44,000......Really?

Michelle Malkin, in her article The Bogus Death Statistic That Won't Die , picks apart the study that Rep. Alan Grayson (D) uses to talk about the 44,000 people in this country that purportedly die due to the fact that they have no medical insurance.

She points out; "Two of the co-authors, Drs. David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler, are avowed government-run health care activists. Himmelstein co-founded Physicians for a National Health Program, which bills itself as "the only national physician organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to implementing a single-payer national health program." Woolhandler is a co-founder and served as secretary of the group."

And these men went to the press, giving them a state by state accounting of the numbers of people dying in each state; "Next, the political doctors cooked up scary-specific death tolls for all 50 states (California -- 5,302, Texas -- 4,675). Newspapers dutifully cited the fear-mongering factoids. The single-payer lobbying group co-founded by Himmelstein and Woolhandler took it from there. Last month, the group set up its own memorial on the National Mall for the phantom 44,000 casualties of uninsurance."

This is just another arrow to toss in your quiver when someone tells you that lack of medical insurance is killing people. Know that there is no proof, and that if someone says that you're killing people because you don't want them to have insurance, tell them to talk to the family and friends of the people that died in Canada and England waiting for they MRI or waiting to see a specialist. Those are numbers you can truly quantify.

In this study, Waiting Your Turn, Hospital Waiting Lists in Canada, 2008 Report , it shows that wait times for referrals from your GP to a specialist can take as much as 19+ weeks, and from referral to treatment by a specialist it can take as much as 36 weeks, (orthopaedic surgery). They only place in the study that showed improvement from when they started keeping track was cardiovascular surgery, which was still an average of 7.3 weeks. Radiation Oncology can take almost 6 weeks until you get treatment.

How many people can go from operable to inoperable stage cancer in 6 weeks? How many people can suffer a fatal heart attack in the 7.3 weeks between GP and treatment? These are the faces, the stories that need to be told.

Bring out your dead!

That famous line from Monty-Python sounds like Rep. (D) Alan Grayson's call today to go register names of people who you think died because they didn't have medical insurance. ( http://namesofthedead.com/ ) . I can just see him now, walking along a cart, yelling out " Bring out your dead" as he clangs a bell.

He claims that over 44,000 people die due to their lack of medical insurance. These numbers are from a study called; Health Insurance and Mortality in US Adults . This study claims that there is a greater chance of dying if you don't have insurance. The chances are 40% more according to Grayson, but what does that really mean, does it mean that those 44,000 people wouldn't have died if they had medical insurance?

I reviewed the study and found that there was one thing missing, the study does nothing to show why the people didn't have insurance. It didn't say that they couldn't buy it or that they were just choosing not to buy it. Over 15 million of the uninsured are able to buy it, but they choose not to.

The study, which used 9,004 people for this portion, showed that 351 of them died over the study period, or 3.1%. No where does it say why or how they died. The age group was 17 - 64 years old. There is a myriad of reasons for folks to die, many not related to health care. But we don't know how they died, so by deduction this study concludes that it's because they, the 78 that died who didn't have medical insurance, died only for that reason.

The top 3 reasons for deaths of people ages 15 to 24 have nothing to do with anything medical, they are; (1) accidents 51.8%, (2) homicides, 21.3% and (3) suicides 16.3%. The study also shows that just being male, gives men the same risk as not having insurance. But is that risk, really?

200 of the folks that had insurance in the study died, or 3.0% over the 14 years of the study. That was 200 of the 6,655 insured. 78 of the folks died that didn't have insurance or 3.3% over the 14 years. There were 2,350 of these folks. That means that 7 more people may have died because, according to the study, they didn't have medical insurance. (0.3% X 2,350=7.05) But we still don't know why they didn't have insurance. Many young people choose not to buy insurance because they are healthy, yet they die from other reasons than health care many more times than older Americans; could they be a larger sample of the uninsured in this study? It doesn't say.

If only a few of these were because of accident or the other top 3 for young people, then that can change the results dramatically. The study accounts for smoking, drinking, body mass and other factors, but if a person chooses not to have insurance, a risk, what other risks do they take. Do they not go see the doctor because they choose not to, many guys think they're tough, they'll get over what ever it is. Just adjust the number of folks that died in the uninsured group by as little as 10% or 7 folks and you even out the playing field.

I go through all this to make this statement. Don't pay attention to Alan Grayson and his grandstanding, he is the distraction, he is the flash powder that draws your attention away from the big picture, the tricks and down-right misdeeds of the leadership of the House and Senate and the White House. These are the folks we need an apology from, they are the ones pushing through a bill, over 1,500 pages, that will be the begin of, and I quote, "Fundamentally Transforming the United States of America".

And make no doubts about it, this is their goal, no matter what:



He has a plan, and it's working perrrrrrfectly!

.....and the Winner is......errrr...WHAT!!!!

"... is to be given to the person or society that renders the greatest service to the cause of international fraternity, in the suppression or reduction of standing armies, or in the establishment or furtherance of peace congresses..." This is what Alfred Nobel said was the criteria for someone to be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize. So let's look at how Pres. Obama fits the bill.

" is to be given to the person or society that renders the greatest service to the cause of international fraternity" The greatest service....hmmmm....trying to think of what great service Pres. Obama has given.......still trying......Oh yes, how could I forget, his great speech at the UN, the one that got all those great applause by the great leaders of countries like, Venezuela, Cuba, Libya, Lebanon, China, Nicaragua, and so on, oh too many to list. I guess that is what the Nobel prize committee considers the "international fraternity" The applause lines happened when Obama would either chastise the US for arrogance, or for not understanding the peaceful religion and culture of Islam. Okay, lets look at the next one on the list, shall we...

"in the suppression or reduction of standing armies" Well, it looks like that one might be deserved, at least as far as the US military is concerned. Nothing says I don't really want all of you good, hard fighting, God fearing, Flag loving folks in the military to stay in too much longer, by saying, I'm going to do my best to resend "Don't ask, Don't tell". And to help all of you make your minds up even faster, I'm going to try and ask some of the more friendly folks in the Taliban to help put Afghanistan back together; they did say they weren't a threat to the west, and why shouldn't we believe them. Oh, and lastly, I'll give ACORN 1 million dollars to fight fires, but I'm going to reduce the US military budget and cut arms programs and missile defence programs for our allies, and finally I'll berate and chastise this great country so I can be more popular with the rest of the world. Oh, one more thing, I'm going to ask that the congress and the nation to pass stimulus bills, health care reform bills, Cap and Trade bills as fast as possible, not even bothering to read the final bills, that's not important; but I'm going to take what your generals tell me they need and mull it over for say 2, 3 maybe 4 or 5 weeks, so I can study it and really know how we should proceed. Now, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

And lastly we have, "or in the establishment or furtherance of peace congresses" I guess that would have to be his sitting down on the UN "Human Rights Council". That's got to be a "peace congress" if I ever saw one, I mean look who sits on it and has lead it in the past. Iran, Cuba, Libya, China, and many more human rights "mavens". What a wast of time that was, when you look at what he has done to promote peace. He wants the world to be rid of nuclear weapons, well what did do about Iran's aspirations so far, except show them our underbelly like a submissive dog trying to be your friend. He was asked what he thought about "American Exceptionalism" and he answered that he felt about it like folks in England must feel about British exceptionalism, or how Japan must feel about Japanese exceptionalism. So his idea of peace is to have no exceptional countries, because when all countries are exceptional, none are. So now we have the envy of the world tossed aside as an excuse to hate us, and that can only lead to more peace.

So if you sat on the selection committee of the Nobel Peace prize you couldn't come to any other conclusion, Pres. Obama deserved this honor, because if they didn't choose him, wouldn't that just show their hate and racism toward our president.

The man has done squat, nothing, zip-zero-nada.....but hey, he got elected President of the United States of America on that same record, so I may be wrong.

Pres. Obama Sides with Killers of Women and US Military

White House officials said this week that Pres. Obama is looking at a strategy in Afghanistan that would allow the Taliban to gain some control of areas of the country, since they said that they are not a threat to anyone in the west. Well, I feel better already, they're not a threat to us here in the west, so there you go, no problem.

But the fact is they are a threat to us and all nations that have an ounce of decent humanity left. These are, first of all, the folks that allowed Al Queada to train and plot the 9/11 massacre that left a pile of ruble where the WTC stood. And it killed almost 3000 innocent people, people from all over the world. This was not just a strike at the US, but a strike at civilization itself. I'm sorry, but I still believe in what former Pres. G. W. Bush said when he stated, "you're either with us or you're with the terrorists". It's that simple in my eyes, either the Taliban supports Al Queada and the killing of western civilization, or you're with us, and the promotion of the rule of law, law derived and approved by the people.

The Taliban has killed US troops and allied troops as well. They kill and maim their own people, in the most public and brutal ways. I won't post anymore examples, but if you want to see their form of justice, all you need to do is "YouTube" the Taliban and you will find hours of horror, the killing, beating and maiming of people accused of anything from having an unapproved relationship, to attending school. Video of kids walking to school, only to be blown up, shredded to bits, by a Taliban car bomb. Now they are in Pakistan and are laying down the law in the high mountains, forgoing anything that looks like constitutional, governmental law, having Sharia law tribunals and handing down punishments that are barbaric.

But Obama sees a role for the Taliban in Afghanistan. Really! What? I guess he thinks that they could gain some control of the country, and all the folks that helped us, the GREAT SATAN, will just be forgiven, and let off with a little warning. Really! The police, town officials and just regular citizens that wanted their little girls to go to school, they will be dragged out of their homes and beaten or worse, shot dead in a public display of Sharia justice. And who on God's green earth will trust us then, who will say, "lets count on the US, they'll protect us"? Who?

I thought that when people are being trampled on, when they try to rise up and take back the God given rights that others have taken from them, that we stood by their side and fought with them or even for them. But now, with this twit in office, it looks like we'll just stand by, and watch as they, the Taliban, dole out their justice and take back, little by little, the gains we've made by the blood, sweat and tears of our service men and women. If you think the troops are demoralized now, just wait until they are told they can't shoot at the Taliban.

Update 10/10/09: Pres. Obama vows to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to thunderous applause. Does it make you pause that in this year of record deficit spending, the one area of government that saw less funding was Defence. Tack this on top of siding with our enemies, and I see a mass reduction in the retention of our best and brightest in the military.

HUMILITY BASE HERE...THE EGO HAS LANDED

Not exactly what they were expecting, but why not. Isn't this the man that has been traveling the world over the last 9 months, and before, trashing this country. Why the hell would the IOC want to come here of all places for the summer games of 2016.

This also shows how big Pres. Obama's ego really is. He thought that he could go over to Copenhagen and flash that big smile, show off Michelle's toned arms and have "O" Oprah....well do what ever she could do, and the the IOC would fold at their feet. And what happened, they we're the first ones show the door. Air Force 1 was just taking off when the announcement was made, the president getting a heads-up I'm sure.

Doesn't it make you feel all warm and safe inside knowing that this is the man that will be negotiating with Iran and Russia and China over Iranian nukes....I feel warm all right, but I think it's my blood pressure on the rise. He broke the first rule of presidential negotiations, you don't go unless you have a deal already. Coming home with your tail between your legs doesn't convey strength, and getting spanked by Spain and Brazil, two "power-houses" of international muscle, that looks even worse.

And not only did the IOC say no, they said "Hell No" by eliminating Chicago in the first round, saying that they had the least amount of votes. Tokyo's representatives at least put a good spin on it, after they were illuminated, by asking that they keep the games "Green". This after Michelle flew over to Europe on the presidential 727, and Barack follows a day or two later on the 747 AF 1. And add in the other Secret Service aircraft, transports for cars and other gas guzzler vehicles and that adds up to a nice size carbon footprint there wouldn't you say.

At least we know that he will spend time on things he thinks are important. He gave the general overseeing Afghanistan a whole 25 minutes to go over strategy and troop levels. I mean, like Michelle said, going over there was a "sacrifice" to say the least.

UPDATE 2:09 PM 10.02.09: Rio De Janeiro has won the 2016 Summer Olympics.