Quote Freely From The Article – Leave The Pseudonym Alone

Charles Krauthammer writing in the Washington Post is not the only voice of reason when it comes to asking the United States Congress to slow down and legislate changes in health care that make sense and will not mire us completely under the muck of a severe depression like the Reid and Pelosi bill is liable to do.  But, he may be the most succinct of all critics of Obamacare.  Mr. Krauthammer, is nothing, if not discerning and astute when it comes to matters of  the economy and just plain common sense. In his article, Kill the bills. Do health reform right, he fills a column or so enumerating the follies of the House bill and the Senate bill.

Mr. Krauthammer begins his article by stating in part:

The fundamental problem with the 2,074-page Senate health-care bill (as with its 2,014-page House counterpart) is that it wildly compounds the complexity by adding hundreds of new provisions, regulations, mandates, committees and other arbitrary bureaucratic inventions.

He continues that there is nothing to bring the components of the bills together and that both depend on political expediency for the string to bind them up. Mentioned in his article are the 118 commissions, boards and other “political” string that must also be bound up to make the pork roast. Mr. Krauthammer slams mandates with financial penalties, which he maintains are,  ”picked out of a hat. He complains of  insurance companies being told what weights to give risk factors (something at which they are quite expert).  And, he speaks to sliding scales, also “picked out of a hat,” that will raise income taxes for the middle class along with other unintended consequences.

Mr. Krauthammer suggest three components for a health care overhaul that aren’t at all mentioned in either the House or Senate bills. Of course there are reasons why they are not mentioned and he does not leave them hanging.  After he trashes both bills by naming them irredeemable, he goes forth to explain why, suggesting the sacrifice of a couple of sacred cows and pigs in the process:

First, tort reform. This is money — the low-end estimate is about half a trillion per decade — wasted in two ways. Part is simply hemorrhaged into the legal system to benefit a few jackpot lawsuit winners and an army of extravagantly rich malpractice lawyers such as John Edwards. [he has much more to say on tort reform and the reader would do well to read his words]

Second, even more simple and simplifying, abolish the prohibition against buying health insurance across state lines. Some states have very few health insurers. Rates are high. So why not allow interstate competition? After all, you can buy oranges across state lines. If you couldn’t, oranges would be extremely expensive in Wisconsin, especially in winter.

But neither bill lifts the prohibition on interstate competition for health insurance. Because this would obviate the need — the excuse — for the public option, which the left wing of the Democratic Party sees (correctly) as the royal road to fully socialized medicine.

His third  component may be the least popular, but it is sure less dangerous and more practical than the silliness that our senators and representatives tell us about actual cost measures in their bills:

Third, tax employer-provided health insurance. This is an accrued inefficiency of 65 years, an accident of World War II wage controls. It creates a $250 billion annual loss of federal revenue — the largest tax break for individuals in the entire federal budget.

This reform is the most difficult to enact, for two reasons. The unions oppose it. And Barack Obama savaged the idea when John McCain proposed it during last year’s campaign.

Mr. Krauthammer ends his piece with a plea to take the issues one by one which amounts to the same thing as saying, “slow down you’re going to fast.” Something said,  over and over. Take the complete article and it makes sense and puts the Senate and House bills where they belong … in the trash bin. Grab the article.

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• The Party Of Maybe (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)

Whatever became of me...

When Black Friday comes
I’m gonna dig myself a hole
Gonna lay down in it
‘Til I satisfy my soul
Gonna let the world pass by me
The Archbishop gonna sanctify me
And if he don’t come across
I’m gonna let it roll
When Black Friday comes I’m gonna stake my claim
I guess I’ll change my name.

- Steely Dan, “Black Friday”

Well, now that we’re all sated on turkey, football and bargain crazed shopping, let’s give thanks that its once again Friday and time for us to our trip through the tubes.  I’m most thankful that my fellow GonzoGeeks got their links in to me before they disappeared for the holidays.  We’ve got some good stuff here today kids, so hang on.

Of course, before we serve up the links, we have to serve up the cheesecake.  This week, we decided it was time to go retro once again.  Stephe and I decided that we could think of no vintage cheesecake more appropriate for the day after Thanksgiving than Loni Anderson.  Why?  Because of the legendary “Turkey Drop” episode of WKRP in Cincinnati, that’s why.  Loni tweaked the dumb blonde secretary stereotype magnificently on WKRP and in this episode especially.  Don’t know what I’m talking about?  CLICK HERE.

In the meantime, enjoy the links.

1. The early days of some of your favorite websites.
2. Iraqi Metal.
3. The BIG Boom (scroll down).
4. Translation be fun time to me.
5. Ms. Couric, your freak is showing.
6. Rob Schneider vs. radio imbeciles.
7. Stephe’s lone contribution of the week.  Its even in English this time.
8. TEQUILA!
9. The dangers of MMORPGs exposed.
10. Another chimp attack victim goes on Oprah.
11. Cool pictures of vintage girl bands.
12. As the 00’s come to a close the “best of” lists have started to roll in.
13. This week’s gratuitous Twilight post #1.
14. Gotcha?  You betcha.
15. Even when Hulk Hogan is playing air guitar on the title belt?
16. How to pick cereal.
17. This week’s obligatory Twilight post #2.
18. Just in time for Black Friday, what not to buy in 2009.
19. 25 scariest moments in non-horror movies.
20. It’s evolution baby!
21. Rock Band reaches 1001 song catalog.  Take that Creed!
22. This is as close as I will ever come to watching a Lifetime movie.
23. At long last, Angelina Jolie weighs in on POTUS.  America can sleep better tonight.
24. The Most Brutal Martial Arts Training…EVER.
25. I fail to see the problem.
26. But who will correct and/or hack the entries?
27. And finally, David’s Iraq deployment blog.

Well another sweet Thanksgiving has come and gone. The anticipation was great as the bird was selected. It was dressed all up, stuffed with all kinds of good bits, staged in its pan, roasted to a crispy brown, and then reduced to a dinner for the family and friends. When the meat of the bird was removed, all that was left was a carcass and a wishbone. So much pomp reduced to a memory.

Well another month of POTUS has come and gone. The anticipation was great as ACORN, SEIC and other organized Labor Unions selected their bird. It was dressed all up, stuffed with all kinds of words, etc.

A Banquet for the Prime Minister of India and his wife, hosted by the POTUS, did go quite well as per sources. Except for ‘one small tolerable’ incident. The Party was gatecrashed by a US couple. Michaele and Tareq Salahi. Now as per, the US ways of dealing with such incidents, the name Tareq would surely have rung some bells, or dropped some bombs rather. But not here. They say there was no danger to the president or the PM as the couple did not go anywhere near them.

I remember visiting the US while on ship. We has reached an American and it was around midnight. Emergency bells were rung and announcement was made on PA system for everyone to assemble quickly at muster point. Everyone dragged themself out of bed, and after quickly changing in to working suits, reached the muster point. Only to find that it was very cold outside, we were to stand in line for the inspection by the US immigration. We were not supposed to land on US soil. Just deliver the goods and make headway. But we were passed through this humiliating scrutiny, even though we were far away from the POTUS and never meant to any banquet hosted by him.

So speaking of security, all the above security procedures followed are not worth the expenditures, if the white house party can be gate crashed.

 It would be interesting to wait and see if any action will be taken on this couple

Question: Given that Mr. Bauer asked the court to take judicial notice his client produced that COLB, for what reason did he fail to produce for the court, the actual document?
Answer: Because he knew that COLB posted on his client’s blog is bogus.

2. Mr. Bauer wrote, “See, e.g., Factcheck.org, “Born in the U.S.A.: The truth about Obama’s birth certificate,” available at http://www.factcheck.org/elections 2008/born_in_the_usa.html (concluding that the birth certificate is genuine, and noting a contemporaneous birth announcement published in a Honolulu newspaper).”

These facts are true, too. But they also fail to establish, his client is Constitutionally qualified to be POTUS.

“Judicial notice” is a term found in the Federal Rules of Evidence. It applies to getting facts into the court record and, once those facts have been added to the record, assigns what weight this evidence will receive. (For a full explanation of judicial notice, see the Federal Rules of Evidence at http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rules.htm.)

Simply put, a judicially noticed fact must be one not subject to reasonable dispute in that it is either (1) generally known within the territorial jurisdiction of the trial court or (2) capable of accurate and ready determination by resort to sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.

Mr. Bauer wanted the federal court to take judicial notice of these facts.

1. His client, Barack Obama “publicly produced a certified copy of a birth certificate showing that he was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu Hawaii.”

This fact is true. But it fails to establish, his client is Constitutionally qualified to be POTUS.

Nov. 25, 2009-President Barack Obama with daughters Malia and Sasha, as he pardoned "Courage", the 45-pound National Thanksgiving Turkey, on the North Portico at the White House, Washington, D.C. With Obama are Elizabeth Pelletier and Walter Pelletier, from the National Turkey Federation.

This morning, President Barack Obama pardoned “Courage“, the 45-pound National Thanksgiving Turkey, on the steps of the White House. Flanked by daughters Malia and Sasha, Obama made a quick speech about the history of the tradition, Walter Pelletier of the National Turkey Federation hoisted Courage onto the green tablecloth, and Obama pardoned the giant white turkey. Following this trip to the White House, Courage will live out the rest his days in Disneyland.

Nov. 25, 2009-President Barack Obama with daughters Malia and Sasha, moments after he pardoned "Courage", the 45-pound National Thanksgiving Turkey, on the North Portico at the White House, Washington, D.C. National Turkey Federation chairman Walter Pelletier stands behind the turkey.

These days it can be somewhat difficult to identify our blessings beyond the obvious: food, shelter, family, jobs, faith community, health and a country that, for the present, remains free in important respects.  Upon closer inspection, however, I believe that we can find small favors that God is granting us at this time.  Here is my list; perhaps you can think of others.  If so, please share them.

1- I thank God that Congress is in recess, giving us a brief respite from their evil mischief.
2- I thank God for the hacker that published the CRU e-mails.
3- I thank God for the PI who “rescued” the dumped ACORN documents.
4- I thank God that the POTUS has finally announced that he will announce his decision on troops for Afghanistan.
5- I thank God for our brave troops overseas, and especially in Afghanistan who fight on during this Thanksgiving despite falling morale due to the delay of resources.  May the Almighty extend special protections over them now and always.
6- I thank God that all polls now show the presidential approval rating at less than 50%.
7- I thank God for the news outlets that attempt to convey fact and truth, despite being attacked for doing so.  Among these are: Fox News, WABC-New York radio, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The Washington Times, The Telegraph (UK) and The Herald-Sun (Australia), and I thank God for the “alternative” Internet media.
8- I thank God for the religious leaders who stepped forward to publicly express a commitment to the heritage and truths that Christianity values.
9- I thank God for the people in their millions who are awakening to fight against a wholesale Government take-over of our liberties.
10- I thank God that a majority of Americans identify with center-right values and Judeo-Christian beliefs.

As I re-examine my list of “small favors”, it occurs to me that these are really not so small after all.  I thank God for that too.

Wishing you and yours a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving filled with peace and plenty.

Just when I think the collective amnesia of Republicans can’t possibly come up with another blinding example of bullshit, another leftover from the Bush Administration trots out on a talking head tee-vee show and lets loose a whopper of biblical proportions…just like former Bush Press Secretary Dana Perino did last night on GOP apologist Sean Hannity’s show.

Referring to the Ft. Hood shootings and murders, Perino made the claim that… just watch it for yourself:

Yup, you hears her correctly and in case you missed it:

We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during president Bush’s term. I hope they’re not looking at this politically. I do think that we owe it to the American people to call it what it is.

Perhaps even more galling was that Hannity, who sees himself as a super-patriot, didn’t offer the slightest sign that Perino was way past disingenuous.

h/t:  www.talkingpointsmemo.com

The State Dinner is on in The White House Tent! 

Via Greta on Twitter http://gretawire.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/11/24/more-pool-report-re-white-house-state-dinner/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogs%2FGretawire+%28FOXNews.com+-+Blogs+-+Gretawire%29&utm_content=Twitter

Rather than the event being hosted inside, the Obama’s or some other nin-com-poop idiot chose to set up a tent in the midst of November for the first State Dinner by The Obama Administration. ”11 additional chandeliers hung from The Tent’s clear ceiling – three large ones were in the middle and four were hung on either side.”  Do ya care? 

On the menu is potato salad.  I wonder if it is the kind with eggs and mustard? Red Potatoes or White?  Sooooo not the point.

Really, how low can we go?  A tent.  I’d like to see the Saudi’s sit in a tent with Obama where he can bend over yet again to bow t0 the King.  Serving potato salad?  No Kobe beef? Too good for our allies?  Oh that’s right, many people from India don’t eat cow- we’ll then throw out some lobsters, snapper, pig, or something other than potato salad for heavens sake. 

Our debt is huge and India is an ally during a time when we need all the friends we can get, and this is how we treat our friends?  Stick them in a tent.  Are the Prime Minister, his wife and The Obama’s having a camping event later this evening?  Where are they staying?  Jeeesh- I’d hate to be an enemy. 

Whose tax dollars are going to pay for the lawn replacement from all the mud?  Ahh, The American Recovery Act- creating jobs.

Potato salad is certainly better than what our troops are eating most days even though they sleep in a tent if they are lucky, but is it okay for a dignitary?

Open wide, say ahhh and check out more posts from Ahrcanum including our Swine Flu report that started  in April and is updated regularly at http://ahrcanum.wordpress.com/swine-flu-report/

SUBSCRIBE NOW for further updates in the top right margin.

“]

President Obama addresses the attendees at a joint press conference with PM Singh of India in the White House East Room [Photo: Lauren McGaughy

Daily International News
November 24, 2009

Singh in Washington
Obama hosts Indian prime minister [AP]
President Barack Obama hosts Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (MAHN’-moh-hahn SING) at the White House on Tuesday, the first state visit of his presidency

Obama Says He Intends to ‘Finish the Job’ in Afghanistan [NYT]
President Obama said on Tuesday that he will announce his decision on how many more troops to send to Afghanistan next week

DPRK
Russian Federation Council, Singaporean Foreign Ministry, and Chinese Minister of National Defense visiting DPRK [KCNA]
Top military officials of North Korea and China pledged to further strengthen their countries’ alliance that was “sealed in blood” during the Korean War, Pyongyang’s media said Monday

China
China executes 2 for role in tainted milk scandal [AP]
China executed a dairy farmer and a milk salesman Tuesday

Philippines
Philippines declares emergency after 46 killed [AP]
The Philippine president placed two southern provinces under emergency rule Tuesday as security forces unearthed more bodies, pushing the death toll to 46 in some of the deadliest election violence in the nation’s history.

India
Indian probe blames mosque attack on Hindu leaders [AP]
An Indian government investigation…into the 1992 demolition of a mosque…reportedly accused top Hindu nationalist politicians of complicity in the attack

India Officials Angered by Leak of Attack Report [NYT]
The leaking of a long-awaited confidential report on one of the most divisive attacks in modern Indian history raised a furor in India’s Parliament on Monday

Middle East
Iran says needs guarantees to ship nuclear fuel [Reuters]
Iran could consider sending its low-enriched uranium abroad, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday

Netanyahu says Hamas prisoner deal may not happen [Reuters]
“There is still no deal, and I do not know if there will be one,” Netanyahu said

Iraq national vote unlikely in January [Reuters]
Iraq will be unable to hold a national election in January as planned, a poll official said on Tuesday, heaping more uncertainty on a vote meant to cement democracy and pave the way for a partial U.S. troop withdrawal

UK
Chilcot Iraq Inquiry: secret talks on ousting Saddam Hussein began in 2001 [Times UK]
British and American officials secretly discussed overthrowing Saddam Hussein two years before the invasion of Iraq, the public inquiry into the war was told today.

Insiders have revealed the internal diagram of the Obama administration…shown here exclusively for the first time…..
Here we go…it’s time to spin like you’re an Obama cabinet member..or Bill Moyers..or Jesse Jackson..or Jeremiah Wright..or Funky Louie..or Bill Ayers..or a thrower of shoes..or David Letterman..or any celebrity from the A to the D list…let’s GO!…….C’mon Folks Let’s SPIN!

While in Tokyo, Japan Obama was photographed kowtowing to Emperor Akihito of Japan last weekend, by the middle of the week he was accused of being almost supine when dealing with the new capitalist emperors of China, whom he allowed to stifle his star qualities at every turn.

 From the “town hall” meeting in Shanghai stuffed with carefully schooled patsies of the Communist Youth League to the joint press conference with President Hu Jintao at which no questions were allowed, Mr Obama cut an uncharacteristically wooden, stilted figure. As one American columnist acidly observed, at times it was “hard to tell who was Hu.”

 Reading from pre-prepared 1,200-word statements, the two men spoke as if from their parallel policy universes, unable even to feign agreement on most key issues. On trade, currency, Iran, climate change and human rights Mr Obama failed to win so much as an inch of ground from his hosts.

And yet two hours later the two governments released a “Joint Statement” which is now being hailed as the most significant step forward in US-China relations since Richard Nixon reopened relations 30 years ago.

 The statement – mentioned by neither leader at the press conference – left even the most seasoned China watchers perplexed.

 ”It was paradoxical,” said Richard Baum, professor of Chinese politics at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The press conference confirmed every low expectation we had for the meeting, but when I saw the statement, I said, ‘Wait a minute, are we talking about the same event?’ It is the most extensive document in 20 years, maybe ever.”

Running to more than 4,000 words, it promised a breadth and depth of co-operation that was unthinkable even two or three years ago. On more than 40 key areas, including military and security ties, global financial governance, climate change and the economy China and America agreed to put their much publicised differences to one side and work together.

 From the general (including China’s significant first ever “welcome” to the US as an Asia-Pacific nation contributing stability to the region) to the particular (a pledge to put “millions” of electric cars on the roads of both countries) the document was described as “incredible”.

 The substance of the Joint Statement has already caused some to reassess the merits of Mr Obama’s strategy in Beijing. Perhaps, by giving China so much “face”, Mr Obama may in time be judged to have saved his own.

 ”It was surprising that the White House should roll over to Chinese demands to control the agenda as they did,” said Professor David Shambaugh, director of the China Policy Programme at George Washington University and visiting scholar at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

 ”He(Obama) met no Chinese people, no CEOs, not even the US Chamber of Commerce. He didn’t give a speech at a university or even visit a wind farm.

“However the Joint Statement is a most extraordinary document, a blueprint for global partnership that opens a new chapter in the China-US relationship.” It was, he said, “a major accomplishment”.

On this view, Mr Obama’s softly softly approach paid a significant dividend, as he traded media opprobrium at home for the chance to take what a White House official called “an important first step” in a new relationship with China. It is a step that the White House hopes will be viewed positively in “the scope of history”, if not in the New York Times – which memorably said Mr Obama had been “squelched” by his Chinese hosts.

 Doubters of Mr Obama’s low-key strategy point to China’s failure to give ground on a single major issue this week – not even faintly tougher language on Iran, for example – and wonder if China will ever make the compromises required to turn the grand aspirations of the Joint Statement into reality. Where Mr Obama sees statesmanship, his opponents see weakness which the Chinese are ready and waiting to exploit.

But both governments have asked for patience, saying they are determined to focus on positives not negatives.

“I did not expect, and I can speak authoritatively for the President on this, that we thought the waters would part and everything would change over the course of our almost two and a half day trip to China,” said Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary.

In essence, said veteran Chinese commentator, Shi Yinhong, professor of International Relations at Renmin University in Beijing, both sides have “agreed to disagree” over their core positions, which is itself an important step forward in the context of US-China relations.

“The joint statement clearly places co-operation as the primary aspect of the US-China relationship, relegating their rivalry and competition to a secondary position. This is a position that would have been impossible perhaps even two years ago,” he said. Source: London Telegraph

 I say the co-operation will be done by the Obama administration and his MINIONS in Congress, and the ChiCOMS will do the dictating to the USA because they hold all the T-bonds!

 While this charade was occurring in China the Senate was violating the Bill of Rights once again, by passing the vote to consider and debate their Health Care travesty called reform 60-39!

The Constitution that was ratified on 12/15.1791 contains section nine(9) that defines the LIMITS of Congress.

This section contains the language that I believe makes the so-called fines on individuals and families that choose not to buy health insurance subject to a fine and possible Jail term.

I am no Constitutional lawyer, but I think the word fine could easily be interpreted as a tax as it applies to the proposed bill.

The language in the Constitution in Section nine(9) is this: No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

 Attainder:  The loss of all civil rights by a person sentenced for a serious crime. [< OFr. attaindre, to convict] Source: AHD

In the context of the Constitution, a Bill of Attainder is meant to mean a bill that has a negative effect on a single person or group (for example, a fine or term of imprisonment). Originally, a Bill of Attainder sentenced an individual to death, though this detail is no longer required to have an enactment be ruled a Bill of Attainder!

I also believe the Senate Bill violates the 5th amendment of the Bill of Rights that says:

Amendment 5 – Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Ratified 12/15/1791.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

If your hard-earned money is not your property,what is?

On his first full day in office, January 21, 2009, President Obama issued a memorandum to the heads of all departments and agencies on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The President directed that FOIA “should be administered with a clear presumption: In the face of doubt, openness prevails.” Moreover, the President instructed agencies that information should not be withheld merely because “public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears.”

Agencies were directed to respond to requests “promptly and in a spirit of cooperation.” The President also called on agencies to “adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure” and to apply that presumption “to all decisions involving [the] FOIA.” This presumption of disclosure includes taking “affirmative steps to make information public,” and utilizing “modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their Government.”

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• Feds Demand Over Half A Million Dollars To Fulfill A Freedom Of Information Act Request (techdirt.com)

China wants their money back!

SNL blasts Obama in this hilarious opening skit from last night’s show.  I’m glad to see that this administration is no longer off limits.

When I wrote my last post, I challenged the other Angry Men to write a version of the creed for liberals. AOC responded with this work of excellence. Enjoy – ANM

Do you accept Obama? I do.

And all his progressive works? I do.

And his promise of true hope and change? I do.

Do you believe in Liberalism, the One True Philosophy on this godless earth? I do.

Do you believe in Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the New Dealer, who was born of Theodore Roosevelt, was crucified by reactionaries, defeated Nazism, grew the Federal Government, and is now enthroned in the Progressive pantheon? I do.

Do you believe in JFK, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, the holy Great Society, the utter destruction of right-wingers, the non-existance of personal sins, the regulation of industry, and life under government management? I do.*

* See, it’s even positively Progressive! Hey, I even know Progressives who would agree to this without reservation! (No, seriously.)

As a service to fellow Angry Man and sworn Obama-hater Angry Midwesterner, I have written this litany for him to renew his faith in conservatism and his hatred of Obama each morning. In case you’re a hater too, feel free to use it – ANM

Do you reject Obama? I do.

And all his socialist works? I do.

And all his empty hope and change? I do.

Do you believe in Conservatism, the One True Philosophy on heaven and earth? I do.

Do you believe in Ronald Regan, the Great Communicator, who was born of Barry Goldwater, was crucified by liberals, defeated Communism, shrunk the Federal Government, and is now enthroned in the Conservative pantheon? I do.

Do you believe in Sarah Palin*, the holy Religious Right, the hatred of liberals, the punishment of sins, the reduction of taxes, and life without union labor? I do.

* The invocation of Sarah Palin can be replaced with Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or Ron Paul as appropriate.