Just as word of this news reached us, we also heard from our beloved Barbara Boxer, who had dug into her bag of tricks and put a HOLD vote on this issue, with a request for more information, which the State Department is still sitting on. Thanks to her, we have won a few more days to press forward with our campaign against Bolton. We THANK Barbara Boxer yet again for being a true representative of the people and for standing up to the bullies in the White House and Congress. We ask everyone, especially her Californian constituents, to call Barbara Boxer to THANK HER, and to support her in BLOCKING THE VOTE!

While Barbara continues this fight in the Senate, there is much more you can do:

Code Pink Barbara Boxer, really?

Additionally, Boxer is demonstrating further arrogance by denying a military mother’s request for  the letter in support of Code Pink and bearing her signature -the Code Pink ’Fallujah Aid” letter.  I wonder why no main stream media source has seen fit to request the letter as well.

On Monday, October 18, 2010, VFW Commander-in-Chief Richard L. Eubank announced that he will move to dissolve the VFW’s PAC – because the PAC, by supporting Barbara Boxer, and other fringe candidates, has failed to represent our combat veterans.

In doing so, the VFW found the membership had “no confidence” in the Political Action Committee that was designed to represent the interests of actual combat veterans.

Remember, this is the same Barbara Boxer who:

A true friend of veterans, right.  Barbara Boxer cannot cozy up to Code Pink, and then expect veterans support.

Finally, an organization standing up for its members.

And now, for the moveon.org advertisement that has drawn criticism and scorn from nearly every sector of our society – except Senator Boxer’s office.

Senator Boxer is a supporter of large government and has been hostile to business. While this may make good politics, the truth is, we need successful businesses in California. In fact, I have heard Senator Boxer on a number of occasions attack “the corporations” as universally problematic – while working to expand the federal government at breakneck pace. As Senator Boxer criticizes Fiorina for outsourcing, I can’t believe that Senator Boxer has created a positive climate for businesses to thrive at home.

In fact, she hasn’t.

Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is criticizing Barbara Boxer and her anti-business voting record. In the present recession, it seems to me, we shouldn’t irrationally demonize all companies and impose inappropriate taxes to fill Washington’s coffers; this only forces businesses overseas. Impulsively attacking businesses is not good for Californians who need jobs, affordable services, and stable 401Ks to promote recovery and elevate us out of this recession.

I also believe that Carly Fiorina will demonstrate more respect for the men and women in uniform. As a retired combat veteran who served a year-long tour in Iraq, I promise you that deployed soldiers are not perched in Humvees nor nestled in cots watching Senate hearings. However, they do become aware when high profile politicians put down soldiers. Whether on YouTube or viral email, when members of the military see a Senator publicly belittling a general without cause – it is both confusing in nature and political in tone. I understand that some in Senator Boxer’s base may not care for the military. That’s politics: I get it, and they are entitled to their opinion. But Senator Boxer’s public “dressing down” of Brigadier General Michael Walsh was just unnecessary: she could have easily and more appropriately approached him person-to- person during a break.

While her public chiding may have caused her liberal political base to erupt in cheers, it did nothing to promote real-world issues facing the military, such as readiness and retention. Members of the military need to know that Senators respect them and value them – especially when they spend so much time oversees lately. In her lambasting of the general, Senator Boxer lectured: “I worked so hard to get that title.” I would respectfully submit that military members may consider patrolling a dangerous street in 120 degree heat to be hard work, learning to fix a fighter plane under combat conditions to be hard work, sleeping in an gunner’s chair to be hard work, and yes even kissing your small child “good bye” as you board a plane for a year’s deployment in Iraq to be hard work. Senator Boxer enjoys a position of privilege and power and trust given to her by Californians. I think it is reasonable that our Senator treat men and women in uniform – not with servility, but with a modest degree of respect.

Carly Fiorina is not perfect, yet I believe she will bring a balance of power in Washington, keep spending down, and let the men and women serving in uniform know that we care about them. Senator Boxer has served for some time now, and I believe California could use a fresh start.

Really?

In an effort to cut costs, a government task force, (the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) “funded and appointed by the government of the United States” has decided women aged 40-50 do not need mammograms.  These new “guidelines” conflict with the standard of care and recommendations from treating physicians.  The American Cancer Society rejects the government’s nudge toward socialistic cost-cutting measures that will cost lives.  With the government-run health care fast approaching, it may be only a matter of time before actual physicians and physician groups have no medical decision making power.

This government move has already faced strong rebuke from physicians as dangerous and reckless, and will result in unnecessary deaths.

Why do 16 unelected government panel members get to determine what services are offered?  Isn’t that a decision best left to a patient and her physician?

Not one of the 16 unelected government appointee “experts” is an oncologist.  The power of the recommendation comes not from the persuasiveness of their claims; the power of the recommendation comes from the fact that they are powerful and influential government appointees.

When Obama’s plan takes shape, mammography for women 40-50 will be “phased-out” irrespective of patient desire or physician judgement.  The day is near where medical decision making will occur without physician interference.

It will occur by bureaucratic fiat.

What else will be “phased-out” by government task forces?

How will it affect you or your loved ones?

Really?

Given the very troubled history of this organization, why on earth would we consider putting this ACORN-like group in charge of healthcare and massively expanding its power an influence over our lives?

Imagine no innovation
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to help those needing
Except for SEIU
Imagine all the people
Living life with disease…

You may say I’m a pleader
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll realize
That when done this can’t be undone

Imagine a sick daughter
I wonder if you can
There is no way to help her
On the government’s plan
Imagine bureaucratic influence
Dictating the care for your child

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll realize
That unions and not patients will have won

]]> http://davidgigan.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/imagine/feed/ 0 David Gigan http://davidgigan.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/health-care-reform-single-payer/ http://davidgigan.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/health-care-reform-single-payer/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:13:53 +0000 David Gigan http://davidgigan.wordpress.com/?p=7 ]]> The Obama administration (and those in the media actively advancing the administration) want citizens to believe that the proposed reform will foster “choice and competition.”

Really?

Prominent democrats have recently stated that they intend to transform the “government option” into single payer.  Don’t believe it?  Well  here it is:

It is quite clear that the proponents of reform want to transform health care and the nation through a massive unionized, NHS-style socialized system.  The problem: there will be no choice and no competition when this happens.  If citizens don’t like how they are treated – it will be like dealing with the IRS  - too bad, move along.

Really?

Painting those with whom you disagree as “stupid” has a way of backfiring when similar mistakes are made.