Thursday, May 20, 2010

Mixing Baseball and A Big Political Prediction: Hillary Is "On the Move"

The Hubbard High School Girls softball team is advancing to the State playoffs this week upholding quite a tradition of "good ball players" in Hubbard.

I visited with Scott Riddle at his 50 something wedding anniversary party in Hubbard on Saturday night. Scott is a well known rancher/insurance executive and genetically blessed. He had 5 generations of family members at his party spanning from his 90 something year old Aunt, Tris Scott, to his great grandson, one year old Cooper. Aunt Tris is the niece and namesake of Tris Speaker.

Tris Speaker was born on April 4, 1888 in Hubbard, Texas. As a youth, he suffered a fractured right arm in a fall from a horse, forcing him to throw left-handed, which he continued to do throughout his baseball career. A career that included playing with and managing the Cleveland Indians and Boston Redsox. Early on his left arm was severely injured in a football accident, to the extent that surgeons advised amputation. Tris refused, and with unbelievable determination fully recovered to become one of baseball's great hitters and outfielders, manager of a World Championship team, the seventh member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the first athlete to be voted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Even with an awesome lifetime batting average of .344, Tris Speaker is invariably remembered for his superb defensive skills. Speaker holds one of the most impressive defensive records with 139 double plays as an outfielder (that's right double plays, in that he played so closely behind second base as a fleet footed center fielder he could turn ground balls up the middle into double plays while still running down fly balls hit over his head). Only Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron have played in more major league games as an outfielder than the man commonly known as the "Gray Eagle". Like most players of this era known as the "dead ball era" Speaker was a character and known for his quotes such as, "It would be useless for any player to attempt to explain successful batting." He also made comments about the other great players such as, "The Babe (that would be Ruth) was a great ballplayer, sure, but Cobb (that would be Ty) was even greater. Babe could knock your brains out but Cobb would drive you crazy."

Tris' determination is genetic. Saturday night Scott Riddle was suffering from a broken bone in his leg that he obtained from a recent pickup truck accident. He was afraid that if he sat down he would not be able to get up and dance with his wife of 50 something years, Pat, at the end of his anniversary party. So he stood for the entire 2 hours so that he and Pat could dance to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" sung as the last song of an act by the Country's best Elvis impersonator.

Folks, it doesn't get better than this.

Scott also shared a political prediction with me. He thinks Obama knows he will lose the election if he runs in 2012, and that he has secretly launched a strategy in which Hillary Clinton runs in 2012 as the Democratic Presidential candidate. The strategy will enable Hillary to lead an effort that spins that she and Obama have recaptured the prestige of the country overseas, however our world leadership is threatened by our deficit and weak economy (the result of 8 years of George Bush and Republicans). Hillary has started focusing on talking up the need to bring "Clinton style" discipline to the management of the US economy that George Bush ruined (remember Bill's balanced budget and surplus). Scott thinks we saw the first results of this strategy in the Pennsylvania Democratic Primay last week with Hillary's candidate, Admiral Joe Sestak , defeating Obama's candidate, Arlen Spector. Sestak ran against Obama's Stimulus Plan, Health Care Plan, (even though he voted for all the above a US Congressman) etc. Scott thinks Hillary will run as a Moderate (Dairy Queen style) against the Radical Right Wing Repulican Candidate to be named later.

Of course everyone at the Hubbard City Cafe knows that Obama and Hillary are two Secular Socialist Peas in the same Pod. Four years of Obama and four to eight of Hillary means "game over".

Think about it in a very determined way,

Jim

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Gloves Are Coming Off Against Obama's Secular-Socialist Machine

Billy Roy Mitchum, coming off a hugely successful performance at Hubbard's Old Town Music Venue on Saturday night, was tuned up and turned on, "Well, I have been wondering really hard when a major politician was going to tell it like it is, and Newt Gingrich did this very morning. Newt announced his new book 'TO SAVE AMERICA' with a subtitle 'STOPPING OBAMA'S SECULAR-SOCIALIST MACHINE'. In the book he warns America that the Chicago Socialist Machine is as dangerous to the country as Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany was in earlier times. Folks, we are going to have to take the gloves off like Newt is doing if we are going to stop these pompous thugs."


"Saw Newt this morning, BM." Joe Frank Dell, wearing the grin of a proud Granddad, chimed in. Proud because his grandson just got a football scholarship to West Point. "Newt was really fired up about our Assistant Secretary of State apologizing to, of all people, the Red Chinese because the duly elected representatives in Arizona passed a bill that over 60% of the voters approve. This idiot apologizes to the Commies about what he calls our country's discrimination problems. As far as I am concerned this is an act of treason by this loon."

Butch Jackson has been fighting some health problems but still was able to extract a little known fact about the Obama Chicago Machine's handling of this country's budget. "Would you believe we don't have a budget. Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer once said that the 'most basic responsibility of governing is to pass a budget. Now news came from Rep. Hoyer himself who said 'It's difficult to pass budgets in election years because they reflect what the [fiscal] status is.' In other words, with November looming on the horizon, the left doesn't want their constituents to realize just how much Congress is spending and how high taxes will go. Members of Congress are likely hesitant to show the American people how seriously they have damaged America's current long-term budget picture. This Congress has refused to pare back runaway spending and deficits, and many of its Members will refuse to pass a budget resolution that shows the resulting trillion-dollar deficits until after the November elections."

After the Congressional Budget Office released an adjusted set of increased costs for the Health Care Law in the Billions (remember Pelosi said we would have to pass the bill to find out what was in it?) Aunt Martha, Hubbard City Librarian, was asked to go on the net and find out how big the bureacracy will grow under Obama's Socialist Health Care Program. Below is a partial list of 159 new boards and commissions created in the bill (all staffed by government bureaucrats who will vote for Obama).

Since no one will read this list, including the Obama Administration, I will go ahead and sign off.

Think about this mess,

Jim

The List:
1. Grant program for consumer assistance offices (Section 1002, p. 37)
2. Grant program for states to monitor premium increases (Section 1003, p. 42)
3. Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
4. Demonstration program for state wellness programs (Section 1201, p. 93)
5. Grant program to establish state Exchanges (Section 1311(a), p. 130)
6. State American Health Benefit Exchanges (Section 1311(b), p. 131)
7. Exchange grants to establish consumer navigator programs (Section 1311(i), p. 150)
8. Grant program for state cooperatives (Section 1322, p. 169)
9. Advisory board for state cooperatives (Section 1322(b)(3), p. 173)
10. Private purchasing council for state cooperatives (Section 1322(d), p. 177)
11. State basic health plan programs (Section 1331)
12. State-based reinsurance program (Section 1341, p. 226)
13. Program of risk corridors for individual and small group markets (Section 1342, p. 233)
14. Program to determine eligibility for Exchange participation (Section 1411, p. 267)
15. Program for advance determination of tax credit eligibility (Section 1412, p. 288)
16. Grant program to implement health IT enrollment standards (Section 1561, p. 370)
17. Federal Coordinated Health Care Office for dual eligible beneficiaries (Section 2602, p. 512)18. Medicaid quality measurement program (Section 2701, p. 518)
19. Medicaid health home program for people with chronic conditions, and grants for planning same (Section 2703, p. 524)
20. Medicaid demonstration project to evaluate bundled payments (Section 2704, p. 532)
21. Medicaid demonstration project for global payment system (Section 2705, p. 536)
22. Medicaid demonstration project for accountable care organizations (Section 2706, p. 538)
23. Medicaid demonstration project for emergency psychiatric care (Section 2707, p. 540)
24. Grant program for delivery of services to individuals with postpartum depression (Section 2952(b), p. 591)
25. State allotments for grants to promote personal responsibility education programs (Section 2953, p. 596)
26. Medicare value-based purchasing program (Section 3001(a), p. 613)
27. Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals (Section 3001(b), p. 637)
28. Medicare value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 3006(a), p. 666)
29. Medicare value-based purchasing program for home health agencies (Section 3006(b), p. 668)
30. Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality (Section 3012, p. 688)
31. Grant program to develop health care quality measures (Section 3013, p. 693)
32. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 3021, p. 712)
33. Medicare shared savings program (Section 3022, p. 728)
34. Medicare pilot program on payment bundling (Section 3023, p. 739)35. Independence at home medical practice demonstration program (Section 3024, p. 752)
36. Program for use of patient safety organizations to reduce hospital readmission rates (Section 3025(b), p. 775)
37. Community-based care transiti ons program (Section 3026, p. 776)
38. Demonstration project for payment of complex diagnostic laboratory tests (Section 3113, p. 800)
39. Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration project (Section 3140, p. 850)
40. Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 982)
41. Consumer Advisory Council for Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 1027)
42. Grant program for technical assistance to providers implementing health quality practices (Section 3501, p. 1043)
43. Grant program to establish interdisciplinary health teams (Section 3502, p. 1048)
44. Grant program to implement medication therapy management (Section 3503, p. 1055)
45. Grant program to support emergency care pilot programs (Section 3504, p. 1061)
46. Grant program to promote universal access to trauma services (Section 3505(b), p. 1081)
47. Grant program to develop and promote shared decision-making aids (Section 3506, p. 1088)48. Grant program to support implementation of shared decision-making (Section 3506, p. 1091)
49. Grant program to integrate quality improvement in clinical education (Section 3508, p. 1095)
50. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Womens Health (Section 3509(a), p. 1098)
51. Centers for Disease Control Office of Womens Health (Section 3509(b), p. 1102)
52. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Womens Health (Section 3509(e), p. 1105)
53. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Womens Health (Section 3509(f), p. 1106)
54. Food and Drug Administration Office of Womens Health (Section 3509(g), p. 1109)
55. National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (Section 4001, p. 1114)
56. Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (Section 4001(f), p. 1117)
57. Prevention and Public Health Fund (Section 4002, p. 1121)
58. Community Preventive Services Task Force (Section 4003(b), p. 1126)
59. Grant program to support school-based health centers (S ection 4101, p. 1135)
60. Grant program to promote research-based dental caries disease management (Section 4102, p. 1147)
61. Grant program for States to prevent chronic disease in Medicaid beneficiaries (Section 4108, p. 1174)
62. Community transformation grants (Section 4201, p. 1182)
63. Grant program to provide public health interventions (Section 4202, p. 1188)
64. Demonstration program of grants to improve child immunization rates (Section 4204(b), p. 1200)
65. Pilot program for risk-factor assessments provided through community health centers (Section 4206, p. 1215)
66. Grant program to increase epidemiology and laboratory capacity (Section 4304, p. 1233)
67. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 4305, p. 1238)
68. National Health Care Workforce Commission (Section 5101, p. 1256)
69. Grant program to plan health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(c), p. 1275)
70. Grant program to implement health ca re workforce development activities (Section 5102(d), p. 1279)
71. Pediatric specialty loan repayment program (Section 5203, p. 1295)
72. Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (Section 5204, p. 1300)
73. Allied Health Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 5205, p. 1305)
74. Grant program to provide mid-career training for health professionals (Section 5206, p. 1307)
75. Grant program to fund nurse-managed health clinics (Section 5208, p. 1310)
76. Grant program to support primary care training programs (Section 5301, p. 1315)
77. Grant program to fund training for direct care workers (Section 5302, p. 1322)
78. Grant program to develop dental training programs (Section 5303, p. 1325)
79. Demonstration program to increase access to dental health care in underserved communities (Section 5304, p. 1331)
80. Grant program to promote geriatric education centers (Section 5305, p. 1334)
81. Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339)82. Grant program to promote t raining in mental and behavioral health (Section 5306, p. 1344)83. Grant program to promote nurse retention programs (Section 5309, p. 1354)
84. Student loan forgiveness for nursing school faculty (Section 5311(b), p. 1360)
85. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes (Section 5313, p. 1364)86. Public Health Sciences Track for medical students (Section 5315, p. 1372)
87. Primary Care Extension Program to educate providers (Section 5405, p. 1404)
88. Grant program for demonstration projects to address health workforce shortage needs (Section 5507, p. 1442)
89. Grant program for demonstration projects to develop training programs for home health aides (Section 5507, p. 1447)
90. Grant program to establish new primary care residency programs (Section 5508(a), p. 1458)
91. Program of payments to teaching health centers that sponsor medical residency training (Section 5508(c), p. 1462)
92. Graduate nurse education demonstration program (Section 5509, p. 1472)
93. Grant program to establish demonstration projects for community-based mental health settings (Section 5604, p. 1486)
94. Commission on Key National Indicators (Section 5605, p. 1489)
95. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6102, p. 1554)
96. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6103(a)(3), p. 1561)
97. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 6103(b)(3), p. 1568)
98. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 6112, p. 1589)
99. Demonstration projects for nursing facilities involved in the culture change movement (Section 6114, p. 1597)
100. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1619)
101. Standing methodology committee for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1629)
102. Board of Gover nors for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1638)
103. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (Section 6301(e), p. 1656)
104. Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Section 6703, p. 1773)
105. Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Section 6703, p. 1776)
106. Grant program to create elder abuse forensic centers (Section 6703, p. 1783)
107. Grant program to promote continuing education for long-term care staffers (Section 6703, p. 1787)
108. Grant program to improve management practices and training (Section 6703, p. 1788)
109. Grant program to subsidize costs of electronic health records (Section 6703, p. 1791)
110. Grant program to promote adult protective services (Section 6703, p. 1796) 111. Grant program to conduct elder abuse detection and prevention (Section 6703, p. 1798) 112. Grant program to support long-term care ombudsmen (Section 6703, p. 1800)113. National Training Institute for long-term care surveyors (Section 6703, p. 1806)
114. Grant progr am to fund State surveys of long-term care residences (Section 6703, p. 1809)
115. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 8002, p. 1926)116. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 8002, p. 1927)117. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 8002, p. 1931)118. Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 8002(c), p. 1938)119. Multi-state health plans offered by Office of Personnel Management (Section 10104(p), p. 2086)120. Advisory board for multi-state health plans (Section 10104(p), p. 2094)
121. Pregnancy Assistance Fund (Section 10212, p. 2164)
122. Value-based purchasing program for ambulatory surgical centers (Section 10301, p. 2176)
123. Demonstration project for payment adjustments to home health services (Section 10315, p. 2200)
124. Pilot program for care of individuals in environmental emergency declaration areas (Section 10323, p. 2223)
125. Grant program to screen at-risk individuals for environmental health conditions (Section 10323(b), p. 2231)
126. Pilot programs to implement value-based purchasing (Section 10326, p. 2242)
127. Grant program to support community-based collaborative care networks (Section 10333, p. 2265)
128. Centers for Disease Control Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
129. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
130. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
131. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
132. Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
133. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
134. Grant program to promote small business wellness programs (Section 10408, p. 2285)
135. Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2289)
136. Cures Acceleration Network Review Board (Section 10409, p. 2291)
137. Grant program for Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2297)
138. Grant program to promote centers of excellence for depression (Section 10410, p. 2304)
139. Advisory committee for young womens breast health awareness education campaign (Section 10413, p. 2322)
140. Grant program to provide assistance to provide information to young women with breast cancer (Section 10413, p. 2326)
141. Interagency Access to Health Care in Alaska Task Force (Section 10501, p. 2329)
142. Grant program to train nurse practitioners as primary care providers (Section 10501(e), p. 2332)
143. Grant program for community-based diabetes prevention (Section 10501(g), p. 2337)
144. Grant program for providers who treat a high percentage of medically underserved populations (Section 10501(k), p. 2343)
145. Grant program to recruit students to practice in underserved communities (Section 10501(l), p. 2344)
146. Community Health Center Fund (Section 10503, p. 2355 )
147. Demonstration project to provide access to health care for the uninsured at reduced fees (Section 10504, p. 2357)
148. Demonstration program to explore alternatives to tort litigation (Section 10607, p. 2369)
149. Indian Health demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (S. 1790, Section 112, p. 24)*
150. Office of Indian Mens Health (S. 1790, Section 136, p. 71)*
151. Indian Country modular component facilities demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 146, p. 108)*
152. Indian mobile health stations demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 147, p. 111)*
153. Office of Direct Service Tribes (S. 1790, Section 172, p. 151)*
154. Indian Health Service mental health technician training program (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 173)*
155. Indian Health Service program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 192)*
156. Indian Health Service program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 194)* 157. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 204)*
158. Indian youth life skills demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 220)*
159. Indian Health Service Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (S. 1790, Section 199B, p. 258)**Section 10221, page 2173 of H.R. 3590 deems that S. 1790 shall be deemed as passed with certain amendments.