Barack Obama pulled it off: The Full Ginsburg. This little maneuver is named after William Ginsburg, Monica Lewinski's lawyer, who once took a damage-control tour of the five big Sunday morning talk shows. (It should be noted that The Full Ginsburg is very different in nat
ure from The Full Lewinski.) So, Obama hoped to match the success of that tour - who doesn't have the utmost respect for M.L. today? - by attempting the same. Last weekend he hit ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and... Univision. Okay, so maybe it was ¿todo el Ginsburg?
ure from The Full Lewinski.) So, Obama hoped to match the success of that tour - who doesn't have the utmost respect for M.L. today? - by attempting the same. Last weekend he hit ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and... Univision. Okay, so maybe it was ¿todo el Ginsburg?This conspicuous absence from Fox News came as a surprise to some and a shock to none. It seems no one wanted to come to terms with Obama's blatant avoidance of the Republican-le
aning network, but he really had no choice. For weeks the administration and media had built up the importance of his joint address to Congress in the fight to turn the reddening tides of Health Care Reform. Representative Joe Wilson put an end to that effort with just two words: You lie. Say what you will about decorum, tradition, and self-control, his outburst took every bit of the hot air out of the Helthkare Яeform balloon. I am not defending Joe Wilson because I don't know him and he is a politician, but I will state this move was - intended or not - brilliant.
So when Uncle Barack hit the airwaves he wanted to make sure no one had the opportunity to take away from his agenda by shouting out anything like the truth. [A little explanation here: In his joint speech to Congress Obama stated: The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. This was untrue and that is why Wilson shouted you lie. The media reported that the President's plan does not endorse insurance for illegal aliens and therefore Wilson was wrong. Perhaps they are playing semantics like the President, but in a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute he... well, I'll let him speak for himself (as reported by The Washington Times):
aning network, but he really had no choice. For weeks the administration and media had built up the importance of his joint address to Congress in the fight to turn the reddening tides of Health Care Reform. Representative Joe Wilson put an end to that effort with just two words: You lie. Say what you will about decorum, tradition, and self-control, his outburst took every bit of the hot air out of the Helthkare Яeform balloon. I am not defending Joe Wilson because I don't know him and he is a politician, but I will state this move was - intended or not - brilliant.So when Uncle Barack hit the airwaves he wanted to make sure no one had the opportunity to take away from his agenda by shouting out anything like the truth. [A little explanation here: In his joint speech to Congress Obama stated: The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. This was untrue and that is why Wilson shouted you lie. The media reported that the President's plan does not endorse insurance for illegal aliens and therefore Wilson was wrong. Perhaps they are playing semantics like the President, but in a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute he... well, I'll let him speak for himself (as reported by The Washington Times):
"Even though I do not believe we can extend coverage to those who are here illegally, I also don't simply believe we can simply ignore the fact that our immigration system is broken," Mr. Obama said Wednesday evening in a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. "That's why I strongly support making sure folks who are here legally have access to affordable, quality health insurance under this plan, just like everybody else."
Mr. Obama added, "If anything, this debate underscores the necessity of passing comprehensive immigration reform and resolving the issue of 12 million undocumented people living and working in this country once and for all."
It appears that in politicospeak both Wilson and Obama were right. People in 
this country illegally right now are going to be insured; people in this country illegally right now will be legal by that time. There - no illegal aliens will be provided insurance because there will be no illegal aliens. Gee, no wonder he chose Univision to round out his Modified Ginsburg.]
Back to Fox News. The President skipped appearing on Fox News to send a message to all you Red County rural people out there: The Democratic Party doesn't care what you think, what you believe, or what you have to say. We have the power and we will do what we want, and you slow-witted, homophobic, racist dirtballs are gonna take it.
this country illegally right now are going to be insured; people in this country illegally right now will be legal by that time. There - no illegal aliens will be provided insurance because there will be no illegal aliens. Gee, no wonder he chose Univision to round out his Modified Ginsburg.]Back to Fox News. The President skipped appearing on Fox News to send a message to all you Red County rural people out there: The Democratic Party doesn't care what you think, what you believe, or what you have to say. We have the power and we will do what we want, and you slow-witted, homophobic, racist dirtballs are gonna take it.
I know it sounds as though I'm putting words in their mouths now, but consider these:
- Nancy Pelosi on Conservative Dissent
- Jimmy Carter on Joe Wilson
- Department of Health and Human Services on Free Speech
And that last one takes us to the main subject of Part 5 in this series: Medicare and Medicaid. The purpose of this health care reform initiative (aside from using U.S. taxpayer money to buy votes from the uninsured) is to eliminate Medicare and Medicaid... or rather, shift it to private insurance carriers. How do I know this as a fact? The central stated objective is to provide (read: force) EVERYONE in this country to have health coverage. Medicaid is coverage for the very young and the destitute. Medicare is for older folks who can’t afford the expenses associated with their advancing years. Private health insurance policies are for, seemingly, the people in the middle who can work and pay for coverage in the event of illness.
Currently, this is optional, as it should be. A healthy 22-year old single male really has n
o major reason to carry health insurance. Can bad, expensive things happen to him? Yes. Statistically, is that possibility worth him spending cash that could otherwise be used for education, professional training, or career advancement? No. Yet he will be forced to have health insurance. Why? Because that's the only way the system will work.
This same 22-year old will no longer need Medicare when he gets older: his employer-provided, mandatory health insurance will be there... into perpetuity. (Yes, employers, get ready to provide health insurance as a permanent - i.e.: post-retirement - benefit.) And his kids? They will have mandatory coverage under his employer’s policy as soon as they come out of the shoot. And if he isn’t employed? The government will ultimately assign coverage from a private insurer. [Please see Part 1 where I compare it to auto insurance, or listen to Obama's own recent comments where he confuses it with auto insurance (4 minutes and 16 seconds mark).] Why? Because Medicaid and Medicare are doomed and Congress knows this. For that matter, anyone with a smattering of mathematical knowledge should also know this. Let me explain:
Currently, this is optional, as it should be. A healthy 22-year old single male really has n
o major reason to carry health insurance. Can bad, expensive things happen to him? Yes. Statistically, is that possibility worth him spending cash that could otherwise be used for education, professional training, or career advancement? No. Yet he will be forced to have health insurance. Why? Because that's the only way the system will work.This same 22-year old will no longer need Medicare when he gets older: his employer-provided, mandatory health insurance will be there... into perpetuity. (Yes, employers, get ready to provide health insurance as a permanent - i.e.: post-retirement - benefit.) And his kids? They will have mandatory coverage under his employer’s policy as soon as they come out of the shoot. And if he isn’t employed? The government will ultimately assign coverage from a private insurer. [Please see Part 1 where I compare it to auto insurance, or listen to Obama's own recent comments where he confuses it with auto insurance (4 minutes and 16 seconds mark).] Why? Because Medicaid and Medicare are doomed and Congress knows this. For that matter, anyone with a smattering of mathematical knowledge should also know this. Let me explain:
There are approximately 8 billion Baby Boomers out there right now, steadily approaching the age of incontinence, with only about 47 Gen-X’s to pay the tab. (The totals may be a little off, but I stand behind the ratio.) There is no way for the 
members of Generation X to provide enough tax revenue to pay for the demands on the Medicare system of so many Baby Boomers. Turn the numbers any way you want. Have the GAO shift the columns in any magical way it chooses. Ask Congress to retroactively shift fiscal-year dates up and down. (These are all tricks the Federal Government regularly uses to convince Joe Public that the balance sheets are legitimate.) No matter how you stack it the system is grossly top heavy. But Medicaid and Medicare in particular are untouchable.
members of Generation X to provide enough tax revenue to pay for the demands on the Medicare system of so many Baby Boomers. Turn the numbers any way you want. Have the GAO shift the columns in any magical way it chooses. Ask Congress to retroactively shift fiscal-year dates up and down. (These are all tricks the Federal Government regularly uses to convince Joe Public that the balance sheets are legitimate.) No matter how you stack it the system is grossly top heavy. But Medicaid and Medicare in particular are untouchable.Remember when George W. Bush wanted to shift Medicare to private insurers? The AARP talked about marching on Washington with walkers and torches. “You want us all to die!” they shouted. Yes, actually, that’s what they are waiting for. But you refuse to comply. No politician will touch these programs because they fear reprisals from the voting block that 
the AARP represents. But if they shifted the burden onto insurance companies and employers, why, you'd have insurance coverage throughout your career and retirement, your kith and kin would also be covered, and only big, bad corporations would have to pay for it. [I've already covered the fallacy of taxing corporations - please go back and reread the second half of Part 4.]
the AARP represents. But if they shifted the burden onto insurance companies and employers, why, you'd have insurance coverage throughout your career and retirement, your kith and kin would also be covered, and only big, bad corporations would have to pay for it. [I've already covered the fallacy of taxing corporations - please go back and reread the second half of Part 4.]There is a lot here to digest... and my lunch hour is over... so I will stop at this time and continue Part 5 over the next several days.
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