Spy Wednesday

Today is called Spy Wednesday in the Church.  Today's liturgy celebrates this as the day Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty peices of silver.  I hear Bart Stupak has a party planned...

From Nazareth Priest: 

Dom Gueranger, the great Benedictine liturgical scholar, offers this hymn from the Greek liturgy that describes the whole incident and is a moving account of this horrible treachery. read the rest

  Acts of the Apostasy has some customs posted.
  FishEaters has even more

And Nunly has this to say:

I’m sad to say that with the sudden upsurge of Catholic bashing and attacks on our Pope in the the media, many of us are focusing on the wrong thing this Holy Week. I’m convinced that this is exactly the plan for those who are fueling these flames…and we all know that Satan is the one orchestrating this show. Don’t let him win. Spend as much time as you can in prayer and reflection, this is what our Holy Father would want us to do!

There is more coming.  First I must visit my favorite store (Costco) and pick up my taxes at the bookkeepers.  Lunch is sweet pork burritos on homemade tortillas at  Cafe Chulo.  Outstanding!

A slow death for some under Obamacare

I'm not sure how I bumped into this article early this morning.  Even with my medical background, it brought to light some issues that made my heart hurt.  For the entire day I've thought about this, and the horror the future holds for some of our citizens unless we all stand up and fight this monstrosity that is being foisted on us against our will.

Take a moment to read  the Negative Impact of Obamacare Continues from the Bride of Rove.  Obama, his puppet master, and all his evil little minions have a special place in hell reserved for them.  May God have mercy on their souls...

Holy Carp

I suggest you pour a drink (a LARGE one) before hunkering down to read this: 

159 Ways the Senate Bill Is a Government Takeover of Health Care

February 25, 2010

Courtesy of the Senate Republican Policy Committee:

Here is a list of new boards, bureaucracies, and programs created in the 2,733 page Senate health care bill, which serves as the framework for President Obama’s health proposal:

1.       Grant program for consumer assistance offices (Section 1002, p. 37)
2.       Grant program for states to monitor premium increases (Section 1003, p. 42)
3.       Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
4.       Demonstration program for state wellness programs (Section 1201, p. 93)
5.       Grant program to establish state Exchanges (Section 1311(a), p. 130)
6.       State American Health Benefit Exchanges (Section 1311(b), p. 131)
7.       Exchange grants to establish consumer navigator programs (Section 1311(i), p. 150)
8.       Grant program for state cooperatives (Section 1322, p. 169)
9.       Advisory board for state cooperatives (Section 1322(b)(3), p. 173)
10.     Private purchasing council for state cooperatives (Section 1322(d), p. 177)
11.     State basic health plan programs (Section 1331, p. 201)
12.     State-based reinsurance program (Section 1341, p. 226)
13.     Program of risk corridors for individual and small group markets (Section 1342, p. 233)
14.     Program to determine eligibility for Exchange participation (Section 1411, p. 267)
15.     Program for advance determination of tax credit eligibility (Section 1412, p. 288)
16.     Grant program to implement health IT enrollment standards (Section 1561, p. 370)
17.     Federal Coordinated Health Care Office for dual eligible beneficiaries (Section 2602, p. 512)
18.     Medicaid quality measurement program (Section 2701, p. 518)
19.     Medicaid health home program for people with chronic conditions, and grants for planning same (Section 2703, p. 524)
20.     Medicaid demonstration project to evaluate bundled payments (Section 2704, p. 532)
21.     Medicaid demonstration project for global payment system (Section 2705, p. 536)
22.     Medicaid demonstration project for accountable care organizations (Section 2706, p. 538)
23.     Medicaid demonstration project for emergency psychiatric care (Section 2707, p. 540)
24.     Grant program for delivery of services to individuals with postpartum depression (Section 2952(b), p. 591)
25.     State allotments for grants to promote personal responsibility education programs (Section 2953, p. 596)
26.     Medicare value-based purchasing program (Section 3001(a), p. 613)
27.     Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals (Section 3001(b), p. 637)
28.     Medicare value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 3006(a), p. 666)
29.     Medicare value-based purchasing program for home health agencies (Section 3006(b), p. 668)
30.     Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality (Section 3012, p. 688)
31.     Grant program to develop health care quality measures (Section 3013, p. 693)
32.     Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 3021, p. 712)
33.     Medicare shared savings program (Section 3022, p. 728)
34.     Medicare pilot program on payment bundling (Section 3023, p. 739)
35.     Independence at home medical practice demonstration program (Section 3024, p. 752)
36.     Program for use of patient safety organizations to reduce hospital readmission rates (Section 3025(b), p. 775)
37.     Community-based care transitions program (Section 3026, p. 776)
38.     Demonstration project for payment of complex diagnostic laboratory tests (Section 3113, p. 800)
39.     Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration project (Section 3140, p. 850)
40.     Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 982)
41.     Consumer Advisory Council for Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 1027)
42.     Grant program for technical assistance to providers implementing health quality practices (Section 3501, p. 1043)
43.     Grant program to establish interdisciplinary health teams (Section 3502, p. 1048)
44.     Grant program to implement medication therapy management (Section 3503, p. 1055)
45.     Grant program to support emergency care pilot programs (Section 3504, p. 1061)
46.     Grant program to promote universal access to trauma services (Section 3505(b), p. 1081)
47.     Grant program to develop and promote shared decision-making aids (Section 3506, p. 1088)
48.     Grant program to support implementation of shared decision-making (Section 3506, p. 1091)
49.     Grant program to integrate quality improvement in clinical education (Section 3508, p. 1095)
50.     Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health (Section 3509(a), p. 1098)
51.     Centers for Disease Control Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(b), p. 1102)
52.     Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(e), p. 1105)
53.     Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(f), p. 1106)
54.     Food and Drug Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 3509(g), p. 1109)
55.     National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (Section 4001, p. 1114)
56.     Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (Section 4001(f), p. 1117)
57.     Prevention and Public Health Fund (Section 4002, p. 1121)
58.     Community Preventive Services Task Force (Section 4003(b), p. 1126)
59.     Grant program to support school-based health centers (Section 4101, p. 1135)
60.     Grant program to promote research-based dental caries disease management (Section 4102, p. 1147)
61.     Grant program for States to prevent chronic disease in Medicaid beneficiaries (Section 4108, p. 1174)
62.     Community transformation grants (Section 4201, p. 1182)
63.     Grant program to provide public health interventions (Section 4202, p. 1188)
64.     Demonstration program of grants to improve child immunization rates (Section 4204(b), p. 1200)
65.     Pilot program for risk-factor assessments provided through community health centers (Section 4206, p. 1215)
66.     Grant program to increase epidemiology and laboratory capacity (Section 4304, p. 1233)
67.     Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 4305, p. 1238)
68.     National Health Care Workforce Commission (Section 5101, p. 1256)
69.     Grant program to plan health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(c), p. 1275)
70.     Grant program to implement health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(d), p. 1279)
71.     Pediatric specialty loan repayment program (Section 5203, p. 1295)
72.     Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (Section 5204, p. 1300)
73.     Allied Health Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 5205, p. 1305)
74.     Grant program to provide mid-career training for health professionals (Section 5206, p. 1307)
75.     Grant program to fund nurse-managed health clinics (Section 5208, p. 1310)
76.     Grant program to support primary care training programs (Section 5301, p. 1315)
77.     Grant program to fund training for direct care workers (Section 5302, p. 1322)
78.     Grant program to develop dental training programs (Section 5303, p. 1325)
79.     Demonstration program to increase access to dental health care in underserved communities (Section 5304, p. 1331)
80.     Grant program to promote geriatric education centers (Section 5305, p. 1334)
81.     Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339)
82.     Grant program to promote training in mental and behavioral health (Section 5306, p. 1344)
83.     Grant program to promote nurse retention programs (Section 5309, p. 1354)
84.     Student loan forgiveness for nursing school faculty (Section 5311(b), p. 1360)
85.     Grant program to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes (Section 5313, p. 1364)
86.     Public Health Sciences Track for medical students (Section 5315, p. 1372)
87.     Primary Care Extension Program to educate providers (Section 5405, p. 1404)
88.     Grant program for demonstration projects to address health workforce shortage needs (Section 5507, p. 1442)
89.     Grant program for demonstration projects to develop training programs for home health aides (Section 5507, p. 1447)
90.     Grant program to establish new primary care residency programs (Section 5508(a), p. 1458)
91.     Program of payments to teaching health centers that sponsor medical residency training (Section 5508(c), p. 1462)
92.     Graduate nurse education demonstration program (Section 5509, p. 1472)
93.     Grant program to establish demonstration projects for community-based mental health settings (Section 5604, p. 1486)
94.     Commission on Key National Indicators (Section 5605, p. 1489)
95.     Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6102, p. 1554)
96.     Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6103(a)(3), p. 1561)
97.     Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 6103(b)(3), p. 1568)
98.     National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 6112, p. 1589)
99.     Demonstration projects for nursing facilities involved in the culture change movement (Section 6114, p. 1597)
100.  Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1619)
101.  Standing methodology committee for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1629)
102.  Board of Governors for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1638)
103.  Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (Section 6301(e), p. 1656)
104.  Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Section 6703, p. 1773)
105.  Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Section 6703, p. 1776)
106.  Grant program to create elder abuse forensic centers (Section 6703, p. 1783)
107.  Grant program to promote continuing education for long-term care staffers (Section 6703, p. 1787)
108.  Grant program to improve management practices and training (Section 6703, p. 1788)
109.  Grant program to subsidize costs of electronic health records (Section 6703, p. 1791)
110.  Grant program to promote adult protective services (Section 6703, p. 1796)
111.  Grant program to conduct elder abuse detection and prevention (Section 6703, p. 1798)
112.  Grant program to support long-term care ombudsmen (Section 6703, p. 1800)
113.  National Training Institute for long-term care surveyors (Section 6703, p. 1806)
114.  Grant program to fund State surveys of long-term care residences (Section 6703, p. 1809)
115.  CLASS Independence Fund (Section 8002, p. 1926)
116.  CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 8002, p. 1927)
117.  CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 8002, p. 1931)
118.  Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 8002(c), p. 1938)
119.  Multi-state health plans offered by Office of Personnel Management (Section 10104(p), p. 2086)
120.  Advisory board for multi-state health plans (Section 10104(p), p. 2094)
121.  Pregnancy Assistance Fund (Section 10212, p. 2164)
122.  Value-based purchasing program for ambulatory surgical centers (Section 10301, p. 2176)
123.  Demonstration project for payment adjustments to home health services (Section 10315, p. 2200)
124.  Pilot program for care of individuals in environmental emergency declaration areas (Section 10323, p. 2223)
125.  Grant program to screen at-risk individuals for environmental health conditions (Section 10323(b), p. 2231)
126.  Pilot programs to implement value-based purchasing (Section 10326, p. 2242)
127.  Grant program to support community-based collaborative care networks (Section 10333, p. 2265)
128.  Centers for Disease Control Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
129.  Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
130.  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
131.  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
132.  Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
133.  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
134.  Grant program to promote small business wellness programs (Section 10408, p. 2285)
135.  Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2289)
136.  Cures Acceleration Network Review Board (Section 10409, p. 2291)
137.  Grant program for Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2297)
138.  Grant program to promote centers of excellence for depression (Section 10410, p. 2304)
139.  Advisory committee for young women’s breast health awareness education campaign (Section 10413, p. 2322)
140.  Grant program to provide assistance to provide information to young women with breast cancer (Section 10413, p. 2326)
141.  Interagency Access to Health Care in Alaska Task Force (Section 10501, p. 2329)
142.  Grant program to train nurse practitioners as primary care providers (Section 10501(e), p. 2332)
143.  Grant program for community-based diabetes prevention (Section 10501(g), p. 2337)
144.  Grant program for providers who treat a high percentage of medically underserved populations (Section 10501(k), p. 2343)
145.  Grant program to recruit students to practice in underserved communities (Section 10501(l), p. 2344)
146.  Community Health Center Fund (Section 10503, p. 2355)
147.  Demonstration project to provide access to health care for the uninsured at reduced fees (Section 10504, p. 2357)
148.  Demonstration program to explore alternatives to tort litigation (Section 10607, p. 2369)
149.  Indian Health demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (S. 1790, Section 112, p. 24)*
150.  Office of Indian Men’s Health (S. 1790, Section 136, p. 71)*
151.  Indian Country modular component facilities demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 146, p. 108)*
152.  Indian mobile health stations demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 147, p. 111)*
153.  Office of Direct Service Tribes (S. 1790, Section 172, p. 151)*
154.  Indian Health Service mental health technician training program (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 173)*
155.  Indian Health Service program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 192)*
156.  Indian Health Service program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 194)*
157.  Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 204)*
158.  Indian youth life skills demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 220)*
159.  Indian Health Service Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (S. 1790, Section 199B, p. 258)*

*Section 10221, page 2173 of H.R. 3590 deems that S. 1790 shall be deemed as passed with certain amendments.

Anti-Catholicism

Unfortunately, I read an article The Catholic Church is a Criminal Enterprise by Matt Taibbi, which really deserves nothing more than to be relegated to the trash heap of silly anti-Catholicism.  Memeorandum saw fit to highlight it on their news aggregator. Why?  I have no idea.  If you really want to waste time reading this hate-filled piece of garbage, you'll have to Google it, because I would not honor it with a link. Then I find out that the Washington Post printed a pile of anti-Catholic doggie-do by Sinead O'Connor on Palm Sunday.  I have no intention of even reading a screed written by someone such as Ms. O'Connor who has absolutely no credibility. 

I did read  a fine article in the National Review by George Weigel & Rev. Jay Scott Newman (who are credible)  entitled Spreading the Big Lie.  They ask the question, "Why did the Washington Post choose Palm Sunday to publish an ignorant and malicious piece by Sinead O’Connor on abuse in the Catholic Church?"  Why, indeed...

Here's the bottom line for me.  If you don't want to be Catholic, don't.  I don't want to be Protestant, and so I'm not.  Isn't that simple?  However, I don't feel the need to go about bashing Protestants. The truth is exactly what Bishop Fulton J. Sheen said in 1938, "There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church — which is, of course, quite a different thing."
 

Obama in Afghanistan

 This is a joke, right?  Right!?

Obama tells Karzai to clean up corruption

United States president Barack Obama has urged Afghan president Hamid Karzai to clean up corruption   read the rest

Palm Sunday

Almighty and everliving God,
in your tender love towards us
you sent your Son to take our nature upon him,
and to suffer death upon the cross;
grant that we may follow the example
of his great humility
and share in his glorious resurrection:

through him who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.

Education in the Spotlight and some linky-love

Gateway Pundit:  After Nationalizing Health Care & Student Loans – Obama Continues Attack on Private Sector In Weekly Address

My observation: 

Listen carefully to what Obama said in this address:

In his weekly address on radio and Internet, Obama called education and health care “two of the most important pillars of a strong America.” He thanked Congress for passing the measures, calling them “real and major reform.

This should have huge red flags waving wildly in front of your face.  If these are truly the pillars of a strong America, then why have they been federalized?  As we witness Obama ramping up his rhetoric with in-your-face insults, taunts, and ridicule, I have to ask, "what is it that makes this man act in such a bold and obnoxious manner?  Does he perhaps have some insight that we are not yet privy to?"   

From American Thinker:

Welcome to the Machine: Cultural Marxism in Education

The education machine that keeps churning out newbies conditioned in mind-blunting nonjudgmentalism has laid the groundwork for a left wing takeover.

What reduced American education to its current state? read the rest

Protein Wisdom gets personal with The Lie of the Liberal Arts Education
 I venture to say Jeff Goldstein's old professor will think twice before tangling with him again. H/T to Memeorandum

Also from Gateway Pundit Jim Hoft wonders, "It’s almost as if Obama and democrats actually want the economy to collapse?"   Ya think? 
Read:  Another Crushing Blow to the Economy: Obamacare Will Cost US Corporations Billions  


Political Junkie Mom gets it.  Read:  It’s intentional, Peggy.


NiceDeb brought up a valid point concerning the source of the video I just posted (inforwars.com) as having no credibility because they were 9/11 truthers.  While I was well aware they posted material that questioned the events of 9/11, as always, I think long and hard before dismissing information because of the source.  It is our jobs as citizens to vet material, study, and come to our own conclusions.  Deb is quite correct to express her caution.  It is something we all must do. However, I still urge you to watch the video and do your own research.

Deb also posted information about the Kansas City Tea Party that is planned for April 15th.  If you live in or around Kansas, or are even flying in (I wish I could), everything you need to know is posted.  We thank her!

TPM Tea Partiers To Hold 'Conservative Woodstock' Event In Harry Reid's Hometown
another H/T to Memeorandum

Our very own Stacy McCain is in Searchlight, NV to attend this rally.  Waiting for updates at The Other McCain.  Check back there often.

Since we're talking about tea parties, I thank  my buddy Mark for leading me to this fine article Tea Party protesters are extraordinary, not ordinary by Dr. Sanity. 


How about another peek at our future?

Mcnorman's Weblog: Running Out Of Other People’s Money: Hospital wards to shut in secret NHS cuts

More on this from The BlogProf:  Single-Payer Hell: British NHS to secretly close units, urge sick to email doctors rather than visit, replace medical professionals with less qualified assistants, deny patient care to save cost


The Other McCain:    Smitty provided us with a two minute video summing up our future. He likens it to a "mugging."  I'd have to agree. Some Say That Sufficient Falsehood Can Enable Truth


Dr. Zero brings us our much needed pep-talk for the day: 

A Word to the Weary

[...]My own vision of the future includes peril, but not doom. We’re in a bad place right now, but we can turn things around. read the rest

Our quote for the day:

I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.  Deuteronomy 32:24

On of the commentors on American Thinker referred to the current administration as "those that glide through the dust."  Perfect!  And we thank him.

Palm Sunday

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week culminating with Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Holy Saturday Easter vigil liturgy. Tomorrow I will be attending an early Mass and processing with palm branches, recreating and remembering the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.  I will pray for you and for our country, and ask you to do the same.  See you on Monday...

"In every human life, in yours and in mine, the palms and the passion are intermingled. We accept the first with gratitude and the second with faith and look forward to that moment when, having given back all that we were given, we enter into the unutterable joy of eternal life." Father John Speekman, Palm Sunday Homily

Painting byZdzislaw Piotr Jasinski
"Palm Sunday", 1891, oil on canvas

Quantity, Quality, Screaming, and Google Bombs

The gold mine of articles that informed me and lifted my spirits may require two different posts.

Yesterday I finally had to wipe out my reader when it blew past the 1000 mark for the fifth time.  This is something I've hinted at in the past, but now I'm going to put it rather bluntly.  In  an attempt to run up their hit counters, many bloggers play the Google bomb game.  There's nothing wrong with trying to influence your SEO by carefully crafting your title, but articles that are packed full of such obvious bombs is a turn-off.    They also err on the side of quantity rather than quality.  The end result is like screaming at your dog.  It doesn't work in dog training, and it probably doesn't work well in the blogoshpere. 

My reading speed is way above average and I am able to blow through a lot of material in a very short time.  However,  after several hours I just give up and delete my entire reader.  I routinely hit the highest sites on my list first, then start in on the others.  After becoming saturated with the "screaming", many no doubt fine articles end up being relegated to the trash bin.  That is sad.  If the goal is to become a news aggregator, fine.  But if you want to actually have people read what you've written, it might be best to cut back on the number of posts.

"Dr. Zero" and  the "American Thinker" sites are two fine examples of good blogging.  It is rare that Dr. Zero posts more than once per day, while American Thinker posts an average of seven articles per day.  Even Hot Air doesn't post an overwhelming number of articles per day.  I've been just as guilty as the next person of falling into this trap of quantity vs quality, and the stress often gets in the way of living a full and productive life.

If we intend to stay in this battle for the long haul, and mark my words, it will be a long and very hard haul, we need to stop screaming at each other.

Chilling Video

We're Not Republicans or Democrats - We're Americans!

I apologize for not answering all of the wonderful comments the past few days.  Please know that I read them all and appreciate the feedback.

I just spent 2 hours and 24 minutes watching the following video.  It is chilling!  I also have spent another several hours checking on the credentials of the people featured.  I checked up on the references to the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, HR 645, and updated information on the C.F.R., and Clergy Response Team.  I have an expanded reading list that will probably take the rest of my earthly existence to read.

Nothing I saw or heard on this video was a surprise.  I was blessed to have a very smart and well-educated mother who was a master at "connecting the dots."  Since she died before the advent of the internet, she did the best she good with the information she could access, and she did a great job.

I grew up knowing that FDR was not the "savior of the world", that welfare was dehumanizing, and that both Social Security and Medicare were traps of dependency.  I've known for many decades that countless generations of people have been dumbed-down and indoctrinated through our government-run schools. 

I fear that we, as conservatives, lovers of the freedoms given to us from our God, have fallen prey to a sort of mass hypnosis.  We have ordered our lives by means of  "sound bites" and snippets of information.  We have become our own worst enemy.  We have forgotten the message in order to expand our hit counter, with little regard for what is truly important. 

We are engaged in a war.  Only the great "unwashed" can save our way of life.  We need to pull our collective heads out of the sand, raise ourselves to the highest level of discourse, and proceed to defeat the forces of darkness that surround us.

Please take a few hours to watch this video if you can.  Try skipping the "Great Race" on TV and not concern yourself with who is going to be the next greatest model.  Blow off "Survivor", and skip the next NCAA tournament.  These are diversions of the lowest order.  Choose your reading material with care, but still take time to check on what our enemies are saying.  A few quick trips to some liberal or socialist sites should clear up any misunderstanding you may have on this subject.  Encounter first hand what our current "culture" has wrought.

• The World According to Greasywrench - Barack Obama says go for it
• Hot Air - AP: Say, guess what we just found in ObamaCare!
• The Blog Prof - Surprise!: New tax on medical device makers, part of ObamaCare, could push small Michigan companies out of business
• Gateway Pundit - PBS Now Offering Teachers Indoctination Materials on Nationalized Healthcare
• Cold Fury - More on Violence
• Hack Wilson - Paul Ryan for President
• A-Files Blog - When Health Care Means More Than Health Care

Act of Apostasy is two years old today and Larry is wanting peeps to leave a comment to celebrate. He's feeling lonely and is suffering some form of separation anxiety.   I would have held out for a diamond bracelet or something, but if a comment will keep him from crying and whining - well, so be it.  It's cheap and easy. Do your Christian duty and head over and say hi and happy birthday.  

Quote of the Day provided by my friend, Mark in Spokane

"For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and provide for it."  Patrick Henry (1736-1799), American statesman and founding father.

Palate cleanser:

Reaganite Republican has done his usual great job with bringing us some TGIF fun with his Naked Power Grab edition.  We thank him from the bottom of our wee little hearts...

Another peek at our future...

Matthew Archbold, over at Creative Minority Report, bring up some good points about the recent take-over of not only our health care industry, but also snatching the school loan business out from under our noses.

Obamacare Will Harm Catholic Colleges

It's understandable that the legislative debacle known as Obamacare dominated the headlines recently. But something important has gone largely unremarked on though I believe it will have a disastrous impact on the country, especially Catholic and Christian colleges.  read the rest

Two-Pronged Effort

As I peruse my Google Reader, which keeps blowing past 1000 with ugly regularity, I am struck by the climate of doom and gloom.  If we keep in mind our ultimate goal (eternal life with Christ), then a two-pronged effort is the only way to proceed.  All this outrage needs to be channeled into productive activity, both personal and public.  

Do we need to get active to oppose the forces of darkness?  Absolutely.  We need to educate ourselves and our friends.  We need to donate money, and volunteer for the few good people running for public office.  But the second prong demands that we understand our relationship with our Lord and Savior.

Listen to my favorite Redneck and take to heart what he is saying: 

Let's Get Off Our Collective Ass!

Yeah, that was crudely put. Tell me I'm an uncouth fink, I don't care.

Our elected representatives have passed a law that is very, very bad. Not only is it bad in the normal sense of we can't possibly pay for it, and the increase in taxation and deficit spending will do long term harm to our economy - it's bad in that it has opened the door for all of us to material cooperate with evil by using tax funds to pay for abortions. read the rest

Your Privacy Under Obamacare

 
Quite Rightly brings up something I don't see mentioned very often What Will Big Govt Do With Your Medical Records?

Here's another smart person who is doing some dot connecting:  Over at "A View From the Right", is a very good explanation of how the ICD-9 coding for medical conditions works. Welcome to My (Your) Nightmare - Your Privacy, Gone!

However, let me expand a bit and explore a few other ramifications of the coding system, since I have done a bit of ICD-9 coding.  I worked for a time at a large medical lab.  All denied claims, which were almost always Medicare, were sent to my department.  It was our job to call the doctor's office and see if we couldn't conjure up another code that would be payable.  We couldn't tell the nurse or office person what code to give us since that would be considered fraud, but we could gently lead them in the right direction.  Since we were all,  including the doctors office,  provided books stating what codes would "work" and which ones were not covered, I never understood why these office folks didn't get it right in the first place.  But that's another story.

Ever so carefully because our calls were recorded,  I would lead the person in the doctor's office through the patient's chart.  I remember one particularly dense woman who was just not catching on. In frustration, I finally asked, "Has the patient ever had a headache?"  The answer was affirmative, and the next question was the important one.  "Is it written in the chart?"  Once again we're getting into the fraud area.  The implication was, if it wasn't written in the chart, their job was to get it added to the chart as quickly as possible.  Great! Now we have a code that will provide payment.

As this monstrous bill starts to squeeze the doctor's reimbursement rate, he won't have the money to pay staff to perform this task, meaning his income will drop even more than anticipated. You see, the bottom line here is the government doesn't want to pay your claim.  They will get their jollies from how often they can deny care.  With no one advocating for the doctor and indirectly for you, the doctor's only choice is to fudge the codes; that is, if he has the staff necessary for the job.  How long do you think a doctor is going to want to work under these circumstances?  Not long, would be my guess.  Obama can promise all the health care he wants, but if there are no doctors, it means nothing.


Bob over at The Camp of the Saints has this to say and I completely agree -   They Just Don’t Get It: Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn

Bob also earns the honor of Quote of the Day: 

"This is a battle of survival against the forces of darkness and totalitarianism."

Amen, Bob

From Sarah Palin's Facebook Page

Don’t Get Demoralized! Get Organized! Take Back the 20!

 Today at 10:18am

 

With the president signing this unwanted and “transformative” government takeover of our health care system today with promises impossible to keep, let’s not get discouraged. Don’t get demoralized. Get organized!

We’re going to reclaim the power of the people from those who disregarded the will of the people. We’re going to fire them and send them back to the private sector, which has been shrinking thanks to their destructive government-growing policies. Maybe when they join the millions of unemployed, they’ll understand why Americans wanted them to focus on job creation and an invigorated private sector. Come November, we’re going to print pink slips for members of Congress as fast as they’ve been printing money.

We’re paying particular attention to those House members who voted in favor of Obamacare and represent districts that Senator John McCain and I carried during the 2008 election. Three of these House members are retiring – from Arkansas’s 2nd district, Indiana’s 8th district, and Tennessee’s 6th district – but we’ll be working to make sure that those who replace them are Commonsense Conservatives. The others are running for re-election, and we’re going to hold them accountable for this disastrous Obamacare vote. They are: Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1), Harry E. Mitchell (AZ-5), Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8), John Salazar (CO-3), Betsy Markey (CO-4). Allen Boyd (FL-2), Suzanne M. Kosmas (FL-24), Baron P. Hill (IN-9), Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL), Charlie Wilson (OH-6), John Boccieri (OH-16), Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3), Christopher Carney (PA-10), John M. Spratt, Jr. (SC-5), Tom Perriello (VA-5), Alan B. Mollohan (WV-1), and Nick J. Rahall II (WV-3).

We’ll aim for these races and many others. This is just the first salvo in a fight to elect people across the nation who will bring common sense to Washington. Please go to sarahpac.com and join me in the fight.

Stand tall, America. Real change is coming!

- Sarah Palin

The fat lady hasn't sung yet... she's barely started to warble...

I can attest to the fact that this fat lady hasn't sung yet.  Many others agree with me.

From Doug Ross:

Conservative Republicans must have an agenda beyond repeal. I hope I'm not out of line here, but I believe the time for civility is over. It is time for outright political warfare. Democrats have crossed the line.

The targets, in order of highest priority to lowest, are as follows.  read the rest

Oh ye of little faith

Once again Sarah Palin nails it:

Sursum Corda

Lift Up Your Hearts*

For those of you in despair about what appears to be an unstoppable march of Socialism and the assault on our freedoms, take heart.  The battle has just begun and we will win.   Let the "demoncrats" have their little victory parties and do their little happy dance (on our dime.) Their own arrogance will be the biggest contributor to their own destruction.  Not only will we see Nancy Pelosi and her scummy friends driven from Washington, we will eventually see this malignant narcissist, who carries the title of President, impeached and disgraced.

Let's not spend time on what has happened, but focus on our next steps.  Elections have consequences.  The upcoming November bloodbath will tell a tale the demoncrats won't want to hear.  For all you who still think "conspiracy" is a bad word, wake up and take a gander at what transpired on a Sunday as the witching hour approached.  How appropriate.

Conspiracy is Not a Bad Word

From The Reaganite Republican:

[...]He must be resisted by the states, in the courts, on the net... and at the ballot box- as he will be. With Americans about to "find out what's in it" -and Obama's and the Dems' poll numbers already deep-cratered- let there be no doubt who's side time is on... the Left is in for a precipitous decline, starting right now.  read the rest

• The Wisdom of Soloman:  I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself.  The Thoughts of  "Hyphenated American"
• Legal Insurrection:  Pep Talk
• Hack Wilson: A Spirit of Resistance Like I've Never Seen Before
• Mark Steyn: Happy Dependence Day        H/T Memeorandum
• Pundette:  Our new overlords are just getting started
• Ruby Slippers:  The Gentleman From Wisconsin

*
Priest:  The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Priest:  Lift up your hearts. (sursum corda)
People:  We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest:   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Fire Nancy Pelosi

Fire Nancy Pelosi

Go to GOP.com - the Fire Nancy Pelosi site and donate now. I did last night.  The fight has just begun...

Tired

I've been live chatting all day and listening to all the dreary hours of the debate.  Allow me at least say this:  what is going on in this country is not over.  This is just the beginning.  I will not stop until the communists in the White House are driven from our shores.

Two posts jumped out as best expressing my chagrin. 

Larry at Acts of the Apostasy:  Strain Forward to What Lies Ahead

and

Creative Minority Report: Republicans Will Suffer for This

Good night...

Live Chat

Join us at Live Chat

You may want to pour a drink first...

The Lord's Day with Live Chat Update

 The blogosphere is quiet for now.  Deadly quiet.  I'm sure that won't last.

I have nothing to say except we have done all that we can do - for now.  As I've said before, this in not the end, but just the beginning. 

Reaganite Republican will have live streaming video starting at 1:00 pm ET. We thank him.

The Other McCain will also be updating regularily.  We thank Stacy and Smitty.

Gateway Pundit will also be doing his usual great job.

For now, I will render unto God. Caesar will have to punt for awhile.

Update:

Live Chat hosted by Stacy McCain

A Sobering Sunday

This by way of the the Obi's Sister from The Anchoress.

From the Anchoress:

"Meanwhile, I wanted to share this, with a Hat Tip to Deacon Greg Kandra. He posted an excerpt from Cardinal Seans thoughtful musings on healthcare, and then tipped me off to this comment from one of his readers -although I have seen it on several sites, today, so I am not sure where it originated- which I am reprinting in full, because it is sane and sensible:"

I have been a doctor for 19 years. 4 years in the Army and 15 years in private practice. I belong to a doctor owned group of approx 350 doctors in a multi-specialty practice. We employ 4000 people. In addition to being touted as one of the very best clinics in the nation (Acclaim Award winners) we have donated over a million dollars to the local city in grants, scholarships and charity. Regularly voted as top places to work by our employees. US healthcare at its very best. I am very proud of what we do and we provide tremendous care and value to our patients.

We seek to maintain a 3-5% profit margin annually. We operate in the very precarious business model of enormous volume, low margin. As any business owner knows, this is high-risk-low-margin of error model. Consequently any small changes to cash flow vectors, mandates widespread internal policy and practice corrections. Tiny changes = massive consequences.

As many people may know, Medicare and Medicaid, the current government paid ‘insurer’ – pays approximately 70% of the cost of care. ie its more expensive for doctors to care for these patients than we get reimbursed for. Say you are a contractor. Imagine the government mandating a significant number of your jobs whereby your out of pocket costs are ~ 30% + greater than your income. That is Medicare and Medicaid. In perspective, our group alone, year 2008 lost ~$12 million caring for our government patients. This is despite taking over 1 1/2 years to help move our fee-for-service traditional Medicare patients over to Medicare Advantage plans, which are privatized versions of Medicare that reimburse better…still not covering costs…but lessen our losses significantly.

Many people ask, why do private health insurance premiums continue to escalate? The liberals want you to believe its a combination of profiteering and waste. When in fact its due mainly to two other processes. The first is obvious: every year it costs more to care for patients and premiums are trying to keep up with this rising cost. But secondly, and less often discussed, is that every year private delivery systems lose more and more money caring for our government patients. Someone has to make up for these losses in order for your hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, pharmacies, group practices to remain solvent and profitable. Every year these delivery systems open their books to the private healthcare insurers – and the insurers must – they must in order for the entire system at large to stay functional, increase the amount they pay out to cover these losses. If they dont, both the delivery systems and the insurers die. So to keep the boat afloat, the payouts by private insurers MUST increase to subsidize the ever increasing losses doctors incur by taking care of our government patients. So, in a way, you could say that your increasing premiums are a tax that you are paying to cover the losses that are Medicare and Medicaid. It’s a clear and inarguable private subsidation of government cost. Enough said on that.

So to really feel the consequence and full impact of Obamacare, one must simply see the economic dominos. Most people can see how this bill will rapidly reduce private insurance plans and rapidly expand government plan patients. And take whatever number that is being reported, and multiply that by 3. That has been the experience in both Mass and Hawaii. Both government plans were overwhelmed with the enrollees as they significantly underestimated the government migration.

Ok, so now- how can anyone not see the obvious outcome? Government patients = significant loss of profitability. Initially the private insurers will do their best to continue to subsidize this loss, and there will be a huge escalation of premiums. But within a few months this will be unsustainable. Its a cycle that cannot be stopped. Higher premiums = higher recidivism to government plans = higher premiums etc. Within months, every single hospital, every single doctor office, clinic, nursing home, pharmacy – every delivery system reliant on private insurers will no longer be profitable. ie they will go bankrupt. These will most certainly be the headlines to come: Hospital XYZ shockingly announces bankruptcy; Hospitals can no longer remain open; Clinics across the country file for bankruptcy; Loss of Pharmacy access shocks the Nation; Doctors going bankrupt en masse creating healthcare delivery and access to care crises; Where can you go to get care?; Loss of access reported Nationwide

Yes a crises. A crises of access due to widespread business failure. You will not be able to get care for as long as it takes for the government to devise their emergency bailout package and as long as it takes for those insufficient dollars to try and get those doors back open again. But it will be too late, and it will be too expensive. There is absolutely no way that our government can capitalize our entire healthcare system. Try as they might, only a percentage of what we have now will ultimately survive. And those that do survive will be a shell of what they once were. The conditions will be frightening, and the consequences will be dire. The degree of disarray will be unimaginable and the underlap in access to care will be gaping.

I will not expand this discussion to predict what this means to our economy at large because I am not an economist. But anyone can be close to predicting what I am suggesting. Factors such as loss of work hours due to illnesses not treated, pressure on all the other private business models; let alone the out and out loss of enormous capital via the bankruptcy of this entire healthcare industry can clearly be the death nail to our country and imo is a clear and present threat to our very sovereignty. This can make the housing collapse look like a speed bump. This will be massive and rapid and lethal and complete.

I am not certain why this very obvious outcome has not been openly discussed more often – ie the rapid and massive bankruptcy of all of your health care providers and their delivery systems. But this is the inevitable outcome should this bill ever become law and implemented.
Thanks for reading. Please ping, copy and email your friends and try and get this word out. I know it’s a very late hour – but I do think the implementation is not an inevitability as multiple lawsuits may keep it on hold for a while – so public opinion will still be vital for many more months to come.

Unbelievable times. Please do your part and email and make the phone calls. This plea comes an honest and heartfelt love of our country and its citizens, and an honest and heartfelt love of my profession, avocation and the welfare of my patients.

Code Red w/ Updates

I'll be updating throughout the day...

Today I offer thanks to the hardworking bloggers who are keeping us informed of the happenings in Washington.  

• Smitty from The Other McCain is bringing us updates regularly and has a raft of info posted.
• RightKlik is live-blogging the events.  He almost missed his plane this morning but managed to to convince the TSA he was actually born and really, really exists.
• Michelle Malkin has a list of proposed amendments and is updating:  

  
From Firedoglake:

Stupak Abortion Language to Be Substituted for Senate Language in Deal to Secure Health Care Votes 

H/T memeorandum

The Blog Prof:  Video of Rep. Paul Ryan: CBO score uses double-counting, funds “15,000 IRS agents”

Update: 8:36 PT 

From: The Corner

Stupak is 'Finished with Pelosi'   [Robert Costa]

Two pro-life GOP members close to Stupak tell NRO that any Stupak deals are off. They just spoke with him and they said he's finished with Pelosi. They rejected his enrollment corrections proposal.

 Update: 9:11

Father Powell has the answers for the dissent "Catholic" sisters who support ObamaCare.  

Update: 9:35

Fox News has a live feed from the Code Red Rally

Update: 9:39 

Doug Ross: Red Alert - Obama Will Sign Senate Bill: House Democrats be Warned - Your "Fixes" Will Likely Never See the Light of Day

Update: 9:45

Reaganite Republican: Impeach Barack Obama?

Update: 9:49

Instapundit: Pictures from the Rally.  Head count at 30K and people still streaming in...

Update: 11:37 Pacific Time 

OMG! Executive Order for ObamaCare Payoffs? Can This Possibly Be True?

Update: 11:46 Pacific Time

This just in from Creative Minority Report who is also live blogging... 

WHOA!!!!!   Washington Post is reporting that the Dems are dropping "Deem and Pass"

Gateway Pundit: Over 100K in Washington

Breaking...

From RightKlik:

Kill the Bill: See You in Washington, DC

"I can't take this sitting down. I'm flying out to Washington, D.C. tomorrow. I hope some of you can be there too. If you can't make it to D.C., please join me here. I will be live blogging through the day here at RightKlik."  read the rest

Keep up to date at Code Red. Click on graphic to go to their website:

Some Thoughts For Today

First, let me say how proud I am to have heard The Reaganite Republican mentioned yesterday on the Rush Limbaugh show.  He deserves to be mentioned, and I am honored to have him as a "blogger buddy."

Second,  Michelle Malkin has a posted a schedule of the Taxpayer March on Washington.

Third, Dr. Sanity mirrors my feelings almost exactly in her fine post, MY LAST WORD ON HEALTH CARE REFORM

And fourth, for today I'm going to find something more interesting to do than hanging on every blog post by every pundit on the web.  I've done all I can do concerning this whole monstrous takeover of our country by a group of truly evil people.   Even if this bill passes, it will not be the end, but the beginning, of some truly ugly repercussions.  I will not accept defeat nor become discouraged.   I'll be ready to continue on with whatever needs to be done. 

But, I am also going to spend considerably more time protecting myself and my family.  I suggest you may want to do the same.  For instance, if you work for a company that has 54 employees (penalties apply to businesses with more than 50 employees), I suggest you look around at your fellow employees.  Four of them will have a big black X on their forehead.  It may be your forehead.  Have a back-up plan if you lose your job.

Are you in debt?  Saddled with a big car payment?  Better rectify that situation and start socking away money and goods.  The government wants what you have and will stop at nothing to get their hands on it.  

Barter and bargaining will be important.  If you don't know how to fix a leaky pipe, your best friend may.  People living in large cities are notoriously underdeveloped in the areas of self-sufficiency.  And when they find out what's going to happen, they will be angry. Not just a little bit unhappy, but murderously angry.  You can figure that scenario out all by yourself.

I'll be back later.  Please take a few moments today to pray for our country.  Always remember:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6

 In Closing:

 An anonymous comment from a Reuters article that commenter Schadenfreude re-posted at Hot Air. 

The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency.
It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president.
The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails us. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince.
The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.

 Well said, anonymous and thank you to Schadenfreude...

 

Idaho Health Freedom Act passes...

 Proud to be from Idaho...

Idaho is first to challenge federal health-care mandate

Idaho is the first state to enact a law that requires the state to sue the federal government if health-reform legislation requires residents to buy insurance.
Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, a Republican, signed the law this afternoon after it passed the state House earlier, with support from Democrats. Nationwide, 37 other states are considering similar legislation. read the rest

St. Patrick's Day

We could use a St. Patrick right about now to drive the snakes out of Washington...

Heading off to Costco.  Use your inside voices while I'm gone.

This country is offcially insane...

Is this news??

Report: Obama picks his Final Four basketball teams 

The hoopster in chief has weighed in on the Final Four teams for the men's and women's college basketball championships.  I suggest you not bother to read the rest but if you must, this is the link

Here's How Hope & Change Is Working in Spokane

More "unexpected" to add to your "unprecedented" sandwich of hope and change.

From the Spokesman-Review:

Unemployment worsens in Spokane and statewide

The unemployment rates for Spokane County and Washington took unexpected steps backward in February, rising to 11.2 percent and 10.4 percent respectively, the state Employment Security Department said today.

Washington lost 22,000 jobs compared with January, Spokane 2,280, as construction shed another 3,200 jobs. Retail and financial trades added 400 jobs each.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 9.5 percent from a revised 9.3 percent for January. The rate for the United States in February was 9.7 percent.
Employment in Washington has falled by 91,700 jobs since February 2009.

“We took a couple steps forward in January and one step back in February,” said Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee.   source

Conspiracy is Not a Bad Word...

The old Google Reader has ratcheted past the 1000+ mark in just a few hours.  I think we've all heard enough about the so-called Slaughter rule to have figured out the dems will probably use it, or any other under-handed means available, to pass this monstrosity of a bill.

To put it in perspective, I've lived through the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  I watched as Jack Ruby shot Oswald on live TV.  I sat through days of non-stop coverage as JFK was laid to rest.  I objected as Johnson ushered in the "Great Society" promising to "raise up the bottom one third of poor people" (think about that stupid statement for awhile.)  The Nixon years were interesting, to say the least.  The Clinton famous "blue dress" is not something I care to revisit, and I suffered through Bush derangement syndrome.  I remember the Korean War, and while in college, watched in amazement as Sixties hippies lived in filth while imbibing untold quantities of marijuana.  Also, I saw the Vietnam War unfold on live TV (how "1984" is that?)

However, I have never seen anything like what is going on today.  And what is going on is nothing more than an agenda that has been in motion since the beginning of this country - actually, since the beginning of the world.  Is it a conspiracy?  Sure, but before dismissing me as a conspiracy wacko, let's take a look at that much maligned word.

con·spir·a·cy

–noun,plural-cies.

1. the act of conspiring.

2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.

3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.

4. Law. an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.

5. any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result. 

 See there?  "Conspiracy" is an appropriate word for all that is motion at the moment, and should not be  linked for all time to the word "wacko."   For instance; check out numbers two and three above.  Sounds an awful lot like what is going on in DC right now.  While you're at it, how about adding on numbers 4 and 5.  What we have is the Obama administration conspiring (see number one) to bring about numbers 2 through 5.  

 

Today, tens of thousands of people will be marching on Washington to protest this unscrupulous, and no doubt, illegal takeover of another huge chunk of our economy.  Will it change any minds?  Probably not, but it is something that must be done.  To not do so robs us of a bit of our humanity - our God given rights as individuals with free will. 

Which brings me to the most important conspiracy of all time.  Since the first angel was cast out of heaven for conspiring against God, we have lived in a world where the forces of evil have conspired to overthrow us, and by doing so, ruin God's creation.  The fallen angels have, over the years, found willing participants to join in this conspiracy. 

Do not allow these people to destroy your hope - a word bandied about these past few years in the most perverse manner.  Do not allow the sins against hope, despair or presumption, to overtake you.  The one fact we can rely on with the utmost certainty is that the forces of evil will not win.  Believing that is to lose sight of the fact that God is always in charge.  Always!