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Are We Ignoring Results?
There is an old saying which states “liberal policies care about the poor in theory- it’s the real poor they have a problem with”. Having spent many years in poverty as a child, I am intimately familiar with the pain of hunger and the burning desire for a better tomorrow. I will not be lectured by elites about their intentionally cryptic notions of “fairness”. It is my personal relationship with a past filled with painful memories of waking up hungry and the realization that it wasn’t just a bad dream that motivates me to confront an ideology that has imprisoned generations in an endless state of poverty. This sentence, imposed by decades of bureaucratic mismanagement, is marketed to the disadvantaged among us as a “gift” from self-anointed political philanthropists.
I refuse to accept the misguided notion, blindly propagated by institutional elites, that the political party best representing the interests of struggling lower income communities is the liberal wing of the Democratic party. When I analyze the issues I encounter most on the campaign trail, the economy and healthcare, I am deeply troubled by the quality issues in our prize city of Baltimore.
The Baltimore economy has been struggling to attract new businesses for decades. An exodus of tens of thousands of its citizens has not helped, as those leaving have taken their intellectual capital with them. A litany of new taxes and a “bureaucracy first, people second” approach to governing has led to an environment where the remaining citizens are viewed simply as tools to support the bureaucracy rather than the inverse. A well written op-ed piece by Steve Hanke and Stephen Walters in the Wall Street Journal on this very subject uses this stunning statistic which sums up the utter failure of Baltimore’s reliance on liberal economic ideology, “in 1950, the city’s median income was 7% above the national average. Today it is 22% below it.”
To add to the economic absurdity, the Mayor of Baltimore has now raised the “temporary” bottle tax, as if the chimerical dreams of a flourishing economy and streams of tax revenue were simply being subdued by the tax rate and not the underlying economic principles. We as Republicans must walk proudly into these communities, as I regularly do, and profess our ideas for growth, which are blind to socioeconomic class. I refuse to accept that a proud city, with infrastructure, public transit, access to the northeast corridor, a world class port and proximity to another major metropolitan area (Washington D.C.), should be relegated to a second class economy. I will not stand idle, while the good citizens of this great city are subjected to another minute of this “ignore the results” ideology.
With thousands of struggling lower income citizens utilizing Medicaid as a primary means of seeking access to healthcare, and ever increasing enrollment into the program, one would think, absent the facts, that the program serves the poor well. With their numerous speeches about “fairness” and “equality” it is easy to see why so many are misled. However, when we look again at the actual results of their “generosity” with our money, the story changes dramatically. An oft quoted University of Virginia study has shed light on the results on this program. The statistic that should ring alarm bells reads, a Medicaid recipient is 97% more likely to die after surgery than a person with private insurance. Wait, it gets much worse, a Medicaid recipient is 13% more likely to die after surgery than a person with no insurance at all. In what dictionary does this suffice as a definition of “help”?
With this piece I ask, rather I implore those at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale; please vote for change in 2012. Please allow us a shot at repairing decades of damage to your economy, your education system and your access to quality healthcare. Vote for change and hold us accountable. The worst possible outcome would be more of the same and you have a subsequent election to change it back if dissatisfied. Please stop going on blind dates in the voting booth. I will not stop sounding the siren and will fight for every vote in every Maryland community. And for those who continue to tell me I am wasting my time I ask you, “what are you doing to fight for those who need us most?”
Dan Bongino is the Republican nominee for United States Senate in Maryland
His campaign website is www.Bongino.com
Joe Robinson
9:23 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Good Luck Dan! You got my vote!
Joe
10:21 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I have heard you on numerous local and national radio programs as well on TV. I think you are outstanding and I am trying to spread your name amongst my peers as you definitely have my vote. Good luck sir.
JTS53
10:29 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Dan, Thanks for being a fresh voice for intelligent change in a state begging for enlightened leadership. Maryland would be vastly improved with you as our Senator. Keep up the good fight!
Kymmie202
11:47 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I am open to hearing your arguments and they sound good on paper. However, my question is, what changes are the republicans advocating that won't extend the current circumstances. Obama came into office facing a lot of debt and beaurocratic issues that were previously managed by a republican administration. What has changed from those 8 years to now. What are the republicans advocating for change that would change the current situation. I am seriously on the fence and not sure that I trust either party to provide more than elitist rhetoric.
Rick Hudson
1:30 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
"What has changed from those 8 years to now."... That is exactly the point. The Democrats, specifically Nancy Pelosi, promised that they would change things for the better in 100 days. Over 1000 days later nothing has changed for the better in fact many would argue all the change has been for the worse.
Kymmie202
3:24 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Rick, My question was....The 8 prior years that the republicans were in office were pretty bleak when you look at the numbers. As I said at this point I am neither democrat or republican, but I would really like to entertain what the changes are on the republican agenda from those 8 years. I don't want a repeat of that either. I find it interesting that when someone questions the republican agenda they are often faced with negative comments. It would be great if someone would answer the question for those who are truly on the fence instead of being shot down. What exactly has Mr. Bognino posted in his article to give an undecided person the impetus to choose republican. If I am that poor struggling person that he mentioned in the article, what are the Republicans offering that is not currently being offered. Or what is being offered that should be changed and why?
Rick Hudson
3:42 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I miss understood your question, my apologies.
Corbin Dallas Multipass
3:58 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
http://www.bongino.com/issues.html has what I think you're looking for.
Theresa Defino
11:59 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
It's so easy to criticize the system, and yet no offer not a single concrete proposal for change. It could be because Mr. Bongino has never held elective office--anywhere on any level--and also does not appear to ever have served on any advisory board anywhere, either. In short, he is completely unqualified for this (and maybe most other) high office.
Funny how he blames "elites," yet boasts of his "elite" Secret Service jobs.
Tony Guercio
1:23 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Mr. Bongino has offered nothing but solutions. Maybe you should listen to him speak before passing judgment because there is an R next to his name. Please explain what qualifies a person for office. I guess a man who has never had a job and has voted for every tax increase and won his first seat because he had the same last name as his retiring uncle is your definition of qualified. Or maybe to be qualified you have to vote for failed social policies for 45 years. Ben Cardin was still in college when he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, yet he is more qualified than a man who owns 3 small businesses and put his life on the line for his country. Do some research before spouting off liberal talking points.
Amy Leahy
10:29 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
@Theresa Defino - I spoke with Dan about the article and he mentioned to me he specifically did not address the 'solutions' in this post. It was so long he decided to write another one to address those ideas.
Perhaps I should say something about your "elites" comment. To begin, the definition of elite:
adjective:
1. (of a person or class of persons) considered superior by others or by themselves, as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society: elitist country clubbers who have theirs and don't care about anybody else.
2. catering to or associated with an elitist class, its ideologies, or its institutions: Even at such a small, private college, Latin and Greek are under attack as too elitist.
noun:
3. a person having, thought to have, or professing superior intellect or talent, power, wealth, or membership in the upper echelons of society: He lost a congressional race in Texas by being smeared as an Eastern elitist.
4. a person who believes in the superiority of an elitist class.
The U.S. Secret Service is considered to be an elite organization to work for, no doubt. They come by that because of the job they perform and also the skills and talent one needs to be selected for the job. Dan's use of the words "institutional elites" clearly refers to people who have an attitude of elitism, as defined in the #1 definition.
Theresa Defino
1:34 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Please outline his solutions. He offers none.
It's not a "liberal talking point" to ask someone running for U.S. Senate to have some previous experience in governance. I don't care what party or she is from.
He has no experiences that would prepare him for this job. He is unqualified. I've done my research on Mr. Bongino -- believe me it didn't take long! Obviously you haven't.
To say Cardin "has never held a job" is not only a lie but provides evidence that you don't understand how the Maryland legislature operates.
jag
2:15 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
“in 1950, the city’s median income was 7% above the national average. Today it is 22% below it.”
You can't honestly be blaming that on some ill-defined "liberal economic ideology". Try decades of white flight, sprawl, the resulting concentration of unemployed/uneducated, failed 60s "urban renewal", insufficient investment in education, crack, decline in manufacturing, outsourcing, etc. etc. etc.
Massive oversimplification and name calling...yeah, I'm sure that'll get you a lot of votes. Or not.
Theresa Defino
3:14 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
He picks weird non-issues to take a non-stand on, esp. for someone running for U.S. Senate. His last post was against the MoCo bag tax.
Trista Rassofsky
3:36 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Perhaps it's Mr. Bongino's absence from politics as usual that makes him far more qualified than Mr. Cardin who embodies that philosophy. He's someone who understands kitchen table issues in a stagnant economy far more than someone who rubber stamps every proposal by his colleagues. I highly suggest meeting Mr. Bongino to exchange ideas, Ms. Defino, before criticizing him for not having any.
Theresa Defino
5:40 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I read his blog post above, and saw none. I read his website and saw none. Why can't you just admit--the emperor has no clothes! (And he is going to lose.)
Chris W
6:18 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Like Cardin did anything.
But you are correct. He will probably lose. There are more feeding at the trough than filling it.
Theresa Defino
5:41 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
And not one of you can articulate a single solution he has put forward. That says a lot as well (or nothing as the case may be).
Leanne
3:16 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Great article Dan! You have my vote. To get the votes of those who are still unconvinced, please put forward your common sense solutions for them to chew on.
Rusty Vaughan
4:49 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Mr Bongino, I write this with respect and absent of sarcasm. I'm interested in seeing a new face and new solutions. I have never met you and heard your name. I was impressed with the eloquence of your words and the accompanying photo. There was no substance. Might you make some positive action statements you propose for the obvious problems. With all seriousness this is what I read. The numbers represent paragraphs.
1. Experienced Pain. Will not be lectured by the elites
2. Refuse misguided notion that the party to best represent lower income is the liberals of the Democrats
3. Baltimore economy is struggling. Capital has left. Taxes and bureaucracy govern. Median income is low compared to 1950
4. Mayor raised the bottle tax
Republicans must walk proud
Refuse to accept that Baltimore should be relegated to a second class city
You will not stand idle
5.Thousands of low income use Medicaid as healthcare and should not
Medicaid recipient is more likely to die than someone who is not accepting Medicaid
6.Want a shot at repairing decades of damage to economy, education.
The worst you can do is no change and you can be replaced at the next election
You'll stop the siren
Mr. Bongino, we have too many talkers today. We need action, original thought, and statements for which you have been and will be held accountable. These words reduce to very little substance. With all respect, you are asking us to hire you to take care of our country. Could you take another shot.
Amy Leahy
7:14 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Rusty the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results....THAT would be your "friend" Ben (Cardin). Dan, unlike our POTUS and Cardin, doesn't have a history of playing the political game. He is not in this race to make a career of politics but for the future of his children (and your grandchildren).
Ron Pagano
2:46 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
What nonsense & typical, but false, GOP strategy point. This is an article that is being circulated to all small-town papers in MD by the Bongino campaign, not from a local resident! It's a Bongino Press Release! One thing I agree with: Bongino is an "outsider", born & raised in NYC & in MD for a couple of years!
There's an older saying, "Statistics lie!"! The writer quotes stats that sound plausible on their face; in fact, the stats alone, ARE plausible. The problem is in the results implied from the stats.
True: “in 1950, the city’s median income was 7% above the national average. Today it is 22% below it.” The surprise is that the writer sees this as a surprise at all! OF COURSE median income is lower today; the city has one of the highest concentrations of poor in the entire State. Why? First, 'white flight" of the '60s and '70s...white, middle & upper-class residents couldn't sell their homes fast enough when the first African-American moved into the neighborhood. Like so many inner cities across the country, the white community gave in to their fear & prejudice instead of staying put & learning more about their neighbors. Only in the last decade have we seen the influx of young professionals, seeking city atmosphere & closeness to their work place; the tide is beginning to turn.
Recently, economic debacle destroyed progress. Two wars, wealthy tax cuts (requiring us to borrow to pay for the wars), hemorrhage of 700k job losses (a month)..we all know the rest.
Ron Pagano
3:01 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
PT 2 of my post:
The other stats, dealing with the mortality rate of Medicaid patients after surgery, are no less reasonable on their face - UNTIL, you review what the writer is saying: "a Medicaid recipient is 97% more likely to die after surgery than a person with private insurance. Wait, it gets much worse, a Medicaid recipient is 13% more likely to die after surgery than a person with no insurance at all."
Of course, he doesn't give us the whole story; a strategy the GOP adopted, seeing that it worked so well for Fox News pundits Beck, Hannity & O'Reilly. The writer is not exactly lying, but, he doesn't give us the entire set of facts so we can make a rational & objective decision of his presumption: Medicaid is so bad that it is worse than having no insurance at all!
OF COURSE, the Ryan-led, GOP, budget-busting, wealthy tax-cutting, middle-class tax increasing, social program dismantling strategists want us to believe that. The truth is that the writer keeps other factors secret, such as medical, living, social & economic conditions, of those who died after Medicaid surgery. One of the obvious factors is that, historically, Medicaid patients have come from a lower socio-economic class, with poor diet & fewer preventative Dr visits, hence, a higher complication after surgery.
Ron Pagano
3:02 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
Pt 3 of my post:
ALSO, the UoV study has been usurped as incorrect & incomplete by a Harvard U study, published in the NE Journal of Medicine. According to the NY Times, It conclusively showed that Medicaid does save lives, especially compared with having no insurance at all.
So, the final message here? Caveat lector = reader beware: If a letter to the editor sounds like, looks like & smells like campaign literature, it probably is! BTW, I am NOT a Cardin campaign worker! OK...NOW I'm done! ;)
Judith Moylan-Forman
5:06 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
Also Ron,
The U of Va study's lead author, Dr. Damian La Par, M.D. , has subsequently written himself that their research had "several noteworthy limitations" and was "flawed."
The Washington Times, and its' columnist/physician Dr. Milton Wolf, have pushed this flawed U of Va study to attack the health care policies of the Obama administration.
Amy Leahy
10:57 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
I get so disheartened reading these comments from the liberal Democrats! Honestly, we throw more money at the schools and they get worse; we throw more money into the bay and it gets dirtier; we spend more money on social programs and we increase the numbers of people living in poverty; we extend the amount of time one can spend getting unemployment and then tell them they do not have to go out and look for a job; we spend millions on making it easier for people to vote (early voting, register to vote online; register at the MVA) but cry that our schools need more money; we don't have money for the bay, schools, the disadvantaged, the poor, the babies, police, fire, BUT we can spend many millions on THREE special sessions because our Democrat governor and Democrat legislators didn't get what they wanted during the regular sessions. ....when is enough, well....enough?
The fact that there is a candidate out there who says he will not play those games has just got the liberal's panties in a collective wad.