“Medicare for All”: What Could POSSIBLY Go Wrong?

…c Party, at least according to the media. A few weeks back, Harris said we simply have to get rid of private health insurance. Her comrades say the same thing. HOW we will do that remains unclear. Will she issue an edict on 1/21/21, demanding that health insurance companies be immediately disbanded? Will the government simply nationalize private insurance companies, invading their offices and seizing their assets, as in a banana republic? But ther… Continue reading

Is It OK to Lie to Kids?

…say to them about that?” Kids are great at finding loopholes, aren’t they! Simply tell them that sometimes people have no choice but to lie. In the example of the TV cops; if lying is instrumental in bringing a lawbreaker to justice, so be it. It’s up to the accused to stand firm if he or she is really innocent. When criminals introduce physical force into the equation, all bets are off. The greater good of safety or saving a life outweighs the re… Continue reading

Conflict Avoidance in a Relationship

…happy relationship consists of two people who are getting what they want — simply by the other person being who he or she is. Conflicts are viewed as temporary and resolvable. It’s not expected that there will be dealbreakers, because each member of the relationship assumes (from overwhelming evidence) that each is getting and should be getting what’s satisfactory to him (or her). A healthy relationship, by this definition, does not refer to the a… Continue reading

How to Get More Control Without Being Controlling (DE Coast Press)

…e in control. The tension and anger this causes is proof positive that you simply cannot control other people. You can try – and your spouse, partner, teen or little one may pretend to comply – but it never works in the long run. So, what happens if you sincerely have a person’s best interests in mind and somehow need to get a point across? The healthiest thing is to let go, and focus on the influence you have over that person. Try to persuade him… Continue reading

Apple vs. the U.S. Government: A Looming Battle?

…le refused — not because it necessarily wanted to, but because it couldn’t comply. The iPhone and iPad maker reportedly told the feds that the service is encrypted, making it impossible for the company let alone the feds to access the data they demanded, unlike phone companies which, under US wiretap laws, are required to comply. The criminal case is under seal in an unidentified U.S. federal court. [zdnet.com 9/11/15] The government is not asking… Continue reading

Green Light for Tyranny: It’s Your Fault, Americans

…rationalizations. Are we supposed to surrender our very lives and liberty simply because the person taking those from us tells us it’s for our own good? What in the hell happened to Texas? What in the hell happened to America? Increasingly, there are no words. People who won’t fight back will simply get what they deserve. That’s not an opinion. It’s simply a fact. You can’t NOT communicate. By saying and doing nothing as your public officials los… Continue reading

Gays/Lesbians Should Not Fall for Barack’s Gay Marriage B.S.

…— so he can eke out a victory. The Republicans who oppose gay marriage are simply looking for a distraction. They cannot credibly oppose Obama on socialized medicine and Big Government when they have been almost as supportive (equally supportive, in Mitt Romney’s case) of this agenda over the years. Being against gay marriage not only gives them a wedge issue, but it also provides them a rare opportunity to show where they actually differ from lib… Continue reading

Why Political/Religious Discussions So Often Go Wrong

…arily, automatically and always an attack on you personally. The person is simply asserting that freedom from starvation is really important. You probably agree with this much. But does freedom from starvation mean that there’s suddenly a right to steal from another, or to hire government authorities to do the stealing for them? That’s a debate human beings will ultimately have to have, if we’re ever to have a totally free economy and free society… Continue reading

Liberals are the True Conservatives

…le who truly have anything of substance to say. They’re not idealists, but simply nihilists. They’re not the movers and shakers who will ever do anything to change the world as we know it. The real, and serious, intellectual activity is taking place on the right. The times are changing because nothing can ever stand still. Even Obama will eventually go. No, I’m not saying things are moving to the ‘right’ or to an Ayn Rand-like revolution. Most of… Continue reading

Facts Always Come First

…ir preexisting view of history and morality. Truly objective history would simply start with the facts. In fact, that’s what history is supposed to do. It’s supposed to show us the facts in their full context and either (1) leave us to draw our own conclusions, or (2) consider conclusions that are carefully argued from the full reporting of those facts. I’m not only talking about academic history here. I’m also talking about how people use history… Continue reading

The DOs and DON’Ts of Dementia

…not going to believe you. It’s better for yourself—and probably for her—to simply placate her. Tell her that Granny has the flu and cannot come in today. Tell her that Granny will be coming in a few hours, just be patient. Just make up different things until you find something that seems to placate her. If nothing placates her, then just change the subject. Don’t feel guilty for lying or manipulating in this way. Lying is wrong for a specific reas… Continue reading

Dr. Hurd vs. Dr. Phil (Part 1 of 2)

…life. They’re right to seek out this common territory; otherwise, why not simply stay single? A relationship is supposed to add to your life. To give up and conclude that no relationship can do such a thing turns marriage and family into selfless, unhappy and unfulfilling burdens. D.P.: ‘There are things that you and your partner disagree about and will continue to disagree about. Why can’t you once and for all resolve these issues? Because in or… Continue reading