Repoman's Moot Points

Health Care "Reform": It is a "Crime" Alright

2009-11-11T04:48:00.000-08:00

Heath Care reform (so-called) has moved from the House to the Senate. Regular readers know I think the proposals being debated in Washington are budget-busting abominations. I am quite hopeful that somehow sanity will reign and this effort will be stopped.

I received an essay from a friend on this topic and I wanted to share it with you. The author of this guest essay is local attorney, Patrick B. Naylon.

Why do we have criminal sanctions for certain types of conduct? Is it a crime to make money? Is it a crime to buy a new house, a new car? Is it a crime to go on vacation? Is it a crime to enjoy life? Is it a crime to go to the doctor? People know those things are good for them, and they don’t have to be forced by criminal sanctions to do them! If it is good for you, if you need it, you’ll do it on your own! There is no need for a criminal sanction.

So, in the health care debate, just ask yourself this question: why would the government have to make it a crime for an individual if they fail to sign up for their new government mandated health insurance? If it is such a great improvement, why wouldn’t people be clamoring to sign up? Why would they have to make it a crime not to join? The answer lies of course in the question. Indeed, you might also ask, if that is the solution, why not just leave the present system in place and simply make it a crime to not have insurance? That won’t cost tax-payers anything!

What more do you need to know about this health care reform bill than that it is a crime not to sign up! It means that when you read what you are being given, you won’t want it. Accordingly the only way to get you to sign up, is to make you sign up for fear of criminal prosecution if you don’t. In short, it is just another tax! First the IRS, now the Medical Revenue Service! The fact that it is a crime not to join should tell you all you need to know about this inappropriate government mandate relative to your health care options.

In fact, the manner in which the government has proceeded to “cure” the ailment of our health care system, should serve to demonstrate that the government is not equipped to handle the responsibility for health care for Americans. In health care, before finding a solution, the problem must be identified. What do the Doctor’s do when a patient arrives in the ER? Do they simply start treating the patient before they diagnose the problem? Giving treatment without identifying the issue would be inappropriate, ineffective, and wasteful. When a treatment didn’t work, the physician would repeatedly have to go back to the drawing board, coming up with another treatment regimen until one is found that works. If that were the approach, the patient might very well be dead before the appropriate treatment is identified. Hence, before treating the patient, the ailment is identified.

In its approach to health care reform, the government has not bothered identifying the conditions in need of reform; instead choosing to treat the patient for everything and anything, simply because they have identified the health care “patient” as sick. The treatment is “reform”, of everything and anything, the entire system, rather than identifying the area of need. They have simply identified the patient of “health care” as sick, acknowledged it needs treatment , that is “health care reform.” They have come up with a treatment plan, via their “health care reform bill.” Unfortunately, they have not adequately or appropriately identified exactly what part of the health care system is in need of reform. The solution they propose is therefore inappropriate, ineffective and wasteful.

Is the patient “health care” in perfect condition? No. Is there a need for correction, or treatment, yes. The patient, however, is not in extremis. In fact the patient, happens to be the best health care system in the world! That is an absolutely undeniable fact. So why are the politicians calling a health care system “code blue,” placing it on a ventilator, and transplanting all of its organs? That is government malpractice that will undoubtedly kill an otherwise healthy patient, which is merely in need of a physical exam and recommendations for a better future.

Tell your congressmen and senators to stop with the “cure” until they identify the exact problems and come up with appropriate solutions for the best health care system in the world. Why don’t they identify the exact problem and take appropriate steps toward a solution? Ultimately, you must ask yourself why the government is suggesting and pushing so hard for head to toe surgery on a healthy patient. It is clearly not for the patient’s benefit.

Your senators and congressmen claim to be the physicians ready to cure the health care patient. Demand a diagnosis, consider a second opinion, before they put you under anesthesia and start cutting!

I think Pat has the question right; why are we completely overhauling (at incredible expense) a system that the vast majority of Americans say works fine for them? Clearly, we need to cut the costs associated with health care, but the current legislation will only shift the cost burden to taxpayers.

No, it seems clear that the real reason for this monster is the general left/liberal belief that government should control every aspect of our lives. Between health care reform and cap and trade, the liberals are poised for a take-over of monumental proportion. Our only hope is that the American people wake up to the threat before its too late.

How Much Is That?

2009-11-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Governor Paterson made an impassioned speech to NY State Legislators yesterday, as they gathered for the special session he called to deal with the State's $3.2 billion deficit.

He said he was willing to take the heat for proposing unpopular budget cuts. Paterson emphasized the point by saying that he was willing to "mortgage his political future" over the steps needed to close the deficit.

Someone should tell him that given his current re-election chances, his political future won't qualify for a mortgage.

Arrogance In Washington

2009-11-08T04:06:00.000-08:00

The Democrat leadership in the House of Representatives rammed through the health care reform bill last night. They did so despite the fact that a substantial and growing majority of Americans opposed the bill. They just do not care what we "little people" think.

Democrat leadership rushed the vote fearing defections by Democrats who might worry that a vote for this bill could cost them re-election next year. I hope voters have a long enough memory.

It is quite clear that the current Congress and Administration are led by the most left/liberal Democrats who have been in power in America for a long time (perhaps, ever). Nancy Pelosi and her Democrat leadership team, are fearless because they operate from safe districts of like-minded liberals. They are apparently willing to sacrifice some of their less secure members re-election chances on legislation like the health care bill and cap and trade, which will fundamentally change the country, or, at least, fundamentally alter the role and power of government in our every day lives.

While it is clear that Americans are more and more coming to understand the risks, and are increasingly in opposition to these liberal efforts, much of what is being done now may prove difficult or impossible to undo, even if the Democrats are thrown out of power in 2010 and 2012.

The "hope and change" crowd included a lot of people who should have known better. They cast cavalier votes for Obama so they could show that they were post-racial, socially astute people. They jumped on the anti-Bush, anti-GOP bandwagon despite the fact that most of them were both safe and prosperous during the Bush years.

I feel sorry for my kids. The costs of the left/liberal agenda that we have empowered will erode America's prosperity and preeminence. The next few generations will look back and wonder what we were thinking.

Election Messages

2009-11-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

A review of this morning's newspaper and the local political blogs, reveals that the D&C's Editorial Board and Joe Morelle appear to be unsure about the message sent by voters in yesterday's election. I'd like to help them understand.

Joe: The voters wanted you to know that a campaign consisting of nothing but scandal-mongering is not going to cut it. You need to at least appear to have a plan of action for governing if you want to get elected.

D&C Editorial Board: The voters wanted you to know endorsements ought to amount to more than just cheer leading for folks who share your "progressive" perspective. You really should not use the same criteria (e. g., length of time in office) as a good point for candidates you favor and a disqualifier for those you do not.

Other messages:

To Sue Swanton: Harold Stassen called. He wants you to replace him on Wikipedia as the candidate who defines "political also-ran".

To Mark McIntee: You can't fire the Town Attorney (Actually, that was a message from me, not the voters.)

To the D&C Editorial Board: Get a new Ouija Board. Your endorsements made "Dewey Beats Truman" look prescient.

To President Obama: Please don't spend another trillion dollars. We are paying attention. If you stay on the path you are currently on, Election Day 2010 will make last night look good for Dems.

The Esposito Era

2009-11-04T04:43:00.000-08:00

Last night's election was the first in over 20 years that did not include Ralph Esposito on the ballot.

As most of you know, Ralph is stepping down at the end of the year, after a fabulous 20 years as Gates Supervisor. The Democrat & Chronicle called him "a legend" and they did not know how right they were. Ralph guided Gates through both good and bad times and he is leaving the Town in better shape than he found it.

His greatest work was during the past several years, dealing with fiscal difficulties caused by Kodak's departure from the Elmgrove facility. Ralph and the Town Board managed to right the Town's finances while preserving all of the vital services that Gates' residents are accustomed to. His critics went after him over the past eight years; Ralph and Gates were prime targets for the Democrats. They never beat him, and they never got the best of him.

In fact, Ralph's legacy of good government was so powerful, that this year's crop of Democrats had no issues to raise against the Gates GOP team. The crushing defeat inflicted on the Democrats was, to a great extent, a message from Gates' voters that we should stay the course charted by Ralph and his administration. Ralph is leaving the way a superstar should, at the top of his game.

Message to Ms. Swanton, Mr. Gillette, Mr. Landers, and Mr. Asam; you never laid a glove on him!

BREAKING: Reports of Death of Local GOP Called Premature

2009-11-04T04:19:00.000-08:00

Despite a growing disparity in party enrollment, despite a barrage of negative ads, despite the efforts of a scandal-mongering press and a partisan DA, the GOP in Monroe County swept the board on Election Day.

The GOP held its majority in the County Legislature, scored a big win in County Court, and had easy wins for the Sheriff and for Supreme and Surrogate's Court. The Town of Irondiquoit turned back over to the Republican party and, in Gates, which had been pegged as "the next domino" to fall to the Dems, GOP candidates thrashed their opponents for every position.

The reality was that the people in Gates and Monroe County were not going to turn over the reins of power to a party which offered no plan, no program, no vision. Joe Morelle's "all scandal, all of the time" campaign fell flat. Some of the ads, such as the McCarthy DWI ad and the slanderous "Robutrad" ad attacking Frank Allkofer and Elaine Tette, were disgraceful and well beyond the normal bounds of "rough and tumble" politics. If I were a Democrat, I'd want Joe out; as a Republican, I say, please Joe, keep up the "good" work!

I'll leave most of the analysis to pundits wiser than me. I'm sure there were some anti-Obama/anti-Paterson/anti-Washington and Albany Democrat effects at work. But I think a lot has to do with the fact that people around here are basically pretty smart and they know which team was the "A-Team" who understands how to govern in tough times. Add to that the fact that the GOP candidates and their supporters worked harder than ever. It was an insurmountable task for the Dems.

There's still some life left in the GOP yet.

GOTV: All That's Left In Ugly Campaign

2009-11-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

GOTV or "Get Out The Vote". That's the only remaining job for politico's at this point. at least we are done with the mailers!

Its been a rough campaign season. The negativity that pervades National and State political campaigns has made it, full-force, to the local scene. I won't blame the Democrats; I think both parties bear responsibility. I do, however, blame the candidates who allow political leaders to draft unfair messages and try to avoid responsibility.

All of us in politics are responsible for the content of campaigns. Unfortunately, political campaigns like we have seen in Monroe County are becoming the norm. Worse, the politicians who employ these tactics, become our elected officials. We then see the same type of mentality exhibited in government.

Ultimately, this cycle will only stop if the average voter says enough. The voters must punish the purveyors of political porn by refusing to elect them.

See The World Through Other Eyes

2009-11-01T05:35:00.000-08:00

I was in New York City on Thursday to make an appearance at the US Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan.

The Court is located in what was once the US Customs House for New York. The building sits on the location of Fort Amsterdam, the original Dutch settlement in New York. It is on the southern tip of Manhattan island next to Battery Park at Bowling Green. This is also the beginning of Broadway and is near Wall Street and the financial district.

The Customs House has an important history. Until the onset of the Federal Income Tax, import duties were the largest source of Federal income and the NY Customs House was the biggest collection point. Also, Custom House employees were political appointees. The President appointed the four principal officers and these appointees had high prestige, great power and local authority, large incomes and enhanced social status. As Collector of Customs, Grover Cleveland developed political IOU's he later used to become President.

Despite all of this, I was there only to go to Court and I was oblivious to much of the history around me. I arrived early on Thursday and I did not want to go in (because you must surrender your cell phone/BlackBerry). As I waited outside, I began to notice how many tourists were in the area. More than 50% were foreigners, but there were also a lot of students and regular folks, too. They were taking pictures, oohing and aahing at the buildings and historical markers, and generally soaking in all of the fascinating sights that those of us who have become jaded take for granted.

I was happy that I had a little extra time that day. It gave me the chance to look around and appreciate my surroundings. Despite everything, New York is a great city in a great country. Its good to be reminded now and then.

The Power Of Prayer....The Power Of Faith

2009-11-01T04:57:00.000-08:00

I am a Roman Catholic and, while I would not call myself "devout", I'm a regular "church-goer" and I'm fairly serious about my faith. For one thing, I do pray a lot.

Last week, I had a "revelation" of sorts about the power of prayer, and yesterday, one regarding the impact that one person's faith can have on another, and I feel the need to share these things. I hope you vast legions (lol) of readers won't mind, but, it is my blog.

I was saying a prayer seeking help regarding a couple of particularly thorny legal problems. As I did so, I wondered to myself why God would answer my prayers when it appeared that he did not answer those of others who apparently suffered from problems which were bigger than mine. I also thought that my prayers were rather selfish and that God probably had better things to do than deal with my petty issues.

Later, it occurred to me that maybe my prayers were being answered because I did, in fact, pray. Perhaps those others I mused about did not believe in God, or, if they believed, simply did not pray. I also thought that perhaps prayer is not selfish, but rather an acknowledgement that I need help and that God's power is greater than anything I could muster on my own.

In any event, I intend to keep on praying. My prayers to our Heavenly Father, Jesus, Mary and the Saints, helped me overcome the worst of my issues. Some may doubt that there was a connection, or even that God really exists. Some people say that truly intelligent people don't believe in God; that such faith is no different than the Greek's worship of the Olympians. I go with the philosopher who said you should believe in what you hope for. I cannot think of a more hopeless world than one without God. I choose to believe and I choose to pray.

My faith was further rewarded on Saturday when my family and I went to St. Helen's Church for the 4:00 mass, instead of our usual 5:00 mass at Holy Ghost Church. Because it was Halloween, we wanted to get home before the trick or treaters started to arrive.

The celebrant, Father Alou, is a foreign born priest. For whatever reason, he exuded faith to a degree exhibited by only one other priest in my experience. I must say that I have not been so moved in church since Fr. Alex Bradshaw left Holy Ghost.

Its difficult to explain, but Fr. Alou spoke about his faith (my faith) in a way that made me believe it was the most precious thing in the world. His spirituality was of a kind you do not normally see. My regular priest, Fr. Tom Nellis is a fine man and, he too, is spiritual. But his spirituality is contemplative rather than dynamic.

Fr. Bradshaw's passion and faith brought me back to the church. Fr. Alou had the same kind of effect. I even noticed that my 12 year old son paid attention during the entire mass. I left St. Helen's feeling like I was part of a community of which being a member was something very special. This man truly found his calling.

In the end, I find it hard to believe that someone could be so moved, and moving, by a premise (faith in God) that is nothing but superstition. As I said above, I choose to believe.

Bills Inching Forward?

2009-10-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

I guess so. But its a slow crawl.

I'm not convinced yet. I am thinking, like D&C Sports columnist Sal Mariorana, that the Bills drag their opponents down to their level. If so, that may give them a shot against mediocre teams. But, playoffs? Out of the question. A .500 record? Maybe, but don't hold your breath.

When I watch the Bills and Dick Jauron, I can't help but thinking that the franchise, like its owner, is over the hill. In my heart, I fear that we are watching the last days of the Bills in Western New York.

I hope I'm wrong.

Desperate Again

2009-10-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the Gates Democrats have gone all in on bogus "guilt by association" politics.

They know they are behind so they have sent out a shameful "robutrad" mail piece, hoping to get Gates residents to conclude that the GOP in town is corrupt, because its former committee chairman has been accused of crimes.

The Democrats are insulting the intelligence of Gates residents and they are unfairly smearing two fine public officials, who their own DA has said did nothing wrong.

I guess this is always the way it is. You can't win the battle of ideas, so you opt for a mud-slinging strategy. Problem is, when you throw mud, some of it gets on you.

Bad luck for you Democrats. The people in town are too smart for this. You will lose the election anyway and you had to give up your self-respect in this pitiful, losing effort.

A Battle For Hearts And Minds

2009-10-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

That's what the special election in New York's 23rd Congressional District is.

The race to replace John McHugh in this conservative leaning district is the first (of many more to come) referendum on the direction of the country since the "tea party awakening" that has been sweeping the nation. This election pits liberal Democrat Bill Owens against the GOP choice, Dede Scozzafava and upstart conservative, Doug Hoffman.

The split between Scozzafava and Hoffman threatens to hand the race to the Democrat. Newt Gingrich has weighed in on behalf of Scozzafava, despite her liberal viewpoints. Newt apparently believes its better to have a RINO in office than a Democrat.

Well, Newt, you're wrong. This is the song the RNC has been singing for years and all its gotten us are Arlen Spectors, Olympia Snowes, and Lincoln Chaffees. Mark Steyn pointed this out better than I can in this NRO post where he noted that "[t]he tea parties and town halls were a response not just to Obama but to the 2006/2008 GOP".

Steyn goes on to label Scozzava not a RINO but a DIABLO (Democrat In All But Label Only). Read his whole piece. He's right on the mark.

The more I've read about this race, the more I realize that conservatives have to take control of the GOP. Liberals like Scozzafava cannot get our endorsement. If they do, we will, at best, go back to the days of permanent "go-along-get-along" minority status. Our economy and our nation's future cannot afford that. We have to stop allowing career politicians to place their interests over ours.

Lock-Out in Washington

2009-10-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Democrats in Washington were paying attention to the NY State Senate debacle that we experienced this summer. You will recall that the Democrats locked the Senate meeting room and took the keys away so that the GOP could not operate as the majority party after two dissident Democrat Senators switched parties.

Now we have this report from The Hill, which details the shenanigans undertaken by Democrats on the House Government Oversight Committee who did not want to vote on an investigation into the Countrywide Mortgage sweetheart loan scandal.

The Dems claimed they had a conflict with another committee meeting, but a GOP committee staffer videotaped the Democrats leaving a separate meeting in private chambers after the OGR Committee meeting was supposed to have begun. He spliced the video to footage of the Democrats’ empty chairs in the hearing room and set it to the tune of “Hit the Road, Jack”.

The Democrats were quite upset at being caught at this deception. Committee Chairman, Rep. Edolphus Towns (Democrat from....you guessed it....New York) locked Republicans out of the Committee room to keep them from meeting when Democrats aren't present.

These guys are little better than clowns. They have contempt for their constituents, for the American people, and for their constitutional oaths and duties. As stories like these keep coming out, we can only hope Americans are paying attention. We will find out in November, 2010.

Emphasizing The "D"

2009-10-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Democrat & Chronicle revealed its true colors once again, with its endorsement of Mark McIntee over Mark Assini for Gates Town Supervisor. The only Republicans endorsed by the D&C are those they are sure will win. That way, they can claim non-partisanship.

The line that said it all was "Assini clearly is capable, but after decades of Republicans being in charge, it's time for new leadership". Mark is new, but I guess new only counts if you are a Democrat.

The best part of the endorsement speaks of all of McIntee's great ideas for reducing taxes in Gates. One item is a plan to get $1.5 million from Monroe County to pay for police services. It's hard to believe the D&C repeated that one, since it barely qualifies as fantasy. I didn't know that the County had $1.5 million to spare or that McIntee could get the County to agree to such a deal.

Better still, is the reference to voting against raises for certain workers, which he did last January after having voted for the budget that included the salaries in November. Last night, McIntee voted for the preliminary budget which included raises for almost all Town employees. He did not raise any objections; he made no motions for any changes in the budget drated by Supervisor Esposito. This is SOP for McIntee, who has voted with the GOP majority close to 95% of the time he has been a Town Board member.

Where was his "creativity and enthusiastic energy" last night, when it could have had an impact on Gates taxpayers? Nowhere in sight! Apparently, McIntee only takes stands "for the people" in public forums where the cameras are rolling and dupes like the D&C Editorial Board can be impressed.

Bill Win......But

2009-10-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Bills beat the Jets in the Meadowlands yesterday.

No, I don't think its a sign of good things to come. Dick Jauron still almost blew the game by being too conservative at the end of regulation. It took one of the worst QB performances ever seen (from Jets rookie Mark Sanchez) to keep the largely hapless Bills from their fifth loss. The announcer kept asking, "Do either of these teams want to win"?

If Jauron remains as head coach, this team is going nowhere. We need a high profile guy, right away, to lay the groundwork for next year, while this season still plays out. It appears, however, that Ralph Wilson isn't going to let Jauron go. I guess that means he is too old or too broken down to care.

I wish someone with the bucks could save the Bills for Western New York. I doubt its going to happen, though. When Ralph is gone, I figure the Bills will be history.

D&C Chooses "None of the Above"

2009-10-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Democrat and Chronicle began its endorsements for the 2009 local election cycle on Sunday, with an endorsement of the unopposed Bob Duffy for Rochester Mayor.

This morning the D&C turned to the suburbs. It used its whole page on the Town of Greece, which, I guess is fitting since Greece is the largest town and has been so much in the news lately. The most notable endorsement was a non-endorsement. The D&C refused to endorse a candidate for Supervisor.

I can only assume that the Democrat running for Supervisor does not have a heart-beat. Jack Auberger has gotten so much negative publicity through the Merrit Rahn, Nick Joseph, Gary Pignato scandal, that you would have thought the D&C would have given the nod to almost any credible Democrat. I guess Mr. Maloney is not any credible Democrat.

Obviously, as Gates Town Attorney I'm most interested in the D&C's choice for Gates Supervisor. Being involved in Gates GOP politics, I've always pulled for the Republican to get the nod. My personal interest is even more keen this year, however, since one of the candidates, Mr. McIntee, has twice publicly indicated that I will be the first to go if he is elected.

(Full Disclosure: Mark indicated that he thinks I should go because he believes my involvement in the Gates GOP is inconsistent with being Town Attorney, not because he doesn't like me.)

Personal interest aside, I do think the endorsement should go to Mark Assini over Mark McIntee. Assini's financial and budget experiences in County government and the private sector give him the advantage in a race for Supervisor at a time when many budget challenges are looming due to New York's fiscal problems.

It will be interesting to see what the D&C has to say.

Bills Hit Rock Bottom (We Hope)

2009-10-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Anyone who watched the Buffalo Bills lose 6-3 to the Cleveland Browns knows that the Bills have reached one of the lowest points in the history of the franchise. I won't say this is the worst Bills team ever, or Dick Jauron the worst coach, but it, and he, have to be nominated for those "honors".

If Wilson wants to see the Bills begin a turn-around, he needs to bite the bullet and bring in a real pro (like Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells, Mike Shanahan, e.g.) to take charge of the entire football operation. If Dick Jauron survives the week as coach of the Bills, we fans should face the reality that until Mr. Wilson no longer owns the team, the Bills dreams of play-offs are pipe-dreams, not valid hopes.

Election Season-2009

2009-10-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

Election Day is less than a month away, but it can't get here soon enough to suit me.

This has clearly been the least pleasant campaign season I have ever been associated with. I am actually quite glad that my involvement in politics is winding down because politics has changed dramatically since I was first involved in the 70's.

The degree and stridency of partisanship has really begun to take the joy out of political activism for me. This year, the nastiness has made it to the local level, which, in my mind, had generally avoided the worst aspects of partisan politics.

As I look at the campaign ads and rhetoric, I am struck by how little the Democrats are talking about their records or about what they propose for the community. So far, the Democratic campaigns in Monroe County have focused on "scandal and corruption" in the GOP. Saturday's Democrat & Chronicle had a story by Jill Tereri which included Democrat County Chairman, Joe Morelle basically acknowledging that fact.

The Democrats talk about openness and transparency in government and an end to "corruption". Well, no one wants corrupt leadership and I assume everyone generally wants open, transparent government. The Democrats have not bothered to say what they will do about taxes, spending, issues, etc., that will be different from the GOP administrations they want to replace.

I guess its easier to try to attach your opponent to someone who may have broken the law and hope that guilt by association will take hold. That seems to sum up the Democrat's campaign - guilt by association. Bob Morone is a thief and he's a Gates Republican, therefore all Gates Republicans are thieves. Merrit Rahn was corrupt. He worked for Jack Auberger, so Auberger and the Greece GOP must be corrupt.

I hope that voters will see through these tactics and vote for candidates who try to win their votes with positive, not negative messages.

The Ash-Heap of History?

2009-10-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

The direction of the country is the topic of this article by Charles Krauthammer which appeared in the Weekly Standard.

Its a bit long, but it is a good and valuable read. Mr. Krauthammer is a brilliant commentator. He sets out, in stark terms, the choices facing America in the current liberal ascendant world.

He points out that America has, in fact, been a force for good, but that our place in the world is subject to choices we, as a people, must make. He also offers a view of how that choice will affect America and the world.

It is really worth the time to read.

Obama Gets Nobel Peace Prize (Really!)

2009-10-09T04:48:00.000-07:00

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to President Barak Obama. No, its not April 1st, they really gave him the award. The Committee's announcement of the award was as follows:

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that 'Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges'."

I guess they were serious. After all, Obama's diplomacy has really garnered some great results, so far. Do you think Vladimir Putin and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are laughing it it up today?

You would assume that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for a substantial body of work, would you not? Interestingly, a look at the Nobel Committee's website indicates that nominations for this year's prize had to be submitted by no later than February 1, 2009. As such, Mr. Obama had been President for less than two weeks when he was nominated.

Now, I don't want to say that the Peace Prize Committee have made the prize award into a joke, but this award certainly has to diminish the respect people give to it. After all, this has to be the first Nobel Prize awarded for election campaign rhetoric rather than actual accomplishments.

I have felt that President Obama is a bit "full of himself". I thought the smack-down by the IOC over Chicago's Olympic bid might have lead to a little humility. But with this award, "the One" is probably back in business!

Not Much Bang For A Lot Of Bucks

2009-10-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), scored the health care reform legislation which is coming out of the Senate Finance Committee, headed by Sen. Max Baucus. According to the CBO, this bill will cost approximately $829 billion over 10 years. Also according to the analysis, the Federal budget deficit will be reduced by $81 billion during that time.

The budget analysis cautions that the total cost projection and the concomitant savings "assume that the proposals are enacted and remain unchanged throughout the next two decades, which is often not the case for major legislation". Really? A Federal Government program might have overruns?

A really interesting part of the analysis indicates it relies on cost cutting that really is not that likely to occur. From the CBO analysis:

"The projected savings for the proposal reflect the cumulative impact of a number of specifications that would constrain payment rates for providers of Medicare services. In particular, the proposal would increase payment rates for physicians’ services for 2010, but those rates would be reduced by about 25 percent for 2011 and then remain at current-law levels (that is, as specified under the SGR) for subsequent years. Under the proposal, increases in payment rates for many other providers would be held below the rate of inflation (in expectation of ongoing productivity improvements in the delivery of health care). The projected longer-term savings for the proposal also assume that the Medicare Commission is relatively effective in reducing costs—beyond the reductions that would be achieved by other aspects of the proposal—to meet the targets specified in the legislation. The long-term budgetary impact could be quite different if those provisions were ultimately changed or not fully implemented."

Let's not kid ourselves that all of the assumptions, legislative changes and productivity gains upon which this analysis lays are likely to occur. If these things happen, it will be the first government program in my lifetime (and the lifetimes of most living Americans) that stayed within its proposed limits.

More importantly, this $800+ billion conversion of our private health care system into a government run and/or regulated behemoth won't have that great an impact on reducing the number of uninsured. According to the CBO, the percentage of Americans covered by health insurance will rise from the current 83% to 94% over the next decade.

Wasn't the reason for all of this to get all Americans covered? We're going to spend $829 billion to insure an additional 1% of the population per year ? Is that the real problem? How does any of this bureaucratic nightmare cause health care costs to go down? It appears that, at best, we are just shifting the costs from employers and individuals to the taxpayers.

Is this really worth the cost and the risk that our current system will be wrecked beyond repair?

UPDATE: Check out this report from the Cato Institute (via Instapundit) analyzing the full cost of the Baucus bill. Cato pegs the number at closer to $2 trillion than $829 billion. If Cato is right, the country will have a very hard time getting out of the financial hole being dug for us by Pres. Obama and the Democrat Congress.

A Little More Hypocrisy

2009-10-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan, has been chastised lately by liberal pundits for his public lobbying for more troops. His views seem to be somewhat at odds with those of the Obama administration.

Those pundits are correct in their views that military officers should respect the chain of command. The President is the Commander-in Chief. As such, the military must defer to his authority.

The irony and hypocrisy of these commentators is amazing, however. I seem to remember many of these same critics applauding generals who disagreed with the Bush Administration's policies in Iraq and Afghanistan. These are the same hypocrites who, when the GOP ran the country said that dissent was the highest form of patriotism, but who now call the tea party protesters and health care reform critics traitors and racists.

If only the media did its job and pointed out these obvious double-standards. But then, the media is no longer a neutral observer reporting facts. Actually, many in the media are among the worst of the hypocrites.

Thank God for Talk Radio and the Internet. Without them, most of us would never learn about the other side of most stories.

Hilarious Hypocrisy

2009-10-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

I could hardly believe my ears as I listened to all of the liberals complaining about the "unfair", "unfunny" and "inaccurate" Saturday Night Live skit criticising President Obama.

Good grief! I seem to remember liberals telling disgruntled conservatives to get a sense of humor when SNL skewered George W. Bush and Sarah Palin.

The most amazing thing I heard was that a "non-partisan" (please!) media/news watchdog group actually fact-checked the SNL skit. They apparently found it wanting. It was satire guys, not a news program.

Let's look for the fact checkers the next time Tina Fey gets an Emmy for portraying Sarah Palin. Let's not hold our breath!

A Rose Is A Rose

2009-10-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

And a tax rate is a tax rate, except when it isn't.

If you read the story about the Gates Supervisor race in the Monday Democrat & Chronicle, you might think that Mark Assini stated that Gates' property tax rate is the highest in Monroe County. Actually, Mark McIntee said it, but that's beside the point.

It appears that the Gates Democrats want to focus on the tax rate in Gates rather than average or total taxes paid by Gates taxpayers. The implication is, of course, that we are over taxed in Gates.

The problem is that the taxes raised in a town are a function of tax rate and property values. A town with higher property values can raise the same total taxes as a town with lower values even though the first town has a lower tax rate. The lower tax rate does not mean that the town government is more efficient or thrifty; it means they have a bigger pool of tax money to swim in.

A good comparison can be made between Brighton and Gates. They are similar sized towns with police forces. Brighton raises more tax revenue than Gates does, yet it has a lower tax rate. The average taxpayer in Gates pays less taxes than the average taxpayer in Brighton. How can that be? It is because there are some very high property values in Brighton. As a result, higher value property owners subsidize lower value property owners. Total taxes and average taxes along with government spending are all higher in Brighton than in Gates.

The point is that statistics can often be warped to make a point. The truth is that Gates taxpayers have been getting a very good deal for a very long time. The quality of life in Gates is quite good, the government services are first rate and the tax bills are reasonable. Hopefully, Gates residents won't be fooled by misleading statistics.

Schizophrenia At The D&C

2009-09-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

Today's editorial in the D&C admonishes citizens to "Tone It Down" at Town Hall meetings. While reading the piece, I had a number of thoughts.

First, note that the editorial was located directly above the "Fed Up With Albany" campaign coupon that the paper has been pushing for months. So I guess we're supposed to be "fed up" with but "respectful" of politicians. I wonder if anyone asked the participants in the Boston Tea Party to "tone it down"?

Next, the editorial noted Eric Massa's belief that Americans are angry at their government. Is it any wonder that we're angry when we have representatives like Mr. Massa, who vow to "vote adamantly against the interests of my district if I actually think what I'm doing is going to help them" and who claim that they represent "one of the most right-wing, Republican districts in the State"? Sorry, I think we are all entitled to loudly criticize such "representation".

Frankly, its well past time our representatives have heard from us. The long-running circuses in Washington and many State Capitols are evidence that our so-called leaders need to get a tongue-lashing from the people they are supposed to represent and protect. The one and only way in which politicians have been bi-partisan has been in their substituting personal and special interests for the will and welfare of their constituents.

Finally, the editorial speaks of "Jerry Springeresque" behavior by participants at Town Halls. Just what is the behavior the editorial speaks of? Raised voices? Shouting at politicians who spout platitudes and half-truths (if not out-and-out lies)? Perhaps if the media did its job of challenging politicians and calling them on their BS, citizens would not need to take extreme measures? Instead the media acts as apologist for Obama, Massa, and the rest. The D&C shows it is little more than a left-wing house organ by writing the editorial and perpetuating the myth that the protesters have been violent and threatening.

So, no, don't "tone it down". Ratchet up your voices and let the politicians know that we have reached the tipping point. If they don't listen, we have to follow up the protests with votes throwing the bums out.