I have no problem believing that there are artificial and manipulated “miracles,” any more than I have believing in genuine miracles and other supernatural phenomena. In the same way, I believe in the existence of fallen angels, demonization, and exorcism as much as I believe that there are some mental and psychological disorders that should be treated with medication and therapy. In other words, I believe in discernment. The mere existence of cubic zirconium in a jewelry store does not mean that genuine diamonds do not exist.

In his column, Hearing the ‘Music of the Spheres’, Steve Beard makes an eloquent point about discernment.

That is the word I was looking for in regards to politics (funny, I’ve been using the word a lot, reading it a lot, but it takes someone else putting it in writing for me to make a connection). That’s what we need. Not just from our politicians (oh, and honesty, straight-forwardness, and a lack of dissembling would also help), but from the media, and we the consumers of politics and media circuses.

If we could not rant and rave, not patronize the Micheal Moore’s and Ann Coulter’s of the world, and just think, we would be better off.

Take health-care for instance. Somebody has to pay for it. Remember, the government doesn’t, you do. You pay taxes, therefore you pay for it. The hated insurance companies? If we weren’t so risk averse, no insurance company would exist. The Democrats are correct, insurance companies and health care companies successfully lobby Republicans. The Republicans are correct that Government (“single payer”) health care is a monster in the wings. Think back to the media induced “scandal” of government procurement during the Reagan years. The infamous $10,000 hammer, for example. Or the bomber (i.e., a big huge flying thing that carries lots of other big things long distances) that did not have the payload capacity to carry the paperwork required to make it (and that is the paperwork for EACH plane built).

Have you ever looked at a hospital bill, only to find that you were charged $5 for two acetaminophen, when you could buy a bottle of 150 capsules at the corner drugstore? Imagine how much those will cost when the government issues them.

A few questions to think about. If single-payer health care is so great, why do Canadians (who can afford it) go the States to get surgery? If Cuba is such a great country, with great health care, and the state owns the media, why do people keep fleeing? Mr. Moore’s failure to think critically regarding the “quickness” of Cuban health care, to me, proved that he can create conflict, but doesn’t see how he is used. Of course, the Cuban health care system worked quickly, are you kidding? Psychological victory. Michael Moore was USED!

The reason why other countries have “cheap” pharmaceuticals? Because WE subsidize them. Since the pharmaceutical companies can’t recover their costs elsewhere, and because we in the States love lawsuits, our pharmaceuticals are obscenely priced. It is not price controls that are needed, it is everyone else’s price controls that need to be removed!

Speaking of lawsuits, imagine trying to sue the government for shoddy health care. Veterans have been having, to our shame, poor success in that area. Also, imagine trying to get unorthodox treatments approved through the government system. I’ve experienced the private system, and it is bad enough.

Privacy. All those privacy advocacy groups would be run out of business. Now the government will know everything. Yep, that’s good. Right? Forget those stupid cameras watching everything, forget the warrantless searches, the government WILL know your very DNA.

The short answer? There isn’t one. The easy answer? There isn’t one. If a politician, media hack (and they’re almost all hacks, at least the national ones), or political hack says there is one? Run away with your hand on your wallet.