Not so free press. . .
August 31, 2009
ABC and NBC recently refused to air an ad criticizing the Obama health plan suggesting it was partisan. Ironically, I agree that it was partisan. Of course, if the ad was political in nature wouldn’t rule § 315(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 require the stations to air the political ad? The FCC specifically prohibits television stations from censoring political ads.
The ad in question was sponsored by the League of American Voters and featured Dr. Mark Cuffe, a neurosurgeon concerned about ObamaCare. If the League wants to run the ad nationally, I suspect the networks couldn’t refuse them if they added a candidates name to the ad – i.e. removing any cover the stations might have.
Cuba, the good revolution?
The History books my son reads do not tell the story of the Cuban revolution that I remember from school. When I took Latin American history in college we learned about Castro’s program to nationalize private property in what was known as the Manifesto of the Seierra Maestra. Castro’s government seized more than $25 billion in private property (including over a billion dollars from the US government). By 1960 Castro had taken over control of all radio and television stations and killed thousand of teachers and professors who spoke out against the revolution. Today Cuba has the second lowest ownership of computers in the world and connecting to the internet illegally carries a five-year prison sentence. Cuba is basically a prison.
My son, who doesn’t know better, assumes our leaders in Congress would have a firm grasp on history. Shockingly, members of the U.S. House of Representatives like Diane Watson, ignore history and praise Fidel Castro and his revolution. She calls him, “One of the brightest leaders I have ever met.” Listen to her at a recent town hall meeting:
The scary part is that she believes what she is saying. She really does think that Castro’s revolution was just and should be praised. She even things their health care system is better than ours. There are a LOT of doctors in Cuba (the highest doctor/citizen ration in the world), but they aren’t paid well – around $15 per month (ouch). Not only do doctors make nothing, they have poor facilities, poor equipment and lack essential drugs. These are the facts, but the facts don’t seem to matter much anymore.
Ironically, I think the Cuban experience with socialized medicine is an excellent cautionary tale for the United States. As we move toward a single payer option we should realize that our attempt to give free health care for all we create a system not that different from the one found in Cuba. In Cuba there is a two tiered system:one for the elite and one for the rest of Cuba. Once we move to single payer you will find a new two tier system here in the U.S. – one for the rich and one for everyone else. If you are wealthy you will get the care you want and if not you will deal with rationing and lines.
George Will Reads my Blog?
On August 16th I wrote a post titled, “Fight on our terms, not theirs…” where I argue that we need a new strategy for Afghanistan. George Will’s strategy and mine seem very similar. In a story scheduled for publication later this week Will suggests,
“[F]orces should be substantially reduced to serve a comprehensively revised policy: America should do only what can be done from offshore, using intelligence, drones, cruise missiles, airstrikes and small, potent special forces units, concentrating on the porous 1,500-mile border with Pakistan, a nation that actually matters,”
Wow. That was my idea. To be honest, it is the ONLY logical option for us at this point. It isn’t surprising George Will would come to the same conclusion – it is only surprising that our leaders haven’t.
Obama and AFL-CIO Propose Tax on 50% of Americans
The Democrats and the AFL-CIO plan to tax every single stock transaction in a new plan announced today. This new tax would generate revenue from every American who buys or sells a share of stock. More than half of Americans own stock either directly or through a 401K. The tax would generate a LOT of revenue, but it would significantly reduce activity in the stock market. The biggest problem with the new tax? Obama pledged not to do it. Obama was pretty clear in his pledge that he would NEVER raise taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 per year. Remember:
I guess Obama figured we were all so broke we had to sell all of our stock last year. Do you make less than $250K and have stock? Let us know and we will let Obama know that if he signs this new tax bill he will be breaking his pledge to you – the American people. Too bad we can’t get Obama to work on real tax reform.
Making sure conservatives get the seats. . .
Experts are predicting double-digit losses for the Democrats in 2010. Nate Silver, a Democratic analyst who is almost always right predicts that Republicans will win between 20 and 50 seats (40 seats gives the GOP control).
I don’t know if they are right, but assuming they are we need to ensure that conservatives who are willing to fight for their values are elected (and not the sort of Republicans willing to go along to get along). We need something similar to Newt’s Contract with America to help define what this wave of conservatives promise to do with their opportunity. Too often we send Democrats and Republicans to office without a clear set of goals. Instead we get a lot of – “I share your values” “I will fight for your rights” “Yadda, yadda, yadda”.
Lets outline a set of laws we want to see passed. Lets outline the change we want. Lets outline the reform we demand. Then lets find lawmakers who share our values and are willing to enact our legislation. Here are a few plans I would love to see included (edit as you see fit):
- My plan for tax reform
- My plan for health care reform
- My plan for immigration reform
- My plan for the environment and energy
After Newt left the House I felt as though the Republicans lost their way. With control of the House, Senate and White House we managed to get almost nothing accomplished. We didn’t balance the budget. We didn’t solve our energy issues. We didn’t tackle immigration. We didn’t institute tax reform. We might as well have had Democratic control; hell Bill Clinton was a better Republican than George Bush – don’t you think?
Our fair share of the blood money. . .
August 29, 2009
Pan Am Flight 103 carried 180 Americans and 52 British citizens. The plane was blown up over Lockerbie Scotland by Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. Two years ago the British government decided that it was “in the overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom” to allow Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi to return to his home country – Lybia according to an article in The Sunday Times. Why? Simple, Lybia offered the United Kingdom a oil and gas deal worth 15 billion pounds. It is too late to get Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi back, so we should ask the United Kingdom for our fair share of the blood money. Seems like we should be getting 10.2 billion pounds in exchange for the American lives that were lost – America paid the bigger price and as a result we should get the bigger payoff.
Rep Rangel: our tax system sucks!
August 28, 2009
Congressmen Rangel failed to report more than $1.3 million in income and that his is in arrears on his taxes for a New Jersey property for the past 15 years. Nightmare. Maybe Charlie will get on board with my tax reform plan.
Hypocrisy isn’t necessarily bad. . .
Yglesias has a post titled, “Strange Hypocrisy” suggesting that it is silly to call Massachusetts plan to change the rules for filling Senate vacancies as ‘hypocritical’. Really? Surely we can agree on the definition of words.
hy·poc·ri·sy 1 : a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not.
The Massachusetts legislature argued, during Mitt Romney’s term as governor, that holding a special election would be more democratic than allowing Mitt (a Republican) to appoint Senators when vacancies occur. At the time Romney argued that the legislature didn’t care about being more democratic than they sought to ensure a Democrat continued to hold both Senate seats in Massachusetts. Romney argued that leaving the seat vacant until a special election could be held would leave the people of Massachusetts without representation. The legislature was unconvinced.
Today, the same legislature has taken the same position they rejected from Romney and argued that it is more important to have a Democrat in office than waiting for a more democratic outcome. This is the very definition of hypocrisy. Of course, the legislature is allowed to be hypocritical – it is perfectly legal. I am just shocked that Yglesias would try to argue that they aren’t being hypocritical.
Fighting over Kennedy’s Campaign Funds?
Kenneth Vogel has the scoop. Kennedy has over $4.5MM in campaign funds. The Democratic National Committee has suggested they might be a worthy recipient. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee hopes they will get the funds. Finally, the Massachusetts Democratic Party is making a case for the funds as well.
Who gets to decide? Keith Lowey of Foxboro, MA will be the decider. Rick Kahn doesn’t think Lowey, a CPA, should be left with the important decision. Instead Kahn thinks that a small group of Kennedy loyalists should decide who gets the cash. Maybe they should send the money to MADD’s Victim Services…
Reid doesn’t support public option?
In a confusing about face, Harry Reid suggests he supports a public option as long as it is run by a private entity – most call this option the ‘co-op’ model. The left HATES the co-op model because it doesn’t provide a road map to a single payer system. Reid is likely going to lose his Senate seat next term, this might be an attempt to save his job as Senate Majority leader.
