As predicted, Congress inevitably rammed their "healthcare" bill through the House and Senate.  It's no surprise really, the 2010 election cycle outlook was gloomy for the Democrats at best.  Faced with a lose-lose situation they figured that they might as well go for it.  Republican members gave them plenty of outs but instead of taking up a serious dialogue of reform, the Democrats insisted on turning the whole conversation into a mockery and charade.

Firstly, I have to say that I have been disappointed at conservatives for not articulating the truth of our message properly.  Congress was meant to be a gridlocked, snailspaced process with the end result being the death of unnecessary legislation over time and bills becoming law only when time and desire proves there to be a need. 

In the matter of healthcare, the crisis has been completely and utterly manufactured by the Democrats.  It's good for some, not good for others, all right for most; I'm more upset about the fact that illegal immigrants recieve free defacto healthcare and remain an unrestrained cause of its increasing costs.  The problem isn't with our "healthcare system", the problem is still factors that contribute to costs that have yet to be addressed properly.  Republicans approach of incremental reform is exactly what we need and in fact this bill will only serve to amplify these factors.

So just what is this bill supposed to do?  Generally the Democrats would claim that it will control the costs of healthcare, increase accessability to many more individuals, and in the process decrease the budget deficit.  Sound too good to be true?  You may be on to something here. 

Already several corporations have announced that they are more willing to take a hit in the form of a fine. This would be cheaper and hopefully prevent them from going out of business as opposed to buying into a plan that they and their employee's they provide jobs to can't afford.  Indeed a casualty of this bill will likely be increased job losses as a result of companies adjusting to this new cost.

The federal government of course will be happy to take their money, it's a new source of revenue that will help them offset the costs for the creation of the new healthcare bureaucracy to deal with the mandates and specifics related to this bill.  No gain and likely a loss adding to budget deficit woes.

What's more is that the people that the Obama Administration and Pelosi's Congress claim this bill is going to help will suffer the most.  Because of its mandates and outs for businesses through fines, costs will continue to increase, only now at an exponential rate with still no solution to root causes of inefficiency, just more inefficiency which is of course no solution. 

The scariest aspect to this is that the Administration knows this and sees it as a justified means to an end resulting in government run, universal healthcare.

Obama is counting on no real effects before 2012.  By 2014 however, hang on to your hats.  Anyone without insurance will face a fine unless they can prove that they can't find a policy that costs no more than 8% of their annual income.  Will such a policy exist?  Not if healthcare providers want to stay in business.  In fact we will witness a monopolization of healthcare making it much easier for what we are being set up for.  The claim will be that the flaws are a result of the initial bill being gutted due to conservative influence and that the only choice will be to solidify the government option that Democrats wanted in the first place.  This will pave the way for centralized, socialized medicine which the Democrat congress and Obama Administration just took the first step towards.

There is hope.  13 states have filed suits claiming the bill is fundamentally unconstitutional.  We will have to wait and see what is to come of this.  I would guess that the Supreme Court is less than eager to take on this heated political debate.  Republicans could gain a majority in the Senate if not both houses of Congress and prevent it from wreaking fiscal havok.  Should the economy finally go through its inevitable inflationary period we may be lucky enough to see an end to the Obama Administration in 2012 and truly see the bill repealed.

There is a message here and its simply this, get informed, get involved and participate at all levels.  Get uncomfortable, our comfort zones are our biggest enemy and cause us to retreat at the first hint of danger.  Of course this is a dangerous path, but the dangerous results will be far worse should we cower and hope for the best.  I believe that this Administration and Congress have truly underestimated the resolve of real Americans.  We all need to pray for the enlightenment of those that unknowingly and knowingly support policies that seek to do our nation harm for all of our sakes.  God Bless America!

One of the greatest campaign experiences I ever had was working on John Benoit's State Senate campaign.  First of all we won, there is no better feeling after a hard fought battle.  Next there was the team:  Eddie Sprecco was about as cool headed as they come.  Darin Schemmer had no enemies.  All of the volunteers; Bridgette...soon to be Mrs. Sprecco, Sarah Johnson, Sarah Peterson, Robert Youssef (now councilman Youssef) and several others were all really good hearted, fun people.

We would wind down at the end of the day eating pizza, huddled around a computer screen watching youtube clips of SNL's "People getting punched while eating", Dramatic Squirrel, and Bub Rubb to name a few.  Once Eddie and I had Chinese food something like 3 days in a row.  John had offered to get us some burgers and we were real excited about it until he changed his mind last minute and we ended up at a Panda Express...what could we do?  We ate our Orange Chicken gratefully.

These were good times, and none of it would have been possible were it not for Barry Nestande.  No one knew, not even him that I was at a very low place in my life personally at the time.  I was good at putting on my game face.  When we had the official chat and he hired me there was somthing about his personality that made you feel like you belonged, it was that rare element in politics called sincerity.  He helped me build confdence in my capabilities.  He worked hard, looked out for people he cared about and appreciated everyones hard work and contributions to the team.

My experience working with him was relatively brief compared to some that worked with him and got to know him for years.  But I learned a lifetime of valuable knowledge from him in that short amount of time that is irreplacable and without equal.  He was good at identifying your strengths and amplifying them.  If you were an opponent, he was equally good at identifying your weaknesses and capitalizing on them, you did not want to be his opponent.

From the top down, Barry fostered an atmosphere of guided creativity and you couldn't help but love going to work.  He leaves behind a loving family, countless friends and dozens of colleagues that depended on his expertise.  It is a void that in most cases will never be filled, in others it will take several people to do half of what one Barry Nestande could accomplish in half the time.

I am better off for having the privilage of knowing and working with Barry.  I am devastated to think that his number on my cell phone will no longer reach him and I am really going to miss him.  Thanks Barry, keep fighting the good fight.

-NM

Last night at the Temecula Hills Country Club the atmosphere was charged.  Everyone anticipated at the very least an animated contest.  Russ Bogh had routinely worn his CRA score card rating as a badge of honor, and who could blame him, the CRA is the conscience of the Republican Party and highly sought after for support and endorsement.

Well clearly the sparks flew as Bogh levelled one jab after the next at Assemblyman Emmerson.  Not surprisingly Emmerson was cool headed and took all of Bogh's personal attacks in stride.  Bogh accused Emmerson of supporting abortion, illegal immigration and raising taxes.  Serious charges indeed, but were they substantive?

One would have to ask themselves just how in the world Emmerson remained in office if that were his record.  Well to be clear the attacks were baseless and false.  Emmerson's record as a strong conservative shined through Bogh's simplistic rhetoric and the esteemed delegates of the CRA saw through his thin veneer as well.

In just the first round of voting Assemblyman Bill Emmerson soundly defeated Bogh by a vote of 14 to 4.  Just a few weeks ago Assemblyman Emmerson soundly defeated Bogh recieving the endorsement of our own organization to which Bogh responded in the following manner:

"Russ Bogh for State Senate Here's a great example of what we need to fix in our Party. A Republican club (RCYR) that's been hijacked by political operatives attacks conservative Republican Russ Bogh to paper over the liberal voting record of the person its supporting. Shameful and destructive to our Party."

That would add up to about 50 or more political operatives in RCYR that participated in the endorsement and not all voted for Emmerson.  Well, after last evenings endorsement, it all sounds like sour grapes.  Attacking well established republican organizations that don't support you is yet another example of the ill will bestowed on many in Riverside County by Bogh after he lost his last election. 

Nobdy likes a sore loser.  Bogh has attempted to sue every political opponent he's run against to get into office and has offensively attacked members and organizations personally for choosing to support another candidate.  Can we be surprised that he's been suspected of using his one past political office to gain favorable contracts for his family business...in the district he represented?

It's no surprise that Republicans once again united to support Assemblyman Bill Emmerson for Senate, congratulations!

-Nathan Miller, President RCYR