Day: November 13, 2009

How About A Bit Of Irony?

There are times when the analysis of politics or the economy has its good days….today is one of those days……

The GOP and other conservs have tried to turn the health debate into a debate on abortion, but does that accomplish?  And then is the oops factor….(will explain later)

To pass the bill in the House they let an amendment by Rep, Stupak of Michigan to be included:

Stupak’s amendment, which passed as part of the landmark bill and is credited with bringing along several anti-abortion Democrats (including U.S. Rep Dale Kildee, D-Flint), will make it more difficult for poor women to obtain abortions. The amendment in effect prevents insurance companies from participating in the bill’s insurance exchanges — where many low-income families and small businesses will go for their policies — unless they exclude abortion coverage from any policy that might be purchased by someone who qualifies for a federal subsidy.It went further than a compromise already written into the health care legislation that would have segregated federal funds in the exchange to comply with existing laws that prohibit federal funding of discretionary pregnancy terminations.

Stupak has always been anti-abortion. But the stand he took on the health care bill does little more than exacerbate the gap in availability for women seeking abortions. It’s cruel and arbitrary, but not even a real stand against abortion, just a move that panders to the most rabid anti-abortion forces.

After the Stupak amendment was added the GOP weighed in:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has offered his support to a Democratic congressman from Michigan backing an abortion-related amendment to a House version of a health care bill.

I for one love it when there is a bit of irony in anything political and the GOP has peed in their chili.

The Republican National Committee’s health insurance plan covers elective abortions for its employees, an option Republicans strongly oppose in health overhaul legislation that Democrats are trying to push through Congress.Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele learned of the policy’s abortion coverage Thursday through a news report and immediately instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that the RNC wanted to opt out of elective abortion coverage.

The GOP platform traditionally includes strong anti-abortion language. All House Republicans, except one, voted for an amendment imposing restrictions of coverage for abortions in the health care bill that passed the House last Saturday. Inclusion of the abortion restrictions prompted an angry backlash from liberal House Democrats, and some are now threatening to vote against a final bill if the curbs stay in.

The memo said the RNC received a phone call from a reporter on Wednesday asking whether the RNC’s health care policy, through Cigna, covered elective abortions for employees. On Thursday, Politico.com published a report citing two sales agents for Cigna who said the RNC’s policy covered elective abortion.

The Cigna employees said the RNC didn’t choose to opt out of abortion coverage when given the opportunity, Politico.com reported.

God!  I love this stuff!

Now Politico is reporting that the GOP is opting out of the abortion clause of their policy.  My question now is would they have acting if Politico had not done their job and pointed this out?

God, I love this stuff!  A good shot of irony is good for the soul……

Is Capitalism Losing Its Luster?

The recent economic down turn in the past year have got people all over the globe asking that same question.  They have seen just how badly the free markets are being manipulated by the “players” and that none of it was for the benefit of the people and the economy…the sole motivation was…GREED!

Recently the BBC took a poll on this subject and the findings could shock some of the people.

A global poll by the British Broadcasting Corporation’s World Service shows widespread disaffection with the capitalist free market, including a significant opposition to capitalism per se.

Conducted by GlobeScan/PIPA, the poll interviewed more than 29,000 people in 27 countries, between June 19 and October 13, 2009. These were in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, the UK, Spain, Nigeria, Egypt and Kenya.

The poll found that more than three in five respondents were opposed to free-market capitalism. Some 89 percent believed that capitalism was not working, with a majority of those questioned in 22 of the countries indicating strong support for government intervention to support greater regulation of business and the market, in favour of a more socially equitable division of wealth.

Almost a quarter of respondents believed that capitalism should be replaced by a “different system.”

Twenty-three percent believed capitalism was “fatally flawed.” An almost equal number of people questioned in France felt that capitalism had failed (43 percent), responding that its inadequacies could be resolved by greater regulation and reforms (47 percent). After France, the highest numbers supporting the replacement of capitalism were in Mexico (38 percent) and Brazil (35 percent). In the 12 countries highlighted on the BBC website, more than 10 percent in each nation supported this position. Those defending the present set-up were a minority in every instance.

This BBC poll found that in the USA  one person in four believes the system is working.

I would have been interesting just what type of economic system did they think would be a better way to go….I am thinking that they, the responders, may not have any idea of which would be better….more like that the current one is NOT doing anything positive for the people or the economy.

Just a thought!