Big Dogs Weblog

How To Abuse Power (Liberal Version)

by Blake on Sep 24, 2009 at 09:34 Political

In the urge to assume total control of the people and reduce our freedom- loving population to serfdom, while the Bi- coastal “Elites” keep on living their hypocritical lifestyle, complete with their Gulfstream jets, and entourage of SUVs on their way to some red carpet event, the government is seeking to quash any semblance of freedom of speech, because that “freedom” might actually adhere to constitutional law.

In order to cram their bastardized version of “Healthcare” down our throats, Max Baucus and the HHS Secretary Sebelius have throttled the Insurance companies- forbidding them from telling their clients that there will be, under Obama’s plan, drastic cuts in the Medicare Advantage plan, and this might cut some procedures and treatments from their plan- not a good thing if you are a senior.

But somehow, AARP has been granted an exemption- curious, huh? Perhaps it is to buy their support for this betrayal of their members- betrayal is expensive, huh?

“This is American — citizens, either as individuals or grouped together in companies, have a fundamental right – a fundamental right – to talk about legislation they favor or oppose in this country,” Mr. McConnell added. “This is the core of the First Amendment’s protection of speech.”

Mr. McConnell also challenged Democrats to explain how Humana’s advocacy around the health care issue was any different than The Washington Post or The New York Times lobbying Congress in favor of a law shielding reporters from prosecution or contempt of court citations for refusing to disclose confidential sources.

“Using the full weight of the federal government’s enforcement powers to stifle free speech should trouble all Americans and all of us even more,” Mr. McConnell told his Senate colleagues.

prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com

The cat’s out of the bag now- that is, if there are any seniors who still read these leftist rags that pass for news organizations these days- the gag order, it would seem, is moot- but the government keeps on plugging on in auto mode.

“This is so clearly an outrage,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “For explaining to seniors how legislation might affect them, the federal government has now issued a gag order on that company, and any other company that communicates with clients on the issue, telling them to shut up — or else.

“This is precisely the kind of thing Americans are worried about with the administration’s health care plan. They’re worried that government agencies which were created to enforce violations even-handedly will instead be used against those who voice a different point of view,” he said.

The investigation was first suggested by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, whose committee has jurisdiction over Medicare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — which officiates over the Medicare program for seniors and Medicare Advantage options — ordered a “cease and desist” order on all of Humana’s health care mailings until the investigation is concluded.

foxnews.com

Yes, Virginia, Liberals are being punitive to anyone who gets in their way- talk about abuses of power- they really push the envelope, and if they aren’t careful, they will overreach. The Supreme Court has ruled in the past that Corporations are “people” in the eyes of the law, thusly entitled to freedom of speech, which cannot be muzzled by the government. Indeed, these companies have a duty to inform their customers of anything that might adversely affect their relationship with their customers.  And yet, here we are, with the government acting like Chicago union goons. What a pitiful vision they have for our country.

Proposed health reform legislation would sharply reduce funding for Medicare Advantage plans, and the insurance industry has been battling to prevent that from happening. The bill unveiled last week by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, would directly cut payments to Medicare Advantage plans by an estimated $123 billion over 10 years, and it would indirectly reduce funding for those plans by another $15.6 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The big insurer Humana triggered the HHS crackdown with a letter to Medicare enrollees claiming that health reform proposals could hurt “millions of seniors and disabled individuals” who “could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare Advantage plans so valuable.” The letter was sent in envelopes marked “important information about your Medicare Advantage plan — open today!”

washingtonpost.com

The fascist state is beginning- the gagging shall commence- it doesn’t matter to these dregs of humanity that what they are doing is unconstitutional, they just continue to do this as if there was no such thing to prohibit them, even other parts of the government. The Congressional Budget Office has backed up the assertions of Humana, where they said there would be drastic cuts in the benefits if the Baucus plan passed in the Senate.

Obama has insisted that despite planned cuts to Medicare providers, seniors would not see their benefits reduced under a health care overhaul. But CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf contradicted that Tuesday under questioning by Finance Committee Republicans, saying seniors in the private Medicare Advantage plans could see reduced benefits under Baucus’ legislation. Proposed changes “would reduce the extra benefits that would be made available to beneficiaries through Medicare Advantage plans,” Elmendorf said.

Humana spokesman Jim Turner said Wednesday that the company is cooperating with CMS in its investigation. But, Turner added, “We also believe Medicare Advantage members deserve to know the impact that funding cuts of the magnitude being discussed would have on benefits and premiums.”

A Republican aide told FOXNews.com that the investigation is a clear breach of First Amendment rights and said the Republican leader is asking the CMS to provide legal justification for its investigation. The aide said CMS’s investigation follows a pattern of intimidation put forth by the administration for any kind of dissent in the health care debate.

foxnews.com

Yes, it is true- they are clearly ignoring the Constitution, and indeed have been for some time, in several key areas- our freedoms have been and are continuing to be curtailed- this Medicare Advantage dustup is just the latest manifestation of their contempt for the Constitution and their equal contempt for the people they are supposed to govern.

This struggle here is all about power, nothing else- it is about the direction of our country, and the treatment of our citizens. The Liberal Progressives really do not care about our citizens, this is becoming plain to see, as they increasingly tighten their grip, and figure they do not have to act like they care anymore.

Take a real good look at our future with these POSs- is this the change you envisioned? Less of everything? Less opportunity, less money, less healthcare? Because this is the truth here- there is only so much butter for the bread here- instead of getting more butter, they just want to spread it thinner and thinner, until there is just the scent of butter, and little else. That is the “Progressive” way.

Oh, the “elites” will still have plenty of butter- they will justify that their having the butter is “essential” to running the government well- and the Hollywood types will justify their butter because they entertain, and well, they are just so damn handsome that they should have the butter.

Not so much for us- we have to get used to less.

Somehow, this doesn’t seem right to me.

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Tags: free speech, hypocrisy, lies, medicare advantage, Obama