Corruption, cronyism, and bribes
By Robert Amoroso
One would think that most thinking and caring Obama supporters never imagined that the “change” they voted for would include back room bribes, cronyism and corruption by this administration, and even the most ardent Obama supporter, if they believe in fairness and honesty at some point would hopefully come to agree that what is taking place on Capital Hill with healthcare reform is outrageous, illegal, and un-American.
The blatant disregard and distain for the average American shown by this administration is breathtaking in its magnitude. Imagine if you will a government that passes laws in the dead of night (behind closed doors), and continues ignoring the will of the people, bribes certain lawmakers with sweetheart deals while ignoring others, and exempts a segment of the populace from taxation, at the expense of others. Combine that with lawmakers that exempt themselves of the very laws they themselves author and break the very tax laws that they themselves rule over.
What country would you imagine you’d be living in…Russia, perhaps China or maybe Cuba? Of course you would be wrong…America is no longer “the home of the free” it has become a wasteland of corruption and bribes. Billions of dollars looted from the treasury at the taxpayer’s expense, and squandered on a stimulus package and bailouts, that stimulated nothing, and bails out greed. In truth the money taken has become nothing more then a “slush fund” for growing government and bribing Obama friendly states, unions and failed businesses.
How can we as a people excuse outright bribing of lawmakers, buying their votes at the expense of others, and how can we rationalize exempting private, local and state unions on their “Cadillac healthcare benefits” from taxation while everyone else with the same exact product (that’s what health insurance is), pays almost 40% in new taxes?
And while the unions will be exempt from those taxes, guess where they’re going to recoup the 60-billion dollars in lost revenue? On the back of senior citizens who will be forced to pay an additional 10 to 15 billion dollars, to close the short fall.
Astoundingly, under this healthcare entitlement, union workers will receive an additional $2,500 a year, in eye care and prescription drug benefits, that none of us in the real world, would be entitled too.
Obviously, politics is a rough sport, and at times dirty, however, this president has taken it to a new low, in rewarding his friends and supporters. Some on the left may argue that’s just the way the game is played, however I beg to differ. What we’re witnessing today, is the slow dismantling of a free and open society, and government sponsored class warfare unprecedented in the annuals of American history. The government now owns, operates and oversees the auto and banking industries, and is poised to take control of an additional 1/6 of the economy, through healthcare reform.
Everyone will be mandated by law, to buy healthcare insurance, unless you’re a friend (union) of Obama’s, then you’re exempt. Imagine if you will a society that rewards its supporters by creating a two tier tax system and forces its citizens to buy a “product” that some may not want (which by-the-way is unconstitutional) and are forced to pay for it, while others are exempt from paying for the same product, not because they’re needy, but because they support the government.
If the government can force its citizenry under penalty of law, to purchase healthcare insurance, a product that people may or may not want to purchase…why not a “service” or better yet another “product” of the governments choosing? If the health and welfare of this nation is what this administration is trying to sell, then why not under penalty of law force its citizenry to purchase perhaps memberships to healthcare facilities, and oversee their exercise regiment, or perhaps an “obesity tax” on its overweight citizens, to make up for the 40 or so billion in lost revenue. Do you see where this going?
Thankfully, our Founding Fathers understood the frailty of human nature and that at times, power can indeed corrupt. In their enlighten wisdom they created a framework for governance, and perhaps envisioned a time that an out-of-control executive branch would need to be rained in from overstepping its bounds.
Currently, there are over 20 state Attorney Generals looking into the constitutionality of how this administration secured two key senate votes on the healthcare debate. However, the irony to perhaps defeating this healthcare bill, may actually lie in the hands of independent voters in one of the most progressive states in the union, Massachusetts .
Ironically, the architect of this massive government entitlement, the late Senator Edward Kennedy’s Senate seat is up for grabs, and as incredible as it may sound the Republican candidate Scott Brown has moved ahead in the polls, on his rival state Attorney General Martha Coakley.
If the polls are correct and Scott Brown should indeed win the late Senator’s seat, it would be a stunning upset and a monumental change in the political landscape and a reputation of “Obama-care”, and hopefully the demise of this massive entitlement and while I have no regard for his polices, I hope that this may be a teaching moment for this president, in that we’re all Americans and there’s still 3-years left in his term in office, and whether I like it or not…we’re stuck with him. Let’s just pray that we still have an America, as we know it…when he finally leaves office.