Cult of Personality

When a ruler tries to enamor well-versed adults through the media, it's one thing. But when public schools start doing this to children, it fills me with an indescribable rage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrsl8o4ZPo

Every schoolteacher who participated in this activity and the superintendent that condoned it should be fired.

Spirit of Debate

I had a great exchange this week with some of my pro-universalized-health buddies. I posted a terrific article by my friend-in-bloggage, Stephen Smith, and got quite a response from folks regarding whether health care is a privilege or a right. I stated my belief that it is a privilege, not a right. Here's the conversation that ensued. You decide who won:

Friend 1 - Using that logic, many rights you have as an American citizen would also be considered a mere privilege. The article states that "people have the right to desire whatever they want, but this does not grant them a right to the thing itself, no matter how much they may want or even need it." If that's the case, then you can throw your right to free speech out the window. You can also forget about your right to vote.

Me - The author is talking about goods and services, like computers, health care, gun permits, drivers' licenses, higher education, etc. You're referring to inherent traits of democracy. Voting and free speech are not goods and services, as they cannot be traded or bought. They are something that is fought and died for.

Health care is something that people buy. Therefore, it is a good/service. Analogically, if my car breaks down and my mother is sick in upstate NY and I have no other way of getting to her, I cannot up and demand a competitively-priced car from the government, declaring it as my right just because my own car broke down. You see where I'm coming from?

Friend 2 - why do firefighters put out fires?

Me - I know where you're going with that question, and no, we do not have a RIGHT to having them put out a fire in our houses. We do, however, pay taxes which in turn pay their salary. Therefore, firefighting is indeed a community service in which we are all entitled because we already pay into it. The same applies to the police.

If health care should be our right, then why aren't electricity, faucet water, and natural gas our rights as citizens?

Friend 2 - all of those things you named should be rights!

Me - Then you know what, I want the government to give me a new Ford Focus. 'Cuz it's my right. Cars are necessary to our survival, right? They're not goods, no sir. How about a Blackberry while we're at it? Or a PC? You can't just demand a convenience as your right.

Friend 3 - this author is a jack ass!. Healthcare is something that we want because we think it is "REALLY NIFTY?" Everyone has a right to good health, whether it be better educated on nutrition etc or the very desperate who need help in paying the ridiculous amounts of $$$ to save their lives or their loved ones. You guys are losing me on this "debate"

Me - Read all of the arguments in this thread carefully, and you'll understand exactly why it's a debate.

Do I think it's f-ed up that insurance companies drop cancer patients? Absolutely. But socializing it is NOT the answer. Making me pay for health care for people who destroy their own bodies (hard drugs, smoking, etc) is absurd, and I won't stand for it. That's why I say what I say. We need to address the existing problems, not destroy the private insurance industry.

It's like I said before...If health care, which is a good/service, becomes a right of the people, then what's to stop us from demanding a tax-funded cellphone service? It's certainly a great tool in case of emergencies, just like health care. So what's stopping us from demanding it as a RIGHT, regardless of how it might perform compared to say, Verizon (http://cell-phone-providers-review.toptenreviews.com)?

Friend 2 - so, you agree that everyone should have healthcare except for addicts? how many people are destroying their bodies from drugs/smoking as a percentage of the population? certainly not close to a majority. shouldn't we enable the addicts get help instead of letting them get sick? the NY quit-smoking hotline is doing very well i hear. isn't it better for everyone that everyone is able bodied and can work, allowing more people to actually contribute to the pool of taxes?

and seriously, no one believes the straw men you keep throwing up with 'tax-funded cell phones', 'govt cars', etc. anyone with some common sense can see why healthcare is different and separate.

did you know, illness causes 50% of all personal bankruptcies?

Me - 1) Why? Why different and separate? Isn't health care an investment, like a car or a computer? Don't people buy policies to fit their circumstances? You're bringing sentimentality into this issue, and that's the problem with so many people involved in this debate. People will immediately say "Well I was injured and had to pay $___ thousands of dollars! I shouldn't have to go broke paying my med bills!" And they're right. But they're ignoring glaring abuse by folks which creates that fear in doctors, making them recommend excessive treatment and driving up prices. It's a vicious circle; let's work on THAT instead of destroying half of the insurance industry. Eliminating frivolous lawsuits are the first step.
2) Why should I have to pay the medical expenses of people who abuse their own bodies? Maybe you're that kind and have that money to spend, but I'm not and I don't.

Friend 2 - you already do pay for the medical expenses of people who abuse their bodies, in the form of horribly overpriced health insurance to offset the other people in the system.

oh, and here is my point all wrapped up for you: http://www.metafilter.com/84232/A-very-good-article-on-health-care-economics#2700979

Me - And you could have picked a much better article to make your point!
-The Federal Reserve is one of the biggest antagonists of the economic crisis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0NYBTkE1yQ...Yeah, I want that f-ing moron managing my money. Also read "Meltdown" by Thomas Woods).
-The police don't stand guard outside our houses, so they're not protecting anything.
-The weather service is horribly inaccurate.
-The FDA does nothing to protect us (http://www.cspinet.org/new/200606271.html).
-Almost every corporation uses UPS/Fed-Ex, because they're faster and more reliable. Personal warehouse work experience on that point.
-There's a new story at least once a week about how inefficient our national defense network is.

There was more to the convo, but these comments comprised the actual debate portion. I'm glad to see that there are still many people out there who might disagree with me, but who still think about their positions and do some research before engaging in debate. I wish there were more people like that in Congress!

The Rabbit Hole

Well, it's that time again.

I don't think anyone can deny that unemployment, although (unfortunately) a necessity, is a form of legitimized redistribution of wealth resulting from a lack of controlled spending/lack of savings by individuals. While this system exists, it draws funding from federal coffers. But how long can we keep supporting it? Our nation, though wealthy, does not have an infinite supply of taxpayer money. Jimmy McDermott states that his bill won't add to our deficit, but then again, every politician with an agenda makes that claim.

We have to step back and ask ourselves...How far down the rabbit hole are we willing to tumble before we realize that welfare, no matter what form, is not the answer?

Can't Hurt To Hope

Obama has an opportunity now to correct a great deal of global errors he has made in his tenure as President so far. I doubt he will listen to reason, as the 2,000-watt international lobbyist stereo system drowns out our freedom-loving dial radio, but this is a perfect chance to announce to the world that we will no longer tolerate the status quo. We must cease and desist our position as the "police state". It is killing us both at home and abroad. The wars have cost us nearly $908 trillion. WE COULD HAVE FLOWN TO THE MOON AND BACK 900,000,000 TIMES WITH THAT MONEY. Let that sink in for a bit.

Our policy of intervention not only hurts us financially, but diplomatically as well. We are one of the most hated nations around the world, and why not? We've been sticking our nose in everyone's business since after World War 2. This is not just with respect to our military; many studies on the effects of foreign aid show that it doesn't help at all...Sometimes it even makes matters worse.

The world needs to solve its own problems...God knows we've got plenty of our own.

Amazing

Read the entire article here. It's incredible how the delusions of recovery are still reigning supreme in the White House.

A Bit Off, But A Start

Sen. Baucus has released his idea for an amended health care proposal. For the most part, it's an improvement, but there are still a few kinks I'd like to see worked out:

1) The cost is still far too high. "Under $900 billion" could mean $899 billion. I don't believe that the resources they intend to use for funding will amount to that much over 10 years. Even Maxie said that that amount was too high in Obama's proposal, so his plan isn't changing that at all.

2) Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and changes for eligibility. Senior citizens and young cancer patients will shit all over him for that clause.

Other than that, this is a big improvement over the prior proposal. Baucus has changed the management landscape from a gov't-controlled program to one that is run by non-profit organizations. Takes our prodigious gov't out of the equation, and gives nice tax advantages for those org's, too.

If our country insists on having universal health care, at least this proposal will remove a great deal of gov't influence and will increase our taxes far less.

Can I Play With Madness?

When will he stop? When will he realize that every fiscal move he's made since his inauguration has hurt this country? That instead of healing the global economic crisis, he's rubbing salt on it's wounds?

This new tariff not only harms China, but ourselves as well. By percentage, we're increasing the tax on Chinese imports almost 900%. So not only is he risking damaging the already fragile relationship we have, but he's also dropping a bomb on the Chinese economy. We might as well have just placed a sanction on them. It probably would have yielded less confusion.

It's like he can't help himself lately. He claims that he wants to mediate between the two sides and find common ground, but his actions speak entirely different tales. For instance, he hasn't invited Republicans to the White House to discuss health care reform since the Spring. What a great mediator!

I wouldn't be surprised if the Chinese do indeed retaliate financially. They'd be entirely justified, and maybe the slap would teach Obama a lesson about respect and cooperation.

I Hate To Say It...

...But he's right. Time to come home, boss.

Wrong Message

I am saddened by the outcome of the protests today. I had an image in my head of intelligent people standing together, protesting against economic injustices in a sane manner. Instead, I see images (even from my most trusted news sites) of people screaming "Socialist! Communist!" and holding pictures comparing Obama to Hitler and Osama bin Laden. I am saddened because this is exactly what DIDN'T need to happen.

The greatest cause of the growing rift between conservative America and liberal America is misinformation. Stereotyping has taken a stronger grip on both sides; conservatives appear as moronic redneck conspiracy theorists, and liberals are immediately accused of being "socialist commies". I know this is true because I hear it in nearly every political discussion I have with Dem and Rep friends/family. The media (which you all know I love so much >_>) is heavily to blame for this, but the people at these protests are also instigating the stereotypes. Many of them are horribly uneducated and prove it themselves by carrying signs of Obama with a Hitler moustache.

Don't get me wrong: I'm happy that people finally banded together and stood up to government waste...But I know what impression it's going to yield, and I'm afraid it will split Congress even further...

I wish Ron Paul and Jeff Flake would start speaking up.

A Word on Conspiracy Pundits.

Every year when 9/11 rolls around, there's always that batch of conspiracy theories and New World Order warnings that shower on us from the blogosphere, networking sites, even the mainstream media at times. I'm awfully sick of it, and I'll tell you why.

Did the government know more than they told us on 9/11? Sure, why not. Do they know where Osama is? Absolutely (although they can't get to him for diplomatic/political reasons). But think about this...The multitude of men and women working for our government/military have families themselves. And I'm pretty sure that not all of them are evil sadists. Given these reasonable assumptions, do you really think they would allow the government they work for to murder 3,000 people? And for what? Just to waste 5,000 more lives and $908 trillion? Give me a break.

Now to the good stuff: the NWO theories. These are the cream of the insanity crop. It's defenders will say that every event since the Kennedy assassination is nothing short of a buildup to institute a "New World Order" (in the style of 1984 from what I see) in which a totalitarian regime will take over the world. I think these people have been reading too many comic books. One group efficiently ruling the world is ludicrous in itself, but I'll break this down on a much smaller level: let's look at just our country. We are the most armed citizens in the world (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0709-03.htm). Also take into consideration how small a percentage of the populace our military is compared to say, North Korea or Estonia. Then, throw in the Oath Keepers and those members of our military with hearts and minds who would never EVER follow an order to round us up into death camps. It'll never happen.

So let's ease off on the H.G. Wells fantasies for the day, mmkay? Enjoy your freedom!!

Sky is NOT the Limit

The first paragraph says it best: If this decision goes through, our government will be wide open to corporate infiltration.

There is a simple and very significant reason why corporations are limited in their donations to candidates for any office: to minimize sway over officials on any given issue. If a tobacco company, for example, can make limitless donations to a Presidential candidate, and that candidate gets elected, then our new President will most assuredly be "pro-cigarette". The same goes for any corporate lobbyists. Make no mistake: politicians are very receptive of money (perhaps even considered bribes in some cases), especially if that money will aid them in succeeding in elections. The reason the Supreme Court has been fighting to limit donations for over a century is self-explanatory. Corporate financing of government operations will undoubtedly lead to the disintegration of democracy and any chance of voters wielding the influence our forefathers envisioned.

The Party of Values

http://www.breitbart.tv/ca-assemblyman-caught-on-hot-mic-offering-lewd-details-of-affair-with-lobbyist/

I'm...Too Sexy For Public Health Care

No surprise.

Wise Words From an Era Forgotten

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
---Thomas Jefferson

Bad Impressions

More fuel for my undying hatred of the mainstream news.

Every corporate news organization (except Fox, which is unfortunate because they're just as misguided on many other topics) is spreading nothing but misinformation about our movement. At this point, it is purely malicious. There can be no debate about that. They do not take any account on how many Democrats have shown up to the tea parties and other protests. Of course not! It would destroy their credibility. Sadly, most people have their daily news reports spoon-fed to them by these ignorant cowards. Yes, cowards. Every time a free-market capitalist, libertarian, or an anarchist has debated a Democrat or Republican pundit, they have soundly annihilated them. Because of this, most of these news media asshats are afraid that they'll look like fools and Americans will get wise to White House antics.

p.s. - I love this guy.

People should always be sure to read from independent news sites. Even if they're biased a certain way, they are done by the last investigative journalists left on the Internet, so you can be sure they're more accurate. There are many of these sites, just look them up on Google. I recommend the Associated Press, which is essentially the news before it gets edited.

Make a Stand

The Oath Keepers are marching on Washington next Saturday. Read about it here.

We'll make them hear us all the way down Independence Avenue! Be there, and join the fight.

Funny Talkin'

Sorry about the lack of posting; school's been starting up again and it's been tough finding some time to write.

I've been noticing a language trend in the media lately regarding the health care proposal. They insist on referring to it as "universal" health care, or "health care for everyone", etc. instead of calling it what it is: socialized. It's not the right thing for our country, but there is nothing evil about the term. It's not even a political-correctness issue; it is what it is...Or is it?

What's likely happening is that many older people would think ill of the term "socialized", as it brings back memories of the Red Scare and propaganda of the Cold War era. So, this may be a communication tactic to avoid such insinuations. However, the problem with that lies in the semantics behind the aforementioned terms they're using instead. Those terms make it sound wonderful: Health care for everyone! Yay!!! And most people who support the health care proposal have not and will not do any research on it's consequences whatsoever (I only know one friend who actually did). So they'll absorb the information provided by the government like sponges...And why not? "Universal" health care sounds terrific! Everyone's covered? No tax increase? No trillion-dollar price tag? No horrors of socialized health care like in the UK? Awesome!

Unfortunately, the deeply-rooted costs of the proposal are being hidden behind crafty false labels which enable the media to drum up support while simultaneously shutting out the crazy right-wingers.