Private companies to provide National Health Care. That is an Oxymoron!

My wife and I sat through the latest Democratic Debate. They jested back and forth mostly in agreement. Amnesty for illegal aliens. Border security without a fence. Better relations with Mexico? Applause erupted from the mostly Mexican crowd in Austin. It is a shame that candidates forgot they were running for President of the United States. Somehow they believe that Texas is Mexican. I guess us white folk do not count anymore. I am not really concerned about this so much since I believe the upcoming financial disaster will trump all. It will be a shame when America blames Mexicans for the problems and true unrest focuses on Immigrants, legal and illegal alike. The blame can only be placed on the politicians who do not have the balls to tell America the truth about the economy and the problems created by dislocations of resources.

The candidates believed they would score points contrasting their health insurance programs. They have given the private insurance programs the name of national health care. Both programs are nothing more the entrenching the insurance companies farther into government just like the latest Medicare reform. Just for the record the only way America can step into the world of equality for all is what they are calling the “one payer system”. That would cost too much! Quality of care would go down. We do not want to be France.

None of these statements are true. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the countries with the best care in the world are “One Payer Systems”. They also offer healthcare to all their citizens at ½ the cost for the same care here in the US. Perhaps the cost would go up if we intend to give healthcare to all Mexicans. The idea that somehow the quality is reduced is false. I can speak of Europe where I lived for 20 years. The national healthcare was a bit slower for some exotic treatments yet the quality of care is significantly better in Europe across the board. If you are rich and you want to pay for private insurance your treatment is even better because all national healthcare systems also have a private sector.

The most important thing about the “one payer system” is that no family’s wealth is wiped out because of an illness. No family will go bankrupt. No children will have to live on the streets because a parent gets ill. No individual has to make the choice whether to eat or buy medicine. When I was young and had 4 kids the national healthcare system was very important. It allowed me to keep my family healthy while I worked on building a future. Italy lost a bit of money on me in the short run but over time I well paid for the services rendered. Once my family was stable I received all of my care from the private system while I still paid, as part of my taxes, for the public system.

I was glad to pay when I had the funds. Without the National Healthcare System I would not have been able to create the businesses I created and the successive wealth. All of my money would have gone to paying for this or that medicine or medical visit. Healthcare in the US is used to maintain Class structure. It is designed to make sure that those without money never make it. Only the most fortunate, who never get sick, even have the chance of saving money. Slavery has not been abolished in the US, the shackles have simply changed form. I guess it is appropriate that in a world of virtual fences we have virtual chains.

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Tell me again, What does the FDA do?

The Food and Drug Administration should verify the quality and safety of food and drugs for human consumption. In the light of scandalous recalls, E.Coli and Salmonella infections the FDA told a congressional panel that they were not able to guarantee the food source. In fact the extent of their controls were more procedural than operative. This week’s testimony before Congress evidenced something more interesting. More than 50% of drugs consumed in the US actually come from China. The FDA has no oversight authority on foreign suppliers. They can request that the Chinese government accompany them to inspect a producer if the producer agrees to receive a visit from the FDA. In any case the supplier must be given 30days advanced notice.

WTF?!? This is another example of the stupidity of Reaganomics and greed of corporate America. If a company were to produce drugs in the US, producers would be subject to regulations, documentation, and surprise inspections. Needless to say the FDA indicated that no drugs are produced in America. I wonder how this all plays into the hoopla about how Canada’s drugs were less safe and lower quality than US drugs. Sounds like lobbies buying the congress, corrupt politicians and outright lies to me.

I guess we are as stupid as the politicians think we are. I believed that our pharmaceutical industry actually produced something. Why wasn’t the opposition out there telling us this instead of their stupid “talking points”. We have abandoned by our government. It is not “all Mr. Bush’s fault.” This is the direct result of Reaganomics. It began thirty years ago and has gone unchecked. Think about our economy as a brand new Cadillac. Reagan and his cronies figured out that if they use a lower grade of oil instead of the synthetic their maintenance costs would decrease. Then they figured out that they could change the air filter every 12 months instead of at six months. Then the oil changes came every 15,000 miles instead of every 5,000. The next plausible solution was to eliminate the 40,000 review and adjustments. The new tires were retreads from China. The garage was sold and the car left out in the hot Texas sun.

Our economy, like that Cadillac, now clicks, leaks a bit of oil here and there and strangely enough the car jumps when the automatic transmission shifts from first to second. It still starts in the morning but it sure has a hard time and a black plume of smoke funnels out the tail pipe. Strangely when we push the accelerator the engine floods and almost dies. It is still a Cadillac but it needs some serious TLC.

Our country and our economy needs a full check-up. It may need a valve job and the head gasket may be gone. The tires may explode on the expressway but we can fix that with a little preventative care. Who knows, the transmission my only need a new flywheel or a simple cable adjustment.

Unfortunately our technicians are wiping down the leather and polishing the body instead of making sure this economy will take us from point A to point B. The process of Reaganomics must be stopped. We must tell our politicians to fight against Reaganomics in all its forms. This can be the power train of the world once again but we must eliminate corporate influence in government and hang corrupt politicians. If goods are not produced under the same regulations, including inspections that US corporations would be subject to, they must not be allowed to cross the US borders.

Tags: Government Politics Recession Corporate America Finance Illegal Immigration Economy Reaganomics

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Healthcare for Children – Proposed legislation gets Bush Veto

President Bush indicated that he would veto the new version of legislation for healthcare coverage for children. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) currently funds healthcare coverage for children of families with less than $35,000 income. The thing that seems to create a problem is that the coverage would be extended to children of families where the income is less than 85,000. Mr. Bush feels that this would be the first step toward national health care. While I am not sure that this legislation is a good thing, I do believe that health care should be nationalized. It will not negatively impact our system and those with money can always access the private sector and maintain supplemental insurance to have everything they have today. It would help those who, for one reason or another, do not have access to insurance or healthcare. Illnesses will be diagnosed earlier and the survival rate will increase.

The current proposal intends to use the Medicaid program to offer the coverage. There are also provisions that would allow States to increase coverage to illegal immigrants without risking losing Federal Funding. Access to the program does not seem to be automatic requiring families to go through the bureaucratic hoops of the Medicaid system to be enrolled. I also wonder what limitations will be placed on the actual care and the amount of coverage included. In the environment of US politics this may be the best step that can be made at this time.

SCHIP was originally designed to provide health coverage for uninsured children in low-income families that earn no more than twice the federal poverty limit (approximately $34,000 a year for a family of three). The program provides federal matching funds to states with a cap on total federal expenditures of $40 billion over 10 years. The legislation Congress has passed will expand SCHIP eligibility to families that earn up to four times the federal poverty limit. This means a family of four earning $80,000 a year would be eligible for the program.

Presently 15 states stand to lose their funding if Mr. Bush vetoes this bill. The opponents of this bill will say that either we cannot afford it or that this is just more big government. For the funding argument I find it difficult not to provide an equal opportunity of healthcare to all children when we can spend $2 billion a week to protect the oil company’s profits in the Middle East. About big government I am not sure. I do believe that governments should create equal opportunity for all its citizens no matter how rich their parents are. The two factors that influence equality more than any others are healthcare and education. Thus I believe to give all children the same opportunity to be express their full potential, thus making our nation express its full potential, Education at all levels must be free as should Health Care.

Tags: Government Politics Recession Corporate America Finance Illegal Immigration Economy Reaganomics

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Time for a third political party – Return of the Blue Dog Democrats

Day after day our politicians operate with what they are calling leadership. At the risk of being censured by the ACLU for not being sensitive I will provide a translation. When someone in Washington calls for leadership they are saying that they intend to go against the will of the people. Another important translation is populous. When our elected officials use this word they are saying that the person guilty of populism is listening to the stupidity of the will of the people.

Our politicians no longer represent WE THE PEOPLE. They are all off on some agenda. Our political system makes it nearly impossible to get new blood into the system. The Democrats have to pander to the fanatic left and the Republicans have to pander to the religious fanatics. The people who make it through the “vetting” process represent these extremes, not WE THE PEOPLE. It is time for the government of the United States to represent the citizens of the United States. The masses of the United States are not financial executives or CEOs. They are not the religious fanatics who believe that it is ok to kill someone in order to stop abortion. The majority of Americans do not believe that religion should be eliminated nor do they believe that America should stop using energy to protect the environment. WE THE PEOPLE are moderates. This is evidenced by the ease with which the country switches from Republican to Democrat and vice-versa.

Americans believe in hard work. They believe education is important for all and that people should not die in the streets because they cannot afford healthcare insurance. Americans are tolerant. They will elect an openly gay politician and call for the resignation of a politician who says he is straight and goes looking for male company. Americans will spend their last penny to support a religious guru on television and call for his complete destruction when it becomes evident that he does not live the life he preaches. WE THE PEOPLE can accept personal lifestyles; WE THE PEOPE abhor hypocrisy.

At one time it was said that southern democrats were more conservative than the most conservative Republicans. Across the nation the working class Democrats were called BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS. They believed in Fiscal Responsibility, God and Country, Hard Work, Education for all, Assistance for those less fortunate and Personal Responsibility. The idea was that together we are stronger than we are singularly. Today I may be better off and I will help you with your hard times. Tomorrow the tide might change. The BLUE DOG DEMOCRATICS believe that government has a role to mitigate excesses. They believe that we must first secure our home front before we secure others. BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS believe in volunteer work and are wiling to make significant sacrifices for the good of their neighbors and their country.

These are the principles that influence the lives of most people I know. In these times of rampant political corruption and the destruction of America's working class perhaps it is time for a resurgence of the BLUE DOG DEMOCRATS made up of working folk, like you and me.

Tags: Government Politics China Corporate America Finance Illegal Immigration Economy Reaganomics

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Michael Moore irks me!

I admit, Michael Moore irks me. Whenever I hear him speak my blood boils, not for what he is saying but for the sensationalist tone he uses. A debate is not a shouting match. If someone has to shout to get their point across it is because they do not have the supporting arguments for their thesis. I have not seen his movie. Most likely I will not see his movie, but then I do not go to theaters to see movies. My perception is that he is right on with his latest endeavor Sicko. One phrase out of the jabber caught my attention, “For Profit Companies should not have anything to do with healthcare!”

He explains that the two are incompatible. Again, I agree. Unfortunately, his argument loses value because of the way he expresses himself. The position seems to be, religious right against public healthcare. Liberal left wants healthcare for everyone. I am amazed at the difference of positions. The religious right should be for the utopian society of each individual has according to his needs (they call it Heaven, Paradise, Celestial Kingdom, et al).

The discussion is way off track. The discussions are America is great! Everyone wants to come to America. Silvio Berlusconi came to America to have heart surgery, he did not stay in Italy. Silvio Berlusconi is one of Italy’s richest and most hated men. There may have been other reasons he came to the US. My mother in law had major heart surgery 30 years ago. In the US she would have died. Not because an American hospital could not perform the surgery simply because she could not have afforded it.

This is the real question. A civilization is great or not based on the opportunities it affords to every individual. The two things that influence an individual’s capability to succeed and levels the playing field between those born into money and the rest of us are education and healthcare. Italy, as does the rest of the free world offers free education through college and they also offer free (yes free) medical care for the rest of the population. You can still go to a private college and pay a lot of money. You can also go to a private hospital and pay for any treatment you desire, be treated like a king, and have an entire floor just for you if you want. Silvio Berlusconi came to the US. The popes (much more powerful) go to the Gemelli in Rome.

The debate we must have is whether or not WE THE PEOPLE believe that every child is of equal value or do the children of some have more value than the children of others. The religious right should be clamoring for national healthcare. They should be speaking loudly for free university. Hillary Clinton should be calling for free Universities and not for HB1 visa for Indian companies and more money to reeducate displaced Americans. If congress can pass legislation to save a woman in a coma they should be able to all come together to create a national healthcare system.

Tags: Government Healthcare Corporate America Michael Moore

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Times change and so do we

I do not think that my one voice made any difference in how the perception of the US is changing today. Fortunately the Immigration Bill is in critical condition and it seems that some politicians, very few in the Senate, are listening to WE THE PEOPLE. Our President is running around like a chicken with his head cut off trying to create support for a law that the population does not want. He wants a legacy. May I suggest that he think about the good of the US citizen for once and do something to help this great nation return to be great.

You may have noticed the markets are bit weaker, interest rates are accelerating with the force of the shuttle at liftoff and there is talk of inflation. It seems our Federal Reserve Board finally went to the store and tried to buy some food. How about that, inflation while real wages are falling. Hmmm, could it be that increased labor costs do not directly result in higher prices? What a novel idea. Perhaps our “leaders” will stop trying to sell us trinket policy and decide to take on the problems we face. I will not hold my breath.

This means I can write about things that are important to me. One of these is healthcare. It is so important that I am starting a company. The objective is to empower the individual and give the patient more control over the what, who, when, where and how much. Yes, I intend to dedicate my efforts in a quest worthy of Don Quixote.

The next articles will be on the topic of national healthcare, patient’s rights to privacy, too many drugs for too few patients, government Emergency Response systems (remember Katrina), Epidemic identification and control, safety in hospitals, and healthcare for Veterans (they deserve the best).

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