Comments for STRANGELAND.NET

Comment on Madame Speaker’s Hypocrisy by Delwin

Delwin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:06:26 +0000

First Pelosi never promised anything about transparency. Obama did, but he’s already violated that one six ways to Sunday. I don’t think any bill he’s signed got the 72 hour treatment.

As for the Constitutionality of universal health care that’s in the preamble “promote the general welfare”. It occurs again in Artical I Section 8 “provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;”

UHC is arguably part of the general welfare of the United States. So is trying to curb health care costs.

That said… yea Pelosi is only out for herself. I’d love to see her replaced by someone more centrist.

Comment on Thoughts on Healthcare by stranger

stranger — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:14:34 +0000

From my reading of the Constitution, the Tenth Amendment isn’t vague at all. The Constitution was written on the basis of enumerated powers. I’m sure you’re well aware of the meaning, but for anyone reading who isn’t, that simply means that the powers of the various branches of the Federal Government are clearly laid out in the Constitution. If it’s not in there, then they don’t have the authority. The big stretches have come in under the Interstate Commerce clause and the General Welfare clause.

As far as past exercises of Federal Power that you mention, I would actually argue those are covered under the Enumerated Powers, generally under the Interstate Commerce clause. I won’t argue at all that the tactics of some of the monopolies were horribly out of control and needed to be curtailed. Of course, it’s also my viewpoint that they were using force and fraud to accomplish their goals, which put them out of bounds.

Regarding the current healthcare debate, I would say the steps being taken (up to and including the rush job bill through the House this past weekend) are actually doing more harm and reinforcing the system that’s already in place. For all the rhetoric decrying the profits of the healthcare industry (nevermind that their profit margin is about 2.5%), the bill passed by the House requires everyone to purchase health insurance from the very companies the rhetoric is saying is so evil for making money in the first place.

At the end of the day, I stand by the quote from Thomas Paine: “That government is best which governs least.” The entire push for healthcare reform, no matter how well intentioned by some members of Congress, is simply another step of intrusiveness into general American lives and in no way will the good outweigh the bad.

Comment on Thoughts on Healthcare by optimisticJ

optimisticJ — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:08:34 +0000

I’ll confess that I am torn on the issue of how to enforce the 10th Amendment. There is no doubt that it is prudent to minimize government’s control over industries, but I think we can all also agree that there have been times in the history of our nation when the government has been the only entity that could step in and prevent blatant abuses of the people by those same industries. The “Gilded Age” was coined as a term by Mark Twain primarily because it seemed to be a time of wealth on the outside, with a core of poverty and abuse of the working people. Monopolies like Standard Oil dominated the economy, armed mercenaries broke strikes and prevented workers from using collective bargaining to leverage even the most basic rights from their employers, and there were no controls whatsoever on public health or environmental damage. I think we can all agree that some government intervention was necessary to overcome those conditions. The 10th Amendment is vague enough that is doesn’t prohibit this, and it is therefore up to We the People to collectively decide if we want these protections.
If we can agree on that, the question is whether or not we have swung too far in the other direction. I believe that government can still be a positive protection for the people from abusive industries, and a safeguard for small businesses from large monopolistic companies. Health Care in America is draining our savings, public and private, and after over 50 years of trying to remedy the problem piecemeal, it is time for reform. My concern, and where I agree with Stranger, is whether we can provide a cure that isn’t worse than the disease.

Comment on Impeach Obama? Really? by Ed

Ed — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:22:05 +0000

I understand your point. Of course, you are correct. But you assume this person is uneducated and simply disagrees with Obama. Is it at all possible this person has spent countless hours online reading about alleged ties Obama has to criminals? Maybe this person has educated themselves so well that they believe there is cause for criminal prosecution. Whether one agrees with his possible conclusions is not the intended topic. This person may consider himself to be highly educated and understand exactly what his bumper sticker implies. On a side note, who remembers all of the “STOP” signs that had “Nixon Now” stenciled below?

Comment on Misrepresentations on both sides by Delwin

Delwin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:42:51 +0000

The only part I will object to is the concept of private industry being responsible for basic science. Capitalism is very very bad at certain things and ‘common good’ is at the top of the list. Any basic science that does not have an immediate payoff is unlikely to get private funding. Sure there’s some but very little.

That’s where the Government – which is primarily interested in ‘common good’ steps in. It needs to do far more of this.

Comment on Impeach Obama? Really? by Delwin

Delwin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:52:01 +0000

Don’t even get me started on public education… I miss Schoolhouse Rock. That and Arizona is one of the bottom of the barrel in terms of education funding.

Comment on Impeach Obama? Really? by stranger

stranger — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:42:10 +0000

@Delwin Be that as it may, it doesn't change the fact it's a sad commentary on the lack of knowledge about how our government works on the part of many people. Way to go, Public Education!

Comment on Impeach Obama? Really? by Delwin

Delwin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:36:49 +0000

Your comment reminded me of a musing I had a while ago. Most public officials have some kind of recall provision. You can if you get enough signatures on a petition start a recall election to boot them from office. It’s what happened to Davis in CA (and in turn opened the door to the Govenator).

The President of the United States doesn’t have a recall provision. All you can do to remove him if you don’t like him is trump up enough charges to get an Impeachment through. Thus (and especially since Clinton) Impeachment has come to mean in the minds of many common Americans to mean recall vote.

Just a thought.

Comment on Maybe I’m just a cynic… by Delwin

Delwin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:22:22 +0000

Nope, not a cynic. I agree with you on this one.

Of course there’s likely another side to the story but at least on the surface and with the info we have you’ve got this one nailed.

Comment on Someone else’s words by Delwin

Delwin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:25:27 +0000

His entire argument is undermined by his choice of example. TVA is a government backed monopoly. Co-ops would be government backed competition. There’s a large difference.

He should have stuck with Fanni and Freddy as those (pre-takeover) are a lot closer to what the co-op would be than the TVA.