Saturday, November 21, 2009
More or Less Humane?
Are We Using the Rules of Engagement Correctly?
It seems that huge influences are directed towards making war more humane. We didn't cry too hard for Dresdeners or other Germans in WWII that were bombed out, whether they be fighting men or "innocent" civilians. The proportion of fighters to civilians in Dresden was on the order of 1 to 1,000. Today, we find ourselves castigated if we kill 1,000 Jihadists and 1 'innocent" civilian. It is hard to believe, but the Jihadists bring along their families to meetings in safe houses in order to ensure headlines "Innocents Killed" if they are struck.
However, one must take the sources into account when reeling from the condemnations: Islamic Nations lead the show, and there are 46 or so of them, plus their Muslim syncophants and implants in another 45 nations around the world, and the usual pacifists and bleeding hearts everywhere that abhor violence, even in the cause of eradicating evil.
The key idea of "innocence" on the part of non-combatants, families, and especially children, needs to be examined dispassionately. If we have knowledge of a high-level meeting of tens of Jihadists in a specific location, it is odds-on that there will be civilians or non-combatants in attendance as well because they will have been forced to attend by the Jihadist leaders. Do we shoot or not? In WWII, we didn't hesitate to open the bomb-bays and drop tons of 500 pounders on the populous cities of Germany.
Why do we hesitate now? World opinion? I believe that to kow tow to world opinion in a war is rediculous. The enemy should be hit wherever found, and hit hard! The very odious and cynical step of forcing families to attend such meetings must be ended, and the only way to do so is to ignore the presence of civilians and proceed to take out the Jihadists. When this practice of exposing civilians is seen by the Jihadists to be ineffective, it will stop. They will sooner or later recognize that they gambled and lost, and that they were killing their own and losing the propaganda battle in the process.
War is hell! ---Sherman
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Universal Everything!
Politics for the Future
It would appear that Obama will run in 2012.
It would appear that at least Romney or Palin will run against Obama, if not one of a few others that pop up.
Whether Palin emerges as a competent conpetitor or not, if she gets the Republican nomination, she gets my vote, since, after tons of reasoned analysis mixed in with several “I told you so’s”, I see Obama and his ilk as a far, far worse threat to the nation, czars and all! One ecomomic analysis has our 2019 national debt at $32 Trillion with all of the Obama stuff properly accounted for.
Of course, I would rather have Romney as President and cheer him on as he deconstructs the Obama era, and constructs a new, sound conservative era for our country. Out with change for the sake of unions and cronies, and in with change we can understand item by item, and be able to judge each of them in turn to be good.
Democratic Utopianism is apparently far from dead in this nation. Let me see, by 2012 we may find ourselves with a government that supports:
Universal world government. It is still championed, despite the preponderance of evil nations.
Universal World Constitution. Here is their chance to rid the US of that pesky Constitution that keeps limiting things they want to do… for the people.
Universal Healthcare. It is on the table now.
Universal Education is very likely not far behind; free through college. There is quite a stimulus here for the building industry.
Universal Welfare is coming back under many disguises, such as earmarks, stimuluses and the like, and eventually out in the open.
Universal Housing had a rough beginning, but they are working on it. The concept of a no-payback mortgage seems to make sense. Then there could be no defaulting! Here is yet another stimulus for the building industry!
Universal Retirement Funds better than Social Security will be in the mix. Let's all retire to Hawaii.
Universal Insurance covering, well, everything from life to autos to housing, to health, to…you name it! Very high premiums, enforced membership, long waits for settlements and low payouts would be par for Government-run operations.
Universal Food and Agriculture Management will ensure enough to eat for the world–hopefully. Here comes rationing!
Universal Loans for any old purpose, guaranteed by the US Government, will ensure that the entrepreneural spirit never dies. Maybe it will be on the Korean System where each family member gets three chances to establish himself in a business funded by the family (in our case, the Feds).
Universal Correctness of Speech and Hate Control will ensure employment for just about every other person in the nation–Dems–to watch over us and report– 24/7.
Universal Unionization Act will make us all joiners, else there will be a penalty of $10,000 and an 8-year jail term. Another big immigration employment boost here–a lot more jails to build!
Universal Immigration and Open Borders Act. Y’all come!
Universal Environmental Controls Act. This will make it very difficult for Repubs to buy, build, or operate any kind of business, and will extend Government control over every aspect of business in general.
Note 1: To my children: After 2020, invest in the building industry!
Note 2: Do it in Hawaii!
Note 3: Cancel the first two notes! The nation will be totally broke far before any of these Utopian stimuluses (stimuli?) take effect.
Labels: 2012, Government Handouts, Obama, Palin, Secular Humanism, Socialism, Stimulus
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Obama the Bowmeister
American Presidents do not bow to foreign royaly; that is, until we elected Obama to skittle around looking for Kings and Emperors to practically prostrate himself before. For this abasement, Obama must be remembered with contempt throughout time, and we need a catchy name for him. I suggest Obama the Bowmeister.
I knew it was a bad day in America when Obama was elected, but I had no idea just how bad it would become in a very few short months.
Oh, perhaps I am wrong! Is he begging?
Labels: Obama
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Hatred
I suggest that there are two kinds of hatred: the reasoned and the unreasoned. Most of the hatreds I have identified in myself are reasoned ones, and are usually based on quite a bit of research and analysis. In this category I place my hatred (i.e. intense dislike) for liberals, communists, socialists, totalitarians of all stripes, and for Islam and Muslims. I do have some unreasoned hatreds, as do most of us, for example, hatred of spiders, bugs and snakes which I freely admit to harboring most intensely.
A good old reasoned hatred is a refreshing thing. It clears the mind immensely, and allows one to focus upon the right and proper attitudes and actions that such hatreds cry out for. It also thumbs one's nose at political correctness in a delicious manner! Nancy Pelosi? I feel the hate! Obama! hot! Harry Reid? Total hate too!
To deconstruct the exact whys and wherefores of these hatreds would take me several books, and even then, I would have to leave out things of importance. It is sufficient for now to say that I intensely dislike their politics and their lack of morals, and I could back those dislikes up with evidence of their sins if I had to. Besides, it allows me the luxury of simply not listening to their rants, raves, and solomn speeches that turn out to be real duds in the end, or total misrepresentations of facts (we call them lies where I come from.). That saves my blood pressure from spiking.
It is liberating to blank out the opposition in this way--they cannot sway me with their olive branches and bribes.
Labels: Comments on the day
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Obama and Afghanistan
Sunday, November 08, 2009
House Healthcare Bill Good for Bureaucrats
The Nancycare Version of Obamacare
The House Republican Conference has gone to the Herculean effort of tabulating the new federal boards, bureaucracies, commissions, and programs that would be established by the House bill--all in the name of cutting costs, of course! They add up to 111:
1. Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 111(d), p. 61)
2. Grant program for wellness programs to small employers (Section 112, p. 62)
3. Grant program for State health access programs (Section 114, p. 72)
4. Program of administrative simplification (Section 115, p. 76)
5. Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 223, p. 111)
6. Health Choices Administration (Section 241, p. 131)
7. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 244, p. 138)
8. Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 155)
9. Program for technical assistance to employees of small businesses buying Exchange coverage (Section 305(h), p. 191)
10. Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Commissioner (Section 306(b), p. 194)
11. Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 307, p. 195)
12. State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 308, p. 197)
13. Grant program for health insurance cooperatives (Section 310, p. 206)
14. "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 321, p. 211)
15. Ombudsman for "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 321(d), p. 213)
16. Account for receipts and disbursements for "Public Health Insurance Option" (Section 322(b), p. 215)
17. Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191 (b), p. 589)
18. Demonstration program providing reimbursement for "culturally and linguistically appropriate services" (Section 1222, p. 617)
19. Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 648)
20. Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicare (Section 1301, p. 653)
21. Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 672)
22. Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 681)
23. Independence at home demonstration program (Section 1312, p. 718)
24. Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 734)
25. Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 738)
26. Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 753)
27. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b)(1), p. 784)
28. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 786)
29. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 796)
30. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 804)
31. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 859)
32. Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 933)
33. Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 978)
34. Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 1647, p. 1000)
35. Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 1058)
36. Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1730A, p. 1073)
37. Nursing facility supplemental payment program (Section 1745, p. 1106)
38. Demonstration program for Medicaid coverage to stabilize emergency medical conditions in institutions for mental diseases (Section 1787, p. 1149)
39. Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 1162)
40. "Identifiable office or program" within CMS to "provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles" (Section 1905, p. 1191)
41. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 1907, p. 1198)
42. Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 1214)
43. Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 1224)
44. Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 1236)
45. Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 1240)
46. Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 1253)
47. Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 1254)
48. Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 1258)
49. Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p. 1272)
50. Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 1275)
51. Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 1286)
52. Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1295)
53. Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1301)
54. Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 1305)
55. Grant program for research and demonstration projects related to wellness incentives (Section 2301, p. 1305)
56. Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 1308)
57. Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 1313)
58. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 1322)
59. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 1330)
60. Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 1352)
61. Grant program for nurse-managed health centers (Section 2512, p. 1361)
62. Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2521, p. 1372)
63. Grant program for interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training (Section 2522, p. 1382)
64. "No Child Left Unimmunized Against Influenza" demonstration grant program (Section 2524, p. 1391)
65. Healthy Teen Initiative grant program regarding teen pregnancy (Section 2526, p. 1398)
66. Grant program for interdisciplinary training, education, and services for individuals with autism (Section 2527(a), p. 1402)
67. University centers for excellence in developmental disabilities education (Section 2527(b), p. 1410)
68. Grant program to implement medication therapy management services (Section 2528, p. 1412)
69. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors in underserved communities (Section 2530, p. 1422)
70. Grant program for State alternative medical liability laws (Section 2531, p. 1431)
71. Grant program to develop infant mortality programs (Section 2532, p. 1433)
72. Grant program to prepare secondary school students for careers in health professions (Section 2533, p. 1437)
73. Grant program for community-based collaborative care (Section 2534, p. 1440)
74. Grant program for community-based overweight and obesity prevention (Section 2535, p. 1457)
75. Grant program for reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in primary and secondary schools (Section 2536, p. 1462)
76. Demonstration project of grants to medical-legal partnerships (Section 2537, p. 1464)
77. Center for Emergency Care under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (Section 2552, p. 1478)
78. Council for Emergency Care (Section 2552, p 1479)
79. Grant program to support demonstration programs that design and implement regionalized emergency care systems (Section 2553, p. 1480)
80. Grant program to assist veterans who wish to become emergency medical technicians upon discharge (Section 2554, p. 1487)
81. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 2562, p. 1494)
82. National Medical Device Registry (Section 2571, p. 1501)
83. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 2581, p. 1597)
84. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 2581, p. 1598)
85. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 2581, p. 1602)
86. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1610)
87. National Women's Health Information Center (Section 2588, p. 1611)
88. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1614)
89. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women's Health and Gender-Based Research (Section 2588, p. 1617)
90. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1618)
91. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1621)
92. Personal Care Attendant Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 2589(a)(2), p. 1624)
93. Grant program for national health workforce online training (Section 2591, p. 1629)
94. Grant program to disseminate best practices on implementing health workforce investment programs (Section 2591, p. 1632)
95. Demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (Section 3101, p. 1717)
96. Demonstration program for substance abuse counselor educational curricula (Section 3101, p. 1719)49. Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p. 1272)
50. Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 1275)
51. Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 1286)
52. Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1295)
53. Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1301)
54. Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 1305)
55. Grant program for research and demonstration projects related to wellness incentives (Section 2301, p. 1305)
56. Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 1308)
57. Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 1313)
58. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 1322)
59. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 1330)
60. Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 1352)
61. Grant program for nurse-managed health centers (Section 2512, p. 1361)
62. Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2521, p. 1372)
63. Grant program for interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training (Section 2522, p. 1382)
64. "No Child Left Unimmunized Against Influenza" demonstration grant program (Section 2524, p. 1391)
65. Healthy Teen Initiative grant program regarding teen pregnancy (Section 2526, p. 1398)
66. Grant program for interdisciplinary training, education, and services for individuals with autism (Section 2527(a), p. 1402)
67. University centers for excellence in developmental disabilities education (Section 2527(b), p. 1410)
68. Grant program to implement medication therapy management services (Section 2528, p. 1412)
69. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors in underserved communities (Section 2530, p. 1422)
70. Grant program for State alternative medical liability laws (Section 2531, p. 1431)
71. Grant program to develop infant mortality programs (Section 2532, p. 1433)
72. Grant program to prepare secondary school students for careers in health professions (Section 2533, p. 1437)
73. Grant program for community-based collaborative care (Section 2534, p. 1440)
74. Grant program for community-based overweight and obesity prevention (Section 2535, p. 1457)
75. Grant program for reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in primary and secondary schools (Section 2536, p. 1462)
76. Demonstration project of grants to medical-legal partnerships (Section 2537, p. 1464)
77. Center for Emergency Care under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (Section 2552, p. 1478)
78. Council for Emergency Care (Section 2552, p 1479)
79. Grant program to support demonstration programs that design and implement regionalized emergency care systems (Section 2553, p. 1480)
80. Grant program to assist veterans who wish to become emergency medical technicians upon discharge (Section 2554, p. 1487)
81. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 2562, p. 1494)
82. National Medical Device Registry (Section 2571, p. 1501)
83. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 2581, p. 1597)
84. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 2581, p. 1598)
85. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 2581, p. 1602)
86. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1610)
87. National Women's Health Information Center (Section 2588, p. 1611)
88. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1614)
89. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women's Health and Gender-Based Research (Section 2588, p. 1617)
90. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1618)
91. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women's Health (Section 2588, p. 1621)
92. Personal Care Attendant Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 2589(a)(2), p. 1624)
93. Grant program for national health workforce online training (Section 2591, p. 1629)
94. Grant program to disseminate best practices on implementing health workforce investment programs (Section 2591, p. 1632)
95. Demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (Section 3101, p. 1717)
96. Demonstration program for substance abuse counselor educational curricula (Section 3101, p. 1719)
97. Program of Indian community education on mental illness (Section 3101, p. 1722)
98. Intergovernmental Task Force on Indian environmental and nuclear hazards (Section 3101, p. 1754)
99. Office of Indian Men's Health (Section 3101, p. 1765)
100. Indian Health facilities appropriation advisory board (Section 3101, p. 1774)
101. Indian Health facilities needs assessment workgroup (Section 3101, p. 1775)
102. Indian Health Service tribal facilities joint venture demonstration projects (Section 3101, p. 1809)
103. Urban youth treatment center demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1873)
104. Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for diabetes prevention (Section 3101, p. 1874)
105. Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for health IT adoption (Section 3101, p. 1877)
106. Mental health technician training program (Section 3101, p. 1898)
107. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1909)
108. Program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims and perpetrators (Section 3101, p. 1925)
109. Program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (Section 3101, p. 1927)
110. Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1966)
111. Committee for the Establishment of the Native American Health program
This House Bill, which few congressmen have even read, is an abomination.
Labels: Health Debate, Obamacare
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
The Anti's are Up!
Conservatives are definitely "anti" many things on the current political scene.
What things?
Well, we are anti massive increases in the national debt!
We are anti huge increases in the size and complexity of government.
This leads to being anti the current proposed health care bill, since it does both of the above!
By the same reasoning, we are anti a large expenditure and government involvement in Cap and Trade, plus we think that the science behind it--AGW--is quite dubious, and Algore is the only one to profit from it.
We are not anti science, per se, but anti bad science.
We are firmly anti government ownership of our industrial, financial, and commercial industries.
We are equally firm and anti about all incursions into our freedoms and liberties by the government.
Not surprisingly, we are strongly anti treating our Constitution as merely a guideline for revisions at will by legislators, the administration and the judiciary.
We are also anti the UN, the ICC, and the LOST Treaty as they are anti American incursions on our sovereignty, which leads to:
We are very strongly anti "internationalism", since the majority of the nations of the world are nowhere near being a moral and upright group that is capable of just decisions from our point of view.
Another sticky wicket are the so-called congressional earmarks that cost us billions per year, such as bridges to nowhere.
While we are confessing our sins of being the "anti" movement, we are totally against deficit spending and unbalanced budgets, and earnestly seek a path, however long and tortuous, back to fiscal responsibility and spending controls, and reining in entitlements.
Yet another area that brings out the anti in us is the idea of reducing the military drastically simply to achieve a so-called "peace dividend". History shows us that every time we virtually disarm, we have to shell out massive funds to catch up later when a war breaks out because some ambitious nation thinks we are too weak to respond.
There are undoubtedly many more :"anti" positions to be documented, such as anti abortion and anti gay marriage, but this set will do for now.
One can just as easily turn these Anti positions into Pro positions, which is a very worthwhile exercise.
Labels: Being Anti
Sunday, November 01, 2009
This Healthcare Bill: just Say NO!
Instead of an omnibus bill, take many small remedial steps!
Isolate specific problems, such as tort reform, and send a bill for signature on that one thing.
Put a real enforcement campaign onto Medicare fraudsters and fund it well.
Ensure that Illegals do not get free coverage.
Ensure that abortion is not funded by the government.
Ensure that private industry has free reign. Limit government's role in healthcare.
Elect those who will continue this program: conservatives!
Labels: Corruption, Health Debate, Illegals
