The oPad

Came across this video today. Provides an excellent analogy of the iPad and health care in the U.S.A.

Wait Times Under the Health Care Bill

I posted this video last year, but with things being on the edge of the precipice I thought it would be good to post again.

Health Care and the Fate of the Republic

This Sunday the U.S. House of Representatives will convene (other than times of war--when has Congress ever been specifically called together on a Sunday?) and "vote" on whether or not the U.S. Senate's version of health care reform should be "deemed" worthy as passing. Though this maneuver is often done, it's supposed to be for something small, e.g. a few words of difference between two bills. This procedure of "deeming" has never been used and was never intended to be used for a piece of major legislation. This process will allow Representatives to "vote" for the bill without actually voting for anything.

Should the procedure pass this Sunday, I fear it will be the beginning of the end of our Republic. Should the procedure pass, I think it will be used time and time and time again in the future by whatever party that has the majority. I don't believe the procedure is Constitutional in this matter, but I have very little faith left in the judicial system to believe that it will be overturned and ruled unconstitutional and even if it is, the damage done will be tremendous. I haven't had time to read the entire bill (it's over 2,000 pages long), but I do know that there are lots and lots and lots of new taxes. For instance, do you ever buy soda, juice, or flavored water from a vending machine? As part of this bill beverages (except for water, I believe, though I'm not sure because the language is a bit confusing) sold in vending machines will have a tax levied on them. Those things typically cost between $.50-$1.00 now but if this current health care package passes those things will cost between $1-$2 more.

Those in support of the bill say that according to the Congressional Budget Office, this bill will reduce the federal deficit $130 billion in the first decade, and by by $1.2 trillion in the second. This makes no sense whatsoever. You cannot create a massive entitlement program and expect it to actually reduce the deficit. Every single entitlement program the government has ever offered has only further increased the federal deficit and debt. Even those Congresspeople in support of the legislation say that the initial cost to just start the new program will be around $1 trillion. Let's see, it'll cost $1 trillion dollars just to start but in ten years if everything goes right, it'll cut $130 billion from the deficit. You don't have to be very good in math to see the numbers do not add up. The U.S. has already been warned that our AAA credit rating is in jeopardy (unless we stop our reckless spending) and this health care overhaul will only add to that. I don't have any children right now, but when I do, I don't want them to have to speak Chinese because that's the national language.

I've been working as a temporary office employee for over 20 months. There isn't much chance the company I work at will bring me on as a regular employee. However, there is a chance. Should this pass, I won't ever have a chance of being a regular employee. Several smaller businesses have already gone on the record as stating if the health care package passes, they will be making all of their employees contract workers. What that means is that all of those workers will be like me, they will be working on their own without any sense of job security or any benefits (no insurance or perks) and in some cases it will mean a pay cut. Let me tell you something, though I'm thankful to have a job, being a contracted worker doesn't allow one to make much gains in ones financial situation. I've been poor and living near the poverty line most of my life. Should this health care legislation pass on Sunday, I'm afraid there are going to be a lot more people who will be living like me. They say that misery likes company, but not me. I'd rather not have others experience any of the misery I've known. Unfortunately, Congress seems to think you should.

The U.S.'s AAA Credit Rating and Health Care

Today (Monday, Mar. 15, 2010), Moody's Investors Services, an institution that despite having come under criticism in recent years (most notably for firing analysts at the company that had warned of the 2007 housing market collapse and promoting those responsible for helping to bring about the collapse) has a tremendous amount of influence in the financial world, released a report stating that the U.S. and Britain are in greater danger of loosing their AAA rating with than Germany or France. Should the U.S. lose its AAA rating, interest rates on outstanding debt would skyrocket, making it even more difficult to pay down the debt and stop deficit spending.

Most reports I've read and seen on the usual news source (Yahoo and Google News, ABC, NBC, CBN, the New York Times, etc.) have emphasized the part in the report where it's stated that, "the U.K. and the U.S. don't face an immediate threat to their AAA ratings because they are still able to service their debts." However, the report also states that the U.S. will face a huge amount of downward pressure on its AAA rating unless the country reduces its spiralling federal deficit.

It's not a coincidence that this report was released at the beginning of a work week where some in the U.S. Congress are trying to ram down a health care "reform" package through, despite major opposition from the U.S. people. The report from Moody's today was a warning to Congress. The company made a major mistake in 2007 and they don't want to make another. They know how much the health care package is going to cost, how it will skyrocket the debt and deficit, and damage the chances of any major recovery in the U.S. economy. Moody's gave Congress a warning today. Sadly, it doesn't seem that Congress is listening. Instead of being leaders who steward the Republic through troubled times, they are more interested in trying to leave a political "legacy" that will ultimately destroy not only the Republic, but their precious political legacies as well.

No one denies that health care in America has problems that need to be addressed. I've read a part of the legislation (about 300 pages worth of a bill that is over 2,000 pages long) and from what I've read and gathered, the current bill as it now stands before Congress does very little to address the real problems with health care in America.

If you haven't already contacted your Congress person, I plead with you to do so and give your opinion. Perhaps you think the legislation that Congress will be voting on very soon is a good thing. Then let your Representative know. This is still a republic and you're concerns still matter even if I might disagree with them. However, if you are like me and you believe that this legislation is not a good thing, please contact your Representative and let them know. The fate of our country, everything that the founders of our country were willing to sacrifice (their honor, lives, and fortunes) is at stake.

Health Care and the 800 Pound Gorilla

Another great video from PoliticalMath illustrating a major problem with President Obama's recent proposals to health care reform.

On Stealing Liberty and Being Presidential

Tonight (Wed. Sept. 9, 2009), President Obama delivered an address on health care reform to both Houses of Congress that was televised and broadcast around the country. The President spoke for over an hour, clearly illustrating that even though Lincoln is one of his political heroes, he definitely didn't learn anything about speaking from him (President Lincoln was often ridiculed for delivering short speeches). There's a lot that I could say about the President's speech. However, there are two things I wish to address.

The first is in regards to this part of the speech: "That's why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance — just as most states require you to carry auto insurance. Likewise, businesses will be required to either offer their workers health care, or chip in to help cover the cost of their workers."

I am completely opposed to such an action. To begin with, the comparison between auto liability insurance and health insurance is not a valid comparison (not to mention that statistically most accidents that occur where a driver is uninsured that driver is an illegal alien). Sure, they are both types of insurance, but that's where the similarities end. It's like saying that people who raise bananas and people who raise chickens are both farmers because they both raise things. They might both be farmers, but they are completely different types of farmers. However, besides the fallacy of this argument there is the more important and critical issue of the President seeking to take away more of our freedom and liberty. It's bad enough that in my state to drive a car you're required by law to have liability insurance. However, at least that's on a state level. It's not a national thing. President Obama wants this to be national. To do so is an infringement of the 10th Amendment of the Constitution. We've had enough of our liberties and freedoms stolen by the federal government in the past five years. It's time that it stopped.

The other thing I can address from the speech regards this statement: "Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple."

Apparently neither the President or his advisers have read H.R.3200 (a massive 1,000+ bill that is the only one available for public scrutiny). Now, though I'm not a lawyer, I am trained in English. I know how words and phrases work, even a lot of legalese. I've only read about 20 pages of the bill, but it's so full of bullshit that's all I could handle. However, I made it a point to read the "death panel" parts. Though it is true that the bill doesn't set up a direct "death panel", persay, it does make a point of "advanced care planning" and "end of life care" which, "may range from an indication for full treatment to an indication to limit some or all or specified interventions." In other words upon implementation one of the "physicians" that has been approved by the government can choose to deny treatment to someone. Though the wording of opponents of H.R.3200, especially in regards to this part of the bill, is a bit hyperbolic, it is not cynical, it is not irresponsible, it is not a lie. That statement in and of itself is completely unPresidential and doesn't bode well for a man who campaigned upon being above the political fray.

President Obama's Health Care Reform

Ten years ago I was dropped from my father's health insurance because I had graduated from college. In the decade since, I have only had health insurance for 9 months when I was teaching school full time (at a cost of over $500/month). I'm currently working as a temp worker in an accounting office. It is a job that I have held for over a year. Though I have worked diligently, it has been made clear to me that I will never be brought on as a regular member of the company.  I'm heavily underpaid and have no hope for advancement. I have been looking for other employment, but since we are in a recession and on the verge of an economic depression, job prospects have been slim (two college degrees don't seem to open as many doors as one might think).  I've given up on even dreaming about owning my own home.

Despite my circumstances, I am in opposition to President Obama's health care proposals. We all know that there are problems with our health care system. However, the answer is not in forming another government bureaucracy. Health care costs skyrocketed because of the health insurance industry, but virtually eliminating that industry by offering a "public" option will not solve any problems but only further complicate things as well as bring about even more problems. Besides, if we really hold our freedom and liberty dear, then we should know that the government is not our friend. In the best of times government is a wary ally, but in the worst of times (which these are) the government is our fiercest foe. Bridled by the Constitution, we can live with the government. However, the health care option presented before us--just one of many plans that those who are currently in the zenith of power are using--is an attempt to destroy all that we hold dear and free the bloated behemoth of government that will kill us all if we allow the Constitutional bridle to be removed.

To better illustrate this, watch the video below. It explains it much better than I can.