It may be unpopular to say so, but it is true: the U.S. is very close to, if not past, the tipping point at which the majority of the people are net beneficiaries of big government?or so they think. People who receive a check from the government may see voting for a smaller government as contrary to their best interest. If they don't pay taxes, why should they care about a tax increase?

Perceptions are, however, deceiving."Healthcare reform," as the (Un)Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is billed, probably shows more clearly than anything else how most Americans, including Romney's notorious 47%, are harmed by government "benefits."

Lower wage earners, who produce real goods or provide a service their fellow Americans value, pay for those benefits even if they're not liable for federal income tax. Fifteen percent is taken right off the top of their earnings for the Social Security/Medicare tax. This is 100% a tax, and 0% an investment. It is 100% spent, immediately, on other people's entitlements, with a politician's promise that the workers may get an entitlement someday, paid for by future workers?if they and the program survive long enough.

All Americans, including the working poor, will, as early as 2013, be hit with the medical device tax and the rest of some 18 ObamaCare-related tax hikes amounting to perhaps $500 billion. Starting in 2014 is the ObamaTax proper, the individual and employer mandate. Most Americans will have a choice of one tax (a "penalty") or else a much higher tax equivalent (a "premium") for an ObamaCare compliant health plan. Even if the employer continues to offer insurance, the employee has to earn all the money that the employer uses to pay for it. The premium has to cover all the ObamaCare mandates that the worker may not need or want, or to which he objects.

All Americans also have to pay the hidden regulatory taxes. ObamaCare will have tens of thousands of pages of rules. Compliance will be so costly that most independent physicians may close their doors.

Beyond tax increases, expensive employer mandates, or simple uncertainty about what the rules will be, will cost untold numbers of jobs. As more people are forced onto Medicaid, access to care will worsen. Obama's "accountable care organizations" will incentivize "providers" to cut services to Medicare beneficiaries. So even the current beneficiaries of entitlement programs, a big chunk of the 47%, will be harmed by ObamaCare.

So who are the true beneficiaries of big government, who should most dread the budget hawks and vote to maintain the current regime? They are members of the affluent, privileged class, many of whom live inside the Beltway. They make more than $100,000 per year, and of course they pay income taxes. Or so it seems.

Actually, the money that goes back to the Treasury from their paychecks came from the Treasury in the first place?that is, from the earnings of those who toil in the private sector. If taxes go up, those whose money comes from government, whether directly or indirectly, might or might not have fewer dollars to take home, but while they may gain less from taxpayers, they still lose nothing of their own creation.

Republicans need to explain why they will repeal ObamaCare. Besides lower taxes for almost everyone, even those who don't pay federal income taxes, more people would be able to keep their current insurance, their doctor?and their job.

Some people are government dependents because of misfortunes beyond their control. But to have 47% of the population in such a situation is a disaster for everyone except for the 0.0001% super-elite who aim for absolute control.

We need politicians who can help people gain the ability and desire to work, rather than cling to an overburdened government wagon pulled by declining numbers of the "rich." Healthcare reform is an ideal opportunity to educate people about the dangers of that wagon.

Once they understand the situation, most Americans, not just 53%, should be on the side of limited government.

###

About the author/contributor:

Jane M. Orient, M.D., Executive Director of Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, has been in solo practice of general internal medicine since 1981 and is a clinical lecturer in medicine at the University Of Arizona College Of Medicine. She received her undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Arizona, and her M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is the author of Sapira's Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis; the fourth edition has just been published by Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. She also authored YOUR Doctor Is Not In: Healthy Skepticism about National Health Care, published by Crown. She is the executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, a voice for patients' and physicians' independence since 1943. Additional information on health-related issues: http://www.aapsonline.org// and http://www.takebackmedicine.com/.

Dr. Orient's position on Obama's healthcare reform: "The Obama plan will increase individual health insurance costs, and if the federal government puts price controls on the premiums, the companies will simply have to go out of business. The plan will deliver higher costs, more hassles, fewer choices, less innovation, and less patient care."

The Des Moines Register delivered a ringing endorsement of Rep. Bruce Braley for re-election to Congress in this morning's paper, saying "it's hard to think of many members of Iowa's delegation who have worked harder or smarter or who took his job more seriously."

Last Sunday, the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald endorsed Braley.


US House District 1: Bruce Braley
Des Moines Register
October 21, 2012
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121021/OPINION03/310210050&Ref=AR

Bruce Braley has served three terms in Congress and clearly deserves another. It is hard to think of many members of Iowa's delegation who have worked harder or smarter or who took his job more seriously.
The Waterloo attorney has been intimately involved in a wide range of issues, from health reform to economic recovery to disaster relief. Unlike some lawmakers, Braley actually reads legislation and works hard to shape the final product to his liking before voting.
Braley's passion for working to help individual constituents in his district is obvious when he talks about Iowans he has helped, such as making homes adaptable for disabled veterans like the double amputees who fought in Afghanistan. "This is not an abstract thing to me," he said during a meeting with Register editors and writers.
Just as important, the Democrat understands the need to bridge the divide between parties, something he says he tries to do wherever he goes, including the House gym. "People don't trust each other," he said. Making progress is more likely "if you know and like the people you're working with."
Rather than getting mired down in the gridlock plaguing Congress, Braley focuses on finding areas of agreement to get something done. That included legislation making the writing in government publications easier for average people to understand. He also recognizes the importance of balancing the budget and has supported spending cuts as well as ending the country's involvement in Afghanistan.
Braley is being challenged for the second time by Independence Republican Ben Lange. Also a bright, young attorney with political talent, he has shown a more nuanced understanding of issues vital to the district this time around. Still, he relies too heavily on Republican talking points, and he falls short of making the case for ousting the incumbent.

# # #

On Wednesday, October 24, President Obama will kick-off his America Forward! Tour with a grassroots event in Davenport, Iowa at the Quad on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.

 

EVENT LOCATION: The Quad on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds (2815 West Locust Street, Davenport, IA 52804)

 

DOORS OPEN: 8:00 AM CDT, Wednesday, October 24, 2012

 

Ticket Distribution Information for Members of the Public: Tickets are available for President's event in Davenport, IA. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required for entrance. One ticket per person will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. To pick up your ticket, visit one of the following locations beginning on Monday, October 22, 2012 at 9:00AM CDT:

 

OFA-Iowa Davenport Office

1706 Brady Street #204

Davenport, IA 52803

 

OFA-Iowa Bettendorf Office

1630 State Street

Bettendorf, IA 52722

 

OFA-Iowa Blue Grass Office

114 South Mississippi Street

Blue Grass, IA 52726

###

Competition Expands Availability of Local Public Data;
Encourages Technology Innovation and Job Creation in Pilot Communities Belleville, Rockford, Champaign and the South Suburbs

CHICAGO - October 20, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today announced a major accountability and transparency initiative designed to help local governments expand the amount of data available to the public. The Illinois Open Technology Challenge is a pilot initiative that will make Illinois' open data platform, Data.Illinois.Gov, available to municipal governments statewide. The Challenge, which will launch in the pilot communities of Belleville, Champaign, Rockford, and Chicago's South Suburbs, will promote the availability of public data and encourage the use of technology to address government challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship.

"We live in a knowledge economy that is driven by access to information and new ideas," Governor Quinn said. "The Illinois Open Technology Challenge will not only increase transparency at the local level by giving the public access to government data, it will give entrepreneurs the chance to develop new, innovative applications for the data that will create jobs and make a positive impact."

ILOpenTech (www.illinoisopentech.org) builds on the state's leadership role around open data and Governor Quinn's recently issued Executive Order establishing a new state Open Operating Standard. The state's support of 2011's Apps for Metro Chicago Illinois competition produced winners like iFindit, an innovative application that provides information on food, housing and medical care to the homeless and OkCopay, which is a directory of affordable medical care for those without insurance. The initiative brings together local governments with developers, area universities, nonprofits and community leaders in a common mission to use public data to create digital tools that serve civic needs and promote economic development across Illinois. The competition will include at least $75,000 in prize funding, which will be awarded to Illinois' most innovative developers who solve a digital problem in one of the four pilot communities. An additional prize will be awarded to the developer of the strongest application with a statewide purpose. A demonstration day and the announcement of prize winners are anticipated in early 2013.

ILOpenTech challenges the pilot communities to both transform currently available data into usable applications as well as produce new datasets that will be uploaded to the state site. The South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA) currently publishes data on a wide range of regional resources including transportation, infrastructure and housing. With the availability of the state portal, that data will be more easily accessible to the general public for download and analysis.

"In Rockford, we are searching for solutions to the economic challenges we face and are thirsty for new ideas," said Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey. "We're excited to see what creative solutions local talent can produce though our participation in this initiative and look forward to showcasing new innovations in Rockford's government."

"The Illinois Open Technology Challenge will help to make better connections across our community in leveraging the tremendous tech talent here to better understand what applications and will best serve civic needs," said Champaign Mayor Don Gerard. "We are thrilled to join in this effort to advance the open data movement."

"We have collected a lot of data on economic development, housing, infrastructure, planning, and natural resources, which is a powerful tool for our region," said Edward Paesel, executive director of the SSMMA. "The Illinois Open Technology Challenge will help us put this data to use for interactive applications that help promote economic development for our municipalities across the region."

"Increasing access to the information collected by the city of Belleville will lead to better government, more informed citizens, and exciting new innovations," said Belleville mayor Mark Eckert. "We are excited to be working with the state of Illinois to see new companies and jobs being created out of this innovative program."

The State of Illinois Open Data site, Data.Illinois.Gov, is a searchable clearinghouse of information from state agencies that is helping inform residents about the operation of state government and encouraging the creative use of state information, including the development of applications for mobile devices that can be built around the data. This site, which the governor launched in June 2011, now contains more than 6,500 data sets.

Sponsors of the Illinois Open Technology Challenge include the Chicago Community Trust, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Google, and the Motorola Mobility Foundation. Additional support is being provided by Comcast. Administrative support for the project is provided by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Smart Chicago Collaborative.

This is another initiative of the Illinois Innovation Council, created by Governor Quinn in February 2011, to promote economic development through innovation and the engagement of citizens, developers, academia and industry. For more information, please visit www.illinoisinnovation.org.

For more information on the Illinois Open Technology Challenge, including competition rules, submission requirements, and ways to engage, visit www.illinoisopentech.org.

###

Satellite voting begins for 2012 General Election

October 20, 2012

Roxanna Moritz, Scott County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections
563-326-8631 office
563-370-3915 mobile

Special Notice: Roxanna Moritz, Scott County Auditor will be available to the news media at the Fairmount Street Branch Library on Monday, October 22, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Scott County Auditor to Open
Four Satellite Voting Locations on Monday, October 22nd:

Vote in-person at Bettendorf Library,

Fairmount and Eastern Branch Libraries in Davenport and

Scott County Library in Eldridge.

DAVENPORT - Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz announced that starting Monday, October 22, 2012, in-person early voting will be available at several public library locations for the November 6, 2012 General Election. These locations will be open Monday through Saturday for the next two weeks. Times will vary depending on the hours of operation for each location. Each site will have all ballot styles available for Scott County voters.

"We provide early voting opportunities for those who have decided on how they intend to vote," Auditor Roxanna Moritz said. "This helps relieve waiting in long lines for voters and stress on our poll workers on Election Day. In addition, it provides increased convenience to voters who may be hard pressed to vote on Election Day."

"We selected the public libraries as voting sites due to their neutral, non-partisan standing in the eyes of most voters," Moritz added. "In the past we have seen significant numbers of voters utilize this opportunity to vote."

During the 2008 General Election 15,607 people voted early in-person at satellite locations in Scott County. An additional 4,027 voted early in-person at the Auditor's Office. Also, in 2008 16,792 people voted early by mail.

The specific sites include the Bettendorf Public Library, the Eastern Avenue Branch Library and the Fairmount Street Branch Libraries in Davenport and the Scott County Library in Eldridge.

For more information contact the Scott County Auditor's Office at 563-326-8631.

2012 SCOTT COUNTY EARLY VOTING SATELLITE LOCATIONS

SCOTT COUNTY AUDITOR SPONSORED SITES

Bettendorf Public Library
2950 Learning Campus Dr, Bettendorf
Monday, October 22nd - Saturday, November 3rd
Monday - Thursday, 12noon - 6pm
Friday and Saturday, 10am - 4pm
No Sundays
All Ballots Available

Davenport Eastern Avenue Branch Library
6000 Eastern Ave., Davenport
Monday, October 22nd - Saturday, November 3rd
Monday & Wednesday, 12:30pm - 6:30pm
Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, 10am - 4pm
No Sundays
All Ballots Available

Davenport Fairmount Street Branch Library
3000 N. Fairmount St., Davenport
Monday, October 22nd - Saturday, November 3rd
Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Tuesday & Thursday 12:30pm - 6:30pm
No Sundays
All Ballots Available

Scott County Library, Eldridge
600 N. 6th Av., Eldridge
Monday, October 22nd - Saturday, November 3rd
Monday - Thursday, 12noon - 6pm
Friday and Saturday, 10am - 4pm
No Sundays
All Ballots Available
Friday, October 19, 2012

The White House has named the Rozga family of Indianola an Office of National Drug Control Policy Advocate for Action for 2013 for their work to prevent and educate the public about synthetic drugs.  Sen. Chuck Grassley worked closely with the Rozga family after their son and brother, David, died after ingesting a synthetic drug, K2, bought from the local mall.  Congress later banned the chemicals used to make several synthetic drugs.  Grassley made the following comment on the White House's position for Jan, Mike, and Daniel Rozga.

"It might be human nature to turn inward after a tragedy but the Rozga family did the opposite.  They channeled their grief into educating the public about a drug no one knew much about at the time.  The Rozgas played a large role in persuading Congress to enact a synthetic drugs ban.  They'll make the most of their advocacy role from the White House."

More information on the White House position is available here and here.

More information on the Rozga family and synthetic drug ban is available here.

Friday, October 19, 2012

 

Senator Chuck Grassley issued the comment below following a New York Times story today that a provision in the 2010 health care law is being distorted in fall campaign ads.

 

Grassley comment:

 

"Remember, it was Republicans who made this law apply to Congress, not the Democrats who wrote the law.   The Democrats were perfectly fine with applying Obamacare to the entire economy but leaving themselves out.  Despite passage of my amendment, Democrats still carved out exemptions for high-level staff, despite Republican efforts to undo the carve-outs, and Democrats refused to make Obamacare apply to the White House itself."

 

Background information:

 

The provision in question stemmed from an amendment Grassley authored and for which he won Finance Committee approval in September 2009.  The Grassley amendment said that members of Congress and their staff must get their health insurance coverage from the exchanges that would be established in the health care overhaul.  This congressional coverage initiative built on many years of work by Senator Grassley to have Congress live under the laws it passes for the rest of the country.  In 1995, legislation authored by Grassley to apply 12 civil rights, labor and employment laws to Congress for the first time.

 

The story in today's New York Times reports that TV commercials being run on behalf of Democratic candidates for Congress assert that members of Congress who voted to repeal the 2010 health care law have voted to give themselves taxpayer-funded health care for life."  Senator Grassley said his provision, even in the final form it took in the law that was enacted makes no changes to the employer contribution to federal employee health care coverage and no changes to federal retiree health care.

 

New York Times story:

 

Democrats Use Health Law to Assail Republicans

By ROBERT PEAR

Published: October 18, 2012

WASHINGTON ? A little-noticed provision of the new health care law is causing big headaches for some members of Congress in this year's elections. And it is likely to cause even bigger headaches for lawmakers next year.

 

The provision, written into the law at the behest of a Republican senator, says members of Congress must get their health benefits through new insurance exchanges being established in every state.

Republicans have voted repeatedly to repeal the whole law. Now, in a barrage of television ads, Democrats are roasting those Republicans, saying they voted to give themselves "taxpayer-funded health care for life."

The accuracy of the commercials, judged even by the loose standards that often apply to political advertising, is open to question.

Democrats say the commercials are accurate. Under the law, they say, members of Congress would be removed from the federal program that provides health insurance to most federal employees and retirees. Repealing the law, they say, would restore that coverage.

Republicans say that the attacks are unfounded, and that the Democrats are misrepresenting the effect of the law on coverage for retired members of Congress.

In any event, the criticism, if it sticks, could be politically damaging. Lawmakers of both parties have often said their goal is to provide all Americans with health insurance as good as what Congress has.

In a typical ad, the campaign of Ann McLane Kuster, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the Second District of New Hampshire, says that Representative Charles Bass, the incumbent Republican, "voted to cut Medicare for you while voting himself taxpayer-funded health care for life." In upstate New York, Dan Maffei, a Democrat, assails the Republican, Representative Ann Marie Buerkle, saying she tried to privatize Medicare while "voting herself a tax-subsidized health care plan that she will be eligible for even after she retires."

Similar television advertisements have been run in California by Democrats trying to unseat Representatives Brian P. Bilbray and Mary Bono Mack, both Republicans.

In Michigan, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running an advertisement that says Representative Dan Benishek, a Republican, "voted to give members of Congress taxpayer-funded health care for life."

In another commercial, the committee says that Representative Tom Latham, Republican of Iowa, "voted himself taxpayer-funded health care for life," but "wanted to gut Medicare, basically do away with it," for older Americans.

House Majority PAC, a leading Democratic "super PAC," has run advertisements saying that Representative Chip Cravaack, a freshman Republican from Minnesota, "voted to give members of Congress taxpayer-subsidized health care for life," even as he tried to make older Americans pay more for their health care.

In an interview, Mr. Cravaack said the attack was based on "a deceitful stretch of the imagination," and he asked: "How can you possibly think that repealing Obamacare would provide me with health care for life? I do not understand the correlation."

However, Andy Stone, a spokesman for House Majority PAC, defended the commercials.

"The ads show the hypocrisy of Republicans who want to protect their health insurance while eliminating protections for people with pre-existing conditions and for children who want to stay on their parents' insurance to age 26," Mr. Stone said.

Jesse F. Ferguson, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said, "It's no surprise Republicans don't like us pointing out the truth ? that their vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act would reinstate the perk of taxpayer-funded government health care for members of Congress."

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, proposed the original requirement for lawmakers to get coverage through insurance exchanges. He has long said that "Congress should live under the same laws it passes for the rest of the country."

The television ads are based on two premises: that members of Congress now have taxpayer-financed coverage for life, and that the 2010 health care law will eliminate it.

The facts are more complicated than the ads.

Members of Congress and retired members are eligible for insurance coverage under the same system as other federal employees. This system, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, covers eight million federal workers, retirees and dependents.

The 2010 health care law says that the only health plans available to members of Congress, as a benefit of their employment, are health plans created under the law or offered through insurance exchanges.

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, an arm of the Library of Congress, says this section of the law implies that members of Congress "will no longer be eligible to enroll" in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

That raises vexing questions for lawmakers. Under the program for federal employees, the government pays a hefty share of the premiums: 72 percent, on average. Will this money still be available to help pay premiums when members of Congress get coverage through the exchanges, starting in 2014?

The government contribution averages more than $10,000 a year for family coverage and more than $4,500 for individual coverage.

In writing the legislation, members of Congress apparently assumed that the federal contribution to their premiums would continue, but the law is silent on the question.

Though the law generally requires members of Congress and certain Congressional aides to get their coverage through insurance exchanges, it says nothing about retiree health benefits.

How the new law affects retiree benefits is unclear, say lawyers at the Congressional Research Service and at the Committee on House Administration, which is responsible for bills affecting lawmakers' pay and benefits.

Federal employees can often keep their coverage in retirement if they have been continuously enrolled in the federal employees health program for five years immediately before retiring.

Without getting into the fine points of health policy, Democrats are unleashing more ads. One says that Representative Sean P. Duffy, Republican of Wisconsin, voted to "give Congress taxpayer-funded health care for life."

Justin Richards, the manager of the Duffy campaign, said: "Sean Duffy doesn't get health care for life, not even close. His health care is the same as any federal employee from the F.B.I. agent to the park ranger."

A version of this article appeared in print on October 19, 2012, on page A18 of The New York Times

 

Description of Grassley effort to apply health care law to Congress:

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

 

Grassley re-introduces bill to apply health care reforms

to White House and administration leaders, and equitably in Congress

 

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today renewed his effort to apply the health care reform law to the President, Vice President, cabinet members, top White House staff, and the congressional staff who worked for passage of the massive overhaul enacted in March 2010.

 

Previous legislative initiatives by Grassley to establish accountability in Congress and the administration were rebuffed, both in 2009 and 2010, by the Democratic Majority Leader in the Senate.  "As a result, the health care reforms driven by President Obama and Senator Reid do not apply to President Obama and top administration officials or to the powerful congressional leadership staff who helped to make the overhaul the law of the land," Grassley said.  "The message to grassroots America is that health care reform is good enough for you, but not for us."

 

Grassley said that now that a new Congress has started, Senate leaders have another chance to make things right and should act immediately to pass his Health Reform Accountability Act.  "Until the health care overhaul is repealed and replaced with reforms that have broad-based support, the majority leadership in the Senate and the administration ought to make sure they are required to live under the health care law they put on the books."

 

Grassley started his accountability effort in September 2009, when the Finance Committee, where he served as Ranking Member, was acting on its reform proposal.  Committee members approved a Grassley amendment to have members of Congress and all congressional staff obtain their health insurance through the same health insurance exchanges where health plans for the general public would be available.  After the bill left committee and during the closed-door reworking of the legislation in the Senate Majority Leader's office, Senate committee and leadership staffs were exempted from the requirement.

 

In December 2010, when the carve-out was discovered, Grassley and Senator Tom Coburn offered an amendment to restore the requirement for all congressional staff and also to statutorily require the President, the Vice President, top White House staff and cabinet members to get their health insurance through the newly created exchanges.  The amendment did not apply to federal employees in the civil service.  The Grassley-Coburn amendment was never brought up for a vote.  The legislative fix also was not included in the final manager's amendment, controlled by the Senate Majority Leader, on Christmas Eve, when the Senate passed the legislation that ultimately became law.  Grassley made another attempt to have the special carve-out removed during Senate consideration of the health-care reconciliation bill in March 2010.  Again, he was rebuffed.  Grassley filed the same free-standing legislation introduced today immediately following final passage, but it has never been brought up by the Senate Majority Leader, who controls the calendar and Senate business.

 

Grassley said the motivation for his initiative is simple:  public officials who make the laws or lead efforts to have laws changed should live under those laws.  "It's the same principle that motivated me to pursue legislation over 20 years ago to apply civil rights, labor and employment laws to Congress," Grassley said.

 

That previous Grassley crusade met success in 1995, when President Clinton signed into law Grassley's Congressional Accountability Act.  Before then, Congress had routinely exempted itself from major laws, including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Veteran's Employment and Reemployment Rights at Chapter 43 of Title 38 of the U.S. Code, and the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1989.  All 12 of those laws now apply to Congress, thanks to Grassley's reform legislation.

 

Today, Grassley also is working to make sure Congress lives up to the same standards it imposes on others with legislation such as his Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act.

 

As far as the health care law, as it stands today, because of the amendment Grassley included in the Finance Committee bill, at least members of Congress and their personal office staffs will be required to obtain their health insurance coverage through the newly created health care exchanges, when the law takes full effect in 2014, instead of the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program.

 

In March 2010, the White House announced that the President planned to participate in the health insurance exchanges in 2014.  Grassley said at the time that the move effectively endorsed his legislation.  "I appreciate it, but the principle of living under the law shouldn't be voluntary for political leaders."

 

The companion bill to the legislation filed today by Grassley was introduced last week in the House of Representatives by Representative Michael Burgess of Texas.  It's H.R.360.

 

-30-

United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Debra L. Scorpiniti will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department's nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2012, general elections. AUSA Scorpiniti has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of Iowa, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District's handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.

The Department's long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2012, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Klinefeldt stated that AUSA/DEO Scorpiniti will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 515-473-9300.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 515-223-4278.

Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767.

###

Representatives of the East Moline Foundation announced a new program this week to benefit the citizens of East Moline and the surrounding area.

Chairman of the East Moline Foundation, Doug Reynolds said donors who give $500 or more to the East Moline Foundation will have an engraved plaque and tree planted in their honor. Gifts can also be made to honor the memory of a loved one. The trees will be planted throughout East Moline.

Mr. Reynolds also noted that East Moline Mayor John Thodos is kicking off the initiative with a Mayor's Challenge Fund. He is asking current and past city and local elected officials to join him in this program to support the people of East Moline. The first plaque and tree were planted near the Quarter Visitor's Center in East Moline In celebration of their one year anniversary, the East Moline Foundation also announce that they are at 70% of their goal of $109,000 for 2012. One year ago this week, the East Moline Foundation was officially unveiled to the community. Since then, the Board has initiated several fundraising activities, met with financial advisors , and added two new Board members. Today, the campaign continues to raise $109,000 to match a $109,000 challenge gift already made by leaders of the East Moline Foundation.

The dollar amount of "109" refers to the 109-year anniversary of the City of East Moline in 2012. Donations to the East Moline Foundation may be mailed to: Bill Phares, P.O. Box 457, East Moline, Illinois 61244 or call (309)796-0170.

In other remarks, East Moline Foundation Board Chairman noted, "Hungry children will be fed, the poor will be housed, and the needy clothed, thanks to the many gifts that have been received, and those yet to come."

The East Moline Foundation, founded in 2011, is affiliated with the Moline Foundation as a community foundation which provides grants to health, human services, education, workforce development, the arts and other charitable organizations which benefit the citizens of East Moline and the surrounding area, including the Quad Cities region in both Iowa and Illinois. The East Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts & works with citizens to achieve their dreams to improve the community.

Officers and members of the East Moline Foundation include : Doug Reynolds, Chairman, Bob Baecke, Vice Chairman, Bill Phares, Secretary-Treasurer, Pat VanBruwaene, and Larry Anderson.

-30-

Davenport, IOWA (October 2012) ? The Figge Art Museum is pleased to present Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum, a special exhibition of 27 priceless quilts from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum (AFAM), opening November 3, 2012, and continuing through February 3, 2013.

 

Featured will be classic examples of many major quilt types from the beginning of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century, including wholecloth, whitework, pieced, appliqued and album quilts, and a selection of Amish and African American pieces, all drawn from the AFAM's celebrated collection.

 

As curator Elizabeth V. Warren explains, "The present exhibition highlights the best of the best, quilts that represent the finest examples in a variety of techniques, time periods and regions." The Figge will present an array of public programs and films in conjunction with the exhibition (see below).

 

The American tradition of quiltmaking dates back to colonial times when English immigrants sewed heavy woolen bedcovers for the New England winters. As a greater variety of fabrics and threads became available, and the practice of sewing bedcovers spread through the nation, quiltmaking evolved into a rich and diverse artistic tradition.

 

While countless quilts were used and washed into oblivion, many remarkable examples have survived, and are now admired both for their visual beauty and their extraordinary craftsmanship. The quilting tradition?using remnants of fabrics from clothing and other sewing projects, gathering together for the quilting bee, and adorning the bed with the finished quilt?has come to epitomize the domestic side of the "pioneer spirit" in America. Today, quilting is a vibrant art form practiced by an estimated 20 million men and women around the world.

 

Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum was organized by the American Folk Art Museum, New York.

 

 

Associated Programming

 

Quilters Appreciation Day

Thursday, January 17, 2013

 

Quilt Appraisals · 10 am-7 pm

Quilt appraiser Janette Dwyer will be available to conduct written and/or verbal appraisals. Each appraisal will take between 30-45 minutes and will cost $40 for a written appraisal (with a monetary value) or $25 for a verbal appraisal. A portion of the proceeds from each appraisal will be used to support Quilts programs. Visitors must schedule their appointment in advance?space is limited. Contact Heather Aaronson to schedule an appointment: haaronson@figgeartmuseum.org or 563.326.7804 x2045.

 

Warm Up with Quilts · 5-7 pm, Free

Drop in and create family-friendly art activities inspired by Quilts.

 

"Quilts as Art?or Not" · 7 pm

Presenter: Tim Schiffer

Figge's Executive Director Tim Schiffer will discuss the myriad ways in which we look at quilts?from works of fine art to historical artifacts or crafts?and how quilts reflect the cultural context of the time and place in which they were made.

 

Quilt Workshop

Saturday, December 1 · 10 am-5 pm

Drop in and create family-friendly art activities inspired by the Quilts exhibition! Free with membership or paid admission.

 

Celebrating Black History Month

10 am-5 pm Saturday, February 2, 2013

Contemporary and antique African American quilts will be featured in a one-day display in Studio 4.

 

Quilts: Masterworks from the American

Folk Art Museum Tour · 11 am

Join a Figge docent for a tour of the Quilts exhibition.

 

Quilting a Community · Noon-2 pm

Figge Studios

Participants will use various materials to design a square for a quilt that will be assembled after the event as a community project.

 

Quilts Lecture · 2 pm

Presenter: Myrah Green, PhD

Dr. Myrah Green is the Distinguished Lecturer of Art at City College and has taught textile arts for 20 years, as well as all levels of quilt making for more than a decade. Her quilts can be found in many private collections including the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum in Washington, D.C. Dr. Green will be speaking about the Quilts exhibition, as well as her own experiences with quilting, textile arts and the history of African American quilts.

 

Documentary Film Series

Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics

Sunday, December 2 and Sunday, January 6 · 2:30-4 pm

Ep. 1: Quilts 101?Antique and Contemporary Quilts

Ep. 2: Quilts Bring History Alive

Ep. 3: The Quilt Marketplace

 

Sunday, December 9 and Sunday, January 13 · 2:30-4 pm

Ep. 4: What is Art?

Ep. 5: Gee's Bend: "The Most Famous Quilts in America"

Ep. 6: How Quilts Have Been Viewed and Collected

 

Sunday, December 16 and Sunday, January 20 · 2:30-4 pm

Ep. 7: Empowering Women One Quilt at a Time

Ep. 8: Quilt Nation: 20,000,000 and Counting!

Ep. 9: Quilt Scholarship: Romance and Reality

-END-

Pages