Image from Zazzle

We’re not.  We urge everyone to visit their Senator’s office with the message they seem not to have heard: Vote for this health care bill, and you’d better prepare for retirement.

MAKE SURE TO DROP OFF A “HAPPY RETIREMENT” GREETING CARD!

If you can’t get to their offices just drop one in the mail some time this week! Find the addresses on our website.   If you have some spare stamps, here’s a list of Democrat Senators up for re-election in 2010.

–If there is already someone geared up to run against them, be sure to mention that candidate by name in a note, so they know that YOU KNOW who their competition is! Even better, make sure they know you will be working on the competition’s campaign if you are so inclined!  There are three Republican contenders for Senator Bayh’s seat:  Richard Behney, Don Bates, Jr., and Marlin Stutzman.

–Think about presenting them with a big beautiful Mylar Balloon for a little extra pizazz!!

–Spend some quality crafty time with family and like-minded friends to deliver custom-crafted cards and doo-dads.

–No time to go to the card shop? Here’s a free retirement card template you can print and send!

Thanks to Todd Reinert.

Photo from  Fox News

The Cincinnati Tea Party organized a four day demonstration to urge local congressman Steve Driehaus to vote against the Healthcare bill in the House. He is the only local representative who has not committed to a “ney” vote. We organized an unprecedented four-day “We Surround Him” demonstration to show our commitment to liberty and resolve on the issue.

The first three days of the demonstration were surrounding his district. We had members stationed at all busy exits around I-275 on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. These members passed out educational materials to vehicles and pedestrians. The finale was yesterday, Saturday, when we surrounded him. Members surrounded the Carew Tower in Cincinnati where his local office is located. We invited Congressman Driehaus and his 2010 opponent Steve Chabot to speak about Healthcare after the rally. The Congressman declined our invitation. Speakers offered solutions to the “crisis” such as allowing for the sale of insurance across state lines and tort reform.

Local media coverage:  Cincinnati Tea Party concluded four-day protest on Saturday and Tea Party Rallies Against Health Care Bills

Reports on the event in Indianapolis here and here.   A lot of links at HQ Operation: Can You Hear Us Now.

Thanks to Michelle Malkin

Signs and flags were everywhere, as usual.

There were speakers, NWIP’s own Faith Jones and Matt LaFleur among them.  Faith spoke about the RTA referendum.

Local media was there and spoke with Faith and others.  They seem to be drawn to the man in the funny hat!  Full disclosure–he’s the author’s husband.

Also as usual, people were not shy about expressing their views.

People had bullhorns and megaphones to call out to passing cars.  There were a lot of supportive honks and thumbs up.  It was chilly but a lot of fun, too.

More photos here and here.

…Earlier this month, Humana sent a one-page letter to its customers enrolled in its Medicare Advantage plans, which offer private options to Medicare beneficiaries. Humana noted that, because of spending cuts proposed by Democrats, “millions of seniors and disabled individuals could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare Advantage health plans so valuable.” The Kentucky-based company also urged its customers to contact their Representatives. Pretty tame stuff, as these things go.

Mr. Baucus took it as a declaration of war. He complained to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal health-care agency, which on Friday duly ordered Humana to cease and desist. CMS claimed the mailer was “misleading and confusing” and told the company it has opened an official probe as to whether the mailer violated laws about how the insurers that manage Advantage plans are allowed to communicate with their customers, as well as other federal statutes.

“Please be advised that we take this matter very seriously and, based upon the findings our investigation, will pursue compliance and enforcement actions,” CMS concluded, ominously. Humana could be fined or booted from Medicare Advantage altogether…

So did Humana mislead its customers?  No:

…In fact, the Baucus draft legislation slashes $123 billion over the next decade from Medicare Advantage, which Democrats hate despite the fact that almost one-fourth of beneficiaries have chosen it over traditional fee-for-service Medicare. One reason seniors like it is because private insurers focus on quality and preventive care and try to manage benefits, as opposed to simply paying bills…

Hang on a minute, says House Ways and Means Committee ranking member David Camp:  Camp Demands Answers from CMS on Its ‘Gag Order’ on Those Providing Accurate Information About President’s Planned Medicare Cuts

…The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has initiated an investigation into at least one provider of a Medicare Advantage (MA) health care plan for informing its enrollees that Medicare cuts proposed by the President and congressional Democrats could alter their benefits.  In addition to this investigation, CMS has since banned all MA health plans from providing similar information to beneficiaries.

“It looks likes CMS is engaged in government intimidation, pure and simple,” said Camp.  “Seniors know the Presidents’ Medicare cuts will impact their benefits.  CBO has confirmed these cuts could negatively impact Medicare benefits and increase seniors’ costs.  But when health care plans try to share that information with their enrollees, the Administration slaps a gag order on them.  It is a total abuse of power.”…

The intimidation doesn’t stop with the Senate.  More spontaneous outrage–oops–civilized political discourse from the left is scheduled for today: From the Washington Times, Health reformers targeting ‘enemies

…But Health Care for America Now (HCAN), which is backed by a coalition of labor unions and liberal groups including ACORN and MoveOn.org, organized the protests to target insurance companies and drafted the plan, which describes the demonstrations as part of its “insurance enemies project.”

The document, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times, details specific talking points, tactics, props and strategies to stage the protests. It lists goals that include action that “mobilizes our base by animating existing anger about private insurers.”

The HCAN field plan dictates that each protest will include a minimum of 30 participants, target only health care insurers CIGNA, WellPoint and United Health Care and showcase what it calls “victims,” or people who have either lost insurance, can’t afford it or were denied coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions…

…Another tactic described in the document is “vigils featuring faith leaders [or] clergy” who visits insurance company office with the demand. For props, it suggest using “spokespeople who can wear clerical uniforms.”

It directs the protesters to “escalate by increasing the involvement of congregations to take small actions; hosting more vigils that invite the insurance companies to repent.”

The HCAN demonstrations are planned throughout the country, with flagship protests in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Milwaukee – cities in which the targeted health insurance companies have a large corporate presence…

More at the links.

H/T Ace of Spades

Via Hot Air

Some of his constituents’ messages:

Our American flag, which has been flown over the US Capitol in honor of Northwest Indiana Patriots and will be carried in the Taxpayer March on DC on 9/12, was there.

Rep. Visclosky marched in the parade, waving to parade-watchers.

When he came past our location, he was greeted with shouts of “Goodbye, Pete!” and “No Obamacare.”

What a great country, where everyone is free to express their political opinions.

The Lake County Tea Party participated in the parade.  More details here.

More photos here.

Post Tribune coverage:  Protesters target Visclosky at parade.