It is rare that I interact politically on this blog. I’ve done it, I’m sure, but most of the time when I make a political comment, it’s on my Facebook page or somewhere else.

However, I cannot leave a couple of news items alone. The first is the terrorism without. Thomas Friedman wrote a column that is scary. Friedman is a level headed liberal, and I mean that in the kindest way. When it comes to terrorism, he is one of the best sources I can read. His latest column needs to be read by every American. Agree or disagree with Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. (and he has his opinions as well), what we are forgetting is there is truly an enemy and that enemy is not forgetting us. We may not like the fact we have an enemy, but that doesn’t make them go away.

It’s like the devil. Some believe in a literal devil. Some don’t. Either way, he doesn’t care. He’ll use either belief system and keep on battling humanity.

Friedman recounts several recent events where authorities have stopped potential terrorist attacks on our soil. Then, he says this:

These incidents are worth reflecting on. They tell us some important things. First, we may be tired of this “war on terrorism,” but the bad guys are not. They are getting even more “creative.”

It’s a sobering column worth your full attention. We are so temporal in our thinking. We have such a “been there, done that” mentality, we are not realizing the need for vigilance in our national security. HOW that is done is still a matter of debate, but I am more and more convinced that it MUST be done. It’s not a matter of NOT staying vigilant.

Then, I refer to a terror within. National healthcare reform.

I am not saying healthcare reform is terrorism. I am saying the current Bacchus bill up for consideration and a possible vote IS terrorism in a new way. This article runs the numbers on the current bill and it’s just plain scary.

Here are my options as someone who cannot currently afford healthcare:

1. Pay incredibly high premiums for little coverage because it will be required.

2. Don’t pay for health insurance and pay a fine each and every year I can’t afford health insurance.

3. Go to jail for not paying the fine.

This bill has a “tax credit” to “help pay” for those premiums. Here is the false premise on that: you still have to pay the premiums. You get the tax credit at the END of the year, so I’ll still have to pay nearly $1000 a month for insurance for a family of four!

This is war on the middle class. The poor have coverage. The rich have coverage. They’ll get taxed to pay for the poor to have coverage. The middle class will end up in jail. But at least in jail we’ll have medical care!

This line out of the article is what sends me over the top:

Most of the uninsured are in households headed by someone who’s self-employed or works at a business that doesn’t provide coverage. It’s this group that Democrats are trying to help.

THIS is the help we are getting? Mandatory insurance, through companies that still won’t give us affordable plans, OR JAIL?

WHO STOLE MY COUNTRY?

I’ll get back to my regularly schedule blog tomorrow.