The
word had gone out - finally - Senator Harkin was touring Iowa to talk
about his Health Care Reform bill. Clever politician that he is,
he combined each of his events with a ceremony of some type - hoping to
hold off loud opposition to HIS health reform bill. (I say THIS
because he proudly proclaims he is one of the authors - he added the 10
Billion - yes Billion - dollar "wellness" clauses. )
Since
Senator Harkin so rarely visits Iowa, we were all looking forward to
this opportunity to visit with him in person about our thoughts on HIS
health care reform bill. Lonnie called Harkin's offices in Sioux
City and in Des Moines the day before the Storm lake event to verify
that Harkin would be taking questions after the cememony. Both
offices assured that Harkin did plan to take questons.
The
day of the Storm Lake Harkin event, many people arrived early - protest
signs in hand. Some people I recognized - many I did not.. All
had one goal - to be heard. I opted to enter the building to ask
questions rather than protest outside. On entering the building,
I asked a Harkin staff member if he would be taking questions.
"of course", was the answer. The very small room soon filled to
capacity with standing room only and many held outside. And so we
waited. About ten minutes late a staff member came out to start
the ceremony. Right after the welcome he announced that the
Senator would NOT be taking questions - he didn't have time. The
room errupted with boos and cat calls and "Harkin go Home". About
30 to 40 people walked out. ------- We did not come to listen to
Harkin talk, we have heard it all before. We came to have him
LISTEN to US !!!!! We headed outside to join the other
protestors.
Lonnie's wife remained inside. Due
to health issues she needed to stay in the air conditioning. She
carries an oxygen tank with her. However, she was asked to leave
-told she could not stay there. Being the sweet lady she is, she
didn't ask questions. She just left. Perhaps they asked her
to leave because she was wearing a TEA PARTY PATRIOTS shirt.
Hmmmm????
The ceremony was soon over. The small
crowd that had remained inside left. We moved the protest to the
side of the building by Harkins escape vehicle , uhmm, I mean ,
car. We stood quietly with our signs under the watchful eye of
very courtious and proffessional policmen. We waited for Senator Harkin
to leave the building. We knew it would be soon - remember, he
didn't have time to take questions. And we waited.......and we
waited......and we waited, in the hot, hot sun for 45 minutes. 45
minutes -- he had plenty of time to come out for us to ask a few
questions. As we waited we realized he was waiting for ....us to
leave. "What a chicken ", someone said. So when he finally
did exit the building there were calls of "chicken, chicken"
Harkin merely smiled, waved good bye and shouted "come to Ft.
Dodge. I'll answer questions there" Why not
here????????????
So much for wanting to hear from his contituents.
As
for those who wanted to talk to Harkin in Ft. Dodge --- good luck
finding him. They changed the location of the meeeting just the
night before. (A staff member confessed this to me when I asked
the location of the Ft Dodge event)
Sub notes: Harkin
had his car running to cool off for 20 to 30 minutes before he
left. Hmmm, Senator, are you leaving a carbon footprint a bit
bigger than is polically correct??
3 union members
were in attendance - yes we do know - they wore name tags. One of
them tried to cause an altercation with a man I did not know -- walking
right up to him - yelling in his face - pushing him in the shoulder and
calling him a vulger name, which the man would not repeat to us.
And WHO are the mobbsters and thugs at these protests???
We
saw a car with ACORN4 on the licience plates. ACORN, in
Storm Lake Iowa???? I guess they took the Presidents request for
help very seriously.
MORE TOWN HALL MEETINGS:
CONGRESSMAN STEVE KING Clay County Town Hall Meeting Mon., August 24th 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Spencer Public Library, Round Room, 21 E 3rd Street, Spencer
Senator Grassely Thursday, Aug 27, 2009 Clay County Town Hall Meeting
* 4:30 - 5:30 PM
Administration Building Conference and Board Rooms 300 West 4th Street Spencer (Senator
Grassely thinks he can make a deal with the Democrats by giving them
part of the health care reform bill. We need to be here to tell
him "NO government health care reform bill of any kind. Baby
steps to MORE socialism. NO DEALS!)
Senator Harkin sioux City, Iowa Undisclosed date Undisclosed time Undisclosed location (I think he is hiding from us, but we'll be there!)
Today Senator Harkin shows his true self by not allowing questions in what was called his
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for United Community Health Center 630 Ontario Street Storm Lake Harkin will visit United Community Health Center to discuss progress being made on health reform in Washington and the important role Community Health Centers play in our state. We
called his staff in Des Moines and Sioux City to make sure he was
allowing questions and both places stated Yes he will answer questions.
Liar Liar Liar . No Questions Allowed My Wife
who is on Oxygen went into this building because she was having
problems breathing the heat was to much. She went there to cool
off and see if that would help. She was told by either the clinic
staff or Harkins Staff the she had to leave the building and couldn't
be there. She had a Tea Party Patriots tee-shirt on so my thought
are it was Harkin staff. At no time did anyone ask her if she was
ok in fact she couldn't find the door and they got vary rude with here.
She also has Diabetes and her Blood sugar had elevated to over
400 and now one ask if any thing was wrong. I have filed a complaint
with the Community Health Center Further more he was going to Ft. Dodge Community Health Center 126 N 10th Street Ft. Dodge
Harkin will visit Ft. Dodge Community Health Center to discuss progress being made on health reform in Washington and the important role Community Health Centers play in our state. Where he was going to Allow questions. Between yesterday and today the address to his next stop changed to 617 Central Ave FT. Dodge
The
Storm Lake and FT. Dodge information above was copy from Harkin website but he's
trying to say on the news that it was never scheduled as a discussion.
WHAT A LIAR
This FREE Clinic was built with Federal money for immigrants.
Senator Harkin's shows dis-concern for the people that came to a FREE clinic ribbon cutting event to ask questions. He shows more interest in the immigrants than American Citizens.
This FREE Clinic was built with Federal money for immigrants.
Senator Harkin's shows dis-concern for the people that came to a FREE clinic ribbon cutting event to ask questions. He shows more interest in the immigrants than American Citizens.
This FREE Clinic was built with Federal money for immigrants.
Senator Harkin's shows dis-concern for the people that came to a FREE clinic ribbon cutting event to ask questions. He shows more interest in the immigrants than American Citizens.
Health Care
20/20 Spot on Government Run Health care
Dem
v. Dem: Health Reform War Gets Bloody
Chicago style politics eat there own
party.
If the health care reform is so wonderful why do they need to force it
down there own party's throat.
(8.8.09)
-- Senator Tom Harkin [D-IA] becomes the latest in a growing line of
Democratic members of Congress who are facing spirited opposition from
their constituents as the Congressmen try to pitch the
increasingly-unpopular ObamaCare health care reform proposal.
White House and Politicians don't pay attention to anyone!
The whitehouse is asking for all comrades
citizens to report
send fishy information to them at flag@whitehouse.gov. I figure every
bit of spam I get in my mailbox is fishy. So, as a good comrade
citizen, I’ve just made a rule in my email program to automatically
forward every bit of mail I don’t want to see to the
whitehouse. I’m
so glad they’re everywhere
there to help us out!
The fact that
the Whitehouse and Democrats think the opposition is due to astroturfing and paid
demonstrations tells us more about how the Democrats operate than
current events. This is grassroot opposition and if people fail to
realize it, come 2010, the Republicans will be celebrating like 1994.
There is very little in
any of the bills that would reduce health care costs except by
rationing. No tort reform. No relief for small business or self employed. What
roll will all those state insurance commissioners have?
Let's review government
run businesses. Amtrak - since 1971
bailout and was to be on its own in 3 to 4 years - last told to be self
-sufficient by 2003 Immigration Reform and
Control Act of 1986 - Congress never did its part and on 9/11 citizens
died. Medicare - broke Medicaid - broke Social Security - soon
to be broke Cash for clunkers -
embarrassing failure Then there is the VA -
generally excellent care but terrible bureaucracy and efficiency. Freddie & Fannie
- how we got into this whole mess in the first place!
Why would we the people
think that 535 people, with little or no experience in small
business or health care, be able to redesign 1/6th of the nation's economy?
Oh they can do it. But better? Not likely!
How long do you expect
to blame George W. Bush? And have people believe you? Democrats have
controlled Congress since 2006 and it is Congress that controls the budget.
If there is a public
option, then Congress and all federal employees better be in the plan.
If it isn't good enough for the people designing the plan, why should "we
the people" support the plan?
Why should we cover
illegal immigrants? Congress was supposed to fix this starting in 1986.
The current outrage is
about a lot more than health care. We the people, or a lot of us, of all
parties and even no party, are fed up with our government. Our
government is broke functionally and fiscally - and has been for several decades.
Here
are their Mobsters
Read their shirts
Service Employees International Union
SEIU (WWW.SEIU.ORG) 1800 Massachusetts Ave NW,
Washington, DC National Capital
Area: 202-730-7000
Toll-free: 800-424-8592
LOOK At the SEIU (Mob Like Actioins)
I
had thought that the Obama Brown shirts "Acorn" would be (and still
are) Obama's muscle. Looks like you can add Blue Shirts to that list.
The people in the SEIU are being used the same way as the lowly
workers/terrorist in "the Fight Club". These are just the first shots
in the upcoming fight. It's a sad sad time for this nation.
Over 1,000 St. Louis Tea Party Taxpayers
showed up to attend the Russ Carnahan town hall meeting in South St.
Louis.
They were Locked Out!
But... The Carnahah staff was sneaking in SIEU members in the side door
marked "handicapped."
Town Hall meeeting on Health Reform
Congressman King
-
Tenatively set for Spencer - Mon, Aug 24th - 4:30
Congressman
King requests we get as many people there as
possible.
Also requests we call his office to officially state how we
want
him to vote. He uses this info to help in house debates.
Senator
Harkin - Will not release his town hall
schedule to the public (?????) Storm Lake Wednesday, August 12 at 10:30
a.m. United Community Health Center
building 715 W. Milwaukee
Staff stated to watch the newspaper for info. So, please, watch
your area papers and let us know if you see any info.
Tea
Party Patriots suggest that we all call Senator Harkins office
and let him know how we want him to vote. I did
call. I asked how
Harkin planned to vote. The staff member stated Harkin had
not decided
yet (?). I told her I would like him to vote NO.
She took my name and
address for the record and to add to the list.
Please take 2 minutes to make
your call - 712-252-1550
The
Tea
Party Patriots made their presence known as 30-40 gathered in
front of
the Spencer Public Library this morning with information,
petitions,
and signs.
The group joined to show their opposition to the
health care reform bill as an aide from Senator Tom Harkin's
office was
on hand for a listening post.
Kris Thiessen is a Tea Party
Patriot member and said "when the politicians are talking
about they
keep saying that we can keep our own
current health care policy. She
continued "basically it is an HMO type of policy you will have to have
similar to the ones 20 years ago that came out that there was so much
public outrage about."
Harkin spokesperson
Berken Kelly does
not agree with this assessment saying "I don't think that anybody is at
risk of losing their health care. This is about giving more people
health care. Berken pointed to the rising health care costs noting "it
is unsustainable. This legislation protects people's choice of doctors,
hospital's and insurance plans."
Dave DeJong of
Dickens is
also a Patriot member and went to similar meetings held yesterday in
the region he said at the Spirit Lake meeting they asked who was in
favor and who was against the plan. 38 of 40 said they were not in
favor.
Other meetings on
the same topic were held Tuesday in Estherville, Spirit Lake,
Emmetsburg, and Algona.
'Patriots' return to protest health care reform
Thursday, July 30, 2009 By Randy
M. Cauthron, Managing Editor; Russ Mitchell, Daily Reporter Staff
(Photo
by Russ Mitchell)
A group of Tea Party Patriots gather outside the Spencer Public Library
to protest the direction of the national health care policy Wednesday
morning. The demonstration corresponded with a visit from U.S. Sen. Tom
Harkin's staff.[Order
this photo]
A visit by Nathan Vander Plaats, staff
member for Sen. Tom Harkin, to
conduct a listening post on the issue of health care reform at the
Spencer Public Library Wednesday morning, served as a call to arms for
a small group of area Tea Party Patriots.
Opponents
of the health care reforms held up signs along Grand Avenue
Wednesday Morning. The picketers eventually made their way near the
entrance of the Spencer Public Library. One sign said: "If it isn't
good enough for them, it isn't good enough for us." Another said. "Read
the bill, defend your health care, U.S."
One of the men holding a sign remarked: "Harkin's
not even here."
A fellow Tea Party Patriot responded: "He's an
important person. He's too good for us."
Kris Thiessen of Everly, another TEA Party Patriot
on hand to
protest the current direction of health care reform, said the group
received word about a listening post in Spencer, where an aide to Sen.
Tom Harkin was scheduled to discuss proposed health care reforms.
"We're
trying to put the facts out there for people who are
unaware of what is actually in the bill because there's a lot of
double-talk to cover it up," Thiessen said.
(Photo
by Randy M. Cauthron)
Ayrshire's Mike Studer, a Tea Party Patriot, discussed what he sees as
problems with the proposed health care reform effort in Washington,
with Spencer resident, Everly Espey.[Order
this photo]
"It
specifically exempts members of Congress along with federal
employees," Thiessen explained. "President Obama has repeatedly said it
-- in fact he said it again last night -- that 'we're going to have
exactly what they have.' But, if we're having exactly what they have,
then how come they are exempting themselves from what we're getting?"
A longtime user of the current Medicaid system,
and neighbor to
the Spencer Library, Evelyn Espey, was exiting the city building when
she stopped to take literature being offered by one of the protesters.
"I know I'll be affected if this (the health care bill) goes through.
I'm going to be getting stuck with bills instead of getting help."
Mike Studer, of Ayrshire, another member of the
Tea Party
Patriots, said, "For years government has been out of control. Not just
the Democrat government, but the Republicans also. I've talked to
people one-on-one and they've said, 'Somebody should do something.'
When the Tea Party movement came along, I saw some people doing
something.
"I'm not a joiner by nature, but this is worth
joining," Studer said.
The TEA Party protest in northwest Iowa came as
President Obama
pitched the health care plan in North Carolina. The event was covered
by Liz Sidoti of the Associated Press.
"We
have a system today that works well for the insurance
industry, but it doesn't always work well for you," he told more than
2,000 people in a North Carolina high school gymnasium. "What we need,
and what we will have when we pass these reforms, are health insurance
consumer protections to make sure that those who have insurance are
treated fairly and insurance companies are held accountable."
(Photo
by Randy M. Cauthron)
A Tea Party Patriot stood his ground on the corner of Grand Avenue and
East Third Street -- using his sign to make his point.[Order
this photo]
New
estimates from the Congressional Budget Office show the plan
that's taking shape would cover 95 percent of Americans by 2015, and
cost about $900 billion over 10 years -- under the unofficial $1
trillion target the White House has set.
Last week, Harkin also touted wellness and
prevention
provisions in the health care reform bill coming out of the Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
"For most people, it is just common sense that if
we can use
cost-effective screenings and other up-front interventions to prevent
tens of millions of occurrences of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular
disease, then we are going to slash health care costs significantly,"
he said.
Harkin
also has said the proposed health care reforms would
include a public option that, for the first time, will ensure
competition and give consumers a real choice.
The
current salary (2009) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate
is $174,000 per year.
Speaker of the House- $223,500 Majority Leader - $193,400 Minority Leader - $193,400
Senate
Leadership
Majority Party Leader - $193,400
Minority Party Leader - $193,400
A
cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless
Congress votes to not accept it.
Benefits
Paid to Members of Congress
You
may have read that Members of Congress do not pay into Social Security.
Well, that's a myth.
Prior
to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil
service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also
not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress
and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension
plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983
amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first
hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments
also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security
as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress.
Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security,
Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal
workers. The result was the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of
1986.
Members
of Congress receive retirement and health
benefits under the same plans available to other federal
employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.
As
it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is
funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of
Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the
FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social
Security taxes.
Members
of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of
50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are
eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they
reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to
serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.
The
amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service
and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law,
the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80%
of his or her final salary.
According
to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress
were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their
congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had
retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of
$60,972 totaling $17,681,880. A total of 123 Members had retired with
service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their
average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006 totaling $4,422,096.
HARTLEY SUMMER CELEBRATION August 1, 2009
Parade time 10:00
Lining up for the parade at 8:30 am.
please arrive no later than 9:45 am.
We will line-up on 3rd,St SW, located on the north side of Neebel Park,
With the first entries on the west end of the street by County Road
M-12.
The Tea Party booth at the Hartley
Summer Fest will be on the green space just south of the Savings Bank
(80 S Central Ave). Central Ave is the Main Street into downtown
Hartley from Highway 18.
We
would like to thank all the people for stoping by our booth at Everly's
Quasquicentennial July 18th. You are all true partiots and we
hope to see you at our
next meet up.
The
Everly Quasquicentenniel was a great success. We had the help
of
12 members, Deb and a friend from Sheldon, and 4 guests. The
response while walking the parade was great. We handed out
well
over 300 constitutions and recieved many thanks. We also
handed
out candy, & necklaces, (thanks Michelle) and small flags (
thanks
??) . The demand for the contitutions was so great that we
had a
hard time keeping up with the float and frequently had to run to catch
up to restock our "hand out" bags. The
booth recieved a great response, also. Paul and David DeJong
created a stand to hang the two bannors on and it looked
great!!
Many people signed the petitons. some signed up to be on our
email list. Overall, it was a great day. Thanks to
all that
helped and to all that stopped by the booth.
Great Quotations
Once
a
government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of
opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of
increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror
to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.
--Harry S. Truman
"Each
time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of
others. . .they send forth a ripple of hope, and crossing each other
from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples
build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression
and resistance."-- Robert F. Kennedy
"When the people fear their government, there
is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is
liberty." --Thomas
Jefferson
Dedication:
I was born an American. I live as an
American; I shall die an American; and I intend to perform the duties
incumbent upon me in that character to the end of my career. I mean to
do this with absolute disregard to personal consequences. What are the
personal consequences?
What is the individual man with all the
good or evil that may betide him, in comparison with the good and evil
which may befall a great country, and in the midst of great
transactions which concern that country's fate? Let the consequences be
what they will, I am careless, No man can suffer too much, and no man
can fall too soon, if he suffer or if he fall, in the defense of the
liberties and Constitution of his country.
"I believe in the United States of America as a Government of
the people by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived
from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a
sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union, one and
inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality,
justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their
lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it; to
support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag, and to
defend it against all enemies."
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