Obama Gripe #2

Maybe this is a petty gripe, but I have a few problems with Obama's pick of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

First, of course, is Warren's anti-gay stance. I understand that Obama may be trying to reach across the isle and win some evangelical support, but would he accept an invocation by a pastor who opposes interracial marriage? And let's not forget that Warren is not just opposed to gay marriage, but has said that practicing and unrepentant homosexuals cannot join his congregation. What if he didn't let black people join his church? Or immigrants, or the handicapped, or any particular group of people? Where should we draw the line on accepting those who perpetuate hate?

My second issue here is why do we have an invocation at the inauguration of our president? What happened to the separation of church and state? Can't we have an official state function, from Congress to the courts to the inauguration of our president, that doesn't begin with appealing to sky fairies?

Witness Bush's Cat-Like Reflexes

Seriously, do you think this president walks around anticipating that someone is going to throw something at him?

Top Ten Healthiest and Unhealthiest States

Forbes recently put out a list of America's healthiest and unhealthiest states.

They calculated categories which included: Prevalence of Obesity, Air Pollution, Lack of Health Insurance, Immunization Coverage, Primary Care Physicians, Poor Mental Health Days, Cardiovascular Deaths, and Cancer Deaths.

Here are the final top ten lists:

Healthiest States in the US
Vermont
Hawaii
New Hampshire
Minnesota
Utah
Washington
Maine
Idaho
Connecticut
Massachusetts

Unhealthiest States in the US
Georgia
Nevada
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Florida
Texas
Tennessee
S. Carolina
Mississippi
Louisiana

When I looked over the list, I immediately wondered why Forbes failed to point out one glaring indicator of whether a state is healthy or unhealthy: Whether it's a red state or a blue state.

8 of the top ten healthiest states are blue.

10 of the top ten unhealthiest states are red.

Here's a visual aid:


I have some personal theories about why blue states are healthier; Democrats are more likely to fund public programs for disadvantaged families as well as public projects like parks, and after school programs. (You know, those gosh-darned tax-and-spend Liberals, always whining about the general welfare and what not!)

But when it comes to making the case for why blue is just all around better than red, I can't top The Letter to the Red States, so I won't try.