The Other Two Breitbart Interviews

From Uncommon Knowledge here and here.

Questions Answered Re: NHS

(Originally posted by my husband on NRO - The Corner)

Re: Is Socialized Health Care Popular in the U.K.?

Some very interesting questions, Pete. Here's my go at answering them.

1. How popular is the NHS? The polls suggest it is not as popular as people think. This poll for the Daily Telegraph (I am unsure of the date, because I can only find reference to it on the Daily Mail web site, and the Mail does not datestamp its articles, but its clearly pre-2006) suggests that 4 out of 10 would go private "if they could" and that two-thirds are unhappy with the NHS service. However, when faced with a choice between the NHS and other systems, a slim majority prefers the NHS.

2. Does David Cameron or any other conservative want to reform the NHS? Ever since it became a big issue during Mrs. Thatcher's ministry, conservatives have been declaring that "the NHS is safe in our hands." There was a brief attempt to introduce a "patient's passport" during one of the leaders between John Major and David Cameron, but that policy has been dropped and the "safe in our hands" policy is now back. However, the two brightest lights in the intellectual wing of the Conservatives, Douglas Carswell MP and internet megastar Daniel Hannan MEP, have a comprehensive reform package outlined in their essential work, The Plan: Twelve Months to Renew Britain. Since the expenses scandal, the political pendulum has certainly been swinging their way.

3. Why isn't there a groundswell against it? I have never seen a poll that drills down into the bedrock to ask just why people like the idea of the NHS, but I suspect it is a combination of three things: a confusion between "free" and "free at the point of use," a failure to appreciate that general performance is much better under other health systems, and an attitude to risk that wants a low-cost remedy in the event of catastrophe. If people did appreciate that other systems are better, the other two considerations might change. However, all Health Ministers of all parties have constantly repeated the refrain that the NHS is the "envy of the world." I hope that will change under a Conservative government and a more realistic assessment will be given to the British people.

Incidentally, the splendid British think tank Civitas has a useful collection of tables relating to NHS performance and comparisons with other health systems. This is the direct link to the one comparing the NHS to U.S. insurance.

Conservative Revival in the U.K.

(Originially posted on NRO-The Corner by my husband)

Very interesting new poll over there. The expenses scandal seems to have concentrated mostly on Conservative MPs over the past week or so, but David Cameron's leadership in forcing out the more egregious members (although some less deserving of suspicion have also gone) seems to have contribued to a sustained 20% lead in this latest survey. Peter Roff earlier this week compared Cameron's new approach to that of Grover Norquist, which is not as surprising as it sounds. His latest, excellent speech was heavily influenced by the thoughts of the aforementioned Messrs Carswell and Hannan, whose views strongly accord with many of this page. It seems that conservatism in the U.K. is at last going through an intellectual revival to match its revival in the polls, and that this is attractive as the genuine voice of reform over there.

Also note that if you add the result for the U.K. Independence Party to the Conservatives' numbers in the EU elections poll (the elections are next week, on Thursday in the UK's case) you get to 49%. As UKIP self-identifies as a libertarian party, this demonstrates that solid, identifiable conservatism is back with a vengeance over there. My long national nightmare may soon be over . . .

School Choice - The New Civil Rights Struggle

According to The Wall Street Journal, more and more African-American leaders are joining conservatives in realizing that school choice offers the best path to better educating our children.

Getting arrested doesn't normally bolster a politician's credibility. But when South Carolina state Sen. Robert Ford told me recently that he saw the inside of a jail cell 73 times, he did so to make a point. As a youth, Mr. Ford cut his political teeth in tumultuous 1960s civil-rights protests.

Today this black Democrat says the new civil-rights struggle is about the quality of instruction in public schools, and that to receive a decent education African-Americans need school choice. He wants the president's help. "We need choice like Obama has. He can send his kids to any school he wants."

Mr. Ford was once like many Democrats on education -- a reliable vote against reforms that would upend the system. But over the past three and a half years he's studied how school choice works and he's now advocating tax credits and scholarships that parents can spend on public or private schools.

Sometimes if you do the right thing long enough, liberals catch on and realize conservatives were right all along.

Not that they'd ever admit it.

Injustice of Sotomayor

William Krystal over at The Weekly Standard has a straight-shooting piece on Obama's selection of Sotomayor for the Supreme Court and the heavy-handed attempts at intimidation both the White House and the media are engaged in.

I especially appreciated Mr. Krystal's pointing out the importance of the Riccio case and Sotomayor's connection to it.

Know Your Enemy

If you believe marriage is between a man and a woman, then look out for this man, Tim Gill. He's trying to destroy that belief according to the Star Tribune.

She's Back

I'm back from Atlanta but may be a while before I can post again. I missed y'all.

Blogging Hiatus

I will be visiting my sister for the rest of the week so there won't be any posts here unless my husband gets bored. See you on Sunday.

Killing Their Own Cause

British environmentalists are proposing bans on beer (ha!) and lamb and tomatoes in order to "save the environment".

So eating less lamb so there are less sheep who's burps apparently emit dangerous levels of methane is how Great Britian is going to stop global warming?

Sure, and I'll have an order of pork hot wings please.

He's The Judge

I'm looking forward to this new animated series, The Goode Family - it's by Mike Judge so it's got to be good.

Dissolving into Inconsequence

Al Gore seems to be dissolving into inconsequence as he flails about trying to draw attention to global warming, a "science" that is increasingly being debunked by its own data.

The earth has not risen in temperature and in fact may have cooled slightly over the last ten years.

Cleveland.com picked up Gore's call to the world to fight climate change and published Gore's ridiculous statement - "Mother Nature does not do bailouts."

Mother Nature doesn't do anything, it's a symbol for the Earth which is a smallish planet in a backwater galaxy made mostly of water. We humans are part of the animal kingdom that lives on Earth taking up a teeny tiny percentage of the actual land mass.

Gore, your views on the environment are increasingly irrelevant, unscientific and are being exposed as self-serving as if we did what you told us to do, your offset company would make a lot of money.

Please, Mr. Gore, just go away and let the grown-ups talk.

Shocker! Obama breaks campaign promise

Just file this under what else is new.

Part 2 of the Andrew Interview

Follow this link here to watch an Uncommon Knowledge video of Andrew Breitbart of BigHollywood.com and his take on the Hollywood blacklisting of Conservatives.

Inherently Racist?

Isn't this quote here (hat tip Jonah and Glenn) both inherently racist and incredibly stupid?

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life."

-Judge Sonia Sotomayor, in her Judge Mario G. Olmos Law and Cultural Diversity Lecture at the University of California (Berkeley) School of Law in 2001

Certainly being wise, in and of itself, would created "better conclusions" and certainly having rich experiences helps in attaining wisdom which leads to better conclusions.

But what on earth does being a Latina have to do with anything unless you value your skin color and cultural ethnicity over your own intellect and rationality? Any person who has such values has no place on the Supreme Court.

We live under a rule of law, not a rule of emotions or rich life experience. If this is the caliber of liberal intellect then this country is circling the drain.

Creating An Imperfect World

Over at ChuckThinksRight, he posted this report of a woman who threw her two-month old newborn at a Walmart security guard in order to escape shoplifting charges. The infant fell face down on the pavement and was unconscious for some time.

I think Chuck parses this terrible story correctly but I feel like I'm slightly closer to the Apocalypse after reading about this.

Fighting The Good Fight

Andrew Breitbart is being interviewed over at Uncommon Knowledge and he's pretty amazing.

This interview series is gonna be good.

Pool Minnow

Apparently there is a pool-playing prodigy who is still in diapers.

If being good at pool is a sign of a mispent youth, what's this kid gonna grow up to be.

The Dudes Are SHORT

Here is a list of some of the shortest men in Rock 'n' Roll. I had no clue about Daltry and Bono or that guy from AC/DC.

Another inch or two and my eight year old would be taller than those men.

YIKES!

Practice Runs?

Is there a serial bomber in New York City. This AP article seems to imply there just might be.

States You Won't Get A Job In

Don't look for jobs here.

Another Example of Press Laziness

On reporting Memorial Day activities of Obama, this Yahoo AP report states:

The president spoke after participating in a solemn Memorial Day tradition, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. It is the burial ground for American veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Arlington Cemetery dates only back to the American Civil War. Previously it was General Lee's family plantation (nice of the Union to make it a cemetary).

The Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War soldier is buried in a churchyard in Alexandria, Virginia. I've been there.

It is sheer unadulterated laziness on the part of the AP to begin their article in this way. And stupid. Ugh! No wonder the press is dying.

The rest of the article talks about their precious Obama and what wreaths he sent where.

It's Funny Because It's A Horrible Child

Congressman's Son Won't Shut The Hell Up During Hearing

Because It's A Slow News Day

And it's The Onion.


Police Slog Through 40,000 Insipid Party Pics To Find Cause Of Dorm Fire

I love Magruder's

A Magruder's in DC has closed. What a shame.

We had one in our neighborhood but we moved. The local grocery store chain has been in operation since 1875. I think I might visit the closest one next week just as a show of support.

Obama Turns British Banks Anti-American

Obama's latest financial policy is causing a British bank "revolt" against America and Americans living in London.

I can't tell you how much I am just loving this policy of alienating our closest allies while encouraging our worst enemies. Sheer brilliance.