Health care reform

Read the bill — Get your facts straight!

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 122009
 

Another type of comment that’s fun is the kind that says, “Read the bill — there are no death panels in it!”

It would be like people back in 2003 who might have said, “What do you mean we’re going to end up in a quagmire? What do you mean it’ll be another Vietnam? Where do you get the idea that it’s just going to make more terrorists? Get your facts straight! Read the 2002 authorization for military force against Iraq. There is nothing in it that says quagmire or Vietnam. There is no provision for the funding of more terrorists.”

A Surfeit of Irony

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 122009
 

The most fun to read are those criticisms of town meeting protestors that follow this pattern:

“These protestors are orchestrated by big corporations. They are spreading disinformation and lies!”

Where the moonbats hang out.

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 112009
 

Camile Paglia tries to take a liberal perspective on Obama’s healthcare gaffes, and Salon’s leftwing readers revile her in language that makes the townhall protestors sound like a mother soothing her child to sleep. One of the calmer commenters wrote:

Salon:

you’re going to get thousands of letters on this one – the Drudge squad and Salon’s own paid naysayers will swarm on Paglia’s irresponsible and dishonest assessments of the healthcare fight. This article will be linked all over the place – just watch.

Not one of those clicks will be worth it. Not one. You are dismantling your own principles.

Such mindless damage this woman does, and for nothing – just to hear her own empty, airless voice.

So I decided to prove the commenter right by linking to the article myself.

Not calling Rep. Schauer

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 082009
 

I usually don’t bother getting in touch with my U.S. Representative or Senators any more. But I thought I would send a note to Rep. Mark Schauer to encourage him to conduct one of those town hall meetings so his constituents can go and protest the Democrat health care plans. I’d even give him an advance summary of what I’d say if I’d get a chance at the microphone:

  • Our current health care system needs reform
  • It is neither right nor acceptable that so many people cannot afford health care insurance or health care.
  • We need separation of health care and state for the same reasons we need separation of church and state. A complete separation is not possible given the 1st two points, but we need to maximize personal and family choice and minimize government intrusion into our bedrooms, dining rooms, and sick rooms.
  • The plans proposed recently do not do this. Quite the opposite.

But it looks like I can’t send him an e-mail without figuring out what the plus-four number is for my zip code and putting it in a web form. I refuse to take part in demeaning activities like that, so screw it. I’d be glad to put my street address on my note, but not go through this.

And anyway, sometimes it’s better to let our representatives work in ignorance and then find themselves blindsided when they don’t understand where their constituents are coming from.

Hours and hours and hours

 Dissent, Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 082009
 

The most offensive part of Kathleen Sibelius’s remarks comes at about 1:20 in this clip. It’s an old, old ploy, but it still stinks in 2009. I’ve seen it played in public meetings on school affairs, and I’ve seen it used in church meetings. I’ve even had it played on my behalf, which is one reason that nowadays I’d rather work for change by standing on the outside and throwing rocks than working within the system.

It works like this: A committee comes up with a plan and presents it to the voters/public/whatever. But the people ask difficult questions, and it sounds like some of them might oppose it. Then comes the ploy: “This committee has worked hard on this. They’ve put in many hours of their time.”

Instead of addressing the issues and engaging the skeptics, they pull the “hours and hours” ploy as a way to silence dissent. Yuck.

And it’s even worse in the case of Congress, because “working hard” for those people means things like coming up with enough ethanol subsidies for his well-to-do constituents to lure Sen. Grassley to support the health care bill. In other words, “working hard” means “working hard to corrupt enough people to go along.”

It’s a dangerous world out there

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 062009
 

Troubled by insomnia? Here’s something to make it worse. If you’re looking for something to wake you in the middle of the night, screaming in terror, this is for you:

While the president says his plan will reduce costs, 53% believe it will have the opposite effect. (WSJ link here.)

Think about it. We have a reasonably high literacy rate in this country — not as good as it could be, but certainly higher than 53 percent. We have schools where history and math are taught. Most people have the opportunity to attend for at least a few years. We have the internet and broadcast media.

Yet 47 percent of the population doesn’t think Obama’s health care plan will increase costs.

Think about that statistic tomorrow while on the road or walking in the hallways or stopping to shop. Nearly half of the people around you are not aware that Obama’s health care plan will increase costs.

That thought can creep you out, but try to stay calm and alert. Here are some safety tips:

  • Stay alert and tuned into your surroundings.
  • Appear calm and confident in public. Look like you know where you’re going.
  • Trust your instincts. If something or someone makes you uneasy, leave.
  • Know the neighborhoods where you live, work, and attend school, including where the police stations, fire stations, public telephones, and hospitals are located.
  • Walk in the middle of the sidewalk rather than near a building or along the curb.
  • Be alert when approached by a stranger asking for directions. Project a no-nonsense attitude.
  • Use busier, better-lighted stops on public transit. Sit near the bus driver or in subway cars with several other passengers.
  • Don’t feel bullied by people who look you in the eye. Look them in the eyes. Eye contact makes everyone somewhat uneasy—use it to your advantage.

Long-term thinking

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 062009
 

I didn’t know the 1965 Medicare statute said this (as reported by the WSJ editors).

… Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize any Federal official or employee to exercise any supervision or control over the practice of medicine or the manner in which medical services are provided.

I guess the Obama campaign denials aren’t the first time we’ve learned that you can not put a huge, expensive bulldozer in motion and also guarantee it will not leave a trace of its presence. Well, you can guarantee it — even put it in writing — but it won’t matter.

BTW, the same article is also reporting on how members of Congress are hard at work trying to figure out how to make Obama’s health care plan “deficit neutral” for the first ten years. Then after that… Well, maybe it says something about the quality of health care we’ll be getting if we don’t need to think further than ten years ahead.

Coffee and the public option

 Health care reform  No Responses »
Aug 062009
 

The Wall Street Journal explains how free, unlimited wi-fi is starting to go away in coffee shops. Too many people nurse a single cup of coffee all day and use the free wireless internet, taking up table and chair space that could otherwise be made available to paying customers.

But there is not a word in the article about the lessons to be learned for government-provided health care.

Confidence

 Health care reform, Legislative process  No Responses »
Jul 142009
 

Greg Hitt of the WSJ explains how the Democrats are working over Chuck Grassley to get his vote on their health care plan.

I presume this is as a prelude to throwing him out on the street once he’s outlived his usefulness to them, as has happened to other GOP Senators who’ve gotten in bed with Democrats. But who knows? Maybe they’ll still respect him in the morning.

In any case, what we’re seeing, which is no surprise to some of us, is that Sen. Grassley’s vote is a lot more important to the Democrats than is Al Franken’s. They phrase it like this: “The White House and top Democrats think a bipartisan bill would give the public added confidence in the legislation…”

In other words, the Democrats have very little confidence in their health care plans. They’re pretty sure that once they’re enacted, it will be necessary to lower expectations, just as has happened with the Stimulus Bill.

Remember when the stimulus was urgent and important? Now we’re being told that patience is the thing, and that things will get worse before they get better, etc. etc.

Democrats realize that the same thing will happen with health care, which is why they need Chuck Grassley and maybe one or two other Republicans. When the program has been in operation long enough to have results the opposite of what are now being advertised, they’ll need to save their jobs by pointing to these Republicans and repeating the word “bipartisan” to their constituents.

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