Walkin' Down Beale Street, Turning Up Main, Beware of the Waxman...

Steve Benen
David Ignatius
Frank Rich


"Gotten almost nothing in return"? He's been called a socialist, a Nazi, a monster who wants to kill your parents and kids. He's also been threatened. I'd say he's gotten quite a lot for his efforts." - Kevin Ray

"I'm divorcing a Republican. He, too, thinks compromise and empathy are bad words... That is all." - MissMudd

We begin with a couple of weird stories that have nothing to do with politics. The first is just a filler blurb from the Denver Post, but it compounds itself with how wrong the man's behavior gets: a Nebraska man was convicted for stealing a painting of the Madonna to finance an abortion for the teen aged girl he had raped... It seems more like the subject of a mini-series coming on tv this Fall.

The second item comes right out of the forensics lab of CSI: a young Hollywood model was found mutilated and stuffed into a suitcase that was thrown into a trash bin. Her teeth and fingers were missing, so that she could not be identified. They ended up finding out her identity by tracing the serial number on her breast implants, through the doctor who put them in, who gave police her name. Her husband was employed in a VH-1 reality dating show,

and has disappeared... Police are grateful for the Hollywood lifestyle of plastic surgery and implantation, where, after a few years, most starlets end up resembling the destroyed facial features of Michael Jackson, when the poor man was still stayin' alive...

Cocaine, runnin' all through my brain...

I remember a study from over 20 years ago, when money was tested for cocaine residue, and it was determined that 70% of the world's supply had trace amounts of illegal substances. Another study was done recently in 30 cities, with much similar conclusions, and, as reported by the BBC: "The largest study of banknotes has found that 95% of dollar bills in Washington DC bear traces of the illegal drug cocaine.
The figure for the US capital is up 20% over two years." Of course, this story has political implications, or Marion Barry has started up partying again. If only a study on the Congressional use of prostitutes could be made, I bet their use has gone up, too, despite the recent scandals. Since your VISA card can also be used to chop up the cocaine, it gives a new twist to the slogan, it's everywhere you want it to be...

Beware of the Waxman...
The insurance industry has been spending $1.4 million per day this summer on ways to defeat the health reform bills, while publically saying that it supports reform. Overall, their profits have gone up about 1000% in the last five years, while denying coverage for people with pre-existing conditions or conditions that may end in a quick death, like AIDS.

Now they must answer to Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as reported in Politico: "House Energy and Commerce Chairman H

enry Waxman raised eyebrows this week when he launched a financial probe into the nation’s largest insurance companies, which are at the center of the health reform battle.

Now POLITICO has learned that Waxman’s recent investigation began almost a month earlier than previously thought — with letters to the insurance industry’s powerful trade group and its consultant regarding grassroots tactics.

A committee spokeswoman defended the probes — saying lawmakers need to know that private insurance money is being spent effectively as part of the effort to control costs. But the trade group, America’s Health Insurance Plans, is crying foul, saying Waxman is merely trying to bring it in line behind his version of the health reform bill." Is this a politically motivated act? Sure it is, but the information gained into exactly where the insurance companies are spending their money, taken from premium holders, is a good thing. I know that if I ran a small company whose premiums have been raised during the last five years, I wouldn't mind it if my insurance company made less of a profit and lowered the cost of my premium. It's some change I could believe in... And you know that it will never happen voluntarily, they would have to be embarrassed into doing such a thing, it's the American way...

I'm waiting for Rush Limbaugh to make another juvenile Uranus joke about the Waxman probe into the insurance industry...