Get A Second Opinion ...

There's been a fair amount of talk in recent weeks about so-called "death panels" being part of the health care reform bill in Congress, especially since Sarah Palin mentioned it. Democrats have pushed back hard against this and virtually all mainstream news outlets have followed along. Only crackpots and cynical right-wing talk show host are pushing this, so the conventional wisdom goes.

It is true there is nothing specifically like that in any of the health care bills floating around Congress. So where does this notion come from? Well, from comments like this from Barack Obama:

In terms of these expert health panels -- well, this goes to the point about "death panels" -- that's what folks are calling them. The idea is actually pretty straightforward, which is if we've got a panel of experts, health experts, doctors, who can provide guidelines to doctors and patients about what procedures work best in what situations, and find ways to reduce, for example, the number of tests that people take -- these aren't going to be forced on people, but they will help guide how the delivery system works so that you are getting higher-quality care.

Why should anybody who is concerned about rationing of care find such assurances that these panels will be merely advisory even remotely satisfying? One of the supposed purposes of this whole initiative is to reduce costs after all. Why shouldn't people who are on Medicare or some other government program fear that these panels will become more than advisory at some point? Especially when this effort is being lead by a man who has openly questioned whether his own grandmother's late in life care was worth the trouble?

If Only The Pic Was Of Her Oiling The Gun

I don't see the supposed controversy here because Newsweek didn't really get Palin to pose with a shotgun. Instead it used an old, archived photo. So what? It is not like it was photoshopped. Any thoughts on seeing how well Palin handles big guns, Rob?

Sarah Palin Look-Alike Sought: "No Anal Required"

Hey, hot brunette MILFs in the greater L.A. area, now is your chance.

Reply to: gigs-836109998@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-09-10, 8:20PM PDT


Looking for a Sarah Palin lookalike for an adult film to be shot in next 10 days.

Major adult studio.

Please send pix, stats etc. ASAP

Pay: $2000-3000

No anal required

For the record, no, I am not the producer. Via the Washington City Paper's Sexist blog.

'I'd Hit It', Along With More Insightful Commentary

I caught the majority of Palin's speech last night while tending bar; so I was pretty drunk and little preoccupied, but from what I saw/heard, plus the reaction of my 5-7 customers, it was a winner. To sum it up -- Great speech, good delivery, pretty family.

More specifically:

1. I dug her hair. I dug everything. The whole look reminded me of my slutty 11th grade History teacher who tried to press sexual harassment charges on me. Pouty lips, stern face, looks great in heels. How do you not love her look?

2. Attractive family. The daughter is what I dream about 17 year old pregnant girls looking like....You know IF I dreamt about that type of thing, which is to say of course I do.

Side note on this kid Levi who struck gold with a Palin vagina -- Is there a luckier 17 year old soon-to-be-dad out there? For any other high school boy, finding out that you knocked up your girlfriend is the worst news ever. At least for me it was. Damn scary. That could be beccause the girls I was boning had mothers who worked at the Hair Cuttery, not the Govenors mansion...But that's my point, this kid is set for life now all because he knocked up a 17 year old. I want that life.

3. She can give a good speech. I pretty much agree with what has been repeated 100 times since last night about her style -- she delivers a great speech in a Middle-America kind of way. Good rhythm, tone, language, everything. It's a much, MUCH different style from Obama, but still effective. Maybe more so, maybe not. Time will tell.

Looks Like It's Palin

We will know for sure in an hour or so, but it pretty much looks like Alaskan beauty Sarah Palin will be McCain's VP pick. It has its downsides, but on a whole it's a damn impressive pick by McCain, especially when you consider other names that were floating around....As someone who considers themselves a right-leaning libertarian, the pick is about has good as McCain could have done.