An excellent article on what the Healthcare discussion is actually about.  An excerpt:

...Many people suppose that the heart of the disagreement is over whether or not to expand coverage to more people. It is, of course, a primary objective of the Democratic sponsors of the current initiative to ensure that every American, or nearly so, is enrolled in some kind of health insurance plan on a continuous basis.

But Republicans are not opposed to expanding coverage to the uninsured. In 2008, presidential candidate John McCain proposed a plan which would have provided to every American household a tax credit which could only be used to purchase a health insurance policy. It was, in a very real sense, a "universal coverage" plan in that it sought to ensure that every American would have the financial wherewithal, provided by the federal government, to acquire some level of health insurance protection. The issue, then, is not over expanding coverage to all.

No, the real sticking point between the two sides is really about allocating resources in the health-care sector. Both sides agree that the status quo is unsustainable, largely because costs are rising much more rapidly than wages or governmental revenues. The crucial question is what to do about the problem. Put differently, the question health-care reform advocates must answer is this: what process will be put in place to bring about continual improvement in the productivity and quality of patient care? That might strike some as something of a technical question, not one of fundamental importance. But, in reality, it's just another way of saying that resources are scarce and must be allocated in some fashion. The only way to slow rising costs without lowering the quality of care provided is to improve the efficiency of the interactions between doctors and hospitals and those they care for. The question before policymakers is what is most likely to lead to better care at less cost...

Perhaps one day, Congress will actually have the limited and enumerated Government argument.  Right now, they're perfectly content trying to determine which side of them has the best idea on how to interfere with the market...one wants to take it over and the other just wants to give away taxpayer money.  Neither is really concerned with whether the Federal Government should be involved at all.

Read the whole article here.

Our nation, from the bottom up needs our help! 

We need to get back to being a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Every day we hear one more group somewhere arguing for more of what we as a people do not have, and while the folks in Washington or Helena agree to hand over the tax receipts from next year in exchange for their reelection, it has to give us all pause to contemplate how we must look to an outside observer. In just two generations we have gone from a people who would rather go hungry than to ask for a hand out, to a huddled mass clamoring at the feet of our elected elite for table scraps.

We surround them!

They are supposed to work for us! From our school boards to our city councils and all the way to Washington, we have lost control over the hired help. And the best that we can hope for from our two party system, is grid-lock.  The time has passed for waiting for someone to come lead us out of bondage, get up! There is no one better suited than us, and this requires our immediate attention, and it needs to be focused on what is pertinent and prudent.

I believe the platform of the ACP does exactly that. Please take a few minutes to scrutinize the planks and if it is a foundation that is in line with your values please get involved and help us take our country back one school board , one water district and one county at a time.

{Courtesy of The Patriot Caucus}

Republican Scott Brown has become increasingly visible on the national political scene over the past few weeks. As the January 19th special election to replace Sen. Ted Kennedy draws near, Democrat Martha Coakley’s lead has slipped from double to single digits among several polls. A January 4th Rasmussen IVR poll has shown Brown within 9 points of Coakley as the survey of 500 likely voters, gave Coakley a 50%-41% lead.

With ten days to go, can Brown win the seat held for years by Kennedy in the most Democratic state in the country? The Democrats do not consider it a possibility, but many Republicans are hoping for a “Massachusetts Miracle.”

Like many states, Massachusetts is facing internal difficulties. Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick leads the state with a style that has not set well with many people and he has successfully led the state to increase its sales tax. Other Democrats, including the state House Speaker, have resigned from the state legislature over the past year as a result of scandal, giving voters the impression that they are out of control.

It is in this scenario that Brown has narrowed the margin between himself and Coakley. Will it be enough to close the final margin by January 19th? While the Republicans would like to think so, it will be very difficult. First of all, it is a special election where voter turnouts are historically low. Secondly, Massachusetts voters tend to get angry at individual politicians. Finally, Coakley has avoided making risky statements in her campaign that would alienate the voters. She is very popular with women and independents.

On Brown’s side, he does have momentum flowing in his favor, he has done very well in his fund-raising efforts and he is fiscally conservative. Throughout his campaign he has not been shy about denouncing the current administration’s financial and international policies.

This is a race that the Republican Party decided not to become heavily involved in. With decreasing donations and resources, the party is focusing on races where they are “for sure” in the running. The reason for making note of this is that Brown has closed the gap in the polls without the “committed backing” of the Republican Party. One has to believe that grassroots conservatives have played a key role indirectly through the attention they have brought to the liberal agenda of the current administration and the hope that they have brought back to the American people through their activism.

While Coakley is still fully expected to take the win, it is no longer a “certain” victory. Ultimately, it comes down to the voters on the side of life, liberty and freedom. We must keep our hands to the plow and never look back. Many Americans are listening to the voices of the grassroots movement and as the recent polls reveal, independent voters are hearing us.

Yours for liberty,
Tye (Mitch)

The Georgia ballot access law for U.S. House is the most unique in the nation. The state requires 21,685 signatures or 5% of the total number of registered voters in the 9th district, along with a check for around $6,800 dollars (non-refundable). No other state has a ballot access law for Congressional candidates this tough.