“Barrack Obama is no fool.  He is not incompetent.  To the contrary, he is brilliant.”  Many of you, who are choking on the hordes of black flies you inhaled when your jaws dropped to the floor after reading my opening quote, are probably wondering if you are reading the right column.  Yes, this is The Maine Conservative Voice, but you might be surprised to read that I am in complete agreement with that quote.

The author is Wayne Allyn Root.  This man was a college classmate of Barrack Obama at Columbia University.  I quoted from a piece he wrote and published in the Las Vegas Review Journal.  The June 6, 2010 column reveals that two Columbia professors named Cloward and Piven developed the President’s governing approach.  The plan is to socialize the United States by “overwhelming the system with government spending and entitlement demands”.  Mr. Root contends that Barrack Obama is “purposely overwhelming the U.S. economy to create systemic failure, economic crises and social chaos”.  The intent, he says, is to destroy capitalism, which will cause the country to implode.  Now, for a small, cave dwelling, country bumpkin columnist, it is still hard for me to comprehend that anyone could want to see our beloved country destroyed, yet, amazingly, there are those who do.

Wayne Root goes on to show how each one of the President’s policies on their own seem disconnected from reason and almost laughable, but when they are put together they reveal the Cloward and Piven plan.  As Mr. Root puts it, “Taken as a whole, it is a brilliant, Machiavellian game plan to turn the United States into a socialist/Marxist state with a permanent majority that desperately needs government for survival…and can be counted on to always vote for bigger government.  Why not?  They have no responsibility to pay for it.”

Last week, we talked about the audits.  Legalities or illegalities aside, Independent Contractors represent one of the few remaining employers, besides government agencies, in North Central Maine.  So in this present economy, it flies in the face of common sense to target and try to eliminate these employers, doesn’t it?…or…does it?  In the light of  Cloward and Piven, a new reality begins to dawn.

The Democrat socialist view of the world needs to have people who are subservient to its policies.  Freedom loving people will not choose government domination willingly.  This is why the President, our Governor and the Democrat Party have chosen and are choosing policies that deprive the people of their independence.  They are systematically and deliberately herding the people into a place of complete dependence upon government, thereby, insuring complete domination by the Democrat Party.

I once read from The Daily Chesterton, “(No society can survive the socialist) fallacy that there is an absolutely unlimited number of inspired officials and an absolutely unlimited amount of money to pay them.”  This one sentence sums up the socialist mindset.  It is not concerned with the failure of an economy because socialism craves a crises and a populace completely dependent upon government to save it.

Last week, we saw how this President closed the legal loophole that protected Independent Contractors and has, now, targeted them for litigation.  Sources within the Federal Government have told us that this initial wave of audits will be at the State level.  In 2011, the Fed will come with another wave of audits targeting the contractors the State has “exposed”.  This will effectively crush Independent Contractors for good, with little regard for its effect on the economy.  For example, a contractor who owes the State $10,000 in fines will end up facing Federal punitive damages somewhere in the neighborhood of $80,000.

Now, I have stated before that this was just a money grab for a government that can’t pay its own bills.  Perhaps, it’s more than that.  Most contractors cannot sustain these fines or pay them.  Is it possible that the Government knows that it will never realize financial satisfaction from these penalties?  Is it possible that the Government’s goal is simply to eradicate Independent Contractors?  If you look at these situations through the prism of Cloward and Piven, the answer is grim.

I believe this election will be the historic test our Founding Fathers foresaw.  Will the people rise up to beat back an oppressive government?  I believe we can in 2010.

‎”It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.” –Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (1892-1954)

I’ve taken a break this week from my Solutions series to, once again, deal with the audits that are pummeling local Contractors in the State of Maine.  I’ve been very strident and forceful in my efforts to bring attention to what I believe is a travesty against the hard working residents of Maine.  I’ve even gone as far as to call these attacks on these local businesses unlawful and illegal.  To that point, I wish I were right.

With further investigation, the truths that are being unearthed are dark and unsettling, to put it mildly.  A fellow contractor and friend of mine, Toby Arno, has been doing the bulk of the research that I now bring to you.  Again, I wish I could say that what is going on is illegal.  I wish that I could say that there are laws in place that protect hard working residents and these are being violated.  Unfortunately, I cannot.

The murky waters of liberal legislation have been stirred enough, by Mr. Arno’s efforts, that some cruel revelations have surfaced from its stagnate depths.  In the 1978 Revenue Act, Section 530, a loophole was created called the “Safe Harbor Provision”.  This provision allowed companies to indefinitely maintain independent contractors as sub-contractors as long as these companies had reason to believe these contractors were independent.  This common sense provision, amazing for government, was created to acknowledge that companies, with extended projects that require extended relationships, would need to have a provision to protect sub-contractors from being mislabeled as employees.

For instance, if a general contractor has multiple building projects in which he may need to maintain his sub-contractors for several years, he may during that time be providing a 100% of their employment.  This in no wise invalidates their status as independent as they are free to find different employment if they so choose and will move on to different contracts at the completion of this larger one.  One would assume this is a reason why the “Safe Harbor Provision” was implemented.

President Obama, at the onset of his Presidency, made it a “priority” to bring “litigation” against independent contractors.  He closed and eliminated the “Safe Harbor Provision”.  He then set up a Misclassification Task Force.  The initial budget for this task force was 25 million dollars.  Mr. Arno and I have learned from sources within the Federal Government that, since there was no money to fund this task force, they used, you guessed it, stimulus dollars to fund this.  How do you like that, Contractors?  Your tax money is being used to put you out of business.  So laws that were meant to protect are now used to attack the citizens of this great Nation.

Now, for the standards we are judged by.  Actually, they change with the wind.  As many contractors can attest, the aforementioned Shelliejo Merrill changes the compliance criteria for every independent contractor she audits.  If you hold to the letter of the law, which I did with my business, she will simply just close your accounts of her own volition without your authorization.

The threshold for the amount of monies that can be paid out to an independent contractor by a business is set at $30,000.  As many of you can verify, one sub-contract can break that threshold thereby classifying you as an employee of the general contractor.  Again, this is called divide and conquer.  Sub-contractors will be afraid to bid jobs that are substantial.  They will also be hesitant to make repetitive bids to the same general contractor.    This will break apart many strong and functioning contractual relationships, which is the bedrock of the construction industry.

One regulation is so ludicrous it takes a man three to four times to read it through in order to believe it.  It states that the sub-contractor cannot provide the same services as the general contractor.  So, a homebuilder cannot hire any sub-contractors who do home building.  I’m sure we would all prefer to have our house framed by a seamstress and, if she’s ever sewn curtains for a house, she out, too!

One contractor was fined, by Shelliejo Merrill, because he hired a painter who was not licensed with the State of Maine.  The State of Maine does not require painters to be licensed!  The only trades required to be licensed in this state are plumbers and electricians.

The sad truth is that laws have been manipulated to target the working people of America using their own tax dollars.  Even in the face of a government machine and laws formed to bind us, we must not retire!  We must not capitulate!  It is our responsibility to stand firm and fight for matters most, that is, the future of our children.  My brothers and sisters, perhaps we may not be able to enjoy the fruits of prosperity ourselves, but if we unify, if we sacrifice our comforts now, I believe, our children will reap the rewards of our efforts.  I leave you with a quote from a man much greater than I.  “To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” – Thomas Jefferson

So, let’s go shop for a car.  We walk into the car lot bubbling with expectation.  Finally, we will be able to fill that pressing need for our family.  The past year, traveling to and from work has been an adventure, to say the least, but now, we’ve saved enough capital to purchase something a little more trustworthy.

After a lengthy perusal of the lot, we approach the salesman and point out the vehicle we think is within our budget.  To our shock, the salesman informs us that customers from the State of Maine cannot purchase cars from the lot.  He directs us toward a car behind the building that has a placard in front of it marked “Car for Maine”.  The salesman explains, due to stringent regulations set forth by the State, Mainers can only purchase this model.  He flashes his Jimmy Carter grin and starts his sales pitch.

This car can go from “0” through the sound barrier in 3.2 seconds.  It is equipped with hovercraft technology personally designed by Jimmy Neutron and tested by his close friend, the late Sheen.  This car also comes standard with sensory components to keep your vehicle from hitting any deer, moose, or those pesky darting squirrels.   When we timidly ask for something that just…drives…to …work?  We are forcefully, emphatically reminded that there is but one choice for Mainers.

That, in essence, is the problem with Health Care in Maine.  There is no choice.  The Left keeps clamoring for socialized medicine and lauding its benefits.  We, in Maine, are living it.

In a conversation with Representative Pete Johnson of Greenville Maine, I was reminded that at the true core of freedom is choice.  Mr. Johnson was adamant in his belief that when companies must compete with each other to gain customers, the customer always wins.  The State of Maine allows neither of these to happen.  Companies cannot compete.  Customers cannot choose.  So, a basic solution would be to allow choice and competition.

At the urging of those I have interviewed, I have done a little experiment online.  I have done a zip code comparison between New Hampshire and Maine.  As stated last week, all that was available in the State of Maine for Health insurance was one HMO with two variations, HMO Basic and HMO Standard.  My monthly premium for a healthy non-smoking male age 41 is $1,089.37 Basic or $1,314.77 Standard.  That’s my choices…that is it…State of Maine…that is…all…  Now switch zip codes to New Hampshire….and, it’s all a whole new world.

First of all, I had twenty different plans to choose from.  After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I did the math…hmmm, twenty minus one….then, double-check with my abacus…and…yep, that’s nineteen more choices than Maine.  The basic plan starts at $154.58 per month.  Now, I know, I’m just a cave-dwelling Conservative from Atkinson, but I know what cheaper is.

Wait, there’s more, they have options within the options.  My favorite is the Maternity Leave option.  Yeah, the guys in New Hampshire can option out of maternity leave.  Who knew?!!  What a concept!!  The guys in Maine can’t.  No, all the men in Maine have to carry maternity leave.  You ask why??….. I don’t know!!!

As Chairman of Piscataquis County, I have an Executive Counsel that consists of learned men who are experienced in these things.  They have all assured me that there is enough research and evidence to support my belief that I do not need maternity leave.  Boy, am I glad!!  I’m sorry, but I was there when all three of my babies were born, I‘ve seen what my wife went through to earn maternity leave, and I DON’T WANT IT!!!

I guess the liberals are concerned that Global Warming may cause biological mutations in men changing them…or …something.   Oh brother, next Al Gore will put out a movie entitled “The Inconvenient Birth”.  Well, for now the masculine populace of Maine can sleep easy at night knowing that the Democrats, in their infinite wisdom, have insured that any future biological “curve balls” will be covered.  Aren’t you thankful our nanny State had such foresight?

Okay, back to reality.  The basic founding principle of free enterprise is the ability of the consumer to shop.  Products are tailored to attract the shopper.  Companies create a variety of products to attract customers with varied budgets and needs, so that, once again, the people not the Government decide what is best.  It is that principle that eliminates such idiocies as this mockery of the human intellect called Maine HealthCare.

Next week, we will look at bills, put forward by Republicans in the Maine House and Senate, defeated by Democrats, which could have reformed our Maine Health Care system.

It has been said, in politics, there are two types of people, those who make the mess (Democrats) and those who shovel it up (Republicans).  It has also been written, by this columnist, that the bastion, the bulwark, the towering edifice to which the Democrats platform desperately clings is this basic premise; If the Party called Democrat makes a mess, blame the Party called Republican; When the Party called Republican cleans up said mess, then the Party called Democrat must seize every opportunity to take the credit for it.

This has been the challenge for Conservatives.  How do you take a message to the people when the message bearers, for the most part, will only carry the message for their own Party?  In many instances, those in the Media refuse to shine any light on issues for fear it may damage the credibility of their own Party.  This has left the Republican Party with limited options in hand to use to address the people.  It has become necessary for Conservatives to economize every opportunity to speak to the Nation making them aware of the catastrophic liberal policies that are being foisted upon the American people.

The media outlets have added a new facet to their limited access tactic to combat the fervor of the Republican Party and the citizens of the Country.  By only allowing the protest to be heard and not the solutions, they can attempt to caricaturize the Conservative movement as obstructionist without having solutions.  Thankfully, the readership and viewership of liberal media is nose-diving into oblivion, therefore, the effect has not proven to be as satisfactory as Democrats would like.

This column has been filled in much of its pages with railings against the wanton destruction of liberties, hopes and futures in this great State.  I want to couple now the exposing of evil with the ideas that will correct those evils.  So with the help of the many learned and experienced Conservative leaders and candidates from my readerships areas, we will embark on a journey, a journey of solutions.

Lets just dive in headlong.  That’s the way we do things at The Maine Conservative Voice.  Lets tackle healthcare.  How’s that for creating a fuss?  Like I don’t have enough angry “crittahs” buzzing around me all ready…right?!  I want to approach these issues from the perspective of the State of Maine.

Simply put, the State of Maine has some of the, if not the, highest healthcare costs in the Nation.  In a conversation with Mayor Paul Lepage, Republican Candidate for Governor, he mentioned that Etna Insurance has several policies that cover residents of the rest of the other forty-nine States but has only one policy that it can sell in Maine.  Why is that?  Representative Paul Davis and Senator Doug Smith answered my questions by explaining that there are two major contributing factors to the high cost of health insurance in Maine.

The first is a requirement called Guaranteed issue.  Guaranteed Issue demands that an insurer must provide health insurance to an individual no matter what the individual’s health circumstances or health history is.  This allows a previously uninsured person who suddenly finds himself dealing with an expensive health issue to purchase a health insurance policy.   This would be the equivalent of my losing control of my uninsured vehicle, wrapping it around a very immovable rock maple tree and then calling to purchase an auto insurance policy.  By the standards of our health insurance, they would have to insure my maple, impaled automobile.  So as you can imagine, these types of policies are high risk and demand high premiums.  Now before my dear friends, who keep sending me those adoring love notes on the svweekly website, start shouting that Conservatives are heartless and want to keep the terminally ill uninsured, Senator Doug Smith further expounded upon this problem by saying that Guaranteed Issue would not be so unpalatable to insurance companies if they were allowed to properly rate the policy to accommodate the risk.  The reason they cannot is the second major negative contributing factor.

This is called Community Rating.  The Community Rating requirement demands that insurance companies take the average of the ages of potential policyholders in the area.  The companies must charge one rate on the basis of that average.  As you can probably guess, the young and healthy don’t want to pay higher rates so the pool shrinks and the price skyrockets.

As usual, we are running out of space.   We will pick this up again next week with more depth and more interviews.  Special thanks to all who came out to shake hands at the Piscataquis Valley Fair and, to those who know who you are…I didn’t write Democratic Party once…well, now I did…sheesh.