Where's the Outrage?

Let’s look at questions 2 and 3 -

• When did it become fashionable to make too much money, to work too hard and do really well for your family?
• When did it become good business sense for the country to own two of the three American auto manufacturers?

How about a history lesson? In the 1960s the top marginal was 91%. Now, it is 35% for federal income tax. Yet, conservatives whine and whine about how they are paying too much. Under President Clinton the rich did pretty well. I don’t remember hearing about rich people deciding not to work because they didn’t want to pay the 39% income tax. Do you? So now that we have given billions of dollars to the rich without paying for the tax cuts, we are asking for them to pay a little more. That’s the crime? Give me a break. Back to history, remember Teddy Roosevelt? He said, “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” This is clearly a dig at the railroad monopolies. He also said, “This country has nothing to fear from the crooked man who fails. We put him in jail. It is the crooked man who succeeds who is a threat to this country.” This is a big swipe at the rich. So, any student of history should be able to give the author a nice list of patriotic Americans who didn’t stand up for greed.

The second question is once again a clever way of dancing around the problem and trying to get an emotional response. Obama didn’t wake up one morning and look in the Wall Street Journal and ask himself, “What industry should I take over?” How about a million more Americans out of work? How about the employment rate in the 13 – 15% range? Obama thought that would be bad. He thought that GM and Chrysler should be saved, saving millions of jobs along with them.

Update: So, how has this experiment in progressive government worked out? The liberal rag, the

(may need a subscription to open), called the plan Capitalism at work. A plan to buy a failing company, restructure then re-sell the company. I wonder if capitalists have ever done this. Hmm, only about a thousand times in the ’80s and ’90s when that was a very popular Wall Street strategy. GM has repaid over $8 billion and has filed to go public. They are making a profit. Chrysler has announced that they are planning their first in a series of IPOs in late 2011.

So, the government has propped up two large American companies and plans to slowly decrease its stake in both companies over the next few years as they become more profitable. What’s the issue with saving American jobs that conservatives hate so much?

Tags: Economy, Party Politics by ecthompson md
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It is funny how we re-argue settled policy in this country. We talked about what should be public and what should be private over 50 years ago. Does being poor mean that you can’t get fire protection? If you listen to conservatives, the answer is you get what you pay for. (Translation – Screw the poor.)

From TP:

As ThinkProgress reported earlier this morning, South Fulton firefighters from Obion, Tennessee, last week stood by and watched as a family’s home burned down because their services were available by subscription only, and the family had not paid the $75 fee. As ThinkProgress noted, the case perfectly demonstrated conservative ideology, which is based around the idea of the on-your-own society and informs a policy agenda that primarily serves the well-off and privileged.

Now, leading conservative authors from modern conservatism’s bulkhead magazine, The National Review, have come out in defense of Obion County firefighters’ policy of servicing rural citizens by paid subscription only. The magazine’s commentary on the issue started with a blog post by Daniel Forster, one of the magazine’s staff writers. Writing on the National Review blog The Corner, Forster condemned the behavior of the county, saying that while he has “no problem with this kind of opt-in government in principle,” he sees no “moral theory” under which the firefighters would be justified in watching the house burn down:

I have no problem with this kind of opt-in government in principle — especially in rural areas where individual need for government services and available infrastructure vary so widely. But forget the politics: what moral theory allows these firefighters (admittedly acting under orders) to watch this house burn to the ground when 1) they have already responded to the scene; 2) they have the means to stop it ready at hand; 3) they have a reasonable expectation to be compensated for their trouble?

Yet, Forster’s fellow conservative writers found it hard to tolerate his view that families shouldn’t have to watch their homes burn down as firefighters stand there with their hoses. First, Kevin Williamson responded, comparing the family whose home was destroyed to “jerks, freeloaders, and ingrates”:

Dan, you are 100 percent wrong. [...] And, for their trouble, the South Fulton fire department is being treated as though it has done something wrong, rather than having gone out of its way to make services available to people who did not have them before. The world is full of jerks, freeloaders, and ingrates — and the problems they create for themselves are their own. These free-riders have no more right to South Fulton’s firefighting services than people in Muleshoe, Texas, have to those of NYPD detectives. (more…)

Tags: Domestic Issues by ecthompson md
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On a conservative blog I found the following list of questions -

So I ask…

• When did the government begin to try and take over what we eat and what doctor we use? When did that start?
• When did it become fashionable to make too much money, to work too hard and do really well for your family?
• When did it become good business sense for the country to own two of the three American auto manufacturers?
• When did it start making good business sense for the U.S. to hold preferred stock positions in small local banks as the new small business stimulus allows?
• When did it become fiscally responsible to have to borrow just to pay interest on the National Debt?
• When did it become fiscally responsible governing to owe so much money to a country like China?
• When did we become a nation that  WE THE PEOPLE said to do what we wanted, and that was ignored by those we voted into office?

I’m going to attempt to answer a few these questions today and I’m going to leave a few of them for later on. Let’s look at

the first question, when did the government try and take over what we eat? As far as I know this never happened. I guess what the author is referring to is the fact that the government is suggesting that we eat healthier. Isn’t it in our government’s best interest for its citizens to be healthier? Doesn’t it cost all of us more if we can’t curb the costs of Medicare and Medicaid? The answer is of course. Instead of honestly looking at the question, the author is posing this as some sort of invasion of personal rights, an extension of the government into our private lives. The food pyramid been around for over 20 years. The food pyramid replaced “food groups” which are classified by types and nutrition. This has been around since the 1980s, yet the author of this question seems to be pointing a finger at President Obama for designing something so intrusive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Conservatives jump up and down about government spending but when progressives try to do something about the rising costs conservatives will have none of it.

Let’s look at the rising cost of obesity. According to the CDC, Americans spent $92.6 billion in 2003 on obesity and obesity-related illnesses. This would include diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, renal failure, skin infections, loss of eyesight (in relation to diabetes) and many other diseases. Multiple studies have clearly shown that prevention costs significantly less than treatment. So, let me ask the question again. Why wouldn’t it be in our best interest for all of us to eat healthier?

Many of us do not see the problem in our society. I would say that the problem is rampant and then relate the tale of one single patient whom I took care of some years ago. She and her family had been out on a boat and got severely sunburned. The four-year-old daughter, who was sunburned basically from head to toe, was morbidly obese. I placed the child in the hospital for pain control and care of her burns. I sent pediatrics to see the patient and to counsel the family on nutrition. The pediatrician asked the mother if she ever fed her child any fruit. The mother replied, yes, enthusiastically. She then went into her purse and pulled out a fruit rollup. Now, before you roll your eyes, go out to your local mall and just sit down on a bench and watch the crowd. What percentage of kids are obese? I’m not talking about kids that are just a little chubby. I’m talking about obese. We have to fix this. BTW, do you think that this patient’s family could benefit from some nutritional information?

The second part of the question is simply sad. The question is – when did the government began to try and take over what we eat and what doctor we use? What doctor we use? The government has never tried to tell us which doctor we use. Never. This is been reiterated over and over during the health-care debate by both President Obama and others who are pushing for reform. You can choose your own doctor. Quoting from HealthCare.gov – “You select the doctor: The new rules permit you to choose any available participating primary care provider as your doctor and to choose any available participating pediatrician as your child’s primary care doctor.”

More on these questions later. What are your thoughts? Are these questions specifically designed to elicit an emotional response or do you think are they designed to elicit a thoughtful discussion about the role of our government and our society?

Tags: Healthcare, Party Politics by ecthompson md
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New York Jets versus Buffalo Bills – The Bills are better than I thought they were. This is good, but it is not good enough to beat the New York Jets. The Jets defense is not quite as good as it was last year but it is plenty stout. As long as the Jets don’t turn the ball over, they should win this one without too much trouble.

Cincinnati Bengals versus Cleveland Browns – Two teams that are really not going anywhere. There were expectations at the beginning of the year for the Cincinnati Bengals, but their offense is anemic and their defense is just okay. Unless Carson Palmer plays better, this team is going nowhere fast. The Cleveland Browns have absolutely no defense. I’m going to side with the Bengals because…

Baltimore Ravens versus Pittsburgh Steelers – In my opinion, this is the game to watch. Both of these defenses are playing well. For the Baltimore Ravens, their All-Star running back Ray Rice is scheduled to return. The Ravens have to figure out a way to move the ball. Actually, the same can be said for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I’m leaning towards the Pittsburgh Steelers because their offense has figured out a way to move the ball and score this season. This should be a great game.

Denver Broncos versus Tennessee Titans – the Tennessee Titans should be able move the ball against the Denver Broncos. Vince Young has a quarterback rating of 97. He’s thrown three touchdown passes and only two interceptions this year. He continues to show promise. Chris Johnson continues to run like the premier back that he is. Tennessee’s defense is solid. I think Tennessee will pick up a few turnovers against the Denver Broncos. I look for Tennessee to win by six or more points.

Detroit Lions versus Green Bay Packers – there is no way that the Detroit Lions can win this game if the Green Bay Packers are really contenders, which I think they are. I think they had an atrocious game on Monday Night Football. Green Bay’s secondary needs to tighten up. I’m not sure what the coaching staff can do but they have to figure out a way to get these guys to play better. I don’t think that Shaun Hill will challenge the Green Bay secondary. I look for Green Bay to try to get a lead early then unveil multiple exotic blitzes which will keep Shaun Hill off-balance. I look for the Green Bay Packers to win this one by 10 or more.

San Francisco 49ers versus Atlanta Falcons – there is complete disarray in San Francisco. The 49ers entered this season with lots of expectations. They have met none of them. Their offense is awful, pitiful, ineffectual and should bring any San Francisco 49ers fan to their knees, crying. They have way too many offensive weapons to be this bad. Mike Singletary has to figure this out or his career as a head coach will be over. The Atlanta Falcons have just come off a major win against the New Orleans Saints. Matt Ryan looked confident. These are two teams going in the opposite direction. If San Francisco can figure out a way to win this game it will be a huge boost to their team but I just don’t see it. I’m picking the Falcons in this one.

Carolina Panthers versus New Orleans Saints – the offense of the New Orleans Saints just hasn’t quite clicked. They don’t have the trouble of the Minnesota Vikings but they’re not producing the big plays that they produced last year. The Carolina Panthers on the other hand are rebuilding on defense and are confused on offense. Where’s their vaunted running game? I look for New Orleans to figure out a way to win this one. (Then again, I said that last week and they lost to the Atlanta Falcons. Maybe if I said it enough, they’d listen.)

Seattle Seahawks versus St. Louis Rams – The Seattle Seahawks continue to surprise me. They are winning. Somehow, the Seattle Seahawks have the number two-ranked defense in the league. The St. Louis Rams continue to rebuild. This game, like most in the NFL, will come down to turnovers. I’m giving a slight edge in this game to the Seattle Seahawks. [Read more →]

Tags: Sports by ecthompson md
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I went 11-5 last week. Not bad. There are a few things that simply jump out at me. These are in no particular order.

Week 3 Power Ratings.

• Carson Palmer does not look well. Four years ago he was a Pro bowl quarterback. Now he looks extremely tentative. Last year, the excuse was that he did not have enough weapons. Now what’s the excuse? The Bengals aren’t going anywhere until they fix Carson Palmer.
• The Buffalo Bills are better than I thought.
• I have no idea what’s wrong with the San Francisco 49ers. In week two, they showed flashes of brilliance. None of those flashes were evident against the Kansas City Chiefs. They struggled on both offense and defense. I don’t know how Mike Singletary will keep his job at the end of the season.
• I have no idea if the Kansas City Chiefs are for real. I’ve seen portions of all of their games and they are playing solid football, yet I’m not sure I’m ready to jump on the Kansas City Chiefs bandwagon.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars are another head scratcher. David Garrard made the Pro Bowl a couple years ago. Now, that’s hard to believe. He has thrown five touchdowns… Wait a minute… He’s thrown five interceptions and only four touchdowns. His quarterback rating is an anemic 66. He’s been sacked 10 times. The Jaguars can’t seem to the rush the ball. They can’t seem to throw the ball either. I have no idea how Jack del Rio will be able to keep his job.
• The Arizona Cardinals desperately need a real quarterback.
• The San Diego Chargers have once again started slowly in spite of all the weapons that they have. Look for them to catch fire, again, towards the end of the season. They have too much talent to play so uninspired.
• Are the New York Jets for real? Is Mark Sanchez for real? Mark Sanchez has a quarterback rating of 105. He’s thrown six touchdowns and has no interceptions. He’s completing 58% of his passes. Wow! He seems to be making excellent decisions, throwing the ball with incredible velocity and accuracy. LaDainian Tomlinson is running like a young man. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry. The Jets are playing outstanding football. I suspect New York fans can go ahead and plan on getting tickets to the playoffs.

Top 10 plays of week 3 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

• The Minnesota Vikings continue to have issues. They did beat the Detroit Lions, yes, but it’s the Detroit Lions. Their passing game just isn’t there yet. Hopefully, Brett Favre and his receivers are working this week and next week to fix the problems in the passing game. They are off this week and they need it.
• The Dallas Cowboys still have some issues, too. They were able to beat the Houston Texans but they still have way too many penalties. They are nowhere near the category of the Green Bay Packers (who had 18 penalties on Monday night) but they can’t win with all the penalties that they are committing right now. Tony Romo played a much better game. In my opinion, his play was the difference. As aCowboy fan, I’m still skeptical. Tony Romo has to rise to the consistency he had last year in order for the Cowboys to be half as good as they think they are.
• Da Bears. The undefeated Chicago Bears. What can I say? Jay Cutler is 1000% better than he was last year. He is seeing the field and getting the ball down the field. He isn’t turning the ball over. This means that his defense can rest. They look great. The Chicago defense is playing Bear football. They are flying to the ball. I hate to say this but they look like they are the best team in the NFC right now.
• Finally, the Pittsburgh Steelers remain undefeated. They look like the best team in the league without their All-Star quarterback. They have figured out a way to get the job done. Their defense is playing in championship form. Their defense looks better than it did when they won the Super Bowl. Their offenses and turning the ball over no matter who is the quarterback.

I can’t wait for week 4. How is your team doing? What are your thoughts on the season so far? Who are the contenders? Who are the pretenders?

Tags: Sports by ecthompson md
2 Comments »

I don’t understand what happens to some people when they get behind the Mic. It is like they lose their minds. How do you say something like this on the air? When you say something like this, you are asking to be fired.

From HuffPo:

UPDATE: Rick Sanchez has been fired from CNN.

“Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well,’ a CNN statement said.

UPDATE: Rick Sanchez did not appear on Friday’s “Rick List,” the afternoon after his controversial comments about Jon Stewart and Jews surfaced. Sanchez’s regular substitute Brooke Baldwin filled in for him.

ORIGINAL POST: CNN’s Rick Sanchez made controversial comments on a Sirius radio show Thursday, calling Jon Stewart a “bigot” and saying that CNN and the other networks are all run by Jewish people.

Discussing Stewart with radio host Pete Dominick, Sanchez said that the “Daily Show” host has a limited worldview, and called him a “bigot.”

The conversation began with Sanchez decrying “elite, Northeast establishment liberals” who “deep down, when they look at a guy like me, they see a guy automatically who belongs in the second tier, and not the top tier.

“I think to some extent Jon Stewart and [Stephen] Colbert are the same way. I think Jon Stewart’s a bigot,” he said. “I think he looks at the world through, his mom, who was a school teacher, and his dad, who was a physicist or something like that. Great, I’m so happy that he grew up in a suburban middle class New Jersey home with everything you could ever imagine.”

Tags: Media, Race, Religion, The Daily Show by ecthompson md
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Happy Friday to everybody. I hope you have a good weekend.

At the end of last week, there was a series of articles showing that the economy is not only stabilizing but seeming to slowly grow. The fears for the “double dip” recession have mostly disappeared. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 7.7% in September.

From MSNBC: The Dow gained 7.7 percent in the month, making it the strongest September since 1939, at the dawn of World War II. However that runup followed a dismal August, and the Dow is still only up 3.5 percent for the year and is 3.7 percent below its closing high for 2010 reached on April 26.

Technology shares, which have been among the best performers this month, led Thursday’s pullback. Major technology companies like Apple Inc., Dell Inc. and Google Inc. were all down about 1 percent.

“You can’t underestimate people taking profits,” said T.C. Robillard Jr., a managing director at investment bank Signal Hill. Robillard said that like most reports throughout the month, Thursday’s batch of data only confirmed that the economy is growing very slowly.

Major indexes have been surging all month on signs of incremental improvement in the economy, which have allayed worries that the country would fall back into recession.

The list of the top 10 largest hedge funds has been released. (I’m not sure how you make this list since hedge funds work to stay underneath the radar.)

In other financial news, a $4.1 billion trade was blamed for starting the “Flash Crash” in the middle of May. The security and exchange commission issued a report in which they pointed the finger at a trading firm in Overland Park, Kansas. This single trade set in motion a series of events which caused the Dow Jones industrial average to plunge nearly 1000 points in less than 30 min.

From HuffPo: The free-fall highlighted the complexity and perils of the fast-evolving securities markets. Electronic trading platforms now compete with the traditional exchanges. Stocks are traded on about 50 exchanges beyond the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market. Computers using mathematical formulas give so-called “high frequency” traders a split-second edge. Electronic errors at high speeds can ripple through markets.

Automakers had a pretty good month in September (may need a subscription [it's the WSJ what can I say]).

Manufacturing news doesn’t suck. There is expansion but at a slower than expected pace. So, all-n-all the news from the economy was positive.

I’ll finish my series on LTCM later on tonight.

Tags: Business, Economy by ecthompson md
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