The Power & Danger of Iconography

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Hank Johnson (Congress D-GA) - Warns Guam May Capsize

You have got to watch this! This is unreal. Comedy writers for SNL could not make this stuff up! Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson (Democrat) said during an Armed Services Committee hearing last week that Guam is in danger. "My fear", he said, "is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize."

We don't anticipate that, responded Adm. Robert Willard. Somehow Admiral Willard avoided busting out laughing. It is really scary to think that these are the people representing us in Washington.

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Visualizing Obama's budget cuts

A college student "explains our Federal Budget" and the portion that must be borrowed in simple terms for everyone, plus his visual aid example easily demonstrates the $100 million cut that the President promised as savings.

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New HILLSBORO/12TH. SOUTH AREA "Pizza 'n Politics Summit"

MEET FELLOW GOP CONSERVATIVES

FROM THE HILLSBORO/12TH. SOUTH AREA AT THE

"Pizza 'n Politics Summit"
(Dutch treat)

A meeting to strategize, organize & unify

Sponsored by the Davidson County Republican Party

Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 6:30 - 8:00pm
Mafiaoza's, 12 Ave. South

Guest Speaker: Jane Ferrell, TN Energy Forum
(Cap & Trade)

Rod Williams, Organizing to win elections

State Executive Committeewoman - Beth Campbell
State Executive Committeeman - John Ambrose
Event Chairman - Josh Tillman

Please join us! Help us make a difference in 2010.

For more information on this event and other Republican activity in Davidson County, visit DCRP

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Tea Party Express III rolls into Nashville!

Tonight I attended the Tea Party Express III rally in the parking lot of the Scoreboard Bar and Grill here in Nashville. Nashville was a stop on the Tea Party Express tour on the way to Washington.

It is hard to estimate a crowd like this but there must have been over a thousand, maybe up to two thousand, people turn out for the event. It is really surprising that so many people showed up on an Easter Sunday. I learned about the event from a 9-12 chat group on Friday. There was no newspaper or major media advertising; just free internet postings and word of mouth.

The weather was great. I ate good barbecue, heard rousing patriotic song and speeches, enjoyed great entertainment, and cheered denunciations of Obama, and socialism. Several of the 5th District congressional candidates were working the crowd as were candidates for other offices, and vendors of buttons, books, flags, and various advocates of patriotic and conservative causes had booths and worked the crowd. I run into several fellow political activist I know. This was a lot of fun.

I really enjoyed the performance by Victoria Jackson singing her song, “There’s a Communist in the White House” and a new song, “Don’t get sick.” She is so cute and charming and funny.

If the Tea Party Express comes to your town, don’t miss it!

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CBS is letting you rate the President

You can vote in this CBS poll. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-6116297-503544.html?tag=

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Death panels would save money

PAUL KRUGMAN, NEW YORK TIMES: Think about people on the right. They're simultaneously screaming, they're going to send all of the old people to death panels and it’s not going to save any money. That’s a contradictory point of view.

TAPPER: Death panels would save money, theoretically.

KRUGMAN: The advisory path has the ability to make more or less binding judgments on saying this particular expensive treatment actually doesn’t do any good medically and so we’re not going to pay for it. That is actually going to save quite a lot of money.

Comment:
Let me see I understand this. There are no "death panels" under Obamacare. Under Obamacare, an advisory panel will decide whether or not someone can get an expensive treatment. Some expensive treatments will not be approved by this advisory panel and that will save a lot of money. I assume that by deciding some treatments are not cost effective and treatment should be denied that some people will be permitted to die earlier than they otherwise would. This panel of government bureaucrats will decide who lives and dies. It is impolite and it is inflammatory harsh rhetoric to call this advisory panel a "death panel." Did I get that right?

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Health Freedom Act passes subcommittee!

Health Freedom Act passes subcommittee! One less hurdle... about 2 hours ago via mobile web

tcpr

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How is Obamacare a takeover of America's Health care?

Let me count the ways.

1. Grant program for consumer assistance offices (Section 1002, p. 37)
2. Grant program for states to monitor premium increases (Section 1003, p. 42)
3. Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
4. Demonstration program for state wellness programs (Section 1201, p. 93)
5. Grant program to establish state Exchanges (Section 1311(a), p. 130)
6. State American Health Benefit Exchanges (Section 1311(b), p. 131)
7. Exchange grants to establish consumer navigator programs (Section 1311(i), p. 150)
8. Grant program for state cooperatives (Section 1322, p. 169)
9. Advisory board for state cooperatives (Section 1322(b)(3), p. 173)
10. Private purchasing council for state cooperatives (Section 1322(d), p. 177)
11. State basic health plan programs (Section 1331, p. 201)
12. State-based reinsurance program (Section 1341, p. 226)
13. Program of risk corridors for individual and small group markets (Section 1342, p. 233)
14. Program to determine eligibility for Exchange participation (Section 1411, p. 267)
15. Program for advance determination of tax credit eligibility (Section 1412, p. 288)
16. Grant program to implement health IT enrollment standards (Section 1561, p. 370)
17. Federal Coordinated Health Care Office for dual eligible beneficiaries (Section 2602, p. 512)
18. Medicaid quality measurement program (Section 2701, p. 518)
19. Medicaid health home program for people with chronic conditions, and grants for planning same (Section 2703, p. 524)
20. Medicaid demonstration project to evaluate bundled payments (Section 2704, p. 532)
21. Medicaid demonstration project for global payment system (Section 2705, p. 536)
22. Medicaid demonstration project for accountable care organizations (Section 2706, p. 538)
23. Medicaid demonstration project for emergency psychiatric care (Section 2707, p. 540)
24. Grant program for delivery of services to individuals with postpartum depression (Section 2952(b), p. 591)
25. State allotments for grants to promote personal responsibility education programs (Section 2953, p. 596)
26. Medicare value-based purchasing program (Section 3001(a), p. 613)
27. Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals (Section 3001(b), p. 637)
28. Medicare value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 3006(a), p. 666)
29. Medicare value-based purchasing program for home health agencies (Section 3006(b), p. 668)
30. Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality (Section 3012, p. 688)
31. Grant program to develop health care quality measures (Section 3013, p. 693)
32. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 3021, p. 712)
33. Medicare shared savings program (Section 3022, p. 728)
34. Medicare pilot program on payment bundling (Section 3023, p. 739)
35. Independence at home medical practice demonstration program (Section 3024, p. 752)
36. Program for use of patient safety organizations to reduce hospital readmission rates (Section 3025(b), p. 775)
37. Community-based care transitions program (Section 3026, p. 776)
38. Demonstration project for payment of complex diagnostic laboratory tests (Section 3113, p. 800)
39. Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration project (Section 3140, p. 850)
40. Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 982)
41. Consumer Advisory Council for Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 1027)
42. Grant program for technical assistance to providers implementing health quality practices (Section 3501, p. 1043)
43. Grant program to establish interdisciplinary health teams (Section 3502, p. 1048)
44. Grant program to implement medication therapy management (Section 3503, p. 1055)
45. Grant program to support emergency care pilot programs (Section 3504, p. 1061)
46. Grant program to promote universal access to trauma services (Section 3505(b), p. 1081)
47. Grant program to develop and promote shared decision-making aids (Section 3506, p. 1088)
48. Grant program to support implementation of shared decision-making (Section 3506, p. 1091)
49. Grant program to integrate quality improvement in clinical education (Section 3508, p. 1095)
50. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health (Section 3509(a), p. 1098)
51. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(b), p. 1102)
52. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(e), p. 1105)
53. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(f), p. 1106)
54. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(g), p. 1109)
55. National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (Section 4001, p. 1114)
56. Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (Section 4001(f), p. 1117)
57. Prevention and Public Health Fund (Section 4002, p. 1121)
58. Community Preventive Services Task Force (Section 4003(b), p. 1126)
59. Grant program to support school-based health centers (Section 4101, p. 1135)
60. Grant program to promote research-based dental caries disease management (Section 4102, p. 1147)
61. Grant program for States to prevent chronic disease in Medicaid beneficiaries (Section 4108, p. 1174)
62. Community transformation grants (Section 4201, p. 1182)
63. Grant program to provide public health interventions (Section 4202, p. 1188)
64. Demonstration program of grants to improve child immunization rates (Section 4204(b), p. 1200)
65. Pilot program for risk-factor assessments provided through community health centers (Section 4206, p. 1215)
66. Grant program to increase epidemiology and laboratory capacity (Section 4304, p. 1233)
67. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 4305, p. 1238)
68. National Health Care Workforce Commission (Section 5101, p. 1256)
69. Grant program to plan health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(c), p. 1275)
70. Grant program to implement health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(d), p. 1279)
71. Pediatric specialty loan repayment program (Section 5203, p. 1295)
72. Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (Section 5204, p. 1300)
73. Allied Health Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 5205, p. 1305)
74. Grant program to provide mid-career training for health professionals (Section 5206, p. 1307)
75. Grant program to fund nurse-managed health clinics (Section 5208, p. 1310)
76. Grant program to support primary care training programs (Section 5301, p. 1315)
77. Grant program to fund training for direct care workers (Section 5302, p. 1322)
78. Grant program to develop dental training programs (Section 5303, p. 1325)
79. Demonstration program to increase access to dental health care in underserved communities (Section 5304, p. 1331)
80. Grant program to promote geriatric education centers (Section 5305, p. 1334)
81. Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339)
82. Grant program to promote training in mental and behavioral health (Section 5306, p. 1344)
83. Grant program to promote nurse retention programs (Section 5309, p. 1354)
84. Student loan forgiveness for nursing school faculty (Section 5311(b), p. 1360)
85. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes (Section 5313, p. 1364)
86. Public Health Sciences Track for medical students (Section 5315, p. 1372)
87. Primary Care Extension Program to educate providers (Section 5405, p. 1404)
88. Grant program for demonstration projects to address health workforce shortage needs (Section 5507, p. 1442)
89. Grant program for demonstration projects to develop training programs for home health aides (Section 5507, p. 1447)
90. Grant program to establish new primary care residency programs (Section 5508(a), p. 1458)
91. Program of payments to teaching health centers that sponsor medical residency training (Section 5508(c), p. 1462)
92. Graduate nurse education demonstration program (Section 5509, p. 1472)
93. Grant program to establish demonstration projects for community-based mental health settings (Section 5604, p. 1486)
94. Commission on Key National Indicators (Section 5605, p. 1489)
95. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6102, p. 1554)
96. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6103(a)(3), p. 1561)
97. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 6103(b)(3), p. 1568)
98. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 6112, p. 1589)
99. Demonstration projects for nursing facilities involved in the culture change movement (Section 6114, p. 1597)
100. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1619)
101. Standing methodology committee for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1629)
102. Board of Governors for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1638)
103. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (Section 6301(e), p. 1656)
104. Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Section 6703, p. 1773)
105. Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Section 6703, p. 1776)
106. Grant program to create elder abuse forensic centers (Section 6703, p. 1783)
107. Grant program to promote continuing education for long-term care staffers (Section 6703, p. 1787)
108. Grant program to improve management practices and training (Section 6703, p. 1788)
109. Grant program to subsidize costs of electronic health records (Section 6703, p. 1791)
110. Grant program to promote adult protective services (Section 6703, p. 1796)
111. Grant program to conduct elder abuse detection and prevention (Section 6703, p. 1798)
112. Grant program to support long-term care ombudsmen (Section 6703, p. 1800)
113. National Training Institute for long-term care surveyors (Section 6703, p. 1806)
114. Grant program to fund State surveys of long-term care residences (Section 6703, p. 1809)
115. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 8002, p. 1926)
116. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 8002, p. 1927)
117. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 8002, p. 1931)
118. Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 8002(c), p. 1938)
119. Multi-state health plans offered by Office of Personnel Management (Section 10104(p), p. 2086)
120. Advisory board for multi-state health plans (Section 10104(p), p. 2094)
121. Pregnancy Assistance Fund (Section 10212, p. 2164)
122. Value-based purchasing program for ambulatory surgical centers (Section 10301, p. 2176)
123. Demonstration project for payment adjustments to home health services (Section 10315, p. 2200)
124. Pilot program for care of individuals in environmental emergency declaration areas (Section 10323, p. 2223)
125. Grant program to screen at-risk individuals for environmental health conditions (Section 10323(b), p. 2231)
126. Pilot programs to implement value-based purchasing (Section 10326, p. 2242)
127. Grant program to support community-based collaborative care networks (Section 10333, p. 2265)
128. Centers for Disease Control Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
129. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
130. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
131. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
132. Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
133. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
134. Grant program to promote small business wellness programs (Section 10408, p. 2285)
135. Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2289)
136. Cures Acceleration Network Review Board (Section 10409, p. 2291)
137. Grant program for Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2297)
138. Grant program to promote centers of excellence for depression (Section 10410, p. 2304)
139. Advisory committee for young women’s breast health awareness education campaign (Section 10413, p. 2322)
140. Grant program to provide assistance to provide information to young women with breast cancer (Section 10413, p. 2326)
141. Interagency Access to Health Care in Alaska Task Force (Section 10501, p. 2329)
142. Grant program to train nurse practitioners as primary care providers (Section 10501(e), p. 2332)
143. Grant program for community-based diabetes prevention (Section 10501(g), p. 2337)
144. Grant program for providers who treat a high percentage of medically underserved populations (Section 10501(k), p. 2343)
145. Grant program to recruit students to practice in underserved communities (Section 10501(l), p. 2344)
146. Community Health Center Fund (Section 10503, p. 2355)
147. Demonstration project to provide access to health care for the uninsured at reduced fees (Section 10504, p. 2357)
148. Demonstration program to explore alternatives to tort litigation (Section 10607, p. 2369)
149. Indian Health demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (S. 1790, Section 112, p. 24)*
150. Office of Indian Men’s Health (S. 1790, Section 136, p. 71)*
151. Indian Country modular component facilities demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 146, p. 108)*
152. Indian mobile health stations demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 147, p. 111)*
153. Office of Direct Service Tribes (S. 1790, Section 172, p. 151)*
154. Indian Health Service mental health technician training program (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 173)*
155. Indian Health Service program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 192)*
156. Indian Health Service program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 194)*
157. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 204)*
158. Indian youth life skills demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 220)*
159. Indian Health Service Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (S. 1790, Section 199B, p. 258)*
*Section 10221, page 2173 of H.R. 3590 deems that S. 1790 shall be deemed as passed with certain amendments

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Observing Earth Hour

Opps, I almost missed Earth Hour. I just went outside to turn on my porch light to protest silly symbolism. My porch light is one of those weird shaped environmentally friendly lights however, so I am not burning many watts.

I live in what must be one of the most liberal communities in Nashville. Our community is so liberal that we don't call our Crime Watch captains, "captains," because that sounds too militaristic. Our neighborhood organization has adopted a statement saying we welcome people of all sexual orientations and gender preferences. We are pretty liberal. I did not see any dark houses on my street. Everyone had their light on. Was Earth Hour really tonight?

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The Leadership Institute: highly recommended.

Today, I attended an all-day campaign school put on by The Leadership Institute. It was great! I highly recommend this program should it come to your home town. The Leadership Institute has been around for over forty years training conservative youth and candidates and other activist. The event was from 8:30 AM until 6PM and was on the campus of Vanderbilt University in a comfortable lecture hall. Parking was free and we had a nice box lunch from Panera Bread. The total cost was only $25.

While this event was geared toward conservatives, the actual curriculum was basic nuts and bolts stuff. Here was the curriculum:

• Campaign Structure and Organization
• Voter ID and Targeting
• Developing a Persuasive Message
• Recruiting and Motivating Volunteers
• Precinct Organization
• Door-to-Door and Phones
• Using the Social Media
  
• Fundraising-Finance Plan and Budget
• Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV)

Also, today there was a youth activism school which was a two-day event and also took place at Vandy. I don't know how many people attended the youth activism school, but about 125 people attended the campaign school.

To win elections and reverse the disastrous path which our country is on takes more than anger and enthusiasm; it takes skills and leadership. If you are a candidate, want to become a candidate, want to work in someone's campaign, simply want to become a more valuable activist, or want to get plugged in and network with other activist and this campaign school comes to your town, please don't miss it.

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Are they really evil or simply wrong?

The battles are not over, but the march toward the government obtaining absolute control over every aspect of the American economy continues unabated. Following the government seizing the power to dictate the compensation of employees of banks, gaining a major ownership interest in General Motors, and effectively nationalizing the 1/6th of the economy which is health care, now the government has extended its authority to regulate virtually any company that engages in financial activity. Financial activity is so broadly defined that it includes almost every company in America. The "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010" is the latest measure the Democrats have passed to seize power. To read more of how this act transfers unprecedented and virtually unlimited power from the private sector to the government read the story.

The government does not actually have to own the means of production to exercise control over the means of production. Looking over every producers shoulder and telling him what he may and may not do, will be a bureaucrat. The next major power grab, unless it can be stopped, will be passage of a cap and trade bill which will let the government pick winners and losers in virtually every industry that consumes or produces energy. The portion of the private sector that is really private is shrinking by the day.

I am not one to normally use alarmist language but I am alarmed. I do not normally engage in doom and gloom but I am feeling gloomy. I have always thought that there was an ebb and flow to politics. I have always thought that we could correct things come the next election. I have even been known to argue that America was a centrist nation and that despite our periods of partisanship that in reality change was a matter of degree and was seldom radical. I have thought that in reality there was not much difference between Democrats and Republicans and I did not think that that was a bad thing. I thought most elected officials of either party were for the most part pragmatic people seeking to solve problems. To use a football analogy, I have said we are all playing within the 45 yard lines. I have argued that while we may be partisan at times, we are not ideological. I have assumed that despite disagreement over specific issues, that there was general agreement that government should be limited, that a market economy was generally preferable to socialism and that personal responsibility, individual initiative, and an entrepreneurial spirit were virtues and shared values.

I am not so sure any more. The only thing that may have kept us from going off the deep end all along was a divided government and balance of power. Those with a different set of values may have been waiting for this opportunity to remake America all of their lives. I may have only thought there was a set of shared values in this land. For the first time in my lifetime, I fear for our country. I am afraid that with the government exercise of such enormous control over the economy, combined with our enormous national debt which is unsustainable, that our days as a free and prosperous and great nation may very well be numbered. I am afraid that the days of American exceptionalism are over. I fear we will become a nation so burdened by debt and bureaucracy that wealth creation will be virtually impossible and that the American people will become a people that continually look to government to redivide a constantly shrinking pie.

We have let the government gain such control that we will gradually surrender the last vestiges of our freedom without a whimper. We have traded our freedom for a bowl of porridge and a feel-good dose of hope.

Not only do I feel gloomy because I see our nation slipping away, but I feel the partisan divide is slipping into downright hostility and a deep division that may not heal. I have had occasion to feel the sting of anger and bitter righteous indignation from those who thinks that because I oppose the recently passed health care reform that I am selfish and hard-hearted and they wonder how I can be on the side that wants to deny health insurance to those without it. Those who passionately fought for and hoped for Obamacare, do not see those of us on this side as also wanting what is best for the individual and for our nation. They do not recognize that we think we have superior ideas for reforming health care; they simply see us as evil.

I feel saddened by this. Yet, the truth is that I feel much the same way toward them and I don't like it. I feel anger toward those who are supporting the destruction of our freedom and the qualities that have made America unique. I am angry that they are destroying our system of free enterprise and taking our liberties. I tell myself that they are not really evil but simply wrong. I have to keep telling myself that because sometimes I feel that what they are doing to this country that I love is pure evil.

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