The economy shed 131,000 jobs in July and June job creation was revised downward, according to the Labor Department.  Unemployment remains at 9.5%, not counting the millions who’ve given up looking or settled for part-time work.  Obama and the Democrats spent $862 billion to jump-start the economy and create jobs, plus another recent $26 billion to stimulate previously stimulated teachers.  Obama’s stimulus is a colossal failure.

It was doomed to fail.  It’s based on a flawed model, Demand Theory:  Americans aren’t spending and investing enough, so increase demand through government spending.  This doesn’t work, because the government can’t create wealth.  It can tax wealth away to redistribute it, or destroy it by excessive regulation and taxes.  The only place for government to get money is the private sector.  Less money in the private sector makes it harder to create jobs.

High unemployment and debt were also the result of FDR’s New Deal.  Elected in 1932, FDR doubled federal spending by 1940.  From 1934 to 1940, median unemployment was 17%.  During the 1930’s, unemployment was never below 14%.

Exactly how are our stimulus dollars being spent?  We spent $555,000 to replace windows at a closed visitor’s center at Mt. St. Helens and a whopping $62 million on a tunnel in Pittsburgh that Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell called “a tragic mistake.”  This is stimulating, but not in a good way.

But wait, the worst may be yet to come.  Massive tax increases loom for 2011, leaving even less for private-sector job creation.  Everyone’s personal income tax is scheduled to rise about 3%.  The capital gains tax will rise from 15% to 20%.  Dividend taxes will rise from 15% to 39.6%.  The smart money saw this coming.  Corporations and small business trimmed expenses and took profits in 2010 to take advantage of lower taxes.  This likely inflated growth numbers and made the economy look better than it was.

How do we fix this mess?  The answers are found in history and common sense.  History shows us two presidents who quickly turned around bad economies, Harding and Reagan.  Common sense tells us if you want economic growth and jobs, make it cheaper to create them.  To do this, cut taxes; but not all tax cuts are created equal.  Cuts in personal tax rates encourage productivity because we get to keep more of what we earn.  Cuts in capital gains and dividend taxes increase investment and business start-ups.  The road map to prosperity exists.  Now we need a Congress and a President who will take the right road.

Michael A. Morrongiello, Ph. D.

Conservatives are called stupid, ignorant, racist and worse.  Recently, I ran smack into this at a three-day forensic psychology conference.  The presenters were highly educated professionals, leaders in their field.  The first presenter said Pennsylvania was Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with nothing else in between.  The second day, a different presenter stated that “Southern racist Democrats who opposed civil rights are Republicans now.”  The last presenter, Dr. X, referenced Sarah Palin as “the idiot who wrote her speech on her hand.”  He described a jury in Binghamton, NY as “arriving in pickup trucks, gun racks in the back, dressed like American Gothic.”  Finally, he asserted that no one got death threats before the Tea Parties.

The message was clear.  Rural people are ignorant at best, stupid at worst and always bigots.  Republicans and conservatives are all three.  The tone was contemptuous, the attacks disdainful and personal.

On the last day I stood up and stated, “I drive a pickup truck, I sometimes have guns in the back, I helped organize a tea party and, by the way, my wife is from Binghamton.”  I asked for simple respect and, quoting Lincoln, asked the presenters and attendees to access “the better angels of their nature.”  Dr. X refused to apologize.  After the session, several colleagues approached me, were complimentary and glad I spoke up.  One, who happened to be African-American, said “Thanks, man, I’m a Republican.”

As we were leaving the hotel the next morning my wife Jo, who is an American beauty, not American Gothic, introduced herself to Dr. X as “the idiot from Binghamton” and attempted to educate him about stereotypes.  He was cordial but remained unapologetic.

What gives rise to the contempt of the arrogant?  They believe they’re intellectually and morally superior.  It’s a step down a dangerous path of dehumanization.

We conservatives need to speak up.  In doing so, we give like-minded people the courage to find their voices as well.  Expect emotion-driven, personal attacks.  Expect to feel angry and/or insulted; it’s only natural.  Remember that the attacks are rooted in arrogance and contempt.  Take several deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, slowly.  Respond factually.  Smile - it helps reduce tension.  As Churchill said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”  Don’t be intimidated.  They’re not very scary.  If this is the best the high-powered brains I endured for three days can come up with, we have nothing to fear.

Obama and the Democrats are poised to cram their big-government version of health-care reform down the throats of the American people. In poll after poll, a clear majority oppose Obamacare.  This doesn’t matter to Obama and the Democrats; you see, they know better.  They are on the verge of a life long Democrat dream; to take over all of health-care. The Democrats will use any means necessary, from bribery to legislative trickery, to achieve their goal. In spite of huge majorities in the House and Senate, they can’t quite manage to push it through. This is because of the principled and common sense opposition of ordinary Americans.  The final push is rumored to be this weekend.  Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Obama think that the pressure of a vote will push undecided Democrats to vote yes.  House Democrats must feel more pressure from us.  To stop Obamacare we must call house members, and keep calling them.  Here are the names and numbers of local representatives.

Michael Arcuri   1-315-793-8146

Dan Maffei            1- 315-423-5657

Bill Owens             1-315-782-3150

Chris Carney        1-570-585-9988

Paul Kanjersky     1-570-825-2200

To access the names and numbers of representatives across America please go to the NRCC Code Red website http://www.nrcc.org/CodeRed/targets/

We’ve all done great work so far.  Let’s keep up the pressure and defeat this grotesque monstrosity that is Obamacare.

Michael A. Morrongiello

Jane Sturm asked President Obama if her then 100-year-old mother would have received a pacemaker under Obamacare. Jane’s mom is still going strong at 105. Jane asked the President, “Is there consideration given for a certain spirit?” The President’s chilling response (available on YouTube) was, “I don’t think we can make judgments based on people’s spirit…maybe you’re better off not having the surgery, but taking the pain killer.” Obama gave Jane’s mom less respect than the family dog. If this is what we can expect from health care reform, maybe we’d better attend Town Hall Meetings and ask questions. Here are some questions to ask your legislators:

1. Medicare is 38 trillion dollars in debt, and fraud is rampant. Amtrak is in constant need of subsidies. Health care on Indian reservations is abysmal. Given this woeful history, how can you justify government involvement in the health care of every American?

2. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the cost of this bill ranges from 1
to 1.6 trillion dollars. Won’t the tax increases needed to fund this program damage the already ailing economy? If taxes aren’t raised and money must be printed, won’t this add to already existing inflation pressures?

3. I understand that the President, Congress, and all other Federal employees are exempted from health care reform. If this is such a great plan, why don’t you and your family sign up?

4. President Obama promises that “if you like your health plan, you can keep it.” Yet on page 16 and 17 in the House bill, if anything changes in your copayment or deductible (which happens every year,) you must move into an “approved” plan or the government option. In other words, you CAN’T keep it. How will this help private insurance to compete?

5. The House health care reform bill (HR3200) cuts Medicare by 500 billion dollars to pay for health care reform. The cost of insuring the uninsured is far less than that. Plus, the uninsured are less than 16% of the population. Why change the whole system for 16%? Why not give the uninsured vouchers to buy health insurance? Will cuts in Medicare result in denied care for our seniors?

6. David Blumenthal, Obama’s National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, said doctors will have to take advantage of “embedded clinical decison support.” This is fancy language for telling your doctor how to treat you. Do you support having the government in the examining room with patients, “guiding” treatment?

7. Blumenthal also said (referring to Hillary Clinton’s failed effort at reform) that speed is essential to passing health care reform. Do you agree with that?

8. Blumenthal said it was “debatable” that the timely care Americans get is worth the cost. Do you agree with Dr. Blumenthal? Do you think it is advisable for Americans to wait for care? Is this enough for you to call on President Obama to fire Dr. Blumenthal?

9. The Hippocratic Oath is the pledge doctors take to do all in their power to help patients. Obama appointee Ezekiel Emanuel want to change that ancient and sacred creed to “move toward more socially sustainable, cost-effective care.” Wouldn’t this be a gross interference in the doctor-patient relationship? Will you call for President Obama to fire Ezekiel Emanuel?

10. As a followup, Dr. Emanual complained that “hospital rooms in the United States offer more privacy, comfort and auxiliary services than do hospital rooms in most other countries.” Do you agree that this is a problem? Do you want sick Americans to have less comfortable hospital rooms?

Democrats have long dreamed of government-run health care. They have all the votes they need. The only thing standing between them and achieving total control over our lives is public opinion. Get involved. Read, talk to your friends and neighbors, write and e-mail your legislators to stop passage of the government option.

“Ten more questions” to follow soon.