Big Think

Yes! We have the Obama Health Care Bill this year (2009)!

I always admire the philosopher, Jimmy Huntington of Bigthink, when history comes, he knows it.  I guess he is the first in the world to guarantee 99.99%, we will have overhauled health care bill that may not contain the public option that Ted Kennedy wanted.   After I red Jimmy Huntington’s article “God bless Senator Edward Kennedy and Health Care bill, Bigthink Aug, 26, 2009.” I totally agree the heath care bill will be passed in Congress this year and we’ll 99.99% certainly have the Obama health care bill in 2009.   The reason is that the GOP has no card, no leader and no plan!   No card! It is because the Democrats control both chambers of Congress. They can pass any bill without GOP APPROVAL in 2009.   No leaders! As long as Sean Hannity, Newt Gingrich and  Rush Limbaugh or occasionally the Viagra-fueled and "you –lie" Senator performed the duty of Leader of GOP. No ways they can block the health care bill and win the trust of common Americans.   No plan! Where is the GOP HEALTH CARE PLAN?  As far as I remember GOP just doing the comprising job on Obama health care plan. Yes! They may claim some credit, when Congress passes the bill.   President Obama makes history again! When history comes, he feels it. He makes it-the Obama health care bill.   If the GOP play politics as usual, there will be 100% sure we’ll have the bill! (Don’t ask!)       … Read More

September 11, 2009   |  In Health & Medicine

The Only Best and Smartest, Ben Bernanke

After the debacle of Vietnam War, if somebody says you are the best and brightest in Washington. It may hint that he is the untested one and looser. So, I prefer the best and smartest to describe our Fed Chairman, the humble, loyal and tested Ben Bernnake.   I am very glad that finally an international magazine, Economist (July 18 to 24, 2009 issue) admitted that economics is a dismal science and most economists lack of understanding their discipline. However, this kind of Monday Morning Quarterback   and Johnny came lately “prescience” only reflect my long time  Bightink article: “market is humble place, Economics is not a science”, is true (please see my previous Bigthink writings).   In 1998 Asian storm, Nobel Prize winner, Milton Friedman and journal Economist almost wanted to kill  the  Hong Kong economic interventionist and  practitioners, Donald Tsang and  Joseph Yam. Because they cut off the invisible hand of market force and use government hand to fight with George Soros! The history tells us even Nobel prized winner of Economics was wrong. The  Philosopher turned Speculator Soros finally acknowledged the HK guy had done a good job to protect the market he speculated!!   Now comes to this recession, the Bank nationalization theorists, including the famous Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman and  the fortune teller Nouriel Roubini (Readers please tell me how many  wrong crisis predictions he made before he made one right about this crisis came) shouted almost every week in the last five to six months: Zombie banks like Citi and Bank of American must be nationalized. Otherwise,  American cannot survive this recession. See Sweden! Learn Sweden!!   The worst, wrong as usual as to support Mr. Bush and Cheney ‘s choice of Iraqi war. The New York Times’ editorial page, big and small writers closely follow the tone of  his colleague Paul Krugman: nationalize CITI, AND BANK OF AMERICAN!! YOU INCOMPETANT BEN BERNANKE AND TIM GEITHNER! I wonder how many Krugman’ s follower in NYT know Economics and had done some research about bank nationalization.  How bias and arrogant they are! Do they know : market is humble place, economics is dismal science?  Very strange! Even the WSJ had one or two opposite tone of writings to oppose Citi and Bank of America nationalized. NYT HAS NONE!!   Now the history is inclining to Ben Bernanke and drifts away from the Bank nationalized theorist and his blindsided followers. It is not easy for Ben! How many unsleeping night in office? What a great pressure and stress! A hot and new Noble prizewinner, Paul Krugman almost every Monday and Friday in NYT reminds Ban. Bank nationalization! Plus NYT RED –NECKS AND OTHER SMALL AND BIG MEDIA WITH oral- injected-Viagra- toned shouting: YOU LISTEN TO ME, Bernanke!  Nationalize the zombie Citi and Bank of America! The pity Ken Lewis crying loudly : ”We are not  same  as Citi!  Please! “   I can predict (may I Professor Roubini!), Bank industry is safe now! The had been tested, best and smartest Ben Bernanke! He does not want more money, more fame! He just wants the American survive this recession and serves the people! I wish President Obama would extend one more term for this humble Ben!  Let him finish his job!!   … Read More

July 31, 2009   |  In Business & Economics

Obama’s Sino Expert and The Rising China

Since 1949, we lost China to Mao’s Communist regime; we had fight with Mao’s army in Korea and Vietnam. To me, if we would get qualified Sino experts in US side, the outcome of Korea and Vietnam wars would be different.   However, we cannot rewrite history, only can we look forward and learn form history.   Monday (July 27, 2009) the Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) between US and China just kicked out in Washington. I  heard some quite interesting Chinese proverbs and Chinese’s Mencius quoting.  I can assume those Chinese literacy are mostly crafted by the Sino expert in their appropriate US department.   Madame Secretary, Clinton, may make the best. In February with China, She said, “ In Same boat, we help!” Monday, she use a very famous Chinese phase “ When people are of one mind and heart, we can move Mt. Tai.”  It seems to me that every time she can quote a new, creative and appropriate Chinese to welcome her counterpart, the Chinese delegates.   For Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, may be his department is still under staff especially China expert, he paraphrases of Madame Clinton’s word “In same boat, we help."  He wastes lot money for his studying in China!   Now comes to our President, Barack Obama! His quotation of Mencius, strikes my heart and let me instantly think of  best Sino expert and our last Ambassador in China at 1949, John Leighton Stuart. The only Ambassador who understands very well about Four Books. Only would this kind of Sino expert , could provide Mencius literature President Obama who used in the opening speech in SED . Apparently, the Sino experts did their home works. They know that Confucius is hot again in China; And Confucius College is building in most big city (e.g., in NY) in foreign country. For Chinese, Confucius and Mencius are belong the same school and are same kind of scholars, philosophers or my view the pioneer of Chinese political scientists.   The original quotations that President Obama used which was recorded in Mencius, by Heart the second Chapter. The original meaning is that Mencius criticizes his disciple Kuo Tsze (Zi) for not practices well about benevolent, by knowing it only and not continuously uses and applies it in society. He criticizes Kuo, the path to benevolent is cleared and formed, you have to use it, and otherwise the long grass will come again and stuffed the path. And now you mind is stuffed. *(The Original Chinese By Mencius to Kuo Tsze: 「孟子謂高子曰：『山徑之蹊間，介然用之而成路。為間不用，則茅塞之矣。今茅塞子之心矣。』」 Form Chinese World Journal)   President Obama only provided the common meaning in his speech, used the dialogue between Chinese philosopher and pioneer of Chinese Political Science, Mencius and his disciple to remind the Chinese delegates: ‘this is comparable to people walking on paths through grasslands. As long as people keep walking on the path, the path will remain there. If people don’t walk on the path, weeds and grasses will grow back and obscure it.’”   I have to admit that it is excellent quotation, the Sino Experts of this Administration hint that there was a good “dialogue” in Olden Chinese between Mencius and Kuo Tsze. In this SED, we should learn it and use it.   With regard to certain disagreements that currently exist between the US and China,  Obama emphasized the need to resolve problems by means of continuing dialogue with the wisdom of Mencius.  In additional to this, Mencius contends that the innate essence of human process good or humane quality. Only the afterward environment change the nature of a person.   I hope the two main Chinese representatives, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo may understand Confucius and Mencius well. The great idea of Confucius and Mencius: Harmony and benevolent.  Understand  them and talking are not enough, need to practice and “walk the path”.   The Sino-expert didn’t suggest our President Obama to quote Karl Marx but Mencius. I hope the Chinese comrades have the courage to get rid of the “Goat skin” of Communism and further walk out the shadow of Deng Xiaoping.  Sino-expert of America can learn something from Mencius. Chinese surely can learn from him too and change the modern China to a positive rising China.   My impression about the Sino-experts around this Administration is strong and positive.    *All Chinese works provided by Dr. John Chan. … Read More

July 28, 2009   |  In Politics & Policy

Red Flag: The Chinese iPS research

  For the world and the Chinese they’re certainly welcoming the good news about Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cell research but not for the US.   Very recently according the most respected scientific journal, Nature reported that two unknown  Chinese researchersQi Zhou and Fanyi Zeng had created live mice from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, answering a lingering question about the developmental potential of the cells. Further more, the third generations of hybrid-mice are living well and longer!   To my surprise, this iPS breakthrough was not done by the famous and pioneer researchers of Japan’s Shinya Yamanaka or US Wisconsin Team’s James A. Thomson and Junying YU.   My only educated guess is that the loss –eight- year of –Bush- era that contributes a lot of this scientific fall back.  Less money put in research and scientific illiteracy of Bush’s administration that drag our feet. Other unsubstantiated theory is that  X country’s spy net is “sniffing” our Lab.   The “red flag” warns us that the global economics brings us closer in par standard of science ever before. If some developing countries like China, India or Brazil especially China willing to put money in research, the sky is no limit to them. The US if not take care and invest more in science or not offer US trained foreign scientists more flexibility residence status e.g., Green Card. Our scientific might may lost in 10 or 20 years.  … Read More

July 27, 2009   |  In Health & Medicine

The Critical Moment of America, Health Care Legislation!

House Leader, Lady Nancy Pelosi declared to day (July 21st, 09), she had enough vote to pass the health care bill.  South Carolina Senator, Jim Demint (R) called the Obama Health Care plan a “ Waterloo moment.” The President struck back “That isn’t about me.” He is right, health care bill now become every American’s business.  If it gets passed in both chambers of Congress. The bill will have a profound effect of the future of America!   I do not object a universal health care plan; I just don’t like the timing!   We totally lost eight years in Bush era and have the worst recession on hand. The price tag of Iraqi war will be 3 trillion dollars. The SIG of TARP , Mr. Neil Barafsky estimated the total of stimulus plan plus bailout financial company, may be ended at 23.7 trillions dollars.  The waiting to bust and rescue of commercial estate loan will be 3.7 trillions. Our national deficit now is greater than 11 trillions. The 10 yr of health care plan may cause 1 trillion. But the worst, the job unemployment rate is closed to 10%.  You do not have the Economist to tell you how bad our economic situation still  is. The timing is very bad, very bad for health care bill.   Judging the performance of the Congressman and Congresswoman in the Bush era.  They were always down to 18% approval rate and longtime lower than Mr. Bush. We can assume most of them are falling in the mediocrity ability or lower category. And the worst they are always partisanship for no reason and most of them are still there in Congress.   On July 21, 2009, WSJ’s editorial page, Repealing Erisa called the House health care bill as ”The more we inspect the House bill, the more it looks to be the worst pieces of the legislation ever introduced in Congress!” Thought, to my view it is a bit exaggerated comment and emotional. It did point out one thing needed to be considered. That is a great possibility you “won’t be able to  keep your old health-care plan.”   My humble personal opinion is that we need to plan thoughtfully the following:   1.     There is no guarantee the public option is a quality health care option. 2.     There is a great possibility the cheap public option will push away the quality private health care option. 3.     There is a great possibility, the employer, no matter big coporation or small business owner; they prefer to choose the cheaper option for quality option. (I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WAL-MART SUPPORTS THIS BILL!) 4.     There is insufficient scientific data to support that under public option can be both cheap and optimal quality health care, and  if these cheap and quality option can be applied in every state in America. 5.     There is great possibility, if this new health care bill enacted, the Government will take up 95% of the bill!  And the total of new health care bill certainly greater than the existed payment. Because of that, I  99% guarantee new  tax code will be introduced and tax will be increased.   Within the Bush era, the Congress had the worst record in history. Almost 99% Congressman and woman passed Bush’s choice of Iraqi war. We pay a huge price! Now I hope they make the right choice: delay the bill until the economy is fully recovery and the job employment rate stays at 3 to 4 %.   Looking at the severity of our recession, timing is not right for this  hurry and imperfect health care bill! … Read More

July 22, 2009   |  In Life & Death