Hand-wringing Republicans, skittish about the media thrashing over the government shutdown, have surrendered America's future to spendthrift Democrats. The recent capitulation by the House majority resulted in a two-year budget deal that leaves unaddressed the nation's fiscal problems.
In the name of the political Holy Grail of bipartisanship, the jelly-spined GOP agreed to eliminate $45 billion of scheduled sequester budget cuts next year and another $18 billion in 2015, wiping out the first meaningful reductions in spending since President Obama took office.
As a result of the deal, the nation continues on a fiscal collision course that will leave the United States with nothing but Draconian choices in the near future.
The agreement, forged by Republican Rep. Paul Ryan and Democrat Sen. Patty Murray, still must be approved by the totalitarian Senate, ruled by iron-fisted dictator Harry Reid. However, prospects appear good that the bargain will slither through the upper chamber.
Fearful Republicans succumbed to the House accord after the 16-day government shutdown in October triggered a media savaging of the party brand. Against this fusillade of criticism, GOP party insiders lobbied for appeasement to shore up Republicans' chances in next year's mid-term elections.
But the bipartisan compact does not address reforms needed in the nation's bloated entitlement programs, which account for 62 percent of spending. Unless Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and welfare programs are pared, prudent deficit and debt reduction cannot be achieved. Period.
In their haste to make concessions, cowardly House Republicans waved the white flag over spending. Under the deal, discretionary expenditures would climb to $1.012 trillion in 2014 and $1.014 trillion the following year. There is no reduction in spending, despite what the media has reported.
As a result, deficits will continue to add to the nation's swollen debt. This month U.S. debt crossed over the $17 trillion mark for the first time in history. Unfunded liabilities, money owed to Social Security and other programs, now stands at $126.9 trillion and mounting daily.
As part of the covenant, the two parties "propose" to save $85 billion and reduce the deficit by more than $20 billion. There are no details on how these future cutbacks will be accomplished. This is nothing more than a Washington gimmick designed to defer decisions indefinitely.
Weak-kneed Republicans also reneged on their promise to enact no new taxes. They signed on to a sneaky increase in millions of dollars in user fees on air travel and customs. Only in Washington would the establishment refuse to call these tax increases.
Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, architects of a nonpartisan report in 2010 on the nation's fiscal threats, were critical of the agreement's provisions because of the missed opportunity to address entitlement reform and to amend the tax code.
"That leaves only tough choices for future deficit reduction or sequester replacement, which are critically necessary to keep entitlement programs affordable and the economy vibrant," the two policy makers wrote in an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times.
Reaching middle ground on issues often requires trade-offs. But Republicans caved into Democrats for the tawdry allure of victory at the polls in November. In exchange, they received a one-day pass from the media but lost the trust of many GOP voters they will need next year.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
Childhood Obesity: America's Epidemic
Obesity rates among school-aged children and adolescents have tripled over the past thirty years, fueling skyrocketing health care costs for America's youth. Trends indicate childhood obesity has reached an epidemic level, affecting the projected life span of the next generation.
Despite the alarming direction, the nation has done little to address the problem. In fairness, First Lady Michelle Obama has tried to shine a light on the issue, but progress has been non-existent in reversing the decades-old trend that threatens America's future.
As one sign of failure, current data on childhood obesity is elusive. Although a plethora of health organizations have generated research reports, much of the data is outdated. Conflicting statistics are also rampant, which bedevils policy makers looking for easy solutions.
However, a majority of experts agree that nearly one in three U.S. children is obese. In some areas of the country, the numbers are higher. For example, the Rio Grande Valley in Texas holds the dubious distinction of being home to the largest percentage of obese children and adults, 38.5%.
As a result of the crisis, children in the Rio Grande Valley already have a projected life span that is less than their parents. If trends continue, experts predict obesity nationwide could trim lifespans of the next generation by two to five years, according to the Children's Defense Fund (CDF).
Hispanics, the majority ethnicity in the Rio Grande, are particularly at risk for obesity. Nearly one-half (47.8 percent) of Mexican-American children and teens, aged 2-19, have been told by a doctor they are overweight, reports a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services research study.
Despite the urgency, it remains difficult to get the medical profession to agree on what constitutes obesity. The formula for determining obesity involves a mathematical ratio of a person's height and weight, making it impossible to define obesity with a single number or percentage.
Instead of obsessing over a definition, it is more illuminating to focus on the causes. Here there is general agreement in the medical community that poor eating habits, lack of exercise and family history are major triggers of obesity in children.
Only one in five high school children eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day, writes the CDF. Meanwhile, fast food consumption has increased fivefold among children since 1970. Sugar-sweetened beverages constitute 11 percent of an average child's total calorie intake.
Exhaustive studies show today's children are spending less time in sports or other activities. Two-thirds of children do not meet the daily recommendation of 60-minutes of moderate activity, according to a study reported by the CDF.
Children and adolescents are also spending more time watching television, playing video games or surfing on the computer. Recent research cited by CDF showed that children ages 11 to 14 spent nearly 12 hours in front of those various screens.
For a long time, the medical profession has known that family history also plays a significant role in childhood obesity. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reported that children with obese parents have an 80 per cent chance of suffering from obesity, too.
Medical costs for obesity are soaring. A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that "direct and indirect" expenses of obesity totaled $147 billion annually. Obesity is responsible for such health problems as diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.
Solutions for reducing childhood obesity have been predictable failures. Banning soft drinks in schools, policing fast-food restaurants and building more parks have produced no tangible results. Increased government intervention has not curbed childhood obesity.
The number one defense in the battle against childhood obesity is parents. They have the responsibility to monitor eating, exercise and lifestyles of their children. Educated and motivated parents are the last best hope for arresting childhood obesity.
Despite the alarming direction, the nation has done little to address the problem. In fairness, First Lady Michelle Obama has tried to shine a light on the issue, but progress has been non-existent in reversing the decades-old trend that threatens America's future.
As one sign of failure, current data on childhood obesity is elusive. Although a plethora of health organizations have generated research reports, much of the data is outdated. Conflicting statistics are also rampant, which bedevils policy makers looking for easy solutions.
However, a majority of experts agree that nearly one in three U.S. children is obese. In some areas of the country, the numbers are higher. For example, the Rio Grande Valley in Texas holds the dubious distinction of being home to the largest percentage of obese children and adults, 38.5%.
As a result of the crisis, children in the Rio Grande Valley already have a projected life span that is less than their parents. If trends continue, experts predict obesity nationwide could trim lifespans of the next generation by two to five years, according to the Children's Defense Fund (CDF).
Hispanics, the majority ethnicity in the Rio Grande, are particularly at risk for obesity. Nearly one-half (47.8 percent) of Mexican-American children and teens, aged 2-19, have been told by a doctor they are overweight, reports a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services research study.
Despite the urgency, it remains difficult to get the medical profession to agree on what constitutes obesity. The formula for determining obesity involves a mathematical ratio of a person's height and weight, making it impossible to define obesity with a single number or percentage.
Instead of obsessing over a definition, it is more illuminating to focus on the causes. Here there is general agreement in the medical community that poor eating habits, lack of exercise and family history are major triggers of obesity in children.
Only one in five high school children eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day, writes the CDF. Meanwhile, fast food consumption has increased fivefold among children since 1970. Sugar-sweetened beverages constitute 11 percent of an average child's total calorie intake.
Exhaustive studies show today's children are spending less time in sports or other activities. Two-thirds of children do not meet the daily recommendation of 60-minutes of moderate activity, according to a study reported by the CDF.
Children and adolescents are also spending more time watching television, playing video games or surfing on the computer. Recent research cited by CDF showed that children ages 11 to 14 spent nearly 12 hours in front of those various screens.
For a long time, the medical profession has known that family history also plays a significant role in childhood obesity. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reported that children with obese parents have an 80 per cent chance of suffering from obesity, too.
Medical costs for obesity are soaring. A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that "direct and indirect" expenses of obesity totaled $147 billion annually. Obesity is responsible for such health problems as diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.
Solutions for reducing childhood obesity have been predictable failures. Banning soft drinks in schools, policing fast-food restaurants and building more parks have produced no tangible results. Increased government intervention has not curbed childhood obesity.
The number one defense in the battle against childhood obesity is parents. They have the responsibility to monitor eating, exercise and lifestyles of their children. Educated and motivated parents are the last best hope for arresting childhood obesity.
Monday, December 2, 2013
American Workers: Vanishing Under Obama
For the first time in the nation's history, the number of working-age Americans not in the labor force has crept up to 90.473 million people, a disturbing trend that threatens the economic future of the United States.
Since President Obama was sworn into office, there are more than 5.7 million fewer people working or looking for a job. American workers are vanishing by the hundreds of thousands every year and the number of laborers underemployed may be as high as 17.4 percent, according to Gallup researchers.
Yet this administration still touts how it hauled the country out of a deep recession. The numbers from the federal government's own Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offer a different economic reality--one that underscores the failure of Obama's policies.
The official unemployment rate stands at 7.3 percent, a full two percentage points higher than the White House promised four years ago when it unleashed billions of dollars in economic stimulus spending. However, the unemployment percentage only masks the real problem.
Fewer Americans than ever are participating in the workforce. When Obama swept into the Oval Office, 65.7 percent of the working age population was employed. The most recent figures from the BLS show it has plummeted to 58 percent, the lowest in American history.
Worker participation rates may sound like economic jargon. But it matters because it is a key gauge of the employment situation. Many economists argue participation rates are more reliable than unemployment figures as a measure of the economy's strength.
The precipitous fall in participation rates means that the overall supply of employed workers is dropping. As a result, the economy is being driven by a smaller portion of the population. That leaves fewer people to pay taxes, but more Americans who qualify for government assistance.
As the supply of laborers dries up, it shrinks the available pool of workers necessary for economic growth. Many American businesses are beginning to worry about an adequate supply of workers to fill jobs as the last of the Boomer generation retires.
The United States' economic standing in the world has begun to reflect the decline. Average worker participation rates in 16 countries with developed economies now surpass the U.S. Once America owned the title of job creation leader.
The Heritage Foundation, a national think-tank, found that the drop in labor force participation "accounts for about the entire net drop in the unemployment rate over the past three years." In other words, if participation rates had remained static, unemployment would be even higher.
How can the United States reclaim its position as the world leader in worker participation?
It begins with a smaller government and less intervention. As the federal government appropriates more power and influence over the economy, the result is a shrinking private business sector that spawns fewer jobs for a growing population.
Jobs, living standards and economic opportunities depend on a growing workforce. The U.S. faces a dim economic future unless there is a sharp reversal of current trends and policies.
Since President Obama was sworn into office, there are more than 5.7 million fewer people working or looking for a job. American workers are vanishing by the hundreds of thousands every year and the number of laborers underemployed may be as high as 17.4 percent, according to Gallup researchers.
Yet this administration still touts how it hauled the country out of a deep recession. The numbers from the federal government's own Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offer a different economic reality--one that underscores the failure of Obama's policies.
The official unemployment rate stands at 7.3 percent, a full two percentage points higher than the White House promised four years ago when it unleashed billions of dollars in economic stimulus spending. However, the unemployment percentage only masks the real problem.
Fewer Americans than ever are participating in the workforce. When Obama swept into the Oval Office, 65.7 percent of the working age population was employed. The most recent figures from the BLS show it has plummeted to 58 percent, the lowest in American history.
Worker participation rates may sound like economic jargon. But it matters because it is a key gauge of the employment situation. Many economists argue participation rates are more reliable than unemployment figures as a measure of the economy's strength.
The precipitous fall in participation rates means that the overall supply of employed workers is dropping. As a result, the economy is being driven by a smaller portion of the population. That leaves fewer people to pay taxes, but more Americans who qualify for government assistance.
As the supply of laborers dries up, it shrinks the available pool of workers necessary for economic growth. Many American businesses are beginning to worry about an adequate supply of workers to fill jobs as the last of the Boomer generation retires.
The United States' economic standing in the world has begun to reflect the decline. Average worker participation rates in 16 countries with developed economies now surpass the U.S. Once America owned the title of job creation leader.
The Heritage Foundation, a national think-tank, found that the drop in labor force participation "accounts for about the entire net drop in the unemployment rate over the past three years." In other words, if participation rates had remained static, unemployment would be even higher.
How can the United States reclaim its position as the world leader in worker participation?
It begins with a smaller government and less intervention. As the federal government appropriates more power and influence over the economy, the result is a shrinking private business sector that spawns fewer jobs for a growing population.
Jobs, living standards and economic opportunities depend on a growing workforce. The U.S. faces a dim economic future unless there is a sharp reversal of current trends and policies.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Five Reasons To Be Thankful You Live In the United States
America's first Thanksgiving was celebrated 392 years ago near Massachusetts Bay. The festival, organized in 1621 by colonial Governor William Bradford, honored the successful harvest of the corn crop by the Pilgrims. The invitation list included the colony's Native American allies.
The historic banquet's menu remains lost in the mists of time, but at least one chronicler reports meat dishes included fowl and deer, but not likely turkey. Historians also doubt pumpkin pie was served at the first feast because of a lack of sugar.
That is a far cry from the the sumptuous spreads that will be enjoyed in dining rooms across America this week. But one truth remains the same. Americans, then and now, have many reasons to be grateful for their country.
Here are just five reasons to be thankful you live in the United States of America today:
1. The U.S. is still the country where most people want to live. A recent survey conducted by Gallup found that 150 million people would like to leave their country and immigrate to the U.S. Four times as many people surveyed chose the U.S. over the second ranked nation, the United Kingdom. American continually ranks number one in the annual poll. There are 40 million immigrants living in the country and this figure does not include those here illegally.
2. Americans are the most generous people in the world. Individuals doled out $217.79 billion dollars to charities last year, according to Internal Revenue Service data published by The Urban Institute. These numbers do not include the billions given by two-thirds of tax filers who do not itemize their deductions. Donations by individuals have risen 38 percent since 2009, despite the recession.
3. Americans are the most inventive people in the world. There were 253,155 new patents issued for inventions in the United States in 2012, the highest annual number on record. It represents a 13 percent increase over the previous year. Seventeen U.S.-based firms rank in the top 50 worldwide companies issued patents and IBM was the business leader in 2012, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
4. The U.S. offers more opportunities for people to start their own business. There are 23 million small businesses in the country, which provide 55 percent of all the available jobs, according to the Brookings Institute. Small firms, those with one to 49 employees, make up nearly 90 percent of all businesses in the U.S. The number of small businesses has increased 49 percent since 1982, far outpacing growth in large firms.
5. The U.S. spends more per capita on health care than any other nation. The World Health Organization estimates the the country spends $7,960 per person on health care, the highest figure in the world. As a percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), health care spending represents 17.6 percent of expenditures, earning the U.S. the top spot on that measure. The U.S. also has some of the world's best health care facilities, including two of the top three cancer treatment centers in the world, according to Healthcare Global.
Those of us blessed to call the United States of America home have many more reasons to feel indebted to our country. The list is almost endless. But the best reason of all is that we live in a free country. Let us take time today to thank God for his divine guidance and continuing protection for these United States.
The historic banquet's menu remains lost in the mists of time, but at least one chronicler reports meat dishes included fowl and deer, but not likely turkey. Historians also doubt pumpkin pie was served at the first feast because of a lack of sugar.
That is a far cry from the the sumptuous spreads that will be enjoyed in dining rooms across America this week. But one truth remains the same. Americans, then and now, have many reasons to be grateful for their country.
Here are just five reasons to be thankful you live in the United States of America today:
1. The U.S. is still the country where most people want to live. A recent survey conducted by Gallup found that 150 million people would like to leave their country and immigrate to the U.S. Four times as many people surveyed chose the U.S. over the second ranked nation, the United Kingdom. American continually ranks number one in the annual poll. There are 40 million immigrants living in the country and this figure does not include those here illegally.
2. Americans are the most generous people in the world. Individuals doled out $217.79 billion dollars to charities last year, according to Internal Revenue Service data published by The Urban Institute. These numbers do not include the billions given by two-thirds of tax filers who do not itemize their deductions. Donations by individuals have risen 38 percent since 2009, despite the recession.
3. Americans are the most inventive people in the world. There were 253,155 new patents issued for inventions in the United States in 2012, the highest annual number on record. It represents a 13 percent increase over the previous year. Seventeen U.S.-based firms rank in the top 50 worldwide companies issued patents and IBM was the business leader in 2012, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
4. The U.S. offers more opportunities for people to start their own business. There are 23 million small businesses in the country, which provide 55 percent of all the available jobs, according to the Brookings Institute. Small firms, those with one to 49 employees, make up nearly 90 percent of all businesses in the U.S. The number of small businesses has increased 49 percent since 1982, far outpacing growth in large firms.
5. The U.S. spends more per capita on health care than any other nation. The World Health Organization estimates the the country spends $7,960 per person on health care, the highest figure in the world. As a percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), health care spending represents 17.6 percent of expenditures, earning the U.S. the top spot on that measure. The U.S. also has some of the world's best health care facilities, including two of the top three cancer treatment centers in the world, according to Healthcare Global.
Those of us blessed to call the United States of America home have many more reasons to feel indebted to our country. The list is almost endless. But the best reason of all is that we live in a free country. Let us take time today to thank God for his divine guidance and continuing protection for these United States.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Obamacare: Beware Of Doctor Shortage
A deeply troubling government report on projections of doctor shortages has been surpressed by Obama Administration officials because the news potentially would further undermine the promises made by the president on health care reform.
The report, authored by the independent Government Accountability Office (GAO), was issued September 30 in Washington and was greeted with stony silence by the news outlets and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
The investigation by the GAO was requested by three Republican senators, including Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Mike Enzi of Wyoming. In its report, GAO exposes the administration's failings in offering an analysis of a future scarcity of health care providers.
"Since 2008, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded five contracts to research organizations to update national workforce projections, but HRSA has failed to publish any new reports containing projections," the report documents.
As the GAO points out, government, academic and health organizations have all issued projections of shortfalls in health care professions, which could "adversely affect patients access to care." Yet Sebelius' stormtroopers have steadfastly refused to release figures, despite spending millions to research the issue.
It is painfully obvious that Sebelius' and her boss want to cover up what health care industry experts already know. The United States faces a crippling deficit of doctors, which has been exacerbated by the introduction of Obamacare.
In a recent report, the Association of American Colleges estimated the country will experience a shortage of more than 90,000 physicians by 2020. That number is expected to balloon to more than 130,000 doctors by 2025.
Democrats and Obama sycophants are quick to point out those are just projections. However, the forecast may actually be too low in light of last week's announcement that insurance firm United Healthcare has dropped thousands of doctors from its networks in at least ten states.
The reason many doctors are fleeing for the exits is because Obamacare whittles payments to physicians for many patient services while increasing paperwork and administrative red tape, which raises staffing requirements. That means doctors' expenses increase while their income falls.
If the projected shortfalls in health care workforce materialize, the GAO warns that this could "result in delays in getting care, or patients not receiving needed care." Without the government estimates, policy makers are handicapped in addressing the shortage, the GAO underscores in its narrative.
These are sobering cautions that are anathema to the president and Sebelius. Neither want to hear there won't be enough medical professionals to deliver on their promises of improved health care. They would prefer to dupe Americans in order to reach their political agenda of socialized medicine.
Of course, it wouldn't be the first time the duo has engaged in deception. Just ask the millions of Americans who are now discovering they can't keep their current health coverage despite the president's repeated assurances on at least 23 separate occasions.
Wait until Americans learn they won't be able to keep their doctor either.
The report, authored by the independent Government Accountability Office (GAO), was issued September 30 in Washington and was greeted with stony silence by the news outlets and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
The investigation by the GAO was requested by three Republican senators, including Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Mike Enzi of Wyoming. In its report, GAO exposes the administration's failings in offering an analysis of a future scarcity of health care providers.
"Since 2008, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded five contracts to research organizations to update national workforce projections, but HRSA has failed to publish any new reports containing projections," the report documents.
As the GAO points out, government, academic and health organizations have all issued projections of shortfalls in health care professions, which could "adversely affect patients access to care." Yet Sebelius' stormtroopers have steadfastly refused to release figures, despite spending millions to research the issue.
It is painfully obvious that Sebelius' and her boss want to cover up what health care industry experts already know. The United States faces a crippling deficit of doctors, which has been exacerbated by the introduction of Obamacare.
In a recent report, the Association of American Colleges estimated the country will experience a shortage of more than 90,000 physicians by 2020. That number is expected to balloon to more than 130,000 doctors by 2025.
Democrats and Obama sycophants are quick to point out those are just projections. However, the forecast may actually be too low in light of last week's announcement that insurance firm United Healthcare has dropped thousands of doctors from its networks in at least ten states.
The reason many doctors are fleeing for the exits is because Obamacare whittles payments to physicians for many patient services while increasing paperwork and administrative red tape, which raises staffing requirements. That means doctors' expenses increase while their income falls.
If the projected shortfalls in health care workforce materialize, the GAO warns that this could "result in delays in getting care, or patients not receiving needed care." Without the government estimates, policy makers are handicapped in addressing the shortage, the GAO underscores in its narrative.
These are sobering cautions that are anathema to the president and Sebelius. Neither want to hear there won't be enough medical professionals to deliver on their promises of improved health care. They would prefer to dupe Americans in order to reach their political agenda of socialized medicine.
Of course, it wouldn't be the first time the duo has engaged in deception. Just ask the millions of Americans who are now discovering they can't keep their current health coverage despite the president's repeated assurances on at least 23 separate occasions.
Wait until Americans learn they won't be able to keep their doctor either.
Monday, November 11, 2013
NFL Case Shines Light On Bullying
The National Football League, under siege for players' off-field behavior, has an ugly new problem that threatens to soil the organization's already tattered reputation. News reports out of Miami have unmasked bullying as part of pro teams' routine hazing of incoming players.
When the story leaked out, too many NFL players reacted with a shrug. They dismissed the threats and racist remarks of the Miami player as "boys just being boys." Many in the violent sport of pro football called for the offended player to "man up" and accept the verbal abuse without complaint.
Even the media failed to grasp the serious nature of bullying, despite the fact the hectoring prompted a Dolphin player to leave the team because of "emotional issues." Apparently, a few mental casualties are acceptable on the sports pages of America's jaded media.
For their part, the Dolphins suspended the player accused of bullying. Good for them. But the larger message about bullying has been lost in the media accounts, which have focused on the code of brotherhood among players that condones the initiation as part of some rite of passage.
Bullying should never be socially acceptable, regardless of the age or occupation of the perpetrator. If you need convincing, just look at the trends in bullying among young people, who unfortunately often take their behavioral cues from sports and entertainment personalities.
--About thirty percent of students in the United States are involved in bullying on a regular basis, either as a victim, perpetrator or both, according to a recent survey. Verbal bullying is most common, although a growing number are physically attacked.
--An estimated 160,000 students every day miss school out of fear of an attack or intimidation by their peers. An alarming 56 percent of students report they have personally witnessed some type of bullying at their school.
--More than one in 10 high school students reported they were in a physical fight on school property in the last year, according to the Crimes Against Children Research Center.
--A recent study presented at the American Psychological Association's annual convention found that more than 20 percent of those who were bullied throughout childhood and adolescence were convicted of crimes. Victims also had higher incidences of delinquency and substance abuse in school.
Outside of school, many young people are being victimized by cyber bullying, which is spreading like a virus on the Internet. About one-half of all teens have been verbally assaulted by harmful messages on social media, reported The Wall Street Journal.
When any organization, business or person condones bullying, it should be exposed and condemned. Bullying will never be stopped until everyone refuses to make excuses for verbal or physical abuse, even if it masquerades under the seemingly innocuous name of hazing.
Now that the situation in Miami has come to light, the NFL should move expeditiously to stamp out bullying league-wide as an example for others to follow.
When the story leaked out, too many NFL players reacted with a shrug. They dismissed the threats and racist remarks of the Miami player as "boys just being boys." Many in the violent sport of pro football called for the offended player to "man up" and accept the verbal abuse without complaint.
Even the media failed to grasp the serious nature of bullying, despite the fact the hectoring prompted a Dolphin player to leave the team because of "emotional issues." Apparently, a few mental casualties are acceptable on the sports pages of America's jaded media.
For their part, the Dolphins suspended the player accused of bullying. Good for them. But the larger message about bullying has been lost in the media accounts, which have focused on the code of brotherhood among players that condones the initiation as part of some rite of passage.
Bullying should never be socially acceptable, regardless of the age or occupation of the perpetrator. If you need convincing, just look at the trends in bullying among young people, who unfortunately often take their behavioral cues from sports and entertainment personalities.
--About thirty percent of students in the United States are involved in bullying on a regular basis, either as a victim, perpetrator or both, according to a recent survey. Verbal bullying is most common, although a growing number are physically attacked.
--An estimated 160,000 students every day miss school out of fear of an attack or intimidation by their peers. An alarming 56 percent of students report they have personally witnessed some type of bullying at their school.
--More than one in 10 high school students reported they were in a physical fight on school property in the last year, according to the Crimes Against Children Research Center.
--A recent study presented at the American Psychological Association's annual convention found that more than 20 percent of those who were bullied throughout childhood and adolescence were convicted of crimes. Victims also had higher incidences of delinquency and substance abuse in school.
Outside of school, many young people are being victimized by cyber bullying, which is spreading like a virus on the Internet. About one-half of all teens have been verbally assaulted by harmful messages on social media, reported The Wall Street Journal.
When any organization, business or person condones bullying, it should be exposed and condemned. Bullying will never be stopped until everyone refuses to make excuses for verbal or physical abuse, even if it masquerades under the seemingly innocuous name of hazing.
Now that the situation in Miami has come to light, the NFL should move expeditiously to stamp out bullying league-wide as an example for others to follow.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Obama: The Bystander-in-Chief
In what has become a familiar tactic for this administration, President Obama tried to duck responsibility for the botched roll out of his health care reform by claiming he had no clue the critical government website was hopelessly flawed.
Yet insurance industry experts had been publicly warning for months the web portal was burdened with glitches. The digital platform had failed hundreds of internal tests, still Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius green-lighted the aborted launch.
The government, Obama's government, belly flopped in its effort to deliver the insurance enrollment system it promised. Instead of accepting responsibility, Obama and his mouthpiece Jay Carney assured the nation the president was uninvolved, despite warning signs he should have exercised due diligence.
This president has adopted this same head-in-the-sand defense before.
Name a scandal and the president has pleaded ignorance. Benghazi. Mexican gun-running. NSA snooping on U.S. citizens. Tapping reporters phones. IRS blacklisting of conservative political groups. Government spying on leaders of nations. In each case, Obama feigned enlightenment.
Apparently, the president wants Americans to believe he is a mere bystander, not the chief executive of the nation. The sign on the desk in the Oval Office must read: "I disavow all knowledge that a buck ever visited here, much less stopped."
He certainly had every motivation to learn first-hand about the roll out of the website. His name has become synonymous with the law. It is the top achievement cited by his administration and the Democrat Party nearly five years into his presidency.
How could he have been so blind to what so many insiders knew?
The answer is the president deliberately put distance between himself and the flawed website because of the political connections to the contractor responsible for the debacle. Obama feared a major scandal, if the nature of the relationship with the website's architect was exposed.
In the days after the fiasco, news stories began to surface that a senior executive at the website contractor CGI Federal had ties to First Lady Michelle Obama. The executive and former classmate, Toni Townes-Whitely, appears to have exploited her cozy relationship.
Townes-Whitely joined the Canadian-based CGI in May of 2010, less than two months after the president penned his signature on the health care law. Soon after her arrival, the firm received a no bid contract for $678 million for work on the website and related services.
The selection of the company appears curious in light of recent revelations that CGI fumbled a health care system project for the providence of Ontario in Canada. After missed deadlines and other setbacks, the Ontario government pulled the plug on the $46.2 million project.
Despite the bungled venture, the administration handed the contract to CGI to build a transaction-based website, like hundreds that already exist on the internet. This did not involve new technology or sophisticated software. It should have been a routine project for a competent tech firm.
In the months leading up to the catastrophic launch, White House visitor logs show Townes-Whitely had a least four meetings with senior administration officials from April to June. Did she forewarn the White House about the impending disaster? The administration and Townes-Whitely remain mum.
In the harsh spotlight of public scrutiny, it is more than a little suspicious that one of the largest government contracts for such a high-profile project was awarded to a non-U.S. based business without a competitive bid, despite its less than sterling performance in the health care arena.
As usual, the administration that once promised to be the "most transparent in history" has stiff-armed requests by House committees anxious to look deeper into the the matter. Secretary Sebelius' testimony before Congress about the website collapse stands as a tutorial in obfuscation.
Americans shouldn't expect Sebelius' boss President Obama to shed any light either on this latest scandal. He has already admitted he is just an innocent bystander.
Yet insurance industry experts had been publicly warning for months the web portal was burdened with glitches. The digital platform had failed hundreds of internal tests, still Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius green-lighted the aborted launch.
The government, Obama's government, belly flopped in its effort to deliver the insurance enrollment system it promised. Instead of accepting responsibility, Obama and his mouthpiece Jay Carney assured the nation the president was uninvolved, despite warning signs he should have exercised due diligence.
This president has adopted this same head-in-the-sand defense before.
Name a scandal and the president has pleaded ignorance. Benghazi. Mexican gun-running. NSA snooping on U.S. citizens. Tapping reporters phones. IRS blacklisting of conservative political groups. Government spying on leaders of nations. In each case, Obama feigned enlightenment.
Apparently, the president wants Americans to believe he is a mere bystander, not the chief executive of the nation. The sign on the desk in the Oval Office must read: "I disavow all knowledge that a buck ever visited here, much less stopped."
He certainly had every motivation to learn first-hand about the roll out of the website. His name has become synonymous with the law. It is the top achievement cited by his administration and the Democrat Party nearly five years into his presidency.
How could he have been so blind to what so many insiders knew?
The answer is the president deliberately put distance between himself and the flawed website because of the political connections to the contractor responsible for the debacle. Obama feared a major scandal, if the nature of the relationship with the website's architect was exposed.
In the days after the fiasco, news stories began to surface that a senior executive at the website contractor CGI Federal had ties to First Lady Michelle Obama. The executive and former classmate, Toni Townes-Whitely, appears to have exploited her cozy relationship.
Townes-Whitely joined the Canadian-based CGI in May of 2010, less than two months after the president penned his signature on the health care law. Soon after her arrival, the firm received a no bid contract for $678 million for work on the website and related services.
The selection of the company appears curious in light of recent revelations that CGI fumbled a health care system project for the providence of Ontario in Canada. After missed deadlines and other setbacks, the Ontario government pulled the plug on the $46.2 million project.
Despite the bungled venture, the administration handed the contract to CGI to build a transaction-based website, like hundreds that already exist on the internet. This did not involve new technology or sophisticated software. It should have been a routine project for a competent tech firm.
In the months leading up to the catastrophic launch, White House visitor logs show Townes-Whitely had a least four meetings with senior administration officials from April to June. Did she forewarn the White House about the impending disaster? The administration and Townes-Whitely remain mum.
In the harsh spotlight of public scrutiny, it is more than a little suspicious that one of the largest government contracts for such a high-profile project was awarded to a non-U.S. based business without a competitive bid, despite its less than sterling performance in the health care arena.
As usual, the administration that once promised to be the "most transparent in history" has stiff-armed requests by House committees anxious to look deeper into the the matter. Secretary Sebelius' testimony before Congress about the website collapse stands as a tutorial in obfuscation.
Americans shouldn't expect Sebelius' boss President Obama to shed any light either on this latest scandal. He has already admitted he is just an innocent bystander.
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