“Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.”
— Frank Sinatra as Bennett Marco, The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
HealthCare of Americans Now! recently feted Congressman Michael Arcuri, D/NY24, for his vote in favor of the 2042 pages of H.R. 3962, The Affordable Health Care for America Act, http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf .
The Affordable Health Care for America Act, Congressionally termed inexpensive measure, has a price tag approaching $1,000,000,000,000. It passed the House of Representatives by the margin of 220-215 (Roll call 887: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml). The cost does not take into account any future inflationary factors. One Republican voted for the bill. Arcuri referred to the vote as bi-partisan in the headline of his press release: http://arcuri.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=841&Itemid=74.
A separate measure for “Doctor Fix”, Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009, (Roll Call 909: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll909.xml), passed on 19 November 2009. This bill was removed from The Affordable Health Care for America Act to keep the cost estimates of H.R. 3962 under $1,000,000,000,000. The cost of “doctor fix” is a mere $210,000,000,000. Mr. Arcuri also voted for H.R. 3961. It will pay for itself by borrowing from Medicare, which has a current unfunded liability of $73,000,000,000,000 (http://www.usdebtclock.org/index.html).
Mr. Arcuri also voted for other “affordable” bills: The Troubled Asset Relief Program ($700,000,000,000), The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ($787,000,000,000), The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 ($410,000,000,000), The bailout of General Motors and Chrysler ($60,000,000,000), The Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009 ($81,600,000,000),and SChip additional funding ($35,000,000,000). Thank goodness the congressman, self-styled “fiscally conservative” Democrat, is concerned about our nation’s collective purse. The deficit is now at $12,000,000,000,000 and it is rising. The deficit was $8,600,000,000,000 when he first took his seat in January 2007 representing NY24. That is a shocking 50% jump. The fiduciary responsibility of officials in the federal government is sorely lacking.
What is HealthCare of Americans Now!? The group obviously wants health care. They want it now even though the House and Senate versions, if enacted, will not become a reality until 2013. They are eager to accommodate the legislators favoring a government run health care system by hosting “victory” parties. They have a website: http://healthcareforamericanow.org/ . HealthCare of Americans Now! is an umbrella organization comprised of many factions featuring more fringe than that surrey behind a team of snow-white horses. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), MoveOn.org, National Abortion Federation, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Working Families Party, and far more unions than you will ever see at a Jimmy Hoffa memorial service are players within HealthCare of Americans Now!. They, like Mr. Arcuri, favor the “public option” of government provided universal health care which will effectively result in the nationalization of almost 20% of our country’s economy.
At the HealthCare of Americans Now! event, Arcuri stated that he tried to “step away from the passion of it [health care legislation]” and “ensure… the economic imperative of it [health care legislation]”, (http://www.uticaod.com/multimedia/x356301554/VIDEO-Residents-protest-outside-event-thanking-Arcuri-for-health-care-vote). A look at the list of major contributors to the Arcuri campaign war chest indicates many of his donors also favor the public option version of health care legislation: http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2009_H6NY24128. At least the economic imperative of maintaining a large campaign fund is ensured.
Today, 21 November 2009, the U.S. Senate will vote on a procedural measure aimed at advancing its version of a health care bill, the 2074 page The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, http://democrats.senate.gov/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf . At some time in the future Mr. Arcuri may again have to vote on a compromise “affordable” health care bill. He may also have to vote again on a compromise version of “doctor fix”, as the Senate has already defeated efforts to pass that bill; and, will now need to vote on the measure again now that H.R. 3961 has passed in the House of Representatives.
HealthCare of Americans Now! is not the only institution pleased with the legislators supportive of The Affordable Health Care for America Act and The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Communist Party of the United States of America supports universal health care with the public option. It is the lead topic of the CPUSA on its website this week: http://www.cpusa.org/. The number of programs championed by the CPUSA (http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/758/1/6/) that the 111th Congress has passed and the POTUS has signed (bailouts, affordable housing, cuts in defense), or that are on the legislative agenda (Employee Free Choice Act, American Clean Energy and Security Act), is not only eerie but it is frightening. One can only imagine the haughty level of jubilation within the CPUSA as they watch the political elite in Washington by intent, complicity, ignorance, or naiveté transform this nation, redistribute its wealth, redefine constitutional rights, and ultimately create a Marxist classless society.
The elected officials in this nation need to reflect on how their “urgent” actions in “crisis” situations are leading to the creation of a state where “to each according to need, from each according to ability” becomes the mandated norm. If this ruined the festive nature of the HealthCare of Americans Now! party for Mr. Arcuri, tough nuggies. There is one more thing all politicians need to do. Put the decks of cards away.
“52 of them! Take a good look at ‘em, Raymond, look at ‘em, and while you’re looking, listen. This is me, Marco, talking. 52 red queens and me are telling you… you know what we’re telling you? It’s over! The links, the beautifully conditioned links are smashed. They’re smashed as of now because we say so, because we say they are to be smashed. We’re busting up the joint, we’re tearing out all the wires. We’re busting it up so good all the queen’s horses and all the queen’s men will never put old Raymond back together again. You don’t work any more! That’s an order. Anybody invites you to a game of solitaire, you tell ‘em sorry, buster, the ball game is over.”
— Frank Sinatra as Bennett Marco, The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
