Bus Bums Should Be Running The Government

They all seem to think they have the answers to the nation's (and sometimes world's) problems. Today, on the Metro 18 bus headed to Ballard, I had the pleasure of overhearing a gentleman explain a few things about legislation that is being...well, he did not clarify if it was law, or being voted on, or was merely a talking point. The fact of the matter is that the guy was spewing pure idiocy. How do I know? Well, I took what he claimed and searched all I could for some semblance of truth. None exists. Here is what he claimed:

The United States government is giving free health care to Mexicans in Mexico City.

I wanted to shout at the guy to cite his sources for this seeming atrocity, but I knew better than to give this guy the satisfaction of dignifying his nonsense with a response. What did my search come up with? Well, for one, as many should know by now, President Obama signed an executive order rescinding the "Mexico City policy" which

"directed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand this limitation and withhold USAID funds from NGOs that use non-USAID funds to engage in a wide range of activities, including providing advice, counseling, or information regarding abortion, or lobbying a foreign government to legalize or make abortion available."

It all becomes so clear now. This idiot thinks that the U.S. is directly giving taxpayer money to the governing body of Mexico City to provide its general population with free health care. In fact, foreign assistance monies get delivered to the United Nations Population Fund, which gets distributed amongst groups of nations that are in urgent need of medical funding. About the UNFPA:

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

Maybe you should read a book, or a newspaper, or just in general, Mr. Bus Bum.

I'm Ashamed That I Voted for Barack Obama

That's absolutely false. I did vote for Barack Obama, and I'm not ashamed of it. However, I am keeping in mind that he is a politician, and everything that he does is based in politics. That is to say that I'm not a follower of the seeming cult-like affinity for President Obama. The man is fallible, and will make mistakes.

Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish directed me to an article by Michael Novak over at NRO that shuns President Obama's decisions in his first week.

On January 20, President Obama called for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. He also declared his intention to give multiple rights and privileges to homosexual couples.

On January 22, he issued an order announcing his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay within one year, but admits he has not figured out how to do that. President Bush had expressed a similar wish, but could find no nations willing to take responsibility for the detainees.

On January 23, President Obama issued an order that authorizes tax dollars for abortions abroad.

I just want to make it very clear that Michael Novak does not speak for me when he says:

These decisions humiliated those who voted for President Obama because they had been assured, and assured others, that the new president would take seriously the culture of life.

I feel nothing but pride in these decisions, and Novak needs to change the way he words things. President Obama rescinded the Mexico City policy to allow for foreign aid to go to those organizations who need it, regardless of whether or not they perform abortions for women. Novak strongly implies that our aid is going to serve only one function: abort as many fetuses as possible. It doesn't go for educational programs about safe sex, or for better quality medical services. No, it only goes to abort fetuses.