House rubber-stamps PATRIOT Act renewal with no reforms

via EFF: Despite the valiant efforts of liberty-defending congresspersons from both political parties, the House of Representatives just passed an extension of the three USA PATRIOT Act surveillance powers that were set to "sunset" at the end of February by a vote of 275 to 144. Now, the Senate is our last hope to stop PATRIOT renewal and obtain meaningful PATRIOT reform.

URGENT: Senate vote on "Financial Reform" this week

From our friends at DownsizeDC.org:

The Senate will vote on the Frank-Dodd financial (non)reform bill (H.R. 4173) this week and possibly as soon as today. Although it has the votes to pass, it doesn't yet have the 60 votes needed to break a filuster.

This bill will only strangle our already-ailing economy, and will do nothing to prevent future financial collapses or bailouts. Please tell your Senators to support the filibuster and oppose Frank-Dodd through our Reduce Regulations campaign.

Stop Dodd's Devastating Financial "Reform" Bill

Cato: Costly IRS Mandate Slipped into Health Bill

More good news about the supposed health care "reform" bill:

From Cato:

Most people know about the individual mandate in the new health care bill, but the bill contained another mandate that could be far more costly.

Top 5 Reasons to Kill the Senate Healthcare Bill

2010 Health Freedom USA War Council!™

If you are concerned about the erosion of our health freedoms, you might want to sign up for the Natural Solutions Foundation's "2010 Health Freedom USA War Council", Jan 2-3 2010. You can attend virtually or in person (Newton, NJ) and the fee is $149 either way. Check it all out here.

Whole Foods Health Care

Don't you wish more businesspeople were like John Mackey? Check out this great interview in Reason magazine:

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D) on Voting "No" on Healthcare

Just got this rather surprising and encouraging email from my Rep (Kratovil, MD - Dem). He's a first-timer in office, and although I'm forever the cynic, he actually does seem to be seeking feedback and trying to represent his constituents. (He's also a co-sponsor of HR 1207). Here's what he had to say:

Dear Friends,

What the Pelosi Health Care Bill Really Says

From Betsy McCaughey at the Wall St. Journal:

The health bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is bringing to a vote (H.R. 3962) is 1,990 pages. Here are some of the details you need to know.

What the government will require you to do:

Ron Paul's good health care idea won't ever survive

Apparently, it doesn't take 1990 pages to write legislation that actually does something for US, instead of just expanding government and rewarding special interests!

H.R. 1495, the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act of 2009 (12 pages long)

Call to Action - Must Act on Health Care, Today!

If your Senators are serving on the Senate Finance Committee, they need to hear from you today!

Health Care Reform

Today's Action: New 1000 Page Health Care Bill Being FAST-TRACKED Through Congress

Quote of the Day: "If every member pledged to not vote for it (the health care bill) if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes." -- Senator Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader

Here's the link to the bill:

http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf

What Battlestar Galactica Taught Me About Healthcare "Reform"

"The politicians tell us free market health care doesn't work, but we haven't had a free market in decades."

State Mandates & Health Insurance: Find out what you're paying for (and don't need)

[REDDIT]

The Whole Foods Alternative to Health Care Reform

By JOHN MACKEY, original link here

UPDATE: John Mackey's response to calls for a boycott of Whole Foods

"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out
of other people's money."

—Margaret Thatcher

Obama's Healthcare "Snitch" Program

Judge Andrew Napolitano gives us the legal & constitutional perspective on Obama's request to flag and report people with differing views on healthcare:

Freedom Watch 24 - REAL Health Care Solutions, Federal Reserve

This week's Freedom Watch is posted! It was a "best of" episode:

How to Reduce Healthcare Costs by 80% Overnight (Without Spending $2 Trillion)

[REDDIT]

Dr. Mary Ruwart has a plan that would reduce healthcare costs by 80% overnight... without costing taxpayers $2 trillion. So why isn't anyone talking about this?

Two Ways to Keep the Federal Reserve Running Scared & Get Our Audit (HR 1207 & S 604)

S. 604 UP TO 13 CO-SPONSORS & HR 1207 UP TO 271!! Keep up the pressure!!

See who is co-sponsoring S 604:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s604/show (first 8)
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=21899&cpg=1#comments (5 new co-sponsors from today)

Our political "leadership" has made it clear they DON'T WANT an Audit of the Federal Reserve. Unfortunately for them, they work for US, and WE DEMAND AN AUDIT (and that's just the start of the trouble we're going to cause them...)