Healthcare
Hello Friends:
As many of your know, medical care reform is a major topic being discussed by the United State Congress this year. President Obama has recently released his plan dubbed "ObamaCare" and is trying to force a vote as soon as possible.
This week we had the pleasure of having presentations by U.S. Representative Joe Pitts, Pete Sepp, Vice President for Policy and Communications for the National Taxpayers Union and Matt Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel about healthcare reform. We have summarized below the Action Items and/or websites where you can obtain additional information relevant to their presentations.
Presenter: Representative Joe Pitts
· Obama-care is currently in markup in the Energy and Commerce Committee. It is being delayed by Blue Dog Democrats who are uneasy with the impact to the deficit and the haste of the Administration to get something passed.
· The Minimum Health Benefits Committee defines the minimum requirements for insurance companies. The bottom line: Individuals must provide a public healthcare plan or pay a 2.5% tax penalty and employers must do the same or pay an 8% tax penalty.
· There is a MANDATE for access for abortions so organizations like Planned Parenthood will get contracts to build abortion clinics in neighborhoods across America whether wanted or not.
· Obama- care will implement, de facto, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) preempting more than 200 state and local laws like parental consent and late term abortions.
• There are four major problems with Obama-care:
1. The tax penalty;
2. Tax-payer subsidy of abortions;
3. No conscience protection for healthcare providers; and
4. Mandated taxpayer funded abortions.
Action items
· Contact members of Congress at www.congress.org. They need to hear NO now!
· There is a group of democrats voting against it, 20 of who are strong pro-lifers. They need to be contacted immediately! SEE ATTACHED LETTER against taxpayer funded abortions sent to Speaker Pelosi last month, signed by all 20 pro-life democrats.
· 2/3’s of the American people do not believe that tax payers should fund abortion, yet Obama Care requires it. We must demand that this provision be stricken from any plan that is advanced.
Tax and Fiscal Implications of Obama-care
Presenter: Pete Sepp
· There will be income tax surcharges on the wealthy, from 1%-5.4% depending on income.
· No business can predict if they will have to pay a surcharge because corporate income is highly sensitive to an economy that changes continually. This will make it impossible for businesses to plan for the future.
· The small business sector has been responsible for all private sector job creations in the past 2 years. Obama basically wants to levy surcharges on the one sector of our economy that is producing jobs!
· In order to raise revenue to cover the $550 billion cost of the plan, lawmakers will assume the surcharge tax rates will double in the next four years, yet they continually say that taxes will not rise on the middle class. This is doublespeak!
· In the 1018 page piece of legislation the words “choice,” “options,” and “freedom” can be only found 85 times. The words “require,” “limit,” and “must” can be found 700 times!!
· There are 1,000 mentions of the Secretaries of Health, Labor, Defense, and Veterans Affairs because of their involvement. Absolutely NO MENTION of “freedom,” “liberty,” or “patient driven” in the whole bill!
· If Obama gets his way in limiting charitable contributions, the cost of healthcare rises exponentially as it is a known fact that charitable organizations can serve people better than the government. Take away their resources and you are hitting taxpayers twice!
Action Items:
· Tell your Congressional representatives that you are AGAINST nationalized healthcare.
· Educate yourself about Obama-care and help others become knowledgeable as well.
Hate Crimes Update and ENDA Regulations
Presenter: Matt Staver
· The Hate Crimes Amendment to the Defense Authorizations Act of 2010 passed 63-28.
· The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), HR 2981, was introduced by Barney Frank on June 19.
· ENDA prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by employers with 20+ employees.
· Gender identity isn’t defined in the bill. It is a broad term that can include pedophilia, bestiality, voyeurisms, transsexuals, plus much more. It implies that your gender identity can change over time based on circumstances.
We can’t relax for several reasons:
1. We won’t know what the final bill will contain until the House and Senate versions are reconciled in conference.
2. Pastors and others can be called to task if someone does commit a crime or be a witness to an alleged crime.
If we make sexual orientation/gender identity equal to race, it opens the door to establishing national policy. The Supreme Court has ruled previously based on “national policy,” meaning that once these laws are put in place, even though Pastors may have exceptions based on the First Amendment Right of freedom of religion and speech, if their speech is found to be in defiance of “national policy,” they could be subject to prosecution.
ACTION ITEMS:
· Contact your Senators at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and let them know you OPPOSE hate crimes legislation as an amendment to the Defense Reauthorization Bill.
· Preachers need to be prepared to preach from pulpits in defiance once this officially becomes law. You also need to be prepared to protest in Washington if necessary.
· We absolutely MUST think strategically with regard to the 2010 election. We have to support candidates who share our values in the Primary and fall elections.
· If we don’t reject the radical agenda of the left, they will eventually come after us! They are building a legal power base to incarcerate and silence all opposing views.
· We have secured www.stopobamacoalition.org as a website where people can be directed to find more information and ways to become involved. It is not functional yet will be by the end of September or sooner if funds are made available. Once functional supportive organizations and individuals will be encouraged to promote it.
· Preachers need to be prepared to defy Hate Crimes laws if necessary to obey God and preach His infallible truth contained in Scripture. We must fear God more than we fear man or government.
