Obama stiffed again.
An Instapundit reader has a good point: “he [Obama] turned his back on the Iranian people because that whole free election fight of theirs wasn’t nearly as important as the nuclear deal he was working out with Iran’s regime.”
So much for liberal “sophistication” ....
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES
Mandates do not drive down premiums.
Here’s a thought: non-comprehensive health insurance. Why not let me select which benefits I’m willing to pay for?
In Massachusetts, they’ve had the opposite effect. After the enactment of Commonwealth Care in 2006, every provider group — from the fertility doctors to the substance-abuse counselors — persuaded the health-care officials that no plan would be “comprehensive” without their services. The result? Cheap insurance isn’t just hard to come by in the Bay State — it’s illegal.I would note that I just got notified by my company of a new Federal mandate (the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008) that will almost certainly drive up my health insurance premiums next year.
Here’s a thought: non-comprehensive health insurance. Why not let me select which benefits I’m willing to pay for?
CNN VS “FAUX” NEWS
The White House communications director, Anita Dunn, contrasted Fox News with CNN: “Fox News is just a Republican opinion outlet ... while CNN is a real news network.”
Hmm. Well, I once posted the lead stories on each service’s web site. I think it’s safe to say that CNN and FOX certainly cater to different viewership, but I would be hard-pressed to argue that FOX’s selection of news stories for its “top stories” is more opinionated than is CNN’s selection.
Via Instapundit.
Hmm. Well, I once posted the lead stories on each service’s web site. I think it’s safe to say that CNN and FOX certainly cater to different viewership, but I would be hard-pressed to argue that FOX’s selection of news stories for its “top stories” is more opinionated than is CNN’s selection.
Via Instapundit.
AUTUMN VIEWS
Some views from around the neighborhood.
The beginnings of change in the yard. Still mostly green, but some reds and yellows are appearing. We've had rain, so it may be a colorful autumn this year.
A spectacular red.
Red highlights in the tree tops behind the neighborhood homes.
The yellow leaves alongside the house are spectacular in the evening sun.
The beginnings of change in the yard. Still mostly green, but some reds and yellows are appearing. We've had rain, so it may be a colorful autumn this year.
A spectacular red.
Red highlights in the tree tops behind the neighborhood homes.
The yellow leaves alongside the house are spectacular in the evening sun.
Friday, October 23, 2009
SPINE TRANSPLANT
Has the mainstream media (NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN) found some backbone?
Maybe. More likely, the “finally they came for me” principle has been rediscovered.
Maybe. More likely, the “finally they came for me” principle has been rediscovered.
GOOD INTENTIONS AREN’T ENOUGH
Sarah Palin on ObamaCare.
See also JoeC’s comment (posted earlier) at the bottom of this post on the cost of ObamaCare.
See also JoeC’s comment (posted earlier) at the bottom of this post on the cost of ObamaCare.
THE PERPETUAL CAMPAIGN
Is he aware he won the Presidency?
Just nine months into his presidency, Obama has appeared at 23 Democratic fundraisers, including the two he attended Tuesday night, according to Mark Knoller of CBS News, who keeps a detailed log of presidential activities.Maybe it’s time to tell him to shut up and start cleaning up all those messes he claims he “inherited..”
By comparison, George W. Bush attended six political fundraisers and Bill Clinton went to five during their first year in office.
MANDATORY VOLUNTEERISM
Michelle Malkin: ”Hollywood hearts Obama. Obama hearts government-directed national service. That is why you won’t be able to change the TV channel all week without getting lectured about the need to get off the couch and Do Something.”
And it’s not just television. I’ve noticed a number of comic strips boostering volunteerism: Rose is Rose, Mutts, Red & Rover, Pickles, Curtis, Zits, Baby Blues, Big Nate, Frazz, ....
BC and Dilbert seem to have a contra attitude ....
And it’s not just television. I’ve noticed a number of comic strips boostering volunteerism: Rose is Rose, Mutts, Red & Rover, Pickles, Curtis, Zits, Baby Blues, Big Nate, Frazz, ....
BC and Dilbert seem to have a contra attitude ....
SURBER ON OBAMA ON BECK
"Glenn Beck is America's favorite rodeo clown. He used to be one. His critics keep sneering about it."
"Every White House has its bull. This White House's bull comes from the Ivy League. At the top of the roster is the president - a graduate of Columbia and Harvard Law - and his wife, Michelle Obama, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law."
"America needs a rodeo clown, because the key to being a rodeo clown is knowing where the bull is coming from - and be[ing] smarter than the bull."
"Beck is scoring on both counts."
"Every White House has its bull. This White House's bull comes from the Ivy League. At the top of the roster is the president - a graduate of Columbia and Harvard Law - and his wife, Michelle Obama, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law."
"America needs a rodeo clown, because the key to being a rodeo clown is knowing where the bull is coming from - and be[ing] smarter than the bull."
"Beck is scoring on both counts."
WHERE ARE THE MODERATES?
E.J. Dionne asks “Is there room in the Republican Party for genuine moderates?”
Since in E.J.’s mind a moderate is someone just to the right of MoveOn.org, I suspect his answer is “No.”
My answer is the same.
Since in E.J.’s mind a moderate is someone just to the right of MoveOn.org, I suspect his answer is “No.”
My answer is the same.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
RECONSTRUCTING DEAD WHITE MALES
From the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign advertising:
Hmm ... haven’t we been taught by our 'intellectual betters' to disregard the opinions of ‘dead white males’?“Our greatest destiny is to serve ourselves and our fellow man (and woman).” -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” -- Winston Churchill.
TURTLES AREN’T EXTINCT
Though they may be an endangered species.
I’ve been a member for 40+ years, and had long thought that our species had gone extinct, so I was pleased to see an “Order of Turtles” group on the career networking site LinkedIn.
You may ask, “Who are Turtles?"
They are “an illustrious group and include in their membership some of the country's foremost leaders in fields of government, finance, entertainment, aerospace and other areas where aggressiveness, a feeling for fair play, clean thoughts and a sense of humor are keys to success.”
More realistically, Turtles are a widespread, loosely-knit group of fun-loving individuals with a somewhat wry sense of humor. There is no organization, no membership roll, no meetings, no dues, and no obligations – except an implied one to recruit more Turtles.
Membership is open to anyone who is (a) breathing, (b) has an IQ above room temperature (Celsius – and that may be waived), (c) wants to join, and (d) can answer the Questions correctly (coaching is allowed).
The origin of the Turtles is uncertain, to say the least. The most common – and I think most likely - explanation of its honorable origin refers back to the Second World War, when a group of American fighter pilots stationed in England formed a semisecret drinking fraternity among its squadron's members, and put prospective candidates for membership through a mock initiation.
Are you a Turtle?
OBAMACARE OPTIONS
From a Don Surber post on ObamaCare taxes. JoeC comments:
“If You’re An Employer Who Can’t Afford To Provide Health Insurance To Your Employees, You Get Taxed”And if you don’t think that there are lots of people out there are making exactly JoeC’s assessment, you’ve got a lot to learn about human nature.
What part of “can’t afford” is it I do not understand? I must be missing something somewhere. Come to think of it… it might be cheaper to pay the tax than to pay for the health benefits for my employee (myself). My catastrophic plan costs my company close to $500/month for me and my wife. So I could go to a slightly more expensive plan that actually paid for things like dental, prescription drugs, and eye care…. and get taxed because I had the expensive plan (over $8000)… which would cost me even more. Hmmmmm…. let me think about this for a moment. So I can:
A) Pay a tax (say $1000) because I have no insurance and get ‘free’ gov’t care
B) Pay $6000 for a minimalist plan (which I have now)
C) Pay $8000+additional tax for a better plan that still costs me a co-pay
Lemme think about that for a bit.
OBAMANOIA
Victor Davis Hansen:
Somehow we went from revolutionary fervor to the boring Ministry of Truth in nine months.Read it all.
Personally I found the left far more interesting when they were suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome than Obamophilia.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
HEARD ON THE RADIO
For the last several weeks, WTOP radio here in DC has been regularly airing anti-soft drink/juice tax advertisements. I can’t recall hearing anti-cigarette tax or anti-liquor tax advertisements, at least not at the frequency and decibel level of the anti-soft drink/juice ad campaign.
Sin taxes are OK, unless it's my sin being taxed.
Sin taxes are OK, unless it's my sin being taxed.
WHY DO PEOPLE LISTEN TO RUSH?
CNN aired a segment with a psychiatrist to analyze conservative talk radio listeners. According to the psychiatrist, Rush Limbaugh has an audience because he’s “operating like the bully, and if you’re on the playground...you want to be...under the bully’s wing and go along with him and get...some power by proxy.”
It’d be interesting to see FOX News air a similar analysis of people who watch CNN, MSNBC, etc.
It’d be interesting to see FOX News air a similar analysis of people who watch CNN, MSNBC, etc.
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