Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Tyranny's first step: gun confiscation


Tyranny’s first step: gun confiscation

 

After the horrific tragedy in Newtown Connecticut, cries for more curbs on private gun ownership were splashed across the media. President Obama seized the moment appointing a gun control advisory panel headed by the Vice President. The President’s superficial aim is to reduce gun violence, yet his greater goal is to remove as many guns as he can from the general population. A contingent of left leaning politicians, their media counterparts and the White House have decided that registering a weapon is not enough. Taking weapons from the good-guys is their answer to the wave of violence confronting the nation. George Mason, the great patriot, said:  “to disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.” After each horrific massacre the government has attempted to tweak the rights of legitimate gun owners ever so slightly. Ultimately, Mason’s vision of a society without guns comes to fruition as the bureaucracy dissects the very laws that allow their ownership. Most recent guestimates of private ownership of handguns, assault rifles and other armaments exceeds two hundred million. Andrew Cuomo, the liberal Governor of New York, will attempt to legitimatize gun confiscation through a permit process. Speculated legislation would make criteria for ownership so difficult that only a very small sub-segment of the state’s population would qualify. Cuomo’s remarks came on the heels of media elites such as Ed Schultz calling for confiscation of weapons from “all” law abiding citizens. People will not give up their weapons without a level of civil unrest that would be difficult to quantify at this time. Opposing weapon confiscation is a plethora of organizations with the National Rifle Association in the forefront. Their stance is firm and well known. Government entities, whether state or federal, will find a tidal wave of opposition imposed on them through the judicial process from these groups. In the event courts take the liberal perspective, the suggested civil unrest could become a reality. The irony is many members of government have concealed weapon permits along with those in the media who have attested to their own possession of various weapons. There are many reasons for extreme violent acts with guns and there are even more reasons why psychotics should not have access to them. Government’s goal should be to keep weapons out of the hands of the Adam Lanza’s of the World, not law-abiding citizens. The next move is the government’s, let us hope it is the “right” one. Mark Davis MD., President of Healthnets Review Services, www.healtnetsreviewservices.com.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Hell comes to Newtown Connecticut


Hell comes to Newton Connecticut

 

In a peaceful community 60 miles from New York City hell opened up its doors on Friday December 14, 2012. Approximately 9:40 am Adam Lanza forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut and discharged several weapons killing 26 people, twenty of whom were children. Earlier that day Lanza killed his mother in her home with multiple shots to the head. Those who visited the school crime scene in its aftermath could not put words to the carnage they viewed. As more information emerged the irrationality that sparked this tragedy began to take form. Interviews with Adam’s relatives described a picture of a troubled youth who may have been on psychiatric drugs. A much larger question bandied about in the media was Adam Lanza’s reason for the massacre at this specific school. Adam’s psychosis may have been fed by the endless violence embedded in his video games or Hollywood’s murder a minute films. Similar to so many other mass killings by young males the reasons for their actions are never fully elucidated.

 

Media outlets took turns politicizing this tragedy calling for more gun control legislation. A few national cable concerns consistently plastered Adam Lanza’s picture across our screens making him a martyr to those on the fringe of society, instead of portraying him as the psychotic he was. Professional apologists with doctoral degrees jumped into the fray discussing certain quirky personality disorders that could have led this psychotic to perform these heinous acts of violence. The few facts known about Adam’s background to date are his mother, Nancy Lanza, was divorced in 2008 leaving her with an excellent financial settlement to finish raising her son. Early news releases noted Nancy Lanza had previously worked at the massacre site, now the reverse is being stated. She had a fixation with guns, which allowed Adam to obtain his weapons easily. An older brother discussed Adam’s psychological profile in a generalized sense mentioning the word autism in passing. Whether he had a developmental disorder or a mental affliction acquired in early life remains the subject of debate. Words attached to Adam Lanza run the gamut from introverted and withdrawn to troubled and psychologically imbalanced. Adam is a reflection of many emotionally troubled people who live on the sidelines of life until the last thread of reality finally leaves their minds.  Unfortunately, he was not satisfied to die alone. Today the nation is grieving for the little ones who will never reach their full potential. Only God knows what tomorrow will bring. Mark Davis, MD

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Conservative media: a Liberal's best friend


Conservative media: the Liberals best friend

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levine and others who carry the flag of conservative media may have inadvertently helped the President regain the White House. Incessantly hammering the President on every issue, from the indecent to the superficial, may have had paradoxical effects not realized by the craftsmen behind their microphones. Fox network, under the auspices of Sean Hannity and others, repeatedly re-aired commercials that the Democrats concocted and aired in selective markets in their effort to present certain perspectives. Fox’s audience reach is exponentially greater than the original target markets for these very negative presentations against Republicans. Hence, without paying one dime, the Democrats found their message reaching millions of homes not the smaller audience to which they were originally released. Conservative media believes the majority of those who tune in are conservative, that may not be the case. Day after day and night after night the cadre of conservative minds pounced on Big Bird, birth control, Planned Parenthood, immigration and more which alienated many to favor the Democrat cause. The conservative script was the same no matter where you tuned in. Big Bird’s show produced partially with public funds was an infinitesimally small issue that Romney should have never exposed. Planned Parenthood, an association that helps millions of women with gynecological issues that extend far beyond abortion, was the subject of intense scrutiny by the right. The idiocy to lambaste such an organization is beyond the scope of words that I can present here. Birth control was made a cause celebre by Rush and others inadvertently providing more fuel for which the libs could use against the opposing party. On immigration, several decades have gone by without resolving this important issue. Obama’s backdoor Executive Order allowing illegals to stay under certain conditions resonated well with the Hispanic community. Romney was checkmated on this issue months before he became the candidate of choice. The Republicans had no counter offer, but railed against immigration anyway with the media following suit. Foreign policy and the economy took a backseat to these less important campaign issues. Obamacare’s true detrimental effects on medical services were never properly presented by a media that does not understand its true nature. Romney avoided many discussions on the fine points of Obamacare because it mimicked his own legislation which he inflicted on the Bay State. Conservative media, knowingly or not, helped in Obama’s reelection. Do they stand to gain financially from an Obama second term?  Rush, Levine and others who push the conservative word will benefit handsomely by Romney’s election loss. The President’s penchant to generate a new controversy daily is good for business because it increases audience participation. A larger audience brings in more advertising revenue. America lost on Election Day, yet paradoxically conservative media won. Mark Davis, MD. www.healthnetsreviewservices.com

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Fiscal cliff meets fiscal irrationality


Fiscal cliff meets fiscal irrationality

 

 

President Obama is requesting 1.6 trillion dollars in new tax revenues over the next ten years along with elevating the debt ceiling towards heaven. Startling as his requests may sound he has offered minimal spending cuts as a rational means to stabilize the economy. Succinctly, the President is telling the private sector to give up more so he can lavish the takers with further entitlements. A stealth attack on private assets is under consideration to finance an expansive redistribution of wealth. Media from both perspectives has been humming with potential plans to nationalize retirement accounts, limit across the board tax deductions, tax businesses on gross revenues not net and other devious means to maximize revenue collection. To embed the enormity of this manufactured crisis into the minds of Americans, a new set of key words has been invented for this purpose. Fiscal cliff, a term that is loosely defined as the economic detriment that would befall most of us in the event certain laws are not amended in the immediate future has come into being. The resulting tax increases and spending cuts that would follow could affect every level of the economy. Economists and those in the know explain that over spending tilts the economy towards the precipice that has become the talk of the media and Congress. President Obama and the Democrats believe that high levels of revenue enhancements to certain sectors of the economy will buy America life-support from the fiscal oblivion for which they are partially responsible. From TARP to the ill-fated Stimulus debacle, the economy swirled for a few seconds while the money was being dished out. The latter programs caused a hiccup in the financial markets never denting the true problem, too much government and over-spending. Similar to all ill-conceived legislation the Stimulus never stimulated anything. There is definitely climate change, yet it has nothing to do with the weather. America has been mismanaged into the economic doldrums with irrational policies. Starting with the Bush 8 year tour, and extended and renewed by the present Commander-in Chief their collective responsibility is written all over this mess. Teetering on the brink, America is already technically bankrupt. Why: because the 16 trillion dollar debt will never be repaid. Logic and rational thought were never the strong points on the liberal side of the aisle. Present negotiations are foolhardy when progressives knowingly request the unobtainable.  Will the Republicans unite and walk away from Obama’s nonsensical approach to budget management or will they cave in. We have three weeks to find out. Mark Davis, MD President of Healthnets Review Services. www.healthnetsreviewservices.com