While I taught at the University of Virginia, I served for a while as associate dean.  My dean at the time, Bill Shenkir, used a phrase that I thought was particularly helpful when we were contemplating major decisions: "Let's reduce the fog factor."  By that he meant that we should always examine the ramifications of our decisions on our students' classroom experience since teaching them was our primary mission. Obamacare is an example of a federal government program that would not have been enacted if the fog factor test had been applied.  While Congress debated Obamacare, talk about death panels and rationing of healthcare services abounded, but the warnings came from Republicans who were in the minority in the House and the Senate.  Their objections were dismissed out of hand.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid rounded up Democrat votes and shoved Obamacare down our throats with the blessing of President Obama. ...(Read Full Post)