RUSH:…
I want to go through what Betsy McCaughey has discovered. We had a nurse on the phone mere moments ago. She wanted to know where she could go to figure out what all’s in it, which is why I again remind you of RushLimbaugh.com. But the stimulus bill, the job-creation bill (so improperly named) creates a “new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology…

“Now, this new bureaucracy will monitor newly digitized medical records. There are rules-for-health care coverage in this bill, and they will affect every individual in the United States. You can consult if you want to go try to find a PDF copy of the bill you can find the references are on page 445, 454, and 479.”

Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Now, there are arguments back and forth about whether or not this is a good thing. The opportunity for the loss of privacy is huge here by digitizing and making everybody’s health care records computerized, especially having a major federal database where everybody’s health records are.

Some people say this is a good thing because it will assist in treatment, particularly in emergencies. When you go in for an emergency, if they can get your records… Let’s say you’re out of town. Say you’re vacationing in Alaska hunting moose and an accident happens up there, but you live in New Jersey. Doctors in Alaska will be able to consult the federal database to find out what your allergies are, what your treatments have been, what mistakes not to make on you.

That’s what they used to sell this, but (laughs) ask Alex Rodriguez about privacy. There are 104 names on this list from 2003 of people who tested positive for steroids in a year it was legal. Only his name gets released of the 104. The players union was supposed to destroy the list, and they didn’t. They had a reason for it, but they botched their philosophy.

Their theory got confounded. So somebody who’s got it in for Alex Rodriguez released his name to Sports Illustrated, four or five different people, and so now he’s been tarnished with the steroids thing just as a lot of other players — Barry Bonds and others — have. This notion that privacy can exist particularly in a politicized Washington is a bit of a… I’m doubtful about it, but there are some people who like the idea. Anyway, this bill computerizes everybody’s health records. Then after everybody health records are computerized, this new bureaucracy is created, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology.

And he’ll have a whole bureaucracy at his disposal that “will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective.” You know, right now a lot of you get all upset at your insurance company because they say, “Well, certain things will be covered and others won’t,” and you want it to be left up to the doctor. Try the government being in charge of what the doctor can do, the kind of treatments that can be extended to you — and I’ll tell you who gets creamed in this, is the elderly. The elderly get really shafted in this, and I’ll explain why here in just a minute. Now, “The goal [of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology] is to reduce costs and ‘guide’ your doctor’s decisions (442, 446).

These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, ‘Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.’ According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and ‘learn to operate less like solo practitioners.’”

Doctors have to join the federal community here in dolling out treatment so that it’s fair and equitable. “Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity,” Betsy McCaughey writes, “goes too far. Hospitals and doctors that are not ‘meaningful users’ of the new system will face penalties.

‘Meaningful user’ isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose ‘more stringent measures of meaningful use over time’ (511, 518, 540-541). What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment?

The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the ‘tough’ decisions elected politicians won’t make. The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle’s book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs.

“He praises Europeans for being more willing to accept ‘hopeless diagnoses’ and ‘forgo experimental treatments,’ and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system.” Now, the page numbers that I’m giving you here refer to the PDF inversion of HR1EH, the stimulus bill, not Daschle’s book but the actual stimulus bill. Betsy McCaughey just read it and she’s reporting what’s in it. So Daschle says we need to become more like Europe.

People need to accept catastrophic diagnosis and forget it. If you’re told it’s over, it’s over. We can’t keep spending money on people who want experimental treatments! We just can’t do this. Now, “Daschle says health-care reform ‘will not be pain free.’ Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.” You read that right.

Daschle says senior citizens “should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age,” instead of trying to have them treated. “Medicare now pays for treatments deemed safe and effective. The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost-effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464).

The Federal Council is modeled after a U.K. board discussed in Daschle’s book. This board approves or rejects treatments using a formula that divides the cost of the treatment by the number of years the patient is likely to benefit. Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly, such as osteoporosis.” For example: “In 2006, a U.K. health board decreed that elderly patients with macular degeneration had to wait until they went blind in one eye before they could get a costly new drug to save the other eye.

“It took almost three years of public protests before the board reversed its decision. If the Obama administration’s economic stimulus bill passes the Senate in its current form, seniors in the U.S. will face similar rationing. Defenders of the system say that individuals benefit in younger years and sacrifice later.”

Let me translate this for you. You are a seasoned citizen. You come down with a disease that is not immediately life-threatening. You go into your doctor. The doctor consults the federal database to get your health care records. He then has to consult this new health council board. They then figure the cost of treating whatever’s wrong with you, based on the statistics that tell ‘em how long you’re going to live — and if the cost vastly outweighs the number of years you’re going to live, they will deny you treatment.

That’s what Daschle says you just need to become accepting. Seniors need to become accepting of their condition. Basically you need just go away and die. We don’t have the money. I’ll tell you the architect for this. I mean, she credits Daschle, but who was that governor in Colorado? It was Robert Lamm of Colorado: Old people have “a duty to die.” Get out of the way because they’re putting too much pressure on the health care system. Younger people, they’ll get the treatment because it will be more cost effective. The statistics say they’ll live longer.

Now, the reason that I’m harping on this… We got the call from the nurse. I wanted to tell her what was in this bill to reflect… This is in the stimulus bill. This is national health care, essentially. It is in the “stimulus bill,” and they snuck it in.

…
Now, this is what happens when you throw yourself open to prospects of other people paying for what you need. Now, I know in health care it’s practically impossible not to do that. It’s a shame it has gotten to this point because it imprisons people, but here’s the very party that throws around these accusations about Republicans wanting to deny senior citizens their Social Security or cut their benefits or whatever, basically telling them, “Get out of the way and die,” and the page numbers are cited, if you want to read this in the stimulus bill itself. This is a job-creation stimulus bill that announces this kind of stuff, a national health care czar with a whole bureaucracy?

The computerization of all health care records? The federal government in charge of what doctors can do to treat people using “guidelines,” and there are federal penalties for doctors who do not follow the guidelines? These things are not specified yet; that’s going to be left up to the bureaucrats in charge of this new department to come up with.

But it’s crucial that people understand this. Even if this is new information to a lot of you, there are so many things like this that have nothing to do with creating jobs, nothing whatsoever to do with reviving the economy that are laced throughout this debacle, and it is why calls in opposition in Washington are at 100s-to-one against this, all over the place.

And that’s why the Bamster is out there hustling it this week. That’s why the Bamster is out there doing these town meetings and trying to get the public that he can swerve to support this to do so, because it’s in trouble — and the Republicans, again, are faced with a golden opportunity here. They, too, can read what Betsy McCaughey — or better yet, they can read the legislation themselves! They’re the ones voting on it.

They can see what’s in here, and they can hold it up and say, “This is not stimulus! This has nothing to do with jobs. This is just the exact opposite. This is liberalism. This is government expansion, uncontrolled right here in the stimulus. You are being hoodwinked. You are being fooled.” Once again, they’re presented with an opportunity.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/09/despite-daschle-health-reform-to-be-a-central-focus-of-obama-budget/?mod=googlenews_wsj

Apparently Rush was reading an article posted on Bloomberg News about alterations to Healthcare, and some Nationalized Health Care Database, and limits on treatment for the elderly. I will post the link when I get it.

If true, these so called leaders that support this bill, such as Kennedy, Pelosi, Reid, Obama (think mother-in-law), etc, need to lead example.

Let us remember folks, not only will you one day be old but your parents probably already are.

From “right to die” to “obligation to die.” I’ve been warning for years.

Joy, shut up and be the hole.

Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government’s commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation’s home mortgages.

 The Federal Reserve, Treasury Department and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have lent or spent almost $3 trillion over the past two years and pledged to provide up to $5.7 trillion more if needed. …

Only the stimulus package to be approved this week, the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program passed four months ago and $168 billion in tax cuts and rebates approved in 2008 have been voted on by lawmakers. The remaining $8 trillion in commitments are lending programs and guarantees, almost all under the authority of the Fed and the FDIC. The recipients’ names have not been disclosed.

“We’ve seen money go out the back door of this government unlike any time in the history of our country,” Senator Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, said on the Senate floor Feb. 3. “Nobody knows what went out of the Federal Reserve Board, to whom and for what purpose. How much from the FDIC? How much from TARP? When? Why?”…

Awesome! And the democrats have only been in office a few weeks. We have at least two more years of this. WOOT!

INT.  OVAL OFFICE — MORNING

David Axelrod sits behind the President’s desk, feet propped up, speaking ardently into the phone.

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid sit in chairs on the opposite side of the desk, listening intently to the phone conversation, while trying to appear disinterested.

Barack Obama serves Pelosi a cup of coffee.

OBAMA

One lump or two?

PELOSI

I want it all.

OBAMA

Pardon me?

REID

She said she wants it all.

PELOSI

Don’t try to place limits on me.

Obama pours coffee into the sugar bowl and hands it to Pelosi.

Axelrod suddenly leaps from his chair.

AXELROD

(screaming into the phone)

Rahm, you tell Carville, Stephanopoulous and Begala they will stick with the script or I will shut them down.

Axelrod slams down the phone.

Startled, Obama jumps.

AXELROD

Save it for the court, Skippy.

AXELROD (Cont)

Nancy, what is the status on the stimulus.  I hope you are doing better than Reid. Not one Republican vote in the House.  Unbelievable!  Any fool can get one vote!

PELOSI

(proudly)

I have three; Snowe, Spector, and Collins.  How is that for bipartisanship?

AXELROD

It’s going to be tight.  It’s going to be tight.

PELOSI

My plane is currently on the way to Florida to pick up Kennedy.  Let’s hope he doesn’t have a seizure during the vote.  He might hit the wrong button.

AXELROD

Good thinking, Nancy.  Have someone there to pull the switch for him.

AXELROD

What did you think of Skippy’s speech the other night?  Pretty good, don’t you think?

PELOSI

Brilliant.

REID

Very funny.  I almost wet my pants.  But I didn’t.

Obama nervously hands Axelrod a cup of coffee.

OBAMA

About that.  May I ask a question, sir?

AXELROD

Talk fast.  We have a lot to do.

OBAMA

I don’t understand.  Why are we spending $600 million on a fleet of cars?

AXELROD

First, they will be more fuel efficient.  Second, we have to pay back those unions that helped raise money for your campaign.

PELOSI

I want one to match my skin.  It’s all the rage.

REID

(Clapping hands)

Oh, that will be nice.  What shade of gray are you looking at?

OBAMA

No, I mean why are we supplying cars for elected officials and government workers?  $600 million is a lot of cars. Why can’t elected officials and government workers drive their own personal vehicles like everyone else?

AXELROD

Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that.

PELOSI

Speaking of pretty heads.  We have to reinsert the $335 million for STD treatment and prevention.

REID

Don’t forget the $246 million for big movies.

PELOSI

Thank you, yes.  And, it’s also a good idea to allow Hollywood stars and elected officials, to write off their plastic surgery as a business expense.  Battling disease and age will cause big stars, such as Pam Anderson and Cher, to go broke.  Then who will fund us?  I mean,it has cost me a fortune so far.

OBAMA

Speaking of taxes, who does yours?

 Axelrod, Pelosi, and Reid burst out laughing.

AXELROD

Skippy, all these years we’ve known each other.  I had no clue you were funny.

AXELROD (Cont)

Nancy, how many workers are there in your state of California?

PELOSI

About 300 million.

AXELROD

How many are currently unemployed?

PELOSI

About 200 million, with an estimated loss of 250 million jobs per month.

AXELROD

That’s a god damn tragedy.

OBAMA

Will you be needing anything further?

AXELROD

You have some place to be?

OBAMA

Yes sir.  I want to bounce a few in the bowling ally.

AXELROD

Bounce a few what in the bowling ally?

OBAMA

Basketballs.

PELOSI

Why in the bowling ally?

OBAMA

I want to see how well the floor will work on the basketball court I’m having installed in the Lincoln Bedroom.

Dear Readers,

As you can see some exciting changes are happening at Conservative Politics Today. One of the changes to be made is my departure. This will be my final post. After much thought, I have decided to place my blog in the hands of a dear life-long friend. I have worked hard and long on this blog. This was not an easy decision to make, but it was certainly the right one for me. Opportunities oft rise from unforeseen circumstances. Sometimes you must grab hold.

I know I am leaving you, and this blog, in good hands. Max Steel is a lifelong friend of mine, and as you can see he has already begun moving in. I believe he intends to start posting on Monday. He is a witty, brilliant, obtuse, blunt, hysterical, strong, determined, opinionated, politically incorrect, and quite hunky, randy, Texan. Most importantly, Max is a true conservative grounded in his beliefs. I know you will grow to love him as much as I do. Even you liberals will not be able to get enough. Please, give him a warm welcome.

I will miss you all; even you silly misguided liberals.

God bless and thank you for your readership, friendship, and loyalty.

Virginia Shanahan

I know you will have a wonderful life change beginning at 12:01 p.m. tomorrow when the one will then be President of the United States. The seas will rise, the climate will cool, the sun will shine, the seas will part, and no more will people have to worry about filling their gas tank, feeding the children, having a nice home.

/sarcasm off.

I see KY Jelly has some new stuff out. I hope the government will be providing some sort of lubrication because this is gonna hurt.

See you next Monday.

The Media Research Center president appeared on the January 16 “Fox & Friends” to discuss an astounding contrast that illustrates the media’s liberal biases: the Associated Press scorned the roughly $40 million spent on the 2005 Bush inauguration but is assuring readers that it’s okay to glam it up for the 2009 Obama inauguration.: