Goodbye 2009!!!

As you read this, I am preparing for our annual New Year's Eve party for those who would otherwise sit at home on New Year's Eve. If you recall from last year, this is our annual geriatric party with several widows and widowers present, octogenarians abound, and this year, I believe the age range will be 18 months to 88 years!

We will eat, sit and talk, and I am sure that there will be discussions of the economy, health care, Medicare changes and the direction of the country. While I am not advocating that our party become a political free for all, I am sure that this year, unlike years before, there will be discussions of this kind.

There has been a change in the tenor of the country and the willingness of ordinary people to be engaged in political discussions and actions. This year, my husband and I stopped for lunch at a Hardee's while we were Christmas shopping. There were only about 5 people there when we arrived and took our seat to eat our meal. There were two men next to us who engaged us (total strangers) in a discussion of the wrong track that our country is taking. This happened without our saying anything to these gentlemen and without my husband and I having any conversation in that vein that would have sent them a clue that we were of a like mind. Last year at this time, I am pretty sure that this would not have happened. Or at least before engaging a perfect stranger in conversation about the government, there would at least have been an overture to let them know that the topic was "safe."

But then, last year I would not have been standing on a street corner holding up signs on Sunday afternoons. I would not have been emceeing a health care reform protest rally, and I would not have even heard of a Tea Party. 2009 has indeed been a year that finds many of us in roles and situations that seemed impossible only a year ago. I have to say that I am not sorry to see 2009 close and the possibilities of 2010 are very appealing. Those of us who have found ourselves more politically active than we could ever have imagined can relish the prospect of a chance to change the direction that the current administration has taken our country and perhaps right the ship of state, or at least block the legislative tsunami that has swept over our country.

So here's to a better and brighter 2010, or at least a New Year that begins to show us the promise of a return to the values and principles on which our country was founded.

Walking in a Bomber's Underwear

After listening to all of the banter about the underwear bomb and seeing the pictures all over the internet and news of the remains of his under pants, I could not help myself, so with apologies to Felix Bernard, composer of Winter Wonderland, I offer this parody.

Walking in a Bomber's Underwear

Sleigh bells ring are you listening?

In the plane someone's blist'ring.

An absolute fright

En route to Detroit

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

Gone away are his privates

Here to stay is Al Qaeda.

Now he's singing a song

As he goes along

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

Back in Yemen there are lots of others.

But we pretend that he is all alone.

We'll say: Are you Jihadi?

He'll say: No man,

But I can do the job

When I'm in town.

Later on, he'll conspire

As he dreams by the fire

To face unafraid

the plans that he's made

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

In his panties he can build explosives

And pretend he has a tummy ache

He'll have lots of fun with his explosives

Until the irate travellers take him out.

When it blows, ain't it thrilling,

Though your nuts get a grilling.

He'll frolic and play the Jihadi way,

Walking in a bomber's underwear.

Christmas Wish List to Congress

A tip of the hat to The Water Cooler for this great post!

A Christmas Wish List from the American Taxpayer
All We Want for Christmas is…

Support and respect for our troops in harm’s way
Military tribunals for war criminals
J-O-B-S
Common sense, practical domestic policy
Respectable, consistent foreign policy
Intellectual honesty about the child in the womb of every pregnant woman
Sound environmental policy that doesn’t use fear to force an agenda
Respect for life at all stages from the developing child to the elderly
Respect for and adherence to the U.S. Constitution
Firing of radical Czars—starting with “unsafe” Kevin Jennings
Economic recovery that doesn’t involve government takeover
Health care reform that doesn’t involve fiscal and moral bankruptcy
Protection of our conscientious rights
Transparency, transparency, transparency
A responsible and humble governing body in the U.S.
An end to corruption, bullying & closed door deals
Our employees to uphold their oath of office
Respect for what “We the People” have to say
NEW FACES in certain congressional seats next year


“Government is not reason, it is not eloquent—it is a force. Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.” - George Washington

Tales from the Sidewalk

The Million Med March in St. Louis, November 21, 2009. One of 23 simultaneous rallies over the entire nation and sponsored by Docs4PatientCare and MillionMedMarch.

On Sundays the North County Patriots meet for street side demonstration from 3-4:30 PM along North Lindbergh. Today we had enough patriots that we were able to send people to both sides of the street. We had an entire family, right down to Grandma , join us for the first time. A first happened today when a lady drove up and presented our group with several gift cards from a local restaurant she had purchased for us as a Thank-you for standing for conservative values week after week in all kinds of weather!

Health Care Bill!

Yesterday I had the privilege to be a part of the Million Med March that took place all across the US at noon in 23+ cities. Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and our patients came together to protest the takeover of 17% of our gross national product under the guise of improving health care in the United States. We already have the best health care in the world and a total takeover in the name of a fix is not what we need. As one speaker pointed out, if the kitchen sink was dripping you would fix it and not remodel the entire kitchen! So should it be with health care in the USA.

There are certainly places to fix in what we currently have, but these do not require an entire gutting of the system. If there is fraud and waste in the Medicare and Medicaid system, FIX IT NOW. If there needs to be tort reform, FIX IT NOW. If Health Savings Accounts will allow young people to buy catastrophic insurance and self insure for mundane medical events, KEEP THIS OPTION! There is no precedent for the federal government forcing anyone to have insurance for anything! Yes, the federal government has a flood insurance program, but it is voluntary. If you don't have it and you sustain a loss in a flood, you are holding the bag for restoration or a new place to live. STATES require minimal automobile insurance coverage to protect the owner from the liability of damage that they cause to another. The idea of fines and jail sentences for not having health insurance is unprecedented and could be deemed unconstitutional.

And for the final affront to you and me, costs of these programs that are being forced on us by the federal government will be pushed off to the individual states to fund. The states will be responsible for the increased numbers of people who will be pushed onto Medicaid and other public programs for their health care. Guess where the states will get their money for this?? You betcha...you and I will be paying more for both our state and federal taxes and you can bet your bottom dollar (and we are getting right down to that) that we will be getting a lot less for our money. Sure you can keep your doctor if you like them......as long as they stay in practice. Sure you can keep your health plan if you like it......as long as NOTHING is changed in your plan or as long as your employer decides to provide it rather than pay a fine that might actually save them some money. After all, you aren't left in the lurch......Now there is a public option for you!

A highlight of the afternoon was the appearance of Health Care Bill who exemplified all that is wrong with the legislation that proposes to fix our health care.

Major Hasan and Obama's Moral Dilemma

In the wake of the Ft. Hood shootings by Major Nidal Malik Hasan, Soldier of Allah, the military has chosen to charge this home grown terrorist with 13 counts of premeditated murder. (This should be 14 cases, as one of the slain soldiers was a pregnant woman, but in keeping with the mindset of the Obama administration the unborn don't count.) The charges leveled against Maj. Hasan carry the death penalty and he will be tried in a courts-martial. This decision is interesting as President Obama will have to sign off on the death penalty in order for it to be carried out.

This raises a dilemma for our president who is the amalgamation of all things politically correct. While he is fiddling around, Afghanistan is burning and this week he assured the people of Ft. Hood that all questions will be answered and justice will be carried out. Does he realize that in order for Major Nidal Malik Hasan to be executed, Barak Hussein Obama will have to agree to this?

According to the Manual for Courts-Martial United States 2008 Edition:
Rule 1207. Sentences requiring approval by the President:
No part of a court-martial sentence extending to death may be executed until approved by the President.

This could give our president yet another opportunity to throw America under the bus. If the military court finds Major Hasan guilty as charged and directs that he be executed, the president will have to have a mental conversation that might go something like this........"Hmmm....if I order his death I am turning on my Islamic brothers, but if I do not agree to this order I will be viewed as a turncoat by the American people....Islam ....America....Islam......our military......Islam...." It may be that the tough decisions will not be made by anyone but our President who seemingly cannot make up his mind on anything.

Rolling on the River!

PT Cruiser clubs do it. Motorcycle clubs do it. Classic car clubs do it. Cyclists do it. What better to do on a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon with the high temperature a balmy 72 degrees than to take a road trip! So that is what the a group of St. Louis conservatives did yesterday. They got in their decorated cars and loosened their shoes so that their carbon footprints could expand and they took to the St. Louis County roads to bring the message of smaller government, lower taxes, no Cap and Trade and true health care reform rather than health care takeover to the rest of the citizens who were doing their Saturday things. The route covered 50 miles of the busiest roads in the county where visibility was maximum.

More than 30 cars gathered in South County or joined in at multiple drop-in points along the way for a Rolling Tea Party. There was, as usual, good camaraderie, prizes for the best decorated vehicle, and concern for the path that this administration is taking us. We had so much fun that it wouldn't surprise me if we do this again sometime.



Thanks for all who helped put this together including My Conservative Group and representatives from Smart Girl Politics, I Heard the People Say.org and The St. Louis Tea Party Coalition. The challenge for the future is to take this to Obama country in the land of Rep. Lacy Clay to wake up some of his constituents!

Have you said Thank You to a veteran?

This is a "thank you" to all the veterans of any age for the time and personal sacrifice that you gave from your own life for the cause of freedom. In particular, I would like to thank the Viet Nam veterans who were not thanked when they returned home and have been waiting over 30 years for proper respect. One of these veterans is my husband who volunteered (not drafted) for service in the Viet Nam war.

Another group of veterans to whom we still owe a great debt of gratitude are the dwindling number of World War II veterans who gave their all for the cause of world freedom. One of those is my uncle who is now 90. This fall, he came to visit us all the way from the other side of the country and during an evening around our kitchen table, he opened up with stories of his service in World War II that I had never before heard. My uncle told story after story of what he did during the war. Perhaps it is because he is nearing the end of his own life, or perhaps the doors were opened when he was asked to be the Grand Marshall at his local Memorial Day parade this year. And yes, this is really his old uniform, worn proudly. THANK YOU.

More fuzzy health care language from the administration

Harry Reid has the questionable language in his secret health care reform plan with the "public option opt out co-op." No one knows what is in the plan and apparently won't until the CBO scores the bill. The only real bill that exists presently is HR 3200 from the house of representatives and there are moderate democrats who are not happy with this. See this from Bart Stupak (D) Michigan......

Here is a member of Congress that "gets it!"

Representative Mike Rogers (R) of Michigan had the following to say about HR 3200 which is the house version of the Health Care Reform bill.



Thanks Representative Rogers!!

Guess what we did in the Senate yesterday?!

I love to visit Thomas, the government's website and internet record of what is going on in the House and Senate. Well, maybe I don't really LOVE to visit the site and perhaps recently it has made me a bit sick to my stomach, but like a gawker looking at an accident on the side of the road, I find myself drawn to Thomas like a moth to a flame.

With that in mind, there is a place on the site where one can click to see a summary of what happened the day before. I went there today and found the following bit of information about an important legislative act that was adopted on Monday October 19, 2009......S.Res.314 was passed on Monday by unanimous consent in the senate!!!

S.Res.314 designated the week of October 18, 2009 as "National Character Counts Week". This resolution was sponsored by none other than Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut....a Senator who exemplifies the highest of moral character. Senator Dodd was the sponsor and there were a paltry 15 co-sponsors to the resolution. I find it strange that all 100 senators weren't pig piling on to get their names associated with good character!! Or perhaps the 84 that did not co-sponsor this resolution were the honest men and women who knew that they didn't have the character they needed to be a valid co-sponsor.

Top 10 Reasons Never to Watch David Letterman Again

Holier than thou attitude against Governor Mark Sanford's dalliance.

Seems to have an attitude against women.

Grumpy old man.

Now I understand the vindictive Sarah Palin smears.

Now I understand the vendetta against Sarah Palin's daughters.

Poor role model for little Harry.

What a wonderful husband he is!

Never did like that space between his front teeth.

Explains his perverted behavior in an unapologetic and "hilarious" comedy monologue.

AND......The #1 reason I will not watch David Letterman again......

He plays the victim card after admitting that he is a predatory elitist male on the ultimate power trip.

A Tale of Two Managers

I just returned from one of the St. Louis Recess Rallies. I attended the Rally held outside the office of Missouri Congressman Russ Carnahan on the corner of Manchester and Brentwood. This is a busy major intersection with commercial and retail property on all corners. There were media estimates of 2000 people in attendance, with a smattering of Pro-Obamacare supporters represented as well. The crowd occupied the east and west sidewalks of Brentwood and the North corner of Manchester.

Protesters from both camps parked in commercial parking around the area and this is where my story begins.
About 30 minutes into the one hour rally, the manager of the Schnucks store came out and began to ask who the persons were who were responsible for the rally. He maintained that there were no places for his customers to park. Before taking my place with the ralliers, I had gone inside the Schnucks store and bought bottled water and snacks. $10 for an hour of parking is more than generous and represents $10 of commerce that the store would not have had if I had parked elsewhere. Fact is, there were few shoppers in the store when I went in to make my purchases. He was sour and unpleasant to everyone he encountered regardless of their side on the issue. He also asked someone why this intersection was chosen for the "protest." I guess he didn't even realize that Russ Carnahan had an office in the building across the street.

In the same strip mall as the Schnucks store, there are also about 5 or 6 much smaller stores including a Mr. Goodcents Sub Sandwich Shop. They looked out the window of their shop, saw the same full parking lot and the same crowd of people milling around on the sidewalk and instead of lemons, they made lemonade! The manager sent two employees out on the sidewalks with hands full of coupons for a free beverage and chips with the purchase of a half sub sandwich. His employees handed them out to as many people as possible and when they exhausted their supply, they went back to the shop for more and returned with trays of little cut-up assorted sub sandwiches for EVERYONE to enjoy with the hope that perhaps some would come in for a bite when the rally was over!

And, they did....Conservatives are quick to reward the entrepreneurial spirit and a trickle of demonstrators began to steadily make their way to the shop for lunch. We had all talked about where we would go at 1 PM when the rally ended and this made the decision simple and easy! Sub sandwiches, chips and a drink, served by friendly, eager employees who had taken ownership of a situation and turned it into an opportunity.

If the Schnucks manager had any sense or spirit, he could have done the same with something to woo people into the store before, during or after the rally and capitalize on the crowd in front of his establishment. There was a food demonstrator in the store giving out samples of a new Nature Valley Granola snack and coupons for 75 cents off the purchase of one bag when I was in the store shopping. They were yummy and I took advantage of the coupon to buy a bag for myself. He could have sent that lady outside to give out her samples and coupons. He could have sent a cart boy or a clerk outside with a grocery cart full of assorted beverages to sell. He's the manager, he's the boss, he could have done something other than stew.

So hats off to Kyle Gilbertson, manager of Mr. Goodcents Subs and Pastas at 8820 Manchester Road St. Louis, MO 63144. One of his employees also made sure that we knew that Mr. Goodcents also caters and delivers for events and meetings, should we need something in that line and sent me home with a catering menu and price list! These are my kind of young people!

Are You Stimulated Yet??

Since all politics is local, it is time to ask if you are seeing the effects of the stimulus monies doled out 6 months ago. At the time of the stimulus, several state governors elected NOT to accept some of the stimulus money because of the future financial burden that acceptance would create for the state. As I recall, these people, including Sarah Palin, were roundly ridiculed for their stance. The big strings were poo-pooed by proponents of the stimulus. These were the same proponents of Cash for Clunkers, Single Payer health care, bail outs for car companies and all the other Obama proposals that create greater dependance on the government.

As people are beginning to address the impact of the stiumlus bill, it was interesting to read in The St. Louis Business Journal that Missouri will "miss out" on $133 Million for unemployment. Why??? It is because of those big strings.... and I applaud the actions of the Missouri legislature in having the foresight and also the guts to look into the future and effectively say, "Thanks but no thanks."

In May 2009, a bill was passed by the Missouri legislature that extended unemployment benefits to Missourians who lost their jobs due to family issues such as death, illness, spousal abuse, and also extended the duration of benefits to those in training programs from 26 weeks to 52 weeks, with this extension being covered by monies from the Stimulus Bill. This will not happen, however, as the US Department of Labor has determined that this legislation does not qualify for the state to receive $133 M from the Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AKA Porkulus Bill).

The big strings that nixed this enhancement to the Missouri unemployment law are that stimulus funded programs like this MUST CONTINE AFTER THE STIMULUS FUNDING EXPIRES IN 2 YEARS. The Missouri legislature realized that once the funding was gone, the expanded unemployment funding would have to be borne by Missouri taxpayers and businesses.
At the risk of not getting the stimulus monies, the legislators put a provision in the legislation that required that these benefits be renewed next year rather than making them permanent. So, POOF...all gone....typical of the non-stimulating "my way or the highway" position of the Obamacracy.

So Missouri is not very stimulating today in spite of the fact that there are many people in the state who would benefit from the good this stimulus money could do. To date, 71,298 Missourians have filed initial unemployment claims and the state unemployment rate is 9.3%.

I Call BS on You Can Keep Your Own Doctor and Health Plan

This is what is really bubbling under the surface of HR3200, which is the only health care bill we are allowed to discuss (and then only if you agree).




This morning I was going to attend Senator Clarie McCaskill's Listening Tour. I sent my RSVP and received a confirmation notice. I even sent a question that I hoped would be answered. The question was respectful and, I thought, substantive. Over the weekend, we received word that the meeting has been cancelled due to "safety issues". You be the judge of this one!

The White House Wants YOU....to report "fishy" stuff

This video says it all......

SEIU--They even turn on themselves!!!

When your membership is formed of the lowest of the low, it must be very hard to corral those thuggish tendencies, even on your home turf.

Open Letter to SEIU Members and Leaders on the Violence at the Labor Notes Conference

by S.M.A.R.T.
Thursday Apr 17th, 2008 1:48 AM

As SEIU members who attended the Labor Notes conference held on April 11-13, 2008 in Dearborn, Michigan, we denounce the attempts by SEIU International to violently disrupt a fundraising banquet on Saturday, April 12 attended by nearly one thousand labor activists from around the world who gathered to discuss ways to rebuild labor’s power.

Seven busloads of SEIU staff and members (mostly from SEIU Healthcare Michigan and SEIU District 1199 WV/OH/KY) stormed the hotel to disrupt the event, allegedly to protest the scheduled keynote speech by Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive Director of the California Nurses Association. The CNA and SEIU have been engaged in a years-long conflict over organizing jurisdiction. The dispute has resulted in CNA efforts to undermine union elections with SEIU, and accusations that SEIU has sent staff to intimidate and harass CNA leaders in their homes and workplaces.

The violent action taken by some in SEIU on this night only worsened this inter-union dispute, in which workers are the big losers. It succeeded only in alienating many of the labor leaders at the event who did not agree with the CNA’s actions in Ohio and Nevada.

When conference participants (mostly rank-and-filers from unions around the country) tried to stop protesters from disrupting the dinner, the protesters (including some SEIU staff) pushed their way through the crowd by throwing punches and shoving people to the ground. One UAW retiree who had organized strike support for American Axle workers that day was taken to the hospital with a head injury, and others suffered minor injuries. One protester rushed the stage and attempted to speak to the crowd.

Some of us saw an SEIU member, who had collapsed on the ground, being moved onto a stretcher by police and EMTs. On Sunday, SEIU's Michigan health care local posted an obituary for home healthcare member-David Smith. It informed Smith's co-workers that "he passed away....during a rally to give healthcare workers the right to organize in Ohio." It is tragic that a member died at this shameful protest.

This protest action by some in SEIU was an embarrassment to the labor movement. Rose Ann DeMoro had earlier announced she would not attend, a fact well-known by SEIU staff in attendance, some of whom later assisted protesters in their violent attempt at disruption. The action was unsuccessful at disrupting the rest of the conference, and the protester who spoke could not be understood by anyone. Most attendees were left offended and confused, and denounced the violence some protesters used against other rank-and-file workers. In the International SEIU’s Orwellian press release, International Executive Vice-President Mary Kay Henry states:

"Open debate serves an important role as we work to strengthen our movement. The Labor Notes Conference is the right time and place to discuss our differences."

But this action was clearly intended to harass and intimidate workers, not to promote discussion and debate about the future of our movement. In fact, several workshops at the conference encouraged debate and discussion of the very issues of concern within SEIU, including the escalating war between SEIU and CNA. Among the dozens of workshops held were:


Solidarity Under Attack
Running for Union Office
Contract Campaigns and Bargaining Tactics
Organizing Immigrant Workers; Organizing Right-to-Work States
Member-Driven Organizing
Neutrality Agreements and Organizing Deals
Innovative Organizing Strategies: Building Unions from the Bottom Up
Patients’ Rights, Workers’ Rights
Labor Media and New Technology
Democracy is Power

These topics and more were the subject of discussion and debate all weekend at the Labor Notes conference, with full participation by SEIU members and staff. Some SEIU members and staff were disruptive and rude in these discussions, and later participated in the violent attempt to disrupt the fundraising dinner, which honored striking American Axle workers in UAW, the New York Taxi Drivers’ Alliance, United Workers Baltimore, and John Sferazo, an ironworker who helped search for survivors at the World Trade Center.

From our own conversations with SEIU protesters at the conference, we learned that many had no idea they were protesting an international labor activists' conference. Staff appeared to lead the action (sometimes wearing bandannas to hide their identity) with workers following in tow who may or may not have understood what and who they were protesting. The organizers of this action put their own members and other rank-and-file union workers in harms way for an action that was a humiliating failure without any message.

As SEIU members, we believe it was precisely open debate and discussion that were the target of this hostile attack. SEIU International does not want workers learning how to build real power in our shops and in our union. SEU International does not want an open debate about democracy or worker empowerment. The International wants us to know that we become targets when we talk about democracy, worker power, and the future of the labor movement. They will evidently embrace the crudest tactics, using violence to make their point.

SEIU International failed to disrupt the conference, and will fail to silence us as members.

We call on Mary Kay Henry and SEIU International to denounce the use of violence, and specifically denounce the violent actions taken against us and other rank-and-file union workers at the Labor Notes conference on April 12, 2008.

We further call on SEIU International and Executive Vice-President Mary Kay Henry to demonstrate that “open debate serves an important role as we work to strengthen our movement.” An open debate has never been encouraged at an International level in SEIU to discuss these issues, which are critical to our future. If Mary Kay and our International leaders want to demonstrate their credibility, they will entertain exactly such a debate and discussion among our membership at the 2008 Convention.

We also call upon SEIU’s rank and file members to denounce the SEIU International’s use violence and to tell the International Officers of SEIU that we will not tolerate the use of our union dues to attack rank-and-file union members. We are proud to be members of SEIU and call upon our International leadership to put SEIU back on the right path as a growing, dynamic member-driven union.

Sincerely,

Brian Cruz
City College of San Francisco
SEIU 2008 International Convention Delegate
SEIU Local 1021

Joe Iosbaker
Chief Steward, University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC)
Executive Board Member
SEIU Local 73

Helen York-Jones
Chief Steward, CPMC Medical Center
SEIU 2008 International Convention Delegate
SEIU UHW-West Executive Board Vice-President
(Boycotted the fundraising banquet portion of the conference to protest CNA’s actions in Ohio and Nevada)

Zev Kvitky
President and Executive Director, SEIU Local 2007
Higher Education Workers-CA
SEIU California State Council

Maya Morris
Steward, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, CHW
SEIU 2008 International Convention Delegate
SEIU UHW-West Executive Board Vice-President
(Boycotted the fundraising banquet portion of the conference to protest CNA’s actions in Ohio and Nevada)

Randy Evans
Steward, University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC) Medical Center
SEIU Local 73

Resettlement and Internment Camps??

The US Army National Guard has a job posting on Monster.com looking for a Resettlement/Internment specialist. I have asked several people to independently look at the job description and tell me what this specialist will be doing. The following ideas have been proffered: replacement facility for Gitmo, disaster relief facilities over the country, or....a real interment camp for political opponents and dissidents. At first glance the last option prompts a tin foil hat response, however if you look back at the things that Obama has done during his first 200 days, it gives one pause for reflection. One thing is clear, is that Obama has been perfectly clear about what he wanted to do.

Candidate Obama clearly stated that there was a place for a civilian army that rivaled the military.




Janet Napolitano and Homeland Security issued a statement entitled Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment, defining right wing extremists.

* (U) Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

In the Cash for Clunkers program, when a dealer logs on to cars.gov and checks the box that states agreement with the terms of service, a dialog box opens with a sinister warning that the contents of the computer are now the property of the government....but that is after the box is checked!

The Health Care Reform bill HR3200 allows access to personal financial information in Section 1173A page 58 Lines 5-13 under the guise to being able to, in real time, determine an individual's financial responsibility at the time of service.

Whitehouse.gov has asked for us to provide information about people who are spreading disinformation, ("fishy stuff") and that information, including email addresses and contact information for the sender are retrievable including the content of these emails.

Given the above, why not an internment camp for citizens???

Play it Again, Sam--Once More With Feeling

Back in October, 2008, before "The One" was ever elected, I published a post that took a position against the TARP Bailout. The TARP failure started the Whack-A-Mole frenzy in throwing money at anything that fails or looks like it is failing. The responsibility for TARP rests with then-President Bush, the Democrat-controlled Congress, and the pusillanimous responses of several Republican dinosaurs, including turncoat Arlen Specter, John McCain and his lapdog Lindsey Graham, and the wussy-sisters Snowe and Collins from the great Northeast. The first salvo of the "Dire-Emergency-Hurry-Up-and-Pass-the-Bill-or-the-World-Will-End" legislation was fired. At that point we were just seeing the tip of the impending iceberg careening toward us and, like the Titanic, there was a great deal of denial that the iceberg was even there.

In that blog post, I hesitantly mentioned the Cloward-Piven Strategy and noted that the climate in the country looked like a prime target for the picking. Now in looking back, I regret that I was not more forceful in calling out our government and not being more willing to look like a whack job in illustrating how we were walking right down the path to socialism. My post was at least 10 days prior to the election but my blog had only been in existence for a couple of months, so I am sure that it was not seen by many people (or maybe no one). Now that my blog is more "mature" I am hoping that more people will see it and perhaps, now that more water has gone under the bridge, it will be clearer to readers that we are in dire straits in this country and every concerned citizen MUST become familiar with the Cloward-Piven Strategy in order to see what has been escalating since November 5, 2008.

The Cloward-Piven Strategy was first put forth in the 1960's and the roots of the strategy have been burrowing for more than 40 years.

First proposed in 1966 and named after sociologists Richard Andrew Cloward and Frances Fox Piven, the "Cloward-Piven Strategy" seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse.

Now the Cloward-Piven vine is rapidly propagating like Kudzu in the south. Wrapping its tentacles and runners everywhere--banks, car companies, mortgages, health care, energy, the census, volunteerism and even our identities--to eventually engulf and destroy everything it touches. In an unprecedented political move, candidate Barack Obama did the unthinkable. He told us EXACTLY what he was going to do and then DID IT. He said that he would involve community organizers in framing his administration, that he would transform the entire country, that we needed a citizen ARMY that is the equivalent of the military, etc. We now have a battalion of Czars who are accountable to no one except the president and who are empowered to oversee all aspects of our lives. These Czars are some of the most left-leaning individuals in our country and they have a clear agenda of destroying capitalism.



No one paid any attention. The lemmings thought that his words were just campaign blather and elected him. Now we must live with buyer's remorse until we can rid ourselves of the cancer that is metastasizing all over our nation.

It is time for EVERY concerned citizen to wake up and smell the coffee before we are covered by political kudzu. The August recess is a prime time for all of us to access our legislators when they return to their districts and must face our wrath. We are being systematically stripped of our freedoms, rights and identity to be "CHANGED" to passive automatons looking to the government for everything. Soon "Give us this day our daily bread" will no longer have a theological perspective.

Green Green is Green They Say....

Everything is green, there are green shoots sprouting in the economy (weeds, methinks) and every bill comes with some statement about how this company or that is trying to be greener. AmerenUE is being so green that they are asking the Missouri utilities commission for an 18% rate hike for its electric customers. Now, they minimize this by saying that this represents a paltry 50 cents per DAY increase, but that is $15 per MONTH and $180 per YEAR. Those numbers don't look so paltry!

In the mail last night, I got a progress report from AmerenUE telling us all about the good things they have done to improve our electric service, such as trimming more trees, burying the most vulnerable above ground lines and inspecting their lines more often to minimize power outages and interruptions. In addition, they directed me to their energy efficiency website so that I could see how much I could save on my electric bill by running my dishwasher full and then essentially drying my dishes rather than having the dishwasher do it, or how about setting my refrigerator a little higher so that my left overs and milk go South a day or two earlier. (I suspect that my energy savings will be offset by my increase in my food bill). The best, yet, though is their big push for CFL lightbulbs. They have all sorts of information on their website extolling the energy savings of the CFL bulbs.

I fell for the CFL bulbs several years ago and put them into my lamps and in the ceiling fixtures in my closets. Now I have to squint and strain to read in the evening (helping optometrists and ophthalmologists) and when I pick out my clothes, brown, navy blue and black look almost the same...but what the heck, I am being green. The best thing, however, is that on their website in the Q and A about the CFL lightbulbs they indicate that you should consult the EPA for instructions in how to dispose of burned out CFL bulbs. I did that and followed the steps for finding out the local recyclers in my area and guess what----THERE AREN'T ANY!! There is a center that accepts the bulbs in St. Charles county, but this is for St. Charles County residents only. After listing the sites in Missouri, there is a little fine print that says that some of the centers will accept CFL's from non-residents FOR A FEE!!!

I did find out, however, that Home Depot will accept CFL's for recycling at their stores...THANK YOU, HOME DEPOT.

Then there are the questions about what to do and how to clean up a broken CFL. Again, the EPA comes to the rescue with a 6 step process for cleaning up a hazardous waste spill in your house! That is because the CFL's contain mercury. You know, that slithery silvery substance that used to be in thermometers in every school room in America. That wondrefully mysterious substance that generations of kids knew would make your nickles, dimes, quarters and half dollars shiny and new looking again! They took mercury out of the thermometers and we can't eat fish because of mercury content, but, hey...if its green we can all reintroduce mercury into our light bulbs all over the house in the name of climate change....

From the EPA's own website comes this justification:

Why the EPA, DOE and others are promoting the use of CFLs

CFLs use significantly less energy than traditional light bulbs (75% less). If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 800,000 cars. And even though CFLs contain a small amount of mercury that could ultimately end up in the environment, that amount is significantly less than the amount of mercury avoided as a result of the energy savings.

I think that our government has already been overexposed to mercury and that is why they are mad as hatters!

I. O. U.

At the top of my blog there is a ticker that perpetually updates the national debt and each individual's personal share of that debt. It has been spinning there since just after the election. When I first put it up there, "my" share of the national debt was $198,000. On July 23, as I was posting I noticed that it my share had risen to $202,000. Just two days later, my share is now $203,000. Just 6 months into the Obama administration and without Crap and Tax and Health Care Control---yes, just from the bailouts and Porkulus, my share of the national debt has risen $5000. At that rate of nearly $1000 a month, and looking at the way the administration is rushing to push through every massive spending bill, by the end of the first term (and we can only hope the last) in office, EACH of us could owe an additional $48,000 to the debt. According to census information for 2006, the median family income in the US was $58,407. This would mean that at the end of the first Obama term, the average family would have to work 5 years for each member of the family to pay the debt our country owes. Obama's economic plan is truly generational theft.

This rate of spending is truly unsustainable and those that support this should soon be UNELECTABLE......and the sooner Washington gets that message the better off we will be.

Health Care Reform--What You Don't Know but Should!

After hearing the POTUS with the TOTUS blather on in broad generalities about health care reform last night..."we need change , we need it now, the stars are aligned, the system is broken, I and the Congress have the best healthcare on the planet, oh, did I mention that I have the best healthcare on the planet...and I have a doctor that follows me around all of the time and, oh, by the way, you can take the cheap pill.", I received this from Smart Girl Politics about the things that are REALLY in the bill and you can make your own informed decisions. I know that it will take time to read all of this---that is why our legislators don't.... but it is worth it to arm ourselves with facts from the actual bill to combat the misinformation that we are being fed by the axis of evil...er... I meant the administration.

All 1017 pages of HR3200 can be accessed for your bathroom reading enjoyment.


Peter Fleckstein (aka Fleckman) is reading it and has been posting his findings on Twitter. Robert Wenzel from www.economicpolicyjournal.com has summarized Fleckstein's findings in his July 20, 2009 post. (Note: All comments are Fleckman's and remember that they are written for 140 character Tweets).

Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!!
Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benes u get
Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!
Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose UR HC Benefits 4 you. U have no choice!
PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided 2 ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise
Pg 58HC Bill - Govt will have real-time access 2 individs finances & a National ID Healthcard will b issued!
Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access 2 ur banks accts 4 elect. funds transfer
PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan 4 retirees and their families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN).
Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange 2 bring priv HC plans under Govt control.
PG 84 Sec 203 HC bill - Govt mandates ALL benefit pkgs 4 priv. HC plans in the Exchange
PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration ur Healthcare!PG 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill - Govt mandates linguistic approp svcs. Example - Translation 4 illegal aliens
Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps 2 sign up indiv. for Govt HC plan
PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs of Ben Levels 4 Plans. #AARP members - U Health care WILL b rationed-
PG 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill - Medicaid Eligible Indiv. will b automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice
PG 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt Monop
PG 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill - Doctors/ #AMA - The Govt will tell YOU what u can make.
PG 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into pub opt plan. NO CHOICE
PG 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay 4 HC 4 part time employees AND their families.
Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Emplyr w payroll 400k & above who does not prov. pub opt. pays 8% tax on all payroll
pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesnt prov. pub. opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll
Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesnt have acceptable HC accrdng 2 Govt will be taxed 2.5% of inc
Pg 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from indiv. taxes. (Americans will pay)
Pg 195 HC Bill -officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access 2 ALL Americans finan/pers recs
PG 203 Line 14-15 HC - "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" Yes, it says that
Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill Govt will reduce physician svcs 4 Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected
Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors, doesnt matter what specialty u have, you'll all be paid the same
PG 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr's time, prof judg, etc. Literally value of humans.
PG 265 Sec 1131 Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries
PG 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs
PG 272 SEC. 1145. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!
Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals 4 what Govt deems preventable readmissions. (MY NOTE: THEY ALREADY DO THIS!!)
Pg 298 Lines 9-11 Drs, treat a patient during initial admiss that results in a readmiss-Govt will penalize u.
Pg 317 L 13-20 OMG!! PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Drs. what/how much they can own.
Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand
Pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have oppt to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can u say ACORN?!!
Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 - Govt mandates estab. of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing
Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority 2 disqual Medicare Adv Plans, HMOs, etc. Forcing peeps in2 Govt plan
Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs ppl! WTF. My sis has down syndrome!!
Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy - Telehealth Advisory Cmtte. Can u say HC by phone?
PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life
Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory! (MY NOTE: THIS WILL PLEASE THE ATTORNEYS!)
PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Govt provides apprvd list of end of life resources, guiding u in death
PG 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program 4 orders 4 end of life. The Govt has a say in how ur life ends
Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An "adv. care planning consult" will b used frequently as patients health deteriorates
PG 429 Lines 10-12 "adv. care consultation" may incl an ORDER 4 end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOV
Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.
PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment u will have at end of life
Pg 469 - Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit orgs. Hello, ACORN Medical Svcs here!!?
Page 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment 2 a community-based org. Like ACORN?
PG 489 Sec 1308 The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. Which means they will insert Govt in2 ur marriage
Pg 494-498 Govt will cover Mental Health Svcs including defining, creating, rationing those svcs

These comments get us less than half way into the 1017 page bill...but this is what the Administration does not want we, the commoners, the unwashed masses to find out, which is why there is such a hurry to get this through. SLOW DOWN AND READ THE FINE PRINT.

Cap and Trade from the Small Business Perspective.....the McArthur Saga Continues

St. Louisans are proud of our new hometown hero---no, not Albert Pujols---Dave McArthur. Yesterday evening Dave made his national television debut on Glenn Beck's show on Fox News, but immediately afterward, he was also interviewed on Fox Business Channel's Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman. The common man did himself proud and he has become the next Mr. Smith to take on Washington.




Dave McArthur is now the person around whom a movement is beginning to coalesce. He has become a champion of small business against the Cap and Trade issue that could sound the death knell for many small businesses, particularly in the Midwest where 85% of our energy is coal based and as a result we will be paying dearly for our energy under Cap and Trade. Midwestern business will be hit hard, but so will all of the families of all economic standings every time they turn on a light, heat or cool their homes or go to the grocery store.

Cap and Trade has narrowly passed the House of Representatives and our voting block can be turned against those representatives who voted for it. 1/3 of the Senate and all of the representatives will be up for election in 2010. Every representative is potentially vulnerable in 2010 and this is the time to do some major house cleaning.

If it has been a while since you thought about the legislative process, think about this...The House of Representatives has a bill introduced. It is sent to committee for consideration, debate, and amendment. When it is in its final form, it is voted on by the committee and if passed, it moves to the floor where it is voted upon. This is how Cap and Trade rapidly moved through the House and was narrowly passed. Now Cap and Trade must go to the Senate for consideration. In the Senate, a similar process occurs and the bill goes to committee where it is again debated, marked up and it may be changed. When it is voted out of committee, it may be significantly different from the bill passed in the House. If the Senate passes a version of the bill that is different from that passed by the House of Representatives, then the bill goes to a conference committee composed of both Senators and Representatives. Here it is "perfected" and differences must be resolved before it is sent to the President for action.

This process gives all of us ample opportunity to be vocal all through the process. Senator Jim DeMint was on Laura Ingraham's radio show earlier this week and he clearly indicated that what gets the ear of a legislator is a barrage of loud voices with one point of view--this is a block of votes! A block of votes is what keeps a politician employed. A block of votes is what can also send a legislator home for good. Dave McArthur has the potential to deliver a block of votes that could send Russ Carnahan home in 2010 if Rep. Carnahan sells his constituents down the river in this Cap and Trade legislation. Those of us who scream at the TV have a new role model in Dave McArthur who got tired of talking to the TV and decided to take his point of view public where he has certainly gotten the ear of legislators and the media. BRAVO DAVE!!!!

St. Louis' Own David and Goliath Story

Since the passage of Cap and Trade in the US House of Representatives, St. Louisans have watched as a local David and Goliath story has been brewing. This story is about a real David who has left a mark on the local political machine. It all started when the House of Representatives rammed through the monstrous Cap and Trade bill on June 26 by a vote of 219-212.

In the brief run-up to passage of the bill, Missouri Representatives leaning toward or favoring the bill were bombarded with faxes, letters and phone calls from constituents asking them NOT to vote for the bill as Missouri (along with most of the central United States) is in the cross hairs of the cap and trade debacle due to the fact that electricity production in this part of the US is primarily coal based. The burden on the central US from cap and trade is predicted to be the most punitive and costly for the regular citizens and for businesses in this area. In the 2nd district of Missouri, Russ Carnahan (D) was one of the Cap and Trade proponents who was begged by constituents NOT to vote for the bill, but to no avail. Rep. Carnahan voted for Cap and Trade and the saga began....

The real David, Dave McArthur, of McArthur's Bakery, a family owned baking business that has been an icon in St. Louis for over 50 years stepped up to sling the first pebble. After Cap and Trade was passed, Dave wrote a letter to Rep. Carnahan expressing his displeasure and went one step further. He put notice on the marquee sign outside of his flagship bakery in South St. Louis County (in Carnahan's district) that "Russ Carnahan voted to ... close us and other ... small business." This salvo was but the first in a story that has snowballed to crescendo with Dave McArthur being enlisted to appear on Glenn Beck's TV show on Fox News on Thursday, 7/9/09.

It was only a very short time until Dave McArthur was contacted by Rep. Carnahan's staff asking that the sign come down and Dave and his brother Randy were invited to meet with Carnahan's staff. Dave told his story on a local talk radio station and garnered a large group of local supporters. Dave's brother Randy McArthur was tagged to speak at the St. Louis Independence Day Tea Party held in Washington Missouri. On 7/7/09, the story was picked up by Fox News and covered nationally. With the national coverage, the McArthur brothers have gained a national following, receiving supportive phone calls and emails from all over the country.

The much awaited meeting happened yesterday, 7/7/09 at Carnahan's district office and Rep. Carnahan did not attend....he sent his minions to meet with the McArthurs. In a rather astonishing exchange, Dave was told...."The bill is not law yet. It has to go to the Senate. In the Senate it will be perfected to be a good bill. The people that you need to talk to are your senators who will be dealing with the bill, Senator McCaskill and Senator Bond's staff." You can hear the entire discussion here at the bottom of the page, under AUDIO... 07.08 Dave McArthur.

Dave and his brother Randy are just ordinary small businessmen in St. Louis. They are not public speakers. They are little people just like Joe the Plumber who was catapulted into the limelight by asking a simple question of then candidate Obama last year. By using the bully pulpit of their marquee sign, they, too, have been thrust into the spotlight and have risen to the challenge by putting themselves and their business on the line for something that they believe in. This is true grass roots activism from the conservative perspective. You can be sure that Russ Carnahan will be watched carefully in the next weeks and months and he will be marked for ouster in 2010 by a growing group of small businessmen and constituents who are very unhappy that he has not served the interests of the people who put him in office.

Sarah Palin Declares Her Independence

Today, in a bombshell of an announcement, Alaska's governor Sarah Palin declared that not only would she not run for re-election for governor in 2010, but she would not finish out her term. In fact, she announced that she would turn over the reins of Alaska's government to Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell on July 26. The announcement was apparently a huge secret, the press conference was not announced far in advance, and the magnitude of the announcement sent the political wonks, Republican higher ups and Sarah Palin followers in general into a frenzy.

Her detractors gloated predictably

"It was an almost impossible mission, but in resigning from office with 17 months to go in her first term, Sarah Palin has made herself the bull goose loony of the GOP."

and some are waiting for the other shoe to drop ala Mark Sanford. More rational detractors opined that this was political suicide. The DNC already has pointed out that her decision is weak and the fodder for political ads is ready should she run for national office.

Her supporters say that this shows she is a real independent. They argue that her location in Alaskan isolation make any political aspirations all the more difficult to forge. The Governor has a book advance and is able to command speaking engagements which will further her ability to move her political aspirations ahead, but not while she is Governor of a distant state. Her legal expenses incurred in defending herself against frivolous charges have been a drain on the Palin personal resources and her family has borne the brunt of scathing smears from liberal detractors. All apparent reasons why she has taken the gamble of abdication.

A telling phrase from her press conference suggests that she may or may not continue to be a Republican loyalist, (payback for the trashing she received from her own party after the election was lost)

"I WILL support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the RIGHT reasons, and I don't care what party they're in or no party at all."

Perhaps she is positioning herself to be a part of an third party effort or an independent candidate.

Whatever the outcome, this is her personal Independence Day. She has rock star appeal when she appears publicly. She has a dedicated following of conservative men and women. She has secured some measure of financial security for herself and her family. She is young and still has a long political future ahead of her should she choose that path. She has paved the way for freedom to learn, write and polish her world view (that Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson felt that she did not possess). Margaret Thatcher, who is a fan of Sarah Palin, had to undergo a reformation to become more polished and properly spoken before she entered politics. Now Sarah Palin has the opportunity to do the same and whether she is a spokesperson or a fundraiser for conservative candidates or a candidate in her own right, Sarah Palin has now been set free.

The YOU SCARE ME Letter

I received this letter in an email from an acquaintance who suggested that I pass it on. It speaks for itself.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

By Lou Pritchett

Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.

You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.

You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.

You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.

You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America' crowd and deliver this message abroad.

You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.

You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.

You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.

You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.

You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.

You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.

You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.

You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.

Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.



Lou Pritchett



Note: Lou Pritchett is a former vice president of Procter & Gamble whose career at that company spanned 36 years before his retirement in 1989, and he is the author of the 1995 business book, Stop Paddling & Start Rocking the Boat. Mr. Pritchett confirmed that he was indeed the author of the much-circulated "open letter." “I did write the 'you scare me' letter. I sent it to the NY Times but they never acknowledged or published it. However, it hit the internet and according to the ‘experts’ has had over 500,000 hits

Good Nurses Make Good Doctors

While surfing the internet for sites with medical flavor, I was pleased to find a great site for nurses. SCRUBS is a refreshing and bright ezine where the needs of today's nurse are addressed. When I was a medical student and later a resident in obstetrics and gynecology, medicine was different th an it is practiced today. There was less technology and lots more hands on interaction with the patients. Some of the most valuable bedside lessons that I learned, however, did not happen at the hands of my professors, but rather from the nurses who spent hours at the patient's bedside. Old school nurses taught me to "read" the patient's body language as it changed in the course of their illness or labor, to talk with them in general conversation to find out more about their attitudes and personalities, and to individualize my care to the patient and try to define ways to make them compliant under hardship.

Today it is a different world in the field of health care and, in certain ways, the change has not been for the better. The role of the physician and the nurse are modified in ways that we could hardly have predicted 30 years ago. The nurse and the physician have new rules to abide by in terms of patient length of stay and appropriate testing. Much more is required of both physicians and nurses in our litiginous society. Technology has enabled both physicians and nurses to be impersonal with telemetry at the nursing station and the EMR, with its cookie cutter phrases and check marked boxes, replacing carefully written notes.

Scrubs provides information for all aspects of the nurse's life. There are health, money, humor and lifestyle features, inspirational stories and even a sassy doctor/nurse point/ counterpoint column in which a doctor and a nurse address a specific topic so that you can get inside the other's head and see where they are coming from! With Showtime's Nurse Jackie being promoted heavily in print and even on billboards, there are also an entertainment area. To check the pulse of the readership, polls are sprinkled over the site. For the nurse who is stretched too thin due to "staffing for census" or fatiqued from 12 hour shifts, this site is an oasis for rejuvenation and a reminder of why we chose the medical field in the first place.



Scrubs

License Bureau, Post Office...Healthcare???

As Barack Obama rolls out his ambitious agenda for the USSA and continues to spend our way to oblivion, some have questioned whether he will have to put some of his projects on the back burner as public sentiment and buyer's remorse starts to set in. Some have said that Cap and Trade may have to go on the back burner for the time being, but that health care may be "fixed" this year.

The issue of health care in the USSA has been a topic of great debate for literally decades. My father passed away in 1989 and years before that, in the early years of my career in medicine, he gave me a bumper sticker that said "If You Like the Post Office You Will Love National Health care." The issue of health care and what is wrong with it is complicated, crosses multiple sectors of the economy and I don't have the solution. What I do have is a caution.

Friday, 4/17/09, Red State's Jeff Emanuel had a post entitled, "Who Should have the Final Say About Your Medical Care: Your Doctor, or Government Bureaucrats?" In the article a young woman in Georgia who was severely disabled from birth and required intensive home care had her benefits cut by 15% over the objections of her physician. These benefits were from federal and state medicaid. The suit has been in the courts for several years and has worked its way to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals where the ruling was overturned and the courts ruled that the physician and not the bureaucratic machine should determine the patient's care.

Rhonda Meadows, commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Community Health,
immediately appealed the ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the Peach State. Her argument was that state officials, not doctors, should have final say in what treatments and care patients within their purview require. Florida and Alabama, which fall under the 11th Circuit’s jurisdiction and will have to abide by its ruling, filed an amicus brief with the Atlanta-based court.

Is this a glimpse of what government health care would look like? Those who are heavy weight on the system are cut back and left to wither and die?

Many hospitals today are employing ethicists. These ethicists are doctors who are employed to "help" families faced with end-of-life issues work through the emotional mine field of decision making . While at times, these decisions may seem clear, they become muddled when the ethicist is called in on behalf of the hospital to meet with the families because the patient's care has become long and costly...those high ticket patients whose hospitalizations have languished over long times, without an end in sight....these are patients who have become respirator dependent after a catastrophic event like a heart attack or stroke, who have had multiple complications after emergency major surgery or who have multiple comorbid conditions complicating what otherwise would have been a much simpler procedure. Many of these patients have Medicare or Medicaid and the reimbursement for their care is low. Many of these patients are patients for whom the hospital will have to eat large amounts of the bill. The growing use of the ethicist physician is in some ways a disturbing trend that could become more widely used in a government health system where rationing of resources must, by default, be used. What better group to ration but the "big ticket" patient who is burning through resources without an end in sight. The ethicist can be used to gently "help" the family see the folly of continuing the fight for an unworthy life and justify withholding of supportive measures. Where the line is to be drawn is anyone's guess, but it could well be a line that moves depending on the number of people to be served and the amount of resources available. Is a preemie's stay in the NICU justified? How about a 60 year old patient who needs coronary artery surgery? What if that same patient also is obese? What if that patient also has Type II diabetes? Where is the line drawn when a patient has a hip fracture or needs a hip replacement? What about a 300 pound woman who needs knee replacement due to wear and tear from chronic obesity? And where do organ transplants fall in the rationing plan? What about infertility treatments?

We have the best health care system in the world and we serve people from many countries who come here to have their medical care because they can't get it in a timely manner in their own countries. This has to say volumes about the present state of health care in America. Fixing it, like we have just "fixed" Chrysler and GM, will put government bureaucrats in charge of what you can get, where you can get it and when you will be able to get care. What will government single payer health care do to the access to drugs? Will we be regimented to a strict formulary where one medication fits all? As a resident, I trained in the City and County Hospitals where there was a government formulary and the number of medications available for our patients was severely limited. For example, there was one hormonal replacement medication. There was one brand of birth control pills available to patients. There were charcoal pills for post-op gas relief. If they worked, it was fine, but if not, too bad.

I hardly think that this kind of regimentation will be acceptable to the vast majority of American consumers who are accustomed to individualized treatment for most conditions and are accustomed to rapid access to expensive technology and diagnostic tests, but unless we wake up and smell the coffee, this could be your lot in life in the not too distant future.