Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Real Analysis
Something the networks refuse to do is analyze the fundamentals of the so-called healthcare reform bills that went down in flames last week. So I'm going to take my own shot here.
The question to ask is, why were the Democrats willing to bribe their way into this massive bill that they came so close to pushing through, even though it was beyond flawed?
They say that their objective was to make health insurance more affordable and accessible to those who don't currently have it. Their widely reported justifications were based on the accusation that insurance companies will not sell to individuals with pre-existing conditions, then will routinely cancel the policies of individuals who are unfortunate enough to get sick. They go on to be outraged that insurance company executives are fat cats who siphon profits into their own pockets, partly on the backs of those customers they so callously reject.
All that is followed up with an emotionally-charged declaration that healthcare is a right, not a privilege!
Let me start with that last statement. The Bill of Rights doesn't say a word about healthcare. That declaration may sound noble to many, but if it's correct, then would it not follow that people of America also have a right to a decent home and 3 square meals a day? I'm guessing the same Democrats making this statement would answer that question "yes!"
But how can such things be rights? How can it be a right of any person to receive a house, plenty of food, and medical care, all of which presumably had to be provided by someone else, without compensating that provider in some form?
For any right to exist in a just society, how is it just to declare a right that essentially requires confiscating that good or service from someone else?
The essence of the Democrats' end goal of universal healthcare is just that; a system that confiscates goods and services from one citizen to pass on to another, while skimming a healthy percentage off the top for the government who oversees and enforces that transfer.
So to the other justifications for health insurance reform, let's deal with them individually:
Insurance companies should not make a profit from people's suffering. Sounds nice, until you consider the alternative. The Democrat alternative, as defined in their barely disguised incremental approach to ending private insurance in favor of government insurance, is certain to shift those profits into the pockets of the class of bureaucrats they put in place to administer this newer, "fairer" healthcare insurance plan.
They argue Medicare is very popular, so what's wrong with simply extending Medicare to everyone? At face value, I sort of like that idea too. If I could get insurance coverage through Medicare that allowed me to drop my outrageously expensive private health insurance plan, I'd be very happy to participate.
But I have to be realistic. Medicare's already bankrupt. They already collect about 3 percent of every dollar earned by every American, and it's not enough to cover the seniors already in the plan. They have already cut the Medicare reimbursement rates to the point where doctors and hospitals are treating seniors covered by the plan at a loss, which they must pass on to the rest of their private patients who are paying for those treatments.
So let's say everybody says, "Great, sign us all up for Medicare!". First, how much would the tax rate have to increase to cover all of us? Double? Triple? Quadruple? Would even that be enough? Then, when the doctors can no longer pay their bills because everyone's on Medicare and they can't pass costs on to other paying patients, they've already promised they will simply retire. Ultimately, we'll all have Medicare, but won't be able to find any health providers to treat us when we get sick. Because they will all have shut down from the system making it no longer economically feasible to continue.
So what about these evil insurance company practices? Yes, I have heard the stories of companies canceling policies as soon as their customer checks into the cancer treatment center. But I don't actually know anybody personally that has experienced this - do you?
And the little bit I know about contract law says that if you contract with an insurance company to reimburse medical costs, they must abide by the terms of that contract. So as a consumer, our first responsibility is to make sure there are no clauses in the fine print that allow the insurance company to dump you if you get sick. Then, if they try to do that, you have a case to sue them in court.
So maybe government can play a small role in this problem, to whatever extent it may exist, by simply passing a law that says insurance companies may not put such clauses into the fine print of their contracts, or at least that they must disclose those conditions to their customers before issuing a policy. Whatever this legislation might become, it is a far cry from what the Democrats tried to implement.
Fundamentally, I believe each of us has a responsibility to see to our own needs, whether housing, food, education, healthcare, etc. I also believe the healthcare system is in trouble today precisely because of government interference and an out-of-control tort system.
These days if you are employed, you most likely have a decent health insurance plan through your employer. The problem is the unemployed and the self-employed. The unemployed can't afford insurance, and the self-employed generally choose not to pay oppressive insurance rates for plans that don't pay until you exceed the high deductibles & co-pays.
If the government wants to reform the healthcare system, they should prioritize and create conditions that allow the citizens to force reform, rather than the big-brother approach so favored by our leftist Democrats.
1. Reform the Tort system. I have what I think is a pretty good idea for how to do this without abandoning protection for those who have truly been injured by malpractice.
2. Change the payment system. Change the system to have the citizens themselves pay for their services as rendered. We all should see and have to process the invoices, which will automatically make us more informed consumers. Insurance should be geared toward reimbursing us, not the providers.
3. Detach insurance from Employers. Make health insurance more like car insurance. We should be able to shop for and buy the policy we want in an open, competitive market. That way we don't lose our coverage after we leave an employer, and the self-employed are buying insurance the same way everyone else does.
4. Regulate, but open the market. The government can place reasonable regulations on insurance companies to make sure they act responsibly, but should also encourage companies to offer a wide range of policy options that fit individual customers' needs, and of course a pre-existing condition should affect an insurance purchaser no differently than an accident would affect a car insurance purchaser.
Too bad there isn't a single politician out there with anything close to these ideas.
The question to ask is, why were the Democrats willing to bribe their way into this massive bill that they came so close to pushing through, even though it was beyond flawed?
They say that their objective was to make health insurance more affordable and accessible to those who don't currently have it. Their widely reported justifications were based on the accusation that insurance companies will not sell to individuals with pre-existing conditions, then will routinely cancel the policies of individuals who are unfortunate enough to get sick. They go on to be outraged that insurance company executives are fat cats who siphon profits into their own pockets, partly on the backs of those customers they so callously reject.
All that is followed up with an emotionally-charged declaration that healthcare is a right, not a privilege!
Let me start with that last statement. The Bill of Rights doesn't say a word about healthcare. That declaration may sound noble to many, but if it's correct, then would it not follow that people of America also have a right to a decent home and 3 square meals a day? I'm guessing the same Democrats making this statement would answer that question "yes!"
But how can such things be rights? How can it be a right of any person to receive a house, plenty of food, and medical care, all of which presumably had to be provided by someone else, without compensating that provider in some form?
For any right to exist in a just society, how is it just to declare a right that essentially requires confiscating that good or service from someone else?
The essence of the Democrats' end goal of universal healthcare is just that; a system that confiscates goods and services from one citizen to pass on to another, while skimming a healthy percentage off the top for the government who oversees and enforces that transfer.
So to the other justifications for health insurance reform, let's deal with them individually:
Insurance companies should not make a profit from people's suffering. Sounds nice, until you consider the alternative. The Democrat alternative, as defined in their barely disguised incremental approach to ending private insurance in favor of government insurance, is certain to shift those profits into the pockets of the class of bureaucrats they put in place to administer this newer, "fairer" healthcare insurance plan.
They argue Medicare is very popular, so what's wrong with simply extending Medicare to everyone? At face value, I sort of like that idea too. If I could get insurance coverage through Medicare that allowed me to drop my outrageously expensive private health insurance plan, I'd be very happy to participate.
But I have to be realistic. Medicare's already bankrupt. They already collect about 3 percent of every dollar earned by every American, and it's not enough to cover the seniors already in the plan. They have already cut the Medicare reimbursement rates to the point where doctors and hospitals are treating seniors covered by the plan at a loss, which they must pass on to the rest of their private patients who are paying for those treatments.
So let's say everybody says, "Great, sign us all up for Medicare!". First, how much would the tax rate have to increase to cover all of us? Double? Triple? Quadruple? Would even that be enough? Then, when the doctors can no longer pay their bills because everyone's on Medicare and they can't pass costs on to other paying patients, they've already promised they will simply retire. Ultimately, we'll all have Medicare, but won't be able to find any health providers to treat us when we get sick. Because they will all have shut down from the system making it no longer economically feasible to continue.
So what about these evil insurance company practices? Yes, I have heard the stories of companies canceling policies as soon as their customer checks into the cancer treatment center. But I don't actually know anybody personally that has experienced this - do you?
And the little bit I know about contract law says that if you contract with an insurance company to reimburse medical costs, they must abide by the terms of that contract. So as a consumer, our first responsibility is to make sure there are no clauses in the fine print that allow the insurance company to dump you if you get sick. Then, if they try to do that, you have a case to sue them in court.
So maybe government can play a small role in this problem, to whatever extent it may exist, by simply passing a law that says insurance companies may not put such clauses into the fine print of their contracts, or at least that they must disclose those conditions to their customers before issuing a policy. Whatever this legislation might become, it is a far cry from what the Democrats tried to implement.
Fundamentally, I believe each of us has a responsibility to see to our own needs, whether housing, food, education, healthcare, etc. I also believe the healthcare system is in trouble today precisely because of government interference and an out-of-control tort system.
These days if you are employed, you most likely have a decent health insurance plan through your employer. The problem is the unemployed and the self-employed. The unemployed can't afford insurance, and the self-employed generally choose not to pay oppressive insurance rates for plans that don't pay until you exceed the high deductibles & co-pays.
If the government wants to reform the healthcare system, they should prioritize and create conditions that allow the citizens to force reform, rather than the big-brother approach so favored by our leftist Democrats.
1. Reform the Tort system. I have what I think is a pretty good idea for how to do this without abandoning protection for those who have truly been injured by malpractice.
2. Change the payment system. Change the system to have the citizens themselves pay for their services as rendered. We all should see and have to process the invoices, which will automatically make us more informed consumers. Insurance should be geared toward reimbursing us, not the providers.
3. Detach insurance from Employers. Make health insurance more like car insurance. We should be able to shop for and buy the policy we want in an open, competitive market. That way we don't lose our coverage after we leave an employer, and the self-employed are buying insurance the same way everyone else does.
4. Regulate, but open the market. The government can place reasonable regulations on insurance companies to make sure they act responsibly, but should also encourage companies to offer a wide range of policy options that fit individual customers' needs, and of course a pre-existing condition should affect an insurance purchaser no differently than an accident would affect a car insurance purchaser.
Too bad there isn't a single politician out there with anything close to these ideas.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Glimmers of Hope
Interesting in the wake of our freshman president's campaign promising "hope" and "change", recent events actually have provided the first glimmers of hope for me since he took office.
To have a Scott Brown come out of nowhere to beat the Democrat establishment candidate in the deepest of blue states means there seem to actually be enough people with enough sense even there to turn out to kick out the establishment.
Flipping channels the morning after that election, I happened across Meredith Viera on the Today show interviewing the new Massachusetts senator. She has always seemed to me a sweet lady, but I saw a completely opposite side of her in this interview. She was angry and combative, and pummeled Brown with a litany of accusations more than questions.
The gist of her grilling of the new Senator, as far as what I heard, was
"How dare you take over Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate with the intention of stopping passage of the health reform he dedicated his entire political career to making a reality!"
I couldn't help but once again wonder, while listening to her line of questioning, whether she really is that ignorant about why people across America oppose the healthcare bill. But of course, I also can't imagine anybody who has paid even minimal attention to the contents of the bill and the shady deals made to buy votes for it still believing it's a good idea.
I see a lot of the same on CNN, and forget about MSNBC. These talking heads are so incredibly partisan that they can't even identify a turkey when it's right in front of them in broad daylight.
There may be hope for us yet.
To have a Scott Brown come out of nowhere to beat the Democrat establishment candidate in the deepest of blue states means there seem to actually be enough people with enough sense even there to turn out to kick out the establishment.
Flipping channels the morning after that election, I happened across Meredith Viera on the Today show interviewing the new Massachusetts senator. She has always seemed to me a sweet lady, but I saw a completely opposite side of her in this interview. She was angry and combative, and pummeled Brown with a litany of accusations more than questions.
The gist of her grilling of the new Senator, as far as what I heard, was
"How dare you take over Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate with the intention of stopping passage of the health reform he dedicated his entire political career to making a reality!"
I couldn't help but once again wonder, while listening to her line of questioning, whether she really is that ignorant about why people across America oppose the healthcare bill. But of course, I also can't imagine anybody who has paid even minimal attention to the contents of the bill and the shady deals made to buy votes for it still believing it's a good idea.
I see a lot of the same on CNN, and forget about MSNBC. These talking heads are so incredibly partisan that they can't even identify a turkey when it's right in front of them in broad daylight.
There may be hope for us yet.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
See Why I Don't Gamble
1 for 4 in my picks this weekend.
That's why I don't gamble. I'm a bookmaker's dream.
The NFC results didn't really surprise me, as I did pick the underdogs in both games. Although I was mildly surprised that both games were blowouts.
The biggest surprise of the weekend was the Jets beating the Chargers. Is it possible that San Diego took them for granted and looked ahead to the Colts just a bit?
Or is the Jet defense that good?
We'll get to find out.
The important thing is I had the right pick for the most important game of the weekend.
It was fun to be there Saturday night.
That's why I don't gamble. I'm a bookmaker's dream.
The NFC results didn't really surprise me, as I did pick the underdogs in both games. Although I was mildly surprised that both games were blowouts.
The biggest surprise of the weekend was the Jets beating the Chargers. Is it possible that San Diego took them for granted and looked ahead to the Colts just a bit?
Or is the Jet defense that good?
We'll get to find out.
The important thing is I had the right pick for the most important game of the weekend.
It was fun to be there Saturday night.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Football Diversions
Just for fun, a post about this weekend's NFL playoff games.
This is the weekend that pretty much anything can happen. Past history indicates that seedings are unreliable predictors of the outcome, as each division's final four teams square off.
The NFC has two interesting matchups -
Arizona will try to steal the chance to play for the Super Bowl at New Orleans, where the Saints have had perhaps their best season ever. But the Saints stumled late in the regular season, looking very average against some average opponents. Meanwhile, the Cardinals won an overtime shootout last week against Green Bay, where until the Cardinal defense sacked and forced a Rogers fumble for the winning touchdown, it seemed that neither team could stop the other.
Did New Orleans use their bye week to rejuvenate their lagging team? Or will their dream season come to an anticlimactic end against Kurt Warner's passing game?
The Cowboys go to Minnesota to try to keep their late-season surge alive. This is an interesting game, with both teams looking strong late in the year. The Vikings' running game with Ardrian Peterson seemed to tail off a bit late, but it doesn't seem to translate into predictions of doom against the hot Cowboy defense.
This game is a tough one to pick. Of the four weekend games, this seems the most likely to stay even to the end. I think the winner will be decided by a late official's call or non-call, a dropped pass, or a lucky (or unlucky) bounce of the ball.
The AFC would seem to be more predictable in theory, but I'm not ready to predict either game as a sure thing.
It would seem that the underdog Jets have no shot against the talented Chargers, playing on the opposite coast. The Jets needed the gift they received from the Colts in the second-to-last game just to qualify for the playoffs.
But the Jets also beat Cincinnati convincingly, have a very good defense, and are one of the best rushing teams in the league.
I think the Chargers will likely win, but only if they play their best and don't take the underdog Jets for granted.
Finally, in the game that has my biggest interest, the Colts host the Ravens.
Ravens fans, and apparently the entire city of Baltimore, hate Indianapolis with every fiber of their being. They feel the Colts were stolen from them, when Bob Irsay packed up the team in the middle of the night and sneaked out of the city to relocate to the Hoosier state.
So more than anything, Ravens fans want the sweet revenge of taking down the Colts in one of their finest regular-season years in history.
In theory, the Ravens team shouldn't have a prayer. They don't have much of a passing game, and must win behind a strong running game and outstanding defense.
But that approach worked amazingly well last week against the Patriots on a cold day in Massachusetts. That Ravens defense rattled Tom Brady so badly that he almost looked like some rookie quarterback, rather than one of the best at this position (outside of Peyton Manning, of course).
The Colts will try to stuff the Ravens run and ask Peyton and the gang to put up a 2 or 3 touchdown lead as early in the game as possible. Then the Ravens will have to change their game plan and start passing to get back into the game. That's when the Colts will turn loose their all-pro defensive ends, Freeney and Mathis, to terrorize Joe Flacco.
I think the Colts should win this one, but they're not likely to put up a lot of points against that Ravens defense. The game will be close because the Raven's won't allow Peyton too much room, but the Ravens offense still won't be able to keep up.
My predictions for the divisional championship games?
Chargers - Colts
Cowboys - Cardinals
I'm picking the favorites to win in the AFC, and the underdogs to win in the NFC.
Than again, my track record for picking winners isn't great.
But it will be fun to see how things actually play out.
This is the weekend that pretty much anything can happen. Past history indicates that seedings are unreliable predictors of the outcome, as each division's final four teams square off.
The NFC has two interesting matchups -
Arizona will try to steal the chance to play for the Super Bowl at New Orleans, where the Saints have had perhaps their best season ever. But the Saints stumled late in the regular season, looking very average against some average opponents. Meanwhile, the Cardinals won an overtime shootout last week against Green Bay, where until the Cardinal defense sacked and forced a Rogers fumble for the winning touchdown, it seemed that neither team could stop the other.
Did New Orleans use their bye week to rejuvenate their lagging team? Or will their dream season come to an anticlimactic end against Kurt Warner's passing game?
The Cowboys go to Minnesota to try to keep their late-season surge alive. This is an interesting game, with both teams looking strong late in the year. The Vikings' running game with Ardrian Peterson seemed to tail off a bit late, but it doesn't seem to translate into predictions of doom against the hot Cowboy defense.
This game is a tough one to pick. Of the four weekend games, this seems the most likely to stay even to the end. I think the winner will be decided by a late official's call or non-call, a dropped pass, or a lucky (or unlucky) bounce of the ball.
The AFC would seem to be more predictable in theory, but I'm not ready to predict either game as a sure thing.
It would seem that the underdog Jets have no shot against the talented Chargers, playing on the opposite coast. The Jets needed the gift they received from the Colts in the second-to-last game just to qualify for the playoffs.
But the Jets also beat Cincinnati convincingly, have a very good defense, and are one of the best rushing teams in the league.
I think the Chargers will likely win, but only if they play their best and don't take the underdog Jets for granted.
Finally, in the game that has my biggest interest, the Colts host the Ravens.
Ravens fans, and apparently the entire city of Baltimore, hate Indianapolis with every fiber of their being. They feel the Colts were stolen from them, when Bob Irsay packed up the team in the middle of the night and sneaked out of the city to relocate to the Hoosier state.
So more than anything, Ravens fans want the sweet revenge of taking down the Colts in one of their finest regular-season years in history.
In theory, the Ravens team shouldn't have a prayer. They don't have much of a passing game, and must win behind a strong running game and outstanding defense.
But that approach worked amazingly well last week against the Patriots on a cold day in Massachusetts. That Ravens defense rattled Tom Brady so badly that he almost looked like some rookie quarterback, rather than one of the best at this position (outside of Peyton Manning, of course).
The Colts will try to stuff the Ravens run and ask Peyton and the gang to put up a 2 or 3 touchdown lead as early in the game as possible. Then the Ravens will have to change their game plan and start passing to get back into the game. That's when the Colts will turn loose their all-pro defensive ends, Freeney and Mathis, to terrorize Joe Flacco.
I think the Colts should win this one, but they're not likely to put up a lot of points against that Ravens defense. The game will be close because the Raven's won't allow Peyton too much room, but the Ravens offense still won't be able to keep up.
My predictions for the divisional championship games?
Chargers - Colts
Cowboys - Cardinals
I'm picking the favorites to win in the AFC, and the underdogs to win in the NFC.
Than again, my track record for picking winners isn't great.
But it will be fun to see how things actually play out.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Living on the Road
When opportunities come around for grabbing solid paying consulting work, I feel I have to take advantage of them. Even when it means living on the road and having little to no time to take a breath, let alone take care of my myriad administrative duties as a small business entrepreneur of sorts.
The weekend seemed to be short to the degree of barely existing. Saturday was about 70% planned, and of course Sunday afternoon meant another flight. So I was able to barely squeeze in the most vital of paperwork in the gaps of a short and busy weekend.
I have to admit to being a bit grumpy this weekend. The commodity I value highly but seem to suffer a lack of lately is sleep. Chris' Saturday evening basketball game, where several unfortunate factors led to his team losing a game they had well in hand in the fourth quarter, made a contribution to my foul mood.
As did getting pulled over for expired license plates. And being unable to squeeze in any time to try figuring out how to recover from losing my office in the Christmas fire at the United Way building. Even experiencing the bizarre disappearance of my socks from the laundry added to my pain.
Then there was the Sunday trip. TSA must not have planned on the number of travelers they would be screening this afternoon, because the lines were long and slow. Then a gray-haired executive type, who happened to show up across from me on my flight, tried to cut the line. I was pleased to see the deft maneuvering of the guy he tried to cut in front of, who managed to position himself in such a way as to deny the jerk his sought-after spot without overtly seeming to be confrontational.
Finally, the woman that sat next to me had to lather up with an extra-pungent hand lotion as we were making our approach. I was only just able to avoid unloading my mostly-digested breakfast into her lap. Seriously, do these people have any clue whatsoever that somebody might not appreciate their fragrant lotions and perfumes? I suspect they might, but simply don't care.
Oh yeah, and the hotel's wi-fi is down. So I just finished emailing my weekend reports using the hotel's "Business Center", which is a wired connection.
A week here in one of the nation's coldest places, then a week back down south, then finally I will get a Monday & Tuesday at home (but with at least a week's worth of work to try to fit into those days).
Yeah, I'm a bit grumpy.
The weekend seemed to be short to the degree of barely existing. Saturday was about 70% planned, and of course Sunday afternoon meant another flight. So I was able to barely squeeze in the most vital of paperwork in the gaps of a short and busy weekend.
I have to admit to being a bit grumpy this weekend. The commodity I value highly but seem to suffer a lack of lately is sleep. Chris' Saturday evening basketball game, where several unfortunate factors led to his team losing a game they had well in hand in the fourth quarter, made a contribution to my foul mood.
As did getting pulled over for expired license plates. And being unable to squeeze in any time to try figuring out how to recover from losing my office in the Christmas fire at the United Way building. Even experiencing the bizarre disappearance of my socks from the laundry added to my pain.
Then there was the Sunday trip. TSA must not have planned on the number of travelers they would be screening this afternoon, because the lines were long and slow. Then a gray-haired executive type, who happened to show up across from me on my flight, tried to cut the line. I was pleased to see the deft maneuvering of the guy he tried to cut in front of, who managed to position himself in such a way as to deny the jerk his sought-after spot without overtly seeming to be confrontational.
Finally, the woman that sat next to me had to lather up with an extra-pungent hand lotion as we were making our approach. I was only just able to avoid unloading my mostly-digested breakfast into her lap. Seriously, do these people have any clue whatsoever that somebody might not appreciate their fragrant lotions and perfumes? I suspect they might, but simply don't care.
Oh yeah, and the hotel's wi-fi is down. So I just finished emailing my weekend reports using the hotel's "Business Center", which is a wired connection.
A week here in one of the nation's coldest places, then a week back down south, then finally I will get a Monday & Tuesday at home (but with at least a week's worth of work to try to fit into those days).
Yeah, I'm a bit grumpy.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Unexpected Events
My office turned into a smoldering void due to a Christmas fire. Not sure the cause yet, but the newspaper says arson is not suspected. Very old building, I suppose in hindsight it may have been inevitable.
The office supplies, equipment, and furniture are all replaceable. Not cheap, but I'll survive.
Files and my backup hard drive are gone forever. I suppose those things I'm missing will become evident over the next few months, as something comes up and I come to realize, "Oh, that was in my office." Gone forever.
Some personal items are also lost, but I can't think of anything in the office of extremely high sentimental value.
It's still a bit hard to wrap my head around the idea that my office is gone.
The office supplies, equipment, and furniture are all replaceable. Not cheap, but I'll survive.
Files and my backup hard drive are gone forever. I suppose those things I'm missing will become evident over the next few months, as something comes up and I come to realize, "Oh, that was in my office." Gone forever.
Some personal items are also lost, but I can't think of anything in the office of extremely high sentimental value.
It's still a bit hard to wrap my head around the idea that my office is gone.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Fundamental Issues
I've probably laid out most of what I have to say about the silly healthcare "reform" and dishonest "Cap and Trade" legislation the Democrats and their president are so intent on ramming through. So perhaps a better approach today is to discuss the fundamentals underlying their determination to achieve a much bigger goal than simply helping folks get health insurance or improving the environment.
Because, you see, if they were telling the truth about their intentions of bringing healthcare costs down and getting everybody insured, they could do that with a simple bill that would cost far less than the trillion dollars they're bent on spending.
If they were telling the truth about "Global Warming" being such a threat to the planet, there are many things they could do to entice everyone to use more "green" habits, rather than promising to shut down or tax into submission our energy companies.
The fundamental issue is our very system of government. They don't like our free republic. They want something that falls somewhere in between Soviet or Chinese-style communism and European-style social democracy.
Lately I'm wondering whether there's a plurality of citizens who agree with them. I suppose it's either that or they just don't have a clue what communism or socialism is. It is apparent that many have bought into the Democrat lie that they can get something for nothing simply by voting for the Democrat candidate.
I was in Communist Russia & Poland in the 70's. Sure, it equalizes most of the population. But they are equally poor and repressed. The "Party Members" in communism keep the best stuff for themselves - in Russia, they had cars when their fellow non-member citizens rode public transportation. They had houses while the rest were assigned to government-built apartments.
We had a socialist tax system for decades, when the US Government essentially confiscated everything people earned above a certain limit. That stopped when Reagan beat Jimmy Carter.
I suppose another alternative to the two governmental systems vying for power in our country is a monarchy. A year ago I would have suspected some would like to crown Obama king, but that ship seems to have sailed.
The basic question we face today is very simple. Do we want to remain a free republic, or throw out the constitution and rewrite it to become a social democracy or full-blown communist partner with China?
I no longer think the answer is clear. I don't think we'll know for sure until next November.
Because, you see, if they were telling the truth about their intentions of bringing healthcare costs down and getting everybody insured, they could do that with a simple bill that would cost far less than the trillion dollars they're bent on spending.
If they were telling the truth about "Global Warming" being such a threat to the planet, there are many things they could do to entice everyone to use more "green" habits, rather than promising to shut down or tax into submission our energy companies.
The fundamental issue is our very system of government. They don't like our free republic. They want something that falls somewhere in between Soviet or Chinese-style communism and European-style social democracy.
Lately I'm wondering whether there's a plurality of citizens who agree with them. I suppose it's either that or they just don't have a clue what communism or socialism is. It is apparent that many have bought into the Democrat lie that they can get something for nothing simply by voting for the Democrat candidate.
I was in Communist Russia & Poland in the 70's. Sure, it equalizes most of the population. But they are equally poor and repressed. The "Party Members" in communism keep the best stuff for themselves - in Russia, they had cars when their fellow non-member citizens rode public transportation. They had houses while the rest were assigned to government-built apartments.
We had a socialist tax system for decades, when the US Government essentially confiscated everything people earned above a certain limit. That stopped when Reagan beat Jimmy Carter.
I suppose another alternative to the two governmental systems vying for power in our country is a monarchy. A year ago I would have suspected some would like to crown Obama king, but that ship seems to have sailed.
The basic question we face today is very simple. Do we want to remain a free republic, or throw out the constitution and rewrite it to become a social democracy or full-blown communist partner with China?
I no longer think the answer is clear. I don't think we'll know for sure until next November.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Timely but Unfortunate
My recent post about heroes was even more timely than I suspected at the time, as it occurred just before the sordid details of Tiger Woods' tomcat lifestyle came to light. So many have had their bubble burst with that fallen hero. I just feel sad and would rather not hear anything more about the story.
On another sports note, now that the Colts have secured pretty much everything they wanted this season except the Super Bowl, now the debate has started about whether they should go for the perfect season or rest their starters for the playoffs.
I understand the argument on both sides of the issue. It might be sort of moot, given the number of defensive backs that are hurt on the team right now. They might have to recruit a few fans out of the stands to cover the Jaguars' receivers this week.
But the coaches must be able to glean something from history, one would think. The Colts had two recent seasons with stellar regular-season records, when they rested the starters, then looked obviously rusty in dropping their first playoff game.
It seems to me that the thing to do is keep your guys sharp and competitive. Let the healthy guys play in the last 3 games, but rest the guys who are hurt. Maybe if the Jaguars start sacking Peyton with some frequency this week, you go ahead and pull him to save injury. But otherwise, I think you let everybody who is healthy go out and play. Inspire the rookies and backups who presumably have been itching for playing time to go out and prove their value.
But don't sit back and let everybody take the rest of the season off. A month later in that first playoff game, they'll be playing as if it's the preseason. And they'll get beat.
We will soon see what happens. Then those who have opinions on the matter will be proven right or wrong. But we'll all have fun following the Colts to the end of this year's run.
On another sports note, now that the Colts have secured pretty much everything they wanted this season except the Super Bowl, now the debate has started about whether they should go for the perfect season or rest their starters for the playoffs.
I understand the argument on both sides of the issue. It might be sort of moot, given the number of defensive backs that are hurt on the team right now. They might have to recruit a few fans out of the stands to cover the Jaguars' receivers this week.
But the coaches must be able to glean something from history, one would think. The Colts had two recent seasons with stellar regular-season records, when they rested the starters, then looked obviously rusty in dropping their first playoff game.
It seems to me that the thing to do is keep your guys sharp and competitive. Let the healthy guys play in the last 3 games, but rest the guys who are hurt. Maybe if the Jaguars start sacking Peyton with some frequency this week, you go ahead and pull him to save injury. But otherwise, I think you let everybody who is healthy go out and play. Inspire the rookies and backups who presumably have been itching for playing time to go out and prove their value.
But don't sit back and let everybody take the rest of the season off. A month later in that first playoff game, they'll be playing as if it's the preseason. And they'll get beat.
We will soon see what happens. Then those who have opinions on the matter will be proven right or wrong. But we'll all have fun following the Colts to the end of this year's run.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
True Intentions
Part of the political discourse these days includes attempts by each side to convince the regular folks that the other side holds some sort of evil intent in promoting their particular position on an issue.
Take healthcare, for example.
The Left accuses the Right of somehow wanting people to die for lack of medical care. Surely only the most partisan or ignorant sycophants on the Left actually believe that. But even the President has joined in the rhetorical suggestion that Right opposition to the Left's healthcare "reform" proposals are nothing more than a big sellout to the health insurance industry.
Conversely, the Right suggests that the Left's main goal is a Socialist/Communist model where the government controls every aspect of the citizens' lives. That their version of healthcare reform is not at all about improving the access and quality of healthcare for all citizens, but is merely a power grab that is part of a much larger objective of destroying free enterprise.
I can say for certain that most opponents to the healthcare "reform" proposals oppose them because of the massive and inefficient bureaucracy it promises to create, the extremely high costs that promise to raise punitive taxes on all of the citizenry while exploding an already out-of-control budget, and the inevitable rationing of care that will result in a system that will be immediately overwhelmed by massively increased demand coupled with reduced supply of healthcare providers.
I can guess that the supporters of this proposal do not believe there's any sort of sinister plot for the government to destroy free enterprise. The supporters more likely hear the stories of people having their insurance cancelled as soon as they receive a bad diagnosis, others facing bankruptcy because they acquire an illness or injury for which they have no or inadequate insurance coverage.
Most supporters I know don't actually lack insurance, and don't even know anybody who lost their insurance when they got sick. They are fearful that it might happen to them someday. And they hear the stories so eagerly spread by supporters of the "reform" about insurance executives taking millions in bonuses, and believe it's not right for anyone to make a profit from other people's misery.
I think that among opponents to the healthcare reform movement are probably insurance company interests who will do whatever they can to keep the money train on the track. I also believe there are those on the Left that are pushing this legislation as part of a larger agenda designed to someday end with an entirely government run and controlled healthcare system.
I also believe that supporters of these "reforms" are either uninterested or dismissive of the negative details and consequences these new laws will have on either their own lives. I wonder how many of these folks will wake up a couple of years from now to realize they made a terrible mistake.
The bottom line is the same for me as with most current political issues. Our government is counting on our ignorance and gullibility as they push through an agenda none of us (except their own bureaucratic class) will appreciate once it comes to fruition.
Take healthcare, for example.
The Left accuses the Right of somehow wanting people to die for lack of medical care. Surely only the most partisan or ignorant sycophants on the Left actually believe that. But even the President has joined in the rhetorical suggestion that Right opposition to the Left's healthcare "reform" proposals are nothing more than a big sellout to the health insurance industry.
Conversely, the Right suggests that the Left's main goal is a Socialist/Communist model where the government controls every aspect of the citizens' lives. That their version of healthcare reform is not at all about improving the access and quality of healthcare for all citizens, but is merely a power grab that is part of a much larger objective of destroying free enterprise.
I can say for certain that most opponents to the healthcare "reform" proposals oppose them because of the massive and inefficient bureaucracy it promises to create, the extremely high costs that promise to raise punitive taxes on all of the citizenry while exploding an already out-of-control budget, and the inevitable rationing of care that will result in a system that will be immediately overwhelmed by massively increased demand coupled with reduced supply of healthcare providers.
I can guess that the supporters of this proposal do not believe there's any sort of sinister plot for the government to destroy free enterprise. The supporters more likely hear the stories of people having their insurance cancelled as soon as they receive a bad diagnosis, others facing bankruptcy because they acquire an illness or injury for which they have no or inadequate insurance coverage.
Most supporters I know don't actually lack insurance, and don't even know anybody who lost their insurance when they got sick. They are fearful that it might happen to them someday. And they hear the stories so eagerly spread by supporters of the "reform" about insurance executives taking millions in bonuses, and believe it's not right for anyone to make a profit from other people's misery.
I think that among opponents to the healthcare reform movement are probably insurance company interests who will do whatever they can to keep the money train on the track. I also believe there are those on the Left that are pushing this legislation as part of a larger agenda designed to someday end with an entirely government run and controlled healthcare system.
I also believe that supporters of these "reforms" are either uninterested or dismissive of the negative details and consequences these new laws will have on either their own lives. I wonder how many of these folks will wake up a couple of years from now to realize they made a terrible mistake.
The bottom line is the same for me as with most current political issues. Our government is counting on our ignorance and gullibility as they push through an agenda none of us (except their own bureaucratic class) will appreciate once it comes to fruition.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Clueless or Dishonest
Turned on CNN when I got in tonight. First thing on was Obama, saying:
"We are trying to figure out how to get companies hiring again."
My jaw dropped, because everybody with half a brain knows the answer to that is very simple. The companies I consult with every day can't be more clear about the simple solution. Want to get them hiring again?
Announce that "Healthcare Reform" is going to be pulled back, at least temporarily until the economy gets back on it's feet.
Drop Cap & Trade altogether.
Extend the Bush tax cuts a couple more years.
Only a fool or a dishonest politician would try to sell "green jobs" and healthcare reform and cap & trade and across-the-board tax increases and stifling regulation and new restrictions on energy development and cash for clunkers and cash for caulkers and stimulus for ACORN and printing billions of new dollars and selling the country to China and unprecedented boondoggling and out-of-control pork-barrel spending and all the rest as good for the economy.
I've gotta assume it's dishonesty and not cluelessness. But either is not good for any of us "regular" folks.
Hey, Barry: We "regular" folks don't want a government healthcare program or massive taxes to solve a fake global climate change crisis. We just want good jobs so we can take care of ourselves and our families without your big-brother government butting in.
But you know all that, don't you.
"We are trying to figure out how to get companies hiring again."
My jaw dropped, because everybody with half a brain knows the answer to that is very simple. The companies I consult with every day can't be more clear about the simple solution. Want to get them hiring again?
Announce that "Healthcare Reform" is going to be pulled back, at least temporarily until the economy gets back on it's feet.
Drop Cap & Trade altogether.
Extend the Bush tax cuts a couple more years.
Only a fool or a dishonest politician would try to sell "green jobs" and healthcare reform and cap & trade and across-the-board tax increases and stifling regulation and new restrictions on energy development and cash for clunkers and cash for caulkers and stimulus for ACORN and printing billions of new dollars and selling the country to China and unprecedented boondoggling and out-of-control pork-barrel spending and all the rest as good for the economy.
I've gotta assume it's dishonesty and not cluelessness. But either is not good for any of us "regular" folks.
Hey, Barry: We "regular" folks don't want a government healthcare program or massive taxes to solve a fake global climate change crisis. We just want good jobs so we can take care of ourselves and our families without your big-brother government butting in.
But you know all that, don't you.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
How to Stave off the Cold
No, I don't think I know exactly.
Here I am trying to hold one off again, only about a month after recovering from the last sinus infection. This morning I was sneezing, thinking, "where did these sneezes come from?"
By this evening the sinuses are raging. I'm chugging Emergen-C, which seems my only hope to keep this one at bay.
How do these happen? I'm pretty careful - I try to keep to clean habits as much as possible.
But I can't avoid the specific things I suspect contribute to these viral infections.
Like flying. The person directly behind me on this week's flight was coughing frequently. I was tempted, but stopped myself from looking at him for fear of seeming rude. But I wondered if he was coughing on me, and suspected he was.
Then there was the flight delay, which very nearly caused me to miss my connection. I had to hustle from the far end of Atlanta's Concourse A to the far end of Concourse D in about 15 minutes. They'd actually posted "Closed" on the monitor when I walked up, but fortunately the agent let me on. They closed the door behind me.
So I arrived at my destination after midnight, so I got maybe 5 hours of sleep, but maybe not really because I'm staying in a mini-mobile home they have the nerve to call a "Chalet". And it has a furnace that I think produces more decibels than degrees of heat.
My suspicion is that the furnace in my little "Chalet" hasn't been operated yet this year. So by me being the first to turn the thing on, it probably blew out all sorts of accumulated molds and other nasty allergens.
Perhaps I should consider myself fortunate that I don't get sick more often, given my unusual itinerant lifestyle.
I only pray this time I can duck the sinus infection or cold or flu or whatever is trying to knock me off my feet. There's nothing worse than getting sick on the road.
Here I am trying to hold one off again, only about a month after recovering from the last sinus infection. This morning I was sneezing, thinking, "where did these sneezes come from?"
By this evening the sinuses are raging. I'm chugging Emergen-C, which seems my only hope to keep this one at bay.
How do these happen? I'm pretty careful - I try to keep to clean habits as much as possible.
But I can't avoid the specific things I suspect contribute to these viral infections.
Like flying. The person directly behind me on this week's flight was coughing frequently. I was tempted, but stopped myself from looking at him for fear of seeming rude. But I wondered if he was coughing on me, and suspected he was.
Then there was the flight delay, which very nearly caused me to miss my connection. I had to hustle from the far end of Atlanta's Concourse A to the far end of Concourse D in about 15 minutes. They'd actually posted "Closed" on the monitor when I walked up, but fortunately the agent let me on. They closed the door behind me.
So I arrived at my destination after midnight, so I got maybe 5 hours of sleep, but maybe not really because I'm staying in a mini-mobile home they have the nerve to call a "Chalet". And it has a furnace that I think produces more decibels than degrees of heat.
My suspicion is that the furnace in my little "Chalet" hasn't been operated yet this year. So by me being the first to turn the thing on, it probably blew out all sorts of accumulated molds and other nasty allergens.
Perhaps I should consider myself fortunate that I don't get sick more often, given my unusual itinerant lifestyle.
I only pray this time I can duck the sinus infection or cold or flu or whatever is trying to knock me off my feet. There's nothing worse than getting sick on the road.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Tracking the Climate Change Fraud
Every day there seems to be a new layer peeled back on what is looking very much like a political fraud that's been perpetrated on the world by people claiming to be scientists.
The hacked emails showing the concern of the leaders of the movement that their data doesn't support the theory, thus plotting ways to keep the ball rolling; the newer claim of a software engineer that the code underneath the climate change models was written to guarantee the desired outcome; the evidence of collusion in the influential climate change advocate (self-described scientist) community to suppress all refuting studies and trash those with the temerity to bring them forward - all point to the compelling likelihood that the whole "global warming" agenda now renamed "climate change" agenda is about left-wing politics and grant money, not science.
It is interesting to see all the members of Gore's Church of Climate Change scrambling to save the socialist ideal they believed they were on the cusp of installing upon the foundation of their alarmist climate message. Their main messages seem to boil down to what the Wizard of Oz so famously told Dorothy and her friends:
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"
They are saying, "Pay no attention to those emails, the code behind the model, and the suppression of contrary studies: Climate change is irrefutable!"
I would think anybody out there who calls themselves scientists should be appalled and angry at the way their profession has been besmirched in the pursuit of a political outcome. Unfortunately I can't seem to find much evidence of anybody in the scientific community expressing such outrage or suggesting the climate data be made available for independent study to find out the real truth without regard to political agendas.
Have we universally lost all capability to think rationally, outside of the Left-Right paradigm?
It would seem so. Where have the intelligent people gone?
The hacked emails showing the concern of the leaders of the movement that their data doesn't support the theory, thus plotting ways to keep the ball rolling; the newer claim of a software engineer that the code underneath the climate change models was written to guarantee the desired outcome; the evidence of collusion in the influential climate change advocate (self-described scientist) community to suppress all refuting studies and trash those with the temerity to bring them forward - all point to the compelling likelihood that the whole "global warming" agenda now renamed "climate change" agenda is about left-wing politics and grant money, not science.
It is interesting to see all the members of Gore's Church of Climate Change scrambling to save the socialist ideal they believed they were on the cusp of installing upon the foundation of their alarmist climate message. Their main messages seem to boil down to what the Wizard of Oz so famously told Dorothy and her friends:
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"
They are saying, "Pay no attention to those emails, the code behind the model, and the suppression of contrary studies: Climate change is irrefutable!"
I would think anybody out there who calls themselves scientists should be appalled and angry at the way their profession has been besmirched in the pursuit of a political outcome. Unfortunately I can't seem to find much evidence of anybody in the scientific community expressing such outrage or suggesting the climate data be made available for independent study to find out the real truth without regard to political agendas.
Have we universally lost all capability to think rationally, outside of the Left-Right paradigm?
It would seem so. Where have the intelligent people gone?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Heroes
Some say one of today's problems is a lack of heroes. In some ways, I tend to agree that a seeming dearth of exemplary individuals to serve as models for us and our children isn't a good sign for our country as a whole.
I find it rather strange that, in the midst of two foreign wars, stories of heroes are almost completely missing. Even more disturbing is a phenomena I've noticed, where when a story of heroism in Iraq or Afghanistan does bubble to the surface, the media immediately commence an initiative to either squash the story or find a negative light in which to cast the story to make it appear that the heroic actions were somehow much less so.
In the media's world, broadcasting a story of selfless heroism on the battlefield is tantamount to supporting or glorifying a war they detest. Because their choices are now in charge of the wars, the irony is palpable, as the same anti-war media creatures twist themselves into pretzels as they try to find ways to justify their favored Commander-in-Chief's continuation of the hated conflicts.
While they play politics, we all suffer, continuing to miss the stories of heroism and self-sacrifice that very will might be taking place every day in remote Afghanistan, or in the city markets in Iraq.
I wonder whether heroes today purposely hide in the shadows, are besmirched because of political considerations, or are truly rare.
Sadly, the only evidence of hero-worship I can detect seem to be misdirected. The new President is certainly worshipped by certain segments of the population, even though there are no noble, selfless, or courageous acts of heroism in evidence. He seems to attract worship solely on the merits of smooth speechmaking and left-wing idealism.
Some hold up sports stars as their heroes. While sports stars are certainly worthy of admiration for their outstanding athletic prowess, simply being good at a game hardly qualifies one for hero status.
As a Colts fan, I certainly admire Peyton Manning, who seems to be one of the best quarterbacks ever to play in the NFL. But my admiration for the quarterback is limited to his football skills. I don't know him personally, and for all I know, he could be the most insufferable jerk imaginable off the field. Winning Super Bowls and bringing his team back from big deficits to win close games is great, but for Peyton Manning to actually be a hero, I would need to see evidence of him showing great courage and self-sacrifice to save and help others.
The most puzzling hero worship I observe is in the form of worship of celebrities and entertainers. For some, it seems the only qualification for their adoration is fame.
I certainly can admire the vocal entertainment skill of someone like Barbra Streisand. But how is it that her singing prowess translates into any credibility for political activism? Whether choosing activism from the Left or the Right, don't celebrities realize that choosing sides does nothing but alienate half of their fan base?
Is a conservative-leaning person going to suddenly abandon all their political beliefs and attitudes just because a Barbra Streisand tells him he's a brainwashed idiot for holding those beliefs? If she thinks so, she really does live in a fantasy world.
Celebrities are not heroes, nor is the reverse. It seems to me that most people who qualify for the hero designation are unknown beyond their sphere of relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
The greatest heroes are unknown to the world. That's fine with them, but I think maybe these heroes deserve some attention, so the rest of us can learn from their example.
I find it rather strange that, in the midst of two foreign wars, stories of heroes are almost completely missing. Even more disturbing is a phenomena I've noticed, where when a story of heroism in Iraq or Afghanistan does bubble to the surface, the media immediately commence an initiative to either squash the story or find a negative light in which to cast the story to make it appear that the heroic actions were somehow much less so.
In the media's world, broadcasting a story of selfless heroism on the battlefield is tantamount to supporting or glorifying a war they detest. Because their choices are now in charge of the wars, the irony is palpable, as the same anti-war media creatures twist themselves into pretzels as they try to find ways to justify their favored Commander-in-Chief's continuation of the hated conflicts.
While they play politics, we all suffer, continuing to miss the stories of heroism and self-sacrifice that very will might be taking place every day in remote Afghanistan, or in the city markets in Iraq.
I wonder whether heroes today purposely hide in the shadows, are besmirched because of political considerations, or are truly rare.
Sadly, the only evidence of hero-worship I can detect seem to be misdirected. The new President is certainly worshipped by certain segments of the population, even though there are no noble, selfless, or courageous acts of heroism in evidence. He seems to attract worship solely on the merits of smooth speechmaking and left-wing idealism.
Some hold up sports stars as their heroes. While sports stars are certainly worthy of admiration for their outstanding athletic prowess, simply being good at a game hardly qualifies one for hero status.
As a Colts fan, I certainly admire Peyton Manning, who seems to be one of the best quarterbacks ever to play in the NFL. But my admiration for the quarterback is limited to his football skills. I don't know him personally, and for all I know, he could be the most insufferable jerk imaginable off the field. Winning Super Bowls and bringing his team back from big deficits to win close games is great, but for Peyton Manning to actually be a hero, I would need to see evidence of him showing great courage and self-sacrifice to save and help others.
The most puzzling hero worship I observe is in the form of worship of celebrities and entertainers. For some, it seems the only qualification for their adoration is fame.
I certainly can admire the vocal entertainment skill of someone like Barbra Streisand. But how is it that her singing prowess translates into any credibility for political activism? Whether choosing activism from the Left or the Right, don't celebrities realize that choosing sides does nothing but alienate half of their fan base?
Is a conservative-leaning person going to suddenly abandon all their political beliefs and attitudes just because a Barbra Streisand tells him he's a brainwashed idiot for holding those beliefs? If she thinks so, she really does live in a fantasy world.
Celebrities are not heroes, nor is the reverse. It seems to me that most people who qualify for the hero designation are unknown beyond their sphere of relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
The greatest heroes are unknown to the world. That's fine with them, but I think maybe these heroes deserve some attention, so the rest of us can learn from their example.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Eloquent and Succinct
This is from Paul Rahe of Hillsdale College. It sums up our current government situation better than anything else I've seen.
The Tea-Party movement lacks institutional support. Back in the early 1990's, when Hillary Clinton announced her proposal for a federal takeover of healthcare, the insurance companies mounted a campaign against it.
This time, the Democrats have squared everything with the special interests. The National Association of Manufacturers quickly climbed on board, eager to free its members from having to provide health insurance for their members' employees. The pharmaceutical companies did a deal with Obama aimed at protecting their short-term interests, as did the American Medical Association. The American Association of Retired Persons -- which purports to represent the interests of the elderly, but which has business interests of its own -- was bought outright, and the same thing can be said with regard to the health insurance companies. The industrial labor unions are similarly on board.
Indeed, everyone appears to have been taken care of ... except, of course, for the ordinary citizens who will be subject to the new regime. There is no one to stand up for them. The Republican Party lacks the requisite votes, and everyone else has been bought.
The Tea-Party movement lacks institutional support. Back in the early 1990's, when Hillary Clinton announced her proposal for a federal takeover of healthcare, the insurance companies mounted a campaign against it.
This time, the Democrats have squared everything with the special interests. The National Association of Manufacturers quickly climbed on board, eager to free its members from having to provide health insurance for their members' employees. The pharmaceutical companies did a deal with Obama aimed at protecting their short-term interests, as did the American Medical Association. The American Association of Retired Persons -- which purports to represent the interests of the elderly, but which has business interests of its own -- was bought outright, and the same thing can be said with regard to the health insurance companies. The industrial labor unions are similarly on board.
Indeed, everyone appears to have been taken care of ... except, of course, for the ordinary citizens who will be subject to the new regime. There is no one to stand up for them. The Republican Party lacks the requisite votes, and everyone else has been bought.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Hangin' in LA
Ha, fooled you. LA as in Louisiana.
Since I had to be here two weeks back-to-back, it didn't make sense to take the trip home Saturday, only to turn right around and come back Sunday. So I stayed over.
Since I'm located in sort of the middle of Nowhere, LA, my client provided wheels for the weekend and I took a day trip to Red Stick. Umm, I mean Baton Rouge.
Spent more time driving than anything else, but saw the Louisiana countryside and the big ports on the Mississippi. Also had the minor adventure of doing laundry at what must be the only coin laundry in the state, downtown Baton Rouge. Sort of a rough part of town, but I survived OK.
Followed by a rather dull Sunday afternoon, after checking out Mass at the local church. Colts vs. Patriots tonight will be a bit more interesting, but I'm sort of expecting the horseshoes to get handed their first loss of the season. For some strange reason, I even have this idea that the Pats might just blow them off their brand new stadium field.
Sure hope I'm wrong about that.
The fortunate thing is that I convinced two clients to sign up for additional projects, which lets me relax a bit about being busy at least through Q1 of next year. Relaxing about things like that is always nice.
I seem to be unfocused here, so I suppose this will do it until I have something more interesting to write about.
Since I had to be here two weeks back-to-back, it didn't make sense to take the trip home Saturday, only to turn right around and come back Sunday. So I stayed over.
Since I'm located in sort of the middle of Nowhere, LA, my client provided wheels for the weekend and I took a day trip to Red Stick. Umm, I mean Baton Rouge.
Spent more time driving than anything else, but saw the Louisiana countryside and the big ports on the Mississippi. Also had the minor adventure of doing laundry at what must be the only coin laundry in the state, downtown Baton Rouge. Sort of a rough part of town, but I survived OK.
Followed by a rather dull Sunday afternoon, after checking out Mass at the local church. Colts vs. Patriots tonight will be a bit more interesting, but I'm sort of expecting the horseshoes to get handed their first loss of the season. For some strange reason, I even have this idea that the Pats might just blow them off their brand new stadium field.
Sure hope I'm wrong about that.
The fortunate thing is that I convinced two clients to sign up for additional projects, which lets me relax a bit about being busy at least through Q1 of next year. Relaxing about things like that is always nice.
I seem to be unfocused here, so I suppose this will do it until I have something more interesting to write about.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Free Advice
Is worth what you paid for it, I know. But just a few pieces of fatherly advice anyway.
Attitude is everything. I find my ability to deal with the tough times life dishes out is directly related to my attitude. I believe that if you take two individuals side-by-side with the exact same life experiences, the one with the better attitude will be the more content.
Don't waste time worrying. It's a corollary to the first statement. Most of the stuff we worry about never happens. So why waste time stewing about it?
If you love doing something, put all you've got into it. If you like something, you probably have some talent for it. One of the biggest satisfactions we can find in life is in doing something we love superbly. (Caveat: I'm not talking about time-wasting activities like video games)
Spend your life in search of God. This is where you will find truth, beauty, peace, love, and wisdom. Not to mention salvation.
Focus outward. Don't worry so much about yourself, but learn to know and appreciate those around you. Doing the right thing is never about you, but about what you can do to help others.
Overcome fear. Most of us limit ourselves only because of fear. We fear the unknown. We fear failure, but in some strange way, we find a way to fear success. When you know what you want to do, don't let fear stop you.
Learn from others. Seek out people who can teach you what you need to learn. Listen critically. Compare different philosophies. Never stop learning.
One interesting thing I need to share about these little pieces of advice: I don't necessarily follow them all that well myself. But I try.
Attitude is everything. I find my ability to deal with the tough times life dishes out is directly related to my attitude. I believe that if you take two individuals side-by-side with the exact same life experiences, the one with the better attitude will be the more content.
Don't waste time worrying. It's a corollary to the first statement. Most of the stuff we worry about never happens. So why waste time stewing about it?
If you love doing something, put all you've got into it. If you like something, you probably have some talent for it. One of the biggest satisfactions we can find in life is in doing something we love superbly. (Caveat: I'm not talking about time-wasting activities like video games)
Spend your life in search of God. This is where you will find truth, beauty, peace, love, and wisdom. Not to mention salvation.
Focus outward. Don't worry so much about yourself, but learn to know and appreciate those around you. Doing the right thing is never about you, but about what you can do to help others.
Overcome fear. Most of us limit ourselves only because of fear. We fear the unknown. We fear failure, but in some strange way, we find a way to fear success. When you know what you want to do, don't let fear stop you.
Learn from others. Seek out people who can teach you what you need to learn. Listen critically. Compare different philosophies. Never stop learning.
One interesting thing I need to share about these little pieces of advice: I don't necessarily follow them all that well myself. But I try.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Think You'd Like My Job?
Maybe not based on this week. Here's my story:
The client site is down south in a place that's hard to get to. I've been there a few times, but this time they said they wanted to make all my travel arrangements. That's usually a red flag, and this was no different.
After they made those arrangements, I did make it to the arriving airport Sunday evening. I had to stay in that city overnight, because their local hotel was full - in fact, they couldn't get me in their hotel at all this week, so they put me up in a lesser hotel located about a half mile away.
But that started Monday night. They sent a driver in a van to pick me up early Monday morning and take me to their office, about an hour and a half away from the airport city. That worked OK, and I was in their office by 8AM, tired but ready to get to work.
A side note about the tired comment - I'd been feeling really run-down over the busy weekend leading up to the trip. It was a sign of things to come.
Anyway, at the office on Monday morning, they weren't ready for me. My main contact offered a somewhat lame apology, parked me in an open office, and left me alone all morning. I signed onto their system to check progress since my last visit, and discovered there had been none. You might be surprised how often that happens. I figured I was going to have to zap their folks with some jumper cables to get the project back on track.
Predictably, when they actually got the gang together to meet with me, things started off with lots of finger-pointing. Yeah, nothing I laid out for them to do since my last visit had been done, and the fault was his! No, hers! No, that other person I haven't met!
Calm down folks, let's just get this thing back on the rails.
So Monday night I settled into the second-class hotel room after my half-mile hike with my bags in tow, really feeling pretty rotten. But I'd promised to take care of some things for another client that night, so I went online and went to work for a couple of hours. Then I crashed for the night, going to sleep at halftime of the Monday Night game that right now I don't remember even what teams were playing.
Tuesday it was back to work and back to pushing the gang to move the project along. If they don't make up for that lost time, they won't make their project deadline. So I pitched in, showed them what to do, and did quite a bit myself. We divided up the work between about 5 people, including myself. I finished. Nobody else did. One of them actually didn't accomplish a single thing I could detect, making me wonder what he'd been doing all day on that computer - he'd actually seemed to be bent over something right there in the same room with me, but at the end of the day, nothing I'd given him to do had been done.
Turned out he was clueless but too proud to admit it. So somehow he managed to pretend to look busy all day without accomplishing a single thing, but never actually giving the slightest clue that he was lost.
Then there were the two ladies who spent a lot of time fighting with each other instead of doing the work they were assigned. I found out at the end of the day that they had a disagreement on how to structure some code values in the system, which bogged them down for most of the afternoon.
All the while I'm getting a headache and a sore throat, feel the sinuses draining down the back of my throat, and was wondering if I could find some strong medicine that would knock me out and let me get a good night's sleep. But I conculded that wouldn't be possible for several reasons.
First, I had promised other clients that I would take care of some things for them on Tuesday evening. So as soon as I got back to the hotel, I booted up and worked another 4 hours.
Second, since the local client was in control of my travel, I had no way to get to a drugstore. So medicine wasn't going to happen.
So when I finally shut down the laptop and went to bed that night around 10, I was sick. The congestion wouldn't let me sleep more than an hour at a time, and I wondered how I was going to survive the week.
Next morning, something interesting happened. I got into the office and kicked off the day with the fueding gang, and they noticed I wasn't feeling well. I was losing my voice, and may have looked a bit peaked. Somehow they stopped fueding and became cooperative, and we got quite a bit accomplished that day. I can't figure out whether some sort of compassion for my miserableness played a role, but I simply showed up resolved to do my absolute best to fight through another day and help them get the work done.
They decided to wrap up about an hour early, I think for my sake. It gave me an hour to rest before my Wednesday night conference call. After the conference call, I was supposed to be doing other things for other clients, but simply couldn't. I fell into bed and spent another uncomfortable night, but got a bit more sleep than the night before.
Thursday morning my voice was all but gone. I could barely croak out words, but I actually felt better. Back to work, I again found a somewhat more cooperative crew, and we had a reasonably productive day. That afternoon their Benefits Administrator actually walked me over to their clinic (this company actually has their own on-campus health clinic for their employees). I got examined by the clinic's doctor and tested for the flu. Diagnosis was respiratory infection, not viral. That's a good thing.
They hit me with a steroid shot, which if I've had before it must have been a long time ago. It had an amazing effect on me, giving me a boost of energy that I carried through the evening to finish the rest of that night-time work for the other clients. I wrapped up the day's work at 10 that night but couldn't sleep. It must have been the steroid that kept me awake all night.
So Friday, we finished up our work for the week, met with the executive sponsor to discuss the team's decision to ask me to take over a bigger role in the project. He didn't blink an eye, told me to just put together the time estimates and he'll approve it. I was pleased to find out the guy knew a lot about what had been going on this week, and was well aware of the, umm, staff issues.
Headed to the airport and home, so relieved and anxious to get a restful weekend to try to kick the infection before heading out on next week's adventure.
But the worst wasn't over yet.
It had been raining hard Thursday night and all day Friday, with flooding and high winds. My flight out of the little airport was delayed 2 hours, because it's a VFR airport and the plane was flying around waiting for enough of a break in the cloud cover that would allow it to land.
So of course, I got to the stopover point that night with no hope of catching my connection to Indy. Delta falls back on the weather-related excuse, so I'm on my own for a hotel room. I call the hotel and request the shuttle pickup. They tell me it will be there in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later I got on the shuttle and rode to the hotel.
I got to spend about 5 hours in the hotel bed, my cough denying me any serious sleep. Caught a cab to the airport at 4AM for my 6AM flight this morning. Instead of riding the 8AM direct flight to Indy, I had to take the 6 through Minneapolis because the direct flight was oversold, I assume partly with other people who didn't make it on last night's flight.
The flight finally arrives in Indy about 1:30 Saturday afternoon.
Without my bag.
So how was your week?
The client site is down south in a place that's hard to get to. I've been there a few times, but this time they said they wanted to make all my travel arrangements. That's usually a red flag, and this was no different.
After they made those arrangements, I did make it to the arriving airport Sunday evening. I had to stay in that city overnight, because their local hotel was full - in fact, they couldn't get me in their hotel at all this week, so they put me up in a lesser hotel located about a half mile away.
But that started Monday night. They sent a driver in a van to pick me up early Monday morning and take me to their office, about an hour and a half away from the airport city. That worked OK, and I was in their office by 8AM, tired but ready to get to work.
A side note about the tired comment - I'd been feeling really run-down over the busy weekend leading up to the trip. It was a sign of things to come.
Anyway, at the office on Monday morning, they weren't ready for me. My main contact offered a somewhat lame apology, parked me in an open office, and left me alone all morning. I signed onto their system to check progress since my last visit, and discovered there had been none. You might be surprised how often that happens. I figured I was going to have to zap their folks with some jumper cables to get the project back on track.
Predictably, when they actually got the gang together to meet with me, things started off with lots of finger-pointing. Yeah, nothing I laid out for them to do since my last visit had been done, and the fault was his! No, hers! No, that other person I haven't met!
Calm down folks, let's just get this thing back on the rails.
So Monday night I settled into the second-class hotel room after my half-mile hike with my bags in tow, really feeling pretty rotten. But I'd promised to take care of some things for another client that night, so I went online and went to work for a couple of hours. Then I crashed for the night, going to sleep at halftime of the Monday Night game that right now I don't remember even what teams were playing.
Tuesday it was back to work and back to pushing the gang to move the project along. If they don't make up for that lost time, they won't make their project deadline. So I pitched in, showed them what to do, and did quite a bit myself. We divided up the work between about 5 people, including myself. I finished. Nobody else did. One of them actually didn't accomplish a single thing I could detect, making me wonder what he'd been doing all day on that computer - he'd actually seemed to be bent over something right there in the same room with me, but at the end of the day, nothing I'd given him to do had been done.
Turned out he was clueless but too proud to admit it. So somehow he managed to pretend to look busy all day without accomplishing a single thing, but never actually giving the slightest clue that he was lost.
Then there were the two ladies who spent a lot of time fighting with each other instead of doing the work they were assigned. I found out at the end of the day that they had a disagreement on how to structure some code values in the system, which bogged them down for most of the afternoon.
All the while I'm getting a headache and a sore throat, feel the sinuses draining down the back of my throat, and was wondering if I could find some strong medicine that would knock me out and let me get a good night's sleep. But I conculded that wouldn't be possible for several reasons.
First, I had promised other clients that I would take care of some things for them on Tuesday evening. So as soon as I got back to the hotel, I booted up and worked another 4 hours.
Second, since the local client was in control of my travel, I had no way to get to a drugstore. So medicine wasn't going to happen.
So when I finally shut down the laptop and went to bed that night around 10, I was sick. The congestion wouldn't let me sleep more than an hour at a time, and I wondered how I was going to survive the week.
Next morning, something interesting happened. I got into the office and kicked off the day with the fueding gang, and they noticed I wasn't feeling well. I was losing my voice, and may have looked a bit peaked. Somehow they stopped fueding and became cooperative, and we got quite a bit accomplished that day. I can't figure out whether some sort of compassion for my miserableness played a role, but I simply showed up resolved to do my absolute best to fight through another day and help them get the work done.
They decided to wrap up about an hour early, I think for my sake. It gave me an hour to rest before my Wednesday night conference call. After the conference call, I was supposed to be doing other things for other clients, but simply couldn't. I fell into bed and spent another uncomfortable night, but got a bit more sleep than the night before.
Thursday morning my voice was all but gone. I could barely croak out words, but I actually felt better. Back to work, I again found a somewhat more cooperative crew, and we had a reasonably productive day. That afternoon their Benefits Administrator actually walked me over to their clinic (this company actually has their own on-campus health clinic for their employees). I got examined by the clinic's doctor and tested for the flu. Diagnosis was respiratory infection, not viral. That's a good thing.
They hit me with a steroid shot, which if I've had before it must have been a long time ago. It had an amazing effect on me, giving me a boost of energy that I carried through the evening to finish the rest of that night-time work for the other clients. I wrapped up the day's work at 10 that night but couldn't sleep. It must have been the steroid that kept me awake all night.
So Friday, we finished up our work for the week, met with the executive sponsor to discuss the team's decision to ask me to take over a bigger role in the project. He didn't blink an eye, told me to just put together the time estimates and he'll approve it. I was pleased to find out the guy knew a lot about what had been going on this week, and was well aware of the, umm, staff issues.
Headed to the airport and home, so relieved and anxious to get a restful weekend to try to kick the infection before heading out on next week's adventure.
But the worst wasn't over yet.
It had been raining hard Thursday night and all day Friday, with flooding and high winds. My flight out of the little airport was delayed 2 hours, because it's a VFR airport and the plane was flying around waiting for enough of a break in the cloud cover that would allow it to land.
So of course, I got to the stopover point that night with no hope of catching my connection to Indy. Delta falls back on the weather-related excuse, so I'm on my own for a hotel room. I call the hotel and request the shuttle pickup. They tell me it will be there in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later I got on the shuttle and rode to the hotel.
I got to spend about 5 hours in the hotel bed, my cough denying me any serious sleep. Caught a cab to the airport at 4AM for my 6AM flight this morning. Instead of riding the 8AM direct flight to Indy, I had to take the 6 through Minneapolis because the direct flight was oversold, I assume partly with other people who didn't make it on last night's flight.
The flight finally arrives in Indy about 1:30 Saturday afternoon.
Without my bag.
So how was your week?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Will Freedom be Saved?
Aside from my constant state of scrambling to keep up the last few weeks, I haven't posted lately because it's been difficult to gather thoughts concise enough for a meaningful contribution to the conversation.
This morning my thoughts came around to the fundamental problem, which is the fact that our very freedom is under attack by this radical new government. The only question is whether we will be smart enough or strong enough to stop them.
The news only gets more disturbing as time goes on.
I really don't care one way or the other whether Rush Limbaugh buys a minority share in the St. Louis Rams. But the chilling part of the story was that he could be unceremoniously dumped from the group that is bidding for the team based in large part on fabrications by Limbaugh detractors and repeated without any attempted confirmation by so-called "news" networks and amplified by axe-grinders like Sharpton and Jackson.
The chilling impact of this story is the implication that anybody can now be denied freedom to participate in commerce based on a political affiliation.
Next came the series of stories about the White House attacking Fox News, with David Axelrod basically telling the networks that Fox is not a "legitimate" news organization, and implicitly suggesting that any of them that report stories that reflect negatively on the President will be marginalized by the political machine.
It got worse when Mao-admiring Communications Director Anita Dunn continued the campaign to marginalize the network, and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs singled out Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity as specific examples of Fox commentators who should no be permitted on the air.
A sideshow to the new era in government happened this week, when the Democrats on the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee skipped out on the hearing in which the Republicans on the committee planned to force a vote on whether to investigate the preferred mortgage loans received by members of congress from Countrywide. Later the Democrat committee chairman locked the doors to keep the Republicans from causing any more trouble.
It would be comical if it weren't so damaging.
If this government succeeds in their agenda, the freedom that made this the beacon of light to the world for 200 years will be gone forever. Prosperity will be a distant memory we'll describe to our grandchildren. America will no longer be the America we grew up in, but will more closely resemble China.
Unless the citizens wake up and stop them.
This morning my thoughts came around to the fundamental problem, which is the fact that our very freedom is under attack by this radical new government. The only question is whether we will be smart enough or strong enough to stop them.
The news only gets more disturbing as time goes on.
I really don't care one way or the other whether Rush Limbaugh buys a minority share in the St. Louis Rams. But the chilling part of the story was that he could be unceremoniously dumped from the group that is bidding for the team based in large part on fabrications by Limbaugh detractors and repeated without any attempted confirmation by so-called "news" networks and amplified by axe-grinders like Sharpton and Jackson.
The chilling impact of this story is the implication that anybody can now be denied freedom to participate in commerce based on a political affiliation.
Next came the series of stories about the White House attacking Fox News, with David Axelrod basically telling the networks that Fox is not a "legitimate" news organization, and implicitly suggesting that any of them that report stories that reflect negatively on the President will be marginalized by the political machine.
It got worse when Mao-admiring Communications Director Anita Dunn continued the campaign to marginalize the network, and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs singled out Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity as specific examples of Fox commentators who should no be permitted on the air.
A sideshow to the new era in government happened this week, when the Democrats on the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee skipped out on the hearing in which the Republicans on the committee planned to force a vote on whether to investigate the preferred mortgage loans received by members of congress from Countrywide. Later the Democrat committee chairman locked the doors to keep the Republicans from causing any more trouble.
It would be comical if it weren't so damaging.
If this government succeeds in their agenda, the freedom that made this the beacon of light to the world for 200 years will be gone forever. Prosperity will be a distant memory we'll describe to our grandchildren. America will no longer be the America we grew up in, but will more closely resemble China.
Unless the citizens wake up and stop them.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
National Insecurity
As is my habit, I have been studying the approaches and philosophies Obama has been phasing in in the first year of his presidency. Although he deserves some credit in his support of the Patriot Act, a successful albeit indecisive outcome with the Somali pirate escapade, and bucking his constituency on terrorist surveillance, much of his other initiatives are troubling at best.
His premature announcement of a deadline for closure of Guantanamo without a clear plan for how to deal with the prisoners was his first rookie mistake. I know his left-wing worshippers loved the announcement, but like them, he fails to understand the consequences of such shallow and reckless decisions.
His consistent anti-American rhetoric, in an emerging pattern that clearly shows the world that he isn't a fan of his own country, may delight his left-wing consituency as well, but effectively projects weakness to the rest of the world. His recent speech at the United Nations clearly emboldened the rogue dictators in attendance, who went so far as to publicly state their wish that he could be installed as the permanent American president. When ruthless dictators such as Chavez, Qadaffi, and Ahmadinejad offer praise, it certainly isn't because they've suddenly decided to get their acts together and behave.
Obama has made it abundantly clear that he has no intention of taking meaninful steps to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program. The announced agreement, with Iran agreeing to have their fissle material processed by Russia, is certainly a PR move by Iran with Russia's covert support to fool the naieve new American president.
In the meantime, Obama searches for an elegant rationale for abandoning Afghanistan. He was reportedly seriously angry with his commanding general there, with whom he had spoken with a grand total of one time before being shamed into meeting with him briefly when that fact escaped the control of his sychophant media. General McCrystal had the temerity to participate in public interviews and gave a speech, in which he stated the simple fact that if America hopes to salvage the effort in Afghanistan, he'll need at least 40K more troops. Otherwise, the mission will fail.
Obama knows he'll get strung up by his liberal constituents, and probably doesn't believe he would get much conservative credit for making such a decision as long as he continues pushing his socialist domestic agenda. Thus the floating of a variety of Afghanistan "alternatives" through his loyal media outlets. He seems to be moving toward a strategy of abandoning Afghanistan and focusing instead on neighboring Pakistan, where the Taliban find support, rest, and resupply between attacks on Americans and Afghans trying to establish some semblance of order.
Illustrative of Obama's inability to understand and implement the right strategies in national security matters is his trip to Denmark to pitch Chicago to host the 2012 Olympic Games. It seems clear now that Chicago's bid was hanging by a thread, so Obama's buddies from the Windy City asked him for help.
The glimpse into Obama's stunning narcissism was on full display, as both he and his wife spoke to the Olympic committee about ... themselves. The president had clearly decided that Chicago should be awarded the Olympic Games simply because of his own awesomeness.
How is that relevant to the foreign policy and national security issue?
It may be the most important factor in explaining Obama's seeming lack of serious understanding of the threats facing our country. His narcissistic self-importance actually makes him believe that he can win over our enemies through the force of his personality. And a dose of pacifism.
Thus the unilateral and sudden cancellation of the missile defense systems in Poland and the Czeck Republic. He apparently felt that by giving Russia such a gesture, thus proving he's a stand-up guy, Putin would reciprocate. Perhaps in the form of joining Obama in isolating Iran and stopping their nuclear arms program.
Did Russia reciprocate? Not as far as anyone can tell. Instead, they thanked him and continued their march toward reunification of the old Soviet bloc.
Clearly, Americans won't take this seriously until the next 9/11. I don't say that as a partisan who sort of hopes that will happen; instead, I am looking in sadness at what seems inevitable.
Will it happen before or after a nuke explodes over Israel? Will it be a nuke in one of our own cities? I still hope not, but if so, what a costly lesson we will be forced to learn.
His premature announcement of a deadline for closure of Guantanamo without a clear plan for how to deal with the prisoners was his first rookie mistake. I know his left-wing worshippers loved the announcement, but like them, he fails to understand the consequences of such shallow and reckless decisions.
His consistent anti-American rhetoric, in an emerging pattern that clearly shows the world that he isn't a fan of his own country, may delight his left-wing consituency as well, but effectively projects weakness to the rest of the world. His recent speech at the United Nations clearly emboldened the rogue dictators in attendance, who went so far as to publicly state their wish that he could be installed as the permanent American president. When ruthless dictators such as Chavez, Qadaffi, and Ahmadinejad offer praise, it certainly isn't because they've suddenly decided to get their acts together and behave.
Obama has made it abundantly clear that he has no intention of taking meaninful steps to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program. The announced agreement, with Iran agreeing to have their fissle material processed by Russia, is certainly a PR move by Iran with Russia's covert support to fool the naieve new American president.
In the meantime, Obama searches for an elegant rationale for abandoning Afghanistan. He was reportedly seriously angry with his commanding general there, with whom he had spoken with a grand total of one time before being shamed into meeting with him briefly when that fact escaped the control of his sychophant media. General McCrystal had the temerity to participate in public interviews and gave a speech, in which he stated the simple fact that if America hopes to salvage the effort in Afghanistan, he'll need at least 40K more troops. Otherwise, the mission will fail.
Obama knows he'll get strung up by his liberal constituents, and probably doesn't believe he would get much conservative credit for making such a decision as long as he continues pushing his socialist domestic agenda. Thus the floating of a variety of Afghanistan "alternatives" through his loyal media outlets. He seems to be moving toward a strategy of abandoning Afghanistan and focusing instead on neighboring Pakistan, where the Taliban find support, rest, and resupply between attacks on Americans and Afghans trying to establish some semblance of order.
Illustrative of Obama's inability to understand and implement the right strategies in national security matters is his trip to Denmark to pitch Chicago to host the 2012 Olympic Games. It seems clear now that Chicago's bid was hanging by a thread, so Obama's buddies from the Windy City asked him for help.
The glimpse into Obama's stunning narcissism was on full display, as both he and his wife spoke to the Olympic committee about ... themselves. The president had clearly decided that Chicago should be awarded the Olympic Games simply because of his own awesomeness.
How is that relevant to the foreign policy and national security issue?
It may be the most important factor in explaining Obama's seeming lack of serious understanding of the threats facing our country. His narcissistic self-importance actually makes him believe that he can win over our enemies through the force of his personality. And a dose of pacifism.
Thus the unilateral and sudden cancellation of the missile defense systems in Poland and the Czeck Republic. He apparently felt that by giving Russia such a gesture, thus proving he's a stand-up guy, Putin would reciprocate. Perhaps in the form of joining Obama in isolating Iran and stopping their nuclear arms program.
Did Russia reciprocate? Not as far as anyone can tell. Instead, they thanked him and continued their march toward reunification of the old Soviet bloc.
Clearly, Americans won't take this seriously until the next 9/11. I don't say that as a partisan who sort of hopes that will happen; instead, I am looking in sadness at what seems inevitable.
Will it happen before or after a nuke explodes over Israel? Will it be a nuke in one of our own cities? I still hope not, but if so, what a costly lesson we will be forced to learn.
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