It’s a process constructed in the 1970s for a specific, limited purpose: to bring existing programs in line (reconcile them) with a long-term budget. Since then, it’s been used for huge policy changes: the Reagan and Clinton budget plans, the Bush tax cuts. But there are limits. Under the senate’s Byrd Rule, intended to hold the process somewhat to its original purpose, reconciliation can’t include provisions that have no budgetary effect or that have an effect outside the current budget window, which right now is five years. (Byrd Rule limits can be waived, but by 60 votes, so you’re back in the 60-vote Senate.)

To greatly oversimplify, what this means is that it’s almost impossible to use reconciliation to build something new. You can expand Medicare or shrink it, cut taxes or raise them. But to construct something that doesn’t already exist will inevitably require provisions that don’t in themselves have a significant budgetary impact: regulations, structures, guidelines, realigned bureaucracies. In particular, much of the structure of health insurance exchanges that are envisioned in the House and HELP Committee bills would not survive the Byrd Rule axe. Only the flimsiest outlines of a health reform bill would survive – the financing would be there, but not the structures to ensure that the money would be used properly. Further, reconciliation would give the Finance Committee – which controls the money – even more clout over the more liberal HELP committee.

Some have suggested using reconciliation to install the rough skeleton of reform, and then fixing it later, but the act of using reconciliation in the first place is such a nuclear option that it is likely to poison the waters not just with the four semi-reasonable Republicans but also with the Democrats who are left out of the deal, and will be needed on subsequent legislation.

The American Prospect is getting this right – something I rarely say about a liberal. But then the author ignores the cliff and plunges over:

But what if Congress did it in reverse? Use the 60-vote Senate to pass whatever they can pass now — we liberals will grumble but live with it — and then use reconciliation next year to fix it. With the exchange structure and subsidies established, it wouldn’t be hard to add an employer mandate, which would save money. With the rudiments of even a weak public plan in place, it wouldn’t be complicated to expand it and modify its eligibility rules, in ways that might save or cost money but in either event, involve budget changes to an existing program rather than creating something new. Aggregating small changes over the next few years (on the model of the steady expansion of Medicaid engineered by Henry Waxman and others over the 1980s and 1990s) could non-controversially build the kind of robust and equitable system we dream of.

It’s not ideal, and any political scheme based on do something now and hoping to fix it later faces the reality of all the partial reforms that litter the landscape. A plan that is so bad that it brings a backlash is more likely to be repealed than fixed. But it might just be that the big reform of health care can’t be achieved all at once. And this would at least get the pieces in place for the next phase to move forward, with or without the current obstructionists.

One problem though. I can think of many possibilities in 2010 or 2012 where Republicans can use either reconciliation or a veto proof vote to stick the knife in deep, twist it for good measure, and look into the eyes of socialism as we watch it die.

Many pundits will label my predictions as naive, but most pundits work under using the current rules of the game – they could not do otherwise. I have more freedom to take into account what I am seeing on the ground. A revolution is occurring, a tectonic shift in the political landscape, and where I once was a pessimist, I am now an optimist. Never have I felt such emotion, unbridled and so raw it possesses you.

But more importantly, I love my father (my mother is no longer with us). It is my duty to ensure that he is not cast away like a bag of trash because he is too old and considered not worth saving by some bureaucratic shithead. He contributed to this society, dutifully paying his taxes and being a good citizen. His life has not been easy, but his life is certainly worth something.

While I never say or write in the following manner, to the supporters of this bill – f**k you. Mess with my family and you are going to find one extremely pissed off and motivated voter shoving his boot up your ass as he pulls the voting lever. If my father dies under your watch, I would not want to be you – not for all the money and power in the world.

And I won’t be alone.

In other news and opinion:

Great stuff from Michelle Malkin here, here, and here.

Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: The irony of “reconciliation”

Obama’s propaganda machine trying to save Obama from his own words.

Emperor Misha I on the Obama Socialist Joker Poster: It Certainly Seems to Have Hit a Nerve. We need a Rottweiler to help take a bite out of socialism. It’s meaty and delicious and looks even better the next day as a waste product.

Chew on this, assholes. It’s a two way street, but hey, I’d be happy to make it one way and chase your hapless cowardly asses before catching up to you and beating you to death with my pinky.

Truth to paper – now that’s real art.

As I watch these videos (here and here) of congress members coming home to meet the wrath of their constituents, the hairs raise on the back of my neck. I am reminded of the Declaration of Independence. While the following was used as a preamble to describe the abuse of power by Great Britain and subsequent call-to-action for independence, the beginning is a generalization of the human condition under any form of tyrannical government:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government.

If the liberals want to make health care a right, then by all means do so. The right to health care, combined with the inclusiveness of rationing and subsequent denial of care, would directly contradict the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, with the greatest insult visited upon the right to life.

I think Congress and the Senate are on very dangerous grounds here. The backlash and public upheaval should they force through this boondoggle will be a great force, motivated by anger – a potential earth shattering apocalypse – metaphorical, and possibly literal.

For years the gatekeeper against our revolutionary spirit was apathy , so eloquently explained in our Declaration of Independence as:

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed

But under Obama I am beginning to see signs that many believe we have suffered enough:

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Our duty.

The mask is off. Here is a video the proves beyond argument that Obama and the liberals are maneuvering towards a single payer socialized health care system, regardless of the lies they tell us. No more. Thanks also Ma Bird who is following me on Twitter for this story.

Now add to the mix of insults and lies the promise from Obama the middle class would not be taxed with his administrations recent statements that

We Can’t Promise Middle Class We Won’t Raise Their Taxes.

More on that here.

Can you say powder keg?

Call and email Congress now. Visit the town hall meetings. Read the words above from the Declaration of Independence and remind them who it is they work for and represent.

Should you become discouraged as you take up your signs, make calls, and send emails, keep the following quote from Thomas Jefferson in mind:

People get the government they deserve.

Send these two videos to everyone you know. This gets the point across. Heck, send them to your Senators and Representatives. Thanks to Nancy who is following me on Twitter for providing the links:

Part 1

Part 2

The videos can also be found over at Not So Sure.

Also read Did ‘Cash for Clunkers’ just put Obamacare on the junk heap? and check out this other video that shows you just how poorly senior citizens are already being treated. Ties in well with the first video above.

In the Hill Tweet Room, I just noted a tweet from Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley:

Little disingenuous for pres obama to say “hurry up” pass healthCare. Wk here wk there makes little differenc considerin startup is 2013.

Hmm. If the final bill’s statup date is in 2013 that provides us with many opportunities I have been mulling over:

• Assume the 2010 elections sees a number of Democrat seats go Republican in both the House and Senate. Even without a majority or a slim majority and, given the threat of the veto pen from Obama, there may be political stalling tactics and other procedural tricks to slow down or change the current legislation in preparation for 2012.
• Given 2010 will probably see a moderate reduction in Democrat seats, then 2012 is the perfect opportunity. The Republican’s can grab back the majority in the House and Senate with a Republican president replacing Obama. The public, aware the Senate requires a filibuster proof majority, votes accordingly. A subsequent new health care reform bill effectively negates the previous bill and provides for real reform.
• Some states could attempt to assert their 10th amendment rights and tie up the legislation in the courts for as long as possible. They may even win the battle.
• As I live in Texas, I love Rick Perry’s statements concerning succession. Perhaps a succession movement would take hold in this country from various red states. However, this final option produces a high probability of creating a serious constitutional crisis. Still, if all options are closed, then I would personally support such an approach.

I really should replace “Republican” with “fiscal conservative”. As long as there are fiscal conservative, limited government politicians who caucus with the Republican’s, then I think there is a chance that any health reform that includes a public option either overtly or covertly that makes it out this year could be stalled and negated by 2010 or 2012, with the later being more likely. The only downside to this is the damage done to the current system as it prepares for 2013 and how easily reversible that damage is. It is for this reason that I think that anything that would stall progress on whatever liberal bill we get out of Congress is a good thing.

Of course, all of the above is predicated on the belief a bill will be forthcoming. I am still optimistic this can be stopped, although in my darkest hours in know that something will probably come out by the end of the year. And I don’t doubt that any bill which sees the light of day would spell the end of quality health care in this country and the beginning of a socialized, eugenic, pile of crap.

In other news and opinion:

Did ‘Cash for Clunkers’ just put Obamacare on the junk heap?

Hot Air video: Seniors worried about health care removed from Feinstein’s office. Oh those dangerous senior citizens! I live in fear of them every day. They are so prone to violence, running about in their “gangs”. Those vicious thugs! How dare they voice an opinion!

Way to listen there Feinstein. So this is how the Democrats are going to cram health care down our throats – ignore their constituents. That’s 21st century American liberals for you.

One of the differences between a liberal and a conservative is that liberals have no idea how much money it takes to keep a nation in poverty. They sure as heck are trying to find out.

The Wall Street Journal indicates support is eroding for ObamaCare, and there is every reason to believe support will continue its free fall over the August recess. Just keep in mind that ObamaCare is like the killer in a cheap horror film who, at the very end, when everyone is convinced he is dead, suddenly jumps up and continues his reign of carnage. The solution always seems so obvious. Once you think the bad guy is dead, make sure by emptying a shotgun and fourteen rounds of 45 caliber destruction from your Glock 37 into the killer’s chest and head. Then stab him until you find yourself out of breath. End by cutting off his head for good measure.

That is how we must treat ObamaCare. Shoot it, stab it, cut off its head, and throw in a hammer and sickle as bonus weapons to kill off this piece of liberty stealing socialist garbage.

The narrative over the last two months is clear and needs no repeating. The bottom line – support for health care reform of the style that liberals favor is not well-received by a growing number of a population wary of a government takeover of health care. I believe even some liberal representatives may find themselves mightily challenged in the 2010 elections. We just have to make sure they get the message that even they could be in trouble, not to mention the Blue Dogs and Democrats from conservative states and districts and any RINOs contemplating reaching out to assist those whose agenda is the destruction of the some of the very foundations of this country – liberty and individual freedom, not to mention state’s rights.

That is why it is so important to attend your local Recess Rally August 22nd. Don’t forget to contact your senators and representatives now and over the recess. The link for House members includes committee information and Blue Dog identification.

From the WSJ:

Support for President Barack Obama’s health-care effort has declined over the past five weeks, particularly among those who already have insurance, a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found, amid prolonged debate over costs and quality of care.

In mid-June, respondents were evenly divided when asked whether they thought Mr. Obama’s health plan was a good or bad idea. In the new poll, conducted July 24-27, 42% called it a bad idea while 36% said it was a good idea.

Among those with private insurance, the proportion calling the plan a bad idea rose to 47% from 37%.

Declining popularity of the health-care overhaul reflects rising anxiety over the federal budget deficit and congressional debate over the most contentious aspects of the legislation, including how to pay for it. The poll also shows concern over the role of government in determining personal medical decisions.

Trying to regain momentum, Mr. Obama is shifting his pitch to new consumer-protection rules for insurance companies, part of a bid to win over Americans who already have coverage.

David Axelrod, one of the president’s top advisers, acknowledged that the White House’s months-long focus on controlling medical costs hasn’t worked. “Consumer protections are a lot more tangible,” he said.

On Wednesday, Democratic leaders in the House reached accord with conservative party members to move their bill through the last of three committees, although the full House won’t vote on the measure until at least September. “Failure is not an option,” said California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman.

The White House is eager to show progress and build public support before Congress breaks for summer, when opponents plan to continue their campaign. “If this bill hangs out there over the August recess my guess is it will get shredded,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio), said.

Shred away people, shred away.

In other news and opinion:

More culture of corruption: Who let the New Black Panther Party thugs off?

Ed Morrissey: Initial jobless claims increase again. But, but, but… I thought the stimulus package was supposed to stimulate!

Byron York: New WSJ poll is bad, bad news for Obama, Democrats. I would like to add, “and great, great news for America”. We’re not the USSA yet.

In other pertinent news critical to the survival of this nation, we have this little gem from the CNN Political Ticker: Beer choice at Obama meeting touches off new debate.

But Sam Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch told NPR if it was up to him he would make a special beer just for the event.

“I’d make a blend of ingredients from all over the world. Which is certainly what’s represented there with the three participants,” he said. “I would blend those ingredients together artfully and harmoniously, because that’s really what we all hope for.”

And they all lived happily ever after, and Iran gave up its ambitions for the atomic bomb, and had free and fair elections as radical Islam found itself magically transformed into piece loving, teddy bear hugging liberals.

Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya….

What a bad month for Obama. After working with the House to jam Cap-n-Tax down our collective throats, it looked like nothing could derail the Obama express. Already, ObamaStimulus, well under way – or not – showed signs of not working. So much so that His Highness found himself forced to invent new wording to describe his failed stimulus philosophy – jobs saved or created. Like we would fall for that one.

After ObamaCap-n-Tax, Captain America along with his first mate Nancy Pelosi, rubbed their hands together in unbridled excitement, sensing the fruition of liberal wishes all across the great land of Obamatopia. Certainly the Greek Gods smiled down upon them. Soon they would be replaced by The One. Then came the bad news. Not so fast Captain Disaster.

For some reason, liberals hate reading. They don’t read bills, they don’t read the Constitution – I am not sure they are aware of the document – and they don’t read the American people. When a Gallup poll showed America shifting towards conservatism – they wrote it off, ignored it, tried to explain it away; anything but admit it. Liberals everywhere found it inconceivable and beyond imagining that the sheeple of this country found their way of governing to be – well – distasteful and undesirable. They were “shocked” at the Tea Party protests, and “shocked” as they found themselves outnumbered at their own planned venues designed to fill our hearts will love for the social engineering of medicine. Outnumbered by conservative vermin- sometimes at a ratio of 10-to-1.

Disinformation, they protested. His Highness jumped on board – claiming the Republican’s disinformation campaign concerning his beloved health care was “destroying my presidency”. Interesting that he also admitted, along with many members of the House and Senate, that he was unaware of most of the aspects of the bill. In short, he had not read it, or even bothered to have someone read it for him. The argument of “I don’t know the facts, but I conclude the other side is distorting them”, falls flat on an American public that – surprise! – possess a great deal more smarts than the elites in the Washington liberal establishment and their fellow pirates at MoveOn, Daily Kos, and most of the media outlets give them credit for. Of course, Obama is well aware the scaffolding of the bill serves the purpose of killing private insurance and forcing everyone onto the “public plan”. The real disinformation campaign is by Obama and the liberals on the Utopian ship to Nowhere. Only a liberal could look you in the face, claim you are lying, and know who the real liar is. If not a liberal, then someone very neurotic – but then they are the same, are they not? But I digress.

Some not so liberal Democrats, their heads screwed on straight after suffering through the backlash on Cap-n-Tax from their constituents, noticed they had a backbone and were not the puppets of Madam Pelosi and His Highness. A crack in the wall appeared.

Then came the plummeting poll numbers for Obama’s policies, and the latest Rasmussen poll that has Obama’s approval index at -11. The recipe for disaster is almost complete. Martha Stuart would be proud:

• Add one measure of cap-n-tax passed by the House.
• Add an element of surprise to many representatives at their constituent’s anger for the rushed passing of the debacle that is cap-n-tax
• Add a few level headed Blue Dogs democrats to the liberal mix
• Let boil for a couple of weeks as health care is debated
• Add enough rope to the roiling stew to allow His Highness to hang himself at a presser pushing socialized health care
• Add more rope to allow His Highness to hang himself with additional controversial statements concerning a certain police officer and a teacher at Harvard. Proclamtions our Dear Leader predicated on the statement he possessed none of the facts. Sound familiar?
• Add plunging poll numbers and a missed August deadline for health reform
• Add an entire congressional recess for the public’s intelligence to be further insulted by liberal advertisements touting how well the government runs things and sound the praises for the gift that is socialized health care without actually calling it socialized health care. Watch in amazement as they keep trying to tell us that we can keep our current plan if we like it. Nothing about pushing out private insurance on an exchange where it is forced to compete with the “public option”. Nothing to see here, just move along.
• Simultaneously add in advertisements that show the truth of liberal diversion and legislative tactics concerning said socialized health care and what “the public plan” really means. Higher costs, rationing, and the death of ingenuity. Not to mention control over when you will die. Thanks a lot for the hard work grandma, but the sad fact is, your just too darn old and not worth saving, so perform your duty for the collective and just die already will you. Government as God.
• During this month, mix in an earful of complaints and outright anger directed at representatives and senators who suddenly find the fear of God a constant companion as their re-election in 2010 hangs in the balance.
• Lastly, mix in additional plunging poll numbers for His Highness, especially given that The Obama-conomy: “It’s worse than you think”

  Let it all stew and watch Obama’s liberal castle crumble around his ears. This is not to say His Most High can’t do any damage in the 3 1/2 years remaining, even with the slaughter for liberalism that will be the 2010 elections. His Highness will drag this country through the mud as often as possible, but we have weathered worse. It will take a long time to get rid of the taste of the ObamaNation.

  In closing, I had the opportunity to watch Zach Galifianakis, of “The Hangover” fame in a film titled “Visioneers”. An odd little movie to be sure, but with many poignant points. In this world of the future, dreams are considered bad. Both in the literal sense – as when sleeping – and in the figurative sense – such as possessing them. Having either or both types of dreams can lead to one exploding – in the literal sense (I told you the movie was a bit odd). I won’t give away the plot, but there is one scene in the move when the protagonist is told that in order to get rid of dreams, it is important to kill that which is most important to you. For most of us, this would be our family or a loved one. In the context of this country, that would be life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, or as my Naval friend says, “Life, liberty, and the happiness of pursuit”.

  Then it struck me. That is exactly what socialism is – what liberalism is. It is the overt and often covert attempt to level the playing field by making everyone as miserable as everyone else. No more excellence allowed in this utopia. If you succeed, we will punish you and take away the fruits of your labor. Anyone found possessing ambition or passion will be trampled upon, ridiculed, pilfered, and outcast. No dreams allowed, except those provided for by the state. Do not think for yourself, do not think for others; do not think, period. Mediocrity and blandness are the order of the day and we will all be equal, not under God, but under the clenching fist of Government, for Government is now your God, and that other god is no longer allowed, for there is only one true God, known as “The State”.

  For now, just call Him Obama.

  In other news and opinion:

  Jonah Goldberg hits the proverbial nail on the head: None dare say rationing:

  Let us for a moment adopt the proposition that health care is in fact a “right,” as pretty much every liberal politician has told us.

  Now let us consider how President Obama’s health-care bill would work. An official body – staffed with government doctors, actuaries, economists and other experts – will determine which treatments, procedures and remedies are cost-effective and which are not. Then it will decide which ones will get paid for, and which won’t. Democrats call this “cost-controls.” But for the patient and the doctor, it’s plain old rationing.

  Now, imagine if the government had a body of experts charged with figuring out what your free-speech rights are, or right to assemble, or worship. Mr. Jones, you can say X and Y but not Z. Ms. Smith, you can freely assemble with Aleutians, Freemasons and carpenters, but you may not meet in public with anyone from Cleveland or of Albanian descent. Mrs. Wilson, you may pray to Vishnu and Crom, but never to Allah or Buddha, and when you do pray, you cannot do so for longer than 20 minutes, unless it is one of several designated holidays. See Extended Prayer Form 10-22B.

  Michelle Malkin: “The siren call of judicial activism”. Here is to hoping that, one day, a majority of our federal legislature suddenly decides that judicial activism is grounds for impeachment. If judges are allowed to continue to invent law from the bench, then the constitution is nothing but a piece of paper. We already have a group of people to do that – Congress. Remember that strange concept called separation of powers? It is not a hurdle to be overcome – it is written in the very fabric of this land.

  Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: New Dem strategy on ObamaCare: Ignore the evidence and just trust us!. No thanks. I would sooner trust a used car salesman or a snake oil peddler.

  Call it faith-based economics. Just forget all of those people who make a living at looking at balance sheets, cost projections, and legislative analysis — trust us! For a party that screeched about returning science to its “rightful place” in policymaking, they seem highly enamored of tarot cards and entrail-reading when it comes to their own fiscal policies.

  Glenn Reynold’s on Michelle Malkin’s Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies. Read it, buy it for a loved one, pass it on.

  Emperor Misha I eviscerates in the usual fascinating fashion, exposing Obama and his Latin American advisor. Kinds of puts things in perspective. Read Pieces Coming Together.

  The CNN political ticker reports: RNC commits nearly $1 million on health care campaign. Now that’s change put to good use. More of the same, please! See the story for a list of the Democrat targets. I don’t think CNN will allow the trackback to my story – as they have in the past. Fair and balanced? I think not. Puppets who like to have their strings pulled – you betcha. Am I surprised? Come on, take a guess…