I was just e-mailed info from the US Chamber of Commerce.

The vote will begin on Tuesday 9/29/09 for amendments and the 'public option'.



•• Click here to easily send your reps e-mails about their flawed takeover of the Health Care system. ••


I think what they say below is is a great summary from a business perspective about what's wrong with the takeover):

Tell Congress to Oppose Flawed Health Care Proposals:

The U.S. Chamber continues to support reforming the health system, specifically efforts to control costs and improve quality, reforms of insurance markets, and the creation of a streamlined, simplified marketplace to purchase insurance.

However, bills in both the House and Senate fail a simple litmus test for health reform legislation: in its current form these proposals do not improve the current situation; in fact, they will largely make it worse.

Tax increases to pay for a public plan, employer mandates, and minimum coverage will do more than devastate the private insurance industry--they could bankrupt our economy.

This type of health reform would bankrupt our government and leave tens of millions of Americans without the health care they deserve. Tell Congress to oppose the creation of a "public plan," burdensome employer mandates, and minimum coverage requirements.

Tip:
I really dislike the 'boilerplate' text they suggest on those sites to e-mail your Reps, so I always make it very personalized... and then hopefully it also looks a little less like a form letter..

What I wrote for the House version (Some of it's their wording, some mine... I like to ratchet it up from 'I oppose this in it's current form' to 'OR ANY form!'.....just FYI):

I strongly urge you to oppose H.R. 3200, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009" in its current or ANY form.

The small business surtax would devastate small businesses already struggling with a severe recession.

I strongly urge you to oppose ANY legislation that would enact a government-run, public health care plan. I do not want the federal government in any way inserted further into my health care.

If you are looking to work on a critical project, please make Medicare and Medicaid viable, stable programs that are not gushing losses & fraud, before we can even have a dialog about the Federal Government being involved in any other program.

Instead, I encourage Congress to allow positive reforms the insurance market and find ways to control costs.

Don't create legislation to insert more government bureaucracy into the system, work with business and Health Care professionals to free them to work better with Health Savings Accounts, competition across borders, etc.

This legislation will not address the nation's health cost explosion, will steeply hike taxes in an already precarious economic situation, will fail to lead to more affordable, accessible, quality health coverage, and will lead us toward government-run health care.

In short, it will make a bad situation worse, at great costs to the nation in jobs, taxes, and freedom.


I strongly urge you to oppose the "America's Affordable Health Choices Act."

People just learning about these issues often ask us how to figure out who their representatives are in Washington and how to contact them.

CitizenLink:
This is a web site that makes it very easy by your zip code or other info: CitizenLink

You can also research 'family friendly' legislation issues there.

US Chamber of Commerce:
If your interests are more business related, you can find the same resources to contact your elected representatives, along with key business issues from the US Chamber of Commerce

Very complete lists are kept HERE on WeSurroundRochester.com along with local and NY State officials.

Good assortment of images from the event in DC 9/12/09:




It's clear that the momentum is on the side of the 'patriot', small government, stop the spending, 912Project movement.

There are enough people now to have a huge impact on the future of our country... join us in making it happen!

Discuss this and see more great topics on WeSurroundRochester.com

We had an interesting discussion on our main web site about the Obama Administration's 'New Media' Director asking for Democrats to make videos about why they support the Health Care Takeover (It was only sent to Dems). And someone asked exactly what 'New Media' meant... was it 'media' as in 'Journalism' and so I wrote this... 


You may already know this, but 'New Media' is just the buzzword for promoting things through the Internet, YouTube, Twitter, Social Networking on the web, texting, etc... Not so much 'What TV newscasters do is 'old' now' or investigative journalism kind of 'media' is old... but more in the TV vs. Internet is Old vs. New Media... make sense? Old Media: Phone Tree New Media: Text message Blast to supporters Old Media: Have one $200,000 video produced for your cause New Media: Have 2000 videos made for free and posted to YouTube by your supporters Old Government: Feel it's below your office to ask people to create propaganda for your socialist programs New Government: Actually give them grants through the NEA to do it!! I think seeing how they are doing things is instructive...

You can find the original discussion HERE on our main site. 

According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, Americans who fail to pay the penalty for not buying insurance would face legal action from the Internal Revenue Service.

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) asked the committee's chief of staff, Thomas Barthold about it, he replied that the IRS would "take you to court and undertake normal collection proceedings."

Ensign made the point that it criminalizes citizens simply because they do not believe that the health insurance mandate is constitutional. The committee obviously didn't care, because they rejected an amendment from Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) to eliminate the individual mandate.

• We are a patriotic organization... 
• committed to restoring the principles and values upon which the United States of America was founded, as stated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
• We are not about the parties or candidates. 
• We are all about principled people standing up for Liberty!

"These folks are probably the largest group of civic minded individuals that Rochester has ever seen." 

Bob Lonsberry on WHAM Radio (about our having 4 busses for DC March, etc.)

Question??:   


What is your non-inflammatory response to liberals?

I'm new to this group, because I can't stand feeling alone anymore. Please help!

I work in "the world" - but what do you say in an arena where it is NOT okay to jump on the soapbox and really say what we believe? I must not be the only one who has a vanilla answer to use.

What are some other "one-liners" you use to get your point across but NOT start an argument?

You get my point - Thanks!
Betsy




Answer:


My world is very similar. Talking to very few conservatives as I work around Rochester...

I like to hit points of agreement that let them open their eyes a bit to what we're doing.

Topics many people from all backgrounds see as a problem (Pick your favorite):
• Washington wasting money (buying themselves jets, bailouts... then more bailouts and the companies are still failing)
• Rushing thing through without reading the bill
• Messing with our health care... It'll end up like Medicare, Social Security, Cash for Clunkers, the DMV, etc... What government program has *ever* run more efficiently
• Cap and Tax: Around the world it's made energy costs spike and done NO environmental good
• Drill for oil, real alternatives... not just taking us to use less
• Stupid freaking CF light bulbs. They can tell us now what light bulb we can use!!?
• Czars: This is really gaining momentum... who are these people, why should they run things and earn money from us? There's over 30 now (source).
• Founding Fathers: Small Fed Government... leave us alone, don't try to run everything
• Tired of BOTH parties. Time for them all to go and if the next batch we vote in thinks they can waste our money and run our lives... we've just proved we can kick them out in a heartbeat.


So you get the idea... just think of which topic bugs you most and know a few good facts on it.

I find most 'normal' people (and we believe that the normal folks surround the hip, liberal, media types)... most normal folk understand in their gut that politicians are doing a terrible job, are out of touch, and run so much by special interest money, the party's power, etc.

We've tried hard to build ourselves up on the facts, the Constitution, knowing both sides of the argument and how to refute theirs.

I still hate confrontation, but throwing in a little comment here and there lets people know that we're out here... it gives others hope that they are not alone and crazy to think the government is out of control.

Good luck as you are talking to folks... let us know how it goes!

KenH


                 Original Discussion on WSR Site

1.) If you haven't already, open the "About" tab to learn a bit more about us and our mission.

2.) Then open the "Info for New Members" folder in the Message Board tab.

3.) Don't be afraid to read, start, join in on any discussion on the message board - it's our main arena for communication, where we discuss, ask, answer, and learn from one another.

4.) Keep an eye on the calendar for meetings and coming events/protests, etc, and join in whenever you're able. First of all, we'd love to meet you. Secondly, the more of us at each event, the more "they" (media, politicians, etc.), take notice, and the louder our collective voice becomes. And "they" are taking notice. Remember Van Jones' resignation - I'd like to think our grassroots movement had just a "little" something to do with that victory.

5.) Go to the next meeting. Trust me, you'll enjoy yourself, you'll be made to feel welcome, and you'll make many fast friends. I speak from experience. [snipped out old meeting date]

6.) Continue needling your elected officials every chance you get. Call/write/e-mail/visit often to remind them where you stand on the issues, and what you expect of them. Never forget that we surround them, and they work for us. Be ever vigilant.

7.) Learn as much as you can about the issues, and share what you learn with your neighbors, family, etc - you'd be amazed at the number of people who have no idea the damage being done to our government from within (maybe because they only watch network news). Get the word out.

8.) Stay true to the 9 principals/12 values.

9.) And finally: Question with boldness - Hold to the truth - Speak without Fear

Welcome to We Surround Rochester, home of the peaceful revolution. 

Posted Sep 11, 2009 6:47 PM

• Go To Original Discussion on WSR
 

 by Wendy Ann

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese:  

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.

The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red .

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

(Editor Note: You can see the full details on Snopes.com, but this is a real column, someone just updated a few things to bring it up to date with current issues... The message on Congress vs. the People is still sound.)

Yes, I am a racist! The left wing media and the democrats say I am a racist because I do not agree with Obama's communist agenda. So I am trying to figure this out! Do I hate my black parents? Do i hate my black siblings? Do i hate my black Children? Hmm' that does not seem to jive! I got it! I hate Obama's white liberal half!!!!!!!!!!!!! On a serious note, if you hear some one say that to you, let them know that the truth is that they are the real racist! And that you were told to say that by an AMERICAN who happens to be black Michael K Posted Sep 19, 2009 12:29 AM Link to this discussion

This is our best overview of the event:  


We'll be posting more videos over time, there are 2 other good ones up from the Tea Party now: http://www.youtube.com/WeSurroundRochester  


Just to be clear, we didn't officially sponsor the Tea Party event, but we were solid supporters and all of the yellow shirts you see are 'We Surround Rochester' members. The event had around 1,500 attendees.

This is a sister site to WeSurroundRochester.com.

There is so much great content that flies by there daily, that I'd like this site to capture it and cleanly present some of the best thoughts and happenings with our group in Blog format.

Several folks will post here, and most of the messages will be copied and pasted from the site above with notes as to who wrote them. We'll also share some key videos and posts from other 'patriot' and '912Project' groups.

We won't be taking comments from anyone on this site. To join us and deeply discuss topics, please visit WeSurroundRochester.com... the Message Boards are burning up with discussions.

 See the 'About' page there to learn all about our group.

We're all in this together,
JohnAdams4NY