Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Thursday, August 6. 2009Thursday morning linksOver-tax a city, and over-union an industry - and this is what you get. Detroit's feral houses. Global warming skepticism is now defined as a psychological ailment. Sheesh. Sad days at the University of Texas Racism redefined. Pajamas. They have to re-define it - or admit that racism is a thing of the past. The mythology of cash for clunkers. Furthermore, it increases the prices of used cars. No kidding. Reuters:
Gotta pass it before anybody knows what's in it. Meanwhile, the DNC released an ad "Enough of the Mob." That mob would be me. A bit surprising, but the mobs are also out in Massachusetts. (Confession: Maggie's Farm is paid millions by the Insurance Cartel and the RNC to oppose Socialism. We do it for the $.) The resistance grows. Am Thinker. It begins:
Never in the MSM: Obamacare will replace Medicare Honoring the disgusting Mary Robinson Carbon footprints are for the little people The O tells ACORN to argue with their neighbors and to get in peoples' faces. Nice. Americans need to sacrifice more for the common good. At Politico. So my 50% to the Feds and New York isn't enough? Not to mention my charity contributions...
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06:22
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Via Protein:
Wednesday, August 5. 2009Would controlling the prices of medicines harm pharm research?
Megan McA takes on Ezra Klein. America generates 90% of the new medicines for the world. There must be a reason for that. The reason is the mind-boggling creativity and inventiveness of free-market capitalism.
Being a loyal ObamaMinionThe Admin requests that all send the names of sites and organizations you wish to denounce to flag@whitehouse.gov. Enemies of The People? Being a loyal ObamaMinion, obediently following the directions of our Great One, I am sending this email as requested to the White House to report naysayers. I have criticized the various plans for ObamaCare, even though I am not fully aware of all their details since their drafters have protected me from seeing their thousands of pages of tiny-type, thus shielding me and my eyes from strain and saving medical costs as promised. My decades of experience and earned credentials in health care are, obviously, brainwashing me from grasping the opportunity to pay more for less. I won’t name names of my fellow critics at Maggies Farm, with similar claims to expertise, who use pseudonyms to either hide that they are secretly receiving large stipends from lobbyists or that they really don’t exist and have spent years constructing elaborate covers. In full spirit of cooperation I must also inform on my wife, raised under state-directed health care in Editor's note: Details on Health Care Snitches at Moonbattery. Should Maggie's be on the White House shit list? I doubt it: we're not important enuf. But we will try to keep the truth coming, as best we can. Image from Wizbang, who finds it creepy. I wonder what's with all the ghosts, and also what's up with the merging of the medical caduceus with the Obama logo? Is Obama supposed to be my doctor now, or WTH?
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11:12
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Weds. morning linksViking (whence Lucy image): "You got duped, America. Snookered, tricked, suckered, pwn3d." Related from Ace: Reverse Reagan: Obama Will Blow Up the Deficit So Enormously Even Conservatives Will Beg Him to Raise Taxes, to Stave off Fiscal Ruin Simple solution to jet lag. h/t, ? The strange story of America's First Lady The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Appalling Dynamite: The Power of Negative Thinking, from Nyquist. Nutmeggers can form their own militias. Cool. Those Russian subs are testing the O. They wanted to be detected. Mea culpa: I used the cash for clunkers
Guidance Counselor in Chief: The O wants everybody to go to college. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Woops, I almost forgot. It's not dumb: cheap money for college is political payback to academia.
At IBD:
How to participate in the government medicine debate. Hewitt Government medicine: How it becomes a political football. Medicaid in NY: City Journal "I am home with a bad case of poison ivy, so I had time to read 500 pages of the health care bill." A book: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism. Review at Front Page
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07:03
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Tuesday, August 4. 2009No answersTheir problem, from Dem Blame Game Keeps Backfiring:
The wealthier the country, the more people value their health. Call it narcissistic, or call it smart - it's what most people want - more life, and more functional life. Hence knee replacements and coronary artery stents for all. What's wrong with that? As everybody says, "All you have is your health." Nobody wants their health - or their disease - in the hands of politicians. Mark Levin lets it ripRead some of it yourselfMore of the Dem's health care bill, in its own words. The MSM is reporting nothing that is in this bill, and simply parroting the Dem talking points. We gotta read it ourselves. "Crisis of Confidence: America's Government Losing Faith in Out-of-Touch Constituents"Tuesday morning linksDems losing the health care debate Fun prank: The dissolving bikini The spike in obesity, explained Huge federal tax revenue drop. Solution? Raise taxes, of course. Says the WSJ today:
An Ohio health care town hall. I understand the Dem Plan B in our update. Regulate the insurance companies out of business, then the government can step in as savior. In Reagan's words: If it moves, tax it.
Schumer: You will get new health care no matter what. Meaning, I suppose, whether you want it or not. Thompson reports on a conference you probably missed:
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Monday, August 3. 2009The little people are revoltingRep Doggett says the public protests about government medicine only reinforce his determination to pass it. As Insty notes, it's happening all over the country, and I see no public push for this except from the politicians, who of course are wiser than us foolish little people who don't know what is best for us. Why I quit MedicareI opted out of being a Medicare "provider" several years ago. It saddened me, because I like working with seasoned citizens. However, they are now so accustomed to Medicare that the expectation that they should personally pay me for my time is anathema to many. Not to all, however. I have never refused to help a patient because of financial limits. However, entitlements turn otherwise proud grey-haired adults into... what? The last time I was accepting Medicare, they paid me around $70 for a lengthy office visit, less than my plumber charges me for the same thing. No disrespect for plumbers at all: I respect their skills very much. But what really put me over the top was their paperwork. Being a sole practioner who donates 1/3 of her time to teaching and a charity clinic, I could never afford a trained "Coder" to do insurance forms for me for $65,000/year (or more). Yet if I did the Medicare forms myself, I'd end up working for around $20/hr - spending more time on paperwork than seeing patients. Just check out the government manual for Medicare filing for doctors. Bear in mind that a form-filling error is a potential felony. My plumber has no such problems. Monday morning linksNewsweek tells us to get ready for polyamory How to save the economy. It's simple. The city of Altinum discovered. Scientists revolt against the warmening propagandists. A growing movement. Ellen Degeneris digs deep. Anchoress The decline of Britain. It begins:
Middle class tax hikes planned I notice that AVI has listed us as "very smart people." Wrong. We are mostly distinctly middlebrow and intellectually lazy. Sippican is "very smart people." Althouse on the weather:
In which the O admits plan to eliminate private insurance. Nothing but a power grab. It's the old story: Invent crisis, grab power from the people. As Tiger says:
Related, a reader sends an op-ed from the Greenwich (CT) Time. A quote from it:
Basic assumptions: Are terrorists warriors or criminals? Moving Gitmo prisoners to Kansas. How the White House is strong-arming the press Anti-trust is obsolete. Indeed it is. One quote:
Health care town halls received with hostility Cars, Bread, and now circuses too. Have we become sheep? Infantile delusions. Samuelson on California, quoted at Betsy:
While I disagree with 96% of Obama's agenda, I think this whole birther thing is nonsense. Critique peoples' policies and their assumptions. Ad hominems and smears are disgusting, even though the Left has no problem with using them, for example, with the latest Palin smears (Gosh, they must be terrified of her). As Surber comments:
Photos: These are popping up all over LA. LA?
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11:01
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20/20 takes on health careSunday, August 2. 2009A few Sunday linksThe coming boom in tax shelters What is wrong with AARP? Southern Baptists take on New England. Welcome, friends. We are tired of the UCC and the Episcopalians. They do not seem to focus on God any more. Does the O represent a new template? neoneo Re our cold summer, from Surber:
It is intended to be stimulating What's up with all the czars? h/t, Doug Ross Why you do not want to get cancer in Europe If Bush had an economy this bad, would he get this headline? What does "Let me be clear" mean? Revisiting Liar's Poker, with some thoughts about military officers. Volokh Via Riehl, a blog by a few Marine Corps officer candidates. Cool. The responsibility they take on is mind-boggling. Really good post on news, reporting blogs, Cronkite, etc., at Driscoll Ten reasons why America’s health care system is in better condition than you might suppose. Quoted at Viking:
Generations of debt. Human Events Dems re-do their sales pitch Related: Families and Small Businesses to be Taxed to Pay for Health Reform The obesity brouhaha: at WSJ, Obesity costs taxpayers. Freedom needs to include being fat, even if it is sometimes more offensive than free speech. Yes, one of the problems with getting government involved in medical care is that the State then has a financial interest in your life, and an excuse to try to control it. Thus checking kids' lunchboxes in the UK. Therefore, thank you for saying this, Mr. Steyn:
Is medical care a zero-sum game? From Pajamas:
Brussels Journal begins:
Photo: The Briar Bowl Tobacconist, 1950s. Maggie's Farm supports the responsible use and enjoyment of tobacco. Saturday, August 1. 2009Dead?A friend of a friend emailed this photo of an either dead or pixillated fellow in his whitey-tightys in the early morning rain in NYC's financial district this week:
Multicultural mass wedding, with little girlsJawa reports on a mass wedding, sponsored by Hamas, of what appear to be 450 pre-pubescent girls. You just have to put your multicultural hat on to appreciate the joy of this occasion. Video on that second link. The AFP article mentioned nothing about the ages of the girls, but did report:
These guys do not need to anticipate "When forty winters..." Friday, July 31. 2009Not right, not fair, and not AmericanFrom Insty, Tax Burden of Top 1% Now Exceeds That of Bottom 95%. The problem there is that there are too many people with no skin in the game, and it turns most of the population into members of a cargo cult, awaiting the arrival of their magic goodies. I am a flat-taxer: 13% on all income, for all. No deductions, no tax forms, no increases except temporarily in wartime. "I, I, I"Re Sen. Corker:
Friday mid-day linksPhoto is a Smart Car Betsy McCaughey's website, Defend Your Healthcare. She has read all of the bills. Related, Krauthammer says it's a tactical retreat, not a defeat How computer high-frequency trading makes it all more fair for all of us. Back in my youth, I remember how Wall Street worried that the introduction of the telephone would ruin trading - meaning the profits of traders. Brit research says boys are different from girls. Who'd a thunk it? McDonalds controls the entire beef business and it isn't grass fed. Chickens mature in 39 days instead of the usual 90. Video: Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change? It costs a lot to survive your heart attack. Do we care? Waxman and Pelosi: Imperfect Together. WSJ How the elderly are leading the fight against Obamacare Golf tournament fails to cure Crohn's Disease, once again. It begins:
A federal subsidy for "community organizers." Good grief. How about subsidizing some young producers instead of the professional parasites? Town Hall meetings are the new venue to emote Newspeak in Venezuela. Speech is dangerous for dictators. Related: Laws against blasphemy return to Ireland More on the Repub insurance reform plan. For one thing, it doesn't damage medicare. The plan to reach Socialized MedicineBarney Frank says: "I think if we get a good public option it could lead to single payer, and that's the best way to reach single payer." Via Wizbang:
Obama isn't telling the truth when he is trying to sell this thing. Thursday, July 30. 2009Thursday late afternoon linksI am headed for the beach and the healthy icy-cold salt water for the weekend. Beach scenery by Theo, who has tons of good stuff posted. A. Elmer Crowell's Cape Cod decoys Dalrymple: There is no right to health care. Population of illegals is dropping Why you ought to be able to buy a kidney. h/t, Cafe Hayek Do as the Green Gods say, not as they do Organic food isn't "healthy." h/t, Dr. Helen. We've been saying that for years. It's magical thinking, and a goofy fad. The O's Science Czar wants to give trees legal standing. The guy needs to get back on his meds. Our friend Sipp is featured in Cottages and Bungalows magazine - a magazine without which our truant Dylanologist cannot do. Repubs unveil their own medical insurance plan Peggy Noonan: Americans say slow down the hopey-changey Drudge notes that this is the 12th Obama Time Magazine cover photo in 12 months. Maybe they are reading the polls. Another prominent limo Lib has second thoughts. h/t, Riehl Reason TV: The case against college as an entitlement No, every other developed nation does not have government medical care Related, from Neo-neo:
Related: Paul Krugman blows it (video). h/t, Insty. No, Canadians do not like their medical system. Nor do the people of Massachusetts: they have a mess up there. From Marginal Rev:
People like Paul see market failure everywhere. Related: Pelosi says insurance companies are "the villains." Language like that is born of desperation. Related, from Luskin:
You know why, Dan. Power and control.
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19:39
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Tort reform: Where’s Waldo?In neither the House draft nor the various Senate drafts of health care legislation can one find any tort reform. According to reliable sources, the excess costs of “defensive medicine” due to providers’ fear of law suits is 9-10% of our total national health care spending. Just capping punitive damages has led to a 3.4% reduction in per capita health care spending in those states with caps. In
President Obama promised the AMA convention that he would support reasonable tort reform. So far, he like Waldo cannot be found on this issue. Patients do have a right to justice when due. Tort attorneys do not have a right to a cornucopia of claims.
News reports have followed the health industry players involvement in the legislative drafting, but nothing has been reported about tort lawyer lobbying. Perhaps they don’t have to lobby, as about half of Congressmen and Senators are lawyers, and only a very few are doctors.
On the other hand, if government runs all health care, try suing it. Ha!
Oh! Did I forget to mention that in the 2008 elections 76% of lawyers contributions went to Democrats, and 84% so far in the run-up to the 2010 elections? And, Oh My! Then there's this move in Congress of a $1.6-billion tax break for lawyers. Just what we need, having the government make it easier for lawyers to launch more frivolous or speculative cases.
Posted by Bruce Kesler
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16:39
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The mess in MaineLike Massachusetts, Maine decided to try its own government medical insurance plan. Betsy recounts the grim outcome of that effort. It's not your grandfather's Maine anymore. 23% of the state is on Medicaid - which is welfare. Whatever happened to the gritty, independent New Englanders? And why don't they pack up the U-Haul and move to Texas, where there are jobs, low taxes, and opportunities? Nobody imagines that a good job market will ever return to Maine with their current politics, taxation, and increasingly decadent culture. What are the people waiting for?
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16:00
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UglySome new disturbing info about ACORN (which recently has been the recipient of how many billions of "stimulus" money, and which is supposed to be part of taking the next census). This needs to be stopped. This is creepy.
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