The Cost Is Our Health

Walter Cronkite once said, "America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system." I've just read an article that does an excellent job of pointing out how right Mr. Cronkite was.

The article states that as profit margins narrow, some very large insurers "... will not sacrifice profitability for membership."

When speaking to investors, in economic terms, that just sounds like a hardline position a company is taking.  It sounds like a decision executives had to make to insure profits, but the problem is that this isn't the production of a commodity that consumers can choose to or not to purchase (though that is indeed the counter argument that these insurers would make).

The fact of the matter is that the people who can no longer afford the policy can now no longer afford to be healthy, which will directly or indirectly shorten their lives. How much shorter will it make their lives? Perhaps the mismanagement of their health will shorten their lives from 75 years to 72 years, or it very well could shorten their lives from 75 years to 39 years.

I personally have avoided going to the doctor for numerous things because I was on a stretch in between health insurance carriers. In fact, I think I broke my foot last year. Notice I said "think" because I still don't know.  I was a full-time student over the age of 25. That means that I didn't qualify for insurance through my parents.  I could've gotten coverage through my part-time job (which is a rare exception in the working world), but the amount of money that would've come out of my paychecks would've made it very difficult to pay the rest of my monthly bills. The result? I limped for two months and then off and on for another month or two after that. It wasn't too bad, and after all, that's what we're supposed to do as Americans, right? Tough it out? Heaven forbid that we have a right to anything beyond shooting off our mouths and our guns.

The problem here is that there are people out there with corner offices sitting around large oak tables in control of our health.  Their priority is maximizing profits, and often that is at the expense of the service that they are supposed to be providing.  It's frustrating when it makes the average person's life inconvenient, but when it is actually jeopardizing our lives and the lives of our loved ones, it's nothing short of criminal.  There are few countries in the world where citizens will tolerate, and even justify such actions, but you do it everyday.

There's a great program on healthcare systems around the world that was produced by PBS. It's viewable in segments on their site.

Elliot Spitzer, casualty of the war on terror

A friend of mine recently wrote this intending on submitting it to his local paper, but due to the length, was unable. After reading it, I decided that it was important that it see the light of day.

16 March 2008--Austin, Texas.

Elliot Spitzer, New York Governor, has resigned effective Monday March 17, recently being exposed for visiting a prostitute. A man elected by an overwhelming majority of constituents. A man who previously held the high profile position of State Attorney General where he made a reputation for fighting for living citizens over corporate citizens. This man was trusted by many to make important and fair judgments for the public good, and performed time and time again. A distinguished career wiped out by a poor personal decision; an indiscretion made by many in all classes and walks of life. Does this punishment fit the crime? Will citizens of New York and the country be better or worse for this resignation?

More importantly, who will benefit most from Spitzer's absence from public life? And why was he found out in the first place? These questions may have been mentioned by "mainstream" (read corporate) media but never received any traction since the tabloid type stories are much less controversial to corporate citizens and focus all the attention on Spitzer and his poor judgment.

It has been reported Spitzer raised red flags in a computer program that analyzes all bank transactions that occur in the United States to identify terrorist financing and money laundering. A program that looks at all bank transactions you and I make as well. This set into action an investigation by Federal investigators to figure out the destination of the suspicious funds. When it was determined that the money had gone to a prostitution ring this information was acted upon and Spitzer was ruined.

This is a perfect example of why the government should not be granted special powers to investigate Americans in the name of Terror. Without excusing the actions of the Ex-Governor of New York, it is quite obvious he has become a casualty of the War on Terror. When it was obvious that the flagged transaction was not supporting terrorists why was the investigation pursued? Why have none of the other "Johns" names been disclosed?

I suggest that there is much more to this case than is being publicly reported. This very well could have been a witch-hunt made possible by legislation intended to execute the "War on Terror". If this is the case, this legislation needs to be reexamined for usefulness in achieving its intended goals. If it can pick up is a man trying to hide his visit to a prostitute, and ruin him, maybe it can see too deep into our personal lives. If this is how the legislation is to be used it certainly needs to be repealed.

The Constitution protects us from illegal search. No law was broken with the funds transfers yet this “suspicious” activity began the humiliating chain of events.

The Bush justice department has investigated Democratic to Republican politicians 6 to 1. There is no evidence that they are more or less corrupt than the other side. Is this politically motivated? You bet! These types of personal matters with little to no bearing on public policy scream of last ditch efforts to oust a better opponent. Who will be next?

-Brad T.

Obama vs. Clinton vs. McCain

You've got some awkward decisions ahead of you.
Today former governor Mitt Romney dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. He took one for the team. While dropping out of the race, he made a plug for party unification against the Democrats. It seemed like a quick move to circumvent you actually thinking for yourself. He says he's out of the race because you must be united against the Democrats.
Should you unite against the Democrats?
That's a question he prevents you from asking yourself. He ignores what your concerns are and makes you think you're concerned with that which he wants you to be. It's sneaky.
Another part of his dropping out is that, in the general election, Romney vs. Obama would be a nightmare for the Republicans. The truth of the matter is that there aren't enough "morally conservative" voters to carry any candidate. The majority of voters in the United States are moderates. They are not 'liberal" nor are they "conservative."
What Republican strategists want is Clinton vs. McCain, and for this they're counting on two things.
First, despite John McCain's talk of late, he's not much of a conservative. They're depending on McCain's ability to appeal to moderate voters. Now, Hillary Clinton's ability to appeal to moderate voters is just as strong as McCain's, but that's where factor two comes in.
Hillary Clinton has been a polarizing figure in the past, and they think that in a campaign to demonize Clinton, McCain is a practical alternative. Now, people like to demonize Hillary Clinton because she plays the man's role in politics too well, but there's currently no room for a woman in politics that doesn't play a masculine role. This often gets her called "bitch," but it's no fault of hers.
For Republican strategists, the ideal match-up for the general election is Clinton vs. McCain. What happens if it's Obama vs. McCain? Well then the Republicans actually have to fight a fair fight.
When you are voting in the fall, do you want to be voting for the candidate you believe in, or do you want to be voting against the candidate you oppose?
The next ten months will be trying. You will have to endure ad after ad after ad. You'll hear hateful language, insecurities, and deceit.
The most important thing to remember this year is that for all our dissimilarities, we are more alike than unalike.
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." -Martin Luther King, Jr.