Recently at a town hall meeting, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass) was in rare form.  He normally is snide and arrogant, but that day he was downright abusive.  He will no doubt say he was being reactionary, cashing in on the convenient excuse that apparently every town hall grouping is full of nothing but angry mobs carrying torches and pitchforks.  He asked someone what planet they were from when they asked him questions about the health care bill.  He was not only condescending, he was utterly full of contempt for the audience.  I saw the video clips, and I think he truly believed himself above the ‘little people.’

Congressman Frank and others of his ilk do not live here on planet earth with the rest of us.  He is an extreme liberal, a group that is the smallest of all general political labels (Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Conservatives and Liberals).  They do not know what it is to be out in ‘normal’ America.  They are almost always guaranteed re-election, and never have to really put up much of a fight in their extremely liberal states and/or districts.  Barney Frank is from one of the most liberal districts in one of the most liberal states in the country.  Other Democrats in this category would be Congressman Charlie Rangel (NY), Ted Kennedy (Mass), Dianne Feinstein (Cali), Nancy Pelosi (Cali), and California Senator Barbara Boxer, who actually for the first time finds herself in dangerous polling territory against her 2010 assumed-to-be rivals Carly Fiorina and Chuck DeVore.

These people are calling the protesters Nazis, thugs and ignorant hicks.  They are complaining at the audacity that these people have to stand up and voice their objections.  They don’t like the fact that anyone would have any objections.  People like Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) said he would vote against his constituency’s wishes and vote for H.R. 3200 (The Democrat-written health care bill) even if they all told him not to. He said he didn’t care.  He spoke with arrogance, as if the ‘little people’ did not know what is best for them, and needed to be told.  They all seem to bristle with that arrogance, as if they cannot be bothered with the serfs who do not seem to know what is best for them.

They do not know what a general election looks like.  They never have to fight and they have never had to deal with people who think other than what they think, until they started screwing with their health care.  They woke people up to how they truly view people.  They view people as something that can be pushed around and controlled, and they seem to have woken up the sleeping giant.

Speaking of H.R. 3200, I have downloaded it from the congressional website where it is available, and I am making my way through it.  My next few blogs will feature my findings and review of this monstrosity of a bill.   I’ve read 250 pages so far it and it is a complete train wreck, kind of like Obama’s sales pitch these past few weeks!

Stay tuned!

I will take any opportunity to start off things with a delicious pun, so lets get started!

President Obama and the democrats health care reform seems to be in, ‘critical condition.’ 

Ba dum bum.

Now I know that no one really objected to H.R. 3200 of course until they read it.  I have been working through it, and I must say I am terrified.  After only 50 pages into the 1000 plus page bill I found myself breaking out in a cold sweat and wishing I still consumed alcohol.  It’s all in there.  This will be part of a three part blog series where I will go over parts of the bill, using direct quotes and translation to the best of my ability.  I have two dictionaries and a thesaurus to understand the bill, but I’m working on it!

I wanted today to start off with a simple comparison.  It starts off with the now famous ‘death panels’ remark by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made on her Facebook page.  She spoke that there would be bureaucratic panels and advisory boards that might eventually come to decide which people could live and which could die.  Of course, she was not saying that someone with a Donkey pin on his shoulder and a set of horns could sneak in during the dark of night and literally pull the plug on grandma. 

What she was saying was that eventually it could come to the point where a panel would have to choose weather to save one life or another.  What is worrisome to her and many other people across the country is how we would gauge which life to save.  Would it be over whom was a more productive member of society, the younger and stronger being saved so that they might contribute more?  Could it be simply a matter of money?  Your surgery might cost less than mine, so you get to live, and I get the pain pills.  It doesn’t matter how it is decided.  It simply should not be allowed to ever happen.

There are many people who work in the Obama administration who are well known.  Rahm Emanuel is the president’s chief of staff, but someone who may not be so well know would be his brother, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel.  Dr. Emanuel is a top advisor to the president for medical policy.  The quote that is coming up again and again from Dr. Emanuel is from his advocating medical decisions being made on a system, which “produces a priority curve on which individuals aged roughly between fifteen and forty years get the most chance, whereas the youngest and older people get chances that are attenuated.” 

‘Angels and ministers of grace, defend us.’

Of course, Dr. Emanuel has said that his method of thinking has evolved.  It’s amazing this happened so quickly, since many of his views were written in January of this year!  It must also be a huge coincidence that he did not retract his views until he was called out on it. 

This kind of plan would of course favor the strong and leave behind the weak.  It comes eerily close to falling in line with the earlier ideals of perfecting society, perfecting people.  The early twentieth-century progressives believed in saving the ‘really fittest’ so that society could move forward without those who were considered undesirable by society polluting the gene pool.  They also believe that those who soak up the most health care, the elderly and the chronically ill, would be free up much needed money if they were allowed to die at a younger age. 

Lets go back to the progressive movement of the early twentieth century.  This is not just a progressive ideology but a mindset as well.  It is a bridge between socialism and secularism.  Authoritarians and statists, joining hands with a common view. It is a viewpoint often seen in stark opposition from most conservative viewpoints.  We’ll go to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary for a definition on the Progressives:

Progressive: one believing in moderate political change and especially social improvement by governmental action

Progressive leaning ideologues come loaded with hubris.  They have a belief that people can be helped, or rather ‘helped along.’  Some other well-known progressives in history were Adolf Hitler, and Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger.  At the time it was called The American Birth Control League.  Sanger had written books pamphlets and papers about how the lesser fortunate denominations of humans, such as the Aboriginal population of Australia (which she believed to be the lowest species of human, just above the ape) should not be allowed to reproduce or contribute further to the human race.  She was also opposed to American blacks, and the waves of Asian and catholic immigrants.

There were many other undesirable people that were brushed aside during this time period.  People with physical handicaps were ignored or institutionalized.  Those with forms of mental retardation were forcibly sterilized and hoped to no longer have an impact on society.  Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were two very well known progressives, despite being on opposite political parties!  Wilson, a democrat, held the belief that the human race was something that could be improved upon.

I do not believe that there is a large shadowy conspiracy and there is no looming new world order.  There are however, people who hold common ideals. People have held these kinds of ideals before, and others that were equally harmful.  When people who hold them come into power they can do a variety of damage.  There are still many people in office who consider themselves to be progressives.  Democratic house speaker Nancy Pelosi comes to mind first and foremost.     

Ironically, and I do say this not to try to stab anyone’s scientific beliefs, those who seem to believe in dwarinism and evolution the most seem to be rather selective on where it applies.  If it is with animals on the Galapagos Islands it’s fine, but if it’s in your own backyard, then that’s something else.   It had better make sure it stays with the animals it seems!

Again I must stress once more that I do not believe in a huge conspiracy, no fifth column that needs to be toppled.  But, just like a group of fundamentalist Muslims might wish to impose Sharia law on those who do not share their beliefs, people who have money, power and influence might wish to organize things the way they see fit.

They will always believe they know what is good and what is right.  They believe they have the appropriate view for all.  Detractors try to say that the conservatives and religious among us will try to force our beliefs on others.  In reality, most conservative Christians and Jews want to be left to their own devices, and would respectfully do the same.  If they truly believe the books they have read, they would lead by example and hope that others follow.  They would not want anyone to come along whose arm they had to twist.  I wish I could say the same for the secularists and progressives…

They use money and power to influence the politicians and people.  When that fails, they will use the law.  They will truck in busloads of people in SEIU and Acorn shirts to intimidate the opposition.  They will camp out on your front lawn or spam you with e-mails. 

They have the hubris to believe that people need to be tended over like sheep.  People like President Obamas science czar John Holdren, who wrote in his textbook “Ecoscience” in the 1970s, about forced abortions, sterilants in drinking water and reducing the overall population of the planet for it’s own good.  The have the Gaul to know not only what is best for themselves, but for everyone else too.  The little people simply do not have the status or brains to choose for themselves they will say…

When questions come up about individual liberty and freedom, or a persons right to choose for themselves, they will stare blankly at you.  How could you possibly not see it from their point of view?  They will see humans not as their fellow beings but as Lego’s and tinker toys from which they can create a new image.  If they are defeated, there will come a time for them to try again.  They will constantly hold up to the ideal that they can make people, ‘better.’

In the next two blogs that come, I will show how some of these ideas are not entirely gone…

The title of today’s blog is taken from one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, “Hook.”  In the 1991 Robin Williams feature’s final battle scene, we see the rag-tag ‘lost boys’ led by Peter Pan fight and winning the battle against Captain Hook and his larger group of pirates.  I thought of this the other day when I saw President Obama visibly angry or at least distressed at a press conference this week.  The topic of course was…health care!  ((Thunder and lightning!))  

Known for his cool, placid composure, it was surprising to see him scowling and fidgeting while answering questions.  I saw the same thing tonight as I sat and watched him talk tonight in his fourth televised press conference in six months of his presidency.  Six months into this administration he is finally being shown the downside of the job.  Not everything will go his way.  There were questions being launched at him that he did not want and did not expect.  I had to stand up and shout a few times as some of the most liberal members of the white house press corps gave him some questions that I never thought they would.  A few times my girl ‘Marie’ and I slapped high fives as he evaded one question after another, clearly not pleased with what he was getting.  

(To give my girl a sense of anonymity I will refer to her as ‘Marie.’  Her real name will be kept private)

‘Marie’ and I giggled and laughed a few times as he made these long-winded speeches that I believed were clearly designed to take up time.  I don’t think he wanted to answer any more questions than he had too.  He didn’t like what he was getting thrown at him at all.  I can’t say I really blame him.  On the campaign trail he was asked softball questions, greeted by throngs of blindly adoring followers, and never had to take the bumps that the mainstream media would typically give a candidate.  Governor’s Romney and Huckabee’s personal faith were scrutinized by the various talking heads on prime time.  Endless quotes from Hillary Clinton were talked about, and we won’t even get into what they put Governor Palin through.  Anything they could have looked into about then senator Obama was largely ignored, save for a few commentators and talk radio hosts.

President Obama’s health care overhaul could collapse before it ever gets off the ground.  The fact that some House and Senate democrats might be the reason in the end that it does not succeed has got to be driving Obama right up a wall.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for all of this.  It is certainly better than the alternative.  If it collapsed after it took off, it would probably take the entire United States economy with it.  Still, he is not exactly used to having things not go his way.  So far in six months he has had almost no opposition worth mentioning.  The republicans are outnumbered in the house, and there are sixty votes in the senate for the democrats.  Before there were sixty democrats in the senate, there were a few liberal republicans that were willing to make back room deals.  

On January 29th he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.  February 9th saw the signing of an extension of the State Children’s Health Insurance program.  The crippling blow for a generation came on February 17th when he signed The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (better known as the Stimulus bill) into law.  Later on came the Omnibus bill, which like the stimulus bill was loaded with pork projects.  On May 22nd he signed the Credit CARD Act, and then on tuesday of this week he got the senate to strip funding for new F-22 Raptors.  The senate handed Obama a way to actually keep a campaign promise, cutting military spending.  Now I always give credit where credit is due, and I have to give some to Senator Chris Dodd, who spoke out on the senate floor warning that this would cost thousands of jobs.  Good job Chris, but your still in hot water for that whole sub-prime thing.   

A universal health care bill was up for consideration before in 1993.  President Clinton and then first lady Hillary wanted a single-payer universal health care bill passed quickly.  It bombed horribly when the American people learned what was contained in the pages of the bill, and spoke out.  The next year marked the republican takeover of congress, a signal of the publics disapproval with the way Clinton and the democrats were trying to cram things in quickly.  The current crop of congressional democrats may be radical, but they are by no means stupid.  They know that 2010 could be a painful flashback for them if this bill bombs out like its predecessor.  

This health care bill is being read as much as the stimulus bill was by members of congress.  For those playing the home game, this means that they are hardly reading it at all.  It is loaded with projects that do not save people money, or have anything to do with health care for that matter.  People are being made aware of this and it turns their stomachs.  It’s now beginning to show in the polls, and that is giving President Obama his first wake-up call of the season.

I saw in my local paper today the results of a recent Associated Press-GfK Poll.  This poll shows that 54% of Americans now believe that we as a nation are on the wrong path. This figure is up from 46% in June.  President Obama’s approval rating has broken down below the June dreaded 60 mark, and now hovers at a cool 55%.  People who believe that Obama can help the economy have dropped down a sobering 19% from just before inauguration day.  The president is not the only one hurting in the polls.  The democrat-controlled congress has not been showing well for over a year and a half, and is now sinking lower once again.  They are currently hovering at 32%, and I would not be surprised if they sunk lower back into the twenties, which at that point you’re down to blood relatives and a few staff members being the only ones giving you their approval.  

People fear waiting lists, rationed care and clogged emergency rooms.  They see people in Britain being denied treatments because they are not deemed worth it to try and save.  They see the enormous costs of the European and Canadian systems.  What’s worse, if we go to a Canadian style single-payer system, then where will Canadians in need of a serious operation go?!  

Every time most or all of the republicans in congress vote against another huge expensive government project, I give them the ole’ pat on the back and an “Atta boys!”  It’s time I give the same to the American people.  Obama is like a paper champion, a boxer who has never fought a real battle.  He has finally been cut, and it has him frayed at both ends.

Keep at ‘em!

President Obama is only high in the polls because people like him personally. When they get onto the subject of the economy, health care, and other subjects, his numbers go lower and lower…
There will be two huge things that will sink him in the coming months, more than others. Legalizing 20 million illegal immigrants, and then stuffing them into overcrowded lines at the hospital. Wait for it.

There are two things in the coming months that will ensure that President Obama’s popularity will sink faster than a round skipping stone.  Health Care and Amnesty For Immigrants…

It’s not going to be pretty when it happens.  He wants to ensure paybacks for those who helped fund his campaign of course, and some of his biggest contributors were prescription drug companies.  When Bill Clinton pushed for socialized medicine in the early Nineties, most of these companies did not favor such reform as it was guaranteed to sink them the way they were organized at the time.  Nowadays they are very much in favor of it, but more on that later.

There are two ways to guarantee your sinking popularity with the American public.  The first one is the legalize 20 million illegal immigrants.  Granting them amnesty will please them and their families here, but they will not make many friends from born and naturalized citizens of the US.  Those who were born on our soil will certainly resent.  And what about the legal immigrants, who did sign their name on the guestbook on the way in?  How fair is that to them?  I’m sure that President Obama is not thinking of how those people would vote for him in 2012 as a way of saying ‘thank you,’ of course.  

The second way to piss people off?  Take those twenty million new citizens, and stick them in the already overburdened health care system.  Put in long lines and waiting lists, and you’ve got socialized medicine.  Not only will there be Millions of illegal immigrants now entitled to health care, but there will also be over 30 million US citizens who will have it now on everyone else’s dime.  Swell in 50 million people into the health care system, and you have very long lines.  In Britain, they have began to ration out medicine for breast care patients, not giving it to those they deem ‘too far gone.’  In Canada, one can wait for weeks or even months for an important surgery.

President Obama is only popular nowadays because of his personality.  He gives a great speech, and that has people enamored, but enough about the press…

The drug companies want him because of all the new clients they will be taking on under his plan.  But average every day Americans will not stand for it for long.  They rose up a few years ago and fought back against Comprehensive Immigration Reform, and they will do it again.  Couple it with Socialized Medicine, and you have a mix for trouble.  

We conservatives do not have the numbers in congress to stop him, we can only let him own it.  When people get angry, they will see there was an alternative offered.  The next time they go to the ballots, there will be payback for our patience.