Monday, August 31, 2009

Here is an interesting article that breaks down the "number of uninsured" that is thoughtlessly being thrown around by liberals and the media. The nice thing is that it doesn't pass judgment on whether any amount of taxpayer-subsidized care is appropriate. It rather serves to clarify how many people are actually uninsured (and what categories they fall into). Nice apolitical economic piece, imho.

Monday, August 10, 2009



Who is John Galt?

I found this article quite interesting, for a couple reasons. While not a member of the $250k+ club (yet), I'm smart enough to realize that taxes are soon enough going to be going up for me, too (hence why I started looking into tax shelters during last year's election). Not only does this article's advice on political protest make sense for anyone with a work ethic who doesn't want to be supporting a President who relishes enslaving them and throwing them under the bus of socialism ("From each according to their ability to each according to their need"), but it also makes financial sense for people to scrutinize their expenses and ask if something is really needed, now more than ever.

I know I have found myself actively choosing not to support this President's socialist agenda by holding back on certain purchases. Then again, no one can blame a person who has been needing a new car and can now get a helluva deal. Still, in searching for the answer to the question above, the answer can be found in all of us!

Saturday, August 08, 2009

"Opponents of Health Care Reform" ... Let's Rephrase That Now!

The supporters of Obama's ideas for health care reform really should keep in mind that just because others don't like Obama's or Pelosi's ideas of "reform" doesn't mean they are opponents of health care reform. There are other ways to try to fix some of the current problems with the system, especially ways that don't involve growing a behemoth socialist entitlement that (a) isn't affordable and (b) will fail like so many other examples of centralized planning.

I know it shouldn't shock me, but I read that liberals are honest-to-goodness attacking concerned citizens' reactions in the town hall meetings, labeling them as "becoming nasty." In reality, the people getting nasty are the leftosphere and liberal commentariat who can do nothing more than savagely attack the motives of people who care enough to show up, who simply don't want to see one group's ideas get railroaded down their throats without nary a mention of other potential options (and who are tired at this point of having hugely expensive bills get passed without sufficient debate, bills that address far-reaching and substantial issues).

But, I don't expect this to matter to people who think that their opponents are simply "opponents of health care reform" and who parrot Obama's talking points, dismissing any dissenting opinion as "bought" and "fake." It's absolutely sickening.
An EXCELLENT article from Peggy Noonan in yesterday's WSJ!

Here is SUCH a good article from Peggy Noonan, that really captures how ridiculous, insulting, and divisive the liberals are being with their responses and reactions to actual concerned citizens who have myriad issues with Obamacare! I've even seen mindless, thoughtless insults spewing from members of my own family towards people who are simply concerned enough to want to make their voices heard.

Some examples: Janine Garofalo calls them "hickish d***hebags." My own cousin (who hypocritically professes to be "tolerant" of all but the "intolerant" yet will tolerate a person's intolerance if she happens to agree with that person) can only react by hurling labels at them like "dupes" and tries to undermine the power of their grassroots reaction to what's going on nowadays in DC by sheepishly following the administration's talking points and ignorantly referring to it as "astroturf." (Apparently she and so many other liberal reactionaries like her are oblivious to the actual historical grassroots origins of the conservative movement before it became linked with a particular party.) It's the same as the unconscionable reaction to the tea parties that have taken place this year. Apparently it's okay for them to protest redwoods getting cut down or the War in Iraq (both legitimate bases for protest, don't get me wrong), but people who dare protest against their own issues are only worthy of elitist insult and contemptuous dismissal. The liberal reactionaries don't seem to realize that so many of these people are the very key people who helped elect Obama by buying into his message of "hope and change" and who are suddenly very concerned with what their votes may have bought them. If they do realize it, they appear not to care as they hurl insulting epithet after insulting epithet.

This article captures some of the themes of Noonan's excellent book "Patriotic Grace," most especially a concern for the tone of the political debate over such important, far-reaching issues (in this case, health-care and/or the deficit). She has captured some of my own concerned reaction to the tone being set by liberals, starting from the top down. Obama purported to hearken a new political tone, an era of coming together. Way to set the example, Mr. Prez! Apparently, that new tone only applies if everyone agrees to go along with every little thing he and Pelosi/Reid want to push through. It's absolutely sickening, and I think the article really does a good job of capturing that feeling.

Again, click here to read the article.

Enjoy.

-Ben