July 31st, 2009: ObamaCARE, Barack problem like Bush’s Social Security Problem

George W. Bush won the 2004 election with a “mandate.” He did in fact have a mandate, just because of how close the election of 2000 was. No one could argue with the result of this election. The Democrats liked to point out at the time that it was the narrowest victory in quite some time by an incumbent, and that is true. Still, Bush was a legit President.
 

So what did Bush want to do with his mandate? He wanted to fix social security. Any economist will tell you that social security is going bankrupt and something needs to be done about it. The exact date is goes bankrupt is unknown and there was debate at the time of this issue. It was clear that Bush wanted to “fix” social security and make that a major part of his legacy. His solution? Personal Savings Accounts, where people get a portion of their own Social Security to invest how they want (well how they want is a little misleading, there were a lot a restrictions, point is they were open and able to be put to work in the market).
 

The idea was very republican at the core. It was free market, and it gave people choices. It was to be put in place to replace an outdated system that could no longer sustain itself due to rising cost. With the Republicans controlling both Houses of Congress and the Presidency, it looked like this third rail would finally be dealt with. In the end, it did not happen. The Democrats rallied around the idea that this was too risky. That people who were planning on retiring would lose their savings and then have to work the rest of their lives. They were able to kill Social Security Reform, which clearly needs to be reformed, by saying it was too risky and would hurt the average American.
 

Fast forward to 2008. Barack Obama wins the presidency with a mandate. One of his core issues, Universal Health Care. He claims, rightly, that the costs are going up and that the current model is unsustainable. Just like Bush and Social Security though, while there is a serious problem in the future, its just that, in the future. While many people dislike the health care system now, they can envision it being much worse. Sure, now I have to deal with insurance companies trying to screw me, but what if the gov’t won’t pay for a vital test my doctor says I need. Basically the same argument the Democrats made with Social Security, sure the current system sucks any gets such a low return it’s a shame, but we don’t want people making stupid choices and it resulting in people not being able to retire.
 

While the Republicans proposed Republican answers to a very serious problem in social security reform, and the Democrats proposed Democrat answers to Health Care reform, both are looking to be defeated in the same way. Basically, the garbage you have now is better than the possible results you can get in reform. I agree with the Republicans here, these Democrat solutions to Health Care are bad solutions. A public option is a horrible idea. The last thing we want between the doctor and the patient is the government. Still, there is a serious problem, and the lock insurance companies have needs to be dealt with. Let’s just not deal with it by having more government.

July 29th, 2009: Death by Chocolate

July 24th, 2009: 2009 Q2 Nicolas Shayko Awards Nominations

July 21st, 2009: Obama’s Birth Certificate

About a week before the election last year, I was doing my Laundry. An old man, veteran, who I believe had some kind of mental ailment was trying to convince me that Obama will not be sworn in as President of the United States because he is not a natural born citizen. I tried telling him that Obama was a citizen and even if he was not, it would not make a difference. He would have nothing of it, and I know what to do when debating with a crazy man, just let him talk.
 

I never understood what these people expected. Assume that their hypothesis was correct. What the heck should we do? There was no way the election could have been cancelled. What if it came out after the election that Obama was not legit. What would happen? It’s a constitutional crisis. We can’t have another election? If I found out on December 1^st that Obama was not legit in this way, I would still advocate that he be allowed to serve until some kind of contingency plan could be created.
 

The truth is if there was any weight behind this the leaders of the other party would have done something serious about it. This brings me to the stupid bill being worked on in the house that is going to require that a person show a legal birth certificate before being allowed to run for President. I say the bill is stupid not because it’s a bad idea, but because it brings some sense of legitimacy to these kooks. I feel perfectly fine with keeping the system as it is and if there is a legit issue it will funnel up to the Supreme Court months before the nomination of a given candidate.
 

July 16th, 2009: Confirm Sotomeyor

First off, sorry about the lack of post. I have been sick and have just recovered in the last few days. I was in the hospital last week. As I have been trying to get back in the thick of things, I have had the Sotomeyor hearings, and there is no good reason to oppose her. She is intelligent and she can do the job. I come from the camp that if a nominated judge is qualified, then he or she ought to be confirmed. The only recent nomination that I would have opposed is Harriet Miers, which was a clear case of cronyism, something George W. Bush had a problem with in general.
 

Getting back to Sotomeyor those, she appears to be a mainstream liberal. Obama won the election and he should be able to get his pick. She has a great story and I see no reason she cannot do the job.  Her “wise Latina” comment was clearly not smart and I would even say it was a racist comment, but saying a racist comment does not make her a racist. The hearings have been called “boring,” but I disagree. I think the Republicans have been strong, yet fair. I think she has clearly been coached like crazy, but the whole reason that happens is the absurdity of this whole process.
 

The Senate should just make she the pick is on the up and up, and instead they use it to flex their own mussels and advance their own agenda.  I hope that a good number of Republicans vote for her and this horrible precedent that started with Bork and has gotten worse can finally unwind. It will do the whole country a lot of good.

July 7th, 2009: Michael Jackson Saga is Overboard

I am so sick of Michael Jackson it is making me sick. I tried watching the memorial today, but I could not stand it and switched to CNBC, the only news station of any sort that seemed not to be covering Jackson. I agree mostly with what Peter King said, though he took it a little over the top. Jackson was a freak, and overall, he is someone who should be looked down upon, not praised. Now, I fully expect at his memorial he will be painted in a better light than he ought to be. Still, the things said by Reverend Sharpton, for example are way over the top. Sharpton said there is nothing strange about Michael. Anyone with an ounce of truth knows that the least of things Jackson is strange. Sharpton also wants a US Postage Stamp for Michael Jackson.

 

Sheila Jackson Lee is introducing a bill to congress in order to honor Michael Jackson as a humanitarian. This is a bunch of crap. I give Obama props for not going to these levels, as the press kept pushing him to say how great a man Jackson was, and he was just focusing on his skill as an entertainer. I am all for honoring what is good in a man, but let’s not speak untruths about someone. Jackson was a talented man who was a freak and as a whole, a stain on society. That is not to say he won’t have positive aspects that live on. Still, someone who is strange at best and a pedophile at worst is not someone to be idolatrized. In fact, I don’t favor making an idol of any man, but let’s not make a freak like this an example to the next generation.  

July 2nd, 2009: How not to Use Fireworks

Check out what you ought not do with fireworks:

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July 1st, 2009: Quick Hits

I know I have not posted for over a week and I am basically going to re-hash something I said last post. I am sick of hearing how the Sanford story is a “personal matter.” It is not a “personal matter.” It is a public matter than involves people in his personal life.  Mark Sanford is suffering a breakdown. He is not suited to be the Governor of South Carolina. He needs to leave office, and he needs to be forced out if he won’t leave. I feel like we are watching a car crash. Let’s move the crash off the road.
 

I agree with the conventional wisdom in terms of all Franken. It takes power away from Snowe and Collins and gives it to Landreu. It puts more responsibility on the Democrats to get something done. They have a full hand and for their sake they must get something done on healthcare.
 

The New Haven Firefighter case changes nothing in terms of Sotomayor. If the Republicans are smart, they will put up no serious opposition to her. It is good to see the Supreme Court legislating from the bench are protecting against racism. While I hate how much power the Supreme Court has, it might as well use it, and if it can be used to eliminate racism, that is a good thing.
 

The Indians are horrible.
 

The Nationals are worse.
 

The Browns have WRs suing them over Staph Infections and running people over while drunk.
 

Last note, I am starting to feel the tide turn on Obama. This is the 1^st time I thought that the Republicans can truly make gains in 2010.