One Year Later. . .

. . .it's still Bush's fault. At least that's how the SOTU address portrayed it. Interesting.

Just an observation.

Massachusetts Health Reform Not So Good

It seems that a ton of folks that supported the reform of health insurance in Massachusetts are coming to realize that it hasn't worked out too well. This article points out some of the problems post reform. Amazingly, it's a little like the smallish countries that have similar systems.

Residents of that state now pay the highest insurance premiums in the nation.
Exploding health care costs mean the state can't even pay hospitals enough
to cover the care given to patients.
Waiting lists are growing, particularly
in Boston, where some patients have to wait up to a year for routine visits to
specialists.

Hmmm. This wasn't going to be the case at the inception. Sound familiar? Pelosi and Reid are preaching the same fibs.

Just an observation.

McCain-Feingold To Unravel?

According to this article the possibility exists.

The biggest potential change would come if the court grants corporations the
same free speech protections now granted individuals under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Hmmm. I don't recall exceptions to the first amendment when I read it. My understanding from my Civics class was that the first amendment was to insure political speech was free and unimpeded. It seems to follow that McCain-Feingold could be in trouble. Of course, logic doesn't always seem to be present as one reads court decisions.

Just a thought.

Dodd Not Seeking Re-Election

At least let's hope so. This Washington Post article indicates that Dodd is through.

Embattled Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) has scheduled a news conference
for Wednesday at which he is expected to announce he will not seek reelection,
sources familiar with his plans said Tuesday night.
Word of Dodd's
retirement plans comes after months of speculation about his political future,
his faltering poll numbers and a growing sense among the Democratic
establishment that he could not win a sixth term in the Senate.

He should be "embattled." He and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) led the charge against regulation of the mortgage industry and the credit default swaps that led to the crisis this country experienced (and the world for that matter).

Ol' BC thinks it is a wonderful thing that he's giving it up. Now if he would only give back the money he received from Fannie and Freddie. This is one more example of the need for Congressional term limits.

Just a thought.