Tough Love

It was WSU day again for Bacchus. We're beginning our seventh month of controlling his congestive heart failure.

We now have a new cardiology resident, a new cardiology intern and new students passing through on two week rotations. Each has to do their thing with our old boy. It's exhausting for all of us.

No matter, it's a teaching hospital and it's how they learn. I have no argument with their thoroughness. Unfortunately it showed a spate of new or worsening issues. Meds have been adjusted and we'll be monitoring him more closely for a time to see if these changes do or do not work. Our efforts will be no less than before but reality is looking us straight in the eye. Sooner now trumps later. It's tough.

They want to see him again in 5 weeks. That's hopeful. Maybe. Meanwhile things will be handled locally. And the beat goes on. I can only hope it's his heart beat.

Assumptions Can Be Counterproductive

Leonard Pitts had a good column in this morning's Spokesman Review. He addressed, as everyone seems to be doing, the issue as to whether or not our President is legitimate based on the assumption by many that he is not a natural born citizen.

He feels, and perhaps rightly so, that the already weak Republicans are trying to build their platform on this issue. He also points out, importantly, that the "copies" of Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate are considered legal. I might add to the argument that Photoshop is an excellent tool for those who wish to dispute it.

Yesterday was a scorcher so I stretched my aching back out on the couch and watched the Sunday talk shows that I hadn't seen for several weeks. Summer yard work you know.

Three subjects dominated. The "beer summit", Palin's resignation and the "birther" movement. That those subjects dominated didn't surprise me. What did was the venom aimed at our President. Criticize his policies all you want; I've certainly done it often enough. But to "assume" he has all this deep seated hatred for whites is, pardon the pun, beyond the pale. Those espousing this were the FOX conservatives led by Glenn Beck. Others, from other networks, have also pushed the issue with vigor.

That it is being done this long after the election, when it first began, indicates to me the Republicans are even more weak than I thought. If this is the best they can do we'll have Democrats running the country for a good long time. Whether you think it's happening or not, Obama campaigned on hope and change. Not questionable truths and fear. Who won?

Assumptions, presented as truth are dangerous. They are opinion unless backed up with provable fact.

On a lesser level, I received an e-mail from a commenter, "assuming" I was "pissed" because I defended another commenter on my blog. There is nothing further from the truth. I was not "pissed"; I just felt the second commenter had a valid point and said so.

Why do I point this out? It goes to the point that those who "assume" they have the only valid opinion and one dare not disagree with them are little more than bullies. That the Republicans taught and learned this lesson well in the previous administration does not encourage me regarding the party's immediate future!

Fortunately for us there are still journalists and columnists such as Mr. Pitts who can and do present rational commentary on the subjects they address. We may agree or disagree. Their tone makes their view readable. A rant, as hate filled as some have accused Professor Gates as being, only deafens. Hopefully.

Hazy, Lazy Days Of Summer!

I think I'll drift in and out this week. Congress has the good sense to be in recess. I think I could use one too. Tuesday is WSU day. This heat is really tough on Bacchus. It's pretty much a time of watching and waiting. So in that spirit, maybe the video of our backyard pond will help relieve the heat!

How About "Bailing Out" Of This War?

Have you noticed the press is beginning to print an Afghanistan war casualty count? Deja Vu?

It would seem that July was the deadliest month for troops thus far. Seventy perished including 42 Americans.

The General in charge is requesting more troops and Obama is seeking $83.4 billion in a supplemental funding war bill. This is in addition to the $172 billion it has already cost us. When all is said and done the tally is expected to reach the $1 trillion mark. Does that figure sound familiar? Health care overhaul anyone?

I'm curious as to where this money is to come from? We're already over our heads in debt. How much more can we take on?

The Huff Post had an interesting breakdown as to just what $83.4 billion would get when broken down to the state level of obligation. Z.P. Heller, who wrote the piece, used his home state of Pennsylvania as an example. It could provide

- 725,689 people with health care for one year.
- 460,546 Head Start places for children for one year.
- 46,575 Elementary school teachers for one year,

and the list goes on.

As was true in Iraq, this is a different type of "war". I don't see even a hint that we can be more successful where others have failed. I see no more of a strategy to extricate ourselves from this one than Bush had for Iraq.

I'm just suggesting that we need to be aware that while a multitude of domestic overhauls are draining us dry, Obama's war is a contributing factor.

It's costing us money we don't have and men who are becoming more and more in short supply. Something is going to have to give. I wonder what it will be. Just what are our priorities? The Afghanistan people or the American people? Or re-election in 2012.

More Beer!

I can be pretty hard on the President but I have to give him credit for the "beer summit"!

Here I had been thinking he was acting "stupidly" again by perpetuating an issue that had gotten over blown and that it was little more than another photo op for a camera hungry President since the press was not allowed within earshot.

Nothing changed my mind when I heard the statements from the "guests" afterwards. They were stiff at best and probably prepared by White House staffers. Never mind that the beer was on us!

Then I saw this portion of a cartoon and thought, "Aha!" There is a method to his madness. If enough brew is consumed the major antagonists will look better and better to one another! This could lead to a whole new philosophy in any area of negotiation with those who don't see things our way. Drink up!

The policeman and the prof certainly had a better deal than a group of business leaders who were invited to the White House for lunch a few weeks back. Imagine, lunch in the President's private dining room and the chance to discuss everything from health care to education. Imagine their surprise when they were asked for their credit card information so they could be charged for the meal!

The rational was to prevent any appearance of conflict of interest. I'm not sure that is acceptable. This group included the CEOs of Xerox, Coca-Cola, AT&T and Honeywell. The administration is sorely in need of their advice and consul considering, from the President on down, they have precious little business experience. I'm not sure we should be "charging" them for the privilege of sharing their knowledge!

Even Letitia Baldrige, who is the first lady of Washington of etiquette, suggested it was a serious breech of protocol. Whoa! There's that word again. Protocol. Hasn't the White House hired a protocol officer yet?

I sure hope it was a three martini lunch, even if the CEO's had to pay. It may have made things look a little better!