Pakistan’s War On Terror
One must read between the lines regarding Pakistan’s affrontery over the US of A drone raids across their borders which are targeting Taliban and al-Qaeda militants; three raids this month. Islamabad, with much arm waving, claims that the raids are undermining their ability to make peace with the militants. US of A military officials, however, are claiming that the Pakistanis are aware, in advance, of the raids. Methinks thou protesteth too much. The Pakistani posture gives them the best of both sides of the issue, enabling them to continue negotiations with the militants while claiming that they just can’t control the actions of the US of A. Sounds like a plan to me.
Yesterday Chrysler announced the closing of approximately 800 dealers. Today was GM’s turn, announcing the closing of 1100 dealers on the way to a grand total of 1800 closed by the end of 2010. Although GM is ostensibly trying to avoid bankruptcy (Chrysler already bit the bullet), BK seems inevitable to me. It actually would be a positive thing for the company, if not for the suppliers and bankers. Why positive? Because it would give all parties a fresh start. GM would get a future unburdened by billions in debt and the suppliers/bankers would be able to write off their loss and re-establish relations with a much stronger company. And, the employees continue working and producing automobiles. Win-win-win.
Robert Pear wrote for www.nytimes.com that Prez O’s “promised” health care reform by six major health orgs to the tune of 1.5% annually over the next few years, totaling near $2tr, may have been overstated. At least, that’s what the orgs are now saying. “They say they agreed to slow [down] health spending in a more gradual way [over 10 years] and did not pledge specific year-by-year cuts.” Currently, “…the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that health spending will grow an average of 6.2 percent a year in the coming decade, to $4.4 trillion in 2018.” For those of you without a calculator, that’s a 62% increase in health care costs in the next decade. Compounded, at 6.2% annually, it’s more like 90%. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford the proper levels of health insurance now, much less what the costs will be in 10 years. We don’t need health care reform; we need health cost reform.
On a positive note: Nine year old Jonathan Yeager, after hearing a sermon about the biblical example of the widow who gave the “mite” (about a penny), felt compelled to do the same. With permission from his pastor, he placed a jar in the church where fellow church-goers could contribute loose change. To date, that jar has produced several hundred dollars in donations to orgs like Habitat For Humanity, Meals on Wheels, and the Community Soup Kitchen. God works in various ways through people who listen and act on what they hear. Good on you, Jonathan!
Blessings.