January 14 on the Michigan Fair Tax Town Hall

The Port Huron TEA Party is sponsoring a Town Hall meeting on January 14 on the Michigan Fair Tax. Your help is needed to get this information distributed to as many as possible. Please forward the informaton to others. Let's work to get a good turn-out to hear this important presentation

Come, Learn about the Growing Fair Tax Movement

When: Thursday, January 14, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Where: Port Huron Municipal Office Center Auditorium
100 McMorran Boulevard (first floor), Port Huron
Special Ron Babin
Guest: Deputy Director, Michigan FairTax Association
Admission is FREE.

Learn How Changing our Tax System Could


• Stimulate the economy

• Better control government spending

• Reduce the opportunity for political corruption

• Give you control over the taxes you pay

All interested citizens are invited to attend and
encouraged to bring tax-related questions.
No signs or shouting, please. No food or drink permitted in auditorium.
Michigan Fair Tax is the state affiliate of the national FairTax movement, an effort that

is gaining support in states across the country and in the halls of our capitol.
According to Michigan FairTax, the current tax system is broken, is complicated, easy to evade, and
unfairly burdens the lower and middle classes. And, attempts to fix it have only made it worse.
The Michigan FairTax proposes replacing the state income tax system, which taxes what we earn,
with a tax on what we spend. The MI FairTax is a consumption tax: the more you buy, the more you
pay in taxes; the less you buy, the less you pay in taxes. So everyone pays fairly when they choose
to spend. Without taxes being deducted from income, citizens have greater spending ability.
The MI FairTax:

• Makes sure everyone pays their fair share

• Allows you to keep your entire pay check free of state taxes

• Un-taxes the poor with a rebate on the necessities of life

• Stimulates investment, economic growth and job creation
The MI FairTax is Pro-growth!
This system would achieve goals attractive to a majority of Americans: a tax system that provides
fairness, simplicity, and visibility. A host of related information and resources can be found at
http://www.mifairtax.org/.

Hosted by the Port Huron Tea Party

http://www.porthuronteaparty.com/

David Gillis
The Right Side-Blue Water Edition
Blog: http://therightside-bluewateredition.blogspot.com
E-Mail: gillis-blog@sbcglobal.net

Honoring Elizabeth Mancha for Freedom Friday on American Soldiers Wife

Today we are recognizing and honoring Elizabeth Mancha, the founder of the 13th Colony Patriots.

Elizabeth has taken a lead roll in leading grassroots citizens in this non-stop fight against socialized health care and government run programs. She has been the lead organizer for several D.C. trips, Atlanta trips, and rallies locally. Taking on the heavy task of making phone calls, securing a luxury bus or buses, hotel rooms, speakers, meetings with elected officials, radio interviews, and so much more, she is relentless and unwilling to throw in the white towel. Elizabeth and her husband Michael are unbelievable and so inspiring to all of the people around them. They have opened up their home to us for meetings and organizing, dinners, etc. Her heart, passion, and drive are exactly what this fight against tyranny are going to require for a victory. If we had more people like her I hardly doubt we would be in the position we are in today. Elizabeth refuses to back down and will not waver on her stand for constitutional prinicpal and civil liberties. She will not give in to the demise of the corrupted leaders who are supposed to represent us, we the people. Elizabeth's fight, like many others, are waking sleeping giants all over the country and Washington is beginnig to finally hear our voices. If they happen to tune us out this time, they will most definately find themselves without a job after the next election. Here is a recap of the most recent trip to D.C. on December 15, 2009, by Elizabeth Mancha:

Recap of the 12/15 Code Red Rally on DC
Next step: Contact family and friends who live in states where Senators may vote for the bill and encourage them to contact their Senators repeatedly to proclaim their staunch opposition to this legislation. Targets are indicated below.

Encourage your clubs and churches to educate their members and motivate them to be active before they lose their voice altogether.
Stay up to date: Need takling points? Subscribe to these and more - I will not be forwarding messages from them any longer, so subscribe!:)
MAKE SURE THERE ARE PATRIOTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. That way it's a win/win for US.
http://cmpi.org/
http://www.heritage.org/
http://www.renewamerica.com/

The health care debate rages on for reasons I’d rather not discuss. I suspect the powers that be were hoping that “the people” were too busy with Christmas and Hanukah to go to DC and protest the proposed health care bill. I bet they were thinking, there were too many of us who were unemployed, or whose businesses were having financial problems to rally against their thuggish tactics. They were wrong!

Given the current economic environment, we hatched an idea we call “Partners in Patriotism” and have confidence this will be an effective tool with which to wage this war into which we have been thrust. We noted that there are patriots among us who are not able to attend various events but have the financial means to help someone else attend them. Likewise there are those among us who have the ability to attend the events, but lack the financial means. We have managed to marry the two groups and help people have a meaningful impact who otherwise would not have had that opportunity. Thank you to all who contributed their time and their money to this meaningful trip.

So, yes, the 13th Colony Patriots were on the road again! We left Pooler the morning of December 14th bound for DC on a deluxe motor coach many of us have ridden before, others for the first time. We made a stop to pick up two new patriots along the way. The bus was about half full of people and it was bubbling over with patriotism, determination, and Constitutional conviction.

This particular envoy carried men and women aged from their late twenties to late eighties. We carried people from Savannah, Brunswick, Richmond Hill, Augusta, St. Simons and more. There were familiar faces and new friends, and as usual, no shortage of conversation!

We bunked down just outside DC and prepared for what we perceived as a battle the next day. We were armed with letters from patriots at home and from other states. We reviewed questions we wanted to ask the Senators and points we wanted to make. We were excited about the rally and even more eager to meet eye to eye with our Senators.

One of our patriots had called Representative Jack Kingston’s office earlier in the day to see if he would be available to meet with us. He was told that Kingston wasn’t in, but they would call us back.

We arrived at the Capitol building shortly after 9:00am. We saw the Christmas tree as we headed for the Russell Senate Office Building. We were surprised to be greeted by Jenny Beth Martin from Tea Party Patriots, who seemed to be waiting for us.

We cleared security and continued on to Senator Isakson’s office. We waited in the hallway for a minute or two before being shown into a conference room. We were initially led to believe the Senator would not be joining us, but a short time later he entered the room and shook hands with everyone. He seated himself at the head of the table, took questions and listened to our comments, suggestions, frustrations, and complaints for approximately 20 minutes.

He told us that Republicans were offering amendments to the health care bill in an effort to highlight flaws in the proposed legislation while getting supporters on record for favoring things like cuts in Medicare. He said that their offering of amendments does not signal the contemplation of supporting the bill in any way. We encouraged him to stand strong in opposition of this bill and that we expected him to do everything he could to postpone the vote, including having it read on the floor of the Senate.

We presented him with a document outlining the ways this bill is unconstitutional and encouraged him to read and contemplate it. He said the Constitutionality of the bill would have to be addressed by the judicial branch of government.

We made a point of explaining how frustrated and angry citizens of both parties are by what we perceive as being a culture of corruption in Washington, and our readiness to reclaim our liberties.

Others from the group said that they wanted to see a more passionate opposition to the bill on the floor. The Senator shared that his impression of the bill’s opposition was quite passionate and encouraged people to review some of the speeches.

We asked him how we could help him defeat the health care bill. He told us that we should contact our friends and family living in states who’s Senators are likely to vote for the legislation and encourage them to change their vote to “no”. He told us that he was doing his best to serve the interests of the citizens of Georgia and that he was well aware that he works for us and not the other way around.

CNN arrived on the scene while we were meeting with Isakson. They recorded about the last ten minutes of our meeting and interviewed the Senator in the hallway. They then culled a woman out of the group and interviewed her. We don’t know who she was, what she said. We do not know if CNN has aired any of the footage they obtained that day or not.

We went to Senator Chambliss’s office, but he was not available to meet with us. We met instead with his Chief of Staff, Charlie Harman (you can reach him at Charlie_Harman@chambliss.senate.gov, 202.224.3367). Charlie spent about an hour with us as the group discussed everything from health care, to blueberries, to the Navy Seals. He spent a lot of time saying that he wanted to get to everyone’s question and not a whole lot of time answering questions directly.

We told him that the Senator should be proud to be a member of “the party of NO… that’s fine, as long as it means no bull, no pork and no baloney”. He gave us the same advice that Senator Isakson did on how we can help defeat this bill – contact our friends and family who live in states where the Senators may vote for yes and tell them to get active, and make the calls they need to hear, as often as they can.

We also expressed the opinion that there needs to be better communication to his constituents of his actions and strategies regarding various pieces of legislation. The document regarding the unconstitutionality of the proposed bill was presented to him. He explained that the Senator did not consider money that will be going to blueberry research conducted at a Georgia university in a recently passed bill, as pork since because he perceives the project as maintaining an independent food supply. When asked about the prosecution of the Navy Seals, he didn’t really have an opinion you could pin to the wall.

We tried to impress upon him where we are in our frustration with the people in DC. One patriot stood up and read from The Declaration of Independence “when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty to throw off such Government”. We hope he got the point.

Our group separated at that point. Some patriots took the cue from these meetings and visited the Senator’s offices where friends and family (who share our opinion on this issue) live who may vote yes on this bill: Connecticut, Colorado, and California. We were not warmly received.

When we went to Dodd’s office, we were told that no one was available to meet with us. We left both written and verbal messages encouraging him to vote no on this legislation. We couldn’t help but notice that the phones were ringing off the hook! “If that’s your opinion, I’ll let the Senator know. I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m sorry to hear you don’t support his view, but I will pass your message on to the Senator” was heard often during our brief visit.

Two young women carrying coffee and donuts entered an elevator ahead of our group. Since they got on before we did, they were obviously in the back of the car as we ascended. It was obvious to everyone that they were getting off before we were, but as soon as the doors began to open the repeated loudly and rudely “excuse me… excuse me… excuse me… excuse me… excuse me… excuse me”. Seriously, they must have said it that many times in a very loud tone. I guess they were unaware of the fact that we pay their wages.

Liberman’s office was visited by at least a half dozen other patriots while we were there. An aide was there, texting, and demonstratively disinterested in having any meaningful dialogue. One man asked him a question, to which he received the typical political double-talk, non-answer. I left a written message for him – I’m sure you know what it said. The lines were lit up in his office too. “Please don’t yell… I understand you’re upset… I’ll let the Senator know… if that’s how you feel… I’m sorry to hear that, I’ll let the Senator know”.

Outside of Senator Michael Bennet’s office were several U-Haul moving boxes with “Get Packing” written in black marker. Our patriot told the aide that when she called the Senator’s Denver office, they had never heard of her hometown, Olathe, and actually asked her to spell it. The aide responded “I find that hard to believe”. The aide told our patriot that Bennet was in favor of the public option, but that he would still vote for the bill if it was taken out. She asked him if the Senator saw the recent polls, to which the aide responded “we haven’t found any credible polls lately”. She then asked him if the Senator “ever got out of the city of Denver because people can’t afford taxes like that”. She told him that when the Senator is up for reelection, “he’s going to find his ass out of office and yours will be too”. (I printed the story without Stacie’s read through, so hopefully I got most of it right)

Onto California! We were running out of time at this point and did not request to meet with an aide. Once again we left verbal and written message for the Senators Boxer and Feinstein, encouraging them to vote no on this hideous piece of legislation or face their final term in office. We advised the message takers that we represented our entire family and thousands of U.S. citizens whose wrath they will surely face if they vote yes.

Our patriot got a call back from Kingston’s office just before the early start to the rally and was told that Kingston was on his way over. Although not on the agenda, Representative Kingston spoke at the rally which we thought was a wonderful way to show his support for our beliefs. Patriot William Temple was asked to speak at the rally and was introduced by Kingston as Button Gwinett. He really got the crowd going!

Speakers included Senator Jim Dement, Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingram, and others. One of particular note was Senator Isakson! He was not on the agenda either, but he must have been encouraged by our visit and encouragement to speak out boldly which he did!

The crowd at the rally was energized, loud, and peaceful in their protest against the march of the lemmings on health care.

Tired, but armed with a mission, we boarded the bus and headed for home. As we watched the movie “John Adams” we were flooded with patriotic pride and the sad realization of just how far we have drifted from our founders’ intent. I pray there are patriots among us who are can return our country to better mirror those intentions.

Up the revolution!
Rally in DC
Rally FootageCode Red Rally
Sen. Demint Speaks
Meeting with Isakson Part 2

Your mission: Contact family and friends who live in states where their Senators who may vote for the bill and encourage them to contact the Senators repeatedly in staunch opposition to this legislation. Attached you will find contact information for all Senators and their staff members.

Special Meeting for 13th and Surrounding Districts For GA Please Attend and Pass Along

To all my friends,


I have secured the Morrow City hall meeting room for this Thursday eve. at 7:00 PM.

1500 Morrow Rd.
Morrow, GA 30260

This meeting will be for the purpose of giving this district a head start on the upcoming election cycle with some new information which is sure to stir the base. I encourage you to put this out to all the 13th District members and surrounding districts as well. I do hope you can find the time to attend as we will have the eyes of Texas and Michigan upon us to lead the way forward. More on that at the meeting.

Please pass this on to every Republican you can find who may be able to attend. Yes, it's that important and no, this is not coming out of the Committee budget. This I do for all of us.

Previous meetings in this area have drawn as few as a half dozen but we're sure to see a much better turnout for this.

I will be speaking and showing a Power Point Presentation which will be used in Districts all over the Country and you will be among the first to see what plan we have.

Carl Swensson

Moment of Silence Today at Noon Eastern

Dear Fellow Tea Party Patriots,

Remember that today at noon eastern time is our Moment of Silence. Use this time to pray for our country and that our elected officials have the courage to represent us, We the People. Use the time to contemplate the sacrifices that have been made for our Constitution and liberty and to contemplate what eternal vigilance means. Consider what it is worth to you to insure that future generations enjoy the same liberties we enjoy today.

In the email yesterday, we asked you to make phone calls today. We just received an email from a Tea Party Patriot in Idaho who said she called her 2 Senators and Sen. McConnell's office. Sen. McConnell is the Senate Minority Leader. She said, "He is supposed to be representing all of us--but when I called his office this morning, the female intern said he 'had no current strategy' to delay this bill. Please call him and ASK for action today!!! Would it be too much for him to have a strategy?

Ask the Senator to exercise every single parliamentary procedure in the Senate to stop this bill. Tell them you personally and on behalf of millions from around the country support their no vote and their actions to stop the bill."

It is important to remember that for our Government Waiting Rooms and Senate Emergency Call tomorrow, that as Patriots we always follow the law and comply with all legitimate police instructions. As Patriots we are law abiding citizens.

Finally, there is a possible agenda for Candlelight Vigils if you choose to do one locally on Wednesday night, December 16. If do host a Candlelight Vigil, be sure to list it on our website http://teapartypatriots.org and to create a Facebook Event for your event as well.

Possible Agenda for Candlelight Vigil

The South Florida Tea Party suggested we do a Candlelight Vigil and that we do it on the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. South Florida Tea Party Patriots Local Coordinator and Florida State Coordinator Everett Wilkinson created the following agenda that you may wish to use during your Candlelight Vigil. As always, do what is best for your local tea party. We are offering this as a guide so you have an idea what else is happening around the country.

Pledge of Allegiance

Reading the eyewitness report of "Boston Tea Party 1773" - Take your tea and shove it.

Moment of Silence for the brave patriots in Boston 1773

Speech by local tea party organizer

Dumping of the "Health Care Tea Boxes"

Sing Proud to be American (Lee Greenwood)

Reading of the key talking points against health care

People come up, read their signs such as "Dead - I was too old to get treatment for health care" "Dead - Gov't won't give me screening for cancer" "Dead - Obamacare killed my grandma" etc. and THEN have the people lie down "dead" in a small circle.

A moment of silence for all the people who will die under Obamacare.

Sing God bless America

We are requesting that people have fun and try to react the Boston Tea Party. Participants can wear feathers, war paint and even bring toy hatchets. Please feel free to modify the program to you group.

George Hewes was a member of the band of "Indians" that boarded the tea ships that evening. His recollection of the event was published some years later. We join his story as the group makes its way to the tea-laden ships:

"It was now evening, and I immediately dressed myself in the costume of an Indian, equipped with a small hatchet, which I and my associates denominated the tomahawk, with which, and a club, after having painted my face and hands with coal dust in the shop of a blacksmith, I repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the ships lay that contained the tea. When I first appeared in the street after being thus disguised, I fell in with many who were dressed, equipped and painted as I was, and who fell in with me and marched in order to the place of our destination.

When we arrived at the wharf, there were three of our number who assumed an authority to direct our operations, to which we readily submitted. They divided us into three parties, for the purpose of boarding the three ships which contained the tea at the same time. The name of him who commanded the division to which I was assigned was Leonard Pitt. The names of the other commanders I never knew. We were immediately ordered by the respective commanders to board all the ships at the same time, which we promptly obeyed. The commander of the division to which I belonged, as soon as we were on board the ship, appointed me boatswain, and ordered me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches and a dozen candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly replied, and delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no damage to the ship or rigging. We then were ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the chests of tea and throw them overboard, and we immediately proceeded to execute his orders, first cutting and splitting the chests with our tomahawks, so as thoroughly to expose them to the effects of the water.

In about three hours from the time we went on board, we had thus broken and thrown overboard every tea chest to be found in the ship, while those in the other ships were disposing of the tea in the same way, at the same time. We were surrounded by British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us.

...The next morning, after we had cleared the ships of the tea, it was discovered that very considerable quantities of it were floating upon the surface of the water; and to prevent the possibility of any of its being saved for use, a number of small boats were manned by sailors and citizens, who rowed them into those parts of the harbor wherever the tea was visible, and by beating it with oars and paddles so thoroughly drenched it as to render its entire destruction inevitable."

References:

Hawkes, James A, Retrospect of the Boston Tea-Party, with a Memoir of George R. T. Hewes... (1834) reprinted in Commager, Henry Steele, Morris Richard B., The Spirit of 'Seventy-Six vol I (1958); Labaree, Benjamin Woods, The Boston Tea Party (1964).

How To Cite This Article:

"The Boston Tea Party, 1773," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002).

Targeted Senators

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4843, DC Fax Number: 202-228-1371

Sen. Ben Nelson, Nebraska
DC Office Number: 202-224-6551, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0012

Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5824, DC Fax Number: 202-224-9735

Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4041, DC Fax Number: 202-224-9750

Sen. Michael F Bennet, Colorado
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5852, DC Fax Number: 202-228-5036

Sen. Mark Pryor, Arkansas
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2353, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0908
Sen. Robert Byrd, West Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-3954, DC Fax Number: 202-228-0002
Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4024, DC Fax Number: 202-228-6363
Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2023, DC Fax Number: 202-224-6295

Sen. Jon Tester, Montana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2644, DC Fax Number: 202-224-8594

Sen. Mark Begich, Alaska
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-3004, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2354

Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5623, DC Fax Number: 202-228-1377

PriceWaterhouseCooper released an independent study of the Senate Finance Committee version of the government takeover of health care bill. The study showed that American family's budgets will be severely impacted by the bill and that health insurance premiums will increase dramatically. You may wish to read the study and use this as supporting documentation when you contact the Senators. Additionally, you may find some these resources helpful as well:

Tea Party Patriots Health Care Talking Points

Why Is Tea Party Patriots Focusing on Health Care

Questions to Ask Your Representative About Health Care
Senate Minority Leadership

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2541, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2499

Assistant Senate Minority Leader John Kyl, Arizona
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4521, DC Fax Number: 202-224-2207

Senate Republican Conference Chair Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-4944, DC Fax Number: 202-228-3398

Senate Republican Party Conference Secretary Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-6665 DC Fax Number: 202-224-5301

Senate Republican Policy Committee Chair Sen. John Thune, South Dakota
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-2321 DC Fax Number: 202-228-5429

2 Senators NOT in Senate Leadership But Have Been Leading the Way to Stop Government Takeover of Health Care:

Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-6121, DC Fax Number: 202-228-5143

Sen. Tom Coburn, MD, Oklahoma
DC Office Phone Number: 202-224-5754, DC Fax Number: 202-224-6008

You are the heart and soul of the Tea Party Movement. Thank you for promoting the causes of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets with us!

Your Tea Party Patriots National Coordinator Team,

Debbie Dooley, Mike Gaske, Kellen Giuda, Ryan Hecker, Jenny Beth Martin, Mark Meckler, Sally Oljar, Diana Reimer, Billie Tucker, and Dawn Wildman

Jenny Beth Martin (jennybethm@gmail.com, 770-878-1550)
Dawn Wildman (dmwtpp11@yahoo.com)
Mark Meckler (mark.grassroots@gmail.com)
Diana Reimer (philatppatriots@gmail.com

URGENT-Get your letter opposing health care bill hand delivered by fellow patriots

Dear Fellow Americans,

Some of our dear friends, patriots, will be leaving on the 14th to head for DC. Elizabeth Mancha is heading this trip up again, as she has before. We understand this is late notice, however, the elected officials like it that way and don't want us to have a lot of time. A hand signed letter delivered by representatives from the area districts will have a huge impact on Washington. Please set a few minutes aside and write or type your letters opposing the Health Care Bill. You can either fax them directly to Elizabeth at 912-598-0790 by 0600hrs or 6:00am or you can scan them in and email them to me and I'll print them and hand deliver them to her. If you need to know who your Congressmen are and the Senators please go here.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Senate Health Care Bill Top-Line Facts:

Spending: The cost of the bill is $2.5 trillion over 10 years of full implementation (2014-2023).

Taxes Increases: Taxes will go up $493.6 billion—nearly half a trillion dollars.

Medicare Cuts: Medicare will be cut $464.6 billion—another half a trillion dollars.

Total Number of Pages: 2074

Abortion: The bill permits the use of accounting gimmicks that will, for the first time, allow federal dollars to go to plans covering abortion. The bill does not include the Stupak language, and as a result, National Right to Life describes the Reid bill language as “completely unacceptable” and said it would “result in coverage of abortion on demand in two big new federal government programs.”

· Government Plan: The bill includes a government run plan and provides states with the possibility of opting out of participating in that plan. According to CBO, the government run plan “would typically have premiums that were somewhat higher than the average premiums for the private plans in the exchanges.”

· Employer Mandate: The bill will impose $28 billion in new taxes on employers that do not provide government approved health plans. These new taxes will ultimately be paid by American workers in the form of reduced wages and lost jobs.

Additional CBO Background:

The bill would bend the federal cost-curve up. CBO says, “Under the legislation, federal outlays for health care would increase during the 2010–2019 period, as would the federal budgetary commitment to health care.” The coverage expansion would drive a net increase in government spending on health by $160 billion over 10 years.

· CBO scored the bill as reducing the deficit by $130 billion over FYs 2010-2019.

o However, CBO notes that the bill includes two budget gimmicks that hide the true cost of the bill. Doctors are assumed to get a 23 percent cut in 2011 which would carry into subsequent years. Fixing the SGR would cost $247 billion. Additionally, the CLASS Act generates $72 billion over the budget window, but later turns to deficits. Eliminating these two gimmicks means the bill would be $189 billion in the red. It would also put the real cost of the bill over a trillion dollars.

· The start dates for the individual mandate, exchanges, and employer penalties were all moved from July 1, 2013, to January 1, 2014.

o This is another budget gimmick to hide the true cost of the bill.
· 24 million people would be left without insurance.

· Unfunded mandates on the states: The bill mandates that states spend an additional $25 billion in Medicaid expenditures

· Taxes on uninsured individuals would total$8 billion.

· Taxes on employers from the “free-rider” penalty would total $28 billion.

· 5 million Americans would lose their employer coverage.

· Cuts to Medicare include: Permanent reductions in the annual updates to Medicare’s payment rates for most services in the fee-for-service sector of $192 billion; $118 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage; $43 billion in DSH cuts; $23 billion in unspecified cuts by the Medicare Advisory Board.

· Only 19 million people will get a subsidy to help them buy health insurance.

o None of the 162 million people with employer-based care will even be eligible for a subsidy.

· The government plan would have higher premiums than private plans. CBO said the government plan would “typically have premiums that were somewhat higher than the average premiums for the private plans in the exchanges.”

o With the opt-out provision, two-thirds of Americans are expected to have a government plan available in their state.

o Co-ops are included but would have “very little effect.”

· The CLASS Act would reduce deficits by $72 billion in the 10 year budget window, but “would begin to increase budget deficits” in the decade following 2029.

· The IRS would need $5-$10 billion to expand and implement the provisions in the bill.

· The costs of the subsidies in the exchange would grow at 8 percent a year.

· The tax on high value plans will quickly be applied to almost all plans. CBO expects the revenues from the Cadillac plan tax to grow at 10-15 percent per year outside the budget window.

· Includes a $15 billion “Prevention and Public Health Fund” slush fund.

· CBO says it would be “difficult” to maintain the predicted savings over a long period of time—meaning that the plan will likely run deficits when savings do not materialize.


Ann Lindholm
http://www.americansoldierswife.com/

Help Fight Obamacare with Freedom Works

I just wanted to update you on the battle against a government takeover of health care. A few weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed its version of Obamacare, and now the Senate is considering its own version. Neither plan offers real solutions that empower patients. Nor do they include common sense solutions like tort reform or allowing consumers to purchase health insurance across state lines. Both versions of Obamacare are filled with billions of dollars in higher taxes, government mandates and $2.5 trillion in new spending. We still have a chance to defeat this big government monstrosity and preserve one-sixth of our economy from being taken over by the federal government.


The battle in the Senate has reached its most critical point, and we need your help to convince a handful of swing voters in the Senate to vote NO on the Senate bill. Sen. Harry Reid is trying to have a vote to end debate next week. These next few days are crucial, and we need your help! We are hearing that this bill is so unpopular that Sen. Reid and Speaker Pelosi want to avoid normal procedure and skip the usual bicameral conference to reconcile the bills. Instead, the Senate bill may be the final version of Obamacare.

Please TAKE ACTION now to start calling them, and remind them that the American people oppose Obamacare. Also, you will note that the targets have local offices in their states, and we are encouraging people to go sit in these offices every day until we stop this bill. This action will send a powerful message across the country that we are serious about defeating this terrible legislation.

DC Rally and Sit-ins!

Next week, on Tuesday, December 15th, we expect thousands of Americans to come back to Washington for a rally at Upper Senate Park at 1:00pm. At the conclusion of the rally, these citizens will go visit their Senators, and some folks will stay until they get a face-to-face meeting. We will sit in these offices all day if we have to, and will not be denied our right to be heard! If you cannot make it to DC for the sit-ins, please organize local senate office sit-ins in your state. Be sure to send us your pictures and videos! If you'd like to participate in any of these efforts, please contact Juan Hernandez at jhernandez@freedomworks.org (202)-942-7672.

Events in Arkansas

Also, if you live in Arkansas where only 28% of the people support Obamacare, we have a few events that

you should be aware of. Senator Blanche Lincoln is a key swing vote on Obamacare, and we intend to add some pressure to her next week with events in Hot Springs, Conway and Little Rock. Our Chairman Dick Armey will be speaking at an event in downtown Little Rock on December 15th about health care, cap and trade and the limited government movement. Please contact Juan Hernandez at jhernandez@freedomworks.org (202)-942-7672 for more information about the Arkansas events.

Nationwide Candlelight Vigils

On December 16th we are coordinating with other national groups including Tea Party Patriots and National Taxpayers Union to encourage candlelight vigils outside Senate offices throughout the country. December 16th is the anniversary of the original Boston Tea Party, so we find it fitting that patriots on this day should continue to keep the fire of liberty lit. Please connect with other activists to organize a candlelight vigil if there isn't already one being planned in your area.
The limited government movement has made a huge impact on the public debate over health care this year. We have communicated through thousands of phone calls, emails, faxes and letters to our elected officials. We have marched in town squares, state capitals and right up to the steps of Congress in defiance of big government. Public opinion polls show a sharp decline in support of Obamacare, and the politicians that are pushing it in Congress. The more time that people have to read about the legislation, the less they like it. We are making a huge impact in this debate, and we can't let up now! Thank you for joining us these last few weeks of the year as we rally one more time to say NO to a government takeover of health care, and NO to an ever-increasing federal government.

In liberty,

Matt Kibbe
President and CEO
FreedomWorks.org

PS: If you have not taken advantage of our holiday specials on the 9/12 March on Washington panoramic photo please do so today!

Health Care Tele-Town Hall

Patients First Invites You to An Exclusive Tele-Town Hall on Health Care with Dr. Tom Coburn!
Patients First invites you to participate in a tele-town hall on Wednesday December 9, 2009 (tonight!) from 6:30 to 7:30 ET with Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-Okla.). This important town hall will provide you with an inside look into the rancorous health care debate that jeopardizes each and every American's liberty. Dr. Coburn will also discuss the upcoming emergency rally he and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) will be leading December 15th on Capitol Hill.

Please make your plans now to participate in tonight's town hall. We desperately need your help to defeat the government takeover of health care.

Simply call (888) 356-3090 Ext.13828# at 6:30pm ET tonight to join!

Demand Glenn Beck in Savannah

View all Savannah events on Eventful

Lord Monckton, Tim Phillips, and Phil Kerpen Live from Copenhagen Conference

In 9 days President Barack Obama will go to Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. No doubt, the President intends to commit the United States to an energy rationing scheme that makes the U.S. accountable to U.N. bureaucrats, kills jobs here, dramatically raises the price of gasoline and electricity, and infringes on our personal and national freedoms -- all in the name of a radical global warming ideology that is called into question more and more each day.


As part of our ongoing "Cost of Hot Air" effort, Americans for Prosperity is going to Copenhagen on the same day as the President to make sure that our side of the story is told.

On December 9, AFP will hold a live event from Copenhagen that will broadcast simultaneously at local AFP events across the nation and live at http://www.americanforprosperity.org/.
 We'll detail the hypocrisy of the U.N. Climate Change Conference and give you the opportunity to send your elected officials a crystal clear message: don't you dare use this U.N. Conference to turn over our nation's energy policy to some international body that could care less about American prosperity.

Phil Kerpen and I will be in Copenhagen hosting an event with Lord Monckton (click here to join the 3.5 million people who have seen his video detailing how our nation could be threatened by international climate agreements) and other European free-market leaders who will detail the hypocrisy of this U.N. conference and explain how cap-and-trade has killed jobs and raised energy prices in their nations.

The anchor event in the United States will be held in Philadelphia at noon that day with AFP's own Steven Lonegan hosting and special guest speaker Steve Moore (FOX News contributor and Wall Street Journal editorial board writer). We'll have more details about these events -- and how you can attend -- within the next few days.

I'm asking you to take 3 steps.

First, let us know you will consider attending one of the FREE "Cost of Hot Air" events near you on December 9, where we'll have the Copenhagen event running live along with local speakers. CLICK HERE

Second, if you cannot attend one of the events, view it live at our AmericansforProsperity.org website or better yet, hold your own get-together for family and friends. CLICK HERE to do this.

Third, please consider sending this email invitation on to your family and friends by CLICKING here. We need to make sure the politicians in Washington know that Americans are closely watching the cap-and-trade issue and that the U.N. Conference in Copenhagen changes absolutely nothing.

You've no doubt seen the ClimateGate email scandal that's exploded since a whistle blower in the United Kingdom exposed emails and files showing just how unethical and outrageous the behavior of global warming ideologues has been. They've tried to censor scientists who disagree with them on global warming. They've tried to suppress -and conveniently lost track of -data that contradicts their ideology. They've personally vilified opponents instead of engaging them on the actual issues. All this sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? But this time, it's being done by scientists instead of politicians.

We're going to be in Copenhagen on December 9 with President Obama -- telling the real story and making sure our Senators see American citizens taking a stand against outsourcing U.S. energy policy to an international body.

But, to accomplish this goal we need your help. And, as always, there’s a high cost associated with this kind of activism. Click here to invest in this battle today. Thank you for all you do.

Tim

PS: Our "Cost of Hot Air" events across the United States on December 9 are our last opportunity in 2009 to send the politicians a message on cap-and-trade -- on the very day that President Obama will be in Copenhagen at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Get involved and let's make sure they know that the choice for them is clear: side with Americans determined to keep our nation in charge of our own energy policy and economy OR side with U.N. bureaucrats and the extreme Left, which wants to use this conference to get the United States to agree to binding energy rationing limits that will kill jobs, raise gasoline and utility prices and take away many of our freedoms.

Like what Americans for Prosperity is doing? Invest in our work by clicking here. We're supported by our more than 800,000 citizen-activists nationwide. Your contribution in any amount will go a long way in promoting free-market policies at all levels of government - local, state and federal. Thanks!

Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 800,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 25 state chapters. More than 55,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation.

For more information, visit http://www.americansforprosperity.org/

Lord Monckton, Tim Phillips, and Phil Kerpen Live from Copenhagen for UN Conference-Don't Miss It!

In 9 days President Barack Obama will go to Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. No doubt, the President intends to commit the United States to an energy rationing scheme that makes the U.S. accountable to U.N. bureaucrats, kills jobs here, dramatically raises the price of gasoline and electricity, and infringes on our personal and national freedoms -- all in the name of a radical global warming ideology that is called into question more and more each day.
As part of our ongoing "Cost of Hot Air" effort, Americans for Prosperity is going to Copenhagen on the same day as the President to make sure that our side of the story is told.

On December 9, AFP will hold a live event from Copenhagen that will broadcast simultaneously at local AFP events across the nation and live at http://www.americanforprosperity.org/. We'll detail the hypocrisy of the U.N. Climate Change Conference and give you the opportunity to send your elected officials a crystal clear message: don't you dare use this U.N. Conference to turn over our nation's energy policy to some international body that could care less about American prosperity.

Phil Kerpen and I will be in Copenhagen hosting an event with Lord Monckton (click here to join the 3.5 million people who have seen his video detailing how our nation could be threatened by international climate agreements) and other European free-market leaders who will detail the hypocrisy of this U.N. conference and explain how cap-and-trade has killed jobs and raised energy prices in their nations.

The anchor event in the United States will be held in Philadelphia at noon that day with AFP's own Steven Lonegan hosting and special guest speaker Steve Moore (FOX News contributor and Wall Street Journal editorial board writer). We'll have more details about these events -- and how you can attend -- within the next few days.

I'm asking you to take 3 steps.

First, let us know you will consider attending one of the FREE "Cost of Hot Air" events near you on December 9, where we'll have the Copenhagen event running live along with local speakers. CLICK HERE

Second, if you cannot attend one of the events, view it live at our AmericansforProsperity.org website or better yet, hold your own get-together for family and friends. CLICK HERE to do this.

Third, please consider sending this email invitation on to your family and friends by CLICKING here. We need to make sure the politicians in Washington know that Americans are closely watching the cap-and-trade issue and that the U.N. Conference in Copenhagen changes absolutely nothing.

You've no doubt seen the ClimateGate email scandal that's exploded since a whistle blower in the United Kingdom exposed emails and files showing just how unethical and outrageous the behavior of global warming ideologues has been. They've tried to censor scientists who disagree with them on global warming. They've tried to suppress -and conveniently lost track of -data that contradicts their ideology. They've personally vilified opponents instead of engaging them on the actual issues. All this sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? But this time, it's being done by scientists instead of politicians.

We're going to be in Copenhagen on December 9 with President Obama -- telling the real story and making sure our Senators see American citizens taking a stand against outsourcing U.S. energy policy to an international body.
But, to accomplish this goal we need your help. And, as always, there’s a high cost associated with this kind of activism. Click here to invest in this battle today. Thank you for all you do.

Tim
PS: Our "Cost of Hot Air" events across the United States on December 9 are our last opportunity in 2009 to send the politicians a message on cap-and-trade -- on the very day that President Obama will be in Copenhagen at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Get involved and let's make sure they know that the choice for them is clear: side with Americans determined to keep our nation in charge of our own energy policy and economy OR side with U.N. bureaucrats and the extreme Left, which wants to use this conference to get the United States to agree to binding energy rationing limits that will kill jobs, raise gasoline and utility prices and take away many of our freedoms.

Like what Americans for Prosperity is doing? Invest in our work by clicking here. We're supported by our more than 800,000 citizen-activists nationwide. Your contribution in any amount will go a long way in promoting free-market policies at all levels of government - local, state and federal. Thanks!

Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 800,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 25 state chapters. More than 55,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation.

For more information, visit http://www.americansforprosperity.org/