My View

Some random thoughts from a warped and fevered mind...

Some of the angst over a takeover of the U. S. healthcare system by the Federal Government is best summed up by this quote from the blog Maggie's Farm:

"Let me get this straight... We're going to pass a healthcare plan written
by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a
Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, signed by a
President who also hasn't read it, with funding administered by a Treasury
Chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a Surgeon General who is obese
and financed by a country that is broke.

What could possibly go wrong?"

This past weekend, I went to a very emotional wedding. Even the cake was in tiers.

Suppose for a moment that you have just received a new credit card with a $10,000 spending limit. You start to use that card for purchases, and it's an enjoyable process. Soon, discipline goes out the window and you have spent to your credit limit. Now the bill comes in the mail, and the pleasure of the purchase is replaced with the pain of the payment. The consequences of the profligate spending can take years to repay and it is always a painful process. This lesson has been learned by many consumers over the years, often at the cost of their credit rating and a bankruptcy proceeding. Our nation is no different than that hypothetical individual I have cited. The White House Budget Office has estimated that our cumulative national deficit will be $9 trillion (TRILLION!) dollars from 2010 to 2019. This is the result of the federal government spending more than it takes in from taxes. This deficit is before a proposed socialized healthcare system is put in place and before insolvent entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are addressed. And be assured, there are only four ways for our country to correct this mess: raise taxes; cut spending; default on our debts; or some combination of the first two options. None are going to be without sacrifice and pain. Be very scared for future generations.

I joined a bridge club. I jump off next Tuesday.

One of the interesting aspects of the debate over Obamacare is the treatment by the mainstream media and the majority Democrats of those that have dissenting opinions. "Agitators", "Nazis" and other pejoratives have been used to describe those that disagree with the implementation of socialized healthcare. Regardless of your agreement or not with this program, civilized and reasoned debate will be essential to crafting a solution to the healthcare problems in this country. The shrill voices that attempt to drown out opposing viewpoints show a blatant lack of respect for others and serve to shortchange the process. This type of discourse balkanizes the parties involved and will lead to a "solution" that only serves to worsen the problem. Perhaps a good starting point for those on both sides of the debate would be to talk to the other side like you would prefer to be spoken to.

Is it just me, or do buffalo wings taste like chicken?

A great Predators tweet-up last night at Past Perfect in downtown Nashville. For the uninitiated, a tweet-up is a gathering of folks that share a common affinity and is organized using the medium of Twitter. Social media tools are changing the way we communicate, interact with one another, and disseminate information. One of the hazards of a social media vehicle like Twitter is that the more connected we are, the more disconnected we can become. Essentially, our interpersonal relationships are displaced by our electronic relationships. A gathering like last night's tweet-up is not only a fun event, but provides the opportunity to have the interpersonal contact and meet new people as well. Thanks to Tom Callahan, the radio voice of the Predators, for organizing the event.

There are days that I think I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

And that's my view.