We know this is impossible to sustain. It is actually impossible to even attempt. Any part of the health care system in this country would do irreparable harm to all those involved, most importantly the patients who depend upon the finest system in the world. It therefore cannot be allowed.

The “problem” the government is attempting to solve, is the claimed 47 million Americans without health insurance. It is not that they are getting poor care, or no care, but that they have to spend their own money on insurance. As someone who has been in that position before, I don’t really see a problem. I have had to go to a “Doc-in-a-box” and shell out $75 for the visit and another $50 for my prescription. I’m a reasonably healthy guy, so no big deal. Now, when I was hospitalized for what seemed like a heart attack, that is where health insurance came in handy.

A “best of both worlds” solution is the type of health insurance I have now. For just about $225 per month (and I’m a smoker with a pre-existing condition), I have $5 million in coverage from a very well known company. Preventative care, like checkups, is completely free, however there is a $5,000 deductible. The deductible is taken care of through the $75 per month added into my Health Savings Account (HSA). The HSA is administered through a debit card that I can use on any health related expense, even aspirin bought at my local grocery store. I can use it for glasses, or to have my teeth cleaned. I have excellent coverage, for right at $300 per month. I can use any doctor, and, the best part is, my rates are guaranteed not to go up for three years.

So, if we gave the assumed 47 million Americans the same health care insurance plan I have, which costs $3,600 per year, the total hit for the taxpayers to cover is $169.2 Billion dollars. That’s it. While expensive, it is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the trillions Obama would need to spend for national health care. And since I’m sure the number is inflated, the cost will only go down. And if the government pays my health insurance company directly each month for the rates, I’m sure a “group discount” would also apply.

We do not need to spend trillions of dollars. We do not need to have our entire health care system ruined in an attempt to provide coverage to 47 million people. All we need is $169 billion or less. Would my plan work? Absolutely. Would Obama accept this plan? Never. The reason is simple, they want power and control over the entire system. They are not looking to solve a problem.

So the next time you overhear some random, Obama bumper sticker wielding Liberal talk about how we need to nationalize the health system, hit him with this number $169 billion.

Red Dot in a Red State

There is no question that our country needs a comprehensive energy plan, but how much of it should be government controlled is the true problem we face. So far, we have done alright while mired in regulation after regulation, wild price swings caused by fiscal policy and flaky Arabs, and various attempts merely poking around the edges of an energy policy by various Presidents and congressional busybodies.

Obama is taking a different approach. Some will say “finally.” But then they really haven’t connected all the dots. Il Duce plans on completely starving this country for energy. There is no other alternative explanation. It goes way beyond drilling or Cap and Trade. So let’s take a look at everything so far.

First, he agrees with Congress on preventing drilling for oil. The Continental Shelf is still closed to the best fields, and what was opened in the last administration will soon become closed again. He has directed Ken Salazar to void leases in Utah, and the Department of Interior has begun a review of oil and gas leases sold under the Bush Administration. To add insult to injury, Congress is going to place another 2 Million acres off limits as nature preserves, many of which have known supplies of oil, gas, and oil shale.

The E.P.A.’s Lisa Jackson has begun the process of canceling mountaintop coal mining permits claiming concerns over the environmental impact. So there goes the most efficient way to extract coal. More than 200 current projects have been affected throughout Appalachia as well as thousands of jobs.

Well, what about nuclear? The President just de-funded the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage project, which has burned through almost $8 Billion dollars in it’s 22 years under construction. It would have provided a much safer place to store waste as the facility is over 1000 feet underground and more than 90 miles from civilization. While this might make Harry Reid and some NIMBY Nevada residents happy, it effectively kills additional nuclear reactors being built.

I’ve already posted about attempts to kill several renewable energy projects. Solar and wind farms are under attack as well as transmission lines necessary to carry electricity to population centers. It seems even solar power suffers from NIMBY syndrome.

That brings us to Cap and Trade, effectively the final blow to America’s dependence upon energy. This sinister piece of legislation not only taxes carbon-based fuels in our own country, it also places high import tariffs on imported fuels. Coincidentally, Canada is now looking at Asia as a much preferable market just to get away from our regulatory and tax induced mess. In fact, there will hardly be a country that would want to sell us coal, natural gas, and oil when this system goes into effect. Ethanol might help some at first, but at the expense of food prices. Eventually though, even ethanol won’t save us, and all we’ll have to show for the experiment is a far thinner waistline.

Of course, price will overcome opposition, that’s the law of supply and demand. The prices are going to go through the roof as our population grows and demands more energy. Eventually, rationing will occur, next, only the super-rich will be able to fuel their cars or light their homes. Unless someone invents a small, home-sized fusion generator, I’m afraid we are in for many dark nights.

Oh, someone in the back just asked a question about hydrogen. Hydrogen is a complete non-starter. It has been a way to provide hope, while wasting billions of dollars on an element which cannot supply energy, merely carry it. We might as well hang our hopes on Flubber. Some have written books on the subject, so I’ll suffice it to say that any competent physicist, chemist, or engineer should be able to put this one to rest in a few minutes. If you want to ask about it, I’ll be more than happy to answer questions.

Well, I’d better get to work building my basement methanol production facility so I can keep blogging. Unfortunately, there won’t be anyone who can read it. At least the stars will be easier to see again.

RedDotinaRedState

The President, Congress, and the Media are whipping up the American people into a National Hissy-Fit over AIG’s “bonuses”. Barney Frank wants their names, or he’ll subpoena AIG for them. Chucky-Cheese Schumer has promised to get the money back “one way or another.” The Media is running almost non-stop viewer statements of angry Americans who are apoplectic over these bonuses. I have never seen anything like it (more here). The closest was Congress and the Media beating up on the oil executives over “windfall profits” made at a time when gasoline cost over $4 per gallon.

It is obvious that Tim Geithner, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and the President knew about the pay structure of AIG. And these “bonuses” are a part of their pay structure. These are not some monetary version of the “cherry on top”, but are in fact an agreed upon portion of AIG’s payroll. Taxes will be paid on this money, well over a third, and probably half, of this money in fact will return to the Treasury (not the “American Taxpayer” – we will never see a dime). But, in the grand scheme of things – so what?

Congress agreed to bail out AIG. All they needed to do was suspend Mark-to-market accounting that drained AIG’s cash, but instead they handed the insurance giant a few huge checks. Congress did it without strings. Additional funding was provided for in the Stimulus Bill, and provisions included to exempt AIG (and other bailed-out corporations) from restrictions on meeting its payroll obligations. We fought and fought against this bill, however, it passed. Ironically, many – if not most, of the people who supported the Stimulus are now joining in this National Hissy-Fit.

Pardon me for a moment while I say…WE TOLD YOU SO!

Anyway, there is only ONE reason why the President and Congress began this Hissy-Fit. Class warfare. This was absolutely orchestrated and the Media, along with millions of Americans, fell for it hook…line…and sinker. Il Duce wants the average American to be beyond angry at bankers, Wall Street, and companies like AIG. He wants you to be angry at oil companies. He wants you to be jealous of Americans who earn more money than you.

He is playing you like a fiddle my friend.

Obama’s next step will be to subtly change his language to produce a distinction between those who work with their hands for a paycheck, and those who use intellect, or assets, to make a living. Bankers and Wall Street executives are a perfect target. The average American has no idea how the financial market works, nor can they comprehend the amount of money that flows through their hands. It does not matter how much these people work, or sacrificed to obtain their position. It does not matter how much education they have. It does not matter that these people are needed. It does not matter that they are our fellow citizens. To Il Duce, they are the enemy of the common worker, “the people”, and therefore, the State. The original Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, felt the same way and played the same game.

Socialism, and its evil twin Fascism, require that there is a distinction between workers and “the elite”. This distinction becomes a weapon to nationalize our financial institutions. It allows the criminalization of those who took risks with their assets, made loans, or created the widget everyone bought. With criminalization comes seizure of their “ill-gotten” assets to “return them to the American taxpayer.” When that happens, we will no longer be in a Representative Republic. Will will be in a Socialist State. Life in this country will be irrevocably altered, for the worse.

We need to wake up. WAKE UP! Stop giving in to these divisive hissy-fits. Call them what they are and fight to keep our country free. Please, don’t let me, as my last act of defiance before being arrested as a political dissident, type the words…”I TOLD YOU SO!”

A Red Dot in a Red State