I didn't watch The One deliver his elebbenty-lebbenth speech on ObamaCare last evening, this time to a joint session of Congress… his second speech to that august body assembled (<=== snark)… but I DID watch a lil bit of the analysis, more specifically the hour Charlie Rose devoted to the subject.
(Brief digression: I've mentioned this before, but I REALLY like Charlie Rose. Charlie probably ain't cool in some circles, given he lives and works in New Yawk, his show is on PBS (Gad! PBS!), and he tends to feature more liberals on his show than a shouter like young Mr. Hannity or the bomb-throwing Glenn Beck. But the man IS thoughtful, organized, and devotes at least half of his hour-long show to the subject at hand… when the subject is politics. Mr. Rose is low key and asks probing questions of the sort rarely found on political shows in these United States these days. Moreover, he engages his guests in actual dialog, inasmuch as dialog with politicians and other poohbahs… like generals and ambassadors… is possible. Moreover, Mr. Rose is something of a Renaissance Man in that he is just as well-versed in the arts and technology as he is in political arcana. I will admit, though, that I tune Mr. Rose out when he does things like opera and movies… two subjects about which I have little or no interest. If you're not watching Mr. Rose… well, you should be. You can check out a lot of his stuff on his website.)
Well… that digression wasn't very "brief," now, was it? Especially since I really don't have much to say about ObamaCare, other than the fact nearly all the Talking Heads seem to agree the "public option" is dead. None of the pundits I watched last evening were reading the public option's eulogy, but all seemed in agreement that it is something that just won't fly this time around… which is a great good thing as far as I'm concerned.
And about my "great good thing" comment: Seeing as how I live in the Glass House of Military Health Care it's hypocritical of me to throw stones at gub'mint health care, in general. The military's health system has been very, very good to me and it is one of my most prized… which is to say valuable… benefits. The only stone I can throw… and throw it I will… is the fact I don't believe we can afford public health care beyond what we already provide to the military and seniors (Medicare). If you don't buy into the "we can't afford it" argument, then I invite you to take a look at this:
That's just a snapshot of what you'll find at US Debt Clock.org. There's more, a LOT more, and it's updated in real-time… which is to say the numbers are spinning around like an odometer in a 1940s Bugs Bunny cartoon. It's actually pretty damned scary, in that the numbers are nearly incomprehensible in their magnitude. Now… what was that about Universal Healthcare? Hmmm?
(h/t for the Debt Clock: Lex)
―:☺:―
In other news… NASA released the first pictures from the newly-refurbished Hubble telescope yesterday, and they are spectacular. Here's a sample:
The cool thing is the images are available for download in various sizes, up to and including "stupendous."
Another digression: didja see "Saving Hubble" on PBS/Nova's Science Now series? If you click on the link you can watch it... or parts of it... on your peesee. Amazing stuff, in the most literal sense of the word. (And yes… it IS a PBS kinda day here at El Casa Móvil De Pennington. Why do you ask?)
Buck, Ah how great minds think alike. I posted the Debt Clock on my site as well. It is frightening. Now while you won't bash Government Health Care as you are attached to it, I will. The plight lived by the Native Americans is what is in store for all of America except the Congress if Universal Health care gets passed. And that is nothing to crow about.
ReplyDeleteBT: Jimmy T sends.
Buck/
ReplyDeleteLooked at all of them yesterday. Simply amazing--really puts things in perspective--how insignificant we really are in the scheme of things. But what's even scarier, is the thought that, for all those multiple billions of stars, we may STILL be all alone in the universe. I say this not from a religious standpoint, but a scientific one. About a decade ago in 2000 two Univ of Wash geologists published a book entitled: "Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe." which went against the grain of the views of most of the profession popularized by the late astronomer Carl "billions and billions" Sagan (remember Johnny Carson's mocking impression of Carl using that phrase) who believed that statistically there just HAD to be millions of inhabitable planets with life on them. These two argued against that in a most fascinating ground-breaking book.
Rather than buy the thing and plow thru it--it's slow going--very science heavy--simply Google ["RARE EARTH" the book]. What Should pop up as 1st heading on page is the book title I just cited as reviewed by tal.forum2org/rare It provides an EXCELLENT synopsis of the book and the essence of the author's argument. Next, right under that top listing/heading you should come to "Book Review: Rare Earth" done by someone at url patriot.net (It's an IT firm providing internet and customer support services, might want to check 'em out as an old iT guy) It provides an EQUALLY EXCELLENT critique and counterpoint. Between those two reviews alone, without reading the book, you should come away with more knowledge about the subject than 99% of the people on the planet who are not experts in the field. Well worth the time and effort...
Jimmy: Great Minds DO think alike, LOL! And I've read your stuff about Native American health care... and it's a bona fide scandal.
ReplyDeleteVX: Thanks for the reading tip!
The Hubble shots are awesome - amazing how nature is so artsy.
ReplyDeleteSeargent,
ReplyDeleteJimmy T. "sends" something more than anecdotal. My little story is anecdotal, but I was not the only one in the hospital.
In '86 I crashed my Goldwing (gosh I miss that inanimate bike-- wink to Jimmy T). I was on a remote road near Reyes Creek up above Ojai in the Angeles NF. Crushed my foot on one side and broke my sacrum on the other. Dang. Couldn't walk.
Half hour later Samaritans came along and brought me to a sherrif station. From there an ambulance to a (private) hospital in Tejon.
They took great care of me there for a week until I could be moved to (being a ward of the USN) Naval Hospital Long Beach. That week cost $6000. X-rays, orthopedics, monitoring my shocked organs, etc.
What a stark difference. Long Beach was a dreary place, with staff that, compared to Tejon, were distant, cold, mean yet practical. I was a number, a monotonous chore. I suppose it was just the way things were. I'm sure LB was much better than any alternative in third-world countries. But it is my experience with a government version of catastrophic health care.
I didn't pay the $6000; it was paid grudgingly by the government. I thank the taxpayers for that part of fixing me up. It was a benefit for being in the Navy.
And, I've worked hard to be able to afford a Tejon level of care if my wife or I have another catastrophe (even though wife is disabled veteran). A hard practical choice. It's a benefit we get from where I work, but I'd rather take the value in cash, set aside about $10K and buy a high-deductible policy.
The path of the "public option" would eventually push everyone to government operations. Your VA experience reflects a little competition between VA and the private sector. They need employees and have to pay them competitive wages. You, yourself, are free to opt out of the VA and go down the street on your own dime (via insurance if you want or totally out of pocket). The government interfering in that market would end your choice. It would be dreary.
Bob: You misunderstand me. I've NEVER touched the VA, nor has it touched me. My experience has been entirely within the USAF health care system, which differed radically from your experience with the Navy's system. (See this post, as an example of what I'm talking about.) Other than that, I think we're on the same page.
ReplyDeleteLou: The Hubble photos are way-cool, ain't they?
Ooh. Sorry. I guess I don't understand how retirees stay with the service and don't go to VA.
ReplyDeleteBob: Easy... retirees just go to the clinic/hospital on base, ANY base. If the military facility can't handle you they send you to a civilian provider off-base and Tri-Care picks up the tab.
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