Federal Stimulus Money

I just returned from a road trip to OBX in North Carolina and Charleston in South Carolina with a side trip to Ocracoke Island in NC. It seems obvious that federal stimulus money is at work. In every state we passed thru-including the NJ turnpike-there is road work going on. It may create an inconvience at times but it is good to see the government putting people to work improving the country. Much better than spending $ 1 trillion to fight a needless war in Iraq, to say nothing of the human cost involved. These jobs, at least, can't be outsourced.

Billable Hour Reform

In the health care debate we keep on hearing about "tort reform" as a way to lower health care costs. Tort reform, for those who are most concerned about it, means limiting the amount of money a lawyer can make when he sues a company, hospital or doctor for negligence or misconduct. We should remember he or she is suing on behalf of a defendant who has been injured in some way by a company, hospital or doctor.

What about reforming the process of a client-company, hospital or doctor-who has to pay a law firm that represents them for every minute that firm "works" on their case? How much of that legal expense-called billable hours-is really legitimate? How much of it covers lunch breaks at "the club" while discussing a clients case?

It just might be that "billable hours" are causing more of an increase in health care costs than tort settlements. (See "findlaw.com" article on "billable hour reform" on 9/28/09)

Terror and Mass Transit

With the trial of one Najibullan Zazi in NYC we were told that he might have been planning terror attacks on city subways and buses. His method might have been "backpack bombs on New York trains". The trial is in process and the military presence in train terminals in the city has increased. Just when people were beginning to leave their cars at home and commute by mass transit we now learn that this might increase our chances of getting blown up. What is one to do? Wait; could this be the beginning of the build up to the 2010 election?

Viet-stan

So now the US general in charge of US/NATO forces in Afghanistan wants more troops "...or (we) will likely face failure". What, does he think he is William Westmoreland and Obama is Johnson. It all sounds familiar to one who lived through the Vietnam War era and was drafted. The problem thou is-to me at least-there is no way to win here. The Afghan people are not going to accept westerners-especially Americans-occupying their land, thus setting us up for a long struggle just to "hold the fort". If we withdraw from the country the corrupt government of Hamid Karzai will fall and the Taliban will most likely return to power, thus allowing the right-wing in this country to yell about "who lost Afghanistan" until the cows come home. Is a lower price for oil going to be worth the lost of American lives and wasted revenue from a treasury that doesn't have enough now to provide for our present needs?

Taxes and Services

After driving around the Outer Banks area of northern North Carolina for a couple of days now I am struck again by the availablity of bike paths along many of the main highways. Route 12 north from Southern Shores up to the end of the road-about 30 miles-has a wide macadem path.

The OBX beaches in this same area are monitored by a beach patrol and if the ocean conditions are too dangerous for swimming the patrols put up red flags along the the 3 to 5 mile stretch in Southern Shores. There may also be flags up further north into Duck and Corolla but I have not been up there to know for sure. This service is being provided after Labor Day when most of the tourist trade has left. Members of the beach patrol will visit each beach and remind those who ignore the flags of the danger of swimming with rip-currents.

Without these services life here would be more hazardous and injury and death would occur.

What is it with South Carolina?

Joe Wilson's racist inspired outburst, confederate battle flags over the capitol, former senator Strum Thurmond as a segregationist presidential candidate, and a governor who will not accept "stimulus" money to make a personal political point.

In the 1960's, folk singer Phil Ochs sang that "Mississippi should find another country to be part of". In 2009 South Carolina should do the same, and this time, I say, let them go.

Taxes and Services

I returned yesterday to the ferry service out of Hatteras Village to the island of Ocracoke in NC. I have taken this wonderful trip on a number of occasions over the last decade and have always been impressed with it. The trip I took cost me nothing but time as the boat ride was free. The state of NC provides the service. They run 21 ferries employing 400 people, taking 2.5 million people and 1.1 million vehicles to locations you might not be able to get to othewise. State taxes pay for this service and while some of the ferries also charge a fee, the one to Ocracoke is free to the traveler. Services require taxes. I also noted that the beaches along the National Seashore on Ocracoke have paved parking lots with sanitary facilities and beachwalks; all being provided by federal tax money. For those not wishing to pay taxes, try making a list of all the things you will give up. Maybe the wealthy don't want the service; they have private yachts to private islands and private beaches and see no reason to help others enjoy similiar experiences.

US Elections

It has been reported that the Diebold company has sold its US voting machine division to a rival-Election Systems & Software. The NY Times says "...Congress, the states and cities need to push a lot harder for fundamental reforms in the voting machine business...". I just don't understand how a democracy could hand over to a private company the responsibility of running and reporting on the results of an election. Who owns these companies, who are they contributing campaign dollars to, and what are their politics?

Debating Neo-Cons

Forget about it. You can not argue with someone who has lost all ability to reason sensibly. Take the recent "debate" over allowing President Obama to address school kids on opening day. His opponents say "Obama would try to indoctrinate schoolchildren with what they call his 'socialist' agenda". When I attended a health care town meeting their were people passing out literature comparing Obama to Adolph Hitler. Can he possibily be a fascist and a socialist at the same time. In another instance a town hall protester allegedly shouted "keep government hands off my Medicare". Remember this on Thanksgiving when the family you don't see every day begins to "discuss"politics. Don't go there. You will regret it.

Health care and Immigration

It is reported in the news on 9/6/09 in NC that republicans and others, opposed to the health care reform President Obama is pushing, are concerned illegal immigrants will get covered at tax payer expense. Democratic supporters of health care respond by reading from the legislation the section title "no Federal Payment for Undocumented Aliens". Opponents counter by saying their should be a verification system of citizenship. Well, good idea. Lets also apply that same verfication system to illegal workers hired by companies all over the US and employ only those workers who are truly citizens.

Thomas on Liberal Universities

Cal Thomas writes in The Virginian Pilot on 9/6/09 the following. "Here is the way I believe it works at liberal universities. Some professors require their students to repeat back to them on test papers and in theses what the professors believe. Unless students hate republicans, revile GW Bush and Ronald Reagan, renounce God, support abortion and gay rights, they can sometimes expect a lower, even failing grade". I wonder how he would explain the "colleges" that tell a student who to date or what to wear? I would also like to hear from college grads if Cal Thomas has any support for his theory.

Gadhafi and Bush

In North Jersey this week the town of Englewood is up in arms because of a possible visit by Libyan Moammar Gadhafi; he is NYC for a UN meeting. His visit is happening just after the British released the convicted terrorist who destroyed a commercial airliner supposedly under orders from the Libyan government. That terrorist was welcomed home as a hero in Libya. No wonder people around here are all bent out of shape over this. But, why has nothing been said about G.W. Bush making a deal with Gadhafi a year or two ago. Bush took Libya off the list of terrorist supporting countries and welcomed his "help" in the Iraq war. Gadhafi is a terrorist and almost everyone around here knows it; except Bush.

Update: In 2004 Bush "resumed direct diplomatic ties with Libya" and he lifted sanctions because Libya agrees to "dismantle chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs". In 2006 Bush "removed Libya from the list of nations that sponsor terrorism" and at the same time grants "full diplomatic ties". This update is from The Record on 8/24/09 page A-6 under "Libya timeline". Maybe Bush forgot about the Lockerbie, Scotland plane bombing that killed 270 people. In 2003 Libya admitted their role in the bombing and paid $ 2.7 billion to the families of the victims. Iraq did not attack us in 2001 but we attacked them. Libya did attack and kill Americans in 1988 and we take their name of the terror nations list. Go figure.