Potpourri

1-Why Health Care Reform may fail;
Article in Star Ledger 8/28/09; Rep.Pete Stark of California and extreme liberal blasted the centralist group of Democrats known as the 'Blue Democrats" as being brain dead since they oppose a federal run alternate insurance program with reimbursement at Medicare level.
The Blues favor a competitive option rum by private insurers with some federal subsidy.

That is an option that the insurance companies like since it increases the number of policy holders. It also could be acceptable to the Republicans. Without the "Blues" vote any plan is dead.

2- The cost of Medicare Part D-the drug plan- will go up under the proposed house bill with the elimination of the doughnut clause. For those seniors whose drug costs are greater than $2800,00 annually their net cost will drop. Since the plan will be mandatory and might be expanded to include all age groups, the 19-50 year old group will be saddled with additional expense.

3-I am not being disrespectful, but there never has been a bigger spectacle than Ted Kennedy's two day funeral. He deserved a public burial including church services etc. He was a fortunate man who because of his name survived incidents for which others would have been punished. He never was under the pressure that forced others who deviated from accepted moral turpitude to give up their political career. Despite that he was not a politician but a true statesman and a great asset as a Senator. For that we mourn his passing.

I can remark about it because You and I paid for a large portion of it, including security especially for the President, the airplane to transport the casket to Washington, and the entire "Congressional funeral".

Cynically, he did push Michael Jackson off the over blown news coverage. Next week Michael and the weird case of the woman held as a love slave for 18 years will resume their place in the news. TV has changed our priorities from the days of newsprint.

4-Between blogging and daily tasks I have been reading a most interesting book that I found mentioned in a Times OP-ED column regarding the Darwin/Bible controversy especial in education circles. The book is ;The Evolution of God" by Wright. Since I have only progressed about one third of the way through it, I find it too early to draw any conclusions abut the author's contentions.. The scope of the book is the onset of religious belief in prehistoric man through the present day concept of God in today's three religions of the book. At this point I consider it "food for thought" with a final impression and/or acceptance to be reached after conclusion and reflection.

I believe that all reader thinkers will find this man's thesis interesting.