Who's really going to destroy Medicare?

Obama and the Democrat Party have consistently made the allegation that Romney/Ryan will destroy Medicare. But who will really destroy it?

Steven Rattner was a counselor to Obama's Treasury Secretary. He was Obama's "Car Czar" who engineered the GM bailouts. Granted, he doesn't speak for Obama, but you have to wonder how close his thoughts are to those of the administration.

Rattner believes that people in the last year of life are not entitled to the same medical care that others might receive. I'd like to know who decides one is "in the last year of life." He says that Medicare must be rationed -- that we need death panels. He proposes limiting Medicare spending per beneficiary. He says other countries have systems for rationing care, and so should we. He says Obama's "Independent Payment Advisory Board" (death panel) should be allowed to put an explicit value on a treatment's ability to extend life. In other words, if a treatment that could extend my life costs $50,000, but the board has decided I'm worth only $48,000, I won't get the treatment.

In a related letter to the editor, Matt Jaremko of Dallas says that we don't have to provide expensive treatments for the elderly. He says we can use psychotherapy and medical marijuana. I guess the doctors can say, "Smoke a joint and call me in the morning." He also suggests that a tax on revenues be collected from providers. He says that will keep them from ordering expensive treatment and tests. What he means is that it will make treatment and tests unavailable to the vast majority of elderly Americans.

And that, my friends, is why government should never have been, and should not now be, in the health care business at all!

"Medicare death panels? No, but . . ." The Dallas Morning News; September 18, 2012; p. 13A.
"Sensitive end-of-life solutions." The Dallas Morning News; September 20, 2012; p. 16A.

I don't remember. Do you?

William Mercer of Richardson is upset with us for denouncing the radical Muslims who have led the terrorist attacks on our embassies in the Middle East the past few weeks. He says we have selective memories:

"Recall when U.S. Christians stormed theaters against a film called The Last Temptation of Christ?"

Actually, William, I don't remember that. How many ambassadors were killed then? How many flags were burned? How many grenades were launched? How many theaters were destroyed? How many radicals looted the buildings while shouting "Death to America"? Maybe if you refresh our memories a bit, we might recall it.

"Romney is no diplomat." The Dallas Morning News; September 18, 2012; p. 12A.

Eat hearty -- avoid execution!

Ronald Post shot and killed a hotel clerk in Ohio almost 30 years ago. He was sentenced to death. His execution date has been set for January 16, 2013. But --- not so fast! say Post's attorneys.

It would be cruel and unusual punishment to execute Post, because he weighs more than 480 pounds. They claim that he won't fit on the execution gurney and that his weight will make it hard for the executioner to find a vein. 

I got to thinking about this. I wonder how he came to weigh 480 pounds while he's in prison. Do they give the prisoners all they want to eat? Why haven't they restricted this man's diet? Why are the taxpayers paying for all that food? 

If the judge finds in his favor, and I were the warden at the prison, within the year, he would be down to a weight that wouldn't pose a "risk" to his execution! If I were a legislator, I would introduce alternative methods of execution -- such as a putting a little strychnine on his burgers and a big dose of arsenic in his ice cream! Those require no gurney and no needles. As my mama always said, "More than one way to skin a cat!"

"Hefty inmate cites execution risk." The Dallas Morning News; September 18, 2012; p. 5A.

It's never enough.

Latinos are upset. The Obama Administration has decreed that all those illegals he said could stay here cannot draw medical benefits through Obamacare. According to the newspaper, this "decision -- disclosed last month, to little notice -- has infuriated many advocates for Hispanics and immigrants. They say the restrictions are at odds with Obama's recent praise of the young immigrants."

Wonder why Obama didn't have a press conference on that one? Thought he could slip it by all the Mexicans?

At any rate, we tell them we won't ask for their ID's, and that's not enough. We tell them they can stay here with no penalty, and that's not enough. Now we must provide all their health care, too. And it won't be long until that's not enough, either.

"Health rules upset Latinos." The Dallas Morning News; September 18, 2012; p. 1A.

Some people don't know where the heck they are!

Randy Wood of Russellville, Alabama, doesn't like the Dallas taxi cabs. He complained that his driver evidently took the long way around and charged him $40. He says he hopes everybody who visits Dallas isn't treated this way.

In the first place, Randy wasn't even in Dallas. He was at Cowboys Stadium. I thought $40 sounded pretty reasonable for a cab from Arlington to Dallas, so I looked up online how much a cab fare from Cowboys Stadium to downtown Dallas would be -- around $50. 

Sounds to me like Randy got a bargain but is just too ignorant to realize it. I guess he doesn't get out of Russellville, population less than 9000, very much. 

"We visitors were treated poorly." The Dallas Morning News; September 6, 2012; p. 14A.

How long does it take to cure a crazy person?

Do you think that a woman who is so crazy that she cuts off her baby's arms with a kitchen knife can be cured in less than four years?

In 2004, Dena Schlosser said God told her to cut off her baby's arms, so she did. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She was released in 2008. She was re-committed in 2010. She was last seen working at Wal-Mart in Terrell. Psychiatrists say she is "not a risk." I guess not as long as you don't let her stock the kitchen knife shelves. Wal-Mart says she is no longer employed there.

Paris News funny: The police activity column is headlined "Probe continues of injured man." Misplaced modifiers notwithstanding, I bet that hurt!

"Woman who killed baby in '04 fired from Wal-Mart." The Dallas Morning News; August 7, 2012; p. 3B.

What is a pedophile?

Steve Blow and I disagree on the definition of a pedophile. I say that a man who is 32 years old and having an affair with a 13 year old is a pedophile. When that man runs off with the child when she is 15, I say he's a pedophile. 

That's what Chuck Adair, a youth minister did. Bethany Brooks, who was in his youth group said, "We pretty much all idolized him.” 

But, she said that sometimes Adair made her and others uncomfortable when he had girls sit on his lap or gave hugs “that were not just friendly youth minister hugs.” One of the other girls in the group said that Adair had names for her breasts: “Bip” and “Bop.” As a teenager, she thought it was funny. As a middle-aged mother, she finds it disturbing. I, too, find it disturbing. 

Yes, I say that Chuck Adair is a pedophile. But Steve Blow says, ". . .not to minimize his transgression, but Adair was never a pedophile." Yeah, right, Steve. And neither is Jerry Sandusky. I have to wonder if you would change your mind if he named your daughter's breasts or ran away with your teenager.

"How welcoming should a church be." The Dallas Morning News; August 5, 2012; p. 1B.