Having it All

As a woman I know that I should be grateful to the Gloria Steinem’s of the world. They have made many more things possible for me. Justice O’Connor went to law school at a time when there would be no job waiting upon graduation. The question that I have been pondering lately is am I grateful?

The women’s movement came into full swing in the 60’s. The women of the day burnt bras and demanded to live as free as a man. Some wanted to live in the turbulent sixties forever. With the free love mentality, the accumulations of worldly goods are bad, and to sing Kumbaya for all eternity. We wanted equal treatment across the board. The problem is we are not equal. We never have been and never will be. Priorities are different for men and women, men are generally physically stronger, and the heavens know we display emotions differently.

What exactly have we gotten from this? The pill and abortion on demand are just two examples of this. Both have allowed women to have the same freedom sexually as a man. So the free love of the sixties has been able to continue. But since that time we have seen the rates of teenage pregnancies explode. Men abandoning their responsibilities as a father seem to be almost acceptable these days. Children are born today and the father is nothing more than a sperm donor. The cost of the freedom of free love is high. Women, who bring children into the world on their own, will have a much harder time financially. The hill she will climb will be that much steeper; especially if you are poor.

Women have been led to believe that they can have it all. Be free sexually, have a great career, raise children, and all the creature comforts that America can provide. Our children have paid the greatest price for this mentality. We have become a me oriented society that places high values on what we have instead of who we are. Our children have come to expect the $300 air jordans, the latest and greatest cell phone, the newest video game systems. The year-old game box is no longer good enough. We need to upgrade. We go out make our money and then buy the plasma TVs that we now use as babysitters for our children. We raise our kids to believe the same story that we were told 40 years ago. You can have it all.

Mother’s lives are so busy. Working, taking care of the home, tending to a marriage and children is how we spend our days. We feel guilt when we are not at work; we feel guilt when we are not at home. So basically we are running though our lives feeling guilty. That guilt justifies the facts our children are becoming ruder and more demanding. Go spend a day watching families interact in a mall today. Our kids demand not just stuff, but the good stuff. The guilt that many mom’s are living with make it possible to justify giving the clothes, buying the soda you don’t think they should have, allowing disrespectful behavior and just plain giving in as it is easier to stand your ground. Heaven forbid that we allow people to see our children have a temper tantrum. Let us just give them ice cream before dinner so they don’t cry. We don’t want a stranger to think we are a mean mommy.

Maybe it is time to realize that we can’t have it all. Not simply because we are women, but because of the responsibility we have to others. That is part of being a woman. Our nurturing side should be embraced, not dismissed as a weakness. We women need to stop feeling so guilty about saying no. Stand up and put your priorities in the proper order for your families needs. Make the tough choices and stand by them; and then maybe we can realize that we indeed can have it all, just not all at the same time.

Cap & Tax 8 - It is time for you to go

Here is a letter that I will be sending to Chairman Steele. I will be sending to NRCC Chairman Sessions, and to the now infamous Cap & Tax 8. My plan is to hand deliver copies to the Cap & Tax 8. Please join me in sending these letters. They need to know that we are mad as hell and won't take it anymore.


Michael Steele
Republican National Committee, Chairman
301 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Dear Chairman Steele:

I am very disturbed about the Cap & Tax bill that recently passed in the house. As you are aware, this bill is going to be very damaging to pocketbooks of all Americans. As a donor to the RNC I am on your e-mail list. I did not receive an e-mail from you when this bill was going up for a vote. I feel that your office has fallen down on your responsibilities to keep us aware of what is going on.
This bill is nothing more than yet another tax on Americans that we cannot afford. We are being taxed to death and are quickly becoming servants to the government that is supposed to be working for We the People. The congressmen who voted for this bill have forgotten who they work for. Me.
Above and beyond that transgression what is the most disturbing is the fact that this tax would not have passed without the help of 8 so called republicans:
Chris Smith – NJ has had a consistent record of voting with the democrats since they have taken control of the house.
Dave Reichert – WA has many union affiliations and liberal voting record.
Mary Bono-Mack – CA has more liberal leanings based on her voting record.
Mark Kirk – IL plans on running for a seat in the US Senate.
John McHugh – NY voted yes on stimulus package, a badge of shame.
Frank Lobiondo – NJ who wrongly considers himself part of the Reagan Revolution. President Reagan never would have voted for such a bill.
Leonard Lance – NJ ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility. There is nothing fiscally responsible about this bill.
Mike Castle – DE has a liberal voting record. It is time for him to find another line of work, or join the ranks of Senator Specter.
These 8 are an embarrassment to the values of the Republican Party. They have let down the voters of their districts and have let down the party. By passing this piece of legislation they have also let down Americans across the country. While we all realize that you cannot make anyone vote a certain way, you still have power. As re-election campaigns cost money. The funds that are raised by the national party as well as the RNCC need to be cut off for these people. They are not deserving of them.
I realize that this can turn the seats over to the democrats, but let us not be naïve. They are already voting as such anyway. What republicans across the country are requesting is that you find solid fiscal conservatives to run against these people in the upcoming primaries. We have had enough of republicans that have forgotten what the party stands for. We are looking to you for leadership and to find candidates that stand by fiscally conservative policies and have the backbone to resist the arm-twisting that is going on. We are no longer going to accept republicans that are really just democrat light. Our country is heading into a dangerous direction at lightening speed. Please put the money that people like myself has donated to you to better use than to re-elect congressmen that do not have the fiscal interests of the country at heart.
We are putting you, Chairman Sessions, and the Cap & Tax 8 on notice; we are mobilizing. Social networking sites are abuzz with the disgust we have towards the antipathy the party is showing towards our concerns and values. The tea parties will continue; and make no mistake they are directed at you as much as the democrats. Please advise the house members that they need to forgo the Dove Bars that are being given out in the speaker’s office and concentrate on getting the country’s fiscal house in order.

Regards,

Just a Conservative Girl.


CC: Pete Sessions, Chairman NRCC
Chris Smith
Dave Reichert
Mary Bono-Mack
Mark Kirk
John McHugh
Frank Lobiondo
Leonard Lance
Mike Castle

Cap & Trade Updates

Around 3:30 this morning another 300 pages were added to the bill. Giving the house members no time to read it. Haven't we been down this road before?

ENRON is an original sponsor of this bill. If that doesn't make you against it, I don't know what will.

Greenpeace says that this bill will do nothing to decrease emissions.


Obama's EPA is saying it may actually increase emissions.

The republicans asked to read the additional pages early this afternoon. They were told it wasn't available. What are they hiding?

In Spain, for every job green job that is created, 2.3 jobs are lost.

This bill is expected to reduce manufacturing jobs by 1.5% by the year 2012.

The Governor of Virginia said he wouldn't pass this bill in his state as it would hurt them competitively. The Governor of Virgina is also the DNC Chairman.

As of 4pm, they are 8 votes short.

From talking to other bloggers, the phones are so busy that you can't get through to congress. Keep trying!!!!

Newsvine, a part of MSNBC is 80% against Cap & Trade. As you can imagine, the posters on this site lean left.

A Call for Resignation

Governor Mark Sanford is latest politician to admit to having an extra-marital affair. He made a tearful confession apologizing to his wife and family. The apology to his wife is all well and good, but should not be made in public. That is something private between the two of them. The act in and of itself is also between them. Her decision to work out the problems or file for divorce is hers alone and should not be discussion for public consumption. She has been humiliated enough.

That being said, he needs to resign. We can start with the hypocrisy of his attitudes towards the actions of former President Clinton. He used his platform as a politician to state that the then President needed to leave office for the good of the country. With that logic, for the good of the state of South Carolina, he needs to live by his words. The Governor also took off without telling anyone where he was, let alone how he could be reached. Text messages and phone calls from his staff were left unanswered. The Lieutenant Governor had no way of reaching him and did not know where he was. What if there were an emergency? The Lt. Governor would have no power legally to do anything. Luckily for the people of that state that did not happen. The evidence seems to mounting that state funds were used to fund his forays to Argentina to meet his lover.

Gov. Sanford has stood on values of families, fiscal responsibility, and integrity. The Governor has lived up to those values until recently. He had promised he would not serve more than three terms as a congressman, when his third term came to an end he did indeed leave congress. Mr. Sanford stood up to the grossly irresponsible strings attached to the stimulus money. In the end he lost that battle, but not due to his own actions. Another troubling aspect of this story is that he was rumored to be on the short list for consideration of VP on the McCain ticket for president last year. We will never know for sure if he would have accepted the nomination, but what if he had? This type of information would blow up and turn an election into a joke. Obviously McCain lost the election, but that really isn’t the point.

I personally find this a depressing situation on many levels. I respect Governor Sanford’s form of leadership. I felt that he could be a future leader in the republican party and would have added a great deal to the debate in 2012 had he chosen to run for the nomination for president. His views on fiscal responsibility is exactly what this country needs; especially right now. I am making no judgment on his affair. These things happen all the time. But it does become a question of character. If you are willing to lie to people you love the most, you will lie to me; someone you don’t even know. I felt that President Clinton should have resigned and deserved to be impeached, so must Governor Sanford. President Clinton broke the law by committing perjury. Governor Sanford disregarded his responsibilities as Governor and left the people of South Carolina in a lurch in case of an emergency, and apparently used tax dollars for personal use. None of these things should be acceptable in our leaders. This isn’t about sex, it is about character. That is not too much to expect from our leaders.

Things that make you say hmm

The census questionnaire that we all are receiving next year is 28 pages. How many pages does it take to find out how many people live in your house? The constitution only requires a head count.

Barney Frank is still taking no responsibility for his actions in the housing crisis. Last night he told Bill O’Reilly that he only wanted to subsidize rental properties for the poor. In 2002 when the Bush administration was questioning Sallie and Freddie solvency his statement was very different. “Not facing any kind of financial hardship…” in 2003 He wanted to “roll the dice a little bit…” THANKS BARNEY.

The Atlanta 4th of July Tea Party permits have been pulled. The permit originally gave them permission to gather at property owned by Simon Properties. The owners of Simon Properties are very large donors of President Obama. They are currently looking for another place to hold the demonstration.

85% of the revenue from the cap & trade tax will go to special interests. This money had to be promised in order to get it a vote on the floor of the house tomorrow.

$27.5 billion is the amount for the stimulus package due to go shovel ready road projects. Remember, the bill that HAD to pass immediately. Only $191 million has been given to the states. Less than 1%.

Cap & Trade bill effect on your family:
Median electric bill $99.70 before bill - $180 after bill
Median water bill $68 before bill - $105.40 after bill
Median gas bill $167 before bill - $272 after bill


Cap & Trade will be voted on in the house tomorrow. Please call your Congressman


The Iranians have been disinvited to our 4th of July parties. Well, that will teach them!!

Unintended Consequences

I truly believe that vast majority of people who run for public office in this country does so because of a calling to serve a purpose higher than yourself. They are patriots who believe that one person can make difference in the world. I happen to believe that as well. The sad part is that once you reach a certain level, the power starts to corrupt, the ego becomes over-blown, and you can longer see the forest through the trees. The founders put in check and balances to our system to deal with this human failing.

Many laws that we pass start out for very good reasons. After the scare of lead paint in toys imported from China we passed tougher laws to protect our children. No one can complain that the government is trying to save our kids from lead poisoning. We passed a law Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) last year. This was done with all the right intentions. The unintended consequences are some ball point pens are now illegal, libraries have had to get rid of older books (printed before 1985), battery terminals on such products as ATV’s, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles are being outlawed. This law also includes baby clothing, toys and the like. The law requires very extensive testing before the products can be sold in this country. This has destroyed some small businesses. The extensive testing that is required is beyond what a small business can afford. They also leave themselves open to liability, so they have just closed their doors.

Many states around the country have been forced by the courts to increase the amount of money spent per pupil in the public school systems. In Kentucky the test scores of black students have actually fallen since the passing of the laws in 1989. In Wyoming the 1995 ruling forced the legislators to increase the funding to make the school system the “best”. They are now actually falling behind neighboring states even though the demographics are relatively the same. It has become abundantly clear that laws forcing the states to spend more money on public education are not the answer to woefully under-achieving school systems. The unintended consequence is that we have put even more stress on our state budgets, and have very little to show for the additional costs.

If our government makes decisions without thinking of the far reaching consequences that inevitably come down the road, why in heavens name would we trust them with something as important as our health care? How can any of us trust that it has been carefully thought through? Even the rhetoric seems disingenuous. We keep hearing that the number of people uninsured in this country is 47 million. This number is just not accurate. 10 million of these people are not US Citizens, 11 million of these people are eligible for government programs such as Medicare, and just have not signed up. Another large chunk of these people make more than $75,000 per year and CHOOSE not to have insurance. So this leaves about 15 million who actually are long-term uninsured. That means it is less than 4% of our population. We are going to over-haul our entire system for that small of a percentage?

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely believe that our system needs work. I have been in a situation with a major illness that caused a financial meltdown in my life. It took me eight years to climb out of that debt ridden hole. Even with everything that I went through with that illness and the after effects of my financial life afterwards, I still do not believe that socialized medicine is the answer. There are other things that we can do that will address some of these problems. Health savings accounts, vouchers for the chronically uninsured, and tort reform to name just three such choices.

The creditability of the administration saying that they are not looking for a single payer system is just not there. We are told that we will still have choice. That will not be the case if your job no longer offers the option of coverage. The majority of people in this country are employed by small businesses. If it behooves a small business to give a small pay raise and cut out the insurance that is not a choice. The President makes it seem that the choice will be ours. It will be our employers. We as a society need to ask ourselves if we want the systems that are currently in European countries and Canada. That will be the unintended consequence of President Obama’s health care plan.

Canadian Health Care Waiting Periods Report 2009

Make no mistake, the President is leading this country to a single payer health care system. this is what is waiting for you on the other side of this legislation.



Canadian Health Care Waiting Time Report 2009

Wait Time for Psychiatric Care in Canada in Weeks

Decision to treat: 6 weeks If your depression is very severe - you can be dead before your treated!!!!


Emergency Room Visits:

8.9 hours if admission not required
23.5 hours if admission is required

Wait Times:

Urinary incontinence: 82% of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks; Median wait in days 247

Pelvic pain: 77% of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks; Median wait in days 145

Bright red rectal bleeding: 43% of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks; Median wait in days 43

Total hip arthroplasty: 75% of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks; Median wait in days 247

Chronic diarrhea or constipation: 75% of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks; Median wait in days 260

Abnormal pre-menopausal uterine bleeding: 62% of pateints waiting longer than 18 weeks; Median wait in days 62

Median Wait Time from referral to treatment for Curative Cancer in Canada: 46 days.



Data from Wait Time Alliance at waittimealliance.ca

Things that make you say hmm

ACORN is changing it's name to Community Organizations International. Yes, that will solve the problems.



ACORN is suing the members of ACORN 8 and past whistleblowers.



5 of the top 10 attorneys (including the Attorney General himself) at the Justice Department cannot work on Guantanamo detainee issues due to conflict of interest problems. They represented 17 detainees while working for Covington & Burling. Who exactly is working on these issues then?



Approx. 200 Yemeni detainees will be sent from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a record of letting them go once they are "cured". Also, Saudi Arabia was put on the US List of countries that violate human rights one year ago. We can't keep them in Cuba because of human rights violations, yet we will send them to a country that does torture? This is respecting human rights?



Jennifer Daskal a new employee at the justice department sat in at a meeting at the white house for the families of the victims of the USS Cole bombing. Jennifer Daskal is a former attorney for Human Rights Watch. Her job there was to work for the release of the terrorists at Gitmo. Can you say conflict of interest?



During this same meeting the justice department was unable to tell the victims families definitely if we are at war with al Qaeda.



Rick Maya resigned his position of executive director of St. Hope. In his letter of resignation he talked about Mayor Kevin Johnson's ethical violations. These are the same violations that the fired Inspector General Walpin's report charged. Seems to back up the charges in Walpin's report. The FBI is now investigating for obstruction of justice charges due to deleted emails that were under subpoena.



The US Naval ship that is following the North Korean ship that may contain nuclear components is named USS John McCain. Does anyone else see the irony in that?

The Will of the People

Hillary Clinton said we need to wait and see what the will of the people was going to be in Iran. I would say that we are seeing the will of the people. Many people in Tehran, at least, don’t want Ahmadinejad to continue to be the president. I am not sure that Moussavi is a far better choice as far as US foreign policy is concerned. Moussavi is just as committed to continuing the nuclear program as Ahmadinejad. The reality is Iran is led by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader.

Much was made during the election of President Obama in regards to a new direction for our foreign policy. The President wants to sit and talk to other countries that we don’t have good relations with. The events that are playing out right now are making that much more difficult. The President is being boxed into a corner. Part of this is his own doing, his silence is becoming deafening. We have thousands of troops in the region, and it is his job to protect them. I would venture to say this is part of the reason for his silence. It has been made pretty clear that the Iranians have, at very least, supplied weapons to kill our troops in Iraq.

The US has always been a beacon of freedom. We need to continue to be that beacon to the world. While I agree that our president needs to protect our troops, we also need not to keep repeating the same mistakes in this region. When desert storm ended in 1991 and we pulled out of Iraq, part of the expectation was that we planted some seeds to allow the Iraqi people to stand up to Sadam Hussein. The Kurds were under the impression we would stand by them in their fight for a better and freer government. The US stood by while they were gassed by their own authoritarian president. This is the type of thing that has long lasting effects on the peoples in these countries. The natural instinct of humans is survival. Why would you put yourself in harms way if you think no one is willing to have your back.

The images coming out of Iran are very alarming. People are being beaten and shot, police are using nightsticks, tear gas, and water cannons to quell the protesters. It is growing more violent by the day. Have you noticed that some of the signs are written in English? That is no accident. The people are crying out to be heard around the world, not just in Iran. The bravery of the people who are out on the streets is Tehran is something that deserves comment. These people are literally putting their lives on the line to have a better life for themselves and their families. How can our President not say anything?

The comments from the President have ranged from we’ll see what happens to we shouldn’t be meddling. While it is true that we don’t have the right to meddle in other countries elections, that fact is that we are going to be accused of meddling anyway. That has already happened. The Supreme Leader has said that the people in the streets are not Iranians and are outside agitators. The President believes that by making a statement he will be playing into the statements coming from the Iranian government. I beg to differ Mr. President.

Our government, I am sure, has CIA operatives in or around the country of Iran. These operatives need to do everything that they can ensure that the internet and cell phone connections stay open. The repressive government of Iran needs to know that the eyes of the world are watching. We need our leaders to stand up and clearly say to the people who are risking everything:

We are in awe of your bravery – We salute you – We will be there for you if succeed in over-throwing your oppressive government.

Mr. President how exactly do you sit down with the government of Iran now without pre-conditions? They are killing their own people in the streets, how much more proof do you need that they are not interested in peace?

Sleepless Nights

I sometimes have problems sleeping. During these nights I normally will try and read, but sometimes my level of concentration is not there so I turn on the TV. I watched this preview of the latest “reality TV” show on Bravo. NYC Prep is the name. It is about teenagers in exclusive schools in New York City. All but one comes from very wealthy families. The absolute depravity of these kids is really disheartening. One of the girls on this show has parents who live in the Hamptons and come into the city to see their two children one night a week. She is 15 or 16 years old and basically lives on her own.

These kids all have fake ids, spend money like it is going out of style, and hook up with virtual strangers. One of the boys is 18 and seems like he is an arrogant SOB who has no direction for his life. These are kids that have every advantage and seem like they don’t realize how much better off they are than most other people. Granted they are young, but it is a truly sad commentary.

Bravo may as well just change their name to trash TV, because the vast majority of the programming is these shows. I will admit I am oddly addicted to Project Runway. I can’t really give you a reasonable explanation as to why, except I love watching the crazy outfits made out plants and recycled materials. But even on this show, the nastier and meaner you are it seems like the further you go in the competition, regardless of your talent. While watching this I was thinking what does this say about our society?

Are we really the people you see on those reality shows? Do we let our 16 year old children raise themselves? Is this our whole society or does Bravo just have a knack of finding the most bizarre examples of families? After all, the Maury show has been on for years. Jerry Springer has to find those people somewhere. I am not even sure if these two shows are still on, but they were on for a long time. As a conservative I am a firm believer in personal freedom. People can make the choices that are best for them and their families as they see fit as long as they are not breaking the law. But then you run into the issue of who is going to govern. After all, they are just me and you. Is that who is running our society? Are the guests from the Springer show the future leaders of our country? That was the thought that was running through my head while watching this. No wonder I can’t sleep.

Thou Do Protest Too Much

The Fox News Channel is being attacked yet again by President Obama. I am not exactly sure what his problem with Fox is. Well, I guess I do. The commentary done on Fox does lean to the right. That can’t be disputed. But to say “First of all, I’ve got one television station entirely devoted to attacking my administration”. Three of the main shows that get high ratings on Fox are commentary shows. The hosts are paid to give opinion. They are conservatives, what does the President expect them to say? Hey Mr. President, you going against everything that I believe in and I truly believe that your policies are endangering the future of the country, but great job.

The thing that I found funny about this is the fact that when President Bush was being reckless with spending, nominating Harriet Myers to the Supreme Court, giving bailouts to banks; they were saying the same type of things. This would lead one to conclude that the complaints are based solely on the conservative ideology and has nothing to do with the person. The same types of outcries were being made against a republican administration whose actions go against a conservative point of view.

President Obama has appeared on the Fox News Channel twice. He appeared once while he was in the senate, and once in the run up to election. I watched his interview with Bill O’Reilly. Bill was neither disrespectful nor underhanded during the interview. Fair questions on the issues important to the American people were asked. There was no outcry after the interview aired about unfair treatment. And I think we all remember after an interview between Chris Wallace and Former President Clinton the protests of bias and unfair treatment were loud and clear. Chris Wallace asked Clinton a very fair question regarding his administration’s record on Osama bin Laden. Apparently the former president felt that was an unfair question and stormed out of the studio after the interview.

Mr. President, please tell me what are you so afraid of? What exactly do you think that Fox is going to do to you? Won’t you just send out someone in your administration and use the line we have heard a little too often since your election; “we won”? Is it that you expect all news stations to swoon and get a tingly feeling up their legs at your every word? Your constant references to Fox News are unbecoming and have long since lost their humor. The constant attacks on a news organization are beginning to sound a little Nixonesque.

An Apology Made

Last night David Letterman made a second attempt at an apology to the Palin family. His first attempt fell way short. It lacked sincerity and understanding. His 2nd attempt hit the right cord. I had heard on the news that the apology would be airing on last night’s show, so I decided to watch. I felt that his apology was indeed sincere and did contain the empathy needed. It may very well be that he finally looked it as a parent and not a liberal leaning comedian.

Another refreshing point that came out of this was some openly liberal women also have come around. Even Joy Behar from the view finally said she understood that Governor Palin was reacting as a mother and not a politician. I believe that was the point many people missed. Sarah Palin is a mother before she is a Governor. Anyone who has children should understand that you don’t mess with the babies, no matter what age they are.

I guess a cynic could ask the question how much the pressure that has come down on Mr. Letterman had to do with the apology last night. It may very well be it had much to do with it. We will never know as we are unable to look into his heart. That is a question that only David can answer. I, for one, am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. If Mrs. Palin can accept his apology, who am I not to?

The greater point for me has always been the fact that conservative women are far more likely to be attacked in this fashion. The National Organization for Women did finally make a statement. It took them days to do so, and it is not an easy statement to find. I had to really look at their website to find it. Once I did, I was very disappointed in the content. It ended by bringing up some sins of conservative men from days gone by. This behavior should not be condoned regardless of political association. The Women’s groups in this country need to realize that just because a woman has conservative views, she is still a woman and deserves just as much respect as a woman who happens to have liberal points of view.

Your Stimulus Money at Work

In Michigan - $500,000 to renovate a frieghthouse that closed in 2004. It may be used for yoga classes or maybe a coffeehouse.


Stimulus money was given to pay for a new water treatment plant. By accepting the federal money for the project they had to follow additional federal regulations. This caused the project's cost to increase by more than $2 million. The additional costs have increased the town's utilities to by 60%


In the stimulus bill it was required that they only give money to shovel ready projects. Also a requirement of the bill was the wording "Fossil energy research and development". There was only one such project in the country that fit this description. FutureGen, a project in the State of Illinois. MIT has declared this project is not the best way to go for this technology....... “continuing lack of clarity about the project objectives.” This project was funded even though President Obama made it clear that the stimulus package would not be used for "pet projects or earmarks" . This project was originally sponsored as an earmark by none other than former Senator Obama. This project will get $1 billion.


In Wisconsin the bridge repair money is being used on rural bridges instead of areas with larger populations. One such bridge has 10 car crossings a day. The state of Wisconsin has more bridges in disrepair than any other state in the country. But the larger bridges were not "shovel ready" so they will not be fixed with the stimulus money.


The infamous John Murtha Airport is getting $800,000 to pave a back up landing strip. This airport gets 20 people per day.


One of my personal favorites - $3 million eco-passage in Florida. They have the highest rate of turtle road kill in the world, so they will build an underground tunnel to cut down on the number of turtles and other animals such as otters and snakes from being killed. Florida's economy is in a free fall, and this is how they are spending our money? FSU is considering laying off 200 people.

In Oklahoma we will spending $1.15 million to put a guardrail around a lake that doesn't exist. This was a man made lake that never filled up with water.


In Union, NY they are receiving $578,000 for their homeless problem. This is money that was never requested nor is it needed. They don't have a homeless problem.


$128 Million will be used to connect Stuart and Palm City Florida. There is a bridge 1/4 mile away that already connects the two. The land to build the bridge has not been purchased and is not expected to be available until 2011. So much for shovel ready.



Data from a report released by Senator Tom Coburn, MD

Things that make you say hmm

Dick Durbin, the number two democrat in the senate, sold $116,000 in investments last September. The day after he and other top senators were briefed by Ben Bernanke about the major banks needing a bailout. Interesting.


The non-partisan congressional budget office has estimated that the health care bill in its current form, will cost $62,500 for every person who is uninsured in this country. Wouldn't it be cheaper to send them a check to purchase private insurance?


President Obama has stated that he may be taxing company provided health benefits. Didn't he pummel Senator McCain for the same thing during the election?


41% of Americans consider themselves conservatives.


The President heard loud groans today while speaking to doctors. He is unwilling to put any caps on malpractice suits. A major cost for doctors is the high rates of malpratice insurance. How can you lower costs without lowering malpratice insurance rates?


VP Biden thinks it is possible that elections held last week in Iran were fraudlant. You think?


Terrorists (oh, sorry - providers of man-made disasters) are getting miranda rights when picked up in Afghanistan. Did they just stick up the local Safeway?


The recently released Chinese Muslims said they were better off at Gitmo than in China.


Rev. Wright clarified his statement. He didn't mean "them jews", he meant the Zionists. Ok, that makes all the difference. Thanks for clearing that up.

The Politcs of Hate

The politics of hate are alive and well. Governor Palin has learned this lesson very well in the past 10 months. David Letterman can’t seem to let the topic of Governor Palin go. To say he doesn’t like her would be a gross understatement. This is a free country and he can like or dislike whomever he chooses. But to pick on her underage children goes beyond the pale.

The Palin’s were in New York to raise awareness and money for autism. Willow Palin, 14, attended a Yankee game with her Mom while visiting New York. Willow Palin has been kept out of the public eye. The Palin’s youngest daughter did not seem to mind the camera or the attention all that much, but the same cannot be said about Willow. The simple task of going to baseball game with her mom got her attacked on national television. The attack on her was completely uncalled for and not even remotely funny. She is 14 years old, and talking about her sexuality is grossly irresponsible. His apology really was not enough, especially since he said he thinks he is sorry. You are not sure that joking about a 14 year old is funny? He then furthers the discussion by saying he meant her 18 year old daughter who had a child out of wedlock late last year. So that makes it ok? If I remember correctly his son was born out of wedlock. Before you start, Bristol Palin never ran for any office, her views on abortion nor anything else for that matter are public record. She has ventured out and talked about pre-martial sex since the birth of her child. I think she is the perfect person to tell others about becoming pregnant as a teenager. She knows full well what goes into raising a child without a husband, and no viable means of supporting the child yourself.

Then we can move onto the recent article of hate-fucking (not my wording). Of course this was only geared towards conservative women, such as Michelle Malkin, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, and Dana Perino. Make no mistake, this was about violence and rape. When did this become acceptable? Playboy Magazine touts itself as being all about the empowerment of women. What empowered woman would want that particular thing done to them? Disagreeing with political views is one thing, rationalizing violence against them is totally another.

Where are the women advocacy groups? Why is The National Organization of Women not outraged? Oh, that’s right, these are conservative women. How can I take anything other than this abhorrent behavior is acceptable if you don't happen to be a liberal woman. If any of these things were said about Clinton’s or Pelosi's daughter the outrage would be loud and clear. Let’s just call them what they are: The National Organization for Liberal Women. They certainly don’t represent me or my values.

During the primary cycle last year I was reading a great deal about the sexism coming from organizations like NOW. At the time, I had told a liberal friend of mine that these protests would not be made if the female candidate happened to be a conservative republican. She completely disagreed with me, and gave me the talking points one would expect from an “empowered” woman. She continued by telling me that they would stick up for any women who was being mistreated solely based on her sex. Well, we can all see that I was correct. Do I now get to say “I told you so”?

Things that make you say hmm

Pay as you go. The new mantra from the President. Notice that there is no talk of stopping any of the additional entitlements, which means tax hikes. How else would you pay for it? So much for no new taxes. The country is going in the same direction as California. Lucky us..........

The UN is debating new sanctions for North Korea. Yippie. They have not worked for the past decade, what makes them think they will work now?

Over the weekend, the President's former pastor, Rev. Wright, made a statement to a Virginia newspaper "..them Jews aren't going to let him talk to me..." Nice......but the president didn't spend 20 years sitting in a church with a racist. Wasn't Jesus a Jew?

GM has told dealerships that are closing that they need to sign a gag order. If they do not sign this order they will lose the warranty on all existing inventory. If the government did this to them, they can do it to you.

A new study was just released: Conservatives are more likely to read and watch news programs with opposing points of view.

In another study, journalists almost exclusively read liberal blogs. Shocker........

A federal judge in NY pleaded guilty to 6 felony counts; including sexual misconduct against two female co-workers, will collect his salary for one more year. This is while he is in prison. A really good use of our tax payer dollars.

There is hope yet

Yesterday in Virginia was the democratic primary for governor.

The voters had three distinctly different candidates to choose from. One of which was Clinton buddy Terry McAuliffe. The former president actually made a few campaign stops here.

And the winner is: Creigh Deeds

The most conservative; 2nd ammendment supporter, has lobbied for a gay marriage amendment to our state consitution, and he is a fiscal conservative.

He will be running against staunch conversative Bob McDonnell. McDonnell is ahead in all current polls.

McDonnell and Deeds are old foes. They ran for Attorney General against each other and McDonnell won.

Things that make you say hmm

Former Vice President Cheney has higher approval ratings than Nancy Pelosi

Evan Thomas of Newsweek said while being interviewed recently that Former President Reagan talked about America, but President Obama is "above the country, above the world, he is sort of like God" Yes, the media is not in the tank for the President.

We will be spending $300 Million training the Palestinian army this year. I don't know about you, but this doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

Governor Palin recently had yet another ethics violation investigation dropped. This makes 13 out of 13 since she her nomination last summer. No wonder so many people are not willing to run for public office.

Amin al-Hussenini

President Obama gave a speech on relations between the Muslim world and the west. While I didn’t watch the speech I did read the transcript and saw some clips on the news. As I expected, it was a good speech. The President is a very good orator, and no one can say he is not. It is one of his strengths. History on the other hand is not.

While I agree with part of what the President said, some of what he said is historically inaccurate. The problems between the Jews and the Muslims started long before the State of Israel. Before Israel even existed the Palestinians were working towards the demise of the Jews. This is an uncomfortable fact that all too often ignored. Be honest, did you learn this in school?

Yasser Arafat’s uncle, Amin al-Husseini, instigated the death and destruction of the Jewish people as early as 1920 and his name came up during the Nuremberg trials. Allegedly he visited the gas chambers in Auschwitz, and there are pictures of him with Hitler. To this day, he is celebrated as a hero. The anti-Semitism has existed long before 1948. If we do not make this part of the conversation, how are ever going to past it?

I think the President should take a history course of the Middle East and inspect the roots of the hatred towards Israel before he makes another such speech. Too many people around the world do not understand the core roots of the problems with that region and say the European guilt of the holocaust is the only reason for the State of Israel. The historical records just don’t back up these claims.

Medical Technology in Canada - Washington Examiner Part 2

By: Sally C. Pipes, Examiner Contrbutor- 6/5/09 6:43 AM
KEY DATA: The average patient waiting period between referral and actual treatment for 12 most-frequently needed specialties was nearly four-and-one-half months in 2008, double the average from 15 years ago.

KEY DATA: A third of Canada's gamma cameras, used in nuclear medicine imaging, and a quarter of its angiography and cardiac catheterization labs, for heart-related ailments, are more than 10 years old.

Last month, the recipient of the first successful face transplant in the United States appeared publicly for the first time since her operation in late 2008. Ohio resident Connie Culp could barely swallow or breathe after being shot in the head by her husband.

Doctors used skin grafts from a recently deceased woman to replace 80 percent of her face. Now Ms. Culp can taste, smell, eat solid food, and even smile.

In the same week, doctors in Pittsburgh completed the first double hand transplant in the U.S. on a 57-year old Georgia man.

Both groundbreaking procedures are indicative of the advanced medical care that's readily available throughout the United States. Such medically-sophisticated procedures are often not an option in my birthplace, Canada. In fact, Canadian patients have limited access to many of the advanced medical technologies taken for granted here in the States.

Would-be health reformers in this country who call for a health care system with “universal coverage” as exists in Canada fail to recognize the system’s inherent inability to provide patients with the latest and most advanced therapies. The consequences can be deadly.

Advanced medical technologies are essential to improving patient health. They help doctors identify and treat diseases more effectively and safely. They can also deliver treatment to patients with less discomfort and pain.

Canadians have significantly lower levels of access to several key medical technologies than citizens in other developed countries. Among member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada ranks a dismal 19th out of 26 for the number of CT scanners per million residents. It ranks 14th out of 25 for MRI scanners, and 19th out of 21 for lithotripters, which are used to treat kidney and gall stones.

Limited access to high-tech equipment has resulted in lengthy wait times for care. After visiting a primary care physician, the average Canadian has to wait more than a month to get a CT scan and more than two months to get an MRI.

According to Canada’s Fraser Institute, roughly 800,000 of Canada’s 33 million citizens are currently on a waiting list for some medical treatment. For 12 specialties across the country's 10 provinces, the average waiting period between referral from a general practitioner and actual treatment was nearly four and a half months in 2008. That’s double what the average wait time was 15 years ago.

Canadians face some of the longest lines for access to the advanced technologies essential to most major surgeries. The lag between a general practitioner’s referral and treatment by a specialist is eight months for neurosurgery and nine months for both orthopedic surgery and plastic surgery.

Once a Canadian patient finally makes it into the examination or operating room, there’s a good chance that his doctor is using antiquated equipment. The country’s healthcare system employs far too many old and potentially unreliable medical technologies. Many machines should have been junked years ago. Others will need to be replaced in the near future.

According to the Fraser Institute, the European Coordination Committee of the Radiological and Electromedical Industries (ECCREI) recommends that no more than 10 percent of a country’s health technology inventory be older than 10 years old. Beyond that age, the equipment is not considered state-of-the-art and thus could pose a health hazard or lead to substandard treatment of patients.

The Canadian health system doesn't even come close to adhering to this standard. As of 2007, the share of its medical inventory that's over a decade old includes 21 percent of its bone densitometers, which are used to measure the bone density of osteoporosis patients, and 28 percent of its SPECT units, which are used to create three-dimensional images of the body.

A third of Canada's gamma cameras, which are used in nuclear medicine imaging, and a quarter of its angiography and cardiac catheterization labs, for heart-related ailments, are more than 10 years old. Not only does Canada have comparatively few lithotripters to fight kidney and gall stones -- a third of the machines it has are more than a decade old.

The ECCREI also recommends that 60 percent of a country’s medical machines be less than five years old, according to a Fraser Institute study. Canada’s hospital inventories fail in this regard for a seemingly endless list of different machines: bone densitometers, MRI machines, SPECT units, gamma cameras, lithotriptors, and angiography suites, to name a few.

The widespread use of antiquated medical equipment puts Canada’s patient population in a dangerous position. These machines are liable to break down during treatment. Older imaging technologies may yield low-quality images, which can cause doctors to misdiagnose conditions and prescribe ineffective or even harmful treatment regimens.

Canada's dearth of advanced medical technologies is the natural product of a penny-pinching government-run health system. If America moves closer to a fully government-run health system itself, the days of medical -- and technological -- miracles like Connie Culp’s face transplant may be numbered.

Sally C. Pipes is President & CEO of the Pacific Research Institute. Her latest book is The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care.