The Right to Fair Representation by Julie Ranson

This blog was created to examine the citizen’s place in our American republic, including our responsibilities and rights. Of late, we’ve been looking at our individual rights, so here’s another one. We have a right to fair representation in Washington DC. "A representative government [is] a government in which the will of the people will be an effective ingredient." (Jefferson, 1816) Yet imagine what they’ve been up to in just the past week!

1)Approved “activist” David Hamilton to 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Hamilton has a pretty clear leftist political record and was rated 'not qualified' by the ABA when President Clinton nominated him to the federal bench because his experience at that time was almost purely political, as opposed to legal and judicial. We need to read his decisions carefully to make definitive pronouncements, but it's clear that at least some of his work on the bench demonstrates his willingness to embrace judicial activism.
Here's the Roll call vote

2) Started to spin the Senate HealthCare bill. Yes! They are covering more people and saving money to boot. It’s a daggone miracle…. or sleight of hand, depending on your grasp of reality and basic logic. As my 17-year old daughter just asked, “If more than half of the country is against this, how can Washington vote for it?” Hmmmm, not a bad question from my Patrick-Henry-esque teenager.

Did you know:
 that the Senate bill begins to raise revenue (penalties and taxes) in 2010, but does not initiate the coverage provisions until 2014?
 that the Senate bill (like the House bill) offsets costs with “cuts” and “savings” that will never be enforced?
 that certain expensive healthcare changes have been removed from both bills because they cost too much? They are now in separate bills which will increase the deficit if passed because they cannot be paid for.
 that the Senate bill covers abortions?
 that the Senate bill will raise taxes by $370 B over ten years.
 that healthcare expenditures will rise, not go down as promised.
 that millions will lose their employer provided insurance under the proposed plans.
 that 8.5 million seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage coverage (and then be forced to buy AARP's cash cow of medi-gap insurance; hence, AARP’s endorsement)

3) Obama admits he is taking on unpopular actions, but that’s just because he cares about what HE THINKS is right for the country.

4) Another Treasury nominee has tax problems. Is it, like, a pre-requisite?

5) Senator Leahy pooh-pooh’s the need to interrogate bin Laden if he’s captured. Well, he’s just a common criminal anyway, right?

More Washington foolishness! Is it any wonder stock prices for poster board firms are climbing?