Are we ready for Him?

I have been feeling uncharacteristically anxious with where our nation (the US) is headed. Frustration with what is happening in Washington is compounded with frustration with what is happening on main street, in neighborhoods and in churches. We all agree that a lot of things broken, yet there are few salient, hopeful voices leading us out of the mire. President Obama capitalized on this longing during his campaign and established himself as the ‘hopeful’ candidate. However, national ambivalence has already set back in as we continue to see, in our leadership, more of the same self-promotion, disconnection and misdirection.

I think Peggy Noonan is correct to suggest that those of us “who feel most mistily affectionate toward America, and most protective toward it, are the most aware of its vulnerabilities, the most aware that it can be harmed.”  The prospect of severe harm for America is becoming less far-fetched. But, why is this the case? I have at least one suggestion: read more

Obama’s bioethicist

The ‘man behind the curtain’ in the Obama administration, as it pertains to health care, is Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of Rahm Emanuel (Obama’s chief of staff). Should this bill pass, Emanuel will likely be one of the ‘elites’ empowered to make decisions for the masses. How will he allocate our nation’s medical care and resources? He gives us a good hint in a journal article he co-authored. Obama keeps telling us, laughingly, that he is not “going to put the plug on grandma”. Well grandma, and all the  politicians over 50, should read this (as well as parents of infants and toddlers!)

US Air Force incident in Sudan in ‘06

11 airmen survived 2006 confrontation in Sudan – Air Force News, news from Iraq – Air Force Times.

bioethics 101

(Sorry to keep harping on health care, but as I read more about this bill and the effects it will have, I want to make sure we realize some things about bioethics: namely, its connection to theology and also some of the ramifications of federally mandated decisions that are run through someone’s ‘bioethical grid’.)

Here is a New York Times article talking about the relatively new way bioethicists are being involved in ‘main stream’ America. The thing is, this article was written in 2001 (when cloning and stem cell research where the hot topics). The field of bioethics will have a whole new audience, if the government truly authorizes itself to make health care decisions for the masses.

scary stuff…

A Washington Post article pointing out aspects of this health care bill that are being laughed off by the administration…its not funny, folks. read more

health care reform

(excerpts of an article by Dr. David Stephens, a missionary doctor here in Kenya.)

First of all though, let me say I am for reform. Health costs are going through the roof! We are spending over 16% of the GDP so that one-in-six dollars spent goes to cover medical expenses. Annual health care inflation is up to five times the general inflation rate. We spend 50% more than the next industrialized country spends per capita and are not overall healthier. Bottom line, cost has to be controlled. We can’t sustain the present course. This is the most important issue in health care reform.

The battle cry in this war is the uninsured, but this is not the main issue that we should focus on. There are only about 13 million people in the US who are not illegal aliens and who do not have insurance for a whole year. The 40-50 million you hear bantered around includes illegal aliens and all those that do not have insurance for any part of a year. What’s more, any person can go to an emergency room to get health care in the US and they cannot be turned away for lack of payment. Not ideal and not cost effective but very few Americans die because they can’t get health care intervention. Access is important but it is not the most critical concern. read more