Last week I mentioned that I sent an official request from AFA-IN to Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller asking him to look into the possibility of joining other state Attorneys General in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the newly passed health care legislation.

I have worked with the Attorney General on several occasions and have made other requests of him when he was the Deputy Attorney General under Steve Carter. I knew when I made the request that, though he is a conservative, Zoeller is not one to jump on a bandwagon or to make a legal claim from the AG’s office based on his political views. I have always found him to be cautious and prudent in such matters and conscious of protecting the reputation of the Attorney General’s office.

That is why in our letter, I asked him to look into the constitutional concerns, rather than asking him to file suit. I felt that unless there were significant constitutional questions he would not use the AG’s office for a political attack on a bill he most likely loathes personally.

That is why I was very pleased to learn on Monday that the Attorney General would in fact be filing a legal challenge to the health care bill, making Indiana the fourteenth state AG to do so. As many of us have suspected, the AG also shares the opinion that the individual mandate requiring every Hoosier to buy insurance or face a penalty is an unprecedented and unconstitutional move.

On Monday, Attorney General Zoeller told reporters, “There has been a great deal of public debate regarding this new federal program. While I personally share the grave concerns that have been expressed regarding this law, I believe it is in the best interests of all — even those who have supported the new law — to raise the constitutional questions to the United States Supreme Court.”

“When the federal government imposes unprecedented legal obligations of this magnitude on state government, it is my obligation as Attorney General to join and participate in challenging the constitutionality of the bill,” Zoeller said. (Indiana has officially joined the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.)

At this press conference, the Indiana Attorney General also referenced and released a 55-page reporthis office had prepared for Senator Richard Lugar. It shows the devastating impacts the legislation will have upon Indiana and the significant legal concerns it raises. (Scanning just the table of contents of this report is worthwhile to see some significant Indiana specific concerns.)

Now it is Your Turn to Fight Back!

It would be a real tragedy for any AFA of Indiana supporter to go to the voting booth on May 4th only to learn that their vote would be challenged or denied because they were not registered. If you have recently moved, married or divorced causing a name change, or if you or your child will turn 18 on or before May 4th, make sure you can vote in the Primary. (The same rules and situations apply for the November 2nd election and voter registration, which has a May 18th opening and an October 4th filing closure date.)

Voter registration for the Indiana May 4th Primary ends on April 5th. Again, you must be registered by this deadline to vote in May if you have not voted in several past elections, moved, had a name change, or are turning 18 before the election.

You can print out a PDF form to register to vote through the Indiana Secretary of State’s web site here:

http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/2403.htm#

(The voter registration form is viewable through a link in the middle of this web page which once opened can be printed, filled out and mailed in before April 5th. The form is simple. Page 2 shows the county office where you can mail the form.)

Whom Do Americans Trust More?

Many of the media elites and political class have made a point of downplaying and dismissing the TEA Party movement with negative slurs, labels, and accusations. For this reason, many consider the movement to be a fringe element of society.

However, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of U.S. voters believe the average member of the Tea Party movement has a better understanding of the issues facing America today than the average member of Congress. Only 30% believe that those in Congress have a better understanding of the key issues facing the nation.

When it comes to those issues, 47% think that their own political views are closer to those of the average Tea Party member than to the views of the average member of Congress. On this point, 26% feel closer to Congress.

Finally, 46% of voters say that the average Tea Party member is more ethical than the average member of Congress. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say that the average member of Congress is more ethical.

Earlier polling conducted by Rasmussen in January found that 76% of voters generally trust the American people more than political leaders on important national issues.

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This is What Change Looks Like

It is hard to encapsulate what has happened to our nation in the last few days with the passage and signing of the massive health care reform legislation. At a time when America is literally bankrupt and on the verge of losing its triple AAA bond status, with high unemployment and no end to it in sight, the US Congress passed the largest entitlement bill ever seen in most of our lifetimes. The unfunded mandate for states like Indiana is enormous and potentially devastating over time as the program, like all government entitlements before it, grows far beyond the projected expense numbers.

Here are a few missed projections of much smaller government health care programs:

• In 1965, the House Ways and Means Committee estimated that the hospital insurance program of Medicare – the federal health care program for the elderly and disabled – would cost $9 billion by 1990. The actual cost that year was $67 billion.

• In 1967, the House Ways and Means Committee said the entire Medicare program would cost $12 billion in 1990. The actual cost that year was $98 billion.

• In 1987, Congress projected that Medicaid – the joint federal-state health care program for the poor – would make special relief payments to hospitals of less than $1 billion in 1992. The actual cost that year was $17 billion.

• In 1988 the cost of Medicare’s home care benefit was projected in 1993 to be $4 billion. The actual cost that year was $10 billion.

Anyone who thinks that the Health Care Reform Act will not have a negative impact upon the prosperity and tax burden of our children and grandchildren is woefully naive. “Free” health insurance is coming to millions of Americans with a massive price tag.

However, conservatives and Republicans need to be very careful if they assume that the passage of this legislation over the will of the people through a host of backroom deals and arm-twisting will easily hand them election victories this fall. First of all, in politics, seven months is a lifetime. Voters often have short memories and the proponents of this behemoth have very shrewdly timed a lot of the legislation’s negatives until after the 2010 and 2012 elections.

If there is one thing that could come back to haunt Democrats (there were no Republicans who supported this plan), it is the fear factor of being drug to the gallows. Americans may not yet feel the impact of this legislation, but they do not like how it all came about. It is possible that there is a growing distrust and discomfort that cannot be erased or hidden past an election. This comes from the sheer smarminess of the President’s agenda, his Congressional supporters, and what pay offs they will arrange or put in legislation in order to achieve their ultimate leftist objectives regardless of the views of the citizens.

President Obama (and House Speaker Pelosi in 2006) pledged to be new, transformative political leaders who would rise above politics as usual to a higher level of ethics, openness, bi-partisanship and cooperation with a new style of people-centered governance. Nothing has been farther from the truth, and it is a painful reality that can no longer be hidden.

Shortly before midnight on Sunday the President gave a short four-minute televised statement on the passage of the legislation. I have not been able to get past six words in which he said, “this is what change looks like.” Fasten your seat belts passengers; the next three years are going to be a very long and bumpy ride.

AFA of Indiana Calls for Lawsuit to Block Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill

I have been flooded with calls, e-mails and questions from supporters and friends asking what can be done about the passage of this legislation over the will of the people.

Yesterday morning AFA of Indiana delivered a written request asking Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller to look into the legislation and the constitutional questions surrounding it.

Attorneys General in Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington announced that they would likely join together to file suit to block the implementation of the legislation based upon Constitutional concerns. Additionally the Attorney General of Virginia announced plans for an individual lawsuit based upon specific concerns surrounding a Virginia statute. Reports indicate that the Idaho Attorney General may file a similar suit to that of Virginia.

In our letter to Attorney General Zoeller, I cited concerns over the violation of the 10th Amendment, which states “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states.” I also mentioned concerns about the justification for the legislation via the “commerce clause” of the Constitution. I wrote, “To my knowledge this clause has never been used or interpreted to force individuals to buy something, much less insurance. In fact, if a Hoosier decides not to buy health insurance, by definition this individual is NOT engaging in any type of interstate commerce.”

I am sure that several groups and members of Congress are also calling upon the Indiana Attorney General to look into a lawsuit. Attorney General Zoeller is a very sharp and thoughtful legal expert. We’ll see if he sees a solid reason that justifies Indiana in joining in on these challenges.

Is Notre Dame University Still Confused Over the Politics of Abortion?

Even though the US Conference of Catholic Bishops was very clear in their opposition to the health care legislation bill due to its abortion funding provisions, it’s clear that this message didn’t seem to have much of an impact with the former president of Notre Dame University.

A report in the Los Angeles Times praising the influence of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells of her calling Father Theodore Hesburgh, former president of Notre Dame. The Speaker was not calling for spiritual guidance, but political help for the pro-abortion legislation. She asked Hesburgh to call Indiana Congressman Joe Donnelly, a Democrat from South Bend who allegedly had concerns over the abortion issue. The reporter observing the call and the Speaker’s clout does not report on the ND president’s response, but notes that Donnelly supported the bill over the objections of pro-life and Catholic groups.

A year after Notre Dame was criticized for hosting President Obama, the Speaker of the House hundreds of miles away, knew so well where the past President of ND stood politically, that she had no hesitation in calling him and asking him to ignore the teachings of his church in order to do a political power play with a local legislator. This news story does not reflect well upon the moral teachings of the Indiana college if its past president doesn’t even place them above politics.

Speaking of Life

On Thursday, April 15th, Life Centers of Indianapolis will host a fund-raising event featuring former President George W. Bush and award winning singing artist, Sandi Patti at Conseco Fieldhouse. For tickets or more information click this link:

http://www.lifecenters.com/events.html

Follow Up To Governor’s Guns vs. Business Dilemma

A few weeks ago I mentioned Indiana House Bill 1065 which pitted some business groups against 2nd Amendment advocates. The bill had easily passed the legislature and was headed to the Governor’s desk as the media and some business groups turned up the heat on the issue of guns at the workplace. The bill had two provisions. One part was the prohibition against confiscating legally owned firearms during a state emergency. This was a concern that stemmed from reports of such confiscations during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The second part allowed an individual to lock a legally owned and licensed firearm in his or her car during work hours even if his employer opposed that right of the individual. This was the part that concerned some business groups.

Governor Daniels signed HB 1065 into law on March 15th.

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Click below to view the video clips.

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Last year Obama praised the Mayo Clinic system as “a model for health-care reform.” Not long after, Mayo came out with this negative:

Although there are some positive provisions in the current House Tri-Committee bill – including insurance for all and payment reform demonstration projects – the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite.

In general, the proposals under discussion are not patient focused or results oriented. Lawmakers have failed to use a fundamental lever – a change in Medicare payment policy – to help drive necessary improvements in American health care. Unless legislators create payment systems that pay for good patient results at reasonable costs, the promise of transformation in American health care will wither. The real losers will be the citizens of the United States.

Obama was right. The Mayo Clinic is a model, of things to come.

From Bloomberg Dec. 31

The Mayo Clinic, praised by President Barack Obama as a national model for efficient health care, will stop accepting Medicare patients as of tomorrow at one of its primary-care clinics in Arizona, saying the U.S. government pays too little.

More than 3,000 patients eligible for Medicare, the government’s largest health-insurance program, will be forced to pay cash if they want to continue seeing their doctors at a Mayo family clinic in Glendale, northwest of Phoenix, said Michael Yardley, a Mayo spokesman. The decision, which Yardley called a two-year pilot project, won’t affect other Mayo facilities in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.

Obama in June cited the nonprofit Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio for offering “the highest quality care at costs well below the national norm.” Mayo’s move to drop Medicare patients may be copied by family doctors, some of whom have stopped accepting new patients from the program, said Lori Heim, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, in a telephone interview yesterday.

“Many physicians have said, ‘I simply cannot afford to keep taking care of Medicare patients,’” said Heim, a family doctor who practices in Laurinburg, North Carolina. “If you truly know your business costs and you are losing money, it doesn’t make sense to do more of it.”

You’d better get used to it.

Get on a government program. Get in line. Take a number, bring a sleeping bag. Oh, sorry, we don’t take that plan. Maybe you should consider counseling?

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All I can say to the knuckleheads in Minnesota is, “hey, insomnia bites!”

A now, a little Jimmy Buffet tribute to the assholes in D.C. selling out our country. Franken appears at the end.

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“You think you’ve heard these same excuses before, you’re right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said, slow down, it’s too early. Let’s wait. Things aren’t bad enough. When women spoke up for the right to speak up, they wanted to vote, some insisted slow down, there will be a better day to do that. The day isn’t quite right. When this body was on the verge of guaranteeing equal civil rights to everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, some senators resorted to the same filibuster threats that we hear today.”

Reid is not only an idiot, he’s ignorant. It was democrat Senator Strom Thurmond who attempted to filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 1957, and failed. And it was the Republicans who led the charge against slavery.

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Our nation is at a crossroads. Policies adopted in health care reform will have an impact for good or
ill for years to come. None of the bills retains longstanding current policies against abortion funding
or abortion coverage mandates, and none fully protects conscience rights in health care.
As the U.S. bishops’ letter of October 8 states:

“No one should be required to pay for or participate in abortion. It is essential that the
legislation clearly apply to this new program longstanding and widely supported federal
restrictions on abortion funding and mandates, and protections for rights of conscience.
No current bill meets this test…. If acceptable language in these areas cannot be found,
we will have to oppose the health care bill vigorously.”

For the full text of this letter and more information on proposed legislation and the bishops’ advocacy
for authentic health care reform, visit: www.usccb.org/healthcare.

Congressional leaders are attempting to put together final bills for floor consideration. Please contact
your Representative and Senators today and urge them to fix these bills with the pro-life amendments
noted below. Otherwise much needed health care reform will have to be opposed. Health care reform
should be about saving lives, not destroying them.

ACTION: Contact Members through e-mail, phone calls or FAX letters.
- To send a pre-written, instant e-mail to Congress go to www.usccb.org/action.
- Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices.
- Full contact info can be found on Members’ web sites at www.house.gov & www.senate.gov.

MESSAGE to SENATE:
“During floor debate on the health care reform bill, please support an amendment to
incorporate longstanding policies against abortion funding and in favor of conscience rights.
If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed.”

MESSAGE to HOUSE:
“Please support the Stupak Amendment that addresses essential pro-life concerns on abortion
funding and conscience rights in the health care reform bill. Help ensure that the Rule for the
bill allows a vote on this amendment. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill
should be opposed.”

WHEN: Both House and Senate are preparing for floor votes now. Act today! Thank you!

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What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run plan.

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.

Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s 2,032-page government takeover of health care does just that. On line 17, p. 110, section 222 [PDF] under “Abortions for which Public Funding is Allowed” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run plan. The Speaker’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions.

What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run plan. It’s right there on line 16, page 96, section 213, under “Insurance Rating Rules.” 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 213 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 plan. The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month.

Complete post is here.

Time’s running out. Call your representative today. Senators contact information is here, Congressman contact info is here.

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Worth spending 7 minutes watching.

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This is a bill that is 1990 pages long. They have 72 hours to read it. That’s reading 28 pages an hour, non-stop.

Transparency my ass.

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The president of the Ron Clark academy is Alonzo Llorens, an attorney and ardent Obama supporter and contributor. He’s also contributed to the John (I never saw a Breck girl I wouldn’t hump) Edwards campaign.

Llorens is also a regular donor to the NEA Fund For Children And Public Education, which is an opponent to home schooling. The NEA believes that home schooling instruction should only be conducted by parents who are licensed by a state education licensure agency.

The NEA also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.

So what they’re saying is if you’re not being indoctrinated by one of their socialist educators, ” get the hell off our football field and visit your friends on the street“.

How nice.

Since the 1990′s, the NEA has also supported the adoption of a single-payer health care plan for all residents of the United States, its territories, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Go figure.

Sounds like ACORN doesn’t it? It gets better. Earlier this year, the Ron Clark Academy received a $365,000 donation from TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey. See, it really is a tangled web.

Indoctrinate away.

Oh, and there’s not even a token white boy in this video.

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