Dead Horses

There's nothing to be gained in beating a dead horse, goes the old saw. So why do the conservatives continue to do so?? Their present dead horse is the growth of government as exemplified by "Obamacare." Funny, when Medicare/Medicaid was enacted I don't remember cries of foreboding about "Johnsoncare." Was it because we were not as clever then? Doubtful. Most likely it was because we were more civil then, at least in our domestic policy discussions. But I digress....

This morning I happened to catch Congressman Mike Pence (R-Ind,) on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. Mr Pence is a conservative Republican and a winner of Conservative Man of the Year from the organization Human Rights. After the usual frothing about how health care reform as presently constituted will be a crushing blow to our economic recovery, Mt. Pence would NOT name any other government program than "Obamacare" that he would cut to help reduce spending at the federal level and the trillion-dollar deficit. This despite several instances of encouragement by the show' s panelist Mike Barnicle. Mr. Pence's stand is so typical of the conservative Republicans who got us into this mess in the first place---the Iraq War, the debacle named Afghanistan, the collapse of the financial system in 2007------the legacy of George W Bush and the Republican controlled congress (until 2006). And now it's Barack Obama's health care reform that is plunging us into the abyss???? I think not. I agree with David Frum---time for the conservatives to work within the system rather than merely being perceived as obstructionist if they want to make any headway in the November mid-term elections.

So go to the tea parties, continue the "I'm NRA and I vote", and the "NObama" bumper sticker tirades. On with the racial epithets and gender preference slurs, on Rush, on Sean, on Glenn, on over the top screaming, and on to defeat with your beaten dead horse in November.

Book Comment

I recently read Myths, Illusions, & Peace by Dennis Ross and David Makovsky. It's a fascinating study of the relationship between the US and the Middle East, especially Israel and Iran. Some parts seem to be self-serving, almost as if Mr. Ross is polishing his resume. He was a negotiator for Palestinian-Israeli peace talks under H W Bush and Clinton and while an adviser to Obama, might he wish for a more active role? Anyway, the book is illuminating and well worth the read if one is interested in the Middle East. One of the final paragraphs pretty well sums up the pathetic incompetence of the last eight years:

"Truth be told, credibility is a function of many facets of our behavior. Are we effective? Do we tend to preserve the moral high ground? Do we frame issues or objectives in a way that others internationally or regionally accept? Do we shape policies in which our objectives and our means are in sync, or is there always a wide gap between them? Do others believe that we will do what we say we will do, or are we likely to put those who join with us in an exposed position? Do we avoid surprises that raise questions about our purposes or judgment, or both? Ultimately, credibility boils down to reliability and effectiveness. After the ineffective policies of the Bush Administration, its successor must recognize the importance of being able to produce on the objectives it proclaims. "

~Dennis Ross, David Makovsky: Myths, Illusion, & Peace, p. 319

So if there is a lesson to be drawn from this book and the experiences of the past few years it is in our national interest to regain our credibility in the world and re-establish our claim to the higher moral ground we have ceded by our actions in the "war" on terror. The actions recommended by Messrs. Ross & Makovsky might not be out of place in our domestic discussions on health care, Afghanistan, and firearms as well.

Short Week

Last week marked the traditional end of summer--Labor Day. This week usually seems very packed with events for such a short-work week. It's the traditional back-to-school week; the time to prepare for the harvest and start the process of stocking up for winter; car sales; and that last summer week-end of irresponsibility.

This year the week seemed even more densely populated with events.

Tuesday had the presidential brainwashing of America's youth with socialist clap-trap. Horror must abide at the very thought of encouraging these impressionable minds to endeavor to fulfill their potential. Far better for our democracy that the next generation be dull and easily swayed by the demagoguery coming from the speakers of their radios and televisions. Just imagine what, say, Rush Limbaugh's or Fox News channel's ratings would be if their listeners or viewers were capable of critical thinking or schooled in the intricacies of logical debate. No wonder the hue and cry to prevent the president from addressing the nation's students about their opportunities if they stay in school, eschew gangs and drugs, and learn to think and evaluate issues and arguments.

This week, the Economist had two articles of note. First is the Lexington column that basically called health care reform a non-starter because American are afraid of rational public discussions about death. Second was an article titled "The nanny state" that addresses the issue of public spending on child well-being and how it misses the mark more often than not. The US is pretty much in the bottom half of OECD countries when it comes to effective use of public spending on childhood well being. It's tragic that we rank 24th of 30 countries in the health and safety of our children.

Wednesday brought the much awaited address to Congress on health care reform. Except that wasn't the topic. Health insurance reform was and it really looks like that's all we'll get. And I feel betrayed. I have very good health insurance through my employer. But if I retire before Medicare kicks in, which I hope to do, I need to feel anxious about the cost of any coverage. Basic health insurance will cost me about 5X what I presently pay per month!!! And like many retirees, my income will be less than it is at present. Doesn't take a genius to see this is not a good outcome. So while I appreciate the efforts of congress and the administration to attempt insurance reform, that's sort of like the cart before the horse. What is needed is health CARE reform. Health care providers should be paid for results, not number of tests prescribed. Certain screenings like HPV, mammograms, colonoscopies, cholesterol screening, prostate screens, should be, if not free, than at least at a minimal cost. Prevention and wellness are the keys to cutting medical costs and there is little beyond platitudes coming from congress to address these issues.

Last time I looked, the candidate who got the majority in the electoral college becomes president. Of all of the United States. So whether one might consider him a liar, a socialist, a reactionary, etc, he is still the president. Nixon was---lots of truth there, right?? LBJ was, another paragon of virtue. Bill Clinton---what can I say, Monica?? "W"--as in "Weapons of mass destruction"---even more truth telling. So I guess my comment to all those who say the current person residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is "not my president" is to go where your type president lives---maybe Russia, with Medvedev and Putin; or France with Sarkozy; or Zimbabwe with Mugabe?? I was prepared to go to Canada rather than serve under Johnson in Viet-Nam. I guess I'd say to you the same thing I heard back then---America, love it or leave it.

Lastly, Bertequila spent Tuesday night thru Thursday morning at the vet. Time to get him neutered. But even though he now has no balls, he's still got more cojones than the screamers and bloviators.

Harvest

I was planning a light post on a discussion about music with the Pirate Dogs. That will have to wait until later.

I've been off on vacation last Friday and over the weekend. So when I saw the news Sunday night about the US soldier captured by the Taliban, it was news, by the classic definition of that word. Hadn't kept up with things over the long weekend. (I'm still on vacation Monday and Tuesday,too.)

What isn't news or surprising is the reaction of some people about the Taliban's parading the prisoner in front of video cameras and other acts one does not usually associate with prisoners of war. Why, these dastards are violating the Geneva Conventions!!!! And we citizens of the USA are surprised and outraged????? Seems our previous administration said these conventions did NOT apply to the war on terror. Jihadists were enemy combatants, not soldiers. Now the horses have returned to the burning barn and the chickens have come home to roost. One of our boys is a prisoner and being treated very much like the Islamist extremists in our capture. We have ceded the high moral ground, thank you Messrs. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al. So while we hope and pray that this soldier is either rescued very quickly or the Taliban realizes the tremendous advantage they could gain by one-upping the "Great Satan" in humanitarian treatment, let's not add to our hypocrisy with demonstrations of outrage that we are being done to as we have done.

New Pirate Dog; Old Argument

Let's do the old argument first----There was a piece on BBC World News America this evening in which a gentleman from Oklahoma said the government was going to spend us to death and should just give the money directly to the people.  We've heard this since Paulson and W. started the TARP last year.  So, let's do the math---Let's say the government allocated $1-trillion to just be handed out to each person in the US.  That should really help us all out, right????  Well, $1-trillion divided by the population of the US, which according to the US Census Bureau population clock at about 6:00PM MDT on 5/14 stood at 306,429,317, is $3263.40 per person.  That'll go a long way to ending the downturn, won't it???  And I'm sure it would more than replace the income of those who lose their jobs as companies and local governments go bankrupt or default on payments.   

Now for the news-----We have adopted a new Pirate Dog.  Bertie, aka Roberto Fernando el toro perro, is a rescue from the local oxymoronic kill shelter.  I had wanted a chihuahua since moving here and this is as close as we have gotten, without paying a breeder.  El toro may have a little rat terrier mixed with the chihuahua but he's sooooo tiny he makes Weets look big.

In this picture he's lying in the hall next to a chip stick that's about as long as he is!!

He makes the percentage of male household members 30%.  The Captain has been slow to accept him, and Weets still hasn't. 

But the Captain is pretty mellow all the same as long as this newest crew member follows orders.

 The newcomer has bonded with First Mate Leny.  They even share chip turks and chip stix.  He's still a little too small to spend a lot of time in the Nargle however.

It's only been since Monday that Bertie joined us and he's already hassling Klingon Kats and learning the routines of life as a Pirate Dog!!!

Tortured

Listening to the Grand Old Pissants Newt, John, Rush, Eric, etc. call the president a socialist and now a fascist-----torture

Listening to the foo-fah on MSNBC about the failure of the administration to prosecute either the agents of the CIA who performed "enhanced interrogation" or those who authorized it--torture

Realising that the Dept. of Justice is responsible for investigations and decisions on whether and whom they should prosecute---anyone remember the rules going back to the Watergate investigations that the DOJ was independent of the White House and the president's offices so as NOT TO BE POLITICIZED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS DUTIES---and isn't that exactly the meat of this issue---that the Bush appointees to DOJ were political hacks and eroded these rules with their memos of opinion on the legality of various acts of torture??  It took a while but Nixon and the plumbers were brought to justice.

Honestly. Obama, his cabinet, and his advisers have to solve a lot of things before prosecution of Bush administration torturers hits the main course on their plates.  So let's let DOJ do its thing now that we have a REAL Attorney-General and I bet we see justice prevail in the next couple of years.  Congress should work on the bills needed to get us moving ahead economically and also let DOJ do its job.  We want to see the truth and let the perpetrators be found guilty---we don't need a partisan side-show.

Pirate Tea

So April 15 is when all the tea parties to protest the massive tax increases happen.  Now, I get paid a couple of times a month, the 15th and last day to be precise.  So I just got my first pay stub post-Obama's plan (went into effect April 1).  My net was an increase of about $26.00, not a king's ransom or TARP money, but certainly not a tax increase---that deducts from the net, right???  So what exactly are these people protesting against??  The tax rates imposed by the LAST administration---as in Republican George W. Bush------and I'm not even going to get onto "teabagging"------------------but whatever floats your boat I guess.

Speaking of boats,  the Pirate Dogs salute the US Navy Seals.  Good shots.  But they are laughing up their sleeves at the rest of this issue.  Those Somali pirates have seized at least four vessels since the weekend and have now delayed Captain Phillips'  homecoming by attacking another US flagged vessel and forcing the destroyer Bainbridge, with Phillips on board, into diverting to protect this other ship.  Just imagine, those were kids that held him---teenagers.  The UN really needs to do something to give options to these Somali kids.  It's worse than an inner city in the US!!

A quick poll question---- given that Bo (left) looks like Capt 'Roid (right),

should Bo Obama be made an honorary Pirate Dog???????  Needs to lose the lei though.

Finally, did any of you see the pictures of John Demjanjuk?  He's the 89 year-old accused of being a Nazi concentration camp guard who allegedly killed some 29,000 people.  I'm not a holocaust denier and maybe this guy is guilty.  But is it right to deport him after all these years he worked here in America?  And there are rabbis talking about justice being done, etc,etc.  Well, to my simple mind, war crimes are war crimes---if John D deserves trial, what about the Israeli leaders who rained rockets and chemicals on the people of Gaza?  What about the Bushies who attempted to justify and did condone acts which on the surface seem to violate the Geneva convention?  All these people should be presumed innocent but all should have their day in court if any one of them has to............Can anyone say "justice?"

Sometimes you gotta sing....

"Here we go loop-da-loop/ Here we go loop-da-li...."  So it's OK for the new Secretary of the Treasury to "forget" a tax obligation but the nominee for the Dept. of Health has to quit??  Isn't that a little bass-ackwards or is it a message about how much health care reform is really gonna cost?

"Oh happy day/Oh happy day...."  Took Barack Obama 2 weeks to say "I screwed up."  We NEVER heard that from W in 8 YEARS!!!!!  And if one were to compile a hierarchy of mistakes, I believe the Iraq War, opening Guantanamo, eroding our constitutional rights, giving no-bid multi-million dollar contracts to cronies and business associates, allowing the recession/depression to begin---any of these rank higher than appointing Tom Daschle and Timothy Geithner to the cabinet.

"Yo soy un hombre sincero/De donde creche la palma..." The Pirate Dogs and I still think we got it right on 11/4/2008.  I find the honesty emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave so refreshing.........And, unfortunately, so different from any of the predecessors in the Oval Office the last 30 or so years.

Inauguration Day

Since everyone else in the world is commenting on today's inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama,  we might as well too.  I heard the speech live and no specific phrase really jumped out at me, nothing like "nothing to fear but fear itself" or "ask not what your country can do for you..."

Some sentiments, like toughness presented to those who might wish us harm, working together to solve problems, a commitment to improving the environment and education, but no real blockbusters.  I'm sure after the spinners and talking heads get done, hopefully by Memorial Day, we'll all have some phrase extracted from the speech to anchor their pretensions.

In the meantime, as the man said, time to get to work.  And hope this dream doesn't turn into anything like the nightmare this nation just woke up from.  It really sounded great the first time I heard some commentator on NPR speak the phrase "former President George Bush."  Now the words made famous by those persecuted in Chicago in 1968 will come full circle and rather than being an indictment of an oppressive government, a phrase that reflects the new-found confidence of a country renewed: "The whole world is watching." 

Hair and There

It's everyone's time to do lists---resolutions for the New Year, favorite people, disasters, movies, t.v. shows, reality series, etc of 2008. And all ad nauseam. So while Keith does his "Countdown" of favorites and Chris Mathews does his, both on MSNBC, me and the Pirate Dogs figured we'd do a blog posting that doesn't include any such lists!!! Hoo-ray and arf-arrgh.
One thing to comment on is "The Hair"--of course that's Illinois gov. Rod Blagojevich.

This guy is accused of trying to sell the President-elect's Senate seat. I repeat, he is accused of trying to sell the seat. Sen. Harry Reid has issued the declaration that whoever Blago appoints will not be seated. Even Obama says Blago's recommendations should not be accepted. After 8 years of Bush deciding on which American rights to violate and which laws to selectively enforce or ignore, I hope I'm not the only one out here getting nervous about people in power taking actions as if Blago's presumed guilt were a confirmed fact. Doesn't he get a trial or something?? He may be as crooked as ol' Tricky Dick Nixon, but it's a long way from accusation to conviction. I'm not saying we should accept any Blago nominee, but the reasons for rejection shouldn't be the allegations against him. Seems the Illinois legislature should require a special election or some other process that limits Blago's authority while he is under investigation.

Try to get a copy of The Economist for Dec.20-Jan2 (double issue). It's got great articles ranging from angels to music to lighthouses. You can check it out online as well at http://www.economist.com/printedition/index.cfm?d=20081220. The article on oysters is enough to make my mouth water but the Pirate Dogs said they can leave them.