Health Care Obama-style

San Diego- Now that cap-and-trade has been shelved; the Obama administration still can’t let the crisis go to waste, so here's Obamacare.

While the trillion (yes trillion) dollar price tag doesn’t seem to worry the White House, Americans took to the streets this weekend to make their voices heard. The monstrosity legislation has cleverly added a new kinder, gentler word, revenue or in layman’s terms-TAX increase.

Democratic leaders are considering a slew of new progressive taxes. Included in the recent proposals would be a soda, beer, employee payroll, flat-tax on insurance, VAT (value added tax on everything) and employer mandate taxes, according to the Heritage Foundation.

These proposed taxes would most certainly hit those making less than $250,000 per year, a promise Obama made to the American people and has already broken by raising taxes on tobacco products.

And let’s not forget the wealthy; those who make over the $250,000 per year would get an extra special tax around 3 percent to make up the costs and provide “free” health care to all. If you ask the upper-echelon taxpayers how they feel about free care, they might say something about the free part.

Last week the Congressional Budget Office (CBO the non-partisan gold standard) Director Douglas Elmendorf told the Senate, nothing in their current health care plan reduces health care costs.

Furthermore, Elmendorf explained, the Democrat’s health care plan only “puts an additional long-term burden on top of an already unsustainable path.” He went on to suggest Medicare reform would be a better route for the White House to tackle.

Obama said in Italy last week that he didn’t want a timeline or anything, “but I really want to get it done by the August recess.” The reason is the longer the plan is out there, more pork hidden in the bill is destined to get out to the public.

One such money-grabber was pointed out by Dawn Wildman, of So-Cal Tax Revolt Coalition, she found at least $16 billion in pork spending.

“The fact that they claim Americans will be able to keep their private insurance when the bill clearly makes it illegal to buy or sell private insurance. ‘It is unlawful for a private health insurer to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under the Act’ (title I sec. 104a, of HR 676),” Wildman said.

She continues to voice her concerns about who will be offered health care. “They say all residents, not citizens, will be offered care. It's a kind of medical tourism.”

Wildman also explains the government will set up migrant health centers and she wants to know what exactly that looks like.

The bill even includes a ghastly “duty to die” that would hit senior citizens who have worked their whole life and paid all their taxes. Obama even danced around this topic at townhall meeting. “We need to think about costly testing and surgery for older patients.”

Taxes, taxes and more taxes, “The bill states they will increase taxes on the top-5 percent of income earners, modest progressive excise tax on payroll and self-employed as well as a tax on stock bond transactions,” Wildman said.

The National Coalition on Benefits which represents major business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AT&T told House leaders this plan would hurt their businesses. “The proposal in its current form needs serious revision,” the letter stated.

Another group put out an open invitation to all lawmakers. The Let Freedom Ring organization called on every Congressperson and Senator to pledge to the voters that they won’t sign a health care bill unless they (not staffers or lobbyist) have read the entire 1,300-plus bill and have posted it on the internet for 72 hours.

House Minority Whip, Eric Cantor-R-VA said where do I sign?

***
At the So-Cal Tax Revolt Coalition’s Tea Party this weekend Wildman and her coalition partner Leslie Eastman were able to raise awareness about the mammoth health care bill.

“We did this old school. The main reason was to get everyone up to speed on the latest legislation,” Wildman said. “We can’t rely on politicians across the board, most aren’t honest.”

San Diego resident Bob Morey agreed with Wildman. “We need to show up and have our voice heard, otherwise there will be no opposition and the bills will just roll through.”

The group also claimed their first victory against Washington D.C.’s political machine. “Our constant phone calling, emailing and faxing paid off when the Senate chose to shelf the cap-and-trade bill,” Eastman said.

Wildman said, now it was up to them to get the blue-dog democrats to slow down and read the 1,300-page health care bill, something other organizations are trying to do as well.

The coalition hopes to get more stories out there to Americans and politicians like Claudia Busath’s. She spent four years in Canada in the 1990s.

“What the politicians don’t tell you is Canada nearly went bankrupt providing national health care. They had to make deep cuts across the board to pay for an unsustainable health care system,” she said.

That meant health-care rationing. “I’m in a wheel chair and am fighting cancer, if I stayed in Canada I’d be dead,” Busath explained. “They put doctors, nurses and specialists on strict salaries and as a result they left Canada and went to countries so they could earn a living – like America.”

During Busath’s time in Canada, she paid 55 percent in taxes to the government; she was middleclass and that was gross income that was levied.

Next on deck was Eastman herself. “I’m a registered Democrat, most people think I’m with the other party. I’m mad at politicians who don’t represent me.”

Responding to the 10 counter-protestors across the street, Eastman said “we must be doing something right.” She also told the crowd those fake protestors are paid by George Soros of MoveOn.org.

Last on the podium was Mason Weaver, motivational speaker and radio host. “Want to see a black man speak without a teleprompter? When you speak the truth, it’s not hard,” the crowd erupted with laughter.

Weaver spoke to the crowd, very clearly telling them that Washington was trying to divide America. “Where are ‘we the people’ of the constitution, Obama is treating you like you are 4-years-old.”

“Freedom or Slavery, you have to choose today. It’s time to take back our country,” Weaver fanned the flames by telling the 10 counter protestors across the street “get a job.”

Weaver also explained that the African-American phrase is something we need to get over. “I’m a principled black American.”

For more stories;www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m6d18-Health-care-reform-is-proving-to-be-much-more-difficult