The statists are fond of saying that ours is a “living, breathing Constitution,” which can be interpreted according to the prevailing winds of politics. But when words have no fixed meaning, then they have no meaning at all. Let us consider a Constitution that guarantees citizens ”freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.” Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? It’s the Constitution of China. Maybe that’s what the statists want.
Vote Stevens Miller Out of Office
March 17th, 2010by jacob
They are having a poll over at the Loudoun Times today. Who would YOU like to see voted out of office. Well. We all know the answer to that question. The biggest idiot in the history of Loudoun Politics: Stevens Miller
Follow the link here
http://www.loudouni.com/themes/people
And put your displeasure on record. Power to the people.
Real Health Care Reform
March 12th, 2010by jacob
When it comes to health care the public option is not the only option. There are many other ways to cut costs in health care. Part of the equation is that lack of Health Insurance does not equal lack of Health Care. This equivocation is a lie that has been perpetrated on the American public. Hospitals are required to treat patients. While emergency rooms are an inefficient vector for delivering health care, government takeover is even more inefficient means of delivery.
There are many other ways of reducing costs. First of all reduce the price of the insurance. How? First, start by allowing competition across state lines. The trouble with health care is that there is already too much government control and spending in this sector of the economy. Any solution that increases public sector influence in this segment of the economy will only lead to greater cost. What is needed here instead is a freer market. People should be allowed to shop anywhere for their medical health insurance. If people can find their own car, home and life insurance — they are also capable of choosing/finding health insurance — preferably in a free market.
Part of the current trouble is that the Federal and State Governments have not allowed for a free market. Dictating that insurance companies include given services in health care contracts does not provide choice; it instead has the opposite effect. A healthy 25 year old does not need the same type of coverage as the middle aged. The insurance companies should be left to provide a wider range of services. An example of the this kind problem is that men in their 20’s are forced to buy into health care insurance packages that include gynecological services. Services that are targeted toward various demographics will allow consumer choice and will encourage greater participation.
The next part of the equation is the fact that we, as a people have frankly ridiculous expectations when it comes to health care. We all have car insurance. Do we expect Geico to pay for tune ups, new tires and oil changes? No. Of course not. If automobile insurance did pay for such maintenance then we would be paying $8K to $10K per year for our car insurance. We have home insurance, do we expect insurance to pay for home maintenance? If we could buy insurance that did not cover a check up or a “Johnny has the sniffles” sick visit we would see our health care premiums slashed by some 30% to 40%.
Then there is the tremendous cost to the public caused be medical malpractice law suites. There are three culprits in this issue. The doctors, the lawyers and the public at large.
The Medical profession has historically refused to truly police itself. When doctors in the past proved themselves to be incompetent or negligent, the medical board would typically close ranks and protect one of their own. This is white equivalent of the blue wall of silence. This in turn lead to the second problem — lawyers.
The second culprit are the trial lawyers cum ambulance chasers. When satisfaction could not be found due to the AMA’s intransigence, the law was the only recourse for the public at large. The trouble here is that this profession has also jumped the shark and now we have lawyers trolling for cases through the media with lines like “If you even THINK you MAY have been wronged …” Which plays on the weaknesses of the third party in this dance. The public.
Many people think they will get rich suing their doctor. This is typically false. Especially in class action lawsuits. The only people who make out in class action suits are the lawyers. The thousands who are represented get a token check. The medical insurance company pays out millions. The lawyers get rich. The people paying for health insurance get stuck with the bill. Tort reform should concentrate on this issue first and foremost.
The end result is where we are today — doctors paying medical malpractice insurance premiums to the tune of $150K-$250K per year, per doctor. That is a burden of some $45B to $75B per year just to service malpractice insurance premiums. A burden that is passed on to the public at large. This does not include the costs of defensive medicine, whose impact on the price of medicine is even larger, and even harder to determine.
A possible solution is one where doctors who are repeatedly found negligent would see their licenses revoked. This would benefit the public on two fronts. First of all the medical profession would improve. Secondly, if the bottom 10% of the profession is gone, or improving then the number of lawsuits would drop. As the profession becomes a better risk, then the price of medical services will drop because the overhead from malpractice insurance will drop.
Health Care and Health Care Insurance are not the same thing. Emergency rooms are unfortunately the most expensive means of delivering medical treatment. An alternative are Health Care clinics with extended hours for the uninsured to handle sniffles, ear infections, or some minor trauma. Such clinics could deliver quality health care at a price that is far less than than sending people to the emergency room. Out of pocket expenses could be kept further down as the paperwork caused by insurance is out of the picture. People spend $75 for a plumber, or $30 for an oil change. Why is it too much to expect someone to pay $50 to $100 for the treatment of a simple medical problem?
For more complex issues, such as the uninsured with cancer, the current solution has its troubles, but the government single payer solution is worse. If the insurance industry were allow to provide plans that target catastrophic issues only, such plans would cost far less than the ‘Cadillac’ plans typically provided today. The numbers of the uninsured would certainly drop because cheaper is more accessible.
More than likely some will not be covered. No solution will bring us to Utopia. The trouble with the 3000 page mess we are being threatened with is that Utopia would not even be on the horizon. Currently we have some 10M to 30M who are not covered today. We can reduce this number by reducing the price of insurance with greater market based choices. A medical profession that vigorously polices itself, coupled with some sort of tort reform, will reduce the price of insurance further. The alternative proposed by the left is the government taking control over what should be our own personal business.
Census Anyone?
March 10th, 2010by ACTivist
Couple days ago (I’ve been busy-my standard excuse) I received an official government first class letter from the Census Bureau. You remember when we got those letters saying a stimulus check would be forthcoming and then another letter saying that the stimulus was almost here and then the stimulus check finally came (I guess)? Kinda like Santa writing you a letter saying he’s coming for Christmas then another letter saying “have you been a good boy/girl?’, getting your hopes up just to find a lump of coal in your stocking for all the hype….which is more than I got from the stimulus.
When Wolf sends me official paid by the taxpayers first class mailings telling me what is going on in the district I think “I pay $40 for internet and am on your e-mail list. Why did you waste my money?” Others just throw it out without reading. Thank goodness Warner and Webb are too afaraid to mail us what they are doing or what they believe in. At least that saves 44cents per mailing. “It’s only 44 cents, ACT. What’s the big deal?” Okay, let’s extrapolate that.
The census letter states to fill out the census when it comes. Why couldn’t this go into the same envelope with the census? Does that “warning” mean that people will cancel vacations and outtings, just sitting around so they can make sure their community gets their “fair share”? Say 300 million people in America. Divide by 4 for the number of members to a family (average). 75 million letters times 44 cents is $33,000,000. But wait. The letter was addressed to RESIDENT. I believe that there are 25% more homes than families to occupy them which means that EVERY VACANT HOME will get a census letter. That would be another $8,250,000. I won’t even include business addresses because I just don’t know. We are up to $41,250,000 for just the first mailing. This does not include the mailing of the census itself and then, probably, an additional reminder to get that census back quickly. That number could possibly grow to $123,750,000 or more. Mind you this is very rough ballpark figures.
Do you see where I am going with this? There is now $123,750,000 less to distribute of your money to your community because of these mailings. All for just 44 cents each. If this was corporate America doing this then it would make “cents” because you have to spend money to make money. The government spends YOUR money so that it can spend MORE of YOUR money. I guess it is nothing more than trying to keep the USPS afloat without you knowing about it. Otherwise, this just doesn’t make “cents” to me.
UPDATE Watch this video here and be warned!
Loudoun Republicans Win — Loudoun Insider Loses
March 8th, 2010by Jacob
Mark Sell and Candace Strother both ran excellent campaigns. The campaigns were both polished, organized and motivated. There was a lot of energy expended on this contest. Both of the campaigns put out scads of emails, mailers and made multiple public appearances and speeches. This is a blessing. What we had was a rare chance to vote for someone, as opposed to choosing the lesser of evils by voting against someone. Greg L summed it up perfectly in his post over at BVBL. By all accounts Mark’s speech after the vote tally was announced, was gracious.
The real question is now that the Chairman has been chosen, is he going to be given a chance to lead? Over at TC, LI showed all of us that he is really not worth our time. His hatred for Susanne Volpe is personal, as is his hatred of Mark. It stems from an old feud. A feud whose details most do not know, and frankly do not want to. It is old potatoes. LI is obviously unhinged by this hatred. Some say “He is intense.” He is not intense. Greg Stone is intense. LI on the other hand is small, oh so very, very small. So small that I hope that none take notice of the nonsense we saw on TC, after the tally, on election day. The LCRC’s crazy aunt in the attic got loose, and threw a hissy fit. Nothing to see, move along people. It was designed to cause a rift in our party. I recommend we disappoint LI by not allowing his spew to ignite a fresh round of inter-Republican fighting. Today LI is the Democrat’s best friend.
Some of the calls for unity from the many who agree with LI are dishonest, for they come with demands and give Mark no quarter. “My way or the highway”, is the tune. Glen lead the LCRC as he saw fit. Let Mr. Sell lead as he see’s fit. Give Mark a real chance. To the honest conservatives who supported either Candace or Mark, I say, “Look forward and forget the sordid past.” We cannot afford to dwell on it. The BOS is raising the property taxes at the rate of 1 cent per month. Does anyone want to help LI tear the party down in the light of that? We need to get the budget under control. This demands that we allow our elected chairman the time to set the plan he began to outline during the campaign into motion — a plan that puts a target on the backs of those very board members.
This election was about who is going to lead the campaign against the Democrats. Not who is going to get to pick who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’ at the LCRC. Does anyone here think that 970 people showed up on a Saturday in March to take part in a popularity contest? Republicans are energized and are looking for leadership that can show the Democrats on the BOS the door in 2011. Mark Sell ran the campaign that brought in 512 people. Candace brought in 458. Guess what? Both of the candidates ran good campaigns. Both candidates demonstrated leadership. We need the teams they both assembled going forward.
The winner has been chosen. Ignore the idiots who are looking to blow up the party. The two candidates ran clean, professional campaigns; this is cause for celebration. We have talent in our committee, behind which we should be able to unify. Actually, we must — it is not an option. Ignore the crazy aunts in the attic. Especially those who are looking to air out our dirty laundry in the public square in front of the Democrats. We will disagree, but can we do it in a civil manner in private? Glen ran the show the past two years without continuous public sniping while he was getting the campaign in gear. Can we all focus on the real enemy?
Election Day
March 6th, 2010
Nice day for a intraparty contest. Huge turnout. Among local personalities I saw Greg Stone and Jim Plowman (talking to guy in photo), Bob Wertz, Eugene Delgaudio, Bulletproof Monk and many others. No sign of Jacob Ash or LI, which surprised me, thought they would be spending the day there.
Results should be available any minute now.
UPDATE: Loudoun GOP Web site says Mark Sells has won the chairmanship of the Loudoun County Republican Committee. Congratulations, Mark!
Why I’m voting for Mark Sell
March 5th, 2010Wow. I’ve decided….
I finally figured that I would rather have Mark Sell as the leader. A lot has to do with the AG coming out for Mark. Some has to do with the weak statement that Candice is a 2nd amendment supporter because she used to shoot competitive rifle (Mark works for the NRA and is a life member … hmmm, which is a stronger statement?) Then there is the intangible that I like that Mark lives in a townhouse, and is more of a common man than Candice. He isn’t the upper middle in which Candice flies, he is Joe Average. I think that may be more important than all the other reasons.
I would like to see the “unwashed” masses of conservatives more closely represented than what has been in the past, and I think Mark will do that much better than Candice will … if for no other reason than Candice is so far removed from that level of field. So, yes, I’m saying being a successful person in business economics is a negative in this case.
Brian Withnell
Leadership And Vision
March 5th, 2010by jacob
As we come to the end of the campaign for the LCRC Chair, I am asking people to consider what my esteemed compatroit Greg Stone has said. It is about leadership. Mr Stone it absolutely correct. We need the best possible leadership for the upcoming campaigns. We are dealing with a majority of Democrats and Independents in the BOS in 2011. We will need to contend with recruiting potential candidates for these seats. This challenge comes with the large pool of volunteers that will be needed. The new candidates will need help from our LCRC, and for this the GOP in LC will need a plan. Mark Sell has the vision and the plan in place to lead us going forward …
Recruiting the right candidates–
Candidates who know how to create jobs, meet a payroll, and keep a budget!Raising Money to support those candidates–
Systematically leverage our revived and energized Republican base here in Loudoun to widen, deepen, and diversify our fundraising pool.Resource state-of-the-art campaigns–
with world-class websites, research, and polling.Reach Loudoun–
We are not going to give up a single group, demographic or individual voter to our opposition but will reach out to the independents, moderate Democrats, and minority groups who share our values.Roasting the current Democrat/Independent Majority on the Board of Supervisors–
and their job-wrecking, business-busting, tax-and-spend-and-tax-some-more policies that are leading Loudoun tiptoeing down the road to fiscal ruin.
Please take some time to read the plan and vist Mark’s website: http://www.sell4chairman.com/
You will see that Mark has the plan the vision and an understanding of the local scene here in Loudoun that will lead to the ouster of the big spenders in 2011.
This Is About Leadership
March 5th, 2010The contest for Chair of the Loudoun Republican Committee is about leadership. It is about what candidate has both the strategic vision to win and the management skills to operate a dynamic operation such as the LCRC. This job takes a very special set of skills. Skills that Candace Strother has proven she possesses. It is my hope you will take a few minutes and allow Candace Strother in her own words to describe to you her core conservative beliefs, principles and the experience she has that will enable her to implement her vision for the LCRC going forward.
Please enjoy this terrific Video
G.Stone
Loudoun County Budgets, Taxes and School Spending Highlighted on Talk Of The Town.
March 5th, 2010I want to thank my friend David D’Onofrio, President of the Casey Group and host of Talk Of The Town for allowing me to participate in his new web based show. The show is taped at the Loudoun Times Mirrror in downtown Leesburg. David does a very good job of hosting the show and unlike some in the media David’s knowledge of the issues is refreshing and makes for substantive discussions. Take a look at the most resent show HERE
The one point in which we can all agree, is that I have a great face for radio.
G.Stone
EASTERN LOUDOUN RPV VICTORY FIELD DIRECTOR ENDORSES MARK SELL FOR LOUDOUN COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
March 5th, 2010Mark Sell, candidate for Chairman of the Loudoun County Republican Committee, yesterday released the following statement from Kyle Kunkler, the Eastern Loudoun RPV Victory Field Director in 2009:
I consider Mark to be an instrumental part of the GOP 2009 victory in Loudoun. Mark Sell’s ability to recruit and coordinate volunteer activities was essential. Throughout the campaign season, Mark came through and was able to motivate volunteers time and time again to come out and support our Republican ticket.
Mark was involved in virtually every aspect of the grassroots campaign in Loudoun from door to door events to the staffing of ‘Back-to-School-Night’ events for half of the county to his participation in various festivals, fairs, parades and community events. Mark brought people to these events, and participated, standing shoulder to shoulder with the volunteers that he so frequently was able to motivate into action. Mark also participated in phonebanking, the 72-Hour Task Force, and Election Day Operations. No job is beneath Mark, he knows that in order to lead one must be willing and able to do the grunt work needed to win an election.
Mark Sell always had a can-do attitude, and is ready to do whatever is needed to help a campaign. With his long background of activism in the local Party, Mark understands the nuts and bolts of what it takes to win the ground war. I wholeheartedly endorse his candidacy for Chairman of the Loudoun County Republican Party.
Klye was the Virginia Republican Party’s coordinator for eastern Loudoun. He lead the victory team. He oversaw the day to day trench warfare of the political campaign here in eastern Loudoun. The guy knows who brought the goods to the table. Mark Sell kept a steady stream of volunteers coming through the door. Volunteers are the life’s blood of a political campaign, especially at the local county level. The ability to put boots on the ground is called leadership.
It was this kind of leadership that helped make last falls campaign the success that it was. Politics is about advancing an ideology at the balot box. The Republican Party’s stated ideology is conservative. We all are conservatives here in Loudoun GOP. Some conservatives, like Mark, have been giving voice to conservatism for years in the public square. This involves, among other things, running campaigns. With this experience, Mark is able to consistently bring people to events. This is how campaigns are won. This is why Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli endorsed Mark for our Chairman. This is why the 2009 Victory Campaign in Loudoun endorses Mark Sell in 2010 — to take back the BOS in 2011!
The Free Marketplace Of Ideas Which Is NOVATownHall Blog
March 5th, 2010by Joe
Dagnabit this is inspiring, and I sincerely hope we can maintain this level of citizen activism in November 2010, November 2011 and November 2012. Especially, 2010 and 2012 – unless we can get an impeachment movement going, which would take some pressure off the 2012 aspect. I have not yet begun cataloging my issues with Joe Biden, although I am sure there are many. (I do have a feeling that the key to running against Joe Biden is, let Joe be Joe.)
For Loudoun County Republican Committee Chair, Jacob supports Mark Sell. See here and here.
Greg Stone and I support Candace Strother. More here and here.
Since I run the blog and pay for it and do all the nasty behind-the-scenes work and field all the complaints, I get to put Candace in the sidebar with her photo – but make no mistake about it: We NVTH people are divided as to who should be the next LCRC leader. But as a testament to our corporate wonderfulness, let it be spoken that the NOVATownHall bloggers are divided, yet free to speak our minds. If he were not so backlogged and short of sleep, we’d probably even let Grigsby chime in.
In any case, I appreciate the diversity of opinion. Whatever happens on Saturday, I am certain we will all be on the same page on Sunday.
And if he is half the man I think he is, Jacob will likely trump this post with another that sends this one lower down the page.
