Socialized Medicine Up Close and Personal

Barack Obama is issuing the following call in a speech in Washington this morning:
"The time has come for universal health care in America." Obama is now the second Dem candidate to make universal health care a central issue in his campaign; John Edwards issued his call for it earlier this year.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is planning on resuscitating some of the ideas in her failed health care effort in the mid-nineties as part of an effort to directly confront her potential vulnerability on the issue.
With Obama taking a stand for what Hillary tried to pull off in the first year of her husbands Presidency, socialized medicine. I believe it is appropriate to reprint my experience with socialized medicine. The following is a true story!

IN THE GREAT STATE OF OREGON, ONE OF THE PRETTIEST STATES IN THE U.S.. FORMER GOV. JOHN KITZHABER , CREATOR OF THE OREGON HEALTH PLAN IS SUPPORTING AN EFFORT TO MAKE HEALTH CARE A RIGHT!

THE "HOPE INITIATIVE" DRAFTED BY SENATORS ALAN BATES,BEN WETLAND AND REP. MITCH GREEENBECK WOULD AMEND THE OREGON CONSTITUTION TO SAY THAT HEALTH CARE IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT!

THE INITIATIVE THEY DRAFTED FURTHER STATES THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL DEVELOP A PLAN BY 2009. NO MENTION IN THE INITIATIVE ABOUT THE POSSIBLE COSTS.

NOT ONLY DOES THE U.S. CONSTITUTION NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HEALTH CARE RIGHTS, BUT THIS INITIATIVE IS NOTHING MORE THAN BLATANT SOCIALISM WHICH WOULD ROB FROM THE "HAVES" TO PAY FOR THE "HAVE NOTS".THIS IS NOTHING MORE OR LESS BUT WHAT THE GREAT SENATOR FROM NEW YORK, HILLARY CLINTON, TRIED TO DO BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THE FIRST YEAR HER HUSBAND WAS PRESIDENT.

I USUALLY DON'T WRITE ABOUT MYSELF IN THESE FLEDGLING ATTEMPTS TO BE A BLOGGER. BUT THIS SUBJECT IS SOMETHING I CAN WRITE ABOUT FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

A YEAR AGO THIS PAST MAY I, MY WIFE AND MY YOUNGEST SON WERE IN ROME FOR OUR 32ND ANNIVERSARY WHEN I AWOKE IN A HOTEL ROOM AROUND 5A.M WITH THE DREADED "ELEPHANT SITTING ON MY CHEST!"

YES, IT WAS A HEART ATTACK! I WAS SCARED AS HELL! IN ITALY THEY HAVE TOTAL SOCIALIZED MEDICINE---EVEN FOR VISITORS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES. KIND OF LIKE OUR MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR ILLEGAL MEXICANS.

I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL I CHECKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL 4 DAYS LATER TO FLY HOME FOR DEFINITIVE TREATMENT OF MY HEART.

BUT AT ANY RATE AN AMBULANCE FINALLY CAME TO OUR HOTEL AROUND 7:30 AND TOOK ME TO A LARGE HOSPITAL NEAR THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT. THE RIDE ITSELF WAS AN EXPERIENCE. SIRENS BLARING AND WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC I WAS LUCKY I WAS STRAPPED IN.

WHEN I GOT TO SAN JACQUI MO HOSPITAL I WAS ROLLED INTO A HALLWAY WHERE I WAITED FOR 30 MIN. OR SO.

WHEN A NURSE WHO COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH TRIED TO GET MY HISTORY,ETC. FROM A PERSON WHO SPEAKS SPANISH FAIRLY WELL, BUT KNEW ONLY A FEW WORDS OF ITALIAN.

AFTER SOME TIME THEY GAVE ME A SHOT THAT RELIEVED MY PAIN,DREW BLOOD AND ROLLED ME BACK OUT INTO THE HALLWAY WITH DOZENS OF OTHER PATIENTS. FINALLY A DOCTOR CAME TO TELL ME IN FAIRLY GOOD ENGLISH THAT YES I HAD A HEART ATTACK. HE TOLD ME THE CARDIAC CARE WARD WAS FULL, BUT HE WOULD TRY AND GET ME A BED IN THE SURGICAL WARD.

SOME HOURS LATER I WAS TRANSPORTED TO A ROOM THAT HAD TO BE UNLOCKED BEFORE THEY COULD ROLL ME IN, AND WAS LOCKED AS SOON AS I ENTERED.

HAVING OVER 30 YEARS AS AN ORAL SURGEON ON THE STAFFS OF TWO HOSPITALS I WAS SUDDENLY TRANSPORTED INTO THIRD WORLD MEDICINE!

INSIDE THE ROOM WERE FOUR BEDS.THREE OF WHICH WERE OCCUPIED BY MAJOR SURGERY POST OPERATIVE PATIENTS. ONE LADY HAD A MASTECTOMY. ONE MAN HAD A THROAT OPERATION, AND THE THIRD WAS A LADY HAD SOME TYPE OF ABDOMINAL SURGERY. I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITHOUT A HEALING WOUND.

THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS PUSH A LARGE CATHETER,WITHOUT LUBRICATION, UP MY URETHRA. THAT MADE ME BLEED INTO THE PLASTIC BAG ATTACHED TO THE CATHETER FOR TWO DAYS. THERE WAS JUST ONE WINDOW IN THE ROOM, AND IT WAS WIDE OPEN WITH NO SCREEN ON IT!

THIS WAS A ROOM FOR SURGERY PATIENTS HOPING TO RECOVER AND THE FLYS WERE MERRILY FLYING IN AND OUT OF THE WINDOW.

AFTER THE IVs WERE INSERTED IN MY ARMS. I WAS AWARE THAT ALL THE DRESSINGS REMOVED FROM THE SURGERY PATIENTS WERE BEING PLACED IN AN OPEN BOX LINED WITH A PLASTIC BAG ABOUT 4 FEET FROM MY BED NEXT TO THE LOCKED DOOR.

THE IV THAT WAS PUT IN HAD PUNCTURED MY VEIN WALL AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER MY RIGHT FOREARM WAS SWOLLEN AND HURT LIKE BLAZES. SINCE NO ONE IN THE ROOM COULD UNDERSTAND A WORD OF ENGLISH. I YELLED THE UNIVERSAL DISTRESS, "HELP" AS LOUD AS I COULD. IF I HAD KNOWN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO "JUST GEORGE", AS THEY LEARNED TO CALL ME,I MAY HAVE BEEN SILENT.

I WAS ABOUT TO BECOME A PIN CUSHION FOR TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE I THOUGHT WERE NURSES. I MIGHT HAVE SAID NOTHING EVEN THOUGH I KNEW IT WASN'T INSERTED CORRECTLY IF I KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO JAB ME SO MANY TIMES WITH LARGE NEEDLES. FINALLY AFTER RIPPING UP MY VEINS IN BOTH FOREARMS THEY CALLED A FEMALE DOCTOR TO HELP. SHE SPOKE ENGLISH AND HAD THE IV IN MY HAND ON THE FIRST TRY. NICE LADY, BUT I NEVER SAW HER AGAIN.

SINCE THERE WAS NO IV INSERTED FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS THEY STARTED TO STICK ME IN THE BELLY WITH INJECTABLE HEPARIN,TO ATTACK THE CLOT IN MY CORONARY.

I VAGUELY REMEMBER 8 OR TEN JABS IN THE BELLY WHICH MADE MY STOMACH LOOK LIKE I WENT TEN ROUNDS WITH "JOE LOW BLOW" BOXER!

AT DINNER TIME I LEARNED THAT THE HOSPITAL PROVIDED NEITHER FOOD NOR WATER, NOR TOILET PRODUCTS SUCH AS SOAP AND TOOTHBRUSH. THEY EXPECTED THE RELATIVES OF THE PATIENTS TO BRING IN THE FOOD,ETC. THE ONLY THING THEY PROVIDED THREE TIMES A DAY WAS A GRUEL LIKE WATERED DOWN SOUP AND 3 "ZWIEBACK" TYPE CRACKERS. I LOST 12 POUNDS IN FOUR DAYS!

FINALLY ON THE MORNING OF THE THIRD DAY I WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE CARDIAC CARE UNIT. IT WAS LIKE GETTING BACK TO THE 21ST CENTURY! THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THEY ONLY HAD FOUR BEDS! IN THIS LARGE VERY STERILE LOOKING ROOM WITH THE NURSES STATION BEHIND A DOOR AND LARGE WINDOWS WITH NO CALL BUTTON AT ANY BED. YOU WERE ON YOUR OWN. THE REAL CLOSE CALL CAME LATER THAT DAY. I HAD BEEN PUT ON AN IV DRIP OF NITROGLYCERIN AND AN IV WITH SOME NARCOTIC, PROBABLY MORPHINE, FOR PAIN. THERE WAS A VERY NICE CARDIOLOGIST WHO COULD SPEAK ENGLISH WELL ENOUGH FOR ME TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM, BUT HE ONLY CAME IN ONCE A DAY.

THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED WHEN I TOLD HIM I WAS STILL HAVING SOME CHEST PAIN. HE ORDERED A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE NARCOTIC AND NITROGLYCERIN DRIP. THE DRUGS MADE ME SLEEPY AND I DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE DAYS. I WAS TOO SCARED TO FALL ASLEEP IN THE SURGERY ROOM AS THE STAFF SPENT MOST OF THEIR TIME DAY AND NIGHT BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR JUST OUTSIDE THE WARD. AT NIGHT THE "HANK-PANKY" GOING ON WOULD WAKE THE DEAD! WHILE I WAS SLEEPING, THE SHIFTS CHANGED, AND APPARENTLY THE "NURSE" WHO HAD INCREASED MY IV DRIP HAD NOT MADE A NOTE IN MY CHART. SO WHEN THE NEW CREW CAME IN THEY INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF NARCOTIC AN NITRO DRIP.

A SHORT TIME LATER WHEN I AWOKE, LUCKILY, I BEGAN TO GO BLIND. EVERYTHING GREW BLACK, AND I THOUGHT I WAS DYING! APPARENTLY MY BLOOD PRESSURE DROPPED TO 50/30 AND ALL I COULD DO WAS WAVE MY HANDS AND TRY TO YELL HELP. LUCKY FOR ME A NEW NIGHT DOCTOR WAS IN THE NURSES STATION AND SAW ME WAVING FRANTICALLY. HE CAME AND AFTER CHECKING MY BLOOD PRESSURE HAD THE NURSING STAFF RAISE THE FOOT OF MY BED SO HIGH I SLIPPED UP TO THE HEADBOARD, BUT IT SAVED MY LIFE ALONG WITH THE IV INJECTIONS OF MEDS.TO RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE.THAT WAS AS CLOSE AS I HAD EVER COME TO HAVING A STROKE.

ON THE FOURTH DAY MY WIFE, MY SON AND I DECIDED THIS HOSPITAL WAS DANGEROUS TO MY HEALTH AND MADE UP OUR MINDS TO FLY BACK TO THE U.S. I TOLD THE DOCTOR, WHO SPOKE ENGLISH, THAT I WANTED TO GO HOME. BUT HE INSISTED I MUST STAY AND HAVE A HEART CATHETERIZING IN THE MORNING. I ASKED HIM IF I WAS IN A PRISON OR COULD I SIGN MYSELF OUT AGAINST HIS ADVICE. AFTER A LENGTHY TALK WITH HIS SUPERIORS HE BROUGHT ME THE RELEASE PAPERS TO SIGN. FOR ALL I KNOW THEY COULD BE A DEATH WARRANT OR DEED TO MY HOUSE AS THEY WERE IN ITALIAN. I SIGNED THE PAPERS AND TOOK A CAB TO THE HOTEL. THE NEXT DAY WE FLEW HOME IN A 747 WITH NITRO PATCHES CHANGED EVERY FOUR HOURS AND ROOM ENOUGH FOR ME TO LIE DOWN AND SLEEP MOST OF THE 10 HOUR FLIGHT.

THUS ENDED MY EXPERIENCE WITH TOTALLY SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. SOME PEOPLE RAVE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN COUNTRIES WITH SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET THE NIGHTMARE THAT WAS MINE ALL FOR FREE. The Caps. were used for emphasis not to shout.

Why Did Iraq Ambassador Apologize?

Last week an American patrol guarding the border between Iraq and Iran in the Medran region 70 miles from Baghdad stopped a suspicious caravan.
The caravan consisted of the son of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim. Hakim is the leader of the Iraqi Parliaments largest Party, SCIRT. He is also the known leader of the Shiite party Badr militia. An active participant in the terror that continues between Shiites and Sunnis on a daily basis.
The son, Ammar al-Hakim is a member os SCIRI, an organization founded in 1982 in Iran with links to Shiite extremists on an ongoing basis.
To further complicate this situation last December the Hakim residential compound was raided by U.S. forces who arrested two Iranians said to be members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Amman and his two body guards were detained for twelve hours, because they failed to co-operate with the U.s. Forces attempting to inspect their vehicles. A normal procedure since it is a well known fact that weapons are being shipped across the border into Iraq from Iran to aid the terrorists.
The three were not hurt or subject to any ill treatment and were released.
One would think this was the end of the incident, but not so!
Our Ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan born, Pushtu-American, appointed by President Bush, Zalmay Kalizad made a public apology to the Hakims.
He went further to say, Washington meant no disrespect".
Iran is an avowed enemy of the United States and this "special" person and his entourage were coming into Iraq from Iran. Failure to check them thoroughly would be dereliction of duty fro the troops guarding the border. Failure to cooperate is also a good reason for them to be taken into custody. In this country failure to cooperate might get you shot!
Why in H@@@ did our Ambassador apologize for this incident. Political correctness seems to have reached the battle field. We are at war Ambassador, in case you forgot. And you were one of the planners!

Anti_War Proponents Are Doing Putins Work

I believe many "peaceniks" and Congressional members demanding to bring home Our troops and abandon the Iraqi people, believe that they are doing the best thing for America. Unfortunately the same people behind the organized push to retreat from Iraq are the same leftists who managed to convince our Government to abandon the Vietnamese people when we were in fact winning on the field of battle against the Communists.
A very famous and poignant movie by David Lean is "Doctor Zhivago". The movie is about the love affair between a married doctor poet and the beautiful also married "Laura", but intertwined in the plot is the story of the Russian Revolution. In one early scene the apparent fiancee of Laura, "Strelnakoff" is marching with the soldiers going off to fight the Germans. Laura asks him why? His reply is appropriate for many of today's anti-war marchers. He says I need to be with the troops so I can convince them to lay down their weapons and join the Revolution.
Unfortunately with all the turmoil in the Middle East we Americans have forgotten the threat that Communism once posed toward our way of life.
We have assumed it is dead and buried. But I say it was just hibernating until the opportunity came to reassert its' influence.
Putin and many of his closest members of the Russian government are KGB alumni. Putin himself said, "there is no such thing as an ex-KGB agent!"
The recent news of Russian shipment of $700 million worth of TOR-M1 anti-aircraft batteries to Iran, and the shipment of SA-14 and SA-16 portable surface to air missiles that are now being used against our troops in Iraq proves Russia is no friend to the U.S.
Russia has chosen sides in this fight, even though our Media would have you believe they are our allies.
The proposed legislation by the "wayward Marine" Martha to cut off funding to the troops, and the equally devastating proposal by Senator Levin to amend the 2003 Congressional authorization to change the "ROE" to one of support not combat without prior authorization of a battery of "legal experts" are both giving aid and comfort to the enemy. There is no doubt in my mind that if this proposed legislation were offered in any other Country but Ours, it would be considered treason during a time of war.
During the Vietnam War, McNamara and President Johnson micro-managed the war so badly it was doomed to fail. Now the Democratic Congress and a few "off the Reservation RINO's" are trying to micromanage Iraq with the only result being defeat.
However, if this dastardly legislation gets passed it won't be the civilians who are left "high and dry". It will be our troops who will be killed as support and supplies dwindle. This is unthinkable!
I am sure this is not what the American people want to happen. Write your members of Congress and tell them not to cut off support for our brave warriors! Things have not gone well since the Forces of Saddam were vanquished, but they will get a whole lot worst if the leftist "defeatists" have their way.

Consequences of Withdrawl

With all the efforts of the Congressional Democrats and "RINO" co-conspirators directed toward the removal of Our troops from Iraq. These double talking politician should take one brief moment to realize what they plan to do will not only give credence to the Terrorist leaders theory that America is only "a paper tiger", but will have more far reaching consequences in the quest of Islamist radicals to conquer the world in the great jihad.
Leaving Iraq will bring satisfaction to our alleged allies, Russia, France and Germany. It will give them free access to trade with the Radicals who surely will take power after the "blood Bath".
Iraq will also become a staging ground for additional terrorist training camps, and the chemical and biological weapons that were shipped across the borders to Syria and Iran will be brought back to restart the WMD program that Saddam "never had".
With the Democrats effort to give their avowed enemy President Bush a black eye they will become willing accomplices of the International jihad.
For those who don't believe such a crusade exists. I have include the conclusion of testimony given during the FBI presentation to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence January 20, 2007 by Michael E. Rolince. Mr. Rolince Is Special Agent in Charge , Washington D.C.
During his testimony he said that "We also believe that if it can Al Qaeda will obtain and use some form of chemical, biological or radiological weapons in the U.S!
Some of the groups they are watching in the U.S. are the Black Separatists and Animal Rights extremists. Groups the FBI feels "might follow radical variants of Islam."
Once the International terrorists no longer have Iraq to worry about. They can and will step up their attacks in the U.S. and any other Country supportive of Our efforts in Iraq.
"Fat Cat" politicians have the money and power to shield themselves from this inevitable threat, but you and I have no such protection. God save the 2nd Amendment!
The FBI Testimony follows:
"The lesson to be drawn is that Al Qaeda is but one faction of a larger and very amorphous radical anti-western network that uses Al Qaeda members as well as others who share common hatred or are sympathetic to Al Qaeda's ideas or that share common hatreds. Terrorists world-wide speak of jihad and wonder why the western world is focused on groups rather than on the concepts that make them a community. Al Qaeda is far less a large organization than a facilitator, sometimes orchestrator, of Islamic militants around the globe. These militants are linked by ideas and goals, not by organization structure. The intent is establishment of states ruled by Islamic law, (sharia) and free of western influence. Usama Bin Laden's contribution to the Islamic jihad is as a creature of the modern world. He has spawned a global network of individuals with common, radical ideas, kept alive by modern communications and sustained through large amounts of money.
In the final analysis, the international jihad movement is comprised of dedicated individuals and numerous groups committed to establishing a Muslim community through terrorist means. Many of these are people who attended universities together, trained in the camps together, traveled and lived together. Al Qaeda and other international terrorist groups remain focused on the United States as their primary target. The United States and its allies must continue to adapt to changing circumstances.
Conclusion:As we continue to learn more about the individuals involved in the planning and execution of the terrorist acts of September 11-- the FBI and other members of the Intelligence and Law Enforcement Communities are using all the tools provided by the U.S. Government, such as the Patriot Act, to ensure more comprehensive efforts in the collection, analysis and sharing of information to prevent terrorist acts and prosecute those responsible. The FBI is continuing its efforts to work hand-in-hand with our partners to improve information sharing."

Why Are Officials "Bullet Proof"?

Now that the Great American pastime called football is finished for another year, and it is just a few weeks until March "madness" begins for College Basketball. It is time to ask why officials cannot be criticised?
Although it is next to impossible for a lay person to find out how much money is bet each week on college and professional sports. I would guess that it is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, pounds, rubles and euros.
If for no reason other than this is a lot of money riding on from three to seven human beings getting their "calls" correct during the games. It is worth asking why the respective league offices have been declared officials off limits for criticism?
The list of fines levied by league officials on coaches and players is long and questionable. Are they protecting the image of their sport so it will be an appealing thing to watch on the lucrative television "cow" that feeds the sports owners and players?
Owners are not immune to fines for their statements either. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks has been fined at least 1.5 million dollars for his criticism since purchasing the team in November of 2000.
Owner Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was fined 25 thousand dollars after the Steelers loss to Atlanta 41-38 10/22/06. He said: "the referees should be ashamed of themselves". Anyone who watched the games this past year has to agree there were too many bad calls to go un-noted. Was it tired, sloppy officiating by some men who are too old to do the job correctly, or was it bias or even worse, financial inducement?
Instead of allowing after game criticism during the press conferences, as would be a normal and appropriate opportunity to blow off some steam. The NFL has placed a gage order on all coaches and players. This doesn't show the league is serious about having the best officiating for their games.
The same criticism goes for the NHL, NBA and extends into the College game.
Recent examples are Jason Kidds' 20 thousand dollar fine for his comments about NBA official Tom Washington after his Nets lost 92-91 to the Detroit Pistons.
Maybe it is time for a Congressional Committee to look into this issue. It would fit into their schedule nicely along side the rest of the "attack" hearings to make President Bush look bad!

"Russia Has Only Two Allies, The Army and Navy"

The heading for this blog is a quote from Czar Alexander III of Russia, and one of Russian President Putins' favorite quotes.
His speech last week in Munich,Germany at the Bayerischer Hof hotel showed he really believes in provoking his other "alleged" allies.
Putin tore into President Bush and America for proposing to set up a "Star Wars" missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic to ward off any nuclear missile launch from the Middle East.
Putin, has recently sold advanced surface to air missile defense systems to Iran, capable of shooting down any airplanes that we send to take out their nuclear production sites. If it comes to this ultimate option. He and his former ex-KGB agent filled government have been supplying weapons to Syria for use in Lebanon by Hamas, and small arms from Russia are being used in Iraq by the terrorist forces. He has little to complain about us in this regard.
Reagan with his armament build up helped to bring an end to Communist Russia's "Cold War", even though this blogger believes Communism just "went to ground." It did not die, and still thrives right here in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. It is disguised as many Causes and Organizations, but it lives!
Now it appears Putin is threatening to start it again. He appointed Sergei Ivanov, former KGB agent with Putin, as First Deputy Prime Minister for Defense. At the same time, General Yuri Baluijevsky, Chief of the Russian General Staff has indicated Russia intends to pull out of the IRNF treaty that was signed by Gorbachev and Reagan in 1967.
With France and Germany failing to support whole-heartily our effort in Iraq, and the opposition party in England voicing strong opposition to Prime-Minister Blairs' support of President Bushs' Mission to eliminate radical Islam. It becomes more obvious that we have only four friends and allies. Our Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. May they always be strong and prepared!

The Betrayal and the NO Shows

Yesterday the Senate held a non-binding resolution put forth by Democrats to "slap" President Bush in the face, as had the Democratic Controlled Congress previously last week.
This resolution to condemn the Presidents sending more troops to Iraq to support those valiant troops already there was nothing short of a vote of "lack of Confidence" in President Bushs' policy in Iraq. It also would have given more aid and comfort to our enemy, the radical Islamists. Fortunately it failed, 56-34. Four votes short of the super majority needed.
That's the good news! The bad news is there were seven who betrayed the Republican President who were elected as republicans. Coleman of Minn.,Collins of Maine, Hagel of Neb.,Smith of Oregon, Snow of Maine, SPECTOR of Pa., and WARNER of Va. all became the "un-magnificent seven" by voting with the Democrats. An outright betrayal of the Republicans who elected them to their Senate seats believing they would support the president Republicans voted into the Oval Office.
The nine no vote Senators is a large a disgrace as the votes by Republican Senators for the Democratic proposal. Bennett of Utah, Bond of Mo., Cochran,Miss., Corker of Tenn., Ensign of Nev., HATCH of Utah, McCAIN of Arizona, Kyl Ariz., Muskowski of Washington all either didn't show up to vote or "sat on their hands"when it was time to be counted for personal political reasons.
Senator McCain will have the excuse he was on the campaign trail, but in my opinion if he expects to get the votes of loyal Conservative voters he should show up for this kind of vote. I won't pull the voting lever for him in 2008!
Unless these nine Senators were on their sick beds they should have been there to vote for supporting our troops by giving them more troops to fight with. The "no Vote" is a betrayal of trust at the very least.