To all, it has long been recognized that one of the goals of the neocons is to roll back several govt initiatives put in place since the new deal.

The only way to do that is by a three prong strategy. 1) By blurring the focus of agencies such as health and human services, hud, fda, epa, etc, and have them chasing ghosts and basically failing in their regulatory mission. Thats how the vaccine screwup occurred. 2) By sucking the oxygen out of the system by running up deficits intentionally. Yes, it's intentional. And it will accelerate. Why? You ask. 3) To create a fiscal train-wreck. The train wreck is the only way they can cause major sweeping special interest driven changes to finally kill the programs they hate. Unfortunately it can be equated to a revolution on the scale of domestic terrorism, and no shots are fired.

Crazy, and paranoid? Nope, it can all be found in speeches and news reports.

Slack, I'd love to fish this weekend, but I've had a death in the family and will be out of town for several days.

Lets remember whats important folks.

Now this is an example of the bush priorities in action.

Someone please explain what is sacred about the st louis arch?

Zyg's post brings up an interesting point.

However, if the article he posted is true, why is it that other countries have sources for vaccines? And they operate under socialized health care, not "for profit" health care. And we all know "socialized health care" and all "socialism" is BAD! Right?

Why is it that THEY can produce vaccine under "price controls" but American sources can't? Why does it "cost" our sources more to produce the same product than it does theirs?

What is the bulk of our sources' "costs"? Could it be... oh, salaries for CEO's and other top executives? Could it be, dividends to stock holders? Where, oh where, does all that money go? And how could it be done more cost effectively?

Perhaps those big shot rich guys should consider, oh, a fifty percent reduction in their salaries and bonuses? Think they might be able to eke out a living on $300K or $500K a year, instead of $600k or a cool million a year?

How much money is made in the stock market on pharmaceuticals(sp?)? Think maybe they could cut their profit margins a bit and pay their stock holders a few million dollars a year less in dividends?

I bet they could "afford" to produce those vaccines then! :p

Think maybe our interest in PUBLIC HEALTH outweighs our interest in makin' a buck? I'm not suggesting they should do it all for free, they can still turn a profit and pay their honchos a decent wage, but shouldn't the line be drawn somewhere?

I mean, we're not talking about luxury items here, we're not talking about sports cars, plasma TV's, designer clothes, jewelry, vacation homes, private jets, gourmet restaurants...

we're talking about MEDICINE and HEALTH CARE, FOR CHRISSAKE!!! We're the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the history of the world, and WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE AND MEDICINE FOR EVERYONE???

Let some rich guy DIE from the flu, and WATCH HOW FAST WE HAVE ALL THE VACCINE WE COULD EVER NEED!!!!

This whole f****d up situation MAKES ME SICK!!!!

jon h,

If you think you hurt my feelings by dissing my boat, then you are (and I mean no offence) f***ing nuts.

There is no better boat for the Sound than Pathfinder, period.

I think you are just jealous. When Kerry is elected I will invite you and JFM for a day of fishing and celebration aboard the FIN-TASIA.

Val: So you assume that my views are instilled in me since childhood and/or are faithbased? My mother was actually a Democrat until last year (she is fed up with democrat disloyalty--her words). My father is non-political, and does not vote. Up until the year 2000 I was a Liberal Republican, and it was not until I encountered the massive liberal bias at my school and saw how wrong liberalism is that I became more conservative. Also, I am an ultra-conservative and a Christian but not a Christian conservative. There is a difference. I administer my international views based on what I have researched or am researching. What history has shown us, and what trends may show us. I do not base my decisions on the Bible.

As for the Siskund report, I read the first 2 pages of it and promise you I shall read the remainder by Friday night.

Over the summer I read Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack twice and felt Bush did underestimate the post-war effort by insurgents. The US comitted 2 errors at the onset of war. First, the troops failed to secure the borders. Sewcond, the Iraqi army was dissolved and disbanded.

However, after reading the book, I felt that the US government and the UN really believed Saddam was hiding something, and Bush could not risk inaction if Saddam were to have sold something to al-Qaeda. The fear was real and it affected all levels of government and all branches of National Security. American-backed spies in Iraq (IRAQSTAR) really believed Saddam had a stash of armaments, espcially concentrated in the direction of Mosul in the north and Um Qasr in the south;two directions from which an offensive might come through.

In World War II we underestimated Japanese troop numbers on Iwo Jima, and German stregth at Kasserine, we failed to clear the Normandy beachhead of artillery and pillboxes...should we have called for Roosevelt's resignation?

Liberals feel that the military cannot make mistakes and are quick to blame the President. This is war people. This is exactly what I was referring to one of my last posts. We live in a society where we expect success 100% of the time. Troops are under pressure, intelligence can change rapidly, the enemy may predict our motives and change their plans etc etc. It is a miracle that the victory in Iraq was the fastest in modern history.

Also, why are anti-war activists and their liberal allies claiming that sanctions on Iraq were working and that they should have been continued instead of going to war? These are the same people who in the mid-1990s claimed that the sanctions were killing thousands of children a year due to lack of supply.

Nu2Salt: I am sorry if I did not see JFM's previous posts. I have skipped around on this post mainly because it is so long. In the words of Doc Holliday on Tombstone "There...now we can friends again."