The National Hustle

Universal Health Care?  In the United States, I feel the term is greeted with the same skepticism/derision as the mythical unicorn, perpetual motion, and World Champion Chicago Cubs.  So why then is the United States the only “industrialized” nation in the world to not have a universal health care system?  And what does the term actually mean to you and me? Continue reading

This week, President Obama confronted the nay-sayers of his progressive budget:

The American people don’t have the luxury of just focusing on Wall Street. They don’t have the luxury of choosing to pay their mortgage or their medical bills. They don’t get to pick between paying their kids’ college tuition or saving enough money for retirement.

They have to do all these things. They have to confront all these problems. And as a consequence, so do we.

Obama states the obvious that only focusing on the economy (and AIG) is impossible for a successful president, and he’s clearly inherited a bevy of domestic and international issues to address.  He could try to handle them one-by-one, but since the World won’t wait, he should probably start fixing all of them…right…about…now:

• War in Iraq — As we spoon-feed responsibility to the Iraqis in accordance with the agreed-upon mandate, things are improving, right?
• War in Afghanistan — The new administration’s most seasoned veteran of U.S.-Afghan engagement (and I don’t mean just since 9/11), Defense Secretary Robert Gates, is telling everyone who will listen about the complicated difficulties of solidarity in Afghanistan.
• Military presence in Kosovo — Yes, we’re still there, with some criticism that we are using our bases as a European Guantanamo.
• Resurgent Taliban in Pakistan — The tribal regions and Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan are essentially under Taliban control. Continue reading

To say that the last year has not been a particularly pleasant one for New York Yankee’s slugger Alex Rodriguez might be the understatement of the decade.  Let’s quickly recap:

• A divorce from his wife Cynthia in mid-2008 amid rumors of marital infidelity with Madonna (apparently one of the unknown side effects of steroids is permanent beer goggles), a rumor later denied by the Material Girl herself;
• A scathing reference in former manager Joe Torre’s book The Yankee Years as “A-Fraud” (a play on his nickname “A-Rod”), which was released in early February, just days prior to a Sports Illustrated article that alleged (later confirmed through semi-admission) that Rodriguez had used performance enhancing drugs during a stint with the Texas Rangers; and Continue reading

Although Senator John McCain failed in his valiant attempt at removing the earmarks (9,000! — Okay, that’s excessive) from the omnibus spending bill (Note: Nine Republicans voted against his amendment), he did succeed in adding another porkiest projects list to Twitter.  If McCain keeps up this torrid pace, The National Hustle will be offering him a guest posting opportunity by Friday.

Here is the list from today, in reverse order to maintain the integrity of suspense:

10. $285,000 for the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise, ID

9. $209,000 to improve blueberry production and efficiency in GA

8. $47,500 to remodel and expand a playground in Ottawa, IL

Continue reading

I follow several public officials and political analysts on Twitter, perhaps none more entertaining than Senator John McCain.  While he has admitted he gets a little help from staffers, the fact that he has embraced such social media is both surprising and uplifting.

One of McCain’s most recent threads is his best Letterman impression, which offers Top 10 Lists of the “Porkiest Projects” in the 2009 omnibus spending bill.  Here is his list from 2/27 [Note: This list has not been edited by the NH in any fashion]:

1. $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa
2. $2 million “for the promotion of astronomy” in Hawaii – because nothing says new jobs for average Americans like investing in astronomy
3. $332,000 for the design and construction of a school sidewalk in Franklin, Texas – not enough $ for schools in the stimulus?
4. $2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York – quick peel me a grape. Continue reading