August Ramblings

Well, August is almost over and I have not posted anything. I've stopped going to meetings and that limits my reportage. But I got some useful things done on the farm and had time to relax and ponder about the Big Things that I can't do much about.

Rather than stew about them, I'll offer some rambling thoughts about three big national issues.

CIA Interrogations : The Administration has decided to re-open and re-investigate the CIA interrogations of terrorists (detainees) captured early in the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. The basic facts are that this subject was investigated extensively four years ago, one person was found guilty of exceeding the guidelines; the DOJ decided there was no cause to prosecute any others. More importantly, there were very humane guidelines in place and being followed and the results of these "enhanced interrogation techniques" were very effective in preventing further attacks on the US and our allies as well as in penetrating enemy networks in Iraq and elsewhere.

Overall, I think the CIA, like the military, operated effectively under some of the most damage-limiting guidelines ever employed in warfare. I have trouble understanding the "outrage" of anyone who is offended by interrogators "blowing cigar smoke" or dribbling a little water (only a few cases of this) in the faces of those who have tried to blow up our buildings and troops. Please! Let's have a little perspective; compare this to the interrogation techniques employed against Americans by the North Koreans in the 1950's, the Vietnamese in the 60's and early 70's, or the Taliban and Al Qaeda more recently.

Most importantly, this politicized investigation can easily become a major deterrent to the ability of our front-line intelligence and military troops to protect the nation quickly and effectively. Why do this damage to our national security? As near as I can tell, the prime purpose is to deflect the public view from the failings of the Administration's Health Care Reform proposals.

Health Care Reform : We can improve health care; but first we need a much more open discussion of the real problems and the possible solutions. While there are many variations of the Democrat - Administration reform proposals being worked on, only HR 3200 is available for public view. It's gotten a lot of attention and there has already been considerable sliding back and forth about key details like the "Public Option", medicare cuts, cost savings, comparative effectiveness reviews, forced end-of life counseling, etc.. Cutting through the confusion reveals an Administration objective to cram down a poorly considered amalgam of health and social issues in legislation that would enact a political agenda and not improve our health care.

We are not getting that key discussion of problems and solutions. Instead, we are being pushed to a Government-Controlled solution rather than a Patient/Consumer Controlled solution without the requisite analysis of the problems with the current system or of the solution options.

Consider just one aspect of the "Problem" - the claimed 46-47 million uninsured ( that's about 15% of our population) according to Census Bureau surveys . How real is this problem? For starters, read KeithHennessey's analysis, this study in The American , and this WSJ article. You might be surprised by what these and other government reports say. Did you know that only about half of that number are uninsured for a year, rather than a month or less? Or that only 16% are uninsured for two years? In other words, only about 23 million people (or 7.5%) are uninsured for 1 year and only 7.5 million people uninsured for two years (about 2.5% of the population). The studies also cut the numbers in terms of who is uninsured rather than how long they are uninsured, showing that the "47 million" is composed of a large number of non-citizens and of people really eligible for Medicare or SCHIP. Removing those people, cuts the number of uninsured in half; of the remainder, many are financially well-off families and young adults who opt not to buy insurance. The result is about 10 million or fewer people ( about 3%)who might need financial help.

That's still a lot of people; but can't we find a tailored solution to the problems of 3% of the population without changing the entire health care system for 100% of us ? Do we really need to adversely impact 97% of us with "Obamacare" to help 3%? And would the government plan really help that 3% anyways? Without knowing who is uninsured for how long and for what reasons, one cannot solve the problem intelligently.

Instead of a reasoned or tailored solution, we are offered a "moral imperative" to enact extensive government controls over our health care options and choices. We are told this reform is needed to "control costs" because Medicare is "financially unsustainable" - really, President Obama made both these points in a single recent speech. Question - If Medicare has an unsustainable cost problem, how does expanding it to a full national government -run system make cost controls easier to attain? Why not prove these new controls first in Medicare as it is?

The answer is obvious. the only ways to bring costs and revenue into balance is to force people who don't need medical care (young,healthy) to pay for people who do (older, ill) and to ration care to those who need it most based on some overall "societal benefit" formula. Enter Comparative Effectiveness Review committees and End-of-Life counseling; or if you prefer "death panels". Although those words never appear in the legislation , the result is implicit in the government approach to rationing care.

Tea Parties and Sarah Palin : Can't cite "death panels" without giving credit to Sarah Palin and the Tea Party folks who have been giving their Congress folks a lot of citizen feedback. In my blog post about the local 4th of July Tea Party, I noted how good it was to see citizens aroused and speaking against more government intrusion in our lives. I also said of Palin's announced resignation as Alaska Governor that "I believe she is choosing to abandon "politics as usual" to pursue an independent path to break the current political bureaucracy's hold on America." I think it is pretty clear now that she is doing that with a rapidly growing online audience and Facebook followers. She has the rare talent of seeing through intellectual smokescreens, getting to the heart of the matter, and expressing it a short grabby phrase. Her insights and statements appeal to us because they are honest, accurate assessments that reflect the American spirit of independence and responsibility for our lives and choices. As one liberal blogger put it, "Sarah Palin Rope-a-Doped All-Too-Many Liberals "on this issue and put the Democrats on the defensive.

The Tea Parties are making that spirit known to the Congress and the country. I believe and hope that the impact is as strong as it appears. If so, the destructive policies of this Administration on health and energy will be thwarted. None of us feel that things are perfect in either area. Both areas need considerable reform and policy changes.

But first, we need a full discussion of the real problems and potential solutions. Then we can compare solutions and blend the best ideas into good policy. As an example, how many folks are aware of HR 2520, proposed by Rep. Ryan (R), or HR 3218 by Rep. Shadegg (R). These bills lay out health care reforms based on patient-control, improved access to affordable insurance by removing government regulations, and tort limits on frivolous litigation that increases expenses and causes undue defensive medical tests and procedures. There is a lot to discuss; but Congress needs to understand we want that discussion. The Tea Party troops are making that clear and that is a reason for optimism about the future.

I may not be able to do much about these issues personally, but I have a lot of faith in what we can do as citizens and as a nation.