Bob Steinburg
2/01/2010
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Raleigh Democrats need to go
Enough is enough!
Voters in North Carolina have for too long have had to endure a culture of corruption, deceit and cronyism by the ruling Democratic Party. While Democrats and Republicans can share the blame for many of the problems we're experiencing on a national level, that’s not the case in Raleigh.
Democrats have reigned over our state capitol for most of the preceding 100 years. The arrogance that kind of absolute power breeds has allowed the Tar Heel state to become better known for political corruption than college basketball. It is incestuous, with its tentacles extending from the state capitol all the way down to many levels of municipal and county government.
I have never witnessed such blatant malfeasance on the part of a ruling party. It is so egregious that the folks have seemingly become numb to the perpetual aftershocks from one scandal after another.
If Democrats are allowed to continue their stranglehold on the state legislature after this November’s election, we can blame no one but ourselves. It will be more of the same old gruel we’ve been force fed for decades. With redistricting next year, many of these charlatans can further insulate themselves from the people they are suppose to be serving, while continuing to line their pockets for another decade. Boundaries will be redrawn that will remain favorable to Democrats, thus encouraging more of the same contemptible behavior.
Let’s take a look at some of these individuals:
- Ruffin Poole: He is often referred to as the “Little Governor.” Poole, former Democratic Gov. Mike Easley’s legal counsel and close aid, was indicted on Jan. 21 by a federal grand jury on 51 counts of corruption, including extorting money from key Easley supporters. Of course Poole is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
- Former state Rep. Thomas Wright: A Wilmington Democrat who while serving in the House was charged with falsely obtaining a $150,000 bank loan and for mishandling corporate contributions to his campaign, by depositing them in a personal account. Wright was found guilty in April 2008 and lost his appeal on November 3 last year. Wright is currently serving an eight year prison sentence.
- Former Democratic Speaker of the House Jim Black: Black in 2007 pled guilty to a federal felony public corruption charge after accepting funds from chiropractors while their professional group had legislation pending in the General Assembly. Black is serving a five-year, three month prison sentence.
- Meg Scott Phipps: The former Democratic State Agricultural Commissioner from Alamance served three years in prison for extortion. She was convicted in 2003 and released from prison in 2007.
- Former Rep. Frank Ballance: A Windsor Democrat, Ballance served in the state legislature in both the House and Senate for nine years before being elected to the U. S. House of Representatives in 2002. He represented the state’s 1st Congressional District. In June 2004, he resigned due to health issues. That September he was indicted on federal charges including money laundering and mail fraud. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to four years in prison in 2005. Ballance was released last June.
Some state legislators want to serve forever. I doubt it’s just the camaraderie. Unlike their elected brethren in Washington, state representatives and senators don’t have lofty salaries and unlimited perks. They receive a modest per-diem when they are in session along with a relatively insignificant salary. Legislators receive just under $14K per year. The speaker of the House and the president pro-tem of the Senate receive approximately $38K annually. All have modest expense accounts.
I would like to think that our representatives are serving us for the common good. Some are, for sure. But why will someone spend up to $100,000 or more per campaign to seek reelection to a job that will pay them a fraction of that amount? I think I know. I suspect you do to. This November let’s finally do something about it. Go to the polls and voteDemocrats out of office.
Enough is enough!
1/22/2010
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Brown’ Truck Stops Liberal Agenda
Ok America. Wake up. What more proof do you need that only a year into the Obama (“Yes we can”) reign, voters are in revolt. Think I’m being an alarmist? Not when the U. S. Senate seat from Massachusetts that’s been in Democratic hands since 1953 has gone Republican. Former Sen. Teddy Kennedy has got to be turning over in his grave. Like the movie cliché, We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.
How did the little known state Sen. Scott Brown, who drives an old pickup truck with over 200,000 miles on it and who possessed minimal achievements in his tenure as a legislator, win the battle of David vs. Goliath against the Democratic machine? Both parties will be looking for answers over the next several months.
Answers shouldn’t be hard to find. Brown was able to identify with the dissatisfaction voters were feeling with the direction of the country, opposition toward federal government activism and of course opposition to the Democratic healthcare proposals. He convinced a majority of voters he heard them and that if elected he would see these concerns would be addressed in Washington.
Democrats have been tone-deaf to the outcries of a center-right nation over the progressive agenda they are being asked to swallow without gagging. While everyone expected hope and change from this new administration, what they’ve seen thus far is nothing more than the same kind of social engineering liberals have always promoted to develop a utopian nanny state.
With unemployment in double digits Democrats opted to concentrate on cap-and trade to combat global warming. If enacted this would only exacerbate the jobless numbers. One of the great ironies of combating global warming in the midst of the “Great Recession,” is that the world is now in the middle of one of the coldest winters on record.
Next Democrats sought to gut the nation’s healthcare system in spite of 80 percent of Americans saying they are pleased with the insurance coverage they have. While many of these same people recognize there is a definite need for reform, they don’t want a complete makeover. Most voters are also angry at any prospect of a healthcare system that places the government in complete charge of their healthcare choices, while at the same time allowing it to control one sixth of the nation’s economy.
Nonetheless, the majority pressed forward in the Senate and barely passed a healthcare bill by bribing big labor and several Democratic Senators in sleazy back-room deals. This only further alienated an already skeptical and increasingly angry electorate.
What voters have seen from Washington in just over one year has run the gamut; from a failed near trillion dollar economic stimulus package to “Cash for Clunkers;” from wasteful earmarks to a lack of government transparency; from bank bailouts to corporate buyouts, voters have seen it all. In fact, the folks have probably witnessed more government intrusion into the private sector in the last 13 months than they’ve seen in a lifetime.
This current group of Democrats, in many ways akin to their free-spending Republican predecessors, seems incapable of exercising fiscal discipline. But this group has pushed the envelope so far they’ve created a national debt that is unfathomable. Future historians’ may look at this “era of excess” as the greatest fiscal sham ever thrust upon mankind by its overlords.
Many voters have been equally disappointed in this administrations approach to national security. They cannot understand why a president in the middle of a “War on Terror” would opt to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and release known terror suspects to return to their Middle East origins, to perhaps plot once more against the Great Satan.
Equally perplexing was the absurd judgment of trying 9/11 terrorists in New York City. That decision was made by Attorney General Eric Holder, who also allowed the accused Christmas Day Pants Bomber to be read his Miranda rights and assigned an attorney, rather than held for questioning as a suspected terrorist.
Brown won against seemingly insurmountable odds because he found himself in the midst of a populist faction that had its origins last year in tea parties and town hall meetings. That grassroots effort was initiated to address the concerns conservatives, moderates, independents and like minded Democrats had with the progressive course being chartered for the nation, and the unwillingness of Washington to listen to their fears.
When they didn’t listen in Virginia, voters reacted by electing a Republican governor (along with a majority in the state legislature). On the same evening in New Jersey, disgruntled voters also elected a Republican governor who defeated a well financed incumbent Democratic opponent.
And then last week in Massachusetts- the state of Kennedy, Kerry and Dukakis, a Republican was elected to the U. S. Senate for a seat that had been occupied by a liberal Democrat for five decades.
The Democratic carnage is bound to continue until this president and members of his party begin to understand the stakes; either move this country back to center right or risk your political careers coming to an abrupt end this November.
Republicans are understandably jubilant about last Tuesday’s election, recognizing the tremendous impact Brown should have on politics and policy. But Brown and his fellow Republicans had best remember it was independent voters who delivered Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts to their column. These voters are vocal, they are organized and they understand, perhaps more than either major party that America works best under two-party rule. In their minds it’s no longer about yesterday and who did what, but rather about America: today, tomorrow and always.
1/17/2010
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Why Redistricting Matters
Election Day 2010 will be the most serious our state and nation will face for the next 10 years. I know that sounds dramatic, but if conservatives and moderates care one iota about the future its time to take a basic crash course on redistricting.
Once every decade in years that end in zero, states are required by law to take the most recent census data provided to them by the federal government and apply it the following year to help redraw the borders of our state legislative and Congressional districts. The lines are redrawn to reflect changes in population from the previous census.
In 36 states, including North Carolina, the political party controlling the legislature determines how the maps will be drawn. It is a partisan process that is badly in need of reform.
Some states have moved away from this partisan approach. Five of them carry out congressional redistricting by an independent or bipartisan commission. Other states have populations so small they have only one representative in the U. S. House, so Congressional redistricting is moot.
While redistricting was intended to insure fairness, in most states it has evolved into another tool to maintain the status quo of the majority party.
One example is North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District represented by Rep. G. K. Butterfield. It is comprised in some cases of bits and pieces of 23 counties resembling a jigsaw puzzle. It twists and meanders through precincts and counties that are favorable to the incumbent, making him very difficult to defeat. This gerrymandering or trying to get votes unfairly to maintain power is all too common and is destroying any chance the folks have of a true representative government.
When this year’s campaign gets underway in earnest this spring, most voters will be paying more attention to the federal races than those of candidates vying for seats in the N. C. General Assembly. This is a huge mistake for anyone who feels our state and nation are heading in the wrong direction.
There are some incumbents who will once again begin masquerading as conservatives. They understand the state and nation are predominately right-center and to win in many districts that’s how they must portray themselves to the electorate.
Fortunately voters have a fool proof way of stripping the mask from these chameleons. All one has to do is research the most important vote your legislator will ever make; the one they cast to elect their leaders in the House and Senate. It’s the leadership and not the rank and file members who will be driving the legislative agenda for the upcoming session.
Let’s look at three of the conservative imposters representing state House districts from the east who serves in the general assembly; Democratic Representatives Bill Owens from Pasquotank County, Arthur Williams from Beaufort and Tim Spear from Washington County. Spear, according to rumor control, is telling friends and relatives he will be replacing Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare, in the state Senate when Basnight steps down early next year due to his lingering illness. If true (and my sources say it is) Spear’s replacement would be appointed (probably from Dare) rather than elected by the good people of Chowan, Dare, Washington and Hyde counties, giving voters no say in the matter.
Spear, along with Owens and Williams voted to support Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange, the most liberal member of the N. C. House as their Speaker. Owens and Williams even supported disgraced former Democratic Speaker of the House Jim Black who is now serving a five year prison sentence on a felony conviction.
Owens is the chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee which, among other things, determines what bills will be heard and voted on and which bills won’t. He and Hackney are the most powerful players in the House.
Here are a few bills that never made it to the House floor because of Owens collaborating with Hackney and other liberals to keep them from coming to a vote:
• The Marriage Amendment which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Sixty eight members of the House have signed on as sponsors of this bill, enough for it to pass. But Owens and Hackney won’t let them vote.
• The Taxpayer Protection Act. This is a bill that would require limiting state spending by basing it on growth and population instead of whim.
• Eminent Domain. Conservatives want a constitutional amendment to provide rock-solid protection for all citizens of this state in defending personal property rights against government seizure.
The “conservative” Democratic leadership in Raleigh has also given us the state lottery and untold increases to our taxes at the corporate and personal levels, killing not only job creation, but the family budget as well.
Absolute control exits over in the Senate where Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare, presides, holding out his ring for his minions to kiss while bowing and genuflecting before his political throne before submitting to his will.
They say that folks get the government they deserve. Perhaps, but if this is the best our elected representatives can do for our citizenry, than our state and her people will fail to reach our unlimited potential. No longer should voters accept maintaining the status quo that has for all too long benefited the few on the backs of the multitude.
The road to prosperity can begin this November on Election Day, if conservatives, moderates and like minded Democrats have the courage, conviction and will to elect individuals who are truly committed to bettering the lives of “We the people,” and that means all of us.
1/09/2010
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
GOP resurgence in 2010?
A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reveals surprising differences between Republicans and Democrats on issues of spirituality and supernatural phenomenon, including astrology.
Only 14 percent of Republicans at least somewhat rely on the positions and aspects of heavenly bodies to predict or have an influence on the future, while nearly one third of Democrats embrace the practice. Either way one doesn’t have to be a Galileo to understand that the political landscape is ripe for a seismic shift to the right in this year’s mid-term elections.
President Barack Obama and the Democrats swept into office in 2008 when most Republicans in Washington (ironically many of the same group of conservative legislators that saved Bill Clinton’s presidency) lost their fiscal compass and became monetary miscreants. They had plenty of help from their Democrat brethren, but the GOP controlled all branches of government through 2006, and thus had no one to blame but themselves for their resounding defeat. Conservative and moderate voters felt betrayed by their fiscal excess.
One would think there was a lesson to be learned by both parties from the Bush years. It appears Republicans have taken note. Democrats, always willing to push the envelope when it comes to spending, apparently have not. They continue to blame Bush for all that ails us and in fact intend to use that strategy in the upcoming elections. It won’t work.
Obama and the Democrats were elected 14 months ago to fix the mess in Washington but instead they have only managed to make matters worse. Their reckless “largesse” is jeopardizing this nation’s economic prosperity, liberty, morality and super-power status. In fact, things are so bad, that most polls show Democrats trailing Republicans from six to nine percent on the mythical generic ballot — a polling question that asks voters, “If the election were held today would you support a Republican candidate or a Democrat?” This is the same Republican Party that one year ago the media reported dead and buried.
Democrats are beginning to head toward the exits. Senators Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota are calling it quits rather than face an angry electorate. Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who cast the deciding vote to pass the Senate’s heath care bill, is trailing his Republican challenger by 31 points in their 2012 senatorial match up. With the Democrats unpopular and failed stimulus, unemployment still in double digits, anger over the health care bill, breaches to national security, a convoluted foreign policy and national debt spiraling into the stratosphere, more retirements may be forthcoming.
In the House, there are members of both parties also opting for a one way ticket home. Republicans are having little problem finding a plethora of quality candidates willing to replace members of their own party who are retiring as well as those willing to challenge incumbent Democrats. However any Republican road to redemption will not be without its own challenges. Its brand image has been diminished and there is a great deal of infighting between conservatives and moderates to see who will ultimately wrest control of the party. Many of these skirmishes will be played out in primaries that are certain to provide ammo to beleaguered Democrats fighting to retain power.
There is another factor that could throw a monkey wrench into the GOP’s optimistic outlook. Democrats believe that the Tea Party grassroots activists will limit Republican gains in 2010. While the movement has no official spokesperson, a convention is planned for later this year with Sarah Palin as the headliner. The Tea Party, once a liberal laughingstock, is now referred to by New York Times columnist David Brooks as “a major force in American politics.”
12/22/2009
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
There’s something about Palin
What is it about Sarah Palin? Whether you love her, hate her or are ambivalent, this much is certain: she’s not going away anytime soon. Her recently released book, “Going Rogue,” has already sold in excess of one million copies. Her publisher is preparing to print two million more.
Comparing Palin’s book sales with those of her contemporary political “scribes” is worth noting. In its first week “Going Rogue,” outsold Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s “Hillary’s Living History” by 100,000 copies.
Former Vice President Al Gore’s new book on climate change, “Our Choice,” released on Nov. 3rd has sold 470,000 copies. The late Sen. Edward Kennedy’s memoir, “True Compass,” lags far behind with 169,000 book sales. And former President Bill Clinton’s book, “My Life,” published in June of `04, has sold 2.2 million copies in five years. Obviously Palin’s publishers are banking on her book sales exceeding that.
The first time I saw Palin was on TV last August when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., shocked everyone by announcing the little known governor from Alaska as his running mate. Up to that point no one in the media was certain who McCain would select and no one I knew ever seriously considered Palin.
When the governor stumbled badly early on in the campaign, especially during interviews with Katie Couric of CBS and Charlie Gibson of ABC, it appeared my earlier suspicions of her not yet being ready for prime time were justified. Yet, in spite of those missteps something about Palin continues to connect her to millions of folks in the middle and on the right.
The left, including factions embedded in certain of the so-called mainstream media outlets, were incredulously and unrelentingly vilifying the governor and her family at every opportunity. Scrutiny is one thing, but the slander from the left became obsessive-compulsive and has continued more than one year after her defeat. If this woman were a clown or a total incompetent, why does she seemingly strike fear into every liberal’s heart?
One could argue that Palin was not ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. I can understand why some would have felt that way. One could have made a similarly compelling case against Barack Obama and his lack of qualifications to become president. While Palin possessed executive experience, a purported advantage over her opponents and running mate her supporters repeatedly emphasized, in reality her political experience was minimal. Although Palin was not heading the GOP ticket, her inexperience, voter unease about McCain’s advancing years, his previous health issues coupled with the fact that some on the right found him not conservative enough, presented significant challenges for the ticket to overcome by Election Day.
Palin didn’t have a world view last year or even a vision for the nation that I’m aware of. When McCain scooped her up out of the blue, the learning curve she faced was not only daunting for Palin, but for any comparable candidate not on the national political radar.
Obama on the other hand stayed on message throughout his campaign, articulating a vision for America and the world. Whether or not you agreed with him he was able to seal the deal in November and in the process sweep enough Democrats into office to help him attempt to enact his agenda. Interestingly, less than one year later, a Rasmussen Poll last week found 53 percent of likely voters disapproving of Obama’s handling of his presidency, 43 percent of them strongly. Other polls have his favorability ratings tanking as well.
While there are stark differences between Obama and Palin ideologically, they both have more than an ample supply of charm and charisma. Each is capable of drawing huge crowds, even in venues far from large metropolitan media centers. The appeal of each is undeniable to their respective constituencies who are predictable in their love, adoration and fervor for their favorite.
Long ago I learned an important lesson. Always sensitive to criticism, I had a very difficult time dealing with it. I would do whatever it took to win any naysayer over short of selling my soul to the devil or relenting on my principles or convictions. As a result I would not be embraced by some. While initially troubling, I’ve learned over the years that speaking up for what you believe in is ultimately more rewarding and right than trying to be everyone’s friend and compromising all you believe in the process.
We’re seeing plenty of evidence of soul selling in Washington lately. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., compromised his pro-life beliefs last week when he promised to provide the 60th and decisive vote to pass the Senate’s health care bill, which under certain conditions will pay for abortion. In return he received commitments from the federal government to have all U. S. taxpayers begin to pay for Nebraska’s Medicaid supplements payments forever.
Sarah Palin may not have the experience of other politicians, but those who love her see something new, fresh and innocent within her 5 foot, four inches, 145 -pound frame. Through her they see themselves, fighting against an impenetrable foe hoping she can articulate their collective vision of commonsense into a system where there appears to be little. They respect and admire her spunk, her grit, her spirit and her willingness to tell it like it is. And that’s precisely why those on the other side of the aisle are intimidated by her. If her message continues to resonate among an electorate that is predominantly conservative, the dynamics of Washington politics might just change forever.
12/11/2009
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Christmas should be every day
I grew up only 35 miles from the campus of Syracuse University in upstate N. Y. I jumped at every chance to see the Saltine Warriors, as they were known back then, play college football in the venerable Archbold Stadium. Jimmy Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Jim Nance, John Mackey and Larry Csonka were but a few of the home team football legends who trod upon that hallowed ground. The crisp Fall Saturday afternoons on Irving Avenue provided countless memories I shall always treasure.
It’s only natural for a kid to like the same teams as their dad. Both of our boys are huge Syracuse fans. As a result we had more Syracuse apparel than we could wear. One day without telling anyone I decided to take the old college garb that was gathering dust in the attic and stacked in the corners of closets and give it to the Salvation Army.
Months later as we approached Thanksgiving our family volunteered to feed the homeless and needy in the inner-city of Richmond, Va., where we had relocated in 1977. As those being served began making their way through the food line both boys opened their eyes in amazement. It seemed every third or fourth person waiting to be fed, was wearing a piece of clothing adorning either the words, “Syracuse Football” or “Syracuse Basketball.” Apparently not realizing where the clothing came from, my oldest son remarked with a straight face,” Dad, can you believe all the Syracuse fans there are in Richmond?”
Last week I had the privilege of being a Salvation Army bell ringer. For those who don’t know, the Army is one of the finest organizations in America. Its stated mission is “To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” From disaster relief, to feeding, clothing and sheltering the needy, this organization has served on the front lines of rescue, recovery and deliverance since the 1880’s.
Many retailers no longer permit the Army to deploy in front of their establishments. Others limit its presence to two or three times a season. They say that allowing the Salvation Army to solicit would open the door to every other organization demanding equal time. I don't see it that way. The Army doesn't solicit anything. The kettle is there next to the bell ringer for those who choose to give of their own free will. Other than thank you, God bless you and Merry Christmas, little to any other words is ever exchanged.
Although no one can really know for certain what someone has or doesn't have financially, those most willing to donate appeared to have limited means. These were folks who pulled out a few coins, or a rumpled up bill or two from deep within their pockets, wallets or purse. It was joyful giving, make no mistake. These good souls would often joke, “Well, you're the third kettle I've given to today, but it’s a good cause and I want to do what I can.” There were others, who appeared to have more substantive means who either said they had already contributed or refused to even make eye contact.
Most of the shoppers were black, so consequently were most givers. It didn't matter whether it was a mother wheeling her child, a teenager wearing pants well below the waist and/or with the brim of the cap cocked to the side carrying a skate board, or someone aged or obviously physically handicapped, they appeared familiar with supportive of this ministry.
America gives almost $300 billion to charities, with 65 percent of it coming from average people with limited resources. Part of embracing the American spirit has always been to help those that need a hand-up. America donates twice as much as the country occupying second place, which in and of itself speaks volumes about the character and fundamental goodness of this nation. Charity may even hold some economic benefits.
Claire Gaudiani, a former president of Connecticut College authored a book in 2003 entitled: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism. She argues that we need charity because we can't rely on government to fix all of our nation’s many problems. Why? Because government can not afford to do so without taxing us at levels that could result in a taxpayer revolution. We're already seeing signs of that.
There was a time before government social programs when families, churches and communities looked out for their own. The extended family was the norm. While we may never be able to return to those times fully, we certainly can learn a thing or two from those "Good old days."
When those of us who could afford to move from our small inner city homes with their tiny front porches or stoops, to suburbia with their back decks and landscaped fenced-in yards, we may have gained more privacy, but, sadly, lost our kindred sense of community purpose. When we can no longer touch and feel the pain around us, we can become impervious to the needs of others.
I suspect many who contributed to the kettle last week are front-stoop sitters. They see and feel the pain and poverty from a front-row seat. Perhaps that explains why their coins and well worn bills were so reverently and lovingly placed within this kettle of hope.
Giving generously and unselfishly of ones self shouldn't be just at Christmas. Our burgeoning federal and state bureaucracies with their increasingly fragile and dwindling checkbook reserves may feed the stomach for a while, but do little in the way of nurturing the individual. That’s a task that government has never been good at, nor should be. That's the mission for each of us.
12/04/2009
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
America needs debt counseling
“Dandy” Don Meredith, a former Dallas Cowboy quarterback and retired analyst from Monday Night Football, used to say: “If ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts wouldn’t it be a Merry Christmas?” I used that quote last week during a conversation with employees of the dealership servicing my car.
As is my custom, I use the waiting time to visit the showroom and talk to shoppers, sales personnel and management. My kids often joke I’d talk to an open mail box. On this day, I was the only customer. In fact, I noticed but a few employees.
“How’s business?” didn’t seem to be an appropriate ice breaker. I might have surmised everyone was out for lunch or that this was but a momentary lull. Given the time of day and our country’s economic morass, I knew better.
This is a very large Big Three automobile manufacturer’s dealership. I asked the general manager if the $3 billion federal “Cash for Clunkers” had been a success for him. He said the program was probably unnecessary at best and a bad idea at worst. He cited gas guzzling pickup trucks and SUV’s being traded in for newer models that increased mileage by only 1-3 miles per gallon; this in spite of a program that was not only to stimulate sales but to get the gas hogs off the road.
The manager discussed other negatives. Similar to the mortgage crisis where home buyers were “qualified” to purchase homes they couldn’t afford, some car buyers are finding themselves in the same boat. “What was I thinking of,” is a frequent comment. “I can’t afford these payments,” is another. What does that mean for economy down the road?
Many auto dealers now have to send their banks all of their financial information every day. Banks who floor plan (finance) dealer inventory used to visit the lots three to four times a year to count their cars. Some are now showing up three times a week. If the economy is beginning to turn around, this is hardly a sign of banker confidence.
With all of the so-called programs to loosen credit, it isn’t happening. I was told about an 80-year-old customer who had financed many cars through this dealership. Now she was unable to secure financing for her new car. Her credit score was exemplary (800 plus). She owned her own home. Her credit report didn’t have a blemish. Because she was not employed the bank required a 50 percent down payment before they would approve her loan. This isn’t only tough on the customer, but the dealer who is trying to survive.
Many attempting to refinance their home are trying to overcome similar hurdles. A friend with a credit score of 740 (very good) was unable to secure refinancing. “The banks didn’t even want to talk with me,” she said, “and I have a good job.”
Responsible taxpayers, both individual and corporate, many with good credit, had their tax dollars go toward bank bailouts. Yet now some of those individuals find the bank doors being slammed in their face. Either the banks have calculated that things are much worse than we’ve been told, or they are scrambling to pay back bailout money to escape further government scrutiny.
It’s not just the folks who are uneasy. The business community is equally anxious. Passage of the pending Healthcare Reform Bill and the looming Cap and Trade legislation can only further exacerbate a situation that has many businesses already wheezing from over taxation and regulation. Those struggling to retain old jobs and hopeful of creating new ones will only be further hampered by these two additional burdens, perhaps making both business objectives little more than an opium pipe dream.
As we reflect on Christmas past, we as a nation have experienced great abundance. While not all have shared equally in our national bounty, the lives and welfare of most Americans have improved with each succeeding generation. In my view, it’s a mistake for our leaders to risk all by further emasculating our capitalistic engine.
As a child, I awoke one Christmas to find a “Tinkertoy Construction Set”. This plaything was designed to inspire children to use their imaginations by taking their basic knowledge and common sense one step further. Dad said, “Son, you always start with what you know and then begin to build or rebuild from there.”
America’s done a pretty good job of adapting to that principle. In the process we created a template for commerce that has served us well. It’s only broken now because members of both parties of Congress haven’t always played by the rules. Yet instead of getting back on track, liberal and progressive Democrats are curiously abandoning the concept of individual and corporate freedoms, liberty and economic opportunity in exchange for conditioning citizens to become followers instead of leaders and in the process making us more dependent on the state instead of less.
We can “if” and “but” and try various purported spending cures for our malaise until the cows come home, when in fact the cure for what ails us is as obvious as the nose on our face. Freeze spending immediately which will axe any spending initiatives that are not fully capable of being self supportive from day one. We must address the debt that continues to chaff at the loins of our independence. China alone holds $1 trillion of our national debt and another trillion in dollar reserves. They already have us in a chokehold and if we continue to borrow, we’ll eventually fiscally blackout.
Unless we immediately begin acting as if our sovereignty and freedom depend on our financial independence, we will not only risk becoming wards of our state, but perhaps worse, wards of China.
11/20/2009
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
A Plan For Creating Jobs Now
Anyone who has ever experienced unemployment understands the pain, depression and the feelings of inferiority that often accompany it. For the employed or retired, reading jobless numbers in the newspaper can’t possibly have the same impact as those living the nightmare. We read the numbers, shake our heads and then turn to the sports page. Life resumes its normal routine.
In February, 1976, my 52-year-old father found himself unemployed for the first time. Dad had worked only two jobs. He seldom missed a day. I remember him telling us, “It doesn’t matter if I’m not feeling tip-top today; my employer is expecting me to be there. That’s what he is paying me for.”
With that same kind of “can do attitude,” Dad hit the pavement and began knocking on doors. Day after day the results of his efforts were the same: no jobs available.
By July we could see a visible change in my father’s health, not to mention his morale. Both were declining rapidly. We would try to cheer him, but depression was starting to rear its ugly head. The continued rejection also was killing him.
The Miller Brewing Company was opening a plant only 15 miles from our upstate New York home. Our local newspaper informed readers the new employer would be taking applications the next Tuesday. I sensed Dad’s spirits lifting.
I planned on going with my father to lend moral support. It was bitter cold that Tuesday. The wind was blowing and the snow was beginning to fall. We arrived three hours early only to find a line of applicants already stretched as far as the eye could see. After parking, we took our position at the end of the line, inching forward ever so slowly. I remember looking at my father and thinking, how did things ever come to this? We were both numb from cold and despair by the time we entered the building.
On the way home, driving through what by now was a blinding snowstorm, my Dad turned to me, touched my arm and said, “Bobby, they are going to hire me. I’m a good man.” “Yes Dad, you are and they will,” I replied, while at the same time feeling not quite as certain that our prayers would be answered.
Across the country the devastation of unemployment is being felt everywhere. Many of these victims are men and women in their 40’s and 50’s. At Domtar’s paper mill in Plymouth, N. C., a factory that one time employed upwards of 2,500 people, many furloughed employees have all but given up hope. These are good folks who literally have no where to turn for work. They can’t sell their homes and their nest eggs are being exhausted to meet day-to-day living costs.
There are currently some 520 plus workers who remain at Domtar and they must be holding their breath. Over the next several months those numbers will be whittled down to about 360. In a cruel twist of fate, some of those previously employed at the Plymouth mill, moved to Franklin, Va., to go to work for International Paper. That plant will be permanently closing its doors early next year.
With millions of American jobs lost over the last decade and more, action needs to be taken that can quickly turn this situation around and fast. One possible solution that would have an immediate impact on our economy would be to make the U. S. a Corporate Income Tax-Free Business Zone. Almost overnight corporations, small and large, would invest in expansion and equipment and begin hiring. Jobs currently overseas would begin to shift back home because doing business domestically could suddenly result in lower costs.
Other benefits of “ash-canning” this tax would include an increase in stock prices and corporate values due to anticipated higher corporate earnings. Products made in the U. S. will suddenly become more competitive with those produced by nations with higher corporate tax rates. We would begin to see a dramatic investment in “green” technology with the creation of new industries that can help foster our energy independence without holding our economic sector hostage to the impracticalities of the pending cap and trade legislation that passed the House and awaits action in the Senate.
Corporate tax repeal would mean there would be approximately $1.8 trillion less in the U. S. Treasury over the next five years. While this figure may seem extreme, compare it with the $5 trillion in deficits that would result from President Barack Obama’s enacted and proposed spending initiatives; initiatives that have and will continue to do little to alter our staggering unemployment numbers. Getting folks back to work allows the formerly jobless to not only support themselves and their families, but to regain their self respect.
For weeks after my father submitted his application to Miller we heard nothing. Dad kept saying, “They’ll call, you just wait and see.” On Dec. 31 my father was stricken with a fatal heart attack. On Jan. 2, the phone rang. When my grieving mother picked it up, the call was for my Dad. It was the Miller Brewery requesting he report to work the following Monday.
My Dad was right.
11/12/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Status Quo Not Good Enough
Last week the U. S. Department of Labor reported that the nation’s unemployment rate now stands at 10.2 percent. It’s a tough time to be out of work. There are 6.1 unemployed workers competing for the few job openings nationwide that become available. Unemployment is expected to remain high throughout next year.
Nowhere are unemployment and the lack of economic opportunity more visible than in northeastern North Carolina. Sadly, this is a bad situation that has been made worse by the recession.
Economic depravation has become the norm in the Albemarle, instead of the exception. Unfortunately, there are those self-serving and in some cases impotent “follow the leader” legislators, that contribute to our economic morass. Legislators throwing the dog a bone once in a while should no longer be accepted as manna from heaven by any self-respecting, God-fearing, family-loving resident of this region. The continuing absence of meaningful economic opportunity is not just a fiscal issue, but a moral one.
Recently I attended the 2009 Northeast Legislative Summit luncheon in Elizabeth City. It was hosted by the chambers of commerce from Elizabeth City and Pasquotank, Currituck, Edenton-Chowan, Perquimans and Gates counties.
The state legislators in attendance included Rep. Bill Owens (Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Tyrell), Rep. Tim Spear (Chowan, Hyde, Dare, Washington) and Sen. Ed Jones (Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampton, Perquimans). Sen. Marc Basnight and Rep. Annie Mobley also were invited but unable to attend. All are Democrats.
It became obvious during the question and answer period that Owens was the unofficial spokesperson for the group, with Spear and Jones frequently deferring to him for answers or specifics.
Owens, who is serving his eighth term in the House, is chairman of the powerful rules committee as well as the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Capital. He and Basnight, Speaker of the House Joe Hackney and Sen. Tony Rand not only drive the agenda, but find the means to finance it. The other elected Democrats that serve in the House and in the Senate are mere window dressing; puppets on a string who vote as the puppeteers instruct.
The legislators were upbeat when talking about economic progress beginning to occur in other parts of the state. There were but a few mentions of progress here. Spear even remarked that it would be some time before this region sees any major economic improvement. With all do respect to Mr. Spear; it’s already been decades. How much longer do we have to wait?
Spear cited several accomplishments for the folks in his district: Among them, fulfilling a request from Chowan County farmers requesting legislation to allow sage and cotton to be hauled in the same trucks. Another was a request from Hyde County on behalf of residents and businesses in Ocracoke wanting a unifying of the regulations governing the use of golf carts. I’m not certain how many jobs either of these initiatives created.
Spear also hailed a $26 million renovation of Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head and its temporary marine construction jobs as a sign of economic progress. When completed this pier is certain to be a tourist attraction, especially benefiting those businesses located close by.
The pier is located next to Democratic Nags Head Mayor Renee Cahoon’s rental cottages and within walking distance to a restaurant owned by Democrats R. V. Owens and Bobby Owens (Basnight’s brother-in-law), as well as a newly remodeled and expanded restaurant owned by Sen. Basnight.
The pier is being paid for by legislation that allows the project to use $10.5 million in storm water funds as well as private donations and state grants.
Throughout the summit, guests heard this team of Democratic legislators tell us how important it is that we allow them to continue working together for us. If their success is to be measured by the regions economic synergy, the numbers reveal a much darker tale.
The N. C. Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well being. The most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next Tier 2 and the least distressed Tier 3. Here are our local state legislators and the tiers for the counties they represent:
Sen. Basnight (eight counties): Five Tier 1; three Tier 2
Sen. Jones (7 counties): Six Tier 1; one Tier 2
Rep. Mobley (4 counties): Three Tier 1; one Tier 2
Rep. Owens (4 counties): Two Tier 1; two Tier 2
Rep. Spear (4 counties): Three Tier 1; 1 Tier 2
If economic report cards were being issued for these legislators on their ability to create jobs and economic opportunity for the regions constituents, Basnight would receive a plus 2; Jones -6; Mobley -3; Owens even and Spear -3. All of the counties these legislators represent are economically distressed, with sixty percent of them among the poorest in the state. This is clearly unacceptable.
The most insightful exchange of the afternoon came when a commissioner from Gates County asked Sen. Jones when the economy might begin to improve in his county. Without batting an eyelash, Jones told the commissioner he really didn’t have to worry, because Gates is a Tier 1 county. That comment, perhaps, said more about the mindset our representatives have of accepting the status quo for northeastern North Carolina better than I ever could have.
11/09/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Independents Swing Right
Democratic pundits and spin masters tried to put on their best face the day after the GOP’s stunning victories on Election Day. Governor –elect Bob McDonnell led the way to a Republican sweep in Virginia while GOP challenger Chris Christie defeated incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in New Jersey.
President Barrack Obama had personally campaigned for McDonnell’s opponent Creigh Deeds as well as for Corzine, making multiple appearances with both. The magic that was Obama’s one year ago was no where to be found this time around. Voters rejected both Democrats.
Conservatives from both parties turned out in mass to support the GOP. Independent voters, who one year earlier played a pivotal roll in returning the Democrats to power, have, for now at least, shifted their allegiance back to the right. Exit polling revealed that one third of those who cast votes in Virginia and New Jersey were independents
An October Rasmussen survey found that 30.3 percent of voters nationwide identify themselves as independents or unaffiliated; 31.9 percent say they are Republicans and 37.8 percent Democrats. Clearly neither major party can win without significant support from independents. The survey also found that 82 percent of independents feel that fixing the economy and creating more jobs should be the top priority of government.
Exit polling in Virginia revealed that 85 percent of voters are very worried about the economy, while 89 percent of New Jersey voters had similar feelings. Voters in both states by a margin of 49-21 expressed more concern about the economy than health care.
While the recent election results may not be a personal referendum on Obama, they certainly prove he had no coattails. That fact could have a profound influence on Blue Dog Democrats facing reelection next year, as they ponder their upcoming vote on health care.
The White House rebuffed any suggestion from pundits and Republicans that the GOP juggernaut last week reflected negatively on the president and/or his agenda. However, Obama spokespersons were nowhere to be found on election night as early returns began to suggest this would be a bad night for Democrats.
White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod, one of the administration’s lead attackers of Fox News, interestingly climbed out of his trench the next day to grant an interview to the very network he has relentlessly ridiculed. Axelrod told Fox that Obama wasn’t paying that much attention to poll results but rather remains more focused on the important issue of creating jobs.
October’s unemployment numbers were released late last week by the Labor Department and the news is not good for Obama, the Democrats or their massive federal stimulus bill. The enormous amount of money spent to date was supposed to insure the jobless rate would not exceed eight percent by the end of this year.
Last month, the U. S. economy shed another 190,000 jobs. Unemployment now stands at 10.2 percent for the first time in 26 years. It is projected to climb even higher in the coming months. The $1.2 trillion health bill soon be voted upon in the House is a risky and uncertain move in this economic climate that very well may exacerbate job losses while inflating America’s already staggering debt.
For a party that was supposed to be all but dead after their shellacking in 2008, this near corpse is suddenly showing astonishing signs of life. The GOP was thought by many on the left to be a relic that could only be a future factor in the Deep South where conservatism still reins supreme. Last time I was in New Jersey, I don’t recall seeing any grits on the menus of my favorite eateries. In spite of those who interpreted last year’s election results as some sort of seismic ideological shift to the left, its time for a dose of reality. America was center right then and its center right now.
The historic candidacy of a charismatic black American running for the presidency, coupled with the immense unpopularity of President George W. Bush, created an environment in which the stars aligned and the tea leaves predicted there would be change. Yet Obama’s opponent, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who ran a horrible campaign, still managed to lose the election by only seven points. It is reasonable to assume that McCain might have won had the financial markets not collapsed just weeks before Election Day.
In a nation where conservatives out number liberal/ progressives by two to one according to a recent Gallup poll, the ideological makeup of the nation hasn’t changed all that much. Yet, Obama and the left are governing as if it has.
While the Democrats have made much ado about their victory last week by Congressman-elect Bill Owns in Upstate New York, it is worth noting this. Throughout his campaign Owens told voters he felt the public option had no place in the health care reform bill. He also said he was opposed to cutting Medicare benefits, taxing health care benefits and increasing taxes on the middle class. After his swearing in last Friday, his press release confirms he will do none of the above, shifting his positions completely. How is that for honesty and integrity from our newest Democratic member of Congress?
There is a revolution brewing in America and it’s not being fought by those on the left, but rather those in the center and on the right. It is these individuals who feel they’ve been set adrift by the officers and crew aboard the floundering S.S. Ship of State. As she continues her list to port, Capt. Obama and those under his command had best heed the warnings to right the ship, or risk sinking to the bottom in next year’s crucial mid-term elections.
11/04/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Health reform on 50 pages or less
The recent announcement by International Paper Corporation that it is closing its Franklin, Va., plant is having a devastating effect not only on the 1,100 workers who will eventually lose their jobs, but throughout the area. That includes the historic Albemarle region of North Carolina.
Management cites the declining demand for its products, including stationary as the primary reason for closing the venerable mill. Looking at the amount of paper being used by Congress to write its proposed health care bills, International Paper may want to reconsider.
The $894 billion 1,990 page House bill was rolled out last week. If it passes, benefits will be extended to tens of millions of individuals who currently lack coverage. Contained within these four reams of paper are new restrictions on the insurance industry as well as a government-run option to compete with private insurers.
Everyone will be required to have insurance or pay a 2.5 percent of income penalty to the government. An individual with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 choosing not to purchase health insurance would be fined $1,500. If coverage is unaffordable, (as determined by the government, not us,) hardship assistance could be available.
Employers also will risk paying huge penalties if they choose not to provide their employees with health insurance. Companies with a payroll of less than $500,000 will be exempt. Others will pay eight percent of their total payroll in penalties. An $800,000 payroll would mean a check to Uncle Sam for $64,000.
When thinking about whether to ask your congressional representative to support this bill or not, consider the following: Congressional budget experts have said that the government option won’t result in any consumer savings over private plans. In fact, the government coverage will actually cost more.
The approximately 10 million seniors and the disabled who are currently covered through Medicare Advantage (MA) plans won’t like some of the changes this bill has in store for them.
Also known as “Part C” of Medicare, this plan has been offering coverage since 2003 that meets or exceeds the standards originally set by Medicare. The new House bill will reduce MA payment benchmarks over a three year period that likely will result in less care for seniors. In rural areas, depending on the MA plan one is enrolled in, current providers there may soon disappear. With $400 billion in Medicare cuts over the next 10 years, seniors and the disabled have plenty of reasons for concern.
The neighborhood pharmacists can’t be pleased with this legislation either. As a cost saving measure, the new government plan will use mail order facilities to fill your prescriptions instead of the pharmacist down the street you’ve known and trusted for years. For many, that’s not a comforting thought. With almost half of the nation’s population taking at least one prescription drug, these drug warehouses may soon be in charge of filling yours.
A recent Gallup survey found that 87 percent of people with private insurance and 82 percent of folks on Medicare and Medicaid say the quality of their health care is excellent or good. That presents Obama and the Democrats with their biggest dilemma in mustering up the votes necessary to pass this bill. During a roundtable discussion last week, Newsweek reported that the two pollsters who conducted a recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll said that, “most Americans are convinced that covering the uninsured will require some sort of sacrifice on their behalf, and most people simply aren’t prepared to give up anything to ensure that everyone has access.”
That certainly does not sound very altruistic. Perhaps it has something to do with a horrible sense of timing and priorities on the part of the government. The folks at home are hurting; struggling to make ends meet just to put food on their tables and take care of their everyday expenses. Unemployment is almost 10 percent and the national debt is exploding.
The stimulus program with all of its promises of righting the fiscal ship of state has produced little in the way of visible results, furthering a lack of trust in government solutions. Most say it’s done nothing to improve their lives. If you’re hunkered down somewhere in eastern N. C., working (if you’re lucky) two or three jobs that all pay less than the minimum wage, its hard to feel like Kris Kringle when the government reaches deeper and deeper into your pockets while whispering, “It’s all for one and one for all.”
Cost is a huge concern for those opposed. In spite of what the Democrats say about it not adding to the budget deficit, it’s not true. In the first five years surpluses will be built by frontloading revenues. Costs won’t begin until the second five years. This bill includes $700 billion in new taxes that can only create a further financial burden on those individuals and small businesses struggling to survive.
Do we really want our health care run by those that can’t even produce enough swine flu vaccine to go around and has brought Medicare and Medicaid to the brink of bankruptcy? Do we really want the government controlling one-sixth of the nation’s economy?
I’m all for reform that will allow those with pre-existing conditions to get insurance at comparable rates as those without. I support allowing insurance companies to cross state lines to compete everywhere, driving down premiums. I’m also behind aggressive tort reform to help contain spiraling costs. A bill simply addressing these issues to begin with could be written on less than 50 pages. While that won’t do much to help out the troubled paper industry, it will produce a bipartisan bill that we can all read, understand and support.
10/26/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
“Nixifying” the White House
On the floor of the U. S. Senate last week, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., an aide to former President Richard Nixon, delivered a cautionary warning to President Barrack Obama. He asked him not to follow the path of the former president by developing a White House enemies’ list that ultimately led to his resigning the presidency in disgrace.
Anyone ever involved in politics has a certain degree of paranoia. With the opposition taking pot shots every day, politicians must either possess a thick skin, or be a masochist to survive. In Nixon’s case, he became delusional. He thought everyone was out to get him. Revenge was one way of striking back.
In 1971, Nixon’s special counsel, Charles Colson, developed an enemies’ list that included the likes of the president of the United Auto Workers Union, a liberal Washington newspaper columnist; a celebrated CBS broadcast journalist and the managing editor of the Los Angeles Times.
Nixon’s White House Counsel John Dean, in writing to a colleague about the enemies’ list said: we need to find out how best to “… use the federal machinery to screw our enemies.” Tactics included IRS tax audits, manipulating grants, controlling who received federal contracts, and pursuing litigation and prosecution when “needed.” Hundreds of additional names were eventually added to Nixon’s list, including many from the entertainment industry.
Three years into his presidency Nixon’s detailed enemies’ list began to formally evolve. Obama has only been president for 10 months, yet there are striking similarities in the economic and foreign affairs challenges facing both presidencies.
It appears there may be other similarities as well.
Nixon was trying to find a way to “win the peace” in Vietnam, fighting a war that was becoming increasingly costly and unpopular. A deficit crisis emerged as the nation’s spending almost doubled as a share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).There were gas lines resulting from the Arab oil boycott and a recession ready to unfold. The economy was floundering, unemployment rising and the stock market was increasingly volatile.
Obama is facing two wars, national unemployment approaching double digits, a deficit problem of his own and faces significant organized opposition to his liberal agenda.
Like Nixon, Obama seems very thin-skinned. We learned that at the height of last year’s campaign. Some of his campaign members took it upon themselves to institute a sort of “truth squad,” threatening to prosecute anyone, including media outlets that printed or broadcast any information about Obama that they perceived as incorrect.
In the closing days of the campaign three large daily newspapers that endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., were denied access to Obama’s campaign bus. Nothing much has changed. Obama continues to assault Fox News, further proving that he and his staff remain in a campaigning state of mind.
Recently the U. S. Chamber of Commerce came under fire from the White House. Obama wants to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency to “ensure transparency and fair dealing” on financial products such as consumer loans. The Chamber disagrees, saying that consumers are best served and protected through existing regulations and that the proposed new agency would make credit more expensive and less accessible.
Obama was furious the Chamber ran what he called a “completely false” ad campaign claiming that small businesses will be harmed with this new agency. With this White House you agree, or risk being marginalized, in spite of Obama’s campaign promise for more openness and transparency.
For an administration that appears to obsess over misinformation being spread by those opposing its initiatives, why are they so reluctant to share details of their own with the public? We’re told that the Democrat’s plan to reform health care will be sound, and fair to everyone. Economically it’s a win-win, they say- for the consumer as well as reducing the federal deficit. Well if the plans being discussed are going to be the panacea for what ails us, why do we hear few specifics from those on the left promoting it, and a plethora of particulars from those opposed?
Many folks feel the insurance companies are opposing health care reform solely because they will end up suffering a big time loss in profits that will reduce executive bonuses. While a convenient and simplistic argument, there is much more to their opposing national health care than that. These companies are fighting for their very existence.
Believe me, I’m no fan of the insurance industry. But the industry deserves the right to protect their interests and the future viability of their participation in the market place.
The insurance lobby has launched an advertising campaign against what they see as one more government intrusion into our lives. The ads point to countries like Great Britain and Canada which have national health care. They site statistical data that brings into question whether we would be taking a step forward or a step backward by gutting our current system in favor of national health care models.
Obama and the Democrat’s don’t like the ads and are pushing back. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., made a surprising appearance at a Senate committee hearing to support repeal of 60 year-old antitrust laws that benefit insurance companies. How’s that for getting even?
Whether it’s Fox News, the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, insurance companies, banks, talk radio, town hall meeting attendees, tea party protestors, or Republican members of Congress- beware! There is an enemies’ list somewhere in the White House and maybe some of us are on it.
Nixon’s paranoia and the resulting negative impact it had on America may one day seem tame when compared to what’s unfolding now in the bunker at the White House. His ghost is stirring back at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
10/21/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Obama foolish ignoring Fox News
When I was in marketing I was often sought out for guidance by retailer’s seeking to expand their business into another location. Selecting the right area to grow their business was one of the most important decisions they would make. Getting it wrong could lead to financial catastrophe.
I’d always ask my expansion minded clients the following: If faced with a choice between locating your new store on a side of town where most of your competition would be, or on the opposite side of town with little or no competition, which site would you choose? Invariably the answer was this: “Why, the side of town where I’d have the least competition, of course.” This seemingly logical answer is a primary reason why many retail ventures fail.
Ideally a retail business needs to be located in an area where most folks are shopping for the products you sell. There you will find more potential customers than you ever would, had you chosen to avoid the competition by locating elsewhere. It’s always about the numbers
It appears White House Communications Director Anita Dunn has chosen a different tactic. Instead of utilizing the most watched network in cable news, the Fox News Network, as an additional news outlet for her party’s message, she and President Barack Obama have decided instead to avoid and excoriate them.
Dunn told CNN’s “Reliable Sources” that Fox News operates “… almost as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party.” She added, “We’re going to treat them the way we would treat an opponent.”
Obama is no fan of Fox. Commentators like Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck have been tough critics of his. Bill O’Reilly has also often been critical of this administration. While most viewers have little trouble discerning between the aforementioned opinion shows and the networks news programming with the likes of Brett Baier and Shepherd Smith, the same cannot be said if the White House. They view them as one in the same.
No such distinctions are drawn by Obama with other cable news outlets. Keith Olbermann, Chris Mathews and Rachel Maddow of MSNBC also have opinion shows. They regularly trash conservatives or anyone else daring to oppose this president and/or his agenda. Instead they present almost any initiative undertaken by Obama and the Democrats with little objectivity or criticism.
Is criticism of the conventional media valid? A new Pew Research Poll found the public is losing faith in the mainstream media. It revealed most folks no longer trust these news organizations to cover stories objectively or responsibly.
Two huge recent stories escaped the supposed microscopic lens of investigative journalism by mainstream media outlets. They were all scooped by Fox. One story involved the outing of Obama’s former Green Jobs Czar Van Jones, an avowed Communist who abruptly resigned amid a firestorm of controversy. By the time the mainstream media picked up this story, Jones was already on his way out the door.
Then there was the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) scandal. Two young independent film makers presented themselves to various ACORN offices around the country as a pimp and his prostitute. They were seeking help from ACORN on how best to set up their bordello. They even feigned expanding this illegitimate enterprise by saying they intended to bring underage girls into the country as prostitutes. ACORN officials, without the blink of an eye, told them exactly how to get around any civil, criminal and tax laws that could lead to their detection and arrest. Because of this Fox News exposé, government funding for ACORN was cut off, even in spite of a few members of Congress like Rep. G. K. Butterfield, D-N. C., incredulously voting to continue its funding.
Fox News, which has dominated cable news for the last few years, is only growing stronger. The numbers from Mediaite.com, a company that monitors viewership, suggests that White House attacks on Fox are helping it attract new viewers. Fox trounces the competition in prime time in the all important 25-54 age demographic. Fox has three times more viewers than MSNBC and almost five times the viewers of CNN during prime time. O’Reilly, Beck and Hannity’s numbers are even more impressive.
Last month Obama appeared on the entire major network Sunday talk show circuit except for Fox New Sunday. Host Chris Wallace called this administration “the biggest bunch of crybabies I have dealt with in my 30 years in Washington.” Wallace is certainly someone who should know. Son of legendary broadcast journalist Mike Wallace, 62 year old Chris has worked for NBC and ABC News. He also was a former Moderator of Meet the Press.
Like the retailers that should locate new stores where the customers are, so too should Obama seek to sell his message where the majority of viewers are.
Fox has already wooed former ABC News co-host of 20/20 John Stossel to their network and are reportedly in discussions with CNN’s Lou Dobbs. Fox is not going away in the near future. The sooner Obama acknowledges that and begins to include Fox into his news mix, the better chance he has of reaching a large segment of America he’s currently not connecting with. To continue avoiding the Fox News Network would be foolish.
10/14/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Those Pesky Numbers
Throughout last year’s campaign, President Barack Obama lobbied for health care reform. He hopes for the eventual passage of a bill that will enable millions of uninsured Americans to obtain affordable coverage.
On June 22, in a prime time news conference, Obama said 46 million Americans were without health insurance. Later, on September 9, while addressing a joint session of Congress and without explanation, he shifted the numbers downward to 30 million. Obama’s case for health care reform might be no less compelling, but what happened to the 16 million folks who inexplicably vanished? Either health insurance salesmen were very busy writing policies for seven weeks, or the president decided his credibility on the numbers warranted fine tuning.
The number of illegal aliens residing in our country is estimated to be somewhere between 12 and 20 million. Perhaps Obama split the difference and then deducted 16 million from the 46 million uninsured he and the Democrats have been trumpeting to us for more than a year. Democrats have said they have never factored illegal aliens into the mix. Obama’s sudden numbers’ revision might suggest otherwise.
Last week the U. S. Labor Department reported that through September the unemployment rate continues to climb. It is currently at 9.8 percent, a 26 year high. But that figure doesn’t tell the whole story. Unemployed adult men are at 10.3 percent, while teenage jobless numbers reflect 26 percent. Whites account for 9 percent of the unemployed, blacks 15.4 percent, and Hispanics, 12.7. In the last 21 months, unemployment has risen from 7.6 million to 15.1 million.
Unfortunately, politicians are frequently reluctant to give us all the numbers. They prefer to use only those that might help them make their case. In doing so they can create a false sense of urgency to move the public to support or oppose a specific initiative. We’re seeing some of that in the current healthcare debate and in discussions about unemployment. The discussions leading up to passage of last February’s stimulus is another example.
The late American writer Darrell Huff in 1954 authored, “How to Lie with Statistics.” It became the best selling statistics book in the second half of the 20th century. It outlines common errors, intentional and unintentional, associated with the interpretation of numbers and how they can lead to inaccurate conclusions.
Last week Obama seemingly caught a break in the health care debate when the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected the $829 billion Senate panel’s health care overhaul proposal would shrink the number of uninsured, while not adding one dime to the federal budget deficit. In fact, the CBO predicted the deficit would be reduced by $81 billion over the first decade. Good news so far, but how will Congress pay for it?
Part of it will be paid for by reducing spending on Medicare (a program projected to be broke in seven years) and other federal insurance programs to the tune of $400 to $500 billion. This will certainly raise the eyebrows of seniors and baby boomers, many of whom are already skeptics over what Obamacare will mean for them.
Additionally, a 40 percent excise tax will be levied on certain high-cost individual insurance policies. This is expected to generate another $20 billion. The rest of the money will come from annual fees on insurers, pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of medical devices. Those costs will most certainly be passed on to health care consumers.
The president tells us health care reform must be passed before the end of this year. It’s an “emergency!” Why then won’t it take full effect until after the next presidential election? While the benefits would not kick in for two and one-half years, the tax hikes and cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would begin immediately.
Remember the urgency of the president’s $787 billion stimulus approved in February? Vice President Joe Biden says it’s working “so well” that Democrats are considering some sort of second stimulus. A Rasmussen poll last week found 62 percent of Americans opposed to any further stimulus spending.
The CBO predicted last February that the recession would end on its own without any stimulus by the end of this year. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently told a conference at the Brookings Institute that, “…the recession is very likely over at this point….but it’s still going to feel like a very weak economy for some time.” I’ll say!
Has the stimulus helped so far? A recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found 57 percent saying the stimulus is costing too much while doing too little. If you’re among the unemployed you will undoubtedly agree.
Why haven’t more jobs been created? Obama acknowledges 70 percent of job creation is generated through small business. Yet less than one percent of the stimulus money was spent on this business sector. In addition, Democrats are tinkering with adding a carbon tax that will increase energy costs for all business segments while further exacerbating the energy sector. To create jobs small business needs more tax breaks, not further government restrictions, taxes and mandates.
The one thing all of us need to remember is that there are always going to be numbers behind the numbers. When government is proposing something that sounds too good to be true, history tells us it usually is. With our national debt continuing to soar into the stratosphere, this is no time for any American to be asleep at the switch.
9/25/09
A Conservative’s Viewpoint By: Bob Steinburg
Respect no One Way Street
In 1967 rhythm and blues singer Aretha Franklin recorded the song “Respect” singing all she wants “is a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-CA., is probably singing this tune while she and others on the left continue to chide conservative activists as disrespectful for fervently opposing the Democrats liberal and fiscally reckless agenda. Pelosi even went as far as to refer to the town hall protesters as “un-American.”
Pelosi says she fears the anti-health care rhetoric could lead to violence, citing the wave of bloodshed that hit San Francisco in 1978 following the assassinations of gay rights activist Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas said, “Speaker Pelosi is right that the American people are upset, but it is her words that continue to fuel voter frustration in America.” Sessions continued, “The Speaker is now likening genuine opposition to assassination. Such insulting rhetoric not only undermines the credibility of her office, but it underscores the desperate attempt by her party to divert attention away from a failing agenda.”
To suggest that all conservative protesters adhere to Miss Manners Rules of Etiquette would be a stretch. Certainly there were a number of signs and banners at recent events that were inappropriate and tasteless. Attendees, while angry, haven’t allowed their anger to turn violent.
Until this year, it is hard to recall any organized conservative protests of significance. Perhaps that’s why the recent wave of demonstrations at tea parties and town hall meetings has caught the left by surprise. They can’t quite figure out how to deal with these folks, other than to level criticism and disparaging comments toward them and their views. The only thing that has managed to do is to ratchet up the anger and disgust with Washington.
Let’s be honest. When one thinks of large public protests the last group that would come to mind is conservatives. They’re traditionally more staid, preferring to wage dissent through their elected representatives, political action and/or advocacy groups or the media. Until recently, conservatives haven’t had a penchant for taking to the streets.
Perhaps conservatives have learned a thing or two about protests over the years. They surely recognize other groups have used protest effectively. The civil-rights protests from1955-1968 helped blacks to achieve racial equality. The Viet Nam War protests ultimately helped bring that conflict to an end.
But protests aren’t without risks. At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, confrontations between anti-war protestors and local police turned violent, generating negative notoriety for then Mayor Richard Daley.
Last year at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, 250 protesters were arrested demonstrating against President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq. The charges: embarking on a violent rampage smashing windows, slashing tires, throwing bottles and even attacking Republican delegates attending the convention. It seems reasonable to conclude that none of those arrested were conservatives.
When it comes to showing respect the left has a short memory or perhaps a case of selective memory. Following the election of Bush in 2000, there was a non-stop deluge of vitriol against the president that continues to this day. In 2005 Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV., told a group of high school students that Bush was a “loser.” In July of `08, Pelosi referred to him by saying the following: “Bush is a total failure.” Reid chimed in: “Who would be afraid of him?” Speak of a lack of dignity and respect.
Even Obama, the president who was going to bring in a “new era of responsibility” that would rise above partisan politics can’t stop taking shots at Bush at home and abroad. In a recent press conference he referred to the Bush era 10 times, emphasizing the $1.3 trillion debt he inherited and how it is hurting his efforts to fix the economy.
While Obama’s apology tour to Europe and the Middle East might have made the 20 percent of liberals, many members of the blame America first crowd happy, he at the same time, unwittingly perhaps, sullied the reputation of a nation that has unselfishly shed its blood in the name of freedom seeking people everywhere.
I saw a bumper sticker last week that read: Respect is earned not demanded. It seems more and more everyone on the left wants respect but few are willing to give it unless, of course, you are willing to go along to get along.
The left are even capable of eating their own. Max Moulitsas, founder of the left wing web site Daily Kos called Sen. Max Baucus, D-MT., “the biggest idiot in the entire Senate,” for making huge concessions on the Senate version of the health care bill “to get nothing.”
Today perhaps America is facing her greatest challenges. Our economy is in the tank, spending is out of control, health care needs reform and we’re engaged in two wars. Add to that the need to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons they undoubtedly would unleash on Israel and we have more than a plate full.
One of my frustrations is when I’m involved in a discussion with someone and the other party is unwilling to even listen to my point of view. I expect there are others who feel the same. I know everyone won't always agree with me, but I do want them to listen and consider what I have to say. One way to get them to listen and consider my words is to extend the same courtesy to them. Respect is never a one way street. Not even in Washington.
8/28/2009
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
The ‘Liberal’ Torch has passed
With the death last week of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the left lost its liberal champion. “The Lion of the Senate,” as he was referred to by his colleagues, served that chamber 47 years. Kennedy was skilled at often brokering bipartisan support for legislative initiatives, such as his collaboration with President George W. Bush on No Child left Behind Act of 2001 and Part D of Medicare which covers prescriptions.
Kennedy’s passion was health care reform. In 1974, he put aside his differences with family adversary President Richard Nixon, partnering with him to try to offer legislation that would mandate all employers provide health insurance for their employees. Nixon’s presidency was embroiled in the Watergate scandal distracting him from pushing through with this initiative. When Gerald Ford assumed the presidency the economy was in a crisis with energy prices soaring. Health care reform was no longer a priority.
The Senator from Massachusetts was responsible for health care legislation, including the Health Insurance Portability Act (HIPPA) and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Kennedy considered health care as a fundamental right.
Kennedy was frequently a lightening rod for conservative anger. Unlike his brothers Bobby and Jack who condemned abortion, Ted supported it. The youngest Kennedy brother, able to show much empathy and compassion for the poor and the helpless, had none for the unborn.
At the 2000 Democratic National Convention Kennedy addressed the delegates reassuring them the Democratic Party would continue to provide women with the right to choose abortion up to the ninth month. The party’s presidential nominee, Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., formerly a pro-life advocate pledged his support for partial-birth abortion and opposition to parental notification.
It was Kennedy’s support that helped cement Barack Obama’s nomination for president last year.
As a candidate Obama positioned himself as a political moderate (in spite of evidence and common sense to the contrary) during his successful campaign.
Kennedy would never have passed the liberal torch to a moderate. He knew then what many Americans last November wanted to deny. Obama is a liberal to the core. Anyone with doubt needs look no further than to the ambitious liberal agenda that is propelling our nation toward a financial abyss.
In his 1960 inaugural address, President John Kennedy, certainly no liberal, spoke the following words: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” Today’s liberal version might sound more like this: Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what your country can do for you.
Today our government at gives out money to almost everyone with a hand held out. Nationally it’s been trending this way for 40 years. Our national debt has grown from $347 billion in 1968 to $5.6 trillion at the end of the Clinton years to more than $ 9 trillion at the end of `08. Much of our overwhelming debt can be attributed to the expansion of social entitlements championed primarily by those on the left. Displaying empathy and compassion is admirable, so too is fiscal responsibility admirable. There has certainly been little of that.
Many Democrats, particularly liberals including the late Sen. Kennedy, continue to portray President George W. Bush solely responsible for our staggering debt. There can be no argument he played his part and I’m not going to defend Bush for his often economically irresponsible spending. However, blaming our staggering deficits primarily on the Bush tax cuts for the ultra-rich as the left suggests, is more self-serving to their liberal agenda, than any realistic analysis of fact.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office agreed the Bush tax cuts, which also benefited the middle class, is indeed part of the problem, but also is a faltering economy and continued reckless government spending. Add to that the cost of two wars and the passage of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and one will have a more realistic picture of spending during the Bush years. In fact the CBO reports that even without the Bush tax cuts, we'd still have had big deficits.
During the last presidential campaign Obama and the Democrats railed against Bush and the Republicans for masquerading as conservatives. They were right. The Democrats rode to victory on a theme of hope and change. If part of that hope and change was reigning in government spending, this bunch must be tone deaf. In spite of every reasonable poll showing that Washington is perceived by voters as more out of control than ever, Democrats continue spending our nation’s future away as if it were Monopoly money.
The Obama administration announced last week that our nation’s projected debt is now $20 trillion! Now Democrats want to add $1.6 trillion more for national health care. Some hope by naming this legislation after the late Sen. Kennedy, they will garner sympathy votes. Wrapping this bill in the gauze of Kennedy’s memory may not be enough.
Liberals believe there is no reason why we can't have it all now. And it’s that thinking that has contributed enormously to our current financial morass.
The liberal torch has now passed from Kennedy to Obama and with it, the mindset that every problem can be solved by spending more money. Our path is unsustainable and bleak as long as this thought process in Washington continues. Our politicians may not have the will or guts to change course but the American people do. I'm betting on them.
8/18/2009
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
God: Our Founding Father
It was Presidents Day 2001. My wife and I had planned a trip to Colonial Williamsburg over the holiday weekend. Instead of a wake-up call at the Williamsburg Inn, I was awakened instead by an orderly in a Richmond, Va. hospital prepping me for open-heart surgery. My worst fear was less than 60 minutes away.
In 1976, my 53 year old Dad was stricken with a fatal heart attack. I lost my best friend.
In 1996 at age 53, my older brother suffered a severe heart attack and survived. Now, also age 53, I was facing my own serious cardiac issue. Doctors had informed me that my aorta was ninety percent blocked. Without immediate surgery, I would soon be dead.
Following the unexpected loss of my father, I had made a conscious decision to do everything possible to avoid his fate and that of my brother. I began a diet and exercise regimen, strictly adhering to it. The thought of a surgeon breaking open my chest to get at my heart was all the motivation I needed to stay the course. But, as with most things we fear, we're often called to face them, ready or not.
Like most people of faith, I pray daily. Yet in 2001, I felt I was walking through the “valley of the shadow of death.” I could either “choose” to be terrified by the impending event or accept with peace and comfort HIS presence, and confidence in the outcome.
A strong faith in God was the primary building block the original colonists brought with them to settle America. These brave souls were uncertain what awaited them when they boarded those small, dank and creaky wooden vessels. All that separated these soon to be expatriates from their religious persecution and the freedom to worship as they pleased was a perilous journey fraught with anxiety that could only be tempered by a devout faith in God. HE was the fulcrum of their existence and that of the nation that soon would evolve.
America has preserved freedom for over 230 years. We have a mighty army with extraordinary military intelligence gathering capabilities and a national security infrastructure that is second to none.
However, powerful armies alone cannot keep a country safe and/or free. History is replete with examples of nations with military might who replaced God as the societal epicenter with a totalitarian government that dictates all aspects of political, economic, social and cultural life. Nazism, Communism and Fascism are three disastrous examples from the 20th century. Will America follow a similar path? Some would suggest we are well on our way.
The secular left seems Hell- bent on driving God out of the nation’s public square. When a majority of Americans find themselves having to battle their own government and courts to preserve God in the classroom, our nation’s pledge of allegiance and to maintain the words “In God we trust” on our currency, something is dreadfully wrong.
The very documents that bestow upon us our individual freedoms and liberties such as the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution are looked upon by many of the liberal elite as artifacts from another time, with little relevance to an enlightened society. They feel God is a character in a mostly fictitious book that helped hold ignorant societies together in more primitive times. What’s interesting about their argument is how they fail to consider how our nation grew to become the most powerful on earth. To deny it happened without societal values and norms adopted by a Judeo-Christian culture, is to refute any semblance of rationale while ignoring historical reality.
What makes America different from other countries on earth is her resilience as a nation and as individuals. We are often stretched and bent by man made and natural disasters but possess a remarkable ability to recover. When faced with peril and tumult that goes beyond human understanding, America drops to her knees first; not in submission to any event or adversary, but to pray to God for the guidance and the fortitude from therein that has continually sustained us.
In spite of God’s sustenance the instant gratification of the secular world is slowly eroding the foundations of our culture. It’s almost as if we've been there and done that, so it’s time to move on to bigger and better tomorrows. A society that has no place to turn but inward in times of trial and tribulation is doomed to fall victim to its own “success.”
To many, our nation appears in danger of losing its soul. I am one of them. Turning our backs on the very source of our existence by relying on man over God will not work. Fear will ultimately consume us as we move further and further away from the only true source of our sustenance.
As the operating room doors pushed open the day of my surgery, I remember my sister-in-law telling me I had nothing to fear. One way or the other I would wake up; in the recovery room or in the arms of God. It’s that faith that has sustained me. It is only that faith that can sustain us.
8/15/09
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
Support for health bill shrinking
The most important question about health care that American’s should be asking Congress is: what’s the dang hurry?
President Barack Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wanted House members to vote on their health care reform bill before recessing in August. Now we know why. The more we learn, the less we like.
Polls show support for the House version of health care reform tanking. In a Quinnipiac University study last week, 57 percent wanted to see the entire idea of health care reform dropped if the cost added significantly to the nation’s deficit.
In a Rasmussen poll, 44 percent strongly opposed the health care reform plan, with 26 percent favoring it. Particularly troubling to Democrats should be the 62 percent of unaffiliated voters adverse to this plan and big government.
National Public Radio found likely voters disapproving of Obamacare 47-42 percent with 39 percent strongly opposed.
In spite of shrinking support, the Democratic National Committee remains in denial, irrationally claiming that vocal protestors showing up at town hall meetings, seeking answers and getting few, are nothing more than angry mobs incited by the conservative right. They say these “mobs” are being bused in by well organized groups whose only interest is in preserving the status quo.
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain said: “What Democrats call ‘mob rule’ the average American calls democracy.” Spain went on to say, “These kinds of despicable characterizations of middle class Americans, who oppose trillions in mounting government debt, as elements of a partisan ‘fringe,’ smacks of elitism.”
So what’s bringing these “angry mobs” out in such large numbers? Is it that folks are losing faith in many of their elected representatives? Do they resent the arrogance being exhibited by a government wanting to jam legislation down our throats in spite of elected representatives neither reading nor fully understanding the specifics?
Last week Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., told a packed town hall meeting in Pennsylvania that he and others … “have to make judgments really fast…we split the bill up in order to read it.” If Specter sought to reassure voters about health care reform, he failed.
In New Hampshire, Obama tried to make the case that a public option would not harm or eliminate private insurance. So he decided to contrast the success of UPS and FedEx with the U. S. Postal Service. Obama said the two private carriers are doing fine. “It’s the Post Office that’s always having problems.” It’s our taxpayer money that subsidizes the troubled mail handler. No wonder most are opposed to government playing a larger role in health care; it’s never efficient. Remember, government doesn’t have to turn a profit to stay in business; they just raise taxes.
Democrats tell us we need to act now because there are 45 million uninsured. Who are they?
The U.S. Census Bureau reports 14 million or nearly one third of the “uninsured” are currently eligible for programs like Medicaid and S-Chip but have chosen not to enroll.
They report 17 million live in households with annual incomes of at least $50,000. Nine million of those make over $75,000 annually. It’s reasonable to assume most could purchase some sort of health insurance if they chose to.
The government figures also include 12 million illegal aliens who do not purchase health insurance. They do however have access to medical care through hospital emergency rooms or county health facilities. Medical personnel are prohibited by law from asking them about their citizenship status. The government says if illegal aliens knew they would be asked, they’d be afraid to seek medical attention. That’s a great humanitarian argument, but what does it say about the seriousness of government controlling our borders?
This leaves about eight million or three percent of the 45 million, uninsured by the government claims.
It’s also estimated that 16 million may be underinsured. These folks often struggle to make premium payments and their coverage can be limited.
So what do we do to bring down the cost of health care for all without surrendering to a government takeover? First and foremost, we need to slow down.
Any reform should start with making insurance more affordable. One way to do that is to increase competition among insurance companies across state lines; open it up to everybody.
Another way to bring down costs is to have individual states stop mandating specific coverage, adding on benefits for this, that and the other thing that aren’t applicable for everyone or everywhere. This practice drives up the cost of insurance for all of us. Consumers need to be able to contrast and compare many different products, from a multitude of companies, choosing the product that’s just right for them. One size never fits all, and that includes insurance.
We need tort reform. Democrats, in bed with trial lawyers, are reluctant. They’d rather throw us to the curb with a health care plan that will do little to contain runaway costs, rather than anger those that fill their troughs with campaign money. Without tort reform, lawyers will continue playing the “Mega-millions liability lottery,” further escalating the cost of insurance-public or private.
Another issue is the looming physician shortage. Where will we get the doctors for tens of millions of new patients? You may have an insurance paper from the government, but you won’t be able to get an appointment or get into a hospital and get a doctor to care for you.
Restructuring our health care system is too important to rush it. Everyone needs to be involved in the process, taking as much time as needed to get it right. Nothing less is acceptable.
8/8/2009
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
Butterfield exits early from health forum
U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield, D-N.C. was in Williamston last week. The Martin County Chamber of Commerce had invited the congressman to lead a round table forum on how the Democrats’ proposed health care bill would impact small business owners and their employees. The event was scheduled to last two hours.
I was among the standing room only audience. Upon registering, attendees were asked to write down questions we’d like the congressman to try and answer. We soon learned only questions Butterfield’s staff approved, had any chance of being addressed.
President Barack Obama and most of the elected and appointed Democrats in Washington today often appear to be mere thespians on a political stage, reading lines from Teleprompters or cue-cards and answering only those questions they choose. An all-too-often compliant mainstream media, some of whom are in residence at the Obama White House, adoringly comply, often losing any sense of objectivity.
The August recess from Congress was to create opportunities for representatives communicate with the people in their districts about two hugely controversial issues: the Climate Change bill (Cap and Trade) and the current proposed sweeping Health Care Reform bill. All this has managed to awaken an electorate trying to enjoy remnants of a summer vacation.
In North Carolina, as elsewhere, many Republicans have understandably been reticent to hold town hall meetings on either issue. Most opposed the climate bill and all Republicans oppose the Democrat’s prescription for altering the fundamentals of health care in America. Republicans agree the system needs reform, but not the frontal lobotomy Democrats have scheduled after congress reconvenes.
Congressional Democrats shouldn’t have the luxury of a relaxing holiday. Health care and the climate bill are, after all, their legislative initiatives, and the folks would like to learn more. What they’ve heard so far is making many voters angry. If these representatives were expecting a warm homecoming, they’re getting anything but.
Butterfield is a pleasant man, who comes across as somewhat shy and unassuming. in demeanor. I’d met him before. He is short, has a warm smile and a firm handshake.
Once the congressman arrived, I commented to a writer covering this event that Butterfield appeared unusually nervous as he turned his head to scan the packed room. He had good reason. When introduced he was greeted by deafening silence. Things only slid down hill from there.
In his opening remarks, Butterfield admitted that his congressional district is the fourth poorest in the nation, with the highest unemployment in the state and a poverty level approaching 25 percent.
He blamed former President George W. Bush for most of the nation’s current woes, taking a page right out of the Obama playbook. It would seem that sooner or later this administration and the Democrats in Congress start taking responsibility for their own actions. Health care and the climate bill are two examples.
The blame-Bush gig was a great campaign tactic, but if polls are any indication, this jargon is wearing thin. Voters want results- not a continuation of the blame game. According to a recent Rasmussen Poll, Republicans are now favored by 5 points on the generic ballot, and are favored over Democrats on eight of 10 issues, including the economy.
Butterfield attempted to explain the intricacies of the health care bill, no easy task, picking up a bound copy in his left hand. Someone yelled out, “Have you read it all?” He smiled and said he had not but that he was familiar with most of the 1,018 pages. He said his aides have combed through it and can provide many of the details when called upon to do so. The audience reacted negatively. In the first five minutes of his talk, Butterfield was booed twice.
Several times a member from the chamber had to rise and remind the audience to be respectful. Rather than disrespect, what I observed was an abundance of frustration with Washington that needed to be vented.
Even though the question period had not officially opened, the audience, growing weary of spin, began blurting them out. Perhaps they feared time would run out. Their fears were soon realized.
About 40 minutes into Butterfield’s remarks, a Martin County businessman rose and said out loud he’d heard enough and was leaving. He was followed minutes later by two women who appeared equally frustrated.
Suddenly two Martin County Deputies entered the room and stood at the front. Perhaps the chamber or Butterfield felt threatened by what I viewed as a vigorous exercise in freedom of speech.
Clearly this was implied intimidation. Interestingly, I asked one of the deputies afterwards why he was asked to enter and stand at the front. He replied, “I really don’t know. All I saw and heard were people exercising their first amendment rights to free speech and assembly. I just did what I was told.”
Did what I was told. It seems that’s what our government wants--just do what we are told. Well a free government is one that values and encourages dissent and debate. There was little of that this day.
Shortly after an hour of this scheduled two hour event, it was announced that Butterfield had to leave because something had just come up. Yet 20 minutes later Butterfield was still in the room talking to the press and a few supporters. So much for addressing constituents’ questions by providing the answers they so desperately sought. If this was democracy in action, this country is in bigger trouble than I thought.
7/10/2009
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
Uncle Sam No Mr. Fix-it
Growing up I remember a man referred to as Johnny Fix-it. Johnny had many skills from plumbing, electrical to carpentry and appliance repair. If it was broken you could depend on Johnny to repair it promptly, efficiently and well within the limited budget of a blue collar family of six in the 1950s and `60s.
If Johnny felt a job was beyond his level of expertise, he would either recommend someone or flatly say, “It can’t be fixed.” I remember him telling my Dad that there’s nothing worse than someone trying to do a job they know little-to-nothing about. He referred to these individuals as “jacklegs” - someone lacking in skill or training while proclaiming acumen for both.
While having Mr. Fix-it only a phone call away was often reassuring, Johnny was not someone who thought he should be giving us financial recommendations, telling us which doctors to use, or offering us career advice in a field other than his own. He knew his limitations. Unfortunately, all too often, government does not.
But that’s how many see government’s role; a nanny state that should be providing us with cradle to grave “security,” unburdening us from such “complicated” tasks as thinking for one’s self, assuming personal responsibility for our actions and decision making, along with lifting us from the overwhelming responsibility of having to utilize our common sense.
When banks and other financial institutions started having fiscal problems last fall, primarily because of mismanagement and greed, President George W. Bush along with Congress came to the “rescue” with $700 billion in tax dollars to underwrite the Troubled Asset and Relief Program (TARP). The management and boards of directors were not held accountable. They still aren’t. Government officials overseeing the bailout have acknowledged difficulties in tracking the money and measuring effectiveness. Interestingly, some of the banks and financial institutions that received $295 billion in bailout money had spent $114 million on lobbying and campaign contributions in the previous election cycle.
The Government now wants to fix global warming. In spite of the most reliable satellite weather data showing that atmospheric temperatures have declined over the last 11 years, a trend expected to continue for some time, the House felt it necessary to pass a climate bill that, according to the Charles River Associates, a Harvard based economics consulting firm, will result in a net loss of 2.5 million jobs each year and cost citizens billions in new taxes.
Last week in the American Spectator, Peter Ferrara wrote, “The rationale for this bill is to counter global warming by sharply reducing greenhouse gasses, primarily carbon dioxide.” He goes on to say, even if this bill works exactly as envisioned, the most radical environmentalists admit it will only slow temperatures by a ridiculous 9/100th of one degree Fahrenheit by 2050; this after reducing our use of fossil fuels by 83 percent!
And now Uncle Sam wants to “fix” healthcare. Democrats will be putting forth a plan by early fall. What’s the government’s track record on running healthcare? President Barack Obama admits Social Security is broke, including Medicare and Medicaid. Both lose billions each year because of mismanagement and fraud.
And how about the Veterans Hospitals? Veterans’ advocates and lawmakers say the VA Medical System is in shambles. They point to botched radiation treatments to nearly 100 cancer patients in Pennsylvania. That comes on the heels of exposing over 10,000 veterans to HIV and hepatitis viruses throughout the system because of faulty procedures. Advocates for national healthcare should have reason for pause.
Government was supposed to fix education as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” reforms. In all too many instances the results are unremarkable. According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 12-14 percent of adults rate below basic on reading and comprehension, while only 13 percent are rated proficient. Free market enterprises like Sylvan Learning Centers have sprung up to fill the gap between the shortcomings of public education and what employers expect and demand from graduates of our public schools.
The government spent $837 billion or $10,500 per student on education in 2008. With millions of students trapped in failing schools, many parents have no school choice. Even Sweden, the epitome of a taxpayer-funded cradle-to-grave welfare state, introduced a school voucher system in 1992 for independent state schools that is growing in popularity. The increasing competition for students is now raising the curriculum standards for all of Sweden’s schools.
Chrysler, a victim of Fiat and the United Auto Workers Union, is another project the government has taken on, along with General Motors. They not only financially bailed them out, but are even trying to mange the day to day business operations of each. Unfortunately, the very CAFÉ standards (Increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy) previously imposed by government could ultimately imperil the survival of both.
Obama and the Democrats told us the $787 billion stimulus package was needed “immediately” to stop the hemorrhaging of our economy. It’s not working. The only thing booming in the U. S. these days is escalating unemployment. And now we’re told we may need a Stimulus II, adding trillions more to the $11 trillion in debt already imposed on future generations.
Americans have historically been advocates for a limited role for government, preferring instead to emphasize the individual as primarily responsible for insuring his or her well-being. That’s not to say that government shouldn’t play a role in helping to ensure our safety and welfare, but it should not intrude into every aspect of our lives. Even Johnny Fix-it understood that.
6/25/2009
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
Yes we need Healthcare ‘Reform’
A friend recently returned from Canada and relayed the following: When picked up at the airport in Toronto, a cab driver asked if he was an American. He replied yes and then asked why. The cabby answered, “Please tell your government not to institute national health care. If you do us Canadians won’t have any place to go when we need to have a procedure or testing done right away.”
In spite of the many good things others say about healthcare in the U. S., our healthcare is seriously troubled and needs significant reform. If you’re one of the millions who can’t afford health insurance, the crisis is real. But so, too, would be the government telling us what treatment, surgery or medications we can or cannot have, and how long we’ll have to wait for access.
The last thing any of us want to risk is lowering the quality of care that is most certain to accompany politicians taking over our health care system. We don’t need politicians making healthcare decisions for us.
I’ve had the same doctor for 32 years. I can see him whenever I want. Through him I have complete access to healthcare and medical specialists as well as an entrée to the most advanced medical technology, procedures and medications in the world. Others have similarly longstanding personal physician – patient relationships. Our doctors know us and we know and trust them. Replacing the trust with a Washington bureaucrat trying to squeeze us into a cookie-cutter one size fits all health plan, is not good medicine, even if “free.” Rather than a politician run national health plan, what we really need in this country is serious healthcare reform.
First the cost of healthcare must be brought down to make it more accessible. Waste, fraud and abuse are rampant. The Washington Post reported in `08 that Medicare fraud alone amounted to more than $60 billion per year. Medicaid fraud costs taxpayers an additional $2 billion. The health care plan being drafted by congressional Democrats is estimated to cost taxpayers at least $3 trillion over the next five years. Imagine the potential for waste and fraud with those numbers?
President Barack Obama placed Vice President Joe Biden in charge of monitoring the flow of $789 billion in stimulus money to the states. Biden recently said he doesn’t have a handle on where some of the money is going. David Williams, who runs Deloittle Financial Services Advisory, may have Biden’s answer. He told the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch last week that at least $50 billion in stimulus money will most likely be lost to fraud. If that same percentage of fraud were applied to the Democrats national healthcare plan, the dollars lost to waste and fraud could approach $ 200 billion.
Healthcare reform must include providing assistance to those who need it while at the same time allowing it to remain patient-centered rather than government-centered. Preserving the quality of healthcare should remain paramount. No one wants a system where patients have to wait weeks or months to get the procedures or treatments needed.
The government estimates the number of uninsured at 47 million. But according to the Media Research Center, a non-profit watchdog organization designed to bring balance and responsibility to the media, that figure includes 10 million folks who aren’t American citizens. The government numbers also include those who can afford to self insure as well as those who already qualify for government assistance but have yet to apply. They estimate the number of uninsured in America to be less than 10 million. In fact the “liberal” Kaiser Family Foundation estimates the number of chronically uninsured in the U. S. at somewhere between 8 and 13 million. While those numbers are significant, the situation with healthcare is not as dire as the president and the Democrats would have us believe.
A national dialogue on this critical issue is needed. President Obama and the Democrats, as they did with the stimulus, are in the midst of another full court press, creating an alarming sense of urgency to act now or else we’ll fall off a cliff. Healthcare affects every one of us and is sacrosanct to most. Simply gutting a healthcare system that is the envy of the world and that has contributed greatly to our over all well being and increased life expectancy in favor of a plan where politicians will be making the life and death calls is unacceptable.
It appears there are good reasons why President Obama appeared on ABC television last week to sell his healthcare prescription for America. He was allowed great latitude in controlling the give and take of questioning. And ABC insured any opposition to this initiative would be blocked from access to this broadcast by denying the opposition paid commercial air-time to present an opposing point of view. It appears once again that with the Democrats in Washington it’s my way or the highway.
When it comes to abortion most Democrats are pro-choice. When it comes to healthcare reform it appears they are anything but. What we need is real healthcare reform, not the politician’s radical prescription for healthcare they hope we’ll swallow at our peril. The goal for all Americans should be that every citizen has access to affordable, quality and timely healthcare. The best way to accomplish that is to engage the American people in an extended dialogue, not to rush into something we’ll all regret in the long run.
5/28/2009
A Conservative’s View Point By: Bob Steinburg
Continuing the slide to Socialism
Is America heading further toward socialism? It seems so. There’s evidence that America’s love affair with capitalism, an economic philosophy that has fostered more individual wealth, freedom and opportunity than any other in the history of the world is beginning to dwindle. America’s been creeping toward socialism since 1933 when President Franklin Roosevelt ushered in his New Deal in hopes of helping America escape the Great Depression.
Supporters of the New Deal credit it with restoring economic vitality. While it did bring immediate relief to millions of suffering souls, it did not restore our economy to prosperity; our entry into World War II did.
When Roosevelt became president, unemployment was 24 percent. By 1938, five years into his “recovery program,” unemployment was still 19 percent and 15 percent by 1940. In 1943, in the midst of the war, unemployment finally shrank to less than two percent.
Critics argue that the primary reason the New Deal didn't significantly reduce unemployment, was because FDR tripled personal and corporate income taxes. This resulted in less capital for individual spending and corporate expansion- both needed to create new jobs.
In spite of lessons learned from history, progressive Democrats and liberals continue to deride capitalism. Many reject this economic system in spite of the fact that it rewards hard work, honesty, self sufficiency and personal responsibility. It’s a system in which wealth and producing wealth are privately owned. Capitalism provides the greatest opportunity for individuals to break out of poverty and government dependence, to find prosperity and independence.
Conversely, Socialism is defined as an economic stage of Marxist theory, transitioning somewhere between capitalism and communism. Examples of current socialist states are Venezuela, China, Cuba, Vietnam and Sweden. Socialism emphasizes government ownership and its controlling the means of production and distribution of goods. It believes in a redistribution of wealth. Socialism in its purest form fosters a system of group living while de emphasizing individualism, personal freedoms and, at its apex, property ownership.
Results from an April Rasmussen Poll show support for socialism in America growing. Twenty percent of those polled say they favor socialism, while 53 percent prefer capitalism. Perhaps of more concern to conservatives are the 66 percent of those under 30 questioning the merits of capitalism.
Democrats are the primary architects of the welfare state. They've carefully crafted a financially dependent voter base by continually fostering ways to increase the numbers of folks on the federal dole. There’s little incentive to ever become self supporting. Usually all social programs, some perceived as good like Medicare, have little market accountability and oversight, and thus continue down the road toward insolvency.
Incredulously, another contributing factor to sustained mediocrity, failure and government dependence comes at the hands of the very system that should be helping one succeed-education. Minorities who are trapped in failing inner city schools overwhelmingly support school choice. Yet the Democrats, beholden to the ultra-liberal National Education Association, continually oppose it. Instead they continue to pour millions of dollars into failing public schools. Why? One reason may be the liberal education system in many of our public schools and universities is controlled by left leaning authorities who also control the curriculum and foster anti-parent, anti-religion and anti-American values; the hallmarks of socialism.
Democrats seek to create another dependent constituency by granting unconditional amnesty to 12 million plus illegal aliens. They'll immediately qualify for federal and state benefits including welfare, food stamps, social security and housing assistance- and will have a fast track toward citizenship. The Heritage Foundation estimates that amnesty will cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion.
Democrats are also moving the oversight of the U. S. Census, previously under the auspices of the Department of Commerce, to the White House. Enlisting the support of questionable groups like Acorn to aid with gathering data will certainly bring into question the legitimacy of their findings. This is one more partisan ploy by the Democrats to solidify their power base for the future.
Dr. David Nobel, author of The Socialization of America, writes that “Most Americans are totally unaware that the U. S. House of Representatives crawls with a large, well-organized assembly of socialist organizations that are dedicated to (a) bringing about the destruction of the capitalist economic system (portrayed as greedy, conservative, religious, and/or filthy rich) and (b) slowly but surely bringing production, education, food and health care under the complete control of the federal government.” According to Nobel these groups include the Progressive Democrats of America, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Christopher Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute recently wrote in the Weekly Standard that the government’s proposed cap-and-trade or carbon tax legislation, would punish industry’s use of gas and oil products (which Al Gore states will warm the planet by one degree over the next 100 years) by allowing the federal government to “control every aspect of our economy.”
When Obama said that “the federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy,” folks should have started paying attention. Instead of tax and regulatory relief for businesses to jump start the economy, the Democrats enacted a “stimulus package” filled with pork and waste.
In spite of government’s inability to run anything efficiently, they've now injected their “expertise” into the automobile and banking industries. Now the Democrats want to take a whack at “reforming” healthcare. They also support eliminating the secret ballot in labor union voting. And Democratic Sen.’s. Harkin, Kerry, Durbin, Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would like to stifle the voice of conservatives questioning anything Democrats introduce, by reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, virtually shutting down conservative talk radio. Since moving south 30 plus years ago, many I've met tell me they're Democrats because their Mama’s and Daddies were Democrats. But the Democratic Party today is not the party it was then; not by a long shot. Their ancestors must be rolling in their graves knowing that the party they loved and supported is well on its way to becoming the new Socialist Party of America.
On the floor of the U. S. Senate last week, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., an aide to former President Richard Nixon, delivered a cautionary warning to President Barrack Obama. He asked him not to follow the path of the former president by developing a White House enemies’ list that ultimately led to his resigning the presidency in disgrace.
Anyone ever involved in politics has a certain degree of paranoia. With the opposition taking pot shots every day, politicians must either possess a thick skin, or be a masochist to survive. In Nixon’s case, he became delusional. He thought everyone was out to get him. Revenge was one way of striking back.
In 1971, Nixon’s special counsel, Charles Colson, developed an enemies’ list that included the likes of the president of the United Auto Workers Union, a liberal Washington newspaper columnist; a celebrated CBS broadcast journalist and the managing editor of the Los Angeles Times.
Nixon’s White House Counsel John Dean, in writing to a colleague about the enemies’ list said: we need to find out how best to “… use the federal machinery to screw our enemies.” Tactics included IRS tax audits, manipulating grants, controlling who received federal contracts, and pursuing litigation and prosecution when “needed.” Hundreds of additional names were eventually added to Nixon’s list, including many from the entertainment industry.
Three years into his presidency Nixon’s detailed enemies’ list began to formally evolve. Obama has only been president for 10 months, yet there are striking similarities in the economic and foreign affairs challenges facing both presidencies.
It appears there may be other similarities as well.
Nixon was trying to find a way to “win the peace” in Vietnam, fighting a war that was becoming increasingly costly and unpopular. A deficit crisis emerged as the nation’s spending almost doubled as a share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).There were gas lines resulting from the Arab oil boycott and a recession ready to unfold. The economy was floundering, unemployment rising and the stock market was increasingly volatile.
Obama is facing two wars, national unemployment approaching double digits, a deficit problem of his own and faces significant organized opposition to his liberal agenda.
Like Nixon, Obama seems very thin-skinned. We learned that at the height of last year’s campaign. Some of his campaign members took it upon themselves to institute a sort of “truth squad,” threatening to prosecute anyone, including media outlets that printed or broadcast any information about Obama that they perceived as incorrect.
In the closing days of the campaign three large daily newspapers that endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., were denied access to Obama’s campaign bus. Nothing much has changed. Obama continues to assault Fox News, further proving that he and his staff remain in a campaigning state of mind.
Recently the U. S. Chamber of Commerce came under fire from the White House. Obama wants to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency to “ensure transparency and fair dealing” on financial products such as consumer loans. The Chamber disagrees, saying that consumers are best served and protected through existing regulations and that the proposed new agency would make credit more expensive and less accessible.
Obama was furious the Chamber ran what he called a “completely false” ad campaign claiming that small businesses will be harmed with this new agency. With this White House you agree, or risk being marginalized, in spite of Obama’s campaign promise for more openness and transparency.
For an administration that appears to obsess over misinformation being spread by those opposing its initiatives, why are they so reluctant to share details of their own with the public? We’re told that the Democrat’s plan to reform health care will be sound, and fair to everyone. Economically it’s a win-win, they say- for the consumer as well as reducing the federal deficit. Well if the plans being discussed are going to be the panacea for what ails us, why do we hear few specifics from those on the left promoting it, and a plethora of particulars from those opposed?
Many folks feel the insurance companies are opposing health care reform solely because they will end up suffering a big time loss in profits that will reduce executive bonuses. While a convenient and simplistic argument, there is much more to their opposing national health care than that. These companies are fighting for their very existence.
Believe me, I’m no fan of the insurance industry. But the industry deserves the right to protect their interests and the future viability of their participation in the market place.
The insurance lobby has launched an advertising campaign against what they see as one more government intrusion into our lives. The ads point to countries like Great Britain and Canada which have national health care. They site statistical data that brings into question whether we would be taking a step forward or a step backward by gutting our current system in favor of national health care models.
Obama and the Democrat’s don’t like the ads and are pushing back. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., made a surprising appearance at a Senate committee hearing to support repeal of 60 year-old antitrust laws that benefit insurance companies. How’s that for getting even?
Whether it’s Fox News, the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, insurance companies, banks, talk radio, town hall meeting attendees, tea party protestors, or Republican members of Congress- beware! There is an enemies’ list somewhere in the White House and maybe some of us are on it.
Nixon’s paranoia and the resulting negative impact it had on America may one day seem tame when compared to what’s unfolding now in the bunker at the White House. His ghost is stirring back at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
U.S. Senator Richard Burr
Frank Deatrich, 2nd Congressional District
Renee Ellmers, 2nd Congressional District
Todd Gailas, 2nd Congressional District
Will Breazeale, 7th Congressional District
Ilario Pantano, 7th Congressional District
Lou Huddleston, 8th Congressional District
Tim Annunzio, 8th Congressional District
Harold Johnson, 8th Congressional District
Hal Jordan, 8th Congressional District
Darrell Day, 8th Congressional District
John Szoka, N.C. House 22 Candidate
Brian Kent, N.C. House District 44
Lois Kirby, N.C. House District 44
Jackie Warner, N.C. House District 45
Judge John Tyson, N.C. Superior Court District 12-C Cumberland County
Dean Poirier, N.C. Court of Appeals
Judge Rick Elmore, N.C. Court of Appeals
Judge Barabara Jackson, N.C. Supreme Court
Judge Sanford Steelman, N.C. Court of Appeals
Judge Ann Marie Calabria, N.C. Court of Appeals