You are hereBegich’s War on the Elderly and Disabled
Begich’s War on the Elderly and Disabled
By Alex Gimarc
Alaska Standard Contributor
Today we sit within a week or two of senate passage of ObamaCare. It will take 60 votes in the senate to end debate and move for a vote on the legislation. Any single democrat or independent in the majority can vote to continue the debate and kill the legislation. Mark Begich, self described moderate democrat, is that vote. Should he vote to end debate, he has voted for its passage and supports everything in it – which is the problem.
You can do a lot of mischief in 2,000 incomprehensible pages of legalese. And senate democrats will certainly do significant damage to medical care should this legislation pass. The chief targets appear to be the elderly and disabled. Here’s how it works.
One of the provisions of ObamaCare is a cut in Medicare totaling over $400 billion. Medicare or Medicaid covers everyone over 65; essentially the elderly. It is also on the verge of bankruptcy. The congressional response to this impending bankruptcy has been to systematically decrease Medicaid payments to doctors and hospitals for services rendered. We are at the point where a significant number of doctors will not take Medicare patients, as they cannot get reimbursed for either their time or expertise. Does any sane Alaskan out there think that a further cut in Medicaid funding so that congress can cover 12-37 million new patients will do little except force Medicare into bankruptcy that much faster? Our Boy Senator supports this cut in Medicare funding by his support of this legislation.
Another provision of ObamaCare is the elimination of Medicare Advantage. This is a program, available to the elderly that allows them to purchase supplementary coverage that pays for things that Medicare will not cover, essentially giving the elderly better choices in their health care. This sort of freedom does not sit well with the democrat majorities in either the House or the Senate, and Medicare Advantage is gone in both bills. Their excuse is that Medicare Advantage is expensive and this is a cost saving measure. When you take away choice and freedom from the elderly with their medical care, you harm their care.
A third provision is a $40 billion cut in in-home care funding for Medicare recipients. In-home care is what keeps the profoundly disabled and elderly out of the institutions. It is normally far cheaper than fully institutionalizing these people and normally leads to far better care, more freedom of choice than could ever be possible. In home care includes personal care attendants. Here in Alaska, there are about 28,500 seniors and disabled that are touched in some way by these programs. Where do these people go and what do they do when Mark Begich votes to cut their health care?
If cost cutting is the goal of this legislation, you would expect to see some discussion about removing the bureaucracy or streamlining the paperwork requirements. But we don’t. Instead we have hundreds of new federal boards, commissions, hoops and other things to jump through and contend with.
Make no mistake, when Mark Begich votes for this legislation, he votes to harm the care of our neighbors least able to care for themselves. And when you worsen the health care of those least able to care for themselves, you move them quickly into a Hobbsian future where their lives will be nasty, brutish and short. And to what end? What will this help anyone?
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I sent the following email to Senator Begich on Dec. 20, 2009:
Dear Senator Begich,
I beg of you to help save us from being pushed off the precipice into the mire of President Obama’s health care reform.
On Dec. 15, 09, President Obama had a meeting with Democratic Senators and then said the following:
“And from the discussions we had it’s clear that we are on the PRECIPICE of an achievement that’s eluded congresses and presidents for generations – an achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American.”
Well, I for one, do not want to be “touched” and manhandled by this totalitarian health care bill.
This health care bill would give the federal government brazen new powers to force citizens to purchase health insurance policies whether they want to or not. This attack on our freedom is unprecedented and contrary to our constitution.
It’s true thatAlaska
ButAlaska
The federal government should keep its clutching hands off of private insurance companies. The health insurance companies that operate inAlaska are already regulated by the State of Alaska
Senator Begich, you are the 60th vote in the U.S. Senate, and you alone can save our country from going down this Marxist direction. You would be the greatest hero in the nation if you saved us.
I realize that members of a political party feel obligated and pressured to follow the direction of a president who is a member of that same party. I also can understand and appreciate that you have long time liberal feelings and are naturally inclined to look at greater governmental control as a solution to problems.
That is why you would be such an amazing champion of American freedom if you could break free of those natural inclinations in this particular dire situation. Thank you. Sincerely Yours, Randy S. Griffin
Well, the above, is the email that I sent to U.S. Senator Mark Begich today on Dec. 20, 09. I went to his email form by going to www.senate.gov
I hope everyone will write or call him in an effort to save our still mostly free country from the erosion and oppression of socialism.
Randy S. Griffin, Fairbanks, Alaska
Randy,
Good heartfelt letter. A number of us have written our boy Senator and were rewarded with the same mindless letter likely authored by his weasel in residence Julie 'the Hack ' Hasquet.
Mark has been a political animal his whole life. No morals, no standards just whatever it takes to make money and advance in the democrat power system.
Mark is literally a God to the union employees in Alaska and the posters on this site like Freshwrestler and the Big BM. They would support him if he was caught dealing crack and porno on the steps of city hall. Mark Begich will vote for the worst piece of legislation ever foisted upon the American people destined to destroy the US health care system and the American economy without even having read it. His masters and trainers have developed this in a closet with Presidents Obama's staff and a group of lobbyists.
None of the legislation he blindly supports will impact Mark Begich. He and his wife are now wealthy thanks to a series of corrupt real estate deals and he has the best health care in the world for life if he just serves one term as a senator no matter how much damage he does to Alaska or the US. But hey that is our system.
Randy don't give up. You can sleep at night, I am not sure how the Begich's of the world are able to sleep.
The CBO says that the Senate bill about to be passed will "cut federal deficits by $132 billion over 10 years and possibly much more in the subsequent decade."
Yay! Better health care for all plus savings.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091219/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul
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From an administration that had trouble dealing with a "Cash for Clunkers" program w/o overruns, adults are to believe they can run health care? Good luck with that. BTW - Medicare is going broke because it cost some 10 times more than the CBO predicted. Oh yeah...a lot of good doctors will take another carreer path if the government gets its hooks in this all the way. Medicare patients have terrible trouble now getting a GP to take them on as a patient because of the low pay they get from this "government run" program.
Very Cool Indeed!
We have entered bizarro world. So call conservatives, which I would think would include fiscal type, are opposing increasing effieciencies and reducing wasteful spending in government. ERGO, reducing government. I have to ask you WHY?
Gimarc sumises "Does any sane Alaskan out there think that a further cut in Medicaid funding so that congress can cover 12-37 million new patients will do little except force Medicare into bankruptcy that much faster?"
The cuts in Medicaid/care are because the uninsured will be able to buy insurance. Less outlay in the program therefore we can reduce that welfare program. It is that basic and it is called reforming government. We can find efficiencies, cut costs and make cuts in Medicare in reaction to the expansion of coverage to the currently uninsured. If people are able to buy insurance, then the government won't be left geting the bill. Additionally the reforms will go a long way to save Medicare Trust.
"If cost cutting is the goal of this legislation, you would expect to see some discussion about removing the bureaucracy or streamlining the paperwork requirements. But we don’t."
You don't, but I do, by none other than Sen Al Franken. He introduce amendments which take on your concerns. Nobody likes an inefficient system. We all want to get the most for the money we spend.
The big cuts are outlined here:
"* Reductions in payments to providers to reflect increased efficiencies in the system, which the White House estimates could save $110 billion over the next decade.
* Cuts in federal subsidies to hospitals that treat large populations of uninsured patients, estimated to save $106 billion in the next decade.
* Cuts in how much the federal government pays pharmaceutical companies to provide prescription drugs to seniors and others, estimated to save $75 billion over the next decade."
From Politi-fact which researched the claim about the Medicare Advantage Program and found it to be true:
"During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama singled out the Medicare Advantage program as wasteful spending and said he would curtail it as president.
The program pays private insurance companies a set rate to treat Medicare beneficiaries. The idea behind the program was that competition between private insurers would drive down costs for treating Medicare patients. But it turns out that Medicare Advantage plans have consistently cost the government more per beneficiary than traditional Medicare."
It is not working but you want to continue it? A major reason Medicare is going broke is because of huge outlays in drug benefits that were established back in 2006 and had no funding to cover the expense and did not allow for Medicare to negotiate drug prices. This is just a giveaway to insurance industry and to the Drug Companies. I don't want my tax money spent that way.
If you don't like government intervention in your life fine, reduce it; if you want to reduce the size of the government so you can drowned it in a bath tub, that is your issue. But don't sit here and bemoan reform of broken systems in government when you have spent the rest of your time trying to break them. Can you say "self-fulfilling prophecy"
FW,
Bless your heart you are a true believer in all things Liberal.
You can not point to a single example in the last 50 years of a Government program that has actually worked and given the propgrams they have implemented you can't find one that has not cost at least 5 times the estimated costs.
I just get exhausted and saddended reading your posts where you just blindly accept foolish promises from a bunch of known liars like Mark Begich.
As I have said before it boggles my mind how you can grow up in this country and have such little appreication for the intended role of government and the history of our disasterous attempts at social engineering.
Good luck as it looks like the thugs on the left have forced through the worst piece of legislation in American history. Rest assured the media and your corrupt band will find a way to blame the Republicans. You will have succeeded in creating millions of new dependents. The ultimate goal of the power hungry left.
Truly a sad time for our country. But you celebrate and dance on the graves of all those who will die as a result of your shallow and naive good intentions.
One question - can you explain why this is being Forced through without a single Senator having had an opportunity to read the entire bill and without providing any chance for the American people to know any details ? It is undeniable that the more Americans (other than the midless True Believers) learn about this legislation it continues to loose support. The only hope the corrupt dems have is to cram it down our throats. You should be very proud of this disgusting bunch.
AKT I knew you'd be there for me.
It must be convienent to be able to refute any arguement with blanket statement and not respond to any content. I know it tires you to understand the other side of the arguement. Your mind is set.
I am not really happy with the bill either. I might even vote against it if I had the chance just because it doesn't give me what I think is best for refirming this system. Regarding reading the entire text And I believe that there are Senator and their staffs that are very competent and we have been working on this thing for, oh, 40 years. There have been numerous drafts and If our Senator's and their staff's can't work through a piece of legislation that has been the focus of the last 11 plus months of work, then we do need to get some better people.
I believe in the American form of government as imperfect as it may be. I believe that government can be effective and responsive to the needs of its constituants. But it requires constant vigilance from an informed, educated populace. We fall a little short there.
Every institution has issue and needs continual managament and improvement. We manage government with elections. Stating that there is no good government and that the world is just supposed to behave via some invisible hand is just being stubborn. I think many of the following programs and done amazing things for this country and made our quality of life and standard of living amoung the top in the world. We set the standard in many of these areas and unfortunately I see you and yours dismantling the good with the bad.
Interstate Highway System
GI Bill
Labor Laws
Marshall Plan
Environmental Laws
Food safety laws
Workplace safety laws
Social Security
Space Program
Peace corps
The Internet
Women’s right to vote
Universal Public Education
National Weather Service
Product Labeling/Truth in Advertising Laws
Rural Electrification
Morrill Land Grant Act
Public Universities
Bank Deposit Insurance
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Family and Medical Leave Act
Finally there is massive problems with how we bid out and finance government and government services. It is incredibly frustrating to me as well. I could write more, but I gotta go to band practice.
FW, You and the Big BM are the masters of the "I got ya" but it is just shallow and predictable.
If I get a chance later I'll write more but you are a true zealot beyond anyone I have ever seen on the religeous right.
Your comparison of these programs some fron 100 years ago is just dopey but it does explain your worship of the Left.
Get on your knees, get out your wallet and be a good little pawn but you are going to need blinders the size of pie plates to avoid seeing the truth your goosestepping is going to lead to. But your worshipof the left leaves me no doubt you'll manage to defend whatever carnage you extend to others. But that is the nature of a True Believer.
You left out the Buggy Whip Preservation Act of 1865 !!!!
Please tell me you are not comparing this health care crap to the Woman's Right to vote, The interstate highway system ??? Just nuts.
The Internet ?????
Really Odd that you left out Medicare ? and the VA ? Gee That is Really Strange.
You did have the nerve to include Social Security - yea that is working out really well !!!!
Of course I have to say the Rural Electrification Act has been relatively successful although since its initial well intended inception it has turned into a coruupt festering cesspool of federal beurocrats flushing billions down rat holes. One interesting point is that the REA was bipartisan and took years to develop and promilgate . It was not pulled together by a bunch of weasels hiding from the public in a matter of days like the Obamacare garbage.
The only comparison that migtht make even a little sense are some of the early Environmental Legislation most of which was truly bipartisan. Of course the current horrible mess the Left has made of environmental legislation and the billions and billions and billions of dollars spent supporting this well meaning bloated mess make you feel better. The fact that the US can not build a road, damn, harvest any natural resources means nothing to you because in you wacky worldof worship - all these limits and destruction of the economy FEEL GOOD. The cost of environmental legislation is thousands of times higher than the originators intended and estimated. WE now hve tens of thousands of useless Federal Employees collecting outrageous benefits for doing absolutely nothing. The original intent was good and there was some benefit but the Left is now working with environmental extremist to destroy any quality of life in the future.
Look you guys have won so - again start the celebration as you suck the guts out the this nations working people. For the next 6 months you will be able to wallow in your success until the stench of this destructive debacle hits the fans. You might need to add some nose plugs to those blinders to avoid the truth.
Oh did you address my question about why this was being done in the dark of night behind locked doors ? Can't have any of that truth leaking out - it might keep Begich and others from having plausable deniability for this piece of garbage.
Goings on in the Senate (From Politico):
Democratic Sen. Al Franken wouldn't let him. "In my capacity as the senator from Minnesota, I object," said Franken, who shrugged his shoulders as he was presiding over the Senate. "Really?" Lieberman asked, flashing a grin.
Earlier on the floor, Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), presiding over the Senate, objected to Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) request for additional time to speak — clearly annoying Cornyn.
So, who is the teacher and who is the student?
floats to the top so you can see it.
MAYBE SHE CAN MAKE UP FOR IT BY TAKING BEGICH OUT NEXT ELECTION?
What can a little state like Alaska do?
If he votes for this bill lets start the ball rolling. Let's RECALL him. No way do Alaskans want this piece of garbage health care bill.
Parnell, it will bankrupt the state. For god sakes man write him a letter and tell him to vote NO!!
Sullivan , get your oar in!
Everybody, write the Turkey a letter and tell him our future is more important than his life of priviledge.
Rick Mystrom, Sara Palin and sadly even our own Dan Fagan are responsible for the horrible damage being done to our country and state by Mark Begich. The only difference is that I have actually heard Dan apologize for his error in not supporting Ted Stevens.
Clearly if Rick Mystrom had not tripped over his own enormous ego Mark Begich would have never been elected mayor. Mark had to cheat his was in as it was by the slimmest of margins even with Wuerch and Mystrom splitting the thinking vote. Even with 90 some % of the mindless union vote Mark had already lost so many elections he probably would have been done if he had lost this one. I have heard Mystrom spew some cocked up story about how his sticking his nose into the election did not have anything to do with Begich winning. Rubbish.
Palin probably owns the most blame for getting Begich elected. If she had not attacked and thrown Ted Stevens under that crowded, but always room for one more, bus. Sadly that is just Sara Palins style given an opportunity she will always take the low road and attack unless there is something in it for her. If Sara had supported Ted Stevens we would not have Mark Begich as Senator and he would be here in Anchorage stewing in his own juices following the exposure of his lies and cheating as Mayor. Now as a Democratic Senator known to be a vindictive kind of guy he has the power to cow the current libs on the Anchorage assembly and most of the left leaners in the state.
Dan had the decency and honesty to apologize for his poor judgement, I would be very surprised to ever hear Mystrom stand up and take responsibility for his mistake but I will shocked and amazed if Sara Palin ever even hints that she may have made even the slightest error. It is just not in Sara to take accountability for anything she does - she'll always takes the money but nver the accountability.
So if we get Obamacare or Cap and Trade we really have to look at some our own Repubs/Conservatives as sharing some of the blame for the carnage Dems and Begich are raining down on our country and childrens future.