The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or HR 4271

As a training and development specialist during normal business hours, I’m an avid reader of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Blog.  In my reading this morning, I came across a post about the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), also known as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.  Sadly, with all the commotion about stimulus and healthcare reform, my attention has been elsewhere, and I missed the fact that the WIA was once again not renewed, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.  But in this economy, is that wise?

I Want MY GOP Back!

Earlier this week, GOP supporters across the web reacted to Governor Schwarzenegger’s proclamation that the GOP is alienating people by being the party of “No.”  Bloggers fired back with frustration, arguing that the Obama Administration has taken advantage of its majority and is steamrolling the GOP with a “radical Marxist agenda.”   While I’m certain this reflects the views of many staunch, conservatives, the problem runs much deeper for those of us who support a traditional, conservative view of what this country should and should not be—a view that seems radical in an age of  Christian Conservatism, Social Darwinism, and Socialism.

I was raised in a middle class, conservative family in the age of Reagan.  I was instilled with a strong work ethic and a belief that one should never ask for a handout.  I was also raised with a strong Christian belief that it is our human obligation to help one another regardless of how much money you have in the bank.  I was taught that there is no greater honor than to serve your country whether as a soldier or as a civil servant.  I believe in hard work, freedom, social justice, and patriotism.  If that makes me radical, idealistic, or naive, then so be it.  At least I can sleep at night and look myself in the mirror in the morning.

Realistic Healthcare Reform

On July 5, 2009, the Los Angeles Times published an article entitled “Obama Doesn’t Have the Only Prescription for Healthcare Reform” by Michael D. Tanner—an article republished on the Cato Institute website.  Tanner freely concedes, “President Obama is right when he says that the U.S. healthcare system needs reform. Although this country provides the finest care in the world, our healthcare system has serious problems. It costs too much. Too many people lack health insurance. And quality can be uneven.”

Tanner disagrees with the President with respect to the solution, arguing for a free market approach to healthcare reform.  He believes the only way to reduce healthcare costs is to trust the “time-tested building blocks of marketplace efficiency: competition and choice.”  He describes his plan:

There are two key components to any free-market healthcare reform. First, we need to move away from a system dominated by employer-provided health insurance and instead make health insurance personal and portable, controlled by the individual rather than government or an employer. (…)  The other part of effective healthcare reform involves increasing competition among both insurers and health providers. Current regulations establish monopolies and cartels in both industries.

The plan Tanner proposes offers a viable alternative to the government-controlled system the Obama administration is proposing, and Tanner’s analysis correctly diagnoses the main failings of our current system.

Happy Independence Day!

 On the 233^rd birthday of our country, I’d like to take a few minutes to thank the people that got us here.

First, I’d like to thank our founding fathers, some of the greatest men in the history of Western Civilization.  Thank you for risking your life and liberty for ours by signing the Declaration of Independence and following it through.  Thank you for dreaming of a utopia in which all men are created equal and the basic right of all people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is self-evident.  You set us on the path of a grand experiment ever-reaching for a better tomorrow.  We aren’t there yet, but we’re still working on it, and we’ve made a lot of progress.

No More Lipreading… Please

Today, the Pink Elephant Pundit Tabitha Hale featured a guest post from Rob at Leaning Right: Read My Lips Take 2.  While the moderate Democrat in me hates to concede a point to a conservative Republican, the patriot in me is ever grateful for any intelligent point made in an American political debate.  So…  Kudos to Rob and Tabitha.

There are two major issues with Rob’s argument that need more development: the broken tax promise of former President George H. W. Bush and campaign promises in general.  I think I sufficiently expressed my feelings about the Cap and Trade, so I’ll resist the urge to get on that soap box again.

During the 1988 election, then Vice President Bush made the famous promise “Read my lips.  No new taxes.”  Sadly, this broken promise contributed significantly to his unsuccessful bid for re-election.  Does anyone remember how it actually happened?  Or is this going to be yet another misrepresented, mangled piece of history?

The New American Dream

Once upon a time, the American Dream meant working hard to achieve something more than your parents had, to give your children more than you had.  It was about believing that hard work paid off and anything was possible if you were willing to put in the time and effort.  Something has changed that dream over the last twenty-five years; something has turned it into an unachievable nightmare.

We—meaning liberal Democrats—have a tendency to point to the rich and claim the problem is all their doing; we claim they have been socially irresponsible and morally reprehensible.  But that’s generally a copout.  We have been as much to blame as the other side.

There should be a clearly-defined minimum standard of living for all Americans, but how do people interpret that as everyone deserves their own house and a Cadillac Escalade?  Why should someone who chooses not pursue an education and work hard to have a higher paying career have the same things as those that do?  Why shouldn’t people have to work for things?  Everyone deserves to have a home, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a house, yard, etc. 

We seem to have lost the personal responsibility aspect of the American Dream.  Where has our work ethic gone?  Where has our desire to be responsible for our own future gone?  Yes, there are poor people who are poor because they’ve had a run of back luck or never had a chance.  There are no excuses for not helping those people.  But what about the millions who seem to think they’re entitled to whatever they want without having to earn anything?  Is it on those of us who do work hard to support them?  I think not.

Enough with Global Warming!

I am a self-proclaimed tree-hugger.  I love policies that promote clean air and clean water and don’t mind paying higher taxes to have them.  I’m not, however, a blind follower of the Al Gore Global Warming movement, and I frankly don’t know how any intelligent environmentalist could be. 

First the facts.  Most reputable scientists agree that we are witnessing a global warming trend.  The math doesn’t lie.  Global mean temperatures have been increasing.  The trouble lies in the cause.  Most reputable scientists are hesitant to claim that humans are responsible for the climate change. In fact, most agree that it could be a century before we have enough evidence to determine whether or not this is simply a normal cyclical warming or a trend cause by human interference.  In addition, if humans are causing global warming, simply reducing carbon emissions would not be enough to reverse the trend.  We would also have to combat the massive deforestation taking place below the equator and the increasing emissions of developing nations, among many other factors.  Regardless, we won’t have any viable scientific answers during my lifetime, so why do politicians insist on having this argument?

Growing Healthcare Concerns

I had a minor surgery yesterday, and I found it interesting that two medical professionals at the Baptist Hospital expressed serious concerns over President Obama’s healthcare reform plan.  They weren’t concerned with cutting back healthcare costs.  They weren’t concerned with the prospect of helping the poor.  Their primary concern was declining patient care, and they have very valid reasons for being concerned. 

One of the medical professionals has seen a marked decline in patient care over the last ten to fifteen years as the government has attempted to reform medical care.  While the best doctor’s have worked hard to combat this trend, many have simply abandoned the possibility that healthcare decisions will be made by qualified doctors and their patients, providing the best possible healthcare for the individual situation.  More governmental intervention in our healthcare system could intensify this trend.

Everyone knows that our healthcare system needs help, but turning healthcare over to the government probably isn’t the answer.  Just as we’ve seen with the education system, taking the ability to fix our healthcare system out of the hands of those who have the most invested in the system, those who know the most about the system—our healthcare professionals—and placing in the hands of lawmakers is a dangerous proposal.  If we want a viable solution, perhaps we should be looking to the AMA to advise us on the best possible solutions.