State's Health Care

With all the debate about having National Health Care where the government guarantees insurance for everybody to reduce the uninsured, why haven't policies wonks and Congress looked to the states? The Jan 2010 issue of Reason discusses how NY, WA, MA and TN have all implemented some form of government health care to reduce the amounts of uninsured. MA famously implemented even imposed the dreaded individual mandate where all citizens are required to purchase health care. The result? The amount of uninsured have not dropped but insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Another example of government involvement with unintended consequences.

Point being, government run health care in the US is not new; it has been tried and failed in the states already. Why try again for everyone?

Is health care constitutional?

One of the main questions I have been asking, and surprisingly no one in the GOP noise is. We can always argue IF Congress should vote to drastically increase government control in health care, but what if the question is CAN Congress vote on this legislation? I am unsure how the Commerce Clause can be pulled to have governmental involvement in health care (especially since it still doesn't handle the buying of out of state health care which would be interstate commerce), or where in the Constitution the government can force you to purchase something. So if this bill does get passed and signed, can't & shouldn't the Supreme Court jump all over it? Not likely. The Supreme Court has not been very pro-Constitution lately (albeit the Heller DC gun ban overturn). With McCain-Feingold and Kelo the court has upheld governmental abuse of power over the mandates and protections of liberty in the Constitution.

Congress took an oath to defend the Constitution, this bill tramples it. But why isn't anyone in the opposition arguing against it based on the fundamental rules of US governmental power?

Detailed explanation on why this health care reform bill is illegal here.

Climate Change

Once again the environmental lobby and their pals in the Socialist/Communist Left have proven what a shame 'climate consensus summits' are. Copenhagen is a farce that will accomplish nothing in the realm of actually improving the environment. Rather it will be a wealth transfer of BILLIONS of dollars from Western governments to dictators. How else to explain the standing ovations from speeches by Chavez, Morales and the African butcher Mugabe? Climate change activism isn't based on an environmental outcome or science; but a political end orchestrated by the anti-capitalism/pro-statism movement. Since they didn't "win" 20 years ago, they have adapted environmentalism of as their new mantra of punishing the West and capitalism; a system that has produced a better life for more people than anything else.

Does global warming exist? I don't know. Is it man-made? Maybe. But that is not the reason for the circus in Denmark. The reason is the same any time the 'world powers' come together it is too denigrate the ideas of freedom and liberty in the name of social justice. Which usually embodies the fact that free countries send money to fascist ones, and atone for our collective guilt.

Socialism and other statist policies have reduced the citizens who are ruled under Chavez, Morales and Mugabe into serfs who have no political or economic freedom. Now the West (including a pledged US $100 B a year) will transfer money into the hands of these dictators.

Environmentalism is the new fascism. It's ends are political.

December

Wow I can't believe it has been this long since a blog post. I guess I can't blame much other than 2009 has been a very turbulent year for me both personally, politically and professionally. On the negative front I lost a close family member, lost/regained/lost a job, am witnessing the growth of governmental power in the US unheard of for the last 60 years, and have been dealing with a debilitating back injury for ab almost 6 months.

On a brighter note I met a wonderful girl who has made my life fantastic, is witnessing a very strong growth of libertarianism, and am more positive about working with the idea that a great gig will be forthcoming. After being depressed for much of the year, it is better to keep a positivity. Good things tend to come that way.

Still listening to tons of music, reading, and following politics and want to keep that going for December as well as 2010. I hope to keep this blog somewhat regular as I do believe we are currently living in the most important time of human history.

So please check out this fantastic write-up of my friend Sam's band The Flying Change in the The New Yorker.