This is what I understand from listening to CNN about Obama's proposed healthcare-reform program:
1. 93% of all Americans have some form of healthcare coverage.2. 80% of all Americans with healthcare coverage are happy with the coverage they have.
If I heard correctly, Obama's plan would extend coverage to 97% of all Americans, and will cost an estimated $1 trillion.
Part of the plan to pay for the healthcare-reform plan is to levy a tax on healthcare benefits that employers provide their employees; these benefits have heretofore been untaxed. Obama also says that he will not sign any legislation that increases the tax burden on the middle class.
Now, I am as certain as I am about anything that there are middle-class Americans who get healthcare benefits from their employers. Many of these folks make too much money to be exempt from paying income tax.
Taxing the healthcare benefits of middle-class, tax-paying Americans represents an increase in their tax burden. If Obama holds true to his promises - and nothing he has said so far makes me believe that he will - he cannot sign the bill into law, even if it were to pass both houses of Congress today. Yet he has told us that the healthcare crisis is so immediate - so gargantuan - that it actually jeopardizes our standing as a world power.
Thus we are faced with the prospect of spending ONE TRILLION DOLLARS (that's one times ten to the ninth power - a 1 with nine zeroes following) - above and beyond the billions spent in soi-disant "Stimulus" spending, leaving us with a deficit unparalleled in modern times - to increase the percentage of Americans with healthcare coverage by FOUR PERCENT (4%).
*Someone* tell me where this makes sense. Someone PLEASE perform a cost/benefit analysis on this proposal and tell me where it makes sense.
Now, in fairness to the President, a lot of people have called this proposal "Socialized Medicine", similar to what they have in Europe and the UK. (And before someone pipes up, no, the UK is NOT part of Europe; Britons are not Europeans, and they will tell you so very quickly.) Obama's proposal cannot legitimately be called Socialized Medicine because it fails the test of Socialism.
Socialism arises when the State takes control of the means of production in some industry. The Soviet Union (more correctly called "The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics") was in fact a Socialist state because the State controlled all industry directly. The State set production quotas for factories and farms, and assigned people to work wherever people were needed. (The Soviets used to brag that they had no unemployment; if you didn't have a job, they'd give you one - even if it was sweeping the street. No one likes to talk about how little anyone got paid, or how low their standard of living was - and remains.)
Obama's not proposing that the US Government assume direct control of the American healthcare industry; merely that it provide a healthcare plan for everyone. Uncle Sam would establish categories of diseases, injuries, and conditions, and decide how much he's willing to pay for each one. This isn't all that much different from what Blue Cross/Blue Shield or Kaiser Permanente does with their health plans.
The difference is that BC/BS and KP actually *negotiate* with the various hospitals, clinics, and doctors over these rates, and if the doctor doesn't like the deal he or she doesn't take it. What happens if a clinic decides it won't accept ObamaCare? Does the Healthcare Czar send troops? I don't know, but I suspect that there will be substantial pressure brought to bear to make the errant clinic fall into line with Obama's wishes.
There is a word for having the State exert its power over Business to make Business do what the State wants it to do, and to threaten penalties for non-compliance: Fascism. As in Benito Mussolini.
Now, the Left in this country has done an excellent of raping the English language (forgive us, Will Shakespeare!) and abusing it to further its agenda, but nothing they have done to the dictionary rises to the level of their expropriation of the meaning of the word Fascism. Call someone Communist, and the Left will rail against you unmercifully, calling you a "red-baiter" and summoning the ghost of Senator McCarthy; call someone a Fascist, and he's convicted.
Fascism it is, though, and Fascist is the agenda Obama is proposing. He wants to use the full might of the United States Government to foist this unnecessary "solution" on what is arguably the best medical system on the entire planet. He says it will protect our standing as a world power; that it will bring desperately needed medical care to the millions who daily pine for it; and that it's by-golly the right thing to do.
Oh, please. No, really - please. As in PLEASE WAKE UP FROM YOUR LIBERAL TOTALITARIAN MASTURBATORIAL FANTASY AND SMELL THE COFFEE!
You think the Canadian healthcare system is wonderful? Fine; go live there. While you're there, ask your Government-owned MD where he would take his child for a heart transplant; like as not he will tell you Johns-Hopkins - which is here in the Good Ol' U S of A.
You hold up the British Public Health Service as a paragon of efficiency? I know where you can get a nice flat in Huntingdonshire. Just don't fall and tear your ACL; you may be in a wheelchair for months waiting for a repair.
Love German medicine? I don't know much about the German Bundesgesundheitamt (Federal Health Office), but I do know something about German doctors because I grew up across the street from a gastroenterologist who moved here from Germany.
Wilhelm's wife, Imme, complained bitterly for years about being here. She hated America and longed to return to her homeland. Finally, Wilhelm sat her down and explained it to her thusly: She could stay here in America - in Huntsville, Alabama - and live in her spacious, well-appointed, beautiful multi-thousand-square-foot brick home, sending her children to the finest private school in town, and driving her Mercedes or her BMW, or they could pack up and return to Germany, where they would live in a 4-bedroom apartment with no closets (they pay taxes on every room with a door, so no closets - only wardrobes), the kids would go to school with all the Muslim immigrants who were causing such trouble, she could ride the bus wherever she wanted to go (and riding a German bus in the middle of summer is worth your life, because water costs so much they only bathe twice a week), and he could earn $50,000.00 per year instead of the $500.000.00 he was making here.
She shut up and never breathed a word against America again - not the longest day I knew her.
The American healthcare system is not broken. It's not perfect, but it's not broken - not by a long shot. But if you're just hell-bent on improving it, I'll offer some suggestions.
First, make anyone who sues a doctor, clinic, or hospital pay the defendant's legal costs if they lose. This will drastically curtail the frivilous, baseless lawsuits that bedevil the industry and drive malpractice-insurance premiums through the roof.
Second, limit the elegibility for damages that a physician may have to pay under malpractice, unless that physician is found criminally negligent. (Fact: In Alabama, an Obstetrician must maintain malpractice coverage for TWENTY-ONE YEARS after he or she delivers his or her last baby, because under our laws the parents of an infant born damaged due to malpractice can sue the attending OB until the child is eighteen years old, and the child can sue on his or her own right until his or her twenty-first birthday.)
Third, pass laws establishing individual medical accounts (similar to IRAs) and make those funds tax-deferred. Let consumers draw from those accounts and make payment directly to healthcare providers and pharmacies without paying taxes on those funds. If they take money out for a non-medical reason, tax that withdrawal at 10%. Make those funds transferrable to surviving family members without tax penalty.
Fourth, get the Federal Government out of the way by returning healthcare issues to the various States and let the local powers deal with the issue. Congress has usurped too many powers from the States in violation of the Tenth Amendment, and it is time to return those authorities to their rightful owners.
The market can handle these things, but Uncle Sam has to get his grubby hands out of the way.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Wanted my sanity back....
This weekend I made an amazing discovery for moms everywhere; something simple and yet totally ingenious. I know you will appreciate this find so much so that you will probably want to name a national holiday after me or perhaps even one of your children in my honor.
It was Sunday. I was vacuuming. No, really-I was. My sweeper was having issues, more even than a Mommy on a bad day. The machine was making a horrific noise. I knew that it probably wasn’t very healthy for a vacuum sweeper to sound like a Leer Jet, but then again, maybe the sweeper had a dream to be a US Destroyer doing a flyby through my living room. Who was I to stand in its way?
My house really needed this domestic duty since our cleaning fairy apparently took the week off. The sweeper was sucking so I would simply have to put up with the loud, annoying sound screaming at me-after all, I was a mother of six. On a daily basis I was subjected to things a lot louder-a lot worse.
My husband suddenly came behind me and unplugged my cord. It seemed he was concerned about the extreme sound coming from Old Betsy. Instead of using his engineering degree and fixing the problem he handed me something. Here, use these. I wrinkled my nose and rolled my eyes as he handed me a green cord with two yellow spongy things attached to each end-ear plugs. I immediately asked, “Are they used?” He insisted they were fresh out of the package. I requested to see the package.
I reluctantly put in the ear plugs; knowing that I would be heckled by my children for looking like a dork. All of a sudden, the deafening sound was quieted. Everything was softened; a muffled serenity had engulfed me. I could see my children arguing. I could tell that their mouths were forming the word MOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!-urgently on their lips. I simply pointed to my ears and shrugged my shoulders in feigned lack of understanding. They finally got the picture and left me be.
I swept high. I swept low. I was a sweeping diva. I didn’t want to quit; not because I had a sudden affection for this domestic duty, but because I was enjoying this soundproofed world away from the chaos that reigned around me. I finally faced the inevitable. I had faked vacuuming enough that my family was highly suspicious. I turned off the sweeper. I sighed and removed the earplugs. My children with their powerful super radar sensed I had made the removal…MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! I quickly reattached the yellow sponges into my ears; shook my head and mouthed the words; I can’t hear you…and walked away.
I may never remove these earplugs again!
Mamas I highly recommend getting yourself a pair. I really think I am on a road toward recovering some of my lost sanity. Yes, I admit that the earplugs aren’t overly attractive, but I believe if we band together the world will soon see them as a fashion statement; something hip, something new-fashionable and functional. I think I might even market them myself for mothers everywhere-Mommy Plugs; for moments of silence when the noise insists on following you around. Just think; no more will you have to try to escape the chaos. We can just blissfully ignore the noise!
Anyone want to place an order?
I can’t hear you…
no, really, I can’t!Buy the plugs today and I will throw in a Mommy Blindfold FREE! Your world could be perfect today…
It was Sunday. I was vacuuming. No, really-I was. My sweeper was having issues, more even than a Mommy on a bad day. The machine was making a horrific noise. I knew that it probably wasn’t very healthy for a vacuum sweeper to sound like a Leer Jet, but then again, maybe the sweeper had a dream to be a US Destroyer doing a flyby through my living room. Who was I to stand in its way?
My house really needed this domestic duty since our cleaning fairy apparently took the week off. The sweeper was sucking so I would simply have to put up with the loud, annoying sound screaming at me-after all, I was a mother of six. On a daily basis I was subjected to things a lot louder-a lot worse.
My husband suddenly came behind me and unplugged my cord. It seemed he was concerned about the extreme sound coming from Old Betsy. Instead of using his engineering degree and fixing the problem he handed me something. Here, use these. I wrinkled my nose and rolled my eyes as he handed me a green cord with two yellow spongy things attached to each end-ear plugs. I immediately asked, “Are they used?” He insisted they were fresh out of the package. I requested to see the package.
I reluctantly put in the ear plugs; knowing that I would be heckled by my children for looking like a dork. All of a sudden, the deafening sound was quieted. Everything was softened; a muffled serenity had engulfed me. I could see my children arguing. I could tell that their mouths were forming the word MOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!-urgently on their lips. I simply pointed to my ears and shrugged my shoulders in feigned lack of understanding. They finally got the picture and left me be.
I swept high. I swept low. I was a sweeping diva. I didn’t want to quit; not because I had a sudden affection for this domestic duty, but because I was enjoying this soundproofed world away from the chaos that reigned around me. I finally faced the inevitable. I had faked vacuuming enough that my family was highly suspicious. I turned off the sweeper. I sighed and removed the earplugs. My children with their powerful super radar sensed I had made the removal…MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! I quickly reattached the yellow sponges into my ears; shook my head and mouthed the words; I can’t hear you…and walked away.
I may never remove these earplugs again!
Mamas I highly recommend getting yourself a pair. I really think I am on a road toward recovering some of my lost sanity. Yes, I admit that the earplugs aren’t overly attractive, but I believe if we band together the world will soon see them as a fashion statement; something hip, something new-fashionable and functional. I think I might even market them myself for mothers everywhere-Mommy Plugs; for moments of silence when the noise insists on following you around. Just think; no more will you have to try to escape the chaos. We can just blissfully ignore the noise!
Anyone want to place an order?
I can’t hear you…
no, really, I can’t!Buy the plugs today and I will throw in a Mommy Blindfold FREE! Your world could be perfect today…
Saturday, July 11, 2009
What a week....
My Mom and my half brother, my Sister and my niece all came down for a visit. My son who is now 2 is two months older then my baby brother. After a week with the two of them, I'm not sure how my mother hasn't harmed this child. He is SO bad. Gets away with EVERYTHING, I'm sorry but my children do not run around chilies, or applebees, anywhere, they are good at restaurants. Not my baby bro Jax, he is a nightmare, and my mother allows it. It took everything in my power not to spank him when we went out to breakfast.... I will never go out to eat with them again... well at least not anytime soon. My mother raised us (me, my sister and my other brother) to be well behaved, to speak when spoken too, to use our manners, to say please and thank you. My 2 year old does it, why my 2 year old brother doesn't do it drives me freaking crazy. My sister was also getting frustrated with them. Thank goodness I wasn't the only one.
It kind of really sucks though, because my kids will never have a grandma, their grandma will be too busy being a mom and chasing after Jax to ever really be a grandma. No weekends at her house, no summer vacations, nothing.... And that really makes me sad. I had always thought then when I had kids my parents would be involved with their lives, take them to story time, watch them once in a while, hang out with them and us and get to know them. But my mom got knocked up and now has Jax and that's never gonna happen. Yes they have my dad, but he's not the "lets go fishing" grandpa.... I don't know maybe when my kids are older he'll be different with them.... Is it wrong for me to be slightly upset with my mother for having more children? For not being a grandmother to my kids? We used to be so close, but since Jax she doesn't even have time for a ten minute phone call and yes that hurts. I'm her daughter, yea I'm 27 but there are still times I want my mom, or I want to call her and tell her that Ella started walking around the furniture and can say mama at 7 months, or that Henry can now count to 5.... But she has no time to talk to me, she's always rushing me off the phone to chases Jax... I know lame of me to want my mother... but I do... Thanks for letting me vent.
It kind of really sucks though, because my kids will never have a grandma, their grandma will be too busy being a mom and chasing after Jax to ever really be a grandma. No weekends at her house, no summer vacations, nothing.... And that really makes me sad. I had always thought then when I had kids my parents would be involved with their lives, take them to story time, watch them once in a while, hang out with them and us and get to know them. But my mom got knocked up and now has Jax and that's never gonna happen. Yes they have my dad, but he's not the "lets go fishing" grandpa.... I don't know maybe when my kids are older he'll be different with them.... Is it wrong for me to be slightly upset with my mother for having more children? For not being a grandmother to my kids? We used to be so close, but since Jax she doesn't even have time for a ten minute phone call and yes that hurts. I'm her daughter, yea I'm 27 but there are still times I want my mom, or I want to call her and tell her that Ella started walking around the furniture and can say mama at 7 months, or that Henry can now count to 5.... But she has no time to talk to me, she's always rushing me off the phone to chases Jax... I know lame of me to want my mother... but I do... Thanks for letting me vent.
what a week...
My Mom and my half brother, my Sister and my niece all came down for a visit. My son who is now 2 is two months older then my baby brother. After a week with the two of them, I'm not sure how my mother hasn't harmed this child. He is SO bad. Gets away with EVERYTHING, I'm sorry but my children do not run around chilies, or applebees, anywhere, they are good at restaurants. Not my baby bro Jax, he is a nightmare, and my mother allows it. It took everything in my power not to spank him when we went out to breakfast.... I will never go out to eat with them again... well at least not anytime soon. My mother raised us (me, my sister and my other brother) to be well behaved, to speak when spoken too, to use our manners, to say please and thank you. My 2 year old does it, why my 2 year old brother doesn't do it drives me freaking crazy. My sister was also getting frustrated with them. Thank goodness I wasn't the only one.
It kind of really sucks though, because my kids will never have a grandma, their grandma will be too busy being a mom and chasing after Jax to ever really be a grandma. No weekends at her house, no summer vacations, nothing.... And that really makes me sad. I had always thought then when I had kids my parents would be involved with their lives, take them to story time, watch them once in a while, hang out with them and us and get to know them. But my mom got knocked up and now has Jax and that's never gonna happen. Yes they have my dad, but he's not the "lets go fishing" grandpa.... I don't know maybe when my kids are older he'll be different with them.... Is it wrong for me to be slightly upset with my mother for having more children? For not being a grandmother to my kids? We used to be so close, but since Jax she doesn't even have time for a ten minute phone call and yes that hurts. I'm her daughter, yea I'm 27 but there are still times I want my mom, or I want to call her and tell her that Ella started walking around the furniture and can say mama at 7 months, or that Henry can now count to 5.... But she has no time to talk to me, she's always rushing me off the phone to chases Jax... I know lame of me to want my mother... but I do... Thanks for letting me vent.
It kind of really sucks though, because my kids will never have a grandma, their grandma will be too busy being a mom and chasing after Jax to ever really be a grandma. No weekends at her house, no summer vacations, nothing.... And that really makes me sad. I had always thought then when I had kids my parents would be involved with their lives, take them to story time, watch them once in a while, hang out with them and us and get to know them. But my mom got knocked up and now has Jax and that's never gonna happen. Yes they have my dad, but he's not the "lets go fishing" grandpa.... I don't know maybe when my kids are older he'll be different with them.... Is it wrong for me to be slightly upset with my mother for having more children? For not being a grandmother to my kids? We used to be so close, but since Jax she doesn't even have time for a ten minute phone call and yes that hurts. I'm her daughter, yea I'm 27 but there are still times I want my mom, or I want to call her and tell her that Ella started walking around the furniture and can say mama at 7 months, or that Henry can now count to 5.... But she has no time to talk to me, she's always rushing me off the phone to chases Jax... I know lame of me to want my mother... but I do... Thanks for letting me vent.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Renting
We’re going to rent….
We had thought about moving on post, but since post housing is now privatized it is an aggravating process. In other post that are privatized the management company has access to DEERS so the only paper work we need to fill out is one small sheet. But not at Fort Hood! There is a whole freaken packet of crap they need. Plus I need to send them birth certificates for all children, marriage licenses and a bunch of other nonsense that really is none of their darn business! Then to top it off Fort Hood housing ACTUS FHFH no longer includes FULL utilities! You now have to pay for electric, gas and water! BAH is supposed to cover the cost of housing WITH utilities! But not at Fort Hood! There is really no benefit to living on post in hood. Here at Rucker, Picerne includes ALL utilities, and ALL lawn care! That aspect of on post housing was great here, just the house we got sucked major ass! But now here, 80% of the homes are brand new and so pretty…. So housing here is pretty good…. But I digress… Long story short, we are no longer wanting to or will live on post.
So now renting…. Not something I am to keen on doing, but currently we have no other options… So renting adds another dilemma, what to do with the dogs. The only rentals I have found that allow pets seem to be in the not so great parts of Killeen, or according to familywatchdog.us there is a registered sex offender either on the SAME block or around the corner. If you live Killeen and can recommend a certain neighborhood that you know is good and pedophile free please comment on my post and let me know!
If you are a homeowner with rentals and will allow two dogs in the house, please let me know J We are looking for a 4/5 bedroom 2 bath house with a fence either in Killeen, Harker Heights, Belton or Temple. We will be there August 3rd!
Since it’s looking like we are not going to be able to find a home that allows pets, I’m pretty sure Brad’s friend Jeff will take the doggies and we will just go over and visit with them…. Henry is going to be so upset though, he loves his Zoë…
We had thought about moving on post, but since post housing is now privatized it is an aggravating process. In other post that are privatized the management company has access to DEERS so the only paper work we need to fill out is one small sheet. But not at Fort Hood! There is a whole freaken packet of crap they need. Plus I need to send them birth certificates for all children, marriage licenses and a bunch of other nonsense that really is none of their darn business! Then to top it off Fort Hood housing ACTUS FHFH no longer includes FULL utilities! You now have to pay for electric, gas and water! BAH is supposed to cover the cost of housing WITH utilities! But not at Fort Hood! There is really no benefit to living on post in hood. Here at Rucker, Picerne includes ALL utilities, and ALL lawn care! That aspect of on post housing was great here, just the house we got sucked major ass! But now here, 80% of the homes are brand new and so pretty…. So housing here is pretty good…. But I digress… Long story short, we are no longer wanting to or will live on post.
So now renting…. Not something I am to keen on doing, but currently we have no other options… So renting adds another dilemma, what to do with the dogs. The only rentals I have found that allow pets seem to be in the not so great parts of Killeen, or according to familywatchdog.us there is a registered sex offender either on the SAME block or around the corner. If you live Killeen and can recommend a certain neighborhood that you know is good and pedophile free please comment on my post and let me know!
If you are a homeowner with rentals and will allow two dogs in the house, please let me know J We are looking for a 4/5 bedroom 2 bath house with a fence either in Killeen, Harker Heights, Belton or Temple. We will be there August 3rd!
Since it’s looking like we are not going to be able to find a home that allows pets, I’m pretty sure Brad’s friend Jeff will take the doggies and we will just go over and visit with them…. Henry is going to be so upset though, he loves his Zoë…
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