Sarah Hall Ingram, the IRS woman overseeing the persecution of Tea Party and other conservative groups, is now in charge of the ObamaCare office!
The Price Of Indifference…
May 18, 2013 By 1 Comment
When the Democrats took over Congress in 2006, paving the way for the triumphal entry of Barack Obama, a shiver ran down the spines of conservatives across the country. For six years, Democrats had perfected the politics of personal attack, demonizing Bush and Republicans daily, relying on misrepresentations damaging to the country. A complicit media was glad to assist, and too many voters succumbed to the seductive voice of the serpent.
Leading up to the 2008 election, many voices warned that it would be a serious mistake putting an unknown and unqualified individual in the White House. Many others pointed out his radical background, his questionable connections to violent radicalism, and his glaring anti-Americanism. These prophetic voices were marginalized with charges of racism; and again, the media cooperated with a global effort to herald a new deliverer. The Chicago machine had become an international juggernaut funded by foreigners.
After the election came the blitzkrieg: czars, expanded bureaucracy, legislative snowstorms, executive orders, insane spending, etc. In short, radicalization on every front, hope and change turning to fundamental transformation, with the Constitution and economic freedom squarely in the crosshairs.
Enemies of the state were identified, pressed, squeezed, and isolated for ridicule. The first to feel the full brunt of the Thug Brigade: Sarah Palin. When the Tea Party hit the streets in 2009 calling only for financial responsibility in government and respect for the Constitution, the Thug Brigade was deployed with the help of the MSM, attacking viciously again with accusations of racism.
The net result: deeping divisions, rancor, economic devastation—all the tools of Marxists for 100 years used to demoralize and conquer from within.
Had it not been for alternative media like Fox, talk radio, conservative publications, and a growing army of citizen activists online, the juggernaut would have entirely overwhelmed traditional Americanism. As it was, alternative voices were not enough to overcome the juggernaut in 2012, although retaining the House in 2010 (thanks to the Tea Party) at least demonstrated the Founders’ wisdom in installing a system of checks to thwart the ambitions of tyrants.
And now what was predicted is coming true: when you elect corrupt incompetence, (surprise!) you get corruption and incompetence. The short list of scandals is sufficient to end this nightmare via resignation or impeachment, assuming Republicans don’t fumble the ball: Benghazi, SEAL Team Six, IRS, AP, Fast & Furious, Boston Bombing, EPA, election fraud, Obama’s records, corruption in DOJ, and ObamaCare. (Did we mention bankruptcy, collapse of the dollar, and escalations by enemies abroad and at home? Stay tuned.)
Matters have so deteriorated that even the MSM has started seeing the light; and some Democrats have entered the CYA zone, fearing voter reprisals in 2014.
It is now up to public officials, patriots, and alternative media to keep the issues on the table and proceed with formal, criminal investigations, following evidence wherever it leads, even if it leads into the Oval Office. As Marco Rubio pointed out recently, at the very least, this President has created an atmosphere encouraging IRS criminality; and according to Obama’s own words, he is responsible. When your ‘leadership’ is nothing more than a revenge campaign, it is no wonder chaos ensues.
Finally, it is hoped that citizens will learn the central lesson here, articulated by Plato 2,400 years ago:
“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
Congressman Demands Probe Of Alleged Audits
May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman Tuesday asked two House chairmen to investigate allegations individuals reported to a White House email address for criticizing Obama’s health care reforms were targeted with Internal Revenue Service audits.
During the debate over adopting ObamaCare the White House encouraged liberal activists to report Obama’s critics to a “Flag@WhiteHouse.gov” email address. At least one of those reported tells RedState.com editor Erick Erickson he was then targeted with audits. “Remember that website Obama set up to report neighbors who opposed Obamacare? A friend reported himself and got audited shortly thereafter,” Erickson tweeted May 13.
“We need to know if there were any others. This certainly fits the rapidly-expanding pattern of people who criticize Obama suddenly finding themselves targeted by the IRS,” said Stockman. “Obama’s IRS scandal is spreading like a cancer.”
“Government reforms adopted after Watergate prohibit the White House from coordinating with the IRS to target citizens. We know White House critics were targeted by the IRS. We know the White House maintained an active enemies list throughFlag@WhiteHouse.gov. Investigators must find out how targets were picked and what, if any, White House personnel knew about it,” said Stockman.
Stockman has asked the House Ways and Means, and Government Reform and Oversight, Committees to seek answers to three questions:
1) Were any individuals or groups reported to Flag@WhiteHouse.gov later subjected to IRS audits?
2) If so, were the audits politically motivated?
3) If the audits were politically motivated, did the White House violate federal laws prohibiting such coordination?
“Obama’s Nixonian demand that his followers provide him with an enemies list is even more disturbing in light of the IRS’ admitted wrongdoing,” said Stockman.
The IRS admits targeting conservative groups with harassment, a practice which has since been revealed to be far more widespread than previously admitted. Officials in the Washington, D.C. and California offices also admit targeting conservative groups.
Jewish organizations also report IRS harassment after criticizing the President, and a St. Louis reporter has also come forward to allege he was also targeted by the IRS after asking Obama tough questions.
The text of the letter follows:
May 14, 2013
The Honorable Darrell Issa
Chairman, House Government Oversight and Reform Committee
2157 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Dave Camp
Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee
1102 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Esteemed Chairmen:
As you recall, during the congressional deliberations over ObamaCare the White House urged liberal activists to report the President’s critics to Flag@WhitHouse.gov.
The recent admission, and new revelations, the Internal Revenue Service engaged in politically-motivated harassment of conservative groups shines a disturbing new light on this and other White House efforts to target private citizens who question Barack Obama’s policies.
Since the these revelations of IRS wrongdoing several individuals and groups have claimed they were audited by the IRS after being reported to the White House’s “Flag” email address.
As the scope of the IRS scandal expands on what seems to be an hourly basis, both the Ways & Means and Government Oversight & Reform Committees should seek answers to three important questions.
1) Were any individuals or groups reported to Flag@WhiteHouse.gov later subjected to IRS audits?
2) If so, were the audits politically motivated?
3) If the audits were politically motivated, did the White House violate federal laws prohibiting such coordination?
Citizens deserve to know just how far the IRS went in trying to silence critics of the President, and just who directed the abuses.
I trust your Committee will seek thorough answers to these questions and expose any and all wrongdoing and abuses of power, no matter how high they reach.
Warmest wishes,
STEVE STOCKMAN
Member of Congress
Donny Ferguson
Senior Communications Adviser
U.S. Representative Steve Stockman (TX-36)
Photo credit: terrellaftermath
Millions Of Americans Could Be Misdiagnosed As “mentally Ill”
May 14, 2013 By 3 Comments
“In the days of the Malleus, if the physician could find no evidence of natural illness, he was expected to find evidence of witchcraft: today, if he cannot diagnose organic illness, he is expected to diagnose mental illness.”
The Malleus Maleficarum was a 15th century text that instructed Inquisitors on the proper method of identifying, trying, and burning witches. Though it was many years ago that renowned psychiatrist Thomas Szasz (1920-2012) used the example of the Malleus to comment on the diagnostic practices of his fellow physicians, it seems he might have been on to something as today, psychiatrists and educators alike are concerned that the recently completed “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V” (DSM 5) will be responsible for psychiatrists improperly diagnosing millions of Americans as mentally ill.
Produced exclusively by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM provides physicians with a handy checklist of mental illnesses. Simply fit a patient into a category and a diagnosis follows, complete with treatment and prescribed medication approved by insurers and the federal Medicare bureaucracy.
But with the introduction of a new and broader category of diagnosis under the heading of Somatic Symptom Disorders (SSD), the DSM 5 literally threatens to “…license the application of a mental health diagnosis for all illnesses…” Duke University professor emeritus Allen Frances writes that “…a person will meet the criteria for SSD by reporting just one bodily symptom that is distressing and/or disruptive to daily life and having just one of the following three reactions to it that persist for at least six months: 1) ‘disproportionate’ thoughts about the seriousness of their symptom(s); or 2) a high level of anxiety about their health; or, 3) devoting excessive time and energy to symptoms or health concerns.
In short, should a physician believe a patient to be pre-occupied or overly concerned with a physical illness, a diagnosis of Somatic Symptom Disorder may be added to the patient’s file. The doctor could therefore make a purely “…subjective and fallible judgment that the patient’s life has become ‘subsumed’ with health concerns and preoccupations…”
Dr. Frances voices a fear that should concern current and prospective patients alike:
Do we really want to burden and stigmatize seriously ill people with an additional diagnosis of mental illness, just because they are worried about being sick and are vigilant about their symptoms? Might patients with life threatening diseases become reluctant to report new symptoms that might be early indicators of recurrence, metastasis or secondary disease – for fear of attracting a diagnosis of ‘SSD’?
And what might be the “real world” ramifications of such a diagnosis? Could individuals deemed to be suffering from SSD be denied certain types of work or face difficulties at their current job? Could they be refused future health insurance coverage? Will they be considered hypochondriacs and therefore be placed at medical risk as physicians ignore their complaints of “not feeling well?
ObamaCare is expected to cost Americans $2.6 trillion in its first full decade of existence (2014-2023.) It will also add another trillion in taxes over the same time period. And now, costs associated with healthcare may skyrocket simply because countless patients have been wrongly diagnosed as mentally ill.
Soon, we won’t be able to afford to be sick OR well!
Photo Credit: caroline_1
