Can’t we all just get along?

No.  We can’t.

Is it Ever Worth the Life of a Child?

Yes.  Many.

And apparently you all agree…

So… we are all OK with killing kids…

No?

You lie… when it comes to the Wheel.

Not only do we not seem to care, we Promote and Celebrate the use of  the Wheel as milestones in our children’s lives.  For example… Little Johnny’s first bike, and then getting that first car after getting a driver’s license.  Both of which We teach them how to operate!

We intentionally expose them to this danger when we put them in the Stroller, the Car, or put them on the School bus.

So, given that we are willing to trade our children’s lives without much thought at all, why do we give so much weight to the argument “Is it worth the life of a child?”  (And other intentionally stupid conversation killers like “Who are you to judge?” and “You need to have an open mind.”)

Almost without exception our response is “NO!  Nothing, Nothing, Nothing is worth the life of a child!”  Then we throw the kids in the car and drive off… while talking on the phone, eating sandwich.  (We’re Busy People Dammit!)

But that’s just one of myriad examples…

It’s strange the disconnects we make, the mental gymnastics we perform, in order not appear mean or heartless while behaving in an exactly opposite manner.

Fundamentally, my problem is not with the serious and sometimes life threatening trade-offs we make in life, but with the Rhetorical Devices we use so we don’t have to make an effort thinking about what we are saying.

More importantly my problem is exacerbated when we allow others to influence us using such devices…

I wouldn’t have an issue if these devices weren’t intentionally used to stifle sound, reasonable, discussions regarding the trade-offs we make everyday in order to live the lives we desire… imagine for a moment a life without the wheel and you will get my point.

We should all watch for rhetorical devices (read ridiculous statements) used to stifle rational debate.  Those who say such things are people who have either no argument or a very poor one.  Trying to stop the discussion is their only avenue of “winning”  while attempting to make any opposition appear “mean-spirited” or ‘ignorant’.

Let’s pledge to stop using such inane conversation killers.  More importantly, confront with vigor those who do.

These people are the destroyers of discourse.

We allow them to make us dumb.

Now go take the kids for a bike ride.

(Originally posted 011512.  Repost inspired by X.)

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Healthcare is a human right!

There is no debate.  Healthcare is a human right.

I’m not sure how there can be any misunderstanding here.  Each of us has the right.  We are endowed by our creator certain inalienable rights. (sound familiar?)  And one of those is healthcare.

Everyday, every minute, every second we make decisions that are beneficial or detrimental to our health.  It’s our right being free individuals in a currently free society.

For example;

I have the right to buy bigger bottles of scotch.

I also have the right to put the cheeseburgers down and push away from the table.

Clearly you can see the difference between the two… buying bigger bottles of scotch means more of it when I want it thus it being beneficial, and putting down the cheeseburger being detrimental because cheeseburgers are yummy.

What I do not have is the right to force you to subsidize my scotch consumption through a scheme where the Federal government, via regulation, raises your insurance rates to cover my cheeseburger and scotch habit.

And here is where it gets good…  If you want to lose your human right to healthcare as described above then keep pushing the implementation of Socialized Medicine.  Once fully up and running you will have people like me deciding everything from how big your scotch bottle can be to how cheesy your burger should be.  Assuming, of course, that I allow you to have a burger in the first place… I hear that veggie burgers are better for your health – you with me here?

This speaks to the most basic of our “inalienable rights”.  It’s all about freedom.  The freedom to make the wrong decision even when we know what the right one is.

There is nothing wrong with the health system as it currently exists.  It’s not perfect, but its the only system that doesn’t allow me to put a mortgage on your life to keep me drinking scotch out of ever bigger bottles.  And while not perfect, it’s a darn sight closer to perfect than any of its nearest competitors in other countries.

There is a rush to implement socialized medicine in the U.S. for several reasons.  First is the most basic for leftists, and that’s the power of control over you given to government.  Second is the need to convince you its brilliant before the other Socialist healthcare systems drive their countries into bankruptcy.  (Unless you’re Cuba who has simply stopped supporting any of its other infrastructure in order to prop up its mediocre military and mediocre health care system.) And finally, and possibly the most sinister, is the rush to get people hooked on the access and view it as an entitlement.  In other words, get the needle in their arm… pun intended.

So to sum it up, our health care system could use some scrutiny.  No doubt.  But we need to understand why “private” is a must.

OR

We all need to get bumper stickers reading “It wont be fair until we all have crappy health care” and “I can’t wait to tell you what you can eat.”

(originally posted 011512)

Update:

It’s also important to understand that profits organize markets.  In other words, once something becomes a “right” then profit must be removed.  I just had this conversation last evening… and morning… with a friend and her husband.  Both doctors.  She believes Health Care is a Human Right.  And, Insurance Companies should not be making money from it.  I said ‘f*ir enough’, You should work for free too.

This prompted her to change direction quickly and offer there should be a ‘balance’.  I asked her who should be in charge of determining what that balance might be… she began to tell me what the balance should be in today’s dollar amounts.  I asked her why it should be her who determines the ‘balance’?  She couldn’t answer me… she’s not stupid, she knew where I was going.  I simply said “Thank you for illustrating my point.”

Thus the repost.  It was on my mind.  And it’s valuable to recognize that we will be revisiting the same arguments over… and over… and over…

Distract, Be a Victim, Start a War.

There is a single, huge, impossible to ignore issue in this country.

It’s our determination to drive ourselves into fiscal oblivion. Our DEBT. Our INSOLVENCY. PERIOD.
This presents a problem for those who wish to stay in office.
So apparently the new campaign strategy for the current administration is;

Distract: Create an issue where there isn’t one… birth control. Who cares? Where’s the limited access if what the left says is true that 98% of women use it? It’s a non-issue and an intentional distraction.
Be a Victim: Obama must deflect the failure of Socialist “solutions” by trying to position himself as a Victim. He wants his voters to believe that he had no idea it was so bad… when that is exactly what he ran on… “its the worst economy since the Great Depression etc.”. (His words for the campaign trail 2008.)

Start a War: And finally as Statists are historically known to do… Start a War with… who ever. It doesn’t matter.
What’s astounding is all of the above is accepted as a sound re-election strategy by the Left and their fellow travelers in the media.

If this were a Conservative, do you think for a moment that the press would be embracing the wisdom of the Arab Spring, or feeling sorry for the current president 4-years after he was elected because he “inherited such a mess” (That Liberals Barney Frank and Chris Dodd created by the way.), or support the idea of forcing the public to buy something… say a bible? (If you can force me to buy insurance, you can force me to buy a bible.)
I need a beer.

Attack of the Killer Candy Bars!

Well… the Food Nazi’s are back.  And since their premise is that you are too stupid to know what is good for you they are proposing some new rules.

Apparently sugar is killing you.  Yep.

If you doubt me, search “ban sugar”.  Also, here is the latest study they use to forward this idea: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241052.php

What is interesting however is that it must not be killing you dead enough because they are only proposing taxing and regulating it.  This way you can continue to be too stupid to make decisions for yourself and continue committing suicide…  It will just cost you more to do it.  Brilliant!  (Doesn’t this idea discriminate against the poor?)  This does speak to real intentions though.  It’s not about caring as much as it is about raising taxes… Typical.  And, to answer your question, no these people will never leave us alone.

I have some suggestions for these do-gooder liberal-progressive-facsists that need their attention more than my food…

But, I’m for an all out bans… that’s how much I care about you.

My suggestions start but are not limited to:

Spandex, Speedo’s, Fake nails, Tank Tops, Sandals with socks, Fart mufflers, Those plastic testicles guys and lesbians hang from their trucks, Bumper stickers with stupid sayings like “War is not the answer.” (Clearly throughout history it has been), homeless chic (Not sure what this is?  Look at an Occupier.), dreadlocks on anybody other than Jamaicans, calling food organic when all food is organic (unless you eat sand), Subaru’s (which would knock out most of the bumper strip problem)….  I know there is more than just these… I’ll count on you filling in the list with your comments.

NEWT’s X-wife!

Why is the Left so afraid?

Many of us are ready ro review the horror story that is Newt Gingrich’s private life.  In fact I bought popcorn for this evenings bitter ex-wife expose.  This is going to be fun!  So why you might ask am I going to vote for Newt if he is the nominee?  Easy… I’m voting for the least Socialist Candidate of the two parties.

This is why the left is terrified of him.  Gingrich has not run as a social conservative which takes an old stand-by out of the leftist political playbook.  The hypocrisy accusation.  They have long enjoyed the ability to wag the finger of hypocrisy at the conservative while making sure their candidate stands for nothing thus getting a pass.  Without this sure-fire distraction they might have to talk about economics… uh-oh.  This is a last-ditch attempt to knock out the guy that is most difficult to demagogue.

It is exactly this that led ABC to conduct this interview in the first place.  All of this wringing of hands over when to air it is window dressing compared to the decision to do it in the first place.  I have to say though, I’m glad they did it.  It’s good to remind us of the fact that our position on social issues is not what is bankrupting this country.  I do not believe that this interview is going to create a mass defection from Newt as too many of us have or know that older, bitter, angry and slightly less good-looking ex-spouse who is hell-bent on making our lives miserable.  If anything I think we will see a slight rally.

Hey you Bill Clinton supporters… I thought our private lives didn’t matter?  I happen to agree.

Anyway, I have to put the beer in the fridge and find a popcorn bowl big enough so I don’t have to get up to fill it.  Thank you ABC!