GOVERNMENT WORKERS feel no economic pain. And they don’t have to worry about manufacturing, distributing, marketing, or selling a product that no consumer would ever want to purchase.

RECOGNIZE THIS PHOTO?


Now go here and read the comments.

Link from Instapundit.

SO DRIVE THE PRIUS: It’s entirely possible that more people will be killed driving to the dealer for the recall than lives will be saved from going through the safety theater demanded by the Department of Transportation.

UPDATE: And now it’s beginning to look like the San Diego incident was a litigation ploy.

IDAHO IS THE FIRST STATE to pass a law requiring the state to defy a (federal) requirement to buy insurance.

At least 36 other states are considering similar legislation in response to the drive by President Obama and congressional Democrats to expand health insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans, in part by requiring them to buy insurance. Virginia has enacted similar legislation, but it became law without a signature by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Good.

ANOTHER RANDOM THOUGHT. For the moment, let’s assume that ObamaCare passes and becomes the law of the land; that electronic health records become complete, pervasive, and Government-accessible; and that the FDA receives regulatory authority over groceries (e.g., prescription Cheerios).

Now I’m driving by the local Harris Teeter grocery store and see the little food lockers for people to use to pick up call-in orders, and I’m thinking, “Hmm, soon I’ll be required to call in to the grocery store with my shopping list, have it checked against my EHR and FDA-approved food prescriptions, and then drive-by to pick up my government-approved generic brand groceries.”

Isn’t life great, or what?

[Added thought] Hmm. Let’s add a national ID (to control illegal immigration) to ObamaCare, electronic health records, and all that. Now imagine having to have your card scanned before being allowed to buy that hamburger (without fries, exceeds your salt allocation). Or going to the grocery store and only being able to buy “medically approved” groceries (no ice cream, you’re 10 pounds overweight}.

JUST A THOUGHT: if health care is in such a crisis, why am I bombarded by commercials for products and services in print, on the radio, on TV, and on the internet 24/7/365?

UNIFORM NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS: not a good fit?

I tend to lean toward some flavor of national standards - but not a curriculum - for those subjects required to be an educated citizen (read that as voter). Jeff Jacoby argues the contrary:

[T]he very nature of American society -- a nation of 300 million that comprises a multitude of ethnic, religious, social, and ideological traditions -- argues against the imposition from above of one-size-fits-all education standards. There is no uniform answer to the question of what parents want most from their children's education.

His point (italicized above) is a worthy one. Is there, or can there be, a consensus on a minimum body of knowledge required of an American citizen to be able to effectively participate in running this country?

AMERICANS HATE UNICORNS and rainbows, and smiley faces, and fuzzy bunnies, and tulips, and utopia.

OBAMA: “Your employer, it's estimated, would see premiums fall by as much as 3,000 percent, which means they could give you a raise.”

Umm, OK, my share of my health insurance premium is $664/month. A 100% drop is $664, so a 3000% drop would be 30 x $664 or $19,920/month.

Heckuva job, Brownie Barry.

ARROGANT APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE. From a Cincinnati Enquirer editorial on ObamaCare:

“Congressional leaders wouldn’t allow Republican proposals to be formally considered, then turned around and accused them of not having alternatives.”

“Among themselves, Democrats cut a series of backroom deals that in any other context would be considered criminal payoffs and bribery.”

“Obama, despite all his fine talk of bipartisanship, has proven he has little regard for the ideas – or the constituencies – of those who are not his political allies.”

“The legislation has major problems that have not even begun to be discussed in a serious way, and if Democrats have their way will not be debated at all.”

“[Reconciliation]s blatant abuse is yet further damning evidence of congressional leaders’ arrogant, condescending attitude toward the people they ostensibly were elected to serve.”

Honest Leadership; Open Government. Right.

Link via Instapundit.

HOW TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT: Eviction (last item).

A CONTENTIOUS EXCHANGE: Fox's Bret Baier interviews Barack Obama.

I don't think the search for Democrats on Fox News worked out too well.

PASSING THE HEALTH CARE BILL a really bad idea. A great quote from the New York Times’ David Brooks:

Either this whole city has gone insane or I have or both. But I’m out here on the ledge and I’m not coming in the window. In my view this is no longer about health care. It’s just Democrats wanting to pass a bill, any bill, and shredding anything they have to in order to get it done. It’s about taking every sin the Republicans committed when they were busy being corrupted by power and matching it with interest.

And the rest of us get stuck with the bill. To paraphrase Lady Macbeth, it’s time to say “Out, damn’d politicians” – every last one of you – and start over in 2011.

GLOOMY OBAMA WOULD RATHER BE A VICTIM THAN LEADER: the tin god has no worshippers.

Poor baby.