“New deficit projections pose risks to Obama’s agenda”
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s domestic policy proposals will face the reality of skyrocketing deficits on Tuesday when officials release two government reports projecting huge budget shortfalls over the next decade.
The White House budget office and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan arm of Congress, release updated economic forecasts and deficit estimates on Tuesday, providing further fiscal fodder to opponents of Obama’s nearly $1 trillion healthcare overhaul plan.
Many of the figures are already known.
The White House has confirmed that its deficit estimate for the 2009 fiscal year, which ends September 30, will inch down to $1.58 trillion from $1.84 trillion after eliminating billions of dollars originally set aside for bank rescues.
Looking forward, an administration official told Reuters the 10-year budget deficit projection will jump by about $2 trillion to roughly $9 trillion from an original forecast of $7.1 trillion.”
“Many economists think it is unlikely that the government can curtail spending, which means taxes would have to rise to cover the increasing costs of providing retirement benefits and healthcare to older people. That could slow economic growth.
Stanford University economics professor John Taylor, an influential economist, told Reuters Television on Friday the U.S. budget deficit poses a greater risk to the financial system than the collapse in commercial real estate prices.”
The Trent Franks town hall meeting on Saturday, August 22, 2009, in Kingman, AZ is stirring up a lot of controversy. According to the Mojave Daily News, Franks was reported as saying:
“Franks said there was not enough evidence that Obama is not an American citizen. He did say there was a lot of conflicting evidence of Obama’s citizenship and that he was considering filing a lawsuit, the only congressman to do so. Franks asked why the president did not simply produce a birth certificate.””
The Citizen Wells blog has reported on the town hall meeting as well as further comments coming from representative Franks office.
A comment was posted by a citizen from AZ:
“I have emailed Rep Franks several times,…. and He has responded to me each time….by email and also snail mail letter. Pretty much saying that obama has been vetted and all is in order. MAYBE we should email him some info to WAKE UP his mind a little bit. You prepare what you want and I will make sure he gets it. I will email it and I will also send him a certified letter. WHAT do you think? (I also emailed Sen Mccain,…. but never received any response at all)”
Today we received this comment from travelbugs:
“I just got off the phone with Congressman Franks office. He said that he did not say he would pursue a lawsuit, but rather that he would pursue looking into this. I also explained that it is much more than the long form birth certificate. I further stated that he had to simultaneously ask for the college records and passport records to be opened up to fully understand the depth of this. The staffer said they have been flooded by calls today about the birth issue and he took my message down, in great detail, and promised to pass it along to the Congressman. Everyone needs to call and relay this same information. He can get a fake birth certificate, but he cannot forge the passport and college records as well. These elements are critical to bringing about the truth!”
Politico is now reporting the following:
“Franks in July: Obama ‘born in Hawaii'”
“A month before Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) told a town hall audience that there is not enough evidence that President Barack Obama is a natural-born citizen, he told an interviewer that he believes Obama was “born in Hawaii.”
According to the Mohave Daily News, on Sunday, Franks told a town hall audience in Kingman, Ariz., that there is conflicting evidence as to whether the president was born in the United States. According to the report, the Republican congressman called on Obama to produce his birth certificate and threatened to sue the president over the issue.
But in July, when a camera crew from the liberal blog FireDogLake approached Franks to ask if he believed the so-called birthers, who dispute whether Obama was born in the United States and would therefore be ineligible to serve as president, Franks made his anti-birther position pretty clear.
“I believe Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, stayed within the United States and, therefore, is a constitutionally natural-born citizen of this country,” Franks told the blog’s Mike Stark.”
I, Citizen Wells, today, August 24, 2009, submitted a request to meet with Trent Franks. I will keep you informed of what comes of this.
So, representative Trent Franks, what is your position on Obama’s eligibility and not presenting a legitimate birth certificate? Your constituents and the American public want to know.
Yesterday, the Citizen Wells blog presented an article about a town hall meeting hosted by representative Trent Franks of Arizona. Here are some exerpts:
“The other main issue dealt with numerous speakers questioning Obama’s birth certificate and why there wasn’t an investigation into whether he is a naturalized citizen. One woman said a newspaper announcement of his birth in Hawaii was not sufficient. Another asked how he could have a passport without a birth certificate.
Franks said there was not enough evidence that Obama is not an American citizen. He did say there was a lot of conflicting evidence of Obama’s citizenship and that he was considering filing a lawsuit, the only congressman to do so. Franks asked why the president did not simply produce a birth certificate.”
A comment was posted by a citizen from AZ:
“I have emailed Rep Franks several times,…. and He has responded to me each time….by email and also snail mail letter. Pretty much saying that obama has been vetted and all is in order. MAYBE we should email him some info to WAKE UP his mind a little bit. You prepare what you want and I will make sure he gets it. I will email it and I will also send him a certified letter. WHAT do you think? (I also emailed Sen Mccain,…. but never received any response at all)”
“I just got off the phone with Congressman Franks office. He said that he did not say he would pursue a lawsuit, but rather that he would pursue looking into this. I also explained that it is much more than the long form birth certificate. I further stated that he had to simultaneously ask for the college records and passport records to be opened up to fully understand the depth of this. The staffer said they have been flooded by calls today about the birth issue and he took my message down, in great detail, and promised to pass it along to the Congressman. Everyone needs to call and relay this same information. He can get a fake birth certificate, but he cannot forge the passport and college records as well. These elements are critical to bringing about the truth!”
I, Citizen Wells, today, August 24, 2009, submitted a request to meet with Trent Franks. I will keep you informed of what comes of this.
Here is a notice of the next town hall meeting hosted by representative Franks. It was taken from his website:
“UPCOMING TOWN HALLS
Questions? Comments?
Join me for a Town Hall meeting near you:
Aug 25: Maricopa County hide
Time:
5:00 – Congressman Franks will host a screening of “33 Minutes,” a half hour film about America’s missile defense in a new missile age.
6:00 – Congressman Franks’ opening remarks, town hall question & answer session
Location:
Community Church of Joy
21000 N. 75th Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85308
(Located just north of Loop 101 on the west side of 75th Avenue. Meeting will be help in the worship center, in the main sanctuary.)
In August and September, Health Care for America Now and our partners are making sure Congress hears from voters all across the country. Join us. Host a house party. Plan a rally. Visit your Members of Congress’ town hall meetings. Rally. Make your voice heard. Take action. Pass health care reform.
Don’t let the Obama controlled organizations keep you from voicing your concerns.
US representative Trent Franks of Arizona, conducted a Town hall meeting, Saturday, August 22, 2009, in Kingman, AZ. Health care reform, national defense and illegal aliens and even fraudulent ACORN were discussed. However, what was most interesting about Trent Franks’ comments was his questioning Obama on not producing a birth certificate and indicating he may initiate a lawsuit. I am not certain if representative Franks really understands the eligibility issues, but at least he understands that there may be a problem.
Here are three action items for us to address:
1. Make certain that Trent Franks understands the serious eligibility issues surrounding Obama as well as his complete hiding of his past.
2. Encourage Trent Franks to initiate a lawsuit and provide data and resources.
3. Let Trent Franks know that we will support his efforts to represent the American people and uphold the US Constitution.
Here are some exerpts from the Mojave Daily News:
“Franks goes on the attack
Sunday, August 23, 2009 12:01 AM CDT
PACKED HOUSE: U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, from Arizona’s 2nd District, held a town hall meeting Saturday in Kingman discussing issues ranging from health care reform to President Barack Obama’s citizenship. JIM SECKLER/The Daily News
Congressman critical of Obama’s policies”
“KINGMAN – A big, boisterous crowd largely supported an Arizona Congressman, who lambasted the Democratic president and his policies.
Rep. Trent Franks, a Republican representing Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District that includes Mohave County, held a town hall meeting Saturday afternoon at a jammed-packed Kingman church.
Franks started the town hall off by showing a half-hour video on the country’s missile defense system. The movie warned of threats of a missile attack by rogue nations such as North Korea and Iran and the need to protect the country with a missile defense shield.
Franks then criticized President Barack Obama on every issue starting with the president’s lack of understanding of the threat by terrorists to launch an attack against the United States. The conservative Republican also said he voted against the federal stimulus bill and the Cash for Clunkers program, which he said benefited foreign car makers. He also said it would take 34,000 years to pay off the debt that Obama is accruing.”
“The other main issue dealt with numerous speakers questioning Obama’s birth certificate and why there wasn’t an investigation into whether he is a naturalized citizen. One woman said a newspaper announcement of his birth in Hawaii was not sufficient. Another asked how he could have a passport without a birth certificate.
Franks said there was not enough evidence that Obama is not an American citizen. He did say there was a lot of conflicting evidence of Obama’s citizenship and that he was considering filing a lawsuit, the only congressman to do so. Franks asked why the president did not simply produce a birth certificate.”
“Franks also called Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now fraudulent and said it should be investigated by the U.S. Attorney General. He also said the organization was committed to hurting the country and blamed the organization for requiring sub-prime loans that led to the country’s economic downturn.”
I am not certain if the people were quoted correctly or not regarding the use of the words “citizen” and “naturalized citizen.”
We must make certain that Representative Franks understands the difference.
**** UPDATE ****
I just received this from a AZ citizen:
“I have emailed Rep Franks several times,…. and He has responded to me each time….by email and also snail mail letter. Pretty much saying that obama has been vetted and all is in order. MAYBE we should email him some info to WAKE UP his mind a little bit. You prepare what you want and I will make sure he gets it. I will email it and I will also send him a certified letter. WHAT do you think? (I also emailed Sen Mccain,…. but never received any response at all)”
I certainly hope that Trent Franks did not utter words to placate his audience.
Obama recently made a deal with the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers Association, PhRMA. That will come as no surprise to you. However, this story was covered by the Huffington Post and CNN. That may surprise you.
From The Huffington Post, August 13, 2009:
“Internal Memo Confirms Big Giveaways In White House Deal With Big Pharma
A memo obtained by the Huffington Post confirms that the White House and the pharmaceutical lobby secretly agreed to precisely the sort of wide-ranging deal that both parties have been denying over the past week.
The memo, which according to a knowledgeable health care lobbyist was prepared by a person directly involved in the negotiations, lists exactly what the White House gave up, and what it got in return.
It says the White House agreed to oppose any congressional efforts to use the government’s leverage to bargain for lower drug prices or import drugs from Canada — and also agreed not to pursue Medicare rebates or shift some drugs from Medicare Part B to Medicare Part D, which would cost Big Pharma billions in reduced reimbursements.
In exchange, the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA) agreed to cut $80 billion in projected costs to taxpayers and senior citizens over ten years. Or, as the memo says: “Commitment of up to $80 billion, but not more than $80 billion.”
Representatives from both the White House and PhRMA, shown the outline, adamantly denied that it reflected reality. PhRMA senior vice president Ken Johnson said that the outline “is simply not accurate.” “This memo isn’t accurate and does not reflect the agreement with the drug companies,” said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin.
Stories in the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times last week indicated that the administration was confirming that such a deal had been made.
Critics on Capitol Hill and online responded with outrage at the reports that Obama had gone behind their backs and sold the reform movement short. Furthermore, the deal seemed to be a betrayal of several promises made by then-Sen. Obama during the presidential campaign, among them that he would use the power of government to drive down the costs of drugs to Medicare and that negotiations would be conducted in the open.”
“The deal, as outlined in the memo:
Commitment of up to $80 billion, but not more than $80 billion.
1. Agree to increase of Medicaid rebate from 15.1 – 23.1% ($34 billion)
2. Agree to get FOBs done (but no agreement on details — express disagreement on data exclusivity which both sides say
does not affect the score of the legislation.) ($9 billion)
3. Sell drugs to patients in the donut hole at 50% discount ($25 billion)
This totals $68 billion
4. Companies will be assessed a tax or fee that will score at $12 billion. There was no agreement as to how or on what
this tax/fee will be based.
Total: $80 billion
In exchange for these items, the White House agreed to:
Marine Veteran David William Hedrick, lets congressman Brian Baird have it at a town hall meeting in Clark County Washington, on August 18, 2009. Watch this great video:
“I, David William Hedrick, a member of the silent majority, decided that I was not going to be silent anymore. So, I let U.S. Congressman Brian Baird have it. I was one questioner out of 38, that was called at random from an audience that started at 3,000 earlier in the evening. Not expecting to be called on, I quickly scratched what I wanted to say on a borrowed piece of paper and with a pen that I borrowed from someone else in the audience minutes before I spoke. So much for the planned talking points of the right wing conspiracy.”
I was fortunate to be in Wilmington, NC today, Saturday, August 22, 2009 and honored to speak with a group assembled for a tea party to protest government run health care, socialism and abuse of the US Constitution.
From the Youtube video I just posted:
“I was fortunate to be in Wilmington, NC at the right moment to film a Tea Party protest
of the government health care plan, socialism and big government in general.
These were friendly, average Americans that were not paid to be there and were not
bussed in. I was honored to be there and speak with these fine Americans.
God bless them all.”
Here is another example of a so called town hall meeting regarding Obama’s health care bill. This one was in Orlando FL on August 17, 2009.
“Here’ the bottom line: It was stacked against the citizens of the 8th Congressional District. There were 126 seats in the room. They let in 31 people. The rest were stacked with people who were in a previous Democrat meeting. I was embarrassed to be in the room. I’m a Vietnam Veteran, there were World War II veterans in wheelchairs outside who didn’t get in. A lot of Democrats were allowed in, and a lot of pro-Grayson people allowed in the back door. It was (shaking head)… I was ashamed. We thought it was going to be a real Town Hall. It wasn’t. Ninety-five of 126 seats were already taken. Shame on him. Shame on him.
If the Democrats think they are going to benefit from behavior like this, they are going to be sadly mistaken come election day 2010.”
“comments:
Ashley, August 17, 2009 11:46 PM
I was outside this town hall, and I believe that it was definitely held under unfair circumstances.
Alan Grayson was able to hold a town hall meeting on short notice, and directly after a meeting (I heard it was a Union meeting, but I could be wrong) of local Democrats. Not to mention the fact that the building only had about 125 seats, in contrast to some 300,000 voters whom Alan Grayson represents.
This seems absolutely ridiculous to me. I can confirm the fact that only about 30 of the ‘regular people’ with tickets got let into the meeting. I watched a few selected people go in through back and side doors, and of course a few of the representatives of the media walk in through the parking lot.
The other few hundred of us were left to wait outside to see if there may be a chance of the door opening one more time to the public. This was supposedly a public meeting, and yet only 30 people from the group outside got let in. If you had been outside the building, you’d have seen that the majority of the people there were protesting the bill. Of course, there were those who were there to provide a counterargument for the protesters, but their numbers were scarce in comparison to the amount of people in opposition to the bill.
However, despite the fact that the protesters were the obvious majority of the attendees, I later read that the majority of the people inside the meeting were actually supporters of Rep. Grayson. How does that work out? The only answer I can think of is that Grayson and company “stacked the deck”, to put it in the words of a protester outside the meeting.
I’m only sixteen years old, but I think I can read enough into this to figure out that something’s not right.”
“The hastily-called meeting was held in a relatively small union hall which limited attendance to about 120 or so members of the public. But it was held just after a regular meeting of local Democrats, some of whom stayed behind for the town hall in the scarce seats.
Outside the union hall, a frustrated crowd of hundreds of people who could not get into the hall waved signs and chanted simultaneously for and against health care.
There were so many different chants that they were unintelligible. At one point, Andy Showen, 49, of Orlando, angry he couldn’t get in, pulled on a side door until police officers stopped him.
“You’re a real hero,” he told an officer. “You just stopped me from talking to my congressman.” ”
“Others were more frustrated.
“I’ve given up,” said Carmen Simeone, a 60-year old general contractor, who opted just to protest outside. “I understand what’s going on. He’s stacked the deck.””
“Alan Grayson Town Hall Meeting – Orlando, FL – 8.17.09
This is video I shot at Congressman Alan Grayson’s Town Hall Meeting in Orlando, FL on 8/17/09. Mustering every bit of cowardice that he could, the Congressman announced the meeting just 24 hours before it was to take place. It was held at a Union Hall. The hall seats about 125 people. Just prior to the Town Hall meeting there was a Democrat meeting of some kind. Those in attendance remained for the Town Hall, thereby leaving room for only 30 or so other people who had come to attend. So, the room was stacked heavily. Listen to a Vietnam Vet (one of those who got in) describe it.
The mainstream media is reporting that Grayson’s supporters outnumbered protesters, however this is is simply not true. My estimate is that about 20% of the people there were in support, the rest were in protest. Of course, inside the building things weighed in his favor, due to the aforementioned pre-loaded room.”
This Town Hall is a Joke
“Alan Grayson – TOWN HALL MEETING
Monday, August 17, 2009
7:45 P.M.
IBEW Local 606 Union Hall
820 Virginia Drive
Orlando, Florida 32803”
Congressman Alan Grayson will be added to our new Congress Watch efforts as we evaluate and monitor all in congress prior to the 2010 elections.
In another episode of “town hall meetings”, this time focusing the hate on insurance companies instead of the Jews in Nazi Germany or O’Brien in “1984” by George Orwell, modern day Big Brother, Obama, is utilizing the SEIU thugs as part of his Thought Police.
” Obama Gets The Facts Wrong At Montana Town Hall And Adds To Misinformation
By Tom White, on August 15th, 2009, at 10:23 am”
President Obama says there is a lot of misinformation out there, and he is correct. Most of it is coming from his own mouth. In fact, he has so mangled the truth that most experts say his credibility on Health Care is shot. During Friday’s Town Hall meeting in Belgrade, Montana Obama proved by his numerous misstatements and assertions that he is the leading cause of the confusion.
Many of the talking points Obama regurgitates at every opportunity have been completely debunked, yet he feels if he continues to repeat these over and over, they could somehow come true. Or more likely, believe his lies.
The Montana Town Hall was supposed to be one that did not allow the White House to cherry pick attendees. However, many against the Health Care plan arrived at 8:00 AM to get tickets, which were supposed to be distributed beginning at 9:00 AM, only to be told the tickets were all gone.”
“NewsMax reported:
“Something’s a little fishy here,” Jim Walters, eastern coordinator for Resistnet, a grass-roots organization affiliated with the Grassfire.org Alliance, told Newsmax prior to the event. “They weren’t supposed to start handing out tickets until 9 o’clock. I had people up here at 8, and the tickets were already gone.”
Walters estimated 1,000 people were gathered outside the airport near Bozeman, Mont., where the event was held. Walters told Newsmax that union members who arrived via bus from Chicago had initiated an altercation with town hall protesters.
He said he saw police making several arrests.
“I don’t understand that,” Walters said of the union response. “We’re here to have peaceful rallies.”
So much for Grassroots. Bus loads of Union thugs are now the new norm at Obama Town Halls. Strange how these out of towners all managed to get tickets. I guess the Brown Shirts have priority over the common folk.
Obama specifically asked for someone who was “skeptical” of the reform plan. The person asking the question was an insurance salesman, and he asked why the president is trying to “vilify” health insurance companies. “My intent is not to vilify the insurance companies,” Obama said. “We want to make sure the practices that are very tough on people, those practices change.”
But since Obama had opened the meeting saying, “We are held hostage … by health insurance companies”, this was simply another lie. A post on this Blog a few days ago shows that insurance company profits come from investments, not overcharging premiums. Many years the Insurance Companies would have lost money if the premiums were their only income.
Obama’s claims to use prevention to save money is an interesting, but false premise. Charles Krauthammer debunks this theory and says it will actually cost more in an article in the Washington Post.
Obama followed suit in his Tuesday New Hampshire town hall, touting prevention as amazingly dual-purpose: “It saves lives. It also saves money.””
“So, the bottom line is that President Obama is spreading lies and false accounting data. There is no savings in the plan and this plan, in the end, will waste more money, degrade our Health Care system, and prove to be an absolute failure that will ruin our country.”
“SASKATOON–The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canada’s health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it.
Dr. Anne Doig says patients are getting less than optimal care, and she adds that physicians from across the country – who will gather in Saskatoon today for their annual meeting – recognize that changes must be made.
“We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,” Doig told The Canadian Press.
“We know that there must be change,” she said. “We’re all running flat out, we’re all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands.”
The pitch for change at the conference is to start with a presentation from Dr. Robert Ouellet, the current president of the CMA, who has said there’s a critical need to make Canada’s health-care system patient-centred. He will present details from his fact-finding trip to Europe in January, where he met with health groups in England, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and France.
His thoughts on the issue are already clear. Ouellet has been saying since his return that “a health-care revolution has passed us by,” that it’s possible to make wait lists disappear while maintaining universal coverage and “that competition should be welcomed, not feared.”
In other words, Ouellet believes there could be a role for private health-care delivery within the public system.”
Citizen WElls 