The Obion County Republican Party’s Reagan Day Dinner is scheduled for February 18, 2012 at 6:00 PM. The Reagan Day Dinner is our main fund-raiser and we need your help. With your support of our Reagan Day Dinner, you help ensure that we have the resources possible to win our races here in Obion County, and to help defeat the Obama regime in Washington. This Reagan Day Dinner is on a fast track to be one of the most successful dinners we have ever had and the tables will be filling up quickly. Now is your chance to secure your spot at this event in this historic year.

We also need your help with our silent auction. We need items to auction off. The silent auction is another excellent way that supports the party financially. If you have an item that you are willing to donate, or would like more information on how to help this part of our Reagan Day, please contact Chairman Phillip Senn at 731-446-9538.

If you would be interested in hosting/co-hosting a VIP reception, please contact Chairman Senn.

If you would like to invite your friends, you can copy/paste the following into an E-mail.

The Obion County Republican Party proudly announces a

REAGAN DAY DINNER
EDDIE COX SENIOR CENTER
622 SOUTH DEPOT STREET
UNION CITY, TENNESSEE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012 DINNER STARTS AT 6:00 PM
GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! DINNER $25/EA (meal includes: BBQ, Baked Beans, Slaw, Potato Salad, Rolls, Tea, and dessert)
BY PHONE:731-446-9538
BY CHECK: Obion County Republican Party
c/o David Parks
3761 Parks Rd.
Union City, TN 38261
(payable to Obion County Republican Party)

We are very pleased to announce that The Honorable Stephen Fincher, Tennessee’s 8th District US House representative, has been scheduled as our Keynote Speaker.

TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND SEATING IS LIMITED PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE OBION COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY

Paid for by the Obion County Republican Party

Obama’s Idea Of Keeping Promises Runs Into A Problem – The Facts

FAILED PROMISE: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BELOW 8 PERCENT

Obama Promised His $825 Billion Stimulus Would Keep The Unemployment Rate Below 8 Percent; It’s Been Above 8 Percent for 35 STRAIGHT MONTHS:

Obama’s $825 Billion Stimulus Failed To Keep The Unemployment Rate Below The 8 Percent Level He Promised It Would. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 12/21/11; Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein, “The Job Impact Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan,”1/9/09; Congressional Budget Office, 5/25/11)

Obama’s Advisors Predicted The Stimulus Would Have Lowered Unemployment To Nearly 6 Percent At This Point. (Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein, “The Job Impact Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Plan,”1/9/09)

Since President Obama Took Office, The Nation Has Lost 1.7 Million Jobs And The Unemployment Rate Has Increased From 7.8 Percent To 8.5 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

Including 1.1 Private Sector Jobs, 1.01 Million Construction Jobs, And 769,000 Manufacturing Jobs. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

The Unemployment Rate Has Remained Above Eight Percent For A Record 35 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

The Average Duration Of Unemployment Has More Than Doubled From 19.9 Weeks To 40.8 Weeks. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

Jim Pethokoukis: “10.9%: The Unemployment Rate (U-3) If The Size Of US Workforce Was The Same As When Obama Took Office.” (Jim Pethokoukis, Twitter Feed, 1/6/12)

Pethokoukis: “I Mean, ANOTHER 50k People Dropped Out Of Workforce. And This Is Supposed To Be The Peak Of Econ Growth For Next 12 Months+” (Jim Pethokoukis, Twitter Feed, 1/6/12)

There Are Currently 945,000 Unemployed Workers That Have Given Up Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

The Real Unemployment Rate, Including Those That Are Working Part-Time Due To Economic Reasons, Is 15.2 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

There Are Currently 13.1 Million Unemployed Workers. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

There Are Currently 8.1 Million Workers Working Part-Time For Economic Reasons. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/6/12)

FAILED PROMISE: MAKING HEALTH CARE AFFORDABLE

FactCheck.org: ObamaCare Is Actually Making Health Care “Less Affordable.” “At the moment, the new law is making health care slightly less affordable. Independent health care experts say the law has caused some insurance premiums to rise. As we wrote in October, the new law has caused about a 1 percent to 3 percent increase in health insurance premiums for employer-sponsored family plans because of requirements for increased benefits. Last year’s premium increases cast even more doubt on another promise the president has made — that the health care law would ‘lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year.’” (D’Angelo Gore, “Promises, Promises,” Fact Check.org, 1/4/12)

The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: “Moreover, at this point it is debatable whether the law has made health care more affordable. Insurance premiums have gone up, in part because of new benefits mandated by the law.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Fine Print In Obama’s ‘Promises Kept’ Ad,” The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker, 1/6/12)

FAILED PROMISE: MAKING HEALTH CARE AVAILABLE TO EVERY AMERICAN

FactCheck.org: ObamaCare “Falls Short Of Making Health Care ‘Affordable And Available To Every Single American,’ As Promised.” “Furthermore, the law falls short of making health care ‘affordable and available to every single American,’ as promised. The law provides subsidies to help some Americans buy insurance, expands Medicaid and doesn’t allow insurance companies to exclude persons with preexisting conditions. But still, the director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected 23 million persons will remain uninsured — some because they can’t afford coverage.” (D’Angelo Gore, “Promises, Promises,” Fact Check.org, 1/4/12)

The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: “Not Every Single American” Has Health Coverage As Obama Promised. “No matter what one thinks of Obama’s health care law, it was certainly a signature legislative achievement—the most sweeping health care law since the creation of Medicare. But notice that Obama said he would bring health care to ‘every single American,’ but the headline simply says ‘more than 30 million Americans.’ That translates into 95 percent of nonelderly Americans—when the law is fully implemented in 2016. That is certainly an increase over the 82-percent level that would have been expected in the absence of the law, but it is not ‘every single American.’” (Glenn Kessler, “The Fine Print In Obama’s ‘Promises Kept’ Ad,” The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker, 1/6/12)

FAILED PROMISE: ENDING TAX BREAKS FOR COMPANIES SHIPPING JOBS OVERSEAS

Politifact: “Experts Say The Law By Itself Doesn’t Live Up To Obama’s Promise In Iowa ‘To Be A President Who Ends The Tax Breaks For Companies That Ship Our Jobs Overseas.’” “While there is some truth to the claim that Obama signed legislation that ‘closed corporate tax loopholes that were sending profits overseas,’ experts say the law by itself doesn’t live up to Obama’s promise in Iowa to ‘be a president who ends the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas.’ Incentives deeply embedded in the tax code still exist. We rate the statement Half True.” (Louis Jacobson, “Barack Obama Reelection Video Says He “Closed Corporate Tax Loopholes That Were Sending Profits Overseas,” Politifact, 1/5/12)

The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: “Here, The Obama Campaign Is Trying To Have Its Cake And Eat It Too…” “We have no quibble with the tax-cut claim but the ‘ship jobs overseas’ language immediately jumped out at us because Obama’s efforts to get this proposal enacted into law have repeatedly died in Congress. Notice that the headline speaks of ‘sending profits overseas’—not sending jobs overseas. The Obama campaign says this refers to a single loophole (not ‘loopholes’) that was closed. The loophole had allowed companies to avoid U.S. taxes on foreign profits while receiving a tax credit for taxes paid to foreign governments. Our friends at Politifact had previously faulted Obama for suggesting that closing this loophole had anything to do with shipping jobs overseas. Here, the Obama campaign is trying to have its cake and eat it too, by quoting Obama and then running a headline that is factually correct but has nothing to do with his previous statement.” (Glenn Kessler, “The Fine Print In Obama’s ‘Promises Kept’ Ad,” The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker, 1/6/12)

FAILED PROMISE: ENDING THE ‘TYRANNY OF OIL ONCE AND FOR ALL”

FactCheck.org: “[T]he U.S. is still a long way from being free of the ‘tyranny of oil once and for all,’ as Obama said.” (D’Angelo Gore, “Promises, Promises,” Fact Check.org, 1/4/12)

The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker: “Strangely, The [Obama Campaign’s] Headline Does Not Try To Back Up Obama’s Pledge. “Strangely, the headline does not try to back up Obama’s pledge. But the Obama fact sheet provides some evidence of how the administration has invested in clean energy (no mention of the Solyndra controversy!) and how foreign oil imports have fallen. But the phrase ‘lower costs at the pump’ is not proven at all, and appears to be an effort to gloss over the fact the gasoline prices have risen sharply since Obama took office. (A president, of course, has little to do with rising oil prices.)” (Glenn Kessler, “The Fine Print In Obama’s ‘Promises Kept’ Ad,” The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker, 1/6/12)

FAILED PROMISE: “BRINGING DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TOGETHER”

FactCheck.org: “[I]t’s Simply A Fact That The President Failed At ‘Bringing Democrats And Republicans Together.’” “To be sure, the president did sign the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law in 2010, but it wasn’t enacted by ‘bringing Democrats and Republicans together.’ The bill passed the Senate on Dec. 24, 2009, by a vote of 60-39, without any Republicans voting for it. And when the House passed its version of the bill almost three months later, by a vote of 219-212, it too garnered no support from Republicans. We won’t offer any opinion about whether one side is more to blame than the other for that, but it’s simply a fact that the president failed at ‘bringing Democrats and Republicans together.’” (D’Angelo Gore, “Promises, Promises,” Fact Check.org, 1/4/12)

Read more: http://www.gop.com/index.php/briefing/comments/failed_promise_unemployment_highlights_obamas_broken_promises#ixzz1iioGof4z

Obama Thinks We Can’t Wait For His “New” Summer Jobs Program But We’re Still Waiting For The Last One To Work

“President Obama On Thursday Will Unveil A Summer-Jobs Initiative That The White House Says Is Already On Track To Create 180,000 ‘Work Opportunities’ In The Private Sector In 2012.” (Erik Wasson, “Obama To Unveil Summer-Jobs Initiative,” The Hill, 1/5/12)

THE LAST TIME OBAMA PROPOSED A SIMILAR PROGRAM, IT FAILED TO LOWER YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND WAS DUBBED A “HALF-DISASTER”

In 2009, The White House Vowed To Create 125,000 Summer Youth Jobs With The Stimulus. “In the Next 100 Days: Create 125,000 Summer Youth Jobs Why? Providing young people with jobs during the summer months is crucial to both the development of our next generation of productive citizens and to the strengthening of our nation’s economy. Empowering our young people through meaningful summer employment will keep them off the streets and provide them with valuable work experience. Along the way, they will develop critical work habits and skills that will pay dividends throughout their adult lives.” (“Providing Opportunities For America’s Youth,” The White House, Accessed 1/5/12)

Despite The Program, Youth Unemployment Soared To Record Highs Not Seen Since 1948

The Unemployment Rate For Youth 16-24 Years Old Increased From 18.0 Percent In June 2009 To 18.3 Percent In August 2009. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 1/5/12)

Youth Unemployment Reached 18.5 Percent For 16-24 Year Olds In July 2009, The Highest In That Month Since 1948. “Vice President Joe Biden described the Workforce Investment Act summer program as a way to keep teens out of trouble and off the streets while reinvigorating the country’s summer youth employment program, which had gone dormant for a decade. But the program didn’t prevent youth unemployment rates from soaring to 18.5 percent in July, the highest rate measured among 16-to-24-year-olds in that month since 1948.” (Garance Burke, “Despite US Stimulus, Teens Left Without Jobs,” The Associated Press, 9/27/09)

“Almost One-Quarter Of The 279,169 Youths In The $1.2 Billion Jobs Program Didn’t Get Jobs.” “The Obama administration’s economic stimulus program to find jobs for teenagers this summer couldn’t overcome one of the bleakest job markets in more than 60 years that had desperate adults competing for the same work. Almost one-quarter of the 279,169 youths in the $1.2 billion jobs program didn’t get jobs, as more adults sought the same low-wage positions at hamburger stands and community pools, according to an Associated Press review of government data and reports from states.” (Garance Burke, “Despite US Stimulus, Teens Left Without Jobs,” The Associated Press, 9/27/09)

Congressional Auditors Said The Government’s Measure Of The Program’s Success Was Too “Haphazard.” “Congressional auditors warned yesterday that the government’s plans to measure the success of the federal program are so haphazard that they ‘may reveal little about what the program achieved.’ The new report from the Government Accountability Office said many government officials, employers, and participants believe the program was successful.” (Garance Burke, “Despite US Stimulus, Teens Left Without Jobs,” The Associated Press, 9/27/09)

“The Summer Program Was Basically Half-Disaster.” “‘The summer program was basically half-disaster,’ said Andrew Sum, director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston.” (Garance Burke, “Despite US Stimulus, Teens Left Without Jobs,” The Associated Press, 9/27/09)

“It Was Too Little, Too Late, And Too Poorly Constructed To Have Any Lasting Effect On Our Youngest Workers.” (Garance Burke, “Despite US Stimulus, Teens Left Without Jobs,” The Associated Press, 9/27/09)

HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT IS HITTING YOUTH PARTICULARLY HARD, WHICH IS CAUSING “HEADWINDS” FOR OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN

“The U.S. Labor Market Is In A Malaise, But Young Adults Are In Crisis.” (Joe Light and Lauren Weber, “Generation Jobless: For Those Under 24, A Portrait In Crisis,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/7/11)

Extended Youth Joblessness Often Results In “Painful Long-Term Effects.” “A prolonged period of joblessness during one’s first few years in the labor market can also have painful long-term effects. A young man who spends a year unemployed before age 23 will be earning 23 percent less than his peers a decade later, according to The Economist. For young women, the earning gap is 16 percent.” (Alexander Eichler, “Youth Employment Shows A Surprising Rise, Though Overall Picture Remains Grim,” The Huffington Post, 12/1/11)

“High Youth Unemployment Could Create Headwinds For President Obama’s Re-Election Campaign.” “Some political analysts believe that high youth unemployment could create headwinds for President Obama’s re-election campaign, even though young voters were responsible for so much momentum during Obama’s 2008 campaign. In poll after poll this year, voters have consistently named jobs and the economy as their most pressing concerns.” (Alexander Eichler, “Youth Employment Shows A Surprising Rise, Though Overall Picture Remains Grim,” The Huffington Post, 12/1/11)

“Voters Under 30 Have, As A Group, Become Increasingly Disillusioned Dealing With The Demoralizing Economy.” (Alex Katz, “Young Voters’ Ardor For Obama Has Wilted,” The Boston Globe, 11/14/11)

“There’s A Deep-Seated Feeling Of Malaise.” “‘There’s a deep-seated feeling of malaise out there,’’ said Thomas Patterson, a professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government who focuses on electoral participation.” (Alex Katz, “Young Voters’ Ardor For Obama Has Wilted,” The Boston Globe, 11/14/11)

48 Percent Of Young Voters Say Obama Makes Them Hopeful, Down Sharply From The 81 Percent He Inspired In 2008. “A survey released this month by the Pew Research Center found that just 48 percent of young voters – those 18 to 29 years old – say Obama makes them feel hopeful, compared with 81 percent in November 2008.” (Alex Katz, “Young Voters’ Ardor For Obama Has Wilted,” The Boston Globe, 11/14/11.)

Read more: http://www.gop.com/index.php/briefing/comments/another_summer_bummer/#ixzz1icofMAOe

Roy Herron announced months ago that he opposes repealing ObamaCare…

“Dresden state Sen. Roy Herron, who is campaigning for the congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Union City, said he would not seek to repeal the health care overhaul approved by Congress last month when asked about the legislation.” (Nicholas Beadle, “Democrats rally around candidates,” Jackson Sun, 4/9/10)

…Which cuts seniors’ Medicare by half-a-trillion dollars:

“The bill also includes $500 billion in Medicare cuts over the next decade.” (Jill Jackson and John Nolen, “Health Care Reform Bill Summary: A Look At What’s in the Bill,” CBS News, 3/21/2010)

It’s no wonder, then, that a seniors’ group will begin airing $250,000 worth of ads on Friday targeting Herron’s liberal record on healthcare:

“The 60 Plus Association, a group for senior citizens that bills itself as the conservative alternative to the AARP (national spokesman: Pat Boone), says it’s planning to spend the strangely specific sum of $221,636 [revised figure: $241,636] on issue ads attacking state Sen. Roy Herron, the expected Democratic nominee to represent the 8th Congressional District. The ads will start running the day after the primary, Friday, Aug. 6. ‘A supporter of TennCare and a career politician, Roy Herron will only serve to support Pelosi’s big government agenda, rather than listening to Tennesseans.’” (Chas Sisk, “Senior citizen group plans attacks on Roy Herron,” The Tennessean “In Session,” 8/3/10)

THEY’RE RIGHT.
EVEN BEFORE EFFECTIVELY SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT’S MEDICARE CUTS, ROY HAD COMPILED AN OBAMA-LIKE HEALTHCARE RECORD.

Herron vocally supported TennCare…

“Tennessee in a year has done what Washington talks about doing in a decade. Washington aims for 95 percent of our citizens to have health insurance in the next millennium. Tennessee will achieve it next month.” (Roy Herron, “A ‘Tennessee Treasure,’ Memphis Commercial Appeal, 12/25/94)

“Sen. Herron said that TennCare has been beneficial to the state in a number of ways.” (Michael Finn, “Legislator Cites Difficulty In Obtaining Tenncare Info,” Chattanooga Times Free Press, 10/10/97)

…Which Gov. Bredesen has called a “disaster” and national newspapers have characterized as a ruinous state-level precursor to the president’s healthcare takeover:

“Years ago Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, called it a ‘disaster.’ Today President Obama calls the same idea ‘reform.’ Both the president’s prescription for the uninsured and Tennessee’s TennCare program are premised on the same sugar pill: a vast expansion of health insurance coverage without affecting cost or quality…Given Tennessee’s predictable experience, one wonders what ObamaCare cheerleaders have been smoking. No wonder attorneys general in so many states have gone to court.” (“The TennCare lesson: A national disaster,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review EDITORIAL, 3/27/10)

“In 1994, Tennessee launched an ambitious public insurance program to cover its uninsured. The plan, TennCare, fulfilled that mission but nearly bankrupted the state in the process. As originally envisioned, the Tennessee plan expanded Medicaid, the government health-care program for the poor, to cover people who couldn’t afford insurance or who had been denied coverage by an insurance company. With an initial budget of $2.6 billion, TennCare quickly extended coverage to an additional 500,000 people by making access to its plans easy and affordable. But the program became so expensive that Tennessee was forced to scale it back in 2005. Now, as Congress debates a national health-care overhaul, state experiments like Tennessee’s are informing the discussion.” (Avery Johnson, “Tennessee Experiment’s High Cost Fuels Health-Care Debate,” Wall Street Journal, 8/17/09)

In 1993 – when President Bill Clinton and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) offered up similar government healthcare takeover plans – he supported their efforts:

“‘Do not give up on universal coverage,’ asked Clinton. Cooper followed Clinton and said his approach was much closer to Clinton’s bill than either the single-payer plan proposed by liberal Democrats or the moderate Republican plan. ‘We are also committed to achieving universal coverage, and I think it should be on the President’s timetable of 1998,’ said Cooper…Tennesseans and Mississippians attending the DLC’s annual conference said they believe Clinton is now on the right path after a rocky start…‘The big issue for a lot of us is health care reform,’ said Tennessee State Rep. Roy Herron of Dresden. ‘I hope he and Congressman Cooper would continue to talk and find a solution.’” (James Brosnan, “Clinton, DLC tout success; health care split looms,” Memphis Commercial Appeal, 12/4/93)

“‘Our bills are very similar,’ Cooper acknowledged last month. ‘(They) have a lot in common and we’re very proud of that’…Indeed, like Clinton, Cooper would turn over control of America’s health care system to the government.” (Joseph Perkins, “Clinton Lite: `Rival’ health reform plan is just as ill-advised,” San Diego Union Tribune, 3/11/94)

“Alternatives rising in Congress, as support for President Clinton’s original health care reform plan dwindles, have flaws…One, called ‘Clinton-Lite’ because of its resemblance to Clinton’s proposed Health Security Act…would force people into government-approved health care plans, severely limit health care options, make employees pay more, and limit choice of doctors and access to specialists…With other features similar to Clinton’s plan, Cooper-Grandy would move relentlessly toward greater regulation and more taxes – things lawmakers claim they want to avoid.” (“Beware ‘Clinton Lite,’ Daily Oklahoman EDITORIAL, 4/19/94)

Roy campaigned on universal healthcare while running for state Senate in 1996:

“He also stressed support for ‘better schools for our children, better jobs for adult, and affordable health care for all citizens’…‘Every citizen should have access to affordable, life-saving health care.’” (“Representative Roy Herron announces for Senate,” Dresden Enterprise, 7/24/96)

Tennessee’s attorney general is refusing to join other states in challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare…

“[Tennessee Attorney General Robert] Cooper issued a formal advisory opinion Tuesday that said the Tennessee legislature’s main effort to nullify the federal health reform act likely is itself an unconstitutional attempt to pre-empt federal law. As a result, the opinion said, his office could not act as counsel for the state in trying to enforce the pre-emption.” (Richard Locker, “Lt. Gov. Ramsey urges Tennessee attorney general to sue over federal health reform,” Memphis Commercial Appeal, 4/7/10)

…Which flies against what state voters want:

“Tennessee is considering joining the states that are suing the federal government over the health care plan, arguing the requirement that every American must obtain health insurance is unconstitutional. Thirty-four percent (34%) of Tennessee voters favor that requirement, while 62% oppose it. That helps to explain why 57% think the state should sue the federal government to prevent that requirement of the health care plan from becoming law. Thirty percent (30%) oppose such a lawsuit.” (Rasmussen Reports, survey of 500 likely voters, 3/22/10)

No wonder Cooper’s flaunting the will of the people – he’s not accountable to them:

“Tennessee doesn’t have an elected attorney general…” (Alan Ehrenhalt, “A deep bench,” Governing, July 2009)

And liberal politician Roy Herron wants to keep it that way:

“[State Sen. Mae] Beavers makes the argument that Tennessee is odd-man-out in its method of choosing an Attorney General. ‘Currently, Tennessee is the only state utilizing the Supreme Court, an appointed body themselves, to appoint the attorney general. Forty-three of the fifty states select their attorney generals through popular election’…[State Sen. Doug] Henry rallied opposing statements from Overbey and from Democratic Senator Roy Herron.” (Joe White, “Move To Elect State Attorney General Hits Snag In Senate,” WPLN Radio, 4/19/10)

Because Roy has a history of supporting Obamacare-like boondoggles…

“Tennessee in a year has done what Washington talks about doing in a decade. Washington aims for 95 percent of our citizens to have health insurance in the next millennium. Tennessee will achieve it next month.” (Roy Herron, “A ‘Tennessee Treasure,’ Memphis Commercial Appeal, 12/25/94)

“Sen. Herron said that TennCare has been beneficial to the state in a number of ways.” (Michael Finn, “Legislator Cites Difficulty In Obtaining Tenncare Info,” Chattanooga Times Free Press, 10/10/97)

“In 1994, Tennessee launched an ambitious public insurance program to cover its uninsured. The plan, TennCare, fulfilled that mission but nearly bankrupted the state in the process. As originally envisioned, the Tennessee plan expanded Medicaid, the government health-care program for the poor, to cover people who couldn’t afford insurance or who had been denied coverage by an insurance company. With an initial budget of $2.6 billion, TennCare quickly extended coverage to an additional 500,000 people by making access to its plans easy and affordable. But the program became so expensive that Tennessee was forced to scale it back in 2005. Now, as Congress debates a national health-care overhaul, state experiments like Tennessee’s are informing the discussion.” (Avery Johnson, “Tennessee Experiment’s High Cost Fuels Health-Care Debate,” Wall Street Journal, 8/17/09)

“Years ago Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, called it a ‘disaster.’ Today President Obama calls the same idea ‘reform.’ Both the president’s prescription for the uninsured and Tennessee’s TennCare program are premised on the same sugar pill: a vast expansion of health insurance coverage without affecting cost or quality…Given Tennessee’s predictable experience, one wonders what ObamaCare cheerleaders have been smoking. No wonder attorneys general in so many states have gone to court.” (“The TennCare lesson: A national disaster,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review EDITORIAL, 3/27/10)

…Which are still hurting Tennessee to this very day:

“Herron seemed a bit taken aback when Erin pharmacy technicians Brandy Jones and Lisa Moore told him that they think TennCare – Tennessee’s Medicaid managed care program – is a disaster. ‘Millions of dollars are being wasted,’ Jones said.” (Kevin Sauls and Bonnie Lill, “Herron says he’ll fight for jobs, less spending,” The Stewart Houston Times, 4/13/10)

Andy Seré

Regional Press Secretary

National Republican Congressional Committee

By U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander
March 28, 2010
Tennessean.com

Tennessee Voices

The new health-care law is an historic mistake.

The fundamental mistake is cost – expanding a health-care delivery system that everyone knows is too expensive, instead of reducing its cost so more Americans can afford health insurance.

Another mistake is taxing job creators – employers, individuals and investors – in the middle of a recession. And unlike Social Security, Medicare and civil-rights legislation, the only thing bipartisan about it is opposition to it.

Here is what the new law will mean for Tennesseans:

• Each Tennessean’s share of the national debt will increase when you include the cost of paying doctors to serve Medicare patients.
• The government will spend $8,470 more on health care for every Tennessean (and every American).
• 243,000 Tennesseans enrolled in Medicare Advantage will have benefits reduced, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. And the half trillion dollars in Medicare cuts are used to pay for new programs, not to make Medicare solvent. Medicare will become insolvent in 2015, according to its trustees.
• About 1.4 million Tennessee households making less than $200,000 will pay higher taxes, based on estimates by the Joint Committee on Taxation.
• Premium rates will rise 30 to 45 percent for 300,000 Tennesseans who buy individual policies, based on a Blue Cross/ Blue Shield study and other analyses.
• Tennessee businesses employing 50 or more people will pay either higher health-care costs or a new penalty.
• The federal government will overcharge 200,000 Tennesseans with student loans by an average of $1,700 to help pay for health care and other government programs. This July 1 Washington takeover of the student loan program will deprive these students of choices, increase the federal debt by another half trillion dollars, and throw out of work 700 Tennesseans who now help students apply for loans.
• Premiums will rise up to 35 percent for the youngest 30 percent of Tennesseans, according to a study by Oliver Wyman.

Of course, in this 3,000-page law there are good provisions, such as insurance reforms: There will be a high-risk pool for some with pre-existing health conditions, insurance companies will not be able to deny insurance to children who are sick, and if your child lives with you until age 26, he or she can stay on your policy. These reforms were also in Republican proposals.

The largest new benefit, beginning in 2014, is making 200,000 more low-income Tennesseans eligible for Medicaid (TennCare). But, nationally, doctors are so poorly reimbursed that 50 percent won’t see new Medicaid patients, so expanding Medicaid is like giving someone a ticket to a bus that operates only half the time.

Unfortunately, Medicaid expansion is not likely to keep hospital emergency rooms from filling up. Nationally, Medicaid patients use emergency rooms at twice the rate of either uninsured or privately insured Americans. And Congress expanded Medicaid without paying for all of it. Gov. Phil Bredesen says this will cost Tennessee $1.1 billion or more between 2014 and 2019. It is likely to force state tax increases and drive tuition through the roof when state support for colleges is cut to pay for TennCare expansion.

We should replace this law with one that reduces health-care costs. (We have time to do this because most benefits and subsidies in the law don’t start until 2014.) The new law should start with immediate insurance reforms. Then it should reduce costs step-by-step: for example, we should allow buying insurance across state lines; permit small businesses to join together to offer cheaper insurance to employees; limit junk lawsuits against doctors; reduce waste, fraud and abuse; and expand health savings accounts. Republicans repeatedly urged these steps last year.

The wisest course now is to replace the new health-care law with immediate insurance reforms and step-by-step reductions in health-care costs so that more Americans can afford to buy insurance.

Rep. Mike McIntyre, a Blue Dog Democrat from North Carolina, supports repealing Obama’s healthcare takeover:

“One of the Democrats who voted against health care reform in Washington D.C. lent his support Monday to the discussion of repealing the legislation. U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC) says he would favor repealing the entire health care bill that President Obama recently signed into law.” (Gavin Johnson, “McIntyre supports repeal of health care bill,” WECT-TV, 3/29/10)

So do most Americans:

“Currently, two weeks after passage, 54% of the nation’s likely voters still favor repealing the new law.” (“54% Favor Repeal of Health Care Bill,” Rasmussen Reports press release, 4/5/10)

But not liberal politician Roy Herron – he wants the president’s package of Medicare cuts, tax hikes, abortion funding and budget-busting government handouts to remain law:

“Dr. Lee Carter questioned if Herron will help clean-up the recently approved health care reform…Herron said he would work to keep the good and change the problematic areas.” (Joel Washburn, “Herron brings jobs tour to Carroll County,” The McKenzie Banner, 4/6/10)

He also defended the bill last month, claiming it’s not as bad as Americans are making it out to be:

“…[Herron] added that the legislation is not as terrifyingly bad as the GOP has painted it…” (Nicholas Beadle, “Fincher, Herron talk health care reform in early morning campaign stops in Jackson,” Jackson Sun “Motion Carried,” 3/22/10)

And no wonder: Roy has a long record of supporting government-run healthcare.

In 1993 – when President Bill Clinton and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) offered up similar government healthcare takeover plans – he supported their efforts:

“‘Do not give up on universal coverage,’ asked Clinton. Cooper followed Clinton and said his approach was much closer to Clinton’s bill than either the single-payer plan proposed by liberal Democrats or the moderate Republican plan. ‘We are also committed to achieving universal coverage, and I think it should be on the President’s timetable of 1998,’ said Cooper…Tennesseans and Mississippians attending the DLC’s annual conference said they believe Clinton is now on the right path after a rocky start…‘The big issue for a lot of us is health care reform,’ said Tennessee State Rep. Roy Herron of Dresden. ‘I hope he and Congressman Cooper would continue to talk and find a solution.’” (James Brosnan, “Clinton, DLC tout success; health care split looms,” Memphis Commercial Appeal, 12/4/93)

“‘Our bills are very similar,’ Cooper acknowledged last month. ‘(They) have a lot in common and we’re very proud of that’…Indeed, like Clinton, Cooper would turn over control of America’s health care system to the government.” (Joseph Perkins, “Clinton Lite: `Rival’ health reform plan is just as ill-advised,” San Diego Union Tribune, 3/11/94)

“Alternatives rising in Congress, as support for President Clinton’s original health care reform plan dwindles, have flaws…One, called ‘Clinton-Lite’ because of its resemblance to Clinton’s proposed Health Security Act…would force people into government-approved health care plans, severely limit health care options, make employees pay more, and limit choice of doctors and access to specialists…With other features similar to Clinton’s plan, Cooper-Grandy would move relentlessly toward greater regulation and more taxes – things lawmakers claim they want to avoid.” (“Beware ‘Clinton Lite,’ Daily Oklahoman EDITORIAL, 4/19/94)

And Roy Herron was a vocal supporter of TennCare, a disastrous state-level precursor to Obamacare:

“Tennessee in a year has done what Washington talks about doing in a decade. Washington aims for 95 percent of our citizens to have health insurance in the next millennium. Tennessee will achieve it next month.” (Roy Herron, “A ‘Tennessee Treasure,’ Memphis Commercial Appeal, 12/25/94)

“Sen. Herron said that TennCare has been beneficial to the state in a number of ways.” (Michael Finn, “Legislator Cites Difficulty In Obtaining Tenncare Info,” Chattanooga Times Free Press, 10/10/97)

“In 1994, Tennessee launched an ambitious public insurance program to cover its uninsured. The plan, TennCare, fulfilled that mission but nearly bankrupted the state in the process. As originally envisioned, the Tennessee plan expanded Medicaid, the government health-care program for the poor, to cover people who couldn’t afford insurance or who had been denied coverage by an insurance company. With an initial budget of $2.6 billion, TennCare quickly extended coverage to an additional 500,000 people by making access to its plans easy and affordable. But the program became so expensive that Tennessee was forced to scale it back in 2005. Now, as Congress debates a national health-care overhaul, state experiments like Tennessee’s are informing the discussion.” (Avery Johnson, “Tennessee Experiment’s High Cost Fuels Health-Care Debate,” Wall Street Journal, 8/17/09)

“Years ago Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, called it a ‘disaster.’ Today President Obama calls the same idea ‘reform.’ Both the president’s prescription for the uninsured and Tennessee’s TennCare program are premised on the same sugar pill: a vast expansion of health insurance coverage without affecting cost or quality…Given Tennessee’s predictable experience, one wonders what ObamaCare cheerleaders have been smoking. No wonder attorneys general in so many states have gone to court.” (“The TennCare lesson: A national disaster,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review EDITORIAL, 3/27/10)

Indeed, Roy campaigned on universal healthcare while running for state Senate in 1996:

“He also stressed support for ‘better schools for our children, better jobs for adult, and affordable health care for all citizens’…‘Every citizen should have access to affordable, life-saving health care.’” (“Representative Roy Herron announces for Senate,” Dresden Enterprise, 7/24/96)