NH INSIDER

Red Alert: Check out a new feature from Americans for Limited Government called The Washington News Alert. It is your one stop shop for all the news and commentary around D.C.

Take Two Aspirin – and Call the Undertaker
A heart-felt letter puts what we are fighting for in perspective.

The Playboy Philosophy and Your Health Care
With the weakening of the family unit over the past forty years, big government invariably seeps in to fill the void.

Appointment Watch from ALG Research
This week ALG Research examines the Director of Operational Energy Plans and Programs for the Department of Defense.

Too Hot Not To Note: A Parody of Leadership
Paul Samuelson at RealClear Politics analyzes Barack Obama's failed leadership in health care reform.



"[O]nce passed, any attempt to remove the health care rationing board will be

deemed out of order forevermore.  People are going to die." – ALG President Bill Wilson

December 22^nd, 2009, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today condemned Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for inserting language into the Senate health care bill that would make it nearly impossible to repeal what Wilson called a "health care rationing board."

"The Independent Medicare Advisory Board will become the Healthcare Soviet—dictating rules, rates and procedures in America's health care system with no appeal.  That is why Reid has given it the most protection," Wilson explained.

In the Reid Substitute, under Section 3403 in a section entitled "Limitations on Changes to this Subsection," it states, "It shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any bill, resolution, amendment, or conference report that would repeal or otherwise change this subsection."

Section 3403 establishes the Independent Medicare Advisory Board (IMAB), which would "reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending" under the Reid substitute.  Wilson said that is "rationing."

"The whole purpose of this panel is to ration health care to seniors, no question," Wilson said. 

"To hide that, the bill states that 'The proposal shall not include any recommendation to ration health care' right after it gets through establishing the power for the IMAB to ration health care," Wilson explained.

"This is Orwellian Newspeak of the first order," Wilson declared, adding, "Right in this section, Harry Reid is saying that they're going to ration health care away from seniors, but they're just not going to call it that."

"And then, to lock it in place, Reid goes as far as to require a two-thirds vote in order to amend or repeal the rationing board," Wilson explained.

The Senate rules change was exposed on the floor of the Senate by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), as reported by the National Review Online.  Senator DeMint said, "This is not legislation.  This is not law.  This is a rule change.  It's a pretty big deal.  We will be passing a new law and at the same time creating a Senate rule that makes it out of order to amend or repeal the law."

DeMint said that under Senate rules, it should take a two-thirds vote of the Senate to invoke cloture on legislation that contains such rules changes.  And, that, "[A]s the chair has confirmed, Rule 22, paragraph 2, of the standing rules of the Senate, states that on a measure or motion to amend the Senate rules, the necessary affirmative vote shall be two-thirds of the senators present and voting."

However, the Senate President ruled that the rules change was not a rules change, but a change in procedure.

"This is completely unconstitutional," Wilson noted, pointing to Article I, Section 5 of the Federal Constitution, which states: "Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings…"

"Under current rules, the Reid substitute, which includes a rules change making it out of order to amend or repeal a section of the bill, should require a two-thirds vote in order to be enacted," Wilson explained, concluding, "That has not happened, and will not happen, meaning that once passed, any attempt to remove the health care rationing board will be deemed out of order forevermore.  People are going to die."

Legislation will prevent critical Medicare payment cuts

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter voted for the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act.  This legislation will help fix the way Medicare pays physicians, which will help preserve seniors’ access to their doctors.  The legislation passed by a vote of 243 to 183. 

“This bill strengthens Medicare and helps ensure that New Hampshire seniors have access to the doctors they know and trust,” said Congresswoman Shea-Porter. “Our seniors rely on Medicare and this legislation will help ensure that they continue to receive the care they need.”  

“At the end of the day, ensuring access to one’s doctor continues to be a high priority for Medicare beneficiaries—and for AARP.  We believe that H.R. 3961 meets this goal by permanently fixing the current flawed payment formula and replacing it with a new payment system which protects access to physicians by paying them fairly and better rewarding them for providing primary care and preventive services,” said AARP State Director Kelly Clark.

The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act prevents payment cuts that could force some doctors to stop seeing Medicare patients. Without legislation, there is scheduled to be a 21% cut in payments that would go into effect in January 2010. 

The legislation builds on the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which will close the Medicare Part D “Donut Hole,” extend Medicare solvency by five years, end discrimination for pre-existing conditions, and lower premiums for middle class workers and families.  

“Both the AARP and the American Medical Association have endorsed our bills because they lower costs and improve care for our seniors,” Shea-Porter said.

Reid: ObamaCare "By Any Legislative Means Necessary"
Reid, Pelosi, and Obama with but one option to force ObamaCare on the American people: to change the rules and eliminate the filibuster in a sharp departure from more than 200 years of parliamentary history.

Health Care Rationing: It's No Myth!
Rationing decisions, like those made within Britain's National Health Service, are made within a system that both guides and ethically justifies them but it is still rationing.

The Overnights from NetRight Nation
Executive Director of NetRight Nation Adam Bitely gives the weekly update on what is going on around the blogosphere and what is coming.

Too Hot Not Too Note: Catch me if you can
The American Spectator writer Peter Ferrara illustrates very plainly the coming negative effects of Obamacare.