Time for Thorns

I love Thomas Sowell’s  “Random Thoughts”,  which is what he titles columns which are just that.    They appear randomly,  and contain more wisdom in a few paragraphs than you’re likely to find in a year’s worth of the New York Times.

He truly is one of America’s great thinkers.     The man is a national treasure studiously ignored because he is black and conservative.

Keith Hennessey has a much better health reform plan than any of the fools on Capitol Hill,  but then,  his goal is to actually improve health care,  not just to grab another 16% of the economy.

He offers the outline here, and it is eminently sensible as well as practical.    I hope he adds more detail,   but I urge you to check for yourself.

Meanwhile,  even as Obama demands the House pass a health reform bill,  he admits he doesn’t know what’s in it.   He should have checked with his budget chief,  who is aware that billions of dollars to raise fees for doctors treating Medicare patients are not covered by  Obama’s pledge to pay for health care legislation.    Sounds like the AMA was a bit hasty in rushing to endorse the plan,  a mistake not made by the Coalition of State and Specialty Medical Associations.

With the continued conflation of   “health care” and “health insurance”,   Thomas Sowell has a timely column for you.   Janet Porter doesn’t mince words about the dangers of a government-run system.   Have some bad news about how many people would lose their private coverage with the public option,  and why the elderly would be at increased risk.   Phil Brennan says the country is in a form of civil war over all the issues His Oneness is ramming down our throats.

His Oneness is now claiming health reform is “closer than ever” despite Majority Leader Hoyer saying  the House may recess before the health bill vote.   Rich Lowry has the best view of why His Oneness is desperate for speed.

The third part of the Robinson interview with Sowell is now available.

If you want to understand the housing boom and bust,  you will not find a more cogent,  understandable account than Thomas Sowell being interviewed by Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institute,  as part of the “Uncommon Knowledge” series.

Here’s the second part of the Uncommon Knowledge interview with Dr.  Sowell.

The money quote:

PETER ROBINSON:   Barney Frank,  George W. Bush,  Alan Greenspan.   Of those three, who was the worst actor?

THOMAS SOWELL:   Oh,  Barney Frank,  easily.

Now you want to watch it all,  don’t you?

Thomas Sowell has a new book out with the above title, and he slays a bunch of the sacred cows which congressional actorrs employ in their daily kabuki theater.    The bottom line is that the government regulators caused the crisis,   which isn’t news to anyone who actually understands basic economics.

Read the incomparable Thomas Sowell on what Obama’s  non-stimulating stimulus really is:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTc5ZWE2ZWIzMWZiM2NiZTc2NzNkM2E4MjY2ODkxNDQ=

And David Freddoso has a timely stimulus primer, here:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTc5ZWE2ZWIzMWZiM2NiZTc2NzNkM2E4MjY2ODkxNDQ=

Jim Manzi has more:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDBiYjY3OWJjOWMyMWFjYmZjMjU2MTAwNDg1OGExNTA=

The House Republicans offered up an alternative stimulus plan which would actually work, but it was of course voted down.  The Stalinist Plan passed, but EVERY Republican voted against it, along with some blue-dog Democrats.  Call and thank them, and ask them to get after the Senate.

I read everything Thomas Sowell writes in hopes that some of his wisdom and keen insight will rub off on me.

http://townhall.com.nyud.net:8090/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/12/16/

This is his suggested books for Christmas gifts.  As it happens, I’m currently reading Jonah Goldberg’s “Liberal Fascism” , which reduces to rubbish the standard modern notions of  “left” and  “right.”

If, like me, you favor gifts with some permanent utility, you won’t go wrong with any of Sowell’s recommendations.