Nobody I personally know works in congress or the senate.  Therefore, I don’t know anyone who is making money through lobbyists for their daily actions and votes.  Working for these institutions seems to be more of a money grab than a position where you represent the American public.  Political party affiliation doesn’t matter; on the outside and until proven otherwise, politicians are shady characters.

Cash For Cloture – The official name is H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  But this week, it has acquired an unhelpful nickname: “Cash for Cloture.”

Well, in a backhanded sort of way.  If you notice, this is the first time I’ve written anything concerning Glenn Beck and that’s because I think he’s a complete idiot who only talks to hear himself!  Like Rush Limbaugh, he says things that he knows will incite those closet, racial bigots, into action.  So, I’ve always told myself I would not post anything about him.  However, this is different:–)

Yesterday, Katie Couric debuted her new web show, @katiecouric, on cbsnews.com and Glenn Beck was her first guest.  Here’s what the good (I’m being soooooooo facetious here) Mr. Beck revealed on Katie’s show: 

 ”I think John McCain would have been worse for the country than Barack Obama.”

What?!!!!!  Finally!  Glenn Beck is showing that he has some sense - even if it is minute!  Of course, he followed up this statement with an abashing “I can’t believe I’m saying this.”  Really?!!!!!!

Do you think he’d ever reveal this sentiment on his own show?  Heck no!  And here’s why:  He is fully aware that he’d lose those viewers who feed off of the animosity he usually shows towards President Obama!  Plain and simple!  Well, at least that’s what I think —- 7daybuzz readers, what do YOU think?

The debate (or shall I say campaign) for, and against President Obama’s healthcare reform has caused angst amongst both sides of the spectrum. On one hand, you have the Democrats who, for the most part, are for the overhaul of our country’s healthcare system. On the other hand, you have the Republicans who are against the overhaul because they say it’ll cost too much money. Well, who’s right (and wrong)? To help you come to some sort of decision, I’ve listed seven myths about the healthcare reform (taken from factcheck.org):

Myth #1: Government Will Decide What Care I Get (a.k.a. they won’t give grandma a hip replacement)

This untrue claim has its roots in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the stimulus bill), which called for the creation of a Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. The council is charged with supporting and coordinating research that the government has been funding for years into which treatments work best, and in some cases, are most cost-effective. Supporters of this type of research say it can provide valuable information to doctors, improving care and also lowering cost.

Betsy McCaughey, a former Republican lieutenant governor of New York (and now a professing Democrat), wrote in an opinion piece that the government would actually tell doctors what procedures they could and couldn’t perform. The claim took off from there, popping up in chain e-mails and Republican press conferences. It’s not true.

Myth #2: The Bill Is Paid For

At least, it isn’t paid for yet.

President Obama has repeatedly said that a health care overhaul “will be paid for” and that he won’t sign a bill that isn’t deficit-neutral. But neither the House bill nor the Senate HELP Committee bill meets that criteria. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation, the House bill as introduced would add a net $239 billion over 10 years to the deficit, while the HELP Committee bill racks up more, $597 billion over 10 years.

Myth #3: Private Insurance Will Be Illegal

In July, Investor’s Business Daily published an editorial in which it claimed that H.R. 3200 would make private insurance illegal. But IBD was mistaken. It was citing the part of the bill that ensures people with individually purchased coverage don’t have to give up that coverage unless they want to.

Under the House bill, people who want to buy new individual, nongroup coverage will have to purchase it through a new health insurance exchange. They can still buy private insurance – the exchange, in fact, would offer a range of private plans, in addition to a new federal health insurance option. However, those who were already buying their own insurance before the bill went into effect – about 14 million Americans – will have their plans grandfathered in. The part of the bill IBD cites doesn’t forbid insurers from issuing new plans. It says that new individual plans will not be considered grandfathered, and will have to be purchased through the exchange.

Myth #4: The House Bill Requires Suicide Counseling

This claim is nonsense. In an appearance on former Sen. Fred Thompson’s radio show, McCaughey also enthusiastically pushed the bogus claim that the House bill will require seniors to have regular counseling sessions on how to end their lives:

“McCaughey, July 16: The Congress would make it mandatory … that every five years, people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline nutrition, how to decline being hydrated, how to go into hospice care … all to do what’s in society’s best interest … and cut your life short.”

This is a misrepresentation. What the bill actually provides for is voluntary Medicare-funded end-of-life counseling. In other words, if seniors choose to make advance decisions about the type of care and treatments they wish to receive at the end of their lives, Medicare will pay for them to sit down with their doctor and discuss their preferences. There is no requirement to attend regular sessions, and there is absolutely no provision encouraging euthanasia.

Myth #5: Families Will Save $2,500

Proponents speak constantly of holding down rising medical costs. As recently as May 13, the president said legislation plus some voluntary measures by the private sector “could save families $2,500 in the coming years – $2,500 per family,” echoing a claim he made countless times on the campaign trail last year.

Don’t start spending that $2,500 just yet.

For one thing, Obama isn’t actually promising to reduce health care spending below current levels, only to cut the rate of growth in spending. And even that is proving to be far tougher to accomplish than Obama led voters to believe. We’ve already mentioned that the Congressional Budget Office says “savings” in Medicare spending resulting from the House bill would fall short of what is needed to pay for two-thirds of its cost, which is Obama’s goal. And those savings come only in what the government pays, not in what families pay.

Myth #6: Medicare Benefits Will Be Slashed

The claim that Obama and Congress are cutting seniors’ Medicare benefits to pay for the health care overhaul is outright false, though that doesn’t keep it from being repeated ad infinitum.

The truth is that the pending House bill extracts $500 billion from projected Medicare spending over 10 years, as scored by the Congressional Budget Office, by doing such things as trimming projected increases in the program’s payments for medical services, not including physicians. Increases in other areas, such as payments to doctors, bring the net savings down to less than half that amount. But none of the predicted savings – or cuts, depending on one’s perspective – come from reducing current or future benefits for seniors.

Myth #7: Illegal Immigrants Will Be Covered

One Republican congressman issued a press release claiming that “5,600,000 Illegal Aliens May Be Covered Under Obamacare,” and we’ve been peppered with queries about similar claims. They’re not true. In fact, the House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety) specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage:

“H.R. 3200: Sec 246 — NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS
Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”

Also, under current law, those in the country illegally don’t qualify for federal health programs.

Okay, so I’m a reader of Huffington Post, which is a website dedicated to politics. Sometimes they do so-called expose’s of the goings on in Washington and elsewhere. Well, today, they did a post about the White House making a deal with the pharmaceutical lobbyists although in public, President Obama has been saying otherwise. Who do we believe?

Here’s the memo/proposal that’s the crux of this expose:

The pharmaceutical companies agreed to:

Commitment of up to $80 billion, but not more than $80 billion.
1. Agree to increase of Medicaid rebate from 15.1 – 23.1% ($34 billion)

2. Agree to get FOBs done (but no agreement on details — express disagreement on data exclusivity which both sides say does not affect the score of the legislation.) ($9 billion)

3. Sell drugs to patients in the donut hole at 50% discount ($25 billion)
This totals $68 billion

4. Companies will be assessed a tax or fee that will score at $12 billion. There was no agreement as to how or on what this tax/fee will be based.

Total: $80 billion

In exchange for these items, the White House agreed to:

1. Oppose importation

2. Oppose rebates in Medicare Part D

3. Oppose repeal of non-interference

4. Oppose opening Medicare Part B

“Non-interference” is the industry term for the status quo, in which government-driven price negotiations are barred. In other words, the government is “interfering” in the market if it negotiates lower prices. The ban on negotiating was led through Congress in 2003 by then-Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), who is now the head of PhRMA.

The rebates reference is to Medicare overpayments Big Pharma managed to wrangle from the Republican Congress that Democrats are trying to recoup. The House bill would require Big Pharma to return some of that money. The rebate proposal would save $63 billion over ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The White House, given the chance, declined to tell the Wall Street Journal for a July 17th article that it supported the effort to pursue the rebates.

The Medicare Part B item refers to “infusion drugs,” which can be administered at home. If they fall under Part B, Big Pharma gets paid more than under Part D. The agreement would leave infusion drugs in Part B.

In the section on Big Pharma’s concessions, “FOBs” refers to follow-on biological drugs. Democrats have pushed to make it easier to allow generic drug makers to produce cheaper versions of such drugs, an effort Big Pharma has resisted. The Senate health committee bill gives drug makers 12 years of market exclusivity, five more than the White House proposed

Again, both sides are denying this ever happened. Obama supporters are saying this is just a proposal. The antt-Obamaites are saying, “I told you so….”

So, what do you think 7DayBuzz readers? Did Obama sell out? What’s really going on?

“When will this ever end? When will people stop trying to make it seem like it’s “scary” that Barack Obama is now president? Look at the picture to your left and honestly tell me this isn’t meant to instill fear. This is soooooooooooo below-the-belt! Unsurprisingly, FoxNews.com has it on their site. Whatever………………

Get over it you anti-Obamaites! He’s your president for the next four years. Attempts at slandering him, by any means necessary, is really juvenile. As far as the posters go, as of today, it is not known who is producing and distributing these idiotic posters.   This is so lame!

To everyone on Facebook, RSS, Twitter, Friendfeed, etc., please come to www.7daybuzz.com today and comment on this subject.

Hatred (or hate) is a word that describes the intense feelings of dislike of something or someone. For example, one can have a hatred of inanimate objects (e.g. vegetables, bicycles, tables, chairs, etc…) to hatred of other people, and/o entire groups of people.

I’m saddened almost daily by the level of hatred in America; forget about the rest of the world because this is a horrible problem we have right here at home. I don’t necessarily think it (hate) is at an all-time high, but rather it is being overtly displayed more and more. You probably encounter some level of hatred everyday, but you’ve gotten so used to it, therefore, ignoring it for the most part.

Why should I have to deal with blatant hatred?

That is a question we all need to ask ourselves as well as look into the mirror to see if we are one of the many who could be increasing the negative atmosphere.

People Simply Hate Obama

There are many people who hate our president. The sentiments go from being scared of what his policies are doing to our country, to wishing he fails and ultimately, getting killed while in office. Political parties have, and will probably always have, an impact on how people feel about the government. Some people will simply go along with whatever their party believes – something I think lacks individual thinking and decision making. I can understand why someone would be against President Obama because the Democratic way isn’t to their liking and that is where my understanding stops!

I have this feeling that many people don’t like President Obama because he is a black man.

In response to a resolution apologizing for slavery, someone commented saying, “The ni.ggers in the whitehouse. Whatelse do they want?” That is such a short sentence, but it reveals some deep-seated racial hatred to have the nerve to say that in a public forum. Obviously, this person associates the word “nigger” with a black man, more specifically, the President of the United States. Also, he/she feels as though President Obama’s election should mean “they” (Black people in general) don’t need anything else. That is dripping with hate.

I’m not a Republican and I, too, don’t agree with everything President Obama has done. So where do I fit in? I would like to think I fit in as someone who can think independently and judge people on what they do rather than who they are or the color of their skin. Truthfully, I think idiots come in all races, sizes, nationalities, etc. Speaking of idiots…

I am absolutly dumfounded when people have such outspoken and strong feelings about President Obama as if he turned the country upside down as soon as he took office in January. My amazement continues when some of those same people skip over the eight years George Bush Jr. was in office and also try to blame Bill Clinton for the current issues. It’s like these people have selective amnesia as it relates to the 8 years in between.

As of April, 4, 2002 American soldiers have died in Iraq, but former president George Bush Jr. is kicked back in his Texas mansion. Since we went there on false pretenses, or a big fat lie, why can’t Bush be charged with 4,262 counts of murder? Although that may be extreme, I don’t think it is as extreme to think one man has destroyed our way of life from January 20, 2009 to the present, July 2, 2009. That is just silly. He’s only been in office less than six months! Even sillier, if President Obama did exactly what Bush did for the last eight years, many people (mostly Republicans) would still feel the same way.

Not So Heavy, But Still Filled With Hate

Why do people have so much disdain for Barry Bonds, but don’t feel the same way about Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, etc.? All of them have admitted using or have been accused of using steroids. Although I am referencing baseball players, drug use – recreational and performance enhancing – and crime, are rampant in virtually every sport. How does someone come to the conclusion of hating one athlete, but not feeling the same about others? Barry Bonds, who has never admitted to using steroids, but has been accused of using the drug, has hit more home runs than anyone in history and many people would like to have his record erased. But Rodriguez, who readily admits to using steroids during his career, could very well break Bonds’ record. However, noone seems to be calling for his record to be erased. Why is that? Does it have to do with race?

Hate is often driven by envy or by someone who goes against the grain and that is what this baseball example shows. Barry Bonds doesn’t like the media and in turn the media trashed him every chance they got. Since people amazingly believe everything the media prints or talks about, many people have adopted the same feeling towards Bonds. I have personally met Bonds and he was nice to me. Should I jump on the bandwagon and believe the media or should I judge the man on how he treated me?

I’m not sure what happened between Michael Jackson and the various children he was connected with, but a court of law didn’t find him guilty of molestation. But some people are doing their best to drag him through the mud before he is even in his grave. Others have made comments like, “Michael Jackson can’t hold a candle to Elvis.” Please! Can the man rest in peace?

It Will Probably Never End

We could probably talk about different examples of hate until we are blue in the face and it will never end. This isn’t relegated to national politics, sports or the entertainment world. Hatred like this happens in our local neighborhoods, jobs, clubs, schools, stores, restaurants and churches. Since there is about a zero chance of it being eradicated totally, we can at least be mindful of others.

I have had a recent experience where I needed to show tolerance for someone who isn’t like me. I charged down one path and did not encounter the attitude I was expecting, which really blew me away. Without going into detail, I told my wife that I may have to reach out to this person because now I know where their heart is and I could be of help. Eventually, it will make me feel better because it will take far too much energy for me to show hate.

Hate is an energy draining emotion and is taking far too much time on the Internet, TV and other news media. We should have something better to do.

Our 44th president is an inspiration.  Don’t believe me?  Take a minute to reflect on some of the following phrases that are associated with President Obama, his campaign and his presidency:  “At Last”; “Change Has Come To America”; “Yes, We Can”; “Yes, We Will”; “Hope Over Fear”; “Unity of Purpose Over Conflict And Discord.”  Whether or not you agree with the President and his philosophy, it is very apparent that he is optimistic and inspires optimism in others.

According to dictionary.com, optimism is defined as, “A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation.”  I think President Obama does that, don’t you?  I, personally, love to hear optimism from others.  Especially a prominent leader such as our President.  Everyone loves hope and in dire times, such as the current ones we live in, I think President Obama’s optimism is a breath of fresh air.

Like so many others, I read the Huffington Post yesterday (Inauguration Day).  And, I saw this one particular article, written by 7th graders at the Harlem Village Acadamies.  These acadamies are located in, where else, Harlem, New York.   The Harlem Village Acadamies teach kids that they (the kids) can do and become anything they put their minds to.  This sentiment is a far cry from what some of the kids were hearing at other schools.  It seems that at those other schools some of the kids’ parents were informed, by some of the teachers, that their kids were not good learners, that their kids would not make it, or that they (the parents) had to be “realistic” about their expectations for their kids.  Now,  if the teachers were bold enough to tell the parents this, can you imagine how they were treating the kids in class?

Anyway, as I read the article by the 7th graders, one particular comment stood out to me.  7th grader, Dejanae Ware stated, “I’m thinking right now that if America can change, so can I. I can change my behavior, my attitude. I can make so many improvements. Like Barack, I am going to be somebody. I, too, will help America. I, too, will mold America into the shape of justice and peace. If Barack can win, then I can go to an Ivy League college.”  Now, if this isn’t an inspirational and optimistic confession, I don’t know what is!

I think it’s absolutely awesome that kids, who may have felt that there were limits to what they could do or achieve, now feel like anything and everything is possible for them because Barack Obama was elected president!  When someone can inspire optimism like that in so many people, from kids to adults, that, in my opinion says a lot about that person.  Oh well, enough about what I think.  I would love to hear your opinion(s) on President Obama and if you feel he inspires others.  In fact, I would really love to hear from you if you feel the total opposite.  Let’s talk……

Today is Martin Luther King’s Holiday and one day before President Obama’s Inauguration, so I thought I’d post something that’s fitting for both celebrations.

Say what you will about President Obama, the one thing you cannot deny is he is truly a devoted and loving father.  The Parade magazine recognizes this characteristic about our President and asked him to write a letter to his daughters, as well as every other child in America, to showcase this awesome trait in our President.  As usual, President Obama showcases how truly eloquent he is as it relates to verbal, and now written, speech.  Don’t believe me?  Read for yourself:

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you’ve both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn’t have let you have. But I also know that it hasn’t always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn’t make up for all the time we’ve been apart. I know how much I’ve missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I’d make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn’t seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn’t count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that’s why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren’t rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It’s a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love, Dad 

The good news is you can get a four-ticket, four-day package to President-elect Obama’s inauguration for $200,000 less than President Bush charged.  The bad news is it will still cost you $50,000.

Uh, wow!

Like many things in Washington DC, their is a committee who handles the inauguration.  Of course, donations have been accepted – $9.7 million from 243 donors so far.  The committe recently disclosed the donors names which include the likes of Robert Zemeckis, Sharon Stone and Jamie Foxx.  Those celebrities donated the maximum which is $50,000.

“The committee has said it will not accept contributions from corporations, political action committees, labor unions, current federally registered lobbyists, non-U.S. citizens or registered foreign agents.”

This is what your $50,000 will get you:

• A nightclub performance on January 17th
• Brunch on January the 18th
• VIP seating at a concert on the 18th that will probably take place at the Lincoln Memorial
• Candlelight dinners around town with members of Congress and drop-ins by the Obamas on the 19th
• Four tickets to one of 10 official balls
• Tickets for the swearing-in and parade

I’m sure your first thought was, “Yes, he can and he was just elected to do so” and you would be right on both accounts.  But read on and you will see what I’m talking about, hopefully agree and if not state your case as to why not.

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by influence and recognition. The President leads the executive branch of the federal government; his or her role is to enforce national law as given in the Constitution and written by Congress. Article Two of the Constitution establishes the President as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and enumerates powers specifically granted to the President, including the power to sign into law or veto bills passed by both houses of Congress. The President also has the power to create a cabinet of advisers and to grant pardons or reprieves. Finally, with the “advice and consent” of the Senate, the President is empowered to make treaties and appoint federal officers, ambassadors, and federal judges, including Justices of the Supreme Court. As with officials in the other branches of the United States government, the Constitution restrains the President with a set of checks and balances designed to prevent any individual or group from taking absolute power.

I read this a few times and didn’t see anything in there about the President being for or against a particular race.  You may ask why I’m mentioning this and the reason is I feel as though some people believe President Obama will lean toward black people.  That would be a monumental mistake.

• Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about equality.  A land where black kids and white kids could play side-by-side.  Nowhere in his words does he mention a black person presiding over several races with a bias leaning towards those who have the same color of skin.  People lived and died equality.  Shame on anyone who thinks the president is going to lean towards black people.
• Let’s say President Obama was to lean towards black people.  That alone would set black people back so far it may take hundreds of years to rebound.  Is four years of advantage worth equality for the rest of our lives, our childrens’ lives and our childrens’ childrens’ lives?  I think not.
• On a lighter note (pun intended), Obama isn’t completely black anyway!  If you want to really talk about equality, how about a president who is both black and white?  Along with equality, people need to stop letting a percentage of African-American blood be the deciding factor.  We are truly becoming a melting pot and a President with mixed heritage might be appropriate representation of the United States.
• Because Obama is a Black man who managed to obtain the most important job in America, the President of the United States, he represents hope to a significant amount of Black people.  But what Black people have to remember is that President Obama represents hope for ALL people, not just one race of people.

Without a doubt, there were people literally dancing in the streets when the results came out, but I hope they were rejoicing for the right reasons.  Reasons like equality, change and the knowledge that our country is willing to do the best thing for our country, regardless of race, should be the soundtrack for this Presidential two-step.

We have witnessed and are poised to be a part of a historic time in our country.  We, people of all races, have overcome one of the biggest hurdles ever.  For that we should be proud.  But if people are happy just because we have a black president I have news for them:  Barack Obama can be a black president, but he cannot be a Black President.