"Sarah Palin & Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stand Up for Special Needs"

On Tuesday, August 11, 2009, Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away. She is not known simply for being the sister of John F. Kennedy and mother of Maria Shriver, wife of Arnold Swartzenegger. She is also known and celebrated as one who demonstrated a deep commitment to our special needs community by helping to found the Special Olympics. How ironic it is that we would lay Mrs. Shriver to rest at such a crucial time in our nation when we are debating health care and the value of human life--a woman who offered opportunity and competition to those with special needs. May her commitment to them speak to us now and challenge us to have the same respect for all life.

I expected Sarah Palin to have a comment about the passing of Mrs. Shriver, and of course, being the class act that she is, she did offer her condolences on her Facebook page:

Our Condolences on the Passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Tuesday at 7:37 pm

On behalf of the Palin family, we are saddened by the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Her passionate dedication to improving the lives of so many people created new opportunities and hope around the world, including for our precious miracle, Trig.

With sympathy to the Kennedy and Shriver families,

Sarah Palin

In honor of our special needs community, I am reposting three things that I posted in earlier months. The first one is a video of Sarah Palin expressing how grateful she is that her son Trig, who has Down Syndrome, will be able to enjoy sports and competition, thanks to Special Olympics. The second video is a portion of Sarah's speech at the Vanderburgh County Right to Life Banquet where she discusses the range of emotions she encountered upon learning Trig would be born with special needs. In this video she also shares the joy that filled her heart the second he was born. Finally, I have included an article I wrote called, "Sarah and Little Trig Palin Come to my Classroom." In it I share how Trig's story transformed my lesson and opened the door for my students to share their hearts in a special, transparent way. In fact, Trig actually changed my complete outlook and approach to teaching a novel I had taught for many years.

I am so grateful for Eunice Kennedy Shriver for her contribution to our special needs community. And I thank God for Sarah Palin who continues to be a voice of appreciation and respect for all human life. Whether the unborn, children with special needs, or the elderly in need of health care, Sarah Palin understands, as she said on the campaign trail, "I believe the truest measure of any society is how it treats those who are least able to defend and speak for themselves."

Sarah and Little Trig Palin Come to My Classroom

I teach 7th grade English Language Arts, and I had the most amazing experience Tuesday in my classes. We are about to begin a novel, one that I have done with my classes just about each of the 13 years that I've been teaching. The class participated in an introductory activity, followed by an intense discussion. I had never before done this particular activity to start this book, but the most powerful aspect of it was inspired by Sarah Palin and the story of her son Trig, who has Down Syndrome.

It was Trig's story that led me to include the topic of special needs individuals, and their place in the world, in the conversation. Although the subject is relevant to the upcoming novel, had I never learned about Trig, I would have never even considered bringing up the issue of special needs. It would have never even crossed my mind, as it never has in the past. I'm so grateful that she came on the scene with Trig's story on her lips and in her heart because this particular issue broke something open in my classroom--and in me. What Trig's life did for my class was something I will not soon forget. I learned more than my students did Tuesday.

As I simply facilitated the discussion and allowed the kids to express themselves, I listened to students who clearly have an understanding of the sanctity of every single life. They poured out their hearts as they spoke compassionately about what people with special needs contribute to our lives. They lovingly mentioned family members who have physical or developmental challenges whom they "can't even imagine living without." In one class, a student said we need special needs people in the world because they help us. Now there's something you don't hear often. In fact, we usually think about how much we have to help them. But this 7th grader's vision is sharper than most, for he went on to express how much richer they make our lives, how they help us see things differently. I then told them that about 90% of Down Syndrome pregnancies, for example, end in abortion--and silence followed.

My heart was full that day, and I was so proud. With all the talk about abortion, and embryonic stem cell research, and people shooting people up; with all that we've lost as a society in terms of how we view one another, make fun of one another, and dispense so easily of one another; with the sad realization that our so-called progressive attitudes have come at the expense of the innocence of our children, I was privileged to listen to teenagers defend the value of the vulnerable, unapologetically profess the blessing these individuals are, and unashamedly announce the joy they bring to our lives--just the way they are. I think of this, and I am so very glad to do what I do: spend my days with children who seem to know a heck of a lot more than adults about compassion, love, and life.

I thank Sarah Palin for being woman enough not to add to the horrible statistic of Down Syndrome abortions, for trusting God enough to give birth to her promise, and for sharing his story with the world. Sometimes we just don't know what our seemingly small experience can possibly do for the world. But this story--Trig's story--changed this teacher's perspective, her lesson plan, and most of all, her heart.

From www.motivationtruth.com by Adrienne Ross

Oh My....Barack Obama Caught Astroturfing!

My oh my. Obama and the democrats have just been hoisted by their own petard!

This is really and truly delicious. If you saw Barack Obama’s totally staged townhall meeting in Portsmouth, NH, you saw something right out of central casting. I mean that was some serious stagecraft.

We’ve all seen the many highly contentious townhall meetings on TV, and you simply don’t see a quiet, gentle, supportive crowd. It just ain’t happening!

What you do see are some angry middle aged and senior citizens who are not taking this lying down! You see people who have never done anything political in their lives who have become activists!

So this precious moment during Obama’s campaign stop just didn’t pass the smell test. The second person "randomly selected" to ask the Dear Leader a question was young Julie Hall. She asks her question at 29m:25s into the video.

You can watch the video here.

Julia read the following question off a piece of paper: "As I was walking in I saw a lot of signs outside saying mean things about reforming healthcare. How do kids know what is true and why do people want a new system that can help more of us".

Yeah, that was totally spontaneous.

Of course those "mean things" were on posters being held by angry Americans who weren’t allowed under the big tent to participate. No dissent allowed in Hopey Changey Land!

Of course, this "totally unrehearsed and random comment" gave Obama a perfect lead in to talk about Sarah Palin’s brilliant "death panel" comment that has all of the democrats scrambling, as well as talking about not killing grandma off. And of course, blame it all on the Republicans (who don’t have enough votes to stop anything.)

The fact that there will be, in fact, defacto "death panels" has been discussed everywhere, so we’ll let that be for now.

The important thing here to know is who sweet little Julie Hall is. You would think in this day and age if someone is going to go out and pretend to be just some civilian off the street, they’d either delete their Facebook account, or radically change it up. But we are dealing with liberals here, not exactly brain surgeons.

As you see from the photos here, and a screen shot of the video, Julie’s mother is democrat insider Kathleen Manning Hall seen posing and smiling with our fearless leader, Barack Obama!

Even more interesting is the fact that this randomly chosen young Julie, lives in Malden, MA, as does Kathleen.

Coincidence?

Kathleen Manning Hall's campaign contributions list the occupation "Legal Asst, Looney and Grossman LLP" and a home address in Malden MA:

Looks like she donated $636 to Obama in 2008.

But wait, there's more:

This lists donations to Obama of $230 on 6/15/07, $250 on 9/28/07, $500 on 9/30/07, $300 on 3/2/08

On that link we have the $636 previously mentioned from "Kathleen Manning Hall" but we also have $1355 donated to Obama by "Kathleen Hall, Legal Assistant, Looney & Grossman" at the same address.

Looney and Grossman loves Democrats - their employees donated $12,101 in total to Democrats and $0 to Republicans.

Back to Kathleen's Facebook Page, here are some of her Facebook friends. A quick trip to Google will find out these friends are all big time Democratic insiders:

Martha Coakley, (Democrat) Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Adam Parkhomenko, former aide to Hillary Clinton, Democrat running for VA House of Delegates (who has the support of the Brady Campaign, President Clinton and Wes Clark)

Addisu Demissie, National Political Director of Organizing for America and former Ohio Get out The Vote director of Obama for America

Adrienne Elrod, Chief of Staff to Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA)

Alan Rosenblatt, Associate Director for Online Advocacy at the Center for American Progress (and Huffington Post blogger)

Alayna Van Tassel, Budget and Policy Director for MA Senator Pat Jehlen

So much for the "randomly picked" question.

This is as pathetic as it gets.

The democrat are crashing and burning on the health care issue. Scott Rasmussen’s latest poll has support for Obamacare at a new low and circling the drain.

Obama’s townhall was a rambling, incoherent mess. He told many whoppers, like the fact that AARP is supporting his plan. They have come out and said they are not, and did that long before Obama’s NH dog and pony show.

He also brought up the Post Office vs UPS and Fed Ex as a sales pitch for government run health care.

Seriously!

It was just a very bad day.

Photo of the audience at Portsmouth, NH townhall meeting:

What makes this delicious is all of the crowing the democrats, who invented political astroturfing, have been doing in regard to the real grass roots activism that millions of Americans are getting involved in.

Speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi first called all of this genuine anger astroturf back in April when all of the tea parties were in high gear as seen on the video here.

Madam Pelosi has continued her outright hatred towards the ordinary American people by pronouncing the townhall protesters astroturf too. A few days later Harry Reid and fellow slug Chuck Schumer chimed in a well. You have to wonder if they understand who their bosses are and who signs their paychecks!

And again, this from the group who invented political astroturfing!

Obama’s man, David Axelrod is the king of astroturf!

And Obama himself was a trainer of "thugs for hire" back in his ACORN days! And he had zero problem with calling out the union kneebreakers from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to beat up some unarmed American patriots who have attended townhalls to protest.

All of this disgraceful talk about honest Americans prompted AstroTurf Chairman Michael Dennis to come out and express his outrage that these sleazy democrats were using his product to attack the American people.

As if to double down on stupidity, a democrat party specialty, Nancy Pelosi dragged her number two man Steny Hoyer, along for a great little op-ed, where she called the patriotic men and women who oppose their insane communist plans "un-American!"

Amazingly, for 8 long years we heard these same loons lecture us that dissent was the truest form of patriotism. That speaking truth to power was cool. Now it’s a crime against the state!

For the most part, the American public has gotten decidedly tired of the democrats. The democrat party lies to the American people when the truth would work better.

It’s pathological!

They have to lie about everything they do because no one would ever elect them as dog catcher if they actually told the truth about what they were up to!

It’s time for all of America to join together. I mean ALL of America.

Barack Obama and the democrat party have declared war on all of us.

They have declared war on the American citizen.

They have flat decided that even though most of the nation wants them to stand down, stop spending our great grandkid’s future, and leave the best health care on earth alone, they are still going to go full steam ahead and build themselves a communist utopia anyhow!

I mean who really cares what the peasants think!

It’s really pretty pathetic though, when they have to bring out a sweet innocent girl like Julie Hall to shill for them!

I’d say that Barack Obama and the democrats should be ashamed of themselves, but that is a foreign concept to this pathetic bunch!

Sarah Palin's Position on Obamacare Has NOT Changed

True to their usual unscrupulous ways, the Dems and liberal media are trying to spin Sarah Palin’s call for civil discourse as a softening of her position on Obama’s healthcare bill, which she correctly labeled as “evil”. Far from being a change in position, it is a commonsense approach to prevent fear and anger about the Democrats’ push toward government-run healthcare from leading to behaviors that would "give the proponents of nationalized healthcare any reason to criticize us."

Not so. A closer look at her Facebook page shows that she posted a link to this poignant Youtube video the day after she posted her advice to Alaskans on how to conduct themselves at town hall meetings.

One detractor even posted a comment on Palin’s Facebook profile claiming that her healthcare statement had been taken down. Obviously, he didn’t click on the “See more notes” link at the bottom of her Notes page. Either that or he didn’t go to her Wall and click on “Filters,” then select “Just Sarah Palin.” If he had, he would have seen that Sarah posted her healthcare statement not once, but twice, and that both posts are still there. A link to the video of Michele Bachmann’s speech is in between, prefaced with this request:

Please read my statement on the health care debate, and watch this video of
Rep. Michele Bachmann's speech on the floor of the House of
Represenatives.

It is amazing to me to see the amount of hype and spin the libs are willing to use to smear and discredit Sarah Palin and even put words in her mouth. Or to quote Sarah, they simply “make things up”. Never in America has anything this dastardly happened on such a large scale. Even sadder is that so many unsuspecting citizens believe their drivel and are influenced by it.

Here is what Sarah Palin really said (emphasis is mine):

A Message to Alaskans about the Stimulus Veto and the
Health Care Town Halls

Sun at 10:33pm

Tomorrow begins an important week for Alaskans.

On Monday, state lawmakers will meet to override my veto of stimulus funds. As Governor, I did my utmost to warn our legislators that accepting stimulus funds will further tie Alaska to the federal government and chip away at Alaska’s right to chart its own course. Enforcing the federal building code requirements, which Governor Parnell and future governors will be forced to adopt in order to accept these energy funds, will eventually cost the state more than it receives. There are clear ropes attached, and Alaskans will soon find themselves tied down by codes hich will dictate how we build and renovate homes and businesses. The state has hundreds of millions of dollars already budgeted for conservation, weatherization and renewable energy evelopment. Legislators don’t need to play politics as usual and accept these funds and the ropes that come with them.

Also this week, Alaskans will join Senators Murkowski and Begich in town hall meetings to discuss the current health care legislation. There are many disturbing details in the current bill that Washington is trying to rush through Congress, but we must stick to a discussion of the issues and not get sidetracked by tactics that can be accused of leading to intimidation or harassment. Such tactics diminish our nation’s civil discourse which we need now more than ever because the fine print in this outrageous health care proposal must be understood clearly and not get lost in conscientious voters’ passion to want to make elected officials hear what we are saying. Let’s not give the proponents of nationalized health care any reason to criticize us.

- Sarah Palin

http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin#/note.php?note_id=114912353434&ref=mf

Sarah Palin's Official Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin

Ridiculous Leftist Arguments Against Gov. Palin's Health Care Position

Ridiculous Leftist Argument: "There is no death panel. She's a liar."

Governor Palin provided numerous references to support her statement on the existence of a death panel as proposed by this bill. Of course the bill does not use that term specifically, and some who like to play semantics have made hay over that. This is not about parsing words or the definition of what "is" is. The point is, the bill will result in bureaucrats making decisions as to who gets treated and how the patient gets treated.

Obama's health care bill would result in placing a price tag on the value of each person's life and treating according to who they believe would be the most productive members of society. That is tantamount to having a death panel and forms the basis of Governor Palin using that term.

Why do some people hate Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans? Because you have some bureaucrat insurance adjuster making treatment decisions. But, an HMO is a private entity. Some HMOs are better than others, and because they're market-driven, there is a limit to the ghastliness of their decision-making process. If you don't like being in an HMO, you can insure with a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), take a traditional indemnity plan, or some other form of health insurance. If you work at a job with benefits, most employers allow you to choose from multiple insurers, usually one of each major type.

With Obama's health care bill, the federal government is the HMO and it is perfectly clear from the sources Governor Palin referenced: their planning milieu discriminates against the elderly, the disabled and the very young, based on their relative worth to society.

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck....it's a duck. The panel of bureaucrats making life and death decisions based on a person's worth to society is in fact a death panel and had its origins in Nazi Germany.

See Governor Palin's extensive reference list here:

Governor Palin Provides References for Her Health Care Statement

See Obama in a video on the subject here with analysis by Adrienne Ross:

Woman at the Mercy of Obama's Death Panel

Ridiculous Leftist Argument: She retracted her death panel statement and called for civility!

Governor Palin retracted nothing and did not back down from her statement, or apologize in any way, shape or form for saying "death panel." Her position remains that Obama's health care proposal involves the formation of among other things: a death panel. There is nothing to apologize for, as there is more than sufficient evidence to support her use of the term. See above.

Her "call for civility" was an exhortation against using violence, intimidation, or harassment at town hall meetings and other public forums. Simply put, where ever you stand on the issue, you should be able to go to one of these events, speak your mind and not have the event turn into a slug-fest, or a room full of people yelling and no actual points being made.

She told those of us who love and support her to not initiate any violence at these events, and not do anything that could bring disgrace to our position.

None of what she said in her call for people to conduct themselves with some decorum at town hall meeting and public forum constitutes a retraction of or modification to her position on Obama's health care proposal.

Governor Palin has been consistent in advocating NON-violence in advancing political positions.

Ridiculous Leftist Argument: Begich addressed your concerns. Blog about that!

If you consider parsed words, double-speak and generic gobbledygook sufficient to address your concerns, what can we say? Our position at Accomplishments regarding Senator Begich vs. Governor Palin remains unchanged. She enunciated her position clearly and precisely. Unless you are illiterate, you know exactly what Governor Palin's position is on bill when you are finished reading the five paragraphs of her statement.

Sen. Begich's stated position is nebulous at best. Considering his prior record, we think it is fair to say he supports the bill and leave it at that.

Second -- this blog is about Governor Palin's Accomplishments, defending against smear attacks, and fund-raising for the Alaska Fund Trust and SarahPAC. What this blog does and who it is done for is crystal clear -- and in our logo.

If you think Sen. Begich or anyone else has sufficient accomplishments to warrant a blog, Google, WordPress and others will provide you with the same software and free service we use to promote Governor Palin's Accomplishments. Knock yourself out.

We stand With Governor Palin on Obama's health care bill...

PhotoShop Montage by Clifton Bazar

Woman at the Mercy of Obama's Death Panel

Watch the short video clip below, and tell me it doesn't hit you hard. Tell me your heart doesn't just break as you watch this concerned woman before a mere man--President Obama--to ask if he would find it in his heart to allow her mom medical care even at her late age. His response was that some people may be better off if they just take a pill! There is something completely sick about this. The words "God, bless America" are taking on a whole new meaning for us. It's no longer just a little phrase we utter out of habit. Now it's becoming the prayer it always should have been, rising up from the depths of our collective souls. God, please bless America.

America, we cannot give up our freedoms and rights in exchange for a date to sit imploringly before someone who holds our lives and the lives of our loved ones in his hands. Look, I don't care if you're a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, or absolutely nothing, you deserve better. Who is Obama that this woman should have to ask him if he would consider her mother's joy and spirit in his decision as to whether she can be given health care? Is he God?! The government has no right to make these kinds of decisions. America, you have got to keep standing up and speaking out. Congress, you have got to read the health care bill. We all need to read it. Otherwise, this is the just the beginning of a seriously diabolical time in our history. Some were outraged when Sarah Palin had the courage to call the proposed "death panel" by its true name: "evil." But you look at the video and tell me you don't agree.

From www.motivationtruth.com by Adrienne Ross

Page-By-Page Of Bill Gov Palin Is Correct: ObamaCare Is EVIL

I was able to get through 500 pages of the Health Care Bill and took many examples of the disaster Obama is attempting to force down our throats. Please print the list and bring it with you to any Town Hall meetings or similar gatherings. After reading this bill, I am sure of one thing Obama is EVIL.

Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!

Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed

Page 30: A Government committee will decide what treatments & benefits you get. This would be the “Death Panel” and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process.

Page 42: The “Health Choices Commissioner” will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.

Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free health care services.

Page 59: The Federal Government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electric funds transfer.

Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans such as SEIU, UAW and ACORN.

Page 72: All private health care plans must conform to government rules to participate in the Health care Exchange.

Page 84: All Private health care plans must participate in the Health care Exchange giving total government control of private plans.

Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens

Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care Plan

Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled, you have no choice in the matter.

Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No “judicial review” is permitted against the government monopoly. Simply put, private insurers will be crushed.

Page 127: The government will set doctors wages. The AMA sold doctors out!

Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.

Page 126: Employees MUST pay health care bills for part-time employees AND their families.

Page 149: Any Employer with a payroll of $400k or more, who does not offer a public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll

Page 150: Any Employer with a payroll of $250k - 400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll.

Page 167: Any individual who does not have acceptable health care (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).

Page 195: Offices and employees of the Government Health care Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.

Page 203: “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.” This is directly from the bill!

Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid, Seniors and the poor affected”

Page 241: Doctors: no matter what medical specialty, will all receive the same compensation!!!! You can thank the AMA.

Page 253: Government sets value of the doctor’s time, their professional judgement etc.

Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare companies and industries.

Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.

Page 272: Cancer patient treatment will be on a case by case depending on cost of treatment. As Governor Palin described: Death Panels.

Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the Government preventable re-admissions.

Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a re-admission, you will be penalized by the Government.

Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in Health care companies!!!!

Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without Government approval!!!

Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on “community” input: in other words, organizations like ACORN will have authority.

Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures. More Death Panels and rationing.

Page 341: Government has the authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs etc.

Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals. Trig and other children with Down Syndrome will be excluded or accepted according to Øbama’s Death Panel.

Page 379: The Tele-Health Advisory Committee will be established. Health Care by phone.

Page 425: Advance Care Planning: Counseling for Senior Citizens, assisted suicide and euthanasia. Scary and evil!

Page 425: Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.

Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient’s health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans from the Government.

Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatment you may have at end-of-life.

Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services will be made available: organizations such as ACORN.

Page 472: Payments will be provided to Community-based organizations (ACORN).

Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.

Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing services.

Sarah Palin vs. Senator Mark Begich on Health Care Debate

Senator Mark Begich (AK-D) has yet another opportunity to prove to the voters of Alaska that he is on their side. He had a chance to do so when he instead opted to vote for the non-stimulus package that would deepen the sea of debt America is swimming in. He had another chance to do so when he chose last week to vote to appoint to the Supreme Court a woman who does not support 2nd Amendment rights--rights that are so important to Alaska and Alaskans. Perhaps there's something in the water in Washington that causes some to forget that they are there to represent the people who sent them there. Yes, I know it's easy to forget in this day and age, but our senators are hired by their constituents to stand up and fight for them. It's not the other way around, believe it or not. Senator Begich now has another opportunity to do something right--and Alaskans, I know, are hoping he's up to the challenge.

The president's health care proposal is at the fore of everyone's mind right now, and now is not the time for our elected officials to play dumb or to be dumb, for that matter. It's time for them to know the facts, address the issues, and shoot straight from the hip. And Mark Begich will have the chance to do all of this when he appears at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce today, August 10th, to answer questions on health care reform.

So far, all that is on record from Begich is a Youtube video of his July 27th iTown Hall Meeting. His comments were unclear, to say the least. For example, read the following:

"If you got a doctor now, you got a medical professional that you want, you get to keep that. If you have an insurance program or health care policy you want of ideas, make sure you keep it-that you can keep who you want. That we keep that patient/doctor relationship very strong. Pre-existing conditions is a principle that must be in all health care reform. That no matter what pre-existing condition you have that you can be covered, and that you can have portability between employer to employer. Also strengthening our veterans as well as our Indian Health Services are also important. And the two other last pieces I'll mention is ensuring that prevention and wellness is a critical piece, and that the small business community also has the opportunity to receive access to affordable health care for not only their - themselves as entrepreneurs, but also their employees. It is clear by a data report we laid out recently that if we don't do this, especially around the business - the small business community, it is estimated over the next decade by doing nothing will be about a hundred billion cost to the small business community, which means we all pay for it one way or another."

My reaction each of the three times I read this was the same: What?!

I don't know about you, but I'm left with no clear understanding of what the senator is talking about. Look, now is not the time to talk around issues. It's certainly not the time to speak in generalities--or foreign languages. Americans are fearful about this new health care legislation that Congress is attempting to force upon them. They are worried about government once again interfering in their lives. It's bad enough when government seeks to take over the mortgage and car industries, but when they seek to push their way into life or death issues like health care, people are a little uncomfortable, to say the least--and they want real answers.

As Alaskans meet with Senator Begich later today, I am sure, among other things, they're going to want to ask him where he stands on rationed care; why the American people will be financing health care for illegal aliens; taxes being assessed those who choose not to switch to the government's health care--making it very difficult to afford to keep one's own health care provider, by the way; and the government's end of life decision-making power. They're going to want to know why the bill seeks to reduce physician services for seniors, low income people, and the poor; what gives the government health care administration the right to access all Americans' financial and personal records; and, no doubt, they will want to know if he, too, will be embracing this government health care for himself.

Senator Begich will have to do better than he did in the above statement if he wants Alaskans to be satisfied. See, they've already heard former Governor Sarah Palin's comments on health care. Her position is both loud and clear--and Begich needs to be able to handle the concerns that she expressed in her statement below:

As more Americans delve into the disturbing details of the nationalized health care plan that the current administration is rushing through Congress, our collective jaw is dropping, and we’re saying not just no, but hell no!

The Democrats promise that a government health care system will reduce the cost of health care, but as the economist Thomas Sowell has pointed out, government health care will not reduce the cost; it will simply refuse to pay the cost. And who will suffer the most when they ration care? The sick, the elderly, and the disabled, of course. The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.

Health care by definition involves life and death decisions. Human rights and human dignity must be at the center of any health care discussion.

Rep. Michele Bachmann highlighted the Orwellian thinking of the president’s health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of the White House chief of staff, in a floor speech to the House of Representatives. I commend her for being a voice for the most precious members of our society, our children and our seniors.

We must step up and engage in this most crucial debate. Nationalizing our health care system is a point of no return for government interference in the lives of its citizens. If we go down this path, there will be no turning back. Ronald Reagan once wrote, “Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.” Let’s stop and think and make our voices heard before it’s too late.

- Sarah Palin

Something I learned about Alaskans during my trip there recently: They are straight-forward, no-nonsense people, and they expect the same from their elected officials. Senator Begich will be wise to remember that before he votes on this health care bill.

From www.motivationtruth.com