By Howard Hyde
[Previously published in the July edition of the Newsletter of the Southern California Republican Women and Men.]
It was my honor and privilege to moderate our world-famous discussion and debate Forum in the absence of our past President and now Vice President Michael Lerew. The Forum is one of the features that makes our club truly unique and a training ground for leaders. Everyone is encouraged to participate, to articulate, to teach and to learn.
We covered a broad range of topics. We discussed ways in which Republicans may capitalize on the failures of Liberalism which even many on the Left are beginning to acknowledge. Honest liberals are concerned about the harm done to poor and minorities by anti-capitalist legislation like California's Cap and Trade bill AB 32. See http://online.wsj.com/articles/californias-cap-and-trade-revolt-1403908359. Patricia L. Dickson is a black female Christian conservative veteran who writes 'Why black voters should vote Republican' June 17 on AmericanThinker.com. Public school teacher tenure has been successfully challenged in the courts. see: http://www.capoliticalreview.com/top-stories/the-weeks-other-political-earthquake-in-california-naturally/.
So through the fog of bad news we can yet perceive some opportunity and cause for optimism.
The current fiasco in Iraq has re-opened a national debate on our role and strategy there, and members and guests shared their views on that. Among the most intense debates are between Republicans, particularly those that defend George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq, and Libertarians. My article on this topic, 'Answering the Libertarian Indictments on Iraq' appeared on July 9 at:
http://www.westernjournalism.com/answering-libertarian-indictments-iraq/
Members and guests were asked, with the increasing talk of the possibility of impeachment of the President of the United States, how many of them would be willing to put bumper stickers on their cars reading 'Joe Biden for President 2015'? A surprising plurality responded positively. Then they were asked for their Republican picks to run for President in 2016. Scott Walker won our informal poll this time. The suggestion of Chris Christie was booed.
Resources for fighting Obamacare
The very important topic of how to win the communication war about Obamacare was raised. After the meeting we put together a partial list of resources.
One great group of doctors that has been fighting government intrusion into the practice medicine since 1943 is the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons or AAPS:
http://www.aapsonline.org
Docs 4 Patient Care is another organization that has outlined its Prescription for healthcare: http://www.docs4patientcare.org/prescription
I myself have written several articles on Obamacare and free market solutions that have been published on American Thinker and Frontpage Magazine including:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/howard-hyde/post-obamacare-reform/
http://www.americanthinker.com/article/2013/07/obamacare_and_then_a_miracle_happens.html
The Heritage Foundation has been articulating alternatives to socialized medicine for years: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/10/after-repeal-of-obamacare-moving-to-patient-centered-market-based-health-care
There is a caucus of Republican doctors in Congress who have been offering bills with alternatives in the House for years: http://doctorscaucus.gingrey.house.gov/latesttopics
Excellent books currently available on Amazon include:
- Sally Pipes, The Pipes Plan: 10 Ways to Dismantle Obamacare.
- Betsy McCaughey. Beating Obamacare.
And, of course, Howard Hyde's Pull the Plug on Obamacare:
http://www.amazon.com/Pull-Plug-Obamacare-Citizen-Pamphlet/dp/0615765939
The resources are abundant. More can be found at http://www.hhcapitalism.com/p/obamacare.html.
The mainstream media that claims that there are no alternatives to Obamacare are simply wrong.