“Any health care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional. Britain, you chose well.”

Here’s that video:

Photo from fOTOGLIF

The questions came from David Ridenour, Dr. Tom Borelli and Deneen Borelli of the National Center for Public Policy Research, who inquired about:

* extreme attacks on conservatives by the GE-owned MSNBC,

* GE’s extensive lobbying for cap-and-trade,

* the possibility of a conservative/Republican backlash against GE,

* how much the adoption of ObamaCare will cost GE;

* any GE lobbying for ObamaCare.

The National Center for Public Policy Research owns GE stock.

“MSNBC, part of GE’s NBC Universal, runs programming that is offensive to a substantial portion of the population. Keith Olbermann has called the Tea Party movement the ‘Tea Klux Klan’ and has said the Republican Party wants to re-impose Jim Crow Laws,” said David Ridenour, vice president of the National Center. “Whatever your political outlook, I said [to Immelt], this doesn’t make sense for GE… I also asked what he was doing to address the perception — especially among conservatives — that GE stands against them. Quite a bit of applause followed. Immelt didn’t answer but went to the next question.”

Later, Ridenour asked the same question, noting he never received a reply the first time. Immelt said GE has never attempted to influence the programming of its news or public affairs programs. Immelt repeated that when specifically asked about an April 16, 2009 New York Post Page Six story reporting that a three-hour meeting took place between Immelt and top CNBC executives and on-air talent for the purpose of making sure CNBC had not become “too conservative.”

“I asked Immelt about GE’s support of cap-and-trade and the letter from its political action committee that stated Waxman-Markey would good for its business,” said Tom Borelli, director of the National Center’s Free Enterprise Project. “I specifically asked how much money GE was going to make if cap-and-trade passes. Immelt responded that he did not know, and I told him that was a joke. My second question was focused on the political risk of GE/Immelt being so closely associated with the Obama Administration. I added that stopping cap-and-trade is highly ranked on the Tea Party’s ‘Contract for America,’ and by pushing against the movement the company could experience reputational and political risk. Finally, I mentioned there could be a backlash against GE if the House flips to Republicans. I asked Immelt if he is concerned about or measures political risk. He didn’t acknowledge a political risk.”

In light of John Deere and Caterpillar having to write off expenses against their earnings because of ObamaCare, Deneen Borelli of Project 21 asked Immelt how much ObamaCare will cost GE. “Immelt had Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman Keith Sherin respond, and he said the amount was $15 million for first quarter 2010 and additional costs going forward… My final question was did GE lobby for ObamaCare? Immelt said they did not individually lobby on health care and that their position was covered through the Business Roundtable,” said Deneen Borelli.

The National Center for Public Policy Research has questioned Mr. Immelt in the past. Go here for a video of Fox’s Bill O’Reilly interviewing Tom Borelli about the 2008 GE stockholder meeting and here for information about news reports detailing Jeff Immelt’s alleged retaliation.

Pfizer CEO Says Sums Given to PhRMA for ObamaCare Lobbying “Not Available” to Him; Volunteers that ObamaCare is “Reasonably Consistent” with Principles Pfizer Advocated

Washington, DC: Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO William C. Weldon agreed Thursday to disclose the exact amount his company gave to the drug lobby group PhRMA to promote ObamaCare, while Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler said ObamaCare legislation adopted by Congress is “reasonably consistent with the principles we advocated” in the health care debate.

These responses and others came in response to questions from Dr. Tom Borelli, Deneen Borelli and Justin Danhof of the National Center for Public Policy Research, who inquired about the companies’ justification for supporting the unpopular legislation through the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) lobby group. Johnson & Johnson was also asked about its support for controversial cap-and-trade legislation through its membership in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) lobby.

The National Center for Public Policy Research owns Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer stock.

“The drug industry was largely responsible for passage of ObamaCare. Shareholders and consumers of Johnson & Johnson products have a right to know how much of their money was contributed to the $150 million ad campaign that its trade group used to advertise Obama’s plan,” said Dr. Borelli, director of the National Center’s Free Enterprise Project. “Johnson & Johnson consumers who oppose ObamaCare should take note on how their money was used against their values.”

“In August 2009, the New York Times reported that PhRMA and the drug industry authorized its lobbyists to spend $150 million to advertise and promote ObamaCare. When I asked Pfizer Chairman and CEO Jeff Kindler how much of this was Pfizer money, Mr. Kindler ducked the question, but when I asked him if Pfizer would suffer a backlash from its support of the President health care bill, he volunteered that the health care legislation adopted is “not perfect, but, by and large, the bill that emerged was reasonably consistent with the principles we advocated.”

In response to Dr. Borelli, Johnson & Johnson Chairman Weldon said, in part, “[w]e feel that there are things that would be very good for the people of America that are in ObamaCare…” Weldon also said extra dues were assessed from Johnson & Johnson and other PhRMA members to promote ObamaCare, and that “somebody could get that” exact amount to Borelli.

Weldon also said, “I don’t think there is any reputational damage” due to the company’s lobbying for ObamaCare’s passage.

Responding to another National Center for Public Policy Research question, from Deneen Borelli, full-time fellow of the National Center-sponsored Project 21 African-American leadership group, Weldon defended Johnson & Johnson’s continued support of the lobbying efforts of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) to enact “cap-and-trade” emissions regulations, which are expected to raise consumer prices and destroy jobs domestically.

Mrs. Borelli had pointed out to Weldon that “you have a roomful of wonderful senior citizens who are most likely on [a] fixed income” and that “consumers will most likely not be able to afford your premium products” as a result of cap-and-trade’s effects on the economy. Weldon said Johnson & Johnson has saved money thanks to the company’s conversion to “alternative sources” of energy and said the company philosophy is “the health of people is tied directly to the environment.” He did not, however, address the company’s membership in USCAP directly.

“It’s clear Johnson & Johnson is acting like an agent for President Obama,” said Mrs. Borelli. “In addition to playing a major role in passing ObamaCare, Johnson & Johnson is also effectively lobbying for the President’s cap-and-trade energy policy through USCAP. The public should hold Johnson & Johnson CEO William C. Weldon responsible for his role in diminishing our liberties. Not only will the quality of our health care suffer, but — should cap-and-trade pass — we are going to bear the burden of higher energy prices and reduced disposable income.”

Audio recordings of the exchanges are available on the SunnyDayAmerica YouTube Channel. A transcript is available at http://www.nationalcenter.org/PfizerJJ042210.pdf.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Washington, DC: Policy experts from the National Center for Public Policy Research are attending the annual shareholder meetings of Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer Thursday to question their CEOs about their active support of President Obama’s progressive agenda.

“The pharmaceutical industry was a key driving force that helped push ObamaCare over the legislative line. Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler played a crucial role in generating public and political support for ObamaCare,” said Tom Borelli, Ph.D, director of the National Center’s Free Enterprise Project.

“By working with President Obama, the Democratic majority in Congress, and left-wing advocacy groups, corporations such as Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer are undermining the liberty of all Americans,” added Borelli.

Kindler pushed for a $150 million industry ad campaign to promote ObamaCare with liberal activist groups and co-authored a commentary with Andy Stern, head of the Service Employees International Union, on the left-wing blog The Huffington Post.

“Since most Americans opposed ObamaCare, by supporting ObamaCare aggressively, Kindler risked the reputation of the company,” said Justin Danhof, director of legal programs for the National Center. “Furthermore, as our British friends know, government control over health care budgets inevitably leads to limits on the purchase of prescription drugs. Pfizer’s support for ObamaCare is not just bad for the company, but potentially could, over time, prove fatal to some Americans.”

Johnson & Johnson is also promoting Obama’s liberal policy agenda. In addition to being a member of the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which aggressively supported ObamaCare, Johnson & Johnson is also lobbying for Obama’s cap-and-trade energy policy as a member of the United States Climate Action Partnership, a lobbying coalition comprised of corporations and environmental special interest groups.

“Shareholders must be concerned about a potential consumer backlash against Johnson & Johnson because of the company’s support of Obama’s progressive agenda. ObamaCare was opposed by a majority of Americans and the cost of cap-and-trade will lead to higher energy prices and higher unemployment. Johnson & Johnson CEO William C. Weldon should be wary that the political activism exhibited by the Tea Party movement could be unleashed against the company’s products,” said Deneen Borelli, full-time fellow with the National Center’s Project 21 black leadership program.

Danhof is representing National Center for Public Policy Research, which owns Pfizer stock, at the Pfizer annual meeting in Cleveland, Ohio. Deneen and Tom Borelli will be representing the National Center for Public Policy Research, which owns Johnson & Johnson stock, at its annual meeting in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

This morning I thought I found another. The email was titled, “Assistance Living Tax Slipped In”. I read it and laughed because nothing could be so absurd that American workers and taxpayers would be asked to cough up anywhere from $150 to $250 a month from their regular paychecks to pay for home health care that wouldn’t take effect for at least five years to perhaps ten and you may never need it but perhaps someone else will. Ridiculous!

But at the bottom of the email are two links that supposedly verify this to be true. An editorial in the Washington Times by the staff dated April 1, 2010 seems to verify this information, well, at least according to them. The editorial is called, “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul“.

One costly provision buried in the lengthy reconciliation bill at the last minute has taxpayers covering long-term at-home care for the elderly. Through the so-called Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act (CLASS Act), Americans will find between $150 and $250 taken out of their paychecks each month to cover this program nobody knew about.

There was a reason why the slimy politicians created this portion of the bill to not really show up as a giant unaffordable tax foisted on Americans is because Congress instructed the Congressional Budget Office to only look at the impact of Obamacare for the first 10 years.

The CBO is instructed only to consider the fiscal impact over the next 10 years, but the way the scheme is set up, people must pay the additional taxes for at least five years to become eligible. So for the first five years we only see revenue. After that, the taxpayers are eligible only gradually. They must then become old enough to require home health care, so expenditures will occur in the distant future. In other words, we see taxes with no expenditures upfront, but huge expenditures picking up after the CBO’s 10-year evaluation window passes.

Can you afford to have another $150-$250 dollars a month stolen out of your paycheck? And these lying, vermin bastards are now running around telling Americans that we should be thankful that Obama gave us all a tax cut. Did you hear the full-of-himself dictator yesterday telling his hand selected crowd of zombies that Tea Party protesters should be thanking him for cutting their taxes? Brazen deceit!

In addition to the Washington Times editorial, WBT, News Talk 1110 AM, interviews Senior Editorial Writer for the Washington Times, John Lott, about “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul”.

According to John Lott, this added tax of $150-$250 PER PERSON, will be levied on everybody who works. It is a payroll tax deduction. For the 47% of Americans who don’t pay a nickel in income tax, you will now. How does this sit with you and your family? How’s Barack Obama’s lying, cheating hope and change washing down your parched throat now?

And let’s not dump all the blame on Obama. I’m sure he never read the bill either, nor did he give a rolling donut hole what was in it. The pond scum-sucking leaches in Congress voted for it. If there was just one damned reason why every son of a bitch in Washington should be fired, this is it.

You and I can take the blame for voting these lame excuses for life and noxious human beings into office, but there has to be a complete overhaul. Thomas Jefferson reminded us many times that there are times when revolution is necessary.

If you’re not enraged over this irresponsible act of tyranny, not just by the President but by all of Congress, then by God I’m beginning to think nothing will put you over the edge.

I don’t know about you but I’m mad as hell. I can’t pay this amount of money each month. I have friends and family who can’t afford this.

This morning I heard a newscaster invoke the analogy of the frog and boiling water. If you place a frog in boiling water, he will immediately jump out. Place the same frog in cool water and slowly bring the water to a boil and the frog will remain in the water and boil to death.

So, what are we frogs going to do about it?

Tom Remington

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Book on Government-Run Health Care to Be Distributed at Rally

Washington, DC: Two members of the National Center for Public Policy Research staff – Project 21 black leadership network fellow Deneen Borelli and Free Enterprise Project director Tom Borelli – are scheduled to speak at approximately 6:00 PM and 7:15 PM, respectively, at the FreedomWorks Foundation’s April 15 “2010 Tax Day Tea Party” on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

National Center Executive Director David Almasi and other staff members also will be on hand to distribute free copies of the National Center book “Shattered Lives: 100 Victims of Government Health Care” by Amy Ridenour and Ryan Balis.

In her prepared remarks, Deneen Borelli addresses the criticism of the Tea Party movement as being “monochromatic” and implicitly racist. She says: “President Obama’s progressive agenda is driving our economy and liberties over a cliff… They expect us to keep quiet, sit down and just pay those taxes. That’s why progressives hate the Tea Party movement – we make too much noise! That’s why they are trying to discredit us by calling us names: If you’re white you’re called a racist and a redneck, and if you’re black you’re a token, ‘Uncle Tom’ or a traitor… Playing the race card is a losing game. It’s old. It’s tired. What else you got?”

Tom Borelli, in his prepared remarks, makes a call to action based on how some corporate chiefs are complicit in promoting a progressive agenda, including ObamaCare and cap-and-trade legislation. He says: “It’s time for us to hold CEOs accountable… It’s time ‘We the People’ let CEOs know that there will be a price to pay for promoting laws that will loot us of our the liberty. Every day, we can vote with our wallets by avoiding products from companies that are selling us out. It makes no sense for us to buy products from companies who will use our money against us!”

The Borellis have spoken at Tea Party rallies in Pennsylvania and New York at the FreedomWorks Foundation’s 9.12 rally in Washington last year. Earlier this week, they spoke about the Tea Party movement at a series of events held at Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont.

The National Center For Public Policy Research is a conservative, free-market non-profit think-tank established in 1982. It is supported by the voluntary gifts of over 100,000 individual recent supporters, and receives less than one percent of its revenue from corporate sources.

FreedomWorks and the National Center for Public Policy Research can be visited online at www.freedomworks.org and www.nationalcenter.org respectively.

People complain about the “new media” and how it can intrude into people’s lives but when used to force politicians in Washington to be accountable, you got to love it.

Update:

Then he wows us with his profound knowledge and arrogance once again by explaining why his comments in the above video were……………ready?????…………….that old liberal/socialist/communist standby????…….? “TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT”

But again, this is only part of the problem. The other is that with one more social program meted out by government authority equates to another long list of lost liberties and the imposition of requirements forced on us as unwilling participants.

Here is one example, of which I’m guessing the vast majority of Americans had no idea was contained in Obamacare. Are you aware that Obamacare now requires restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus? You are not capable of making Government’s choices of what they want you to eat. This is only the beginning.

You see, when Government controls the money, they also believe they now have the authority to control everything that is directly or indirectly attached to the allotment of such money. This is one of the biggest reasons, I believe, Americans do not want Government-run health care. Government will decide everything for you. Where’s the choice? Where’s my liberty? Where’s my America?

But you don’t have a choice in this matter. That’s the entire essence of Obamacare. You will participate in Obamacare and you will like it…..or else!