Even Saturday Night Live isn’t buying the act anymore…
Monthly Archive for November, 2009
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The Senate is set to vote Saturday night, right before the holiday, on a motion to proceed on its latest health care government take-over bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing for yet another weekend vote (commonplace now for the party of “transparency”) because he knows that the American people will be none too happy about the Democrats’ proposal the longer they have to look it over.
A vote against the Democrats’ motion will help stop Obamacare before it gets any closer to becoming a reality. While this Saturday night vote might seem like a procedural matter, at the end of the day a vote against Senator Reid’s motion is a vote against massive new government spending and a take-over of 1/6th of the U.S. economy; it’s a vote against billions in tax increases and penalties; it’s a vote against federal funding of abortion; and it’s a vote against considering responsible tort reform.
And in case you hadn’t heard – just a reminder that you’ll start paying higher taxes to fund this scheme in 2010 even though it doesn’t start up until 2014. Only in Washington does that make any sense. Among the provisions in this bill will be a $2500 cap on Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). The IRS allows families with special needs children to use FSAs to cover educational expenses. This new $2500 cap will hit these families especially hard and cost them hundreds of dollars in new taxes every year.
Contact your senators and tell them to vote against the motion to proceed tomorrow night. The American people don’t support this – we support the commonsense solutions that have been proposed, but totally ignored by (at this point) some out-of-control Washington politicians. Let’s put a stop to Obamacare before it goes any farther.
Source: Sarah Palin on Facebook
The RI Young Republicans will be hosting the 2009 RIGOP Christmas Party on Wednesday, December 16th, from 7:00pm – 10:00pm at Eleven Forty-Nine Restaurant in Warwick / East Greenwich. Guaranteeing you the party of the year, the RIYRs will be providing lots of little goodies and surprises. Plus, we just booked Patrick Kennedy to dress up as Santa!
Travis Rowley
RIYR, Chair
Last week, Governor Donald L. Carcieri officially signed into law legislation that reconstitutes the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) board of directors and defines the term of employment for an EDC executive director.
The legislation expands the board of directors from nine members to 13 members, and defines the term of employment for the position of executive director of three years, allowing for the state to better attract and retain a candidate and to maintain a consistent economic development policy free from political changes.
“Throughout the course of my administration, we have made it a priority to put forward-thinking measures in place to make both government and our state work better. This legislation will serve as a strong foundation for us to foster progressive economic change for Rhode Island,” said Governor Donald L. Carcieri. “It will also help us chart a more stable course of action to make Rhode Island more competitive, create jobs, assist us in our efforts to attract new growth industries to our state, and spur the growth of a knowledge-based economy.”
News Release: Office of the Governor
The Republican National Committee (RNC) raised an off-year record $8.8 million in October, it will announced in its yet-to-be filed report.
The RNC’s performance comes a month after it learned it was outraised by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for the first quarter since 2004.
The GOP committee now has $11.2 million cash on hand. The DNC has yet to released its figures.
“The elections in Virginia and New Jersey clearly showed the American people oppose bigger government, reckless federal spending, and higher taxes, and this enthusiasm for common-sense Republican principles is strongly resonating with our generous and motivated donors,” RNC Chairman Michael Steele said in a statement. “Thanks to our many contributors, the RNC is on solid financial footing as we continue build an organization to support our candidates and state parties in the election of 2010 and beyond.”
Source: Republican National Committee
URGENT CONGRESSIONAL ALERT!
Action: Please call Senators Reed and Whitehouse NOW. Tell them that Abortion is not health care because killing is not healing! Urge them to oppose Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid’s abortion bill and to demand an explicit exclusion of abortion coverage from any government-defined or -subsidized health plan, like the Stupak amendment adopted by the House.
Senator Jack Reed:
Rhode Island 401.943.3100
Washington, DC 202.224.4642
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:
Rhode Island 401.453.5294
Washington, DC 202.224.2921
Source: National Right to Life Committee
Just like the original 2,032-page, government-run health care plan from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) massive, 2,074-page bill would levy a new “abortion premium” fee on Americans in the government-run plan.
Beginning on line 7, p. 118, section 1303 under “Voluntary Choice of Coverage of Abortion Services” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run health plan. Leader Reid’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions (line 13, p. 120).
What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run health plan. It’s right there beginning on line 11, page 122, section 1303, under “Actuarial Value of Optional Service Coverage.” The premium will be paid into a U.S. Treasury account – and these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services.
Section 1303(a)(2)(C) describes the process in which the Health Benefits Commissioner is to assess the monthly premiums that will be used to pay for elective abortions under the government-run health plan and for those who are given an affordability credit to purchase insurance coverage that includes abortion through the Exchange. The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month.
A majority of Americans believe that health care plans should not be mandated to provide elective abortion coverage, and a majority of Americans do not believe government health care plans should include abortion coverage. Currently, federal appropriations bills include language known as the Hyde Amendment that prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, while another provision, known as the Smith Amendment, prohibits federal funding of abortion under the federal employees’ health benefits plan.
Leader Reid’s 2,074-page health care monstrosity is an affront to the American people and drastically moves away from current policy. The National Right to Life Committee has called the Reid abortion language “completely unacceptable.” The American people deserve more from their government than being forced to pay for abortion. The pro-life Stupak/Pitts amendment passed the House by a vote of 240 to 194, enjoying the overwhelming support of 176 Republicans and 64 Democrats. The Stupak/Pitts Amendment codifies current law by prohibiting federal funding of elective abortions under any government-run plan or plans available under the Exchange. The Reid plan ignores the will of a bipartisan majority of the House, and indeed the American people, by rejecting this bipartisan amendment.
Health care reform should not be used as an opportunity to use federal funds to pay for elective abortions. Health reform should be an opportunity to protect human life – not end it – and the American people agree. House Republicans have offered a common-sense, responsible solution that would reduce health care costs and expand access while protecting the dignity of all human life. The Republican plan, available at HealthCare.GOP.gov, would codify the Hyde Amendment and prohibit all authorized and appropriated federal funds from being used to pay for abortion. And under the Republican plan, any health plan that includes abortion coverage may not receive federal funds.
Source: House Republican Leader John Boehner
We would like to call your attention to a fundraiser to benefit the campaign of Tom Clupny, who will be the Republican candidate in the House District 62 special election (on December 29th), which will be held this coming Thursday, November 19th, from 6:00PM to 9:00PM.
After Tom spoke with us at our meeting this past Thursday night, and answered a number of questions which were posed by the membership, the Rhode Island Republican Assembly voted to endorse his candidacy for General Assembly in the upcoming special election. In addition, the Rhode Island Republican Assembly PAC voted on Sunday afternoon to support his candidacy.
As a RIRA supporter, we hope that you will make an extra effort to help Tom out and show your support. He only has a little over 6 weeks to go until the special election is held on December 29th. The district covers parts of East Providence and Pawtucket. This is a winnable race.
We encourage you to show your support by writing a check and/or by showing up at the event. Tickets are only $20 per person (although you can certainly give more). Checks can be made payable to: “Clupny, Representative District 62″. Passed catered Hors d’oeuvres will be served. You can just show up, but if you can also just send an RSVP e-mail to Joe Giammarco at ltuta1 [at] aol [dot] com — it will help them plan a little better. We hope to see you on Thursday! Thank you.
P.S. The Knights of Columbus Hall which this fundraiser will be held at on Thursday is not the same one that East Providence GOP events are normally held at. This K of C Hall is at 3200 Pawtucket Avenue, in the vicinity of Silver Spring Golf Course and St. Mary’s-Bay View Academy. Continue reading ‘Fundraiser for Special Election Candidate Tom Clupny | Thursday’
Boy, are we sure glad that President Obama is holding the line on spending!
Technically, the debt hit the new high yesterday, but it was posted on the Treasury Department website just after 3:00 p.m. ET today. The exact calculation of the debt is a 16-digit tongue-twister and red-ink tsunami: $12,031,299,186,290.07
This latest milestone in the ever-rising journey of the National Debt comes less than eight months after it hit $11 trillion for the first time. The latest high-point is not unexpected, considering the federal deficit for the just-ended 2009 fiscal year hit an all-time high at $1.42-trillion – more than triple the previous year’s record high…
…The same document projects that by the end of the decade, the National Debt will hit $24.5 trillion — exceeding the Gross Domestic Product projected for 2019 of $22.8 trillion.
Source: CBS News
Rhode Islanders, This Is Your Congressman?!? Yeah.
For your viewing displeasure, here is a stunning new video clip from yesterday’s Congressional oversight hearing where Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-Rehab) gives new definition to the words “cringe-worthy.” This is just painful to watch.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFuu6LYQ-cA[/youtube]
If the Congressman walked on to a plane with bags under his eyes like that, he’d be charged extra for them (except on Southwest Airlines, where bags fly free!). The sad part is, given his rather checkered history, it’s not readily apparent if he’s actually under the influence of something prescribed or self-prescribed, or if this is merely the new “normal” for him. Watch and learn. Nancy Reagan was right: JUST SAY NO!