Good News-Bad News

Paul Ryan and Patty Murray

A Budget Agreement

 The conservative media was in high dudgeon this morning, criticizing the federal Budget agreement announced last night. by senators, Paul Ryan and Patty Murray.  And with good reason. There are no Grand Bargains to be had for either side, but does, at least, move the debate away from the across-the-board cuts of sequestration as it begins to substitute the more rational give and take trade offs of political compromise. It may, if passed by the congress, also offer a two-year respite from the cliff- hanging theatrics of recent years. This is the first time in four years that we actually have a budget agreement, and just perhaps the congress may return to its stated format of fair and open debate. For the record, we are not thrilled by the agreement itself as there is much left to do, but are encouraged by this improvement of the process.

No-Show Voters

We are, today, awarding the View's "Sash of Shame" to the voters of the Massachusetts 5th Congressional District for their dismal 13% turnout for yesterdays election of a replacement for now senator Ed Markey. Democratic state senator, Katherine Clark won the election with 66% of the truncated vote total over republican, Frank Addivinola in this heavily democratic district. There is some feeling among our staff that additional "Sashes of Shame" be awarded to the state and national republican committees, which provided little or no support to their candidate.

Not His Fault

The president joined self-professed hard-ball player Chris Matthews for hard-hitting interview last week. Who, asked Matthews, as he barely suppressed a new thrill running up his leg, is responsible for the fiasco of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare? Had the interview been somehow frozen at that point, and an impartial panel of psychics quickly polled, we are betting that none would have predicted that the pres. would have taken the blame. And, as the interview continued, they would have been unanimously correct.

The blame, it turns out, is not his personal management style (think of Dilbert's pal Wally) nor any other aspect of him or his presidency, but the size and poor organization of the federal government. "The White House is just a tiny part of what is a huge, widespread organization with increasingly complex tasks in a complex world."  Thanks, Barry, we feel much better now.

Why then would anyone create a massive muddled piece of legislation, designed to totally reorganize an industry representing one sixth of the U.S. economy, especially given the highly emotional impact of intruding into one of modern life's most intimate concerns, shared by virtually all Americans, and toss it to the aforesaid  incompetent bureaucracy for un-managed implementation?

This law needs to be repealed, and repealed now. To allow it to continue its rampage through the American psyche definitely qualifies as political malpractice.

Pivot to Confusion

It sure has gotten quiet in the past few days regarding Obamacare, its web site and its promises, or lack thereof.  It appears that the Administration, aided and abetted by the main-stream media, is taking advantage of the lull before the next storm of policy cancellations and making every effort to change the subject of public discussion. They would rather talk about anything, but health insurance.


Photo Op ?

Faced with criticism over the ACA, the president first tried to change the subject by embarking on a series of speeches on, wait for it....... Immigration. To get away from the friction over health care, he picks the one other topic that is sure to bring a collective surge in blood pressure, albeit to a slightly different constituent group. Not only is the public, or at least some part of it, incensed about the government's lack of action in enforcing our borders, but by proposing a program of amnesty for the illegals is heaping fuel on the fire. If he was trying to cast himself in a more favorable light, his meeting last week with a group of fasting demonstrators on the National Mall may have shifted the focus, but sure didn't raise the multiple on his stock as his approval ratings headed south. Moreover, the general consensus  among the lefties is that what is needed to "reform" immigration,is a huge piece of comprehensive legislation.  We are sure that congress will be receptive to that, right? . Where is Nancy Pelosi when you need her?

So facing a tough crowd at home, the Obama brain trust has now decided to look to diplomatic affairs as an arena in which to put up a winning score. This choice, however, comes with some risk. His first Secretary of State racked up thousands of frequent flier miles but was unable to score any big points. The now famous RESET button with Russia's Putin didn't fly and her bungling performance over the Benghazi tragedy highlighted her well-practiced refusal to take responsibility in tough situations. Enter her successor, John Kerry, who swooped into Paris to help  the Iranians land a flimsy agreement, not generally seen as much of a hindrance to their nuclear ambitions. Hint: don't ask the Israelis or the Saudis what they think of it.

So as the clock winds down (we wish, he's got three more years) the pres has had to go deep into his bench to find, smilin' Joe Biden, he of the big F***ing deal. Talk about an act of desperation. It seems, according to the Administration, that Old Joe is long-time pals with Chinese President, Xi Jinping. As we write, Joe is in Beijing trying to talk the Chinese down from it's new air-defense zone in the East China Sea, which has got Japan and others in a tizzy over the possibility of their aircraft encountering armed Chinese fighter jets enforcing the new zone. Appropriately the expectations of Joe's visit are minimal. And while the Administration has been sending mixed signals, Joe has been a tower of Jello in insisting that all the involved countries just need to talk to one another. Is it us, or does this smack of the Rodney King school of diplomacy, "Why can't we all just get along?"

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent ARTICLE on the issues surrounding Biden's trip to Beijing. And don't worry about upsetting our allies in the region, they will hardly know he was there.

Food for Thought

A hat-tip to the Wall Street journal which has published the following account, annually, since 1961. Nathaniel  Morton's account of the those we call the pilgrims who came, nearly 400 years ago, to found our town, our country, and our tradition of Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

Here beginneth the chronicle of those memorable circumstances of the year 1620, as recorded by Nathaniel Morton , keeper of the records of Plymouth Colony, based on the account of William Bradford , sometime governor thereof:

 

 

 

So they left that goodly and pleasant city of Leyden, which had been their resting-place for above eleven years, but they knew that they were pilgrims and strangers here below, and looked not much on these things, but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, their dearest country, where God hath prepared for them a city (Heb. XI, 16), and therein quieted their spirits.

         

                                                       

When they came to Delfs-Haven they found the ship and all things ready, and such of their friends as could not come with them followed after them, and sundry came from Amsterdam to see them shipt, and to take their leaves of them. One night was spent with little sleep with the most, but with friendly entertainment and Christian discourse, and other real expressions of true Christian love.

 

The next day they went on board, and their friends with them, where truly doleful was the sight of that sad and mournful parting, to hear what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound amongst them; what tears did gush from every eye, and pithy speeches pierced each other's heart, that sundry of the Dutch strangers that stood on the Key as spectators could not refrain from tears. But the tide (which stays for no man) calling them away, that were thus loath to depart, their Reverend Pastor, falling down on his knees, and they all with him, with watery cheeks commended them with the most fervent prayers unto the Lord and His blessing; and then with mutual embraces and many tears they took their leaves one of another, which proved to be the last leave to many of them.

 

Being now passed the vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before them in expectations, they had now no friends to welcome them, no inns to entertain or refresh them, no houses, or much less towns, to repair unto to seek for succour; and for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of the country know them to be sharp and violent, subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to travel to known places, much more to search unknown coasts.

 

Besides, what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wilde beasts and wilde men? and what multitudes of them there were, they then knew not: for which way soever they turned their eyes (save upward to Heaven) they could have but little solace or content in respect of any outward object; for summer being ended, all things stand in appearance with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hew.

 

If they looked behind them, there was a mighty ocean which they had passed, and was now as a main bar or gulph to separate them from all the civil parts of the world.

 

 

 

The Journal also publishes an annual companion piece, AND THE FAIR LAND, which provides a more contemporary meditation on the meaning of Thanksgiving.

 

Tyranny of the Majority

James Madison

The American Founders were very clever fellows. And while they may have lacked the foresight to  anticipate the ever increasing complexity of issues that would face their new nation as the events of future centuries unwound, they very clearly understood the nature of the human condition. It could be argued that some things simply don't change.

Writing in Federalist No .47, James Madison argued that "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny." While he was specifically referring to the need for the three branches of government to be "separate and distinct",  this sentiment could be applied to the whole system of checks and balances, which is manifested in the operating rules and regulations of the various branches of government.

Writing in today's Wall Street Journal, Tom, Korologos opines on the Senate's invoking of the "nuclear option" thereby killing of the filibuster rule. Korologos explains:

"In leading the charge, Majority Leader Harry Reid erased 225 years of precedent and altered the soul of the U.S. Senate."

His article also includes a handy re-cap of the various requirements contained in the Constitution so as to protect against Tyranny. You might want to send  the article to your favorite Senator, or to the President for that matter.

Speaking from the Senate floor in 2005, then-Senator Barack Obama, former Constitutional Law professor, railed against the possibility of Republicans invoking the same nuclear option:

"Mr. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to think about the implications of what has been called the nuclear option and what effect that might have on this Chamber and on this country,” Obama said “I urge all of us to think not just about winning every debate but about protecting free and democratic debate.”

You may also want to check out the entire Breitbart article, by Matthew Boyle, to see what other Democrat luminaries had to say at the time.


So what we have here is a president on the ropes due to the melt-down of what was to have been his signature legislative program, scrambling to change the collective subject. He invited his friends in the media to the White House to ask their help in burnishing his tarnished image, including that they  excise the word, "Obamacare" from their reporting. He also has actively lobbied Senate Democrats to encourage their invocation of the nuclear option. 225 years of precedent, thrown under the bus in an attempt to shift public attention away from the further critique of the Emperor's wardrobe. To paraphrase Dean Wormer, " Son, promoting unworkable, big-government schemes, while being over one's head and, increasingly out-of-control, is no way to go through life."

Bonfire of the Inanities

Charles Krauthammer

To coin a phrase, this is Big! The Obamacare meltdown is sure to go down in history as a major watershed for modern Progressives, the adherents to a movement that has spawned the conceit that big government can solve any problem (except, maybe, runaway deficits) . But amid the swirl of concerns for immediate issues like wide-spread policy cancellations and eye-popping premium increases, this fiasco begs for longer term considerations. Writing in Thursday's Washington Post, Charles Krauthammer does his usually superb job of getting at the essence of the issue, and it's not just the floundering web site that he likens to "the literal portal to this brave new world". He cuts to the chase and challenges the government's abilities to manage this effort which encompasses one-sixth of our GDP.

It is arguable that the administrative state, run by bureaucrats operating under poor management and oversight would have a challenge administering a carefully drafted, well-thought out program. When it applies its limited skills to the ACA, which still remains essentially unread by most of us, it is hard to understand how any other result, but that we are now experiencing, is possible. Add to this the lies and misinformation about the program that are just now coming to light, the demand for immediate repeal of this mess is becoming the more and more likely solution. And we haven't yet begun to understand the real costs of the plan. Hint: it will add much more than one dime to the deficit.

Former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, a key player in the original passage of the ACA, has continued to play bit parts in the act's roll-out and subsequent flame- out  It was she who famously told us that we have to pass the bill in order to find out what is in it. While it is fashionable in some quarters to dismiss the U.S. Constitution as an old out-of- date relic, there is the fact that it continues to be the basis for our federal government. Concerned citizens who see the danger in straying from our founding principles are ridiculed and/or ignored. When asked in 2009, where the Constitution authorized Congress to order Americans to buy health insurance, Madam Speaker replied, "Are you serious?, are you serious? ". Maybe she should at least get points for honesty.

"Fixing" Poverty

In Barbara Mulvey-Welsh's opinion piece, The Politics of Poverty, published recently in Plymouth's Old Colony Memorial newspaper, she does a credible job of reminding us how easy it is to slide into poverty and shows striking empathy for those who end up on the short end through no fault of their own.

We would take her to task, however, for her passivity towards those that cheat the system, willing to accept a measure of waste, or even fraud, to ensure benefits for the truly needy.  This is not an either/or choice. The cheats are not only stealing from the taxpayers, but are also jeopardizing the benefits of those in need. It’s not enough to throw large chunks of taxpayer money at a problem. Administrators must follow through with effective management and oversight to ensure that the funds are being spent for the stated purpose. If this isn't possible, then the program itself becomes subject to a loss of public support, and possibly funding. Supporters of these programs, like Barbrara should be demanding oversight and management to protect those truly needy recipients.

Government programs are seen by many as being the answer to all of society's problems. In addition to lax oversight, however, the frequency of unintended consequences often dogs even the most well-intentioned public initiative.

To wit, the call for a national minimum wage. Increasing the minimum wage is regularly proposed as the solution to all manner of perceived poverty.  But as the cost of minimum-wage labor increases, demand for that labor declines as employers adjust their budgets to the new cost structure.  This has the net effect of increasing the unemployment rate among the most vulnerable.

For a more in-depth treatment of the subject, read Heritage Foundations' James Sherk's recent post, especially the experience of American Samoa.  In the minds of many, big corporations are thought able to easily absorb the cost of an increase in the minimum wage, but this assertion ignores the reality of basic economic supply and demand. Or, as Sherk puts it , "Good Intentions do not repeal the laws of economics."
  

In spite of its flaws, our Free Market System consistently provides superior opportunity and higher incomes to the lower income brackets, than other world social systems.  

Reforming The Mass. EBT Program, a first step

Rep. Shaunna O'Connell

A hat tip to Mass. Rep Shaunna O'Connell (R, Taunton), et.al. for refusing to accept the passive attitude of the Beacon Hill bureaucrats, as they file legislation designed to, at least, begin the clean up of this financial embarrassment. Known for her tireless work at digging out the truth about the out-of-control costs and abuses of this program, these proposed amendments lay out a plan for bringing the program under control. Thanks are due, not only from taxpayers, but from the truly needy that depend on this program. Find out more at her WebSite

 

 

  

Nicole Thibault

Legislative Aide

Office of Representative Shaunna O'Connell

Third Bristol District

State House, Room 237

Boston, MA  02133-1054

(617) 722-2305

Nicole.Thibault@mahouse.gov

  

Contact: Nicole Thibault

617-722-2305

November 5, 2013

Immediate Release

 

 

O’Connell Files Amendment to Strengthen Welfare Reform

End the Loopholes

Taunton, MA.  . . Today at the State House Representative Shaunna O’Connell  along with Representatives Geoff Diehl, Jim Lyons, Ryan Fattman, and Leah Cole announced that they are filing multiple amendments to strengthen the welfare reform package and end the loopholes.

“The problems plaguing the Department of Transitional Assistance have been occurring for far too long.  It is time to end the loopholes,” said O’Connell. “We need to plug the holes so we can ensure the integrity of the program. Allowing people to defraud the system doesn’t help anyone on assistance,” said O’Connell.

“Strengthening the integrity of public assistance programs insures that critical resources go to those in need of assistance and not to those who would game the system and abuse the trust of Massachusetts citizens who understand and want to lend a helping hand to their neighbors. I’m proud of the amendments that my colleagues and I have filed to insure that the safety net we’re able to provide is not compromised and I urge all members of the House and Senate to adopt these common-sense measures,” said Diehl.

“I grew up on public housing assistance.  I understand how people can fall down in their luck and need some help from time to time.  However, we need to strengthen the work requirements so we can end the cycle of dependency and teach personal responsibility,” added O’Connell.

The O’Connell amendment package includes:

·         Requiring the sponsor of a lawful permanent resident be financially responsible if a new immigrant collects benefits within the first 5 years of living in the United States.

·         Requiring the Department of Transitional Assistance to contact recipients if accounts lay dormant for 3 months rather than the one year period in the bill.

·         Requiring asset verification.  O’Connell has repeatedly filed legislation requiring a 14 point check system to ensure people are truly needy.

·         Adding to the reporting requirement how many sponsored green card residents are using benefits

·         Requiring a recipient to report in person to DTA if their mail is undeliverable

·         Ending self-declarations

·         Requiring case workers to verify information contained in work verification forms and landlord verification forms.

·         Require applicants to immediately supply a Social Security number to get benefits unless a person has certain protected status, such as a victim of domestic violence.

·         Prohibiting the use of cash assistance in other states that don’t border Massachusetts

For the past two and a half years, O’Connell has led the charge for reforming welfare and the Department of Transitional Assistance.  Due to her efforts a considerable amount of fraud has been exposed.  Most recently DTA had to disclose how EBT card balances were run up without any oversight.  One balance had grown to $12,000.  There are over 1800 cards with a balance of $1500 or more.  O’Connell paid an $800 fee for the data to obtain the information.

O’Connell passed the legislation to stop the purchasing with EBT cards of alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets. 

To prevent further fraud, O’Connell and her colleagues strongly believe that there must be greater oversight of the application process to ensure only the truly needy are obtaining assistance.