The latest evolution of the health care monstrosity slinking through the Capital is just as dangerous as earlier versions. The House is considering a version that would supposedly allow doctors to negotiate prices with the government instead of the earlier plans that included set prices that amounted to price controls.

Price controls are a problem because they are historically unrealistic and, over the long run, produce shortages. When a company is forced to sell an item at a price below the cost of production, distribution, and profit they stop producing—resulting in a shortage. Price controls also cause shortages through overconsumption. Thomas Sowell in Basic Economics (pg 29) tells of wealthy people who did not even live in the city holding on to apartments covered under New York’s rent control laws. This reduced the number of apartments available for the poor who were supposed to benefit from the laws.

When one of the agents is the government, negotiated prices are price controls with a less offensive name. Control is negative and implies a use of force. Negotiation sounds warm and fuzzy, sitting down over coffee and biscotti, and seeking what is best for both parties. In order for a negotiation to be effective, and balanced, each must have something to offer and negotiate from an equal footing. When one agent is far more powerful than the other, negotiation quickly gives way to demand. How is anyone, other than a separate sovereign nation, to negotiate with the US government? This is not possible because the government will set the terms of the negotiation. This will quickly degenerate to hidden price controls along with the resulting shortages.

What our healthcare system needs is a healthy dose of free market economics. Our system has been under the boot of big government for too long; Mr. Obama and his cronies in the Congress want us to believe the solution is adding the other boot.

Recently a very influential local Republican expressed what he thought was key to winning the next election. He advised getting along and not fighting. While this last election was plagued with party infighting, what did the leadership think would happen when they ran a candidate with a long history of opposing the party? Were we, as loyal Republicans, to march in lockstep and vote for whomever they gave us? What about the parties responsibility to seek and field candidates that uphold the principles of the party?

(more…)

Isn’t it nice to live in a warmer, friendlier world? Sorry, I forgot a warmer world was bad—that pesky global warming and all. But at least the world we live in is so much friendlier than when George Bush was in office. I know North Korea is rattling its nukes, Iran has an unchecked nuclear program while in a near civil war and Pakistan is fighting for its life with the Taliban. Regardless of all this, according to a June 22nd article on Military.com we are going to fight a new gentle form of warfare in Afghanistan.

General Stanley McChrystal, commander of international forces in Afghanistan, has made two policy changes that will be sure to get soldiers killed and lengthen the war by years. He has said the new standard for success will not be how many insurgents are killed, but how many civilians are “shielded from violence.” Besides this, he will be issuing orders that troops are to break off fights with the enemy if the enemy are hiding in civilian homes. To have an order that is so blatantly bad from one I can only assume to be a fine, dedicated warrior can only mean it comes from higher up, perhaps the Commander in Chief.

Many of the bleeding hearts out there will be singing the praises of this new order, but I wonder what they say when it turns out to have the opposite effect. It is actually likely to get more civilians hurt because once the enemy knows that civilian homes are a safe place from which to launch attacks they will use more of these tactics. The US is in effect handing the civilians over to the mercy of the insurgents. When you face an enemy who will drive a bomb into a mass of civilians you do not give him a single place of safety. You must be willing to follow him anywhere and root him out. It is true that we want to win the hearts and minds of the population, but if President Karsai wants safety for his people he needs to find a way to strengthen his own army and mobilize them against the enemy.

Is anyone surprised that the military under our current Commander in Chief would limit our ability to win this war? After all liberal democrats are good at getting us into wars that last a long time. People often forget that is was the democrats who got us into Vietnam. I can only hope that our current Liberal in Chief isn’t setting our boys up for another bloody defeat.

This morning on the radio I heard an announcement that really irked me. Yes, it irked me. The announcer was reporting that gas prices were rising around the country, “but the good news is they are way below where they were a year ago.” Is that now the criteria for good news: things aren’t as bad as they have been. If Bush were still president we would be hearing of how the rich greedy oil companies are strangling our country. The news would be filled with reports of families choosing to do without medicine for their children because of the cost of gas—ringing alarms in gas prices and healthcare. With Barry in the White House there is this overwhelming urge to be nice and see the bright side. With Bush it was assumed that since he was from Texas that he must be permitting high oil prices. Since Obama has never run anything or worked in any industry but government then no one dreams he could effect oil prices. (more…)

In honor of Earth Day I made elaborate plans to celebrate with the proper behavior due such a solemn occasion. Since people were being asked to turn off their lights for a period of time to show their dedication to conserving energy and saving the planet from the evil of man’s devices, I intended to observe the day in a way that made much more sense.

I planned to spend the day with every light in the house turned on and extend my usual five minute shower until the hot water ran out. In the evening I was going to clean the dishes in the dishwasher rather than by hand and use the heat dry instead of air dry the dishes. Along with this, I would idle both cars in the driveway for a couple hours to consume what I felt was an appropriate amount of fossil fuels. In short, I planned to use the maximum resources, making my carbon footprint as big as possible.

In the end I did none of this. Not because of repentance or remorse, but because I forgot it was Earth Day. I went about my day normally, working to make a living for my family and to improve the world through meaningful employment. My original plan was to show the proper amount of respect for the Earth Day holiday. In the end I succeeded more than I could have imagined, because I ignored it and went on with my life. This is exactly what such a phony, hyped ‘holiday’ deserves.

That night my daughter reminded me that it was Earth Day and I had the opportunity to tell her the truth: “Eco-fascists are using alarmism to get people to give up their rights and freedoms. When the old Socialist revolution failed, authoritarian whack-jobs had to find another vehicle to remake the world in their image. This is not an effort to save the planet, but to make us submissive sheep.”

This is the perfect way to handle Earth Day, as an opportunity to share the truth with a young person about how fleeting are our freedoms, and how susceptible the masses are to propaganda.

Since November the Republican Party seems to be falling further into the political abyss. Rather than coming to terms with its departure from party principles under the neocons the party elite has muddied the water with name calling and finger pointing. There are those who want to point the finger at Sarah Palin as the reason for McCain’s loss. (more…)