Merry Christmas Eve y’all!

Guess what…? Our lovely Congress has just bestowed upon this nation a most wondrous gift of “universal” health care during this joyous season – a gift that will keep giving and taking.

Giving in the sense that never before have we seen such blatant kickbacks and special-interest deals to put another ol’ legislative “victory” on the mantel. Taking in the sense that it’ll be we taxpayers who will reap the long-term consequences of this “reform” through more taxes, loss of medical innovation, and (most importantly) the failure of enacting true, progressive revisions to a restraining, high-cost health care industry – an industry that’s for sure never been subject to an efficiently competitive market ever sense FDR’s wage ceilings, which first led to employer-dominated insurance packages to entice workers during such times of economic hindrances.

Let’s go with an example of giving – the Honorable Harry Reid on his legislative deal making:

I don’t even know if there is a Senator that doesn’t have something in this bill that was important to them. And if they don’t have something in it important to them, then it doesn’t speak well of them.

Well said Harry! Next time all of the senators will “pull a Nelson” and hold out on giving any support to a Democrat-initiative so that they can get their juicy kickback. Apologies to Senator Bayh; at least you got some extra time in front of cameras for your “opposition” through hesitation aka just enough to placate your constituents. I mean Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska got the “air time,” the “honor” of being the make-or-break vote, and the exemption for Nebraska to not have to pay any of the additional costs for Medicaid expansion ($100 million). Oh, wait, I forgot the approximate $6.7 billion in health insurance kickbacks to Nebraska-based Mutual of Omaha. Don’t forget a waiver of the insurance fee for Nebraska Blue Cross/Blue Shield as well. The icing on the cake? Nelson’s blatant admission on the Senate floor of his bought vote:

Three Senators came up to me just now on the floor and said, “Now we understand what you did. We’ll be seeking this funding too.”

Another gift from Harry Reid’s toy bag of political swindling and Tom Foolery: Senator Bill Nelson (I see a pattern here) of Florida, concerned about staying popular with his old-timer constituency in the midst of a bill that takes $400 billion from seniors, got an exemption for Florida seniors currently on medicare benefits from losing them – a $3-$5 billion gift in kind that has a price tag of “priceless” by ensuring those continual votes, while other American seniors are affected.

But, realistically, this whole sham of political theater and backdoor deals for health care “reform” do not wrap up a gift that quite keeps on giving. When costs (health procedure fees, insurance pricing, and taxpayer demands) weigh their due financial onus, most of these deals will have to be cut out like cancer; most of the the deals just serve anyway as short-term benefits (taxpayer detriments) for a long-term failure. And so it’s the taxpayer who will bear much of the fiscal and policy consequences in both the short-term and long-term.

I mean honestly! What the hell is going on?! It’s been 65 or so years since a statist form of health “reform” has been offered and it’s taken this long to perfect a real governmental screw-up. The CBO has written numerous reports on potential negative fallout from this bill. One of them, for example, focused on the passed rebate program, which targets the administrative expenses of particularly small group and individual market insurance companies (kickback to big biz) as these smaller companies have their profits (potential for pricing cuts) gutted by the government. Another case-in-point involves how the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services becomes an unchecked, unaccountable Nurse Mildred Ratched with the ability to decide when Medicare will only pay for a cheaper “alternative” treatment all while being exempted from judicial review as patients have no right to sue the government.

Yet, it’s easy for these details to get all lost in such a large bill all while our courageous, senatorial representatives are championing the cause of health care “reform” based on firm principal and concern for the many disadvantaged. in our country But the list of discrepancies, special-interest deal making, and fiscal fallout became too apparent already to have been ignored. And so we get to the crux of why this bill passed. It was not just the “gifts” Democrats received that brought the troops around for an “aye” vote. As left-leaning economist Robert Kuttner recently (so beautifully and unabashedly) admitted on Bill Moyers’ Journal, the Left and all Democrat senators have an obligation to support this health care bill – though riddled with shortcomings, false promises, and much catering to industry – because of the political necessity to win in 2010. Good thing many of the bill’s provisions don’t go into effect until afterward. I mean who cares? It’s not like this bill affects almost a fifth of our country’s economy, will have devastating fiscal consequences, will still ignore many of the disadvantaged, and will limit the opportunity to expand choice and a more effective manner of lowering health costs. The exigency for political expediency wins the day. Now we know what is really meant by the Democrats when they claim “victory” with this bill.

Though I’d like to say most of the Democrats who voted “yes” had nice intentions, a good number of them should be receiving coal in their stockings every Christmas now. And the American taxpayer, well I guess we’ll just have to hope for change to this current bill as we’ll be receiving a much larger “wish list” from the government sooner or later otherwise every April 15th; except, this wish list has has to be seen through – regardless if government’s been naughty or nice.

Dispersed between the speakers we bring in (great success with Amb John Bolton last week btw) and activist projects we work on, the University Republicans like to have some fun in adding to the political discourse on campus. This upcoming event is a great example. I thought readers would find the event info quite amusing and so pasted the event info below.

If you’d like to support the efforts of the University Republicans, please make a check out to the University of Chicago (memo: College Republicans donation) and mail with marked attention to “College Republicans”, 5706 South University Avenue, Chicago IL 60637. Your gift in kind will be processed and you will receive a receipt from the university for tax purposes.

Be on the lookout come Monday from 12:00-1:30 on the University of Chicago Quad as YOU have a chance to become a Nobel Peace Prize recipient!

Yes, you could join the venerable ranks of activists like Henry Kissinger, Yasser Arafat, Elihu Root, Woodrow Wilson, and Mohandas Gandhi (wait, he never got it).

Feeling unsure about your credentials? Don’t worry! John Bolton was considered for the prize just because of his awe-inspiring stache. Rush Limbaugh…for sharing his drug cabinet with irascible world leaders.

The committee, which will be donning UChicago Nobel laureate “Milton Friedman Freedom” t-shirts, will be awarding deserving students with edible Nobel Peace Prizes. Though we will duly note you holding open the door to Cobb for others, we would prefer it if you would tell us how you WILL hold open the door instead of already doing it.

Other laudable, student undertakings meriting a Nobel include:
*Committing to not beating up the “That Kid” in your SOSC class next quarter.
*Having lunch with a white UCPD officer and a black UChicago professor
*Pledging to refrain from “housecest” this year in a move to stifle ever prevalent drama.
*Lobbying Robert Zimmer with an Oprah-look-a-like to bring the 2010 Rose Bowl to campus.

The students who give us the best and most amusing reasons on why they should receive a Nobel Peace Prize will be featured in a short film on YouTube.

So get the word out to all your friends!

***The UChicago Nobel Peace Prize Committee is a contingent of the University Republicans, a rag tag band of right-leaning students who advocate for individual liberty & government accountability while engaging their fellow peers with educational, political, and fun events. The committee meets every Monday at 7:00 in the Bartlett Trophy Lounge.***

Yesterday, we lost a mainstay of modern, American politics. For almost a half a century, Senator Edward Kennedy championed what his heart told him was just.

Breaking legislative deadlocks, forging unsuspected political alliances, and advancing importunate initiatives, Senator Kennedy left his mark which will have place in our chronicles not yet written.

Though his life was marred with great scandal and controversy at times, Senator Kennedy found stability and love with Victoria Reggie and, hopefully, truly found peace with his inner demons as he publicly recognized and apologized for his “own shortcomings, the faults in the conduct of [his] private life.”

Kennedy’s political success found purpose in his indubitable and sincere passion. Whether one accepted the senator’s beliefs as just or condemned them as misinformed, it is self-evident that Kennedy was a good man in the sense that he did most everything asked of him as a public servant for his constituents.

I had the brief pleasure of meeting Ted Kennedy while serving as a Senate page for John Cornyn. I had been downstairs, near the trams that whisk Hill staffers and politicians to-and-fro, notifying the Republican cloakroom of the various senators on their way to an important vote. I was making my way back to the Senate chambers when I found myself walking next to the Lion himself.

After exchanging a short “good day”, the senator noticed my shiny, smooth-belly ostrich cowboy boots and joked, with a big smile and a warm demeanor I had not expected, that I “must be the page from New York for Clinton.” I laughed and quipped back that I was paging “for the man who talks about marrying box turtles.” Ted chuckled as we headed towards the elevator on the way back up to the Senate floor.

I then informed the senator that my boots were actually out of dress code for pages and had been reprimanded on a few occasions – much to the understandable amusement of the boot-wearin’ Cornyn, Enzi, and Lott. I told him I didn’t mind as my boots are a source of my pride and represent who I am. I’ll never forget his response:

Well, as an outspoken person, you’ll soon learn that your confidence in your character and convictions, whatever they are, will never please everyone. I guess if we please everyone we never truly fight for someone.

The elevator door opened and the senator promptly bid goodbye as he made his way to the floor to fervidly fight for someone. I remained in the elevator for a second humbled and inspired by such an unexpected exchange.

On Saturday, Senator Kennedy will be buried at Arlington Cemetery. From a grave resting nearby and a plot looking down from a neighboring hill, Robert and John will welcome their brother home after all these years for continuing the impassioned legacy they had begun and to which they devoted their lives.

R.I.P. senator…

Senator Franken, being an upstanding member of Congress, is spending the recess meeting with constituents and discussing the hot topic of health care. That’s commendable. Except, I noticed something quite peculiar about an email I came across this morning from Franken.

MINNESOTA – U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn) has spent his August recess traveling to over 22 towns and health care is on Minnesota’s mind. Wednesday, Franken will host two roundtable discussion on health care reform in the Twin Cities area.

“This issue will be front and center when the Senate reconvenes next month,” said Franken. “I will bring the concerns, suggestions, and personal stories of Minnesotans I have met back to Washington with me to ensure they are heard in the reform debate.”

The first roundtable will feature leaders from faith councils, nonprofit health and human services organizations, and patient, employee, and consumer advocates who want to make sure that health care reform directly improves the lives of Minnesota families and Minnesota workers…

…WHO: U.S. Sen. Al Franken; representatives from Portico Healthnet; the Children’s’ Defense Fund; the Joint Religious Legislative Council; ISAIAH; Take Action Minnesota; AFSCME; SEIU; Health Care for America Now; and Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
WHEN: 10:00am – 11:30am, Wednesday, August 26, 2009
WHERE: Wright Building
Suite 422
2233 University Ave W
St. Paul

Now Franken could say he’s taking the high ground by actually meeting with the “Brown Shirts” (I mean) his constituents unlike Reid, who’s opting out of town halls or “roundtables” for basically a mass conference call -  Reid’s in trouble come election time.

If you caught it earlier in the post, I mentioned that the email came this morning – around 9:00 in fact.

That’s right. If you’re a concerned citizen desiring to voice your opposition to – or even support for – the health care “reform” currently being debated, you had about one hour to change your plans and get off from work.

I thought, “wow, nobody’s going to show up.” Then I noted the various organizations co-sponsoring the roundtable with Franken. Surely, these groups probably got the word out to their members beforehand. Certainly SEIU, the infamous “purple shirts” known for their history of physical harassment and intimidation,will be in force as their members have been bussed to many of the town halls.

Yet, looking over the lists of organizations/special interests involved with the roundtable, it doesn’t look like there will be that much discourse occurring between those in attendance. That’ll make things easier for the “engaging” debate to influence the unemployed in attendance, since they’ll probably be the only ones who could make it to the town hall. Guess Franken figured those dependent on government are his main constituents and so respectfully didn’t host the forum in the evening when all those pesky people who work and pay taxes might interfere.

And thankfully, with the late notice to the general public and the presence of an “impartial” roundtable, the SEIU won’t have to worry about spending their time attacking patriotic citizens (“I beat him because, well, ‘he attacked America’ first by passing out “Don’t Tread on Me” flags?).

But it shouldn’t surprise us that a  Democrat Senator would offer an exclusive roundtable with groups like Health Care for America Now (ran by a former SEIU organizing director) as so much of their campaign contributions come from these special interests – thank you again, Michelle Malkin.

Now, Franken has been known to let his temper get to him at times; he most recently berated alternative energy advocate T. Boone Pickens at a Senate Democratic Policy Luncheon for having donated to “Swift Boaters for Truth” during the 2004 election…and “they” say conservatives seemed to always be stuck in the past. Maybe Franken was just worried about attempted battery charges on his part if someone like this showed up at his roundtable “discussion”.

It is quite contemptible that Senator Franken doesn’t have the respect for the citizens of the Twin Cities to host an actual town hall that is openly and considerately advertised to the public. There is an exigency for concerned citizens to let their admonitions and exhortations be heard by their elected representatives…the stakes from not implementing true, prudent reform are too high not to.

Otherwise, the importunate needs burdening the millions of uninsured, the choking costs and market limitations strangling the livelihood of the already insured, and the risk of even more generational theft oppressing our children by our government will be ignored.

Mr. Franken, if you dare call yourself the representative of all Minnesotans, then have the decent regard to listen to all Minnesotans instead of having your pockets lined with SEIU and similar organizations while returning to Washington with their special-interest agenda spewing from your mouth. Sir, as much as you are, this isn’t a joke.

Addendum: as Mirianne points out in her comment, the roundtable was not open to the public, which makes the whole situation even worse for those who may have wanted to voice their opinion to Franken. I just talked to some friends in Minnesota who confirmed that,when individuals made the effort to get off work and attend the roundtable, they were turned away; the Twin Cities forum on health care was by “invitation” only. Basically, it was a special interest pat-on-the-back for Franken. Pathetic…

(Originally Posted on August 15th, 2007)

(New York City, New York) – Democrats and other leftists were shocked to discover that a sleeper cell of honest policy analyzers had secretly embedded themselves in the liberal Brookings Institute think tank. After Mike O’Hanlon and Ken Pollack wrote a New York Times article speculating that the troop surge is working and that our military is winning, leaders began pulling a commission together to determine how the sleeper cell was able to successfully unleash their attack.

“These people are determined and patient,” said Senator Harry Reid. “We live in a free society, and that is one of the risks. I am putting together a partisan ‘7/30 Commission’ which will take responsibility for determining exactly what went wrong and how we can prevent such attacks in the future. I believe that Bush got to these people and managed to turn them. These journalhadists will stop at nothing to bring down Socialism and military defeatism in America. But I want to be clear that the vast majority of liberal think tankers and journalists are peace loving people who report the way we want them to report. This is a small extremist group and does not reflect on the journalist people as a whole. Regardless, we now must locate any other cells, track them down, smoke them out of their holes, and bring them to justice.”

(Originally posted on August 16th, 2007)

(Chicago, Illinois) – After shocking many by suggesting that teaching sex education in kindergarten is the right thing to do, Barak Obama decided to more fully explain what he believes to be “age appropriate” sex ed for public schools.

“People are out of control on this,” said Obama. “I wasn’t talking about giving condoms to 5-year-olds. Our schools should wait until at least age 7 to begin educating our children about condoms, abortion, and oral stimulation. A 5-year-old needs to know basic anatomy and understand that his or her anatomy can make a baby if they are not careful. So watch out! But we also need to teach them that they are protected by the Constitution to not have a baby if they choose. So be careful. But not too careful.”

And parents should be given the right to opt their children out of these programs until age 10. But they would be foolish to do that, as I am convinced that the vast majority of today’s parents are not prepared to teach their children about sex education. The public schools are much better equipped to do so. It’s never too early to start teaching these things to children. They need to know that having sexual feelings about their friends and their teachers at that age is completely normal. I bet most parents aren’t teaching that to their 5-year-olds, which is a prime example of why our schools need to take action. I hope this better explains my position on the issue, and now we can move on to other issues. Like banning children from bringing their lunch to school so that the teachers can monitor the diet of each and every child to ensure it conforms to government standards.”

(Originally written on July 19th, 2007)

This is so hilarious and true! I stayed up most of the night while watching C-SPAN2 and witnessed the amusement. And don’t worry…I have my thoughts on the Levin/Reed amendment, which is nothing but a disappointment to supporters of the war and those who want us to leave Iraq (I will explain in a later post). Now I must confess that I stole this article from my girlfriend’s page. It was too good to pass up.

Senate’s Iraq Debate Is More Slumber Than Party

By Dana Milbank
Thursday, July 19, 2007; Page A02

With much fanfare, Democrats invited camera crews to film the arrival of a dozen cots outside the Senate chamber Tuesday afternoon for the all-night Iraq debate.

With rather less fanfare, the cots, unused, were removed early yesterday morning. “They’ve been taking some of them out,” a Capitol Police officer said at 2 a.m. “It was just a photo op.”

So was the debate.

The Democrats had the cameras film the delivery of pizza to the cloakroom. They offered barbecue to Republicans. They gave GOP senators care packages of Colgate toothpaste, a CVS toothbrush and Speed Stick deodorant, all wrapped in a yellow ribbon with a note taunting: “A few supplies for your sleepless night. Help us bring an end to this war.”

If wars could be ended as easily as cavities, the Democrats’ tactics might have produced some results. But everybody knew that opponents of the war didn’t have the 60 votes the GOP required to pass a withdrawal plan; the Democrats fell eight votes short when the decision came yesterday. Rather than work out a compromise, they called the all-night session to focus maximum embarrassment on the Republicans.

A cranky minority party came prepared for a pillow fight.

“I guess we’ll have a lot of fun staying up late, having a Senate slumber party,” groused John Cornyn (R-Tex.).

Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) complained about “phony images of cots, toothpaste and sleepy politicians.”

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who lamented “all the gags and giggles and gimmicks, the cold pizza and the empty cots,” upbraided his colleagues: “This isn’t Hollywood — this is real life.”

By the second of three “bed checks” — roll-call votes to roust senators from their slumber — there could be no mistaking the Senate floor for Hollywood.

Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) entered the chamber after midnight with his white hair wildly askew — an apparent victim of bed head. Idaho Republican Mike Crapo’s shirt was partly untucked. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) had changed into a black muumuu, while half a dozen men went with a slacks-and-blazer combo. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) chewed gum. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) unwrapped a candy bar and dropped crumbs as he ate. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) reclined in his chair. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) blinked as though his eyes were dry. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) yawned.

Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) sat at a desk and rubbed his face, wearing a faraway expression. When Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced that the next bed check would be at 5 a.m., Stevens’s countenance turned sour.

For the first quorum call, at the civilized hour of 8:30 p.m., nine of the 100 senators were missing. By the midnight call, 22 were gone. At the 5:15 a.m. check, 40 were AWOL, including 13 Democrats. Technically, the Senate sergeant-at-arms had the power to seize the absent senators and haul them into the chamber — but nobody wanted to see Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) carried in wearing a nightcap and union suit (more like a white robe…haha).

Democrats tried to keep things interesting, passing a large sign with a flag motif demanding “Let Us Vote.” But the talk on the floor quickly devolved into the sort of repetition associated with a telethon. “It’s time to stop filibustering,” Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) proposed to his weary colleagues. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) put his chin on his fist. “None of the benchmarks were met,” Menendez asserted. A GOP aide yawned. “The president took our focus away from Afghanistan.” Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) rubbed his eyes. “That dog won’t hunt.” Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sank into his chair and stroked his brow.

By the time Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) inherited the “Let Us Vote” baton after 1 a.m., there were only three senators in the chamber with the presiding officer, Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). McCaskill appeared to be napping until closer inspection revealed that she was studying a BlackBerry in her lap. Coleman stifled a yawn.

With so much of the debate a rehash, some opted to debate the late-night debate itself.

“There’s no need to do the all-night gig,” ventured Christopher Bond (R-Mo.).

But Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) spoke of the value of “watching the night come, watching the sun rise here in Washington.”

Either way, newcomer John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) didn’t mind. As “a trauma surgeon, I’m used to getting up at this hour and working at all unusual hours,” he said just after 5 a.m.

While a few senators kept some semblance of a debate going on the floor, other parts of the Senate apparatus nodded off. The parking lots emptied. The basement cafeteria closed. The elevator boy paced idly. The Senate subways came and went without passengers. The most active figures in the Capitol were the antiwar demonstrators who, after hours outside at a rally, formed a pungent line to enter the public gallery.

In the wee hours, John McCain (R-Ariz.) walked alone toward the Senate chamber. “I’m going to speak all night,” he vowed with determination.

“I’m going to bed,” a reporter told the senator.

“You won’t miss a thing,” McCain assured.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/18/AR2007071801721.html

(Originally written on April 19th, 2007 – a mock AP report)

(Washington, DC) With an average fatality rate of over 1,000 per year, upon realizing that more Americans have died building and maintaining the US highway system than in Iraq during the course of the Iraq War, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has pronounced the Federal Highway system as lost. He went on to suggest it’s simply another sign of Bush administration incompetence though the fatality rate is down from that under former President Clinton.

“The cost is too great,” said Reid. “It’s time for American drivers to step up”, he went on, suggesting that American drivers begin carrying shovels and containers of asphalt to effect their own repairs as they make their way.

Representative Jack Murtha (D) is said to be crafting legislation to re-deploy all American highway workers to golf courses, hedgerows and large fenced-in yards, where they can work out of harm’s way. “We can deploy them as needed when a major highway or bridge collapses, like Ted Kennedy’s Big Dig,” said Murtha.

Given that overall occupational deaths claim far more American lives every year than throughout the entire course of the Iraq War, some speculate that Democrats may eventually propose doing away with working altogether, believing it’s far more safe for Americans if they simply stay home.