Yesterday, I heard Pat Buchanan remark that whipping the final health care votes would have nothing to do with economic or even ideological arguments, but that the last few scattered sheep would be driven into the pen with an appeal to the “do you really want to he hear Rush and Sean crowing about this on Monday?” tactic.

Now, the more I think about it, the more I really do think the sheer horror of this thing is hitting many Obama supporters, but that they will never subjugate their realization to a victory for the right.  It like a contentious and anonymous EBay bidding war–one where you are caught up in a some frenzied anger that another bidder’s proxy bid keeps knocking you out.  Finally, you bid twice the value of the thing you wanted. Sure, you won, but at what price?

So here you have a usually vocal and cacophonous Hollywood set.  And they’re (at least to me) comparatively quiet.  Is it because they simply know they are not part of the austere, legislative body that will never suffer the reverberations of such nightmarish policy?  I guess only they would know for sure. But I sure as anything don’t see them pining for this health care bill.  And to silence ones self to deprive Rush Limbaugh a bragging right? Well, that’s about as shallow as our upcoming coverage spectrums.

It occurred to me the other day, that one of the reasons the White House has been goading the Supreme Court is the hopes that perhaps one of the “five” will make some kind of presumptive “gaffe”–one that forces a recusal from any upcoming and certain challenges to the health care bill.  One would be enough to presume a 4-4 split.  Two would be fatal.

I say this because what looks like a cramdown using the “Slaughter Solution” must–must be challenged.  In fact, one could argue that if this thing is going to make it to the President’s desk–this would be the best way to have it unilaterally tossed, as opposed to the individual mandates leaving an unfunded mandate for the country to contend with.

So please.  if you’re a Supreme Court Justice and you happen to read this–please, please save the antebellum statements for the war itself.

Yesterday, Byron York had an interesting piece over at the Washington Examiner entitled “Republicans deserve blame for Democratic excesses.” In it, he makes the somewhat obvious but important-to-be-said point that Republicans made their own bed. Had Republicans not been so terrible in so many ways during their reign, and in particular, toward its end, then they might have saved a seat or two in the Senate – and therefore would not have handed Democrats a filibuster-proof governing coalition with which to inflict so much damage on America.

It is hard to argue with that, but, is that the whole story?

Not in the slightest. It would have been arguably worse, in the long term, had Republicans maintained, say, 42 or 43 seats in the Senate.

Say what, Hogan? Yep – that’s right. Now, bear with me here, because I realize this does not seem logical at first blush, but I think this is critically important both with respect to how we got into this mess and how we get out of it.

Byron’s main point can be summarized when he said this with respect to the close races in 2008: “If any one of those races had turned out differently, there would be one more Republican in the Senate, and we might not be facing a far-reaching, coercive and cripplingly expensive makeover of the nation’s health care system.”

Yes, we may well have stopped THIS precise version of Obamacare if we had Stevens, Coleman, Specter, Smith or whomever on our side. But then what would have happened? What would be the logical next step for any of those four, or Olympia Snowe, or Susan Collins, or Bob Bennett, or Lamar Alexander, or Lindsey Graham, or Judd Gregg, for example?

You needn’t look far for the answer.

Read More →

Trying to post a simple link to a firedoglake http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/20817 video . Software in Redstate keeps killing IE8 in Windows7 … if this works it will be a Christmas miracle. Seems to be rooted in the link button of the wysiwyg editor. Good link! And here’s the video:

Enjoy the madness of the left.

This was something my wife was going to post on Facebook, but it became too long and I thought it worthy of sharing here:

Health care “reform” is on my mind today. Seems it’s going to pass the Senate and may become law in some form. I’ve always believed that government involvement in our lives is a very bad thing. That is especially true with healthcare. Honestly, I think one need only look at the looming medicare bankruptcy [see, e.g., here] and consider that in context with other interactions with the government to come to the conclusion that allowing the government to involve itself any further into our healthcare is a terrible idea.

That said, my opposition now is far more personal than that. I have a newborn son. He had a cold a few weeks ago, and he has another one now. No big deal; he’ll be fine. But in the last several weeks I’ve talked to the nurse at his pediatrician’s office a dozen times, maybe. I’ve filled 2 prescriptions. I’ve worried about his fever, and I’ve called the nurse again. More, earlier this year, our family had another health concern come up - and we’ve gone through tests, procedures, office visits and lots of interaction with the healthcare system generally - almost every aspect of it, positive.

But, my family spends a lot of money for good health insurance and we have done so for a long time. That’s ok - because I am not sure I could tell you that it’s “too much.” I can tell you it’s unnecessarily complicated - almost always due to government regulation - but it’s something we are more than happy to budget for. More, I am conscious not to use our healthcare coverage like it’s “free.” It’s not free – nurses and doctors and meds all cost money, but they make my life better and they help my son and my family stay healthy. I value that, and I am willing to save my money elsewhere to spend it for health care.

One thing I know for certain – in a system where the government rations, manages and otherwise dictates our health care, it will be nothing to value, and only the wealthy will be able to find quality care outside of the system. That is both tragic and immoral. I would do anything to keep my son and my family healthy, and until this monstrous bill becomes law (and, God help us, even after), I will do anything to preserve my right to do so in a free, innovative, efficient, and yes, often expensive, private market. Our healthcare system may not be perfect, but it’s the best in the world. The idea that, due to government interference, it may not be the success story in 10 years that it is right now - and that I may not be able to get the care I seek for my son and my family - is an outrage and deserving of our full, immediate attention. There are reforms we can and should make – but,the bills under consideration right now are not making those reforms. They are an anti-American, immoral, abomination - passed not in good faith, but so that a handful of corrupt, self-congratulating elitists in Washington can feel good about themselves.

I remain hopeful that we can stop this bill. But, we are running out of time. If we do not stop the bill’s passage, every politician advocating for or complicit in its passage should fear for his job and know he will pay for this.

That’s what’s on my mind today.