Rhubarb Report: Episode 23

This episode of the Rhubarb Report is chock full of vitamins and minerals – well, actually, just a few hot topics recently found in the Republican wilderness. The debates have the Republican Party front and center with the media and the public, so it’s only fitting that there would be plenty of Rhubarb generated at these little shindigs. If you have been able to watch these debates without squirming at the potential ramifications of them, then more power to you. I am certainly not of strong enough stomach to ponder Bachmann or Perry as our next President.

Onwards to this episode of the Report, where you will find the striking and perfectly coiffed presence of our own Governor Rick Perry.

Transcription of Episode 23 (continued)

Item 1: Wildfires have run rampant in the state of Texas this year. Meanwhile, back at the Governor’s Ranch, err, Mansion, earlier this year Governor Perry cut the budget of the Texas Forest Service. In the midst of the worst wildfires on record, at a time when a large part of Bastrop and other Texas communities have gone up in smoke, he is now putting his hand out to FEMA for assistance.

Remember how he railed against Obama’s federal stimulus plan, then stuck his hand out to receive the money that was being offered? I think that in most circles they would call that hypocrisy at best.  I am all for the federal assistance. But I am not for the rationale of “state rights” meaning “I can cut the state’s budget but beg for federal money when I need it”.

Item 2: While we’re talking about Governor Perry, he now has his hands full on how he mandated the HPV vaccination. Oh, and by the way, it was done by executive order. Of course, he’s all about saving lives, so he reminds us. And saving heathen souls, and praying for rain – but I digress.

Now Michelle Bachmann has called him out on it. And Sarah Palin has got her back. That is all fine and good until Bachmann proclaimed that the HPV vaccine can cause mental retardation – something that has never been proven and is, at best, a blatant lie – and at worst, a blatant lie.

Ahh the beauty of politics – where lies may actually garner you enough votes to lead the world’s most powerful country.

Item 3: A Republican debate just wouldn’t be the same without further talk of Social Security and Ponzi schemes, nor would it be the same without a diatribe or two on the nature of health care in this country. It was a memorable moment in this nation’s long debate over health care – and I say that with great disdain.

Ron Paul was asked a question about whether a critically ill person without health insurance should be left to die. An audience member shouted “Yeah”. When Paul finally got around to answering the question – something he seems to have great difficulty doing at times – his answer was essentially “he made those choices, he can live with them”. When the interviewer pursued this further, Paul did not appear to back down from his stance.

By the way, Paul is a licensed medical doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. I guess that makes him uniquely qualified to speak to the issues of over-utilization of services by his own profession, and how this alone could make health care more affordable for that critically ill person. But, again, I digress.

Perhaps this is the 2011 Republican version of “death panels”, that which they claimed would happen if the Obama administration moved towards comparative effectiveness research.

Sadly, it is starting to look like the options for 2012 are more about who is more intelligent and, perhaps, who is simply the least problematic of many ugly options.

Thanks for checking in to the Rhubarb Report. I hope you will share your thoughts in the comments. The next episode of the Rhubarb Report will be in two weeks. Until then, remember than truth is oftentimes stranger than fiction. Don’t just think outside the box, live and thrive there.

Photo credit: Wikipedia