In a recent discussion online regarding the viability of Ted Cruz as America’s next president I responded to a person who is a bit more right than me and sees Ted as a good candidate. The discussion went to specifics about the current administration. I thought I might share the ideas here after I cleaned them up some and added a few thoughts and sources. So here is some online rambling about current issues as I see them.
ON THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
[1] OK, the Iran deal. The 150 billion we are GIVING Iran is false. It is not real. the money comes to them through relief of sanctions … the money is basically frozen assets they already have that are overseas … many of these assets are already spent …. so basically by lifting sanctions Iran gets its own money back .. we did NOT GIVE THEM 150 billion
The deal postpones for a decade the beginning of the creation of a nuclear weapon. Let us face facts. A high school kid can design a nuclear weapon with a C average and access to the internet — fissionable material is the real issue. [2] The Obama administration hacked the computers in Iran (Stuxnet) and erased critical information setting their program back years. Now we need this deal to do the same. [3] This time we are doing inspections (no the self inspection thing is not accurate – more right wing hot air) and we are giving them a chance to comply, Yes, their inspectors play a role but they are not the sole inspectors on the site.
Think for a moment, please. If you try to hide something from say, your mom, when she checks your room. You do not want her to find the bong you have secreted away. Mom gives you a heads up saying “Billy! I am coming to look in a month or so.” You can secret the bong away or even remove it from the premises. Mom is none the wiser. Now let us pretend the bong is plutonium, and mom has a Geiger counter. 30 days might not be enough time to get rid of the presence of massive amounts of radioactive bong leftovers. I could be wrong. “Why don’t we all drive to Chernobyl and spend a weekend discussing it my GOP friends?” “What? You say you are uncomfortable going to such a private location to discuss such an important topic?” “Why?” “Is it because you do not want to be riddled with radioactive poisoning? I am sorry, that was silly of me to think radiation disappears in such a short time as like decades.”
In the end. If they {Iran} fail to comply then the GOP get to kill them in the war they seems to want. [4] But after Iraq we need some good PR in this world. We ventured ahead against world opinion there and looked like &*(()) {bad people} in the eyes of the world.
Last, even if we reject the deal and decide to follow the GOP into a war in Iran we do not have troops. [5] Our troops are broken after 7, 8 or more tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and now we propose they head into Iran for the same basic mess which is probably a quick war but a messy occupation. This is not reasonable without a draft and I do not wish to see a draft.
The Iran nuclear deal is not about trusting Iran it is about America’s best interests and America’s best interests seem to me to be resting and replenishing our military and choosing options that do not involve dead people when possible.
THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ISSUES (ACA)
If we agree the health care system is {dysfunctional} then among the issues I see is a need for [6] tort reform, make lawsuits valid not frivolous. medical personnel need to carry massive amounts of insurance against lawsuits and that is sad.
[7] Insurance companies own the health care industry. I have worked for blue care network and blue cross blue shield of MI. I know how they fail. But the bottom line is that for profit insurance cannot be for its customers. The business model contradicts itself. To make money for investors they must turn down patients. This contradiction is built into any and all insurance systems. They are all a scam.
However, if we take away their power and make them non profit entities designed to do what they claim then maybe, just maybe, some of the hypocrisy leaves. Insurance is marketed telling me they will be there to rescue me at my worst disaster. It is why we buy it (there is also a federal mandate). But insurance is only a part of the larger health care issue.
The cost of medical equipment in this country. The markup on a cat scan machine and other medical toys is unbelievable. The markup on pharmaceuticals and hospital beds and a box of tissues is absurd. And yes, I get it, it is not just the materials needed to make a cat scan machine that are being charged for. It is more than the time it takes to assemble it. It must get approval from various entities and it must go through rigorous research and development and a myriad other hands reach out to get their cut as it passes through a dysfunctional system to the final point of sale. Those costs must be adjusted for. But having said all that in no way lessens the problem. In fact, it points out the problem is deeper than we imagine. It points to regulations and entities with little or no desire to help patients but still have their hands in the process for the purpose of a check.
I get it, we live in a nation that wants to make money. But in this instance, in the case of health care, there seems no real “control this, or do that and it will fix the cost problem” answer. There seem to be a whole sh^&pile of entities that need to take a serious look at how much they need to cover costs and make a profit, then behave accordingly. In short, control those costs. No one says you cant make a profit. Just maybe we would appreciate it if you downsize the yacht a smidgen.
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS


Some of you may be smart enough to see where that little rant is headed. If you make poor people on food stamps buy crap food they will get obese and they will have health issues. They will need free health care. They will be denied because of pre-existing conditions. They will die. They will not get to procreate and therefore will not have poor kids with bad nutrition and bad genes. All the unacceptable will be weeded out of the system and only wealthy pretty people will survive. But, wait, now the healthy pretty people will need to pick the poorest and ugliest among them as the next lowest rung to sacrifice to the Gods of profit margin and greed. OH MY, this is never going to end it it? SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!
SYRIA and ISIS
Syria is a mess that we should think very carefully about before we dip our toes in too deep. It is a sad truth that maybe Assad needs to stay in power. Sometimes horrible people are leaders in an area of the world because they lead horrible people. I know that sucks. I know I am headed to hell or someplace unpleasant like Detroit, for saying it. But removing Saddam from Iraq did no favors for anyone. We have this idea that we can judge leaders and nations by the standards of America or the west in general. This is unrealistic.
Yes I am sure there are nice humans there being oppressed. But I am pretty certain there are bad humans waiting in line to do the oppressing if we remove the current oppressor. It boils down to the evil you know may be better than the evil you do not yet know. And regardless of the feelings of the faint of heart among us, there is no way America is capable of repairing the world. Look at America right now. Trump is leading GOP Polls. We have not even repaired our own selves.
GAY MARRIAGE
THE END
Sources
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet
[3] http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/politics/iran-nuclear-deal-inspections-parchin/
[6] http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/could-malpractice-reform-save-the-us-health-care-system/
[9] http://spectator.org/articles/61239/obamacare-and-eugenics
[10] http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/12/usa-special-forces-iraq-151201160932529.html