Remember Terri

Terri Schiavo died today. However, the fight for life will continue.

A Radical Idea

George Will shines the light on Representative John Linder's new tax strategy.

"His bill would abolish the IRS and the many billions of tax forms it sends out and receives. He would erase the federal income tax system -- personal and corporate income taxes, the regressive payroll tax and self-employment tax, capital gains, gift and estate taxes, the alternative minimum tax and the earned income tax credit -- and replace all that with a 23 percent national sales tax on personal consumption. That would not only sensitize consumers to the cost of government with every purchase, it would destroy K Street."

Wow! Talk about a radical idea. I like it and think that it makes a lot of sense. In addition to the benefits stated in the article, it would also present the opportunity for illegal aliens to pay their share of taxes.

However, I would be surprised if the folks inside the beltway would roll over and allow a bill to pass that would render them obsolete.

Hat-tip: RealClearPolitics

Beehive Reviews

As I stated here, I expected the reviews of Beehive to be forthcoming.

The reviews are out in this morning's RMN and in this morning's DP.

All in all, they seemed pretty positive.

Summing It Up Nicely

I've been thinking a lot this week about Terri Schiavo. There are many facets to this issue, but Debra Saunders sums it up very nicely:

"But spare me the rhetoric about Republicans being hypocrites on states' rights -- fresh from the mouths of Democrats who don't want to let Alaskans drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, who don't want states to determine their own gun-control laws and couldn't wait for the feds to storm the home of the Miami family of Elian Gonzalez.

Let me also say that Congress -- with Democratic votes, I'll add -- didn't pass a law requiring that the feeding tube be reinserted in Terri Schiavo. It passed a law handing the case on to federal courts.

I'm no fan of Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas. But the House majority leader is right in this case. It's not clear Terri Schiavo would want to die. A husband does not -- in my book -- have an absolute right to withdraw life-sustaining treatment for his wife.

I wish the courts had ruled in Terri Schiavo's favor, even as I accept the fact that they have not and likely will not. It is possible, after all, that Terri Schiavo wants to die. It's just too bad that she will die, regardless of whether she wanted to or not."

Our Of Pocket

For the last few days, I've been in Six Sigma training. For those of you not familiar with project management approaches, this is a way of analyzing processes and determing causes and solutions. GE is particularly devoted to this approach. It's been interesting but has required that I do my normal job during early morning and evening hours so there hasn't been a lot of time for blogging.

For those of you who asked, my wife's opening of Beehive: The Musical at Country Dinner Playhouse went great. I haven't seen any reviews, but expect to shortly.

I see that Girl in Right has given up her run for Golden Town Council. It looks like some loon in Golden started to make some threats. No wonder good people don't end up running for office.

The Terri Schiavo situation continues to weigh on my mind. I understand all the arguments that the state shouldn't be involved in this matter, but something just doesn't seem right. How can the judges not think that they are killing this woman?

On Wednesday, a death row inmate in Texas got a reprieve from the death penalty "after lawyers argued that instructions given to jurors at his 1991 trial were unclear when they were deciding whether he should get the death penalty. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said it would determine if Staley's claim was proper."

Since Terri's instructions were also unclear, shouldn't she get the same review before being given the death penalty?

Why Not Take A Chance?

According to this story, the doctor's have removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.

I cannot understand why anyone believes this is a good idea. Assume that Terri did tell her husband, a man who doesn't really stand out as an example of an exemplary human being, that she didn't want to live like she's living. What if she changed her mind? What if she doesn't want to die? What if she can hear and see and experience those around her who love her?

A few weeks ago on an episode of ER, Cynthia Nixon played a woman who had a stroke and couldn't talk or write. However, she was fully coherent and could hear everything being said around her. At one point, her husband is trying to decide whether to take a chance on a risky procedure that could help her or to not take the chance and at least have her alive. The scene is from the woman's point of view and the voice in her head was screaming, "Yes, go for the procedure!!!"

What if Terri is screaming in her head, "Don't take out the feeding tube. I want to live." Even if she is isn't, why not take the chance that she is?

What follows is the process of death that a person who has a feeding tube goes through. It doesn't seem too pleasant:


_Day One: The percutaneous endoscopic gastrotomy tube, which is placed through the skin and into the stomach, is removed in a simple surgical procedure. Patients who do not have mental cognition to have a sense of thirst or hunger will not be uncomfortable.


_ Days Three to Four: Urine output decreases and patients begin to lose normal body secretions. The mouth begins to look dry and the eyes appear sunken. Patients will look thinner because the body tissues have lost fluid. Their heart rate gradually goes up and their blood pressure goes down. In some patients, dehydration releases endorphins in the brain that create a state of euphoria.


_ Days Five to 10: People who are alert have a marked decrease in their alertness. Respiration becomes irregular with periods of very fast and then very slow breathing. Some patients will become restless while others will be less active. For patients in a persistent vegetative state, there may be no discernible change in their movements.


_ Days 10 to Death: Patients do not appear to respond to their environment at all and may appear to be in a coma. Length of death process is determined by how well-nourished patient was and how much body fat and fluid they had when procedure began. May be outward signs of dehydration, like extremely dry skin. Kidney function declines and toxins begin accumulating in the body. Toxins cause respiratory muscles to fail. Multiple organ systems begin to fail from lack of nutrition.

As If You Didn't Already Know...

The media was more negative on President Bush during the election:

"U.S. media coverage of last year's election was three times more likely to be negative toward President Bush than Democratic challenger John Kerry, according to a study released Monday."

No surprise here.

Blogads: Who Reads and Who Writes

Blogads has the results of a reader survey.

It all seems pretty predictable to me, except:

6. Politically, you are:
Apolitical = 2.6%
Democrat = 39.3%
Republican = 27.3%
Libertarian = 7.7%
Independent = 19%
Green = 4%

Recently, news of the blogosphere has been dominated by RatherGate, Eason Jordan, and other conservative bloggers holding public figures to account for what they do and say.

I was surprised to see that almost 40% responded that they were Democrats.

Possibly the Libertarians and the Independents are subtracting from the Republican total. Maybe Democrats have more time to answer surveys than Republicans.

As I scanned through the rest of the results, I found this:

13. Do you have your own blog?
Yes = 20.7%
No = 79.3%

Most of the participants in the blogosphere don't convey their opinions; instead, they read other's opinions. So 20% of the participants are influencing 100% of the opinions.

Since the survey wasn't intended to do a political analysis, we don't have the number of people who have blogs and their political affiliation, but I am willing to bet that there are more conservatives in that 20% number than there are liberals.

Adult Supervision

The RMA has started a new blog titled Adult Supervision to collect and evaluate applications for the open CU President position. The RMA will be evaluating the candidates and announcing an endorsement on March 21st.

Blogfest

If you're interested in the world of blogging, be sure to stop by Blogfest on March 18th at the Borders at Colorado Mills Mall.

Douglas County Republicans Breakfast

Earlier this week, I posted that I would be going to the Douglas County Republican's First Friday Breakfast.

I was surprised to see the number of state officials at the breakfast on Friday. There were representatives from the offices of Senator Wayne Allard and Representative Tom Tancredo. State Senator Mark Hillman and State Representatives Mike May and Ted Harvey were also there to give an update on the doings of the State Legislature. There were also numerous representatives from the Parker city government. As far as getting plugged in to the political process in Colorado, I think this is a good way to go.

Next month's guest will be even better. Governor Bill Owens will be at the breakfast. The details are as follows:

Time and Date: Friday, April 1st from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Cost: $9.00 per person
Location: Select Hotel by Holiday Inn - 19308 Cottonwood Drive, Parker CO
Contact: Jack Hilbert at jackhilbert@comcast.net for more information.

The breakfast is limited to the first 100 people. If you live in Douglas County or near Douglas County, take this opportunity to meet the governor.

How to Look at the Other Side

In the Letters section of the RMN this morning, a Grant D. Cyrus from Boulder thinks he's found a way for liberals to watch Fox News:

"I think maybe I've changed my mind about Fox News in one respect. If you force yourself to watch it and simply reverse the particular perspective of the commentator, virtually any of them, you're probably able to get a pretty good idea of what's going on.

It's too bad that they have such insecurity - or is it guilt? - about their vision or purpose. I see this as their debate comes out in mad-dog shouting tactics and subtle holier-than-thou sermons . . . but with very little perspective, intellectual integrity or even practical considerations.

They're pushing such a delusional perspective of this administration and this war that there's barely room for sanity to be found in almost any and every single one of the 'news shows' I've forced myself myself to experience."

Now, simply pretend you're reading a letter about AM 760 - Boulder's Progressive (Read: Raving Liberal) Talk Radio. Isn't that crazy? It works perfectly!

In the following paragraphs, substitute Randy Rhoades for Sean Hannity, Al Franken for Bill O'Reilly, and AM 760 for Fox News.

"Sean Hannity at least admits he's an idiot, while Bill O'Reilly actually tries to say he's fair and balanced. Ha!

For the politically interested novice, this conscious reversing of Fox News can - in a strange way - be a refreshing, interesting, and even fun exercise. It's about all you can do with something like this."

Hey, Grant, thanks for writing my blog post for me this morning.

The real question is: Why is this in the letter to the editor section? It has nothing to do with any stories the RMN or DP published. It seems like this section has become a place to generate new stories as opposed to commenting on those already in print.

Prager at CU - Post Game Analysis

Sadly, I didn't make it to see Dennis Prager at CU last night, but McRyanMac did and he has the details of an exchange between Prager and a couple of students.

Live Life; Don't Let Life Live You

Clay is stating his intention to make a difference at ClayCalhoun.

Over at PadenforGolden, Girl in Right is gearing up for her run for town council.

I'm not at a place in my life when I can run for office, but I am deciding to get more involved - to do more than simply write about the things that upset me or inspire me.

This Friday, I'll be at the Douglas County Republicans First Friday Breakfast Club in Parker.

It's not much, but it's a start.