Cancer Survival in U.S. vs. Europe

In my previous post I mentioned a study I had heard of on cancer survival - here it is.

John Stossel shares some facts on the U.S. Healthcare System

The U.S. Heathcare System is often ranked below many other countries, but there is more to the studies than meets the eye.

Mr. Stossel explains why the statistics used often lead to incorrect conclusions, feeding the desire for a Universal Single Payer System. Careful, or we may get what we wish for!

A must read here.

I also heard this morning, although I do not have the specific source, that the survival rate for cancer patients in the U.S. is significantly above the U.K. and many other countries where a Universal Single Payer System is in place. More later when I find the statistics.

More on Rove

Another analysis of Karl Rove from this mornings WaPo by Michael Gerson, a speechwriter for W from 2001-2006 who was in the heat of the Iraq decisions and worked closely with Mr. Rove. Gives a good feel for where Rove and W come from and where they planned to take this country. Read it here.

Karl Rove on W and other issues

Karl Rove was interviewed by Rush Limbaugh yesterday and had many interesting things to say about his relationship with W and the administration as well as his opinion of Hillary and her chances in 2008. Read it all here - well worth the time!


"RUSH: Does it frustrate you...? I know you said earlier just ignore the criticism. Does it frustrate you with all the attacks on him as brain dead or a frat boy, that you're the brain and this sort of thing, or do you shelve that and just go about your day?

KARL ROVE: Well, I shelve that, but I have to admit I'm amused by it because, you know, this is one of the best-read people I've ever met. This is a Harvard MBA. This is a Yale undergraduate whose major was history and whose passion is history. Many times the people I see criticizing him are, you know, sort of elite, effete snobs who can't hold a candle to this guy. What they don't like about him is that he is common sense, that he is Middle America.RUSH: He outsmarts 'em.

KARL ROVE: Yeah, and look, in a way, they "misunderestimate" him, and he likes that.

RUSH: (Laughs.)KARL ROVE: In fact, I think to some degree he cultivates that because it doesn't matter to him if somebody on the Upper East Side is putting their nose in the air about him. You know, he is who he is, and he's comfortable in his own skin, and he's not going to change just to win popularity with the elites."


His elite critics should give this exchange some thought!

The HEART of the Left/Right discord: STATIC v DYNAMIC

Two threads of thought have led to this post: 1) the Iraq war and 2) global warming.


Now, most of us on the right and the left are intelligent, thinking people with the good of the country high on our list of priorities. We have the same goals - a good job, a healthy family, freedom to pursue our desires - and yet the methods we see to achieve these goals are diametrically opposed. How could this be?


The "world" is very dynamic. Would anyone disagree with this statement? I think not!

An example to put the Iraq war situation into perspective was mentioned by Victor Davis Hanson in a discussion with Hugh Hewitt the other day regarding the Second World War. He pointed out that when we started massive bombing of Europe from English bases with our B-17's and B-24's there were massive losses of aircraft and flyers, and a din arose in the U.S. that it will never work and we should stop before we lose all our planes and men (sounds similar to comments we hear everyday about Iraq). But it did not happen because of the dynamism of the war effort. We developed new types of fighter aircraft to protect the bombers, we added disposable gas tanks that gave them greater range to protect the bombers, and in the end the bombing was very successful at an acceptable cost and shortened the war tremendously, undoubtedly saving lives in the long run.

Support, even though the result was not clear, and patience were what was required! The naysayers looked at the situation in "static" terms, and this led them to incorrect decisions.

Is this what is going on with the left today regarding Iraq? I think so!

The concern with Global Warming suffers from the same phenomenon. The world is getting warmer - no one argues with that. But, it has gotten warmer before, and then has gotten colder, due to natural phenomena long before man was effecting the environment in any way. Everwonder why Greenland is named "Greenland", though it is covered by ice today? It was once, only a few hundred years ago, warmer and was actually a rich agricultural land. There are many examples like this.

Again a "static" evaluation of the situation leads to incorrect decisions. We live in a "dynamic" world and things will change to correct mansj effects on the environment. We certainly need to be sensitive to the situation and take appropriate cost effective action to minimize our effects, but overreaction and unaffordable solutions do much more harm than good.

What is needed is awareness of our "dynamic" world and patience!

So, my conclusion is that the left loves "static" analysis because it forces actions that they favor and the right loves "dynamic" analysis because it gives the opportunity for "natural" solution without the pandering to all of us by our leaders.

Comments?

On a lighter note...

Headline:

"Woman Kills Rabid Raccoon With Bare Hands"--headline, FoxNews.com, August 10

Comment:

"How Odd, Most Rabid Raccoons Wear Mittens"

Hat Tip: WSJ Opinion Journal, July 31.

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

Mitch McConnell, our Senate Minority Leader, summarizes the problems with the Democrats attempts to reauthorize and change this very successful program. Read what they are attempting to do and what should be done here.

On a lighter note...

Headline:

"Doc Accused of Hastening Death for Organs"--headline, Associated Press, July 31

Comment:

"Church Will Never Be the Same"


Hat Tip: WSJ Opinion Journal, July 31.