Ouch! I stubbed my tongue! (8/11/09)

Happens occasionally doesn't it. We open our mouths to utter a witty word or two and we end up with egg on our face. I joke is a slam, an insight is an epitaph or better yet a compliment is a dis.

We can blame these results on a stupid unsophisticated target or we can take credit for our own stupid statements and attitudes. I've noticed that it's easier to blame the listener. As in most of life's realities, it is harder to do the right thing. As ordinary citizens of this great country we usually graciously excuse each other (eventually) for these unintended faux pas but it is not so easy for us to forgive our congressional leaders when they assume a condescending attitude and minimize the value of different ideas, intended or not.

Why is this? Because they are just that. They are our elected representatives and more. More because they have been elevated to a higher political state by their peers or as is the case of the president, circumstance. We have certain expectations of them not in the least being the expectation of respect for their peers and constituents.

Think of today's leaders and decide for yourselves if they represent your expectations of those that have been entrusted with the writing and implementation of the laws that we must obey.

Letter to New Mexico Senator Udall re: Health care

The following is a letter I sent to New Mexico Senator Udall and others.

Senator Tom Udall

I am 64, collect Social Security and neither my wife nor I have health care insurance. I am probably the last person you would expect to be against the proposed Democrat health care proposals but I am.

I am a Viet Nam era vet and I am not rich by any means so I am not one to be accused of hypocrisy.

I believe in people. I am cynical about government and politicians.

If you truly want to pass legislation that will make positive changes in health care insurance and that results in more affordable policies for all Americans and you care about individualism and the "general welfare" of Americans, you will pro-actively support and allow free market solutions to bring about change. Change that results in the ability of policy holders to maintain their policies when they move across state lines and or change jobs. Change that results in legitimate controls over nuisance malpractice lawsuits and unwarranted judgments. Changes in state and federal insurance regulations that are interfering with competition between insurance companies. And last but definitely not least, a "safety net" that provides for first class health care for the truly needy.

The proposed "public insurance option" if instituted will lead to the destruction of private sector companies unless they "play ball" with the federal government. Health care costs will go up or if not that then rationing will occur or a combination of both cost and rationing. Either is undesirable.

And most importantly, how much government control (loss of individual freedom) are you willing to accept?

America's Health Care in Numbers - eMedicineHealth - Consumer First Aid and Health Information

Please link to the URL that follows for statistics on health care.

If I am reading the statistics on emergency room visits correctly, it appears that only 12 percent of emergency room visits are not actual emergencies. I must admit that I need to dig deeper into the numbers. Please let me know if you have other sources of statistics on emergency room visits. If I am correct and only 12 percent are non-emergency then much of the expected potential savings from the proposed health care reforms currently being considered by the house and senate are probably exaggerated.

America's Health Care in Numbers - eMedicineHealth - Consumer First Aid and Health Information

America's Health Care in Numbers - eMedicineHealth - Consumer First Aid and Health Information

Recipe for hate

Recipe for evil (7/24/2009)

One part victim (Palestinians work well)
One part lie (Palestinians are poor because Jews exist)
One part blame (Americans because they don't hate Jews)

Pre-heat oven to 1000 degrees.

Mix together all ingredients. Blend well.
Knead for a really long time until blame has time to heat from friction.
Place in oven and wait for smoke to rise.
Take from oven and mist with any volatile liquid.

Stand back and enjoy your work

Note: Feel free to use any victim, lie, and blame to create a really hateful outcome.

Choose liberty

The government is about to take a giant leap towards socializing one sixth of the economy. What the government controls you don't control. You will have lost one sixth of your freedom. Our children have to live with the decisions that are being made today in Washington. And horrible decisions are being made in the name of progressiveness. Tens and tens of thousands have died to secure the liberty that is now being given away. The graves of martyrs for freedom are being trampled on by today's greedy, self centered, ignorant, uninformed, or misinformed politicians.

And for what? The destruction of a health care system that is without question the greatest in the world.

Every "problem" with what we currently have can be attributed to various laws and regulations instituted by lawmakers. Legislation passed that has regulated portability of health insurance is a prime example. Why can't you buy health insurance for yourself and family and then move to a different state and keep it. This is nuts! Do you know why employer provided health insurance even exists? Because of wage and price controls put in place after WW2. Why? Because employers couldn't attract workers because they couldn't raise pay because of the government imposed wage controls.

Ask yourself one question. Why don't I see a profusion of advertisements for health insurance? Why doesn't Blue Cross advertise for my insurance business? It's because they only have to go to employers for business. Take away the destructibility for employers and employer provided insurance will eventually be a thing of the past. We will, as individuals, shop for and purchase our "portable" insurance that suits our needs. There will be a proliferation of new and innovative health insurance products. Think about it. Think about the kind of health insurance you would like and I guarantee you that an insurance product close to what you want will eventually be available. Believe in people and freedom and what you can do for yourself not what the government can do for you. Support free market solutions not government intervention. Remember, during the American revolution, half the country supported the King of England. Would you have been one of them?

Don't you want to be in charge of your life? Please be proactive and immediately call your congressmen and tell them "Please don't do this. I prefer freedom."

The Lobbyist: Friend or Foe?

Do we need lobbyists? Can lobbying be defined as good or bad? Is some good and some bad? Is it in our country's best interest to have lobbyists descending on Washington to make their cases and influence legislators?

In my opinion we do. We need lobbyists because they bring their expertise to the political debate. Let's face it, our legislators don't have the expertise necessary to enable them to make good decisions without the advice of experts from both sides of a debate. Public hearings alone are not sufficient to examine these issues thoroughly. Private face to face meetings are important in communicating ideas.

Can lobbying be defined as good or bad? It depends on the goal of the lobby. Good when special interest groups like the NRA or the Sierra Club argue their points of view and the perceived consequences of the proposed legislation. Bad when the Oil industry or Farmers Union or any other special interest group argues for tax breaks and favors. In other words, good when it is not being done to gain economic advantage.

Under the current income tax structure lobbying is a way for a corporation, private or public, to look out for its interests whether financial or not. Interestingly, this need to lobby could easily be eliminated. The answer is to dramatically change the way governments, at all levels, tax us.

The argument against the lobbying for tax breaks is a strong one that is made in favor of a major change in the way governments raise revenue. The revenue needed in order to exercise their constituted duties. There are interesting ideas on this subject and we should all seriously consider them. A "Fair Tax" of one form or another is one that has gained a large following.

If the current tax code is replaced with a "Fair Tax" or "Flat Tax" there will not be a need for lobbying for tax breaks and favors. None would not be available to give. The power that government has over our lives would be greatly reduced. And best of all the IRS would be out of business!

Please visit these sites for more information on the "Fair Tax" and the "Flat Tax":

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/1017/042.html
http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer

Healthy as a horse?

Consider this: Why do we need the United States Postal Service? If it did not exist would we not be able to send a letter? No we would not because it is illegal to deliver 1st class mail. But what if that law were rescinded? Would not a clever entrepreneur, or more likely, entrepreneurs step in and hungrily establish letter delivery services for people who need and want and are willing to pay for this service. Witness UPS and other private delivery services. Because there are no prohibitions pertaining to overnight, priority, and ground delivery services of packages they have exploited this market to the benefit of all who need these services. Okay, you say, "What's the problem with things as they are?" Well, there is one problem. You see, these private businesses earn a profit while the government delivery service loses money. Why is that a problem? Because it's your and my money that there losing! Does not that tick you off? At least a little?

So now the same folks who loose money delivering mail (by the way they also lose your and my money running Amtrak, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and while under educating our kids!) now want to run one sixth of our economy by taking over health care. And don't kid yourself. That is the goal. Why? Because they are so very much wiser and smarter than the rest of us.

Keep your fingers crossed (behind your back so they can't see) and hope that they fall flat on their collective face. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Not the land of the subservient and home of the scared. At least I hope so.

Alright already!

Just read my niece Ina's latest blog and as usual am greatly impressed with her writing skills. I especially enjoy the embedded wit that pops up.

I hadn't noticed before that Ina, in her "about me", describes herself as a cynic.

Well this has got me to thinking. (Always a bit chancy if you know what I mean) Anyway, I got to thinking about skepticism. I'm for it. I've also come to the realization that sometimes I am too skeptical of my own self. As a matter of fact I'm feeling that way right now. I'm skeptical of my skepticism. I am in the process of doing a complete self examination of the quality of my skepticism. Give me a minute or two.

Okay, I've got it. I was confusing my skepticism with my cynicism. Feels good to get that worked out. Kind of a surprise because I am not ordinarily cynical. I am beginning to lean in that direction though because......................

Don't get me wrong.

Observation - Today's culture seems to appreciate stinginess, self-serving, self-centered, and vengeful behavior. Many seem to look down upon those that espouse and live the opposites.

In their minds, an individual who is generous, other-serving, other-centered, and forgiving is weak, stupid, and foolish.

Unfortunately, the truth be known, there are many who think that way.

They think that generosity is great as long as the goodies are aimed at them. If others benefit then the giver must be weak and must have to buy respect because they're not beautiful enough of rich enough or smart enough to be respected. To them respect is not earned but is the result of circumstance.

They think other-serving behavior is weak because other-serving does not result in any personal gain.

They denigrate other-centered folks because this behavior just does not make sense in this "what's in it for me?"world in which we find ourselves.

As for a forgiving nature the response is that forgiveness is a sign of weakness because we should "get even" not forgive.

Lewis Carroll was right all along

These are "Through The Looking-Glass" and "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" times for the United States of America. The obvious is blurred by smoke and the questionable is clear as glass. I think one's sanity must be considered in terrible danger. Poor Alice - poor us.

Alice: "It was much pleasanter at home, when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits."

Replace "mice and rabbits" with congressmen/women and senators and you begin to see the larger picture.

Of course, to complete this picture, consider the unlimited and unending encouragement from our president for "change" and his continual damning of our free markets driven economy; and in his tenacious dedication to a community orientated and socialized economy and with a fierce arrogance thinks that he, rather than all the rest of us, can solve every economic "crises", real or unreal.

The Queen: "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

How much are we willing to give up for the security we seek. That is the question each and everyone of us must answer. Just remember this: There is no free lunch. Somebody always pays. Personally, I don't expect anyone else to buy my lunch at the point of a gun.

The Queen: "That's the effect of living backwards," the Queen said kindly: "it always makes one a little giddy at first-----"