Pelosi Promises to Make Kennedy's Health Care Dream a Reality

And this is what the dream would bring us:

Man collapses with ruptured appendix… three weeks after NHS doctors ‘took it out’

After weeks of excruciating pain, Mark Wattson was understandably relieved to have his appendix taken out.

Doctors told him the operation was a success and he was sent home.

But only a month later the 35-year-old collapsed in agony and had to be taken back to Great Western Hospital in Swindon by ambulance.

To his shock, surgeons from the same team told him that not only was his appendix still inside him, but it had ruptured – a potentially fatal complication.

In a second operation it was finally removed, leaving Mr Wattson fearing another organ might have been taken out during the first procedure.

And there isn’t a bloody thing he can do about it – and the system, being government-run, simply will not care about this or 10,000 other life-threatening/taking screw ups. When government runs the health care show, the patients are last on the list of concerns. Why? Because governments are interested in power, retaining power, increasing power and, of course, the quiet life – there’s no upside for government to do a good job for the schmucks who make up the general public. Heck, you start spending money on providing services for the people, and there won’t be enough money for juicy raises for the unions, or fat pensions for the officials…

I’m telling ya, people, if Kennedy’s dream becomes a reality, it will be our nightmare.

UPDATE: And there’s more:

The babies born in hospital corridors: Bed shortage forces 4,000 mothers to give birth in lifts, offices and hospital toilets

Phrase of the Day

What to do with politicians who are ignoring the growing unrest in this nation:

When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat. – Ronald Reagan

Obama Becomes Carter

So much for refurbishing our image abroad:

Never let it be said that the Obama administration took a defeat graciously. When the Honduran Supreme Court rejected the deal that Costa Rica offered, called the San Jose Accord, that would have reinstated Manuel Zelaya as president, the Obama administration had a choice: allow Honduras to make its own decisions and accept them, or try to pressure Hondurans to bend to American will. Guess which path they chose?

The OAS Foreign Ministers mission is in Honduras seeking support for the San Jose Accord, which would restore the democratic and constitutional order and resolve the political crisis in Honduras. In support of this mission and as a consequence of the de facto regime’s reluctance to sign the San Jose Accord, the U.S. Department of State is conducting a full review of our visa policy in Honduras. As part of that review, we are suspending non-emergency, non-immigrant visa services in the consular section of our embassy in Honduras, effective August 26. We firmly believe a negotiated solution is the appropriate way forward and the San Jose Accord is the best solution.

The White House firmly believes in negotiation rather than law enforcement so much that they will suspend visa services with an American ally in order to enforce a policy cheered by Cuba and Venezuela.

We have to make nice/nice with Venezuela but we’re to be hard-nosed with Honduras? Yep, that is Obama – or, as he’ll certainly be known, Carter II.

This is just idiotic – a democratic ally has used its own, internal political mechanisms to resolve a constitutional crisis and the US response is to demand that this ally violate its internal laws in order to come to a decision favored by our enemies. Just who does Obama think he is? Water-carrier for Chavez, or President of the United States of America? What Honduras did was precisely what we wanted – use democratic means to resolve internal political disputes. For decades, US policy has been to advance just this – now its official US policy to oppose democracy in favor of leftist dictatorship. The “blame America first San Francisco Democrats” of 1984 have returned – and they are in charge of US foreign policy.

Senator Kennedy, RIP

Just heard the news. Senator Kennedy has now gone before the judgment seat of God, and I pray for his salvation:

God our Father,

Your power brings us to birth,

Your providence guides our lives,

and by Your command we return to dust.

Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,

their lives change but do not end.

I pray in hope for my family,

relatives and friends,

and for all the dead known to You alone.

In company with Christ,

Who died and now lives,

may they rejoice in Your kingdom,

where all our tears are wiped away.

Unite us together again in one family,

to sing Your praise forever and ever.

Amen.

What Books Should Obama Read?

I mean, other than Governing for Dummies? Ann Althouse notes the list of books Obama is supposedly reading this summer. This may or may not be a true list – more than likely, given the emphasis of image over substance in the Obama Administration, its just a list of a few books his PR people thought he should appear to read (I really can’t imagine Obama really reading a bio of John Adams – I could be wrong, but it just doesn’t fit that a man who has already written books about himself would be interested in a book about someone else).

Here is what I think Obama should read this summer:

What’s Wrong With the World, by G K Chesterton

The Fall of the House of Hapsburg, by Edward Crankshaw

The Conservative Mind, by Russell Kirk

And last, but not least…

Caucus of Corruption, by Matt Margolis and Mark Noonan.

What do you think?

UPDATE, by Matt Margolis:

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand

Basic Economics, by Thomas Sowell

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss

British MoD Objects to True Reporting About Afghanistan

Michael Yon reports:

While Axle worked, I asked about times when he “smashed” the Taliban. British soldiers like to use the word “smashed” when talking about the Taliban. When Axle would finish talking about one fight, I would ask about another. Finally, Axle said, “You Yanks are great. You like to hear stories about us smashin’ the Taliban but people at home want to know how much we miss our families.” We both chuckled, and I asked, “Really? They don’t ask you about smashing the Taliban?” “That’s right,” then Axle said something like, “They only want to hear how sad we are.” Axle and I got along great because I didn’t care if he missed his family and he didn’t care if I missed mine. This part is about smashing people who would help those who smashed the World Trade Centers and blew up people in London and Bali and Jakarta and Israel and Spain and the Philippines and anywhere else they can reach. There is a crucial development and governance aspect to this war, and still a crucial smashing side. Sometimes you’ve got to swap hats for helmets. Mullah Omar is still alive, apparently in Pakistan, and he needs to be killed. Just on 20 August I heard a Taliban singing over a walkie talkie that Mullah Omar “Is our leader,” and they were celebrating shooting down a British helicopter only twelve hours before just some miles from here. There will be time to hug families later. Now is a time for fighting.

MoD responds:

Greetings,

The British Ministry of Defence canceled my embed after today’s dispatch. Please Read “Bad Medicine“.

Next Stop U.S. Forces.

Your Writer,

Michael

I like a Brit who wants to smash the Taliban and doesn’t want to whine about how he misses his family. The US MSM and overall left is like that, too – just wants to know how miserable our troops are, etc. Don’t these people understand what a professional soldier does? These are men and women who volunteered – during war time – to don their nation’s uniform. They do what they do because they are the best of the best and all they really want is victory for their nation – especially when its over some inhuman savages like the Taliban. As long as we back people like Axle (and his like in the US military, and other allied forces), we’re going to win because they’ll keep smashing the enemy until he’s dead or taken. It might take a long time; it will take a lot of blood and treasure; it almost certainly will required continually revised tactics…but it will be done, if we – the people – will it so.

But one wonders just what the British Ministry of Defense is really thinking? And how many like that are there in the US Department of Defense? Just who is running the show, and do they want to win?

Meanwhile, kick a few bucks over to Yon as he’s entirely reader-supported.

Why Did Palin's "Death Panel" Statement Cause White House/MSM Grief?

Scott Ott lays it out:

…Palin does not allege that the health care reform bill contains the phrase “death panel” or that it openly advocates euthanasia. Sarah Palin’s charge has legs because:

1.) The only way to save money in a government-run health system is to ration care.

2.) The majority of health care expenditures for most people come near the end of life, and thus the elderly present the greatest opportunity for cost savings.

3.) Special-needs people, like Palin’s son Trig, who has Down’s Syndrome, also require spending — another opportunity for economizing.

4.) The government, and too many in our society, believe …

a) infants in the womb to be less worthy of protection than Michael Vick’s dogs,

b) Trig Palin’s life to be Sarah’s foolish choice, and

c) the elderly to be a burden on society.

5.) Other governments which run health care operations have a track record of delaying and denying coverage based on the limited supply of medical professionals and equipment, as well as cost-containment considerations.

6.) The end-of-life counseling language appeared in a section of a bill on cost-containment.

7.) The American people don’t trust politicians, and would rise up in unified opposition if the federal government had a plan to take over and run little league athletics, let alone health care, which does involve life and death decisions.

8.) Americans love freedom.

The reason why the “traditional” media has failed to knock down what Kurtz, et al, see as spurious “death panel” allegations is because journalists and politicians ignore the real facts and the legitimate concerns of the American people…

The left and the MSM (I know, same/same, these days) took note of the fact that the various health care proposals all lacked the phrase “death panel” and figured that this destroyed Palin’s assertion. What the left/MSM failed to note is that we’re a bit wiser than they give us credit for – and Sarah Palin just leaves them in the dust. This is because the MSM/left rates intellect by college degrees and where they are obtained – we rate intellect by what someone uses their brains for. The very well educated Obama uses his to advocate a 1,000+ page health care plan he’s never read – Palin used hers to note that some of the provisions in the unread-by-Obama bill would turn the screws towards euthanasia as a means of controlling health care costs under a “public option”. Obama applied mindless repetition of leftist talking points – Palin applied common sense.

In addition to Palin’s superior application of mental aptitude, there is also Palin’s superior political grasp – while Obama and his Democrats convinced themselves in spite of their own campaign rhetoric to the contrary that America had turned left in November of 2008, Palin realized that the government-created financial meltdown was the very last straw in the public’s willingness to trust the government. A government which causes people’s houses to go down in value by 20-50% is not a government which should run something as vital as health care. Obama and his Democrats didn’t even notice that they first had to restore trust in government before advocating such a major overhaul. Palin realized that with government this mistrusted, it would be easy to hammer Obama’s plans with a public already doubtful about Obama’s grand plans.

As we head towards the 2010 and 2012 political seasons, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out – the MSM is still fighting hard for Obama, but all this may end up doing is destroying the MSM and Obama at the same time. Meanwhile, in Palin, Cantor, Giuliani, Romney, Gingrich, Jindal and many others, the GOP is showing that it clearly has the intellectual and political tools necessary to win – all that is lacking, for the moment, is a clear plan of action.

Giuliani to Decide Within 60 Days if He Wants to be New York's Next Governor

Because with the New York Democrats in meltdown, if Giuliani runs, he’ll win:

A close ally of Rudy Giuliani said Monday night that he believes it’s “better than 50-50″ that the former mayor will run for governor.

“We’ve spoken on and off this year about it and my impression was always that he was not intent on running, but after our [recent] breakfast … I would say he’s definitely leaning toward it,” said Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.).

Others close to Giuliani said he will likely make his mind up in the fall.

Giuliani should – his proven executive experience makes him the best man possible to clean up the Democrats’ mess.

Bernanke Should Not be Re-Appointed

Right up there with CFR and going to the UN over Iraq, Bernanke is a clear Bush Administration error – and Obama is set to repeat it. Mish’s gets a quote from John Hussman which nails what is wrong with this:

“Our forecast is for moderate but positive growth going into next year. We think that by the spring, early next year, that as these credit problems resolve and, as we hope, the housing market begins to find a bottom, that the broader resiliency of the economy, which we are seeing in other areas outside of housing, will take control and will help the economy recover to a more reasonable growth pace.”

Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman

On Friday, investors took great cheer in an optimistic statement by Ben Bernanke suggesting good prospects for economic growth ahead. We might be inclined to place a sliver of credibility in Chairman Bernanke’s assessment – if not for the fact that the quote above wasn’t from last week at all, but rather, hails back to November 8, 2007, just before the recent recession began. You might recall that the S&P 500 was pushing 1500 at the time. The implosion of the global credit markets was still just a slight rumble…

…the resources used in the recent bailout were not just free money tossed out of a helicopter. Only a partial-equilibrium economist thinks that way. No, this was an allocation of trillions of dollars of real resources that could be spent improving access of poor families to health care, finding cures for life-changing diseases, providing better education, and reversing the crowding-out of productive private investment. A public servant willing to act this carelessly with the resources entrusted to him, and so strongly in defense of fellow bankers, frankly does not deserve the job. Most likely, we will face the same credit issues a few quarters from now, given that the lull in the adjustable-rate reset schedule is near its end. We continue to expect a fresh acceleration of credit losses as we enter 2010. It would be best if we faced these challenges with more thoughtful leadership.

For the life of me, I really can’t figure out just why anyone thinks we can borrow our way out of a problem based upon irresponsible borrowing. Its like I went to Freddy “Knuckles” Corleone to borrow money to pay off the debt I have with Chuck “Kneecapper” Malone. Stop borrowing. Cut spending to be in line with revenues. Start encouraging private investment in productive enterprises. Its going to hurt, no matter what we do – Bernanke’s problem is that what he’ll do is hurt us worse. Not only should he not be re-appointed, we should consider criminal charges based on gross negligence.

The Facts of the CIA Report

Best expressed over at Powerline:

Having read the CIA report in its entirety, I am struck once again by how humane our treatment of captured terrorists was intended to be, and generally was. The handful of incidents highlighted by press accounts of the report came to light precisely because they were reported as deviations from the treatment of detainees that had been authorized by DOJ lawyers.

As a threshold matter, it is important to note that the allegations that have been reported in the press are just that–allegations, sometimes based on hearsay. The CIA’s Inspector General singled out two incidents for special investigation, both of which involved the same debriefer–not a trained interrogator. As for the other allegations, the Inspector General’s report says:

For all of the instances, the allegations were disputed or too ambiguous to reach any authoritative determination regarding the facts. Thus, although these allegations are illustrative of the nature of the concerns held by individuals associated with the CTC Program and the need for clear guidance, they did not warrant separate investigations or administrative action.

In other words, the US government under President Bush was not a collection of bloodthirsty war criminals bent on death and destruction. Who knew?

Oh, everyone – everyone who wasn’t a hate-filled, kook leftist, that is.