1. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, before/during/after food preparation, after coughing or sneezing, after using the bathroom, and after handling money.
2. Consume no more than 6 grams of added sugar per serving per day (to ward off diabetes and cancer).
3. Consume no more than 100 mg. of sodium per serving (to ward off hypertension).
4. Consume no more than 6 grams of protein per day (2 servings of 3 oz. each) to ward off high cholesterol and kidney-related diseases, including gout.
5. Use good fats only: high Omega-3’s like olive oil, coconut oil, high-oleic safflower oil (check labels here), high-oleic sunflower oil, etc. The safflower and sunflower oils are good for frying, and the coconut oil is terrific for baking.
6. Stop smoking and don’t expose yourself to cigarette/cigar/joint smoke. Second- and third-hand smoke is just as dangerous as first-hand smoke. Have yourself detoxed for heavy metals—cadmium and other dangerous heavy metals exist in cigarettes. Curb drinking to a minimum to avoid liver damage, and exposure to diabetes potential—booze is fermented grains which turn to liquid sugar, affecting the pancreas.
7. Eat primarily fruits and vegetables—avoid fast foods and processed foods (anything in a can, jar, box, or bag). If you MUST use processed foods, use some with low sodium (<100 mg./serving) or sugar (<6 grams/serving). This increases your fiber and eliminates excess fats, sugars, and hormones from your blood, and helps ward off cancer.
8. Visit a dietitian for a specific eating plan to help you lose weight and reverse chronic diseases you may now have, and visit a personal trainer for an exercise plan that fits your goals and abilities.
9. Have annual physicals, CBC blood tests, a urinalysis, plus all other appropriate annual tests (mammograms, PSA, etc.) to establish a baseline from which to gather knowledge for health improvement—blood and urine tell much of the story. If you have these results, take them to the dietitian, because he or she will need them to help make your corrective eating plan.
10. Stay current with immunizations—especially tetanus. A decent diet pretty much negates the need for things like flu shots, making these optional. I’ve never had a flu shot, and never gotten the flu.
11. Buy and use a faucet filter or filter pitcher for your drinking water to cut exposure to lead, mercury, flushed pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants, as well as chlorine intake.
12. Avoid convenience foods at all costs—learn to make your own at home. Fast foods in particular employ the same addiction-creating methods as cigarettes to keep you coming back for more, and are just as dangerous to your health as cigarettes. Drive-thru windows should be bricked up (in my opinion), and if you absolutely WANT this food, you should be made to get out of the car to get it!
After completing the above steps, then and only then do you need to worry about health insurance (unless you text while driving). Smoking cessation aids listed in #6, the professionals listed in #7, the tests listed in #8, the shots in #10, and the foods listed in #6 are the only things our government should be funding (subsidizing) in the way of national health care—the rest is easily achievable on your own, and should be achieved. Affordable coverage for trauma, surgeries, accidents, cancer, broken bones, and catastrophes is available through HSA plans (employer-provided or available online). The rest can be budgeted for in regular savings. If the qualifications for MSA expenses changed to include things like soap, smoking cessation aids, a water filter, or high Omega-3 oils, I’d recommend using that too as a budgeting aid—I consider these things as important as now-qualified expenses.
The diet you come away with from #7 will also improve our DENTAL health—lowering added sugar intake and increasing NATURAL sugar intake (through fruits and vegetables) will help lower incidence of cavities and gum disease, making dental visits more for cleaning than anything else. Brushing and flossing are the cheapest ways of extending tooth life.
The same can be said for the eyes—better diet will also preserve and possibly improve vision, slowing the need for glasses (or new glasses), and lowering the incidence for macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye diseases.
Tort reform, drug patent reform, cost consolidation, back-door rationing, and government regulation may seem like good ideas to solve our so-called health care crisis, but don’t address what we can do for ourselves to eliminate the need for health care insurance in the first place—taking better care of ourselves to begin with. Think of it as “front-door rationing,” leaving those who don’t take better care of themselves to be victims of government onslaught with Medicare, Medicaid, and other intrusive social programs. Every government “giveaway” has strings attached, and nothing’s free—in order to receive this “benefit,” you must be willing and/or able to trash your own health, and then be subject to haphazard and expensive care to repair it.
Every government program puts limits and restrictions on you—remember your freedoms. The Health Care Reform bill is an example of how far Democrats are willing to go in pursuit of votes and power. Government WANTS you to be dependent on them for your very life—do you want to put your life in government’s hands? If not, then get off the couch and start making changes TODAY to show government who’s boss!
So much of the above list can be accomplished without insurance—maybe not the visits to a dietitian or gym instructor, keeping up with immunizations, or the CBC and urinalysis, but many of them CAN be accomplished without insurance or some sort of subsidy. Do you really need Uncle Sam to pay for soap, put fruits and veggies in your shopping cart, or read labels for you?
The people in favor of H-R 3200 say yes, they need Uncle Sam to do it (and more) for them.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
4 Hidden Costs of Health Care
From CNN Money.
"...none of the health-care "reform" bills on the table today address the restrictions that magnify costs today and could bring rationing tomorrow. Before the Obama administration can craft a plan to get insurance to the masses, it needs to remove some key obstructions."
None of them addresses tort reform either--that's because trial lawyers make up the biggest Democratic donors, and about a third of the Congress.
"...none of the health-care "reform" bills on the table today address the restrictions that magnify costs today and could bring rationing tomorrow. Before the Obama administration can craft a plan to get insurance to the masses, it needs to remove some key obstructions."
None of them addresses tort reform either--that's because trial lawyers make up the biggest Democratic donors, and about a third of the Congress.
Another Clunker in Cash-for-Clunkers
Last night, it was announced that those $4500 rebates will be taxed as ordinary income--ANOTHER rule change in mid-stream.
I wouldn't be surprised if the same happens to that $8000 for houses, or the proposed $200 for appliances.
See? You have to always be on the lookout for fine print and booby traps!
I wouldn't be surprised if the same happens to that $8000 for houses, or the proposed $200 for appliances.
See? You have to always be on the lookout for fine print and booby traps!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
How the Hell Will We Pay For It All?
From Prudent Bear.
"There is no way that the capital markets will put up with sustained US budget deficits over 10% of Gross Domestic Product. Since the current political class is incapable of cutting spending (indeed it appears to want to spend still more, in yet another "stimulus plan") taxes will go up, no question. The interesting question is: which?"
My answer: ALL OF THEM! They'd have to tax us at the 80% level all the way down to the homeless street bum just to begin with--that's how they plan to pay for health care reform, all the other social obligations, and the debt too. Their next evil plan is to force us to buy bonds (because nobody else will) for our universal savings accounts, because IRAs and 401k's will be extinct, along with tax shelters, deductions, and credits.
We'll start getting union wages, but we'll be taxed at 80%, leaving us just barely enough to eat, travel, and shelter ourselves.
Welcome to Obama's Utopia!
"There is no way that the capital markets will put up with sustained US budget deficits over 10% of Gross Domestic Product. Since the current political class is incapable of cutting spending (indeed it appears to want to spend still more, in yet another "stimulus plan") taxes will go up, no question. The interesting question is: which?"
My answer: ALL OF THEM! They'd have to tax us at the 80% level all the way down to the homeless street bum just to begin with--that's how they plan to pay for health care reform, all the other social obligations, and the debt too. Their next evil plan is to force us to buy bonds (because nobody else will) for our universal savings accounts, because IRAs and 401k's will be extinct, along with tax shelters, deductions, and credits.
We'll start getting union wages, but we'll be taxed at 80%, leaving us just barely enough to eat, travel, and shelter ourselves.
Welcome to Obama's Utopia!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Fat, Drunk, and Stupid is No Way To Go Through Life
From Prudent Bear.
"The American people’s ignorance and disinterest in the governance of this nation have allowed an oligopoly of politicians, bankers, and powerful corporations to seize control of the country and loot its riches for personal gain. By failing to educate themselves, millions of Americans have lost all of their power and are now dictated to by the few with knowledge. The elite who dictate the path of our country do not want the masses to become educated. Their power would be in jeopardy. The American public school system insures the retention of their power and wealth."
Define knowledge--knowledge of how to loot and plunder, or knowledge of how to cover it up?
"The American people’s ignorance and disinterest in the governance of this nation have allowed an oligopoly of politicians, bankers, and powerful corporations to seize control of the country and loot its riches for personal gain. By failing to educate themselves, millions of Americans have lost all of their power and are now dictated to by the few with knowledge. The elite who dictate the path of our country do not want the masses to become educated. Their power would be in jeopardy. The American public school system insures the retention of their power and wealth."
Define knowledge--knowledge of how to loot and plunder, or knowledge of how to cover it up?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Key to Affordable Health Care Revealed
From Yahoo Health. Unfortunately, liberals are all too willing to hand their lives over to Uncle Sam...fortunately, liberals are out-numbered in this country.
This article is a rerun of one I ran previously.
"Scientists this week are reporting a breakthrough therapy to lower the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases - diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer - by about 80 percent.
In some ways, this might sound like old news. The therapy is called taking care of yourself: not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight."
I added a fifth item: WASH YOUR HANDS!
This article is a rerun of one I ran previously.
"Scientists this week are reporting a breakthrough therapy to lower the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases - diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer - by about 80 percent.
In some ways, this might sound like old news. The therapy is called taking care of yourself: not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight."
I added a fifth item: WASH YOUR HANDS!
Hot Off the Spam Folder--The Tax Poem
The Tax Poem
Tax his land,
Tax his bed
Tax the table
At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.,
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears..
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass..
Tax all he has
Then let him know
You won't be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me
to my doom..."
When he's gone,
Do not relax,,
Its time to apply
Inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring & Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What in the @%!! happened? Can you spell "politicians?"
Tax his land,
Tax his bed
Tax the table
At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.,
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears..
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass..
Tax all he has
Then let him know
You won't be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me
to my doom..."
When he's gone,
Do not relax,,
Its time to apply
Inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring & Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What in the @%!! happened? Can you spell "politicians?"
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Fun With Cost-Cutting
Instead of installing The Complete Lives System of Ezekiel Emanuel through H-R 3200, why not do some basic things like:
1. Promote and adhere to the 5 Basics for Disease-Cutting.
2. Promote my own proposal items for health care coverage.
3. Quit covering illegal aliens and anchor babies--send them home instead.
4. End the fraud, waste, and abuse of Medicare funds.
5. Means-test us all for eligibility before automatically signing us up for Medicare--put an income limit on service access, and allow wealthy people to opt out of the system (and the taxes for it). Once a certain income level is achieved (say $250k/year), give the one-time choice to opt out and never return--at that income level, people can afford to save their own money for retirement health insurance needs.
6. Index the Medicare tax to income--if wealthy people decide to stay in the system, up their Medicare taxes accordingly.
7. Allow and encourage flat-fee plans: every doctor's office should have a menu board with prices on it for office visits, annual physicals, maternity, well baby care, childhood immunization(s), childhood vaccinations, adult vaccinations, diabetes/hypertension checks, and other miscellaneous fees spelled out right there over the counter, so we know what we're paying for and how much we're paying, and can plan our spending and saving in advance.
8. Allow cash payment for fees and services--the charges are often less if they aren't run through the grinder of insurance, saving the patient even more when combined with flat-fee programs. Doctors also receive their money right away, and not 30 days later.
9. Overhaul the drug patent rules so that more drugs can go generic faster. For example, Claritin spent 10 years as a brand-name drug just by adding a decongestant to it (now Claritin D) to extend the patent life. Many other drugs also extend patent lives by adding an antacid, a decongestant, or Tylenol to the original drug. Some heart or blood pressure medications combine with cholesterol drugs, and voila! A "new" drug is formed, and two patent lives are extended. End this practice.
10. Encourage the use of supplementation (not herbs) before reaching for Big Pharma guns, but then this would require doctors to brush up on their knowledge of supplements...as if they ever had any to begin with! Potassium citrate is an effective blood pressure lowering agent, and just as effective as many brand-name drugs. Calcium citrate or carbonate is an effective antacid, and a chromium picolinate/vanadium combination lowers blood sugar just as well as low-dose insulin. Fish oil is as effective as Plavix for clearing arteries, and fiber lowers cholesterol--also, niacinamide taken with 2 aspirin every day raises HDL. (There--I think I've cured most of ailing America with those last two sentences.)
Doctors are guilty of reaching for DRUG technology just as much as reaching for DIAGNOSTIC technology.
Then, when these are all done, we can move on to the biggest health care money-wasters.
Why does it always take an unemployed housewife to solve these problems? :)
1. Promote and adhere to the 5 Basics for Disease-Cutting.
2. Promote my own proposal items for health care coverage.
3. Quit covering illegal aliens and anchor babies--send them home instead.
4. End the fraud, waste, and abuse of Medicare funds.
5. Means-test us all for eligibility before automatically signing us up for Medicare--put an income limit on service access, and allow wealthy people to opt out of the system (and the taxes for it). Once a certain income level is achieved (say $250k/year), give the one-time choice to opt out and never return--at that income level, people can afford to save their own money for retirement health insurance needs.
6. Index the Medicare tax to income--if wealthy people decide to stay in the system, up their Medicare taxes accordingly.
7. Allow and encourage flat-fee plans: every doctor's office should have a menu board with prices on it for office visits, annual physicals, maternity, well baby care, childhood immunization(s), childhood vaccinations, adult vaccinations, diabetes/hypertension checks, and other miscellaneous fees spelled out right there over the counter, so we know what we're paying for and how much we're paying, and can plan our spending and saving in advance.
8. Allow cash payment for fees and services--the charges are often less if they aren't run through the grinder of insurance, saving the patient even more when combined with flat-fee programs. Doctors also receive their money right away, and not 30 days later.
9. Overhaul the drug patent rules so that more drugs can go generic faster. For example, Claritin spent 10 years as a brand-name drug just by adding a decongestant to it (now Claritin D) to extend the patent life. Many other drugs also extend patent lives by adding an antacid, a decongestant, or Tylenol to the original drug. Some heart or blood pressure medications combine with cholesterol drugs, and voila! A "new" drug is formed, and two patent lives are extended. End this practice.
10. Encourage the use of supplementation (not herbs) before reaching for Big Pharma guns, but then this would require doctors to brush up on their knowledge of supplements...as if they ever had any to begin with! Potassium citrate is an effective blood pressure lowering agent, and just as effective as many brand-name drugs. Calcium citrate or carbonate is an effective antacid, and a chromium picolinate/vanadium combination lowers blood sugar just as well as low-dose insulin. Fish oil is as effective as Plavix for clearing arteries, and fiber lowers cholesterol--also, niacinamide taken with 2 aspirin every day raises HDL. (There--I think I've cured most of ailing America with those last two sentences.)
Doctors are guilty of reaching for DRUG technology just as much as reaching for DIAGNOSTIC technology.
Then, when these are all done, we can move on to the biggest health care money-wasters.
Why does it always take an unemployed housewife to solve these problems? :)
I Think I Have Figured It Out...
This political upheaval isn't just about social justice--it's about consolidating political power, and solving long-term government obligations and budget problems that will become a crisis themselves in the very near future.
In about 10 years or so, about 40% of our population will be eligible for Social Security and Medicare, and the costs of these programs will become about 40% of our GDP--what better way to end one of these burdens than to wrap it up all nice and neat into one colossal package that contains S-CHIP, Medicare, plus Medicaid, the VA, and Tricare (military medical program)? H-R 3200 would do away with 5 programs, combining them into one overall health plan, and give the government an excuse to tax us halfway to oblivion...only halfway.
The rest of the way would come from the program waiting in the wings: Universal Savings Accounts. This would do away with Social Security and the have/have-not injustice of IRAs and 401k's for some, but not all--THIS would allow the government to tax us the rest of the way into oblivion. This is also how he gets us to buy bonds because nobody else will.
It won't be called a tax, but it will act like one! We would lose our current tax shelters of health care benefits and 401k's, plus the deduction of IRAs, and probably see an increase in the Medicare (or whatever they're going to call it) tax to help pay for the public option plan. Yes, we will be expected to pay for both our own health insurance AND the public option, just like we pay for our own insurance and Medicare now--this is the only way the public option works.
Guess who the first victims of these plans would be? Federal employees below the White House and Pentagon levels--they would be the first ones thrown to the wolves of H-R 3200's public option (getting them out of providing coverage for their own employees--this includes the military), plus the Universal Savings Accounts lets them off the hook for their 3% matching contributions to 401k plans (again, this includes the military). It seems our government is taking a page from private industry on how to get out from under obligations. Next will be off-shoring and hiring HB-1 visa workers to get away from the unions, and yes, government employees are either union or covered by collective bargaining (even the military).
This is how they intend to raise money to keep on spending--they can't borrow any more, and they can't cook any more books. They've reached the end of their rope...especially by Tim Geithner asking to raise the debt ceiling before the next fiscal year!
They cannot even BEGIN to pay back the debt they've created, so they've chosen to create an Orwellian scheme to keep us confused while they look up the recipe and cooking instructions for Soylent Green (just as a backup). If the dissolution of the dollar and the introduction of the Amero don't go over well, along with the blending of Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., the only other option is to "go crackers."
C'mon elections--I can't WAIT to start voting these clowns out of office!!
One last word on Universal Savings: did you know that when Bill Clinton was in office, Hillary came up with a plan to take a one-time $10k from everyone's IRAs to fill the tax coffers? Thankfully, not very many of us had IRAs back in those days, but now is a different story, and Obama seems like he's going to attempt just that with the "account access" provision of H-R 3200, as well as the coming Universal Savings--count on a heavily-taxed rollover provision of IRA monies to these accounts.
In about 10 years or so, about 40% of our population will be eligible for Social Security and Medicare, and the costs of these programs will become about 40% of our GDP--what better way to end one of these burdens than to wrap it up all nice and neat into one colossal package that contains S-CHIP, Medicare, plus Medicaid, the VA, and Tricare (military medical program)? H-R 3200 would do away with 5 programs, combining them into one overall health plan, and give the government an excuse to tax us halfway to oblivion...only halfway.
The rest of the way would come from the program waiting in the wings: Universal Savings Accounts. This would do away with Social Security and the have/have-not injustice of IRAs and 401k's for some, but not all--THIS would allow the government to tax us the rest of the way into oblivion. This is also how he gets us to buy bonds because nobody else will.
It won't be called a tax, but it will act like one! We would lose our current tax shelters of health care benefits and 401k's, plus the deduction of IRAs, and probably see an increase in the Medicare (or whatever they're going to call it) tax to help pay for the public option plan. Yes, we will be expected to pay for both our own health insurance AND the public option, just like we pay for our own insurance and Medicare now--this is the only way the public option works.
Guess who the first victims of these plans would be? Federal employees below the White House and Pentagon levels--they would be the first ones thrown to the wolves of H-R 3200's public option (getting them out of providing coverage for their own employees--this includes the military), plus the Universal Savings Accounts lets them off the hook for their 3% matching contributions to 401k plans (again, this includes the military). It seems our government is taking a page from private industry on how to get out from under obligations. Next will be off-shoring and hiring HB-1 visa workers to get away from the unions, and yes, government employees are either union or covered by collective bargaining (even the military).
This is how they intend to raise money to keep on spending--they can't borrow any more, and they can't cook any more books. They've reached the end of their rope...especially by Tim Geithner asking to raise the debt ceiling before the next fiscal year!
They cannot even BEGIN to pay back the debt they've created, so they've chosen to create an Orwellian scheme to keep us confused while they look up the recipe and cooking instructions for Soylent Green (just as a backup). If the dissolution of the dollar and the introduction of the Amero don't go over well, along with the blending of Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., the only other option is to "go crackers."
C'mon elections--I can't WAIT to start voting these clowns out of office!!
One last word on Universal Savings: did you know that when Bill Clinton was in office, Hillary came up with a plan to take a one-time $10k from everyone's IRAs to fill the tax coffers? Thankfully, not very many of us had IRAs back in those days, but now is a different story, and Obama seems like he's going to attempt just that with the "account access" provision of H-R 3200, as well as the coming Universal Savings--count on a heavily-taxed rollover provision of IRA monies to these accounts.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Study Names 4 Common Ways to Cut Disease
From Yahoo Health.
"Want to take health care reform into your own hands? Don't smoke, lose weight, get exercise, and stick to a good diet, says a new study. The advice may sound familiar, but people with those four habits have a dramatically lower risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
"Living a healthy lifestyle -- never smoking, maintaining a recommended (weight), performing adequate amounts of physical activity, and adhering to healthy dietary principles -- has a tremendous beneficial impact in preventing or delaying major chronic diseases," said Dr. Earl Ford, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in an email interview with Reuters Health."
Hence my own health care proposal to Rep. John Boehner to subsidize fruits and veggies. I hear it's an amendment, but haven't found it yet.
I'd like to add a #5 to the list: WASH YOUR HANDS! Communicable disease spread can be (and has been) cut dramatically just by doing this one simple thing--you notice the numbers of winter flu victims has been cut to the point of barely hearing about them.
Okay, so we have 5 things that will cut diseases, all of which can be done by anyone at home, so why are we involving the taxpayers and overturning health care as we know it? Social justice--apparently some of us are completely incapable of washing our hands, eating fruits and veggies, quitting smoking, getting exercise, and losing weight without taxpayer support and congressional mandate.
All this got sent to our friend John Boehner--let's see what he does with it.
"Want to take health care reform into your own hands? Don't smoke, lose weight, get exercise, and stick to a good diet, says a new study. The advice may sound familiar, but people with those four habits have a dramatically lower risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
"Living a healthy lifestyle -- never smoking, maintaining a recommended (weight), performing adequate amounts of physical activity, and adhering to healthy dietary principles -- has a tremendous beneficial impact in preventing or delaying major chronic diseases," said Dr. Earl Ford, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in an email interview with Reuters Health."
Hence my own health care proposal to Rep. John Boehner to subsidize fruits and veggies. I hear it's an amendment, but haven't found it yet.
I'd like to add a #5 to the list: WASH YOUR HANDS! Communicable disease spread can be (and has been) cut dramatically just by doing this one simple thing--you notice the numbers of winter flu victims has been cut to the point of barely hearing about them.
Okay, so we have 5 things that will cut diseases, all of which can be done by anyone at home, so why are we involving the taxpayers and overturning health care as we know it? Social justice--apparently some of us are completely incapable of washing our hands, eating fruits and veggies, quitting smoking, getting exercise, and losing weight without taxpayer support and congressional mandate.
All this got sent to our friend John Boehner--let's see what he does with it.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Health Care's Biggest Money-Wasters
From CNN Money. "More than $1.2 trillion spent on health care each year is a waste of money. Members of the medical community identify the leading causes."
Imagine how much produce one can buy with that money to AVOID the need for health care altogether! That amount could probably be spent on fruit and vegetable subsidies, rendering them cheaper than fast food or "fake" foods like mac-and-cheese, hot dogs, etc.
Imagine how much produce one can buy with that money to AVOID the need for health care altogether! That amount could probably be spent on fruit and vegetable subsidies, rendering them cheaper than fast food or "fake" foods like mac-and-cheese, hot dogs, etc.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
If You'd Like to Do Something Your Elected Representative Won't Do
Read the health care bill: H R 3200
The amendments: education & labor committee, and the energy & commerce committee.
The amendments: education & labor committee, and the energy & commerce committee.
The Labors of Labor
I thought I’d bring this up in light of the recent passage of the minimum wage increase in a time of economic hardship.
Labor is a commodity, or a piece of production combined with other pieces of production to form a salable product or service. Labor is the #1 cost of production, and not a steady or predictable one, so employers strive to cut the cost of production in order to better control the cost of the finished product.
Competition determines pay rates—what others in your field or specialty, with similar skills, ability, and/or education, are worth in the eyes of their employers as part of their overall production costs. The higher the skill level, the higher the education, and the higher the experience level, the higher the pay (usually), the more benefits that are extended, and the more incentives to stay with the company flow your way.
Looking good so far, right? There is one major downside to this: with money comes responsibility. The more responsibilities you can take on and still perform your job, the more you’re valued by the boss—you’re freeing up time for HIM. The more you can handle, the more indispensable you become, and the more job protection you’ve earned. Your employer is free to reward you at any time with just about anything, or punish you for not fulfilling your end of the employment contract.
This is success. This is reward for success.
There is a flip-side, called non-competitive labor. It encompasses labor performed by unions, as well as unskilled/uneducated people. In unions, pay scales and benefits are agreed to by union negotiators and employers, and usually commensurate with the same levels of education, experience, and skill that other union members receive in the same or similar fields. No extra responsibility is expected of you, and no other initiative rewarded, unless it’s spelled out explicitly in the employment contract, and is agreed to by all persons performing that particular job, then ALL persons performing that job in that place get a raise…hence, a new pay scale is established. Punishment is difficult at best, because it must come from union representatives and not the boss directly. In other words, there is a middleman between you and your boss, impeding your possibility of earning incentives, raises for performance, and pay for assuming additional responsibilities.
No rewards for success—no initiative to succeed.
The very bottom of the non-competitive labor market involves minimum-wage work—work that isn’t worthy of a separately-negotiated contract, because it doesn’t involve high or even middle levels of skill, knowledge, education, talent, or experience. There is no expectation of acceptance of responsibilities beyond the position hired for, so the reward potential is limited to performance, and maybe the occasional minimum wage hike.
These jobs were never meant for someone to make his/her sole living from them. Nevertheless, people do, and they complain about the rate of pay, the lack of benefits, and the time it takes to get recognized for pay raises.
The answer to these maladies doesn’t lie in unionization, but rather a trip to the mirror—the fate of your continued employment and rate of pay depends on you, and what you’re willing to do for your employer to PROVE you’re worth more pay, benefits, rewards, and incentives. You shouldn’t leave that to our government—look how badly they screw everything else up. Are you sure you want to lay your future earnings in their hands? By accepting this wage, you’re as much as admitting to your boss you aren’t worth more, and you probably won’t make the effort to go above and beyond what your job duties require, even though that’s just the unwritten starting point.
The government HAS to raise the minimum wage because this is the only raise most people in this level of employment see, and it’s their own fault for not extending themselves—the Venus flytrap of low-level employment. The problem with this is the raise in production costs to the employer, which leads him/her to reduce hours, or even reduce employees, just to maintain some sort of handle on this part of production costs. You might revel in your temporary gains, only to have to go looking for another job to make up the loss…all because you wouldn’t bother to make yourself more worth keeping and paying in the eyes of the boss.
Do you even know where that money for a larger minimum wage comes from? It comes from the customers of your product or service. Are you consistently doing anything to make these customers want to return and buy your product or service again, besides smiling and asking if they want fries with that? Are you consistently coming up with ideas that would make your product or service better, or coming up with new ways to sell it, or new places to sell it? Are you consistently volunteering to take on more tasks and responsibilities besides what your current job description calls for, or asking for more work when you’ve completed your own? Are you consistently making yourself indispensable to your boss, so he’d have great trouble firing you?
If not, then the federally-mandated $7.25/hour is all you’re worth. Don’t complain—you aren’t competing, and you aren’t worthy of reward. This is the “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately” wage. If you want to make management pay, think and work like a manager—you’ll definitely be rewarded for it, especially in these times.
Remember: the minimum wage is the LEAST you can make--there is no ceiling on how much you can make, so aim high.
Labor is a commodity, or a piece of production combined with other pieces of production to form a salable product or service. Labor is the #1 cost of production, and not a steady or predictable one, so employers strive to cut the cost of production in order to better control the cost of the finished product.
Competition determines pay rates—what others in your field or specialty, with similar skills, ability, and/or education, are worth in the eyes of their employers as part of their overall production costs. The higher the skill level, the higher the education, and the higher the experience level, the higher the pay (usually), the more benefits that are extended, and the more incentives to stay with the company flow your way.
Looking good so far, right? There is one major downside to this: with money comes responsibility. The more responsibilities you can take on and still perform your job, the more you’re valued by the boss—you’re freeing up time for HIM. The more you can handle, the more indispensable you become, and the more job protection you’ve earned. Your employer is free to reward you at any time with just about anything, or punish you for not fulfilling your end of the employment contract.
This is success. This is reward for success.
There is a flip-side, called non-competitive labor. It encompasses labor performed by unions, as well as unskilled/uneducated people. In unions, pay scales and benefits are agreed to by union negotiators and employers, and usually commensurate with the same levels of education, experience, and skill that other union members receive in the same or similar fields. No extra responsibility is expected of you, and no other initiative rewarded, unless it’s spelled out explicitly in the employment contract, and is agreed to by all persons performing that particular job, then ALL persons performing that job in that place get a raise…hence, a new pay scale is established. Punishment is difficult at best, because it must come from union representatives and not the boss directly. In other words, there is a middleman between you and your boss, impeding your possibility of earning incentives, raises for performance, and pay for assuming additional responsibilities.
No rewards for success—no initiative to succeed.
The very bottom of the non-competitive labor market involves minimum-wage work—work that isn’t worthy of a separately-negotiated contract, because it doesn’t involve high or even middle levels of skill, knowledge, education, talent, or experience. There is no expectation of acceptance of responsibilities beyond the position hired for, so the reward potential is limited to performance, and maybe the occasional minimum wage hike.
These jobs were never meant for someone to make his/her sole living from them. Nevertheless, people do, and they complain about the rate of pay, the lack of benefits, and the time it takes to get recognized for pay raises.
The answer to these maladies doesn’t lie in unionization, but rather a trip to the mirror—the fate of your continued employment and rate of pay depends on you, and what you’re willing to do for your employer to PROVE you’re worth more pay, benefits, rewards, and incentives. You shouldn’t leave that to our government—look how badly they screw everything else up. Are you sure you want to lay your future earnings in their hands? By accepting this wage, you’re as much as admitting to your boss you aren’t worth more, and you probably won’t make the effort to go above and beyond what your job duties require, even though that’s just the unwritten starting point.
The government HAS to raise the minimum wage because this is the only raise most people in this level of employment see, and it’s their own fault for not extending themselves—the Venus flytrap of low-level employment. The problem with this is the raise in production costs to the employer, which leads him/her to reduce hours, or even reduce employees, just to maintain some sort of handle on this part of production costs. You might revel in your temporary gains, only to have to go looking for another job to make up the loss…all because you wouldn’t bother to make yourself more worth keeping and paying in the eyes of the boss.
Do you even know where that money for a larger minimum wage comes from? It comes from the customers of your product or service. Are you consistently doing anything to make these customers want to return and buy your product or service again, besides smiling and asking if they want fries with that? Are you consistently coming up with ideas that would make your product or service better, or coming up with new ways to sell it, or new places to sell it? Are you consistently volunteering to take on more tasks and responsibilities besides what your current job description calls for, or asking for more work when you’ve completed your own? Are you consistently making yourself indispensable to your boss, so he’d have great trouble firing you?
If not, then the federally-mandated $7.25/hour is all you’re worth. Don’t complain—you aren’t competing, and you aren’t worthy of reward. This is the “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately” wage. If you want to make management pay, think and work like a manager—you’ll definitely be rewarded for it, especially in these times.
Remember: the minimum wage is the LEAST you can make--there is no ceiling on how much you can make, so aim high.
Cash-for-Clunkers Amounts to Money Laundering
How do I arrive at this? Simple: this program didn't restrict the kind of vehicles people could buy, and the $4500 subsidization can be applied to ANY car, as long as it gets 5 miles+ per gallon than the old vehicle did.
Where do you think the money goes when people overwhelmingly buy Hondas and Toyotas? It goes to Japan. How about when people buy Volkswagens and Mercedes? Germany. Or when someone buys a Saab? Sweden.
These non-union countries make as much as a $2000 sheer profit from the $4500 given them to buy a car, and this money goes into their own countries' tax coffers.
This amounts to legal money laundering--our tax dollars going overseas to subsidize foreign countries. Didn't the same thing happen with AIG, only without the cars?
Where do you think the money goes when people overwhelmingly buy Hondas and Toyotas? It goes to Japan. How about when people buy Volkswagens and Mercedes? Germany. Or when someone buys a Saab? Sweden.
These non-union countries make as much as a $2000 sheer profit from the $4500 given them to buy a car, and this money goes into their own countries' tax coffers.
This amounts to legal money laundering--our tax dollars going overseas to subsidize foreign countries. Didn't the same thing happen with AIG, only without the cars?
Saturday, August 01, 2009
My View on "Cash-for-Clunkers"
It was a boondoggle from the start, just like the mortgage bailout programs--all these cars are going to wind up tomorrow's repossessions (just like the bailed-out mortgages became foreclosures anyway) because the Congress-critters didn't do the one thing that actually could've HELPED this nation: restricting this program to American auto companies, boosting production and exports.
Albeit, the jobs boosted would have been union jobs, but production would've been boosted nonetheless.
Instead, Congress chose to buy votes and pre-pay depreciation on both cars and houses, satisfying their #1 constituent: the something-for-nothing crowd. Depreciation is value lost and gone forever, only to occasionally be captured by certain tax forms--who's going to capture all THIS depreciation? Uncle Sam can't, Ben Bernanke can't...maybe Tim Geithner? He can't even manage to file HIS OWN taxes!
Albeit, the jobs boosted would have been union jobs, but production would've been boosted nonetheless.
Instead, Congress chose to buy votes and pre-pay depreciation on both cars and houses, satisfying their #1 constituent: the something-for-nothing crowd. Depreciation is value lost and gone forever, only to occasionally be captured by certain tax forms--who's going to capture all THIS depreciation? Uncle Sam can't, Ben Bernanke can't...maybe Tim Geithner? He can't even manage to file HIS OWN taxes!
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