Owns Windows 8 Enterprise

Got Windows 8 Enterprise today in linux mint. Its 6.2 kernel and more stable like windows xp x64 edition (5.2) PC-BSD 9.1 and Scientific Linux 6.3 is better. This 2012 Mayan propaganda is bullshit.

Energy

he economic well-being of the United States and the livelihood and safety of our citizens is largely dependent on maintaining a strong energy supply. We depend on electricity to light our homes and businesses, natural gas to heat them, and gasoline to operate the cars and trucks that carry us to work and transport our goods. Because of the vital role of energy in our daily lives, we must continue to develop new sources of energy that are reliable, renewable, affordable and environmentally safe. The Path to Prosperity The Path to Prosperity, the budget resolution that I authored, calls for getting Washington out of the business of picking winners and losers in the economy – and that includes our energy sector. Look no further than the bankruptcy of Solyndra, a company that was once the poster child for the Administration’s “green jobs” initiative, to see an example of the failure of Administration’s economic policies. Having Washington pick winners and losers in the marketplace only further distorts the market, weakens the rule of law, and ultimately, fails to spur sustainable job creation. Rather than helping politically connected firms at the expense of others, Congress should be advancing comprehensive policies that benefit all job creators and entrepreneurs. The best energy policy is one that encourages robust competition and innovation to ensure that the American people have access to an affordable and stable energy supply. This is exactly what the House-passed budget does. The Path to Prosperity eliminates crony capitalism through the tax code, advances pro-growth reforms aimed to boost job creation and lower gas prices. It calls for fundamental, revenue-neutral tax reform that would scale back or eliminate the deductions, loopholes and carve-outs that are distorting the tax code. It seeks to end the current tax discrimination and treat large and small businesses alike. It lowers the corporate rate to 25 percent for all job creators so that U.S. businesses no longer have to labor under the highest corporate tax rate in the world. By broadening the tax base, the federal government would be able to generate the same level of revenue without the discriminatory distortions for special interests that politicians have packed into the current tax code over the years. It rejects calls from the President and his party’s leaders in Congress to raise taxes on energy producers. According to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, the President’s tax policies would “raise the cost of exploration and production, with the possible result of higher consumer prices and more slowly increasing domestic production.” Independent energy producers and families would bear the brunt of these punitive tax hikes. The Obama administration has blocked and delayed domestic energy production both onshore and offshore, costing jobs and sidelining American energy sources at a time of rising gasoline prices and unstable conflict in the Middle East and North Africa. The House-passed budget calls for a more sensible approach, allowing for more resources from bonus bids, rents, royalties, and fees as a result of unlocking domestic energy supplies in a safe, environmentally responsible manner. A Long Term Solution for Energy Independence I believe a national energy proposal must take a multi-pronged approach focused on increasing American-made energy, reforming outdated fuel regulations, and investing in alternative energy sources. I was happy to help author H.R. 909, A Roadmap for America’s Energy Future. This legislation, introduced by Representative Devin Nunes, promotes an all-of-the-above energy policy that embodies the pillars explained above: it facilitates American-made energy, recognizes the importance of alternative energy, streamlines the outdated regulatory process for clean technologies like nuclear power, and avoids hitting our economy with new taxes and mandates. More Refineries I also support reforms to our regulatory regime to allow for new refineries to be built in the U.S. We have not built any new refineries since 1976. At that time, our country was only using a handful of blends of gasoline. Now, we are attempting to refine four dozen blends of gasoline in a system designed to only produce a few. This has imposed substantial constraints on our ability to refine the gasoline that we use on a daily basis and has forced us to import more and more of the gasoline that we use. Furthermore, adding new refineries to the market will lead to greater competition and help place downward pressure on prices. Boutique Fuels In addition to problems with supply, we pay more for gasoline because of an outdated reformulated gasoline policy that requires different areas of the country to use different blends of fuel to meet environmental requirements. This fragmented system results in the under-production of certain blends and allows refineries to charge more for the unique boutique fuels that they produce due to a lack of competition in the marketplace. The use of boutique fuels also causes price spikes any time that there is a supply disruption, such as a refinery fire or pipeline break, because there are few refineries that can make the special blend to cover the loss in capacity. Furthermore, areas like Southeastern Wisconsin that are required to use different fuels during the winter and summer months experience price spikes when the transition between fuel types is made. Conservation We must also affect the demand side of increasing gasoline prices. I believe that energy conservation and responsible fuel efficiency improvements can go hand in hand with our efforts to expand our economy. I believe that initiatives such as requiring efficiency improvements on vehicles using a class-by-class basis, rather a company-by-company basis, are proposals that can help reduce the demand for gasoline while not undermining U.S. auto manufacturers. It is my hope that Congress will pass legislation that will reduce energy consumption in an efficient manner, protecting our domestic auto industry and ensuring lower energy prices for consumers. Domestic Production America has an abundance of domestic resources – including natural gas and oil in the Outer Continental Self, Alaska, oil shale in the Central West, and a variety of alternative sources. A top priority of the 112th Congress must be to unleash the potential of domestic production of American–made energy in an environmentally-conscious manner. We can do this while simultaneously improving infrastructure and creating jobs by allowing the use of royalties paid by energy companies to repair roads and bridges. At a fundamental level, the cause of expensive gasoline is an imbalance between supply and demand. Our society continues to demand more gasoline, but we have not increased the domestic supply of crude oil or finished gasoline. Increasing supply at home will not only help lower fuel prices and create good paying jobs, but it will reduce our reliance on foreign oil from hostile nations such as Iran and Venezuela. To this point, House Republicans are committed to advancing proposals to increase American–made energy. A variety of bills have passed the House and are awaiting further action in the Senate including: H.R. 2021 – the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act H.R. 1938 – the North American- Made Energy Security Act H.R. 910 – the Energy Tax Prevention Act Keystone XL Pipeline Decision Last July, the House passed H.R. 1938, the North American-Made Energy Security Act, which directed the President to issue a final order granting or denying the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. The pipeline would connect the tar oil sands in Alberta, Canada to the US Gulf Coast. Estimates indicate that this could enhance early energy capacity to oil refineries in the Midwest and Gulf Coast by 700,000 barrels per day. Despite passing the House with bipartisan support and estimates that the project will create tens of thousands high-quality, good-paying construction jobs in addition to several thousand more “spin off” jobs, the Democrat-controlled Senate never took up the bill, and on November 10, 2011, the Obama Administration announced that no decision would be made on the long-sought pipeline until 2013, conveniently after the next Presidential election. As part of the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act, which was agreed to in December 2011, President Obama is required to issue a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline within 60 days – by February 2012 – unless he determines that the pipeline would not serve the national interest. Should President Obama decide that this is the case, he is required to submit to Congress a report detailing his justification for this decision. On January 18, 2012, President Obama rejected the Keystone XL pipeline saying: “This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people.” There was nothing arbitrary in the deadline given to the President. This project has been in the works for several years, and I am disappointed that the President decided this job creating proposal was not in the nation’s best interest. I look forward to working with Members of Congress to find ways to move forward on this proposal which will not only lessen our dependence on Middle Eastern oil but also create thousands of American jobs.

Taxes

WASHINGTON – Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to prevent an across-the-board tax increase on families and job creators, set to take effect in January 2013. The legislation comes on the heels of analyses that the President’s proposed tax increases would adversely impact job creation and economic growth. Following a bipartisan House vote to prevent a massive tax increase, Congressman Paul Ryan issued the following statement: “The results are unmistakable: the President’s insistence on taking more from hardworking taxpayers to fuel ever-higher Washington spending is not working. Economic growth has slowed to 1.5 percent and unemployment is stuck above 8 percent. Now the White House and leading Senate Democrats want to double down on these policies with massive tax increases that will hit small businesses, not to pay down the debt but to simply chase unsustainable spending increases. There is bipartisan opposition to this failed approach, and to provide certainty and confidence for job creators, the time to act is now. “The House took action today to protect families and workers from a massive tax increase, which the Congressional Budget Office warned would push our economy into another recession. “I applaud the leadership of House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp and my colleagues in Congress for their efforts to stop the President’s massive tax increase, while paving the way forward for pro-growth tax reform. Keeping tax rates low, cutting spending, and advancing fundamental reforms to our government’s structural budget challenges are the keys to get America back on track.”

Terrorism War

As your Representative, keeping America safe remains my first priority. As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, I am committed to ensuring that the federal government provides our military with the necessary resources to accomplish the missions that they have set to protect our nation from those who wish to do us harm. Fiscal Year 2013 Defense Appropriations H.R.4310, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, which passed the House with my support on May 18, 2012 by a vote of 299-120, authorized funding for national defense at $554 billion for the base budget and $88.5 billion in overseas contingency operations including Afghanistan. The bill provides our war fighters and their families with the care and support they need, deserve, and have earned; while ensuring that proposed drawdown plans do not cut to the heart of the Army and Marine Corps. It also provides our military with the resources, and authorities it needs to win the war in Afghanistan and continue to prosecute the wider War on Terror. The NDAA is currently awaiting action in the Senate. Path to Prosperity The Path to Prosperity budget passed the House on March 29, 2012. The resolution reaffirms a commitment to the men and women in uniform and ensures that national security remains the government’s top priority. The budget rejects proposals to make across-the-board cuts in funding for national defense, and provides $554 billion for national defense spending in FY2013, an amount consistent with America’s military goals and strategies. The defense budget is currently slated to be cut by $55 billion, or 10 percent, in January of 2013 through the sequester mechanism enacted as part of the Budget control Act of 2011. This reduction would be in addition to the $487 billion in cuts over ten years proposed in President Obama’s budget. The Path to Prosperity acknowledges that defense spending needs to be executed with effectiveness and accountability; however, government should take care to ensure that spending is prioritized according to the nation’s needs, rather than treated indiscriminately with regard to cuts. Further, the House-passed budget recognizes the sacrifices that veterans and their families have made to ensure the continued security of our nation, and provides funding to afford the best care possible that veterans have bravely earned. Iraq On October 21, 2011, President Obama announced the withdrawal of all U.S. troops and trainers from Iraq to be completed in 2011. Since January 1, 2012, the United States has maintained normalized relations with Iraq, and will continue to assist in the training of Iraqi forces, encouraging regional security, peace and respect for Iraqi sovereignty. I am encouraged by the progress that has been made in Iraq, and we must remain vigilant to ensure that the hard-won gains in Iraq do not slip away now that America’s combat participation has ended. Afghanistan Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States made a commitment to defeat those responsible for the horrific attack. As part of the broader war on terror, the U.S. military has effectively engaged our enemies in Afghanistan and employed counter-insurgency tactics to combat current threats to our national security. This military strategy necessitates enough troops on the ground to clear and secure areas, move onto subsequent locations while maintaining a level of operable safety. Commanders requested 33,000 soldiers, totaling deployment to 100,000, and the President initially complied with this request. However, on June 22, 2011, the President announced a withdrawal of the same number of troops timed to conclude just before the 2012 elections. The withdrawal has the potential to pose security threats to soldiers continuing shorthanded counter-insurgency operations, as well as to compromise the larger mission in Afghanistan. Further, the Afghan citizens currently working with our troops to quell violence may view the withdrawal as a signal that our forces are no longer committed to the mission, which will serve to debilitate the long-term diplomatic, development and reconstruction efforts in the area. I believe that the engagement in Afghanistan is necessary, and demands careful considerations for the safety of both our Armed Forces and citizens. Our own security at home depends on denying Al Qaeda and other terrorists a safe haven to operate from abroad such as Afghanistan. I continue to support providing our soldiers with the best possible equipment so they are able to complete their mission safely, effectively and on time so they can return to their families as soon as possible. Israel America has no better friend in the Middle East than the nation of Israel. Not only is Israel the region’s only fully functioning democracy, with a government based on popular consent and the rule of law, but it is also a valuable ally against Islamic extremism and terrorism. Our shared democratic values and national interests are supported by maintaining a close friendship with Israel. Americans also have a strong interest in Israel achieving a lasting peace with its neighbors – including the Palestinians. Reasonable people – including those who live in the Middle East – differ about how the conflict between Israel and Palestine can be resolved. However, I believe at least one thing is clear: we cannot advocate for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that jeopardizes Israel’s safety or legitimizes terrorism. Hamas, which is one of the two major Palestinian political factions, is an Islamist terrorist group whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction, refuses to recognize Israel’s existence, and calls Osama Bin Laden a “martyr.” While I do not have a role in the diplomatic discussions over the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, America should not pressure Israel to agree to a peace deal that is unlikely to result in peace and security. Real peace will require Palestinians to recognize that Israel has a right to exist, even as it will require two states for the two peoples. Introduced by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on May 13, 2011, H. Res. 268 reaffirms the United States’ commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct negotiations. I co-sponsored this legislation, and it passed the House on July 7, 2011 by a vote of 407-13. I was also a cosponsor of H.R. 4133, the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act, also introduced by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, which passed the House on May 9, 2012 by a vote of 411-2. H.R. 4133 states that it is United States policy to reaffirm the commitment to Israel’s security as a state, provide Israel with the military capabilities to defend itself, expand military and civilian cooperation, assist in a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and encourage Israel’s neighbors to recognize its right to exist. Supporting Our Troops We must not forget that we are a nation at war. The brave troops who serve our country worldwide have made and continue to make tremendous sacrifices on behalf of this nation. I am grateful for their service, and am dedicated to ensuring that they are provided with the necessary resources to achieve their missions safely and effectively and to return to their families as quickly as possible. Congress must also work to ensure that the families of these courageous individuals are thanked and cared for while their loved ones are away. As Congress continues to consider further legislation with regard to these issues, please rest assured that I will not lose sight of the effects that our national policy has on the lives of our troops and their families and the security of our nation.

Communist takeover

OBJECTIVE		TAKEOVER STATUS	EXAMPLES	HOW AMERICA CAN RESIST
1.	Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.	Communists now control the House of Representatives and the White House. They have deeply infiltrated and now control the Democratic Party	Read this page closely	Create Rapid National Awareness that Progressives are Marxist/Maoist Communists. Demand an investigation of Progressive-Socialist-Communist Officials' Ties to Crime (ACORN, SEIU, Cop Killers, Terrorists, Tax Evasion, International Child Prostitution, Communist Cuba/Venzuela, Cuban Spies, etc.), including the President and Eric Holder. Demand Investigations of All Progressives and Vote All Progressives Out of Office. Investigate other Democrats and Republicans that may be Progressives. Demand Access to Obama Credentials (Birth Certificate, Passport, College Records, etc.) Demand Loyalty Oaths and FBI Background Investigations for All Members of Congress and the White House as a Condition of U.S. Government Employment. Monitor, Oppose and Protest All Initiatives Supported by Progressives.
2.	Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."	Not a law, but courts have been interpreting in this manner for last 40 years.	Progressive Congress Votes Against Christmas A Christian Church View
3.	Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."	George Soro's Catholics for a Free Choice Organization is clear example of "Church Infiltration". Obama's "Clinging to Religion" Speech is an example decrediting religious beliefs.	Catholics for a Free Choice Obama: "Clinging to Religion"
4.	Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.	Since there are Communists in the White House, we must assume the FBI has been neutered. Now they are attacking the CIA.	FBI Neutered See CIA News Section on this Page
5.	Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.	Obama wants a "living Constitution" and is actively abusing the Constitution.	Obama Website The Trumpet Weekly Standard	See 1. above.
6.	Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."	Obama promotes this approach. CNN, Wolf Blitzer and Michael Moore openly promote this approach.	The Trumpet Michael Moore says the words in this video	See 1. above.
7.	Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.	This has been in progress for many years. The Obama administration is rapidly expanding this approach.	See School Indoctrination News	See 1. above.
8.	U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.	Obama is working to eliminate US nuclear weapons and he says he'll never use them.	Obama's "No Nukes" Vision Won't use Nukes at all.	See 1. above.
9.	Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.	Obama is working to eliminate US nuclear weapons and he says he'll never use them.	Obama's "No Nukes" Vision Won't use Nukes at all. Obama to Cut US Nuclear Weapons Strength in Half	See 1. above.
10.	Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.	New Obama's Cuba Initiatives. Expanding China Trade	Reaching out to Cuba China Trade Status	See 1. above.
11.	Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.	Done	China's Membership in the UN	Too Late.
12.	Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.	East and West Germany have merged, but Socialists are still present in Germany.	Examples: 1, 2, 3	See 1. above.
13.	Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.	Communists have deeply infiltrated the press. The former Democratic National Committee Chair, Howard Dean now Chairs the Progressive (Communist) Book Club.	Documentation	See 1. above.
14.	Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.	Obama has captured control of nearly all TV stations except Fox News.	Documentation	See 1. above.
15.	Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."	Obama has captured control of the National Endowment for the Arts.	See NEA Article Here	See 1. above.
16.	Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.	This has been accomplished for some time. However, Obama is Taking It to a New Level by Wanting to Teach Sex Education in the Public Schools to Kindergarten Children	The New Push is Aimed at Gays, like this example from Obama media outlet, NBC.	See 1. above.
17.	Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."	The Obama Administration is moving in this direction at a fast pace.	View Kevin Jennings on this page. Progressives Proposing Trio of LGBT Acts like this one: Gays in Military Allowed to Openly Testify in Congressional Hearings without Fear of Retribution (i.e., Free License to Cripple our Military with "False Gay Discrimination Allegation" Investigations)	See 1. above.
18.	Infiltrate and gain control of big business.	See Takeover News	See Takeover News	See 1. above.
19.	Internationalize the Panama Canal.	In 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty which agreed to return 60% of the Canal Zone to Panama in 1979. The canal and remaining territory, known as the Canal Area, was returned to Panama on December 31, 1999 during the Clinton administration.	History	Too late.
20.	Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.	Congressman Nadler (NY) Wants to "Modernize" Russian History in Text Books	Obama Stiff-Arms the Founding Fathers	See 1. above.
21.	Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture -- education, social agencies, welfare programs, healthcare, mental health clinics, etc.	Education	Healthcare	See 1. above.
22.	Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction [over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction] over nations and individuals alike.	Before ratifying the United Nations Charter in 1945, the Senate was wise enough to amend the section dealing with the World Court by barring the Court from jurisdiction over matters which were essentially domestic "AS DETERMINED BY THE UNITED STATES." Those six words, authored by Senator Tom Connally (D-Tex), are known as the "Connally Reservation" and are the only thing which COULD prevent the World Court from interfering in American internal affairs on the pretext that our tariffs, immigration laws, school curriculums, etc. affect American relations with other countries and are therefore "foreign" and not "domestic." Very powerful interests in Washington have been trying to get that "Connally Reservation" repealed ever since.	Global Warming is one example of how the UN is attempting to gain control of the US. Here's an Obamacare example. Obama Support UN Gun Control Obama is Putting a "World Government Team" in Place	See 1. above.
23.	Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)	See 22. above.	See 22. above.	See 1. above.
24.	Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.	Communist Unions Shown Here	Progressive (Communist) Hilda Solis, Obama's US Secretary of Labor, is Introducing 90 New Regulations to Give Unions Much More Power	See 1. above.
25.	Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
26.	Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
27.	Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
28.	Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
29.	Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
30.	Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
31.	Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
32.	Do away with all loyalty oaths.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
33.	Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
34.	U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
35.	Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
36.	Gain control of all student newspapers.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
37.	Use student riots to forment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
38.	Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].	(research in progress)	Therapist’s Role and Responsibility to Social Justice	See 1. above.
39.	Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
40.	Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
41.	Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
42.	Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use "united force" to solve economic, political or social problems.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
43.	Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
44.	Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.
45.	Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.	(research in progress)	(research in progress)	See 1. above.

Medicare

Medicare is the cornerstone on which all other government health programs rest. Unfortunately, the deteriorating financial conditions of this program are threatening beneficiary access to its benefits. In their most recent report, the Medicare Trustees projected that the account that funds Medicare’s hospital benefit will go bankrupt in 2024. Reports like this illustrate that we can no longer let politicians in Washington deny the danger to Medicare – it is all too real, and the health of our nation’s seniors is far too important. We have to save Medicare to avoid disruptions in benefits for current seniors and to strengthen the program for future generations. The President’s Health Care Law On March 25, 2010, a Democrat controlled Congress passed the President’s new health care law which fundamentally realigns our nation’s health care system. This massive health care overhaul will exacerbate the very problems this reform effort sought to address. It will dramatically alter our deteriorating economic and fiscal conditions for the worse and may irrevocably impair the American identity. Sky-rocketing health care costs are drowning families, businesses and governments in red ink—leaving millions priced out of the market and without coverage. This law—with its maze of mandates, dictates, controls, tax hikes and subsidies—pushes costs further in the wrong direction. It initiates a government takeover of the health care sector (17% of the U.S. economy), intrudes in the doctor-patient relationship, and increases total spending by almost $2.6 trillion. The law relies on 10 years of tax increases and 10 years of Medicare cuts to pay for six years of new spending. Moreover, it raids over $700 billion from Medicare to finance a new open ended entitlement. All told, this law will dramatically add to an already unsustainable rate of government spending growth that will overwhelm the Federal budget and will dramatically change the way Americans get health care. The health care law will have significant and serious consequences on the sustainability of Medicare and access to medical care. Before the bill’s enactment, the Medicare program was already on an unsustainable path. According to the most recent Medicare Trustee’s report, the Medicare program will be insolvent by 2024 —meaning Medicare will have exhausted the assets in its Hospital Insurance trust fund. Instead of reforming this important program so that current beneficiaries will not see a disruption in their services and future generations will be able to plan their retirement around Medicare’s assistance—as I have been advocating for several years—the health care law treats Medicare like a piggy bank. Instead of promoting real competition – which would moderate costs naturally—the law nationalizes the regulation of health insurance premiums. This will lead to shortages and rationing. Waiting times will replace prices as a means of balancing limited supply and higher demand. Quality will decline as consumers begin facing restricted access to the full range of treatment options. Greater government regulation also will limit incentives for medical innovation. Yet, despite all the new spending and all the increased taxes, supporters of this law argue that it will actually reduce our current deficit levels. However, the fiscal arguments just do not add up. The only way reduce the deficit, while at the same time having the government pick up the tab for more than 30 million uninsured Americans and subsidize millions more is through the use of smoke and mirrors. Medicare Reimbursements for Physicians Medicare reimburses health care providers for various procedures they perform. These reimbursements are made according to a fee schedule, which is updated annually by a formula called the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). If spending exceeds the established targets, payment rates to providers are cut; if spending is below the target, payment rates are increased. The intent of the formula is to place a restraint on overall increases in Medicare spending for physicians’ services. Since 2003, Congress has chosen to override current law in order to prevent reimbursements from being cut as a result of the formula. On December 23, 2011, the House and Senate approved legislation that would provide, among several provisions, a two month delay in the scheduled cuts in physicians’ Medicare reimbursements that would have taken place on January 1st due to the flawed SGR formula. On February 16, 2012, Congress extended the delay through December 31, 2012. However, since the law only provides a temporary patch to the more than 30% cut, Congress must address the issue again before the end of the year. Rather than passing temporary fixes, I would prefer to address the more important matter of wholesale reform to the Medicare reimbursement system. Physicians should not have to wait on Congress to act every year in order to prevent pay cuts that are arbitrarily determined by an outdated formula. Fundamental reforms to Medicare and our broken health care system are urgently needed, and I will continue to push my colleagues to take on this challenge. Path to Prosperity Medicare’s structural imbalance threatens beneficiaries’ access to quality, affordable care. Currently, Medicare reimburses health care providers for services, creating a perverse incentive to order more tests and perform more services than may be necessary as a way to maximize one’s share of the program. By basing payment on volume, not quality, costs rise and efficiency is reduced. Ultimately, this flaw in the structure of the program is driving up health care costs, which are, in turn, threatening to bankrupt the system – and ultimately the nation. Unless Congress fixes what’s broken in Medicare, without breaking what’s working, the program will end up causing exactly what it was created to avoid – millions of American seniors without adequate health security and a younger working generation saddled with enormous debts to pay for spending levels that cannot be sustained. It is morally unconscionable for elected leaders to cling to an unsustainable status quo with respect to America’s health and retirement security programs. Current seniors and future generations deserve better than empty promises and a diminished country. Current retirees deserve the benefits around which they organized their lives. Future generations deserve health and retirement security they can count on. By making gradual structural improvements, Congress can preserve America’s social contract with retired workers. Recognizing the problems facing Medicare, the House-passed Budget: Strengthens health and retirement security by taking power away from government bureaucrats and empowering patients with control over their care. Repeals the new health care law’s unaccountable board of bureaucrats empowered to cut Medicare in ways that would jeopardize seniors’ access to care. Saves Medicare for current and future generations, with no disruptions for those in and near retirement. For younger workers, when they become eligible, Medicare will provide a premium-support payment and a list of guaranteed coverage options – including a traditional fee-for-service option – from which recipients can choose a plan that best suits their needs. Program growth would be determined by a competitive-bidding process – with choice and competition forcing providers to reduce costs and improve quality for seniors. Premium support, competitive bidding, and more assistance for those with lower incomes or greater health care needs will ensure guaranteed affordability for all seniors. Letting government break its promises to current seniors and to future generations is unacceptable. The reforms outlined in the budget passed by the House protect and preserve Medicare for those in and near retirement, while saving and strengthening this critical program so that future generations can count on it to be there when they retire. Beginning in 2023, when workers currently under the age of 55 become eligible for Medicare, seniors would be given a choice of private plans competing alongside traditional fee-for-service option on a newly created Medicare Exchange. Medicare would provide a premium-support payment either to pay for or offset the premium of the plan chosen by the senior. The Medicare Exchange would provide all seniors with a competitive marketplace where they could chose a plan the same way members of Congress do. All plans, including the traditional fee-for-service option, would participate in an annual competitive bidding process to determine the dollar amount of the federal contribution seniors would use to purchase the coverage that best serves their medical needs. Health care plans would compete for the right to serve Medicare beneficiaries. The second-least expensive approved plan or fee-for-service Medicare, whichever is least expensive, would establish the benchmark that determines the premium-support amount for the plan chosen by the senior. If a senior chose a costlier plan than the benchmark plan, he or she would be responsible for paying the difference between the premium subsidy and the monthly premium. Conversely, if that senior chose a plan that cost less than the benchmark, he or she would be given a rebate for the difference. Private health plans would be required to cover at least the actuarial equivalent of the benefit package provided by fee-for-service Medicare. Program growth would be determined by the competitive bidding process – with choice and competition forcing providers to reduce costs and improve quality for seniors. The competitive market for Medicare choices would foster innovation and quality while ensuring that the program is financially stable. As opposed to pegging the growth rate to a predetermined formula, competitive bidding offers the ideal means of harnessing the power of choice and competition to control costs, while also securing guaranteed affordability for patients. As a backup, the per capita cost of this reformed program for seniors reaching eligibility after 2023 could not exceed not exceed nominal GDP growth plus 0.5 percent. The President has repeatedly proposed empowering IPAB to hold Medicare growth to the same rate; the difference is that this budget proposes to use competition to control costs. All health plans that participate in the Medicare Exchange, including the traditional Medicare option, would be required to offer insurance to all seniors – regardless of age and health status – thereby preventing insurers from cherry picking only the healthiest seniors for coverage under their plan. Additionally, the federal contribution to seniors’ health plans would be increased to account for a senior’s health status and age. These reforms also ensure affordability by fixing the currently broken subsidy system and letting market competition work as a real check on widespread waste and skyrocketing health-care costs. Putting patients in charge of how their health care dollars are spent will force providers to compete against each other on price and quality. That’s how markets work: The customer is the ultimate guarantor of value. Reform aimed to empower individuals — with a strengthened safety net for the poor and the sick — will not only ensure the fiscal sustainability of this program, the federal budget, and the U.S. economy. It will also guarantee that Medicare can fulfill the promise of health security for America’s seniors.