Western Free Press

Mitt Romney sees a problem and he gets to work (AZ Views)

AZ Views — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:00:18 +0000

Editor’s note: The AZ VIEWS Report is guest opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the views of of Western Free Press. Responses welcome; contact info~at~westernfreepress~dot~com.

By Scott Taylor

Chandler, Arizona

I believe Mitt Romney’s motivation in running for President is helping others and Service above self. In July 1996, the 14-year-old daughter of Robert Gay, a partner at Bain Capital, had disappeared. She had attended a rave party in New York City and gotten high on ecstasy. Three days later, her distraught father had no idea where she was. Romney took immediate action. He closed down the entire firm and asked all 30 partners and employees to fly to New York to help find Gay’s daughter. Romney set up a command center at the LaGuardia Marriott and hired a private detective firm to assist with the search. He established a toll-free number for tips, coordinating the effort with the NYPD, and went through his Rolodex and called everyone Bain did business with in New York, and asked them to help find his friend’s missing daughter. Romney’s accountants at Price Waterhouse Cooper put up posters on street poles, while cashiers at a pharmacy owned by Bain put fliers in the bag of every shopper. Romney and the other Bain employees scoured every part of New York and talked with everyone they could – prostitutes, drug addicts – anyone.

That day, their hunt made the evening news, which featured photos of the girl and the Bain employees searching for her. As a result, a teenage boy phoned in, asked if there was a reward, and then hung up abruptly. The NYPD traced the call to a home in New Jersey, where they found the girl in the basement, shivering and experiencing withdrawal symptoms from a massive ecstasy dose. Doctors later said the girl might not have survived another day. Romney’s former partner credits Mitt Romney with saving his daughter’s life, saying, “It was the most amazing thing, and I’ll never forget this to the day I die.”

So, here’s my epiphany: Mitt Romney simply can’t help himself. He sees a problem, and his mind immediately sets to work solving it, sometimes consciously, and sometimes not-so-consciously. He doesn’t do it for self-aggrandizement, or for personal gain. He does it because that’s just how he’s wired.

Many people are unaware of the fact that when Romney was asked by his old employer, Bill Bain, to come back to Bain & Company as CEO to rescue the firm from bankruptcy, Romney left Bain Capital to work at Bain & Company for an annual salary of one dollar. When Romney went to the rescue of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, he accepted no salary for three years, and wouldn’t use an expense account. He also accepted no salary as Governor of Massachusetts. Who does that?

George Washington did as General when his countrymen needed him in a time of great crisis at the time of the American revolution. He led by example, refused a salary, rolled up his sleeves and got to work. America is in great turmoil right now, DC is 15 trillion in the red and growing, unemployment has been over 8% for 2 years. Barack Obama has failed miserably. This is unacceptable and it’s time for real change. Whose has the resume, the courage, the work ethic and know how to America back. I STRONGLY believe that man is Romney and I will be doing everything I can to support him. Please join me in voting for Mitt Romney in the Arizona primary on Tuesday Feb 28th.

Sen. Griffin sponsors bill to eliminate cities’ water fees

Press Release — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

February 20, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Phoenix, State Capitol)—-Thursday the Arizona State Senate passed a bill that would eliminate city water fees and publicly fund the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Senators approved SB 1288 on a 30-0 vote and sent the bill to the House.

The Arizona Department of Water has had its budget cut for the past several years. Funding has been beefed up with water fees being imposed upon cities and towns.

“Due to 27% of the state’s population residing outside of a city or town, and many municipalities utilizing a private water resource, the fee has been unfairly distributed,” says Jack Hakim, the mayor of Bullhead City. SB 1288 would appropriate $6.3 million from the General Fund and repeal ADWR’s ability to collect a municipality fee.

Senator Gail Griffin, the sponsor of SB 1288, says ADWR has had to carry the burden of this unfunded mandate to cities and towns, causing serious budget strains for local communities.

While noting that every agency has had to endure cuts, Senator Griffin believes when a fee is imposed upon Arizonans for a natural resource that provides benefits to the entire state it then becomes a matter worth funding from the state General Fund.

Arizona State Senate
1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007
Sen. Gail Griffin, R-25
Chair, Senate Water, Land Use and Rural Development Committee
602-926-5895
Press Release

Health Insurance Companies: An Endangered Species

Guest Contributor — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:25:03 +0000

By George Watson, D.O.

By 2020, “the American health insurance industry will be extinct,” writes Ezekiel Emanuel, on the New York Times opinion blog. Is this sometime advisor to the Obama White House saying that the insurance companies who were “at the table” with Obama are being treated like prostitutes, used then discarded?

Time will tell. Perhaps five of the black-robed Supreme Court justices will go all the way back to the precedent called the Constitution and rule that the individual mandate is unconstitutional, and that it is not severable, and the Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or “ Obamacare”) will be thrown in the trash bin like so many unwanted body parts.

Perhaps the insurance companies will wake up, repudiate their support of Obamacare, and present a real medical insurance policy (not the prepaid medical plans now sold as insurance) that includes the catastrophic coverage that most families need, and, as an option, a health savings account (HSA) that the individual owns to pay for routine medical expenses.

Perhaps the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) will repudiate their support for this abomination, which brings crushing compliance costs, enforced through draconian fines and prison terms, on their members.

Not likely, since the AMA makes more than $70 million a year from their exclusive government-granted monopoly on code books (Current Procedural Terminology or “CPT”). CPT is actually unnecessary because insurers could pay claims from an itemized bill, as they did before CPT. An insurance clerk, after all, can read the English note and determine whether the service matches the code. Claiming that it does not allows the insurer to earn interest as payment is delayed until the doctor provides the “proper” code. Often, the code game saves the insurer from paying the claim at all by discouraging the doctor from re-filing. Thus, CPT benefits the AMA and insurers while increasing doctors’ costs and risks.

The AOA is also unlikely to recant their support, as its officials want to be seen at the table with the President.

Perhaps doctors will finally realize that they were brainwashed to believe they could not succeed unless they signed all the insurance contracts. Doctors will suddenly realize that patients need doctors, not insurance companies, and patients will gladly pay a fair, transparent price, not the inflated price caused by the insurance game. Doctors will learn to trust each other and their patients, and boot out the lying insurance companies and politicians. Perhaps.

Perhaps patients will realize that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is government fraud, since their most personal health data will not be protected from multiple levels of bureaucrats, and the system will not be affordable, but rather much more costly than what they have available now. Perhaps they will demand its repeal.

Emanuel writes, “Accountable care organizations [ACOs] will increase coordination of patient’s care and shift the focus of medicine away from treating sickness and toward keeping people healthy.” Referring to the “enhanced information system”, he says, “but this analytic capacity will be directed at improving health outcomes, not at imposing barriers to those seeking treatment.” Have you noticed how the government tells you what won’t happen, and then it does?

Emanuel writes, “In the 1990s, we lacked the information technology and proven models of integrated care delivery that we have now.” The only models are scale models—experiments, with patients as guinea pigs.

Emanuel writes, “A final bonus of A.C.O.’s is that they will lead to a better form of competition in health care markets.” Here he says what will happen, but it won’t. There will be no competition, since insurance companies, by Emanuel’s prediction, will be extinct. Patients will be locked into the ACO that owns their doctor. Remember, “If you have a health plan you like, you will get to keep it.” Unless it is extinct.

The third-party payment model has failed. Managed care didn’t save it, and neither can ACOs. It deserves to be extinct, and it will be if patients and physicians return to the direct-payment model that has always worked, and true insurance is allowed to compete fairly.

Dr Watson, Former President of the Association of American Physicians, practiced traditional-insurance-based osteopathic family medicine for 23 years. In 2003, he canceled all insurance contracts and OPTED OUT of Medicare. He continues to work 100% for the patients–not the insurance companies. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the AAPS since 2006. Dr. Watson is an outspoken advocate for the practice of private medicine, the patient-doctor direct model. He has been interviewed by Fox News Channel and multiple networks. Dr. Watson has spoken at numerous Tea Parties and has recently testified in State of Kansas Senate hearings on amendments to the state constitution to reaffirm the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and an amendment to affirm Health Care Freedom for all Kansans.

U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Review University of Texas Affirmative Action Case

Matt Stone — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:10:25 +0000

SCOTUSBlog reports:

Returning for the first time in nine years to the ongoing controversy over the use of race in public college admissions, the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to review the constitutionality of a broad affirmative action program used to admit the freshman class at the University of Texas at Austin. Because the Court’s order did not put the case on an expedited schedule, it will go over for argument in the next Term, starting October 1. Filing of written briefs, however, will occur over the summer, while the Justices are in recess. The case is Fisher v. University of Texas (docket 11-345).

The Court’s decision will be made by an eight-Justice Court, since the newest member, Justice Elena Kagan, has disqualified herself. She was the U.S. Solicitor General in March 2010, when the Justice Department filed a brief in this case in the Fifth Circuit Court.

Kagan’s recusal sets up a potential big holding by the Supreme Court. But conservatives are likely overoptimistic as to how Kennedy might rule. It will be interesting nonetheless and has liberal’s minds in a tizzy.

Even if conservatives win, schools will just ignore it like they do many state supreme court and state constitutional provisions now.

Governor Brewer signs SB 1046

Press Release — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:10:45 +0000

(Phoenix, State Capitol)—-Governor Brewer today signed SB 1046, a bill that allows companies that do business in multiple states to choose their corporate income tax formulas. For companies based in Arizona but providing services in other states, it will mean big savings.

“I appreciate the Governor’s signature on this bill, and I appreciate Senator Murphy for coming forward with SB 1046. This Legislature has been working hard to make the state more attractive to business, and this new law is a big part of that push,” says Senate President Steve Pierce.

This bill has been a priority for the Apollo Group, the parent of University of Phoenix. Apollo is based in Phoenix and has 13,000 employees.

“A few years ago the legislature made a tax change to help manufacturers that export products. This bill will now provide the same benefits to companies that don’t make products but instead offer services,” says President Pierce.

Arizona State Senate
1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007
Pres. Steve Pierce, R-1
602-926-5584

Santorum Goes for Arpaio Endorsement; Arpaio Declines to Endorse Before Tuesday’s Primaries

Matt Stone — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:45:10 +0000

Rick Santorum is appearing at the Maricopa County GOP Lincoln Day lunch with Sheriff Joe Arpaio and recently recalled Russell Pearce. Ultimately, Arpaio stated he would not endorse any candidate until after Tuesday’s primaries, and that he will let the voters decide, but not before the Politico’s speculation.

And a note on Arpaio’s Facebook page says he’ll be meeting privately with the former Pennsylvania senator while he’s in town.

Arpaio, who endorsed Perry in late November but is now uncommitted in the GOP primary, would be a valuable endorsement this close to the Arizona primary. A Public Policy Polling survey out yesterday found that 32 percent of the state’s GOP voters would be more likely to vote for a candidate with Arpaio’s endorsement. And considering that, in the same survey, Mitt Romney only led Santorum by 3 points, that endorsement could really help tip the scales in Santorum’s favor.

Arpaio’s presence on the national stage within the GOP is a testament to his political strength.

Officials agree to Babeu investigation request, Gosar support up?

Christopher Cook — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:09:23 +0000

Update from the AZ Republic:

Pinal County’s top prosecutor has asked a special panel formed to investigate alleged violations of public trust to review claims made against Sheriff Paul Babeu, and Attorney General Tom Horne said he will investigate Babeu at the embattled lawman’s request.

Pinal County Attorney James P. Walsh said Tuesday that the matter will go before the southern subcommittee of the Public Integrity Task Force, a little-used team formed by the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council in 1992 to handle cases when local prosecutors had a conflict or wanted to avoid the perception of one. The chairwoman of the subcommittee has agreed to take the case, though no time frame has been set.

Walsh said he felt the independent and bipartisan panel would appropriately handle the allegations and “take the politics out of it.” The group includes prosecutors from Cochise, Gila, Greenlee, Pima, Santa Cruz and Yuma counties, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and Tucson. Pinal County is also part of the group, but Walsh said he will not participate.

Meanwhile, Horne said his office also will conduct an investigation into allegations of abuse of power. Horne said he is opening the investigation at Babeu’s request.

Babeu himself is making requests:

Needless to say, it remains to be seen what these investigations will actually be able to uncover.

Meanwhile, though it is unscientific and a very small sample so far, at least some readers of the Prescott ENews are having a predictable response . . .

44% chose “He didn’t show good judgment in posting pics,”

“Who cares?” was the selection of 19% of the respondents.

“I will vote for Paul Gosar instead,” was the answer for 14%

11% chose, “He is still the best candidate for CD4.”

8.3% responded, “I question whether he can be gay and conservative”

2.8% answered, “I will vote for Ron Gould instead”

It is not surprising than Rep. Gosar, being a congressional incumbent, would immediately enjoy some increase in support. Whether that support continues to increase will depend on a number of factors, largely, though not exclusively, surrounding the results of the investigations. Gosar has a solid record as a freshman congressman, and as voters in the district take a fresh look, they might find they are impressed with his accomplishments to date.

AZ House and Senate committees pass GOP budget

Hannah Thoreson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:18:42 +0000

The GOP caucuses in the Arizona House and Senate have filed identical budget bills, whose contents were released last night. Passage of the bills through the legislature is expected to move swiftly as a result of this unity. Negotiations with the Governor’s office are likely however, as the conservative majorities in both houses came up with a budget that advocates for $200 million less in spending than the one Brewer came out with last month. The GOP legislators’ budget cuts spending by $106 million relative to the previous fiscal year.

According to a press release from Senate leadership, “the Appropriations Committees in the Senate and House passed a budget that is structurally balanced, with no accounting gimmicks, no new borrowing and no agency fund sweeps”. The budget, if it were to be implemented as written now, would include $200 million toward paying down the debt and $250 million to begin restoring the state’s rainy day fund.

The Appropriation Committees’ budget differs from the one issued by Gov. Jan Brewer in several notable ways. The Governor’s budget includes funding for school and prison construction funds, while the legislators’ does not. Brewer’s plan also lacked the debt reduction elements and had asked for funding increases to replace cuts in federal money for state aid programs. One amusing divergence between the two budgets is the Governor’s request to restore funding to the State Tourism Office, which the GOP legislative budget apparently eliminates entirely.

A complete list of the Governor’s “concerns” with the Appropriations budget can be found here.

Supervisors appoint Lovas to AZ House

Hannah Thoreson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:55:54 +0000

From the Arizona Republic:

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning unanimously appointed Northwest Valley Republican Phil Lovas to the Legislative District 4 House of Representatives seat, formerly filled by Judy Burges.

The supervisors last month appointed Burges to the Legislative District 4 Senate seat to replace former state Sen. Scott Bundgaard when he abruptly resigned amid an ethics scandal.

LD4 chair Jeanette Dubreil and businessman David Livingston were also finalists for the House seat in the party election.

U.S. heads down the dark tunnel Britain is trying to escape

Christopher Cook — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:30:38 +0000

So there you are, out for a hike in the woods. You’re hugging the ridge line, admiring the stunning rock formations on a small cliff wall, when you come across a tunnel leading into the side of the hill. Upon examination, you realize that it is an old mine entrance. Just then, two gaunt, bedraggled, desperate hikers stagger out of it, blinking from the bright light. Their skin is white from lack of sun. Their clothes are in tatters. As you give them water and rations from your pack, they tell you of their harrowing tale—of how they got turned around in the tunnel, lost their light, and had to survive on rats and heavily mineralized water dipping down the cave walls.

Now, do you . . .

A) seal up the mine entrance and put up a warning sign for all to see, or

B) stumble blindly into the tunnel, just to see what it’s like?

As Obama pushes new regulations, UK eyes privatizing its health care:

Filmmaker Michael Moore glorified the United Kingdom’s National Health Service in his 2007 documentary ”Sicko,” making a cult film argument that socialized medicine works. But Prime Minister David Cameron, the Tory MP who heads a coalition government in England, is apparently not a Moore fan: He is working to partially privatize the NHS, beginning a massive outsourcing of medical services to private health care providers throughout the U.K.

Britain’s media, in particular the Washington Post–Huffington Post hybrid The Guardian, is publishing near-panic-attacks alerts daily about the conservative plan, which comes as the British government scales back on entitlement spending, hoping to avoid a Greek-style financial meltdown.

But in the United States, left-wing enthusiasts of socialized medicine don’t seem bothered at the loss of a role model. Many won’t even acknowledge it.

“I handle media and public relations for the Catholic Health Association,” Fred Caesar told The Daily Caller. “We will pass on commenting.” Caesar is special assistant to the president of the CHA, a vocal advocate of President Obama’s health care overhaul.

keep reading

In spite of opposition from a frightened and indoctrinated British public, Cameron sees the writing on the wall. Government cannot afford to be in the health business indefinitely, and while it is, it ends up being a poor provider. Oh, it’ll work for a short time, but eventually, the chickens come home to roost. And the chickens with cancer usually have to wait too long for diagnostic testing, and don’t make it.

Congratulations, Mr. Obama. Saner voices in Great Britain are finally learning what a bad place they’ve been in for years, and that place is exactly where you want us all to go.

image: Graham Cole