Christy Mihos, 2010 MA Gubernatorial Candidate against Incumbent Deval Patrick (27% Approval Rating), Taps Dick Morris to Manage Campaign.

Dick Morris - Christy Mihos Campaign Manager - photo shangahijill

The Boston Herald is reporting that Christy Mihos has hired political consultant Dick Morris, as his Campaign Manager. Morris, who is widely known as the architect of Bill Clinton’s 1996 re-election bid, and has also played pivotal roles in winning campaigns for over 30 high profile politician’s, including Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Governor Pete Wilson of California, and acted as advisor for Mike Huckabee’s gubernatorial campaign and played a role in his 2008 Presidential bid. Most importantly, Morris is familiar with Massachusetts, winning the Governor’s office for Bill Weld.

In another Herald Article, Deval Patrick, has chosen David Plouff (credited with creating the mantra “Yes We Can”) to head the Governor’s campaign. Plouff, campaign manager for Obama, will have his hands full – this race will, like the 4th district race against incumbent Barney Frank, take a national tone, given the parties involved. Also, due to the fact that the portrayal of Massachusetts as an entrenched “Blue State” is still playing like a broken record - those running against said incumbants will be given little thought or downplayed (see Herald article) in the media.

However, there are indications from local registrars offices, that a shift in sentiment is taking place across the Bay State (which should be called the “Greyest” State due the overwhelming majority of Independent or “Unenrolled” voters), with inexplicable gains in membership for both Republicans and specifically Independents. Add Patrick’s’ approval rating of 27% , which leads one to believe that Plouff will require a Titanic sized lifeboat to get out from under this particular election.

From a pragmatic point of view, Christy Mihos already has his foot in the proverbial door, having introduced himself to Bay Stater's in 2006. Mihos ran as an independent against Republican Party favorite Kerry Healy and Patrick. The outcome was a direct result of the “Yes We Can” mentality of defeating George W. Bush, with any Republican incumbent or challenger facing the media onslaught and a people’s mindset that painted anyone affiliated with one party with the same brush. The fact that, since 2006, when the Democrats swept into the Congress and continued to blame Bush for getting nothing accomplished, aided by most media, Obama had an easy ride into the oval office – and since then, has continued to blame Bush – which, has finally worn thin, specifically coupled with failing policies and an electorate that is by and large nationwide made up of independent voters.

Time for a change – Massachusetts will be given a chance to redeem itself for exporting the “Yes We Can” Carter politics nationwide (we forewarned), and although, the people of this state have consistently elected the Kennedy’s, Kerry’s and yes, even the Barney Franks, while some looked to early polls that indicated they should have all been long retired and were, dumbfounded, the fact remains, that given enough incentive (The Economy Stupid), Massachusetts those voters will flip on a dime and elect a Republican. Should this happen, and one or more prominent Democrat politician’s lose long-held seats (or in Patrick’s case – one term seat), the tone will be set for the nation – it will be the “shot heard round the world”.

To Learn More about Mihos and Massachusetts visit:Christy Mihos for Govenor 2010

Obama’s Speech Severely Critiqued by Arab Press – Al Jazeera on Obama’s newfound Muslim Roots and Blame America Proclivities.

The Al JazeeraNews Agency, with offices Worldwide, Including the U.S. has long been known as Osama Bin Laden’s main news outlet – being the first to have access to video missives from the Al Queda Leader. Today’s English Version Website article spoke to the “distinctly American” flavor of Obama’s speech in Cairo, whereby, the President invoked language that, to the Al Jazeera author, appeared to have been said before.

Alternately, there was a bit of angst over the fact that suddenly, Obama has found his muslin origins, using his middle name, one which was banned from his Presidential campaign.
In context: from Al Jazeera:

Obama's constant references to his Muslim background, boyhood days in Indonesia, and frequent citations from the Quran sounded a bit odd coming from a man who made strenuous efforts to ignore those aspects of his autobiography in the 2008 campaign for the White House.

On the Republican’s taking exception to a remark the apologist President made regarding September 11th and the Democrats response:

Joining the Republican chorus was Elizabeth Cheney, a former Bush administration state department official and daughter of the former vice-president, Dick Cheney.
Her comments seemed intended to defend her father from criticism of his actions on waterboarding and selective use of intelligence in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.
"I, as an American, find it troubling to hear an American president on foreign soil say our reaction to 9/11 was something that betrayed our ideals," she told MSNBC news on Thursday.

Fellow Democrats, meanwhile, praised Obama, with Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the house of representatives, calling the speech "a great triumph".

The article continues with the remarks made by Obama regarding the U.S. role in the Iranian Government in the 1950’s and closes with his desire to add additional troops in Afghanistan leading to a potential Viet Nam.

One has to understand this article was written by an American, Rob Reynolds, who has obvious sympathies with the Middle East, but also is looking at the actions of this President as an American. Therefore, the less than stellar review represents a meeting of two minds – one that is of the West and at the same time of the East – giving a clear indication that the President is being viewed as a political opportunist, who has less allegiance to the United States than to his own political hide.

Universal Health Care and Rationing - The effect on seniors and Lower and Middle Class Americans

In a an articlefrom the Washington Post, President Obama is taking a hard look at cost controls on health programs for seniors and the disabled – apparently suggesting that the model used be the same as that of military base closings. Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats met with a Canadian Socialist Party Leader, who is pushing hard for Obama’s Universal health Care Plan and one has to ask: what benefit would be brought to the Canadian Health Care system should the United States institute a similar program?

Measure are already being taken to “ration” certain costly procedures under Medicare: From a May 19th Wall Street Journal Article: “How Washington Rations”

Try to follow this logic: Last week the Medicare trustees reported that the program has an "unfunded liability" of nearly $38 trillion -- which is the amount of benefits promised but not covered by taxes over the next 75 years. So Democrats have decided that the way to close this gap is to create a new "universal" health insurance entitlement for the middle class.
Such thinking may be a non sequitur, but it will have drastic effects on the health care of all Americans -- and as it happens, this future is playing out in miniature in Medicare right now. Desperate to prevent medical costs from engulfing the federal budget, the program's central planners decided last week to deny payment for a new version of one of life's most unpleasant routine procedures, the colonoscopy. This is a preview of how health care will be rationed when Democrats get their way.

The system of rationing medical care and procedures in Canada has seen many Canadian citizens, who can afford the trip, seeking care in the United States in order to survive the waiting lists for lifesaving procedures. From a 2007 Canadian employee benefits newsletteroutlining the dangers of the U.S. adopting a similar system to Canada the statistics are unnerving: The average wait time for a routine cat scan is 4.3 weeks, and up to 17.8 weeks to see a family practitioner.

The problem for American’s is that, should a similar system be implemented with the same restrictions on health care delivery, even those with the means would be hard pressed to find adequate care in bordering Countries.

Should this President and like-minded legislature implement a program similar in scope to Canada’s, one has to question the government’s ability to administer any program efficiently, especially in light of worsening economic conditions. With the rising rate of unemployment, mass-retirement of the baby-boomers, and the high inflation that is certainly looming (See Bernake’s latest fears on the deficit.), now is not the time to look to “improving” the American Health Care System by nationalizing Health Care. It is a matter of millions of economics: Millions of citizens will be in need of government assisted health care as it stands, and the wherewithal to pay for the services will be greatly reduced by a drop in Government Income; the only solution would be to either outright deny or delay treatment for individuals in order to cut costs.

There are options available that would maintain the current system and save the government Medicaid and Medicare dollars: by stressing preventive care, and instituting a program whereby those receiving health care benefits, would monitor their bills, reporting discrepancies in billing (which does occur), and receiving rewards (reduction in premium perhaps for Medicare recipients), for finding billing errors that would save government millions. This is instituted in the private sector through self-funded employee benefit plans – and it works.

Problems facing health care providers: the high cost of malpractice insurance, the use of health care providers, including hospitals by those illegal immigrants who have neither an employee sponsored plan or Medicaid, with no reimbursement from any sector.
Additional costs for expensive elective surgery, now mandated in certain states, should not be the burden of the taxpayer. Massachusetts' Version of Universal Health Care, not only offers citizens 26 mandated benefits, with more planned, but taxes citizens who do not opt for health care coverage. Additionally, the cost of health insurance in Massachusetts rose across the board, once mandated health care was in place.

There is no question that the U.S. Health Care system (one of the best in the world) could be better, however, instituting policies that have already proven to be basic failures, with no means to pay for the programs, should be avoided at all costs.