Medicare Actuary Now Says Congress’ Plan ‘Implausible’

Brad Zaun, candidate for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional district, today called on Congressman Leonard Boswell to come clean on the real costs associated with the recent federal takeover of our health care system.

“Every day, we find out more information of what the health care bills passed by Leonard Boswell will cost us. This new law is not only a monumental power grab, it’s a monumental black hole of new federal expenses. And from the beginning, Congressman Boswell hasn’t been honest with the taxpayers as to the real cost of this bill,” Zaun noted.

Zaun pointed to a new government report which questions the projected Medicare savings in the new healthcare overhaul. Changes in the Medicare program were originally projected to ‘save’ $575 billion over the next 10 years. This report, authored by the Chief Actuary for Medicare, labels those projected savings as “unreasonable” and “implausible.”

Zaun continued, “First, we had the revelation in May by the CBO that, ‘oops, the health care bill will actually cost billions more than we estimated.’ Now, we have the Chief Actuary for Medicare saying that in no uncertain terms, the ‘savings’ Congress told us about won’t materialize.”

“Congressman Boswell needs to come clean and be honest with us. If the cost savings that he claimed won’t materialize, there’s only one possible result: taxpayers will have to foot the bill. He can’t continue to have it both ways…promising huge new federal programs but not addressing the huge new federal costs,” Zaun added.

Photo by Dave Davidson

“I’m not willing to accept that millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Iowans should be out of work for indefinite periods of time,” Miller-Meeks said. “I believe the federal government can take action to create a climate for the private sector to do what it does best – and that’s to create jobs and opportunity. To get there, though, we’re going to need new people in Congress who know the solution is to energize America’s businesses rather than saddling them with stimulus programs that don’t stimulate anything more than the national debt.”

In the past few weeks, the Obama administration and congressional Democrats have attempted to reset Americans’ expectations to accept extended levels of high unemployment as routine. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on July 22 that unemployment will remain stubbornly high for several years to come but said “we’re not prepared to take any specific steps in the near term, particularly since we’re still also evaluating the recovery and the strength of the recovery.”

“After David Loebsack, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in Congress wasted billions of dollars with last year’s stimulus program, unemployment keeps going up. Now, Ben Bernanke says the plan is to wait and see what happens,” Miller-Meeks said. “Small businesses aren’t hiring because they’ve been saddled with more regulations, higher taxes and more government-mandated costs. With the Bush tax cuts set to expire soon, new health-care rules in place and the pending cap-and-trade legislation that will be a heavy tax on us all, it’s no wonder businesses aren’t willing to hire right now. If David Loebsack thinks that approach is going to create jobs instead of continue to kill them, then he needs to join me in a series of debates across this district and explain it to Iowans.”

OTTUMWA – Rep. David Loebsack’s 46-day silence in response to a debate challenge is a disservice to Iowans in the Second Congressional District’s 15 counties, said Republican candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who renewed the challenge today.

“I wrote to David Loebsack on June 14 urging him to join me over the summer in a series of debates in all 15 counties in the district because he and I have some very clear differences in how we’d approach the nation’s challenges. His silence disappoints me but, more important, it’s a disservice to his constituents,” Miller-Meeks said. “David Loebsack got elected claiming he’d change the way they do things in Washington but, unfortunately, he’s playing the same old game of duck-and-run. I’ve criticized his votes to bail out Wall Street, approve the ObamaCare take-over of our health care system and run up our national debt and his support of cap and trade and other votes that hamper Iowans’ employment and productivity. If he believes he made the right decision on those matters he owes it to the voters of the district to stand side by side and talk about those issues so we can have an honest, informative discussion.”

Miller-Meeks’ campaign first attempted to fax or hand-deliver the challenge to Loebsack’s campaign headquarters two days after the June 8 primary election but calls were immediately forwarded to voice mail and its only mailing address is a post office box.  Miller-Meeks sent the challenge to Loebsack’s campaign headquarters by registered mail the following week and invited newspapers, radio and television stations and civic organizations to contact her campaign to express their interest in sponsoring a debate in their county.

“David Loebsack and his campaign staff have had the debate challenge since June 16.  Forty-six days is far too long to stonewall voters,” Miller-Meeks said. “There’s still plenty of time for the two of us to debate in all 15 counties. He should get the month of August off to a productive start by agreeing today to debate me across the district. What about it, congressman?”

Turning Iowa’s current stretch of high unemployment toward a more optimistic path with more jobs, economic growth and prosperity in all 99 counties will require Iowa to become more competitive. In this global economy, we are not just competing against our neighboring states – but with countries from all around the globe.

Several publications and news organizations have recently taken a look at Iowa’s standing compared to the other 49 states. For example, US News & World Report noted that Iowa is 49^th in the nation – only ahead of West Virginia – and the very reputable Small Business Survival Index placed us at 41^st.

Iowa did receive some better news recently. CNBC released a survey showing Iowa as sixth in the nation overall and first when it comes to ‘cost of business’. They also factored in other important areas like cost of living and quality of life among others.

However, a closer look reveals just how tenuous their ratings of our state really are.

According to CNBC, “Cost is a major consideration when a company chooses a state. We looked at the tax burden, including individual income and property taxes, business taxes, even the gasoline tax.”

On each and every one of these important issues of importance to employers and job creators, Governor Culver and legislative Democrats either succeeded or made a serious attempt to undermine Iowa’s competitiveness and make us less attractive to job creators. Since a year ago, CNBC has already dropped Iowa’s overall ranking.

Here are a few quick examples:

▪  Governor Culver and legislative Democrats made a serious push to end federal deductibility which is a tax on a tax.

▪  Democrats tried to strip away Iowa’s Right-to-Work status and fundamentally gut Iowa’s collective bargaining policies.

▪  Legislative Democrats and Governor Culver knowingly failed to couple Iowa’s tax code with the federal code therefore producing a massive income tax increase especially on flood victims and teachers.

▪  Governor Culver and legislative Democrats opted against fully funding education allowable growth, thus forcing more of the financial burden on to the backs of local property taxpayers while simultaneously authorizing the four largest spending budgets in state history.

▪  Democrats sponsored bills to begin combined corporate reporting of income taxes which would seriously punish job creators.

▪  Legislative Democrats, with the support of Governor Culver, nearly passed a job killing prevailing wage that would have substantially increased the cost of public construction projects and would have lead to even higher property taxes.

▪  Several prominent Democrats in the Legislature made an aggressive attempt to raise gasoline and fuel taxes during the last few years.

CNBC also factored in utility costs, noting that “utility costs can add up to a huge expense for business, and they vary widely by state.”

▪  Democrats were silent when Iowa’s onerous regulations imposed by Governors Vilsack and Culver’s appointees to important commissions and boards caused Iowa to lose a $1.7 billion dollar clean coal energy plant near Marshalltown. This plant would have increased Iowa’s base load capacity, created private sector jobs and stimulated the local economy.

▪  Many legislative Democrats also were vocal opponents and ultimately voted against a study that could lead to the construction of a clean energy nuclear power plant in Iowa.

CNBC “also looked at the cost of wages and state workers’ compensation insurance, as well as rental costs for office and industrial space.”

▪  Like the other important issues of importance to job creators, they also attempted to negatively tamper with Iowa’s superior worker’s compensation insurance system by pushing doctor shopping legislation that punishes job creators, increases business costs and reduces the quality of health care for Iowa workers.

▪  Iowa already has some of the highest property taxes in the nation and Culver’s recent property tax increase is about to hit the pocketbooks of Iowans this September. Those increases will up the cost of renting or buying office and industrial space.

At nearly every turn, Governor Culver and legislative Democrats have tried to systematically undermine every one of these important economic indicators and make our state less competitive and less attractive to entrepreneurs, employers and job creators.

Had Republicans in the Legislature with the assistance of an informed and active public not stood up and stopped much of the wayward Democrat agenda during the last four years, it is scary to contemplate where our ratings could have ended up.

This is why it is important that we begin to renew the promise of a more hopeful and optimistic Iowa and change the direction that Governor Culver and legislative Democrats have tried to take our state the last few years. Higher property taxes, unacceptable levels of unemployment, a quintupling of state debt and a billion dollar deficit on the horizon does not equal progress.

It’s time to get back to making long-term private sector job creation a priority, it’s time to get serious about putting Iowa’s finances back on solid footing and it’s time to end the anti-jobs and higher taxes agenda that are burdening our families and making it more difficult for job creators to invest in our state and workforce.

With the right leadership in place, a flourishing future for Iowa can be achievable. Senate Republicans stand ready to offer that leadership in order to move our great state forward.

“Thank you, very, very much. We just received some tremendous news moments ago…and I just want to say how thankful I am to the thousands of Iowans who cast a vote for me today, and it is an honor and truly humbling to have earned your support to be the Republican nominee in Iowa’s Second Congressional District!

“This has not been an easy road – but that’s ok. It’s not supposed to be, and I never expected it to be. To really want something, you really have to work for it. Our family didn’t have much growing up, but what we lacked, we made up for in determination, hard work and grit.

“My father and mother always taught my seven brothers and sisters and me to believe in the American dream, play by the rules, have faith and treat others the way we would hope to be treated. I have never forgotten those invaluable lessons and have lived them every day of my life – and it’s those values that I believe are lacking in government, and it’s those values that I will bring to Washington as Iowa’s next member of Congress.

“I want to thank Steve Rathje, Rob Gettemy and Chris Reed for their service to the Republican Party and their willingness to meet for countless debates up and down the district to truly give voters a choice. Running a political campaign takes a tremendous toll on families, friendships and professional relationships, and they should be acknowledged for their service.

“What we have accomplished together over the last six months, and officially here tonight, is only the first step. We have another major hurdle this fall, and I need the continued help and support of everyone in this room and so many others that can’t be here with us tonight.

“I am more determined than ever to get out there every day, work hard and continue to bring as many Republicans, Democrats and Independents on board with this campaign as possible. And there is a compelling reason why they will – because like me, like you, and like tens of thousands of taxpayers, we’ve felt betrayed by Washington – spending money we don’t have, and leading us down an unsustainable path that is killing the American dream for future generations.

“Dave Loebsack had the chance to represent us, but in vote after vote, he instead chose to stand with the liberal far left interests that are bankrupting this country. Wall Street bailouts and massive new government spending… A $1 trillion government stimulus plan that Loebsack didn’t even read, and which hasn’t created any private sector jobs… A $2 trillion government run health care bill that will raise costs on employers, force job layoffs and cuts to benefits, and $455 billion in cuts to Medicare…
A cap-and-tax bill, which will send Iowa jobs overseas and, according to President Obama, will cause our energy rates to skyrocket…

“The bottom line is, the fiscal path that we are on is simply unsustainable, and the reckless tax-and-spend policies that Dave Loebsack has voted for will triple our national debt and make us more reliant to foreign creditors like China.

“We need leaders with common sense in Washington who will put an end to the tax-and-spend madness and stand up for the little guy (and women) here in Iowa. I pledge to be that commonsense voice for you.

“I’m ready to go to Washington bold vision of economic freedom, slash government spending and cut harmful regulations that prevent job creation. I want to bring over 20 years of experience as a health care professional to fix what is wrong in our health care system. That means scrapping ObamaCare and instituting patient-centered reforms in its place to get costs under control, protect taxpayers, and prevent the government from becoming even more bloated, more expensive and more reliant on foreign debt.

“As a small business owner, I’ve met a payroll, balanced a budget, and provided benefits to my employees. I know how important it is to get government out of the way, cut the red tape, and reduce the tax burden on our job creators, so they aren’t sending more money to Washington to spend on wasteful, bureaucrat-driven programs.

“Ladies and gentleman, two years ago, Dave Loebsack was swept into Washington on a giant Democratic wave. Beginning tonight, we’re going to make sure we send him back out with the tide!

“Thank you to all those who have worked so hard for our campaign over the last six months, stuck with us in the highs and lows, rejoined our efforts and got right back on the bandwagon after 2008, put up a yard sign, made calls, or went door knocking, generously donated to our campaign and did so many other things.

“This is our victory, together, tonight. As we unify as a party heading into the general election, I look forward to our growing grassroots movement to bring real conservative change to Washington. That change will ensure that our representatives are working for taxpayers, and not the other way around.

“Thank you so much and I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the campaign trail tomorrow morning.”

Rob Gettemy reveals $50,000 donation from AMA to Dr. Miller-Meeks campaign
~Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks gets donation from health care reform proponent~

In a statement released today, Rob Gettemy, conservative Republican candidate for Congress in Iowa’s 2nd District revealed that his opponent, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the past week accepted a donation to her campaign from the American Medical Association in the amount of $50,000:

“According to FEC filings on June 2, 2010, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ campaign accepted a donation of $50,000 from the American Medical Association.

While Dr. Miller-Meeks has sent out mail and made numerous statements about repealing and replacing the Loebsack- Pelosi-Obama health reform legislation, it now appears that she has accepted a significant donation from one of the major supporters of that legislation. President Obama personally thanked the AMA along with the AARP for their support in the passage of the health care reform legislation.”

The AMA represents approximately 25% of the doctors in the United States, and nearly 20% of that membership is made up of medical students.

Gettemy continues:

“To accept such a large donation from a group that was so instrumental in the passage of the health care reform bill that our current Congressman Dave Loebsack also supported, points out that there really is not much difference between Dr. Miller-Meeks and the current liberal Congressman.

I hope that voters in the 2nd District will see that Dr. Marianette Miller-Meeks does say one thing and then does another. Republicans in the 2nd District know they can depend upon me to be a consistent Conservative and that I am the best candidate to face the liberal Dave Loebsack in November.”

Revised statement from Rob Gettemy on Miller-Meeks AMA contribution
~AMA donation still points out that Miller-Meeks wants have all sides to every issue~

Upon learning of the clerical error by the Miller-Meeks campaign, Rob Gettemy issued the following statement:

“Apparently, the Miller-Meeks campaign made a typographical error in reporting the donation from the American Medical Association, and the amount is not the $50,000 as reported.

Whether Dr. Miller-Meeks received $5 or $50,000 from the American Medical Association, the fact still remains that she accepted a contribution from an organization that was specifically cited and thanked publicly by President Obama for their help in the passage of the health care reform bill.

Dr. Miller-Meeks has made “repeal and replace” ObamaCare as a hallmark of her campaign in both print media and in her public appearances. You cannot campaign on the promise to repeal and replace this legislation while accepting any kind of help from the organization that along with the pharmaceutical companies and the insurance industry was most responsible for its passage.

What is the difference between Mariannette and our current liberal Congressman Dave Loebsack? Apparently not as much as Mariannette would like you to believe that there is.

I am a consistent conservative and thus will provide a distinct contrast to Dave Loebsack in the November election.

I would appreciate the support of the voters in Iowa’s 2nd District in the primary on Tuesday, June 8. You will always know where Rob Gettemy stands on any issue and that I will not compromise my principles.”

MILLER-MEEKS FIRES BACK AT LATEST IN A LINE OF FALSE GETTEMY ATTACKS
Miller-Meeks: “For a Guy Who Claims to Have Values, You Can’t Believe a Word Gettemy Says.”

OTTUMWA, Iowa – Over the last three days, Rob Gettemy has slandered Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks via push polls lying about her record on opposing gay marriage. Now, after three documented years of Miller-Meeks campaigning against government-run health care, Gettemy is trying to convince voters of the ridiculous notion that she supports it.

“For a guy who claims to have values, you can’t believe a word Gettemy says. He has no record to run on, nothing positive to say about himself, and has to resort to trashing my family’s good name in the last hours of this campaign to try and eke out a desperate victory. Rob Gettemy is like the old Seinfeld series, his campaign is about nothing,” said Miller-Meeks. “Gettemy should apologize to voters for the ridiculously false push polls he’s conducting that are actively lying to voters about my record, in particular on gay marriage and now health care. I support traditional marriage, and I was running against government-run health care before Rob Gettemy even knew it was an issue. To say that I support ObamaCare gave me a very good laugh, which is how absurd these last minute smears are.”

The only thing Gettemy did get right was a donation from the American Medical Association. The Miller-Meeks campaign caught the typo on Friday evening, but federal election reports can’t be amended after office hours. Therefore a donation by the AMA that was incorrectly listed as $50,000, should actually be listed as $5,000, which is also the legal limit for PAC donations. Regardless, Miller-Meeks is a doctor which is why she has earned the support of fellow doctors.

“If Mr. Gettemy wants to play guilt-by-association, he can explain why he had the owner of a company that uses commercials bordering on pornography, to be the hallmark fundraiser for his campaign last month. That doesn’t sound like the values we need in Congress,” said Miller-Meeks. “Voters should be on the look-out for other false attacks and lies in the remaining hours of this campaign.”

Here’s the text of the television advertisement, “Constitution”:

Brad Zaun: There’s a plan for most of the problems that face America, it’s called the Constitution, I’m Brad Zaun.

We need limited government, which means a repeal of Obamacare, and let’s get back to the 10th Amendment and put the power in the hands of the people.

Anncr: Under Brad Zaun, Urbandale had the lowest tax rates and as Senator Brad Zaun has been recognized by business groups with a 100% pro-jobs voting record. Brad Zaun a proven conservative, getting it done.

Brad Zaun: I’m Brad Zaun and I approve this message.

Here’s the text of the radio advertisement, “Proven Results”:

BZ: You learn a lot when you own a hardware store for eighteen years, I’m Brad Zaun. I learned to meet a payroll, listen to my customers and during tough times, cut expenses. And that’s what our country needs today.

Anncr: Under Brad Zaun’s leadership as Mayor, Urbandale tightened its belt and enjoyed the lowest tax rates in the metro area and as Senator, Brad Zaun received a 100% rating from the Iowa Association of Business and Industry for supporting job creation.

BZ: In Congress, I’ll vote to repeal Obamacare and support real health care reform that is market-driven and puts you in control of your own healthcare decisions. I will also vote to end wasteful earmarks…if you’re looking for pork barrel spending; I’m not your candidate. And I’ll push for a balanced budget amendment to force Washington to end the out of control spending. Let’s take our country back. I’m Brad Zaun and I approve this message.

Anncr: Brad Zaun…Conservative…Republican….Proven Results. Paid for by Zaun for Congress

Photo by Dave Davidson

These days I often hear the catchphrase “the government should do something about it”. Half of our citizens beg to have their problems taken care of by the government. And sadly, today’s politicians are incapable of telling voters no. Rather they prefer to make big promises they cannot possibly deliver on. If we do not stop expecting the government to take care of us, we will quickly become an also-ran bankrupt nation whose citizens have unwittingly given up their liberties and freedom to professional politicians in Washington.

Do you look to the government to do for you that which you can do for yourself? In a free society, no one is entitled to anything from another citizen. But healthcare is an area where citizens now feel entitled to the point of irrationality. Does any American have the right to free healthcare? One has no more right to free healthcare than one has the right to steal their neighbor’s cough medicine. As Ron Paul said, “Once you say you have a right to something, and the government is going to give it to you, you have to ask the next question – how is the government going to get it? They will have to violate someone else’s rights to get it. Government is established in a free society to protect rights, not to divvy up the loot.”

The problem with our current system is that government has infected every facet of medicine, dictating everything from how many doctors are allowed to be licensed to what procedures insurance companies must provide on their plans. Today’s system is much like veterinary medicine. You take your sick dog to see the vet and after the examination, you and the vet discuss the course of action. Everyone has a say in the treatment but the . . . dog. Today’s patients are like dogs: no say-so in their treatment, the price or how it’s paid since the government and insurance companies control the entire system. We need to put the patient in charge of their healthcare – a “patient-centered” system.

Healthcare consumers need more choices. Take my small software company for example. We can receive bids from seven different suppliers for paper clips. But when we bid our healthcare plan, we have only two to choose from. Allow insurance companies sell across state lines and stop state legislatures from dictating what must be covered in each policy.

We need to separate insurance from the workplace. The insurance policy should be the consumers, not the employer’s. And the tax break for insurance premiums paid ought to go to the consumer instead of the corporation. Medicare could become a voucher system, whereby each retiree can purchase private insurance with a government issued voucher. Reform lawsuit abuse and healthcare costs would be dramatically lowered since defensive medicine results in approximately $250 billion a year in unnecessary tests. Eliminate most of that and we’d cut everyone’s healthcare costs ten percent immediately.

Liberals say their programs will reduce costs – nonsense. What their programs will do is shift costs to other citizens. If your neighbor is paying for your healthcare, I guess your costs did decrease. Only a liberal would call that “bending the cost curve down”.

There’s a cure for our health care problems. That cure is not to demand more government but less government. I challenge anyone to identify a problem with health care in America that is not caused or aggravated by government. Whenever government gets involved in medicine or education, it increases the prices while decreasing the quality. Freedom made this country great – not government control.

Would it be any wonder if Pelosi also lied about her personal appearance when she lies about the appearance and reality of Obamabacare costs and many other key issues about our government?

If your subscription to Capitol File magazine ran out before you saw the May/June 2010 edition you’ll notice the cover girl Nancy Pelosi looking much more becoming that her normal desperate, drugged and witchy look.

The Washington Examiner reports:

Celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Ayman Hakki of Luxxery Medical Boutique in Waldorf, Md., said although he believes Pelosi has had work done (specifically Botox of the frown lines, fat injections, a mini face-lift), the image is not the product of additional plastic surgery.

“There is airbrushing around her eyes, her upper lid has been airbrushed to make it look like there is less fat on the inside,” Hakki told Yeas & Nays. “And there is airbrushing on the line of her jaw.”

He also noted her neck has been blended, and the lines on her face are very subtle.

Pelosi’s camp said the picture has not been airbrushed, and Capitol File did not respond for comment.

Well I guess since she is exempt from participating in the health care reform she so passionately vomited onto the American people, she can also be exempt to looking her age and telling the truth while simply pretending she is a character in a Hollywood fantasy/horror film.

“They know David Loebsack is in deep, deep political trouble because he’s betrayed his constituents. Never has a president expended so much taxpayer money in such a short amount of time to prop up a member of Congress. It doesn’t matter why he claims to be here or what he says when he’s here, Barack Obama’s actions speak far louder than words. And, what they say is that David Loebsack is very vulnerable in November,” Miller-Meeks said. “Why else would the President of the United States be compelled to visit not one, not two, not three but four cities in eastern Iowa in a month’s time?”

She added, “I’m just waiting for the T-shirts to go on sale: Barack Obama’s 2010 ‘Save David Loebsack’s Political Career” Tour. They’ll be a hot commodity but I don’t think they’ll be printed just yet because something tells me the Democrats are going to add a few more tour stops before the general election rolls around. Unfortunately for David Loebsack, the voters of the Second District are tired of his tune of more spending, more government debt, big bailouts for Wall Street and a federal takeover of our health-care system.”

Noting that voters and local officials alike have questioned the president’s choice of Ottumwa, Miller-Meeks pointed out that Loebsack lost Wapello County to her in the 2008 general election even as Obama won 55 percent of the vote. “The president seems to hope he’ll have longer coattails for David Loebsack than he did in 2008. He shouldn’t count on it,” she said.

Miller-Meeks also said the president’s visit to area is likely to cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars that would be better spent on revitalizing the district’s manufacturing sector that experienced years of job losses.

“The personnel, equipment and logistics that go into one presidential stop are mind-boggling, let alone this visit to Fort Madison, Mount Pleasant and Ottumwa that also brings in Des Moines as a base of operations. Had they not busted the budget by passing their massive takeover of the health-care system they wouldn’t have had to spend even more taxpayer dollars today to prop up David Loebsack,” she said. “The White House is claiming this is a tour about economic policy. In reality, it’s all about more business-as-usual politics from David Loebsack and this administration. It’s time for a change, and that’s what I’ll deliver.”

Mariannette Miller-Meeks grew up poor and was one of eight children within a military family. Her father served in the U.S. Air Force and worked three jobs to help put food on the table. Mariannette, learning those values of hard work, put herself through college and medical school with part-time jobs, and by serving her country for more than 20 years as a U.S. Army nurse and doctor. She eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. As an eye doctor, Mariannette taught medical students at the Universities of Michigan and Iowa, rose to become President of the Iowa Medical Society, and eventually joined a medical practice in Ottumwa. Despite resigning from her practice last year to focus full-time on running for Congress, Mariannette continues to volunteer her time and medical expertise helping Iowa families struggling to afford health care. She and her husband Curt have been married for over 25 years and have two college-aged children.