Health Care Almost Passed

Senate Democrats are almost ready to pass the health care bill. They need all 60 votes to pass the health legislation. Independent Senator Joe Lieberman is almost ready to vote for this health care, as are other less liberal Democrats who didn't agree with the more progressive ideas of the public option, federally funded abortions, among other things. Democrats are getting ready to vote for it, and they will need the votes of the independent Senators to pass this bill. Republicans are still united against voting for this bill, and will most likely not vote for it. The bill is likely to be voted on by Christmas.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/15/medicare-buy-scrapped-obama-summons-dems/

My opinion: I feel that the insurance companies do need some reforming, however, I do not agree with government mandated health care. I feel that private companies should provide health care, and that too much government intervention is not a good thing. This health care bill is too expensive. I hope Republicans stick together and vote against it.

Possibilities of Gitmo detainees to go to Illinois

The White House has drafted an order that, if approved, would send some Gitmo detainees to Illinois. This document is just one of the many ways that the White House is looking into for moving the detainees. An official decision has yet to be made. Barack Obama has too much to do such as the Health Care Bill, among other things. The local economy of Illinois could benefit from the creation of jobs, since the Thompson prison would be turned into a federal penitentiary. However, many people living in the area don't like that idea, because they don't want to house terror suspects stateside.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/11/order-drafted-white-house-used-send-gitmo-detainees-illinois/?test=latestnews

My opinion: Leave the terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay.

Scam Artist Killed

Police shot and killed a scam artist today near a Marriott hotel in Times Square, NY. A policeman recognized the man, who was wanted for assault in the Bronx. However, it was his aggressive panhandling that really caught the policeman's attention. The policeman asked the suspect for ID. The scam artist then went running and started shooting at the police officer with his stolen gun. The officer then shot back and killed the man. Apparentally, the scam artist would approach tourists, ask them their name, write it on a CD, and then demand $10. NYC has a zero tolerance law about quality of life: Examples: No public drinking, urinating, graffiti, disorderly conduct and aggressive panhandling.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579935,00.html

My opinion: I feel that the officer is in the right, and the man was wrong.

Reporter Fired

58 year old Larry Grard, a longtime newspaper reporter was fired. He used to work for the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Maine, and that paper is owned by the Portland Newspaper Guild. The reason for the firing was that he didn't agree with homosexual rights. Apparently he sent an email to the Human Rights Campaign the day that Maine voters repealed a law that would have allowed gay voters to wed. Grard said he was offended that the Human Rights Campaign claimed gay marriage opponents used hate and said it was supporters who were being hateful. A co-worker saw the email and passed along the information.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579863,00.html?test=latestnews

My opinion: I feel that he shouldn't have been fired because he didn't do a public news story about it. He simply exercised his first amendment right and wrote a private, personal email regarding something he obviously felt wasn't right. It's starting to get to the point with today's political correctness that one cannot say anything, especially against homosexuality, without getting in "trouble" or other people freaking out about it.

Health Care Debate

Health care debate grinded to a halt today. Democrats are sharply divided and Republican opposition is hardening. After five days of debate, only two issues have been amendmended: Expanding women's health screenings and Medicare. Senators are divided over how government-run this program should be and abortion monies and provisions. Opposition between ideas is great and most Senators are sticking to their ideals.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/04/democratic-divisions-bring-senate-health-care-debate-screeching-halt/

Climate Change Data

Recently, it has surfaced that some of the data "scientists" and provided about climate change may be wrong. Someone hacked University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit and posted a bunch of emails (over 1,000, some between prominent scientists) showing a possible conspiracy to distort science to a political gain. In one on the emails, Phil Jones, head of the climate unit wrote to Michael Mann, "“I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature trick of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) amd [Sic] from 1961 for Keith’s to hide the decline.” This obviously doesn't paint the scientific community in a good light. Phil Jones has temporarily stepped down from his position for investigation.

The big three (ABC, NBC, and CBS) have refused to mention this story on their nightly broadcasts. It took Jon Stewart, Comedy Central's more liberal comedy-news reporter to bring this out in the light. This is somewhat oxymoron-ish and hypocritical of the news media because in 2007 they accused the Bush administration of "cooking the books on climate change." This is from Brian Williams' lead off on January 30, 2007: “Did the Bush administration in any way try to cook the books on the topic of global warming?”

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/12/03/dan-gainor-climategate-media-journalists/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578990,00.html

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-december-1-2009/scientists-hide-global-warming-data


My opinons: I think that climate change is true, but climate change that is man-influenced is mostly a hoax. I feel this way based on personal convictions and studies in Astronomy that have related our Earth's climate to the amount of sunspots on the sun.

http://anhonestclimatedebate.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/evidence-of-sunspot-involvement-in-climate-change-compelling/

I also feel that the mainstream media is being kind of hypocritical with this whole issue. Once again, they need to report the news. I guess that's why there's two sides and news services to everything.