Nutter's Washington

Report Card for Biden: Not going to pass out of Kindergarten

The Biden Administration has been of office for a little more than 6 months so it is time to grade the performance. Given the performance, I would not pass them to the first grade.

Border Security and Immigration: Under this regime, there is no southern border. The flood of illegal crossings is astounding. More than 212,672 people were encountered trying to cross the southern line illegally in July, the most seen in more than 21 years and nearly three times as many as in January. The policy of catch and release without medical testing is just wrong on so many levels.

Grade F

Energy: Mr. Biden is determined to undermine the use of fossils fuels and make the county an importer of petroleum rather than an exporter. He halted the construction of the Keystone pipeline and banned new leasing of federal lands.

Yet even as he is taking specific steps to cripple the domestic energy industry, Biden for the second time this year has begged OPEC to increase oil production in order to bring prices down. Not sure how that squares with the climate change agenda.

Grade D

Federal Spending: The rampage of federal spending is remarkable. First the unnecessary $1.9 trillion for more Covid Aid, (badly allocated) then the Infrastructure spending on its way (not paid for and lots of non-structure) and then the proposed $3.5 trillion in more spending to subsidize new programs, social objectives, entitlements and free this and free that. This will be accompanied by increased taxes on everyone and I mean everyone

Grade F

Inflation: Not sure if anyone on the Biden team knows that prices have been rising and real wages are declining. The wave of federal money just stokes the flames. Oh, it is just temporary? Not really

Grade D-

Afghanistan: This is just the latest example of perceived intelligent arrogance without the intellect. Not debating the merits of pulling out but the lack of planning, thought and then the lack of responsibility and all the blame pointing is just pathetic and intolerable. As former Secretary Gates once said, Mr. Biden has never been right on any foreign policy matter. Enough said about this piece of incompetence.

Grade F-

Covid and Vaccinations No question people should be vaccinated and frankly any progress in getting the vaccination program underway was not due to any great action by the Biden Administration. In many cases, they have tried to politicize the process and focused only on Republican-led states. The CDC has become a puppet of the White House and their edicts and findings seem to be confusing and often a reversal of the edicts before. The revised “eviction moratorium” was a blatant abuse of power. The right to use the term “rule of law” has been forfeited. The issue is much more than masks.

Grade C-

There are other issues to evaluate but how do you like the Biden-Harris team now? And will you like it and the Democrat controlled Congress next election.

No one is paying me to do this. Too bad! But not so bad!

Well, this is what it has become.  Business and work are hard and difficult to get. Zoom, disconnect,  The garden is on the wane. Calls not returned, mails ignored, delays, no one in the office at all.  Check is in the mail. I did not get your report. Blah blah blah So, today because of all of the above and because it is my birthday month, I decided it was time to make and bake rye bread. I did not get paid for it, did not sell it, it did not further the financial welfare of the household but glad I did. It was tasty and so fun to do. 

 

 

United Healthcare has done wrong for what? Fatter profits?

United Healthcare and its pharmacy manager OptumRX are price gauging, have done me wrong and do not seem to care.

I have had a chronic medical condition for the last 35 years. I require daily medication and if I do not take it, I would not be around long. So this is important stuff to me.

United Healthcare, the huge insurer, has been my health insurer for the past few years. They charge about $2200 for a 90-day supply of this essential medicine. A medicine that is taken by millions was discovered decades ago. Yes, $2200 for a 90-day supply. The price has been increasing almost exponentially over the past 20 years.

For the past few years, I have been receiving what United says is a discount of $1400 per order. I thought was just part of my health plan, not some special. discount. I mean why have insurance if I get charged so much. I went to re-order  last week and pay my $800. However, I found after multiple calls (usually being cut off the each time I call) with various representatives that the so-called discount is no longer available. They decided to change the program, the so-called discount that I just received in March and prior years was no longer available. I am not sure I ever got the right answer as at first they tried to blame the plan I am on and then more rigmarole. I received no notice and the upshot was tough darts. That is the way the mop flops. We can do whatever we want.

I am not alone in dealing with high drug prices. But, I am vexed, angry, perplexed about everything involved here. This is not right. Of course, I would beg, borrow and steal to get the medicine (not really) as I have no choice but the fact in these times, it seems that “Big Medical” and that includes everyone involved here is doing what they can to fatten up their bottom line.

No more a Roving, Please. Lord Byron said it best.

Lock Down: Remember Lord Byron

I keep reading about college students and others gathering in hordes in all kinds of places-private and public-not using any common sense, precautions, protection or consideration for their fellow humans. A good party or a roving seems to be much more important. No belonging to a community but just selfish behavior.

This conduct reminds me of some advice, comment and poem from Lord Byron. At some point, the aimless wandering stops and must stop. Hopefully, we are not all sick. 

So We'll Go No More a Roving

LORD BYRON

So, we'll go no more a roving

   So late into the night,

Though the heart be still as loving,

   And the moon be still as bright.

 

For the sword outwears its sheath,

   And the soul wears out the breast,

And the heart must pause to breathe,

   And love itself have rest.

 

Though the night was made for loving,

   And the day returns too soon,

Yet we'll go no more a roving

   By the light of the moon.

I AM AFRAID: The Lessons of the past few months and the Future

These days I am afraid, anxious. Not  for me but for the country, its future and life to come.

Given the state of affairs, from this point forward I see very few good options and outcomes. However, let us looks at the lessons of the past few months and what we now know.

The whole Covid-19 infestation is so bizarre and has led to a surreal state of affairs. No one knows what to do. There is no leadership or cohesive medical or otherwise information that one can really believe. Everyone has a theory, study and a protocol.  The virus is bad, but does not signal the extinction of our species. I am not diminishing its deadly effect (as I am in a very high risk category) but the reaction to it has spawned dire consequences and events.

• The remedial measures to slow down the spread such as masks, social distancing, and business closings and lock downs are half measures and will not work. The virus is everywhere and is insidious. One can only try to reduce the risk not totally eliminate it, until this plays out.

• A good many of our fellow citizens are uncaring and callous about the welfare of others.

• The national economy is in a complete but disguised breakdown that will take a long, long time to recover. Many people will suffer and lose everything. There is not enough money or programs to keep this from happening, only delay it. 

• The massive federal spending to try to shore up the economic foundation will haunt the future to come. It is not over yet. The stimulus and relief packages are nothing more than a small Band-Aid on a major wound. A good portion of the federal support was misdirected and went to a variety of favored constituencies or to people who did not need it. Really need to target help rather than just throw printed, borrowed money at it.  What a waste. 

• Government programs and edicts have lead to an overwhelming government intrusion into our lives---where government now makes most of the decisions. When you can go to work, masks, travel restrictions, social events, school attendance, food production, what businesses receive aid just to name a few. My goodness, New York City is now having “checkpoints” to enter the city. This is the same group that made the decision to put infected people into nursing homes resulting in the death of thousands. Perhaps the country would have been better off if the City was walled off at the beginning like in the movie Escape from New York.  

• While there may be good intentions, this is government run amok and a power grab. These programs and control over all of us will not go away or abate.

• Public schools are a prime example of incompetence. No one knows what to do and it seems that thousands of school districts across the county will be making their own decisions. Maybe that is good, probably not.

• For the vast majority of students, “virtual” learning is a joke. Most of the students, I suspect, are watching reruns of Leave it to Beaver rather than dividing fractions. Let’s face it; if you lined up the hundred stupidest people in the country, the first 10 in line would be school board members and administrators. Most have long lost sight  the goal of education is to teach and give life tools to students, not push some social agenda or decide which restrooms can be used.

• The country can live without professional sports.  

Finally, what makes me afraid is the upcoming elections.

The choices are horrific. President Trump is so outrageous at times, wrapped in a bubble of ego without any appreciation or even knowledge of the cultural, legal and social makeup that has made this country and keeps it together. At times, he is so uninformed, one must cringe. His combative nature is now longer welcome, is destructive and just plain nasty. It is exhausting. Government by dubious Executive Order is no way to go forward.

Mr. Biden, who has never really worked a day in his life, looks like he does not know where he is on the planet. Actually, he really has never been right on almost any subject. His strategy is to hide in his basement and recite the mantra that he is not Trump. Duh, we know that. No comfort there. 

The now main-stream Democrats-the so-called and self named Progressives- (now there is a misnomer) are so scary, hateful and disrespectful as they seek to silence and tar critics, eliminate culture and history, blame the police for the failure of big city politics. Progressives declare everyone who disagrees racist, mock people who actually have a religious faith and devote themselves to the expansion of government, rewarding their groups that depend on the largess of government. Identity politics is at the core. Having these people in charge is a chilling thought and a clear and present danger to America.

The Democrat national leadership does not care about the country. I know this is cynical but they act like they want things to get worse if it helps their electoral cause. The real goal is to obtain unfettered power to do as they like and know what is best for the rest of us. If in doubt, just look at the recent action by Speaker Pelosi who puts winning above providing extended aid to the unemployed among other things.  

So I am afraid, do not like what I see ahead. I have a great deal of faith in this country and our fellow citizens. However, the choices leave scant room for optimism.