U.S. Senate Votes 60-39 To Reject Filibuster, Proceed With Debate On "Obamacare", The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act

On November 21st, 2009, the U.S. Senate voted 60-39 to cut off the possibility of a filibuster and proceed with debate on their version of Obamacare, entitled The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Senate needed exactly 60 votes to prevent filibuster, and got them. Media stories on CNN and in the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune, and KSL Channel 5. YouTube video of Associated Press report embedded below:



The vote proceeded along party lines. The 58 Democrats and two Independents voted in favor, while 39 of the 40 Republicans, including Utah Senators Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch, voted against it. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) chose not to vote. Read the full roll call vote HERE.

Special Note: To avoid confusion, note that tonight's vote was NOT on the bill itself, but merely on whether or not to proceed with debate on the bill. The Senate did NOT pass "Obamacare" tonight. Three of the 60 Democrats who voted to proceed with debate, including Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, and Ben Nelson of Nebraska, had earlier said they would NOT vote for the bill itself in its present form, so people still have ample time to educate their Senators on the problems with this bill. Debate is expected to take several weeks.

The title of the vote was "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590)". What will happen is that the Patient Protection and Affordable Act is to be appended onto H.R. 3590 as an amendment. You can read the full 2,074 page text on OpenCongress.org (loads very slowly), or you can read the text on Democrats.Senate.gov (loads faster), or read it on the CNN website.

The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide subsidies to those who couldn't afford it. The fine for non-compliance would be $95 in the first year, escalating to $750 by 2016. Large companies could incur costs if they did not provide coverage to their workforce. The insurance industry would come under significant new regulation under the bill, which would first ease and then ban the practice of denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. Although the package is currently advertised as $848 billion, Congressional budget analysts put the legislation's cost as high as $979 billion over a decade and said it would reduce deficits over the same period while extending coverage to 94 percent of the eligible population.

At its core, the legislation would create insurance exchanges beginning in 2014 where individuals, most of them lower income and uninsured, would shop for coverage. The bill sets aside hundreds of billions of dollars in tax credits to help those earning up to 400 percent of poverty, $88,200 for a family of four. The bill raises payroll taxes on incomes over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) eased the impact of an earlier proposal to tax high-value insurance plans, which has emerged as one of the principal methods for restraining the growth in health costs. The bill also includes tax increases on insurance companies, medical device makers, patients electing to undergo cosmetic surgery and drugmakers.

The House approved its version of the bill, then known as H.R. 3962, on November 8th on a near party line vote of 220-215, and Reid has said he wants the Senate to follow suit by year's end. Timing on any final compromise was unclear.

Orrin Hatch delivered several speeches on Saturday arguing that the bill would hurt already budget-strapped states because of a Medicaid expansion. He complained that insurance plans subsidized by the government would be able to offer abortion coverage. And finally he warned about the overall scope of a bill, which he argues is just a stepping stone toward a total government takeover of the health care industry. Read Orrin Hatch's full press release HERE.

Bob Bennett also criticized the legislation. He said that most of the benefits offered in the bill wouldn't kick in until 2014, despite Democratic insistence that a reform bill must pass soon. "The way this bill has been constructed, the status will remain quo until 2014, as far as benefits are concerned, but the taxes will start immediately," he said. Read Bob Bennett's full press release HERE.

Online Survey Shows Public Opposes Proposed $600 Million "Bridge To Nowhere" Across Utah Lake By A 2-to-1 Margin

On November 20th, 2009, the Deseret News reports that an online survey just concluded shows that respondents oppose a proposed bridge across the northern end of Utah Lake by a 2-to-1 margin.

During public hearings in Provo in October and in Saratoga Springs earlier in November, comments for and against were split about half and half, said Dave Grierson of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. But comments online are about 2-to-1 against the proposed bridge. Grierson said the results haven't been too surprising. Those who are against construction of the bridge tend to be more passionate than those who support it, he said. But the number of comments for or against bridge doesn't matter as much as what respondents say.

The proposed bridge, described in greater detail on the Utah Lake Crossing website, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands website, and this 23-page document from the Governor's Office, and this 15-page DNR presentation, would run about 7.6 miles total from near Pelican Point in Saratoga Springs eastward to Orem at 800 North. The portion of the connection across the lake, approximately 5.8 miles, would be supported on bridge structure of approximately 150’ spans. The bridge, which would eventually have two structures carrying six lanes of traffic, would have its estimated $600 million price tag paid for with tolls, which would be set at about the price of a gallon of gas. It will be a completely private venture from start to finish. Proponents claim the bridge is needed to accommodate the additional half-million people who are expected to live in Utah County in the next 50 years. In addition, it would bypass a traffic choke point in Lehi, and, in extreme cases, reduce a 20-mile commute to as little as eight miles.

However, opponents have many concern. Number one on the list is redundancy. Proponents are relentlessly pushing this bridge long before another proposed solution to the traffic problem is even completed. The Pioneer Crossing project will result in a new east-west connector from American Fork through Lehi to Saratoga Springs. The project, expected to be completed by October 2010, also includes improvements to the I-15 interchange at American Fork Main Street and a new 60-inch water main. The specific highlights:

-- Pioneer Crossing, a new, five-lane urban arterial from Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs to 300 East in Lehi.
-- Seven lanes of Pioneer Crossing from 300 East in Lehi to American Fork Main Street.
-- A new diverging diamond interchange (DDI) at I-15 and American Fork Main Street, which will replace the existing diamond interchange.
-- I-15 widened to six lanes (5 plus one Express Lane) in each direction through the interchange (to tie in to the upcoming I-15 widening project).
-- A new 60-inch water main from Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs to 300 East in Lehi.

When complete, the Pioneer Crossing is anticipated to cut travel time between the west and east sides of Utah Lake by as much as one-third. This would seem to preclude the need for a bridge to cut across the lake at this time. Thus the bridge is a solution looking for a problem. In 20 years, it may be a bridge to somewhere, but at this point, it's a bridge to nowhere.

There are also some environmental concerns regarding wildlife and air quality which have been voiced. Some also question how the bridge would withstand a strong earthquake; the Wasatch Front is overdue for a major seismic event.

Community reaction on the west side of Utah Lake is mixed. While Eagle Mountain officials tend to favor the project, Saratoga Springs officials are more skeptical. The previous mayor of Saratoga Springs, Tim Parker, opposed it outright, because he felt the location is wrong, it will destroy the city's view of the lake, the toll will cost too much, it will bring unwanted traffic congestion, and it does not compliment the regional transportation plan. The new mayor, Mia Love, is more neutral on the project. East side communities such as Orem, American Fork, Lehi, Vineyard and Mapleton have come out in support of the project.

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch Joins In Republican Criticism Of Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano's Call For A "Path To Citizenship" For Illegals

What in hell's happened to Senator Orrin Hatch? He's acting and talking like a patriot again. First, he has relentlessly criticized the obscene excesses of the proposed Obamacare health bill. And now, he's joined with other Republican senators in rejected Homeland Security Janet Napolitano's call for a "path to citizenship" for illegal immigrants. Media story published November 20th in the Salt Lake Tribune.

A November 13th speech by Napolitano to the Center for American Progress, which is a left-wing think tank, has got them riled up. In that speech, the spinster Secretary claimed that putting undocumented immigrants on a path to citizenship would boost the economy. She said that a "tough and fair pathway" to legal status for millions of immigrants would bring them out of the shadows and allow them to pay taxes as legal Americans do. She also opined that it would facilitate enforcement of laws against unscrupulous or exploitative employers. Admittedly, Napolitano doesn't want to make it easy; she envisions a rigid pathway to legal status would require illegal immigrants to register, pay a fine, pass a criminal background check, learn English and pay all taxes.

But even those conditions do not satisfy Senator Hatch and his eleven other colleagues. According to the letter signed by Hatch and 11 fellow Republican senators and sent to Napolitano, they charge that rewarding undocumented immigrants with legal status would hinder Americans' ability to find jobs. "With all due respect, legalizing those who have no legal right to be in the United States will not be a 'boon' to American workers," the senators wrote. "Rather, it would only exacerbate the unfair competition American workers currently face as they struggle to find jobs." The senators asked Napolitano to halt any talk of enacting a "legalization program" that would only hurt U.S. workers and impede law-abiding citizens opportunities during the economic downturn. Read the full letter posted HERE.

The other 11 Senators co-signing the letter deserve to be recognized publicly by name. They include Charles E. Grassley (R-NE), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), David Vitter (R-LA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Bunning (R-KY), James M. Inhofe (R-OK), James E. Risch (R-ID), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), John Thune (R-SD), and Johnny Isakson (R-GA).

Bingo! They get it! When the official American unemployment rate is over 10 percent, and the unofficial rate close to 20 percent, it is ludicrous to be making it easier for foreigners to get jobs in the United States. Foreigners steal jobs from Americans because they are willing to work at lower wages and endure harsher working conditions, which are backward steps for the American working class. Foreigners transform many American jobs from "affordable jobs" downward into "subsistence jobs". And how many Americans are willing to work in an environment were most of their co-workers can barely speak English?

In response to the senators' criticism, Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler ducked the issue, refusing to respond directly to Hatch's criticisms, but defended Napolitano's position. "Secretary Napolitano will respond directly to Senator Hatch, as we do not respond to correspondence through the media," Chandler said. Translation: Hatch is right, but we're too embarrassed to admit it.

The Deseret News appears to be skeptical of Hatch's sudden volte-face, pointing out that Hatch himself has previously called for ways to legalize aliens short of giving them amnesty and has pushed bills to repeal sanctions against employers who hire illegal workers, as well as bills to allow illegal immigrants to receive federal loans and work-study assistance for college. Hatch's voting record on immigration issues is highlighted HERE, and his career "report card" is only a C+. Hatch and fellow Utah Sen. Bob Bennett more recently have been under attack by Utah conservatives who say they sometimes are too liberal. The critics include several conservatives who are challenging Bennett in his re-election bid next year and have said he is not tough enough on illegal immigration. Although Hatch is not up for re-election until 2012, perhaps he's taking his cue from the fate suffered by Chris Cannon in 2008 and the possible fate awaiting Bob Bennett in 2010.

Or perhaps the death of Ted Kennedy finally freed Orrin Hatch from Kennedy's Svengali-like influence. In any case, we tentatively welcome Orrin Hatch back into the ranks of patriots once again.

Thinking Of Visiting South Africa For The 2010 World Cup? Think Again; It's A Crimefest Of Robbery, Assault, Carjacking, And Murder

Soccer's premier international event, the World Cup which occurs every four years, will be taking place in South Africa in 2010. South Africa is trying to put its best foot forward, hoping to convince people from all over the world to visit. The final list of qualifying teams is available HERE, and the United States will be represented.

But is it really safe to visit South Africa? Some media outlets have questioned whether South Africa is capable of ensuring the personal safety of visitors. A June 2009 Newsweek article states that it is crime that worries South Africans the most; 58 percent believe that safety will be a concern for visitors, according to a previous survey conducted for world football officials. The South African government claims that violent crime is gradually declining and the government is taking a tougher stance on tackling it, but the crime rate in South Africa remains among the highest in the world.

Here's a YouTube video posted on the MySouthAfricaSucks blog which summarizes the problem:



You've probably not heard much about South Africa's crime problem on the American nightly newscasts. That's because, in between pleas to buy expensive designer pills to control the disease du jour that will never go away, the media is too busy obsessing with celebrities or reporting on other inane subjects. In addition, the South Africa government has been rigorously censoring reports which expose the sheer magnitude of crime in the country.

A force of some 40,000 police officers will be deployed in cities hosting the games. Dedicated police stations, crime-investigation teams and special courts will deal with event-related crimes around the clock, and a 24-hour multilingual hotline will assist visitors in trouble. Countries competing in the event will send their own specially trained officers to assist in the effort, and soldiers could be drafted in to help the police and emergency services.

But will they be effective? Past and present performance does not warrant optimism. For example, bands of roving “road pirates” have been stalking drivers along South Africa’s main highway linking Oliver Tambo International Airport to Pretoria for the last three months. The attacks happen mostly between 9 P.M. and 4 A.M. between the Tembisa Road Bridge and the N1/R21 interchange. Motorists are stopped by debris thrown off bridges or rocks that have been lined up on the roadway, after which the gangs, which usually travel in packs of 8 to 20, swarm their victims, robbing, assaulting, and carjacking them. Police supposedly know about it but can't stop it even though they know which area is most vulnerable; there have been no arrests.

If the South African Police Service can't stop this sort of activity, they'll never stop the more ordinary purse snatchings and muggings rampant throughout the country. Stay home - and watch the World Cup on T.V.

Hardline Social Conservative Utah State Senator Chris Buttars Endorses Salt Lake's Nondiscrimination Ordinances, May Sponsor Statewide Legislation

The influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah is still quite strong. One week after the LDS Church spoke out in favor of Salt Lake City's two new nondiscrimination ordinances, a very unlikely source has also spoken out in favor of them.

State Senator Chris Buttars (R-West Jordan). But his support is limited to housing and employment protection alone.

KSL Channel 5, the Salt Lake Tribune, and KSTU Channel 13 reported that the noted hardline pro-family conservative senator spoke out in favor of the ordinances on November 18th, saying "An individual should be able to have a roof over their head and have a job and not worry about being fired for their sexual choices. I support that, but that's all I support. Maybe we ought to have a statewide bill that allows those things, [but] I don't support any legislative creep. There's talk up here about going after other things; I will be opposed to that". Buttars also admitted that the LDS announcement had some effect upon his attitude. Watch KSL news video embedded below:

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

This means that Buttars will continue to oppose gay adoptions, civil unions and--in spite of current Utah law already prohibiting it--gay marriage. This stance basically reflects the most current position of the LDS Church, of which he's a member. Nevertheless, even this partial concession will be good news for openly-gay State Rep. Christine Johnson (D-Salt Lake), who, for the third time, plans to introduce a bill during the 2010 session that would extend fair employment protections to gay and transgender people statewide.

The Deseret News got a slightly different impression of Senator Buttars' statewide intentions. They're reporting that Buttars will not sponsor legislation to extend the city's housing and employment protections for gay and lesbian residents to all Utahns even though he agrees with the LDS Church's support for the ordinances. But in the end, they quoted Buttars as saying he "doesn't want other governments going in a different direction" and extending additional rights to gay residents. That may mean sponsoring legislation putting a halt to additional measures at the local level".

This would mean a state law NOT for the purposes of extending gay nondiscrimination statewide, but instead to set limits on how much protection any city or county within the state could extend to gays.

Will Carlson, Equality Utah's public-policy manager, said it's unclear what a Buttars bill, which would prevent local governments from going further than Salt Lake City, would do. Still, Carlson was pleased to hear of Buttars' softened stand. "It shows even the most hostile person can become an ally once they understand the issues a little better."

But longtime Buttars political ally Gayle Ruzicka, who heads up Eagle Forum Utah, was surprised and disappointed by Buttars' stance. She expressed disbelief at the notion that her longtime ally would run a bill authorizing other cities to pass ordinances that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, chalking it up as a misunderstanding. "That doesn't make a bit of sense," she said. Cities and counties, she added, already can pass such ordinances; Salt Lake City did just that. But although Ruzicka would prefer for the legislature to overturn Salt Lake City's ordinances and forbid other local governments from passing such measures, in the end she conceded that a bill that would prevent cities and counties from going further than that would be good.

On November 15th, the Deseret News reported that the Utah Log Cabin Republicans have secured several unidentified GOP legislative sponsors for a pair of gay-rights bills in 2010. But the Log Cabin Republicans not only want to provide employment protections for gays and lesbians, but also want to amend the state's adoption rules, allowing family members who are cohabitating with a partner to adopt relatives. The latter has no chance of passing and is unworthy of support. Under no circumstances will Buttars support gay adoption.

New Petition To Stop Powder Mountain Incorporation By Legislation; Two Utah Lawmakers Pushing "Municipal Disincorporation Amendments"

The Ogden Valley Forum and the Weber County Forum inform us that a new petition is being circulated to stop the proposed incorporation of the Powder Mountain ski resort into a town. This petition is in support of legislation which will plug the gap between the current law and the previous law. The current law grandfathered Powder Mountain's incorporation petition under the previous law, so the incorporation is proceeding apace despite strong local citizen opposition, legitimate traffic safety concerns, and possible environmental degradation.

Two state lawmakers, Representative Gage Froerer and Senator Allen Christensen, are planning to introduce a new bill in the upcoming 2010 state legislative session, which will be substantially similar to last year's H.B. 201. Entitled "Municipal Disincorporation Amendments", it will apply only to town incorporation petitions currently pending under the provisions of the 2007 HB466 law (in effect from June 2007 to March 2008), which allowed incorporation of a town and selection of town officers by large, non-resident property owners without any participation of the voters of the town. The proposed change would remove the requirement for a 24-month waiting period prior to a disincorporation election, allowing the voters of the town to decide immediately whether or not a town is in the best interest of the majority of citizens and property owners.

You must be 18 or older to sign the petition. To further enhance its credibility, it is recommended that signers either be Utah residents or have a tangible Utah connection (such as relatives in the state, etc.).

Read and sign petition HERE.

Visit the PowderMountainCitizensRights website for more information; read an excellent summary of the history of this issue HERE. Read this Ogden Valley Forum post which discusses the traffic safety problems exposed during the Powder Mountain Motocross in August 2009. There have also been incidences of vandalism directed against Ogden Valley property owners who visibly oppose the proposed incorporation; it has become a messy political fight.

Anchorage Daily News Providing Excerpts Of Sarah Palin's Book, "Going Rogue"; Will Appear In Salt Lake City On December 9th

Update November 19th: Sarah Palin has just included Salt Lake City on her book tour; post title changed to reflect this information.


Interested in finding out what's in Sarah Palin's new book, "Going Rogue", before you buy it? You're in luck. The Anchorage Daily News has posted numerous short excerpts from the book on their Alaska Politics blog.

Some of the more interesting subjects include her perspective on former gubernatorial opponent Andrew Halcro, who is officially in the race against incumbent Congressman Don Young, as well as the ethics witch-hunt to which she was subjected. About Halcro, she writes, “Halcro was a wealthy, effete young chap who had taken over his father’s local Avis Rent A Car, and he starred in his own car commercials”, and “Later on, during the vice presidential campaign, Halcro – along with the Wasilla town crier mentioned previously, plus the falafel lady Andree McLeod – would be touted as “expert” sources on all things Palin by the national press”. Halcro has since posted his own response HERE.

About the ethics witch-hunt, Palin writes “the sheer volume of paperwork and legally required responses brought the business of governing the State of Alaska to a grinding halt...Eventually it overwhelmed us – and was obviously meant to.” Palin also blamed the "one-sided public discourse" over the ethics complaints for a drop in her Alaska approval ratings from nearly 90 percent to 56 percent. "Slowly and steadily, my record, my administration's efforts, and my family's reputation were shot to hell." Although the ethics witch-hunt did take on a particularly vindictive character, Palin fails to mention her own role as a catalyst by her initial inept handling of the Troopergate issue, which provided her political enemies with the opening they needed.

Already a number of pundits have started "fact-checking" the book, and have found at least 12 points of dispute. The New York Times published the results of the "fact-check" HERE on November 13th.

Numerous people have already weighed in on the book. There are currently over 400 ratings and 32 reviews published on the Barnes & Noble website. Reviews are also posted on Amazon.com, the New York Daily News, and the Los Angeles Times.

Originally, it was still unknown whether or not the Beehive State will become a stop on Palin's ongoing book tour. Palin previously said she was going to avoid the big multicultural cesspools and focus on the smaller cities. Since Utah does not have any multicultural "cesspools" per se, there's no reason why she shouldn't include the Beehive State on her itinerary, and she has now done so. Her tour starts in the Midwest, goes East, then South, and then back West. Here's the latest published itinerary, according to LALate, augmented by Texas4Palin and Gateway Pundit (some of the info is also posted on Palin's Facebook page):

-- 11/18: Grand Rapids, MI - Barnes & Noble, Woodland Mall, 3670 28th St SE, Kentwood, 7 PM
-- 11/19: Fort Wayne, IN - Meijer - 10301 Maysville Rd, Fort Wayne (
-- 11/19: Noblesville, IN - Borders Books and Music, 13145 Levinson Lane, 7 PM
-- 11/20: Cincinnati, OH - Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Rd, Norwood, Noon
-- 11/20: Columbus, OH - Borders Books and Music, 6670 Sawmill Road, 6 PM
-- 11/21: Washington, PA - Sam’s Club, 80 Trinity Point Drive, South Strabane
-- 11/21: Rochester, NY - Borders Books and Music, 1000 Hylan Drive, Henrietta, 7 PM
-- 11/22: Roanoke, VA - Barnes & Noble, 4811 Valley View Blvd N NW, Valley View Mall 12 Noon,
-- 11/23: Fort Bragg, NC - AAFES Post Exchange, Bldg. #8-5050 Butner Rd, North Post Mall
-- 11/23: Birmingham, AL - Books-A-Million, 757 Brookwood Village, Birmingham, 7 PM
-- 11/24: Jacksonville, FL - Books-A-Million, 1910 Wells Road, Orange Park, Noon
-- 11/24: The Villages, FL - Barnes & Noble, 1055 Old Camp Road, Lake Sumter Mkt Sq, 4 PM
-- 11/24: Orlando, FL - Barnes & Noble, Colonial Plaza, 2418 East Colonial Drive, 7PM
-- 11/26 - 11/29: Thanksgiving Break
-- 11/30: Richland, WA TBA
-- 12/01: Tempe, AZ - Costco, 1445 W Elliot Rd, Tempe, AZ, 11 AM
-- 12/01: Roswell, NM - Hastings Books Music & Videos, 1705 N Main St, Roswell, NM, 5 PM
-- 12/02: Springfield, MO - Borders Books and Music, 3300 S. Glenstone Ave, 10 AM
-- 12/03: Fayetteville, AR - Sam’s Club, 3081 North Highway 112 at I-540, exit 66, 11 AM
-- 12/03, Oklahoma City, OK - Hastings Books, 2300 West Main Street, Norman, OK, 7 PM
-- 12/04: Dallas, TX - Legacy Books, 7300 Dallas Parkway, Plano, 11AM - 2 PM,
-- 12/04: Fort Hood, TX, AAFES Main Exchange, Building 50004, Clear Creek Rd, 76544 7 PM
-- 12/06: Sioux City, IA - Barnes & Noble, Southern Hills Mall, 4400 Sergeant Rd, 1PM
-- 12/06: Sioux Falls, SD - Barnes & Noble, 3700 West 41st St, Sioux Falls, 5PM
-- 12/07: Bloomington, MN - Barnes & Noble, 118 East Broadway Suite 238, Mall of America, 7 PM
-- 12/08: Billings, MT - Borders Books, 2833 King AVE W, 59102, (406) 656-0855, 12 Noon
-- 12/08: Colorado Springs, CO - Borders Books, 1710 Briargate Blvd, Chapel Hills Mall, 7 PM
-- 12/09: Salt Lake City, UT - Costco, 1818 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84115, 12 Noon
-- 12/09: Reno, NV - Costco, Building 25 2200 Harvard Way Reno, NV 89502, (775) 689-2200, 7 PM
-- 12/10: Coeur d'Alene, ID - Fred Meyer, 560 W Kathleen Ave, (208) 665-4703
-- 12/10: Sandpoint, ID - TBA
-- 12/11: Home to Alaska

Other venues may be planned, but not yet been specified.