>>>>I watched the speeches leading up to the vote last night. I sat there and watched the Republic that I love so dearly come to an end. I've said before that without private property no other rights matter. The Kelo v. New London decision crippled the rights of the citizenry but at least we were still allowed to spend the fruits of our labor (net after taxes) as we saw fit. No longer. All property is now subject to the whims of government.
>>>>
>>>>I have little hope that the States, courts or even the November election can undo what has been done. 233+ years wasn't such a bad run.
>>>>
>>>>The Declaration of Dependence will be signed this week.
>>>
>>>Good lord, Jake, get a grip. This is not going to be the catastrophe you think it is. (You ARE talking about health care reform, right?) For most of us things aren't gong to change much at all.
>>
>>It's worse than I imagined, because I had too much faith in the elected representatives on the left. I truly never thought they would sacrifice the country itself for the sake of a political "win".
>>
>>>What private property is gong to be lost?
>>
>>The cash of private citizens is now going to be forcibly removed to pay a private company under the direction of the IRS. If you do not understand the implications of that dramatic change in the way this country operates than you are woefully ignorant.
>>
>>>Do you mean being required to have health insurance?
>>
>>Health insurance is merely the beginning, aka the precedent. Now that it's established that your private property can be absconded to another private entity there is no limitation. Let me be clear : WE HAVE NO RIGHTS NOW!
>>
>>>We are required to pay income tax, aren't we? Sales tax in most places. Property tax.
>>
>>Those are taxes levied by the governments of the country, county, city where you choose to live. They are set forth to run the services provided by the government. What just passed is not the same. You now have to purchase a contract from a private company which is not subject to election. They will set the price according to their whims, not accountable to election. Open your eyes!
>>
>>>We are required to have a driver's license. I don't get why you think this is so different.
>>
>>Driving is a privilege and not everyone is forced to drive nor purchase a license. But you knew that because I've explained that before. ;)
>>
>>
>>Here's the bottom line. The goal of this legislation was not to get a good bill passed but to get something, anything passed to start the ball rolling towards a federal takeover of health care and insurance and a complete removal of the citizens rights in regards to their own personal wealth. Mission accomplished. Insurance is now mandatory and your right to your money is gone. There is no, I repeat no possible way for private insurance companies to stay in business long term under this legislation. As such the feds will have to step in and take over, just like the banks, autos and AIG. Hmmm, AIG is in the insurance business, oh nevermind.
>>
>>Now you may ask yourself, why would the insurance companies go along with their own destruction. Gee, I wonder, so lets look at the last group of companies which were taken over by the feds. How did their executives make out? They went broke right? What do you mean they made off with 10s of millions? That'll never happen again, this time will be different. Right?
>>
>>The math is simple, 30 million new patients, 0 new health care workers, more taxes, more confiscation of private money, less medicare and less compensation for doctors accepting medicare. Seriously, you do not understand what's so wrong? Fine, ignore the obvious if you will, I see the writing on the wall clear as day. We are now approaching critical mass. If the courts do not rule the confiscation of private property unconstitutional, then the Republic ceases to exist. Period.
>>
>>We've spoken before about legacy and allowing time for judgment and in another message you brought it up in regards to former presidents. Let me respond here.
>>
>>What are the legacies of :
>>Clinton - Welfare reform and Lewinski
>>W - Iraq. I said before we'll likely not know for 20 years, but it sure looks headed in the right direction.
>>
>>Obama - Obviously we don't KNOW yet, but here's my prediction. In the next 12-18 months the country is going to go through the second leg down of this "great recession". This is the inevitable result of ignoring the next wave of the housing collapse while simultaneously throwing a $trillion+ monies down the rat hole of failed companies and bogus "stimulus". Add in the accepted expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and piling on more investment and medicare taxes. In the next 5-10 years, many companies are going to simply quit or leave rather than take on the new expense of doing business in a country where their property is no longer private. These events will have even more federal money thrown at them when we take over the insurance companies which are driven out of business as designed. At that point we tip the balance from net positive to net negative over 100% federal expense in relation to GDP. If we look at our history, recent mind you, we see Japan and Mexico and Argentina and...the US in the 30s.
>>
>>If you think America is somehow different and/or special then you do not realize that which made America different and special has just been thrown away. We are now like everyone else. Completely dependant on our elite rulers. November 2010 and the coming court fight are now for the survival of the country. His Obamaness is exactly what we thought. A Statist with designs on cementing central control over every single aspect of the lives of the American citizenry.
>>
>>Whew! That's quite a frustrated rant, even for me. ;) I better stop here.
>
>Don't worry about it. I have never heard you rant this hard before and am sure it will pass. Peace, pal.

I've finally started to calm myself. It's been a rough couple days but we're headed to the city this weekend and I've got our annual trip to wine country next month so I figure to be back to normal by May. ;)