Blog 4 History

I arrived at school this morning early. I did not sleep well, I felt, well frankly, on the down low and tossed and turned all night. I stayed up last night and watched the mockery that is the United States House of Representatives. This is not change and “ethics” at work, it was more of the same. No one would deny that we need health care reform. I was hoping that it would not come in the form of a Trojan horse that has one ultimate goal.

Back to my story, waiting there in my classroom was Gustaf, a foreign exchange student from Sweden. A nice young man and whom I have gotten to know and think very highly of. He is socialist, comes from a socialist country where they have government run universal health care. Gustaf greeted me as he usually does with a question or two about what today’s lesson might entail. I was not myself and he sensed it, so in his broken but yet very good English he asked, “So you watched the Congress last night?”

Apparently Gustaf’s host family had. We had a 10 minute or so discussion on the Sunday evening events and he then said something remarkable to me: “Mr. Wehner, the health care bill does not seem very American. I don’t understand how America would want to do this.” He spoke of our ideals and values which he learned in his U.S. Government class — which I DID NOT teach.

Sweden is a country of about 9 million and according to Gustaf they pay very high taxes and the health care is not bad. But he wondered out loud, “how will it work for 300+ million?” Good question, I replied.

Though our conversation did not end with an enlightened discovery of what the future will hold, it did nonetheless brighten my mood and lift my spirits. We are exceptional and even to a socialist — a good kid who recognizes the greatness of our country while those spoiled by her freedoms cannot.

Also, I found this national address from President Ronald Reagan and thought I would share. I have a new website in the works for history teachers and well, will speak more about that later.

This is for all Americans and for all who teach American history.

Both Republicans and Democrats have used it. I understand the argument that the Health Care bill is the largest of its kind: 1/6 of the economy. But there is historical precedent to support the so-called “nuclear option.” Reconciliation has been used and has so in fairly similar ways, just not with such a big and important bill.

My only comment at this time, for a President and current Congress that promised to be the most “transparent” and “ethical” in history, it seems the difficult and more honorable path would be to buck the trend. To stand up and acknowledge minority rights and to honor the constitution, as has clearly not been done – that would have been what this administration promised.

Congress is broken and has been for some time. We The People must consider insisting that our politicians begin to honor the constitution. The Republicans have used this option to lower taxes and do things that Democrats cried foul over, just as Republicans are now doing. Both have been wrong. We need change, real change.

Here is a look at reconciliation’s controversial history:

Dec. 5, 1980 | Though reconciliation was established during the Ford administration as a means to keep spending in check, it went unused until the final days of the Carter presidency. As one of his last acts in office, President Jimmy Carter signed the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980, designed to slim the budget deficit through revisions to a range of entitlement programs.

Aug. 13, 1981 | The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981, passed by a Republican Senate, cut $130 billion from several discretionary programs, including welfare and food stamps.

Sept. 3, 1982 | A Republican Senate approves the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, which first opened Medicare to HMOs.

Sept. 8, 1982 | For the second time in less than a week, Congress uses reconciliation to pass a $13 billion bill amending the food stamp program, the federal employee pay program and farm subsidies.

April 18, 1984 | The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1983, approved by a Republican Senate, was a deficit-reduction measure that made changes to the annual cost-of-living adjustments to the retirement accounts of federal employees.

April 7, 1986 | A Republican Senate passes the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, otherwise known as COBRA. The act allows laid-off workers to keep their health care coverage.

Oct. 21, 1986 | The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 cuts $17 billion from the nation’s deficit through changes to Medicare and the sale of the government’s stake in the Consolidated Rail Corp.

Dec. 22, 1987 | Democrats, back in control of the Senate, pass the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 establishing federal standards for nursing homes under Medicare. The measure also expands Medicaid eligibility.

Dec. 19, 1989 | Democrats approve the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, stripping $39 billion from the deficit while overhauling doctor payments for Medicare.

Nov. 5, 1990 | President George H.W. Bush signs a Democratic measure, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990; In addition to establishing pay-as-you-go rules for federal spending, the bill also implemented tax increases and added cancer screenings to Medicare.

Aug. 10, 1993 | Democrats, in control of Congress and the White House, pass the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993. It cuts $504.8 billion from the budget while creating new tax rates for businesses and individuals and also establishing federal vaccine funding for children.

Dec. 6, 1995 | Republicans, back in control of Congress, pass the Balanced Budget Act of 1995 through reconciliation. President Clinton vetoes the measure.

Aug. 22, 1996 | President Clinton’s welfare reform bill is passed by a Republican-controlled Congress through reconciliation. The bill separates Medicaid from welfare for the first time.

Aug. 5, 1997 | Republicans use reconciliation to pass President Clinton’s Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Besides setting the U.S. on the path to a balanced budget, the bill created the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The same day, a tax-cutting measure is also passed through reconciliation.

Sept. 23, 1999 | President Clinton vetoes Republicans’ Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999.

Aug. 5, 2000 | Republicans in Congress pass the Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2000, which President Clinton vetoes.

June 7, 2001 | A day after his party loses control of the Senate, President George W. Bush signs the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, his first major tax cut.

May 28, 2003 | President Bush, with Republicans back in control of Congress, signs the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Act of 2003, his second round of tax cuts.

Feb. 8, 2006 | After Republicans use reconciliation for the third time in his presidency, President Bush signs the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005; the bill cuts spending on Medicare and Medicaid.

May 17, 2006 | President Bush signs an extension of his earlier tax cuts approved by a Republican Congress in the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005.

Sept. 27, 2007 | Democrats, in control of Congress once again, use reconciliation to pass the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. President Bush signs the $20 billion reform of student aid.

Sources:

* The Brookings Institution
* The Library of Congress’ THOMAS
* Congressional Research Service

My source

I love how they play off the propaganda films of the 1950s. However, in all seriousness, can’t say I am in favor of Obamacare. I just hope this bill is one they actually read before voting on!:

Perhaps those Tea Bag attendees were not a bunch of redneck racists, but actually were just concerned over what our government is becoming and that more government is maybe not the answer.  A government that started to get fat under Bush and the Republicans, and is now getting obese under the Democrats.  So this story below was just too much to pass up and not post, and is a perfect example:

“Dead People Get Stimulus Checks” and not a couple, but THOUSANDS adding up to “millions” of dollars. Well, at least even the dead folks get some cold cash.

Now we’re talking a national health care program for tens of millions of people. I have one question, with the current budget (both a Democrat and Republican creation), how on earth do we pay for health coverage for millions of people WITHOUT raising taxes, and not just on the evil rich people, but everyone? Remember back when everyone was up in arms over the billions (chump change today) being spent in Iraq? I was one of them.

I guess we can put our heads in the sand and just assume the government will take care of it and knows what it’s doing… somehow I am not filled with a lot of confidence on that.

Call me crazy.

Now, some interesting questions about our founding and the principles of limited government, which, were very important to both Federalists and Non-Federalists. Yes, the Nationalists wanted a strong central government and an executive branch (yes, an oversimplification).  But the Constitution was intended to “limit” the government. It stated what it could do and only what it could do. And of course, the Non-Federalists were very concerned about what a strong central government and a too powerful executive branch could become.

I do think it is unfortunate that many Tea Bag folks seem to talk about the Founders and the Federalist, yet they should be reading the Anti-Federalist’s papers instead.

Here’s an interesting Question, would today’s Republicans be the Anti-Federalists and the Democrats Federalists? After all, Jefferson was a Anti-Federalist and Hamilton a Federalists. If they were alive today, I would think Jefferson a Democrat and Hamilton for sure a Republican…right? Or wrong?

More on this later.

I have refrained these past few weeks from getting into much politically, but when I see something that has to do with our troops, such as this. Well, I am compelled to post it:

WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.

“It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan,” said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. “He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it.”

The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, “This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ‘ to care for him who shall have borne the battle’ given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm’s way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America’s veterans!”

To read more…

This is a mistake Mr. President. The effect of this will be on veterans having to pay more, and premiums will go up. This impacts the middle-class and lower classes, everyone. But not surprising, to spend like our government is will require new and creative ways to tax, and that includes all of us, not just the evil rich people making over 250k.

Also, why are the Democrats so concerned with “quick” and undemocratic debate concerning things like the stimulus bill and now the disastrous Cap and Trade Bill.  This is not democracy in action, this is not change.  Well, thankfully, some Democrats are starting to speak out.

And before you cry out that the debate on global warming as a man made thing is over, maybe read this.

O.k. I feel better, no political posts for, hopefully, a month or so…

Can’t embed the video, but for those who are interested this from the CNBC website:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1039849853

Here are some news stories my economics class viewed today and discussed:

ABCNEWS: CATERPILLAR CEO contradicts Obama: ‘We’re going to have more layoffs before we start hiring again’…

Lobbyists had Bill Before Lawmakers Did…

Our Opinion: Stimulus bill flawed, but it should get OK

Democratic Senator Predicts None of His Colleagues ‘Will Have the Chance’ to Read Final Stimulus Bill Before Vote

Worker-friendly stimulus plan offers wealth of job-related aid

Will the stimulus actually stimulate?

Lots of different opinions. I was recently accused of being a “New Deal Denier” by another blogger. There is no evidence agreed on involving anything close to consensus from economists or historians on the success or failure of the New Deal. It really seems to come down to one’s political view point.

Have to remove that from the classroom to get a real sense of it.

So instead of debating the issue, I had my economics class came up with an alternative, and they did, one that is interesting. Say the government created a 2-3 month tax holiday? (They borrowed the idea from a U.S. Congressman.)

According to the population clock at the U.S. Census Bureau there are about 306,000,000 people in the United States. We could not find how many working American’s there are. I’m sure the data is there.

We did find some other data:

Of the population, workers pay $101.6 billion per month in personal income tax and $65.6 billion per month in FICA tax. That’s $167 billion per month, times three months is $501 billion dollars. Consumers will hopefully spend more. We said “hopefully” as no one really knows what will happen with the current stimulus bill, thus ours was hypothetical as well.

By taking a tax holiday this money is in consumer’s pockets almost immediately. Combine this with some kind of stimulus package (that can only make an impact slowly)  to create jobs seemed like the best course of action according to my 16 and 17 yr old students.

Now, I’m not an economist, I only play one Monday through Friday, but I am a thinker, as are my students.  For me, I would much rather follow my student’s plan than the one Congress has passed.