No new taxes for those making under 250K and the health plan

Remember during the presidential campaign the slogan, "no taxes for people making under 250K?"

With the new health plans being discussed in Congress, there is talk of taxing YOU on your private insurance plan provided by your employer. Previously, health benefits are non-taxable, however with the new plan it would be subject to your tax bracket.

For instance, we contribute $164.58 every two weeks to our health plan, and my husband's employer contributes $352.56. Combine those for a total of 517.14 EVERY TWO WEEKS. If it were taxed at a lower tax rate of 15%, that would be $77.57 LESS takehome pay every two weeks for a total of 2016.58 cents less takehome pay every year for our family.

No new taxes? This is a tax for us. But those only buying the new insurance, or Health Insurance Exchange, would not be subject to the same taxes, as it is written.


The good news?
Far more than half of all Americans would be eligible for subsidies, but we have not yet been told who would pay the bill.

Why is this a problem? Those who previously paid for their own private insurance will see how buying the federal option with the subsidies is less expensive and switch, even though it's not necessary. This will put an even larger burden on the federal government. Who will pay for it?

I find it ironic that the federal government does not want to support a voucher system because it would weaken the public school system, but cannot possibly see how the new healthcare bill will destroy the current insurance and health arena. People, competition is GOOD.

No new tax? Let's wake up and realize that ALL insurance premiums WILL go up. There's no way around it. So the subsidies provided will not be enough to balance out the increase. What will happen to the private sector? It will be so over-regulated that the premiums will become too high and people will have to opt for the federal program to survive.




I've also read the argument that "why shouldn't the federal government refuse to treat people who are engaging in risky behaviours causing their medical condition?" and yet in the bill outline, an insurance company cannot charge a higher premium for those engaging in risky behaviours. So those who need to use the system more often will be supported by everyone else's premiums.

"Guaranteed issue and renewal combined with modified community rating would dramatically increase premiums for the overwhelming majority of those Americans who now have private health insurance. New Jersey is the best example of health insurance mandates gone wild. In the name of protecting their citizens, premiums are extremely high to cover the cross-subsidization of those who are uninsurable."
http://keithhennessey.com/2009/06/09/house-health-bill/

Group health plans with 250 or fewer members would be prohibited from self-insuring. ERISA would only be for big businesses.

Depending upon which bill is ratified, we would either only allow legal individuals to receive the healthcare benefits, or anyone. The house bill has no specific requirements.

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I Voted!

Thanks to all of the early voters, my vote not only counted, but it was completely painless. We loaded up our 4 children under 6 in the car, drove to the grade school nearby (about a mile away), and found a really close parking space in the half empty parking lot.

We walked in to the registration table (no line), filled out our paper, signed the register, walked over to the voting booth (lack-of-a) line, walked into the booth and voted! I had two girls in my booth and my husband had two girls in his. Of course, it was tough keeping fingers off the buttons, but I'm glad we can show them how easy it is to vote.

My only regret is that we didn't walk to the grade school. I was afraid I wouldn't make it back in time for my dentist appointment. :(

The girls are nominating dinner and we are having a secret ballot this afternoon. They won't find out what they are having for dinner until we either cook it or go pick it up. They are voting, too!

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Obama Tax cuts v. energy taxes/cost

Obama's tax cuts sound great, don't they? In fact, on a commercial for Obama he essentially purchases your vote by telling you his tax cut will put an extra 1000 in your pocket versus McCain who will put only $150 (isn't buying your vote illegal? I digress).

Did you know that 47% of our energy comes from coal? You're going to need that $1000 to pay for your energy costs when Obama not only stops new coal plants, but forces coal plants to retrofit/rebuild:

"His campaign Web site states bluntly that he will "use whatever policy tools are necessary, including standards that ban new traditional coal facilities" to deploy low carbon coal technology and that his "stringent cap on carbon will also make it uneconomic to site traditional coal facilities and discourage the use of existing inefficient coal facilities."
SOURCE

And now from the San Francisco Chronicle:
“So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.”

Response from the Ohio Coal Industry:
"Senator Obama has revealed himself to be nothing more than a short- sighted, inexperienced politician willing to say anything to get a vote."


I'm a tree hugger! A conservationist. A granola. My kids know more about conservation, recycling, and energy than most adults. But I'm wise enough to realize that by doing this in an already shaky economy, we could easily be sent into another Great Depression. This might have worked during the Clinton administration when we were doing rather well financially. But not now. Not when we will all struggle this winter to heat our homes. Not when my dad, who is ready to retire, lost half of his portfolio in the stock market crash.

I believe that solar and (esp.) wind energy are going to be big steps forward in cleaner energy. But if you've ever studied alternative energies, it's not that simple; environmentalists want clean energy, but then they complain about the look of the landscape with wind turbines and the statistics of dead birds from the blades.



Why does it matter? If it is so expensive to heat our homes, we will purchase less. If we do not purchase, the economy crashes.

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A Sneaky way to Support Obama...in the schools?

An eighth-grade textbook used in Racine schools is getting a lot of attention nationwide.

The book in question is for a literature class and features an 11-page excerpt from Sen. Barack Obama’s autobiography, “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance,” as well as a piece of his 2004 Democratic National Convention speech.

FULL ARTICLE


Does this sound like the school system supports Barack? Should there be a balanced view including others, or is this really just a study in culture? What do you think?

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DON'T READ THIS!!!!!!!!

DON'T READ THIS! I challenge you NOT TO READ THIS! Because I know you don't want to hear it; no one wants to hear the truth once they've made a decision.

Does it really NOT matter that:

1. Barack Obama's "coming out" party for politics was hosted by Ayers, a terrorist? A terrorist who said, "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough." In HIS OWN country. To which Obama responded that he just "lived in the same neighborhood" and yet he served on two non-profit boards with him? He's a Harvard Educated lawyer and didn't know who the man is?

2. Barack Obama sat in the pews of a church of a racist man for 20 years --a man who not only believes, but preaches that there's a conspiracy against the black race. AIDS? The government gave it to black people. First he lied and said he didn't know anything about it. Then he said he had, but just didn't subscribe to that point of view. So either his principles are too weak to leave a church that spews hate, or he subscribes to it. Fox News Interview Which is it? Michelle Obama dismissed it as just "typical of a black church" in a "move on" sort of way. And yet, not all black leaders support that idealism. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson has spoken out many times, including during Hurricane Katrina. He's not very popular with the far left because, frankly, he believes in his country and in personal responsiblity.
This hardly reflects on Barack Obama as a "candidate for all."

Here is a quote from Cone's book that Rev. Wright follows:

"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community ... Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love." - "Divine Racism: The Unacknowledged Threshold Issue for Black Theology", in African-American Religious Thought: An Anthology, by William R Jones, ed Cornel West and Eddie Glaube (Westminster John Knox Press)."

3. He wants sex education in kindergarten. Yep, everyone keeps claiming he only said it in reference to being AGE APPROPRIATE..how much is appropriate for a 5 year old? See THIS video. You think Social Services is crazy now? This "education" means fishing for signs that your children have been molested or abused. Have you ever questioned a 5 year old? Don't be surprised when Social Services ends up at your front door because your 5 and 3 year old played doctor.

4. Louis Farrakhan supports Barack Obama. In THIS video, he waivers back and forth on calling him the messiah. Does this mean than Barack is aligned with Farrakhan? No! But one has to wonder what it means when he shows such staunch support for Obama.
"Brothers and sisters, Barack Obama to me, is a herald of the Messiah. Barack Obama is like the trumpet that alerts you something new, something better is on the way."

5. Michelle Obama-yes, she needs to be included. She's a hypocrite.
"When Michelle exhorts young people to turn down the profit system and do something meaningful with their lives, apparently this is not the example she means to convey. " citation
The hospital in which she works (as the Vice President for External Affairs) is converting to private patients from Medicaid, so much so that an indigent man died from not getting treatment. "They questioned why the wife of a committed Democrat would work for a hospital that has been accused of ruthless greed.
"Michelle's image was further tarnished in May 2006, when it was revealed that the centre - despite earning some £50million a year - had refused to treat a man who could not afford to pay his bill. He died." citation
She touts herself as the candidate's wife for all the people and yet her greed and desire for wealth are so blatantly obvious above any of her other goals.
added 10/28/08 5. Obama worked with--and toasted at a farewell party--terrorist Rashid Khalidi.
"The co-founder of the Arab group in question, Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi, also has held a fundraiser for Obama. Khalidi is a harsh critic of Israel, has made statements supportive of Palestinian terror and reportedly has worked on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization while it was involved in anti-Western terrorism and was labeled by the State Department as a terror group." FULL ARTICLE

Is it really NOT important who people align themselves with? Really?

My friend, you would not be my friend if you made racist comments about ANYONE, anywhere, anytime. I don't blame anyone else for my station in life; I choose what I do, the education I get, how hard I work for it. I care about my country.

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Barack Obama's Politics-how are they related to Argentina?

This is a quote from the Wall Street Journal:

Americans reading that laundry list may note that it sounds a lot like the mindset of the left wing that will dominate the Democratic Party's convention and choose Barack Obama as its candidate in August. From nationalized health care and government-owned refineries to punishing taxes on the rich, Argentina has been there, done that. There are good reasons to find the resemblance disturbing.

Read the FULL ARTICLE

We're in debt up to our eyeballs. Obama wants to go into Afghanistan with more troops while pulling them out of Iraq. That will not be any LESS expensive.

His energy plan? I love this quote from humanevents.com:

"Obama’s energy plan, highlighted proudly on his website and taunted as the answer to accusations that he is all dreams and no details, is essentially the energy equivalent of the old joke about how a socialist regime creates 100% employment – they pay everyone to dig holes, then pay everyone to fill holes."

His facts on energy:

1) No new development of American Oil (no new drilling here)
2) Create millions of jobs in alternative energies. How? Spend billions and billions of dollars creating them? How? Taxes. Making new money. Rob Peter to pay Paul. Create money to pay Paul. Kill the dollar.
3) Ironically, he wants to create cool new energy to sell abroad (justifying the billions of dollars), but then in the next breath we should give it away as a global handshake to stop global warming. Which is it?
4) Ever wonder what his "market-based" solutions are? Read THIS ARTICLE

This is where my bread is buttered...

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It's election time! Do you know who you're electing?

I'd forgotten about this quote from Michelle Obama:

Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

I'm not sure how Barack is going to make us shed our cynicism when he can't help that with his own wife.

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