Rick Raw: Oh My God, I’m Turning Republican–Health Care Bill A Trojan Horse

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net

The Health Care Bill hit the Senate floor like an anvil–clunk! The 2,000 page tome was voted to the floor for debate. At first, I was all for the bill until I began investigating the bad things lurking in those 2,000 pages, like taking $500 billion away from Medicare (which I"m on) and its colossal cost–$2 trillion.

Of course, the Democrats assure worried Americans that the bill will eventually pay for itself. Did I ever believe anything the government said? No. And this magic act of funding the bill through cost cutting provisions might take a hundred years.

Meanwhile, we continue to borrow large sums of money from China. Hell, at this rate, those commie bastards will own our asses. They send us shoddy merchandise and toxic sheet rock and Obama bowed to them like they were the Delhi Lama.

Last weekend, Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader, was on CNN. What he said made sense to me. He has proposed making incremental changes to reform health care to avoid big government control and its outrageous cost. In other words, McConnell proposes a step-by-step reform that everyone can live with. Amen, brother.

Indeed, the government can’t be trusted to draft any broad ranging legislation without turning it into a massive money eating bureaucracy like the IRS–Jabba the Hutt of our government.. The current tax code is 1,9000 pages long and no one really understands it. However, the IRS can dig up prosecutable provisions in the code to use against the taxpayer, ruining lives and forcing people onto the streets.

The health care debate could alter the bill drastically to the point that maybe some Republicans may come on board and vote for it. But, it’s a scary prospect. I worry about the National Debt rising as I type this piece (see clock on left column). Mother of God, that’s a lot of new money added to the clock.

Then , they want to throw-in another $2 trillion? I’m sorry , I can’t justify that in my mind when I’m having trouble paying my electric bill and buying groceries. Hell, I can’t afford much of anything anymore but the basics of existing–food, shelter, utilities, and gas for my car.

Don’t get me wrong, I still support Obama’s administration and his righteous hard work to undo Bush’s failures to get the country back on track. But our economy is still in deep trouble, with high unemployment and no new jobs on the horizon. Everyone I talk to is suffering–some worst than others.

I’m surprised we haven’t seen massive protests in Washington. People are pissed off and want action. If Obama can’t turn things around in the near future he’s toast. How much suffering can people take before they protest at the ballot box.

My fear of higher taxes and higher health care costs as a result of this bill are echoed by Republicans. Does this make me a Republican? Well, yes and no. On this one issue, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I’m still a hard core Democrat and liberal, and proud of it. Still, common sense dictates that this bill smells bad.

McConnell’s idea of making gradual changes to health care without the massive hammer and anvil method calms my anxiety about the bill’s astronomical cost. Whatever one’s opinion, the bill is a beast to be tamed. That’s why we have debate on the Senate floor.

The swine on the hill need to get together on this bill and do the right thing for the American people. If it passes as a rabid dog and causes health care prices to rise and new taxes to burden the already strapped American Public, Obama will never get reelected. Let’s hope wiser minds whittle down this great log of rotten wood.

Rick Raw: Marijuana Conundrum–Proven Medical Benefits, Yet Still Schedule 1 Drug?

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net

Okay, relax and burn one. Let’s have a rational discussion about marijuana (excuse me while I imagine I’m inhaling). Let’s talk about marijuana’s proven medical benefits; its euphoric high; and its magical effect of increasing appetite–all positive effects of smoking pot. Why then is marijuana still a Schedule 1 drug, lumped in with cocaine, heroin, and meth-amphetamine?

Because our government wags are idiots and afraid that if everyone smoked pot, Americans would be less grumpy, suffer less pain from various maladies of old age, and generally be better off than the millions of chronic alcoholics.

Reagan’s "War on Drugs" still reverberates with conservatives on the Hill. The old farts still see recreational use of drugs as an evil scourge on our society. Yet, they gulp down tons of whiskey at the Beltway watering holes. Yeah, across the board hypocrisy runs deep with the swine on the Hill.

Over 30 million Americans regularly smoke marijuana. Some states have reduced the charges for a small amount of pot to a minor misdemeamor. And in California, legal marijuana shops are tolerated, although state legislators are pushing for more enforcement of the rules. They want to shut down the pot shops.

The truth is, in certain areas of California, anyone can get a prescription for legally grown medical marijuana as a pain reliever, sleep aid, and a wonder drug for terminally ill cancer patients that make their last days more comfortable.

For cancer patients the use of a vaporizer is the most efficient way of taking the drug. Marijuana is heated until it gives off a vapor and fills a plastic bag. It’s less irritating to the throat and a much more effective delivery system.

Today’s carefully cultivated marijuana is not your grandfather’s pot. It’s much stronger than back in the hippie era of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. Today, the THC (the pyschedelic drug in marijuana) is up around 20%. However, as one big time grower said, "it’s impossible to OD on pot, I know because I tried to get to that point."

NORML (National Organization to Repeal Marijuana Laws) has worked for years to lobby lawmakers about the benefits of marijuana both for medical uses and recreational use. Still, the DEA stands firm that marijuana is a "dangerous" drug. Nonsense!

Progress to legalization is slow, but more and more people are getting involved to change the mainstream’s perception of this benign drug. Conservative opposition to legalization is steadfast in their claim that marijuana is a so called "gateway drug," leading to so called hard drugs.

To really change the status of marijuana and all illegal drugs for that matter is complete legalization, which, like the end of prohibition, would take it out of the hands of the Mexican and Columbian cartels and other criminal enterprises. Taxing pot and other drugs would wipe out the national debt pronto.

Over the years, marijuana has proven to be less harmful than drinking alcohol, which, in large amounts at once or moderate amounts over time, can kill you. No one has ever died from smoking pot. But, I realize that my viewpoint is not shared by the mainstream. Still, legalization is the only way to control illicit drugs.

Indeed, marijuana should never be listed as a Schedule 1 drug. But, the zealous anti-drug lobby still rides the white horse of all drugs are bad. By now, I naively thought pot would be legal. But our self-righteous hypocritical lawmakers are out there preaching the gospel according to Reagan’s war on drugs, which, in the end, was an abysmal failure.

So why do people take drugs and drink? They like to get high and relax after a stressful day.

People will drink and use drugs, including marijuana, no matter what lawmakers say. Prohibition taught us that you can’t legislate vices. People are going to indulge no matter who tells them they can’t.

The DEA will never stop the flood of drugs into America, so make it legal and reap the tax benefits. Sure, the DEA makes large seizures and shows off the haul, but it’s only a fraction of what’s flowing into the country.

Yes, I smoke cigars and drink wine. Recently, the tax on tobacco went sky high. But I still get my cigars and begrudgingly pay the damn tax and nobody is going to tell me not to do it. Well, the tax does support health care for children, which is a good thing.

No, I don’t smoke pot anymore because it effects my short term memory, which is already slowed down by old age. But I just remember being high on pot, and I get a cheap thrill and hungry for pizza. Just the thought of smoking a joint is enough to get me high.

So pot smokers unite. Join groups like NORML and pressure our lawmakers to get off their high horse and legalize marijuana. Somewhere this second, someone is lighting up a joint or a bong and saying "fuck you," DEA.

Rick Raw: Defeating IED Menace in Afghanistan Top Pentagon Priority

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net

Since the invasion of Afghanistan in early 2002 after the 9/11 attack, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have become the enemy’s most effective weapon to kill American and Coalition soldiers. The Pentagon has poured billions of dollars into research to counteract these deadly weapons. But still, in November, 2009, IEDs have killed more American troops than any other weapon.

The Taliban and al Qaeda have received vast numbers of artillery shells and shape charges to easily assemble these menacing devices and plant them near roads or convoy routes. The IED itself consists of an adapted landmine or artillery shells rigged up to a crude detonator.

The bombs are placed under the road or beside the road and can be detonated by wire, radio, or cell phone. Even garage door openers have been used to detonate these makeshift bombs.
Recently, the enemy has upped the ante by using shaped charges that, when ignited, form a superheated stream of liquid copper that penetrates the thickest of armor. These shaped charges can penetrate tanks, armored personnel carriers, and easily blow up supply trucks.

Presently there is no countermeasure for these advanced IEDs except using special tanks that fire a long cord of C4 explosive into a forward position to clear any mines or IEDs. However, the enemy defeats this method by planting the IEDs on the side of the roads in animal carcases or buried in the sand.

Common sense dictates that an effective countermeasure would be not to travel the roads in vehicles, but to use helicopters and other aircraft to transport troops and supplies. However, the military still insists on convoying supplies along dangerous roads and paths. Humvees have no chance, so don’t use them. Going on patrols in Humvess is playing Russian roulette and the troops know it. "Will today be my day that the bullet in is the chamber," they think.

The Pentagon wags have been frustrated by the enemy’s ability to adapt to changing situations and to defeat any American countermeasures against IEDs. Recently, the American special forces have effectively interrupted the supply chain of IED components and artillery shells coming into Afghanistan. It’s been harder for the enemy to get resupplied.

More significantly, American intelligence officers working with special forces have been able to get the cooperation of various tribal councils to find caches of IED components and to arrest enemy operatives bringing in these supplies. In other words cutting the head off the snake.

Still, every day IEDs kill American and Coalition soldiers. These battle casualties cause the brass to work harder to defeat them. They can send a Predator unmanned aircraft to find and kill high ranking Taliban and al Qaeda operatives. But, IEDs are still a deadly weapon that has confounded the most brilliant military weapon’s masters.

When Army officers know that taking vehicles down roads and pathways in Afghanistan will result in IED deaths, they should think of an alternative way of patrolling for contact with the enemy. Here’s a thought: Keep our soldiers off those roads and save lives.

In Vietnam soldiers jumped on HUEY helicopters and flew into hot zones to kill the enemy. That was an effective way to avoid IEDs and landmines. I say if IEDs are killing our soldiers, let’s stop traveling the IED infested roads. By now though, with all the high tech talent working on this problem, we should have developed an effective countermeasure. I’m tired of seeing those flag draped caskets coming home, victims of IEDs

Rick Raw: Talk To Your Genes–Dr. Deepak Chopra Says

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net

In a CNN article, Dr. Deepak Chopra says you should talk to your genes (not "jeans" silly) to switch them on to benefit every cell in your body. Right! Chopra is, like Dr. Phil, a media commentator and health preacher to the stars.

The diet-lifestyle guru says that research by Dr. Dean Omish and his colleagues has shown that adopting positive measures, including exercise, meditation, and diet creates beneficial changes in five hundred genes. Yeah, a shot of Jack Daniels wakes up my genes.

Dr. Chopra believes that the best thing we can do for our own health care is to eat and live a healthy lifestyle. Okay, fair enough. But this gene thing is in the realm of medical tomfoolery. We’re supposed to sit in meditation talking to our genes? Hello, genes, are you there? If so, wake up and smell the coffee and make me as rich and cool as Dr. Chopra.

"This single finding could revolutionize our health, because what it means is that every bite of food you eat, every step on the treadmill, every moment of deep relaxation is talking to your genes," he says.

In other words, by this mind meld of abstract conversation with our genes, we can awaken a higher energy within our consciousness. Basically, Dr. Chopra believes in one’s spiritual well being is connected to one’s physical well being.

Indeed, the good doctor has touched on a medication technique similar to Zen Buddhism. But Dr. Chopra frames his message in a more pragmatic way of reaching altered states of consciousness, without psychedelic drugs or attending the Burning Man Festival. .

By talking to one’s genes, Dr. Chopra is saying, in effect, that one is balancing one’s "chi," a term used by acupuncturists referring to the body’s energy field. He speaks of genes like they are nano-engines inside our bodies that are "alert, and when you change anything in your life, they respond."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Have you ever noticed that these media gurus like Dr. Phil and Dr. Chopra are not necessarily the picture of health. In contrast, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a fine physical specimen and a brilliant doctor. He seems to be omnipresent on television while he’s writing books, traveling the globe making documentaries, and practicing as a neurosurgeon. Does this guy ever sleep? But he looks so healthy.

All these media mavens and talking heads giving us advice on our health get tedious and annoying. Yet, everyone is trying to find the right way to live a long productive life. I say enjoy life and its vices in moderation.

John Lennon said "whatever gets you through the day is okay." I subscribe to that advice. Lennon may have lived long and prospered but some psychotic jerk, Mark David Chapman took him out at the prime fo his life. So whatever he didn’t do to take care of himself didn’t matter. He died when Chapman fired four hollow-point .38 caliber bullets ripping into his body.

Thus, one may live like a Tibetan monk avoiding the pitfalls of life, but my philosophy is to plunge into the deep end, using one’s talents and abilities. There is no evidence that living according to Dr. Chopra’s advice will extend one’s life. George Burns lived to a hundred smoking 15 cigars a day and drinking whiskey. I think it’s more important to feel joy in giving and receiving love and gaining satisfaction from one’s chosen profession than worrying about talking to one’s genes.