Posted on August 7, 2018 by ChrisA

“Unelected guilds and mob actions give the Left control over speech without fear of losing elections or running into the 1st Amendment.” – Social Media: The Prime Threat to Freedom of Speech? | Power Line

Left-wing activists are not afraid of establishing non-governmental guild controls that would effectively ban “fake news,” “hate speech,” “dangerous ideas,” etc. because they are confident they will define those terms. The sword of New Censorship is not double edged.

It’s a war out there. Really? John Hinderaker comments…

We see that every day. The social media platforms ban, suspend and shadow ban conservatives every day. Liberals who advocate violence against conservatives, assassinating the president, etc.? No problem.

I haven’t made a fb post on my personal page since March or April. (April 9th was my last post and I ran an earth day live stream on APril 22nd). Heck I’d shut it down except I have a fb business page. I’ve trimmed my fb friends list in half, which wasn’t much to begin with. Removed almost all personal information. I do keep track of a few friends but rarely comment. I can’t help but imagine there are others feeling the same way. Is a backlash brewing? Honestly, I’m somewhat skeptical.

I had a twitter account once and shut it down almost unused. Almost everything I see on twitter is courtesy of an Instapundit post or Twitchy.

There is no doubt in my mind that speech is threatened. Yep, the companies have a right to regulate their platform(s) as they see fit, but it’s a dangerous path that the non-governmental guild controls are taking us down. Be careful what you wish for.

 

Posted in freedom, freedom of speech | Leave a comment

Posted on August 7, 2018 by ChrisA

Why screw with net neutrality when what the Democrats really want is to take over the whole damn thing: Senate Democrats Are Circulating Plans for Government Takeover of the Internet: Reason Roundup – Hit & Run : Reason.com

The solution, be more like Europe…

To save American trust in “our institutions, democracy, free press, and markets,” it suggests, we need unprecedented and undemocratic government intervention into online press and markets, including “comprehensive (GDPR-like) data protection legislation” of the sort enacted in the E.U.

Uh, no thanks. I lost trust in government when I heard about the DOJ’s efforts to ruin Bert Wagner’s life for privately selling/trading bitcoins. That said, Bert apparently got a different lesson as he was a Bernie Sander’s supporter in 2016. Oh well!

Another experience that has led to my low opinion of government is the Medicaid, tax credit, Obamacare implementation in Colorado. In Colorado, to get a tax credit, you must first apply for Medicaid. I have had many clients with issues with this system. Two recent examples:

A client had no income for the first 4 months or so of 2018. He was eligible and applied for Medicaid. He then became owner of a company and based on his salary for a partial year and family size (5) he was eligible for a tax credit with an income of $110,000. When we reported the change in income, voila, he was STILL eligible for Medicaid. I created a ticket with the all knowing Connect for Health Colorado. A few days later someone called me and said, sure enough the household is eligible for Medicaid. I asked if there was anyone there that had a brain they could use, the ability/permission to use and also had common sense. I elevated to management and the issue got resolved.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

A month or so later he realized that the Medicaid system had his address wrong. No change in zip, city or county, just a move. We reported a change in address and guess what, they ended up back on Medicaid AGAIN?

How stoopid.

 

Then there is the lady who was in the midst of chemotherapy and lost Medicaid because the starting of Social Security Disability payments threw her over the income limit. Boulder County HHS repeatedly told her she was not eligible for a tax credit. We got a work around, this time WITH the help of Connect for Health. I would have called BoCo HHS out, but I’m afraid they would screw with her Medicaid determination. It was as if they were being vindictive for some reason.

So, my opinion of government competency is low in general and my trust in government is even lower. Of course, if you’re from Boulder, you think I must be a right wing wack job. Hell, you’re probably right. C’est la vie.

Posted in big government, freedom | Leave a comment

Posted on August 7, 2018 by ChrisA

Sounds about right –

Posted in Get more Trump | 3 Comments

Posted on July 25, 2018 by ChrisA

Coming soon to a stoopid city near you – Plastic Straw Ban in Santa Barbara Has Jail Time Punishment | National Review

The city of Santa Barbara has passed an ordinance that will allow restaurant employees to be punished with up to six months of jail time or a $1,000 fine for giving plastic straws to their customers.

The bill was passed unanimously last Tuesday, and covers bars, restaurants, and other food-service businesses. Establishments will still be allowed to hand out plastic stirrers, but only if customers request them.

Santa Barbara’s ordinance “is likely the most severe straw ban in the country,” according to Reason, but it’s far from the only straw ban. Seattle banned plastic straws earlier this month, mandating a a $250 fine for violators. Santa Barbara, however, has gone much further than Seattle — even aside from the harsher punishments its law imposes. Santa Barbara has banned not only plastic straws, but also compostable straws. Oh, and each individual straw counts as a separate infraction, meaning that if someone got busted handing out straws to a table of four people, he or she could end up facing years behind bars.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Posted in Boulder is stoopid, enviro wackos | 1 Comment

Posted on July 23, 2018 by ChrisA

Have you seen that monstrosity of a Bridge that spans Left Hand Creek at Hwy 36? It’s fitting to be on an interstate highway. I’m not blind to the need for a new bridge and the flooding that took place there, but this is overkill. I’m curious as to how much of the construction costs will be covered/reimbursed by the Federal Government.

Posted in Boulder county is stoopid, County Government | Leave a comment

Posted on July 23, 2018 by ChrisA

Coming soon to a City/County near you. View From The Porch: That Sinking Feeling

Posted in Boulder county is stoopid, Boulder is stoopid | Leave a comment

Posted on July 18, 2018 by ChrisA

Wonder when Jared Polis will figure this out? Maryland’ Single-Payer Health Care: Expensive | National Review

Back in March, I wrote about Maryland Democrats talking up a single-payer system for health insurance, and how they were refusing to look too closely at how to pay for the plan, which would eliminate all out-of-pocket expenses for patients. They dismissed Vermont’s experience from a few years earlier, when a group of well-meaning, true-believing progressive Democrats tried to put together a plan . . . and reluctantly abandoned it when they realized that paying for it would require roughly doubling the entire state tax revenue. Oh, and the governor’s office calculated that the projected savings on health care costs added up to . . . 1.6 percent over five years.

This morning, the largest newspaper in the state, the Baltimore Sun, reports that Maryland’s Department of Legislative Services calculated that the state would have to levy a 10 percent payroll tax against every business and charge a $2,800 fee for every man, woman, and child in the state to raise the needed $24 billion a year.

Kevin Harris, a spokesman for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous says that it’s “premature” to talk about what kind of taxes or fees would be raised to pay for the plan. (When would be a good time, then?)

And once you make Health Care “free,” it seems that utilization will go up. It’s only common sense.

I’m sure Jared will be glad to avoid talking cost until he’s Governor. Unfortunately, many Coloradans are way to smitten with the idea of Single Payer to actually critically investigate the cost.

Posted in health insurance, single payer | Leave a comment

Posted on July 15, 2018 by ChrisA

How much is tuition at the University of Minnesota? Gender Follies at the University of Minnesota | Power Line

The University of Minnesota has published in draft form a new ‘gender identity’ policy. The Star Tribune headlines: ‘He, she or ze? Pronouns could pose trouble under University of Minnesota campus policy.’ Using the wrong pronoun could turn into a firing offense at the University of Minnesota. The U is considering a new “gender identity” policy that would assure transgender men and women, as well as others, the right to

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Posted on July 15, 2018 by ChrisA

Someone tell Jared Polis – Commentary: U.S. Liberals Shouldn’t Copy Britain’s Dying NHS | Fortune

The NHS is collapsing. Patients routinely face treatment delays, overcrowded hospitals, and doctor shortages. Even its most ardent defenders admit that the NHS is in crisis.

Yet American progressives want to import this disastrous model. About one in three Democratic senators and more than half of Democratic representativessupport single-payer health care.

Why? The British experiment with socialized medicine has been a monumental failure. It would be foolish to repeat that mistake here.

Single-payer is fundamentally flawed. It relieves consumers of any obligation to pay for their care, at least directly. If the price of care is zero, then every patient can demand an infinite amount. The supply of care, meanwhile, is limited. And the amount of money the government can spend on health care is finite.

But Colorado can do it better. Not sure why, but either Jared Polis knows something we don’t know or he’s a liar.

Posted in health insurance, single payer | Leave a comment

Posted on July 15, 2018 by ChrisA

Someone tell Jared Polis – Choking on the Cost of ‘Medicare for All’

But it’s so tempting to the mindset that thinks government can do everything better. Why?

Single-payer’s champions generally paint a lovely picture of healthcare utopia. Patients go to see the doctor of their choice whenever they like, get treatment, and leave the clinic without paying a cent. No copays, no deductibles, no cost-sharing, and no referrals — health care is “free” at the point of service.

This is so ridiculous, in fact it’s so ridiculous that even true believers back away..

But candidates who advocate single-payer on the campaign trail are increasingly balking once they actually get their hands on the levers of power. That’s because single-payer is cost-prohibitive. Even the most dyed-in-the-wool leftists admit as much, after they take office and have to figure out how to pay for their campaign promises.

Single-payer’s champions generally paint a lovely picture of healthcare utopia. Patients go to see the doctor of their choice whenever they like, get treatment, and leave the clinic without paying a cent. No copays, no deductibles, no cost-sharing, and no referrals — health care is “free” at the point of service.

In reality, health care doesn’t magically become free; people just pay for it outside the doctor’s office, in the form of higher taxes.

Many Democrats have walked back their enthusiasm for single-payer after getting a look at the just how much public money they’d have to come up with.

Last month in North Carolina, Democratic State Representative Verla Insko moved to kill her own pro-single-payer bill. An assessment from the state legislature’s Fiscal Research Division pegged the cost of single-payer at $70 billion, $42 billion of which would have to come from the state. That latter figure is almost twice the state budget.

Of course Jared, his cronies and the enlightened state of Colorado, lead by Boulder progressives can do it better. What arrogance.

Coming soon to Colorado, the most expensive health care and the most expensive electricity in the nation. But healthcare will be free and electricity will be green. What a winning combination.

Posted in healthcare, single payer | Leave a comment

Posted on July 15, 2018 by ChrisA

Well we already know she can’t go up or down stairs without assistance, guess ‘standing’ comes next – Hillary begins speech: ‘I’m so tired, I can barely stand’ – The American Mirror

Hillary Clinton may have visions of 2020 — if she can just keep her eyes open. The failed presidential candidate started her speech to the American Federation of Teachers union on Friday in a bizarre way: by telling everyone how tired she was. ‘Well, I’ll tell you,’ she said, ‘I’ve been back there listening to Randi (Weingarten) and I’m so exhausted, I can barely stand here.’ Clinton flashed moments of bitterness and anger to the unionists gathered in Pittsburgh. Receiving the Women’s Rights Award from the union, she railed on how she has been oppressed in life. ‘When I

Posted in Hillary is stoopi | Leave a comment

Posted on July 15, 2018 by ChrisA

The smell of desperation – Newspapers run IDENTICAL letters slamming Trump’s Supreme Court pick | Daily Mail Online

The papers included big-market brands like the Dallas Morning News and The Washington Times. They ran carbon-copy letters targeting Judge Brett Kavanaugh, all signed by different people.

And to the newspapers, you can do better…  can’t you!?

Posted in media bias, msm, politics | Leave a comment

Posted on July 5, 2018 by ChrisA

Amateur hour – Facebook apologizes to Texas newspaper for part of Declaration of Independence being labeled hate speech | TheHill

Facebook apologized to a Texas newspaper after it initially flagged a post of the text of the Declaration of Independence as hate speech.

Posted in Facebook is stoopid, freedom, politics | Leave a comment

Posted on July 3, 2018 by ChrisA

Shocked face – Trump Country, it turns out, is more tolerant than the left – The Washington Post

Regarding political scientists trying to understand Trump Voters…

Some have told me later that, during their interviews, they went out of their way to identify themselves as liberals who have little use for our president. To their credit, they wanted to be honest about who they were and what they were doing. They were sometimes treated with a degree of skepticism, but without fail, they say that people were polite and willing to talk to them — not to mention serve them breakfast or lunch.

Without fail. At the rate things are polarizing, it will fail some day.

Places such as our own Boulder are tolerant as long as you share their beliefs. In fact, they can’t even imagine you don’t share their beliefs. If you’re not a progressive liberal, you might as well be on display at the zoo in Boulder, that is if they had a zoo.

Posted in Boulder is stoopid, politics | Leave a comment

Maxine Waters is done with ‘nice guy politics’ | TheHill

Posted on July 3, 2018 by ChrisA

Wow, talk about stating the obvious – Maxine Waters is done with ‘nice guy politics’ | TheHill

“She is up-to-date, she is smart, she is authentic and she is not scared to express herself,” Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) told The Hill, adding that her constituents in Milwaukee often ask her if she knows Waters.

Could have fooled me. Of course, bring on the ‘R’ word.

 

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Posted on June 22, 2018 by ChrisA

Way to easy to believe – Medicaid fraud exploded after Obamacare expansion: GOP report – Washington Times

Improper payments soared from $14.4 billion in 2013, the year before the expansion, to $37 billion in 2017. Medicaid now accounts for 26 percent of all improper payments in the federal government.

And the actual rate could be even higher, the GAO has warned.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic. Having had to deal with these organization as potential clients struggle to get an Obamacare tax credit, I can safely say the incompetence runs deep, very deep.

Posted in medicaid, ObamaCare | Leave a comment

Posted on June 21, 2018 by ChrisA

News the Boulder City government and their elite progressive supporters can use – Circuit court judge blocks Deerfield, Ill., from banning ‘assault weapons’ – twitchy.com

The ordinance stated that the possession, manufacture, and sale of assault weapons in the Village of Deerfield “ is not reasonably necessary to protect an individual’s right of self-defense or the preservation or efficiency of a well-regulated militia.”

It is a preemption of state law…

… had challenged the ban on the grounds that it violates the state’s preemption law that was adopted in 2013. That change amended state statute that declared “the regulation of the possession or ownership of assault weapons are exclusive powers and functions of this State. Any ordinance or regulation, or portion of that ordinance or regulation, that purports to regulate the possession or ownership of assault weapons in a manner that is inconsistent with this Act, shall be invalid…”

The City of Boulder law also attempts to preempt Colorado state law.

 

Posted in 2nd amendment | Leave a comment

Posted on June 21, 2018 by ChrisA

No one tell David Hogg, but Americans set a gun sales record in April – twitchy.com

Stephen Gutowski of The Free Beacon is the reporter to consult when the topic is guns, and he reports Thursday that April is the second month in a row that gun sales have hit a record high.

Well good. I hope their my next door neighbors, but I’m pretty sure they aren’t!

Posted in 2nd amendment | Leave a comment

Posted on June 21, 2018 by ChrisA

Two reasons, one is its Glenn Beck and two is it didn’t fit the narrative – Glenn Beck: ‘We begged the media’ in 2014 to cover border kids and were ignored – Washington Times

So the problem is not “fake news,” it’s new that doesn’t fit the narrative. What’s the NY Times slogan?  “All the News that’s Fit to Print?”

 

Posted in msm | Leave a comment

Posted on June 18, 2018 by ChrisA

Jordan Peterson has only entered by “event horizon” recently. In all honesty, I know little about him. I hope my excerpts from ‘Chick’s on the Right’ blog post peak your interest. If it does, please read the whole post. An Extraordinary Thing Happened At Jordan Peterson’s Indianapolis Performance. | Chicks On The Right

When I discovered he was coming to Indy, Mr. Mock and I were pretty stoked. We bought tickets, and spent a little extra on VIP passes so that we could meet him and attend a smaller Q&A session with him.

You guys, I was really struck by the youth of the audience. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but while Mr. Mock was parking, I stood inside the Murat and people-watched as folks made their way into the theater and through the security lines. I’d venture to say that the vast majority of attendees were younger than 30. The theater seats 2500, and it was close to sold out. I saw many gay, male couples. I saw tatted-up biker-like folks. I saw spectacle-wearing, book-carrying student-types. It was as diverse a crowd as I could have imagined. And I loved that.

When Dr. Peterson made his way onto the stage, you’d have thought you were attending a rock concert.  It wasn’t the expected polite applause you’d imagine might be appropriate for a lecture of this sort.  It was full on, raucous, whooping and hollering cheers.  We were in the 5th row, where it was easy to see Dr. Peterson’s facial expressions, and as he looked at the audience – smiling humbly and nodding slightly – taking it all in, it seemed to me that he wasn’t altogether used to this kind of reception.  I expect he receives it often, but it seemed like something that still surprises him.  It reminds me of how Daisy and I are still shocked when someone is all excited to meet us.  You’re simultaneously delighted and humbled all at the same time, that you have a palpable level of impact on another person. It’s overwhelming, and for us at least, it’s not something you get used to.

Click on the link to read about presentation and most importantly the Q&A that followed. A man’s life was saved. It’s worth your time.

 

Posted in inspiration | 2 Comments