12.01.2010
This is super embarrassing, but...can someone explain WikiLeaks controversy to me, please? I've had my head buried in the proverbial sand -- the pile of papers on my desk, final exams yet to be written, conferences with desperate students finally realizing they are walking a fine line between passing and failing -- and so haven't seen, heard, or read anything remotely resembling news these past few weeks. Now, the WikiLeaks business has unfolded so far that, as someone who is late to the party and has missed all the back story, it's hard to follow the news. I remember that a few months ago some secret documents were released about Afghanistan and people got pissed. I assume that more has transpired since then, but...what?
11.23.2010
Do the Jesus lean!
Sorry about that. To cleanse your brain, go listen to Calle 13. Start with "Baile de los Pobres" or "Muerte en Hawaii". Those are my favorites.
Sorry about that. To cleanse your brain, go listen to Calle 13. Start with "Baile de los Pobres" or "Muerte en Hawaii". Those are my favorites.
11.22.2010
11.18.2010
There is a great post up at Pandagon about "mommy wars", which seem to crop up on the internets every time anybody says anything about motherhood.
11.03.2010
Have you kids heard of Joe Miller? Well, if not, he's the batshit crazy conservative motherfucker who was on the Republican ticket in Alaska's U.S. Senate race.
Here's the short version of the story: Joe Miller came out of nowhere to challenge incumbent Lisa Murkowski for the Republican nomination. Nobody thought he'd actually be able to do it. Dude was motherfucking crazy, even by Alaska standards. I mean, Alaska is a conservative place -- this is the state responsible for Sarah Palin -- but nobody actually thought that a crazy motherfucker like Miller would actually make it on the ballot. After all, hadn't the Palin business taught Alaskans to be a little more careful about their politics? They sure thought so.
As I see it (and this is from the perspective of someone who has not experienced the post-Palin AK political scene first hand, so take it with a fistful of salt), that was exactly the problem. They thought it couldn't happen again. No way would another crazy slip through like that. Alaskans got complacent.
So when the primary rolled around, the sane folks (which, in Alaska, means the mildly- to moderately-conservative city dwellers of Anchorage and Fairabnks) mostly stayed home. Why vote? Of course Lisa Murkowski would be on the ticket, and of course she'd win in November, because the Republican always wins. Who was that crazy Miller guy anyway? Just noise. Nothing to worry about.
Except that it was. All the fucking crazies crawled out of the woodwork to vote for him in the primary -- kind of like what happened in Ohio in the 2004 election. All the anti-gay crazies came out to vote against gay marriage, and that (in my opinion) is what cost the Democrats the presidential election. You have to admit -- the crazies have a phenomenal talent for rallying at election time. They know how to organize. They get shit done...in Ohio and in Alaska and across America. The rest of us could learn a thing or two from them.
But I digress.
The Alaska Senate race isn't over yet; it's going to be a while. It would appear that Lisa Murkowski, who ran a write-in campaign after the mind-boggling primary upset, is leading Miller -- and by quite a bit. 41% of the votes in that race were write-ins, which means that the majority of voters chose a write-in candidate. If the vast majority of those write-ins are for the same candidate, then that candidate will win. Whether Alaska has written in Murkowski or Mickey Mouse is TBA, though, and it will be a few weeks before it's all said and done.
This is a good cautionary tale, even if it turns out OK in the end. (If having Lisa Murkowski in the Senate can be called "OK." I guess it's a comparative sense of "OK.") This is a stark reminder that very bad things can happen when good people either take an election outcome for granted or give in to apathy or let their guards down.
That's the thing. The crazies never let their guard down...and neither should we. The crazies never take an election outcome for granted and the crazies are never apathetic. We'd do well to remember that.
Here's the short version of the story: Joe Miller came out of nowhere to challenge incumbent Lisa Murkowski for the Republican nomination. Nobody thought he'd actually be able to do it. Dude was motherfucking crazy, even by Alaska standards. I mean, Alaska is a conservative place -- this is the state responsible for Sarah Palin -- but nobody actually thought that a crazy motherfucker like Miller would actually make it on the ballot. After all, hadn't the Palin business taught Alaskans to be a little more careful about their politics? They sure thought so.
As I see it (and this is from the perspective of someone who has not experienced the post-Palin AK political scene first hand, so take it with a fistful of salt), that was exactly the problem. They thought it couldn't happen again. No way would another crazy slip through like that. Alaskans got complacent.
So when the primary rolled around, the sane folks (which, in Alaska, means the mildly- to moderately-conservative city dwellers of Anchorage and Fairabnks) mostly stayed home. Why vote? Of course Lisa Murkowski would be on the ticket, and of course she'd win in November, because the Republican always wins. Who was that crazy Miller guy anyway? Just noise. Nothing to worry about.
Except that it was. All the fucking crazies crawled out of the woodwork to vote for him in the primary -- kind of like what happened in Ohio in the 2004 election. All the anti-gay crazies came out to vote against gay marriage, and that (in my opinion) is what cost the Democrats the presidential election. You have to admit -- the crazies have a phenomenal talent for rallying at election time. They know how to organize. They get shit done...in Ohio and in Alaska and across America. The rest of us could learn a thing or two from them.
But I digress.
The Alaska Senate race isn't over yet; it's going to be a while. It would appear that Lisa Murkowski, who ran a write-in campaign after the mind-boggling primary upset, is leading Miller -- and by quite a bit. 41% of the votes in that race were write-ins, which means that the majority of voters chose a write-in candidate. If the vast majority of those write-ins are for the same candidate, then that candidate will win. Whether Alaska has written in Murkowski or Mickey Mouse is TBA, though, and it will be a few weeks before it's all said and done.
This is a good cautionary tale, even if it turns out OK in the end. (If having Lisa Murkowski in the Senate can be called "OK." I guess it's a comparative sense of "OK.") This is a stark reminder that very bad things can happen when good people either take an election outcome for granted or give in to apathy or let their guards down.
That's the thing. The crazies never let their guard down...and neither should we. The crazies never take an election outcome for granted and the crazies are never apathetic. We'd do well to remember that.
10.18.2010
I just heard something on the news that made my blood boil, so I thought I'd share it with you. Chris Matthews asks Jack Conway "Why would you take a woman's word over the word of Rand Paul?" Keep in mind this is reference to Rand Paul tying up said woman and forcing her to pretend to worship some fake deity as part of some fraternity thing. It's great that we live in a world where if you are a woman, it's automatically assumed you are a liar. You can read about what happened to her here.
The other thing that irks me about this is that people are pissed off about this not because Rand Paul likes to assault women, but because Rand Paul likes to mock religion.
The other thing that irks me about this is that people are pissed off about this not because Rand Paul likes to assault women, but because Rand Paul likes to mock religion.
10.01.2010
Since you all are invited anyways, and will eventually get a save-the-date in your email inbox and maybe an invite in your regular mailbox, I might as well share our somewhat incomplete website with you so you can make plans to come and celebrate with us. :)
More details:
http://lauraandlauren.ourwedding.com/
So go. Look around. Put it on your calendar in pen or marker. Oh, and RSVP! Because seriously, you might have to search around in the snow for a golden ticket otherwise (if you want to join us inside for lunch). While I think this would be hilarious and AWESOME, you probably want a guaranteed seat/meal.
More details:
http://lauraandlauren.ourwedding.com/
So go. Look around. Put it on your calendar in pen or marker. Oh, and RSVP! Because seriously, you might have to search around in the snow for a golden ticket otherwise (if you want to join us inside for lunch). While I think this would be hilarious and AWESOME, you probably want a guaranteed seat/meal.
9.28.2010
9.26.2010
Did you know that the Catholic bishops in MN are sending out "same sex marriage is going to end civilization" dvds to all MN Catholics? I have got to find the local dioceses and get on that mailing list. Because.. seriously? What the hell do Catholics care if I get married to my partner? I am dying to hear their arguments against it. And how they could have enough to say about it to warrant an entire dvd.
In other news, Laura & I are getting hitched in Iowa in January. You are officially the first to know. The invites will eventually be in the mail. Maybe by Halloween...
In other news, Laura & I are getting hitched in Iowa in January. You are officially the first to know. The invites will eventually be in the mail. Maybe by Halloween...
9.11.2010
When I looked at the calendar today and saw that it was September 11th, my first thought was, "Hey, it's Lisa's birthday!" Then, a split-second later, I thought, "9/11."
That's the first time since 2001 that I've reacted in that order, rather than conjuring the national tragedy first and Lisa second. And it's about damn time.
Is it because 9/11 has finally receded in my memory somewhat (even if it hasn't in the national memory)? Well, I'd like to think so. More likely, though, it's because I've been disgustingly disconnected from the outside world since school started. I've been really bad about reading news websites, watching the TV news...shoot, I haven't even seen the CNN headlines in a while (my laptop homepage, although I'm not sure why) because I've always got a browser open to Gmail or Facebook or something.
In any case, Happy Birthday to Lisa!!!
That's the first time since 2001 that I've reacted in that order, rather than conjuring the national tragedy first and Lisa second. And it's about damn time.
Is it because 9/11 has finally receded in my memory somewhat (even if it hasn't in the national memory)? Well, I'd like to think so. More likely, though, it's because I've been disgustingly disconnected from the outside world since school started. I've been really bad about reading news websites, watching the TV news...shoot, I haven't even seen the CNN headlines in a while (my laptop homepage, although I'm not sure why) because I've always got a browser open to Gmail or Facebook or something.
In any case, Happy Birthday to Lisa!!!
8.27.2010
8.22.2010
Apparently religious schools are something of a problem in Britain. Richard Dawkins does a good job outlining why, in this video series. Here is part 1 of 4:
Dawkins rejects the idea that children are the property of parents, and that parents have the right to indoctrinate their children into any one belief system. I agree. Their minds are their own, and our responsibility is to provide them with critical thinking skills, not to fill their heads with nonsense. I especially find it disgusting when people marvel at childlike faith. Believing whatever crap somebody tells you is not a virtue! The reason we call it childlike faith is because that's how a child's mind works. When you tell them that the sun is rolled across the sky by a giant dung beetle, they literally believe it is true. This is one of the few things America does better than the UK. At least if parents want to force religion down the throats of their children they don't get help from the schools. Well, not the public schools.
Dawkins rejects the idea that children are the property of parents, and that parents have the right to indoctrinate their children into any one belief system. I agree. Their minds are their own, and our responsibility is to provide them with critical thinking skills, not to fill their heads with nonsense. I especially find it disgusting when people marvel at childlike faith. Believing whatever crap somebody tells you is not a virtue! The reason we call it childlike faith is because that's how a child's mind works. When you tell them that the sun is rolled across the sky by a giant dung beetle, they literally believe it is true. This is one of the few things America does better than the UK. At least if parents want to force religion down the throats of their children they don't get help from the schools. Well, not the public schools.
8.09.2010
7.19.2010
The verdict is in: kids don't make you happy. Instead of acknowledging that what we've always been told - that babies are tiny bundles of joy - is a big lie, the article moves the goal posts and redefines happiness. What a load of shit.
If you're not already reading STFU Parents, you should be.
If you're not already reading STFU Parents, you should be.
7.16.2010
Religious hospitals are being investigated by the ACLU for violations of federal law.
Certain religious people think that their beliefs supersede the law. They're wrong.
The letter cites an American Journal of Public Health article that documents refusals by various Catholic hospitals to provide urgent medical reproductive care in miscarriage management cases. In each situation described, the letter asserts, the hospital in question placed a woman's life or health at risk in direct violation of federal law.
Certain religious people think that their beliefs supersede the law. They're wrong.
7.03.2010
6.26.2010
I'ts back, baby! Signe's already a fan - did anyone else here pick strawberries at my grandparents' place in the 80's/early 90's?
There is a picture on there of my cousin picking with her daughter. I so want to be home right now....
There is a picture on there of my cousin picking with her daughter. I so want to be home right now....
6.16.2010
So we were watching a Nova on PBS the other day about music and the brain, and they showed a lady with amusia. When she described how she experiences music, it clicked. Hey, that's me. So I took an internet test, and sure enough (because the interwebs are never wrong) I have amusia. I'm ok with two tunes side-by-side for comparison, but if I'm just listening to a tune I won't know if it's off-key. I also have trouble with rhythm. When I tell Justin to turn off his music because that tone causes me pain, that's what's going on. Now I have an answer when people ask me incredulously "Can't you hear that?". Nope, amusia. I'm also guessing that amusia has a genetic component, as I have several ancestors that were deaf and I'm a musical genius in comparison to my grandmother and mother.
According to Wikipedia, amusia is a learning disability. I'm not sure I agree, since it doesn't affect my life in any meaningful way. So I don't dance or sing. So what? Maybe it seems like a disability to the people who dropped out of the womb playing classical piano. But I don't know the difference, so the only way in which I am inconvenienced* by amusia is when people natter on and on about their band/instrument/composition/music theory and I have no idea what they're talking about. But it is a fantastic excuse to never attend the concert or listen to the composition of an acquaintance ever again. I'd rather strangle myself with my own intestines than listen to your CD not because I'm an asshole, but because I'm disabled. Win.
*I probably inconvenience other people because I typically prefer silence to music and when I do listen to music it's pretty much the same few songs over and over and over again.
According to Wikipedia, amusia is a learning disability. I'm not sure I agree, since it doesn't affect my life in any meaningful way. So I don't dance or sing. So what? Maybe it seems like a disability to the people who dropped out of the womb playing classical piano. But I don't know the difference, so the only way in which I am inconvenienced* by amusia is when people natter on and on about their band/instrument/composition/music theory and I have no idea what they're talking about. But it is a fantastic excuse to never attend the concert or listen to the composition of an acquaintance ever again. I'd rather strangle myself with my own intestines than listen to your CD not because I'm an asshole, but because I'm disabled. Win.
*I probably inconvenience other people because I typically prefer silence to music and when I do listen to music it's pretty much the same few songs over and over and over again.
6.08.2010
This is a fantastic article about a study which indicates the children of lesbians are better off than the children of heterosexual couples. This study was published in the journal Pediatrics in case you're interested in looking it up on pubmed.
Anyway, the reason this study is important is because all the temper tantrums that conservatives have thrown over gay people raising kids has been for naught. It makes me cackle with glee that the proponents of the traditional patriarchal family structure and gender roles have to eat their words.
Actually, I doubt this study will change the minds of conservatives at all. It's far more likely they will throw a screaming bitch fit about how persecuted they are by evil academics, ignore any evidence they don't like, and continue in the belief that society should reflect their own personal fetishes and sexual hang-ups.
Anyway, the reason this study is important is because all the temper tantrums that conservatives have thrown over gay people raising kids has been for naught. It makes me cackle with glee that the proponents of the traditional patriarchal family structure and gender roles have to eat their words.
Actually, I doubt this study will change the minds of conservatives at all. It's far more likely they will throw a screaming bitch fit about how persecuted they are by evil academics, ignore any evidence they don't like, and continue in the belief that society should reflect their own personal fetishes and sexual hang-ups.
6.02.2010
Holy Christ on a fucking cracker, the Twilight series is the worst thing ever. I know that in the past I have ragged on literary snobs because of my love of genre lit, but this Twilight schlock is simply indefensible. Even my taste in fiction is not this piss poor. The main character is a Mary Sue. She is literally nothing more than an empty shell into which the reader is supposed to insert herself. And all the vampires having their own unique power? That's the hat technique. The author can't be bothered to actually create compelling characters, so instead she gives each character a different hat. It's horrible, lazy writing. Ok, so I only watched the movies. And even copious amounts of alcohol and the MST3K treatment didn't make it better.
And why do the immortal undead with super powers repeat high school over and over and over and over? And American Indian wifebeating werewolves. Really? Really?
And why do the immortal undead with super powers repeat high school over and over and over and over? And American Indian wifebeating werewolves. Really? Really?
5.25.2010
I'm sure that everybody is familiar with Dave Ramsey. My in-laws really like this guy, for obvious reasons. They buy his books for anybody they think needs financial help, which means that we've gotten one or two over the past few years. His financial advice, however, is of fairly limited value. (At least to me. I live off of a stipend and student loans, and there is no way to make that better except by graduating and getting a job.) He assumes that you have a sufficient income, it's just that you're too stupid to budget it properly. I really dislike the victim blaming that is implied. Like all other financial advice, people are supposedly poor not because the financial gurus on Wall Street pissed away their life savings or because the captains of industry keep wages low to boost profits. No, they are poor because they buy too many lattes. The other major reason I dislike him is because of his chapter on money and marriage, in which he states that women are emotional and just don't like facts. If I had a nickle for everybody who told me that my vagina makes me stupid and emotional I wouldn't need any financial advice.
5.21.2010
5.09.2010
I hiked up Mt Diablo on Saturday! Ok, it was the North Peak, which is the second highest of the four peaks at Mt Diablo (I got to another one of the four peaks as well). The website everytrail.com has this to say about the trail that we took to get to the peak:
Pics will be on Facebook :D
My favorite path to North Peak is definitely the hard way: five miles and over 3,000 feet of climb on some of the steepest trails in the Bay Area. The struggle has rewards beyond knowing you've walked from near sea level to one of the highest accessible points in the region. In springtime, the hillsides light up with wildflowers; in winter, rains cleanse the skies so you can see the snow-capped Sierra peaks hundreds of miles away; in autumn, tarantulas prowl the trails in search of mates. Summer's about the only time when it's too hot to attempt this hike.
This hike also has a bonus: a jaunt along the Mount Olympia Trail, notorious as one of the steepest in the Bay Area.
Pics will be on Facebook :D
5.06.2010
My wonderful husband has spent quite a few hours creating a website so I can ........ launch my own home cake decorating business! I'm officially online and ready to bake and decorate! Please check my website out and save June 18th to come support Dorcas House & celebrate the launch of 70 Degree Cakes.
Compromise on female genital mutilation? Bullshit. It's not OK to cut up your kids, not even a little bit.
5.02.2010
4.28.2010
Does this seem a bit pushy to anyone else? Have any of you ever been ordered to contribute to a gift for a colleague rather than asked to donate? I'm offended. Thing is, I barely know the person who is retiring. I like her well enough, I guess -- but I really don't like being told not only that I must donate, but how much.
* * *
Dear women colleagues,
I volunteered to collect the money from each of you. Please bring $10, cash or check, at the graduation ceremony. I will also bring a card so we can all sign.
Please let me know if there any objections.
Thank you for making this job (collection) easy for me.
4.18.2010
ATTENTION ALL SINNERS, DOUBTERS, HOMOSEXUALS, AND UPPITY WOMEN! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HEAVEN, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HELL, NEITHER PLACE EXISTS - ENJOY THE ONLY LIFE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE! WE ARE STUDENTS ADVOCATING A NON-RELIGIOUS ETHOS - LIVE LIFE, JOIN SANE
This is one thing I shouted on the UC Berkeley campus yesterday for Cal Day. Cal Day is a day for prospective students and their parents to visit campus to learn about the departments, campus, and activities. The atheist group that I am a part of was tabling, and I decided to become an atheist street preacher. I called out those listed above, plus masturbators, ravers, blasphemers, immodest dressers, condom users, the promiscuous, potheads, drinkers, foreigners, bacon lovers, infidels, harlots, and a number of other types of people identified on the sign I'm standing with below.
There were people who were just annoyed with the yelling, and I did have a guy show me his bible and say "This is the truth", to which I replied "It's all a bunch of stuff made up in the desert thousands of years ago." My chants also included
I am pointing at a specific term in this picture particularly for your [and my] amusement. This poster includes a number of terms that have been seen on posters of street preachers, condemning such people, which is why we have "Cal Fans", "Obama Voters", "Money Lovers", and "Dirty Dancers". The guy on the left is the VP/webmaster of our group.
I also had a lot of fun just being able to yell things. It was interesting to watch others attempt to yell, because they didn't have nearly the volume I could muster. And I know we're not all atheists on here, but this was just too exciting to not post about :D
Car Pictures will be coming soon too
This is one thing I shouted on the UC Berkeley campus yesterday for Cal Day. Cal Day is a day for prospective students and their parents to visit campus to learn about the departments, campus, and activities. The atheist group that I am a part of was tabling, and I decided to become an atheist street preacher. I called out those listed above, plus masturbators, ravers, blasphemers, immodest dressers, condom users, the promiscuous, potheads, drinkers, foreigners, bacon lovers, infidels, harlots, and a number of other types of people identified on the sign I'm standing with below.
There were people who were just annoyed with the yelling, and I did have a guy show me his bible and say "This is the truth", to which I replied "It's all a bunch of stuff made up in the desert thousands of years ago." My chants also included
- WE ARE ATHEISTS AND WE ARE PROUD!
- KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, WE LOVE YOU
- YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, IT DOES NOT EXIST, BUT YOU ARE A PART OF THE KINGDOM ANIMALIA, THE CLASS MAMMALA, AND THE SPECIES HOMO SAPIENS
- DO NOT LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT WORRYING THAT YOU WILL GO TO HELL, ENJOY WHAT COMES NATURALLY TO YOU
- WE WON'T CONDEMN YOU, WE CAN'T, WE ARE JUST LIKE YOU!
- (when I would include Immodest Dressers)WEAR WHAT YOU WANT, INCLUDING YOUR HEADDRESS OR YARMULKE, WE LOVE YOU
- (and while in the middle of campus, near the "Stop the Cuts" signs) ENJOY CAL DAY, YOU DID ALL THIS, NOT SOME MAGIC SKY FAIRY, THIS IS YOUR SCHOOL!
I am pointing at a specific term in this picture particularly for your [and my] amusement. This poster includes a number of terms that have been seen on posters of street preachers, condemning such people, which is why we have "Cal Fans", "Obama Voters", "Money Lovers", and "Dirty Dancers". The guy on the left is the VP/webmaster of our group.
I also had a lot of fun just being able to yell things. It was interesting to watch others attempt to yell, because they didn't have nearly the volume I could muster. And I know we're not all atheists on here, but this was just too exciting to not post about :D
Car Pictures will be coming soon too
4.16.2010
Food
I love this warm weather. I love being a homeowner. I love having a backyard - and I love being a gardener! Check it out, my seedlings are so happy! They will be even happier once they are in my belly. Or rather, once their food parts are in my belly.
So far I have tomatoes, beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas, basil and chives. The rosemary and bell peppers haven't sprouted yet. The spinach, carrots, green onions, regular onions, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkins, summer squash, cilantro, oregano, and cucumber seeds haven't been planted yet. And I still need to purchase some baby strawberry plants as well as a couple of apple and pear trees and some raspberry, blackberry, blueberry and grape plants. Who knew you could grow grapes in Minnesota?!
I am in way over my head, but it is going to be delicious. My backyard is extremely sunny (yay!). The dirt patch in the middle will be transformed into a firepit & embers grill soon. That shed will someday house a couple of hens, once I change some city ordinances - or maybe before then.. I can be a rogue suburban farmer!
I love this warm weather. I love being a homeowner. I love having a backyard - and I love being a gardener! Check it out, my seedlings are so happy! They will be even happier once they are in my belly. Or rather, once their food parts are in my belly.
So far I have tomatoes, beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas, basil and chives. The rosemary and bell peppers haven't sprouted yet. The spinach, carrots, green onions, regular onions, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkins, summer squash, cilantro, oregano, and cucumber seeds haven't been planted yet. And I still need to purchase some baby strawberry plants as well as a couple of apple and pear trees and some raspberry, blackberry, blueberry and grape plants. Who knew you could grow grapes in Minnesota?!
I am in way over my head, but it is going to be delicious. My backyard is extremely sunny (yay!). The dirt patch in the middle will be transformed into a firepit & embers grill soon. That shed will someday house a couple of hens, once I change some city ordinances - or maybe before then.. I can be a rogue suburban farmer!
4.09.2010
...my landlord e-mailed this to me. I thought it was bad when my students were forwarding trumped-up political propaganda bullshit, but my landlord? A middle-aged man who is a respected professional in my community? (An asshole, but definitely a respected professional.) I mean...come on.
* * *
A retired Constitutional lawyer has read the entire proposed healthcare bill. Read his conclusions and pass this on as you wish. This is stunning!
The Truth About the Health Care Bills - Michael Connelly, Ret. Constitutional Attorney
Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.
To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.
The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business, and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats, and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled by the government.
However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.
The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people, and the businesses they own.
The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with! I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.
This legislation also provides for access, by the appointees of the Obama administration, of all of your personal healthcare direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide...
If you decide not to have healthcare insurance, or if you have private insurance that is not deemed acceptable to the Health Choices Administrator appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a tax instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the due process of law.
So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much, out the original ten in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law It doesn't stop there though.
The 9th Amendment that provides: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;
The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control.
I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights... Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to "be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution." If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it, without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway, I would hope the American people would hold me accountable.
For those who might doubt the nature of this threat, I suggest they consult the source, the US Constitution, and Bill of Rights. There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us.
Michael Connelly
Retired attorney,
Constitutional Law Instructor
Carrollton , Texas
AFTER HAVING READ THIS, PLEASE FORWARD....
If you don't care about our constitution, or your rights under it, just do nothing.
WE MUST HOLD CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
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A retired Constitutional lawyer has read the entire proposed healthcare bill. Read his conclusions and pass this on as you wish. This is stunning!
The Truth About the Health Care Bills - Michael Connelly, Ret. Constitutional Attorney
Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.
To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.
The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business, and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats, and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled by the government.
However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.
The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people, and the businesses they own.
The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with! I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.
This legislation also provides for access, by the appointees of the Obama administration, of all of your personal healthcare direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide...
If you decide not to have healthcare insurance, or if you have private insurance that is not deemed acceptable to the Health Choices Administrator appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a tax instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the due process of law.
So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much, out the original ten in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law It doesn't stop there though.
The 9th Amendment that provides: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;
The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control.
I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights... Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to "be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution." If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it, without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway, I would hope the American people would hold me accountable.
For those who might doubt the nature of this threat, I suggest they consult the source, the US Constitution, and Bill of Rights. There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us.
Michael Connelly
Retired attorney,
Constitutional Law Instructor
Carrollton , Texas
AFTER HAVING READ THIS, PLEASE FORWARD....
If you don't care about our constitution, or your rights under it, just do nothing.
WE MUST HOLD CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
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