Earth Day, Then and Now
The planet's future has never looked better. Here's why.
Ronald Bailey from the May 2000 issue
Thirty Years ago, 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Fifth Avenue in New York City was closed to automobiles as 100,000 people joined in concerts, lectures, and street theater.
So you put a CO2 monitoring station down wind from an active volcano. You “discover” that CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are sharply increasing. You determine that the only reasonable answer is man’s increasing carbon footprint. You apply for federal funds to investigate the coming catastrophe. You become famous for discovering this tradgey in progress – and your funding increases.
Things that make you say hummmmmmm!
Greenhouse Gas Observatories Downwind from Erupting Volcanoes
By Andrew WaldenProblems in the collection of atmospheric CO2 data parallel other absurdities in the global warming fraud. The Climategate scandal is exposing the massive and systematic fraud behind the fabrication of the worldwide temperature record necessary to make the case for global warming. But what about the record of atmospheric CO2?
The amount of fraud in climate science, particularly that being used to support the theory of man made global warming, is stunning. This article seems to describe the cornerstone.
Dead Ringer
By Ross Kaminsky on 12.4.09 @ 6:07AM
"Climategate" is first time that the magnitude of bad behavior by climate alarmist scientists was so large and so easily understood by non-scientists that even the liberal mass media can't completely ignore it (though they're doing their best.)
But the release of e-mail and data from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia in Britain showing global warming alarmist "scientists" manipulating and deleting data is far from the first time these same people have been found to be acting in distinctly non-scientific ways.
Bring the troops home – NOW! And stop capturing these animals – kill them!!!!
Navy SEALs Face Assault Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
By Rowan Scarborough
AP
March 31, 2004: Iraqis chant anti-American slogans as the charred and mutilated bodies of U.S. contractors hang from a bridge over the Euphrates River in Fallujah, Iraq.
Navy SEALs have secretly captured one of the most wanted terrorists in Iraq — the alleged mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004. And three of the SEALs who captured him are now facing criminal charges, sources told FoxNews.com.
Al Gore: Meteorologist?? I don’t need no stinking meteorologist!!!
With Hurricanes At Thirty Year Low, Gore Turns To Photoshop
The King of cap and trade simply airbrushes them in to his new book to create a more scary earth.
Hope and Change, yep, that’s the ticket.
Chasing Corporations Out Of The U.S.
By ROBERT J. HERBOLD AND SCOTT S. POWELLPosted 11/16/2009 06:16 PM ET
Unemployment is foremost on everyone's mind today. Yet jobs can continue to leave the U.S. because of the threat of new taxes, the convergence of technology, the ease of digital collaboration and ready access to abundant foreign engineering talent.
Multinational corporate executives may have to move R&D, product development, management and manufacturing overseas when there is no longer a comparative advantage to staying in the United States. A shocking thought for sure, but it's the new reality.
Reading the news lately I got a bit nostalgic for 1969 – it seemed that surely I have been transported back in time. It was a bit more than a year after Tet (does anyone remember what “Tet” was??) and I had just received orders for Vietnam. I was on a small island off the west coast of Taiwan and had volunteered for Vietnam a few months earlier. My orders were my Christmas present for my mother. She was devastated, I was elated and excited. I’m not sure she ever understood my decision or forgave me for her year of fear and worry.
However, unbeknownst to me, at home the tide had turned against the Vietnam War. I was to become a “baby killer”, a destroyer of villages and the hopes of the Vietnamese. Who knew? By the time I returned to “the world” in April of 1971 our nation had begun to abandon the victory of Tet, decrease our troop strength to the point that previously secured areas quickly became more dangerous and funding for our Vietnamese allies began to dry up in our Congress. Four short years later, as the North Vietnamese abandoned the Paris Peace Accords and launched full scale invasion, our Congress pulled all funding – assuring the death of 3 million innocents and the subjugation of the Vietnamese people that continues to this day. I am still ashamed of America’s choice.
Which brings me to todays’ headlines and our current situation in Afghanistan. The current headline in favor sounds something like “Obama continues to dither”. Buried beneath the defense of his actions resides a simple truth – he is totally incapable of making a decision. That was clear prior to his election by a simple review of this state and federal voting record. His single most favorite vote was “present”. A year after election he has yet to find his footing. As a retired officer with 21 years of service, perhaps I could offer a few ideas.
Have a clear-eyed mission.
Muster all necessary resources – money, equipment and soldiers.
Accept nothing but victory.
President Obama is either unwilling or unable to do these three things. Our path forward in Afghanistan is then clear – surrender and leave – quickly! As I type these words, we as a community, have one of our Troop 47 Eagle Scouts doing convoy duty in Baghdad. Two others are attending BOLC (one awaiting Ranger school and the other preparing for deployment in the Spring) and yet another in ROTC at U of I. Not to mention the other community members, family and friends we have all seen pack their rucksacks and get on the bus. They deserve a clear mission, total support and the opportunity for victory. They are not getting this from this administration. To me, that means it’s time for them to come home – quickly.
There will be consequences to this withdrawal of course.
The Taliban will be resurgent and will surely retake the country. For those who do not remember their rampage against civil society and the women of the country, a search of YouTube still displays their public executions, beheadings and beatings of women and girls. Ah, the return to the good old days.
The training camps will return as well, allowing ample space for planning the next attack on the U.S. – which will follow our exit as surely as it did when we ran with our tail between our legs from Somalia after President Clinton sacrificed the 18 Rangers made famous by “Blackhawk Down”.
Finally, our abandoning the fight will strengthen our enemies, embolden their attacks and virtually ensure a new and devastating attack on our homeland.
On the plus side, our troops will be safe within our borders and they will have some time to refit and heal before the next attack.
By the time I returned to the U.S. soldiers that were killed in Vietnam were called “wasted”. President Obama does not have the courage, heart or willingness to commit to victory in Afghanistan, it’s time to come home – NOW – to insure not a single soldier’s life is “wasted”!
Climate bill's 'emergency provision' gives Obama strong-man powers UPDATED! | Washington Examiner
By: EXAMINER EDITORIAL HOT ZONE ALERT
-
November 10, 2009(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
Both the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade energy approved earlier this year and the version just okayed by Sen. Barbara Boxer’s Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s Democrats (Republicans boycotted the vote) contains an obscure but nasty bureaucratic provision that requires President Obama to act like Venezuelan strong man Hugo Chavez.
Here’s how: The bills require a federal declaration of a “climate emergency” if world greenhouse gas levels reach 450 parts per million. Guess what? The Pacific Northwest National Lab says it is a virtual certainty that level will be reached within a few months. The bill then requires the president to “direct all Federal agencies to use existing statutory authority to take appropriate actions...to address shortfalls" in achieving needed greenhouse gas reductions.
Perfect, just perfect!
Twenty years later: Why the Berlin Wall fell:Swaminomics:S A Aiyar's blog-The Times Of India
Twenty years later: Why the Berlin Wall fell S A Aiyar Sunday October 25, 2009
We are approaching the 20th anniversary of the fall of Communism. This comprehensively refuted the Communist claim to represent the people. Yet, the claim continues, sometimes dazzling a new generation of youngsters with no inkling of why the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989.
My favorite paragraph:
Communists and socialists everywhere, including in India, were dismayed. They could not understand why East Germans blessed with income equality, free social welfare and full employment should flee to the highly unequal West, which bristled with unemployment and social perils. An answer came in a letter to a newspaper editor.
‘‘My daughter’s hamster (a pet white mouse) has food, water, shelter and even medical care, and a cage full of fun curly tubes. The hamster responds by constantly trying to chew his way to freedom. I think we all understand what freedom is, and it is not a gilded cage.’’
Is anyone in Congress paying attention?? Anyone?
Betsy McCaughey: What the Pelosi Health Care Bill Really Says - WSJ.com
What the Pelosi Health-Care Bill Really Says
Here are some important passages in the 2,000 page legislation.
By BETSY MCCAUGHEY
The health bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is bringing to a vote (H.R. 3962) is 1,990 pages. Here are some of the details you need to know.
I love Rush. Two reasons: 1) he goes straight at you. There is no hidden agenda. He knows what he believes and he states it clearly and plainly. 2) He backs up what he says with clear and concise points. This has got to be driving the Obama left nuts today!
For your viewing pleasure.
Let me get this straight: Russia complains about a missile defense system that the US is about to build in Poland to protect Europe from nuclear missile attacks because it poses a "threat" to them. Obama bows and stops the installation - on the anniversary of the invasion of Poland by Russia.
Russia returns the favor by launching a simulated nuclear attack on Poland during their most recent war games.
Am I missing something??
Russia 'simulates' nuclear attack on Poland
Russia has provoked outrage in Poland by simulating an air and sea attack on the country during military exercises.
When Europeans think that Obama has become a coward it's something our enemies take note of.
It is to Obama's credit that he has boldly called for an assessment of the situation in Afghanistan after a seven-year US presence there. Nevertheless, as Clausewitz wrote, "courage is not simply a counterweight to danger, to be used for neutralizing its effects: It is a quality on its own," and Obama's administration currently creates the impression that it has been abandoned by courage.
"Abandoned by courage" - what a nice turn-of-phrase. Much nicer than coward.
Rush has been playing clips from what has become known as Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech given in 1964 on national television on behalf of, and sponsored by, Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign. I remember this speech, it was part of my 8th grade government class. If was nearly one year after Kennedy's assassination and a few weeks before the 1964 election. Goldwater was badly beaten by LBJ and the Republican party was pronounced dead. Reagan came back with unbelievable strength in 1980 beating Jimmy Carter and starting a two-term presidency that saw the fall of the Soviet Union, the reduction of taxes by nearly 50% and an increase in federal revenues that few have matched. Entrepreneurs made good use of this new found wealth to introduce America to home computers, a flood of software products and the cell phone creating untold millions of jobs.
His speech is worth the 1/2 hour invested in listening to it.
Here are links to the text of the speech as well as the youtube video.
We have certainly drifted from Reagan's common sense view of America, its purpose and its foundation.
Over half of our electrical power comes from coal. To those who actually listened to Obama as he campaigned, his war on coal comes as no surprise. Evidently those living in coal states weren't listening.
War on coal
While campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama said his cap-and-trade tax plans would "bankrupt" anyone building a coal-fired power plant. Although those taxes haven't materialized, the Environmental Protection Agency has put the brakes on 79 surface mining permits in four states since he was elected.
Hello - America??? Is anyone home?? Hello??
US government seeks new way to seize companies
Oct 26, 2009
Legislation to be introduced in Congress will make it easier for the US government to seize control of troubled financial institutions that are considered too big to be allowed to fail, The New York Times says.
Finally, the language is out there. Seems like plenty of people are pouring over it, myself included. I intend this post to be a running total of "interesting" items. Let's get started.
They are going to count your company health insurance as income. This year. From Section 6002 on page 1435: INCLUSION OF COST OF EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH COVERAGE ON W–2The definition of taxable income is revised to include "the aggregate cost of applicable employer-sponsored coverage". . . "The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009."
UPDATE:
Special Considerations for Reid?? Nah, say it isn't so!
Reid Leads Democrats In Carving Out Favors for States on Health
Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Nevada would get help with its Medicaid bills. The elderly in Florida and New York would receive additional Medicare benefits. And workers in so-called high-risk professions such as firefighting and construction would get a break on a new insurance tax.
Those are provisions that Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid, put in an $829 billion health-care bill to shield constituents from measures intended to pay for the biggest overhaul of the medical system in four decades.
CO2 driven global warming is not supported by the dataBy Girma J OrssengoCO2 -- many seek to regulate it, legislate it, tax it, capture it, sequester it, cap it, trade it or otherwise control it. And they who do would have us risk nothing less than worldwide economic destruction based on the theory that not doing so will inevitably lead to catastrophic global warming. But one need only study the past two centuries of climate history to conclude that CO2 simply does not drive global warming.
So how is the US doing in reducing energy dependence and pollutants in the atmosphere?? You're not seeing these charts in the MSM.
Graph of the Day for October 18, 2009Randall Hoven
"Every day we need more and more energy to run our factories, airplanes, cars, ships, computers and other modern marvels. Some of the energy we now consume comes from burning petroleum that is derived from crude oil. Other major energy sources include coal, natural gas and uranium. Unfortunately, using these materials leads to numerous environmental problems. In addition, none of these energy sources is renewable. In other words, their supplies are limited and become harder to get every day."
A glimpse of our future under Obama care.
Paying the Health Tax in Massachusetts
Be warned: Even people with good insurance will risk fines if mandatory insurance becomes the national law.
Cape Cod, Mass.
My husband retired from IBM about a decade ago, and as we aren't old enough for Medicare we still buy our health insurance through the company. But IBM, with its typical courtesy, informed us recently that we will be fined by the state.
Why? Because Massachusetts requires every resident to have health insurance, and this year, without informing us directly, the state had changed the rules in a way that made our bare-bones policy no longer acceptable. Unless we ponied up for a pricier policy we neither need nor want—or enrolled in a government-sponsored insurance plan—we would have to pay $1,000 each year to the state.
Wendy Williams: Paying the Health Tax in Massachusetts - WSJ.com
I was Ben online the other day. He’s one of the Eagle Scouts I worked with in scouting. He’s nearly 20 now. He’s in Iraq, at Baghdad. The story I heard from him before he went was motor pool or some such thing. So, I ask, “how’s it goin;?” “Going good” he says, “but kinda hairy outside the wire.” Outside the wire"? Seems he’s doing convoy escort duty for the Iraqis'. Convoys – geez I hated those things. Never got used to the roads even though I seldom had to take a convoy from point to point. But daily?
So tonight I say him again online tonight. I left him to his evening but I was grateful he was there – I know he’s safe for tonight. I suspect I will look for him alot online.
Hope and Change and . . . . . . . taxes?????
A 70 Percent Tax on Work
President Obama said Monday that the debate on health care has gone on long enough, and now is the time to pass something.
But does Congress, let alone the public, really understand what these bills would mean for the health sector and the wider U.S. economy? In 1994, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a lengthy assessment of the Clinton administration’s proposal, covering everything from its distributional consequences to the budgetary treatment of its various moving parts. The public should get the same kind of thorough review of what Obamacare would mean before Congress takes any further steps toward passage.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid . . . .
No Joke-Obama Considering Afghanistan Strategy Which Says "The Taliban Really Like US "
Word is leaking out how the President of the United States is going to explain backing away from General McCrystal's recommendation--Magic. I'm totally serious, in one magic-like act, President Obama is going to wave a wand and declare that the Taliban is no longer our enemy. According to the NY Times, Obama is looking at adopt the Sally Fields strategy "You Like me, You Really Like me":
President Obama’s national security team is moving to reframe its war strategy by emphasizing the campaign against Al Qaeda in Pakistan while arguing that the Taliban in Afghanistan do not pose a direct threat to the United States, officials said Wednesday.
This is what true hope and change looks like.
African DynamoPosted by: Mark Frauenfelder
on September 29, 2009 at 8:06 am
How a Malawian teenager harnessed the power of the wind.
William Kamkwamba’s parents couldn’t afford the $80 yearly tuition for their son’s school. The boy sneaked into the classroom anyway, dodging administrators for a few weeks until they caught him. Still emaciated from the recent deadly famine that had killed friends and neighbors, he went back to work on his family’s corn and tobacco farm in rural Malawi, Africa.
No one wants to hang with the weak horse. Hope and change, Hope in change.
The demise of the dollar
In a graphic illustration of the new world order, Arab states have launched secret moves with China, Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading
By Robert Fisk
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.
More evidence global warming is a hoax.
For years, claims that UN climate reports represent the consensus of the majority of international scientists have been mindlessly accepted and regurgitated by left-leaning policy makers and the media at large. But in the past week or so, it’s become more apparent than ever that those who’ve accused the international organization of politicizing science and manipulating data have been right all along
The past nine months have been illustrative of President Obama’s world view. He believes a weaker, diminutive and withdrawn America is preferable to a strong, vibrant and assertive one. This certainly is in line with the liberal viewpoint of American politics during President Bush’s two terms. While taking on those that planned and executed 9/11 in Afghanistan was tolerated, the elimination of the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein was not. Throughout the 6 years of engagement with al-Qaeda troops that poured into Iraq and the establishment of a government that met all the stated goals of the Bush administration – elimination of the Hussein regime, able to defend itself and willing to hold free and open elections – President Bush was hammered for the wrong war, an illegal war, an unjust war. Yet, we were successful in all three areas finally giving 25 million Iraqis the chance to choose their own destiny. This is a good thing. We achieved this success through clear, focused and direct American power. Obviously President Obama agrees with this.
Prior to election and throughout his campaign he clearly stated that he would begin withdrawing troops immediately after election. His position has become more “nuanced”, shall we say, with troops beginning to be withdrawn by March 2009 – or maybe we will have all combat troops out by August 2010 – or by the end of 2010 – or maybe by the end of 2011. Or, maybe we may have 50,000 support troops in Iraq well into the future. Obviously “hope and change” are at work in the Obama administration.
I was also glad to see the “Global War on Terrorism” ended in March 2009. What a burden off our country. Had President Bush known he could simply end it by the simple use of his voice, the global threats to us and other countries throughout the world could have been restored on 9/12 without all the intervening combat. Of course, President Obama has recognized that there is still an "Overseas Contingency Operation" going on - one that claimed 10 of our soldiers in Afghanistan on October 3rd in the deadliest day of fighting in more than a year. Michelle and Barak enjoyed a nice night out at the Blue Duck Tavern that evening. I wonder if they discussed the 40,000 troops that Gen. McChrystal is asking for.
It would seem that the enemies of the Afghan people have decided that President Obama is not going to send the troops, much less make a commitment to defeat them, so it’s safe to take on the US military again. In order to make the US military friendlier, there are new Rules of Engagement that have gone into effect. For example – if the Air Force sees insurgents planting bombs, they must first buzz them to scare them off rather than killing them. If enemy forces are spotted and there is the possibility of hurting a civilian they can not be engaged. (Ever wonder why these animals hide in civilian areas?) Our soldiers are now ordered to “break engagement” (run away) in the event there are civilians in the area. Not only that, they are denied air cover or artillery in the event these may cause civilian casualties. If you are interested, read about the events surrounding Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard. These rules led to his death. More, many more will follow. Weakness will not lead to a victory in Afghanistan.
President Obama’s performance in the Mideast is no less hesitant. This week the IAEA of the United Nations leaked a report that Iran has everything in place to produce a nuclear weapon. President Ahmadinejad, while addressing the UN, invoked the name of the Mahdi, or the 12th Imam. The particular sect that Ahmadinejad belongs to believes that if they can bring about chaos on earth, this will hasten the Mahdi who will bring about the apocalypse and subject all on earth to the rule of Islam and kill those that do not submit. He has stated that his personal goal is the elimination of Israel and that he would gladly sacrifice up to one-half of his population to do this. We have also learned that they have a second processing plant for nuclear weapons material that President Obama has known about since his transition. President Obama has decided that his oratory skills are significant enough that he can talk Iran back from the edge while Iran presses forward towards the end that most pundits now accept as inevitable – the acquisition of a nuclear weapon. I find I take no comfort in President Obama’s teleprompter skills in light of this.
Or, perhaps, he sees no threat from Iran. After all, he has canceled our national agreement with Poland and the Czech Republic to provide a defensive missile shield to protect them from attacks from rogue nations (read Iran). This seems to have been a hat tip to Prime Minister Putin of Russia. It was particularly poignant since the cancellation occurred on the 70th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Poland. Given that Iran now has short range missiles that can reach Israel, medium range missiles that can reach well into Europe and long range missiles that can reach the US (remember, they launched a satellite into orbit) President Obama must be dead-on certain that Iran poses no near-term nor long-term threat. Enough so that he is removing defensive systems meant to mitigate their threat.
Of course, other weapons systems need to be curtailed as well. The F22 fleet no longer needs to be expanded. A new satellite system to replace aging equipment has been scrapped. A new rescue chopper is also scrapped. All-in-all, the standard “cut military spending” mantra is once again being sounded throughout Washington.
What does all this mean? Simply put, in President Obama’s mind, a weak America is a more secure America. If we ignore terrorism throughout the world and simply call our efforts in Afghanistan an "Overseas Contingency Operation", we will be less of a threat to our enemies and they will not harm us. If we remove defensive weapons from Europe, Iran will feel less threatened and will not attack Israel or other Mideastern countries. If we reduce our tactical capabilities and weapons systems, our enemies will see no need to build up their arms and pose a threat to us. If we simply kneel before the world, bare our chests and confess our misdeeds – the world will forgive us and once again see us as the shining land upon the earth and simply fall in love with us all over again.
I believe the reality is a bit different. This weak-kneed response is emboldening our enemies. Russia, rather that halting construction of Iran’s nuclear facilities (you knew the Russians were building them – right?) it continues apace with Iran resolutely saying they have no intention of stopping their enrichment plants. France’s Sarkosy has called President Obama’s approach to Iran “utterly immature” and “naïve”, publicly saying he wished President Obama would present a firmer approach with Iran. The people of Poland and Czech Republic now know that security agreements signed between America and their countries are worthless – as do the leaders of Iran and Russia. The Taliban of Afghanistan is now emboldened, actively using our own rules of engagement against our troops. While the First Couple looks over the menu at the Blue Duck Tavern, the Taliban is drooling over a target list of poorly manned and supported US troop installations.
Threats are not confined to foreign soil. This past month four separate terrorist attacks were foiled within the US with more surely in the works. Meanwhile, North Korea has introduced and tested a variety of medium and long-range missiles while their nuclear weapons plant is back on-line as well. We were also witness to a very large military parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the communist revolution of China. President Obama found it necessary to congratulate China on this milestone. I suspect the 30+ millions that died under Mao might have a different take.
It’s been a busy 9 months for the President. These are simply international issues. There were all the domestic items as well. However, they all lead to the same destination for President Obama – a weakened America is a safe America. The smaller our footprint on the world stage, the less we confront evil, the less we defend our friends, the more we withdraw – the safer we will be.
We will pay a terrible price for this lunacy.
Sincerely,
Bill Keller
Vinton, IA
I caught most of this yesterday on Rush. I would suggest listening to it rather than reading the transcript, you need to hear the passion in this woman's voice.
Susan in Glendale, California: Her Passion Speaks for Millions
September 30, 2009
Listen To It For Free!
WMP | RealPlayer
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: All right, Susan in Glendale, California, nice to have you on the EIB Network. Hello.
CALLER: Rush, it's a huge honor for me to speak to you, and I hope I can keep my -- my voice level, because I am so passionate. I am as passionate as you are about this country. I'm a conservative. I've listened to you for 25 years. I'm married. I have seven kids. And when you were telling me about how all of the shenanigans that they're going to do in the Senate to pass two different Senate bills then slam 'em together, attach them to some House bill about TARP, and then jam it through and jam it down our throats, I got furious. And then I listened to what you said about the Michigan mom who was watching some kids before they went to school and how the Michigan state came down on her accusing her of running an illegal day care, and you're right: What they're going to do is they're going to threaten our health and they're going to threaten the health of our children. If I don't comply with their health care, I'm not going to be able to get my children the medicine they need.
Job losses continue to mount, foreclosures are increasing, companies continue to contract - yet all is peachy in the Big "O" mind.
Success No Matter What
By John StosselThis Friday, September's job-loss total will be announced. Whatever the numbers, administration officials surely will tell us that life is better -- because of them. "We brought the global economy back from the brink," President Obama said at the close of the G-20 meeting last week. "(B)ecause of the bold and coordinated action that we took, millions of jobs have been saved or created; the decline in output has been stopped; financial markets have come back to life".
This has been the president's theme: His so-called stimulus package, bailouts for politically connected banks and industries, ludicrously wasteful programs like Cash for Clunkers, etc. have saved America from the greatest disaster since the Great Depression.
But this theme runs up against some rather unfortunate facts.
A couple of my thoughts first. The President DOES NOT spend money. Nor does he write the spending bill. The House does. So the next time a lib complains about all this being Bush's fault, you might remind them of that. You might also remind them when they took control of Congress and when Medicare Part D was passed and then look at the graph.
Secondly, when these complaints about Bush are lodged have them point out the bills they recommended and passed that reduced government spending that Bush, in turn, then vetoed. Answer - there have been NO BILLS from this congress or the last that reduced spending - far, far, far, far from it.
This brings us to the Big "O". His solution?? Quadruple the debt - this year alone! Ah yes, the joys of fiscal responsibility.
To the article:
Making Bush Look Like a Piker
By Veronique de Rugy Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Filed under: Economic Policy, Government & Politics, Numbers
The Bush-era deficits were bad. I know. I spent eight years complaining about them. How does President Obama stack up?
The Bush-era deficits were bad. I know. I spent eight years complaining about the president’s lack of fiscal responsibly (here and here for instance). I even wrote that Republicans during Bush’s time in office made French socialists look like Reagan. However, President Obama's new projected deficits are truly frightening. And the worse part: we haven’t seen it all yet.
SS goes insolvent - this year. What a surprise!
Fabius Maximus @ 12:01 am
Summary: Here are some ugly numbers for August from the Chief Actuary of the Social Security system. This is a follow-up to Beginning of the end of the Republic’s solvency. Soon come the first steps to a reformed regime – or a new regime. (14 August 2009).
Contents
(1) Monthly cash flow of the US Social Security Administration
| Month | Cash in | Outgo | Surplus/Deficit | YoY $ | YoY % |
| Jan-09 | $71,854 | $55,290 | $16,564 | -$2,906 | -15% |
| Feb-09 | $54,413 | $55,760 | -$1,347 | -$3,863 | -154% |
| Mar-09 | $58,669 | $56,135 | $2,534 | -$4,935 | -66% |
| Apr-09 | $77,081 | $56,596 | $20,485 | -$3,827 | -16% |
| May-09 | $54,408 | $56,330 | -$1,922 | -$5,068 | -161% |
| Jun-09 | $61,156 | $61,383 | -$227 | -$6,553 | -104% |
| Jul-09 | $56,345 | $56,890 | -$545 | -$4,207 | -115% |
| Aug-09 | $50,657 | $56,490 | -$5,833 | -$5,642 | -2954% |
The Big "O" ignores the success of tort reform in controlling healthcare costs.
Obama’s Tort Reform: A Tale of Two States
by Bob Dorigo Jones
10/01/2009
President Obama’s promise to conduct “demonstration projects” to determine whether medical liability and tort reform will work is a day late and many billions of dollars short. Key states already tell the tale about what works.
Silly me, I thought "they" had actually looked at and used ALL the data.
Update II On The Rigged Global Warming Data
Published by AJStrata at 6:40 pm under All General Discussions, Global Warming
It looks likes the straw that might destroy the global warming alarmists’ charade will be the discovery that man-made global warming is really man-made. It is either deception or delusion (or both), but it is NOT reality. It was created by scientists using cherry picked data.
A crystal ball into the next half year or more - shippers are simply anchoring their ships, not a real good sign.
Revealed: The ghost fleet of the recession anchored just east of Singapore
By Simon Parry
Last updated at 8:45 AM on 28th September 2009
The biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history lies at anchor east of Singapore. Never before photographed, it is bigger than the U.S. and British navies combined but has no crew, no cargo and no destination - and is why your Christmas stocking may be on the light side this year
So let me get this straight. The news world explodes when a house member shouts "You Lie" during the president's speech and yet, when the Democrats in the Senate are asked to vote on an amendment to the healthcare bill certifying the President's POV, they REJECT it - and the news wires are not even fluttering??
Things that make you go hummmmmmmmmmmmm!
Thursday, 24 September 2009 16:28
WASHINGTON – In a vote that should send chills up the spine of those satisfied with their current health insurance, Democrats in the Senate Finance Committee today rejected a Republican amendment that would allow Americans to keep their current health care coverage.
Sponsored by U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the amendment stated that the implementation of the final health care bill would not take place unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) was able to certify before Congress that the legislation would not cause more than 1,000,000 Americans to lose their current coverage.
MMMmmm - about all that global warming data - just where did it go??
The Dog Ate Global Warming by Patrick J. Michaels on National Review Online
The Dog Ate Global Warming
Interpreting climate data can be hard enough. What if some key data have been fiddled?
By Patrick J. MichaelsImagine if there were no reliable records of global surface temperature. Raucous policy debates such as cap-and-trade would have no scientific basis, Al Gore
would at this point be little more than a historical footnote, and President Obama would not be spending this U.N. session talking up a (likely unattainable) international climate deal in Copenhagen in December.
MMmmmm - would this be a good place for President Obama to start on nuclear weapons??
Inside the Apocalyptic Soviet Doomsday MachineBy Nicholas Thompson
The technical name was Perimeter, but some called it Mertvaya Ruka, Dead Hand.
Illustration: Ryan Kelly
Valery Yarynich glances nervously over his shoulder. Clad in a brown leather jacket, the 72-year-old former Soviet colonel is hunkered in the back of the dimly lit Iron Gate restaurant in Washington, DC. It's March 2009—the Berlin Wall came down two decades ago—but the lean and fit Yarynich is as jumpy as an informant dodging the KGB. He begins to whisper, quietly but firmly.
"The Perimeter system is very, very nice," he says. "We remove unique responsibility from high politicians and the military." He looks around again.
More proof that wind power is simply a myth.
Something Rotten? Obama Says Danes Receive 20% of Their Power Via Wind; New Study Tells the Real Story
Danish experts visit Washington this week to explain to American audiences what’s really happening in Denmark
WASHINGTON – President Obama has frequently cited Denmark as an example to be followed in the field of wind power generation, stating on several occasions that the Danes satisfy “20 percent of their electricity through wind power.” The findings of a new study released this week cast serious doubt on the accuracy of that statement. The report finds that in 2006 scarcely five percent of the nation’s electricity demand was met by wind. And over the past five years, the average is less than 10 percent — despite Denmark having ‘carpeted’ its land with the machines.
Didn't I just say that a while ago??
American Thinker: Is the US Government bankrupt?
Is the US Government bankrupt?
By Pete MorinBefore we continue to debate the merits of any Obama health care plan, we need to consider a few important facts.
It has been quite a slide for “your” checkbook over the past 70 years, especially in the non-discretionary spending department. Beginning with the enactment of the Social Security Act in 1935, the groundwork was laid for a transition from personal reliance to dependence on the government. It was all done with the best of intentions of course, dressed in the language of compassion and caring. Yet, for the great grandchildren of the people who enacted this policy, it is bringing stark poverty at an alarming rate.
President Johnson’s “war on poverty” was next in line in 1963. Once again, with the language of compassion and caring, the workers of America have seen vast amounts of their wealth seized and transferred to those “less fortunate”. Trillions have been taken and distributed. Rather than being able to grow their nest egg, the “needs” of the present unfortunate souls removed the opportunity for real savings. Of course, the government will take care of everyone, so what is the harm?
Once the dam broke, new programs showing Americans’ compassion have abounded. Medicare, Medicaid, lunch programs, breakfast programs, student aid – the list is so long that the government even has a website dedicated just to searching for benefit programs you may qualify for: http://GovBenefits.gov. They proudly claim over 1000 programs to give away money seized from the American tax payer to be doled out at their whim.
The past 12 months have proven to be a dizzying plunge into the realm of government largess. It began with the bank bail-outs in the summer of 2008. With the election imminent, it was much better to look like Congress was doing something rather than just watching our economy circle the drain – so they spent our money at a stunning rate.
Hundreds of billions for AIG, Wells Fargo, BoA – it was a long list. Of course there was TARP in September. With but three pages of documentation – that magically ballooned to nearly 1,000 pages, the Congress funded nearly $800 BILLION in troubled asset relief – mainly for defaulted home loans that should have not been made to begin with. Then, within weeks, they were informed that the money was used in an entirely different way – that remains unaccounted for today.
Yet another dam had burst. This was followed with a $485 BILLION emergency budget after the Obama inauguration, a $723 Billion stimulus bill, and deficit budgets now projected a decade into the future. Deficits coming to $1 TRILLION per year!
And, finally, the specter of a government controlled healthcare system that, given its track record in fiscal responsibility, will certainly cost trillions more than current estimates would indicate.
But, of course, it’s government money – so what’s the harm?? The government can afford it! Well – not so much.
This brings us back to the family checkbook. If the men reading this are honest, I suspect many will admit the feminine soul in the family runs the finances. It has been so with our family for our 37 years together. My lovely wife does not tolerate “red ink”. Family needs, desires, toys and trips are carefully budgeted. And, in the event of pending “red ink” – spending stops. Period.
How is our federal checkbook doing? Well, the information is easily available – but hard to believe or comprehend. Here is a quick rundown of our checkbook balance:
Current National debt: $12.2 TRILLION
Non-Discretionary spending for the next 30 years: $100 TRILLION
(this includes S/S, Medicare, required government
programs)
Estimated Obama federal shortfall over next 10 years: $10 TRILLION
This is money that is spent. Period. You, the taxpayer, are obligated to pay these debts. They are not negotiable. They can not be ignored. You, the taxpayer, have NOT chosen wisely as how you have spent your money and you are now severely in “the red”. So what amount does each citizen owe? Well, let’s do the math. $122.2 TRILLION Dollars divided between the 300 million citizens comes to: $407,000 for each and every man, woman and child living today. $407,000. A family of four owes $1.2 MILLION. The average annual income for a family of four is $67,000.
To pay off their debt of $1.2 MILLION dollars, if their entire earnings are seized by the government, it will take 18 years to work off their current debt. Of course, they have to eat and survive. Let’s say we take the European model and the government seizes 50% of their wages - $33,500. This time is then slashed to only 35 years. However, there is a bit of a fly in the ointment. That will not cover annual government costs. What will they be??
Excluding the non-discretionary spending we have already chatted about (about $2 Trillion per year), the annual cost of government is about $ 1.4 TRILLION per year or nearly $5,000 for each citizen or $20,000 for a family of four. This leaves our family of four with approximately $13,500 for food, shelter and their remaining expenses.
So, for all the efforts of a family of four to earn their $67,000, they will only be allowed to keep $13,500.
Perhaps, rather than taking on health care, our elected officials should address their spending habits and get them under control first.
You owe over $400,000 to cover America’s debt. Got the money??
John Fund Interviews David Walker: The Deficits Are Coming! - WSJ.com
Warning: The Deficits Are Coming!
The former head of the Government Accountability Office is on a crusade to alert taxpayers to their true obligations.
By JOHN FUND
Washington, D.C.
David Walker sounds like a modern-day Paul Revere as he warns about the country's perilous future. "We suffer from a fiscal cancer," he tells a meeting of the National Taxpayers Union, the nation's oldest anti-tax lobby. "Our off balance sheet obligations associated with Social Security and Medicare put us in a $56 trillion financial hole—and that's before the recession was officially declared last year. America now owes more than Americans are worth—and the gap is growing!"
'Public option' as unhealthy as Medicare: Compass | adn.com
'Public option' as unhealthy as Medicare
COMPASS: Other points of view
By JEFFREY W. DAVIS
Published: September 1st, 2009 08:11 PM
Last Modified: September 1st, 2009 08:12 PMHealth care reform is a tremendously important issue. We at Premera strongly support health care reform, especially that which improves access to coverage for all Americans and helps bring down the ever-rising health care cost trends.
Pay no attention to the sun - couldn't have any effect on "global warming".
RealClearPolitics - Global Warming and the Sun
Global Warming and the Sun
By Jonah GoldbergOn the last day of August, scientists spotted a teeny-weeny sunspot, breaking a 51-day streak of blemish-free days for the sun. If it had gone just a bit longer, it would have broken a 96-year record of 53 days without any of the magnetic disruptions that cause solar flares. That record was nearly broken last year as well.
Wait, it gets even more exciting.
During what scientists call the Maunder Minimum - a period of solar inactivity from 1645 to 1715 - the world experienced the worst of the cold streak dubbed the Little Ice Age. At Christmastime, Londoners ice-skated on the Thames, and New Yorkers (then New Amsterdamers) sometimes walked over the Hudson from Manhattan to Staten Island.
In my day we called these flights "Dustoff". They were manned by heroes - real, honest to god heroes. This is a very tough video to watch. You are looking at an incredibly brave man. Our country is blessed with thousands of these soldiers.
First - from the town halls:
Security Guards Remove Retired Cop from Town Hall Meeting
By Noel Sheppard (Bio | Archive)
August 30, 2009 - 15:16 ET
As the anger over the nation's movement towards socialism grows, Democrats' patience with town hall meeting protesters is clearly wearing thin.
On Saturday, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) instructed security guards to escort what ended up being a retired New York City patrolman out of a fiery Manchester gathering.
Next - Senator Harry Reid wishing his detractors away:
Harry Reid Threatens Las Vegas Newspaper
By Rusty Weiss (Bio | Archive)
August 30, 2009 - 22:51 ET
Harry Reid, perhaps emulating the bullying tactics of an out-of-control Obama administration, has openly wished for the Las Vegas Review-Journal to ‘go out of business' - a newspaper which has held opposing political viewpoints with the Senator.
This is America - really??
EDITORIAL: Obama's mad science adviser - Washington Times
Compulsory abortion and sterilization aren't youthful indiscretions
By THE WASHINGTON TIMES | Sunday, August 16, 2009
When it comes to having past views that should frighten every American citizen, Ezekiel Emanuel (see above editorial) has nothing on the president's "chief science adviser," John P. Holdren. The combination of Mr. Holdren with Dr. Emanuel should make the public seriously concerned with this administration's moral compass concerning care for the old and weak.
Earlier this month, Mr. Holdren served as co-chairman when the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology met for the first time. It's a disgrace that Mr. Holdren is even on the council. In "Ecoscience: Population, Resources, Environment," a book he co-authored in 1977 with noted doomsayers Paul R. and Anne H. Erlich, Mr. Holdren wrote: "Indeed, it has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion, could be sustained under the existing Constitution if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society."
The Health Care Bill: What HR 3200, ‘‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” Says
John David Lewis
August 6, 2009
What does the bill, HR 3200, short-titled ‘‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” actually say about major health care issues? I here pose a few questions in no particular order, citing relevant passages and offering a brief evaluation after each set of passages.
This bill is 1017 pages long. It is knee-deep in legalese and references to other federal regulations and laws. I have only touched pieces of the bill here. For instance, I have not considered the establishment of (1) “Health Choices Commissio0ner” (Section 141); (2) a “Health Insurance Exchange,” (Section 201), basically a government run insurance scheme to coordinate all insurance activity; (3) a Public Health Insurance Option (Section 221); and similar provisions.
This is the evaluation of someone who is neither a physician nor a legal professional. I am citizen, concerned about this bill’s effects on my freedom as an American. I would rather have used my time in other ways—but this is too important to ignore.
We may answer one question up front: How will the government will pay for all this? Higher taxes, more borrowing, printing money, cutting payments, or rationing services—there are no other options. We will all pay for this, enrolled in the government “option” or not.
While the color of the shirts may have changed the tactics of physical intimidation has not. Obama SEIU supports are facing two separate hate crime incidents. It would seem that when Obama asks his supports to get in the opposition's faces and that he is simply not interested in hearing their thoughts his largest body of union support - the SEIU - simply beats them into silence.
Where have I heard that before????? Some past leader deployed his brown-shirted supporters. It appears that Islamic fascists are not our only worry - fascism seems to be alive and well in the current administration.
"UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. It's the Post Office that's always having problems"
Things that make you say Hummmm.
Dunham signed up for assignments just 2 weeks out of delivery room
By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2009 WorldNetDailyStanley Ann Dunham, Barack Obama's mother, was registered for college classes in Seattle only 15 days after reportedly delivering her first-born child in Honolulu, according to school records obtained by WND.
How Dunham was able to travel the 2,680 air miles from Honolulu to Seattle only a few days after the birth of her baby is not disclosed in the currently available public record concerning President Obama's birth.
Nor is there anything on the public record to explain how Dunham managed to find an apartment and relocate with her infant son so she could begin taking university classes within 15 days of the baby's birth.
There is also nothing on the public record to suggest Madelyn Dunham, Ann Dunham's mother, or any other family member preceded or accompanied Dunham to Seattle in August 1961 to help the new mother and infant son find appropriate living arrangements and complete the university's enrollment process prior to beginning classes.
This is the letter I sent to flag@whitehouse.gov. Is it just me, or does this request for snitches feel uncomfortable NAZI like??
Really, the President of the United States looking for spies and snitches to nark on citizens spreading "lies" about the healthcare bill??
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Facts-Are-Stubborn-Things/
Really???
Let me make this easy for you guys:
My name is:
Your efforts are pathetic!
And yes, facts are stubborn things.
A few facts:
Keep my own insurance?
From page 16 of HR3200 dated July 14, 2009
the term ‘‘grandfathered health
7
insurance coverage’’ means individual health insurance8 coverage that is offered and in force and effect before the
9 first day of Y1 if the following conditions are met:
10 (1) LIMITATION ON NEW ENROLLMENT.—
11 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in
12 this paragraph, the individual health insurance
13 issuer offering such coverage does not enroll
14 any individual in such coverage if the first ef15
fective date of coverage is on or after the first
16 day of Y1.
You deny my company the right of adding new people. You deny them health coverage under my insurance plan. This is directly contradicts to your claims.
From page 13
4 (20) QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN.—
5 The term ‘‘qualified health benefits plan’’ means a
6 health benefits plan that meets the requirements for
7 such a plan under title I and includes the public
8 health insurance option.
You, the federal government are now going to determine which health plans are "qualified"?? That would imply that I can no longer sit with my insurance agent, define the needs for my company and have him create a plan that meets MY needs. It would appear the these plans would first have to be "approved". Why? If I'm happy and the insurance company is happy, why does the federal government need to get involved??
From page 15
1 (b) REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH BENE2
FITS PLANS.—On or after the first day of Y1, a health
3 benefits plan shall not be a qualified health benefits plan
4 under this division unless the plan meets the applicable
5 requirements of the following subtitles for the type of plan
6 and plan year involved:
7 (1) Subtitle B (relating to affordable coverage).
8 (2) Subtitle C (relating to essential benefits).
9 (3) Subtitle D (relating to consumer protec10
tion).
This section seems to clearly state that if the insurance plan my agent and I come up with for my company does not meet the requirements set to become a "Qualified" health plan, they will no longer be able to be offered. Since my insurance renews every year, my plan would simply disappear unless it was accepted into the insurance exchange. What if the exchange requires something I don't need, or can't accept - government payment for abortion for example - am I simply out of luck??
Of course not, because I will be required to have insurance:
From page 143
10 Subtitle A—Individual
11 Responsibility
12 SEC. 301. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
13 For an individual’s responsibility to obtain acceptable
14 coverage, see section 59B of the Internal Revenue Code
15 of 1986 (as added by section 401 of this Act).
and, from page 158
4 ‘‘(10) Every individual to whom section 59B(a)
5 applies and who fails to meet the requirements of
6 section 59B(d) with respect to such individual or
7 any qualifying child (as defined in section 152(c)) of
8 such individual.’’.
So, let me get this straight. If my plan does not meet the qualifications - even though I am happy with it, I will loose it. And, if I do not purchase an insurance policy, you will use the IRS to seize my wages to make sure I am "insured".
I could go one and on, but I am satisfied this makes my point.
One other suggestion, when the President goes on national TV and says the federal government will now choose whether I get a "Red Pill" or a "Blue Pill" I suggest he return to the Matrix. In that single statement he not only told me he will choose my insurance but also what it will cover, what the doctors can prescribe and which drug company he will buy from. It was one of the most stunningly ignorant thing I have heard a President say - and I have been listening for over 40 years.
By the way, I would love to talk to my local representative about this, Congressman Boswell. However, he seems gutless and afraid to hold but a single town meeting during his one month recess. Perhaps you could buck him up enough to talk to the folks he represents.
My suggestion - back off. Allow me to manage my life and my insurance. Given how well you folks have done so far, I am confident I will live a much longer and healthier life without your assistance.
Bill Keller
Vinton, Iowa
Some additional questions for the President via posting from Redstate:
Q) Mr. President, can you tell me how much will I have to pay for my public option insurance?
A) pg 121.
6 (c) ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS SETTING FOR
7 RATES.—Chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code shall
8 apply to the process for the initial establishment of pay-
9 ment rates under this section but not to the specific meth-
10 odology for establishing such rates or the calculation of
11 such rates.
Q) Mr. President, what if I’m unsatisfied with the rates that the Government assigns to me?
A) pg. 121-122
24 (f) LIMITATIONS ON REVIEW.—There shall be no ad-
25 ministrative or judicial review of a payment rate or meth-
1 odology established under this section or under section
2 224.
Q) Mr. President, so that I can ignore all of those lies and propaganda about this wonderful plan; can you assure me that I will get treatments that my doctor and I believe that I need, and not manipulate my premiums to force me to get treatments that my government wants me to have?
A) pg. 126
4 (c) ENCOURAGING THE USE OF HIGH VALUE SERV-
5 ICES.—To the extent allowed by the benefit standards ap-
6 plied to all Exchange-participating health benefits plans,
7 the public health insurance option may modify cost shar-
8 ing and payment rates to encourage the use of services
9 that promote health and value.
Q) Mr. President, so that I can avoid any misinformation from those wild-eyed, fear-mongering, hate bloggers who are just paid by insurance companies to cause doubts and stir anger; could you assure me that you won’t use my race, sex, and other personal information as a determinant for whether you will allow me to receive treatments I need under the public option?
A) pg. 118
4 (e) DATA COLLECTION.—The Secretary shall collect
5 such data as may be required to establish premiums and
6 payment rates for the public health insurance option and
7 for other purposes under this subtitle, including to im-
8 prove quality and to reduce racial, ethnic, and other dis-
9 parities in health and health care.
How's that again about global warming????
AccuWeather.com News & Blogs: Jesse Ferrell Blog
3,000 Low Temp Records Set This July!
Imagine that, yet another study showing "man made CO2" is NOT effecting our climate. That's over 200 peer reviewed studies I have pointed out.
CNSNews.com - Another New Study Challenges Climate Change ‘Orthodoxy’
Another New Study Challenges Climate Change ‘Orthodoxy’
Friday, July 24, 2009
By Patrick Goodenough, International Editor
Indian students and Greenpeace activists display posters urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama to act against “global warming,” during a visit by Clinton to New Delhi on Monday, July 20, 2009. (AP Photo)(CNSNews.com) – Virtually all changes in global atmospheric temperatures in the late 20th century were the result of nature rather than human activity, according to a new peer-reviewed study, one of whose authors predicted Friday was “sure to cause a stir.”
“It goes against the orthodoxy,” said climate scientist Chris de Freitas of New Zealand’s Auckland University. The new findings called into question the politically-correct, politically-motivated assumptions driving the climate change debate, he said.
A series of bailouts, bank rescues and other economic lifelines could end up costing the federal government as much as $23 trillion, the U.S. government’s watchdog over the effort says – a staggering amount that is nearly double the nation’s entire economic output for a year.
Abortions – you bet!
Pajamas Media » Hidden Within ObamaCare, an Abortion Mandate
Hidden Within ObamaCare, an Abortion Mandate
Coverage for abortion will be mandated under the Democrats' plan, and those whose plans do not cover it will be penalized.
Knock, Knock,
Who’s there?
Your vaccination intervention team.
Big Brother anyone??
Refer to page 397 of the Senate version.
Yep, it’s true. Page 16.
UPDATE
July 17, 2009 Posted by John at 7:41 PM
That's a claim that is making the rounds these days, based on this editorial by Investors Business Daily:
Yes, hard to believe. Read it yourself. Page 425.
Obama Health Bill: Those on Social Security - Mandatory Counseling on Asst. Suicide
I find myself among those disgusted at the funeral of Michael Jackson. As a young man he showed promise, yet he devolved into some kind of wretched "Joker" kind of personality deserving only of contempt. Yet for days we were told of the greatness of this wasted soul.
Perhaps a look at the honors given a true hero will wash the bad taste from my mouth:
A Soldier Comes Home
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
On July 5, The Post published a letter from Martha Gillis of Springfield, whose nephew, Lt. Brian Bradshaw, was killed in Afghanistan on June 25, the day that Michael Jackson died. The letter criticized the extensive media coverage of Jackson's death compared with the brief coverage of Lt. Bradshaw's death. Among the responses was the following letter, written July 9 by an Air National Guard pilot and a fellow member of the crew that flew Lt. Bradshaw's body from a forward base in Afghanistan to Bagram Air Base. Capt. James Adair, one of the plane's pilots, asked the editorial page staff to forward the letter to the Bradshaw family. He and Brian Bradshaw's parents then agreed to publication of these excerpts.
Dear Bradshaw Family,
We were crew members on the C-130 that flew in to pick up Lt. Brian Bradshaw after he was killed. We are Georgia Air National Guardsmen deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. We support the front-line troops by flying them food, water, fuel, ammunition and just about anything they need to fight. On occasion we have the privilege to begin the final journey home for our fallen troops. Below are the details to the best of our memory about what happened after Brian's death.
We have heard endless justifications for the conclusions that the Supreme Court reached with Row V Wade. Today it has morphed into a simple catch phrase: "a woman's right to choose". How quaint.
However, it a rather meant something to Justice Ginsburg - the reduction in "populations we don't want to have too many of". Her direct words:
The Place of Women on the Court - NYTimes.com
Q: If you were a lawyer again, what would you want to accomplish as a future feminist legal agenda?
JUSTICE GINSBURG: Reproductive choice has to be straightened out. There will never be a woman of means without choice anymore. That just seems to me so obvious. The states that had changed their abortion laws before Roe [to make abortion legal] are not going to change back. So we have a policy that affects only poor women, and it can never be otherwise, and I don’t know why this hasn’t been said more often.
Q: Are you talking about the distances women have to travel because in parts of the country, abortion is essentially unavailable, because there are so few doctors and clinics that do the procedure? And also, the lack of Medicaid for abortions for poor women?
JUSTICE GINSBURG: Yes, the ruling about that surprised me. [Harris v. McRae — in 1980 the court upheld the Hyde Amendment, which forbids the use of Medicaid for abortions.] Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. So that Roe was going to be then set up for Medicaid funding for abortion. Which some people felt would risk coercing women into having abortions when they didn’t really want them. But when the court decided McRae, the case came out the other way. And then I realized that my perception of it had been altogether wrong.
