Congressman Greg Harper on CMS Appointment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC – The White House is at it again. This time the President has used a recess appointment to fill the top vacancy at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The President is ignoring the Constitution and the American people in the middle of a critical election year.

Some Washington insiders have defended the President, claiming that “Republicans in Congress [had] made it clear in recent weeks that they were going to stall the nomination as long as they could, solely to score political points.” Considering the Democratic leadership never called a hearing on the President’s nomination, Republicans were never afforded a chance to delay his confirmation. To boot, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus voiced his concern that public questioning was removed saying, “Senate confirmation of presidential appointees is an essential process prescribed by the Constitution that serves as a check on executive power…”
And what about the President’s pick? Dr. Donald Berwick has publicly knocked the free market and supports rationing as a cost control mechanism. Dr. Berwick will oversee an $803 billion budget at CMS and is responsible for implementing the bulk of the overreaching “Affordable Care Act.” His responsibilities will only grow under this new health care law as the CMS administrator has be tasked with reducing Medicare benefits nearly $523 billion. Yet Members of the U.S. Senate, both Republican and Democratic, were denied the opportunity to question Dr. Berwick regarding his plans for steering this federal agency.

This appointment comes amid the White House’s campaign to sell their new health care law. The Administration has used taxpayer money to mail 4 million postcards to small businesses and millions of dollars touting a $250 Medicare rebate check that only 1 in 10 beneficiaries will ever receive.

While the President may have dodged a painful Senate confirmation process, this recess appointment has brought new light to the health care debate, reminding concerned citizens of just how damaging this law could be. Mississippians deserve to know that the current health care law will result in lost coverage, raise taxes, cut Medicare and create a new government entitlement program.

For someone who has claimed to be “committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government,” the President sure has spent a lot of time telling just one side of the story.
So I ask the President: Why aren’t you being open about the 87 million Americans who could lose access to their current health care plan under the “Affordable Care Act?” Why aren’t you advertising the $569 billion in new taxes as part of your health care campaign? Why aren’t you promoting the $523 billion in reduced Medicare benefits in the mailing to seniors about rebate checks? And why do you continue to hide behind procedural gimmicks to avoid public reckoning for someone appointed to control a bureaucracy whose budget is larger than 15 of the world’s economies?
If the President were focused on real solutions to control the cost of health care, he would embrace Republican proposals that would lower health care premiums by up to 20 percent compared to the Democratic Members’ plan.
Of course, the White House will defend Dr. Berwick’s appointment and the taxing “Affordable Care Act.” But if the President should opt to show his commitment to transparency in government, he can start with confirmation hearings for his appointees.
For more information, visit www.harper.house.gov.

Immigration - at the Basic Level

You have worked all your life and built a nice home. It's comfortable, fits your needs and you feel safe sitting in your living room or working in your backyard. One day, a man from a neighborhood a few blocks over takes a short cut through your yard. It upsets you a bit and you grumble to your next door neighbor but that's about it. Soon he has worn a path in your well manicured lawn and occasionally grabs a deck chair and once even took a steak off the grill as he passed by. You call the Cops who sympathize with you but explain that they are really too busy chasing real criminals to put any effort into catching this guy.
One day you come home to find him rummaging through your refrigerator and medicine cabinet. This time when you call the Cops, they don't even bother to come as the decision was made to no longer enforce trespassing or breaking and entering laws in your town. The man is pleasant enough as he provides a list of groceries and medical needs that you should pick up for him because he's going to be staying in your spare bedroom for the forseeable future. And since he is now considered to be a resident of your home, if the need arises, you are responsible for putting him on your health insurance and supporting him until he can find a job.
You continue to complain to police and the mayor who sometimes sympathizes with you but never seem to do anything. All your efforts have now caught the attention of the folks who live up the hill in the fancy gated community. Without bothering to discuss the situation with you, they use the local newspaper as a platform to explain why this guy deserves to live in your house and you should be proud to provide for him. When you write a letter to the newspaper editor asking why the man can't live with the folks in the gated community, he refuses to publish it as it is too imflammatory. During this whole situation, you have been subjected to ridicule for your selfish, uncaring and even racist attitude.
In an attempt to be understanding, you ask the man why he wants to live in your house when you know he has one of his own. He simply explains that your house is so much more comfortable and in a safer neighborhood. Life is just so much easier in your neighborhood and besides his kids are out of control at his house and he can't do anything with them.
Throughout this whole situation, financially things are getting tough. You are no longer able to save for retirement or your kid's college fund as you must pay for not only your family's expenses but those of your new house guest. Soon it becomes obvious to you that something has to change or in the near future, you may have to let the house go back to the bank and then no one will have a decent place to live.
Over the years, the immigration issue has become very convoluted by politics and sometimes by legitimate debate. But when you actualy break it down to its simplest level, the obvious situation surfaces.
Obama's administration plans to sue Arizona over its immigration law stating that it is the Federal government's responsibility to set immigration policy. Apparently it is the Obama Administration's "policy" to not enforce existing immigration laws already on the books. To add insult to injury- the planned lawsuit was announced not by official letter to the authorities in Arizona or even in a national press conference but by the Secretary of State while on a visit to Ecuador.
Meanwhile many areas of federal land in Arizona are off-limits to our citizens for safety issues due to the illegal human and drug trafficking and the violence such activities bring to these areas. So in effect Mexican drug lords are controlling parts of our country. There seems to be very little concern in Washington over this invasion of American soil.
It is very obvious that the administration's actions are steeped in some strange brew of liberal politics, elitist guilt and practical ignorance and not in its constitutionally ascribed responsibility of law enforcement. If a fraction of the money, time and effort that will be spent on a lawsuit against the state of Arizona was actually spent on border enforcement in these federal lands, maybe taxpayers could actually enjoy the use of these areas that they pay taxes to the federal government to maintain.

News By Facebook?

Peabody is a small community nestled in amongst the low rolling hills and small creeks in central Kansas; 1400 souls including cats and dogs. Most folks are retired, farm or make the hour long drive down to Wichita to work everyday; patriotic, hard-working, conservative folk.

I do consulting work for the county that includes Peabody and as I visited with a county official this week, I heard the story that had people in the area, across the state and even across the nation in an uproar. The small cemetery on the edge of town had been vandalized over the Memorial Day weekend. Much like people in our area, the residents are very patriotic and hold the military in high respect. Every Memorial Day, The American Legion displays an avenue of flags in the cemetery. Many are casket flags given to family members who loan them for the weekend for the display and then are returned. Sometime over the weekend, several flags were ripped down and torn apart.

Like most small towns without a daily source of information, the story spread by word of mouth, at the coffee shop, church meetings and down at the local co-op. Some flags became 20, and not only were they torn apart but put in a pile and urinated on. To make matters worse, local law enforcement knew who was responsible but had no intention of pursuing the offenders as they were children of some prominent citizens. People became outraged and some expressed their outrage on Facebook. Some area newspapers picked up on the story without verifying all the details. The story grew and grew and spread by Facebook as far away as California and Georgia. The idea of a protest developed; a rally to show support for our military and to protest the inaction of local officials. There were even threats of violence if the wrongdoers weren't caught and punished. Groups from outside the area announced plans to attend the rally.

All the attention began to split the community as many didn't want the bad publicity for their town, suspicions mounted among neighbors, and accusations flew against the town officials and law enforcement. The situation was getting out of hand-mostly due to a Facebook post and idle gossip.

After two weeks, the truth began to emerge as the Sheriff discussed the matter with responsible media and the individual who made the Facebook posts. Yes, flags were desecrated, nine of them. They were torn from their poles and cut or ripped apart. They were not piled and urinated on. There were several suspects, juveniles and young adults and the investigation was on-going and those responsible would be punished to the full extent of the law. Unfortunately, all the rumors and threats had caused many who may have had information to hesitate in providing it and therefore had slowed the investigation.

Over the last few months, as part of the launching of WWN, I have monitored Facebook closely. It's a good tool used to keep track of friends and share information. But in and of itself, it is not a reliable source of news content. Not too long ago, I watched a story that we first provided in the area take on its own life on Facebook. The firing of a pistol into the air went from an exchange of gunfire to vehicles damaged by gunfire to finally a double homicide. None of which were true. Now I'm certain that the inaccuracies were not malicious and the people who posted them believed in their source of information and no real harm was done. But sometimes, rumors and half truths can be damaging just as it was in Peabody, Kansas. A community has been divided and law enforcement's job in proving a case against the offenders has become more difficult. Just something to think about the next time you forward content that doesn't come from a legitimate news source.

Children & Technology

Technology is one thing in our world that cannot be stopped or controlled in many ways. Whether we like it or not, the children of today are growing up in a world that is surrounded by different technological devices. I have been to restaurants, nice restaurants with table side service, not your typical fast food joint, and seen a nice family sitting together at a table. As I approach the table I almost immediately take note to how well behaved the two children are acting. When I pass the table, I turn and glance to see that the children are both playing handheld video games. Maybe my family is “old fashioned” in that there is no technology allowed at the dinner table. The television goes off and no cell phones are answered, unless there are extenuating circumstances of course. I am calling out the parents today; have a true family dinner with your children every once in a while. Make it something that is family centered. I have heard a statistic on some television commercials that states families who eat dinner together are more likely to stay together. This meaning the children are more likely to become happy, healthy adults who lead drug free lives. By the term "family dinner" I do not mean that the mother goes into the kitchen and spends most of the afternoon and into the evening preparing an immaculate spread on the dinner table. Let's be realistic. This type of setting may be nice to imagine, but does not happen in most families today. A family dinner can be a bucket of chicken or a carton of take-out. It's a family who sits around the table and converses with each other. Growing up, these were some of the best memories I have of my family. Create the same for your children. Take away the video games, turn off the television, and let the voice mail pick up the calls. Take forty-five minutes to hear what your children have to say. I guarantee you will not forget those times and neither will they.

Sarah Peeples

Sid Salter on Arizona/Mexico & Immigration

Sid Salter comments on the Mexican President's reaction to the new Arizona Immigration Law in the Clarion Ledger - read it here.

Say a Few Words Over 'em

(This commentary also seen on "Cornbread & Potlikker" Blog)

May is the month of memorial. In this part of the country, many people return to the churches of their roots to pay respect to their ancestors. My family does the same. Our history is long in Winston County and my mother’s family has an ancestral plot that dates back to the mid 1800’s. There is something comforting about walking through this cemetery and reading the gravestones of the people that came before you. Not only are the names and dates meaningful but many stones have quotes or Bible passages that were appropriate or near and dear to that person.

In the Deep South, almost all epitaphs are of a religious nature; providing comfort to those left behind but not really telling us much about these people. Were they kind or cruel? Did they lead happy lives or did they meet their end in some unfortunate way? In other parts of the world, epitaphs can be a bit more colorful. Some people utilize humor when dealing with death and write their own epitaphs probably to the chagrin of the remaining family. For example, on a grave marker in England:

“On the 22nd of June~

Jonathan Fiddle ~

Went out of tune.”

Or in a New Mexico Cemetery:

“Here lies Johnny Yeast

Pardon me for not rising.”

Or

~ ANN MANN ~

”Here lies Ann Mann

Who lived an old maid

But died an old Mann.

Dec. 8, 1767”

It’s not difficult to recognize when the deceased didn’t choose their own inscription: the choice often left to someone that probably wasn’t too fond of the person that was just interred. Examples include a grave stone in Nova Scotia:

Ezekial Aikle

Age 102

The Good Die Young.”
Or

~ ANNA PERRY ~

”The children of Israel wanted bread

And the Lord gave them manna

Parson Perry wanted a wife

And the Devil gave him Anna!”

Some epitaphs provide too much information as to the method of death of an individual:

“He died at a public gathering

When the platform

Suddenly gave away.”

Or

~ ANNA HEPEWELL ~

”Here lies the body of our Anna

Done to death by a banana

It wasn’t the fruit that laid her low

But the skin of the thing that made her go!”

Or

“Here lies Lester Moore

Four slugs from a .44

No Les No More.”

My favorite story is a tale of a neglected gravestone in a grassy cemetery. The original inscription was thoughtful and perhaps appropriate:

"Pause, stranger, when you pass me by,

For as you are, so once was I.

As I am now, so will you be.

Then prepare unto death, and follow me."

However someone had decided to add a few lines and had scratched this below:

"To follow you I'm not content

Until I know which way you went!"

All of this probably doesn’t matter a great deal but if you want to be remembered well, you should live your life well. When you think about it, not only do your children choose your nursing home, they also might have a few choice words to remember you by.

Rick Cleveland on the disturbing trend in college basketball

Both Mississippi State and Ole Miss have seen defections from their basketball programs in the last few days. Some kids may have legitimate reasons for their actions but most have taken bad advice or simply have an inflated opinion of their abilities. Rick Cleveland of the Clarion Ledger gives his take on the situation.