Dear Mr. Schaefer,
Thank you for contacting me regarding Afghanistan and the recent operations in the district of Marjah. I strongly support our men and women in the military serving in Afghanistan and I am deeply grateful for their service and their sacrifice.
Eight years ago, I voted in favor of the authorization to use military force against those who planned and carried out the horrific terrorist attacks on our nation on September 11, 2001. Unfortunately, our military involvement in Iraq distracted us from our mission in Afghanistan and the global threat posed by al Qaeda, and the situation in the region has deteriorated in recent years.
While President Obama appreciates the global threat posed by al Qaeda and the importance of addressing its current safe haven in Pakistan, I am concerned that sending more troops to Afghanistan at this point may not help, and could even undermine, our efforts to address that threat. I appreciate General McChrystal's focus on protecting the Afghan population, but continuing to send more troops to Afghanistan could inflame civilian resentment and provoke militancy in the region without significantly contributing to stability. And it could further destabilize Pakistan, a nuclear-armed country where al Qaeda has a safe haven.
After eight years of war in Afghanistan, we need to acknowledge the serious risks of continuing our massive, open-ended military commitment in that country, and instead pursue a comprehensive, sustainable strategy to combat al Qaeda's global network. That is why on April 14, 2010, I introduced S. 3197, a bill that would require President Obama to establish a flexible timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Such a strategy would bolster our national security by undercutting the perception of the U.S. as an occupying force in the region, while at the same time removing a tremendous strain on our troops and our economy.
I have attached my statement for the record regarding this legislation and an op-ed on the need for a comprehensive national security strategy. For additional information on this issue, you can find video recordings of Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings at http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/, and I encourage you to visit my website for a more detailed account of my work on Afghanistan and Pakistan at http://www.feingold.senate.gov/afghanistanpakistan.html
Thank you again for contacting me. If you would like to discuss your comments further, please contact Brian Chelcun in my Washington, D.C., office at (202) 224-5323. For more information about my work on behalf of Wisconsin, you can subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter by visiting http://feingold.senate.gov/newsletter.cfm. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
According to www.business dictionary.com the definition of a hierarchical organization is as follows:
“Common, pyramid-like organization where one person is in charge of a functional area (engineering, finance, marketing) with one or more subordinates handling the sub-functions. In an hierarchical organization (whether business, military, political, or religious) higher levels imply greater superiority and domination than the lower ones, and the chain of command extends straight from the top to the bottom.”
The hierarchical organization is common in our society as you can see from the definition. It is common in business, military, political and religious organizations. When belonging to a hierarchical organization one gives up one’s freedom to some degree or another. Of course the higher that one is in the hierarchy the more freedom and more control of the organization one has. As a member of the Air Force for more than twenty years I reached the rank of Master Sergeant. I had more input into the organization than an Airman but not near the input of a General. At the top of the military hierarchy is the President of the United States. The president has full control of the military. If a subordinate does not agree with the commander-in-chief the subordinate, especially one of the lowly enlisted ranks has very few options but to obey the president or suffer the consequences. The subordinate does have some control as when his/her enlistment is up she/he can leave the military. As a citizen the military member can also vote for his/her choice as commander–in-chief and can even write in someone. That’s about it. Even if the subordinate leaves he/she still has to be complicit in some way to all actions of the commander-in-chief as the subordinate will always have to pay taxes to support military decisions or else suffer the penalties of tax evasion, fines or maybe even some prison time. Another hierarchical organization with a very powerful head (if you decide to empower him) is the Catholic Church. For those that subject themselves to the Pope’s power and control there is little one can do but do as the Pope says. Perhaps you wish to do this. That is your choice and I say less not more power to you. Choices are beautiful. The Pope is an absolute dictator who answers to no one but his version of God. However if one finds that he/she can no longer live under the hierarchical control of the Pope there is something one can do. It won’t do much good to try to change the hierarchical system unless the Pope wants to give up some control as did John XXIII. Like in all hierarchical systems the absolute head of the system usually cares less what the low level members want as opposed to conserving the organization no matter its functionality or disfunctionality. The system is not designed for the upper levels to serve the lower levels of the hierarchy but vice versa. Like with the military system one can choose to leave the Catholic Church and no longer give one’s freedom away to the hierarchy. There is one more thing that the lowly member of the religious hierarchy can do that the former military member turned civilian citizen cannot do without reprisal. That action is to take away financial support from the organization. So, if one does not agree with the workings of the hierarchy don’t support the hierarchy financially. That’s really the only power one has in the lower levels of a hierarchy. However, if one agrees with the organization stay and support it. If not, leave and don’t support it. We all have those choices.
“Common, pyramid-like organization where one person is in charge of a functional area (engineering, finance, marketing) with one or more subordinates handling the sub-functions. In an hierarchical organization (whether business, military, political, or religious) higher levels imply greater superiority and domination than the lower ones, and the chain of command extends straight from the top to the bottom.”
The hierarchical organization is common in our society as you can see from the definition. It is common in business, military, political and religious organizations. When belonging to a hierarchical organization one gives up one’s freedom to some degree or another. Of course the higher that one is in the hierarchy the more freedom and more control of the organization one has. As a member of the Air Force for more than twenty years I reached the rank of Master Sergeant. I had more input into the organization than an Airman but not near the input of a General. At the top of the military hierarchy is the President of the United States. The president has full control of the military. If a subordinate does not agree with the commander-in-chief the subordinate, especially one of the lowly enlisted ranks has very few options but to obey the president or suffer the consequences. The subordinate does have some control as when his/her enlistment is up she/he can leave the military. As a citizen the military member can also vote for his/her choice as commander–in-chief and can even write in someone. That’s about it. Even if the subordinate leaves he/she still has to be complicit in some way to all actions of the commander-in-chief as the subordinate will always have to pay taxes to support military decisions or else suffer the penalties of tax evasion, fines or maybe even some prison time. Another hierarchical organization with a very powerful head (if you decide to empower him) is the Catholic Church. For those that subject themselves to the Pope’s power and control there is little one can do but do as the Pope says. Perhaps you wish to do this. That is your choice and I say less not more power to you. Choices are beautiful. The Pope is an absolute dictator who answers to no one but his version of God. However if one finds that he/she can no longer live under the hierarchical control of the Pope there is something one can do. It won’t do much good to try to change the hierarchical system unless the Pope wants to give up some control as did John XXIII. Like in all hierarchical systems the absolute head of the system usually cares less what the low level members want as opposed to conserving the organization no matter its functionality or disfunctionality. The system is not designed for the upper levels to serve the lower levels of the hierarchy but vice versa. Like with the military system one can choose to leave the Catholic Church and no longer give one’s freedom away to the hierarchy. There is one more thing that the lowly member of the religious hierarchy can do that the former military member turned civilian citizen cannot do without reprisal. That action is to take away financial support from the organization. So, if one does not agree with the workings of the hierarchy don’t support the hierarchy financially. That’s really the only power one has in the lower levels of a hierarchy. However, if one agrees with the organization stay and support it. If not, leave and don’t support it. We all have those choices.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Church Must Take Responsibility
I recently wrote a letter to the editor of our local weekly newspaper the Rice Lake Chronotype. My letter encouraged the bishops of the Catholic Church to take responsibility for their actions and the actions of those that serve under them in this ever growing scandal of abuses perpetrated on children and adults. I have received some comments from some individuals in the local community that appreciated what I wrote. These comments were to my face. I have also heard from some contacts that some others have said that I should not air the church's dirty laundry. I am a former Catholic and deacon. I have heard that one person said we should just pray about it. Of course I disagree with the last two comments. Some have said that I am just getting even with the church. Why should I lower myself to being even with the church? Upon my leaving the church and my clerical position I asked my bishop (I no longer consider him "my" bishop)to tell me that I had done nothing wrong but the church had failed me as the church had done given me the support to which I was entitled as a church administrator. You can find my letter at Rice Lake Chronotype.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sen Herb Kohl (WI) Letter on Health Care
Dear Mr. Schaefer:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding health reform. I always enjoy hearing from people back home in Wisconsin , and I welcome this opportunity to address some of the issues you raise.
Congress has made great strides towards reforming America 's health care system. As you may know, on November 7, 2009 the House passed H.R. 3962 "Affordable Health Care for America Act," and on December 24, 2009 the Senate passed H.R. 3590 the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."
Debate on the Senate health reform bill has been passionate and at some points daunting; passage was the result of long negotiations and the culmination of more than a decade of work. This bill takes major steps in the process of cutting health care costs, while maintaining quality and expanding coverage. This bill will cover 94 percent of Americans under 65 and provide coverage for more than 31 million of the uninsured, cut the deficit by $132 billion in the first ten years and roughly $1.3 trillion over the second ten years.
I am pleased with the direction we are moving with this bill. Many of the important insurance reforms will begin as soon as the President signs the final health reform bill; insurers will be prohibited from putting a cap on lifetime benefits and will no longer be able to rescind coverage when patients become sick. Children will be permitted to stay on their parents' insurance plan until age 26, and small businesses will receive tax credits to make covering their employees more affordable. These are just a few of the provisions that will immediately help improve our health system.
For Wisconsin , the bill will provide additional federal funds for BadgerCare, alleviating some of the burden on our state budget and preserving access to care that many in Wisconsin depend on. Additionally, the bill will provide free preventive services for over 870,000 seniors in Wisconsin and will extend the solvency of Medicare for an additional decade.
I was pleased that a number of bills I sponsored have been included in the merged Senate package, including initiatives that would improve the health and long-term care of seniors and work to reduce the cost of health care. These include the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act (S.647), the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act (S.631), the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (S.301), the Medicare Payment Improvement Act of 2009 (S.1249), as well as provisions from the Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act (S.245). My hope is that these are included in the final health reform bill passed by Congress.
I understand your concerns about the role of abortion in health care reform. I recognize that abortion involves difficult and ultimately personal decisions, and that decisions about abortion should be made by a patient and her doctor. Please know that I respect the deeply held beliefs of Americans on both sides of the issue, and I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress continues to consider these important reforms.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will be sure to keep them in mind as legislation progresses through Congress.
Sincerely,
Herb Kohl
United States Senat
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding health reform. I always enjoy hearing from people back home in Wisconsin , and I welcome this opportunity to address some of the issues you raise.
Congress has made great strides towards reforming America 's health care system. As you may know, on November 7, 2009 the House passed H.R. 3962 "Affordable Health Care for America Act," and on December 24, 2009 the Senate passed H.R. 3590 the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."
Debate on the Senate health reform bill has been passionate and at some points daunting; passage was the result of long negotiations and the culmination of more than a decade of work. This bill takes major steps in the process of cutting health care costs, while maintaining quality and expanding coverage. This bill will cover 94 percent of Americans under 65 and provide coverage for more than 31 million of the uninsured, cut the deficit by $132 billion in the first ten years and roughly $1.3 trillion over the second ten years.
I am pleased with the direction we are moving with this bill. Many of the important insurance reforms will begin as soon as the President signs the final health reform bill; insurers will be prohibited from putting a cap on lifetime benefits and will no longer be able to rescind coverage when patients become sick. Children will be permitted to stay on their parents' insurance plan until age 26, and small businesses will receive tax credits to make covering their employees more affordable. These are just a few of the provisions that will immediately help improve our health system.
For Wisconsin , the bill will provide additional federal funds for BadgerCare, alleviating some of the burden on our state budget and preserving access to care that many in Wisconsin depend on. Additionally, the bill will provide free preventive services for over 870,000 seniors in Wisconsin and will extend the solvency of Medicare for an additional decade.
I was pleased that a number of bills I sponsored have been included in the merged Senate package, including initiatives that would improve the health and long-term care of seniors and work to reduce the cost of health care. These include the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act (S.647), the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act (S.631), the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (S.301), the Medicare Payment Improvement Act of 2009 (S.1249), as well as provisions from the Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act (S.245). My hope is that these are included in the final health reform bill passed by Congress.
I understand your concerns about the role of abortion in health care reform. I recognize that abortion involves difficult and ultimately personal decisions, and that decisions about abortion should be made by a patient and her doctor. Please know that I respect the deeply held beliefs of Americans on both sides of the issue, and I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress continues to consider these important reforms.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will be sure to keep them in mind as legislation progresses through Congress.
Sincerely,
Herb Kohl
United States Senat
Sen Herb Kohl on the Bradley Birkenfeld Case.
Dear Mr. Schaefer:
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about the Bradley Birkenfeld case and the enforcement of our tax code. Ensuring that everyone pays their fair share of taxes is very important to me, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue with you.
In February of 2009, the Swiss bank UBS admitted to criminal wrongdoing in their actions to hide the assets of their clients from federal taxes. As a result, the bank paid a $780 million fine and closed the unit responsible for the crime.
Bradley Birkenfeld, a former UBS banker, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in the bank's wrongdoing. Many have criticized the severity of this sentence due to the cooperation Mr. Birkenfeld is said to have offered to the Justice Department. The Justice Department has claimed that his cooperation was limited, and that it did not merit a reduced sentence for the crimes committed by Mr. Birkenfeld. I am following the situation closely, but since this is a legal matter, it would be inappropriate for me to intervene directly as a U.S. Senator.
To increase the ability of the IRS to enforce our tax code in the future, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) introduced S. 1934, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act on October 27, 2009. This legislation requires foreign banks to disclose information to the IRS about accounts subject to taxation, which American banks are already required to do. S. 1934 was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, of which I am not a member.
Please be assured I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress considers these issues. Again, thank you for contacting me and please feel free to do so again in the future.
Sincerely,
Herb Kohl
United States Senator
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about the Bradley Birkenfeld case and the enforcement of our tax code. Ensuring that everyone pays their fair share of taxes is very important to me, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue with you.
In February of 2009, the Swiss bank UBS admitted to criminal wrongdoing in their actions to hide the assets of their clients from federal taxes. As a result, the bank paid a $780 million fine and closed the unit responsible for the crime.
Bradley Birkenfeld, a former UBS banker, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in the bank's wrongdoing. Many have criticized the severity of this sentence due to the cooperation Mr. Birkenfeld is said to have offered to the Justice Department. The Justice Department has claimed that his cooperation was limited, and that it did not merit a reduced sentence for the crimes committed by Mr. Birkenfeld. I am following the situation closely, but since this is a legal matter, it would be inappropriate for me to intervene directly as a U.S. Senator.
To increase the ability of the IRS to enforce our tax code in the future, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) introduced S. 1934, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act on October 27, 2009. This legislation requires foreign banks to disclose information to the IRS about accounts subject to taxation, which American banks are already required to do. S. 1934 was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, of which I am not a member.
Please be assured I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress considers these issues. Again, thank you for contacting me and please feel free to do so again in the future.
Sincerely,
Herb Kohl
United States Senator
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sen Herb Kohl-Response to Letter Requesting Public Option
Dear Mrs. Schaefer:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding health reform. I appreciate your interest in this very important issue.
Congress has made great strides towards reforming America 's health care system. On November 7, 2009 the House passed the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," and on December 24, 2009 the Senate passed the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." Both of these bills would expand coverage to the majority of Americans, curb the rising cost of health care, cut the deficit and improve the quality and efficiency of our health care system.
Debate on the Senate health reform bill has been passionate and at some points daunting; passage was the result of long negotiations and the culmination of more than a decade of work. This bill takes major steps in the process of cutting health care costs, while maintaining quality and expanding coverage. This bill will cover 94 percent of Americans under 65 and provide coverage for more than 31 million of the uninsured, cut the deficit by $132 billion in the first ten years and roughly $1.3 trillion over the second ten years.
I am pleased with the direction we are moving with this bill. Many of the important insurance reforms will begin as soon as the President signs the final health reform bill; insurers will be prohibited from putting a cap on lifetime benefits and will no longer be able to rescind coverage when you become sick, children will be allowed to stay on their parents plan until age 26, and small businesses will receive tax credits to make covering their employees more affordable. These are just a few of the provisions that will begin to immediately help improve our health system.
For Wisconsin , the bill will provide additional federal funds for BadgerCare, alleviating some of the burden on our state budget and preserving access to care that many in Wisconsin depend on. Additionally, the bill will provide free preventive services for over 870,000 seniors in Wisconsin and will extend the solvency of Medicare for an additional decade.
I was pleased that a number of my bills were included in the bill passed by the Senate. These include the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act, the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act, the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, Medicare Payment Improvement Act of 2009, as well as provisions from the Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act. My hope is that these are included in the final health reform bill passed by Congress.
Work remains to be done before we pass a final health reform bill. Now that both the House and Senate have passed their respective bills, we will be tasked with merging the two versions of health reform. There are a number of differences between the two bills, but I am confident we will soon send a bill to the President to sign. I look forward to improving upon the bill with my colleagues in Congress until final passage.
Again, thank you for your comments. I will be sure to keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation progresses through Congress.
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding health reform. I appreciate your interest in this very important issue.
Congress has made great strides towards reforming America 's health care system. On November 7, 2009 the House passed the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," and on December 24, 2009 the Senate passed the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." Both of these bills would expand coverage to the majority of Americans, curb the rising cost of health care, cut the deficit and improve the quality and efficiency of our health care system.
Debate on the Senate health reform bill has been passionate and at some points daunting; passage was the result of long negotiations and the culmination of more than a decade of work. This bill takes major steps in the process of cutting health care costs, while maintaining quality and expanding coverage. This bill will cover 94 percent of Americans under 65 and provide coverage for more than 31 million of the uninsured, cut the deficit by $132 billion in the first ten years and roughly $1.3 trillion over the second ten years.
I am pleased with the direction we are moving with this bill. Many of the important insurance reforms will begin as soon as the President signs the final health reform bill; insurers will be prohibited from putting a cap on lifetime benefits and will no longer be able to rescind coverage when you become sick, children will be allowed to stay on their parents plan until age 26, and small businesses will receive tax credits to make covering their employees more affordable. These are just a few of the provisions that will begin to immediately help improve our health system.
For Wisconsin , the bill will provide additional federal funds for BadgerCare, alleviating some of the burden on our state budget and preserving access to care that many in Wisconsin depend on. Additionally, the bill will provide free preventive services for over 870,000 seniors in Wisconsin and will extend the solvency of Medicare for an additional decade.
I was pleased that a number of my bills were included in the bill passed by the Senate. These include the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act, the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act, the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, Medicare Payment Improvement Act of 2009, as well as provisions from the Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act. My hope is that these are included in the final health reform bill passed by Congress.
Work remains to be done before we pass a final health reform bill. Now that both the House and Senate have passed their respective bills, we will be tasked with merging the two versions of health reform. There are a number of differences between the two bills, but I am confident we will soon send a bill to the President to sign. I look forward to improving upon the bill with my colleagues in Congress until final passage.
Again, thank you for your comments. I will be sure to keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation progresses through Congress.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Senator Feingold-Reproductive Health Care
Dear Mr. Schaefer,
Thank you for contacting me regarding reproductive health care. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
As you know, Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) offered an amendment to the Senate health reform legislation that would prohibit the public option and any insurance plan sold through Health insurance exchanges to individuals purchasing with a federal subsidy from covering abortions except in the cases of danger of death of the woman, rape, or incest. The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 54-45. I opposed the amendment.
On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed H.R. 3950 "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" by a vote of 60 to 39, with my support. The legislation prohibits mandatory abortion coverage as part of a minimum benefits package, and prohibits federal funds being used for abortions unless the pregnancy is due to rape, incest, or the life of the mother is in danger. You can find the text of the bill at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3590pp.txt.pdf.
I support a woman's right to choose. I feel very strongly that Congress should seek to regulate abortions only within the constitutional parameters set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court. I have also always believed that decisions in this area are best handled by the individuals involved, in consultation with their doctors and guided by their own beliefs and unique circumstances, rather than by government mandates.
I will continue to work in the U.S. Senate to develop and expand programs that will help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and provide a full range of choice to all women.
Again, thank you for contacting me. As health care reform moves forward, I will continue working to improve access to health care and make health care more affordable for the people of Wisconsin. You can learn more about my work on health care reform at my website at http://feingold.senate.gov/healthreform.html. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Thank you for contacting me regarding reproductive health care. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
As you know, Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) offered an amendment to the Senate health reform legislation that would prohibit the public option and any insurance plan sold through Health insurance exchanges to individuals purchasing with a federal subsidy from covering abortions except in the cases of danger of death of the woman, rape, or incest. The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 54-45. I opposed the amendment.
On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed H.R. 3950 "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" by a vote of 60 to 39, with my support. The legislation prohibits mandatory abortion coverage as part of a minimum benefits package, and prohibits federal funds being used for abortions unless the pregnancy is due to rape, incest, or the life of the mother is in danger. You can find the text of the bill at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3590pp.txt.pdf.
I support a woman's right to choose. I feel very strongly that Congress should seek to regulate abortions only within the constitutional parameters set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court. I have also always believed that decisions in this area are best handled by the individuals involved, in consultation with their doctors and guided by their own beliefs and unique circumstances, rather than by government mandates.
I will continue to work in the U.S. Senate to develop and expand programs that will help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and provide a full range of choice to all women.
Again, thank you for contacting me. As health care reform moves forward, I will continue working to improve access to health care and make health care more affordable for the people of Wisconsin. You can learn more about my work on health care reform at my website at http://feingold.senate.gov/healthreform.html. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
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