http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-613.pdf
Before we jump into a massive government expansion of healthcare, it's our responsibility to do some research. The most important part of healthcare is quality. If you read Michael Tanner's research, posted above, you can see that the United States, when it comes to innovation, quality, and choice, without a doubt has far and away the best healthcare system in the world. These facts can not be disputed, as they are raw data, absolutely indicating a strong, quality system.
If you watch his YouTube videos, he also explains how 45-50 million uninsured Americans is a drastic misrepresentation of the truth. In addition, he tackles healthcare cost woes, and offers solutions. He stumbles upon a paradox where most Americans, 83%, say they are happy with their healthcare quality, and 70% are happy with the access, yet, 73% think the system is broken. When offered the widest possible range of healthcare reforms, from the most free-market reform to a single-payer system, the public voted yes for every single one of them. They public supported completely contridactory policies; 86% of Americans wanted to remove the link between jobs and insurance, and 81% wanted to make companies provide health insurance. That proves, single-handedly, a problem with knowledge of the issues.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Could this be where we are headed?
This is incredibly disturbing.
I don't know what's more disturbing, the fact that the British government is quashing any open discussion about Islam or the fact that so little people on this side of the Atlantic know about the Islamization of Europe? Now, there have been mass conversions (in terms of political, social and economic structures) of great swaths of land throughout human history (e.g. Christianity, Islam in the 700s, and Democracy in the 20th century), but the Islamization of Europe represents a different kind of movement. In all of those great movements mentioned earlier, there was incredible resistance by the ruling authorities (e.g. pagan Roman authorities, Christian leaders, and monarchists and dictators) to the new beliefs and ideas. However, the ideas and beliefs prevailed despite such opposition, sometimes prevailing in spite of and because of such opposition.
However, this is the first time in modern human history that I can think of that the ruling elite is actively helping a mass conversion of its own people and way of life to a completely different society through its own resistance to anything which might harm such a movement (e.g. criticism of said movement's militant message of takeover or exposing said movement's oppression of women, homosexuals, and followers of any other religion that is not Islam). It's just astounding how the European governments are ensuring their own destruction, all in the names of 'multiculturalism' and 'tolerance'!
Now, I don't demean Islam as a religion. It is a beautiful religion, rich with loving practices and an incredible history. The Koran contains great tales of morality and numerous elegant stories about devotion to God, just like the Bible and Torah. Adherents of Islam are incredibly disciplined, spiritual and fervent in their beliefs, much like the early Christians. The majority of Muslims are peaceful and only strive to be good people and not harm their fellow man.
But, a sizable, ever increasing number of Muslims are extremely militant and want to destroy Western culture (that's us) in order to impose a universal caliphate over the entire world. They are our enemies, these suicide bombers and jihadists who are killing our troops and innocent civilains at home (9/11) and abroad (Iraq, Afghanistan). They are also the ones driving the Islamization of Europe, which, helped by the national government's passivity, is gaining speed.
Ideas, beliefs and religions should be spread because they are good ideas, beliefs, religions, and not because they are forced upon us or because we are too afraid to combat them. Islam might indeed become the dominant religion of the world soon, but let it be because we want it to be and not because we are too scared to say no.
I don't know what's more disturbing, the fact that the British government is quashing any open discussion about Islam or the fact that so little people on this side of the Atlantic know about the Islamization of Europe? Now, there have been mass conversions (in terms of political, social and economic structures) of great swaths of land throughout human history (e.g. Christianity, Islam in the 700s, and Democracy in the 20th century), but the Islamization of Europe represents a different kind of movement. In all of those great movements mentioned earlier, there was incredible resistance by the ruling authorities (e.g. pagan Roman authorities, Christian leaders, and monarchists and dictators) to the new beliefs and ideas. However, the ideas and beliefs prevailed despite such opposition, sometimes prevailing in spite of and because of such opposition.
However, this is the first time in modern human history that I can think of that the ruling elite is actively helping a mass conversion of its own people and way of life to a completely different society through its own resistance to anything which might harm such a movement (e.g. criticism of said movement's militant message of takeover or exposing said movement's oppression of women, homosexuals, and followers of any other religion that is not Islam). It's just astounding how the European governments are ensuring their own destruction, all in the names of 'multiculturalism' and 'tolerance'!
Now, I don't demean Islam as a religion. It is a beautiful religion, rich with loving practices and an incredible history. The Koran contains great tales of morality and numerous elegant stories about devotion to God, just like the Bible and Torah. Adherents of Islam are incredibly disciplined, spiritual and fervent in their beliefs, much like the early Christians. The majority of Muslims are peaceful and only strive to be good people and not harm their fellow man.
But, a sizable, ever increasing number of Muslims are extremely militant and want to destroy Western culture (that's us) in order to impose a universal caliphate over the entire world. They are our enemies, these suicide bombers and jihadists who are killing our troops and innocent civilains at home (9/11) and abroad (Iraq, Afghanistan). They are also the ones driving the Islamization of Europe, which, helped by the national government's passivity, is gaining speed.
Ideas, beliefs and religions should be spread because they are good ideas, beliefs, religions, and not because they are forced upon us or because we are too afraid to combat them. Islam might indeed become the dominant religion of the world soon, but let it be because we want it to be and not because we are too scared to say no.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Liberal anchors try to stick it to a conservative yet again....and fail, again
Check this clip out:
Silly liberals, tricks (especially in terms of misleading poll questions that serve your dangerous insidious agenda) are for kids!
Silly liberals, tricks (especially in terms of misleading poll questions that serve your dangerous insidious agenda) are for kids!
Ted Kennedy (D-MA) dies of brain cancer...
You can find the full story here.
In my opinion, Kennedy represented everything that is wrong with the modern day politician. He served for over 40 years, a great example of a man who was firmly entrenched in the give-and-take web of lobbyists and scandals that makes up the majority of Washington politics. Kennedy was as career a politician as anybody could be.
He was also a great hypocrite. For example, he proclaimed himself a Roman Catholic yet supported abortions, something vehemently opposed by the Vatican. He also undermined our national security again and again as well as helped increase and further entrench the policies of LBJ's Great Society, specifically the expansion of the Welfare State.
In addition, his personal life wasn't exactly crystal clean either. Just ask the family of Mary Jo Kepeche how they think of his passing, may she rest in peace.
However, he was still a United States Senator and, due to the respect I have for that office (which is really based on the character and actions of other Senators) and for his brother John, may he also rest in peace and may his family and friends feel the grace of God's comfort to help them deal with this.
Indeed, as much as he was an enemy to most, if not all, conservatives, he was still a saint among the liberal establishment. He inspired many on the left and also had a reputation for reaching across the aisle on legislation. He was a prolific lawmaker, having his name on countless bills and laws passed over his four decade long Senate career. I may have not liked the guy at all, but I know that many did, and I know that this is a sad day for them as well.
But, it's a terrible shame that now Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Harry Reid (D-NV) and the Democratic leadership in Congress are using his death to further the passage of health-care, Kennedy's own white albatross. Robert Byrd (D-WV) even went so far as to suggest naming the bill after Kennedy. As I said before, it's a terrible shame, but I wouldn't expect anything less from desperate liberals seeking to pass universal health-care while they still have power to do it. The will of the people be damned!
In my opinion, Kennedy represented everything that is wrong with the modern day politician. He served for over 40 years, a great example of a man who was firmly entrenched in the give-and-take web of lobbyists and scandals that makes up the majority of Washington politics. Kennedy was as career a politician as anybody could be.
He was also a great hypocrite. For example, he proclaimed himself a Roman Catholic yet supported abortions, something vehemently opposed by the Vatican. He also undermined our national security again and again as well as helped increase and further entrench the policies of LBJ's Great Society, specifically the expansion of the Welfare State.
In addition, his personal life wasn't exactly crystal clean either. Just ask the family of Mary Jo Kepeche how they think of his passing, may she rest in peace.
However, he was still a United States Senator and, due to the respect I have for that office (which is really based on the character and actions of other Senators) and for his brother John, may he also rest in peace and may his family and friends feel the grace of God's comfort to help them deal with this.
Indeed, as much as he was an enemy to most, if not all, conservatives, he was still a saint among the liberal establishment. He inspired many on the left and also had a reputation for reaching across the aisle on legislation. He was a prolific lawmaker, having his name on countless bills and laws passed over his four decade long Senate career. I may have not liked the guy at all, but I know that many did, and I know that this is a sad day for them as well.
But, it's a terrible shame that now Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Harry Reid (D-NV) and the Democratic leadership in Congress are using his death to further the passage of health-care, Kennedy's own white albatross. Robert Byrd (D-WV) even went so far as to suggest naming the bill after Kennedy. As I said before, it's a terrible shame, but I wouldn't expect anything less from desperate liberals seeking to pass universal health-care while they still have power to do it. The will of the people be damned!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
New Jersey Town Refuses Qaddafi
I saw this today and thought I'd mention it.
Good for them. If a dictator and a financier of terrorists had a possibility of coming to my hometown, I'd be equally as angry and concerned. This guy is despicable and is one of our greatest enemies. But, I guess harboring the terrorists responsible for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 (then welcoming back the surviving terrorist with open arms this past week) and shooting scud missiles at US forces in the Mediterranean doesn't qualify you as a bad guy. He's just 'misunderstood'. We should sit down and talk with him, Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-il and other men who wish the total destruction of our country and way of life in order to help understand how our past policies and actions could have led them, 'good' men, to oppose us.
It used to be that we fought against injustice and actions against humanity whenever and wherever we found it. Now, it seems that we only care about such acts when the perpetrators are doing it in order to protect us (those evil CIA members, doing everything they can to defend us by making some American killing terrorists feel a little temporary discomfort. The nerve!). For you see, we can always 'sit and down and have a pleasant chat' with our enemies, rather them fight them at every corner.
Well, Neville Chamberlain and Edourd Daladier also thought that a policy of appeasement would protect their countries too when they signed the Munich Agreement with Hitler. So, let's see what happened. France was overrun in a couple of weeks and Britain endured countless bombings and rocket attacks while having London reduced to a bloody smoldering ruin. Yep, sitting down and talking works so well.
Good for them. If a dictator and a financier of terrorists had a possibility of coming to my hometown, I'd be equally as angry and concerned. This guy is despicable and is one of our greatest enemies. But, I guess harboring the terrorists responsible for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 (then welcoming back the surviving terrorist with open arms this past week) and shooting scud missiles at US forces in the Mediterranean doesn't qualify you as a bad guy. He's just 'misunderstood'. We should sit down and talk with him, Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-il and other men who wish the total destruction of our country and way of life in order to help understand how our past policies and actions could have led them, 'good' men, to oppose us.
It used to be that we fought against injustice and actions against humanity whenever and wherever we found it. Now, it seems that we only care about such acts when the perpetrators are doing it in order to protect us (those evil CIA members, doing everything they can to defend us by making some American killing terrorists feel a little temporary discomfort. The nerve!). For you see, we can always 'sit and down and have a pleasant chat' with our enemies, rather them fight them at every corner.
Well, Neville Chamberlain and Edourd Daladier also thought that a policy of appeasement would protect their countries too when they signed the Munich Agreement with Hitler. So, let's see what happened. France was overrun in a couple of weeks and Britain endured countless bombings and rocket attacks while having London reduced to a bloody smoldering ruin. Yep, sitting down and talking works so well.
Monday, August 24, 2009
RUCenturion Blog Launched!
The Centurion has finally found a permanent place for its blog. After going through a number of various incarnations and locations, we think that we now have settled on Blogger to host our blog. Look ahead in the coming weeks for all our opinions, views and beliefs being expressed here.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
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