It's Called "Freedom of Speech"

Death Panels...For the Children

Now that it is understood that death panels will have to be a big part of how the government saves money under Obamacare, you can expect to see many more of these types of news articles about how old or sick people should be allowed to die with dignity, and not suffer needlessly for weeks, months, even years as they undergo expensive treatments. 

For the first time in months, she was able to touch her 2 year-old daughter who had been afraid of the tubes and machines in the hospital. The little girl climbed up onto her mother's bed, surrounded by family photos, toys and the comfort of home. They shared one last tender moment together before Vandenberg slipped back into unconsciousness.

Vandenberg, 32, died the next day.

That precious time at home could have come sooner if the family had known how to talk about alternatives to aggressive treatment, said Vandenberg's sister-in-law, Alexandra Drane.

It's not stated in the article if Vandenberg herself wanted to live a bit longer than 24 hours, and so chose, selfishly if you believe this reporter, to prolong her life with those awful tubes and machines and other yucky things like that.  But Vandenberg's sister, still alive and presumably healthy, says that all would have been better had Vandenberg simply come home to die a few months earlier.

And Obama was going to make sure that such an option was available.  For the good of the 2 year-olds who are afraid of those scary doctors and machines that are helping their parents live.  But the bad Republicans said "NO" to dying on one's own personal schedule. 

Last year, a plan that would have let Medicare pay for doctors to talk about things like living wills was labeled "death panels" and was dropped.

So you see, you selfish old and/or terminally ill people.  Under Obamacare, you will not only receive the finest care, at the lowest price, but you will also know exactly when that price, as low as it is, is too much for your 2 year-old to bear.  At that point, you'll be summoned to a death panel that is not really a death panel, and encouraged to die. 

For the children. 

There's a couple of things left unsaid about the GEN McChrystal firing yesterday.  However, I am willing to say them.  Take into account as you read this, that I have served on the staff of LTG McKiernan when he was CFLCC, and MG Thurman when he was CG, 4th ID.  Not in their inner circle, but as a regular staff officer. 

1.  Staff officers that drink with a reporter in Paris are morons.  No if, ands, or buts.  

2.  Obama is almost universally disliked and berated by the enlisted, warrants, and commissioned officers in the military (in private).  Here at Fort Carson, there one, and only one, car with the bumper sticker that says "Veterans for Obama".  The  African-American soldiers I know in the military are proud of serving under an African-American President, but they are not proud that that president is Barack Obama.  Several have talked about how much they would have preferred the first African-American president be someone else besides the most socialist politician in American history.  Colin Powell's name comes up in that position often. 

3.  Barack Obama could have secured a small increase in respect from soldiers if he had done the following, which wold have shown a small, very small, understanding of how the military works:

    3.a.  Privately told McChrystal that he had to fire anyone on his staff that showed disrespect to the civilian chain of command.

    3.b.  Put a Letter of Reprimand in the permanent file of each of those officers fired under 3.a.

    3.c.  Told GEN McChrystal that he was to return to Afghanistan as CG, but with a new staff that respected the civilian chain of command.  

    3.d.  Told the American public that any discussion between he and McChrystal was private, that McChrystal had his full support, and that he understood that the soldiers, from the lowest Private to the Commanding General, wanted only victory in Afghanistan and security for the US, and he was going to support their every effort to obtain that end. 

    3.e.  Told the American public that each soldier was not only entitled to their personal opinion of politicians, but that they had well earned the right to that opinion.  Nonetheless, those opinions were not appropriate for bar talk in Paris with a reporter from any newspaper. 

4.  Any President who has never served one day in uniform and thinks he knows more about running a war than a professional soldier with 34 years experience is a moron.  

5.  Obama has demoted GEN Petraeus with his assignment to take over for Gen McChrystal.  There needs to be a CG CENTCOM; Petraeus' old posting.  When someone is assigned to that post, they will, by virtue of their position, be over GEN Petraeus.  This move shows Obama's ignorance of both the military chain of command and the need for clear, concise, consistent leadership.  GEN Petraeus took the assignment (most likely) because he is a great soldier and patriot.  He understands the position the US is in, and he's willing to swallow his pride in order to help the nation. I applaud Petraeus for not telling Obama to go fuck himself. 

6.  Obama isn't worthy to lick the Afghanistan dust off the bottom of either GEN McChrystal's, or GEN Petraeus' boots.  For that matter, he isn't worthy to lick the Afghan dust off the bottom of the boot of the lowest private currently serving in that country. He may be Commander in Chief of all US Armed Forces because he's President, but that doesn't mean he also has the respect of soldiers currently serving in OIF and OEF.  Clearly he doesn't.  In the services, it's understood that you salute the rank, not necessarily the person.  The person gets saluted by earning the salute. 

7.  Obama will never earn the salute.