How ObamaCare Will Take Away Your Freedom Of Choice

On Sunday, Investors.com (The editorial page of Investor’s Business Daily) posted an article entitled “20 Ways ObamaCare Will Take Away Our Freedoms.”  Please follow the link to the article, but I will try to highlight it here.

You no longer have the option of whether or not to buy insurance.  If you are young and healthy or starting up a business, you have to pay for health insurance, or pay a fine.  (Section 1501).  Section 2701 of the bill states that the insurance companies will no longer be able to underwrite on the basis of a person’s health status.  Section 2711 says that you cannot buy a cheaper policy that has limits on payout.  Section 2712 says that you cannot buy certain pollicies if they do not have the proper preventive coverage.  Section 2714 says that as an employer you have to insure your employees children up to age 26.  (Whose idea was this?  Are we trying to keep our children dependent forever?) 

Section 1302 says that if you are a single male, your policy must cover pediatrics, a non-drinker must have substance abuse coverage.  A woman who cannot have children must have maternity coverage.

The list continues.  Hospital expansion is subject to major limitations if the hospital is doctor-owned. 

This is a nightmare.  It needs to be repealed either by lawsuits or by Congress as soon as possible.  A number of State Attorneys General are preparing lawsuits to challenge to basic mandate of requiring everyone to buy health insurance.  Stay tuned.

Jobs Endangered By Healthcare Bill

Today at the Washington Examiner, Byron York posted a story about a Chelmsford Massachusetts company named Zoll Medical Corporation.  The company manufactures heart defibrillators, which are used throughout our nation to save thousands of heart attack victims every year.  The healthcare bill passed in the House of Representatives Sunday levies a tax on the makers of medical devices in order to pay for the new healthcare program.

The tax will cost Zoll Medical Corporation somewhere between $5 million and $10 million a year according to Richard Packer, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer.  He adds that the company profit in 2009 was $ 9.5 million.

The article points out that the company has a few options in handling this increased expense.  It can raise the price of its product, not really a good idea as they are coming under pressure to cut their price.  The company could shift jobs overseas in order to lower production costs.  This would not help the unemployment rate nationally or in Massachusetts.  Also, the company can also cut back on research and development. 

Cutting back on research and development is a choice many medical device companies will be forced to make.  It will hurt them down the road in terms of competition, but there is also another aspect to this.  America has (up until now) led the world in developing medical technology.  We can expect to see innovation in medicine decline sharply as the companies that manufacture medical devices are more heavily taxed.

Sunset In Afghanistan

This is a picture of sunset in Afghanistan.  It is part of an article by Michael Yon.  The article has some beautiful pictures of the helicopters and airplanes the Air Force is using to support our troops and the stories of the men who fly them.  Michael Yon is probably the most reliable source on the war in Afghanistan.

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Misplaced Compassion

Yesterday Fox News reported that a federal judge has ordered the release of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a man named by the 9/11 Commission as a recruiter for Al Qaeda who helped put together the team who carried out the attacks on September 11, 2001. 

The article states:

“Military prosecutors suspected Slahi of links to other Al Qaeda operations, and considered seeking the death penalty against him while preparing possible charges in 2003 and 2004.

“U.S. District Judge James Robertson granted Slahi’s petition for habeas corpus, effectively finding the government lacked legal grounds to hold him. The order was classified, although the court said it planned to release a redacted public version in the coming weeks.”

This detainee was not tried in a military commission because he is said to have been tortured.  When you read the article, you learn that torture included death threats and harm to his mother.  You will note that no bodily injury occurred and that lives were probably saved by the information obtained.

Would someone please tell this judge that if he releases this prisoner, American soldiers will die.  Does he understand that this man is a threat to all Americans, including him?

Some Perspective That Arrived In My E-Mail

A $50 Lesson

I recently asked my friends’ little girl what she wanted to be when she
grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents,
liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, ‘If you were
President what would be the first thing you would do? ‘

She replied, ‘I’d give food and houses to all the homeless people.’

Her parents beamed with pride.

‘Wow…what a worthy goal.’ I told her, ‘But you don’t have to wait until
you’re President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn,
pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I’ll pay you $50. Then I’ll take you over
to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him
the $50 to use toward food and a new house.’

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the
eye and asked, ‘ Why doesn’t the homeless guy come over and do the work, and
you can just pay him the $50? ‘

I said, ‘Welcome to the Republican Party.’

Her parents still aren’t speaking to me.

What Happens Next To Healthcare ?

I know it passed, and I apologize for the fact that we are still going to be talking about the healthcare reform bill for some time.  Today, the editors at National Review posted a really good analysis of where we are and where we go from here.

The editors point out what is obvious to many of the voters:

“Almost nothing about this legislation is free of dispute, but we are convinced that it will increase taxes, increase premiums, and increase debt, while decreasing economic growth, job growth, and the quality of health care.”

The editors also point out that during the Presidential campaign, President Obama pledged not to force people to buy health insurance and not to tax their healthcare benefits.  Both promises will be broken when he signs the healthcare reform bill.  He has also broken the promise of bipartisanship–the only bipartisanship was against the bill! 

The article points out that repeal of the entire bill is not likely–the closing of the ‘doughnut hole’ in senior citizens drug benefits will probably be with us forever.  It is possible, however, as the unpleasant aspects of the bill become apparent, Congress will be pressured to undo them.  I wonder about that, though, considering the amount of pressure that was put on Congress not to pass the bill. 

The only way the Republicans gain anything by the passage of this awful bill is to promise not only to repeal it, but to replace it with something that will actually work and actually save the taxpayers of America money.  Unfortunately, the next ‘big thing’ to come down the pike will be an immigration reform package that will make all illegals legal and then put them on government healthcare.  This will, in fact, backrupt the country.  The only logical reason to make illegals legal is to have them pay into Social Security (with the hope of delaying the demise of the system).  That is a true ponzi scheme and hopefully Americans will be smart enough and loud enough to stop it!

Iceland Prepares For Another Volcanic Eruption

Yesterday’s U.K. Times reported that Iceland is bracing for another more severe volcanic eruption.  The article reports that tremors around the volcano near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, which erupted Sunday, were first recorded in early March.  About 500 people have been evacuated from near the volcano.  The volcano is about 75 miles southeast of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik.  The fear is that a nearby volcano, Katla, beneath Myrdalsjoekull, a large glacier, will also erupt.  If a volcano erupts beneath a glacier, the risk is flooding and mudslides as well as the risk from the eruption itself.

Iceland is a beautiful country, built on volcanic rock where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.   The picture below was taken at Reykjanes where the plates meet.  They are pulling apart at a rate of about 2 centimeters a year.  The white spot toward the right side of the bridge is me wearing a white winter hat!  The dark gray under the bridge is not water–it is lava dust.  That section of Iceland (the southwestern section) is lava rock (covered with green moss in spots).  The picture is a color picture.  That is the color that things looked in February 2007!

The volcanoes under iceland provide the country with true ‘green’ energy.  The place that we stayed while we were there had radiant heat in the floors that was provided by the local hot spring.  There were huge pipes all along the roads going away from the Blue Lagoon that carried hot water throughout the country.  There were greenhouses throughout the country heated by geo-thermal activity.  There are, however, risks involved in living on an island with continuing volcanic activity.

For a larger version of the picture below, click on the same picture on the right.

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Are You Tired Of Hearing About Healthcare Reform Yet ?

Are you tired of hearing about healthcare reform yet?  I know I am, but the issue is not going to go away.  If it passes tonight, which I expect it to, that will be only the beginning of the fight.  I have watched and listened all day, and (as usual) I have a few throughts (and a good link).

The Democrats who support the bill are touting the provision that allows children to remain under their parent’s health insurance policies until age 26.  Now, my youngest child is in her mid-thirties, so admittedly I am not affected by this, but wait a minute.  Isn’t the whole idea of parenthood to teach the bird to fly out of the nest at some point?  I realize these are difficult times and there may be cases where this is necessary, but do we really want to make it the rule?  I love my children, but my worst nightmare would be to have them dependent on me at age 26.  To set up that situation routinely troubles me.

The other thing being touted by the people who support the bill is the immediate insurance for pre-existing conditions.  Look at that one closely–for the first year or two, it only applies to children.  Also, are the insurance companies going to have to raise their rates to pay for this? There are such things as actuary tables that are used to assess risk in providing insurance coverage.  Are we throwing those tables out the window?

Now to the link.  In an article in today’s Washington Examiner, Michael Barone points out that the healthcare reform bill will vastly increase government spending. 

 “Over the last 40 years federal government spending has hovered around 21 percent of the gross domestic product. The Obama budgets have pushed that up to 25 percent. The health care bill threatens to keep it in that vicinity indefinitely. And that, as the CBO has said, means deficits around 5 percent of GDP as far as the eye can see — or higher taxes. Pelosi and other Democrats have been eyeing a value-added tax, i.e., a national sales tax.”

Some of the taxes coming our way–3.8 percent more in Medicare tax, from 35 to 39.6 percent in income taxes, a 3.8 percent tax on interest and dividend levels beginning in 2013.  These tax increase will in no way help the coming problems in Medicare and Social Security–they will be used to fund the new healthcare reform.  This bill is a fiscal nightmare and a job killer.  Hopefully it will be repealed before it can do any serious damage.

A Message From Neda’s Fiance

This article is based on a story in Power Line today, which in turn linked to a story yesterday in the Jerusalem Post.  Caspian Makan, the fiance of Neda Agha-Soltan (whose murder during the protests in Iran was filmed and the video shown around the world), is visiting Israel and has released a statement.  Mr. Makan was taken prisoner and tortured by the Iranian government after Neda’s death and fled to Canada. 

According to the article in the Jerusalem Post:

“In trembling voice, Makan said there was hope for change in Iran. “The Iranian people is aware of the rights its being denied. Today the Iranian people is steadfast to achieve victory and to overthrow the current regime.”

“Makan said he hoped for an Iran “where no man comes against his fellow man, with no more executions, no more war, no more murder.””

While Mr. Makan is in Jerusalem hoping for freedom from tyranny for his country, President Obama is trying to make peace with Iran. 

Power Line reports:

“In his message Obama acknowledges Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. He purports to be mystified by the beliefs of “Iran’s leaders.” He must not be paying close attention.”

Meanwhile Iran’s response to the President’s message is pretty simple.  According to Thursday’s U K Telegraph, border officials in Afghanistan report a large amount of weapons and materials for making weapons seized on the Afghan border with Iran.  It is a shame our President is too busy criticizing Israel for building an apartment building within the city limits of its own capital to deal with the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons.

Kindness In The Midst Of Unspeakable Horror

AOL News posted an Associated Press story earlier this week about a Holocaust survivor named Berthe Meijer, now 71.  Mrs. Meijer (at age 6) was an inmate at the Nazi concentration camp Bergen Belsen for 13 months until it was liberated in April 1945.  Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust memorial authority, has confirmed this.  Her memoir, which will be published in Dutch later this month, recounts a memory of Anne Frank telling stories to the younger children in the camp to take their minds off their surroundings.

The article points out:

“Around 140,000 Jews lived in the Netherlands before the 1940-45 Nazi occupation. Of those, 107,000 were deported to Germany and only 5,200 survived.

“The Meijers and the Franks were acquaintances before the war: members of both families had fled Germany during the rise of Hitler’s regime and found a place in the tightly-knit Jewish community in Amsterdam. The Meijers lived on the same street where Anne attended a Montessori elementary school.”

Please follow the link to the article to read the entire story.  It is an inspiring story.  I will admit that I didn’t realize that there were children in the concentration camps.  I was under the impression that they were sent to the gas chambers as soon as they arrived.  I can’t imagine the imprint an experience like the concentration camps would leave on a young child.  It is comforting to know that there were people in the camps that tried to protect the young and vulnerable from the reality around them.

Friday Was The Seven Year Anniversary Of The Start Of The Iraq War

Yesterday was the seventh anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War.  There were a lot of things we miscalculated going into that war and a lot of mistakes made in those seven years, but Iraq has voted as a democracy more than once since the beginning of that war. 

Yesterday CNSNews posted an article about the forgotten anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war. 

The article points out:

“The White House made no comment Friday on the anniversary of the start of the war. The U.S. military said there were no ceremonies or special events to mark the day, which saw five Iraqis – but no Americans – die in violent incidents.”

Meanwhile, on Monday, March 15, CNSNews reported that the preliminary results of the recent Iraqi election showed that the political parties that support Iran seem to be weakening.  I hope this is an indication of things to come.  The biggest danger in telegraphing our plans to leave Iraq on a specified date is that the pro-Iran forces in that country can simply wait us out and then take over the country.  Meanwhile, Iraq is having elections and beginning to function as a democracy.  Remember, we did not get everying 100 percent right at the beginning of our own country–we didn’t deal with slavery, women were not allowed to vote, and there were other things the founding fathers avoided addressing in order to preserve unity within their new union.  We need to remember that as we watch Iraq grow into a democracy.

Meanwhile, thank you to all of our military who made the beginnings of democracy in Iraq possible.

Looking Beyond The Obvious

A few days ago, Democrats in Congress were praising the healthcare reform bill as a deficit-reducting necessity.  This was based on a preliminary report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).  There are always a few things to keep in mind when evaluating a CBO report.  The CBO is politically neutral–they are neither Democrat nor Republican, but their estimates are based on the figures and parameters that they are given.  If they are told that the government is going to collect $100 in taxes and spend $80, they will see a $20 savings in a bill.  Again, their figures are based totally on what they are told.

Earlier this year, the heathcare reform bill included something known as the ‘Doc fix’.  This has to do with adjusting the amount of money Medicare pays to doctors for the services they provide.  The ‘Doc fix’ was taken out of the healthcare reform bill in order to make it appear that the bill would be cost-cutting measure.  The only problem is that the ‘Doc fix’ is needed to insure that doctors will continue taking Medicare patients and will continue treating current Medicare patients.  The ‘Doc fix’ will be (if it hasn’t already) passed under separate cover.

Yesterday, Yahoo News posted an Associated Press story which confirmed the obvious.  The ‘Doc fix’ or Medicare fix (as it is called in the article) would cause the healthcare reform bill to be $59 billion in the red. 

The thing to remember when estimating the cost of the current healthcare reform legislation is that the increased taxes start immediately; most of the benefits do not start until about four years into the program.  Therefore, in order to appear to be a cost-saving bill, you have to compare six years of expenses with four years of taxes.  What happens when you have to compare ten years of spending with ten years of taxes?  The bill becomes an expense, no a cost-saver.

The Impact Of Healthcare Reform On Jobs

Today’s Washington Examiner is reporting that Caterpillar, Inc., has sent a letter to the House of Representatives asking them not to pass the current healthcare reform bill, stating that the bill will increase the company’s healthcare costs by $100 million in the first year alone.  The provisions in the bill that were of the most concern were the expansion of Medicare taxes and the requirement to provide health insurance for all employees.  The increased costs will make it very difficult to expand the business or hire new employees.

Caterpillar, Inc., believes that this bill is a job killer.  They are not alone.  Yesterday 130 economists said in a letter to President Obama that the healthcare reform bill is a job killer.  (Frankly, I am amazed that 130 economists could agree on anything!) 

The article points out:

“The Peoria-based company (Caterpillar, Inc.) is one of many hard-hit employers in Illinois, which has an unemployment rate of 12.2 percent. It’s delusional to think that adding $100 million to their operating costs won’t make it more difficult to hire.”

If the top priority of the Obama Administration is to create jobs, this is definitely a move in the wrong direction.

Is This Where We Want To Be ?

Today biggovernment.com posted a story told by a man who was calling his Congressman to attempt to ask him to vote against the current healthcare reform bill and to explain to his Congressman why he is opposed to the bill.  The Congressional staffer who answered the phone explained that the Congressman felt that it was a good bill and planned to vote for the bill.  When the constituent began to explain his objections to the bill, the staffer explained that she was very busy and hung up on him.  The caller called back to attempt to finish his point.  Each time she hung up on him, he called back.  Eventually, the caller asked to speak to the staffer’s supervisor and was put on hold.  Eventually the line was picked up by a Capital Police Agent who charged the caller with harrassment under a specific law.  Fortunately, the caller was a lawyer who was able to check on the law.  After researching the law, the caller called the Capital Police Agent back and explained why he was not guilty of harrassment.  The Policeman agreed and said that he would explain that to the Congressman’s staff.   When the caller again contacted the Congressman’s office, he was told that the Congressman was going to vote for the bill regardless of the arguments made.

The caller points out:

“While I’m fortunate enough to be able to legally challenge what happened today, others aren’t. The sad part is the democrats know this. They know that Americans unfamiliar with federal jurisprudence can easily be silenced when threats to involve federal agents are made. They know that most Americans don’t want trouble and they’ll go away rather than face the possibility of having to explain themselves to federal agents. That’s why I found this tactic appalling, as a Marine, as an attorney and as a proud American.”

The willingness of a Congressman to ignore the wishes of the people he is supposed to represent is troubling.  The fact that he attempted to scare away someone who disagreed with his vote by threatening police action is just wrong.

Taking Farmers Hostage

This article is based on a post by the National Republican Congressional Committee, so please remember, it is one side of the story.  If this ever shows up in the national media (which I doubt it will), it will be interesting to hear the spin.

Two Democrat California Representatives (Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa) which were previously listed as ‘undecided’ on the healthcare vote are not listed as ‘yes’ votes by Code Red (a group tracking the vote count).  Considering the fact that public opinion is rapidly moving in the other direction, why would they go against their constituents to vote ‘yes’? 

According to the article:

“The U.S. Department of Interior announced yesterday that it is increasing water allocations for the Central Valley of California, a region that depends on these water allocations to support local agriculture and jobs. The region has recently been starved for water and as a result unemployment has soared.  Not surprisingly, Cardoza and Costa had a hand in the announcement.”

This is another backroom deal put on to pass healthcare.  Hugh Hewitt has reported on the Central Valley water problems for a few months on his website (hughhewitt.com).  You may need to be a member to follow that particular link, but I am sure many of the California newspapers have carried the story.

 

If this were a good bill, it would have passed by now.  It is a bad bill that the Democrat Party has been trying to pass since President Obama took office.  The history of this bill is very similar to the history of George Bush’s immigration reform bill, only George Bush had the sense to listen to the majority of the American people and withdraw the bill.  President Obama seems determined to run over the wishes of the majority of the American people.  If you are opposed to this bill and have not yet voiced your opposition, please call your Representative while there is still time.  This is the link to the official House of Representatives website (www.house.gov).  If you follow the link and the simple steps at the site, you can easily email your Representative and voice your opinion.

Article I Section 7

Article I Section 7 (U. S. Constitution)

“Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.”

Yesterday the Washington Examiner reported that the Landmark Legal Foundation (the president of which is Mark Levin) is planning to file a lawsuit in federal court if the House of Representatives uses the “Slaughter Solution” to pass healthcare reform.  The initial filing is posted in a link in the Washington Examiner article. 

Our Constitution forces Congress to vote on items that become law.  In this way, we can hold them accountable and vote accordingly.  It seems to me very telling that the House does not trust the Senate to change the bill after the President signs it and it becomes law (the Constitutional way to pass a bill) and that the members of the House are unwilling to go on the record as supporting the Senate bill.  It seems to me that the logical solution here is to scrap the bill and start all over.  The logical alternative to the 2000+ page disaster currently in Congress is the “Small Bill” detailed here (rightwinggranny.com) on February 22.  Congress has wasted more than a year on this.  To start over with the Small Bill would add less than two months to the process if it were done openly and honestly.  I think the American people would support this as an alternative to what is happening now..

 

A Quick Comment On National Security

I’m not sure whose responsibility this is, but it seems a little off.  When talking to someone today who has a relative in Afghanistan, I asked if she could tell me where he is.  She laughed and sent me to Wikipedia to search for the name of his base camp.  There it was.  They gave an approximate location, plus a list of the troops that were there–American and NATO.  Does anyone else have a problem with this?

Honesty From A Former Democrat?

This story is based on two articles–one from today’s Boston Herald and one from Power Line yesterday.  Tim Cahill, the Democrat state treasurer of Massachusetts, left the Democrat party in July and it running for governor of Massachusetts as an independent. 

The Boston Herald points out:

“Cahill, saying he was barred from the 2008 Democratic National Convention because he wouldn’t endorse either Obama or Hillary Clinton, said, “My own party basically voted me out.”” 

He has also gone on the record as stating that President Obama’s healthcare reform proposal will bankrupt the country, as a similar healthcare reform plan passed in Massachusetts a few years ago has had a serious negative impact on the state budget.  I would also like to point out (as a resident of Massachusetts) that we have the highest health insurance premiums in the nation–universal healthcare has not brought individual costs down at all.

The main talking point being used to push the necessity of healthcare reform is the need to insure everyone.  That is a valid point, and I am sure most of us would like to see everyone have access to healthcare insurance (everyone is already guaranteed access to medicare care).  The challenge is how to reach that goal.  I believe it is possible to insure every American without wrecking the insurance of every currently insured American.  The savings that would be gained (the CBO figures verify this) from simply passing tort reform would make a major difference in healthcare costs.  Texas has led the way in tort reform and has a growing medical community as a result.  Doctors and medical facilities have voted with their feet.  We can learn from their experience.

A New Level Is Reached In The Stupidity Of Political Correctness

The Army Times reported Monday that the Americans working in Haiti to help with the earthquake relief effort have decided not to fly the American flag over their compound.  The statement made is that they do not want to offend their Haitian hosts or give the impression that they are a conquering or occupation force.  This is beyond dumb.  Whenever a natural disaster occurs anywhere in the world, the Americans are usually the first ones in with food, first aid, and any other necessities they can provide.  As far as I am aware, we have not taken over any countries or claimed any new territory since the 1950’s.  We do not govern France, Germany, or Japan despite having large groups of soldiers flying American flags there during World War II .  Although we still have a presence in Germany and Japan, we also contribute to their economies in a major way, and I don’t think anyone would accuse us of taking over those countries.  Since America gets blamed for many of the ills of the world, it seems to me that we have the right to be proud when we are helping someone recover from a disaster!

I would like to point out that Britain, France, and Croatia have no problem flying their flags.  When did we lose the courage to fly our flag proudly when we are helping another country after a natural disaster?  This is a decision that needs to be revisited.

Terrorist Lawyers

Monday’s Wall Street Journal printed an article by Debra Burlingame and Thomas Joscelyn about some of the activities of the lawyers who have represented the terrorists at Guantanamo.  The story begins on January 26, 2006, when a brochure was found in the cell of one of the prisoners.  The brochure was put out by amnesty international and decried American abuse of Muslim prisoners and America’s war on Islam.  (Amnesty International has a history of supporting anti-democracy forces in its claims of abuse).  When the detainee was asked where he got the brochure, he said that he had gotten it from his lawyer through “legal mail,” privileged lawyer-client communications that are exempt from screening by security personnel.  The literature was shared with other detainees. 

Mrs. Burlingame further relates:

‘The Amnesty International brochure, handed out at a human rights conference in London, was a political advocacy screed in clear violation of that order, which was formulated to protect force security. Maj. Gen. Hood made a command decision. He banned the Paul, Weiss lawyers from access to Guantanamo. The DOJ notified the firm.’

The firm promptly sued the government.  The government reached a settlement with the Paul Weiss lawyers, and they were again given access to Guantanamo prisoners.  The story continues:

“On Feb. 20, 2007, a post on the Paul, Weiss Web site proudly announced “Paul, Weiss achieves more victories for Guantanamo detainees.” Two detainees were released from Gitmo to their home in Saudi Arabia. One was Majeed Abdullah Al Joudi, a recipient of the Amnesty International “report.” The Web site needs an update. The Pentagon has identified Al Joudi as a “confirmed” recidivist who is “directly involved” with the facilitation of “terrorist activities.””

The question now being asked is how many of the lawyers in the current Justice Department were part of the Paul Weiss team.  Please follow the link to read the entire story of what has gone on regarding Guantanamo.  We handled this sort of thing much more effectively during World War II.

 

‘Nuff Said!!!

 

billboard-1.jpgThis picture is posted at Hot Air.  It is a Minnesota billboard on I-94 outside of Albertville on the northwest end of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.  There are more pictures of the billboard posted at Hot Air.

I Really Don’t Like Being Lied To

This story is based on two articles, one from Power Line and one from Fox News.  As the healthcare debate has heated up, we have heard a lot about people dying because they did not have health insurance.  While I am sure there may be rare cases of that occurring, I suspect they have more to do with the patient being reluctant to seek treatment than the treatment being available.  I have a case in point.

Yesterday President Obama cited the case of Natoma Canfield, an Ohio woman with leukemia. 

Fox News reports:

“Natoma Canfield, the cancer-stricken woman who has become a centerpiece of President Obama’s push for health care reform, will not lose her home over her medical bills and will probably qualify for financial aid, a top official at the Cleveland medical center treating her told FoxNews.com.” 

There are, I am sure, instances where people have lost their homes due to illness.  That is tragic, but I believe it is also the exception–not the rule.  Americans are the most generous people on earth, and it is written into our laws that no one can be denied medical treatment if they show up at a hospital.  Unfortunately, if Obamacare is put into place, elderly people may routinely be denied care due to lack of availability.  The number of doctors willing to take elderly patients under the proposed regulations will be decreasing rapidly–as the population ages.  We will be in danger of instituting the same kind of government rules over the availability of medical care found in Canada and England–where people can wait as much as a year for bypass surgery.

Healthcare insurance could use some reform–tort reform, portability across state lines, risk pools for people with pre-existing conditions, and tax credits to enable the poor to afford health insurance.  Anything more than that will ruin the quality of care we have now.

Dissing Your Allies In Favor Of Terrorists

Power Line has posted two articles recently about the recent dustup between America and Israel (Condemn This and Condemn This Part 2).  The first article points out that while Israel was condemned for announcing the construction of buildings within the bounds of its own capital city, no mention was made of the fact that according to Power Line, shortly after Joe Biden left the Palestine Authority:

“… students from Abbas’s Fatah party gathered in Ramallah to dedicate a public square to the memory of a woman who in 1978 helped carry out the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel’s history. The woman and her terrorist crew killed an American photojournalist, hijacked a bus and commandeered another, embarking on a bloody rampage that left 38 Israeli civilians dead, 13 of them children.”

Israel is building on her land.  The Palestinians were celebrating the death of innocent Israelis.  Until terrorism against Israel is stopped and no longer celebrated, I do not see how peace between the two countries is possible. 

The second article lists the demands that the United States is making of the Israelis in order to forward the ‘peace process.’  One of these demands is the release by the Israelis of Palestinian terrorists currently in Israeli prisons.  These are the people who kill innocent people and are celebrated in Palestine.  The Obama Administration is again supporting terrorists and their activities instead of supporting our allies and the people who support freedom and democracy.