James Pyle – Author

Dear Loyal Reader:

Today, I bring sad news: the Cassini orbiter flies no more. NASA’s ninth most expensive endeavor ($3.9 Billion to date), the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens landing probe, met an ignominious end yesterday. After 294 orbits of Saturn (the farthest known planet when Cassini was launched in 1994) this noble space vehicle ended her mission through self-immolation when entering Saturn’s atmosphere. And what, you may ask, did Cassini discover?

NADA!  Nothing of any scientific, economic or social value resulted from this huge expenditure of your taxpayer dollars. Four Billion Greenbacks later, we still know nothing more about Saturn than its name. To be fair, there are pretty pictures of its rings – if you care.

I’ve been taken to task by my lovely (though non-scientific) wife who criticizes my conclusion of nothing gained. Upon careful re-examination, I did find several findings that the program’s leader was able to claim.

• One of Saturn’s 62 moons, Enceladus, has an icy crust encasing an ocean of water with no indication of microbial life.
• The spaceship’s lunar-lander, Huygens, touched down on Titan, yet another moon, and found the surface to be comprised of an ocean of methane. That, because the temperature is -295⁰
• Most surprising was that the surface of Enceladus may be heated by geothermal geysers similar to those found at the ocean’s bottom here on earth.
• Nothing new about Saturn itself, however. She is still encircled by those enigmatic rings.

So there you have it: Four billion dollars later and still no possibility of alien life out there. Go figure. I did, however, find the names given to these stars, moons and planets to be extraordinary.

Scientists tag names onto previously unnamed stars, call them planets and pat themselves on the back. Since Cassini’s launch, at least three other, more distant planets have been `discovered’ and named: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Though some eggheads might dispute this, a name is what distinguishes a planet from a star.

Imagine: some jokester at Jet Propulsion Labs calling a colleague. “Frank, we need a name for this new planet that Sally just discovered. Any suggestions?”

Frank, having just returned from an urgent trip to the men’s room, replied: “How about Asshole?”

“Naah, too funky. How about we compromise with Uranus?”

“My what?”

“Done!” And Uranus enters the scientific journals.

But, you might ask: If JPL names planets, who names stars?

NASA has outsourced the star naming business to a scheister named Rocky Mosel.  For a mere $100, Rocky will name a star after you or your Aunt Betty, and register it in the `International Star Registry’. (Planets cost extra. Only NASA can afford them.)

Thankfully, Frank no longer works for JPL. He got a new job at General Motors – naming cars.

His last suggestion was the Saturn.  It too, went down in flames.

A moment of silence please for the many, more valuable missions that will never fly – say. . . like fixing our education or health care systems.

You are welcome.

For more go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Tom Brokaw authored The Greatest Generation, an excellent book memorializing the best qualities of the vast majority of Americans during, and in the aftermath of, WWII.

I was born into that generation, not as a participant, but as a child who bore witness to the power of the people, who, when challenged, rose together to save the nation from German armies to the east that threatened our allies and Japanese armies to the west that attacked us. My parents, aunts and uncles all contributed to the war effort and I never heard them begrudge the inconveniences thrust upon them, even after the Great Depression had sapped their meager finances.

• Gasoline was rationed
• Meat and cheese were rationed
• Travel was restricted
• Educations were interrupted to fill the armed services
• Auto manufacturers stopped making cars in order to build military trucks and tanks
• Women filled many manufacturing jobs (Remember, Rosie the Riveter?)
• Airplanes were conscripted to transport troops instead of vacationers
• Electricity was conserved through programmed black-outs.

The nation’s common purpose defeated those foreign enemies. Having survived the forties and its war ravages, the country entered the 1950s to face a Cold War with Russia and the challenge of building bomb shelters. Thanks to a strong President Reagan, that threat was diminished. Through it all, the nation continued to coalesce around the flag to defeat foreign entities that threatened our way of life and challenged our common purpose.  Now we feature flag denigration at sports stadiums and on the front page of liberal newspapers.

America is a nation of shared values and recognized laws that have long served to make it the most revered nation in the world – and the most sought after refuge for immigrants fleeing persecution elsewhere.

With the presumed wisdom of age and the luxury of retirement that enables reflection, I now recognize the value of common purpose in opposing the current threats to America’s existence.

Sadly, common purpose has become an apparition, no longer supported by a younger, integrated population that is inured to, and ungrateful for, the sacrifices made by our forebears. But America still faces numerous threats, some palpable; others, minor reflections of the perceived rights of privileged groups sheltered by the conventions they resist.

The business world taught me that problem solving involves establishing priorities and crafting a detailed plan with defined objectives and timelines. The country must once again re-align its priorities while making the populace aware and supportive. I believe President Trump understands that responsibility.

George W. Bush, a failed president, rarely spoke or wrote clearly; but he had one memorable moment after 9/11 – when he declared war on the “evil-doers of the world”. He knew a problem when it smacked him in the face – but he didn’t know how to fix it – and we may never recover from his mistakes in the Muslim world.

Threat Levels and Evil Doers:

• Radical Islam and the leader of North Korea are today’s evil-doers and imminent dangers. They must be eliminated or made irrelevant. I sleep better knowing President Trump, and his military leaders, have the enemy in sight – and the courage to stop them. (You’ve got to love a Defense Secretary nick-named `Mad Dog’.)
• Next on the threat list are the nation’s education and health care institutions; both out of control and neither governed by common purpose. The health care industry is distorted by greed, indifferent to patient outcomes and enabled by governmental ineptitude. (Affordable Care Act: a joke). The education industry is hobbled by incompetence and self preservation enabled by unions. Both are in thrall of the “too-big-to-fail” banks that continue to ride rough-shod across the economy. Banks will be the topic of a subsequent blog: stay tuned.
• Date rape, transgender bathrooms, same-sex marriage, birth control, creating safe spaces on college campuses and women in the military front-guard are low level issues, not problems that demand governmental intervention. They are societal issues that society will either accept or reject over time. In any event they are issues for the Supreme Court, not the Presidency. Sorry, New York Times, Washington Post, CBS, NBC and CNN: Time to look elsewhere to recover your dwindling number of subscribers.

With luck, I will soon enter my eighth decade with a smile, believing that we finally have a strong president who will persevere over the forces of evil-doers and weeping nay-sayers who will never find peace in a competitive world with a common purpose.

Meanwhile, I suggest Brokaw’s book be required reading in every Civics class. Ooops, they no longer exist either. So, there you go.

You are welcome.

For more, go to:  www.jameshpyle.com

MEMO from the White House

The Honorable Xi Jinping

Beijing, China

Hi there, Xi:

It’s me, Donald.  Yes, THAT Donald.

I thought of you last week when that little gook (no offense) from North Korea shot off another of his ICBMs. He must be running out by now. Don’t you think?

Maybe he’s got another dozen or so, but I’ve got thirty thousand of the damned things. The guy must have a noodle where his brain should be; but his chicken shit game is, frankly, beginning to piss me off.

Since you seem to be out of ideas for squashing this fat adolescent, I thought I’d make you a deal – a really big deal – one to make China great again.

Here it is:  I send a squad or our Special Ops Guys (you know – like Seal Team Six) over to your place. You infiltrate them into Kim Jung Un’s backyard by pretending they’re your Caucasian gardeners.  They’ll have only one job – plant a mushroom into the little bastard’s head – then beat it out of Dodge (again with your help).

In return, we give you North Korea – lock, stock and barrel. No bankers or lawyers involved.  It’s probably not worth much but there are 25 million coolie laborers you could use in your rice paddies and/or noodle shops.

Not a bad deal; Right?  Call me and let’s make this happen.

Your friend,

DON

Oh; one more little thing.  Don’t screw around in Taiwan until I’m out of office.  OK?

Don’t know about you – but I am sick and tired of hearing/reading national journalists and pundits slam Trump with shocked and elitist voices.

Where were these knowledgeable, enlightened world-shapers when their party nominated Hillary Clinton? – the sleaziest, lying, most corrupt individual that money can buy? Other, more qualified candidates got shoved or manipulated to the ash heap because it was “her turn”? And the media looked the other way.

So don’t blame the rest of the country for electing Trump who, at least, is believable and beholden to no one. I’m convinced he recognizes phonies and a bad deal when he sees one. And he calls them as he sees them. His heart is in protecting this country and the principles that made it great. Tactics be damned!

Give me a foul mouthed, egocentric misogynist with the guts to stand up to incompetence over a weak-kneed, lying puppet of socialism any day.

Perhaps, tomorrow, Independence Day,  I’ll get mad about this.

You are welcome.

For more go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

June 29, 2017

`Russia attempts to interfere in U.S. election.’ Gasp! Really? Indignation and outrage pour forth from an incredulous Congress in the wake of Trump’s election.
Are you kidding me? Does anyone remember STUXNET in 2010 when the U.S. attempted (with some success) to dismantle Iran’s nuclear laboratory using cyber tech bots? Now we have botnets. Remember Obama’s wiretaps of German Chancellor Merkel’s phones 2010? Satellites and drones peer into the darkest corners of every nation on earth, every day, courtesy of our NSA.
Not only are we the masters of snooping; we are masterfully inept at keeping secrets.
Of course Russia tries to interfere in our leaky political system; so does China, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea and countless others. That’s what countries do. It’s as natural as a cow swishing its tail. The best talent should be dedicated to preventing it from happening. But alas, that’s not working.
I’ve long argued in this space that the pace of technology has surpassed the ability of society to absorb its changes. Today’s pace has left Moore’s Law (transistors/chip will double every year) in the dust. Last week’s round of cyber attacks in Europe affecting Merck, Rosneft, Maersk Shipping, the Ukranian banking system and various telecom suppliers makes it clear that governments, including the U.S., are powerless to stop these incursions. It now appears that social disruption, not financial gain, was the objective of Ukraine’s cyber interlopers who reportedly used a NSA developed program called Eternal Blue. If you doubt the technical competence of our government ‘experts’ to protect their secrets I have one word that should convince you – ObamaCare.
Those who stand to profit from the discordance are exploiters of technological chaos for financial, political or religious gain (Zuckerberg, Putin, Assad, ISIS, Trump). One inevitable result has been the resurgence of nationalism, exemplified by Brexit and Make America Great Again. (I agree with the sentiment but not the implementation.) Building walls, erecting trade barriers, imposing sanctions, etc.; will all prove counterproductive in the face of an evolving global economy. You can’t unblow technology’s horn.
Adding to the paranoia is the fear of a cyber war wherein the enemy is unknown. Attacking power grids, air traffic control systems, Social Security Admin or the IRS will cause mass hysteria at the least; countless casualties at worst. Against whom does one retaliate?
The nattering nabobs of the main stream media would have us believe that homophobia, racism, bad cops and global warming are the greatest threats to our (and our children’s) futures. I disagree. Leon Panetta is correct: An accidental WW III, triggered by an unknown, evil-doing hacker tops his list and mine. I’ll take, same-sex-bathrooms, expensive health care and rising sea levels any day. Trump’s domestic focus may waver in the face of criticism, but I believe he knows a real enemy when he sees one. Hopefully, that will remain his top priority.
You are welcome.
For more go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

• Irresponsible –  youth & adolescence
• Irreplaceable –  the working years
• Irrelevant –  retirement & beyond

Think about it.

You are welcome.

For more go to: www.jameshpyle.com

As the world grows increasingly complex, our ability to communicate has largely been reduced to one-word phrases and/or questions. Bumper stickers, or Twitter(ings).

Perhaps this stems from naive attempts to emulate poets, those long-gone creators of short-verse emotion; or, perhaps from talented photographers (sans I-phones) capable of capturing a wordless moment in one beautifully framed scene.

Whatever:   We no longer seem capable of thoughtful reasoning, empathetic consideration or imagining beauty. We’ve become too busy to think, to imagine, to reflect, and to appreciate.

Instead, we’re now a nation intent on seeking out flaws in the people surrounding us: their political leanings, their views of women in the workplace (or military), immigration, abortion, climate change, racial bias, etc. etc.

Annoyingly, ubiquitous polls pose questions carefully constructed to elicit a response sympathetic to that of the pollster. The purposefully structured questions defy one word answers; though that is what they seek.

Reasons given for this ‘abbreviated thinking’ are many:  the pace of technology, biased news coverage, too many uninformed, unsolicited opinions, vapid politicians, information overload, and/or nerds seeking non-problems to justify questionable `solutions’.

Recently, Atlantic Magazine, on its cover with a totally black background, asked whether President Trump, like the CEO of a corporation, should be fired for doing a bad job. The story inside went on to criticize every act and utterance made by the president during his first four months on the job. How the Atlantic’s editors ever deemed themselves qualified to comment on such a holistic topic is a discussion best left for another day.

But let’s examine President Trump’s unsuitability from Atlantic’s perspective.

• He was, and still is, a CEO in the broadest sense of the term; albeit never the CEO of a public company. There, he would have been serving at the pleasure of the shareholders via a board of directors. (Trying to imagine the U.S. Congress as a Board of Directors is a mind imploding exercise.)
• He possesses an out-sized ego and rejects criticism.
• He surrounds himself with family, friends and like-minded people.
• He is more tactical than strategic.
• He is a charming but brutal negotiator. (a rare combination)
• He is a micro-manager but also a delegator. (another rare combination)
• He has a tendency to see complex issues through a simplistic lens.

Consider:  Are these qualities negative or positive? In the Atlantic’s view, all are negatives.

In truth, however, it depends upon the day and world events beyond his immediate control. (ISIS, North Korea, China’s encroachment in So. China Sea, Manchester bombing). It also depends on the optique of the observer. Is she/he of a particular political or religious persuasion? Native born or immigrant?

When pondering the question of Trump’s competency, I think of my own experience as an interested observer under CEOs at four different companies, and CEO of two companies I founded.  (I’ll resist evaluating my own performance and comment instead on my bosses.)

In normal circumstances a CEO should:

• Be honest and moral in dealings
• Set a clear direction for the company in harmony with the Board of Directors
• Treat employees as valued contributors, not merely expense items
• Maintain a safe and non-judgmental work environment
• Empower and encourage employees to speak out and reach higher goals
• View customers as off-balance sheet assets, not problems to be dealt with

Each of mine had his good points and bad, but in all cases their performance must be judged in light of circumstances at the time. For example: When a company is hemorrhaging cash is not the time to worry about the mix of minority workers, or whether you should increase contributions to the United Way.

How then do Trump’ characteristics measure up, considering his personality and style of managing as listed above?

• Does he work harmoniously with his Board of Directors, i.e. Congress? The answer is no – but I don’t think it matters because my opinion of Congress’ competency is lower than my opinion of the wart hog. Better to be at odds with them than face to face.
• Does his ego get in the way of common sense. Answer is – We don’t yet know, but it helps him when dealing with other world leaders who are insecure and subject to intimidation. That’s a good thing.
• He surrounds himself with family and friends. Is that good or bad? Every boss wants his advisors to be loyal and smart:  most current residents of Zip codes in the 20000 range are not, so he recruited his own crew. So long as Trump’s advisors are not ideologues and remain loyal I don’t see this as a problem.  It really is too soon in his tenure to judge (even if you are a magazine editor).
• More tactical than strategic? It’s what we need at this moment in history. The previous president was so cerebral that he was paralyzed at getting anything done.
• Trump’s negotiating skills are legendary. If he can convince the Islamic world to stop fighting among themselves, and together combat the more radical elements in their midst, he will go down in history as a winner – provided no more American lives are sacrificed in the effort.
• Micro-managing? Not so good.  He needs to get a complete team in place that he trusts – and fast.
• Simplistic world view? His actions thus far reflect a belief that most problems can be resolved by getting all involved personalities in a room, shutting the door, and arriving at a consensus.  That modus operandi is a positive and reflects my own experience in the world of commerce. It works.

Certainly one person in the Oval Office cannot manage all domestic and international problems at the same time.  Not Obama, not Hillary and not Trump. But Trump seems to have prioritized the issues and assigned responsibility where it belongs. He will personally deal with world issues involving national security and America’s economic role. These can be managed through one-on-one negotiations with other leaders – his principle strength.

For the record: Lest you think I’m a Trump-at-any-cost type, I am not convinced the Mexican wall is well advised. I don’t believe it will achieve the intended purpose. I’m pleased to see the budget request has been reduced, but $1.6 Billion is still unrealistic. (I have actually driven 1,250 miles of the southern border and am convinced no wall will curtail the drug smugglers.)  I also oppose the large number of former Goldman Sachs executives in Trump’s cabinet. We already have enough greed in Washington.

On social issues: health care, tax reform, abortion, immigration, social safety nets – he has delegated to others after having made his views known. Legislation in the social arena will bog down because the Board of Directors will argue incessantly over every detail that they perceive might impede their reelection. But they will discuss, pontificate and debate without fear of being bombed by some rogue from abroad who wants to meet twenty virgins in eternity.

And, when Congress inevitably fails at resolving our social ills in a timely manner, the Micro-Manager in Trump will emerge and plant some stakes in the ground.  And the country will continue to grow and prosper – much to the dismayed displeasure of Atlantic Magazine and the NY Times.

You are welcome.

For more, go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Don’t tax you; don’t tax me. Tax that fellow behind the tree.

The author of the above ditty is uncertain.  What is certain is that no one wants to pay taxes: Not individuals: Not corporations: Not churches: Not schools: Not the ever-expanding surfeit of tax-exempt entities.

The current administration promises to make tax reform a priority. . . a tough and thankless task. But, as always, I am willing to help by contributing insightful ideas. (Some might say ‘inciteful’)

Income taxes typically accrue to the federal government plus, with some exceptions, states and/or municipalities.  Large corporations and wealthy individuals are adept at hiding income by moving it to off-shore entities having little or no taxes. Estimates of profits held offshore vary widely but hover around $2.6 Trillion. The good news is: Moves are afoot to repatriate much of that sequestered largesse. Hopefully, they will work.

What happens to that repatriated windfall, if and when it returns to the U.S., is murky. Will it be invested in new factories, new businesses, infrastructure; or returned to investors in the form of dividends and stock buy-backs?  Let’s leave that for later discussion.

Property taxes, on the other hand, accrue to municipalities based upon someone’s estimate of the property value on a year-by-year basis.  That someone is typically hired by the local government for a fee. (Hmmm.)  I have not heard if this issue is on the President’s ‘to-do’ list.

But in the vast majority of the nation, universities, churches and nonprofit entities are exempt from property taxes; despite enjoying enormous endowments and/or large revenue streams from tuition and research grants. The top ten universities ranked by endowment size are:

1. Harvard University:            $36.4 billion
2. Yale University:                    $25.6 billion
3. University of Texas              $24.1 billion
4. Princeton University:            $22.7 billion
5. Stanford University:             $22.2 billion
6. MIT:                                          $13.5 billion
7. Texas A&M:                             $10.5 billion
8. Northwestern University:     $10.2 billion
9. University of Pennsylvania: $10.1 billion
10. University of Michigan:      $10.0 billion

These schools pay no taxes, period – not on campus grounds or buildings, private houses that generate income, hotels run by the schools, sports stadiums, etc.  All, however, are supported by local police, fire, highway systems, elementary and secondary schools for faculty children and other municipal services. Exempting nonprofits from tax is grounded in the belief that they provide some service to society; that in their absence, would have to be provided by the government.  But for most nonprofits that is not true. Universities argue that they employ thousands of people who contribute to society as a whole. Okay, corporations do the same and still manage to pay their fair share. The real estate owned by these nonprofits is worth billions, yet they pay no tax: Ordinary people who live in their towns do. There is nothing fair or just about that.

You know it’s a good idea because local governments and nonprofits both resist the notion. Local mayors fear they will never get as much from additional taxes as they now collect from their state houses. (That’s because they do not have the expertise to assess the amount of tax dollars that would be generated.) Nonprofits, on the other hand, do not want their golden ox gored. Governors, however, will love it.

Similar arguments can be made for churches and religious organizations, though the numbers are more difficult to unearth. Religion being the third rail of American politics; churches need not report on their activities and no government official has the courage to question their policies or demand an accounting. Facts are obscured; that is, until a scandal brings them to light.

Jim Jones was a communist cult leader who led 918 followers to their deaths in Guyana as pastor of the Disciples of Christ Movement. Neither he nor his church ever paid a dime in taxes (though sales of Kool-aid plummeted).

James Bakker, an ex-convict, televangelist, former Assemblies of God minister and former host of The PTL  (Praise the Lord) Club, an evangelical Christian television program he operated with his wife Tammy. A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry. His church and TV business operated tax free for fifteen years.

Scripture:  If you have ten friends willing to watch you slit a goat’s throat every Sunday, you too can be tax exempt.  People, we really have to tighten these rules. They are being massively abused.

Another example: The Vatican Bank funds and operates churches, charities and shelters worldwide. Conservative estimates put its annual untaxed revenues at $8 Billion. No statement of their real estate values in the U.S. can be found, though conservative estimates are in the tens of billions. They get an unfettered financial ride despite numerous and rampant abuses including child endangerment.

Now, over 800 churches of all faiths are flaunting federal rules regarding sanctuary status for illegal aliens.

Schools, Churches and other exempts must be taxed.  Yes, they will scream. But they can’t continue to skim the cream and not help sell the milk.

New revenue from these sources could go a long way toward funding infrastructure repairs. The federal government has abandoned any responsibility to maintain existing roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, etc.  They have subliminally informed states that maintenance is their responsibility. All proposals in the yet-to-be-approved budget seem directed toward new construction.

Mr. President: “Are you and Mr. Mnuchin listening?”

You are welcome. My fee is $2,500/diem.

For more, go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

He was running; no – frantically racing down the sidewalk alongside my car yesterday. Young, and apparently physically fit, he was all white with a black circle around his right eye. (Think of Nipper – the RCA logo dog with cocked head listening to the antique Victrola.) What caught my eye was the ferocity with which he ran – without care or fear of people or approaching cars. He was being chased some distance behind, by a twenty-something, overweight guy clearly incapable of ever catching him.

It was when he dashed head long across the T-junction without regard for speeding cars approaching from both directions that I had to act – make that re-act. Mercifully, he escaped with nothing more serious than an angry blast from two cars that had to swerve and brake to avoid hitting him. I stopped, hit the flashers and got out to try and cajole him to come closer so I could take hold of his collar. When he finally approached I could see he was trembling and seemingly confused as to who I was. Cautiously, he sniffed my outstretched hand and allowed me to put an arm around him before I clutched the collar.

By this time the runner had caught up with us and said, “Thanks. This is the second time today he’s escaped. He belongs to my neighbor.”

“What’s his name,” I asked, meaning the dog.

“I don’t know. The guy who owns him is a bartender. Works all night and sleeps most of the day. Keeps him tied up in the back yard – or tries to.”

I suddenly had great affection for this little animal and felt a kinship. Before I had time or inclination to ask more, the fellow hauled the dog off and placed him in a pickup that had pulled up unnoticed in all of the commotion. They drove off without so much as a ‘fare thee well’.

I have owned dogs all my life and raised three dog loving kids; two of whom now rescue and rehabilitate dogs from shelters, the third owns two rescued dogs who are the love of his family’s life. Hagan, our last dog (actually my wife’s) was a golden retriever – not too smart, but oh so lovable. He lived to be eighteen before his eyesight and legs went bad. Then he lost control of his bowels and kidneys. We could not abide turning him over to a vet to be put down (He hated the vet and resisted every visit.) so I took him deep into the woods for one last hike, his favorite outing ever since he was a pup. I put my arms around him and whispered in his ear that all would soon be well. That shot still rings in my head and his single last tremor remains in my heart. We never got another dog – blaming it on our desire to travel frequently. But I often think: What if . . .

Yesterday’s encounter was a particularly poignant happenstance; largely because I was returning home from an annual checkup by my cardiologist who pronounced me in great shape for someone in his seventies. Whatever that means. “You must have someone who takes good care of you,” he said, as I took my leave.

So my heart goes out to that nameless runaway dog because he too deserves someone to take ‘good care’ of him. I can only hope that he is wanted and well treated, despite what I had witnessed.  I intend to watch for him whenever driving that road in the future. Next time he may just find a more attentive master.

You are welcome.

For more, go to: http://www.jameshpyle.com

Many of you responded to my last message re:  Trump’s American Health Care Act with a question: “Who are those consultants who actually take pen in hand (or place fingers on a keyboard) to produce a bill that goes before Congress? “

Answer:  It’s complicated.  But with the recent health care bill put forth by the House it all starts when 50 so-called ‘moderate’ Republican members meet for lunch on Tuesdays to consider new legislation. They have dubbed themselves The Tuesday Group. Obviously, fifty old men couldn’t even agree on whether to have dark or medium roast coffee with their meals, so they retain a cadre of consultants (read lobbyists) to do the actual drafting of pending bills.  Those consultants employed by Health and Human Services who actually drafted the Repeal & Replace Obamacare bill (American Health Care Act) are the following: If you doubt me, Google them.

Jack Kalavritinos – Trump’s pick to head the Food & Drug Admin.  Previously spent 7 years as Director of Global Lobbying for the Irish pharmaceutical and medical device company Covidien (recently sold to Medtronic) which immediately moved its headquarters to Ireland for lower taxes.

Lance B Leggitt – A lobbyist with one of the nation’s largest law firms specializing in health care practices, Baker Donelson for 11 years, is now Chief of Staff to HHS Secretary Tom Price

Keagan R. Lenihan – She is now Senior Advisor to HHS Secretary Tom Price.  Previously a lobbyist at McKesson Specialty Health

Alex Pryor – Lobbying clients are AmeriHealth Caritas, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Fresenius Medical Care.

Heidi H. Stirrup –  Lobbying clients included the National assoc. of Spine Specialists and Aurora Organic Dairy and Faith Catholic Citizens.

Laura Clay Trueman – Most recently was Director of Strategic Operations for the Heritage Group, prior to that she was Director of New Business Development for United Health Group.

Given the above, is it any wonder why the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries seem to escape unchallenged and unindicted throughout both recent administrations’ feeble attempts to “fix” the health care industry?

Clearly, the House members who allegedly drafted Obama Care, and now those who drafted Trump Care, know which side of their toast will get buttered.

You are welcome.

For more, go to: jameshpyle.com