Remember when government was "of the People, by the People, and for the People?" Well....
It doesn't seem that way today, does it?
The link: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29235.html
" Among the highlights: Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44 percent of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall. "
Um...wow. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not a millionaire. That's not to say I couldn't put that money to good use:
1) Pay off bills
2) Ensure the financial well-being of my family
3) Put money into the bank (NOT those that have taken TARP monies) to ensure my future financial well-being, and
4) Donate to charities.
Now let's remember back when Mr McCain was rightly chastised by the Democrats for not remembering how many houses he had. Each of those properties adds to his net worth, as it does for each member who is listed in the report. But to quote again from the report:
" One caveat on those numbers: Federal financial disclosure laws don’t require members to list the value of their personal residences. That information could alter the net worth picture for many lawmakers. " (emphasis added)
It certainly could. Let's use Mr McCain as an example. Let's assume he has a net worth currently of $14 million (for the record, I have no idea what his net worth is. This is a hypothetical situation and I selected the number at random.)
For the sake of this article, let's further assume (again, hypothetically) that he has six houses (residences) and that each of these are valued at $250,000.
Now it's time for more math (sorry!!) 6 x 250,000 = 1,500,000.
Since he's not required to list the value of those residences, let's assume he didn't. His net worth was $14 million, but we've just increased it by $1.5 million.
We've increased his net worth by 9.3%. (14,000,000 / 1,500,000 = 9.333333333)
Again, this is a hypothetical situation using hypothetical numbers. But if we were to add in the residences of many of those members, the numbers given in the article would be even greater.
Again, I don't know about you - but I don't have two houses.
But one quick exit question: Mr Obama wants to increase taxes on the millionaires. Will that include the members listed in the report or not?
If not, why not?
Just asking.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Fort Hood Shooter, Update
Some time back, I received Mr Douglas Hagmann's kind permission to link to his website and to quote from it, as long as I don't take it out of context.
Time for that full-disclosure thing: There is no relationship between Mr Hagmann or myself, nor between the Northeast Intelligence Network and myself other than I have conversed with Mr Hagmann on numerous occassions via email. He did not ask me to link to his site, I offered to.
But before I begin, let's consider this FBI statistic: Over the last 10 months alone, this [ Maj. Hasan ] makes the 61st arrest of a 'home-grown' terrorist. All 61 have been Muslim. (*, **)
Again, time for that full-disclosure thing: I do subscribe to streamlink so I can download Coast to Coast AM whenever I wish. Although they are sometimes controversial, they have had numerous mainstream people on: Dr. Peter Ward, Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. Katherine Albrecht, Dr. Joseph Resnik, Dr. Phillip Plait, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
But let's return to the subject at hand: " 8 November 2009: As noted by this author in the initial background profile published just hours after the Ft. Hood massacre here, Nidal Malik HASAN was an active member of the Dar al-Hijrah Mosque and Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia while stationed in the area in 2001. HASAN participated in mosque activities during the summer of 2001, at the same time as Nawaf al-Hamzi and Hani Hanjour, two of the 9/11 hijackers, were active members. The infamous Dar al-Hijrah Mosque has been on the radar of federal investigators and counter-terrorism investigators long before the 9/11 attacks, and has been described as a “hotbed of terrorist activity” by an FBI agent who has been involved in terrorism investigations that specifically included that mosque.[1] " (Links are the Northeast Intelligence Network's and are left intact. Emphasis added.) (*4)
Let's also consider this: " His [Maj. Hasan's] fellow students complained to the faculty about Hasan's "anti-American propaganda," but said a fear of appearing discriminatory against a Muslim student kept officers from filing a formal complaint. (***)
Ah, the ugly head of political correctness rears itself again. Can't say anything bad about a Muslim (even if true and verifiable) because you must be a bigot. You simply must be.
Let's also consider this: " Other terrorist luminaries, including Sheikh Mohammed al-Hanooti, an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, previously served as a prayer leader at Dar la-Hijrah [Maj. Hasan's Mosque.] Other notable former mosque members include HAMAS leader Mousa Abu Marzook, Abdurahman Alamoudi, Randall “Ismail” Royer (former officials of the Council on American Islamic Relations), Ismail Elbarasse, al Qaeda operative Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, and Abdullah bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s nephew." (*4)
Yes, the same Mosque that Maj. Hasan was at included two former CAIR officials. You don't say. " Despite their self-described depiction as an advocate of Islamic civil rights and contrary to their public position, some CAIR officials and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood associated with CAIR have endorsed all of the aspects of Sharia law, including those that accept or tacitly approve of Sharia justice. Do not let CAIR, the media, or any government agency or official tell you otherwise. " (*5)
Why is any of this important? Because somebody somewhere should have stopped Maj. Hasan before he murdered innocent people. We now know he was 'on the radar' for at least SIX MONTHS before his murderous rampage. We know that others feared speaking about it because they were afraid of "... appearing discriminatory against a Muslim student ... " (***)
And then there's this: " "The system is not doing what it's supposed to do," said Dr. Val Finnell, who complained to administrators at a military university about what he considered Hasan's "anti-American" rants. "He at least should have been confronted about these beliefs, told to cease and desist, and to shape up or ship out." " (***)
You don't say. And the most damning thing? " "In retrospect, I'm not surprised he did it," Finnell said of the shootings. "I had real questions about what his priorities were, what his beliefs were." " (***)
Gotta love political correctness, ne?
(*) - http://www.fbi.gov/terrorinfo/counterrorism/tsc.htm
(**) - http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2009/11/07 (Hour One.)
(***) - http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091108/D9BRD8GO1.html
(*4) - http://homelandsecurityus.com/?p=3246
(*5) - http://homelandsecurityus.com/?p=3209
Time for that full-disclosure thing: There is no relationship between Mr Hagmann or myself, nor between the Northeast Intelligence Network and myself other than I have conversed with Mr Hagmann on numerous occassions via email. He did not ask me to link to his site, I offered to.
But before I begin, let's consider this FBI statistic: Over the last 10 months alone, this [ Maj. Hasan ] makes the 61st arrest of a 'home-grown' terrorist. All 61 have been Muslim. (*, **)
Again, time for that full-disclosure thing: I do subscribe to streamlink so I can download Coast to Coast AM whenever I wish. Although they are sometimes controversial, they have had numerous mainstream people on: Dr. Peter Ward, Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. Katherine Albrecht, Dr. Joseph Resnik, Dr. Phillip Plait, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
But let's return to the subject at hand: " 8 November 2009: As noted by this author in the initial background profile published just hours after the Ft. Hood massacre here, Nidal Malik HASAN was an active member of the Dar al-Hijrah Mosque and Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia while stationed in the area in 2001. HASAN participated in mosque activities during the summer of 2001, at the same time as Nawaf al-Hamzi and Hani Hanjour, two of the 9/11 hijackers, were active members. The infamous Dar al-Hijrah Mosque has been on the radar of federal investigators and counter-terrorism investigators long before the 9/11 attacks, and has been described as a “hotbed of terrorist activity” by an FBI agent who has been involved in terrorism investigations that specifically included that mosque.[1] " (Links are the Northeast Intelligence Network's and are left intact. Emphasis added.) (*4)
Let's also consider this: " His [Maj. Hasan's] fellow students complained to the faculty about Hasan's "anti-American propaganda," but said a fear of appearing discriminatory against a Muslim student kept officers from filing a formal complaint. (***)
Ah, the ugly head of political correctness rears itself again. Can't say anything bad about a Muslim (even if true and verifiable) because you must be a bigot. You simply must be.
Let's also consider this: " Other terrorist luminaries, including Sheikh Mohammed al-Hanooti, an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, previously served as a prayer leader at Dar la-Hijrah [Maj. Hasan's Mosque.] Other notable former mosque members include HAMAS leader Mousa Abu Marzook, Abdurahman Alamoudi, Randall “Ismail” Royer (former officials of the Council on American Islamic Relations), Ismail Elbarasse, al Qaeda operative Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, and Abdullah bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s nephew." (*4)
Yes, the same Mosque that Maj. Hasan was at included two former CAIR officials. You don't say. " Despite their self-described depiction as an advocate of Islamic civil rights and contrary to their public position, some CAIR officials and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood associated with CAIR have endorsed all of the aspects of Sharia law, including those that accept or tacitly approve of Sharia justice. Do not let CAIR, the media, or any government agency or official tell you otherwise. " (*5)
Why is any of this important? Because somebody somewhere should have stopped Maj. Hasan before he murdered innocent people. We now know he was 'on the radar' for at least SIX MONTHS before his murderous rampage. We know that others feared speaking about it because they were afraid of "... appearing discriminatory against a Muslim student ... " (***)
And then there's this: " "The system is not doing what it's supposed to do," said Dr. Val Finnell, who complained to administrators at a military university about what he considered Hasan's "anti-American" rants. "He at least should have been confronted about these beliefs, told to cease and desist, and to shape up or ship out." " (***)
You don't say. And the most damning thing? " "In retrospect, I'm not surprised he did it," Finnell said of the shootings. "I had real questions about what his priorities were, what his beliefs were." " (***)
Gotta love political correctness, ne?
(*) - http://www.fbi.gov/terrorinfo/counterrorism/tsc.htm
(**) - http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2009/11/07 (Hour One.)
(***) - http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091108/D9BRD8GO1.html
(*4) - http://homelandsecurityus.com/?p=3246
(*5) - http://homelandsecurityus.com/?p=3209
Owens Breaks 4 Campaign Promises in First Hour
The link: http://www.gouverneurtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7623:owens-to-break-campaign-promises&catid=60:st-lawrence-news&Itemid=175 (*)
In fallout that reaches far beyond NY-23, Mr Owens broke 4 campaign promises during his first hour in congress.
That's got to be a record.
You'll remember that the RNC (Republican National Committee) endorsed that liberal in conservative clothing, Dede Scozzafava.
She was a conservative in name only. She was pro-'choice' and quite a few other things that put her at odds with true conservatives.
When she dropped out of the race, she then endorsed the Democrat Mr Owens. Thank you so much, RNC. You poured nearly $1 million dollars into her campaign and then she screwed you (and us) over.
How do you feel now, RNC? Take a moment to read Michelle Malkin's article about it (**, ***) where you'll find rejected RNC donation letters.
This is important because Ms Scozzafava "...shares the same socialist alliances with fellow SEIU/ACORN/New Party/Working Families Party activist Patrick Gaspard, the Obama White House political director who intervened in the race to secure Scozzafava’s endorsement of Owens." (***. Links are Ms Malkin's and are left intact.)
When she dropped out, she endorsed the Democrat Owens, who, as it turns out, broke four of his campaign promises in one damned hour!! Thank you so damn much, RNC. I'm gonna repeat one of the rejected RNC donation letters "NOT ONE MORE PENNY."
So what were the promises that that liar Mr Owens made?
1) He is now in favour of the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act," which is in direct contrast to his earlier position.
2) During the campaign "...he was firmly opposed to cutting Medicare benefits, taxing health care benefits, and increased taxes on the middle class in any way as you can see clearly in the screenshot below, taken directly from Mr. Owens' campaign website. " (*. See that site for the screenshot.) Well, the House "reform bill" contains provisions that will increase taxes on the middle class, tax health care benefits, and cuts Medicare benefits. Thank you so damned much RNC.
3) Mr Osama (er...OBAMA) said that the bill would not contain provisions for illegal immigrants as Mr Owens said he would not support. Said bill does now contain provisions for health care for illegal immigrants. Oops. You'll remember, I hope, that the Damocrats chastised Rep. Joe Wilson for calling Mr Osama (er...OBAMA) a liar, although it now seems true. Pity the Damocrats couldn't chastise their own members who called Mr Bush a liar during one of his State of the Union addresses. This is 'change?' How, exactly, is this different? Smells like the same sh!t as always to me.
4) I don't want to paraphrase the entire article, so I'll leave it to you to find this one.
Here's the end point: Mr Owens lied. He's a politician, so we expect that. But the RNC endorsed Ms Scozzafava over Mr Hoffman, poured nearly a million dollars into her coffers, and then she turned around and screwed the RNC and the conservatives over. How do you feel now, RNC?
Back when Mr Osama (er...OBAMA) was campaigning for the office of President, I sent a colleague of mine a letter to the RNC about ACORN and Freddie Johnson. You'll remember that ACORN pressured Mr Johnson into registering to vote an astonishing 72 times in Ohio!! (*4) The response I got back was "They are aware of the problem." I sent this person another missive asking if the RNC would get off its sorry ass and do anything. This is what I got back: "I was told that they're aware of the problem."
I'm going to be sending this colleague another missive shortly about Dede Scozzafava, Mr Owens, and Mr Hoffman and make it plainly aware to this person that any reply the RNC makes (if they have the guts to reply that is) will be posted here.
To the RNC: NOT ONE MORE DAMNED PENNY UNTIL YOU LEARN WHAT 'CONSERVATIVE' MEANS.
I sent my representative the following email and I'm going to repeat part of it. "I didn't leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me. Hopefully, one day you'll see that. Take your rose-coloured glasses off and you'll see a lot clearer."
NOT ONE MORE DAMNED PENNY, RNC. NOT ONE.
(*) - http://www.gouverneurtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7623:owens-to-break-campaign-promises&catid=60:st-lawrence-news&Itemid=175
(**) - http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/04/making-sure-the-message-sticks-more-rejected-rnc-forms/
(***) - http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/04/the-gop-elites-1-million-object-lesson-and-the-message-of-ny-23/
(*4) - http://www.nypost.com/p/news/politics/voter_registrations_8dh7PaKRiPc0BFNPZVnGMM
In fallout that reaches far beyond NY-23, Mr Owens broke 4 campaign promises during his first hour in congress.
That's got to be a record.
You'll remember that the RNC (Republican National Committee) endorsed that liberal in conservative clothing, Dede Scozzafava.
She was a conservative in name only. She was pro-'choice' and quite a few other things that put her at odds with true conservatives.
When she dropped out of the race, she then endorsed the Democrat Mr Owens. Thank you so much, RNC. You poured nearly $1 million dollars into her campaign and then she screwed you (and us) over.
How do you feel now, RNC? Take a moment to read Michelle Malkin's article about it (**, ***) where you'll find rejected RNC donation letters.
This is important because Ms Scozzafava "...shares the same socialist alliances with fellow SEIU/ACORN/New Party/Working Families Party activist Patrick Gaspard, the Obama White House political director who intervened in the race to secure Scozzafava’s endorsement of Owens." (***. Links are Ms Malkin's and are left intact.)
When she dropped out, she endorsed the Democrat Owens, who, as it turns out, broke four of his campaign promises in one damned hour!! Thank you so damn much, RNC. I'm gonna repeat one of the rejected RNC donation letters "NOT ONE MORE PENNY."
So what were the promises that that liar Mr Owens made?
1) He is now in favour of the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act," which is in direct contrast to his earlier position.
2) During the campaign "...he was firmly opposed to cutting Medicare benefits, taxing health care benefits, and increased taxes on the middle class in any way as you can see clearly in the screenshot below, taken directly from Mr. Owens' campaign website. " (*. See that site for the screenshot.) Well, the House "reform bill" contains provisions that will increase taxes on the middle class, tax health care benefits, and cuts Medicare benefits. Thank you so damned much RNC.
3) Mr Osama (er...OBAMA) said that the bill would not contain provisions for illegal immigrants as Mr Owens said he would not support. Said bill does now contain provisions for health care for illegal immigrants. Oops. You'll remember, I hope, that the Damocrats chastised Rep. Joe Wilson for calling Mr Osama (er...OBAMA) a liar, although it now seems true. Pity the Damocrats couldn't chastise their own members who called Mr Bush a liar during one of his State of the Union addresses. This is 'change?' How, exactly, is this different? Smells like the same sh!t as always to me.
4) I don't want to paraphrase the entire article, so I'll leave it to you to find this one.
Here's the end point: Mr Owens lied. He's a politician, so we expect that. But the RNC endorsed Ms Scozzafava over Mr Hoffman, poured nearly a million dollars into her coffers, and then she turned around and screwed the RNC and the conservatives over. How do you feel now, RNC?
Back when Mr Osama (er...OBAMA) was campaigning for the office of President, I sent a colleague of mine a letter to the RNC about ACORN and Freddie Johnson. You'll remember that ACORN pressured Mr Johnson into registering to vote an astonishing 72 times in Ohio!! (*4) The response I got back was "They are aware of the problem." I sent this person another missive asking if the RNC would get off its sorry ass and do anything. This is what I got back: "I was told that they're aware of the problem."
I'm going to be sending this colleague another missive shortly about Dede Scozzafava, Mr Owens, and Mr Hoffman and make it plainly aware to this person that any reply the RNC makes (if they have the guts to reply that is) will be posted here.
To the RNC: NOT ONE MORE DAMNED PENNY UNTIL YOU LEARN WHAT 'CONSERVATIVE' MEANS.
I sent my representative the following email and I'm going to repeat part of it. "I didn't leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me. Hopefully, one day you'll see that. Take your rose-coloured glasses off and you'll see a lot clearer."
NOT ONE MORE DAMNED PENNY, RNC. NOT ONE.
(*) - http://www.gouverneurtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7623:owens-to-break-campaign-promises&catid=60:st-lawrence-news&Itemid=175
(**) - http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/04/making-sure-the-message-sticks-more-rejected-rnc-forms/
(***) - http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/04/the-gop-elites-1-million-object-lesson-and-the-message-of-ny-23/
(*4) - http://www.nypost.com/p/news/politics/voter_registrations_8dh7PaKRiPc0BFNPZVnGMM
Article: Fort Hood Shooter had ties to 9/11 Hijackers
The link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6521758/Fort-Hood-shooting-Texas-army-killer-linked-to-September-11-terrorists.html
" Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshipped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001. "
You don't say.
" Hasan, the sole suspect in the massacre of 13 fellow US soldiers in Texas, attended the controversial Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Great Falls, Virginia, in 2001 at the same time as two of the September 11 terrorists, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt. His mother's funeral was held there in May that year.
" The preacher at the time was Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni scholar who was banned from addressing a meeting in London by video link in August because he is accused of supporting attacks on British troops and backing terrorist organisations. "
Oops. Does anybody else remember me saying that nothing exists in a vacuum? In plainer words, all these "lone-wolf" attacks had to have come from somewhere.
The Fort Dix six? Anybody remember them? How about the shoe bomber?
Do you still think that the radical islamists want anything other than for us to "convert or die?"
So why read about it in a British paper? Two words:
Political Correctness. Can't say anything bad about radical Muslims here. That's taboo.
" Major Nidal Malik Hasan worshipped at a mosque led by a radical imam said to be a "spiritual adviser" to three of the hijackers who attacked America on Sept 11, 2001. "
You don't say.
" Hasan, the sole suspect in the massacre of 13 fellow US soldiers in Texas, attended the controversial Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Great Falls, Virginia, in 2001 at the same time as two of the September 11 terrorists, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt. His mother's funeral was held there in May that year.
" The preacher at the time was Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Yemeni scholar who was banned from addressing a meeting in London by video link in August because he is accused of supporting attacks on British troops and backing terrorist organisations. "
Oops. Does anybody else remember me saying that nothing exists in a vacuum? In plainer words, all these "lone-wolf" attacks had to have come from somewhere.
The Fort Dix six? Anybody remember them? How about the shoe bomber?
Do you still think that the radical islamists want anything other than for us to "convert or die?"
So why read about it in a British paper? Two words:
Political Correctness. Can't say anything bad about radical Muslims here. That's taboo.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
V - the new ABC series
Well, it was on Tuesday night. And I think it's going to spell the end of some people's Hollywood (also known as hypocrites-r-us and hollyweird) careers.
Let's take a look first at Ms Morena Baccarin, who plays the alien's leader Ana. She's a wonderful and talented actress. And on top of that, she's beautiful. On top of that, she's smart as a whip. As a person and as an actress, she has many good qualities. Yet I fear that somebody could see her performance in this series and decide she's 'too political.'
The first episode was complete with many thinly-veiled references to the Obama administration. And I too wonder how it got onto network TV, and especially on the All Barack Channel (ABC) which had Obama's infomercial on it not all that long ago.
I loved the first episode and plan to watch the rest of them.
Let's take a look first at Ms Morena Baccarin, who plays the alien's leader Ana. She's a wonderful and talented actress. And on top of that, she's beautiful. On top of that, she's smart as a whip. As a person and as an actress, she has many good qualities. Yet I fear that somebody could see her performance in this series and decide she's 'too political.'
The first episode was complete with many thinly-veiled references to the Obama administration. And I too wonder how it got onto network TV, and especially on the All Barack Channel (ABC) which had Obama's infomercial on it not all that long ago.
I loved the first episode and plan to watch the rest of them.
AARP backs Osama (er ... Obama) Care
I'm sorry, I still keep having trouble with 'the one's' name. Osama - Obama. Such a small difference.
The link: http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/184217.asp
" The AARP, America's largest, most influential organization of older Americans, on Thursday put its weight behind the health care reform plan developed by House Democratic leaders, which includes a public option. "
Now bear a few things in mind: This is from Seattle. The article makes no mention of a few facts.
Fact one: Many in AARP are opposed to ObamaCare. You have only to visit You Tube to learn that.
Fact Two: AARP has a conflict of interest. Visit http://www.gop.gov/policy-news/09/09/22/aarp-helping-seniors-or-helping for the skinny.
" "There's an inherent conflict of interest....They're ending up becoming very dependent on sources of income." - Former AARP Executive Marilyn Moon, quoted in Bloomberg article.
" This week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it was investigating Humana for providing "misleading" information regarding the Administration's proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage policies-and prohibited other Medicare Advantage plans from providing similar information on how Democrat health "reform" could take away their current coverage.
" Yet the Administration's edict prohibiting plans from communicating with their beneficiaries failed to include AARP, which sponsors a Medicare Advantage plan but has been a prime advocate of Democrats' government takeover of health care-quite possibly because AARP has been supporting a health care overhaul from which it stands to gain overall handsomely. Even as AARP advocates for cutting Medicare Advantage plans by more than $150 billion, an analysis of the organization's operations reveals that it stands to receive tens of millions of dollars at the expense of seniors' medical care-with Democrats' full approval:
* The Congressional Budget Office has previously estimated that the cuts to Medicare Advantage plans proposed in Democrats' government takeover of health care (H.R. 3200) would cause millions of seniors to lose their current plan and enroll in government-run Medicare.
Because the government-run Medicare benefit is less generous than most private health plans, the independent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission found in June that more than nine in ten seniors not in nursing home settings utilize some form of Medicare supplemental insurance. While many of these individuals currently rely on Medicare Advantage plans for the extra benefits they provide to seniors, many would be forced to purchase supplemental Medigap policies should their existing Medicare Advantage plans be taken away from them due to Democrats' government takeover of health care.
* A review of its financial statements finds that in 2008, AARP received more than half a billion dollars in revenue from selling products like Medigap supplemental insurance policies-$652.7 million in direct "royalties and fees," and an increase of more than 31 percent from the $497.6 million in similar revenue AARP generated in 2007.
* Royalty revenues now comprise more than half-60.3 percent-of all AARP revenues; a Bloomberg news analysis published in December found that in 1999, royalties comprised only 11 percent of the organization's total revenues.
* The Bloomberg article-which highlighted what one observer called AARP's "dirty little secret"-profiled seniors who felt betrayed after paying hundreds of dollars above market price for AARP-branded coverage. One noted that "AARP has great buying power, and people should be able to get the best deal....This is unconscionable, what AARP has allowed to happen." Another disillusioned senior wrote to the organization's leadership asking whether AARP had a "‘special relationship' with [insurance carriers] by which it receives commissions, incentives, rebates, or dare I say ‘kickbacks?'"-and when he arrived at AARP headquarters for a tour, was promptly escorted out of the marble-covered atrium.
* While H.R. 3200 would place strict price controls on Medicare Advantage plans-requiring them to pay out 85 percent of premium revenues in medical claims-Medigap policies face a far less strict 65 percent requirement. In other words, under the Democrat bill, seniors could pay as much as 20 cents more out of every premium dollar to fund "kickbacks" to AARP-sponsored Medigap plans than Medicare Advantage plans. "
Still think AARP has your best interests at heart?
Check out the 60-Plus Association at http://www.60plus.org/
P.S. For those who are wondering - their website has been around since 8-JUL-1996 and is registered to their corporate offices in Woodbridge, VA. In other words, it's not a fly-by-night.
The link: http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/184217.asp
" The AARP, America's largest, most influential organization of older Americans, on Thursday put its weight behind the health care reform plan developed by House Democratic leaders, which includes a public option. "
Now bear a few things in mind: This is from Seattle. The article makes no mention of a few facts.
Fact one: Many in AARP are opposed to ObamaCare. You have only to visit You Tube to learn that.
Fact Two: AARP has a conflict of interest. Visit http://www.gop.gov/policy-news/09/09/22/aarp-helping-seniors-or-helping for the skinny.
" "There's an inherent conflict of interest....They're ending up becoming very dependent on sources of income." - Former AARP Executive Marilyn Moon, quoted in Bloomberg article.
" This week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it was investigating Humana for providing "misleading" information regarding the Administration's proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage policies-and prohibited other Medicare Advantage plans from providing similar information on how Democrat health "reform" could take away their current coverage.
" Yet the Administration's edict prohibiting plans from communicating with their beneficiaries failed to include AARP, which sponsors a Medicare Advantage plan but has been a prime advocate of Democrats' government takeover of health care-quite possibly because AARP has been supporting a health care overhaul from which it stands to gain overall handsomely. Even as AARP advocates for cutting Medicare Advantage plans by more than $150 billion, an analysis of the organization's operations reveals that it stands to receive tens of millions of dollars at the expense of seniors' medical care-with Democrats' full approval:
* The Congressional Budget Office has previously estimated that the cuts to Medicare Advantage plans proposed in Democrats' government takeover of health care (H.R. 3200) would cause millions of seniors to lose their current plan and enroll in government-run Medicare.
Because the government-run Medicare benefit is less generous than most private health plans, the independent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission found in June that more than nine in ten seniors not in nursing home settings utilize some form of Medicare supplemental insurance. While many of these individuals currently rely on Medicare Advantage plans for the extra benefits they provide to seniors, many would be forced to purchase supplemental Medigap policies should their existing Medicare Advantage plans be taken away from them due to Democrats' government takeover of health care.
* A review of its financial statements finds that in 2008, AARP received more than half a billion dollars in revenue from selling products like Medigap supplemental insurance policies-$652.7 million in direct "royalties and fees," and an increase of more than 31 percent from the $497.6 million in similar revenue AARP generated in 2007.
* Royalty revenues now comprise more than half-60.3 percent-of all AARP revenues; a Bloomberg news analysis published in December found that in 1999, royalties comprised only 11 percent of the organization's total revenues.
* The Bloomberg article-which highlighted what one observer called AARP's "dirty little secret"-profiled seniors who felt betrayed after paying hundreds of dollars above market price for AARP-branded coverage. One noted that "AARP has great buying power, and people should be able to get the best deal....This is unconscionable, what AARP has allowed to happen." Another disillusioned senior wrote to the organization's leadership asking whether AARP had a "‘special relationship' with [insurance carriers] by which it receives commissions, incentives, rebates, or dare I say ‘kickbacks?'"-and when he arrived at AARP headquarters for a tour, was promptly escorted out of the marble-covered atrium.
* While H.R. 3200 would place strict price controls on Medicare Advantage plans-requiring them to pay out 85 percent of premium revenues in medical claims-Medigap policies face a far less strict 65 percent requirement. In other words, under the Democrat bill, seniors could pay as much as 20 cents more out of every premium dollar to fund "kickbacks" to AARP-sponsored Medigap plans than Medicare Advantage plans. "
Still think AARP has your best interests at heart?
Check out the 60-Plus Association at http://www.60plus.org/
P.S. For those who are wondering - their website has been around since 8-JUL-1996 and is registered to their corporate offices in Woodbridge, VA. In other words, it's not a fly-by-night.
ObamaCare requires monthly premium to fund abortions
I'm not making this up. The link: http://republicanleader.house.gov/blog/?p=666 (Yes, that's the actual URL.) And yes, this is Mr Boehner's site, so keep that in mind.
" 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 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. "
"The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month."
What about those who are opposed to abortion on religious grounds? Moral grounds? Ethical grounds? What about those who just plain don't want to?
Remember Mr Osama (OBAMA ... I'm gonna keep having trouble with 'the one's' name, I just know it) saying that ObamaCare wouldn't be used to pay for abortions?
He lied? AGAIN? Say it ain't so, O!!
" 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 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. "
"The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month."
What about those who are opposed to abortion on religious grounds? Moral grounds? Ethical grounds? What about those who just plain don't want to?
Remember Mr Osama (OBAMA ... I'm gonna keep having trouble with 'the one's' name, I just know it) saying that ObamaCare wouldn't be used to pay for abortions?
He lied? AGAIN? Say it ain't so, O!!
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