Showing posts with label health care reform. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health care reform. Show all posts
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Fining Me Is Not A Tax Increase
Barak Obama says a proposed fine for people who do not get the government run health insurance is not back-door tax increase. Instead he says, "What it's saying is, is that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore." I'm confused. If I chose not to get his insurance and I pay my own way, how does that make other people "carry my burden"? It seems more like they would carry my burden if I DO get his insurance. Can someone straighten this out for me?
Monday, August 10, 2009
Town Hall Backlash
Across the nation members of Congress are holding town hall meetings in their home districts. Some of these town halls are becoming near riots as the very vocal 30% of Americans who are against the Obamacare plan are turning out in force. Either the White House is giving us phoney numbers or the 70% in favor are staying home. Adam Smith held one in Puyallup last week but I don't know how raucous it got. Despite the outrage, some Congressmen continue to hold public meetings. Others, lacking the courage to face their constituents, are holding teleconfernces. Our own Dave Reichert recently held a teleconference, a format which is more easily controlled than a crowd. Reichert also had a BBQ in Mercer Island recently, where he got an earful from constituents. Despite the public outcry against Obamacare, the White House and media continue to belittle anyone who offers dissent. Some change.
In other news, I met with local Republicans last week and I continue to be encouraged by the lack of love for Dave Reichert. I also spoke at the Mountain Community Co-op board meeting about proposed and pending legislation which affects health. The "Food Facism" bill, HR 2749 unfortunately passed the House at the end of July. As I predicted, Reichert voted in favor of giving the government control of your food. On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending Wendy Birnbaum's Freedom on Fire picnic and pig roast in Orting. The food was fantastic and I met a lot of people who are fed up with Congress in general and Reichert in particular. The more people I meet the more fired up I am to with this election!
In other news, I met with local Republicans last week and I continue to be encouraged by the lack of love for Dave Reichert. I also spoke at the Mountain Community Co-op board meeting about proposed and pending legislation which affects health. The "Food Facism" bill, HR 2749 unfortunately passed the House at the end of July. As I predicted, Reichert voted in favor of giving the government control of your food. On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending Wendy Birnbaum's Freedom on Fire picnic and pig roast in Orting. The food was fantastic and I met a lot of people who are fed up with Congress in general and Reichert in particular. The more people I meet the more fired up I am to with this election!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Some Odds and Ends
Last weekend I graduated from the Nisqually Stream Stewards course. I now have a better understanding of all the groups who want to use our resources, how they conflict with each other, and how they can be brought together. I met a lot of great people, learned some interesting things, and had a great time.
The campaign website recently welcomed visitor number 100. Due to a systems issue I can't tell when it was, but it was sometime in July. I must have someone's attention somewhere because the top city for page hits is Washington, DC. Overall, the Seattle-Tacoma area leads DC metro area. I'm wondering if all those visits are from friend or foe. Also, we've gone international will visits from Taiwan, Canada, and England.
It seems as though House Democrats are taking a page from Olympia's playbook. The entire state budget was written in a secretive process by a handfull of Democrats, and in the other Washington it's looking the same way. House Dems are declaring the budgeting process, which normally allows for input from all 435 member, to be off-limits to all but 60 members of the Appropriations Committee. Committee chairman David Obey (D-WI) says the new rule is limit time spent on debates. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) says it is to save Democrats from casting politically painful votes. Don't we hire these people to debate budgets and bills and make tough decisions? It's just another attempt to rush as much through as quickly as possible without anyone having a chance to stop the train wreck ahead. With a Read the Bills Act or One Subject at a Time Act there would be no need for such shenanigans.
I heard from someone that 70% of Americans are in favor of the national healthcare plan. So far I've met three of those people. Am I in the wrong crowd or is someone switching the numbers on the polls?
The campaign website recently welcomed visitor number 100. Due to a systems issue I can't tell when it was, but it was sometime in July. I must have someone's attention somewhere because the top city for page hits is Washington, DC. Overall, the Seattle-Tacoma area leads DC metro area. I'm wondering if all those visits are from friend or foe. Also, we've gone international will visits from Taiwan, Canada, and England.
It seems as though House Democrats are taking a page from Olympia's playbook. The entire state budget was written in a secretive process by a handfull of Democrats, and in the other Washington it's looking the same way. House Dems are declaring the budgeting process, which normally allows for input from all 435 member, to be off-limits to all but 60 members of the Appropriations Committee. Committee chairman David Obey (D-WI) says the new rule is limit time spent on debates. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) says it is to save Democrats from casting politically painful votes. Don't we hire these people to debate budgets and bills and make tough decisions? It's just another attempt to rush as much through as quickly as possible without anyone having a chance to stop the train wreck ahead. With a Read the Bills Act or One Subject at a Time Act there would be no need for such shenanigans.
I heard from someone that 70% of Americans are in favor of the national healthcare plan. So far I've met three of those people. Am I in the wrong crowd or is someone switching the numbers on the polls?
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Doctor Obama Will See You Now
As we all know, one of Barack Obama's top priorities (and the only campaign promise he intends to keep apparently) is to provide every American with government-funded healthcare. It is a very noble idea, as I believe everyone has a right to good health. I also believe everyone has a right to a car, but is it the government's job to make sure we all have one? I agree the healthcare system needs an overhaul. Believe it or not, it can be achieved at no cost to the taxpayer!
I was at a BBQ today (technically, it was yesterday since we're past midnight now) and there were a few Iraq vets there swapping horror stories about their VA care. One of them has a simple finger issue he's been dealing with since 2007 and he will get to see a VA doctor in March 2010 to get it taked care of. He offered to do the surgery himself if they give him a local anesthsia. I fear that is the future of American healthcare if the Obama plan passes.
My solution to solve the healthcare "crisis" is simple economics. The goal of every company is to provide a product or service as the best price that earns a profit. The goal of consumers is to pay the least amount for the best quality goods and services. Companies constantly compete to offer the best product or service at the lowest price. Except with health insurance in most cases. Most Americans with private insurance get it through payroll deductions.
My experience has been that my monthly deductions increase every year while the level of service declines. Most normal consumers would simply chose another company to business with if it were any other product or service. However, unless you purchase your own insurance, you don't have the option to shop around for the best insurance plan. My plan for health insurance reform would remove that problem by allowing consumers to select from any insurer they want to, while also allowing for them to get the group rates. The competition would bring down the costs of premiums while increasing the level of serivce.
The reasons for the skyrocketing cost of healthcare are also simple economics. Doctors are performing a service for which they expect to be compensated a certain amount. Insurance companies want to pay the least amount of money possible so they routinely pay doctors a lesser amount than the amount billed. To compensate, doctors charge a higher rate. Factor in that administrative costs average about 50% of an insurance comapany's expenses and it's plain to see that getting sick is bad for the wallet as well as the body.
The single-payer plan is a wonderfully generous idea. No one should have to chose between buying food or seeing a doctor. It's a very noble cause, but a very idealistic and foolish one. It's not the job of the government to provide for everyone. After learning that a friend whose job transferred him to England had to pay 60% in taxes, I was mortified to learn the REAL cost of free healthcare. That's change we can do without.
I was at a BBQ today (technically, it was yesterday since we're past midnight now) and there were a few Iraq vets there swapping horror stories about their VA care. One of them has a simple finger issue he's been dealing with since 2007 and he will get to see a VA doctor in March 2010 to get it taked care of. He offered to do the surgery himself if they give him a local anesthsia. I fear that is the future of American healthcare if the Obama plan passes.
My solution to solve the healthcare "crisis" is simple economics. The goal of every company is to provide a product or service as the best price that earns a profit. The goal of consumers is to pay the least amount for the best quality goods and services. Companies constantly compete to offer the best product or service at the lowest price. Except with health insurance in most cases. Most Americans with private insurance get it through payroll deductions.
My experience has been that my monthly deductions increase every year while the level of service declines. Most normal consumers would simply chose another company to business with if it were any other product or service. However, unless you purchase your own insurance, you don't have the option to shop around for the best insurance plan. My plan for health insurance reform would remove that problem by allowing consumers to select from any insurer they want to, while also allowing for them to get the group rates. The competition would bring down the costs of premiums while increasing the level of serivce.
The reasons for the skyrocketing cost of healthcare are also simple economics. Doctors are performing a service for which they expect to be compensated a certain amount. Insurance companies want to pay the least amount of money possible so they routinely pay doctors a lesser amount than the amount billed. To compensate, doctors charge a higher rate. Factor in that administrative costs average about 50% of an insurance comapany's expenses and it's plain to see that getting sick is bad for the wallet as well as the body.
The single-payer plan is a wonderfully generous idea. No one should have to chose between buying food or seeing a doctor. It's a very noble cause, but a very idealistic and foolish one. It's not the job of the government to provide for everyone. After learning that a friend whose job transferred him to England had to pay 60% in taxes, I was mortified to learn the REAL cost of free healthcare. That's change we can do without.
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