What's at Stake?

This is Part I of a two part look at what is at stake for America. I feel that I am trying to be objective here, you may not agree. America, we are at a moment in history when we must ask ourselves, “What is our direction?” As a nation there are many complex issues being debated, and we are at a crossroads. I don’t think there is any secret as to what the current administration ascribes its political, social and moral ideology, and I do not wish to offend those who consider themselves a liberal; they have their views and I have mine. This entry is simply to point out what I believe is possibly in our future. You can weigh the legitimacy, merits, etc of this piece as you see fit. I am sure that I will offend those on the right as well, but as my motto says this is about common sense through reasoned thinking, please feel free to disagree.

Health Care: All gimmicks and finger pointing aside, it has been argued that people on the “right” don’t want health care reform because they want the insurance companies to continue in their ways. So basically the left thinks that those on the “right” don’t have their premiums raised because the right is in the pockets of, err, I mean, tends to support insurance companies, but those on the left have their premiums raised exclusively because they don’t like the insurance companies? Interesting thought. Yes, those on the right who favor the sickly rich don’t want people to have health insurance, or allow everyone to have access to health care coverage, shame on them. They want Jimmy the drug addict, who is most likely homeless, or can’t hold down a job, to die so he can get out of the way. But why are the Democrats so suddenly against businesses? More on this in the Part II. Do they not realize that is how our country vaulted to number one status in the world? Oops, did I say a bad thing about American dominance? Hey, only one team wins the Super Bowl, sorry to break that to bleed hearts. Here is how I see it.

The Democrats want more government involvement (period) because they think the government can protect the citizens better than predatory businesses out there. In part that is true, but I would think that most Americans are astute at knowing when they are being snowed, and if they don’t well that’s called, lesson learned. I have been baked, boiled, and fried by many companies, and do I get upset (mild term, there might be kids reading this), absolutely, but you know what, it makes me a more savvy person. Do you know why car companies can’t rake customers over the coals anymore? Private industries that post information on the internet that we can research so when we walk in the dealer’s door, Slick Sammy doesn’t salivate. When I sit down to negotiate, he knows I’ve done my research. Next thing you know the government will be interfering with the car industry, but to their advantage of course. So, and this is a pretty bold indictment, the Democrats say they are looking out for us, are they? Oh sure, there are some great things they have done in the past, but these days are not so great. Do you know why the Democrats wouldn’t allow any Republican ideas? I heard that, no, not because the Republicans have no good ideas, but because what the Republicans were proposing were basically market driven reforms and to a Democrat that interferes with their overall objective. You can’t take over the health care industry with private industry in the way. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Scott you’re nuts, the Democrats are not wanting to take control they just want everyone to have a chance at health care. Okay, then why not peace meal the reform into parts that were bogging down the industry. I am a simple man so I look at things simply. Fifteen years ago I was saying that health care should be treated like car insurance, or life insurance. Why is health insurance the only industry that does not allow that? Yes, not everyone has life insurance, and not everyone drives a car, but my point is, if you open the industry up to individual plans, that person, or family plan is based on their history. You can get life insurance even if you have debilitating health situations, etc. Here’s another thing, if we individualize it like auto insurance then we can go to any company we want, that is called competition, and by virtue of competition the prices become more competitive. Those who are old enough remember back about twenty or thirty years ago when car insurance was extremely expensive, but more companies jumped into the industry thereby leveling the playing field, and now car insurance is pretty doggone inexpensive. Just a simple thought from a simple man.

Okay, you may ask, but what about those who can’t afford the insurance, people need to live, people don’t need to drive. I feel ya. That is where the government can come into play. Look, I am not anti-government I am anti-total-government. It is folly to think that the government is not interested in taking over the whole industry that is why they wanted nothing to do with free market ideas in this health care plan. Here is another way to look at it. Government subsidized health care can look like unemployment benefits. When people are out of work those benefits come into play, and that is a very good idea. The government can step in and help either in total or in partial, just like AFLAC is a form of supplemental insurance. Also, the government, which deals with many contractors, can open up these health care bids to several companies. When the Navy wants to order parts for its ships the bids go out to several contractors, so why not deal health care the same way. With that we don’t have to unnecessarily raise taxes to foot the whole bill, there can be a partial offset by government funds while private industries get some share as well. Look how Wal-Mart does business. They don’t own all these farms, clothing outlets, etc. They bid out, sometimes at a heavy price to the business, but that is how business is done, the big dog dictates. Don’t you think the government is the big dog in this instance? Now I know that level playing field softies won’t appreciate the big dog analogy, sorry, somehow me thinks the world does business that way as well.

However, the way I look at this reminds me of the line from Clash of the Titans when Poseidon says, “Release the Cracken.” When the Cracken is released all hell breaks loose, and you will not like the results. Unfortunately what I am saying is pretty moot, the deal has been made and it looks like we may have to live with this. How heavy will the price be? I don’t care what the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) says because they deal only with the numbers they are given and both parties, when they need them, give them what they feel will benefit their “rosy” picture. To put it bluntly, we’ve been hornswaggled. There are many more bits and pieces that can be addressed, such as the pay before you implement program they are installing, or the graduated (let’s screw the rich first, and then eventually the rest will pay as well) program. I know it’s popular to hate the rich man, and in many ways we can do that, but most of us aren’t rich and we tend to favor the underdog which doesn’t bode well for the rich, but if you tax the rich the way they want to tax the rich, then what do you do when they are no longer rich because they have been taxed into supplication and middle class. Oops, did I just say something about 65% (give or take a few % points) of the population? Hmm, only time will tell I guess.

As an end note let’s see if I have made any sense. I feel the health care reform could have been done in a bi-partisan piece meal way, but as in the case with both parties that is not in their best interests, power and control is in their best interests. The Republicans are really the one’s to blame here. They lacked the backbone a few years back when they had the opportunity to pull a strong arm Democrat move, but they chose to hope that certain things would go right, or that these companies would do the right thing. Uh, figured wrong Butch (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid line). You get what you get when you get what you voted for, and the Republicans blew it, big time, with a little help of course, but they blew it. And then Wall Street had to go and get all goofy eyed, but that is another story. If they would have looked at health care like auto insurance, opened up state lines, reformed pre-condition status, and put pressure on the companies to shape up or face sanctions via a watch dog group then it is the mindset of this simple man that all of this (grandstanding, bickering, back biting, back room dealing) would not have been necessary. I think most Americans have a foul taste in their mouth and it is leftover Congress Stew. If we were smart we would show our wherewithal and strength by showing up in November and clean house, literally. Who cares who goes we need new blood on both sides. Unfortunately I think this debate has opened up a sore so divisive it may be hard to restore our greatness. Honestly, we have some in this country who want a socialized form of government because Europe just looks so cool, and then there are those who don’t want any government, and never the twain shall meet. What’s lost here is that a small segment of the population seems to be pulling at the majority of the people, and that is why I encourage you all to vote in November, let’s send a real message, the message that we’re listening and paying attention.

I was going to write a separate article for the following, but this is important to say now given the climate of what's going on out there with our economy. I have given the housing situation a lot of thought. I would love to hear your response or reply to this suggestion.

There are several factors in play here. One is the reality of the housing crisis, or should I re-classify it as the era of housing greed? I think any rational creature would qualify their thoughts with the idea that our present condition is mostly the result of those greedy mongrels who thought it necessary to out-build real growth, inflate assessments in order to create greater revenue for cities, towns, counties and the like. Not to mention the rising costs of energy which have had a trickle effect on many other areas of our lives, not just our transportation needs. This has had a profound effect on our economy no doubt, but I would like to direct your attention to the following. Now, without drafting a manifesto, or God forbid, a dissertation where you’d have to download into a PDF file, I will be as pithy as I can.

The current mortgage crisis, I feel can be dealt with in a pragmatic, real sense solution. It seems that more and more people are losing their homes because of this housing ‘bubble’ and I feel bad for many of those folks. But I find it hard to feel bad for people who buy beyond their means. I mean seriously, the word budget comes to mind. Did those people think the good times were going to last forever? In my book, in order to keep pace, one must continue looking ahead. Many of us do not have the luxury of high paying jobs that compensate for cost of living and lifestyle. No, most of us live within a certain income and need to be prudent with that income. We (the wife and I) have given up credit cards and will concentrate in paying down our debt to hopefully be credit card free by 2012.

Anyhow, back to my suggestions for the housing bubble. Why doesn’t the Federal Govt make a deal with the mortgage lenders? For instance, they can ask the lenders to reduce everyone’s rates, not just those who are under water, or headed that way. For instance, our current rate is 6%. If our lender would reduce our rate to 4 or 3.5% for five years we would be able to save and average of $200 per month. Imagine what we could do with that extra money.

After the five years the mortgage lenders could re-evaluate, because we hope the housing situation is not still in crisis in 2015. They could have a readjustment of say one percent per year for up to three years, slowly raising the rates based on economic conditions; which would not rise if the normal rate of inflation or federal reserve rates remained low.

This could save millions of home-owners from going under, provide relief to those in stable areas, and maybe boost the economic downturn by putting money in people’s pockets, or at least savings in case they lose their job.

I can’t say this is the end all to be all plan, but at least it’s a start. The Federal Govt could compensate the lenders for some of those losses. I think the sacrifice for customer loyalty and gratitude would far outweigh the company’s supposed ‘greed’ as so many think. A goodwill gesture will and could go a long way, but who knows. We can only ‘hope.’ So, what do you think?


I said this was a two part segment, the next deals with why the Democrats inserted the student loan takeover into the health care bill.

"Universal" Health Care a Reality?

Well, it looks inevitable. After months and months and months (ad infinitum) Congress has finally bribed, conjured, finagled, and bullied the votes. I don't care what political position you hold, this bill will siginificantly impact how the US looks at health care. This entry is not about getting into the minutiae of details on health care, it's just an overall look at what WE now have to confront. I think we've seen the dirtiness of politics, and how divided we are in this country. We have lost sight of OUR common agenda. An agenda that put America first, an agenda that maintained a standard in the world that became (note past tense) the envy of the world. Both parties are more about the parties than they are about US. We effectively have (although it's not exactly set in stone yet) closed the book on traditional health care and ushered in a progressive system that will alter how we do health care business in this country.

First let me say, both sides of the aisle have failed us. For eight years an impotent Republican party had an opportunity to modify, tweak, or otherwise address the impending health care crisis. Yes, they and President Bush attempted (thus I say, impotently) to work on health care but the party of "look who's calling the kettle black" was able to thwart these independent, market driven, capitalist alterations in favor of saying, "It doesn't do enough." But again, because the Republicans lack backbone they cowered for the sake of political correctness and being perceived as insensitive to the needs of 100% of Americans. Therefore, the Democrats won the day because they were the fox in waiting, and once total power was seized, they seized the day.

Conversely, you look at what the Democrats have done over the last year. It was an all out assault on getting this thing passed regardless of what was in it. Yeah, that doesn't sound too attractive, but it's about letting the monster in the door. Once he gets in it's tough to get him out. The Democrats know full well, because they are shrewd politicians, that if they get their footprint on something like this it would take an act of the all powerful to repeal it, or else another sweep in the elections. I do not support one party holding Congress and the Presidency, it is not healthy for the country, and tends to divide the country even more. But make no mistake, there will be a heavy price to pay for all this equality and insuring the numbers they say they want to cover. Again, I do not want to get into all the details because it's utterly insane to do so. Suffice to say, only time will tell. This plan will either create a level playing ground in the health insurance industry, leading to continued excellent care and a more balanced system, or it truly will become the albatross that will weigh us down to an unimaginable depth that as a country we will see many dark, dark days. I hope for the best, but plan for the worst.