Politics @ The JoeKorNer
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Health Care

If you want to read all 1000+ pages House Energy-Commerce Health Plan, here it is! Some parts are unreadable and others have gotten shorter nick names.
The 1,000 page bill will cost $1.3 TRILLION
That's $1.3 billion per page!

Three things to save health care costs now:

1. Give the same tax break to individuals that employers receive
2. Make it easy to file insurance claims with a standardized form
3. Require providers to post prices and outcomes

None of these will cost the taxpayers a dime!

Now they are talking about taxing medical benefits of those who have them to pay for those who don't. However, if you're a member of any union, you won't have to pay!

Click above

Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights - Putting Patients First
Working to ensure American doctors and patients – not government bureaucrats – make healthcare decisions.
The Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights is a nonpartisan, grassroots coalition of patients, healthcare professionals, advocacy groups, and engaged citizens who are concerned about the current healthcare debate going on in Washington.

Here is a simple to follow table of the proposed healthcare system. (PDF reader required)

Illegal aliens will not be permitted to join any mandated healthcare. Estimates are that many of the quoted 45 million without health care are illegals. Therefore, if those estimated 12 million are eliminated from the plans, that leaves about 33 million to cover. At last look, that's only 10% of the population. Why throw out the whole thing? All that's needed is the 10% solution!

Creditcard fraud is about 0.03%.
Government run medical fraud is ESTIMATED at 3% to perhaps as high as 10%.
What's the problem with a company making money and thus protecting its money?

If $30 billion of the'stimulus' money were spent on the health care, 12 million uninsured could be covered under a commercial program.
Congress will NOT change from their taxpayer paid medical coverage!

Rush Limbaugh to Greta Van Susteren on Fox

Insurance companies can't compete with a government run program. If the government suddenly went into the ice cream business, where there is no need to turn a profit, how long will Baskin and Robins stay in business?
Of course, you'd only be able to get vanilla, since one size would fit all.

Look at it this way, Medicare is a Ponzi scheme: Today's seniors are paid from payroll deductions of todays workers.

The administration, when members of congress are asked about the details of the plan, they vilify the public instead of answering the questions. Then they claim that the grass roots movements are realy Astroturf. Give me a break, grass roots only works if it's a liberal issue! It means they have no answers.

The most outrageous thing is that President Obama, Representative Frank and others have publicly stated they want to make a single payer system, that will force the insurance companies out of business. I guess they forgot what the said in the past, since they now deny it.

They also claim that the groups were gathered by the Republican Party to disrupt the town hall meetings.

It seems that 80% of the public who have insurance like the plan they have. Then all that needs fixing is the 20% who would like better plans and the alleged 45 million who have no insurance, some of whom don't want it. Then Andrea Mitchell has the nerve to tell those of us who like our plans, we don't know what's good for us!

Then there's the issue of being rejected for pre-existing conditions. Look at it this way, I forgot to buy my lottery ticket when I realised the numbers I would have played last week came in. Could I get a payout anyway? It doesn't work that way.

There seem to be a number of conditions:

If a young person feels they don't need coverage, some method should be in place to at least cover major accidents. Then there's the folks who don't have insurance and contract a catastophic condition. Both of these fall into my lottery analogy. Perhaps an insurance company high risk pool, similar to the auto insurance coverage might work.

The last case are folks who change jobs with a condition that is being covered by the employer's plan. That person should be able to keep the coverage even with the new job and plan or be able to keep with the plan of the former employer, by paying their share of the cost.

I guess the first amendment doesn't count anymore. The administration is asking folks to report friends who are passing what they call disinfomation about the plan. Of course, they have not given specifics for anything on the plan and can't answer questions. When we ask, we are called names or worse, but no answers are forthcoming.

The amazing thing is that the president in his own words wants to eliminate private insurance, but the administraion claims that's not true.

The White House Chief of Staff's brother is one of the guys who doesn't think old people are worth much.

The AARP seems to support the plan, but many of its members are cancelling their membership! Perhaps the organization has backed off due to membership cancellations.

Then there's the story of the now deceased 65 year old lady in Oregon, who had cancer. The state run system refused to give her a $4000 pill that could help her. But the state did offer a $50 suicide pill! The drug company that makes the life sustaining pill gave it to her.

Word comes that the government is slow in processing the Cash for Clunkers checks. What makes anyone think that they could stay on top of medical payments?

False economy

Screen folks for diseases will save money. Assume that a screening test for disease X costs $500 and finding it early averts $10,000 of costly treatment at a later stage. Are you saving money? Well, if one in 10 of those who are screened tests positive, society is saving $5,000. But if only one in 100 would get that disease, society is shelling out $40,000 more than it would without the preventive care.

Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Plans are health plan options that are part of the Medicare program. If you join one of these plans, you generally get all your Medicare-covered health care through that plan. This coverage can include prescription drug coverage.

These plans help seniors throught the maze of options for getting health care. It costs the government more to provide this service, but it helps the members more than regular Medicare. So here is a government plan that works, but is in line to be cut.

The Whole Foods Dilemma

Then there's Whole Foods, where CEO John Mackey has a great way to support its employees health care expenses. But since the customers want a federal plan, they are boycotting the company.

Bureaucrats at Work

H1N1 Virus

August 18, the Health and Human Services announced that it would be behind in getting the 120 million doses of the H1N1 serum.

"We're trying to bring on more manufacturing for the packaging step that has emerged as a logjam. Hopefully, there are ways to bring that number up."

November 12, 2009 - the CDC announced some 20 million cases of H1N1 in the US, 8 million children. Thousands have been hospitalized and hundreds died. Now they say that some 40 million doses of serum will be avaialble by the end of November. What happened to the 120 milliondue by October?

If they can't do this, what makes anyone think the could manage the whole of health care system?

Whom do you like?

If you don't like the bureaucrats at your insurance company, what makes you think you'll like the government bureaucrat any better?

The British Health Care System

The British Health Care System is the third largest employer in the world. Most of the workers are NOT doctors, nurses, or other actual health workers.
Is this what we want?

Another look at End of Life Counseling

The Veteran's affairs department has a booklet called Your Life, Your Choice which asks veterans questions about quality of life and end of life issues. Can the Houes Bill section about end of life counseling be far behind?

The Down Side of the Insurance Companies

I had a conversation with my doctor the other day. I had asked if there's a generic for one of the medications he prescribed since my insurance copay was $40 for the brand name. He told me flat out that most generics only have to be 80% effective of the brand name. Even though he would get higher payments from the insurance for prescribing the generic, he wants his patients to get well and prefers to prescribe the full potency brand name. He did give me a card for the brand that got the copay down to $25.

The down side of the Government Doing Anything Important

That same doctor also told me that he and his accountant had for years had the payroll tax automatically deducted form his business account monthly. Recently he received a letter from the IRS saying he was some $20K in arrears on those payments. After contatcting the IRS with the electronic records showing the payments, he was told that his problem was that he had submitted the payments with IRS Form 402. What he needed was to use IRS form 403. He then asked the agent how to get the correct form and how to fill it out, the agent said he didn't know.

It happens that my doctor's twin brother works for the IRS! When asked, his brother had no answer about the IRS form 403 either. So here is another example of the government not being able to get things right, what makes anyone think it can handle health care?

Five things that will cut medical costs

Extend high deductible insurance for uninsured
Real tort reform
Extend liability to government programs
Increase reimbursements to doctors and hospitals
Subsidize primary care education

Doctors and the Plans

September 15, 2009 - An Investor’s Business Daily Poll revealed that if the healthcare bill passes, 45% of doctors will quit. Wow, what overwhelming support from the medical community.

The poll contradicts the claims of not only the White House, but also doctors' own lobby — the powerful American Medical Association — both of which suggest the medical profession is behind the proposed overhaul.

Does President Obama Lie?

Three points about the President and You Lie comment during his joint congressional session health care speech.

1 - The plan will not add to the Deficit.
But if expenses increase, there will be more cuts, probably by a future administration.

2 - Illegal Aliens will not be included.
But there is no way to check and the Senate added language to their bill to prevent it.

3 - Hundreds of Billions of dollars will be saved by eliminating waste and fraud.
Why can't that be done first, before an expensive bill is implemented?

Humama Affordable Insurance

September 23 - When Humana told their subscibers that benefits would be cut under the health plans, congress and the White House both jumped on them and threatened them with all kinds of hurt. they claimed it was not true. However the Congressional Budget Office said that benefits would have to be reduced.

Legality and Opinion

September 29 - Some members of congress want to make it illegal and expensive for citizens to not buy health insurance.
In the face of overwhelming opinions against the government option, a number of senators placed such a measure into amendments to the bills being proposed. So far those amendments were voted down.

Listen to Representative Mike Rogers of (R) Michigan on health care.
Full Web Page

How to hide $250 Billion

Take the $1 trillion health care bill and pull out $250 billion of unfunded expenses.

Put those necessary $250 billion in expenses in another bill for which it's still not funded.

More hipocracy.

If you don't want insurance . . . Be prepared to go to jail or be fined.
Young adults voted 66% for President Obama. They make up 17% of the population, but are 31% of the uninsured.

The Saturday Night Vote

On the night of November 6, 2009, the House voted on a bill that had provisions that many individual representative liked and others disliked. One republican voted for it, along with many Democrats voting against it. Turns out the Republican voted for it because he was bribed with the promise of having some loans relating to Hurricane Katrina being forgiven. Of course the White House called this bi-partisan. What spin.

The Back Door to Coverage

November 17, 2009 - Most citizens agree that no healthcare benefits should be afforded to illegal aliens. So what does the administration do? The try to put in a law that will give amnesty to those here illegally, thus making them eligible for funding.

Give me a break!

November 17, 2009 - a government sponsored study changes the recommendations for mamograms by increasing the starting age to 50 and making the frequency every two years. This is counter to the American Cancer Society's guidelines.

I guess this is the beginning of rationing health care.

November 19, 2009 - The HHS Secretary tells everyone to ignore the findings! What's the point? Will the insurance companies now use the 'findings' to restrict claims?

But most don't want anything now

December 12, 2009 - In the face of mounting public opposition to the government doing anything this year, evidence that any current plan will increase costs and cut benefits, and more medical professionals not liking what they are seeing, congress is still moving forward to passing an expensive plan.

Related to this, small businesses are reluctant to expand staffing in the face of so many unknowns of medical requirements, cap and tax, and other costly plans. As a result, unemployment increases even with the annual holiday season sales force increases. A company will get a tax break for hiring additional employees. However, the unknown is how much more will those employees cost in additional health coverage.

Of course, with the rate of that increase slowing, the administration is pointing to the stimulus as helping. Therefore they want another stimulus.

I still want to know what my reward for keeping my expenses under control and paying off my mortgage early.

If congress folks won't go along...

December 15-16, 2009 - In two separate reports, the left has threatened Sen Lieberman's wife, by asking the Susan Komen Cancer Organization to fire her, because the Senator was against some of the provisions in the health care bill.

It has been alleged that Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson has had a threat by the White House to have Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base be closed, if he doesn't vote for the bill. It's the home of the Strategic Command, not just any old base.

And they bribe Senators for the vote

December 23-24, 2009 - The Senate managed to get 60 votes by essentially bribing members in Nebraska and other states. The Nebraska Governor has said his citizen don't like this. New York's two Senators sold out the citizens. I hope New Yorkers remember this in 2010.

The Mayor and Governor of NYC and NYS agree that the plan will cost $500 million and hit the local bugets with a billion dollar a year hole.

It also appears that even though the President has promised the bill will reduce the deficit, it turns out the Senate was double counting savings in Medicare. as a result, the relity is that the Senate plan will drive the deficit higher.

I hope the entire US remembers this for the 2010 elections.

H1N1 Revisited and Recalled

December 24, 2009 - This week as well as last, two different batches of H1N1 vaccine, were found to have lost its potenecy. While this is not a danger, it does give a false sense of securitry to those who took the vaccine, which in itself is a danger.

Some Plans are more Equal than Others

January 2010 - with Congress back in session, it's come to light that at least on provision in the health care plan is to charge a tax on the so called cadilac plans. The problem for the administration is that many union members have such plans. Of course they are promised an exepmtion from the tax.

Isn't there a provision of equal protection in the Constitution?

In the End the Democrats Win and the Country Loses

With much forced pomp, arm twisting and moderated Dems folding, Obamacare becomes law. I only hope that the independent voters remember this in November and vote those Democrats out of office.

The IRS will be in charge of making sure everyone has a health plan that the government approves. It's not government run.

March 24, 2010 - a few days after the bill was passed and a day after the President signed it . . .we find out that:

Children with pre-existing conditions would not be immediately covered.

The seniors' drug help would not be available until 2011.

The executive order about not funding abortions is not worth the paper it's printed on.

Because increased payments to doctors were not given to the Congressional Budget Office in the calculations of the law, there will be an additional $200 billion hit to the overall cost of health care. But because it's in a different bill, it doesn't count.

It's bad enough that the government lies.

It's bad enough the government is incompetent.

It's terrible that the government lies and is incompetent.

I guess the really didn't read it!

April 14, 2010 - It turns out that buried in the Heralth Care law is a provision that might deny health care to members of congress and their staffs!

Grandfathered Plans

June 16, 2010 - Even though the President promised that if you or your company likes the current health plan, you wouldn't lose it. Now it's reported that if either the company or the insurer makes certain changes the plan could lose its federal approval. However, those plans that are for Union employees, it's grandfathered no matter what changes are made.

Some people are more equal than others.

Government

Who is running the Country?

The Czars

1. Car
2. Pay
3. Great Lakes
4. Drug
5. Energy & Environment
6. Homeland security
7. Health
8. Urban affairs
9. Economic
10. Regulatory
11. Technology
12. Government Performance
13. WMD Policy
14. Intelligence
15. Cyber
16. Border

On July 6th, it was pointed out that the counrty is up to 32 czars!

These are appointees by the president who report to only him. They are not approved by congress and have jobs that overlap with the official cabinet positions. In fact, the Car Czar failed to appear at a congressional hearing about the auto industry on June 10, 2009!

At least one is a communist!

September 6 - Finally after it came out that Green Czar, Van Jones, signed the 9/11 'Truther' protest and called Republicans A**HOLES, he resigned. Perhaps the President should vet his czars and friends a little more closely. Like perhaps letting the Senate do its job. Some Democrats think this is a loss for the country.

By September 18, the count was over 40 czars, few of which were vetted by the Senate.

Redistibuting the Wealth

In the PARADE Magazine issue of August 23, there was a question to Ask Marilyn about redistributing the total wealth in the world evenly. Each of us would get about $9000 each. So much for the rich taking care of everyone in the world.

Adrian Rogers (1931-2005)

You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the industrious out of it.
You don't multiply wealth by dividing it.
Government cannot give anything to anybody that it doesn't first take from somebody else.
Whenever somebody receives something without working for it, somebody else has to work for it without receiving.
The worst thing that can happen to a nation is for half of the people to get the idea they don't have to work because somebody else will work for them, and the other half to get the idea that it does no good to work because they don't get to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money

- Margaret Thatcher

Goldman-Sachs

There is an uncomfortable link between Goldman Sachs and the government. It seems that the advisors to the president overseeing the banking industry are on the board of Goldman Sachs! How is that not a conflict of interest? Also a number of bailout decisions were made against compeditors of G-S.

Social Security

The Social Security Administration has spent $700,000 of our money to send some stressed out managers to a retreat at an Arizona spa. Maybe that's why the SSA is the best federal agency for which to work!

ACORN and the President

ACORN and/or its employees have been accused of voter regisration fraud in a number of states. Congress has asked, then retracted a request to the FBI to investigate it. They protested in front of AIG employees' homes when the bonus 'scandal' came to light, but so far hasn't protested the bonuses being given to Goldman Sachs employees. It is in line to receive $2 BILLION in federal money and will take part in the 2010 census.

September 11, 2009 - The Census Bureau announced that ACORN would NOT participate in any way with the 2010 Census.

On July 23, 2009, a GOP Congressional Report accused ACORN of fraudulent activities and widespread corruption, concluding a criminal investigation into the advocacy group is needed

It's been revealed that Goldman-Sachs has been giving money to ACORN to the tune of a few million dollars a year.

September 10 - An independent film crew went to a Baltimore ACORN office to get a loan for a brothel. They said that banks wouldn't help them. Not only did the office provide info for the loan, they offered tips on how to avoid paying taxes and hiding the young prostitutes they planned to house there. Then a second ACORN office in DC did the same thing.
Why is ACORN getting US tax dollars?

September 13, it's reported that ACORN is suing Fox for making this up, but they did fire the folks at the Baltimore office in the original case. Fox, by the way had nothing to do with the film.

September 14 and 15 - ACORN offices in New York and Califorinia are both caught on camera helping a brothel owner to defraud the government.

Seven senators voted against the bill to cut funding to ACORN. Why are these senators supporitng a corrupt organization?

Freedom Works

Founded in 1984, FreedomWorks is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has hundreds of thousands of grassroots volunteers nationwide. The organization is chaired by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey and the President is Matt Kibbe.

Student loans will be under the control the government. then, when you graduate, if you work for the government or an approved agency, for ten years, your loan will be forgiven. Doesn't that ring of communism?

General Electric

General Electric has been fined for fraud against their shareholders, but they were given TARP money as part of the bank bailout. Does this mean the company will pay the fine with funds borrowed from the taxpayers. Their CEO is an economic advisor to the President. Does something not sound right with this arrangement? NBC, owned by GE, was an Obama supporter, not a news reporter.

Conflict of Interest?

It appears that David Axelrod was a founder of a company that still employees his brother and son has done some work for a fee for the Obama administration. I seem to remember an outrage at a similar relationship in the previous administration.

Another Confilct of Interest?

The administration has approve a loan to Petrobras, a Brazilian firm, to drill for oil off the shore of that country. George Soros purchased a large stake in the company at the beginning of 2009. It is interesting that the administration has not allowed any company to drill of the shore of the US.

Of course, the oil found will be sold back to the US at a profit, but that's OK. Or is it? The US oil companies are evil, but one in Brazil, partially owned by a Democratic Party supporter, it's OK.

Hypocrisy at Work

It seems that Senator Edward Kennedy, back in 2004, asked the state to change the law covering filling a vacant US Senate seat. Back then it was up to the governor to fill the seat temporarily and then run an election for a permanent replacement. He was afraid that if Kerry won the presidnetial election, the Republican governor would fill the seat with a Republican. So the law was changed to only fill the seat by a special election, that could take a few months.

Now that the good Senator is sick, he is trying to reverse the law of his own suggestion, so that the governor can appoint a replacement faster. He doesn't want the Democrats to lose its 60 seat advantage for any period of time.

Can we trust them?

August 26 - Apparently Representative Rangle (D-NY), chairman of the Tax Writing Committee, actually has more money than he's reported.

White House Blunders

August 22 - After weeks of denying it, the White House finally admitted that they had hired an internet firm to send out e-mails to floks who may not have asked to be on a WH list, information about the healthcare issue. the White House is NOT permitted to lobby in this manner.

August 24 - Now that the health care plans are in big trouble, mainly because neither the White House nor the Congress can give a clear idea of what's in the plan, the WH redirects the issues to the previous administration and terror detainees.

As if they don't have enough to do, the White House will oversee interrogations. The President has combined the operations under the FBI. If they Mirandize the captured terrorosits in the field, and tell them they may remain silent, what critical intelligence will we miss?

CIA chief Leon Panetta is slowly being marginalized by the administration and congress.

AG Holder is reopening the issue of the CIA interrogations after 9/11. This issue was already investigagted by non-partisan career lawyers and found to have no basis for prosecution years ago. This partisan action will only further jeopardize national security by making the interrogators think twice before acting. The President, who has stated that he only wants to look forward, has yet to tell the AG to stop this action. Or does he really want the investigation to continue. How many more lies will he tell us?

September 1 - Even liberal writers are having doubts about this issue.

A Set UP? (Again)

As if much of the President's conferences aren't staged, he hosted one at the White House for doctors to show their support of the health care scheme. They were asked to brin their whit lab coats with them. Apparently some didn't get the message of the uniform of the day, so the WH supplied them with the white coats.

It brings new meaning to the phrase:
The men in the white coats are coming to take me away.

Who is writing the bills? It appears that if neither congress nor the White House can explain what is in any of the multi page bill that congress must rush to get signed, the question must be asked:
WHO WROTE THEM?
Why is each bill an emergency?
Could it be that there is a hidden agenda that neither the WH nor congress understands?
Are they afraid that We the People might find out that agenda?

A Most Disturbing Issue

The FCC has a position called the Chief Diversity Officer, President Obama has appointed Mark Lloyd to the position. He says:

...the important revolution that happened in Venezuela with Hugo Chavez. And if it wasn't for the United States and these big businesses and nonstate run radio, that revolution could have happened a lot easier.

Wait, the guy responsible in the USA for diversity on the radio and TV stations thinks Hugo Chavez taking over the Venezuelan radio stations is a good thing.

We had better watch out for our First Amendment Rights!

The President says he wants control of the internet in case of emergency.

Earlier this year, it was the internet that allowed information about the government of Iran abusing its citizens out to the world. Who will protest in the US if our government takes over the internet?

Is any one paying attention?

More Work for the President

September 28 - As if the government isn't doing enough, we now hear that the President himself will be travelling to Copenhagen to lobby for the 2016 Olympics to be played in Chicago! I know why:

If Chicago is successful and he wins the 2012 election, he would be the president during the games. But then all he can say is, "I declare open the Games of Chicago celebrating the XXXI Olympiad of the modern era."

And if he's not the President, who knows, perhaps he wants to be on the Olympic Committee! Then he'll be able to make a bigger speech.
Of course Chicago has financial issues. Can the Windy City afford it?

September 29 - It appears that there's more politics to this than usual for Chicago. A number of the President's closest advisors might stand to profit from this. Not to mention federal money for supporting the Olympics. How many Olympic cities made a profit? Few.

September 30 - The President sent the First Lady and a few delegates on a 727's on Wednesday, but the President can't go until Thursday, so he will take his regular 747. This is the President who wants to tax us with Cap and Trade to make us greener.
Who is paying for this? We are.

October 2 - Well so much for President Obama's international prestige, Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting. Now he can concentrate on the two wars, rising unemployment, and realizing that most of the public does NOT want a goverment controlled health care system.

October 20, 2009 - It's a good thing Chicago lost the Olympic bid. The city is in such bad financial condition that it's asking city employees to take five week off without pay!

An Honor for the President

October 9, we hear that the President is awarded the Noble Peace Prize! The selection was made back in February, but announced in October. What has he done to deservie it? Appologize for everything the USA has done in the past? Did he get it for being the anti-Bush? In February, he hadn't done anything yet. Now he's annoying the left for NOT doing some things he promised, but continued many of the Bush policies. I wonder if the selection were done today, would he have gotten it?

December 9, 2009 - In fairness, when the President went to Norway to accept the prize, he made an excellent speech. This was a week after he authorized some 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan to fight a good war against those that would kill us. He made an excellent point that it has always been US tropps that shed blood to help other countries overcome tyrants.

Now if only he gets off the socialist agenda here at home.

Fox News

If you don't agree with the Administration, you get denigrated and ignored.

The 2009 Election

The White House and the Democratic Party had three races of concern. The governors in Virginia and New Jersey and the 23rd congressional district in Upstate New York.

Early on, it appeard that they gave up on Virginia with the Democratic candidate, reluctant to comepletely follow the White House plans. As a result the voters returned a Republican to the governor, lt. governor and attorney general offices, a complete sweep. Since the WH stayed away, the outcome was not too surprising.

In New Jersey, the incumbent governeor, with very poor ratings was supported by the administration to the tune of five visits by the President, and a few by former president Clinton and the VP. In fact the Democratic Committee went so far as to tell voters that if the hate Gov Corzine, to vote for the third party candidate. It failed, by some 10%. Gov. Corzine was hated that much by the voters in 2009.

The NY 23rd was interesting. President Obama appointed the Republican Representative Secretary of the Army, in an effort to force in an additional Democrat in the House. Instead of a primary, the disfunctional NYS Republican party selected a very liberal candidate to run in the special election. The Conservative Party put up a candidate to make a three way race. When the Republicans saw the race going to the Democrats, because the Republican vote seemed to be split with the Conservative, the Republican wthdrew from the race of the last weekend. Then she endorsed the Democrat. Though the Democrat won in the end, the Conservative was much closer.

November 12, 2009 - Now it appears that the Democratic win might have jumped the gun. The vote was close enough that the absentee ballots will need to be counted. The conservative may yet win!

Let's see how all this plays out on November 2, 2010.

Hypocrisy at Work (Part 2)

In the NY 23rd representative race, the Democratic winner, Bill Owens, promised to not vote for a bill that had a public option, cut Medicare benefits, taxed health care benefits, and increased taxes on the middle class in any way. Of course within 24 hours of being sworn in, he voted for all four in the house health care bill.

Congress and the Yankees!

On November 6, 2009 The U.S. House of Representatives took time out to honor the New York Yankees 2009 Championship!
House Resolution 893
The Official Vote

An Important Anniversary

November 9th, 2009 was the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Not one of the international leaders mentioned President Reagan for his famous statement:

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

New York State License Plates

November 11, 2009 - With the state legislature in denial of a fiscal crisis it turns out that they had previously voted to change the automoblie license plates effective April 2010. The problem with this is that each plate will cost car owners an additional $10 to register their autos. If they want the same number as their current plate, that's another $20. It is supposed to raise $129 million over two years, the time it will take to change all plates. This at a time where state tax revenues are down due to recent increases in tax rates and the overall down economy. In the past, plates were changed to commemorate the Statue of Liberty and later to clear out bogus and expired plates. This is just change to make a small amount of money.

How about cutting state expenses?

Then there's the federal money for education. If the state doesn't change some laws immediately, it will lose that federal funding.

The Subways

November 15, 2009 - Another weekend announcement to take more control of the country. Now the federal government wants to take control of the safety aspects of all of the nation's subway and light rail systems. The FRA has control of these issues for the mainline and commuter railroads, but the subways have been left alone. The NTSB does step in when there is an accident on any system, but there is no oversight of day to day operations.

This is just another area that the adminsitration wants to control. None of these existing systems interact physically with each other and the specifications for the equipment varies greatly between them. This will become just another large, expensive set of unfunded mandates by the feds, for no good reason.

Even in cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and New York equipment between parts of the systems are not the same. One size will not fit all.

Jobs - Jobs - Jobs

December 2, 2009 - Two items that may or may not be related pertaining to jobs.

The President will hold a jobs summit. Who is invited: Unions, a few large companies that are in the administration's pocket. Who is not invited: US Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Small Business, both of which can create jobs, given the proper tax rules. How many of the members of the administration have actually held a job where they had to do something constructive?

The Government is going in house. It was announced that the government can save billions of dollars by doing some work internally by government employees. While this may be true for continuous work, it's probably not true for things like construction. If a construction job is done by a contractor, when the job is finished, the contractor is let go. If government employees do the work, they continue on the payroll, even if there's no work to be done. What it does is increase the number of folks who work for the governemnt, with all of the negative things that come with that.

I suppose that both of these things are expected from an administration that wants to take over everything in the US.

The 9/11 Trial

I won't even go into the stupidity of trying the 9/11 terrorists in a New York trial.

However, as part of the administraion's assurances to us, they've essentially said

Even if they are acquitted, they will not be released.

So what's the point of the tiral?

While the Country goes Down

December 9, 2009 - A New York Daily News editorial reported that the US Congress is spending time on the College Football Playoff Act of 2009. It's supposed to replace the Bowl Championship Series with an elimination playoff game.

Is there nothing important for congress to discuss?

What were they Thinking?

December 9, 2009 - Homeland Security has released to the internet a detailed report that shows how the DHS handles security measures like how many bags are checked, what countries are most likely to have heavier screening. No one thinks that a terrorist might use the information to sidestep security, right?

New York City - the Bronx

In its infinite wisdom and catering to the unions, the Bronx City Council members supported a rule to enforce a $10 to $11 minimum wage to workers at a proposed mall at the Kingsbridge Armory. The successful bidder, Related Companies, refused to go along with that and as a result 1000 construction jobs and 1200 retial and support jobs were lost to the Bronx, which has a 13% unemployment rate.

Spineless politicians and greedy unions!

More Questions of Competence

On Christmas day 2009 an attempt at bringing down an airplane over Detriot was thwarted by the passengers on the plane. In the aftermath questions were raised as to how the suspect got through security with explosives. The only thing that averted the disaster was that the device failed. It contained the same compound that the shoe bomber used.

It appears that the suspect's father had warned the US embasy about his son's radical leanings. The suspect was on the lowest level threat list and apprently was helped through security without showing his passport.

The mixed signals from an incompetent administration says that a full investigation will be conducted. But the DHS director Janet Napolitano says that the system worked. What part? The fact that the passengers stopped the suspect?

Finally on Monday Sec. Napolitano backtracked to say that security didn't work as well as it should have. Of course the blame for this was placed on the Bush Administration. The President finally spoke on Monday, but still hasn't called them terrorists.

There appears to be a link, at least through e-mails between the Ft. Hood shooter and the suspect in the attempted plane bombing.

No change

A letter to the editor to the New York Daily News, claims that anyone who questions the administration is a racist:

Jamaica: During the last presidential election, I thought that white Americans had changed. The birthers, the deathers, Joe Wilson, Glenn Beck, the tea parties, the guns and vile signs on display at these parties, the town hall meetings, the hysterical women wailing "we want our country back" and the overall disrespect and unrelenting criticism of President Obama have proven that a large number of white Americans are as racist, bigoted, antagonistic and sadistic toward African-Americans as they ever were. The election of the first black President has just exacerbated the problem.
Marian West

No we want competent leadrership!

More Security Issues

January 2010 - on the heels of the unsuccessful airplane bombing, a number of other blunders come out:

A third person got into the White House during that State dinner.

A number of CIA operatives were killed when a double agent was allowed into the compund and set off a bomb.

A single TSA agent was on duty during the holiday season a Newark Airport. When he left his post, a person walked into the secured area through the exit he was guarding. How could any exit from the secured area of the terminal be left covered by only one employee?

A bag on an inbound flight to Minneapolis was flagged by a bomb sniffing dog. This means it got through security at the originating end.

As of January 5th no one has been disciplined for any of this, except for the guard who was alone. What about his supervisor who posted only one guard?

January 7 - The chief of the National Counterterrorism Center was given permission to leave on a ski trip the day after the failed underwear bomb. The President finally admits that there were disconnects in the intellegence and that the USA is at war with Al-Queda.

On January 8, they tracked down the Newark Airport culprit. It turns out that he was a Rutgers University Phd candidate who wanted to steal one more kiss with his girl friend, who was flying back to California after a holiday visit. In fairness to the TSA agent, the student was told to stay in back of the security rope. However when the agent turned away, the student ducked under the rope, stole the kiss and left the secured area. A passenger told the TSA agent and the terminal was evacuated, messing up travel for a day, at least.

Once the student was identified and arrested, the politicians were up in arms that he was only facing a $500 fine for trespass. While he did disobey the TSA agent, to try him for more seems to be overkill for an inocent transgression. It would be better to look at the exits from the secured areas at the airport and make them harder to walk through in the wong direction. Rope dividers are simply not enough for this separation. In addition, more TSA agents should be posted at these locations, so that if one's attention is diverted, others are there to continue the security.

This is another case of the government looking at the wrong thing to correct a problem.

Return to More Security

But I was Just Joking!

January 20 - A TSA agent is interviewing a traveller. He finds a plastic bag with a white powder in her bag. After questioning the lady for a few seconds, he admits that he planted it as a joke! What was he thinking? Needless to say he was fired. He should be prosecuted, though stupidity is not a crime.

If you can't beat them. . .
Drop out of the race

In early January 2010 a number of US Senators have decided not to run in November 2010. Is this at the Democratic party's behest? Will they turn up with big jobs suppoorted by liberal organizations?

Even more Political Hypocracy

January 10, 2010 - Senate Majority Leader Reid, publishes a book about the 2008 presidential race. In it he racially insults Barack Obama and is forgiven! If a conservative had said those things . . .

Also in the book:

He claims that Senator Schumer of NY privately supporeted Obama, but publically supported Clinton.

Former President Bill Clinton said some bad things about Obama too.

The President goes 0-3

January 19, 2010 - On election day 2009, the President campaigned for the Democratic nominee for goverenor in Virginia and New Jersey. Both Republicans won the races. Now in a special election for the Ted Kennedy Senate seat in Massachusetts, the Republican candidate won.

That make the President and his agenda 0-3.

Of course the White House blamed the candidate for not being agressive enough. The candidate blamed the White House for not supporing her. They both blamed the Bush Administration. Both are wrong, the public, mostly independent thinkers, do not like the socialist direction that the country moving toward.

Can't wait for November 2010.

The President Loses Another Appointee

Erroll Southers, President Obama's choice to lead the Transportation Security Administration, says he is withdrawing because his nomination has become a lightning rod for those with a political agenda. The problem is that it was found out that while he was with the FBI he used official records to find information for a personal matter. then he lied about it.

Who is vetting appointees for the president?

No more No Bid Contracts

Except when they give donations to the Democrats.

You'd Think He'd Figure it Out

January 27, 2010. President Obama's first State of the Union report. After the losses in NJ, Va, and Ma and overwhelming public outcry against the health care and cap and trade bills, most thought that he would start by saying he gets it and pull back. But no, in a condescending talk down to We the People, he proceeds to say that he will continue to push for both of those bills. He also made the lame claims that the first stimulus bill saved 2 million jobs and did such a good job, he will call for a second.

In addition,

He called for ending don't ask, don't tell in the military.

Warned members of congress that it's more important to pass his bills than for them to get reelected.

Insulted the Supreme Court and lied about the details in a recent case.

Not once metioned Gitmo and the issue of the proposed NYC trials of the 9/11 terrorists.

Gee we're sorry, but it wasn't my fault!

More incompentence! It comes out in February that the president's chief of staff had used a second insult to the disabled during a conference.

AG Holder admitted that he alone made the decision to try the 9/11 terrorists in NYC.

DOT Secretary LaHood said and later retracted ...if you drive a Toyota, stop driving it!

Another member of the staff said that hurricane Katrina was the best thing for NO, because it allowed it rebuild schools!

Who Vets the Vetters?

February 19-22, 2010 - The President appointed a WH staffer to represent the administration at an Islamic group. After the appointment, it was found out that he had previously supported a fellow Muslim who was accused of aiding a terrorist. This was mentioned in an article about the conference where the statement was made. In a later version of the report, the comments were removed.

When the accusation was brought out, the individual, through a WH question, denied the statement. Futher investigation that the author did not know why the change was made to the report.

He later said he didn't remember making the statement, or it was taken out of context.

Over the weekend, a tape surfaced with the statements. Now he admits to making them and having the statements taken out of the report.

The appointment is to an organization that supports Sharia Law and having the WH appointee in full agreement with all that entails, is a major blunder.

Once again, the WH is embarrassed by a poorly vetted appointment.

A Hopeful Sign for 2010

May 18, 2010 - A good sign for the 2010 election, once again anyone being supported by the Obama Administration will go down to defeat! Let's hope that the trend continues.

The Budget Cutting Committee

In Early 2010, the President appointed a committee to look at government income and expenses with an eye toward reducing the deficit. By June 2010, the committee was out of funding.

How about cutting the budget cutting committee?

The Stimulus Plan(s)

The cost of the web site

Taxes

Rumor has it that a second stimulus may be in the works. The first hasn't worked, neither have the bailouts of GM and some of the banks. Those that did work to the point where the banks will pay them back with interest, the government will find a way to spend the interest anyway it can.

September 5, 2009 - in an interesting twist, the federal government will offer US Savings Bonds as 'payment' for tax refunds. Apparently it was practice that was discontinued. From the Revitalizing the U.S. Savings Bonds Program web site:

Reinstate the Option to Purchase U.S. Savings Bonds on the Tax Form The option to purchase a U.S. Savings Bond could be added to the new IRS Form 8888. This change would "mainstream" the purchasing process by integrating it into the tax filing process. It would ensure that filers anywhere, using any tax preparation method, would be able to order bonds and would capitalize on the potential saving "momentum" present at tax time, when lower-income families often anticipate a substantial refund. The cost of this proposal is limited to internal administrative expenses for the revision of forms and systems. This proposal would make possible the purchase of savings bonds on tax returns and meet the demand by lower-income tax filers, as the D2D pilot is demonstrating.

Is this another way to let the federal government keep your money longer?

Conflicting Message?

Here's a dilemma:
The war on profit. This administration is constantly talking about reviving the economy and brining prosperity back -- but don't be TOO prosperous because that would be evil. Of course, 'too prosperous' is completely subjective and varies from industry to industry, depending on the political winds at any given moment.

Remember oil is evil when they make profits, but a fast food chain is not, when it makes money because folks have to eat cheap!

CIT is the company that loans money to small and medium businesses and is on the verge of bankruptcy. But unlike the BIG guys, the government has decided NOT to bail it out. Why?

Now we hear that the banks, who got TARP billions from the government is using millions to lobby the governemt for more.

Cash for Clunkers

The Cash for Clunkers program proves that if you put cash into people's hands, it will be spent. Still to be determined: will any of the buyers wind up in debt for a new car loan that they didn't have before?
Of course the government couldn't keep up with the demand and have a backlog of processing the paperwork. The $1 billion was used up in a few days, more may come soon.
On the other hand, the geniuses in the government never anticipated that the billion would be used up in four days instead of four months. Then there are the rules about the cars turned in, they must be destroyed. What will happen to the used parts market and the tax credit for donating old cars to charity? By the way, all of the scrap cars will wind up in landfills!
So even the one part of the stimulus that is sort of working, wasn't fully thought through.
The good news is that the money came from reallocating funds in the $800 billion stimulus plan. At least it's not new debt. However, many of the clunkers are being replaced by cars NOT built in the USA, so the money the US borrowed for the stimulus is going to help foreign countries!
Now what about folks who need a new refrigerator, washing machine, or dish washer? Can't these items be replaced by more efficient machines? I had to replace my central air conditioner this year. I'm not 100% sure if I'm eligible for a tax credit on the new unit.

Some dealers are taking the cash but sell the turned in car as used. That couldn't happen, could it?

GM reported that they are reopening some assembly lines to build more cars. Will they be delivered in time for the November extended cut of of CARS? Will they be left on the dealer lots? Will the new cars be left over next year?

Word comes that the government is slow in processing the Cash for Clunkers checks. What makes anyone think that they could stay on top of medical payments? The soluition: hire 1100 more employees to process the rebates.

August 19 - it was reported that some New York area dealers are suspending CARS deals for lack of payment from the government. The administration is clearly unaware of the issues involving running a small business.

August 24 - There are accusations that some dealers are trying to get customers to sign away their rights under CARS in the unlikely event that the government fails to pay the dealer the stimulus. That could never happen!

September 1 - The numbers are in, Cash for Clunkers was a success for ford, Toyota, and Honda. but not so well for the Government 'owned' Chrysler and GM!

September 5 - According to Snopes, much of the Cash for Clunkers money is being taxed by the states in which the citizens live. I don't know why anyone is surprised, many sates are in worse financial shape than the federal government. And most states must have a balanced budget.

October 29, 2009 - The economy is growing. But wait, part of that was for the sales in Cash for Clunkers program. All that did was accellerate planned purchases. Still to be seen how many of those purchases will go into default. Also the cost to the taxpayers was $24,000 per auto sold.

Help with School Expenses

Another good idea gone bad! A $200 school supply supplement for every school child whose family is receiving public assistance and food stamps. The money is credited to the family electronic benefits cards. However many are using the extra money for other things. It also leaves out the recently unemployeed and others who worked, but make too much to qulaify for those programs. Once again, good intentions get messed up by poor implementation. Not to mention that the stimulus money was to go for shovel ready projects to creat jobs.

Stimulus Checks

It was bad enough when it was announced that stimulus checks were sent ot to deceased folks. Hopefully their heirs were honest enough to return them. Now we hear that some 4000 checks were issued to some prison inmates. What makes anyone thing the government can get anything right?

November 17, 2009 - Checks issued to some 15 million taxpayers were incorrectly issued and those folks will have to return the money, perhaps $250 or more each.

The Debt Clock

In February 1989, Seymore Durst installed the National Debt Clock in Times Square. It became a major tourist attraction while it was up. By 2000, shortly after Mr. durst passed away, the debt began to decline. At its peak the computers controlling it were overwhelmed and actually shut down for a short time. When it was dismantled, it read: $5,676,989,904,887. Your family share: $73,733. At the time government economists predicted that thee would be no debt by 2013.

I guess they coudn't predict the end of the Bush and beginning of the Obama administrations. A new one was to be installed in 2009.

Full Page Debt Clock

How much per Job?

October 30, 2009 - VP Biden says that the stimulus money created or saved one million jobs. For the amount of money spent, that's $170K+ per job. How about giving the money directly to the people? Or better yet, not spend the money and give every tax payer a tax reduction. In construction, the loss is over $10K per job!

Predictions are that the US will be in 10% plus unemployment in November.

November 17, 2009 - Now it is revealed that the number of jobs created or save was over estimated to the point of counting some jobs in congressional districts that do not exist.

While the Country Burns

November 6, 2009 - The Predictions that US unemployment will be in 10% came true. Sadly the congress is still trying to ram an expensive health care bill through that will threaten to further increase unemployment.

November 12, 2009 - the administration claims that one million jobs were created or saved by the stimulus, but unemployment has increased beyond what they said it would be if the stimulus were not passed.

They have announced a job summit to get ideas for improving the economy and job creation. Will they spend more money?

Well we got some TARP money back with Interest

Decembr 9, 2009 - Some of the banks that received TARP funds to help them over the hump, are now repaying the loans with interest. Under the original law, that repayment was to be used to pay down the debt. Of course congress now faced with a windfall of income wants to use the money as a stimulus to create more jobs.

It was also reported that a former polster for Secretary of State Clinton received $6 million dollars of stimulus money to save three jobs at Burson-Marsteller. How do I get one of those jobs?

But Paying Interest Interest isn't Enough!

January 14, 2010 - Making things even worse, some of the companies that paid back the TARP funds with interest are now being threatened with a 'tax' to prevent them from paying bonuses to those employees who help steer the company into a position that they could pay back the funds. Those companies that are favored by the administration do not have to pay the tax!

Isn't there a provision of equal protection in the Constitution?

How many Jobs?

On the Sunday News shows on January 24, 2010, three different administartion members gave three different numbers of job that the stimulus plan created or saved.
Jarret: thousands
Axelrod: 1.5 million
Gibbs: 2+ million

One of off by several orders of magnitude and the others might be off by 50%

If they can't nail down a number, is it possible that the stimulus didn't work?

Happy Birthday - Stimulus Plan

February 17, 2010 - One year after the now over $800 billion stimulus plan was placed into effect, only one third has been spent, unemployment is just under 10%, and the administration still claims that anywhere from thousands to millions of jobs were created or saved. Bottom line is that many of those jobs will not be there next year, when there is no stimulus money. the average cost per job was $140K

A CBS-NY Time poll fond that only 6% of the public think the stimulus helped in any way. That compares to 7% who think Elvis is still alive and that the moon landings were faked.

More Good News?

June 4, 2010 - The good news: 430K jobs were created in May. However 411K of those were federal jobs for the census, which means they are temporary until September. So only 20K real jobs were created in the private sector. The unemployment is still around 9.8%, but many folks have not looked for a job in months, they don't get counted.

With the above items, it's found out that the governement counts the same person any number of times they are hired and laid off for the census work. This means that the 411K jobs created might have been the same 100K workers rehired a number of times. This was confirmed by a member of congress who asked census supervisors in Minnesota and California. Further, by doing this it keeps those employees off of unemployment.

With this news, the stock market closed under $10K.

The national debt reached $13,000,000,000,000

CLIMATE

Cap and trade or a big TAX?

Put another way, the cap-and-trade approach is the equivalent of a permanent tax increase for the average American household, which was estimated to be $1,100 in 2008, would rise to $1,437 by 2015, to $1,979 in 2030, and $2,979 in 2050.

Read what DISCOVER magazine says

In Australia the cap and trade laws are being repealed. In Spain the C&T has COST jobs to the point that it is twice the unemployment rate of Europe.

The House is voting on this 1300 page bill with no time to read it. The results will NOT help Climate Change and may actually contribute to more pollution. Two members of congress and former VP Gore stand to gain financially by its passing. GE has set up a division to track the C&T and also stands to gain by its use. Even the New York Times has said it's a bad idea. The EPA says manufacturing may move over seas to non C&T countries because it will be cheaper to manufacture there.

David Orr, a professor of environmental studies at Oberlin College, agrees that the concept should be viewed with skepticism. “I’m suspicious of offsets,” he says. “The farther away they get, and the more abstract they get, the more difficult it is to know whether you got what you paid for. And you can’t monitor them. It opens up a can of worms.”

Now it seems that an EPA staffer had found that the science behind global warming is not as severe as thought and was told to bury the findings by the Obama Administration so Cap and Trade can pass. I seem to remember the Democrats up in arms years ago when Bush's folks felt there science was inconclusive. Let's see what happens. That's the beauty of science, you must have an open mind to change opinions as more evidence is found.

Read more science info at the Climate Depot

Freedom Works take on Cap and Trade.

Eating Meat

There is a claim that the process of keeping livestock for dairy and meat production contributes to the overall methane and carbon dioxide levels. These in turn are supposed to be contributing to climate change. Of course former VP Al Gore is still eating meat and using much more energy in his house.

Were they changing data?

November 23, 2009 - the New York Times reported that there were e-mails found that ...show that climate scientists conspired to overstate the case for a human influence on climate change.

Now CO₂ Needs to be Regulated

December 7, 2009 - The Federal EPA has ruled that CO₂ is dangereous to human life and must be regulated. This will increase the price of just about everything and destroy any effort to create jobs, because much of power generation is from coal plants. Many feel that his is just a ploy by the administration to force congress to pass cap and trade, which, though bad, would not be as bad as reulating CO₂ .

It also turns out that the idea that the ice shelf in the North Pole was decreasing, was a mistake. Polar bears, have increased in population to some 20,000 since that time.

One Year Later

December 9, 2009 - One year after the Mass Governor opened a Green Factory that manufactures solar panels at a cost of $50+ million of taxpayer moeny, the plant cut back on employees and moved some jobs to China!

100 Reasons CO₂ may not be Causing Global Warming

Man-made carbon dioxide emissions throughout human history constitute less than 0.00022 percent of the total naturally emitted from the mantle of the earth during geological history.

After World War II, there was a huge surge in recorded CO2 emissions but global temperatures fell for four decades after 1940.

Politicians and activiists claim rising sea levels are a direct cause of global warming but sea levels rates have been increasing steadily since the last ice age 10,000 ago.

Read more!

And they all flew to Copenhagen

December 2009 - In the name of Global Warming world leaders flew to Copenhagen and drove their limos around town, giving off all kinds of CO₂. Not once was the Climategate issue brought up. Anyone who questioned the science, was denigrated. Most of the attendees wanted the US, China and Russia to pay big bucks to the smaller countries to help them get greener. It's gotten to he point where Al Gore won't even talk to those who question the change in scientific findings.

The science is never in. That's the beauty of scientific research, as more data come in, theories change under the new evidence. Of course, the accusation that some of the data had been manipulated and even hidden raises even more questions. Anyone remember the nuclear winter, that threatened the Earth a decades ago?

The polar bear population has increased, the polar ice cap is not shrinking, and the temperature of the interior of the earth is not increasing.

December 18, 2009 - Much ado about little. And President Obama had to leave the Global Warming conference due to a pre-winter snow storm due to hit Washington, DC on Saturday.

Green Jobs to save America

Of course if the USA begins to manufacture with an eye toward a GREEN economy, things will improve and the environment will be saved. Massachusetts company, Evergreen Solar, was given a sizable chunk of stimulus money to build solar panels. After a year in production, the company was losing so much money that they decided ship the jobs to China. Will they give the stimulus money back?

Yet another conflict of Interest

January 2010 - Serious Windows, a company that supplies insulated windows was recognized by the White House as making the best windows. The problem though is that the wife of the president of the company is the Administration's lead on insulating windows. The company and its executives gave to the Obama campaign.

There's no conflict of interest there?

It's Clean but Cold

February 8, 2010 - It was reported that a wind turbine electric generating system in Minnesota hasn't worked on the windiest days. Turns out that it's so cold that the blades are jammed and the lubicant has turned to gel. They would have to be heated by electircity or natural gas. Either reduces the efficiency.

TANSTAAFL

For the First Time Ever

February 12, 2010 - For the first time ever, there was measurable snowfall in all of the fifty states! Some places have not ha snow in over ten years.

While the snow falls of 2009-2010 do not disprove global warming, neither does the lack of snow in Vancouver, BC where the Winter Olympics are to start on the evening of February 12. However it does prove the the science is never in. There is always new data that must be included in any analysis.

It's also interresting that the UN committee on climate change now says that the reports that 'prove' global warming are NOT scientific papers. What are they based on then, oh yes, a climbing magazine article and a college paper.

He Can't Find the Data

February 15, 2010 - Phil Jones, lead Climate Scientist, has admitted to a few things:

There hasn't been any statistical warming since 1995.

The world might have been warmer in medieval times than now.

He has lost the collected data pertaining to climate for the past few years.

But of course those who believe the science is in are not swayed by these new revelations.

The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

June 12, 2010 - Fifty some days into the BP oil spill a few observations:
The government won't allow oil drilling in shallow water
The state of Louisiana had authorized BP to drill at a site only 500 feet down, the federal government cancelled it
The government won't allow drilling on land
The government has no technology to aid in stopping the spill
BP has taken responsibility for the repair and reparations
The government threatens to take over BP
The BP stock has tanked because of the spill and the government threats
Because of the stock tanking, many pension funds are in jeopardy
There was an above ground spill on the Alaska pipline a few days in - the oil was contained and damage corrected
The President says he is in charge and asks experts' opinions
The Jones Act prevents foreign ships from operating in US waters. An executive order could suspend it, but because of union support, the President won't take help from countries that have the equipment, expertise, and offered to help
Then he wants to find out whose ass to kick (see above)
The government wants to use this as an excuse to pass Cap and Tax, but this won't speed up alternative technology
At a high school commencement, he says don't point fingers to set blame, but that's all he does here and for other problems

Follow this carefully:
George Soros founded the Center for American Progress, headed by John Podesta
John Podesta, one of the President's senior advisors recommended a moritorium on drilling
Tony Podesta, John's brother is a lobyist for BP
If moratorium is not lifted fast enough, the drilling rigs will be moved to countries that will drill
Brazil, through PetroBras, is planning to begin off shore drilling even deeper than the well that caused the spill
The US is giving Petrobras $2 billion to begin the drilling
More US jobs will be lost to Brazil
Soros owns some $600 million of the Pretbras stock and stands to profit greatly

Can anyone say conflict of interest?

June 18, 2010 - It was reported that the Coast guard had temporarily grounded a number of oil skimming barges . . .beacuse they couldn't verify the location of lifejackets on board. It's not clear how much oil was not skimmed in the delay.