Say What! 090529

"The White House is leaving it to lawmakers to work out the details of a health care plan, but Obama has said it should ensure choice and lower costs, while extending coverage to the 50 million Americans now uninsured. The cost of accomplishing that has been estimated around $1.5 trillion, and figuring out how to pay is emerging as a major challenge for Congress and the White House."
The gradual and consistent march of modern American government toward controlling every critical aspect of the individual's life is tragic. The fact that around 40% plus of the American public consider it a grand crusade is the key enabler. I consider any who think this is possible or good to be misinformed not malicious.
To demonstrate how little we understand the scale let alone the consequences of what we are talking consider the numbers bandied about in the above story.
1.5 trillion is $1,500,000,000,000.00. Divide that by 50,000,000 people. If my math is correct the cost of insuring these "poor" souls is $30,000,000 dollars per person. So a family of 3 will cost $150,000,000. This is before we feed or house them. I can see why this is considered a major challenge.

Correcton: As it turns out the $1.5 trillion is a ten year cost yielding $3,000 per year/person or around $10,000 per family. My faith in the governments accuracy and ability to control costs makes this a starting number. See the history of medicare, social security, every other government program ever implemented....

Say What 090528

"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."
This is a quote from perspective supreme court judge Sonia Sotamayor. The left certainly rates getting the liberal judge of their dreams. They hold the presidency and a clear majority in congress. That's the way our system works. She is certainly a capable and accomplished judge. She is also certainly being picked based on her race and gender.
But, it is quite useful to look at some of the ideas and standards the left holds. In this case her astonishing racism and sexism are not only offensive but demonstrate the left's view of judicial practice. Race and sex are tools in leveling policy and deserve consideration in all rulings of government. Rather than all men being created equal, deserving of equal rights and equal consideration under the law, it is there contention that government must consider aspects outside the law and the case to both render judgment and to nominate a judge. It is shocking.
For my liberal friends who don't think this statement is racist or sexist simply reverse the terms in the quote and read it aloud to your friends.

Say What 090512

USA Today Headline on 12 May 2009: Accused killer's father: The Army 'broke him'
This is the USA Today headline on the Sgt John Russel who murdered 5 fellow military members in Iraq while being attended at a stress clinic.

Media bias appears in very subtle and hidden ways. The point of this headline is that the Army is responsible for causing the murderer to kill. The larger context seems to be that it is a bad war, poorly managed, led by immoral and/or incompetent people etc. I'm not sure the last time the news asked the relatives of the murderer how they felt but it is definitely upside down.

Sgt Russell's father made the following statements in the article,"They broke him," Wilburn Russell said, wiping away tears as he stood on the front porch of his son's brick home. "They decided they wanted to get rid of him." "They escorted him out with a guy with a gun," Wilburn Russell said. "That was the worst thing they could have done. They trained him to kill; he had a short fuse when they antagonized him." Obviously it's the Army's fault because they antagonized him. You can easily understand why the murderer did this. It could happen to anyone in a similar situation.

Live Free or Die

I am constantly perplexed and mystified by the majority of my friends. My friends are carefully chosen for their greatness. They are without exception bright, successful, fun, interesting, and intelligent people. I'm very choosy. I have never discriminated for political agreement. I think I would be fairly lonely and somewhat bored without the diversity and energy that comes from managed conflict.
I think I secretly believe that if I can expose them to the ideas that I have encountered, they will see the same light. One of my favorite talk show hosts Dennis Prager frequently says, "Seek clarity not agreement."
I believe the essay "Live Free or Die" http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis/archive/issue.asp?year=2009&month=04 by Mark Steyn lays out a very clear view of how conservatives see the danger our government has taken and seems to be accelerating into.
I rarely get to wrestle a liberal to some of the central ideas and fears regarding modern trends. I would love to get some reaction to this 8 page essay.

Say What! 090506

President Obama in seeking a replacement for Justice Souter wants, "someone who understands justice is not just about some abstract legal theory," he said, but someone who has "empathy." I guess the rule of law should only be used unless you really FEEL that someone your heart favors should win.