Congresswoman Davis’ town hall gets rowdy
A ruckus crowd in California confronted Democrat Congresswoman Susan Davis on health care. The noticeably ‘no’ on HR3200 audience grilled Davis and held her accountable about her forthcoming vote on the health care issue.
The town hall began with a short speech reiterating the need for health care reform; this would be the last time Davis had control of the conversation as questions spurning the $1.6 trillion health care proposal in the House were front and center.
A robust debate ensued with tough questions like; “Are you going to vote how your constituents want? A poll you put up on your website about health care asked ‘Do you want health care reform?’ 85 percent of the voters said no.”
With all due respect this poll is not scientific.
Davis danced around the topic but eventually she indicated that she was in favor of a public option. The standing-room only crowd erupted with boos at the prospect of another congressperson not voting the will of the people.
The district which Davis resides is an upscale neighborhood of La Jolla. Several attempts to reach Davis were fruitless as her San Diego and Washington D.C. offices did not want to wade into her health care vote.
When a constituent asked how Washington D.C. expects to pay for this expensive plan when the national debt and deficit stand in the trillions of dollars? “We will raise taxes on the wealthy.”
That must be music to the ears for the rich folks who live along the prestigious California coastline in Davis’ district.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Tea Party event concludes (Part Three)
The day-long Tea Party rally in Sacramento fired up more than 10,000 Patriots and dispelled myths and argued facts about a variety of hot-button issues, including the plight of Central California farmers, logging industry, health care and cape-and-trade.
Longtime motivational speaker and probable California congressional candidate Mason Weaver revved up the crowd with his humor and more importantly, candor.
Weaver, who happens to be black, says “we are all American’s no hyphen required.”
He went on to explain how the current administration is busy taking away basic freedoms and compared the current administration to plantation owners. “You have 100 percent employment, you have a house, you have food, but what they forget to remind you of is you have no freedom!”
“American’s voted for hope and change, but what they got was rope and chains,” Weaver shouted to the excited audience. “If this is a mob, where do I sign up?”
In an effort to corral all the industries threatened in the state, Dr. Bill Wattenburg talk show host of KGO AM 810 fame, urged truckers to use their vehicles as anti-campaigning vehicles and target politicians who oppose industries required to keep California afloat.
A mish mash of booths encouraged voters to get involved and ensure their voices are heard. One such booth targeted Republican Assemblyman Anthony Adams for recall. Eagle-eyed voters are taking him to task because he voted for a tax and spend budget in California. “We’re not going to take it anymore from either side,” they said.
So far the recall Adam group has raised $100,000 and has gathered nearly enough signatures. Chandra Chell of “Recall Adam” said, “We are very close.”
Another Republican recall was announced against state Senator Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield. His constituents were furious of his ‘yes’ vote for a tax and spend Sacramento as well.
California’s anti-business policies continue with the proposed ban on big screen televisions. “In three weeks the California Energy Commission is set to ban the sales of big screen TVs in California by 2011,” Charlie Martinez said. “I stand to lose a large part of my business. How many jobs, money and taxes does California want to lose to other states?”
The electric buzz throughout the day only ignited the already mad voters looking for ways to make a change. It is clear the 2010 elections are going to have a big impact throughout the country and many have noted the “sleeping giant has been awakened.”
Starting from a grassroots level, Virginia Fuller, a black emigrant from the Netherlands plans to run for office in the minority-based, 7th district. “I will stand for smaller government.”
Her first big speech was greeted warmly and she spoke with enthusiasm, Leslie Eastman said; “She is very dynamic and charismatic.”
Many of the organic protesters had a bone to pick with California’s Air Resources Board. This particular California regulation department will hit the trucking industry hard. Shelly Archer has an 18 employee trucking business in Ukiah, CA.
The state will be phasing out diesel engines used by truckers beginning 2011-2013. “The cost is $40,000 per engine and there is no way I can change over my 18 trucks and stay in business,” Archer explained.
The last time Archer was part of the political process was during the Ronald Reagan governorship. “I took 35 letters from my high school to the Capital in order to get smoking out of our bathrooms in high school. Reagan himself came out and talked to me!”
While the event was taking place there were more than 200 truckers circling the California capital, all were on their own time and paid for the fuel in an effort to alert the country that California truckers are under siege. According to one trucker, law enforcement stated there would be an $800 fine for honking their horns. California can find a way to tax everything.
Hundreds of homemade signs circulated through the sea of voters. Save a farmer, eat a fish, and Term limits! Honesty!! And Politicians pay your taxes!!! Is a sampling of the many creative signs.
Daniel Linder of California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) says that California has the most regulations in the U.S. “It is so expensive to just get a degree and a license in the Forestry industry.”
“As a state, California imports 70 percent of lumber for building, while our over-stocked forests are responsible for devastating wildfires that creates 55 million metric tons of pollution each year,” Linder explains. “Californians pay $1.4 billion each year on taxes to fight wildfires rather than use the lumber.”
The tea party rally insisted California state legislature repeal AB 32 (cap-and-trade) and reduce government regulation – not pile on more.
By the end of the day the message could not have been any clearer.
***
For part one;www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m8d28-Tea-Party-Patriots-take-Californias-capital-by-storm-Part-One
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
A special thank you to my eyes and ears, Leslie Eastman!
Tea Party Patriots sound off in Sacramento (Part Two)
Kicking off the patriotic ceremony was a dramatic tribute to the veterans and those serving in the military –Americanism was in the air. Thousands of tea-party attendees stood at the steps of the California state capital, each with their own reasons for taking time from their day to listen and learn.
Key Note Speaker, Mark Meckler, national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots explained that this event was not about any single event, but a culmination of issues that threaten California’s very existence.
He explained that third generation families of truckers, loggers and farmers are going out of business because of California’s strangling regulations. “I’m very concerned and wanted to bring everyone together. There is just too much government and they need to get out of the way.”
It is clear the state is in trouble. California sits at the bottom of the list in education and cost of living remains the highest in the country. Unemployment is higher than the national average at nearly 12 percent.
“Every industry is under attack,” Meckler said. “The environmentalists are uses the divide and conquer strategy to put all industries out of business.”
Meckler also touched on the Tea Party successes. “We’ve shelved cap-and-trade, we’ve stalled health care and we solidly defeated a tax increase in California.” The crowd went nuts.
The speaker also made note of President Obama’s recent $10 billion loan for oil exploration in Brazil, sending more money and jobs overseas. This drew cheers from the angry protesters.
“It was like Woodstock without the drugs,” said Leslie Eastman, co-founder of the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition located in San Diego.
Some in attendance were afraid of giving out their name in fear of retaliation from Service Employee International Union (SEIU) leaders may find out. However, it didn’t stop a nurse who is trying to start a new Health Care Nurses Union to get out from under the SEIU.
Another sponsor of the event was Debra John, of Tea Party Express said, “Our Constitution says ‘we the people’ not we the Congress.”
While Americans are awakened throughout the month of August, some politicians aren’t getting the tea party news flash.
In an effort to combat everyday citizens who are hopping mad at the left showing up at town halls and tea party events across the nation, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has written a letter to her supporters in order to raise $100,000 to fight the will of the people.
She says, “The fight for meaningful health insurance reform is too important to be sidetracked by misinformation and false attacks.”
“The real enemies are the radical environmentalists who have taken over our government,” said Devin Nunes, said a Californian Congressmen. “It has been 701 days since I’ve asked the politicians to stop this man-made drought in California.”
“We will hold the politicians accountable on how they vote,” Nunes said
“Here is a personal message to President Obama, ‘we don’t want your welfare, we want the water turned back on,’” He finished and the crowd responding boisterously.
Another California Republican Congressman, Tom McClintock, added his two cents when it comes to state and national issues plaguing everyday Americans.
“We need everyone to focus on the new media like, the internet, facebook and twitter. It’s a great way for voters to get connected,” McClintock noted.
He explained that it was important to not get news from the main stream media because often they are not in touch with the folks in small town USA.
What’s with the czars, says the Congressman. “The concept came from Russia and all they do is oppress the American people.”
“The American spirit is returning,” McClintock said. “The Obama Administration didn’t count on that.”
Moving along Water for All founder, Piebad Ayala had plenty to say about the Central California water crisis. “Nobody (politicians) is being effective with the water issue and we continue to receive about 10 percent of what our farms require.”
“The people have been great today. We are on the right side and will not stop until we get our water back,” Ayala said. “They (politicians) are blaming farmers for the problems, but we have video of sewage being dumped straight into the Delta.”
“It’s sad the government is siding with the fish over the humans. This is a human issue,” he finished.
The attendees were a truly blended-crowd.
Loggers have also been on the chopping block in California. For example, Mike Anderson owns a logging business and would like to pass it on to his son one day, but with all the regulations coming down the pike he may not be able to pass anything to his son.
“The California, Air Resource Board (ARB) will force me to replace my diesel engines in the next couple of years. I wouldn’t even be able to sell the old parts because it would be illegal,” he says.
According to Anderson, the Fort Bragg logging industry would be wipe out completely, again generations of families would be left unemployed.
The Chairperson of ARB says, “There’s nothing that can’t be done without money.” This further illustrates how out of touch bureaucrats and politicians are with the everyday working Americans.
***
Up next is part three.
For more information on the water issues plaguing California visit; http://www.waterforall.com/
For more stories;www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Again a shout out to my eyes and ears on this story Leslie Eastman
ABC News teams up with left-wing open-borders groups to attack Patriot organizations
In a series of newscasts, ABC’s San Diego station takes aim at a local Minutemen group inferring they are dangerous and hateful. The repeated stories offer no proof or legal cases that substantiate their claim.
The recent segments only offer conjecture and speculation regarding the San Diego Minutemen who just won a large settlement from CalTrans in a discrimination lawsuit over the adopt-a-highway program.
Instead of covering the resolution of this national Constitutional case, Channel 10 News quoted two local illegal immigrant activists and used their old, baseless allegations.
In an “I-Team Investigation” on supposed hate groups located in San Diego which ran the evening of Aug 14. Channel 10 News claimed to have evidence of increased hate crimes and hate groups in San Diego County. They showed a black man whose van was allegedly graffitied by a white teenager. No other evidence is given of any “hate crimes.”
The continued bias comes from Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) attorney James McElroy. In the August 14th TV report McElroy says, “In my opinion Jeff Schwilk is a dangerous fellow and any group he is associated with should be considered a hate group.”
“Such blatant media smear campaigns on political activists are seen in third-world dictatorships and their state-run media, but we’ve never seen anything quite this bad on an American newscast,” says Jeff Schwilk, who has guided the SDMM to many successes fighting illegal immigration in San Diego in the past four years.
“The radical alien activists have a long history of smearing American activists, but we’ve never been called ‘dangerous’ or accused of being associated with white supremacists before,” Schwilk explains. “That is a new low for local media. It appears the pro-Mexico agents are getting desperate.”
Schwilk has good reason to be angry at Channel 10’s smear campaign. He served honorably in the Marine Corps for 21 years and is also part Hispanic.
“My great-grandparents emigrated legally from Spain. They came to America, learned the language and respected their new country – something today’s illegal aliens seem unwilling to do.”
In the past four years, Schwilk along with the group’s hundreds of SDMM members have had no incidents with law enforcement. However, there have been 28 attacks on them via their website by pro-alien forces.
Legal immigrant from Mexico and member of the San Diego Minutemen, Francisca Galvan says she has never heard Schwilk speak vulgarly toward anyone. “He has been nothing but great. He is just doing what any citizen does to protect their country from corruption.”
When the topic steers to local Mexican activist Enrique Morones, Galvan says “without a doubt he works for the Mexican government as part of an active cell in San Diego. The only racial slurs I’ve heard come from Morones and El Grupo when they are calling me a traitor to my former country.”
Not to worry, Galvan refuses to back down and continues to fight for the country she now calls home – America.
The problem secure border activists have with the continued defamation reports on ABC is that La Raza organizations continue to post these propaganda stories across the internet trying to smear and discredit the Minutemen with even bigger lies.
When the producer of the ABC TV segments, J.W. August was contacted via email regarding the dubious reports he claimed, “I normally don’t reveal details about the broadcasts.”
August also told another critic in a separate email, “We don’t provide equal time in regards to a story that our news department has produced.” The recent segments made that point clear.
Several attempts to reach McElroy proved fruitless and he apparently does not want to comment on his reckless statements about Schwilk and the SDMM.
The SPLC has a long history of attacking pro-American Patriot activist groups and trying to tie them to hate and supremacist groups.
Another staffer of the SPLC, Mark Potok, contends, “Patriot groups will result in a terrorist attack like Waco or Oklahoma City.”
Again the left-wing organization has no proof to back up these wild accusations and Secretary of Department of Homeland Security denounced the recent Right-Wing Extremist report that was published earlier this year.
In another unrelated ABC incident, the broadcasting company had no problem airing an hour-long infomercial on President Barrack Obama’s health care bill, but would not allow any opposition groups to air commercials during the broadcast.
To link to the San Diego Minutemen site;www.SanDiegoMinutemen.com
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Tea Party Patriots take California’s capital by storm (Part One)
Sacramento California became a firestorm of angry voters voicing their concerns about the current state and national issues impacting the economy.
The protesters started to arrive at the capital steps around 8:00 in the morning by 10:00 the crowds had swelled to more than 1,000 people and noon saw the number increase to 6,000. Among them were 35 San Diego residents that made the grueling all-night drive to Sacramento.
Petitions circulating around included the California Taxpayers Protection Act of 2010, which will limit the benefits illegal immigrants can receive from the government for their American born children; the part-time legislature bill and the repeal of AB32, California’s version of cap-and-trade.
The diverse crowd carried home-made signs with slogans like “No cap and trade, our electricity is too high; fruit trees are dead, so are your political careers; and no hate…not all wee weed up!”
Lynn Miller of San Diego also made the trek to Sacramento to ask Governor Schwarzenegger to repeal AB32 as well as, “Turn the water back on and get the 40 percent of unemployed workers back to work in the field.” Gene Buel concurred and said, “Stop creating a desert in our central valley.”
The plight of many farmers in the central Californian region is daunting at best. Chester Andrews is a third-generation farmer who works a couple-hundred acre farm in Mendota. Along with his three sisters, Andrews’s family has toiled on the farm for more than 100 years.
“I’ve been targeted by environmentalists simply because we incorporated our farm to save precious tax dollars,” he said. “But we are a family-run farm.”
Their almond and pistachio trees are threatened by the lack of water and the only thing keeping them alive right now is the well water the farm procures. However, this year the level has dropped by 60 feet and Andrews fears his water will completely run out within a couple of years.
All this anguish is created by the Delta Smelt fish. Families are losing their livelihoods overnight – all for something they cannot eat and something that threatens the state’s bread basket’s very existence.
“They are killing us,” Andrews said about the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Patriots drove from all corners of the state to show their displeasure with the government. Christina Michas, of Palm Springs, said her most memorable moment so far was when she made a pit stop at Harris Ranch in Coalinga.
“The employees told us about all the hardship in the Central Valley and they all knew some affected by the current crisis. It was very, very sad.”
While Michas was dining and talking to the locals; California Senator Diane Feinstein walked in with her Secret Service entourage. “Let’s just say she isn’t very popular here.”
Earlier this year, Feinstein said she would make sure the food pantry’s received money and food to ease the crisis, yet simply turning on the water would solve the problem and allow the residents to earn a living and not take money from the government.
In an interview this week with the Fresno Bee Feinstein said, “There are 30 lawsuits on the biological opinions and two separate opinions, one for the Smelt and one for the Salmon. The rules need to be reconsidered.”
Do you think?
****
The rally begins. (Part Two)
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
This story could not have been written without the help of Leslie Eastman who has been my eyes and ears on this protest in Sacramento
Stimulus dollars find their way to rapists and murderers
“Nobody messes with Joe,” said President Obama about the vice president. When it comes to protecting the $787 billion of stimulus money, eagle-eye Biden was supposed to monitor all the money being sent out. Unbeknownst to the vice president, the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has sent out nearly $1 million to convicted criminals across the country.
In a report from the Boston Herald, the Social Security Inspector General, is now looking into the nearly 4,000 criminals who received $250 checks that were sent out to those residing behind bars.
Spokesperson from the Republican National Committee Sara Sendek said, “President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus bill has done more to help convicted criminals than it has to actually boost our economy and create jobs.”
I guess crime does pay.
According to a Social Security representative, generally the incarcerated are not able to receive any benefits and none of the prisoners receive monthly Social Security checks which means they should not get any stimulus money.
At least nine of the inmates in Massachusetts that received $250 checks were convicted on crimes ranging from rape to first-degree murder, according to the State Department of Correction.
The $250 checks were mailed out to Social Security beneficiaries, federal railroad retirees and veterans as part of the $13 billion in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The Social Security office says this mistake is relatively small in comparison the overall $787 billion package.
Are these really the people we want running an additional one-sixth of our economy via health care?
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
President’s weekly address contain untruths according to CRS
In a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the organization took the President to task over his weekly radio address that claimed to expel myths in the health care bill.
“There is just one problem: his (the President) statements don’t match the facts,” CRS said.
The President’s address began with a “false claim that illegal immigrants will not get health insurance under reform.” CRS reports that there are numerous loopholes in the House legislation will offer benefits to illegal aliens.
“Democrats can keep claiming all they want that illegal immigrants will not be covered in this bill,” says House Judiciary Committee ranking member, Lamar Smith-R-TX. “Democrats have rejected opportunities to close the gaping loopholes in this health care bill that will allow illegal immigrants to participate.”
According to CRS, the H.R. 3200 health care bill does not contain any restrictions on noncitizens- whether legally or illegally present or in the U.S. temporarily or permanently – participating in the newly formed Health Exchange.
“American people are more intelligent than the President gives them credit for,” Smith said. “They understand that simply saying illegal immigrants can’t participate without providing verification is like putting a speed-limit sign on a road, then setting a policy that prohibits police from patrolling the road; it won’t stop speeders and this bill won’t stop illegal immigrants from benefiting.”
Provisions within the House bill would leave such decisions to a Health Choices Commissioner (Commissioner). Under section 142(a)(3) of the bill, it is the responsibility of the Commissioner to administer the “individual affordability credits under subtitle C of title II, including determination of eligibility for such credits, according to CRS.
It is also worth it to point out that there are nearly two million families in the United States where illegal parents have U.S.-born children, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. The current health care bill doesn’t draw clear distinctions in this situation.
The White House continues to say there are 47 million uninsured people in the country and that they will cover everyone- really?
Included in that number are people residing in this country illegally, approximately one-third of those numbers are illegal aliens.
So what is it Mr. President are you going to cover illegals or not?
For more information regarding the Congressional Research Service; opencrs.com/
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
A new CIS report states immigrants top list of uninsured
According to a study by the Center of Immigration Studies (CIS) report, immigrants, legal and illegal account for the highest ethnic group to not carry health insurance.
According to the study, the numbers were compiled from the U.S. government in March 2008 Current Population Survey (CPS) collected by the Census Bureau about insurance coverage for the 2007 calendar year. The government numbers conclude that 33.2 percent of all immigrants did not have insurance compared to 12.7 percent of native-born American citizens.
The report also notes that more than 25 percent of the country’s uninsured fall into the immigrant population. Approximately 14.5 million and their U.S.-born children do not buy health insurance, nearly one-third of the entire uninsured population.
Of these uninsured immigrants, legal and illegal, 47.6 percent were either uninsured or on Medicaid, nearly double of natives and their children which account for 25 percent, according to Steven Camarota, Director of Research at CIS.
CIS concluded the high level of uninsured among immigrants can be explained by the lack of education which keeps them in jobs that may not provide health care benefits or afford them the ability to pay for insurance.
A link to the CIS report; cis.org/HealthCare-Immigration
To read more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Constituents focus on health care despite Obama’s attempt to redirect to CIA matters
While the President enjoys his time away from the health care quagmire taking place around the country, town hall attendees continue their push to enlighten their lawmakers.
In a veiled effort to change the country’s talking points, the White House decided to announce that a special prosecutor would be named to investigate a dozen CIA interrogations during the Bush Administration.
Political pundits say this is just another ploy to change the topic from health care. This particular witch hunt into the CIA could backfire because the majority of American’s do not want this investigation, according to Rasmussen Polls.
Many questions remain direct and focused on health care issues. A biggie is, ‘Will the health care reform bill include coverage for those in this country illegally?’ The President continues to say absolutely not.
However, there have been many attempts to add safety measures to ensure illegal aliens do not receive care and all have been voted down. A plan known as the Heller amendment was written by Rep. Dean Heller, R-NV, and wanted to include clauses that mandated checks similar to E-Verify in order to qualify for government subsidized health insurance.
The Heller amendment went down on party lines.
This amendment would include prospective applicants to pass through two programs the government already uses. The two identification processes the Heller amendment would use are programs the federal government already employ; The Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS) and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE).
The Heller amendment author said, “It would better screen applicants for subsidized health care to ensure they are actually citizens or otherwise entitled to it.”
A recent Rasmussen reports poll states, 80 percent of Americans oppose covering illegal immigrants in the $1.6 trillion health care bill.
Lawmakers have being telling constituents Section 246 of the House health care bill states; “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payment for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”
However, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates there are more than 8 million illegal immigrants have legitimate jobs in this country.
Leading one to question why not add the two verification processes the government already uses for entitlements programs in order to quell the concern?
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
GOP offers a 6-point health care plan for seniors
n a slow week for Washington D.C., Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Steele announced that the GOP has a 6-point health care plan to protect the greatest generation, seniors.
Aiming to gain some attention in the health care debate, the GOP states they have an alternative to the Democrats attempt to ‘raid not aid’ Medicare. According to Steele, the current plan to cut a half of trillion in Medicare costs to fund the President’s health care experiment is wrong.
“By cutting hospital payments and Medicare Advantage, means the White House will reduce treatment options for seniors,” Steele claimed in a statement to the press.
Tapping into the anger senior citizens are expressing across the country at town hall meetings, Republicans says the greatest generation deserves better and put forward a six-point plan.
*Protect Medicare and not cut in the name of health care reform
*Prohibit government from getting between seniors and their doctors
*Prohibit efforts to ration health care based on age
*Prevent government from interfering with end-of-life care discussions
*Ensure seniors can keep their current coverage
*Protect veterans by preserving Tricare and other benefit programs for military families.
After the release of the new plan, Steele believes it’s not too late for the President to work toward a bi-partisan health care plan. “Reversing course and joining Republicans in support for our nation’s senior citizens is a good place to start.”
To read the complete GOP plan; barackobamaexperiment.com/posts/1502#more-1502
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
thekdreport 