Officials invited the White House press pool to 5 minute interviews with Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg to discuss Feinberg's announcement to cut executive pay at at least 7 companies.

The press pool is made up of the 5 major news organizations including CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.  FOX has been a member of the White House press pool since 1997.

Officials invited the entire press corps to the round robin interview process with the express exception of FOX News. The Washington Bureau Chiefs of all of the 5 major networks consulted.  The group agreed that if FOX were not allowed to participate, that they would boycott the interview with Feinberg in protest.

The White House eventually relented and granted 2 minute interviews for each network including FOX.

This comes on the heels of several Obama administration officials making the rounds on the weekend talk shows on the other 4 major networks and claiming that FOX News is more like "talk radio" and "not really a news organization" like ABC or CNN.

Bret Bair of Fox News reports the president has granted the following number of interviews by news organization since taking office last January.

NBC: 12 Interviews

CBS:  11 Interviews

ABC:  9 Interviews

CNN: 7 Interviews

FoxNews:  2 Interviews

Obama's predecessor granted 6 total interviews in the same time period.

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Sincerely,

American Taxpayer

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.  You admit then that the plan is to restrict private businesses and force them to take risks much like the housing mess with Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac?  Is this supposed to help your cause?  The American people don't want you to create another financial disaster and we surely don't want you to experiment with our health care.  The latest polls are showing that most people in the US are happy with their current health care insurance.  So why not simply fix the problems for the few who are unhappy instead of completely overhauling the entire system, harming those who are already satisfied?  If you allow private insurance companies to compete in all 50 states, a market will emerge for those who have medical issues.  Competition will create price decreases.  It's basic economics.
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.  Didn't Chavez try regulating prices in private industry? Yes.  How's that working out for Venezuela?  Or how about Cuba?  Government mandated pricing is unconstitutional and just plain destructive to an economy.
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.  By this admission, private companies will be forced to provide services even though they aren't being paid for them.  Businesses survive on profit.  If the government mandates services be provided without charge, prices for other services will absolutely skyrocket to cover the cost of "free" services.
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill. Already law.  Enforce the laws already in place.
5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.  Should they start covering pregnancy for men now?  Men and women are different.  Men don't live as long as women.  Smokers are at a higher risk for cancer.  Some people are simply more prone to disease, illness or accident than others.  Offering a flat rate for all people will simply raise prices for everyone.
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.  So you will cap profits; you will cap pricing; you are capping executive pay; and now you want to force private business to continue services even if they aren't paid for?  Currently, it is a choice to participate in a program that has lifetime caps on coverage and there are supplemental insurance companies available to pick up the slack.  What will become of supplemental insurance companies like Aflac and Assurant?
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26. Again, open up the market.  Allow the private sector to do this and they will.  Why is Medicaid the only option or adults needing care?
8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.  This is a small section of a bill that has grown to more than 1,000 pages.  This one piece could be a bill all by itself.  Why do you need to completely takeover the entire system to accomplish this goal? 

1.  Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.  The massive bureaucracy that will be created by this health care bill is staggering.  A health care czar who is accountable to no one, a clinical preventative services taskforce, advisory panels, a reinsurance program, new qualifications for private insurance companies, a public health workforce corps.......  The bill is laden with confusion and new government agencies.  All of these new salaries, supplies, and infrastructure are going to cost unheardof amounts of money; taxpayer money.  We can't afford it.  And if there's no money, decreasing expensive services, aka rationing, will be the only way to keep the system moving.
2. We can’t afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.  If the president has found all of these savings, why not implement them now?  If we save now, we won't need this massive overhaul.  The double-talk is becoming cumbersome and unconvincing.  Obama's plan to save us from the "fiscal catastrophe" that was supposedly coming if he didn't get the $787 billion stimulus package passed immediately has failed.  The omnibus spending bill to the tune of $410 billion turned out to be nothing more than a lot of democratic campaign paybacks, full of wasteful spending and hasn't helped the economy one bit.  The president promised no more cronyism, no more lobbyists in the White House and full transparency, yet he lied.  The truth is, we don't trust President Obama, his staff or this congress.  You aren't listening to us and now we aren't listening to you either.
3. Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions. If this isn't true of the original draft of the bill, then why are the "death panels" being removed in the newer revised version?  Did Sarah Palin scare you by exposing the truth behind what is in this bill?
4. Vets' health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.
5. Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.   Agreed. Allowing small businesses to drop coverage for their employees will of course help the profit margins for small business.  The problem then becomes where those employees will be allowed to go to get coverage.   According to this bill, employees who are dropped from coverage with their employer will be mandated to join the government-run program or face penalties and fines.
6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.  Medicare is safe?  The president said himself, out loud and on video, that part of the funding for health care reform will come from cutting up to 60% of medicare costs.  He said it, we heard it and you can't convince us that he didn't.
7. You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.  Let's refer back to #5.  If small businesses are allowed to drop coverage, employees will be forced to change insurance.  If they are forced to change coverage, it stands to reason they may be forced to change doctors.
8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts.  Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose.  Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.  Again, we don't trust you.  If we did, this rumor wouldn't have started.

1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage when they became seriously ill.  Isn't that why we have Medicaid?  Overhaul of the entire system isn't needed to solve this problem.  Open up the market and allow insurance companies to truly compete across all 50 states and there will be a market for coverage of pre-existing conditions and severe illness.  Private insurance companies are not the devil.  They take extraordinary risk to provide a service to their customers.  They also understand that we are mortal.  Human beings will get sick.  And the insurance company will have to pay for care. 
2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job.  Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage.  I would argue that we are actually getting more care, more tests and more doctors are providing more services than in the past.  The real problem?  The doctors need to cover their backsides against frivolous malpractice claims.  More and more doctors are being sued out of business while savvy lawyers are making millions.  Why doesn't this bill, of over 1,000 pages, address malpractice reform? 
3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women’s reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care.  Women are not lined up outside hospitals, writhing in pain, because they are denied an aspirin for a headache.  Refer back to #5 in the first section of this message.  You admit that women require more care, yet you want men to pay the difference for them?  Women in this country don't need your hand-out.  We are not inferior and we do not expect special treatment.
4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities.  Who are these 50 million people?  Illegal immigrants?  People who could afford care but don't purchase it?  Are they eligible for Medicare and Medicaid already but simply haven't filled out the paperwork?  Even the Congressional Budget Office reports that there will be a net loss in coverage for Americans because of the legislation you are trying to ram down our throats.  Hard-working taxpayers in rural America don't want to foot the bill for people who don't pay taxes, people who could already afford coverage and those who already qualify for a government program.  And that's to say nothing to the fact that we already pay for the cadillac health insurance of government employees, congress, and white house staff.
5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with less than 100 workers.  Some of these people get insurance through a spouse.  Some choose not to purchase health care coverage even though they make enough money to do so.  Some purchase supplemental insurance plans such as Aflac or Assurant.  OPEN UP THE MARKET!  Allow insurance companies to sell insurance to these individuals at a fair price.  Allow insurance companies to compete and the prices will come down.  Small businesses will not be burdened with the bureaucracy of providing coverage.  And more American taxpayers will be able to purchase affordable coverage.
6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. Didn't we already learn that this is a lie?  Factcheck.org has debunked this claim more than once.  Stop lying to us and we may begin to trust you.
7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. These numbers don't prove that access to care has been diminished.  Currently, if you require care but are uninsured, you have the option to pay for that care out of pocket.  It is not the ideal situation of course, but at least it's an option.  Under the health care bill proposed, individuals will be required to purchase health insurance or suffer being fined 6% of their income or more.  There will be no option for those who wish to purchase health care services on their own.  A government mandate on health insurance is tyranny.  It's not Constitutional.  And it's not what's best for America.
8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform.  Finally, we agree on something.  We need reform.  But do we need it right this very second?  What's the rush?  Why is it so important that we have such an incredible piece of legislation slammed through Congress and signed into law?  Why aren't we addressing just the problems outlined above?  Why are you trying to overhaul the entire system when you yourself have identified ways to cut costs, eliminate waste and provide better care without taking over the health care industry?  Why not just fix the problems instead of creating new ones?

PLEASE SEND THIS RESPONSE TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.  DEMAND MORE PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY AND MATURITY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE!

Stop the presses! According to the Associated Press, the Department of Transportation has considered suspending the CARS, or Cash for Clunkers program indefinitely.   According to the original breaking news story, officials are concerned that the money will run out too quickly and that they will not be able to pay dealers participating in the program.

Early Thursday evening, the AP, USA Today and others were reporting that the program had been cancelled, however the AP is now changing its story.  According to the latest report, the Department of Transportation is "evaluating all options" to keep the program funded.  Read the updated  AP story here,   

So will the government shut CARS down or pass another rushed bill through congress without properly considering the consequences?

The government is sure to endure a backlash from consumers and dealers alike as millions of dollars in advertising, training and preparation has been spent on a program that was supposedly designed to last until November.

As President Obama clinks beer mugs with his Harvard buddy and his buddy's arresting officer, the American people are focused on other issues.  With public support for the president waning significantly and a new Rasmussen poll reporting only a 48% approval rating, Obama needs to see some success in some of the programs he has run so rapidly through congress or risk losing support completely from the American public.  The AIG bonuses bill created enormous scandal and outrage, the stimulus package has failed to bring about the jobs numbers promised months ago and the health care bill is facing trouble in both the senate and congress.  The Cash for Clunkers meltdown couldn't have come at a worse time for the president.

Original post below.

Does your car qualify? How does the program work? Is it really a good deal for consumers? What kind of car can I buy? What happens to my old car?

The Cash for Clunkers program, now known as CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System), is leaving more questions than answers for many consumers, dealers and salvage yards.

According to CARS.gov:

The website warns you must check back often for "updates" to the program.  That seems good advice being that the qualifications have already changed once since last Friday.

Though the official kick-off of CARS was Monday, July 27th, many dealers began participating over the weekend.  They came into their offices on Monday with a new set of rules.

Once the consumer is out the door with their new, more fuel efficient vehicle, the real work begins. The rule book for dealerships is about 150 pages long on the website and the longer, more detailed version from the Department of Transportation was approximately 400 pages.  The rules outline the process for destroying the traded vehicle, applying for a voucher, and turning in the necessary accompanying paperwork such as proof of continuous insurance and a certificate proving the trade-in was destroyed.

Dealers, which already have enormous amounts of paperwork when selling a vehicle, must submit all documents rather quickly because the program is on a first-come, first-served basis.  The latest reports are showing nearly $100 million in vouchers has already been requested this week with more than 19,000 "clunkers" traded in. (Bloomberg, 7-29-09)  The $1.2 billion program will continue until  money runs out or on November 1, 2009, whichever comes first.

Since there are only so many dealers participating in the program and only so much money to go around, it works out to be about 11 CARS deals on average per dealership.  Some dealerships have already well exceeded that average number.

Some things to consider... 

If I am a dealer that is turning in my paperwork today for a voucher to arrive in several weeks, how should I pay out commissions to the sales person?  How do I pay the bills while I'm waiting for the vouchers to arrive? Dealerships typically make much less profit per vehicle than the voucher will be paying out, so there is a cashflow issue for most dealerships.

Also, what will happen with the "leftovers?"  In other words, if the dealers are turning in deals at the end of the program, what happens to the deals that are a day too late?  How will the government let dealers know when to cut off the program?  There will inevitably be deals still on the table, with consumers on the road and old vehicles destroyed, that won't be funded by the vouchers.

If the money runs out, who will get paid first?  Will GM and Chrysler dealerships be paid first since they are now owned by the government?

With the amount of paperwork being turned into a government that already has trouble getting the White House staff to properly pay its taxes, there are sure to be errors in reporting.  Should there be any mistakes in reporting, the voucher will be denied.  What happens then?

The dealer will need to call the consumer, who is already zipping around town in his fancy new car, whose old car has already been destroyed, and inform him that he owes the dealership an additional $4,500.  How do you think that will go over?

At least one Minnesota dealer has already put a halt on the program and will not be submitting any more requests for vouchers for fear that the money will run out before they get paid in full by the government.  They have already exceeded the average at each of their stores and said they were afraid they would have to "eat the 4,500 bucks per car" to keep customers happy and returning for additional business.  Speaking under anonymity, one salesman said, "I'm still waiting for my $400 refund check from the IRS.  How can we expect them to pay out $1.2 billion to car dealerships all over the country?"

The CARS program is being trumpeted as a "green" initiative with the intent of getting gas guzzling vehicles off the road in favor of more fuel efficient means of transportation.  On the surface, this sounds appealing, but once we dig into the mechanics of the program it isn't difficult to see that it is fundamentally flawed.

First, the government is assuming people will drive the same amount of time or less in their new vehicles.  Studies show that Americans are more likely to drive newer vehicles more than their older cars. (FoxNews, 2009)  The emissions results are yet to be determined, but the result could very well be a wash.

Also, the program fails to address the fact that when you destroy the trade-ins, you are diminishing the parts available for recycling.  The car must be drivable upon trade-in, however the dealer is responsible for pouring sodium metasilicate into the engine before transport to a salvage yard. Sodium metasilicate, also known as "liquid glass," produces a sludge-like substance in the engine, destroying it, and making the vehicle non-drivable. The salt, sand & water based liquid is said to be harmful if inhaled and can cause severe irritation to eyes, skin and the respiratory tract.

Following the destruction of the car's engine, the salvage yard is required to crush the vehicle, leaving much of the cars parts nothing more than scrap metal.  Engines and engine parts are big business for salvage yards and count on those parts to stay in business.

From WHSV, an ABC affiliate that investigated local salvage yard owners:

"If this program keeps running, we're not going to have used parts to sell. It's going to hurt us, and it's going to hurt the average everyday person," says Angela Ingram, of B & A Auto Parts.

Again, the Obama administration has rushed through a piece of legislation and burdened the people with unintended consequences.

In a televised speech on Tuesday Venezuela's oil minister Rafael Ramirez told workers they must support the president's socialist agenda or be suspected of conspiring against the revolution. (Forbes)

Ramirez warned workers that if they do not join the state-run unions or socialist community groups they would be fired from their jobs.  Further, Ramirez instructed the country's major oil company, PDVSA, to comply with Chavez's wishes to support social works projects and sell oil to China. (AP)

"By now there should not be one single counter-revolutionary left in the heart of the oil trade unions. We must stay on alert," Rafael Ramírez, the oil minister and head of PDVSA, said in [the] televised speech. (Guardian UK)

The Obama administration, along with Congress, is taking a decidedly similar path with American businesses.  Just as Chavez has been taking control of private industry such as food companies, electricity, telecommunications, media, steel and more, the United States has been taking control of the auto industry, banking, investments, etc.

Community organizations and unions such as the ACLU, SEIU, ACORN, UAW and others have enormous power and influence over their members, often securing millions of dollars in campaign contributions for elected officials.  Those elected officials are then lobbied heavily to produce legislation in favor of growing these organizations.  It's a form of the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" game that has been all too prevalent in Washington as of late.

A congressional bill that is flying somewhat under the radar as the nation focuses on the Sotomayor confirmations, the death of Michael Jackson and the latest contestants kicked off So You Think You Can Dance, is the so-called Employee Free Choice Act, also known as Card Check.  Defined simply, this bill would allow unions to coerce employees to join the union by taking away their secret ballot, or be repeatedly harassed by union bosses.  More on the act here.

Chavez has openly discussed his pleasure with the Obama administration as it heads down a path to socialism.  Obama seems to be taking Chavez's play-by-play instructions seriously as he and congress attempt to overhaul health care insurance and completely take over the energy industry.

Americans take note: So goes Venezuela, the US is sure to follow.

What if Sotomayor doesn't get confirmation in the Senate?  The administration has had a very ambitious plan to complete as many things as possible in the shortest period of time.  Everything from the stimulus bill to the healthcare plans have been rushed and then forced on the Congress, Senate and American people at warp speed.

So why now does President Obama choose to follow typical protocol?  Why now is he respecting the rule of law and logistics by giving the Senate plenty of time to vet Ms. Sotomayor?  What is the benefit to this administration for putting the Supreme
Court nominee out in the open months before she will appear before the Senate?

As I've noted many times before, this administration's favored method of operation is to create or capitalize on catastrophe only to rush something into law without the ability for lawmakers, the press or the American people to adequately debate the outcome and consequences.  Everything is done so quickly, and as if we must act immediately or the sky will fall.   In fact, the administration acts as if it has Munchausen Syndrome.

Definition:  Munchausen Syndrome - type of factitious disorder, or mental illness, in which a person repeatedly acts as if he or she has a physical or mental disorder when, in truth, they have caused the symptoms. (Cleveland Clinic)

In the case of Sotomayor, she is a decent pick for the administration.  It wouldn't be horrible for the White House to have a left-leaning judge on the bench of the highest court in the land.  She is however, left leaning and not entirely open about her stance on several social issues including abortion.  Perhaps she isn't as far left as some might think.

Here's the continuation of what you should look for today.  And remember, the healthcare reform bill currently being reviewed in congressional committees is about healthcare insurance, not healthcare.  It is against the law in the United States to deny emergency healthcare to any individual.

4.  Opposition.  Every healthy and substantive debate offers more than one side of the issue. It's how conclusions are made and the best possible ideas are found and heard.  The format for programming today allows for normal commercial breaks, a townhall-style question and answer session, and interviews with Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer.  There should be plenty of room for differing views and alternative ideas, correct?  Not so fast.

Republicans and advocacy groups have asked for (and have been willing to pay for) commercial airtime to counter the president's all day infomercial but have been denied.  ABC has reportedly denied all opposition from participating in the White House event.

From NBC New York:

First he took over the White House. Next he took over General Motors. Now the President is poised to take over a television network to push his health care agenda...

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele tried to buy ad space for a Republican rebuttal, but ABC denied his request...

“On June 24, ABC News and anchor Charles Gibson will broadcast "World News" from inside the White House, and make Barack Obama's case for nationalized health care for him, without any opportunity for opposing views to be aired," Steele said.

Also denied airtime were advocacy groups such as Conservatives for Patients Rights requested a 60 second ad spot to preceed the president's prime time special.

From the Drudge Report:

Statement of Rick Scott, Chairman of Conservatives for Patients Rights:

It is unfortunate - and unusual - that ABC is refusing to accept paid advertising that would present an alternative viewpoint for the White House healthcare event.  Healthcare is an issue that touches every American... The American people deserve a healthy, robust debate on this issue and ABC's decision - as of now - to exclude even paid advertisements that present an alternative view does a disservice to the public.

Obama has been quoted numerous times on the campaign trail, as well as from the White House, as saying that if anyone has a good idea about healthcare reform, bring it to the table.  He touts that he is willing to have a "conversation about it."  Republicans and advocacy groups alike are trying to present alternatives, yet the White House and/or ABC is shutting them out.

5.  Be on the lookout for personal narratives.  This administration, with the help of David Axelrod's spin-doctor marketing firm, has learned the art of story-telling to sell their product.  Expect to hear from plenty of people who don't currently have healthcare insurance to tell you how terrible their life story is because the big bad republicans have denied them their health.

The testimonials will no doubt tug on your heartstrings as they offer up examples of being denied care for themselves and their children.  They may tell you of stories of being shuffled off to different hospitals, wasting critical time, after injury or sickness in an effort to save hospital and medical staff money.

What you won't hear in these testimonials though is the role Michelle Obama played while at the University of Chicago Medical Center, a hospital in the heart of urban Chicago.  There, Mrs. Obama instituted a program called the "urban health initiative" which was designed to cut costs for the hospital by providing limited care for the uninsured.  In some cases, patients were denied care and sent to other hospitals in the area, a practice called "patient dumping."  The initiative worked, saved the hospital money and the board was kind enough to grant Mrs. Obama a raise 3X what her salary had been before.  The marketing company responsible for making the "urban health initiative" sellable to the board and public?  David Axelrod's firm, AKP&D.

From the Washington Post:

Axelrod's firm recommended an aggressive promotional effort modeled on a political campaign -- appoint a campaign manager, conduct focus groups, target messages to specific constituencies, then recruit religious leaders and other third-party "validators." They, in turn, would write and submit opinion pieces to Chicago publications.

One key recommendation from Axelrod's firm: "Respond quickly to opposition activity."

The stories heard today on ABC will likely be far from the stories out of the UofC Medical Center, like the one reported by Michelle Malkin about a boy whose face was mauled by a pitbull.  Read that story by clicking here.

Ask yourself today when you feel the tears start to well up and you're ready to jump on-board the Obamacare Amtrak train, do you want a story? Or do you want substance?

6.  The townhall format during tonight's infomercial for healthcare should offer up some good debate, right?  Nope.

Robin Sproul, ABC's DC Bureau Chief - "We're choosing the audience...  That was understood from the beginning, and we never had a second conversation about it."

Ms. Sproul said that the audience would consist of roughly 130 individuals, hand-selected by a team of ABC News staffers.

"HI!  BILLY MAYS HERE!  YOU DON'T NEED A CABINET FULL OF CLEANERS! IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE WITH HARD WATER BUILD-UP, SOAP SCUM, RING AROUND THE TOILET...  THEN YOU NEED KABOOM!"

Should the Obama Propoganda Machine hire Billy Mays, the infomercial pitch-man famous for his loud voice and flambouyant sell-style, to push the government-run healthcare program?  Mays has been arguably the most successful product hawker for the Home Shopping Network and other commercial venues.  Orange Glo sold more than $500 million in products in 2002 in large part to the selling prowess of Billy Mays.

From the Tampa Bay Business Journal:

Mays makes no apologies for being a peddler or a pitchman. The 43-year-old got his start as a youth, selling Washmatik, the washer in a bucket, on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J.

"I was taught to pitch by a lot of old pitchmen," he said. "That's the kind of style I have."

For 12 years, Mays traveled the country, pitching products at home shows, state fairs and auto shows...

It's all about crowd control" Mays said.

Sounds a lot like the Obama campaign-style methods of pushing the democratic agenda on the American people; loud, obnoxious, and even though you may not want the product, you feel compelled to listen to the pitch.

On June 24th, ABC will give the world a chance to hear Obama's argument for government healthcare insurance directly from the horse's mouth as they broadcast from the Blue Room at the White House.  But some are not impressed with the gift the White House-horse is giving ABC.

Drudge Report has more details here:  ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSERepublican National Committee Chief of Staff Ken McKay wrote a letter to ABC President David Westin expressing concern with the White House taking over programming on ABC.

"... Today, the Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to add our Party’s views to those of the President’s to ensure that all sides of the health care reform debate are presented. Our request was rejected. I believe that the President should have the ability to speak directly to the America people. However, I find it outrageous that ABC would prohibit our Party’s opposing thoughts and ideas from this national debate, which affects millions of ABC viewers.

In the absence of opposition, I am concerned this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda. If that is the case, this primetime infomercial should be paid for out of the DNC coffers. President Obama does not hold a monopoly on health care reform ideas or on free airtime. The President has stated time and time again that he wants a bipartisan debate. Therefore, the Republican Party should be included in this primetime event, or the DNC should pay for your airtime."

The letter was obviously not important enough for Mr. Westin to respond to personally.  Instead, Senior VP Kerry Smith responded.

 ... ABC News prides itself on covering all sides of important issues and asking direct questions of all newsmakers -- of all political persuasions -- even when others have taken a more partisan approach and even in the face of criticism from extremes on both ends of the political spectrum.  ABC News is looking for the most thoughtful and diverse voices on this issue.   ABC News alone will select those who will be in the audience asking questions of the president.  Like any programs we broadcast, ABC News will have complete editorial control.  To suggest otherwise is quite unfair to both our journalists and our audience."
 

The White House press team has put together a plan to keep Obama on the campaign trail to push its healthcare plan.  Though the president makes a press appearance almost every day, less and less Americans are watching the networks that cover his administration without debate, as evidenced by the latest cable news ratings.  Fox News, which claims to be more fair and balanced than other networks and hosts decidedly conservative commentary during primetime programming, has consistently increased its viewers, outprogramming it's competitors by a large margin.

With the ratings so clearly showing that Fox News is the most popular media outlet for Americans to get their news, the Obama administration still gave the exclusive coverage to ABC.  Perhaps they have already been to the Billy Mays' school for pitchmen.  Perhaps it's all about "crowd control."

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On a side note, the takeover of media outlets in Venezeula by communist leader Hugo Chavez is decidedly similar to the road the Obama administration seems to be taking with American media, albeit a softer approach.  To read more on how Chavez is paving the road for nationalized businesses including the US company Cargill Foods, click here.

The president said today that he is requiring government to adopt "pay-go," a plan he says will lead to the national deficit being cut in half over the next four years.

"This is a rule I championed in the Senate, and a rule I called for time and again on the campaign trail," the president said.

He went on to say that he is urging lawmakers to pass legislation that will require government to save a dollar for every new dollar they spend.

Will that also apply to the $787 billion stimulus bill? or the $410 omnibus bill? or how about the $5 billion Serve America Act?  $50 billion auto bankruptcy? The SCHIPP bill? The upcoming Healthcare reform?  Or the Federal Budget Blueprint?

The truth is, President Obama has already signed into law billions of dollars worth of spending without the slightest regard for fiscal responsiblity or a "pay-as-you-go" philosophy.

Obama's claims today include:

$40 billion can be saved by reforming how government contracts are awarded.

Billions can be saved by overhauling defense spending.

Eliminating unwarranted subsidies (i.e. Medicare and Medicaid payments to insurance companies) will save roughly $177 billion.

The president went on to say that he and his staff are conducting an ongoing "line by line review of the budget." Under the Constitution, the president has no authority to line item veto anything in the federal budget, nor does the president's staff.

If the president had not already spent billions upon billions of dollars in wasteful spending, and kept his campaign promise that he so proudly "championed" as a senator to cut government waste, imagine what the deficit could be.

28% of votes from last November's election submitted by troops deployed abroad were not counted according to a recent study released by the Congressional Research Service. The study was conducted in 7 states with high populations of military absentee voters including Pennsylvania and West Virginia.  As reported by Fox News, 98,000 troops' votes were not counted or never collected.

Sen. Charles Shumer (D-NY) requested the study and was quoted as saying, "This is unacceptable and something we should not allow to continue."

Fox also reports that "one out of every four ballots requested by military personnel and other Americans living overseas for the 2008 election may have gone uncounted."

Shumer suggested part of the problem with uncounted votes from overseas is that many who are eligible for absentee ballots don't receive them within sufficient time to return them and to be counted.

Also included in the study were Florida, California, North Carolina, Texas and Washington.  California's startling statistics reveal 30,000 "lost" ballots, 3,000 returned ballots, and 4,000 rejected votes.  The state sent out 103,000 absentee ballots to military personnel and Americans living abroad.

Military personnel and those who submit absentee ballots are more likely to register republican than democrat. (National Review)

The results of that study reported yesterday by many media outlets is among a long list of problems with the voting process in the United States.  Unfortunately, the current process leaves many doors open for those with intentions of cheating to win an election.

In October 2008, Florida's Sun Sentinel reported significant voter registration problems.  Secretary of State Kurt Browning admitted that thousands of ineligible voters remained on the rolls for the election last fall.  More than 30,000 convicted felons remained on the registration rolls, of which nearly 5,000 are faithful voters.  According to the article, twice as many of Florida's registered felons register democrat versus republican.

Also a problem in Florida for many years is the number of deceased voters.  In central Florida alone, a local news group found 1,636 votes submitted from beyond the grave. (Channel Nine)

ACORN, now indicted in 14 states, could be responsible for more than 400,000 fraudulent votes, according to recent cable news reports.  Widely reported in the mainstream media, ACORN has claimed accolades for registering more than 1.3 million new voters in 2008. (Fox News)

In Pennsylvania, the district attorney charged seven employees with forgery and election law violations.  In Philadelphia, deputy election commissioner Fred Voigt protested ACORN for submitting at least 1,500 fraudulent registrations. (Wall Street Journal)

Nevada prosecutors charged 2 leaders of the state's ACORN branch with voter registration fraud for allegedly submitting thousands of fraudulent documents.

Despite repeated plites by ACORN officials to blame a few "rogue employees," authorities have filed criminal charges against the organization itself in addition to its employees in several states.

Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann blogs on Townhall.com:

The ACORN phenomenon isn't about a rogue prosecutor or a few rogue employees; this is a pattern of bad behavior investigated by several prosecutors, resulting in indictments by several grand juries.  As Nevada's Democratic Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto told the Las Vegas Sun, ACORN's own training manuals "clearly detail, condone and... require illegal acts."

The New York Times reports that of the 91,002 registration forms submitted by ACORN in Clark County, NV (which includes Las Vegas), only 23,186 were legitimate voters who turned out on election day.

Vote Today Ohio, an affiliate fo ACORN, employed 3 men who pleaded guilty in April of the voter fraud.  The 3 men living temporarily in the swing state of Ohio voted at least twice, registering at both their temporary addresses as well as their permanent addresses in other states.

Voter fraud doesn't stop with ACORN, nor does it stop at individuals or timing conflicts with the mail.

Minnesota is still short one Senator 6 months after the November election due to mass confusion over which votes count and how precincts differ in handling ballots.  The state reports that over 4,000 uncounted ballots are still under scrutiny as incumbent Norm Coleman takes his case to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

The Gopher State is one of many left-leaning states that do not require preregistration, photo identification, or even be able to speak English in order to vote.

Ohio was showcased on many media outlets last fall as a swing state that could potentially host massive voter fraud.  Lou Dobbs reported last fall.

College students, illegal immigrants and those who have never registered before pose a large threat to a fair voting process in the United States.

In a small precinct in a Minnesota college town where only 1,900 people registered to vote, the potential for voter fraud was astounding.  1,588 ballots were counted including absentees.  More than 250 of those counted were new registrants.  An estimated 90% of those new registrants were college students living in a dorm on the local college campus.

Arguably, each one of those students living on campus have a permanent address in another precinct.  The only identification required for those students was that someone "vouch" for them, promising that the new registration was legitimate, so no documented proof of residency in the precinct was required.

If those students received an absentee ballot from their permanent address, they could quite easily vote twice.

In this precinct with a high concentration of democratic voters, the election judges and volunteers were more than willing to "help" voters by filling out forms for them, allowed voters to talk about candidates in the polling room and even allowed people to vote who came into the precinct with a registration card from another precinct.

In one instance, a woman clearly announced she was from another county, showed her registration card from the precinct at which she was supposed to vote and asked how she could vote at this location instead.  The election officials promptly handed her a new registration form and took the woman's mother's address as her residence.  The woman was handed a ballot and boasted on her way out of the polling booth how happy she was to vote for Obama.

In another blatant disregard for voting rules, students gathered in the parking lot after voting discussing which precinct they were going to "hit next."

If this small precinct of less than 2,000 voters had such obvious accounts of potential voter fraud, it is safe to assume that these practices were upheld all over the country.

Filmmaker John Zeigler released a documentary in February 2009 called Media Malpractice which depicts multiple counts of voter inpropriety.  On the film's website, Zeigler showcases voters who were proud to vote more than once for Obama.  In one case, a man says he voted 4 times.

It would be unfair to assume that all voter fraud was committed to support the Obama campaign.  Certainly there may be instances of voter fraud, duplicate voting or unlawful practices perpetrated by McCain supporters.  Those reports however are few and far between.  They don't typically coincide with ACORN voter fraud cases either.

At a quick glance, the numbers suggest that there is a legitimate case to be made that Obama may not have won the election in November by the landslide the mainstream media would have you believe.  The statistics reported here are documented incidents.  How many other cases have gone undocumented, uninvestigated or unproven?

Senator Edward Kennedy has been given credit for authoring the legislation, though he has been dealing with health issues for more than a year and had to be flown into Washington with extreme care to vote for the emergency stimulus earlier this year.

The Serve America Act is a call to "mandatory volunteerism" for Americans of all ages from high schoolers to baby boomers.  It is a call to action to "save our communities."  The act calls for feasability studies into "campuses" for volunteers to learn and to provide funding for uniforms.

Obama has spoken of his plan for a civilian militia as far back as last July when he spoke in Colorado Springs and the Serve America Act is the first step to making that militia a reality.

The act will be signed into law this afternoon at the SEED school of Washington where Senator Kennedy is expected to attend.  Said Obama in a press release:

"Because of this legislation, millions of Americans at all stages of their lives will have new opportunities to serve their country. From improving service learning in schools to creating an army of 250,000 Corps members a year dedicated to addressing our nation's toughest problems. From connecting working Americans to a variety of part-time service opportunities to better utilizing the skills and experience of our retirees and baby boomers."

Much of the wording in the original G.I.V.E. Act bill has been softened and the word "require" has been deleted in some cases, especially those involving middle school children receiving training to become volunteers.  The final bill does include a provision whereby those opposed to the legislation are prohibited from protesting, lobbying or organizing petitions against it.

The bill is clearly controversial in the United States with the blogasphere erupting in blogs both for and against the legislation.  Interestingly, U.S. neighbors to the north also weighed in on the debate.

The Canada Free Press wrote: "‘volunteerism that kept America running since the days of its founding' would be "wiped out with the stroke of a pen."

"It becomes forced labor and like the practice of another era, presses American citizens of all ages and creeds, unknowingly into military service. On paper, H.R. 1388 is the 'Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act'; the more innocuous sounding 'The Give Act,' for short."

Americans traditionally lead the world in true volunteerism and charitable giving.  America already has the 250,000 member strong volunteer group Americorps which will receive millions in funding from the recently passed $410 billion omnibus spending bill.  Why do we need another volunteer organization?

The signing of this bill will open the back door to allow President Obama to further take away the liberties and freedoms that Americans have fought to maintain for 200+ years.  It is exactly this type of legislation that has prompted so many citizens to attend TEA parties and get involved in politics in recent weeks.  And it will take decades to undo the damage once we are able elect a new administration, senate and house.

Hosts Wednesday night cocktail hour with friends and foes at the White House

Attended special concerts at the WH including Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire

Met the Jonas Brothers

Vacationed at Camp David

Visited Chicago and even squeezed in a pick-up-game of basketball

Hosted a Superbowl party where guests were served $100 steaks

Made an appearance on ESPN to choose his NCAA bracket

Appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno where he said he's "been practicing" bowling bringing his score up to 129

Traveled to California for press ops and townhall meetings seeking support for his budget

Accompanied elementary students for a chit-chat with astronauts

Met with the Boy Scouts of America

Appeared on 60 Minutes where he showed off the first swingset and laughed at the economy

Has spent time with his family including spring break and dates with Michelle

Obama has also been busy working in between practicing his bowling and catching the NCAA tournament.

Spoke at the joint sessions in March

Signed into law SCHIP and Stem Cell legislation, a $787 billion stimulus bill that no one has read in its entirety, an omnibus bill totaling more than $400 billion with nearly 9,000 earmarks and several executive orders

Wrote letter to former French president Jacques Chirac

Holds weekly Youtube addresses to the internet savy nation

Taken control of AIG, GM and others

Appointed nominees for cabinet posts and staff positions including the Treasury, HHS, Commerce, Secretary of State and others

Met with Prime Minister of England Gordon Brown (remember the gift fiasco)

Sent a Youtube video to Iran that was met with ridicule

Pre-empted regularly scheduled prime time programming 3 times

What Obama obviously hasn't had time for, and what he didn't learn in the 8 days he spent on Capitol Hill as a Senator, are the traditions, notions of respect, prestige and the properness expected by he who occupies the coveted office of the President of the United States of America.

In an AP article on Feb 5, a reporter describes how a very excited Obama broke from protocol just before his first trip on Marine One.  Apparently, he was so gitty about having his own helicopter that he forgot to salute the Marine at the foot of the stairs to the aircraft.  Instead, Obama extended his arm for a handshake.  The shocked Marine immediately returned to salute following the awkward moment.

This isn't Obama's first break from tradition in the last 60 days.  He gave his first interview as president to an Arab satelite television station.  Typically, the White House press corps has first dibs at the first official interview.

Obama doesn't understand the importance of the Marines and the respect they deserve.  In an unprecidented slap-in-the-face move, Obama has ditched the U.S. Marine Band and replaced them with a single piano player.  No longer will we hear the traditional "Hail to the Chief" when the president enters an event.  In its place we could hear pop, jazz or traditional music.  Obama's favorite so far has been Sting's Arab-themed "Desert Rose."

The dress code int he Oval Office has also been far more slack than Obama's predecessors.  According to reports, suit jackets are no longer required and rolled sleeves are the norm.  Being that Obama prefers the room temperature close to 80 degrees, rolled sleeves may be necessary, but even sweatpants have now made an appearance in the most prestigious office in the nation.

Obama recently declined an invitation to the Gridiron Banquet to spend some quality spring break time with his daughters.  Not since Grover Cleveland held office has a president not attended the extremely formal event.  The backlash from this may still be to come as the Gridiron Banquet is made up of prominent Washington elite including statesmen, columnists and bureau chiefs.  Reports have surfaced that some from the organization are not happy.  Telegraph UK spoke with a reporter from Chicago who said that people feel "miffed" that the invitation was snubbed.

Other traditions broken include removing the Winston Churchill bust from the White House, a gift from England and the refusal of a state dinner and dual press conference with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  Obama also starts his workday significantly later than in years past.  According to reports, he prefers to work out, eat breakfast with his family, read several newspapers and see his daughters off to school before he clocks in around 9am.  That is about 2 hours later than George W. Bush.

More disturbing than the changes in dress code or the hours of operation are the gravely significant changes in policy and the blatant disregard for the Constitution and the nation's free market system.

With the unions now running amock, campaign contributions and support more important than integrity and the downright disregard for the capitalistic set of laws set forth in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, the current administration has taken America on a path that is far from what her framers intended.

Then there's the stock market.  Since the inauguration, the Dow has slipped 2,000 points.  It had already fallen nearly 2,000 points since election day.  Analysts and news personalities hae weighed in saying:

"There's no confidence in Obama's plan.  The markets respond to data." - Sean Hannity

"The stock market is also demonstrating a lack of confidence in the president's big government agenda." - Lou Dobbs

It seem that every day there is another news story of how America is on the brink of total collapse if not for the Obama administration stepping in.  Every few days viewers are seeing the face of our cool and collected Commander in Chief on every cable news station, local news shows, late night comedy bits and daytime talk shows.  And every time the great one speaks, even when he says, "let me be clear," the markets tank.

A CNN poll this month suggested that Americans believe Obama is doing too much.  People were starting to get confused with his agenda, the markets were unsure of policies and on any given day, Obama could be holding a presser on anything from stem cell research to plans for a civilian militia.

Once the poll got out and other media outlets began reporting on the results, Team Obama changed strategy a bit and gave the president 3 things he was allowed to talk about - healthcare, energy and education.  Just before his press conference last Tuesday, I predicted that his answers would focus solely on those 3 things so that viewers could finally see a clear vision from their president.  There wer 13 questions asked.  Obama answered 11 of them with the big 3.

President Obama may have an ambitious agenda to save the world from annihilation due to greenhouse gasses, educate every child in the world to believe in the liberal, we-are-all-victims mantra, and to provide government-run healthcare to every resident (legal or not) of the United States, but I think it's time for a little time-out.

Why not take just a minute to reflect on what has been done for the last 2 months?  Why not evaluate the ethics, morals, standards and policies that have led us to the confused state we are in?  I propose, no... I beg of the president, take a few days off.  Give us all a chance to take in the poor hand you have dealt us.  Read a few of the bills you are signing into law and consider the consequences, not just the benefits for those with whom you owe favors.  Keep your promise to allow both lawmakers and citizens to evaluate bills being brought to your desk.  Give us the 5 days you promised.

How are AIG, George Soros, IndyMac Bank, and Timothy Geithner connected?  Again, we must look at the Treasury Department, the banking industry and the corruption in politics in Washington D.C.

Chief Operating Officer of the Office of Thrift Supervision Scott Polakoff has been placed on leave pending an investigation into the OTS regulators' approval of cash infusion to troubled thrifts such as IndyMac bank.  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will be charged with leading the investigation from his department.

Scott Polakoff was named COO of OTS in November 2005 after serving 22 years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Company.  He was the Regional Director of Supervision and Consumer Protection in Chicago, IL.  He then accepted the position of Acting Director of the agency in February upon the resignation of John Reich.  Reich told Geithner in January about the role of the OTS in the failure of IndyMac.  The OTS allowed InyMac Bank backdate a capital injection totally $18 million in May 2008 that resulted in the ability to avoid regulatory restrictions for the bank.  A few months later, the bank failed and the government intervened.

The FDIC has given a negative review to a Massachusetts community bank with no delinquent loans or foreclosures on its books and no anticipated losses.  The "needs to improve" rating is a result of the bank being picky about lending, according to the FDIC's interest in the Community Reivestment Act.

Joseph Petrucelli, chief executive of East Bridgewater Savings since 1992, told the Boston Business Journal that his bank is "paranoid about credit quality."

Apparently that will get you a poor rating in the eyes of the FDIC.  The agency also faulted Petrucelli for not promoting the bank's loan products enough.  East Bridgewater Savings does not have a website and offers fixed rate mortgages.

In comparison to others in the lending business, EBS only made an average of 28 cents in loans per dollar deposited over the last five years while its banking competitors had a 90% average loan to deposit ratio, according to Fox News reports.  The bank also turned a profit last year of $87,000.

The rare "needs to improve" rating is a slap in the face to a bank that chose not to make risky loans at the strong suggestion of the federal government.  The Community Reinvestment Act is of 1977 is "intended to encourage depository institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound banking operations." as stated on the act's website.

The key words here are "consistent with safe and sound banking operations."  Petrucelli successfully navigated the banking collapse in this country by keep his bank safe and using sound banking procedures.  How is that worthy of a poor rating by the FDIC?

The CRA is a major part of why lending in this country is in such crisis.  In the late 1970's, U.S. banks began writing loans, and consequently writing off loans, to non-creditworthy customers as a result of the federal government strong-arming them into making poor business decisions.  The economic crisis that the Obama administration is so often pinning on former President George W. Bush has deep roots in the Carter years.  The practice of writing bad mortgages, loaning money to those who couldn't afford to pay it back, and catering to the whim of Congress is precisely why the American banking system is in trouble today.

A message to our corrupt politicians:  Leave our money alone.  Leave our businesses alone.  Stop punishing success.  Let capitalism work.