The Democrats’ Healthcare Reform Bill now in the Senate is the subject of this Big BF File.
Just after midnight yesterday morning (at 12:10am CST), the United States Senate voted to invoke cloture (to limit debate on a bill) on a straight 60 to 40 party line vote. All the Republican senators voting no while all of the Democrats in the two “independents” voted yes on the healthcare reform bill. The Senators voted to limit debate on the healthcare reform bill as recent polls show the majority of Americans (as high as 61%) oppose the healthcare reform bill that is being pushed by Pres. Obama and the Democrats like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.. who put in provisions in the bill designed to buy a vote of a Democratic Senator who was holding out for something worth getting to buy their vote or threatening to vote no on the bill. The I tried to contact senaytor Clare McCaskill totell her to vote no on the Democrats’ Health Care Reform Bill at both her Washington, DC office and St. Louis, MO Office. Just take a listen to the Phone Calls:
Big B Files Call to Sen. Claire McCaskill’s Washington, DC office. + Big B Files Call to Sen. Claire McCaskill’s St. Louis (University City), MO office.
Wonderful examples of Congress responding to the Citizens they are supposed to serve, huh? The Big B Files believes this is the worst piece of legislation to have come out of congress in the History of the United States. As the Big B Files said in the last paragraph, by vast majority of doctors and nurses, virtually everybody else in the medical profession (outside of the AMA), every single pro-life group, people against illegal immigration, etc. Also among those that oppose the healthcare reform bill in the Senate includes the United States conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which had three moral Criteria that have to be met before they would even consider whether to support the bill or not. . . Which were (according to Cardinal Daniel DiNardo) “respect for life and conscience; affordability for the poor; and access to much-needed basic health care for immigrants”. So far, not a single criterion has been met in the eyes of the USCCB. In fact, Cardinal DiNardo said the following in a statement issued this past Saturday:
“Yesterday the bishops commented on good-faith efforts by Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) to improve the pending Senate health care reform bill on the issues of abortion and conscience rights,” Cardinal DiNardo, Bishop Murphy and Bishop Wester said. “Today a Manager’s Amendment was proposed to make final changes in that bill. The amendment includes some improvements from Senator Casey’s proposal, including adoption tax credits and assistance for pregnant women, but differs from that proposal in other ways: It does not seem to allow purchasers who exercise freedom of choice or of conscience to “opt out” of abortion coverage in federally subsidized health plans that include such coverage. Instead it will require purchasers of such plans to pay a distinct fee or surcharge which is extracted solely to help pay for other people’s abortions. Further the government agency that currently manages health coverage for federal employees will promote and help subsidize multi-state health plans that include elective abortions, contrary to longstanding law governing this agency.
Therefore, while we appreciate the good-faith efforts made by Senators Robert Casey and Ben Nelson (D-NE) to improve the bill, our judgment is the same as it was yesterday: This legislation should not move forward in its current form. It should be opposed unless and until such serious concerns have been addressed. The bishops’ conference continues to study that 383-page amendment’s implications from the perspective of all the bishops’ moral concerns — protection of life and conscience, affordable access to health care, and fairness to immigrants. We will continue to work vigorously for authentic health care reform that clearly reflects these fundamental principles because such reform is a public good, moral imperative and urgent national priority.”
USCCB News Release from December 19, 2009
Speaking of Senators Robert Casey and Ben Nelson (D-NE), they both ended up voting for the Democrats’ health care reform bill… the very bill that the USCCB opposes. In the case of Sen. Nelson, is yes vote early this morning and they sold out the people of Nebraska and the United States of America along with Nebraska’s governor and the Nebraska Catholic Conference . . . all at the same time. And what did Sen. Nelson get for selling his vote to Harry Reid? According to Fox News’ Trish Turner, “Nebraska’s Nelson won permanent federal aid for his state’s expanded Medicaid population, a benefit worth up to $100 million over 10 years. Other states get the federal aid for three years, but Nebraska’s benefit is indefinite. His state also got an exemption for nonprofit insurance companies from a health insurance company tax. Many believe this was targeted at Mutual of Omaha, but senior Democratic aides would not confirm that.” You can click here to see what the other Democratic Senators (whom were holdouts on the healthcare reform bill) sold their votes for.
After Sen. Nelson sold out to Harry Reid, he began facing a strong backlash from the American people as well as people from his home state of Nebraska . . . ranging from average citizens to Nebraska’s Governor Dave Heineman to Omaha, Nebraska Archbishop George Lucas (someone I have known for the past decade). Here is what Archbishop George Lucas and his fellow Nebraska Bishops said in response:
“We are extremely disappointed in Senator Ben Nelson’s decision to accept language in the Senate health care bill that would expand the federal government’s role of enabling abortions and force citizens to pay for others’ abortions. We urge him to reconsider this decision and to insist on language that mirrors the provisions adopted by the House of Representatives in the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.
Senator Nelson gave numerous public assurances that he would insist on abortion funding language consistent with longstanding federal policies. Unfortunately, the language he accepted for the so-called manager’s amendment fails to fulfill these assurances.
We remain strong proponents of health care reform that protects human life and conscience rights, is fair to legal immigrants and improves affordability. However, given its serious problems with abortion funding, this Senate bill should be opposed.”
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman had the following reaction to Senator Ben Nelson’s vote:
“Under no circumstances did I have anything to do with Senator Nelson’s compromise,” he said. “The responsibility for this special deal lies solely on the shoulders of Senator Ben Nelson.” He urged Nelson to reconsider his support for the overall health care bill and, in response to the Sunday letter, said his state expects “a fair deal, not a special deal.” “Governors all across America are troubled by this unfunded Medicaid mandate. If the U.S. Senate plans to address the unfunded mandates issue, all states must receive fair and equal treatment.”
Julie Schmit-Albin, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life had the following reaction from the Pro-Life movement:
“There is no pro-life Nebraskan more devastated by Senator Nelson’s actions than myself . . . I have defended his record to Nebraskans and believed that he would stand on pro-life principles as has on numerous occasions in the past. … It is a very sobering day for myself personally and for pro-lifers across Nebraska and the nation.”
The Big B Files believes that if this bill is enacted, that the Roman Catholic Bishops will more than likely order the Catholic hospitals to close their doors rather than violate church teaching and morals should provisions of this bill if not the bill its entirety becomes law. The Democrats healthcare reform bill will cost upwards of $8000 in fines if someone does not buy a health insurance plan and for the first time force someone to purchase a product . . . whether they want to or not . . . . in order to be a law abiding citizen of the United States, which has never occurred in the nearly 234 year history of the United States of America. Personally, I am currently unemployed and even if I was working, I could never afford the $8000 fine. In fact, I would have to take out a bank loan (if I could even qualify for one) in order to pay the fine… and that’s just for one year. If I had to pay that fine every year, I would go bankrupt.
Not only that . . . but in a number of surveys of doctors, but half of them said they would leave the profession altogether if this bill became law. Big B files like to ask those that support this monstrosity of a piece of legislation the following questions. 1. Where specifically does the United States Constitution grant Congress the authority United States to enact an individual health insurance mandate. . . . especially government run health care a.k.a. single-payer? 2. What about the First Amendment rights of those medical professionals who refuse to perform abortions, to assist someone to commit suicide, prescribes medication like the morning-after pill, and other medical procedures because of their religious beliefs and morals (their right of conscience)? Would you force them to violate their constitutional rights (their right of conscience)? 3. Are you going to force those American tax payers who believe that they things such as abortion since a suicide euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, the morning-after pill, condoms, etc. morally wrong to pay for those things with their tax dollars?
The Big B Files would like you take a look at the following video clips. The Big B Files believes that these video clips explain what is a right versus a good (something that we want or desire). The first video features Fox News Channel Chief Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano explaining what is a good versus a right. The second video clip features Jay Sasaki will of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) discussing the very same topic. The third video clip is one that Glenn Beck program on Fox news Channel asking that very question (the Big B Files asked in the last paragraph) of a few congressmen including one of the aisles, said to Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
Watch the latest business video at FOXBusiness.comWatch the latest business video at FOXBusiness.comWatch the latest business video at FOXBusiness.com
The answer to question “Where specifically does the United States Constitution grant Congress the authority United States to enact an individual health insurance mandate?” Is nowhere. There is not one of amendment to the United States Constitution that grants Congress the authority to force someone to purchase a product of any kind, and that includes health insurance. Just to remind the US Senators, that oath of office is “ I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.” The Big B Files believes that the US Senators and President Barack Obama know this to be the case and are just simply ignoring it (the Senators whom voted for this bill) while trying to get their far-left agenda implemented by any means necessary. Take for example when Pres. Obama said the following back in 2001 when he was just an Illinois state senator:
The Constitution is a charter of negative liberties, says what the states can’t do to you, says what the federal government can’t do to you. But it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf, and that hasn’t shifted.
Nice, huh? This bill needs to be killed while in the Senate and not make it anywhere near Pres. Obama’s desk. Because if he signs it, it will be the end of this country as you have known it for perhaps 200+ years. The Big B Files urges you to call your Senators . . . via phone, e-mail, fax, etc. . . . then tell your Senators to vote in all on the healthcare reform bill. Also tell them if they vote yes, that you will do everything possible to get them thrown out of office the next time they are up for reelection. You can also sign a petition that has been circulated by the American Center for law and justice that will be sent to Congress to tell him about it all as well, and he can do that by clicking here (Please click here to print a copy and click here to print a copy with spaces for multiple signatures.).
And that’s the Big B Files. Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think . . . I’m Bryan Hewing.