Are you Drinking TEA or the Kool-Aid

Yesterday, April 15th, tax day...Did you wait till the last minute or get yours done early?

I was really excited to attend the local TEA Party!  I brought my camera, held up my sign, and joined in the fun.  I met some really nice people and, when I asked them nicely, everyone let me take their picture {I should have them developed and post some soon!}.  

It was really nice to see all of the different types of people there together.  There were middle class families, college students, veterans, people in suits that just walked down from work.  There were tattoos, dreadlocks, piercings, dogs, kids, cameras and lots of hilarious signs!  There were not any 'extremists' shouting, it was wonderful gathering.  In all it was estimated that there were about 3,000 people that showed up!  

With all of those people in the middle of downtown I was surprised at the little news coverage.  I couldn't even find a story covering it on the local newspaper website.  And when I did finally find a story on it, the story turned into a critizism of the environmental impact of the tea that was thrown into the river.  And it was not limited to the local media.  Did any of you see the coverage by CNN?  Journalism really is dead...

After talking with several people about the TEA Party I realized that most people don't really understand what the protest was and why it was needed.  So here is my humble explanation for you...

The Boston Tea Party was a protest against taxation without representation.  This Tea Party was not a protest against paying taxes.  Most of the people there probably pay their takes in full and on time.  I don't have a problem with paying taxes.  Taxes are essential for the function of our country and provides for us a military, police force, fire protection, education, etc.  The problem is that they people that we voted into office are not represtening their constituents and spending without restraint!  The spending has been done by both parties, but it needs to stop! 

So I'm really happy that people are starting to make their voices heard together in such a wonderful way and that I got to voice my own opinions, plus take some {hopefully} really good pictures too!  I even had a little friendly 'run in' with the state police...More on that later when I get the picture that goes with the story!

I hope you all get involved with your local movements!  

Stimulus Healthcare Add-on

Hi everybody, this is the Husband, and this is my stress-relieving frustrated rant.  I am basing this rant on information provided at the following link, plus the actual report that can be found from the article.  

Regardless on how each of us may feel about the economic benefit of the current "stimulus" plan, there is a glaring health care addendum that could very well destroy health care in America.  The first reform tacked on is actually one I have supported in past years, and continue to support today, the addition of electronic medical records such as the one the VA (veterans association) currently uses.  As it is set up, this would allow any doctor currently giving a patient care to access their FULL medical records, no matter where they have gotten care in the past.  Currently, a physician can only see records that were performed in the same system that they are using, limiting the information to only a few hospitals.  This allows for significant errors to be made due to lack of information, such as drug interactions, previous medical history, and results from previous tests.  For example, say my grandfather (who has had a few heart attacks in his current residence) was in another state on vacation and had another heart attack.  Under the current system, the hospital serving him would be unable to see any of his old records, his current meds, and his baseline ecg to see if he is actually having a heart attack and how best to treat him.  A national health care DATABASE would give them all of his pertinent medical history, allowing for better care.  

Notice how I wrote database there.  I am NOT an advocate for national health care, just a national database.  If you want national health care, move to Canada, England, or France and ask them how it is.  Each of these countries is currently moving away from these systems, something that we should take note of since we seem to be attempting to move towards it.  We have three great models of failed systems, yet are arrogant enough to believe that we can do it better.  I digress, back to the new addendum.  So... good:  national healthcare database.  Bad...they couldn't stop there.  Tom Daschle (you remember him, he was going to be in charge of Health and Human Services until it was discovered he "accidently" forgot to pay over $100,000 in back taxes?) got involved.  Using $6 BILLION, they would set up the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, an oversight committee set up to look over nurses and doctors shoulders to ensure they are doing what the federal government thinks is cost effective and medically appropriate.  Interestingly, only 1/2 of the committee members would be health care people, so the people determining if your doctor was giving you appropriate care wouldn't be doctors.  Since they would be politicians, I assume they would be lawyers, one reason I feel like I'm having an aneurism while thinking about it.  So on the surface, this committee would be trying to get doctors on the same updated treatments, to ensure that everybody knew the correct new drugs/treatment options available.  But this is sadly not the case.  

Daschle wrote a book in 2008 aout how to fix healthcare, including ideas to use an appointed body (I wonder what committee that could be...) to slow development of new treatments and medications, because they are driving up the cost of healthcare.  Let me be clear:  without these new technologies, we would be treating patients with blood-letting, penicillin, and amputations, not to mention the iron lung for polio that is now eradicated (thanks to the hated new technology.  I hate being able to breath on my own, damn those stupid scientists.)  He stated that we as Americans need to accept life, somethings can't be fixed.  True, so if a patient with terminal cancer is in pain, do we not give them painkillers since they are going to die anyways?  This would significantly impact elderly patients, who will bear the brunt of the brutality.  Since the committtee (now referred to as the Nazi Americans for Health, or NAH as in "nah, you'll just have to live with it) would determine medical coverage from using a "cost-effective" treatment plan instead of what is safe and effective, the formula is cost divided by the number of years a patient gets the benefit.  This means older patients get less treatment than younger, because an 85 year old woman with heart failure isn't going to get as much benefit as a 2 day old with a heart defect.  Even if the treatment for heart failure is a few fairly cheap pills, we can't give it to you because it isn't worth it. That's premeditated murder, a felony last time I checked.  

Ok Mr. Daschle, if that's how its going to be, its time to put Ted Kennedy out to pasture.  Look at his risk factors:  he's 77, has atherosclerosis enough to prompt a carotid scraping (which increases his risk of stroke, heart attack, and other stuff), he has had multiple strokes, multiple seizurres, and was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.  Yet he had the audacity to undergo an EXPERIMENTAL surgery (gasp!) to try and prolong his life a few months.  At the Democratic National Convention he was hailed as a hero.  Under the new guidelines, he would be a waste of money.  Under the new plan, he wouldn't have even gotten the original carotid scraping because he's too old.  Don't think that I'm callous, I'm a conservative and I support operating on Kennedy's brain...even if it does just extend his life a few months.  Another example:  Ruth Bader Ginsburg, supreme court justice was diagnosed last week with pancreatic cancer.  Surviving % at 5 years:  5%.  Yet 24 hours after diagnosis she was under the knife, selfishly trying to stay alive.  It will be interesting to see if members of Congress are put into the same treatment paradigm as us regular folk.  

As a future MD, I wonder if Daschle has the stones to talk to a patient and that patients family, to tell the patient that the life-saving surgery isn't cost-effective enough, so here's a coupon for a cheap funeral home.  They haven't taught me that conversation yet, so I think I'll need him to show me how to tell someone they need to die.  

Slipping these provisions into the bill is effectively making Americans swallow national health care, but without the FREE healthcare!  Daschle has actually found a way to combine the worst of our current system (its expensive) and the national varient (horrible patient care).  Whether you believe we need the stimulus package or not, watch out for the long term health implications.  They may be more than America can handle.  

An Image for Today - Tuesday {and a Surprise for Later!}

I'm not touch you.  I'm not touching you...

Image by: bobbi + mike

I just love how these two capture the emotions and actions of their subject!  How many times do siblings play the game 'I'm not touching you'?  Or play the game ' Let's poke big brother with a stick until he gets mad'?  I know Brother and I did it all the time!  Well it happens between grown-ups too, only with different rules.

Husband {being the future doctor that he is} has become feed up with the debates and threats about national health care.  He feels very strongly that the patient care of socialist health systems is not adequate and says he wants to be able to treat patients with the speed and standards that have become expected of the American health system.  {Did you know you could wait several months for an MRI of your injured knee under a national health system?}

And the surprise for you all later this evening?

Husband will be ranting about his views on the health care changes found in the Stimulus Bill from the Senate.

You may not care about the bill or Husband opinions on it or health care, but health care effects us all and I think that is important.  So look for his post after he gets out of class tonight!

On Inaguration

$150 million dollars spent on a ridiculous pageantry that everyone could have just watched from home...

Congratulations to us we have our first black President. It is a good, historic thing...I just wish it was a different person to make it there...

Funny - Robert and Obama both stumbling over the Oath of Office

Confusing - Obama's speech seemed to be disconjointed and condratictory ('We will not apologize for our way of life,...America must play its role in ushering in a new are of peace' and goes on to list the things that we need to change to help the world)

Offensive - Joseph Lowery's benediction - a clip - 'Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. Say Amen'...

Completely uncalled for - Former President Bush being mocked and booed as he enters the Inaguration



What did you think about the historical events of today?



For view at my own feelings you can find them here or just ask me about them.

The Meaning of a Pledge

the definition of the word pledge as a verb:

pledged, pledg·ing, pledg·es
v.tr.
1. To offer or guarantee by a solemn binding promise

A pledge is serious. And a pledge to be a servant to another means that that person has control and power over you, to order you as they see fit.

Below is a video that is wonderful in concept, but fatally flawed in execution. And sadly carried out by celebrities meaning that the blind will follow them...

They have pledged to be servants of Obama.

No one serves the President...that is something they do in monarchs or dictatorships.

Here, in this wonderful, free country, we pledge to the United States of America.

We pledge to the betterment of the country and the care of its people! NOT a single person!

MySpace Celebrity and Katalyst present The Presidential Pledge

"I don't want them punished"

I will not elaborate further, but if you need to read more head over here or you can hear if for yourself below...

A Nation in the Process of 'Change'

The change that I see is not a good thing.

We are simply repeating the same mis-steps as other great powers in the history of the world.



We are stepping away from the foundation that our country was built upon. Every other nation that has followed this path has failed. Rather than restating that which has already been posted I will refer you here to read more.

What is the solution to this?

We need to educate our children and ourselves. It is important to know the ideas that the nation was founded on, but more than that. We must understand why those ideas were so very important to the founders of this nation and why they are still important today.

We have confused what is a right and what is a privilege.

No - Health insurance is not a right! Health care is a right, but insurance coverage is not because it does not cause you to go untreated. You will still be cared for without it.

No - Abortion is not a right. Choosing who you have sex with (or not at all) and your choice of contraceptive is a right. No one (by law)can force you to have sex...if they do it is considered rape. (Believe it or not I have had some one argue with me about young 'unprivileged' girls not have a choice about not having sex.)

No - Welfare is not a right. I have heard (from a very trust worthy source) of kindergarteners wanting to grow up to be on welfare. It is given as a charity to help those who need it to get back on their feet. This is something that the community should take upon themselves, through the church or charity groups, not the government.

What is a right?

They are stated in the Bill of Rights. These rights are straight forward, but many people stretch their words to make the Bill of Rights conform to their idea of what it says.

I have been thinking of posting each Amendment with a discussion of each. What do you think?

To quote Galerius and the Edict of Tolerance...

"...wherefore, for this our indulgence, they ought to pray to their God for our safety, for that of the republic, and for their own, that the republic may continue uninjured on every side, and that they may be able to live securely in their homes."

I am unsure if this is even possible for the future of our nation.

With the prospect of the Fairness Doctrine, gun control (bans and limitations), and the plan Obama has for a Domestic Military aren't you unsure too? The Fairness Doctrine can take away the right to free speech...Gun control takes away our right to bear arms (Key to our nation...our ability to protect ourselves from wrong doers and an oppressive government)...and to top it off...a home military force to control and suppress the people (who can no longer fight back).

The denial of these key rights of the people has always marked to down turn of the best nations throughout history. In the past these down turns have been forced on the people, but what is more disturbing has been when the people elect and choose these rights to be taken.

On this day, after a monumental election day I am glad to say congratulations to the African American community for achieving the White House.

But...I am also sad to add, at what cost? The ideas proposed by him (if carried through) sound more like the USSR than the USA and for that I am sad and unsure of the future of this great nation.

I am also disappointed in the "youth of our nation", of which I am embarrassed to call myself a part. You have voted in record number without being informed and knowledgeable of the decision you were making.

I can on pray for today's "youth"...Lord forgive them for they know not what they do...to this nation.

On the Vote

Its almost here! Are you ready to vote?

This is a great video. Its explains things very simply.



What do you think?
Who are you voting for? {don't really answer this...i don't want to know, but i do want you to really think about it}
Where do you see this country in the next 4 years?

Now...Aren't you glad that it is almost November 4th? I have strong beliefs and am willing to defend them...but I sure am glad it is almost over!

The Loss of Integrity

Have you seen it? Have you read it with your own two eyes?



The news industry has lost all of their integrity and the trust of their audience {or at least the should have}.

This has been progressing over the past few years...the reporting of personal opinions of journalists in every medium.

Even in our local news we are faced with anchors telling us what they recommend we watch tonight or slightly skew the story to fit their personal beliefs. And it has gotten worse.

The presidential debate has brought out the worst in the media. It does not matter which candidate you support you know you have seen it. The media have drug Sen. and Mrs. McCain, the entire Palin Family, Joe the Plummer, and now this report in Florida through the mud. Alternatively, we still do not know the history of Obama or what any of his friends have to say about him or how voter fraud is now so rampant.

Michael Malone {a respected journalist} wrote a piece on this problem and here are a few quotes from the article that you can read here. {It is good and I recommend that you read the whole thing!}

"If the current polls are correct, we are about to elect as president of the United States a man who is essentially a cipher, who has left almost no paper trail, seems to have few friends (that at least will talk) and has entire years missing out of his biography.

That isn't Sen. Obama's fault: His job is to put his best face forward. No, it is the traditional media's fault, for it alone (unlike the alternative media) has had the resources to cover this story properly, and has systematically refused to do so.

Why, for example to quote the lawyer for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., haven't we seen an interview with Sen. Obama's grad school drug dealer -- when we know all about Mrs. McCain's addiction? Are Bill Ayers and Tony Rezko that hard to interview? All those phony voter registrations that hard to scrutinize? And why are Sen. Biden's endless gaffes almost always covered up, or rationalized, by the traditional media?"

I thought journalists were held to a code of integrity, to follow every story no matter where it leads, and to show there source to prove their legitimacy.

But what really shattered my faith -- and I know the day and place where it happened -- was the war in Lebanon three summers ago. The hotel I was staying at in Windhoek, Namibia, only carried CNN, a network I'd already learned to approach with skepticism. But this was CNN International, which is even worse.

I sat there, first with my jaw hanging down, then actually shouting at the TV, as one field reporter after another reported the carnage of the Israeli attacks on Beirut, with almost no corresponding coverage of the Hezbollah missiles raining down on northern Israel. The reporting was so utterly and shamelessly biased that I sat there for hours watching, assuming that eventually CNNi would get around to telling the rest of the story … but it never happened."


Another article on the topic that I recommend can be found here and is written by Orson Scott Card. Here is a small sample...

"This was completely foreseeable and in fact many people did foresee it. One political party, in Congress and in the executive branch, tried repeatedly to tighten up the rules. The other party blocked every such attempt and tried to loosen them...

...Isn't there a story here? Doesn't journalism require that you who produce our daily paper tell the truth about who brought us to a position where the only way to keep confidence in our economy was a $700 billion bailout? Aren't you supposed to follow the money and see which politicians were benefiting personally from the deregulation of mortgage lending?"



Shame on you people in the media who call themselves journalists. You have failed the people of this country to rely on you to provide them with the information that they need to know and understand. Shame on you for ignoring some stories, falsifying others, and lying to all of us {half truths or other wise}.

I am done with you!

Are you done with them too? Have you seen it? Do you think the media can regain their integrity during this election?