Enough already!
Enough of the NRA controlling the legislative agenda regarding gun control.
Enough of legislators afraid to touch the tar baby of gun rights.
It's time for real leadership from the President, governors and legislators across the country to address the situation.
Yes, there needs to be a dialog. But that shouldn't be an excuse for doing nothing.
Guns in school. Guns in theaters, Guns everywhere. Military weapons with large capacity magazines in everybody's house. How can those be the solution to the problem?
A collection of current topics on politics, religion, technology and life.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Post-Election Revisioninst Thinking
It is with a sense of amusement that I hear the Republican pundits explain why they lost the election, in spite of their almost universal claim beforehand that they were going to win big (see Lawrence O'Donnell's summary at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/49768656#49768656)
Anyway, now they're not saying that perhaps there was something wrong with their candidate, his message, his consistency (or better, his lack of a core with which to be consistent), their war on women, their disdain for the 47% and anybody that's not lily white, etc. No. It's the fact that they they failed in getting the vote out.
I hope they maintain that viewpoint, because if they do, they're going to be out of power for a long time to come.
Anyway, now they're not saying that perhaps there was something wrong with their candidate, his message, his consistency (or better, his lack of a core with which to be consistent), their war on women, their disdain for the 47% and anybody that's not lily white, etc. No. It's the fact that they they failed in getting the vote out.
I hope they maintain that viewpoint, because if they do, they're going to be out of power for a long time to come.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
A solution to the deficit problem?
I have heard of a very simple approach to attack the deficit problem.
The Democrats don't want the rich to escape contributing a larger share of the tax burden.
The Republicans are against any kind of tax increase - particularly for the rich.
And eliminating deductions that are available mostly to the rich doesn't get much traction, either.
Are these points unreconcilable? I don't think so. Imagine a system where a sliding scale of tax rates applies, with more or less the same rates as today.
The wrinkle is that the everybody has a limit to the total amount of deductions that they can take, whatever the kind. In much the same way that the interest on the mortgage of a second house isn't deductible, simply construct a rule that caps the deductions of any kind at a set level, perhaps on a sliding scale according to income.
Thus, the rates could be as they are now, but it would prevent the ultra rich from having as many tax escape routes as they have now.
The Democrats don't want the rich to escape contributing a larger share of the tax burden.
The Republicans are against any kind of tax increase - particularly for the rich.
And eliminating deductions that are available mostly to the rich doesn't get much traction, either.
Are these points unreconcilable? I don't think so. Imagine a system where a sliding scale of tax rates applies, with more or less the same rates as today.
The wrinkle is that the everybody has a limit to the total amount of deductions that they can take, whatever the kind. In much the same way that the interest on the mortgage of a second house isn't deductible, simply construct a rule that caps the deductions of any kind at a set level, perhaps on a sliding scale according to income.
Thus, the rates could be as they are now, but it would prevent the ultra rich from having as many tax escape routes as they have now.
Honor Flight
In September of 2012, I had the great honor and experience of documenting the visit of a large group of WWII and Korean War vets to Washington and the WWII memorial.
The video can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVqMgUUK_i4
The video can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVqMgUUK_i4
Effective treatment for c-Diff infections
If you know someone who has been infected with C-diff, you know how hard it is to treat. I have learned about a drug-less treatment that is actually a cure for c-diff infections and also is used to effectively treat a whole variety of gut-related diseases. The reason you may not heave heard of it because of the yucky factor.
History
More than 20 years ago, physicians began to experiment with treating various forms of IBD with transplanted fecal matter. Although this is difficult to discuss with a straight face and invariably conjures up a few humorous names, it really has been shown to be an effective treatment. Getting it to be socially acceptable is another matter.
FMT has been used for years in animal husbandry to treat various infections in animals Starting in 1958, Eiseman experimented with human patients. But with the advent of antibiotics, the treatment modality shifted to those drugs because they were much easier to administer, although not necessarily more effective.
The Process
In its simplest form, the technique involves collecting a stool sample from a healthy donor, combining it in a blender with normal saline solution, filtering it, loading the resulting solution in an enema bottle or bag and then infusing it into the patient’s rectum. This takes a special kind of spouse or caretaker.
Each time the treatment takes place, a new donor stool sample must be taken, since the bacteria are anerobic and do not live long outside the gut.
Earlier experiments with FMT involved introducing the fecal transplant by nasogastric tube. Although that method has the advantage of being able to distribute the transplanted microbiota throughout the gut, it is uncomfortable, invasive and carries risks. Further, depositing the donor fecal matter in the stomach subjects its bacteria to stomach acid, which may kill the majority of them even before they reach the small intestine.
Some physicians are using a colonoscope for the initial treatment to give the donor bacteria the best chance of wide distribution throughout the colon and hence success. However, it is invasive and carries the risk of perforation.
It is hard to believe that the transplanted fecal bacteria in a small-dosage enema, such as that administered in a small plastic disposable bottle, would be able to flow upstream so to speak, against the gut’s peristalsis and thus distribute itself throughout the gut. But it does.
Preparation
Before proceeding, the donor should have various stool tests performed to confirm that there are no pathogens or parasites. Some of these pathogens that have been mentioned in the articles below are: hepatitis A, B & C, cytomegalovirus, Esptein-Barr virus; aeromonas, campylobacter jejuni, C. difficile, plesiomonas, salmonella, shigella and yersinia bacteria.
In the past, experimenters killed all the patient’s existing gut bacteria with a cocktail of antibiotics and then execute the same kind of colon lavage that one would use for a colonoscopy. More recently, the first step is being skipped without affecting the result.
Home Administration
Also in recent years, the treatment is being carried out at home under a protocol developed by the experimenters - although you should always make sure that your GE physician is aware of the procedure. It may be that he/she is not knowledgeable of it, since it is quite new and not promoted by the GE community since there are no drugs involved, no intellectual property to protect and thus no particular benefit to big pharma.
While some of the articles listed in the Appendix describe particular protocols, they are all different in their details, and there is no single protocol that has been generally accepted. The physicians who are current practitioners of the technique all have their own, and if you are interested, you should contact them directly.
The trials described in the articles all seem to have been conducted at a university or private clinic setting. However, the physicians who are the leaders in this field are well respected internationally. At the end of this document is a list of medical journal articles that discuss the treatment.
Why does it Work?
You might logically ask why this treatment works at all. We have been trained from young people that fecal matter can carry a host of diseases, and is to be avoided. Much sickness in underdeveloped countries comes from that source. So how could it ever be a good thing to transplant feces from one person to another? This aspect is one of the reasons why the donor must be tested prior to the procedure to make sure that there are no pathogens in the donor stool.
Grehan writes, “The human gut contains a complex mix of organisms, consisting of a compact mass of living bacterial cells, with almost nine times more living cells (in it) than (in the rest of) the entire body.”
Because the human gut has so many different types of bacteria, some of which are good for us, and others are pathogenic, it would be logical to perform a complete analysis to determine the total microbiotic constituents of the gut in a healthy and a sick person and compare the two, looking for a difference. There are experimenters applying themselves to this analysis, but even with fast DNA analysis, the difficulties are immense because of the bacterial complexity.
Most experimenters believe that sick guts have a deficiency of one or more crucial bacteria - and perhaps the presence of a pathogen. Thus, they believe that transplanting fecal matter from a healthy patient will help restore the missing ingredient or “swamp” a pathogenic one and inhibit their growth. And this appears to be the case, because trials have shown that eventually, the patient’s flora becomes very close in constituents to that of the donor as the patient recovers.
Another supposition as to why fecal transplantation works is that, as Borody writes, “the chronicity of UC could be due to the implantation of (unwanted) spores in the mucosal surface. Antibiotics may help transiently but are unlikely to be curative because the spores are not eradicated...with current antibiotics.”
Durability
One of the most interesting issues of FMT is its “durability” - that is, how long the positive effect lasts after a treatment. In the case of C.-diff treatment, as impossible as it might seem, a single treatment is often all that is needed to effect a “cure”, and is fast becoming the accepted treatment for intractable infections of that kind.
With other bowel conditions, such as UC, ongoing trials show that continued small-volume enemas are required over several months before existing pharmaceutical medications can be tapered off.
Summary
In summary, this is an unusual treatment, not well-known in the GE community. It is a bit messy (and smelly, no doubt), but is inexpensive, drug-free, minimally-invasive, can be done at home and offers the possibility for the patient of getting off all medications. In fact, experimenters have shown that a truly sick patient is not at all put off by the prospect of receiving donor feces if there is a good chance of improving their lot.
At the moment (May 2012), this technique has proven itself very effective for C. diff., and somewhat less so for IBS, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis (PMC), and UC. I have not seen any experience with Crohns. It is even being tested for use in Parkinson’s patients.
Physicians
The only physician who I have been able to locate in the Washington, DC area who practices FMT is Dr. Sudhir Dutta at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.
I have corresponded with Dr. Lawrence Brandt at Professor of Medicine and Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC and Dr. Thomas Borody in Sydney, Australia. Both have written extensively on the subject.
History
More than 20 years ago, physicians began to experiment with treating various forms of IBD with transplanted fecal matter. Although this is difficult to discuss with a straight face and invariably conjures up a few humorous names, it really has been shown to be an effective treatment. Getting it to be socially acceptable is another matter.
FMT has been used for years in animal husbandry to treat various infections in animals Starting in 1958, Eiseman experimented with human patients. But with the advent of antibiotics, the treatment modality shifted to those drugs because they were much easier to administer, although not necessarily more effective.
The Process
In its simplest form, the technique involves collecting a stool sample from a healthy donor, combining it in a blender with normal saline solution, filtering it, loading the resulting solution in an enema bottle or bag and then infusing it into the patient’s rectum. This takes a special kind of spouse or caretaker.
Each time the treatment takes place, a new donor stool sample must be taken, since the bacteria are anerobic and do not live long outside the gut.
Earlier experiments with FMT involved introducing the fecal transplant by nasogastric tube. Although that method has the advantage of being able to distribute the transplanted microbiota throughout the gut, it is uncomfortable, invasive and carries risks. Further, depositing the donor fecal matter in the stomach subjects its bacteria to stomach acid, which may kill the majority of them even before they reach the small intestine.
Some physicians are using a colonoscope for the initial treatment to give the donor bacteria the best chance of wide distribution throughout the colon and hence success. However, it is invasive and carries the risk of perforation.
It is hard to believe that the transplanted fecal bacteria in a small-dosage enema, such as that administered in a small plastic disposable bottle, would be able to flow upstream so to speak, against the gut’s peristalsis and thus distribute itself throughout the gut. But it does.
Preparation
Before proceeding, the donor should have various stool tests performed to confirm that there are no pathogens or parasites. Some of these pathogens that have been mentioned in the articles below are: hepatitis A, B & C, cytomegalovirus, Esptein-Barr virus; aeromonas, campylobacter jejuni, C. difficile, plesiomonas, salmonella, shigella and yersinia bacteria.
In the past, experimenters killed all the patient’s existing gut bacteria with a cocktail of antibiotics and then execute the same kind of colon lavage that one would use for a colonoscopy. More recently, the first step is being skipped without affecting the result.
Home Administration
Also in recent years, the treatment is being carried out at home under a protocol developed by the experimenters - although you should always make sure that your GE physician is aware of the procedure. It may be that he/she is not knowledgeable of it, since it is quite new and not promoted by the GE community since there are no drugs involved, no intellectual property to protect and thus no particular benefit to big pharma.
While some of the articles listed in the Appendix describe particular protocols, they are all different in their details, and there is no single protocol that has been generally accepted. The physicians who are current practitioners of the technique all have their own, and if you are interested, you should contact them directly.
The trials described in the articles all seem to have been conducted at a university or private clinic setting. However, the physicians who are the leaders in this field are well respected internationally. At the end of this document is a list of medical journal articles that discuss the treatment.
Why does it Work?
You might logically ask why this treatment works at all. We have been trained from young people that fecal matter can carry a host of diseases, and is to be avoided. Much sickness in underdeveloped countries comes from that source. So how could it ever be a good thing to transplant feces from one person to another? This aspect is one of the reasons why the donor must be tested prior to the procedure to make sure that there are no pathogens in the donor stool.
Grehan writes, “The human gut contains a complex mix of organisms, consisting of a compact mass of living bacterial cells, with almost nine times more living cells (in it) than (in the rest of) the entire body.”
Because the human gut has so many different types of bacteria, some of which are good for us, and others are pathogenic, it would be logical to perform a complete analysis to determine the total microbiotic constituents of the gut in a healthy and a sick person and compare the two, looking for a difference. There are experimenters applying themselves to this analysis, but even with fast DNA analysis, the difficulties are immense because of the bacterial complexity.
Most experimenters believe that sick guts have a deficiency of one or more crucial bacteria - and perhaps the presence of a pathogen. Thus, they believe that transplanting fecal matter from a healthy patient will help restore the missing ingredient or “swamp” a pathogenic one and inhibit their growth. And this appears to be the case, because trials have shown that eventually, the patient’s flora becomes very close in constituents to that of the donor as the patient recovers.
Another supposition as to why fecal transplantation works is that, as Borody writes, “the chronicity of UC could be due to the implantation of (unwanted) spores in the mucosal surface. Antibiotics may help transiently but are unlikely to be curative because the spores are not eradicated...with current antibiotics.”
Durability
One of the most interesting issues of FMT is its “durability” - that is, how long the positive effect lasts after a treatment. In the case of C.-diff treatment, as impossible as it might seem, a single treatment is often all that is needed to effect a “cure”, and is fast becoming the accepted treatment for intractable infections of that kind.
With other bowel conditions, such as UC, ongoing trials show that continued small-volume enemas are required over several months before existing pharmaceutical medications can be tapered off.
Summary
In summary, this is an unusual treatment, not well-known in the GE community. It is a bit messy (and smelly, no doubt), but is inexpensive, drug-free, minimally-invasive, can be done at home and offers the possibility for the patient of getting off all medications. In fact, experimenters have shown that a truly sick patient is not at all put off by the prospect of receiving donor feces if there is a good chance of improving their lot.
At the moment (May 2012), this technique has proven itself very effective for C. diff., and somewhat less so for IBS, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis (PMC), and UC. I have not seen any experience with Crohns. It is even being tested for use in Parkinson’s patients.
Physicians
The only physician who I have been able to locate in the Washington, DC area who practices FMT is Dr. Sudhir Dutta at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.
I have corresponded with Dr. Lawrence Brandt at Professor of Medicine and Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC and Dr. Thomas Borody in Sydney, Australia. Both have written extensively on the subject.
Voting Woes
I am an election official in Fairfax County, VA and saw first hand some of the difficulties that voters had on November 6th.
Fortunately, even though we have more than 2500 registered voters in our precinct, our waiting line never was longer than about an hour, and later in the day, there was no line at all. However, the difficulties that other locations had, we had also because they are pervasive throughout the County.
Since most, if not all precincts have both touchscreen machines and paper ballot scanners, one source of delay is the waiting line for touch screen machines after voters have completed their check-in. Those voters who choose a paper ballot can mark it anywhere in the room, and so they are in an out quickly. When there are constitutional and bond issues to vote on, that exacerbates the touchscreen problem.
But the real slowdown occurs at the check-in table. For those precincts that have electronic poll books, the check-in for those voters who have proper ID and are on the system is very quick - well under a minute each. But that's the rub.
Not having the proper ID is rare. But not being on the system is very frequent, processing each such voter slows down the line a lot, and diverts an officer from other duties while the issue is being resolved.
Why would a voter not be on the system? The main reason is that they are a first-time voter in that precinct, either because they moved into it recently or have never voted before. Usually, this is a non-event, but the problem occurs when the voter registered through the DMV. Why the DMV does not properly process those registrations, I do not know. But every incident that I can recall where the voter was not on the rolls, is because they registered through the DMV. That is a scandal that should be addressed by the legislature or by administrative action.
This is not an unusual problem. I have seen it happen time and time again in other precincts, too.
But the voter should have some responsibility in these problems, too. They should read the ballot before appearing to vote. And if they moved or are first-time voters, they should verify with the electoral board that they are indeed on the rolls.
End of rant.
Fortunately, even though we have more than 2500 registered voters in our precinct, our waiting line never was longer than about an hour, and later in the day, there was no line at all. However, the difficulties that other locations had, we had also because they are pervasive throughout the County.
Since most, if not all precincts have both touchscreen machines and paper ballot scanners, one source of delay is the waiting line for touch screen machines after voters have completed their check-in. Those voters who choose a paper ballot can mark it anywhere in the room, and so they are in an out quickly. When there are constitutional and bond issues to vote on, that exacerbates the touchscreen problem.
But the real slowdown occurs at the check-in table. For those precincts that have electronic poll books, the check-in for those voters who have proper ID and are on the system is very quick - well under a minute each. But that's the rub.
Not having the proper ID is rare. But not being on the system is very frequent, processing each such voter slows down the line a lot, and diverts an officer from other duties while the issue is being resolved.
Why would a voter not be on the system? The main reason is that they are a first-time voter in that precinct, either because they moved into it recently or have never voted before. Usually, this is a non-event, but the problem occurs when the voter registered through the DMV. Why the DMV does not properly process those registrations, I do not know. But every incident that I can recall where the voter was not on the rolls, is because they registered through the DMV. That is a scandal that should be addressed by the legislature or by administrative action.
This is not an unusual problem. I have seen it happen time and time again in other precincts, too.
But the voter should have some responsibility in these problems, too. They should read the ballot before appearing to vote. And if they moved or are first-time voters, they should verify with the electoral board that they are indeed on the rolls.
End of rant.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Photobiomodulation
For those people afflicted by an ophthalmological condition called dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), there is a new treatment that offers hope.
A Canadian clinician/researcher and his partners have developed an approach that involves periodically illuminating the patient's eye with a near-infrared light. Results have been encouraging in arresting the condition which, when untreated, often leads to functional blindness as central vision deteriorates.
The current understanding is that the light activates the mitochondria in the retina, including the macula, and helps clear out high-molecular weight debris that has accumulated there.
Their Phase 1, NIH-approved trial took place at Toronto-area and Oak Ridge, TN clinics. I am quite familiar with a patient who has used this treatment at home with a personally-purchased light device once a week for more than a year, and the results have been positive.
For further information on that treatment, you can consult: http://www.photospectra.ca
NIH has some facts: http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp
There are other treatment other than anti-oxidants usually recommended. One is rheopheresis, a blood filtration process similar to kidney dialysis. Unfortunately it is not available in the USA or Canada, and one must got to Austria or Germany.
There has also been an early trial of embryonic stem cell therapy that shows promise:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22281388
So, if you have dry AMD, there are legitimate treatments available, in spite of what you might be told.
A Canadian clinician/researcher and his partners have developed an approach that involves periodically illuminating the patient's eye with a near-infrared light. Results have been encouraging in arresting the condition which, when untreated, often leads to functional blindness as central vision deteriorates.
The current understanding is that the light activates the mitochondria in the retina, including the macula, and helps clear out high-molecular weight debris that has accumulated there.
Their Phase 1, NIH-approved trial took place at Toronto-area and Oak Ridge, TN clinics. I am quite familiar with a patient who has used this treatment at home with a personally-purchased light device once a week for more than a year, and the results have been positive.
For further information on that treatment, you can consult: http://www.photospectra.ca
NIH has some facts: http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp
There are other treatment other than anti-oxidants usually recommended. One is rheopheresis, a blood filtration process similar to kidney dialysis. Unfortunately it is not available in the USA or Canada, and one must got to Austria or Germany.
There has also been an early trial of embryonic stem cell therapy that shows promise:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22281388
So, if you have dry AMD, there are legitimate treatments available, in spite of what you might be told.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Honor Flights
An all-volunteer group has been conducting flights to Washington, DC for some months now for World War II veterans. Because many are in their 80s and even older, this is one of the last chances that they will have for recognition of their sacrifices.
I had the honor to be with one of these groups from Northern California in April 2012, and prepared a documentary video of their visit. It was a marvelous experience to talk with these men and women about their service.
I encourage you to get involved with this important work. One of the simplest things to do, is to see them off at their home airport or welcome them here in the Washington, DC area.
For those interested, the Honor Flight Network's web site is:
http://www.honorflight.org/.
If you would like to view my video describing their trip, please go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlQ40foGPZA
I had the honor to be with one of these groups from Northern California in April 2012, and prepared a documentary video of their visit. It was a marvelous experience to talk with these men and women about their service.
I encourage you to get involved with this important work. One of the simplest things to do, is to see them off at their home airport or welcome them here in the Washington, DC area.
For those interested, the Honor Flight Network's web site is:
http://www.honorflight.org/.
If you would like to view my video describing their trip, please go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlQ40foGPZA
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Commercial Arbitration for Dispute Resolution
For more years than I can count, I have been a commercial arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. Because of my technical and business background most of my cases involve technology. In that time, I have seen many instances of David versus Goliath, where a very large and a much smaller company struggle to resolve their disputes.
I have seen articles where commentators express disdain for the process. I think they're wrong. Mediation and arbitration are informal processes that can resolve disputes much more quickly and with simpler rules of conduct than when they are dealt with in a court setting. More importantly, they can be final, with no appeals. This can be a huge advantage if you're the small guy.
So if you run a company, I strongly recommend inserting an arbitration clause in any contract. They simply state that if there is a dispute that can't be resolved by negotiation, that either party can call for an arbitration.
I have seen articles where commentators express disdain for the process. I think they're wrong. Mediation and arbitration are informal processes that can resolve disputes much more quickly and with simpler rules of conduct than when they are dealt with in a court setting. More importantly, they can be final, with no appeals. This can be a huge advantage if you're the small guy.
So if you run a company, I strongly recommend inserting an arbitration clause in any contract. They simply state that if there is a dispute that can't be resolved by negotiation, that either party can call for an arbitration.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Obama's On Board.
Finally, the evolution of Obama's views on same-sex marriage evolved to the point that he decided it was a politically-viable move to announce his support of the idea...but leave it to the states, he says. He'll win some votes as a result, and surely lose some (but probably none that he couldn't have counted on anyway).
OK. So it's a states' rights issue. The states are already embracing or rejecting the idea. It may take another few generations or so for all the states to finally accept the idea, but meanwhile those couples needing the formal recognition of their commitment to each other will move to a state that does allow them to marry. No doubt this will have a negative economic effect on the mostly-southern states that adopt this head-in-the-sand approach.
To me, it's perfectly OK for conservatives not to support or practice same-sex marriage for themselves, but why do they find it necessary to impose their views through legislation on the rest of the population? In Lev. 20:13, the Bible does say that homosexuals should be put to death. Surely, no responsible citizen of whatever religion would support such a move. When pressed, they say that we have moved beyond those harsher imperatives, yet they still say that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. Talk about having it both ways by cherry picking the verses that suit your purposes!
How about freedom from religion?
OK. So it's a states' rights issue. The states are already embracing or rejecting the idea. It may take another few generations or so for all the states to finally accept the idea, but meanwhile those couples needing the formal recognition of their commitment to each other will move to a state that does allow them to marry. No doubt this will have a negative economic effect on the mostly-southern states that adopt this head-in-the-sand approach.
To me, it's perfectly OK for conservatives not to support or practice same-sex marriage for themselves, but why do they find it necessary to impose their views through legislation on the rest of the population? In Lev. 20:13, the Bible does say that homosexuals should be put to death. Surely, no responsible citizen of whatever religion would support such a move. When pressed, they say that we have moved beyond those harsher imperatives, yet they still say that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. Talk about having it both ways by cherry picking the verses that suit your purposes!
How about freedom from religion?
Saturday, March 3, 2012
War on Women
The American economic picture seems to be brightening up a little and maybe the European woes are settling down a little. So without that issue to complain about so much, the current crop of Republican candidates is having to switch to social issues. It presents a sad spectacle of men, some of whom probably don't believe what they are saying, falling in line with the pre-Enlightenment pronouncements of Rick Santorum.
The particular focus of these mis-informed men is the same battles against contraception that were fought in the early 1900s by Margaret Sanger and others. Why do they feel the need to re-fight those battles against women? It's a settled question isn't it? The great majority of women practice birth control - including Catholic women. It's only a reasonable thing to do. Let's get the focus of the embarrassing televised monologues back on things that really matter - such as the economy & war policy.
The particular focus of these mis-informed men is the same battles against contraception that were fought in the early 1900s by Margaret Sanger and others. Why do they feel the need to re-fight those battles against women? It's a settled question isn't it? The great majority of women practice birth control - including Catholic women. It's only a reasonable thing to do. Let's get the focus of the embarrassing televised monologues back on things that really matter - such as the economy & war policy.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Freedom From Religion
Two years ago, numerous adherents to the Tea Party Movement were elected. They promised to set the country straight on economic matters. Cut the deficit, slash spending, cut taxes and all that. On the basis of their pledge, they took over control of the House.
So what have they done? The economic woes are still plaguing our economy, and instead they have switched to social issues; namely attacking women and gays. The Bible is their guiding light ("it's what God and the Bible tells us to do").
So now, whether we are adherents to their particular form of worship or not, the laws they promote would make us subject to clerical imperatives. It took this country more than 200 years to finally free ourselves of a controlling religious influence on our government. It would be sad if we reverted to that condition.
How is that freedom of religion? Give me freedom from your religion.
So what have they done? The economic woes are still plaguing our economy, and instead they have switched to social issues; namely attacking women and gays. The Bible is their guiding light ("it's what God and the Bible tells us to do").
So now, whether we are adherents to their particular form of worship or not, the laws they promote would make us subject to clerical imperatives. It took this country more than 200 years to finally free ourselves of a controlling religious influence on our government. It would be sad if we reverted to that condition.
How is that freedom of religion? Give me freedom from your religion.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Health Care Mandate - Solved
The health care mandate. There's a subject to try men's souls - especially those running for office.
OK so maybe there is a constitutional issue. Not to worry, there's a simple way around it. Anyone who has applied for medicare drug care coverage learned that you don't have to sign up. But if you delay, for every month you don't sign up, the premium increases. This clever scheme helps prevent free riders who don't sign up for coverage until they need it.
There's no reason why the same approach couldn't be used for basic medical care.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Religious Exemption
What the heck is Obama thinking, when HHS publishes rules denying a religious exemption to Catholic hospitals who do not want to offer birth control information to their patients. I'm not a Catholic, but firmly support their need to be exempted, even though I also think that offering such information is important to the clientele they serve. A bad decision like this may come to haunt him in the general election, since it was Catholics who helped put him over the top. All it would take is a phone call to Kathleen Sibelius at HHS and the problem would be solved. So, get on the phone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)