Rep. Miller: Supreme Court Got It Wrong With Obamacare Ruling
July 2, 2012
Submitted by U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to uphold Obamacare. This unprecedented overhaul of our health care system is the most controversial piece of legislation that I have seen during my tenure in Congress. Like millions of Americans, I fundamentally disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision. Simply put, the Constitution makes clear that the federal government has defined and limited powers. Forcing individuals to buy health insurance or be levied with an estimated $800 billion tax hike is clearly outside this power.
Unfortunately, the Supreme Court got this one wrong. It isn’t the first time the Supreme Court has issued an opinion that is just plain incorrect. In the infamous 1857 Dred Scott v Sanford case, the Supreme Court overturned the Congressionally passed Missouri Compromise and ruled that African-Americans were not U.S. citizens and thus not protected by the Constitution. This horrendous decision was eventually overturned by the 14th Amendment. In the 1896 case Plessy v Ferguson, the Supreme Court upheld state laws that required racial segregation. This decision was overturned by the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v Board of Education. In 1944, the Supreme Court ruled in Korematsu v U.S. that because it was impossible to separate loyal Japanese-Americans from disloyal ones, the civil rights of all Japanese-Americans citizens could be restricted and the court upheld the charges against the plaintiff, George Korematusu. In 1983, these charges were overturned.
Victory for the Obama Administration in this case is a huge loss for the American people. This ruling means the largest tax increase in American history, up to 20 million Americans losing their employer-provided health insurance, an average increase in premiums of more than $2,000 per family, $500 billion in cuts for seniors on Medicare and trillions of dollars in additional debt. The American people don’t deserve to have the government involved in their personal health care decisions, and I believe that come November they will make it abundantly clear that this decision must also be overturned.
The Administration advanced three arguments to support its assertion that the law was constitutional. Tellingly, it was the Administration’s third-choice argument on which the Supreme Court relied to uphold the law. The law was allowed to stand because the Supreme Court found that the mandate to buy health insurance was actually a tax. However, from the beginning, the President repeatedly stated that his health care law was not a tax, only to have the Supreme Court ultimately uphold his signature law solely on the basis that it is a tax.
The American people have voiced their concerns over Obamacare for the past two years, and throughout the debate on the law, House and Senate Republicans repeatedly objected to this unprecedented government overreach. During a time of economic crises, the President and the large Democrat majority in Congress in 2010 chose to ignore the American people and shun Republican Members of Congress in an ill-advised attempt to engineer a government takeover of health care. During this time, the President could have been truly serving the needs of the American people by working with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to enact pro-growth policies to improve our economy and create wealth and jobs for all Americans. Instead, the Democrats acted on their own and, the American people have been forced to suffer the consequences.
While the Supreme Court may have upheld Obamacare, the House of Representatives will vote in July to repeal it in its entirety. House Republicans have already voted 30 times to repeal, defund, or dismantle all or portions of Obamacare. In the written opinion of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Obamacare, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote “members of this Court are vested with the authority to interpret the law; we possess neither the expertise nor the prerogative to make policy judgements. Those decisions are entrusted to our Nation’s elected leaders, who can be thrown out of office if the people disagree with them. It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” Congressional Republicans will continue to stand in firm opposition to Obamacare, while Congressional Democrats and President Obama will likely continue to fervently support their extreme government takeover. However, come November it will be the American people who have the last word.
Plan Now: Sertoma Fireworks On The Fourth Of July, Sponsored By NorthEscambia.com
July 2, 2012
The largest fireworks show on the Gulf Coast will be Wednesday night over Pensacola Bay, sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com.
For the 23rd year, Sertoma organizations will coordinate and host the fireworks display over Pensacola Bay on Wednesday, July 4th, at 9:00 p.m.
There will be activities throughout the day, from 11:00 am until 6:30 pm, in Seville Square to include a FREE Children’s Area with inflatables and pony rides, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, and live entertainment on the gazebo stage beginning at 11:00 a.m. There is also a hot dog eating contest at noon.
Starting at 4 p.m., there will be live music on the Bayfront Stage, featuring Crosstown Band, followed by Bad Habits at 6:30. The festivities will culminate with the fireworks show over Pensacola Bay at about 9 p.m. synchronized with music broadcast on Cat Country 98.7.
Sponsors for the program include NorthEscambia.com, Cat Country 98.7, NewsRadio 1620, WEAR 3, Publix, Escambia County and the City of Pensacola.
Click the program brochure to enlarge for a complete schedule.
Coming up Tuesday and Wednesday, NorthEscambia.com will publish a guide to fireworks shows across the area.
Local Youth ‘Converge’ During Camp That Served
July 2, 2012
Last week, dozens of youth from across Escambia County took part in Converge — a combination youth summer camp and summer missions project to help the community.
Among the week’s projects, the youth took part in beatification projects at Byrneville Elementary and Warrington Middle schools, a food drive for Manna Food Bank, handed out milk and bread in needy neighborhoods and even helped build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
From the North Escambia area, youth groups from Highland Baptist in Molino and Ray’s Chapel in Bogia took part in Converge last week.
“All the kids made new friends and had a great time working and making a difference in the lives of our communities,” youth leader Ramona Preston said.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Local youth converged on Escambia County last week in a youth camp/missions project. Pictured inset: Youth take part in a cleanup at Byrneville Elementary School. Pictured below: Ray’s Chapel Pastor Nathan Brown with the church’s youth group. Submitted photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Development Committee Gives Final Approval To Walnut Hill Crude Oil Transfer Station
July 1, 2012
The Escambia County Development Review Committee has given final approval for an energy company to build a crude oil transfer station that could eventually mean about 30 new high paying jobs. The Escambia County Planning Board and the Escambia County Commission previously approved a rezoning request for the project.
Genesis Rail Systems, LLC will build the facility on 20 acres that fronts Corley Road near Arthur Brown Road. The property was chosen because it is at the intersection of an existing crude oil pipeline and the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway.
For a photo gallery from the site, click here.
Crude oil will be shipped in rail tanker cars from the north — including oil fields in Monroe and Escambia counties in Alabama — and be offloaded at the Walnut Hill facility into a 100,000 barrel storage tank before being injected into the existing Genesis pipeline for transport to refineries along the Gulf Coast.
According to project plans, the facility will create 25-30 or more well paying full time jobs in the community, plus positive economic impacts from constructions and ongoing expenditures. Hundreds of people stood in line back in early June when the company took applications for the jobs.
Plan drawings for the facility show that the large crude oil storage tank will be surrounded by a lined containment area designed to catch storm water runoff and, in a worse case scenario, any leak, preventing any contamination to the surrounding area. The facility will also include the pumping equipment, a 1,500 square foot administration building and a 45-space gravel parking lot.
To support the planned oil transfer station, the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway is currently constructing an additional rail spur parallel to tracks that run along Corley Road from Arthur Brown Road.
For a photo gallery from the site, click here.
Pictured: Work at and near the future site of a crude oil transfer station in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
July 1 Means New Fiscal Year, 150 New Laws In Florida
July 1, 2012
New Florida laws on a range of topics from high school athletics and pregnant prisoners to automobile insurance and environmental permitting took effect Sunday.
July 1 marks the beginning of the fiscal year, but also is the effective date for roughly half of the laws passed by legislators earlier this year. In all, about 150 new statutes and a $70 billion budget take effect.
Among them:
EDUCATION:
Public schools will now be held more financially accountable for student performance in core courses under a measure (HB 7059) that also makes it easier for students to graduate early. The law allows students who have completed 24 credits to graduate early and receive Bright Futures scholarships. The measure also ties funding for must-pass courses to student performance on tests in those subjects while clarifying eligibility rules for Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment programs. It also pushes school principals to adopt accelerated learning options for students and provide certain guarantees that qualified students get the chance to participate.
High school athletes at charter and private schools will find it easier to compete as lawmakers relaxed restrictions on their participation in events sponsored by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
The measure (HB 1403) allows transfer students to largely remain eligible in the same year they change schools and would limit the ability of FHSAA to force students to sit for recruiting violations. Instead, it would crack down on schools and coaches involved in the violations.
School boards will also be able to allow students to deliver inspirational messages at school events under a controversial measure (SB 98) that critics have already promised to challenge in court. The measure, one of the most contentious of the past session, could allow prayers at events that students must attend, but also could allow other types of messages.
HEALTH CARE:
Counties could have to pay tens of millions of dollars in disputed health-care charges that have piled up for years under a Medicaid bill (HB 5301), which includes several other provisions in addition to the billing change.
The most contentious part of the measure requires counties to pay disputed Medicaid bills unless they can prove to an administrative judge that the bills were unwarranted.
Counties argue that the state should fix its billing system, which they say is plagued with errors, before using the withholding mechanism in the bill to force counties to pay 85 percent of bills that might or might not be valid. Lawmakers who supported the measure said they should have been paying their bills all along.
The counties would have three years to pay back the money, at a cost of about $77.5 million, according to the state; the Florida Association of Counties argues that the measure will cost governments nearly $155.6 million. Several counties have sued over the issue.
Other health bills taking effect include HB 291 that requires the FHSAA and independent youth sanctioning authorities to develop “return to play” policies for athletes who sustain traumatic head injuries.
Another new law (HB 509) authorizes pharmacists to administer the pneumonia vaccine to adults pursuant to a protocol with a physician and to administer the shingles vaccine to adults pursuant to a prescription from a physician. The law requires pharmacists to obtain continuing education and certification.
INSURANCE:
Lawmakers earlier this year passed an expansive bill (HB 119) aimed at reducing costs in the state’s personal injury protection system (PIP), a $10,000 medical benefit that critics say is rife with fraud, overutilization and litigation.
The law’s major provisions don’t kick in until Jan. 1, 2013 and include a detailed framework for which medical providers are eligible for reimbursement under PIP coverage. The list included physicians, hospitals, and chiropractors. Other provisions of the law, however, kick in Monday.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/WORKFORCE :
Republican-led efforts to assist Florida businesses, a priority of both chambers and Gov. Rick Scott, continues with a roll back of unemployment taxes and another initiative to assist the Space Coast in its transition to a post-shuttle world.
The tax paid by businesses for unemployment benefits was scheduled to go up to about $171 per employee, but the law (HB 7027) would reduce that to about $121 per worker.
The law delays the state’s repayment schedule, stretching it out to five years instead of three. That puts employers on the hook for more interest, but reduces payments now. The measure also reduces the wage base for calculating the unemployment tax from $8,500 to $8,000 per worker.
A law (HB 1205) allowing state agencies to drug test their employees kicks in but is being challenged in federal court. The law, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Legislature, would allow agencies to conduct random testing every three months. Agencies would use a computer system to choose employees to be tested, with the total not exceeding 10 percent of the agency workforce.
The law gives agencies the authority to put the tests into effect but does not require them to do so. Costs of the tests would have to be paid for by the state. It limits the number of employees tested to no more than 10 percent of each agency’s workforce every three months.
Lawmakers also nipped at the autonomy of regional workforce boards by allowing the governor to fire individual board members without having to sack the entire board, a “nuclear option” that hindered oversight.
Some of the boards have come under fire for conflicts of interest as they attempt to retrain workers. A state audit found that from 2008 to 2010 the workforce boards handed out more than $7.5 million in contracts to companies controlled by or linked to their board members.
Questionable expenditures like the purchase of super hero capes for unemployed workers were among a litany of other concerns that led lawmakers to push for more statewide oversight.
The measure (HB 7023) sets standards and qualifications for regional workforce boards and would require board members to submit financial disclosures.
ENVIRONMENT:
A wide-ranging bill (HB 503) makes a number of changes in the environmental permitting process, including prohibiting local governments from making a development permit conditional on having some other state permit.
The law deregulates certain types of injection wells and sets a time limit on some permit applications. The bill also removes agency approval requirements for small storm water projects and extends deadlines for certain environmental resource permits.
Another measure will change the way the state regulates reclaimed water. The law (HB 639) exempts reclaimed water from the current definitions of “state waters.” The designation is significant because Florida statutes say the state is responsible for managing state waters, which are considered a basic public resource.
The measure prohibits water management districts from requiring consumptive use permits for reclaimed water. If groundwater of surface water is included in the mix, the district would retain the ability to regulate.
Statewide, about 660 million gallons of reclaimed water is being used every day for a range of purposes, from phosphate mining and electricity generation to golf course watering. The amount equals about half of the state’s available resource.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE:
Lawmakers also passed restrictions on restraints used on pregnant incarcerated women. The measure ( HB 524) prevents certain types of restraints used during pregnancy, labor and delivery.
The cost of a concealed weapons permit was slashed by $5. The new law (HB 5601) lowers the cost of a new concealed weapons permit to $70 and the renewal fee to $65.
By The News Service of Florida
Ernest Ward FFA Members Compete At State Level
July 1, 2012
Ernest Ward Middle School FFA team members competed this past week at the 84th Florida State FFA Convention in Orlando. After winning at the district level, the team qualified to compete at the state level in the Parliamentary Procedures category. Team members also attended various leadership and educational workshops while at the convention. There were over 3,000 registered attendees at this year’s convention.
By Allison Woodfin,
EWMS FFA Reporter
Pictured top: Ernest Ward Middle School FFA members in Orlando (front, L-R) Miranda Vidak, Bethany Reynolds, Courtney Weekley, Ian Schneider, Haylee Weaver, Hunter Kite, (back, L-R) Kaitlyn Kleinatland, Allison Woodfin, Cindy Wilson-Advisor, Mitchell Singleton and Renee McGahan. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Firecracker 5K Results
July 1, 2012
About 1,000 runners took part in Saturday’s annual Ronald McDonald House Firecracker 5K in Pensacola to support the Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida.
Top male finisher was 17-year old Charlie Lawrence of Foley, MN, with a time of 16:19.42. He was followed by 30-year old Brent Schneider of Pensacola at 16:30.86 and 17-year old Alec Clark of Pensacola at 16:40.27.
The first female finisher was 35-year old Olivia Jernigan at 19:39.35. Second female was 16-year old Kaysi Roberst of Pensacola at 19:48.22, and third was 33-year old Rebecca Massie of Robertsdale at 19:57.36.
For overall male results, click here.
For overall female results, click here.
(Both lists highlight North Escambia finishers in bold.)
Pictured top: A young racer is greeted by Ronald McDonald Saturday morning at the finish line of the Ronald McDonald House Firecracker 5K in Pensacola. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Top Generals 4-2 To Take Series
July 1, 2012
Pensacola starting pitcher J.C. Sulbaran gave up just two earned runs on five hits in his 6.2 frames, while designated hitter Beau Mills mashed a two-run double into the right center field gap in the fifth to lead the Blue Wahoos to a series-winning 4-2 defeat of the Jackson Generals in front of another sellout crowd of 5,038 on Saturday evening at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The win improves the Fish’s record to 6-4 in the second half, while the Generals dropped to a 5-5 mark since the All-Star break. The capacity crowd was the third straight for the Blue Wahoos, as well as their 26th overall in their 39th home date.
Trailing 2-1 coming into the bottom of the fifth, CF Ryan LaMarre singled and SS Didi Gregorius drew a free pass to begin the frame before 2B Brodie Greene moved both over to the next base with a sacrifice bunt to set the stage for Mills. The left-handed slugger laced the 1-2 pitch into deep right center just in front of the wall to send in both runners to give the Blue Wahoos a lead they would not relinquish.
Jackson plated the first run of the contest in the second frame with the longball. RF Chih-Hsien Chiang started the frame with a solo shot to left to push the Generals ahead 1-0. The Blue Wahoos however, would answer with a score of their own in the bottom of the frame when 1B Stephen Hunt doubled and then scored on a run-scoring base knock from LaMarre.
The Generals however would even the count at 2-2 in the top of the fifth thanks to their second homer of the contest. DH Kalian Sams launched a pay-off pitch to deep left field for his seventh roundtripper of the season.
Following Mills’ clutch knock, the Fish tacked on an insurance run in the seventh to increase the margin to 4-2. Mills started the rally with a base-on-balls before moving to second and third on back-to-back singles and scoring on a Jackson fielding miscue for the final tally.
Hunt (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B) and 3B David Vidal (2-4) each collected two hits for Pensacola, while 2B Eric Campbell (2-3, 1 BB) was the lone batter to record a multi-hit effort for Jackson.
Pensacola starting pitcher J.C. Sulbaran (6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO) earned his sixth win of the year after giving up just two earned runs on five hits while walking only one and fanning six, while Generals starter Taijuan Walker (5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss. Relievers Drew Hayes (1.1 IP, 1 SO) and Curtis Partch (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) fired the final 2.1 frames, with Partch notching his fourth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
The Blue Wahoos will now travel to Jacksonville for a three-game series with the Suns, the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, with first pitch set for 6:00 pm ET at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. RHP Tim Crabbe is expected to start the series opener for Pensacola, while RHP Omar Poveda is scheduled to take the hill for the Suns.
The next Blue Wahoos homestand begins on Wednesday, July 4, with a three-game series with the Birmingham Barons, with a special start time of 4:00 pm on Independence Day. While the Fish will not be launching fireworks on July 4, fans are welcomed to stay after the game to watch the Sertoma Fireworks show that is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: J.C. Sulbaran earned his sixth win of the year in the Wahoos’ 4-2 win Saturday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Receives Two National Awards
July 1, 2012
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has received two national awards from the Solids Waste Association of North America.
ECUA was honored with a Gold Award in the Public Education category and the Bronze Award in the Collection Systems category in 2012 Excellence Awards.
The Gold Award honors the outstanding public education campaign that ECUA developed and utilized in the start-up and subsequent enhancements of its curbside recycling program. The Bronze Award recognizes ECUA’s comprehensive automated collection program which serves 74,000 residential and 1,100 commercial customers.
“This recognition is a reflection of our employees’ professionalism, hard work and dedication, ensuring our customers receive the best possible service every day,” said Stephen Sorrell, ECUA executive director.
SWANA’s Excellence Awards recognize the most outstanding solid waste programs and facilities in North America.
“The recipients of the SWANA Excellence Awards represent the best solid waste management practices in North America today,” said John H. Skinner, SWANA executive director and CEO.
Scott Doesn’t Know How Florida Would Afford Medicaid Expansion
July 1, 2012
Officials in Gov. Rick Scott’s office emphasized that the governor hasn’t made a decision on whether Florida should expand the Medicaid program under the federal health care law after the governor said on a morning radio show that if Florida were to do so, he doesn’t know how it would be paid for.
“I don’t know how we’re ever going to be able to afford it,” Scott said in an interview on WOKV radio in Jacksonville. The Supreme Court ruling on Thursday upholding the federal Affordable Care Act also said states have the right to opt out of any Medicaid expansion required under the law without risking the loss of existing Medicaid dollars.
The host, Rich Jones, asked Scott if he would push for Florida to opt out of the Medicaid expansion.
Scott replied: “Here’s what you’ve got to look at: I don’t know how we’re ever going to be able to afford it. I mean, look at how tough our budgets are now. My first year I had over a $3 billion budget deficit walking into the fiscal year. Last session I had almost a $2 billion deficit. I mean, Medicaid is the biggest issue we have. Medicaid has been growing at three and a half times our general revenue. We can’t afford it. The federal government cannot just keep raising our taxes.”
The law relies in part on states taking on large numbers of new Medicaid patients – though the federal government would pick up the cost at first and 90 percent of the cost down the road. Still, even at having to pay only 10 percent of the cost of new Medicaid patients, several Florida lawmakers said this week that the state may opt out.
A spokesman for the governor said, however, that Scott “has been very clear that he hasn’t made a decision yet.” The spokesman, Lane Wright said it is being studied.
“He has policy staff and legal staff working on this,” Wright said. “He wants to make sure we fully understand what the decision means for Florida before moving forward.”
By The News Service of Florida