I would like to see every American covered with at the very least a solid, basic plan, but what if they wish not to be? If the Federal Government seeks to mandate coverage as put forth in President Obama’s proposal, are they not dealing a blow to our personal Liberty? What right do the feds have to force the American people into purchasing anything? According to Rasmussen, 56% oppose the President’s plan while only 41% are in favor, could this intrusion on Liberty be a part of the problem?(http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform)

It would appear that the President has an up-hill battle to get enough support to pass this legislation. He is dealing with a weakened majority in the Senate and a populace that is not very enthusiastic about his managing of the issue. Those points are also addressed in the link above. Of course we’ll have to wait and see how things unfold at tomorrow’s “summit” with Congressional Republicans.

With faith in government so low in the United States, what makes the White House think that main street wants to be strong armed into purchasing coverage or anything else? I am not someone who believes that government has no place in American life, it surely does. However, a line must be drawn between our government and our Liberty. The Supreme Court decided in 1973 that the government could not declare having an abortion in the United States to be illegal. It could not tell a women what they can and cannot do with their bodies. This concept has been upheld for decades. Health care coverage also deals with our bodies both in the short and long term. I would think that a similar mindset as put forth in Roe would prevail in this debate.  While its not an apples to apples comparison on the issue (Abortion Rights v. Mandatory  Health Coverage), the premise of the argument is: Government intrusion in our personal health decisions. Ultimately, only the individual can determine what is in their best interest. We should remain consistent, whether it be the Right to have an abortion or the Right to opt into (or not opt into) a health care program, these should remain as they are, strictly personal choices.

We should also not forget the slippery slope argument. If government was to mandate coverage and enforce a penalty (aka a tax) if the people are not compliant, what else could they mandate and penalize us with? Americans need to take these things into consideration. Government, regardless of its level, will naturally move to gain more and more power but they are not quick to return that power to the people, where it rightfully belongs. I believe the whole concept of mandatory health coverage under threat of fine or tax to be unconstitutional and an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal written by David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey reaffirm this position.   They state, “a tax that is so clearly a penalty for failing to comply with requirements otherwise beyond Congress’s constitutional power will present the question whether there are any limits on Congress’s power to regulate individual Americans.” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204518504574416623109362480.html) The unconstitutional overreach of Congressional authority, with the blessing of the Executive, is dentrimental to our Liberty and will only lead to further growth and expansion of the federal government.   

 What say you?

WINNERS:
Hamas – The obvious winner of the conflict.  Although Hamas received heavy casualties they have managed to not only stay in power in the Strip, but increase their power.  Surviving the conflict allowed then to declare victory even though the numbers by themselves show the conflict as a crushing defeat.  There were well over 1000 Palestinians killed over the 3 weeks and close to two billion dollars of damage to the territories infrastructure.  None of this matters to Hamas.  Hamas has and will use the death toll and destruction as a rallying call further gain support amongst the Civilian population of Gaza.  Hamas will also refuse to relinquish any control and therefore take responsibility for any rebuilding efforts in the strip.  Finally sympathy for the plight of Gaza has given Hamas increased power in the West Bank and will most likely lead them to win more seats in the Palestinian parliament if and when another election is held.
Syria – Syria is the primary backer of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and one of the most openly anti-Israel nations.  They were a major backer of Hezbollah in the second Lebanon war and once again forced Israel into an internationally unpopular war while avoiding any direct collateral damage and strengthening an additional front for Israel to be concerned with.
Iran – It is well known that Iran has been looking to increase its international strength.  Iran’s backing of Hamas is another tool the Iranian government will use in an attempt to increase its negotiating power with the west.  Iran is also using the campaign to gain strength with in the Middle East.  Iran, a non Arab nation has managed to become a player and obtain a seat with the leaders of the Arab League.
Likud – Polls show Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party are pulling away and likely to be able to gain a conservative coalition in the next Israeli government due to their hard-line stance towards the Palestinian situation.

LOSERS:
Egypt – Egypt is caught between a rock and a hard place.  Egypt’s leadership is terrified of both Iran gaining influence in the Middle East and Muslim Brotherhood (the group in which Hamas originated from) gaining strength in Egypt.  Egypt also controls the only land boarder not connected to Israel with and has sided with Israel and closed its crossing to the Gaza Strip since Hamas assumed control.  The population of Egypt for the most part sides with the Palestinians and has lead to internal turmoil over Egypt not opening the crossing into Gaza.  Egypt is aware that it has been used as a smuggling route for Hamas to obtain its weapons.  On one hand Egypt has a peace treaty with Israel and fears extremism of groups like Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood.  On the other hand Egypt has to deal with internal pressure by a population sympathetic to the Palestinians to open the Rafah Crossing.  Egypt which is an extremely impoverished nation also fears opening its boarder and allowing an influx of a people even poorer than its own in.
Lebanon – Syria has held a position of strength in Lebanon for years.  Hezbollah which controls the south is funded and backed by Syria and Iran.  Syria’s gains are also Hezbollah’s gains which may allow them to gain grounds in the Lebanese parliament.
Innocent People of Gaza – The obvious losers were the innocent people Gaza.  There are many people in the Strip, who support Hamas, and it is hard to have sympathy for them, but there are also many who do not.  Who just want to live in peace and would happily see Hamas disappear and peace can be reached.  The destruction to their infrastructure and loss of their lives caused by Hamas choosing to fight from populated areas shows Hamas’s indifference to all human life, not just Jewish or Israeli.
Fatah – Fatah hoped to regain control of the Gaza Strip as a result of Operation Cast Lead but the opposite has happened.  Abbas’s party has been seen as attempting to regain control of Gaza on “Israeli Tanks” which has severely damaged its reputation in the West Bank and looks to possibly cause it to eventually lose control of the West Bank to Hamas.
Israel – Just looking at the damage Israel inflicted of the Gaza Strip it’s hard to see them as losers, over 1300 Palestinians lost their lives and almost two billion dollars of damage was done to its infrastructure as opposed to 13 Israeli’s who gave their lives with minimal property damage but even with those lopsided numbers Israel failed to accomplish its main goals.  Hamas is still in power and has actually become stronger, Iran has gained strength, Hamas’s ability to rearm itself through tunnels into Egypt has not been eliminated and the population of southern Israel is still under constant fear of missile attack.  Israel claims to have won by deterring Hamas from launch more attacks into Israel is yet to be proven.
Barack Obama – During his campaign Barack Obama suggested that he would prefer working with the Labor Party as opposed to Likud in an attempt to restart Middle East peace talks but Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party seems very likely to be the victors in next month’s Israeli elections.  President Obama is aware that with Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud in control the likelihood of creating a true 2-state solution with Israel and Palestine unlikely.  Netanyahu has been adamantly opposed to removing Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank which seems like a necessity for the Palestinian and other Arab governments to ever agree to accepting Israel.
Gilad Shalit – For two and a half years Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier has been a prisoner of Hamas after a successful cross boarder kidnapping.  Israel hopped to use a requirement of any cease fire to include the returning of Gilad.  Gilad is believed to be somewhere in Gaza although this cannot be confirmed.  Israel cannot even confirm if he is still alive although Hamas claims he is.

I was going to write about why the US government should not close GITMO, but then I found THIS ARTICLE which makes the point better than I ever could.

The election of Barack Obama has no doubt forever changed the American political landscape for the better.

This historic election ushers in a new brand of American politics and it is time to get to work. We have heard the soaring rhetoric, the campaign promises and it is about time the rubber hit the road.

Yesterday’s inauguration was a momentous occasion and President Obama delivered a decent speech with the saavy and brilliant delivery we have come to expect from him. On substance, it echoed his sentiments from the campaign trail. If you paid attention to the campaign at all, you knew what he was going to say and have heard it before- multiple times. Overall, it did leave me wanting more. I was anxiously waiting to be knocked over by a line that would define our generation in history for years to come. That line never came. While there were no ”We have nothing to fear but fear itself” lines (as I was expecting), I did find one line struck me as a vital and simple truth. When President Obama declared “the question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works” is key to today’s challenges. The age-old philosophical divide between Republicans and Democrats must be put on hold and together both parties should work to converge on the goal of driving a government that actually works. Discussion and compromise among our political parties would actually be “real change” for a change in Washington.

It is important for us to remember that President Obama is just one man. The rock star status and what I refer to as the “Messianic Complex” bestowed upon him by what appears to be a majority of the American electorate and media is entirely too much. I do not doubt that President Obama is a good man who only wants the very best for his country, just as outgoing President George W. Bush did, but to extol our current President to the level of demigod before he has governed one day as this nation’s Chief Executive is naïve at best and dangerous at worst. Big expectations lead to big disappointments and the tasks President Obama face are large. The economy won’t turn around as fast as Christians believe Jesus Christ turned those loaves into fishes. I reiterate, Obama is only one man.

I, for one, hope and pray that President Obama is successful. Anyone who wishes him any less is certainly no patriot in my eyes. I can see glimpses of the hope that he campaigned on and I do have a pretty good feeling in general about him- but questions remain. The economy- stimulus packages, two wars and Guantanamo Bay loom large over his first days in office. In the campaign he offered big promises. His large economic stimulus package will see challenges from both sides- conservatives who do not want to see the deficit become any more enlarged or construed as “government hand outs” and liberals who simply chafe at the term “tax cut.” President Obama has also promised to lead a responsible pull out of American combat troops from Iraq, re-focus our energy on Afghanistan with more troops and shut down Gitmo. There is no question that epic battles on the Hill await President Obama on all of these endeavors.

*Ding* – it is time for Round 1.

Lieberman, who has been outcast from the Democrat Party for his support of the Bush Administration’s War in Iraq, recently spoke at the Republican National Convention and let everyone in attendance and watching at home know that he is supporting John McCain because “country matters more than party.” Lieberman went on to say that “John McCain’s whole life testifies to a great truth: being a Democrat or a Republican is important. But it is not more important than being an American.”

How can such a fair minded, middle of the road and pragmatic Senator be “Ned Lamonted”? Short answer, each party’s purse strings are controlled by its bases- the true ideoligues. Lieberman is clear, his decisions are based on what he believes is right not on what will please the Democrat Party. Similarly, John McCain does not make his decisions in accordance with the base of the Republican Party. Lieberman and McCain are the same in that they do what they believe is best for the forward progress of this country, what they believe to be right in their gut. I think Americans can associate with that. The gut level is where candidates have to reach the average voter. Whether you agree with Lieberman’s politics or not, one should be able to respect his moderation, which is one of the four Aristotelian virtues.

A USA Today article that I have linked up at the end of this post asserts that Lieberman’s parting gift to the Democrats could very well be a Republican Senator. If McCain wins and Lieberman was offered and accepted a cabinet position, Connecticut’s Republican Governor Jodi Rell would appoint the next Senator to finish out the last two years of Lieberman’s term. No doubt Governor Rell will pick a member of her Party.

I am sure someone like Joe Lieberman wishes to end his Senate career on better terms, but as the Democrat Party abandoned Ronald Reagan, so it has abandoned Senator Joe. Reagan’s departure brought about a revitalized Republican Party and conservative moment. Perhaps the potential departure of Joe Lieberman from the Senate and the possible election of John McCain would usher in a new era of common sense politics and straight talk with Mac and Joe at the forefront. Here’s to hoping…

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/liebermans-parting-gift-may-be-an-extra-gop-sen.-2008-09-11.html

The Presidential polls are tightening and right now it looks like either candidate might make the crucial decision or blunder that might clinch or cost their party the election. I don’t think President Bush will risk his party losing control of the Whitehouse. I predict he will use Osama Bin Laden to guarantee the election for John McCain.

Osama Bin Laden and George Bush teaming up win an election for John McCain and the Republicans? Well not exactly. I believe that our government is aware of the location of Osama Bin Laden and have known for quite a while. I predict that sometime in mid to late October, in a military operation Osama Bin Laden will be either captured or killed, more likely killed.

This action alone will be enough to guarantee that John McCain wins the election. It is even possible, but not very likely that if Osama is captured instead of killed he would be secretly transported to Iraq where he would then be killed in a “Military Attack”. This would not only show that the Republicans are the party needed to fight terrorism, but also “prove” the connection between Osama Bin Laden and Iraq, and that the surge that McCain supported and Obama opposed was the right move.

I would hope that the American Government is better than that, and would never try a move like that, but unfortunately I don’t.

He means socialist crank crazed media ploy that won’t even be covered right? Everyone knows todays Republicans and Democrats adequately represent all 300 million of us and do so with genuine principled conviction. When will these third party kool-aid kids give up and realize moral and constitutional arguments are the weakest in politics today?

P.S. A retired Army Colonel whom I work with has family in Alaska and he says that rumors abound up there about a story yet to break nationally.  Supposedly Palin cheated on her husband and her second kid is really her husbands old business associates child. Who knows, who cares,  and how much would we really be surprised, but if some Edwards like story breaks remember that you read it here on The Politrick first!

**Sorry for the sleeze, I just want bragging rights**

The full story is below:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080908/ap_on_en_tv/tv_nbc_olbermann;_ylt=Ag4GPHZreKc7MABzzB9i8mus0NUE

MSNBC/NBC should be commended for showing some journalistic integrity by letting a real journalist and a fair reporter like David Gregory take the reigns of the anchorship for election related broadcasts throughout the rest of the race. Bravo.

Apparently, Barack Obama mispoke. He said “my Muslim faith” in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. First of all, any racist ideologue out there who wants to use the word “Muslim” to invoke fear into people is quite sad. Not only is it pathetic but its bad politics. It is a cheap tactic that I hope most open minded Americans would never fall for.We all know that Barack Obama is not Muslim and I’m tired of hearing that. There are enough holes in Barack Obama as a candidate (his flipping on off shore drilling, his being wrong on the surge, his affinity to voting “present” rather than making clear votes, the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of earmarks he has requested during his short tenure in the Senate and more) that there is ZERO need to label him a member of a group that some misguided people may have preconceived notions about. Close minded people who lump a whole people into the same group as extremists are flat out wrong and I know Senator McCain is better than that. Surrogates, on both sides of aisle may be a different story.

With all this said, one would hope that Senator Obama would stay above the fray, perhaps turn the other cheek as one might expect from the individual who gave that rousing oratory from on high in Denver but much to my dismay, he did not. Senator Obama is using this opportunity to play “poor me” with the media and I was quite astonished to see that Mr. Stephanopoulos actually defended McCain by stating that nothing has come out of the McCain campaign to date which would infer that Mr. Obama is a Muslim or would invoke any negative connotations upon him that some may associate with the word. Obama just comes off as disengenuous in this clip, maybe its just me.

Check it out for yourself: Obama on ABC

For me personally, this is a none issue, but it will politicized from all angles and it takes the focus away from more  pressing issues like the economy, terrorism, energy and whether or not the Mets will hang on to win the NL East!

You could tell me for example that as mayor of Wasilla (pop. of 5,469 as of 2000 census) she fired the librarian for not banning certain books. Heck, you could tell me 20 months ago the only real government experience she had was having been mayor of Wasilla. You could tell me she has regularly referred to the war in Iraq as “Gods work”. You could tell me she refutes the UN climate change report submitted by a collection of over 2000 scientists from about 90 countries because she doesn’t believe climate change is being furthered by man. You could tell me her only academic  achievement is a bachelors in journalism from the university of Idaho. You could tell me an unbiased assessment of her convention acceptance speech would uncover a hefty amount of truth stretching and even some outright lies about her and Obama’s record.

She could come on television and violently shake her baby and it would not change my love for her. It would be a preemptive shake against a terrorist baby who hates our freedom. Besides, she caught a 30 pound Alaskan sockeye salmon all by herself. Now if that illegal alien of a salmon was not wiretapped, tortured, and then shot in the face by Cheney, well then I might get pissed.