Healthcare Warning

While liberal Democrats are pushing to implement the Massachusetts healthcare model nationally, in spite of the CBO warnings that it will raise cost, Massachusetts has just realized they can't afford their statewide healthcare initiative.

I don't advocate government regulation; but if they are going to do anything about healthcare, it should start at regulating the COST of healthcare. Lack of insurance is not the problem; it's the symptom. Another issue creating higher healthcare costs that should be looked at are fraudulent malpractice suits, not enough doctors, and non-payment for services.

Fix those first, and then it won't really matter if people have or no insurance. Why? Well for starters the cost of healthcare would be lower and more affordable, and making healthcare affordable will automatically make insurance affordable. People will be able to get off HMO plans and go back to a major medical insurance model.

The OAS is being a hypocrite

With all the hoopla surrounding Honduras, the OAS is the organization that comes out losing. They are losing credibility and influence (if there was any left) by the second.

I don't agree with throwing Zelaya out of Honduras, but his arrest was legally and politically well founded. Yet the OAS, and the US, can't keep themselves from supporting Zelaya and telling Honduras what they should do.

My disbelief is best expressed through the words of Ed:

However, it seems more than odd that the OAS has made such a fetish out of Zelaya while they’re preparing to admit Cuba, with its military junta firmly in place for the last 50 years. After all, even if the Hondurans botched the removal of Zelaya — and they did — the legislature and the courts have solid grounds on which to remove him. And while the military conducted the arrest and the extra-legal expulsion of Zelaya from his country, they did not seize power and install a military junta. Instead, they followed the orders of the civilian government, which retained political power all along.

If Cuba belongs in the OAS, then Honduras belongs as well, and on their own terms. If the OAS and the Obama administration want to defend democracy, they should stop isolating the democracy that fumbled the legal and justifiable removal of a renegade executive and focus on the dictatorship in Havana.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Hey, Whatever Works

In North Carolina they have a new anti-pregnancy program in high school. It's made up of a 90 minute class where abstinence AND contraceptives are discusses, plus if they don't get pregnant they get paid. Yes you read right PAID. I could find many arguments on why this is wrong, but psychology has ONE argument on why this is right.

Rewards are more effective at changing behaviors than punishment. So, in a very strange way, I hope this program is a success.

Now let's see....

Isn't this what got us into so much trouble the first time around?

Unbelievable

So what do you do when the Mayor of one of your cities belong to the other party? Well, if you are Hugo Chavez, you simply give the mayor a coup! Sorry I haven't found an English link yet.

And the people just stand idly by...I don't know what is more shocking, that these caudillos still exist or that latinos have not yet learned the lesson.

If you can't take the heat...

Switch Parties! I've never been a fan of Specter, but this is ridiculous. He had a different choice, he could've ran as an independent. Instead, he chooses to turn his back on a majority of his voters, because they are throwing their support behind a challenger.

Real classy Specter. In any case, I am glad that at least someone in congress is feeling challenged. Maybe this will create an accountability trend.

Right Wing Extremists

Update 2: Found the one on Lewtwing....will read and report.
Update: Read the report; figured out what's sparking the outrage. The problem with this report is the footnote on page two, in which Rigtwing Extremism is defined:

Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

In my view this is too broad a definition, and this is what's sparking outrage across conservatives of all levels. I think the DHS needs to have a clearer and more specific definition of Rigthwing Extremism. In addition, they should release an equal report that concentrates on Leftwing Extremism which also flourishes in economy downturns by fiercely advocating union workers rights, also opposing free trade, also attacking banks, also believing in Jewish domination conspiracies and engaging in anti semitism, and anarchist actions which are antigovernment and reject federal government authority proposing a new world order.

I also find the report very "light" and not offering anything new or that is not common knowledge. What is the purpose of this report? Why link the shooting of the officers in Pittsburgh with this? Am I the only one who read the story where the Mom evicts the son, and calls the police so they can forcibly remove him?

Yes the guy was a wacko anti-semitic conspiracy theorist. But he didn't have a premeditated plan to kill those cops. He didn't call the cops so they'd come and he could have a shooting spree. His dog peed in his Mom's carpet. That's how that got started.

Look, Militia or White Supremacist groups are dangerous. We all know that. They flourish in downturn times as much as Anarchist Left Groups, we all know that. But I can't say this report is necessarily well intentioned. Not in particular with the current ridiculization on MSNBC of the "tea parties", the attacks on Limbaugh and Beck - which are not newcomers - and the Left wing Blogosphere blaming Right Wing rhetoric for the death of the Pittsburgh policemen. I'm not one to believe conspiracy theories, but this is clearly a Rovian tactic executed by Axelrod to discredid the conservatives as a whole. This is nothing more than fearmongering tactics in advance of the 2010 election. They are manipulating and preying upong peoples fears; fear the Republicans, fear the conservatives, elect the leftists!

I know there was a Leftwing Extremism report during the Bush years. I can't find it. If anyone finds it please send me the link; I'd like to compare the too.

Original Post
Wow! I'm a right wing extremist because of my beliefs? I had no clue. Is that what we are calling the opposition now, extremists? Are you kidding me?

Now, I haven't read the whole thing, but I will. However, the lack of specifics in this report is frightening. It gives the government to call all those right of center extremists. I wouldn't have a problem with this if it was equally applied to the left.

So I'm an extremist because I believe in fiscal conservatism and don't believe in abortion.

What the heck is this?