The Vandever Death Panel

It was nearing midnight on Friday, June 13th, 2003 when the Vandever Death Panel convened for deliberations.

It was an emergency meeting, unexpectedly held at a hospital in Salisbury, MD. There was no agenda, no rules of conduct, no taker of minutes, and no “action items” to follow up on.

The Vandever Death Panel came together in an odd way. A surprise party had been planned for “Dad” (also a member of the Panel) for Fathers Day. A distant member of the Panel from South Carolina had arrived with her family the night before, total unbeknownst to the intended honoree. There was a cake with a picture of the five children of the honoree at tender ages:


It was going to be a blast. The children of the honoree gathered at Indian River Inlet to await the surprise party the next day. Karaoke was played. Laughs were had. The Panel didn't know they were going to have a job to do in a mere matter of hours. Boy, were they yucking it up:


But then, the call came. The Vandever Death Panel had business to attend to.

The honoree (“Dad”) was vacationing with who would ultimately become the subject of the Death Panel: “Mom”. They were vacationing in Ocean City, when all of a sudden Mom dropped. She was sitting on the bed of the hotel, getting dressed, talking about this and that, when all of a sudden she kind of gurgled and fell back on the bed.

Dad followed the ambulance to the hospital in Salisbury. The rest of the member of the Death Panel somehow got there, not knowing what to think. We had little details. Mom was rushed to the hospital. That is all we knew.

The Vandever Death Panel convened in her room in the hospital. She was hooked up to a thing that made her breathe. An aneurism, we were told, had blown up in her brain.

Now one may have in one’s mind what a Death Panel would look like: a Kafkaesque group of muddling bureaucrats with grey suits and thin ties and wispy mustaches, with smoke swirling around while they look at their reports and pretend to consider what they should be considering so seriously, when in fact they know the decision they will make. It is so written.

But the Vandever Death Panel was nothing like that. The Panel stroked, kissed, and hugged Mom. They covered her feet because they knew she always thought her feet were ugly. They stood on both sides of the bed, watching the breathing machine go up and down, looking at each other with tear-stroked faces, talking rarely but quite nonsensically about weird things like how Mom could never grow anything and how much she loved the ring that Dad got her for their 50th wedding anniversary and how she never was into jewelry but boy did she love to flash that thing and how her wedding band which she had worn all her life had only cost $12.00 and how she and a daughter had gone to Paris on a whim and when the daughter was cavorting and drinking with some of the kitchen staff in the hotel restaurant how Mom had come down in her nightgown and curlers to find out what was going on and how on that cruise that we took she always looked upward and agape at things that fascinated her and how on a trip to London with a friend she swore the Queen waved directly at her and how when she retired and wanted to get on the internet the first question she asked was about how do you find that dirty stuff and how much her friends at her workplace of all ages loved her and how if she got on our nerves we would call her “Mommie Dearest”, LOL.

After all of this blather the Vandever Death Panel had to get down to business. They talked. They knew she was gone. They took a vote. One member started to say……”But maybe…..”, but in the end the Panel knew. Mom was gone and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

So, harsh as it sounds, the plug was pulled. The Vandever Death Panel, with exception of the Senior Member, Dad, left the room. Dad stayed with her in her last moments. She was pronounced. Dad came out of the room, and the Vandever Death Panel huddled close together in tears in the hallway.

The Vandever Death Panel did not discuss the cost effectiveness of continued care. If there was someone somewhere who could have received one of her organs as a transplant recipient, we did not know if we had we would not have considered it. We did not weigh pros and cons of the value to society of her life if she had lived. The significance of her life could not be measured in her future earning potential or contribution to society, only in love for which there is no measurement.

The Vandever Death Panel made their decision because they knew it was the right thing to do. They knew Mom. They knew how she lived and how she would not want to live. So they made the decision to allow her to die.

This is how decisions are made, and always should be made.


Sure do miss you, Mom.

Howard Dean Gives an Honest Answer to an Honest Question !

The questioner wanted to know why tort reform is not a part of any of the current healthcare reform bills. He got an honest answer from Howard Dean:



"And the reason why tort reform is not in the bill is because the people who wrote it did not want to take on the trial lawyers in addition to everybody else they were taking on, and that is the plain and simple truth. Now, that’s the truth.”

Arghhhhhhh !

h/t HotAir

Who Could Possibly Not Love This Lineup?

On Saturday, September 5th, the 102 Arden Fair will commence ! We go to it every year to catch up with friends and family as a traditional end of summer.

It is always a great time. In addition to the crafts, folk dancing, and rides for kids there is the Beer Garden (aka "The Shady Grove). Each year they have all different kinds of music.

The lineup this year looks awesome ! Who could not love this? (from a e-mail from The Arden Club):

"Live music throughout the day in the "Beer Garden" from bands (in order of performance) Diamond State Concert Band, Strings of Prussia, Rubber Skunk with special guest Frankie V., the Scatologists, Kalai King & the Fractured Hearts, and the Porch Chops."

Gotta be there for the "Scatologists", LOL.

Seriously, it is a great time for young, old, and in-between.

H. Res. 216 - The Sunlight Rule

Introduced by Congressman Ron Paul on 3/5/2009, H.R. 216 is just plain common sense to me:

Adds Rule XXIX (Time to Read Legislation Before Voting) to the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit voting by the House on legislation between the chambers unless: (1) the text of the measure has been available to all Members and their staffs in both printed and electronic format for at least 10 days; and (2) any manager's amendment or other amendment which makes substantive changes to the legislation has been made available in such format for at least 72 hours before such vote.

Exempts from such prohibition: (1) the intelligence authorization bill, appropriations, or other legislation containing classified information, or its conference report, if Members have at least seven days to study the measure's contents; and (2) congressional declarations of war or authorization of military force to respond to attacks on the United States.

Allows any citizen who is eligible to vote and who is not an employee of the federal executive or judicial branch to petition the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate allegations that a Member voted for any measure that violated this Rule. Amends Rule XIII (Calendars and Committee Reports) to prohibit the Committee on Rules from reporting a rule or order waiving Rule XXIX.

But, as the Congressman painfully points out, common sense does not often prevail in Washington.

On Wee-Wee's

In recent remarks on healthcare reform, President Obama said,

"There's something about August going into September where everybody in Washington gets all wee-weed up. I don't know what it is. But that's what happens."

Really? People get “wee-weed up”? What does that even mean?

When Sarah Palin says, “You betcha !”, people react either in disdain for her alleged lack of sophistication or admiration for her folksiness. Either way, everyone knows what “You betcha !” means.

When former President Bush mispronounces the word nuclear as “nucular”, a whole cottage industry was formed. Still, everyone knew what he meant.

But wee-weed up? No one knows what that means. Is it a Chicago expression? Where does this come from?

When I was growing up I was one of four girls and one boy. The boy had a wee-wee. The girls did not. That is the only reference I have.

I’m just sayin’.

Could Obama be trying to say that with government-run healthcare we’ll all be pissing in the wind? Is he saying that town hall protestors should be pissed on rather than pissed off?

4th Annual POW/MIA Remembrance Day Run

Saturday, August 29th.

All proceeds from the run will benefit POW/MIA of Delaware Monument.

Sign up point Dover AFB AMC Museum from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Breakfast sandwiches available at sign up from Harrington CKRT American Legion Post 7.

$20.00 per bike.

Ceremony starting at 10:30 AM at the AMC Museum to honor our POW/MIA's.

Escorted ride through the scenic countryside. Food from the grill, along with beverages and chips will be provided to participants following the run. There will also be music, 50/50 and door prizes. An event t-shirt will be provided for the first 200 participants.

For event information e-mail powmiarun@gmail.com.

See you there !

Lou and Betsy are What Make This Country Great: How Long Can They Last?

Philadelphia is a city of food carts. They are on every street, of all different variations of cuisine from all over the world.

For over ten years, I have been getting my breakfast sandwich (ham, egg and cheese on a roll, large coffee/2 creams 1 sugar) at Lou’s Breakfast and Lunch at 16th and JFK Blvd. I don’t need to say a word as I approach the cart around 7:30 each morning; it’s already sizzling. I feel lost without my morning breakfast.

Lou and Betsy are there every day, no matter what the weather. They get up around 3 AM and get everything ready to make the drive into Philly from their home in Jersey. They are there in snowstorms, heat waves, sleet, and hurricanes. It is all about being dependable, because people in Philly are very particular about their sandwiches and Lou and Betsy know that they can’t be disappointed.

They tried to pass the business off a few years ago on some relatives while Lou tried a restaurant venture, but it didn’t work out. Their replacements just couldn’t cut the hours and the work, and apparently the hired help at the restaurant didn’t have Lou’s work ethic either. I’m glad they are back. They are a comforting part of my life.

Tomorrow afternoon, Lou and Betsy are going back to Greece to visit Lou’s father whom he hasn’t seen in a number of years. All of their customers, including me, are wondering what the heck we are going to do without our breakfast. Lou told me I should work from home so I won’t have to be too traumatized.

They’ll be back the day after Labor Day. I hope I can survive.

Lou and Betsy are the epitome of what makes this country great. They are hard-working people, take little nonsense, and know how to make a customer happy and keep them coming back for more. From what I can tell they are quite successful. It’s their own blood, sweat, and tears that make their business happen.

Lou once apoligized to me for having to raise the price of a sandwich by a nickel. It was the price of cheese that went up. He also stopped carrying doughnuts because there was no profit in them. While I used to have the urge for a doughnut now and then, I never stopped going to Lou's for my breakfast. I'm probably better off for it anyway.

Lou sometimes gets impatient with Betsy (his wife) when she doesn't move fast enough for him. I think he is cursing at her in Greek, but I'm not sure. He also has the uncanny ability at lunchtime to be able to take orders from ten people in line and remember them all. You have to take all of the orders so the people will stay and wait for their lunch; if you don't take the order they will move on. That's smart business.

Even though I admire Lou and Betsy, I am also reminded that this kind of entrepreneurship is not unusual. Many people do it (until they are regulated into oblivion). Lou often bemoans some of the idiotic cart regulations that the city imposes. He deals with the best he can. For example, the city came out with a new rule that cart vendors had to wear plastic gloves. That is so ridiculous! I have never heard of even one instance where anyone was harmed by cart food. It’s just another way to annoy the business owner and give patrons a false sense of security.

Lou and Betsy hang in there, dealing with the city bullshit through sheer determination.

I wonder how long they will put up with it until they decide to hang it up and relax back in Jersey. The way things are going, it may be soon. Lou and Betsy are examples of what makes this country great. Mess with them too much, and we will slide into the mediocrity of a paternalistic society that doesn’t recognize the value of Lou and Betsy.

I hope I am not alive to see that happen. I would sure miss my sandwich.

We're a Nation of Barney Fifes

You Really Should Bookmark Keith Hennessey

To stay informed on all things economic:

In the spirit of informed and vigorous debate, let’s look at what the President said about the pending legislation at yesterday’s Portsmouth town hall.

THE PRESIDENT: Now, let me just start by setting the record straight on a few things I’ve been hearing out here — (laughter) — about reform. Under the reform we’re proposing, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan.

And yet here is what CBO said about the House bill:

In addition, CBO and the JCT staff estimate that nearly 6 million other people who would be covered by an employment-based plan under current law would not have such coverage under the proposal. That figure includes part-time employees, who could receive subsidies via an exchange even though they have an employer’s offer of coverage, and about 3 million people who would not have an employer’s offer of coverage under the proposal. Firms that would choose not to offer coverage as a result of the proposal would tend to be smaller employers and those that predominantly employ lower-wage workers—people who would be eligible for subsidies through the exchanges—although some workers who were not eligible for subsidies through the exchanges also would not have coverage available through their employers. Whether those changes in coverage would represent the dropping of existing coverage or a lack of offers of new coverage is difficult to determine. (p. 5)

Hennessey is even wonkier than Delaware Libertarian, if that's possible. But if you want details as opposed to banners, Keith Hennessey should be on your list as a must-read.

Oh, For the Good Old Days When Protestors Had Some Real Class !

h/t Michelle Malkin

New Castle Resident Mark Hedrick, US Army, Is Coming Home from Iraq Today

And Warriors’ Watch will be meeting him at the airport to give him an escort home.

Welcome Home rides are the best. You just feel so happy not just for the service man or woman returning from duty, but their family as well. I don’t always get to meet these returnees personally. Sometimes we forget that they are not only serving our country, but they are also a regular 22-year-old kid who sometimes likes to goof around like the rest of us.

Here’s a video from Mark’s MySpace page to remind us of that very thing:
Hedrick doing his thang


Heh, maybe I’ll get a chance to do a little moonwalk with him when he gets off the plane, but probably not as he’ll be surrounded by friends and family to be sure.

And speaking of Warriors’ Watch, founder Wayne Lutz recently reported on an event to honor the men and women of the Philadelphia Airport Police Department. They help us make sure all of these events go smoothly:

Without the cooperation and aid of the police there, our work would be much more difficult if not downright impossible. We ride in to the airport and the PD there treats us like VIPs, or I should actually say that they treat our TROOPS like VIPs. They know what we are doing there, and they themselves have such appreciation for our troops that helping us in our mission seems just natural to them. So they treat us well, and we wanted to give back a little.

Welcome home, Mark ! See you in a few hours…..

Watchyoo Talkin About, Willis?

It is amazing to me that many of those in the health care debate appear to not realize that there are at least five versions of so-called “reform”, and that even the most discussed, H.R. 3200, has been referred to five committees and has been marked up to the extent that what is in the bill now is just a shadow of the original.

H.R. 3200 was introduced by Representative John Dingell (D-MI) on Tuesday, 7-14. It consists of 1,017 pages and has eight co-sponsors.

The Budget Committee had this bill referred to them, but what if anything they did with it is anybody’s guess. The status on Thomas Dot Gov still shows it as being “referred”, with no markups. The same goes for the House Oversight Committee.

The House Ways and Means Committee was afforded their chance to mark up the bill, and offered their own substitute bill. This is where it is really getting murky. The “Chairman’s Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute” (released Thursday, 7-16) is 794 pages, yet the “Ways and Means Staff description of the changes to be included in the Chairman’s Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute” describes the substsitute as consisting of additions and clarifications. Seems to me this would add to the size of the original bill, not detract from it. But heck, I’m new at this, and after all, I’m a just a part of the angry well-dressed mob. I’m sure all of our Representatives are on top of it.

The bill was also dealt with quite expeditiously in the House Committee of Education and Labor, where 42 amendments were introduced, most of which passed. It was reported favorably out of the committee, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Not only was there an amendment in the nature of a substitute, there was also an amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute ! The substitute consisted of 1,040 pages. If you add in the amendment to the amendment (3 pages), that makes the bill a total of 1,043 pages.The final vote was 26 to 22 on Friday, July 17th..

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce and a full five days of markups on H.R. 3200. Day One consisted of testimony. On Day Two, 5 amendments were introduced. On Day Three, 17 amendments were introduced. On Day Four, 45 amendments were introduced. On Day Five, 39 amendments were introduced. All of these various amendments were either agreed to, not agreed to, withdrawn, or ruled non-germane.

Heh. I think that ruling an amendment as being “non-germane” is kind of like saying this, only in politico-speak:



It is interesting on this last day that some veterans’ concerns were addressed. The Committee Press office states that:

“The Energy and Commerce Committee also accepted amendments by Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN) during the markup of the legislation to further clarify that those who participate in the VA system will be exempt from the requirements of the legislation.”

Veterans appear to be off the hook.

The House Energy Committee offered its own amendment in the nature of a substitute on Friday, 7-31 which consisted of 1,026 pages.

So what, exactly, is the “health care reform bill”. And what is in it? Is it the original bill, or one of the bills offered as substitutes by the various committees involved? What was put in and what was taken out and what language was modified in each version? And I am only talking about this one bill; there are numerous others floating out there, including the Senate version(s) which add even more complexity to this boondoggle of a debate.

What the hell are we talking about here? Does anybody know? And why are some pushing for a “vote” on something that does not have a final shape or form? It is like voting for a ghost.

For example, is Section 401 of H.R. 3200 still intact as introduced ? This section deals with taxes on individuals without “acceptable” health coverage. If it is still in its original form, Hot Air blogger kbanaian has a few questions:

If my adult child is a dependent of mine, am I required under HR 3200 to buy insurance for her or him?

If I become unemployed at any time during a year, am I required to get a qualified plan or enter a government plan to avoid this tax? (It appears this proration clause I ended on does impose that requirement. If someone can find a place where it says you’re not taxed, please point me in the right direction.)

If I am a millionaire and I choose to self-insure, am I required to pay both the 2.5% tax (which, you will note, is capped at average insurance premiums as determined by your Health Choice Commissioner) and the 5.4% surcharge in Sec. 441? Do you have an estimate of the amount of legal tax avoidance that will occur if you raise taxes by that amount?

Who is required to document that I have the appropriate coverage? (This will be a test of whether they read 401. It’s up to the Treasury Secretary. Follow the link for the exact language.) Doesn’t this increase in paperwork defeat the purposes of cost control?

Hey, watchyoo talkin' about, Willis? Does anyone really know?

Joe Biden Said That?

Heh.

It was bound to happen.

h/t The Whited Sepulchre

People Can Fool You Sometimes

On our recent camping trip to the Skyline Drive, we encountered quite a few bikers. In fact, I could almost say there were just as many motorcyclists as there were cars.

As it happens, people with a common interest often end up talking to each other about this and that. After loading the bike (and my lap) up with firewood and ice on Saturday afternoon, we met a young man and his girlfriend who were there for the weekend. They happened to be camping at the same place we were.

Later that evening, the young man (I’ll call him Mike) stopped by our campsite for a few beers. He was 27 years old, and lived and worked as a federal employee in D.C.

Oh, good Lord, I thought. Here’s this young guy, smart, engaging, and probably one of those goo-goo liberals in love with the Democratic agenda and all that hopey-changey stuff.

We ventured into some politics, and Mike told us he had been at the inauguration and how he thought it was an exciting cultural change in the political landscape. Oh boy, here we go, I thought.

We bandied about different political figures and he said,

“Actually, I supported Ron Paul.”

Wh-a-a-a-a-t? So did we ! Mike was quite involved in the Ron Paul movement from what I gather.

How dare he ! How dare he dash my preconceived notions and stereotyping assumptions ! How dare he throw me this curve ball and show me to my face how presumptuous it was of me to write him off so easily ! I said as much to him in so many words, and he replied.

“There’s more of us in D.C. than you would think.”

There is hope.