There was too much work yesterday to post, but here goes one for today.
At the beginning, please understand that I am opposed to the health care reform being proposed in Congress. There are many, many aspects of it that I find deeply troubling.
There is one that is being used by opponents to scare senior citizens in the same way the Democrats have always done on Social Security reform. That strategy has been very effective for the Democrats, of course, but that doesn't make it right.
There is a provision in the bill that amends the Social Security Act (the part that applies to Medicare reimbursements) to provide for payment for end of life counselling for seniors every five years, and more frequently if the senior has a terminal illness.
I have read the two bills, and there is no requirement that anyone have the counselling as the fearmongers say. It just permits them to have it, and be covered by Medicare.
My view is that every senior should have the counselling provided for in the bill whether or not the bill is passed with that in it. The last couple of times I have gone to the hospital, I have been asked if I had a directive to physicians and a medical power of attorney. I have, and so should everyone if you want your wishes to be honored.
There is, in fact, another provision that provides for such counselling already in the Medicare Act.
There are a lot of reasons to oppose the bills before Congress, but this is not one of them.
You may find the provision at issue here.
The part of the Social Security Act being amended is here.
Showing posts with label health care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health care. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Defend Your Health Care
In trying to research the health care matters before Congress one particular website stands out. Its called Defend Your Health Care. It is run by Betsy McCaughey, PhD, a former Lt. Governor of the State of New York.
You can hear an interview with her at this site.
Everyone should go to the web site and check it out. The first thing you will see is something I have also pointed out in an earlier post:
"Whatever health insurance bill is passed in Congress MUST apply to members of Congress and other federal employees. No Exceptions.
If it isn't good enough for them, it isn't good enough for us.
We are calling on members of Congress to propose an amendment to the Kennedy Health Bill requiring all federal employees to enroll in a "qualified" health plan just like the rest of us. "
The only way for us to get the scheming politicians in DC to pass anything reasonably fair is to require that they be subject to the same provisions.
The fact that they choose to exempt themselves is certain evidence that they know its a bad bill.
This whole matter is outrageous.
The politicians, particularly those on the left, are trying to steal our country.
Between the health "reform," the cap and trade bill, the huge deficit spending, and a whole big bunch of other things, they will destroy our freedom if we permit them to do it.
A political revolution is needed.
Who will lead it?
You can hear an interview with her at this site.
Everyone should go to the web site and check it out. The first thing you will see is something I have also pointed out in an earlier post:
"Whatever health insurance bill is passed in Congress MUST apply to members of Congress and other federal employees. No Exceptions.
If it isn't good enough for them, it isn't good enough for us.
We are calling on members of Congress to propose an amendment to the Kennedy Health Bill requiring all federal employees to enroll in a "qualified" health plan just like the rest of us. "
The only way for us to get the scheming politicians in DC to pass anything reasonably fair is to require that they be subject to the same provisions.
The fact that they choose to exempt themselves is certain evidence that they know its a bad bill.
This whole matter is outrageous.
The politicians, particularly those on the left, are trying to steal our country.
Between the health "reform," the cap and trade bill, the huge deficit spending, and a whole big bunch of other things, they will destroy our freedom if we permit them to do it.
A political revolution is needed.
Who will lead it?
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Slammed by CBO Again
The Congressional Budget Office has slammed ObamaCare once again for failing to do anything to cut costs.
"For the second time this month, congressional budget analysts have dealt a blow to the Democrat's health reform efforts, this time by saying a plan touted by the White House as crucial to paying for the bill would actually save almost no money over 10 years. "
Republicans had a response:
""This letter underscores the enormous challenges that Democrats face trying to pay for their massive and costly government takeover of health care. In their rush to pass a bill, Democrats continue to ignore the stark economic reality facing our nation," said Boehner spokeswoman Antonia Ferrier. "Let's scrap the current proposal and come together in a meaningful way to reform health care in America by reducing cost, expanding access and at a price tag we can afford.""
Clearly, the "reform" proposed by the left includes so much government that it could not possible be efficient or fair.
Of course, to the left, its more about control than costs or fairness.
Senator Charles Grassley, however, says that a reform bill will be passed this year:
"“They said we’ve got to show the Democrats they don’t have a vote to nationalize health insurance and then they’ll come to us and we’ll get a compromise,” Grassley said, describing conversations he has had with the other leaders."
Everyone, it seems, thinks we have to reform medical insurance, and that is fine. But will it be good enough for Congress and the President to include themselves in the reform?
And how can you compromise a bill that is so bad?
Current legislation would exempt all the Feds, so they must not think its a very good deal.
The public should demand that any reform that is passed apply to everyone, and not leave out a privileged few.
It is very apparent that the few in Washington consider themselves far above those of us out in the hinterland.
We should throw them all out. All of them.
"For the second time this month, congressional budget analysts have dealt a blow to the Democrat's health reform efforts, this time by saying a plan touted by the White House as crucial to paying for the bill would actually save almost no money over 10 years. "
Republicans had a response:
""This letter underscores the enormous challenges that Democrats face trying to pay for their massive and costly government takeover of health care. In their rush to pass a bill, Democrats continue to ignore the stark economic reality facing our nation," said Boehner spokeswoman Antonia Ferrier. "Let's scrap the current proposal and come together in a meaningful way to reform health care in America by reducing cost, expanding access and at a price tag we can afford.""
Clearly, the "reform" proposed by the left includes so much government that it could not possible be efficient or fair.
Of course, to the left, its more about control than costs or fairness.
Senator Charles Grassley, however, says that a reform bill will be passed this year:
"“They said we’ve got to show the Democrats they don’t have a vote to nationalize health insurance and then they’ll come to us and we’ll get a compromise,” Grassley said, describing conversations he has had with the other leaders."
Everyone, it seems, thinks we have to reform medical insurance, and that is fine. But will it be good enough for Congress and the President to include themselves in the reform?
And how can you compromise a bill that is so bad?
Current legislation would exempt all the Feds, so they must not think its a very good deal.
The public should demand that any reform that is passed apply to everyone, and not leave out a privileged few.
It is very apparent that the few in Washington consider themselves far above those of us out in the hinterland.
We should throw them all out. All of them.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Memo to the President and Congress re: Health Care
Mr. President and Congress, you are presently trying to pass a health care reform bill. You have exempted yourselves and all Federal employees from the provisions thereof.
You need to pardon me for shouting, but:
I WILL ACCEPT ANY REFORM OF MEDICAL CARE THAT YOU AND ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WILL BE SUBJECT TO, AND NONE OTHER.
PERIOD.
I do not know why you believe that you have some kind of superior rights to the rest of us, but rest assured, you do not.
The South Plainsman
You need to pardon me for shouting, but:
I WILL ACCEPT ANY REFORM OF MEDICAL CARE THAT YOU AND ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WILL BE SUBJECT TO, AND NONE OTHER.
PERIOD.
I do not know why you believe that you have some kind of superior rights to the rest of us, but rest assured, you do not.
The South Plainsman
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Bored?
Last night's press conference shows that Americans are becoming bored with Obama. It was the lowest rated yet in terms of viewers.
It was also the lowest rated in terms of substance.
Called to help bolster the sagging health care agenda, the presser demonstrated that Obama does not have a clue about the subject matter.
Even with the adoring White House press corps asking softer than goose down questions, Obama couldn't get into the swing of things. From the first question until the last, he gave circuitous, meaningless answers to the easy questions.
The last, of course, was the doozy about racial profiling, where he took a stand before he even had heard the evidence.
If everyone keeps the heat on their Congressmen and Senators, ObamaCare should be defeated.
Hopefully the same for the cap and tax, er, trade, bill.
Meantime, at the stock markets, Obama's lackluster performance gave it a boost above $9,000 on the Dow Jones Average today.
So perhaps he did accomplish something.
It was also the lowest rated in terms of substance.
Called to help bolster the sagging health care agenda, the presser demonstrated that Obama does not have a clue about the subject matter.
Even with the adoring White House press corps asking softer than goose down questions, Obama couldn't get into the swing of things. From the first question until the last, he gave circuitous, meaningless answers to the easy questions.
The last, of course, was the doozy about racial profiling, where he took a stand before he even had heard the evidence.
If everyone keeps the heat on their Congressmen and Senators, ObamaCare should be defeated.
Hopefully the same for the cap and tax, er, trade, bill.
Meantime, at the stock markets, Obama's lackluster performance gave it a boost above $9,000 on the Dow Jones Average today.
So perhaps he did accomplish something.
Friday, July 17, 2009
What is the real agenda?
Why all of the rush, all of a sudden? Ever since the Democrats came into full power in January, they have been in full hurry-up mode.
I remember the so-called stimulus bill was rushed through before anybody could read it or understand it. Turns out it didn't stimulate much but it did feather a bunch of Democratic nests.
A bullet train from Southern California to Las Vegas for good old Harry Reid, for instance.
It is easy to recognize that some action was called for at the time. A day or two or even a month would not have made any difference. So why the rush?
The energy bill, aka the cap and trade bill, was similarly rushed through the House, with no time to read it, and no amendments permitted ( Ms. Pelosi makes Tom DeLay look like a warm fuzzy kitten).
And now the President is pushing it through the Senate, trying to pass it by August.
This so-called problem ended in 1998 when the globe started cooling again. Why not take a few months and have a good debate on it? Why the big rush?
And now we have the big push to pass socialized health care (disguised as "reform") by August as well. The health care business has been around for a long time, and Medicare and Medicaid have needed reform since they were initiated.
So why are we rushing into all of this? These are major bills that will have lasting, perhaps permanent, effects on our lives and our economy.
And we must pass them without even having a debate or being able to read and understand them before they become law?
Wait a minute. Just wait a minute. Is this the kind of "hope and change" we want? Does this constitute the transparency Obama promised? Or the bi-partisanship?
Maybe its just Rahm Emmanuel not wanting to lose the benefit of a good crisis to ram things through.
Could there be another agenda at work here? Not just health care reform, or solving global warming? Is this an attempt to transform the United States into a socialist state, where everyone has equal results in the pursuit of happiness?
Consider the energy proposals. This would levy high direct and indirect taxes on everyone who uses energy.
Companies that manufacture or produce things would be the heaviest hit. It would make those industries even more uncompetitive than the labor unions have managed to do. That would produce a huge drag on employment. This has very deleterious effects on the entire economy, because we have to produce things to create wealth.
Of course, we would all be hit, depending upon the energy we use. Walk to work and do away with all of your modern appliances, including lights, and you might avoid most of the tax.
The health care industry is also a large part of our economy, and employs a very large number of people. The proposals before the Congress would create a number of taxes on various aspects, and particularly employers within and without the industry. Uninsured individuals who don't want insurance ( about 40% of the total according to a study for the CBO) will be taxed, forcing them to buy or pay the tax. (Free country, right!).
Both of those bills will contribute to severely crippling our economy right in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression.
And anyone with any degree of intelligence should know it.
Now I know that Obama and his team are intelligent and should know this is true ( that does not apply to Lenin's "useful idiots" in the Congress).
So is it their real agenda to bring the US to its knees? Where are they heading us?
They have already nationalized the biggest automaker. Who will be next?
I remember the so-called stimulus bill was rushed through before anybody could read it or understand it. Turns out it didn't stimulate much but it did feather a bunch of Democratic nests.
A bullet train from Southern California to Las Vegas for good old Harry Reid, for instance.
It is easy to recognize that some action was called for at the time. A day or two or even a month would not have made any difference. So why the rush?
The energy bill, aka the cap and trade bill, was similarly rushed through the House, with no time to read it, and no amendments permitted ( Ms. Pelosi makes Tom DeLay look like a warm fuzzy kitten).
And now the President is pushing it through the Senate, trying to pass it by August.
This so-called problem ended in 1998 when the globe started cooling again. Why not take a few months and have a good debate on it? Why the big rush?
And now we have the big push to pass socialized health care (disguised as "reform") by August as well. The health care business has been around for a long time, and Medicare and Medicaid have needed reform since they were initiated.
So why are we rushing into all of this? These are major bills that will have lasting, perhaps permanent, effects on our lives and our economy.
And we must pass them without even having a debate or being able to read and understand them before they become law?
Wait a minute. Just wait a minute. Is this the kind of "hope and change" we want? Does this constitute the transparency Obama promised? Or the bi-partisanship?
Maybe its just Rahm Emmanuel not wanting to lose the benefit of a good crisis to ram things through.
Could there be another agenda at work here? Not just health care reform, or solving global warming? Is this an attempt to transform the United States into a socialist state, where everyone has equal results in the pursuit of happiness?
Consider the energy proposals. This would levy high direct and indirect taxes on everyone who uses energy.
Companies that manufacture or produce things would be the heaviest hit. It would make those industries even more uncompetitive than the labor unions have managed to do. That would produce a huge drag on employment. This has very deleterious effects on the entire economy, because we have to produce things to create wealth.
Of course, we would all be hit, depending upon the energy we use. Walk to work and do away with all of your modern appliances, including lights, and you might avoid most of the tax.
The health care industry is also a large part of our economy, and employs a very large number of people. The proposals before the Congress would create a number of taxes on various aspects, and particularly employers within and without the industry. Uninsured individuals who don't want insurance ( about 40% of the total according to a study for the CBO) will be taxed, forcing them to buy or pay the tax. (Free country, right!).
Both of those bills will contribute to severely crippling our economy right in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression.
And anyone with any degree of intelligence should know it.
Now I know that Obama and his team are intelligent and should know this is true ( that does not apply to Lenin's "useful idiots" in the Congress).
So is it their real agenda to bring the US to its knees? Where are they heading us?
They have already nationalized the biggest automaker. Who will be next?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Health care on the front burner
William Katz over at Urgent Agenda calls our attention to something in the New York Daily News writtten by one Kristen Lopez Eastlick about a study done by her organization for the Congressional Budget Office. The subject was the nation's folks that are not insured for health care. Who are the 47 million uninsured, really? is part of the title of the article.
It seems that the study found that 43% of them are voluntarily uninsured, in that they make an average of $65,000 per year, and can therefore afford the coverage, but for their own reasons, choose not to buy it. I can see why we don't hear that from the pols in DC.
She goes on to point out that 13% of the uninsured are illegal aliens. In addition, 40 % of the uninsured are unemployed, and if they could find suitable employment or were trained so they could, many of them could get insurance from their employers.
As a result, she questions why we should do such a radical overhaul of our entire system, when lesser approaches would solve the problem. That is a good question.
Mr. Katz has a comment of his own:
"Congress is about to enact a hugely expensive solution to a problem it doesn't even understand. Indeed, the lack of interest in facts is stunning. It's especially stunning when you look at the media, which is always whining about "the people's right to know." Apparently, there are many things the people don't have a right to know, like the real nature of the health-care "crisis.""
Why the hurry? Why such drastic measures? Why such high costs?
Only The Shadow knows.
It seems that the study found that 43% of them are voluntarily uninsured, in that they make an average of $65,000 per year, and can therefore afford the coverage, but for their own reasons, choose not to buy it. I can see why we don't hear that from the pols in DC.
She goes on to point out that 13% of the uninsured are illegal aliens. In addition, 40 % of the uninsured are unemployed, and if they could find suitable employment or were trained so they could, many of them could get insurance from their employers.
As a result, she questions why we should do such a radical overhaul of our entire system, when lesser approaches would solve the problem. That is a good question.
Mr. Katz has a comment of his own:
"Congress is about to enact a hugely expensive solution to a problem it doesn't even understand. Indeed, the lack of interest in facts is stunning. It's especially stunning when you look at the media, which is always whining about "the people's right to know." Apparently, there are many things the people don't have a right to know, like the real nature of the health-care "crisis.""
Why the hurry? Why such drastic measures? Why such high costs?
Only The Shadow knows.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Transformation of America
William Katz who blogs at Urgent Agenda has a bit about something written by Frank Miele, the managing editor of a small Montana newpaper, The Daily Inter Lake.
The commentary is about Obama and Abraham Lincoln, for whom Obama has shown a great deal of admiration.
Mr. Katz blogs about wisdom and genius and how it can be confused. And warns about Obama relying on genius as opposed to wisdom. Its good, and you should go there and read it.
But Miele's commentary is much more than that.
He quotes Obama:
"Let us transform this nation," Obama said in his 2007 announcement address. "Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy... And as our economy changes, let's be the generation that ensures our nation's workers are sharing in our prosperity.... Let's be the generation that ends poverty in America.... Let's be the generation that finally tackles our health care crisis... Let's be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil... Let's be the generation that makes future generations proud of what we did here."
Miele says we should not now be surprised at what Obama is doing. He told us well in advance.
Obama also talked about greatly transforming our economy long before the economy went into the tank. When he said that, the economy was humming along.
From the very beginning, he has had the notion of doing away with our old economic system, capitalism, and substituting.........what?
Given that Obama was raised in a Marxist leaning household and has an awful lot of friends who are extremely radical, one can figure out where he wants to take us pretty easily.
Our intrepid editor goes on to say:
"Thus, to the extent that he is indeed the "towering genius' his admirers perceive, President Obama may quote Lincoln, but he certainly doesn't want to be him. He wants not to preserve the work of presidents past, but to "transform" the nation, to "take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America," as he said in Springfield...."
This is right on point. What Obama wants to do is not preserve our nation as it has been, but to transform it into something else. And he is busy trying to do just that.
Miele further states:
"Now, Abraham Lincoln was not a prophet –– just a very wise man. His words provide food for thought, but should not themselves be considered an indictment of any individual. Nonetheless, for those of us who are concerned that Barack Obama means exactly what he says, and does indeed intend to "transform" the nation, they are one more opportunity to make a plea for "preservation" of the "temple of liberty" instead."
We still have a chance to stop this, but people must wake up to what is happening. Congress cannot be trusted to do it. For crying out loud, they spent nearly a trillion dollars without reading the bill, and passed the "cap and trade" bill in the House with nobody having read it as well.
We need a political revolution in this country to counter the one that Obama and the left is trying to cram down our throats. Unfortunately, neither of our political parties is up to the task.
Will we all wake up?........... In time?
Who will lead the revolution? Is anybody out there?
The commentary is about Obama and Abraham Lincoln, for whom Obama has shown a great deal of admiration.
Mr. Katz blogs about wisdom and genius and how it can be confused. And warns about Obama relying on genius as opposed to wisdom. Its good, and you should go there and read it.
But Miele's commentary is much more than that.
He quotes Obama:
"Let us transform this nation," Obama said in his 2007 announcement address. "Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy... And as our economy changes, let's be the generation that ensures our nation's workers are sharing in our prosperity.... Let's be the generation that ends poverty in America.... Let's be the generation that finally tackles our health care crisis... Let's be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil... Let's be the generation that makes future generations proud of what we did here."
Miele says we should not now be surprised at what Obama is doing. He told us well in advance.
Obama also talked about greatly transforming our economy long before the economy went into the tank. When he said that, the economy was humming along.
From the very beginning, he has had the notion of doing away with our old economic system, capitalism, and substituting.........what?
Given that Obama was raised in a Marxist leaning household and has an awful lot of friends who are extremely radical, one can figure out where he wants to take us pretty easily.
Our intrepid editor goes on to say:
"Thus, to the extent that he is indeed the "towering genius' his admirers perceive, President Obama may quote Lincoln, but he certainly doesn't want to be him. He wants not to preserve the work of presidents past, but to "transform" the nation, to "take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America," as he said in Springfield...."
This is right on point. What Obama wants to do is not preserve our nation as it has been, but to transform it into something else. And he is busy trying to do just that.
Miele further states:
"Now, Abraham Lincoln was not a prophet –– just a very wise man. His words provide food for thought, but should not themselves be considered an indictment of any individual. Nonetheless, for those of us who are concerned that Barack Obama means exactly what he says, and does indeed intend to "transform" the nation, they are one more opportunity to make a plea for "preservation" of the "temple of liberty" instead."
We still have a chance to stop this, but people must wake up to what is happening. Congress cannot be trusted to do it. For crying out loud, they spent nearly a trillion dollars without reading the bill, and passed the "cap and trade" bill in the House with nobody having read it as well.
We need a political revolution in this country to counter the one that Obama and the left is trying to cram down our throats. Unfortunately, neither of our political parties is up to the task.
Will we all wake up?........... In time?
Who will lead the revolution? Is anybody out there?
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