Things

There are several developments that deserve comment:

1. In the current Maryland Malpractice Saga, the Governor has vetoed the bill passed by the Maryland legislature in a special session. It wasn't a good bill; but it was something. Apparently the orthopedic surgeons and the neurosurgeons joined the governor in support while the Medical Society (Med Chi), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a host of others supported the bill. This is irony, since one of the provisions of the bill is to provide more money for orthopods to see Medicaid patients. Not that they don't make enough money as it is (10 times what I make). The legislature may or may not have enough votes to override the veto. I can assure you that, if its not overridden, all hell will break loose in Maryland medicine. Stay tuned.

2. Bush continues to push for a privatized Social Security. This is one of the stupidest things that I have ever read about. Not only is any worry about the program not coming around for about 40 years, but even then it is solvent. The only winners in the program live on Wall Street.

3. If Bush is able to get his tax cuts made permanent, the country will go down the drain even farther than it is (we are currently at that little curve the drain makes at the bottom of the sink). This is another exercise in greed. How do all those people out there justify their vote for this idiot? Values? Ha Ha x 10 to the 29th power.

4. It is almost certain the Ehrlich, our governor, will start to cut Medicaid since he can't seem to find money any place else. This is just peachy. Doesn't anyone else see the irony of a governor of Maryland named Ehrlich as in Ehrlichia chaffeensis, carried by ticks and the cause of a brain fever. He causes brain fever in me.

5. The citizens of Washington, D.C., will have to pay 11 million dollars out of their collective pockets for security during the inaugural celebration (for which the Bushites are putting out 50 million). First of all, the citizens of Washington, D.C., voted overwhelmingly against this jerk (about 90%). Therefore, it is highly unlikely that any of them have been invited to the festivities. In addition, it is one of the poorest cities in the country for its size and, even if they were invited, they couldn't afford it. So, why do they have to pay for security?

In addition, why doesn't Bush win some friends in the world and cancel the parties and donate the money to the Tsunami Relief? Why, because he seems to think that the world exists as his playtoy.

6. Which brings up Iraq. Iraq is has been spiraling out of control now for almost a year. Every day brings new atrocities and the death of innocent people and children. But, Bush is still sponsoring elections on January 30. With the amount of carnage that occurs on a daily basis escalating, one would have to be foolhardy to go to the polls on that date. There is not one chance in 10 to the 29th power that the election will be meaningful. But, of course, as Ohio demonstrated, no one gives a crock about whether elections are meaningful (or fair; or valid) except the Ukrainians. Face it. We should pack our bags and leave. This will precipitate a civil war and we will be the cause. Anyone who collaborated with us will be killed. Don't we remember France after WWII? Or worse, what the Russians did to the Rumanians.

Ah, well. Can't say that life doesn't have its ups and downs.