Words to Live By Since 1993 A SPIFF Publication Vol. 2, No. 30 Owl Gore is only a heartbeat away from the vice-presidency. Hang on, Bob! "Encouraged" is the word we use to describe the mood here at the Spiff Executive Plaza, towering over beautiful downtown Donelson, Tennessee last week as Bill Clinton seemed to raise the white flag on President Clinton's health scare proposal. With support for the plan collapsing in Congress and plummeting in the polls, Bill first seemed to say that he never really meant every American should be insured under "universal coverage" when he said every American should be insured under "universal coverage" when he delivered her State of the Union address in January. Then he sought to clarify his position and dispatched the cabinet secretaries to a barrage of press conferences to do the same. Then after clarifying his position to mean that he does want every American covered, the White House announced that they would let the Congress write a plan that was not quite as radical or sweeping as President Clinton's proposal. Is that clear enough? The one solid and unmoving rock in all of this was President Clinton. While Bill floundered and wavered on the definition of "universal coverage," President Clinton stood firm in her belief that only a complete government takeover of the system can give us all the coverage we so rightfully deserve. President Clinton not withstanding, the signs from Washington are positive. Being a person driven by personal gain rather than ideology, Bill Clinton is much more eager to compromise than his wife. So, if the libs have there way, we will have a compromise in the Congress. Now, the idea of letting George Mitchell and Tom Folly write the new plan does not fill us here at Spiff with warm fuzzies and we must be cautious. Which means keeping an eye on Congressional Republicans. Bob Dole must resist the urge to cut a deal on any plan that does not guarantee complete freedom of medical choices to patients, no penalties for doctors, no new mandates (funded or unfunded) to our states or our employers or the people, and no "alliances." In short, nothing that tampers with our freedoms or gives the government even a tiny increase in its influence over our lives. In shorter, just say no. Given history, we must be concerned that Bob will agree to a compromise before the November elections, and create that increase in government control. Once the elections are over, it will be nearly impossible for Bill to get any kind of plan through Congress with the huge turnover in seats expected with the Clinton White House as the leader of the libs. We have them on the ropes. Bob needs to take stock and realize that any deal at this point is a bad deal for our freedom, our people, and our small businesses. Just hang, on and we can deal with the libs next January. Or more to the point, they can deal with us. An I for an I If I have been watching television lately in the Nashville area, I have undoubtedly seen the new commercial by Democrat gubernatorial hopeless Phil Bredesen. In the ad, Phil stresses his many achievements as mayor by telling us that "when I ran for mayor, I said that I would put more police on the streets, and I did. When I ran for mayor, I said I would end corruption in city government, and I did. I said I would revitalize downtown, and I did." What Phil didn't say was I have an ego the size of Montana, and I am paying for my own campaign because I got rich in the medical industry. He doesn't tell you that I raised your taxes because I wanted to build an arena, or at least I wanted to dig a big, overbudget hole in the ground downtown. He doesn't say that I presided, in my half-term, over a 16% rise in the crime rate in Davidson County. Or that I proclaimed myself to be a Kennedy Democrat when I spent a fortune running for Congress in 1987, but now I am calling myself a conservative. Could it be that Phil is a little enamored with himself? Don't you think we need someone with the best interests of Tennessee as Governor, rather than a political opportunist who has run for office three times, spent a fortune of his own money, lost twice, and has never served a full term? People keep saying that big egos and self-importance are the problem with the people in government. Those of you who read WTLB and plan to vote in the Democrat primary (and Lucy, you've got some 'splainin' to do.) have an opportunity to help put Phil's best interests to rest. If you must vote Democrat, vote for anyone but Phil. But we would prefer that you vote Republican. 665? What is it with these guys and their preoccupation with cards. First, Bill unveils President Clinton's Health Scare Security Card, and now our friends in Washington, specificly those of the Commission on Immigration Reform, want each of us to carry a national identification card. It's an awfully strange obsession, considering Bill's experience with his draft card. This national identification card is, of course, an unnecessary invasion of privacy--a right liberals fight fiercely to uphold whenever they feel like it. Governments of all types have this nasty tendency to take away your rights not by huge chunks, an exception in the case of the Clinton Comprehensive Care Plan (CCCP), but bit by bit. What's next, after they discover that some people don't carry the card with them at all times? A wrist band? A tattoo? A surgically implanted electronic tracking device? A government chaperone? But it is more than an invasion of privacy and a waste of billions of your dollars. It is also another example of Washington trying to solve a problem by punishing the victims. In this case, the problem is illegal immigration, and the victims are those of us who are in this country legally, either as citizens or as legal immigrants. They seem to think that this card will in some way stop the increase of illegal aliens (yes, illegal aliens, not "undocumented workers.") trying to get jobs in this country, often at the expense of American citizens. We will then be required to carry this uncounterfeitable (yeah, right) card in order to work. Once again, instead of punishing the sinner--in this case, the illegal aliens--Congress wants to punish everybody else. After all, it's our fault. If America would stop being the economic leader of the world, and President Clinton and Bill are succeeding in that area, illegal aliens wouldn't want to come here anyway. Such a national identification card, which will include your photo and your fingerprints, will be a great boost for the economy, though. Just think of the thousands of high school kids who have mastered the art of forging driver's licenses. They won't be able to keep up with the new-found demand. This miracle card will allow us to distinguish between legal and illegal aliens. We here Spiff have a better idea. We should be able to tell American citizens and legal aliens from illegal aliens because the illegal aliens will be those who have been kicked out of the country. For good. Quote of the weak: "You know, there is an old saying. If you don't have the facts on your side, yell." President Clinton, while she was yelling at the opponents of health care. Quote of the strong: "I don't know what the Clinton plan is. I don't think they know what the Clinton plan is. They're out on buses right now trying to find it." Bob Dole Words to Live By is published every week at about this time by Spiff. You can send a fax to us here in the Spiff Executive Plaza, towering over beautiful downtown Donelson, Tennessee at 615-883-0435.