Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Obama's Halo Fading

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/presidential-approval-tracker.htm

President’s Reagan, Kennedy, Johnson and Eisenhower have all done similar or better than Obama by this time in their term! We would have to discount the huge jump at 6 months with George W. Bush because the catalyst there could be Obama’s salvation as well should some catastrophic event happen and he handled it correctly. [We are mindful of Biden’s caution that Obama will be tested within the first 6 months and we were asked to be patient because it would not appear initially as though a right decision was made but that in time we’d understand his actions.] Theoretically, we could still see such an event.

USA TODAY, [a non conservative publication] released/posted the latest presidential approval tracker. Not good news for the president! It is heartening to see the media is reporting what it can no longer ignore: things are not peachy in Obama-World!

Dick Morris has daily kept those who read his site/newsletter up to date on just what impact the Obama policies are having not only on America but on the Obama Administration. The idea the "Obamacare would/could be his Waterloo" is looking more and more promising. Most of the excerpts are from his fantastic new book "Catastrophe". It should be required reading for everyone who is anxious about the future of this country, their family, themselves!!

Regarding Health Care: Do we need a complete overhaul? ALL in America would likely agree. Do we need it in the next 2 weeks? Likely most in America would acknowledge decades of debate has historically transpired so waiting until the folks come back from their break is not out of the question. And a comprehensive health care plan is not something that should be set in stone [or thousands of pages in print] and then we march forward -- all in a matter of a couple of months! It should be initiated in phases which can only be done when prioritizing the issues. If our founding fathers who were unique in their political, religious, moral convictions as they could be, could hammer out the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights with accord, surely more elected folk today, equally divergent in their individual tenets, can identify the prime issues, prioritize them, and then set a realistic schedule to deal with them. Obama still gets the credit because the reform happens on his watch; the American people have the confidence the reform will be presented in phases the folks can relate to and debate intellectually. Further, reasonable debate and time frames allows the taxpayer time to correspond with their respective elected officials giving those officials the ‘input’ representative government requires! It may take a few years but so long as progress is being made towards the overall goal of constructive reform everyone is the better off.

There are real issues that must be addressed! Doctors, nurses, health care facilities, they have legitimate concerns which seem to be given ‘lip service’ by the elected ones but are waved off as inconsequential in the big goal to establish UNIVERSAL health care.

Massachusetts, the state our national reform is allegedly being modeled after, is way over budget in just 3 years into practice. There remain 2.6% of the residents of Massachusetts without care; and the emergency rooms are still the first stop for many even with health insurance because doctors are disallowing provider ship to those with MASS-Care. So, when you look at the tremendous cost over runs, now over a trillion dollars, the pressure on emergency rooms and the fact that not all are insured, thus NOT UNIVERSAL, you must ponder seriously: "This is supposed to be the model the US citizenry is stuck with if rushed through in 2 weeks? Where’s the ‘help’ to the taxpayer?" It suffices only to chase the US to national socialism; to plant an esteemed feather in the cap of the leader of this national socialism, a feather by the way which will have a short term presence, and it gives self aggrandizing kudos to the elected officials who rubber stamp it!

And still we have the burning question: “Who will pay the health care providers when there is no more money to pay them? Who will make the hard decisions who will live and who will die? Based on what criterion? What family will wind up suing the government because their family seems marked for death?” The big winners in this whole business of UNIVERSAL Health Care in its present state will be Attorneys who begin filing lawsuits for any number of causes! Has that dollar amount been factored into the COSTS of Obamacare? Or do we accept the concept the Government would consider it a better business decision to cut a check for $10, 000 to a family to cover funeral arrangements, saving the tens or hundreds of thousands it would cost to keep that same family member alive? The bottom line? You can bet there will be an attorney waiting at that line and they will make up the difference between that one time funeral cost and the long term health costs! The only thing healthy in the end is the attorney's bottom line. Fact is, the patient is still dead! Family is still grieved. The rules of the game have changed but the players are all the same!

The ‘poor’ and ‘disenfranchised’ this president kept preaching too during his campaign have learned the hard lesson that politicians cannot be trusted. Yet, the inventory is already out the door and they are being left holding the bag of empty promises. Worse yet, they will bear the brunt of the negative impact this alleged UNIVERSAL health care will visit upon them. They will be the ones whose over all health is compromised because of their economic situation. What happens when the kids of poor families whose health is provided freely, whose school breakfasts and lunches are being provided freely thus they are eating healthy, whose exercise and grooming is being tendered by the public school system, all on the Federal Government, while the parents are unhealthy, eat poorly, if at all, live in less than optimal conditions and who may or may not engage in lifestyle choices that further compromise their health? The kids will be left without parents, or elders related to them and will become yet another dependent of the government.

We should shudder to think of such worst case scenarios. While the media is marching out emotionally packed images and stories no one has looked at the faces and stories of those who will REALLY be affected by this healthcare proposal. And ironically, it is those faces and those stories who got up out of their lives and went to the voting polls and said ‘yes to change’. Did they vote yes to their own death warrant? One can only pray this is not the case! Doomsday thinking? Oh, absolutely. But is it really all that far fetched?

There is a short term fix IF the house and senate exercise some collective and individual restraint and refuse to be bullied into a decision or into a decision NOW. That breathing time gives Americans a chance to launch a letter writing campaign and telephone campaign to really STOP this from forward going! Then, in 2010 VOTE NO for everyone of these people UP for reelection who had to be convinced to NOT sign on or who were never convinced! DON’T FORGET, some of the same characters, at least in the house, voted YES to CAP & TRADE!

Pink Slip Day cannot be here soon enough! Let’s hobble this march to totalitarian rule NOW!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Happy INDEPENDENCE Day, America!


What is independence, really? What does July 4th mean to you? How long will we be celebrating our independence as a reality vs independence as a by-gone notion?

Of course, July 4th brings many American’s minds rightly back to 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed into history. That day was no doubt rife with an array of emotions as the founding fathers boldly and bravely STOOD up for their cause and signed that now famous piece of parchment. If it worked, their minds no likely could not truly fathom the real freedoms that would be realized. If it didn’t work, the sacrifices of our founding fathers would probably have been footnoted in some history book.

Today, two centuries after the inauguration of independence, untold lives lost, blood spilt, bodies maimed, families and friends ripped apart, independence endures as the back bone of America’s beauty. Independence has a sister, Liberty, and together they breathe life into each of her citizens while they explore life’s opportunities and purpose.

But independence comes in different shades, forms, and contrasts. While we think in terms of generalities when mentioning Independence and July 4, there are other kinds of independence that are no less brilliant and on exhibition in our wonderful nation. Today, July 3rd, Governor Sarah Palin declared her own independence when she demonstrated her outstanding moral courage and nature and informed her fellow Alaskans she’d be resigning her role as Governor. She did it for so many reasons, all wonderful, but one of them showed her own sense of independence in a quintessential way. She announced to the world that she would not remain as Governor, as a ‘lame duck’ Governor, taking advantage of the ‘perks’ of her office, as many politicians do, because she has worked conscientiously for the people of her state. She regards not only the folks she represents, but the state and its nature, with utmost respect and honor. She honors her own personal integrity in making this bold and historic decision. It matters not if in the future she begins to campaign as a potential Presidential candidate, she could have done that like so many others, and remained on the payroll enjoying the benefits being Governor enjoys. There are simply no words to truly define what an exceptional and outstanding display of integrity and INDEPENDENCE Governor Palin demonstrated. She truly took the lead in doing what was right, in her mind, soul and heart, and anyone who faults her for that runs the risk of appearing truly lacking in their own moral character and personal integrity. If you will lead at all, lead with dignity and honor. Gov. Palin is in the lead on both counts!

For the record, Ms Palin was never my ‘idea’ of a candidate. I did not approve of the stereo typing she engaged on the campaign with Senator McCain. But that is simply my personal opinion. Their ticket got our vote nonetheless. ‘Personal opinions’ aside, I have appreciated her willingness to speak her mind, stand up for what she believes in, and her unflinching sense of self confidence. We wish she and her family all the best and congratulate them on their INDEPENDENCE!

It seems appropriate that anytime one ponders July 4 and Independence one also include positive thought, best wishes, and prayerful consideration to our active duty military personnel. They truly know the cost of freedom. Their families and friends deserve our prayers and best wishes as well for their own sacrifices. Gratitude should be expressed also to the veterans and former active military folks who have served for their country’s Freedom/Independence.

Lastly, the question: Will we know Independence next July 4th as we know it today?

The Obama administration has promulgated a dangerous bill through the House, the Clean Energy Bill, as it is ‘nick named’. Included in this bill, should it pass the senate, is a standard for all homes, appliances, vehicles, etc. Smart appliances are to be developed and sold to replace those we currently have. California is the model the Clean Energy Bill holds up as the standard bearer. Until recently, California entertained that PCT, programmable communication thermostats, would use radio frequency, allowing utility companies to regulate the thermostats in your home remotely. Ostensibly, they sold the concept by alleging the utility company would only control the thermostat during ‘high peak’ usage. The 2008 standards were to mandate all new homes and air conditioners would have the radio frequency device included. Ponder this: the Clean Energy Bill, also known as the Cap and Trade, contains the directive that any homeowner who decides to sell their home would be required to retrofit their home to bring it up to the new standards -- prior to the sell. So, those homes already built prior to the passage of this bill, which would be ‘grandfathered’ in, would only be exempt from retrofit until such time as the homeowner decided to sell. New home construction would be done with California standards as the regulatory standard and only Smart appliances would be permitted. California decided to abandon their PCT radio frequency standard due to the ‘big brother’ish’ sort of invasiveness of that bill. Seems Californians objected to that much ‘green mania’. The technology is out there and the Cap and Trade leaves little room for doubt that our homes, our vehicles, our lives will be devoid of privacy and our independence diminished to nearly zilch!

As you enjoy your independence this July 4th week end, please resolve to stand your ground for independence. Do not let the government strip away that which has cost so much and means so much by exploiting the conscientious desire of American’s to preserve nature! Do not let politicians legislate our INDEPENDENCE out of existence with the Cap and Trade and Universal Health Care bills! Be sure to inundate your senators with letters, faxes, tweets, text messages, whatever you can to let them know they must vote NO! Let them know YOU vote for INDEPENDENCE and LIBERTY and not for burdensome taxation without representation or bondage and slavery to the government. Thomas Jefferson would likely remind us: “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” Incising our Independence from our lives by legislation clearly falls under the ‘abuses and usurpations’ portion of Mr. Jefferson’s declaration. Will President Obama be remembered as the "Red Coat" Threat of this century that inspired a current day revolution because of burdensome taxation and oppression of the people and their sovereign states?

Do America proud and LIFT UP LIBERTY
INVOKE INDEPENDENCE!