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Showing posts from March, 2010

Awaiting the Administrative SNAFU

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The above chart was used in the healthcare debate to illustrate the bureaucracy that the bill would introduce. Apparently nothing relevant has changed and 159 new agencies and bureaus will be created. It completely defies logic and history that this complex set of regulatory, personnel and factual decisions will produce a rational, intended outcome. Those banking on the implementation of the healthcare take-over to increase its public support are betting on a lottery ticket in a rigged drawing. Many discretionary decisions must be made under the new law by people that are yet to be appointed, trained, or identified. One of the first "Polish jokes" I learned in Poland was the tale of the new potato inspector. The young man was briefed on what are good and bad potatoes and given a pile of several hundred by his supervisor. He was told to sort them as instructed. Hours later the supervisor returns and see that only eleven potatoes have been sorted. He demands to know why. The...

The Hyjacking of Healthcare is now THE Issue

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As I watch the agony of the House Democrats telling their sob stories to try to justify the greatest legislative mistake in modern times, I cannot imagine the incredible stupidity and arrogance that is driving their suicide pact. To think that this vote will somehow put these issues behind us is one of the most naive political hypotheses ever espoused. This issue will dominate the next two election cycles and will create a giant scythe that cuts down hundreds of Democrats at all levels of government. We have come to accept that only about half of the public votes, but conservative voters are significantly more likely to vote even in normal times (hence the inevitable 6-8 point difference in polls of "adults" versus polls of "likely voters"). But now we will see a growing disparity, with conservative voters making the elections a crusade against evil. There may be no counterpart to what is happening in our political history. Congressman Stupak's opponent, just ...