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First, we had a senior Democrat Congressman, John Conyers (D-Mich.) say he wouldn’t read the government-take-0ver-of-health-care-bill because it’s too large (2,600 pages) and that it takes a team of lawyers to understand it (see video). Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was far more outrageous and arrogant when she said:

“We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it”!

Leaves us speechless. It’s even worse than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nevada) comment about 36,000 people losing their jobs as “good news.” But we’re sure liberals out there will find a way to defend the arrogance and the outright admission of incompetence, mismanagement and horrible policy this bill is.

Speaker Pelosi doesn’t mince words. It only takes five seconds, but in her arrogance, she’s brutally blunt.

It’s not hyberbole to say this afternoon’s Senate vote was historic. The legislation it passed in three identically worded bills – SB 283, SB 311 and SB 417 – guarantees Virginians the right to freely choose their health care options irregardless of federal government mandates. It also asserts a notion long ignored but firmly ingrained in the U.S. Constitution. It also shows, from a political perspective, that there are Democrats who understand the small government movement isn’t limited to “swastika-wearing” thugs as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would have us believe.

The floor debate wasn’t as dramatic as I — and those of us who relish political theater — had hoped. Sure, there were some pointed questions, but judging by the temperment of the questions and their lack of heft, it could have been mistaken for a transportation funding bill. That was an immediate clue the Senate majority knew it had lost more than two defectors from its caucus. If it was only two, there would have been deal making, recesses to sweat them out, arm twisting, all of the above or more.

If there was a surprise, it was in how many Dems defected and who two of them were: Senators Ed Houck (D-17, Spotsylvania) and John Miller (D-1, Newport News). There were rumors about the former last week (acceptable, but believe-it-when-you-see-it) and hope about the latter (no way that’s gonna happen). The third new vote, also rumored late last week, Senator Roscoe Reynolds (D-20, Martinsville), was a more likely possibility. Although the 23-17 margin was a pleasant shock, I rooted for a showdown 20-20 tie that Lt. Governor Bill Bolling would have broken in the affirmative. That would have been more headline grabbing.

Not that the debate wasn’t sharp. The questions from Senate liberals to the bills’ patrons — Senators Fred Quayle (R-13, Suffolk), SB 283; Steve Martin (R-11, Chesterfield) SB 311; and Jill Vogel (R-27, Winchester), SB 417 — came from Senators Donald McEachin (D-9, Henrico), John Edwards (D-21, Roanoke), and Majority Leader Richard Saslaw (D-37, Springfield), as well as the more moderate Senator Chap Peterson (D-34, Fairfax). But their questions repeatedly missed the point, including questions about contracts, insurance requirements to join athletic clubs, and ex-spouses providing insurance in divorce settlements. Senator Quayle nailed it in his opening remarks when he said, “This bill attempts to reinforce the Constitution of the United States. … The Constitution doesn’t grant rights to anyone. It puts limits on what government can do to us.”

Nothing more needed to be said. This being the Senate, of course, more was. Including this gem from the not-smarting-enough-from-his-November-trip-to-the-shed Senator Creigh Deeds (D-25, Bath), who complained that with the economy and employment in bad shape, the General Assembly should not be “legislating in theory.” A LOL coming from a guy who was shredded primarily because of national issues involving government intervention. Besides, he should know that it’s Washington liberals who have ignored the economy and jobs for an entire year in lieu of health care “reform.” But it’s not theory. The Constitution is the law of the land. Amazing he doesn’t understand that, but his comments today make it clear why his campign was a case study in political disasters, prompting comparisons to other campaigns (”Deeds-like”).

At the beginning of session, not many people gave this legislation a chance of getting out of a Senate committee, much less passing the Senate floor by a wide margin. But it happened thanks to a large coalition comprised of thousands of activists from across Virginia, many of whom have been here several times to lobby their representatives and attend committee hearings.

But this is the General Assembly, after all, and nothing becomes law until it is signed. So vigilence is needed. We will stay on top of this legislation — and encourage all supporters to do the same — until it passes both chambers and is signed into law.

As mentioned here (and according to the AP), 13 attorneys general are preparing to file suit on behalf of their states to block any eventual nationalization of America’s health care system — or at least leave their states free to choose whether to participate. Virginia Attorney General Bill Mims is one of the 13.

Law suits have been known to work. It is, after all, the states which have the right and obligation to defend themselves from participation in any federal scheme not enumerated in the constitution as a federal responsibility — also known as the 10th Amendment. Of course, the 10th Amendment, nor anything about the constitution, has stopped the federales from increasing its size and scope over our lives throughout recent decades.

But law suits aside, what else can the states do? Apart from the attorney general, who else is in the game? What about legislatures? If Delegate Bob Marshall (R-13, Prince William) has anything to do with it, Virginia’s General Assembly will have a lot to do with it. Last month, he made a presentation to the Tuesday Morning Group Coalition about HB 10, The Health Care Freedom Act, a bill he has already filed. Other patrons thus far are John O’Bannon (R-73, Henrico), Scott Lingamfelter (R-31, Prince William), Harvey Morgan (R-98, Gloucester) and Bob Tata (R-85, Virginia Beach). HB 10 reads, in its entirety, thus:

No law shall restrict a person’s natural right and power of contract to secure the blessings of liberty to choose private health care systems or private plans. No law shall interfere with the right of a person or entity to pay for lawful medical services to preserve life or health, nor shall any law impose a penalty, tax, fee, or fine, of any type, to decline or to contract for health care coverage or to participate in any particular health care system or plan, except as required by a court where an individual or entity is a named party in a judicial dispute. Nothing herein shall be construed to expand, limit or otherwise modify any determination of law regarding what constitutes lawful medical services within the Commonwealth.

Marshall, as ever, is sure of its legislative cure as well as its constitutionality, as we are reminded by Norm Leahy at Tertium Quids. In fact, as Leahy points out, Delegate Marshall offers a Q&A on Dr. Bob Hollsworth’s Virginia Tomorrow blog, asking and answering questions himself, a FAQ tutorial on state legislative prerogative on federal issues, if you will. At least as far as it concerns the federal takeover of the health care industry and individuals’ constitutional rights to be forced into it. 

So, the 10th Amendment lives? We’ll see what Virginia’s General Assembly says — about its own authority. Virginia could make hay as the bulwark against the largest federal power grab in history. That would really give the lawyers something to fight about.

Tonight, at 8:30, FRC Action and The Call to Conscience will host a live video Webcast on the proposed government takeover of the health care industry. Called, “An FRC Action PrayerCast: Government Takeover of Healthcare,” it will feature a powerful line-up of speakers, including:

» Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council Action

» Lou Engle, Founder and President, The Call to Conscience

» Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family Action

» Dr. James Dobson, Founder, Focus on the Family Action

» Hon. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), United States Senator

» Hon. Randy Forbes, (R-Va.) United States Representative

» Hon. Jim DeMint, (R-S.C.) United States Senator

» Hon. Michele Bachmann, (R-Minn.) United States Representative

» Bishop Harry Jackson, President, High Impact Leadership Coalition

» Pastor Jim Garlow, Skyline Church, San Diego, Calif.

» Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Leadership Conference

The Webcast will provide information on the threats to the God-given right to human life through government funding of abortions and health from rationing, the impending massive tax increases, and the general loss of freedom when the government runs something as personal as our own health care. The Webcast also will offer time for prayer for our nation and our leaders. 

Click here to register for tonight’s FRC Webcast: “An FRC Action PrayerCast: Government Takeover of Healthcare”

A recent study by the Sofia, Bulgaria-based Institute for Market Economics used the latest data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and found that governments in developed countries are too large relative to their private sectors, and sop up too much of Gross Domestic Product to maximize economic growth. Leave it to former Eastern European communists to teach us we’re going in the wrong direction with our massive government expansions into, well, everything — automobiles, manufacturing, energy, banking, insurance, housing as well as the impending health care industry takeover.

The U.S., by the way, is a member of the OECD. Interestingly, the video below, although not specifically aimed at government-run health care, proves that it is run better the less the government is involved and leads to longer life expectancy. The IME should know. They lived it under communism before its fall.  

From the IME:

The IME study finds the government sector should be no larger than 25% of GDP (and perhaps considerably smaller) to maximize GDP growth.

The average government sector for the OECD countries now exceeds 41% of GDP.

The results indicate that policy makers who are enlarging their government sectors in the name of economic stimulus are likely to be retarding the renewal of economic growth and job creation rather than enhancing it.

The optimum size of government? The smaller the better and we’re going in the opposite direction.

Not exactly, but I did check out the health care bill protest in front of the Richmond offices of Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb that started at noon and ended at 2:00. I arrived at Webb’s office around 12:45 to a crowd of about 50 people. There were plenty of signs and flags — U.S. and Gadsden (i.e., Don’t Tread On Me!). There was also a fair amount of horn blowing. Cars that is. Lots of drivers signaling their agreement. As for human spouting, there wasn’t any. A nice, jovial, peaceful, conversational crowd, although an occasional agitator swung by to try to stir trouble. They were  mostly ignored.

Senator Webb’s staff was very accommodating. They let people enter the office and provided us with forms to fill out to express what we were there for. One protester in the office writing his comments asked a staffer if he knew about an amendment that would require the 2,000-plus page Senate bill to be read in its entirety on the floor. He said, yes, and that the senator was in favor of that. We’ll see if there’s such an amendment, if it passes and what Senator Webb’s eventual vote is. I asked him a procedural question and we had fun comparing General Assembly procedures to the U.S. Senate.

Then there was the phone. It didn’t stop ringing. The poor receptionist couldn’t get any work done.

“Good afternoon, Senator Webb’s office. Yes, we’re taking a poll on that today. Okay, against the health care bill? And your name, please. …”

Call after call.

After mingling and promoting “Virginia’s best political blog” (”I should know because I write it,”was my catch line) and walked down to Senator Warner’s office, which is in a high rise. Very analogous to the two men. Webb, who fashions himself one of the common folk with his Southwest Virginia roots, has an office at street level. Warner, Mr. High Tech, very Northern Virginia high end, is waaaaaaaaaaay above it all in the SunTrust building. A staffer gave one of the organizers a pile of sheets that had room only for name, address, a box to check if you want to get on his e-mail list, and your concern. That’s it. Small boxes and no more. At least Webb let you write to your heart was content. Not Senator Warner. He should at least learn the value of appearances.

There were more people at Senator Warner’s office, although people walked the six or so blocks back and forth between the two, and lots of car honks (Main Street is busier than Franklin, anyway.) More networking on my part. Another great crowd, including former Virginia Senator Eva Scott of Amelia County. Everyone was concerned, but not panicked.

So, what if the Senate clears its first hurdle Saturday? Not to worry, but only to work harder. The process is long. Floor amendments, negotiations,procedural tactics, conference committee with the House, more debate and votes. The longer it plays out, with nothing to show for it, and the closer November 2010 gets, the hot passions of the left may very well turn to cold feet.

Just got a notice about this:

Tomorrow between 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. in Richmond there will be a protest in the form of an unbroken chain between the offices of Senators Jim Webb (507 East Franklin Street) and Mark Warner (919 East Main Street). Organizers are asking people to use a portion of their lunch hours to attend and keep the chain strong. 

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to have an important procedural vote Saturday which will determine whether the Harry Reid socialized medicine bill will proceed. He needs 60 votes to avoid a filibuster. Virginians opposing the bill hope the protest in Richmond will help sway Virginia’s two senators to vote against the bill. For more information, contact Jim Smyers @ teapartyjim@gmail.com.

On the one hand, the Wall Street executives who are going to have their salaries cut from millions of dollars a year to no more than $200k should be happy. After all, Barack Obama promised no tax increases for those earning less than $250,000 a year, right? Sure!

On the other hand, the president may want to reconsider. With tax revenue dropping like an offed mafioso’s car a river, he may need that revenue. Better idea, Mr. President: Instead of cutting their pay 90 percent, let them keep them million-dollar salaries — then tax it at 90 percent. After all, you have to fund health care, right? Plus, the stimulus and free college education and end global warming and green jobs and  . . . .

But before you do, Mr. President, would you please find out if it’s constitutional for the federal government to fire and set salaries of people in private business? If it is, then watch out students on federal loans. Next, you’ll be told where you can go to college and what classes to take.

This, is priceless.

Why does everyone pick on Big Government? It’s only trying to help.

It was almost too good to be true: It’s become a cliche, that “If you want medical service as good as the post office handles the mail, let the government do it.” It’s an argument opponents of government-run, nationalized health care have used for years. Any proponent of socialized medicine knows that those two words — post office — scare Americans more than Friday The 13th movies, and to never use them as an example of how the government can help improve lives.

But there he was, the “anointed one,” the “smartest man ever,” “Mr. 57 states” himself, walking right into it! In an attempt to assure Americans that a government run “public option” would not crowd out private insurance, he pointed to the fact that FedEx and UPS clean the Postal Service’s clock.

Exactly!

So, without further adieu, here’s the president, in an attempt to deceive America that his plan is not socialist and will work better than what we have today, yet not eliminate private competition, refute his own self in 23 seconds. If only he explained, as with the post office, what days of the week medical service won’t be available under his goverment-run plan! 

Going postal: In an attempt to make a point, the smartest president ever makes the case against his own plan with a well worn cliche opponents use.