Conservative Wanderer

“A troubled and afflicted mankind looks to us, pleading for us to keep our rendezvous with destiny; that we will uphold the principles of self-reliance, self-discipline, morality, and, above all, responsible liberty for every individual that we will become that shining city on a hill.” — Ronald Wilson Reagan

Daily Archives: 4 March 2011

HHS Director Sebelius: Yes, We’re Counting Medicare Savings Twice

And the ObamaCare meltdown continues:

In her first appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee since the health-care law passed, Kathleen Sebelius responded to a line of questioning by Republican Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois about whether $500 billion in Medicare cuts were used to sustain the program or pay for the law.

“There is an issue here on the budget because your own actuary has said you can’t double-count,” said Shimkus. “You can’t count — they’re attacking Medicare on the CR when their bill, your law, cut $500 billion from Medicare.”

He continued: “Then you’re also using the same $500 billion to what? Say your funding health care. Your own actuary says you can’t do both. […] What’s the $500 billion in cuts for? Preserving Medicare or funding the health-care law?

Sebelius’ reply? “Both.”

I guess in the leftist mindset, you can use the same dollar both for saving and spending, but in the real world, it’s one or the other.

Remember, Nancy Pelosi said we have to pass the healthcare bill to find out what’s in it… and the more we find, the worse it looks.

Richard Daley: Government Can’t Keep Growing

One more thing checked off my list of Things I Never Thought I’d Do: agree with outgoing Chicago mayor Richard Daley:

“The cost of government has to go down. It can’t keep growing. It has to someway level off,” Daley said, adding that it was “unacceptable” to burden another generation with the costs of paying down debt.

“I don’t think the taxpayers at the present and in the future can afford the costs of government,” Daley said. “I don’t believe they can, because the cost of government is going up faster than the cost that you can bear in your own pocketbook. I firmly believe that. It cannot go up so significantly each year for the cost of government. And that’s why you have to look at the value” of various government services to taxpayers.”

[...]

“Our teachers work six hours a day. Six hours a day. What do you think of that? Thirty hours a week,” Daley said. “I’m not condemning all the teachers, but you know, there has to be a time and place for everybody to have to give to the less fortunate. … Unions have to understand, that you have a responsibility. It’s not just a paycheck.”

On that point, he’s absolutely correct. Government has to shrink, and it has to be soon, before the entire economy falls apart.

Hispanic Group Calls For Troops On US/Mexico Border

Here’s one for all those that think that in order to get Hispanic support for the GOP, the party has to support open borders. This proposal from the Conservative Hispanic Society seems to put the lie to that meme:

Steve Navarre, the President of the Conservative Hispanic Society, called for the U.S. military to be deployed to the U.S. Mexico border.  Navarre outlined the proposal on America’s Radio News on Thursday.  The plan is called the “Secure the Border First Initiative.”

Sorry, squishy-borders proponents, apparently not all Hispanics support letting illegals into the country freely.