ObamaCare, Longevity and Beer

According to Master TrogloPundit it is predicted that by mid-century there will be six million centenarians running about. I am already half a century plus one but I suppose if I cut back on the tobacco and further increase my daily consumption of beer it is possible.

Still, should I fall and break my hip when I’m eighty, which is a given considering my penchant for breaking bones, under the new super duper ObamaCare I could be stuck living another twenty years without the soon to be rationed out of existence, entirely necessary, hip replacement.

I don’t see it happening. Longevity seems counter-intuitive under the Obama Doctrine. But, rather than being a pessimist, I'll mull it over while I have another beer.

If it Looks Like Pork And Smells Like Pork...

Drudge has ticked off Ag. Secretary Vilsack by quoting Recovery.Gov:

SPENDING SCARED: WHITE HOUSE PUTS OFF RELEASE OF BUDGET UPDATE...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $2,531,600 FOR 'HAM, WATER ADDED, COOKED, FROZEN, SLICED, 2-LB'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $1,191,200 FOR '2 POUND FROZEN HAM SLICED'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $351,807 FOR 'REPLACE AND UPGRADE THE DUMBWAITER'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $1,562,568 FOR 'MOZZARELLA CHEESE'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $5,708,260 FOR 'PROCESS CHEESE'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $16,784,272 FOR 'CANNED PORK'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $1,444,100 FOR 'REPAIR DOOR BLDG 5112'...RECOVERY.GOV // AWARDED: $541,119 FOR 'INSTALL TRAFFIC SIGNAL'...

While Vilsack quibbles over whether he paid a good price for ham, the more relevant question is, how is this stimulus and how does it create jobs? It isn’t hard to argue that the Administration is simply ’winging it’. Surely, this is the most expensive OJT in our history.

Did Democrats Just Figure Out That Their Donors Are Those Evil Rich Guys They've Been Trash Talking?

According to the Wall Street Journal Democrats are beginning to worry about “the Rich”.

A group of Democrats elected in recent years from some of the country's richest congressional districts have emerged as a stumbling block to raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for President Barack Obama's ambitious health-care overhaul just as the plan has begun to meet increasing resistance over its cost.

Friday, two freshmen representatives -- Dina Titus, from suburban Las Vegas, and Colorado's Jared Polis, representing Boulder, Vail and some of the tonier suburbs of Denver -- joined Republicans to vote against Mr. Obama's top-priority health-care overhaul when it faced a vote in their House Education and Labor Committee. One reason was a one-percentage point-surtax on couples earning between $350,000 and $500,000 -- gradually increasing to 5.4 percentage points on earnings more than $1 million -- to pay for it.

After months of claiming that wealthy Americans are the root of all evil there has been a turnaround. So, has it finally sunk in that the wealthy fuel this country? Well, no. The democrats aren’t concerned about the financial health of the country. They are concerned about the financial health of their re-election purses.

Election gains in some of these affluent regions have helped give Democrats big majorities in the House and Senate. Of the 25 richest districts, 14 are represented by Democrats, according to Congressional Quarterly. In 1995, Democrats represented just five of those districts.

It is no secret that the constituent who holds the donation dollars has the politician’s ear. It appears that freshman democrats are leery of biting the hand that feeds them.

"There could come a time," said Rep. Michael McMahon, a freshman Democrat from New York City's borough of Staten Island, when Democrats are in open rebellion. "We will certainly see in the next few weeks where we are going."

Time certainly will tell whether the democrats are willing sell both their country and their re-elections down the river. One thing is certain, if the democrats end up biting themselves on the butt there won’t be many tears shed.

Who Knew?

Apparently that Google Bomb thingy really works. Now all you slut puppies who ended up here hoping to get a peek, shame on you.

Update: Thank you to everyone for coming by. Now checkout the rest of blog and come back soon.

The Grassroots Should Start At The Ground Level

We’ve all heard that saying “he who governs least governs best” and in that vein Mark Steyn broke it down best when he said that government does its work best on the local level. It is too late and I am much too tired to chase down his exact words but he said that the town mayor is much more responsive to the needs to the people in his town than the state governor is to the people in his state for a very simple reason; on the local level, you know where he lives.

On the local level, at least in a smallish town, you are likely to bump in to your local politicians in the grocery store or the PTA meeting. If the mayor pisses you off you can, though I am not explicitly recommending it, knock on his front door. As you travel up the political food chain your chances of getting near the front door greatly diminishes. Which brings me to this at Legal Insurrection:

The states pay, on average, more than 40 percent of the cost of Medicaid, so they bear a significant burden of any expansion of the program to help more low-income Americans. At their annual summer meeting, in Biloxi, Miss., the governors said that their concerns dominated discussion, with striking levels of bipartisan hostility voiced during a closed-door luncheon on the topic on Saturday.

Now if you were to by some total miracle, make it anywhere near you governor’s front door it would most likely result in being fitted first for a pair of handcuffs and secondly, for a straight jacket. None the less, most governors recognize that right now the people who voted them in to office are none to pleased with the current going ons. There is, of course, an exception to every rule, which is currently embodied my my own governor Charlie Crist, who is happy as a pig in shit as he rolls about in stimulus money while raising taxes and fees and every Floridian.

Unlike the delusional good time Charlie, most governors realize that sooner or later they will have to face their constituents and in a show of bipartisanship none of them want to be standing on the unemployment line.

There are a ton of battles to be fought and if conservatives are going to ultimately win the war, it might be wise if we start with the lowest common denominator.

Common Sense

Turns out that Gatordoug and I have two things in common; an appreciation for common sense and and an appreciation of Dennis Prager:

Congradulations!

When I decide to join the other trillion other people expressing opinions on the blogosphere I did what I've always done-I turned to the experts for advice. I emailed every single conservative blogger I had ever read for advice. I'm talking scads, tons, butt loads. I received exactly two responses. They came from Jim Treacher and Stacy McCain.

Congratulations Stacy on reaching two million visitors. Most of all, thank you.

What Am I Missing, Besides The Obvious?

From Stacy McCain:

Four unions representing the nation's postal workers are pleading for a meeting with the White House to address possible funding shortfalls for workers' payroll and retiree health benefits, according to a letter obtained by CongressDaily.The presidents of the American Postal Workers Union, National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, National Association of Letter Carriers and National Postal Mailhandlers Union co-signed the Tuesday letter to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, warning that the U.S. Postal Service is at risk of defaulting on a $5.4 billion payment to prefund retiree health benefits at the end of September.The letter alleges that USPS "may not be able to make payroll in October and will be forced to issue IOUs instead." . . .

Can anyone explain to me why a single entity, the post office, needs FOUR unions to represent its workers? Is this, perhaps, the reason why the post office is so God awful inefficient? And more importantly, why would anybody trust the government with anything as important as our health care?

Are You Flipping Kidding Me?

Because 32 “czars” isn’t enough, the Democrat plan would add another overlord to the Obama administration. The new “Health Choices Commissioner” would helm the new “Health Choices Administration” (Section 141 of the bill) – separate from the already existing Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration), the Veterans Health Administration, and the Indian Health Service.

The words belong to Michelle Malkin but the bold type is mine. Her article, well worth the read, is about is about socialized health care. My focus is the THIRTY-TWO czars.

THIRTY-TWO people who are appointed by the president and answer to the president ONLY. THIRTY-TWO people who have not been vetted and have not been confirmed by Congress. THIRTY-TWO people who are setting policy with no checks and balances. THIRTY-TWO people who are paid salaries and have massive budgets, during an economic "downturn" while overlapping (overshadowing) the duties assigned to properly appointed members of the President's Cabinet.

WTF!

I Am Embarrassed

It seems either the English-speaking media is still sleeping since Friday night or they can't find anyone who speaks Spanish. Two days have gone by and no one has been able to translate the numerous articles that have come out around the world regarding the seizure of computers in Zelaya's Presidential Palace containing the results of a referendum vote that never took place.

That is the analysis from Babalu of the coverage that the crisis in Honduras is receiving both from the MSM and the blogosphere. Sadly, it is all too true and I have nothing to say except, "guilty as charged."

Honestly, the only blog that I follow who has kept up with this very important story is Legal Insurrection. I am not going to argue (make excuses) that I have been distracted by socialized health care or Cap and Tax, both I consider to be threats to the fundamentals of democracy.

The events in Honduras are a concrete example of what happens to people that fall asleep at the switch. It may start with cozy, feel good programs like health care but it ends up with dictatorship. If we stand for freedom then lets get up off our collective asses and STAND UP!

Our government has backed the despot Zelaya. This is an affront to freedom and no less deserving of attention than the other crap our government is trying to pull off.

Pay attention.

Good Memories

My parents threw a major blowout party for the moon landing. I come from a family of bee keepers and a bunch of us were running around in full bee keeper regalia, thinking that we looked like astronauts. As a kid it was the most cool thing ever. Somehow I recognized that what my family was celebrating was a possibility. A picture of that day by the Queen, nay Goddess, of all pictorial manipulation:

Heh.

New Kid On The Block?

Troglopundit commenting a new guy Noah Johns says, "We can’t possibly take a man’s measure unless he’s more specific about his beverages."

As I sit here on a wonderful Summer day, breathing deep the breeze coming off the bay and drinking deeply from a beer, glorious beer, I can't think of anything more perfect. Of course, as the sunsets on the on the water I will switch to a margarita, no salt, and think to myself, Jose Cuervo is a very good friend of mine.

Erin Andrews Nude Video

At what point did every single person in the World lose their right to privacy? I haven't got the first clue who Erin Anderson is but just because somebody does, doesn't mean that as a 'public figure' some perv can video tape her without her knowledge and put it up on the net.

Have skanks like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears so immunized us against common decency that we now consider everyone fair game? Cut the crap and show some class. Leave her alone.

Not All Anniversaries Are Happy

Remember her? No? Her name was Mary Jo Kopechne and yesterday was the 40th anniversary of her death. For those of you too young to remember, or old enough, but choose to forget, on July 18, 1969 Sen. Ted Kennedy left her to die a horrible death under a bridge while he trotted off to work on an alibi. Kennedy never answered for his crime though given his health, and age, he soon will. The "champion of the poor" used his family's money to avoid responsibility. A question for the voters in Massaschuttes, what is your excuse?

See also Gateway Pundit

Riddle Me This

Can any one who supports government health care really guarantee that citizens will enjoy the same, or better, coverage under a government plan than they enjoy now? Here's the scenario you have to work with"

White male, 81 years old. He has suffered a series of strokes that has left him paralyzed on the right side of his body. His left knee has been replaced, he has a pace-maker and cancer. His every need has been covered under his private insurance. What say you?

I think it is obvious that the man in the above example is my father. He is going to die, we all are, but in his case it is a pretty good bet his death will come sooner than later. Ten years ago when he had his strokes his doctors gave us a decision. They told us that if he lived that he would be paralyzed, he would be brain damaged. My father had (has) a Living Will and the doctors were not required to do anything. The decision belonged to my mother and I. Can anyone guarantee that if the health plan places, that other families will be given the same opportunity my Mom and I were given?

Dad had surgery Friday to remove a blood clot. His doctor was pretty pissed off with him because he had fallen more than a week ago but didn't seek medical attention because his doctor was on vacation. I told him that pretty soon he may not be eligible for medical coverage so he'd needed to quit being so stubborn and accept care now while it is still available. He countered by asking me to promise that I would have a surgery that I have put off for over a year. I haven't looked at my Dad in the eye and lied since I was sixteen years old so I told him that I would "check it out".

Some people, employing a ratio of contribution to society/cost to society would argue that treating my father simply doesn't make sense and is an inefficient use of society's health dollars. I say let society keep its health dollars, the private system is working just fine.

Win First, Deal With The Details Later

My first reaction when I saw the headline How Can You Claim Moral Superiority Voting For Bob Barr? was why the Hell is Cloutier firing an arrow across Stacy McCain’s bow?

I had seriously considered not voting for John McCain. To be sure, I never for a moment thought about voting for Barack Obama but when I voiced my concerns about McCain to my friends and family every one of them said that if I didn’t vote for McCain I would responsible for Obama winning the White House. The only reason I voted for John McCain is Sarah Palin. In other words, I completely understand why Stacy McCain voted for Bob Barr. Unlike a lot of us he stayed true to his principals instead of voting for the lesser of two evils. Of the two positions, McCain’s is the morally superior. Having read Cloutier’s piece I’ve decided that it is possible to make the morally superior decision and be wrong.

Cloutier:

Well, we’re not being screwed, these days. We’re being freaking gang-raped. And while I knew that a John McCain vote meant some serious discomfort in the future, there is no way in hell he would have presided like Barack Obama. Fiscal policy alone would have been drastically different. Does anyone really believe that a John McCain presidency would have sold out the country to the Unions? Does anyone really believe we’d have to be beating back the biggest power grab by the federal government ever?

The “teach you a lesson” folks want Americans and most especially, Republicans, to learn that Obama’s statist ideas are huge failures. After all these huge policy disasters come to pass, go ahead and say “Nah, nah, ne-nah nah!” That’s some hollow victory. America will have gone down the shitter. Yay, you! You were dead right! But dead

There is nothing I hate more someone approaching subject reasonably that I approach emotionally and Cloutier has done just that. Conservatives are being bent over a chair at every single turn. The message carried by the media and supported by the Administration is that Conservatives are mentally unstable, violent whack jobs and terrorists. We are not in a good position here. Cloutier’s answer-we have to stop screwing ourselves.

The truth is, since Obama has been elected more people are identifying themselves as “conservative”. The Devil may be in the details but the only way we are ever going to end this current reign of terror is to form the coalition now and work on the details later. The seventh circle of Hell won’t be one degree cooler for those who ended up there morally.

Stacy McCain deserves the last word, not just because he was the only person who gave me the time of day when I started my blog, but because he cares about this country and its future:

If the Republican Party could nominate as its presidential candidate a man whose only apparent political principle has been the advancement of his own ambition and still win, what kind of cynic would call that a good outcome? When the GOP nominates the wrong man, the electoral debacle that inevitably follows cannot be interpreted as evidence that the party should nominate more scoundrels like that.

National Health Care For You, Not Me

Friday I stepped outside of work for a smoke break and I turned on the TV on my cellphone. Megyn Kelly was interviewing Sen. Bernie Sanders on socialized medicine. If you are not familiar with Sanders let me just say that he is easily the most obnoxious crap weasel I have ever seen interviewed. The self described democratic socialist was on the show to talk about health care but instead ignored Kelly’s questions and used his time to rail against Wall Street.

There was a discussion today in the WSJ about Sen. Tom Coburn’s amendment which would require Congress and their staffs to be covered by the same health care plan as us little people. The amendment made it through committee 12 to 11 but once again, there was Bernie. Seems he refuses to be subject to the health coverage he favors for everyone else.

Here's the video of Sanders making an ass out of himself. Feel free to boo.

Republicans, Straighten Up!

Michelle Malkin makes the excellent point that Republicans are falling short in the housekeeping department:

The rotten American Conservative Union/David Keene pay-for-play scandal underscores a point I’ve made over and over and over again:

The GOP can’t attack the Democrat culture of corruption (my new book comes out July 27) until it cleans its own house first.

The John Ensign mess keeps getting worse.

Stubborn, selfish, prevaricating Mark Sanford keeps embarrassing himself and conservatism.
And there’s another sex scandal on C Street.

Grass-roots conservatives are livid and lashing out.

We’ve got major battles on the Hill and fundamental principles to defend.
Show the corrupted, Beltway-infected, power-drunk Republicans the door.
And get back to work.

McCaskill: Express Yourself And I'll Call The Cops

Should politicians be held accountable to the citizens who have elected them? According to Sen. Claire McCaskill the answer is, “not so much.”

When patriots (or as the Left likes to call them, “right wing terrorists”) showed up at McCaskill’s office to exercise their constitutionally protected right to express an opinion in opposition of socialized medicine, the police were called out.

So who were these scary people?

Geez, they don’t look so threatening to me. Certainly not as frightening as socialized medicine, Cap and Tax, and bankrupting the country.


UPDATE Via Instapundit:

It seems that Rep. Heath Shuler was less than gracious to his employers as well:

It is important to note here that we were not “storming the Bastille.” We were not carrying pitchforks, nor did we arrive announced. Our group called ahead well over a week in advance and requested that someone from Shuler’s office receive our petitions and comments. We were informed that they would not accept our petitions and that Shuler would not be there, but that someone would receive us.

Wild Horses

If you are one of the few people who still buy in to the Congress’s pretense of seriousness, Mark Steyn is here to clear things up:

John Hinderaker of the Powerline Web site mused on whether this would involve Nancy Pelosi (who's very keen on federally funded contraception) personally installing the enhanced prophylactic device on every stallion. The pay-per-view rights on that would surely be worth $700 million at least. And it would certainly stimulate the American latex industry. Or perhaps we could import them from overseas. I seem to recall the European Union introduced shape and size regulations for a harmonized Euro-condom a few years back, only to have the Germans complain that these things were too small and obviously made for Greeks – or possibly vice-versa, before any Greek readers file a federal hate-crimes suit. Anyway, the point is that somewhere in a European warehouse there are piles of ill-fitting Euro-condoms gathering dust. Surely it's not beyond the wit of Congress to convert a few superfluous GM plants in Michigan into facilities for sewing together unwanted Euro-contraceptives to fit federally condomed mustangs. Just thinking outside the horse box here.

My apologies for bringing Nancy Pelosi up so early in the day. If it helps, remember; it is always beer thirty somewhere.