25
Jan
I don’t really know what to make of The Yes Men. You honestly just need to read their website and draw your own conclusions. My gut instinct? I love them. There are ways to protest things without resorting to the usual props and violence. Drawing attention to the subject sometimes is the best form of protest. That’s what these people do. And, they seem to do it incredibly well!
You can help them out AND have a good time doing it by ordering their DVD here. I can see this being funny as hell in a Monty Python
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., said Republicans had caved in to powerful health insurance companies during talks on the five-year, $40 billion budget cut at the expense of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
At issue is an obscure provision in the budget bill slated for a final House vote next week aimed at keeping health insurance plans participating in the Medicare program from obtaining inflated payments from the government. Such payments come when doctors and insurance companies perform a service but exaggerate the extent of the care when billing the government.
Hillary Clinton is complaining about Republicans caving in to powerful health insurance companies? Wavy lines take me back to 1993…….
One of newly elected President Bill Clinton’s first targets was health insurance. he was touting a national health care plan. It was initially well received by the public and unions. In order to achieve this, he put his wife in charge of the issue. The first thing she did was team up with Aetna, Prudential, Travelers. Three of the major insurance companies. Also joining the panel were General Electric, General Motors, and Caterpillar. The end result was more of the public burden of health care was pushed on to the states. The states in turn, we given greater leeway in how they managed their health care costs. The one group that got no scrutiny at all when it was all said and done were, ( drum roll please ), the private health care companies. No mention was made of tort reform or workers compensation reform. All it did was give the private insurance companies a slice of the federal monies BEFORE the states could spend it via managed health care plans. Net effect? ( All table information comes from National Health Expenditure (NHE) Amounts by Type of Expenditure and Source of Funds: Calendar Years 1965-2014 in PROJECTIONS format.
National expenditures on health care continued at basically the same rate. In simpler terms, nothing was accomplished:
| 1993 | 888,063 | 7% | 497,703 | 6% |
| 1994 | 937,150 | 6% | 509,709 | 2% |
| 1995 | 990,206 | 6% | 533,388 | 5% |
| 1996 | 1,039,864 | 5% | 556,850 | 4% |
| 1997 | 1,093,054 | 5% | 589,818 | 6% |
| 1998 | 1,150,888 | 5% | 631,081 | 7% |
| 1999 | 1,222,198 | 6% | 671,909 | 6% |
| 2000 | 1,309,904 | 7% | 717,526 | 7% |
| 2001 | 1,426,394 | 9% | 771,763 | 8% |
| 2002 | 1,558,992 | 9% | 841,026 | 9% |
| 2003 | 1,678,868 | 8% | 913,200 | 9% |
Meanwhile, out of pocket expenses immediately increased:
| 1993 | 146,948 | 1% |
| 1994 | 143,790 | -2% |
| 1995 | 146,405 | 2% |
| 1996 | 151,767 | 4% |
| 1997 | 162,027 | 7% |
| 1998 | 175,571 | 8% |
| 1999 | 184,747 | 5% |
| 2000 | 193,110 | 5% |
| 2001 | 201,986 | 5% |
| 2002 | 214,200 | 6% |
| 2003 | 230,483 | 8% |
And, while overall health care expenditures increased:
| 1994 | 904,680 | 6% |
| 1995 | 957,628 | 6% |
| 1996 | 1,005,635 | 5% |
| 1997 | 1,055,815 | 5% |
| 1998 | 1,112,637 | 5% |
| 1999 | 1,180,172 | 6% |
| 2000 | 1,260,935 | 7% |
| 2001 | 1,373,808 | 9% |
| 2002 | 1,499,753 | 9% |
| 2003 | 1,614,223 | 8% |
Not every service was included in that mix:
( Home health care for example: )
| 1993 | 21,879 | 20% |
| 1994 | 26,066 | 19% |
| 1995 | 30,529 | 17% |
| 1996 | 33,602 | 10% |
| 1997 | 34,544 | 3% |
| 1998 | 33,575 | -3% |
| 1999 | 32,261 | -4% |
| 2000 | 31,616 | -2% |
| 2001 | 33,660 | 6% |
| 2002 | 36,526 | 9% |
| 2003 | 40,009 | 10% |
So, the ramifications of Hillary’s caving in to powerful insurance companies was we got fewer services at a much more expensive price. In the best case argument, it accomplished nothing. You gotta ask yourself one decade after the full impact of her "reforms" took place, "Is my health care better now?". Go ahead, make my day.
Where did all the money go? Well, I’ll just put it this way, Warren Buffett became a billionaire in the 90′s. How did they get on Hillary’s panel?
| 1998 | 6 | $30,128,078 |
| 1996 | 6 | $32,885,102 |
| 1994 | 5 | $21,602,010 |
| 1992 | 6 | $21,647,931 |
| 1990 | 4 | $12,794,103 |
The old fashioned way, they paid for it.
So, let’s let someone with a lot less baggage criticize the Republican efforts. The Democrat efforts didn’t accomplish anything. And, the leader of that "reform" is the Democrat complaining most. Another round of her reform and no one will be able to afford it. It’s bad now, but it can be worse.
23
Jan
Generation Why? asks the question I wished I had caught myself.
"why a picture of Karl Rove, with a big RNC logo in front of him, appears on this article about the Scooter Libby case, in which Rove is never even mentioned."
This is the kind of stuff I like to catch myself. It’s yet another not-so-subtle example of media bias. Take someone you THINK is guilty as someone else, and put their mug right up there with the dirty laundry. Only problem these days is that there are way too many Generation Why?’s out there ready to pounce on the obvious. Nice catch guys. Bad try Yahoo.
Hat tip to Political Teen.
An activist group called Code Pink has staged one of the most tasteless anti-war campaigns. One they are proud of is staging anti-war protests outside Walter Reed Hospital. Now, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center is specifically for the purpose of treating those wounded in action. At this time, it obviously has a lot of soldiers wounded fighting in Iraq. What makes these women think THESE people would be receptive to their protests? I’m sure the soldiers feel bad enough being stuck in a hospital, I can’t imagine how they would feel about these people telling them that the reason they are stuck in that hospital was wrong and unethical. This has been bugging me for some time. This is just a purely tasteless and unfeeling self-gratification effort on the behalf of Code Pink.
But, I just found out that this tasteless display is apparently no more. The big dummies at Code Pink apparently forgot to renew their license. A group called Protest Warrior were coincidentally more than ready to snap it up when it expired. I can see a conspiracy theory here. However, it was an act of good taste. Apparently the people at city hall were more than ready to see Code Pink go as well.
It just amazes me how ugly the anti-Bush/anti-whatever people think they can be and how wrong they are assuming that. People do notice what they are doing, and it hurts their cause every time.
One book I won’t be buying:
William Blum is nuts. He has ranted hysterically against the US for years in bizarre conspiracy theories that I think he’s dreamt up himself ( like the US sending Mandella to prison ). As pathetic as Blum obviously is, this is just as bad:
William Blum’s "Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower" was ranked 209,000 on Amazon.com’s sales list before bin Laden mentioned it in an audiotape released on Thursday. By Friday, the book was No. 30 on the Amazon.com list.
People are buying his writings ONLY because Osama Bin Laden mentioned it. What do these people THINK Bin Laden reads? I’ll give them a clue. If it’s unpatriotic, trashes the US, and is fully intent on creating ill-will between the US and other countries, any terrorist is gonna love it. It doesn’t matter if it’s factual or not. Make it up. Make it as bad as you can. Send a copy to the terrorist of your choice and have him endorse it and you’ve got a hit. I am quite sure at this point Zarqawi is itching for a deal. Michael Moore must be seething with envy. Look for a Moore/Zarqawi endorsement soon.
Report: Photos show Bush with Abramoff
Lobbyist at center of corruption probe pictured with president, Time says
I saw this one coming a mile away. I don’t know exactly what Time’s intent of this is. Another scandal maybe? Well, the way I look at it, I don’t think this is the smoking gun Time’s making it out to be. In fact, I don’t think it’s print worthy. Here’s why:
There’s more than one pic of Bush with that seedy guy on the far right holding the obviously upset baby. In fact, there’s rumored to be a pic of Bush sharing a cigarette with that seedy character from years ago. Go ask Bush if he remembers that seedy character with the loud upset baby from about three years ago. I’m going to bet you get the same response from the White House you got in regards to Abramoff. Bush meets literally millions of people every single year. Unless Abramoff was better looking than Mrs. Moon, as entertaining as Baby Moon, or a LOT wittier than the Moon himself, I’m gonna bet Bush truly doesn’t remember meeting the guy. From what little I know of Bush, I’m gonna bet he’s much more likely to remember Baby Moon’s performance.
So, once again, we’re stuck with a non-issue that a major media company is pushing as yet another scandal. BTW, has Time researched Hillary’s plantation experience? Does anyone think they’re gonna? You tell me, which would make more interesting reading, the Abramoff/Bush picture or Hillary’s plantation experience? Does Time care? Apparently not. They won’t touch Hillary.
Belafonte accuses Bush of Gestapo tactics
Singer who called president a €˜terrorist€™ takes new swipe at White House
It’s really gotten to the point where if I weren’t pointing out how loony Belafonte has gotten, I wouldn’t be talking about him at all. That’s probably what I should do at this point. That’s probably what media should do as well. This really isn’t news any more.
First Hillary recalls her plantation days, Nagin brags of a Chocolate New Orleans, now this. What exactly IS the Democrat philosophy any more? Aren’t they the ones complaining of Republicans dividing our country? I really don’t see how rhetoric like this solves anything. I really see a LOT of evidence that the main problems are on the OTHER side at this time. Someone wanna cite Republican rhetoric that is "dividing our country" right now? Go ahead, I’ve got a fully loaded blog and you gotta ask yourself, has he fired five or six shots? I’ve lost count. But, I know that gun might be able to fire one more shot. So, you gotta ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Go ahead, make my day. ( I do feel cocky, I got Michael Moore as a spare bullet. )
Honestly, it is time to realistically start gearing up for the ’06 and ’08 races that will determine the direction of our country potentially the next eight years. Is this going to be the agenda of the Democrats in ’06 and ’08? Do they not remember what it accomplished in ’04? Bitching at Republicans is NOT an agenda. It’s NOT giving people any alternative. It’s NOT giving people to grasp on to. And, it will NOT win. Give us something to look forward to and maybe you’ll be a legitimate party again. As it is, a lot of media are looking to third parties to fill the void. In the big picture, that’s a good thing. But, it takes time to become a national competitor in the political arena. I don’t like one party having total unfettered control for a long period of time. That’s what we’re facing as the national Democrat party implodes on their own stupidity.
21
Jan
Based on the fiasco that was the Sam Alito confirmation process, I think the Democrats will attempt to save face by filibustering the entire thing. Which, I also predict will go over about as well as the confirmation process has so far.
I’m not alone feeling that way.
Ray Nagin, the idiot mayor of New Orleans, who I have trashed repeatedly here, yesterday made some comments on the comments he made Monday. Those original comments asserted God was mad at the US for allowing the UN to drag us into Iraq and therefore hit us with hurricanes. If that weren’t good enough, he then asserted that New Orleans is a chocolate city. It would be a lot more chocolate now if he hadn’t screwed up a well written evacuation plan. He then clarified that although he flat out states African-Americans dominate New Orleans, he meant that if you take dark chocolate and mix it with milk, you get something tasty. I enjoyed the attempted recovery, but it’s BS and he knows it as well as I do. So, yesterday evening he had this to say:
On Tuesday, Nagin said his comments about God were inappropriate and stemmed from a private conversation he had with a minister earlier. "I need to be more sensitive and more aware of what I’m saying," he said.
The mayor said his speech was really meant to convey that blacks were a vital part of New Orleans’ history and culture and should be encouraged to return. "I want everyone to be welcome in New Orleans — black, white, Asian, everybody," he said.
Nagin said the other main point he had hoped to make Monday was that when blacks do return, they must work to stamp out the crime and political infighting that have held them back….
Now, THAT I do believe. However, it’s odd that he left out the Latino community. Or, is it?
Addressing a business forum in October, Nagin put the issue bluntly: "How do I ensure that New Orleans is not overrun by Mexican workers?" After civil-rights groups denounced him, he clarified that he had meant only that residents should be hired first.
Nagin spends a LOT of time explaining what he said. For some reason, stuff just comes out as blatant racism. New Orleans needs to be chocolate, it doesn’t need to be run over by Mexicans, and of course his involvement in the Bush blew up the levees because he hates blacks garbage. He ignores obvious evidence to the contrary, and panders to a select few.
[Ed Renwick, the director of Loyola University's Institute of Politics said of the remarks,] "It seemed to be another Nagin-being-Nagin. He has a penchant for just speaking off the cuff and not thinking it through…. He also tends to speak to the literal audience he’s with at the time instead of the whole world he reaches through the TV, radio and print media."
Well, not only does that explain Nagin, but that explains Hillary’s plantation comment as well.
Which begs the question from me. If you feel compelled to talk and act differently with a particular crowd than you otherwise would, what is that? The answer to that question is what you won’t see a lot of on Ray Nagin in the media. For that matter, you will NEVER see that on Hillary. The media reserves that label pretty much for average white Republican males and that’s it. Robert Byrd could STILL be in the KKK and CBS, CNN, and the major print media could care less. Trent Lott shakes Strom Thurmond‘s hand and THAT proves it.
The problem is not that people will be that way. The problem is media doing exactly the same thing Nagin and Hillary are. Until they give all races equal scrutiny, all races will not be equal. As long as they have this hands-off attitude about certain segments of the US, the US will remain divided. Ray Nagin, Hillary Clinton, and Robery Byrd have done a lot worse things for race in the US than Trent Lott ever dreamed of. It’s time media recognizes that. When the glare and the heat of the spotlight focuses in on these people, maybe then they will realize that you don’t have to speak any different to an African-American than you do a Mexican-American, or, possibly, even an Irish-American. Then, and only then, will the possibility of equality exist in the US.
From RealClearPolitics:
The question: should people believe her?
The answer: definitely. Condoleeza Rice will not seek the presidency in 2008. The reason for this is that the position of Secretary of State is no longer one from which the presidency can reasonably be sought. The fact that Rice took that job and obviously has no intention of leaving it indicates that she has no interest in the presidency.
I have to completely disagree with this logic. The presidency can be sought from any position. Using the historical logic they use, it can be argued that it is no longer feasible that a peanut farmer will seek the presidency. Fact is, anyone can. Just because no one has recently is not some type of logical barrier to seeking the presidency. In Condi‘s case, the fact she did accept the position only indicates that her love of history outweighed her sense of political maneuvering at that time. She saw it as an opportunity to make her stamp on history as any president would have. If anything, given her background, it shows that she would be more willing to run for the presidency to make her mark more pronounced on the history she so loves. I mean, think about it. Without doing so much as spending more than one day in office, she will be forever remembered as:
- The first female president.
- The first African-American president.
- The first African-American female president.
That’s just from getting elected. Her diplomatic skills mixed with the incredibly fluid world situation would allow her to make her mark all over the world right now. That has got to be compelling to a political history lover. I don’t think she would have chanced the criticism Colin Powell had to deal with if it were not for that respect of history.
Secondly, she has no reason to state she will be leaving the job any time soon. Given her loyalties to Bush, it’s a given she will be leaving her job in a few years. Given the leeway and control of situations Bush has given her versus the restraints an incoming president would be forced to enforce, she’ll be leaving regardless of who wins. So, might as well take her foreign diplomatic skills and experience to the next level.
RCP then concludes with:
It is interesting to note, by way of conclusion, that Rice responded to the question about the 2008 race while she was literally on her way out the door to Africa. That should tell you all you need to know. Compare Rice to the other 2008 candidates: McCain, Romney, Allen, Clinton, etc. The latter are today thinking about and preparing for their campaigns. Condoleeza Rice is today thinking about US-Liberian relations. What else do you need to know? Condi will not run in 2008.
The latter are going nowhere while Condi is rising to the top regardless of their plans. I really think Condi’s a lot sharper than the rest mentioned. If she is as sharp as I think she is. She can easily see that they are not getting any traction. Why do anything different than what she’s doing now?
She has no reason to commit to running right now and undermining her efforts to do her job right without all the distractions. The very early obvious efforts by others are not helping them at all. If Condi doesn’t have an advisor, I’ll take the job. My first advice, keep doing what you’re doing. If you wanna run, we’ll talk again in the summer of 2007.
Until then, it’s fun chatter and nothing more.
