1. Allow tax-deductions for individuals purchasing health insurance premiums. Since 1942, premiums on employer-sponsored plans have been tax-free while health insurance plans purchased by individuals have not enjoyed such benefits. The result: Most people get their health insurance from their employer. The down side it that now if you get laid off, you lose your insurance and become stigmatized with a pre-existing condition. Ending this special treatment will allow individuals to purchase affordable health insurance in a fair market environment. Repealing this 1942 federal law will facilitate portability of coverage, regardless of employment, and will put to rest much of the debate regarding pre-existing conditions.
2. Allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines by invoking the interstate commerce clause. One study estimated that that adjustment alone could cover 17 million uninsured Americans without costing taxpayers a dime. Currently, Minnesotans have only five insurance companies to choose from. Interestingly, three of the largest, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Medica and HealthPartners, are all non-profit organizations. So much for those evil profit-hoarding private insurance companies.
3. Enact tort reform to end unjust medical malpractice claims. Insurance premiums paid by doctors are passed down to the consumer, making health care more expensive for all.
4. Stop regulating what insurance companies have to cover. Mandating what insurance policies must cover leads to increased prices. Minnesota is one of the worst for mandating all sorts of ridiculous coverage. For example, ten states require residents to purchase coverage for hairpieces. And in 45 states, teetotalers (individuals completely abstinence from alcoholic beverages) must purchase coverage for alcoholism treatment.
5. Repeal the Kefauver Harris "Drug Efficacy Amendment" of 1962, mandating that the FDA test for not just safety but effectiveness. According to the Cato Institute, this drives the cost of some medications up as much as 40%. The invisible hand of free market has brought forth objective, independent, and reliable market solutions such as Consumer Reports, Underwriters Laboratories, and the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. As consumers and doctors demand such a service for food and drug effectiveness, the market will surely respond with such testing organizations. These services will be more efficient and cost effective than a bureaucratic federal regulator.
6. Switch to a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Most Americans are over-insured. A HDHP is a health insurance plan with lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. Insurance plans should be for catastrophic and unforeseen risk, not for everyday regular purchases. You wouldn't purchase gas or tires with your auto insurance. You wouldn't purchase a vacuum or furniture with your homeowners insurance. So why do we insist on purchasing routine tests and medications under our health insurance plan? As a result, Doctors’ offices waste billions just in the billing process. Plus, this third-party payer system masks the costs charged to insurance companies, employers, and customers. Switch to a HDHP and save!
7. Expand Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for routine expenses. HSAs are tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). HSAs are for out-of-pocket and non-catastrophic expenses. Having a high-deductible health insurance plan in conjunction with consumer-driven HSA are key to low cost health care. It put patients in charge of their health care dollar.
8. Make costs transparent to the consumer. Insist that providers show consumers a detailed breakdown of their services and costs. Regardless of who is footing the bill, sunlight is the cure to wasteful spending.
9. Allow doctors to take their licenses from state to state. Rethink medical licensing laws to encourage greater competition among providers. For routine needs, consider seeing a nurse practitioner instead of a doctor. Patients should seek out the best medical practitioners for their dollar. Using non-partisan reviews such as Angie's List or Consumer Reports will provide shoppers with the information they need to make wise decisions.
10. Congress should change Medicare & Medicaid to a voucher system. Currently 46% of all health care spending in America is paid for by the government. This leads to hundreds of billions in potential waste. Let the customer choose any health plan on the market and if they choose an economical plan, allow them to roll their savings into next years plan. Again, let's put the consumer in control.
11. Legalize choice, competition, and responsibility. Let individuals control their own health care dollars, and allow consumers to choose from a wide variety of health plans and providers, without government interference. Choice, competition, and consumer-driven spending are why the cost of Laser Vision Correction procedures have gone from $10,000 to around $1000 in just 20 years. Most health care spending is non-catastrophic. Allow consumers to shop around get the best service for their dollar.
12. Encourage your federal legislators to reject single-payer, public-option, and "Medicare for All" proposals (H.R. 3200 and H.R. 676). Instead, ask them to pass The Patients' Choice Act (S. 1099 and H.R. 2520). Engage your Representative Betty McCollum at 651-224-9191, Senator Amy Klobuchar at 612-727-5220, and Senator Al Franken at 651-221-1016. Don't wait another moment. Call them today.
Taxes
-Limit to critical government functions – not for income
redistribution or bailing out irresponsible organizations.
-Reduce taxes – smaller government is better.
Health Care
-Government run health care is a bad idea. Competition is good for
consumers. Let us shop across state lines.
-A tax credit for purchasing our own health care insurance.
-We are better qualified than government bureaucrats to make our
health care decisions.
-Government run health care has proven to lead to rationing.
Cap & Trade
-Global Warming is a hoax to promote Cap & Trade. e Earth goes
through cycles of cooling and warming - Naturally! Cap & Trade
will not have an affect on our climate.
-Cap & Trade will make it more expensive to heat and cool our
houses, more expensive to feed our families, and more expensive to
get to our jobs.
-Danish political scientist “Bjørn Lomborg: Our priorities for saving
the world” on YouTube provides a fantastic argument that there are
many more effective uses of our money other than trying to fight
global warming.
Education
-We have the right to decide how and where our children are educated.
-We need a more inclusive tax credit for private and home school tuition.
-Competition leads to higher quality at a lower cost.
Firearms
- Thee right to self-defense is an inherent right; e US Constitution
guarantees protection of our right to keep and bear arms.
The 2010 Minnesota Governors race is shaping up to be a busy one. At least nine Republicans and an equal number of Democrats have lined up to replace outgoing Governor Tim Pawlenty. Republican candidates will have a sense of their standing in the race when the state party holds a straw poll at its October convention.
Some of the candidates include State Representative Tom Emmer, former House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, State Representative Paul Kohls, and former State Auditor and current President of the Minnesota Free Market Institute Pat Anderson. Other candidates include former State Representative Bill Haas, State Senator David Hann, State Senator Mike Jungbauer, environmental advocate Leslie Davis, and Phil Herwig.
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota and the Legislative Evaluation Assembly of Minnesota have scorecards available, so you can track your favorite candidate. Scorecards can be found at http://www.taxpayersleague.org/scorecards.html and
http://www.mnlea.org/reports.htm.
The 2010 race will no doubt be a close one. Minnesota is a swing state and the governor's race is essential to stopping the left wing tax and spend agenda of the democrats. With issues such as stadium tax, budget deficits, medical marijuana, and newborn DNA on the line, the 2010 governors office will shape policy for years to come.
We need your help now more than ever — especially in these areas:
Communications:
- Write a letter to the editor
- Graphic design for party promotion or campaign literature
- Web site production / maintenance
- Host or help with local cable programming and posting to YouTube
General:
- Assist with local parades, rallies
- Data Entry / database / management
- Mailings (envelope stuffing, labeling, etc)
Voter Outreach:
- Voter Contact and Identification
- Communication and Education
- Volunteer Coordination
- Fund-raising
- Social Events (picnics, parades, etc)
Campaign Support
- Walk my neighborhood/area with the candidate
- Drive the candidate during block walking
- Be a part of the lawn sign distribution team
- Have a candidate lawn sign on my property
- Host a fund-raising/get-together (home/other) for the candidate
- Drop candidate's literature in my area
- Work on the candidate's campaign team
House District 54B Republicans need your help to continue our work. Will you consider contributing $100, $50, or $25 to help us help our candidates?
Please send your contributions to:
House District 54B Republicans
Matt Effertz, Treasurer
4312 Greenhaven Court
Vadnais Heights, MN 55127
Minnesota House District 54B Republicans
457 Bear Ave S
Vadnais Hts, MN 55127
651-442-9002
John Kossett, Chair (651-442-9002)
Jay Eberth, Deputy Chair (651-483-8394)
Jeff Hagen, Secretary (651-341-9448)
Matthew Effertz, Treasurer (651-407-0045)
Tamara Hirsch, Vice Chair (651-407-9211)
Michael Jamnick, Vice Chair (320-293-8566)
Mike Cady, Vice Chair (651-429-9981)
Jim Tucker, Vice Chair (651-330-0863)
Craig Johnson, Vice Chair (651-653-8511)
Peter Maddeaux, Vice Chair (651-407-0225)
State Central Committee Delegates
Jeff Hagen, Craig Johnson
State Central Committee Alternates (in order)
Nancy Johnson, Tim Miller, Michael Jamnick, John Kossett
Precinct Officers
Gem Lake P-1
Little Canada P-1
Little Canada P-2
Little Canada P-3
Roseville P-3 Greg DeKeuster, Chair (651-983-1952) Jeff Hagen, Deputy Chair (651-341-9448)
Roseville P-4
Shoreview P-1
Shoreview P-2
Shoreview P-3
Vadnais Heights P-1
Vadnais Heights P-2
Vadnais Heights P-3
Vadnais Heights P-4
Q: When was the last time the Federal Reserve was audited? A: NEVER! The “Audit The Federal Reserve” HR 1207 and S 604 bills are two of the most important investigative bills to come before Congress in over 90 years!
The Federal Reserve Chairman Bernake falsely claimed two weeks ago on the Jim Lehrer show that the Federal Reserve is already ‘audited’ by the GAO. This cannot be any further from the truth. Dr. Ron Paul has explained that the Federal Reserve have provisions that purposely block all important facts providing necessary transparency to Congress and thus the American people. Where and to whom did all these trillions of dollars go? The American people deserve to know.
Title: To amend title 31, United States Code, to reform the manner in which the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is audited by the Comptroller General of the United States and the manner in which such audits are reported, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 2/26/2009) Co-sponsors (282)
Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. The House Bill 1207 currently has 282 co-sponsors. The Senate Bill 604 currently has 23 co-sponsors.
We would ask you to familiarize yourself with this bill and urge you once you understand how important this is, to please make phone calls to Betty McCollum's office at 202-225-6631 and urge her to so-sponsor HR 1207. We also need to urge Senators Klobuchar and Franken to get on board with S 604. Please call them at 202-224-3244 and 202-224-5641 and tell them to co-sponsor S 604. Thank you for supporting this critical legislation.
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