Here's to Good Health

While the debate rages on, I find myself unsure of how I stand on the issue of health reform. I've had good health care all my life, the insurance plan offered through my work was top notch, and better still, I still carry it as part of my retirement package.

But I have been affected by many changes within the insurance industry. Living in a small rural corner of California I was at one time able to be on an HMO, but that plan got too expensive for the carrier to provide, so it was dropped, and we were left with only a PPO option. The HMO business model requires a high population density of low risk office workers. In the rural community you get way too many visits to the ER for chain saw accidents, horse riding falls, and other hazards of large yards.

Our local union chapter looked briefly into some type of self-insured option, which on a routine basis looked adequate. But even on this small population sample the odds were too great that someone in the group will suffer some catastrophic health care need that would break the bank.

Now the discussion is at a national level. Can the numbers actually work out that the low risk segment can underwrite the higher risk segment and remain viable? Can 100 office workers that risk a paper cut really pay enough in premiums to cover the farmer bringing in the grain for their bagel if he catches his arm in the wheat thresher.

There are hardships within the current system that are not in dispute. What no one seems to be asking is, what if this is as good as it gets?

The system now has some people with great health plans. But there are high numbers of people with no coverage. Is the new reform going to give us an increase in the number of insured at the cost of lowering the quality of health care for some.

I suppose that in my personal example, California could have stepped up and ordered the HMO companies to continue coverage in all counties if wanted to maintain a contract with the state. But the numbers would not have added up for them to maintain the same level of coverage to all. Something would have to be dropped, or at the least limited. Instead, the rural counties lost their HMO coverage and the urban clients kept their package.

I hear during this current debate that only a relatively small percentage of people will be hurt by the reform. That the majority of Americans will benefit. Why are we playing this cost-benefit game?

What I would like to see more of, is more effort to seek solutions that help all citizens. Is there something that can be done to contain the high costs of health care that help all Americans. Before we form some public health care insurance plan, why not a public mal-practice insurance plan to help doctors and health care providers keep their cost down, and allow more options for health treatment plans.

My biggest fear of this sweeping reform package is that there is no way to predict the unintended consequences that may arise. Certainly those are unavoidable in most any legislation, but a go slow, incremental approach would keep them manageable.

Help the Hungary

Or more correctly, help the people of Hungary.

While the US is under hard economic times, it is easy to forget that the rest of the world is still under tremendous stress. I have not forgotten, and I am concerned for the people of Hungary that live in housing that is unsafe and sub-standard. To that end I am investing my time, energy and money this summer to work with the Global Village team under the Habitat for Humanity banner in building homes for families in that part of the world. Would you please consider helping this effort?

I want to learn more Mike.

Planned Barrenhood

I have not seen anything that can prove that Nancy Pelosi really believes as Margret Sanger,(Planned Parenthood Founder) that the world would be better off if the poor class stopped breeding, but as the old saying goes, "If it walks like a duck, talks like duck, it must be a duck."

In Your Face... book

I blame it on cell phones. Or maybe, before that, pay phones without doors. Some must remember the old style phone booths, the type that had the closing glass door so that you'd have some privacy in your conversation. Why, you could even change your outfit in those, well, Superman did anyway.

Then someone started cutting costs and stopped putting the doors on. Or perhaps the vandals hit them and took the doors, but they were never replaced. Next generation phone booths had only thin side walls and the true walls of privacy in public places began to fall. Now our private phone conversations were being overheard. And some didn't care.

So I suppose it was not big step from that to tearing down all walls and just whipping it out. Answer the cell phone on bus, in the restaurant, or at the coffee shop. Get the Blue Tooth mod and talk to friends hands-free in the grocery aisle.

So now no one seems to care that others are listening. Now we want them to listen.

But we have always wanted people to listen. A good friend that would sit down and hear your problems or to figure out your mood. This friend was the most valuable person in the world.

But friends got too busy. No one would take the time to truly listen to us, so we changed tactics.

Ever notice how a toddler gets the attention of a dad that is busy reading the newspaper? They boldly walk up to his knees, reach up, and tear down the wall of paper separating them.

We do that now on Facebook. No one asks us how we are doing, so we tell them anyway. No one wonders what we are up to, so we tell them anyway. Your friends were too busy to join you at your son's birthday party, so you post the pictures on their wall.

Now, thanks to Facebook, I know when that gal at the coffee shop is taking a shower. I know when my grandkids are acting up. I can see all my wife's friends. My wife can see all my friends. My wife can see who's flirting with me. My mom can see that I really was home when she spent all day trying to call. This is almost too much face time.

You know what, this is good stuff. I'll have to post this as a link.

Guest Blogger

My daughter writes another more family friendly blog, but today she wrote it better than I could. So from "The Army Wife Life."

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I don't usually talk about politics, on this blog or in person. But sometimes things just fester and since this is my forum, I'll say what I want.

First of all - I did not vote for Obama. Agree with me or not, I don't really care. That being said, however, I wish this country the best and hope that he manages to do a good job as our leader. I'm not impressed so far, and it's only been 3 days. Choosing Hilary Clinton as our Secretary of State made me want to throw up. The woman's politics aside, she has an arrogance about her that just makes me want to hit something. She seems to think she's the Queen of America and that everybody loves her. Personally I think she's egotistical and power hungry, and someone with that type of attitude is probably not suited to be our country's top diplomat.

Now Obama has overturned the ban on federal funding for abortion clinics and family planning centers. I don't agree with abortion, I believe that life begins at conception, but I'm not going to say that I should have the right to make that decision for everyone else. BUT, I don't think I should have to pay for it, either. Now that federal funding will be available for those wanting an abortion, that's basically what we as tax-payers are doing - paying for it. Our president is now forcing me to go against my beliefs and contribute to what I feel is the slaughter of the most innocent form of human life - our unborn. And I'm definitely not happy about that.

But you know what really bugs me? The way everyone is dissing Bush. I'm not saying that Bush is perfect, I'm sure some things could have been done differently, but hey - hindsight's 20/20 folks. Bush did some great things for our military, he improved our quality of life by quite a bit. Better pay, better benefits, better housing. And yes, he did send us to war. Something that shouldn't be all together unexpected for the military. Everyone acts like it was such a horrible thing that Bush sent us to war - like he did it all by himself. No one seems to remember that the President can't send us to war just because he feels like it, it takes the approval of the Congress. Something else everyone seems to have forgotten is that in the early days of the War on Terrorism, Bush had upwards of a 90% approval rating from the public. That means that 90% of the country agreed with us going to war. Now people just think it's taking too long. Why are we still there? Well folks - changing the world takes time. Introducing democracy to a country that's been living under tyranny for the last several decades takes time. Here's an idea - if you don't like the way things are going in Iraq and Afghanistan, how about you put on a uniform, strap on a rifle and go fight it yourself.

The Economy. People are again blaming Bush, like he tanked the economy all by his lonesome. Somehow I don't think it was Bush who was approving all those sub-prime loans, or convincing people that they can afford a $700,000 mortgage on a $50,000 annual salary. I don't think that Bush was whispering in the Big Three automaker's ears, telling them to make bad business decisions. I believe that We The People have contributed to the state of our failing economy more than anything else. Through our greed and the sense that WE MUST have the biggest and the best of everything, we have done this to ourselves. And now we expect the federal government to come bail us out, and again, we're mad that it's taking so long. Grow up. Buy a house that you can afford, drive a car that's a few years old, and stop acting like you deserve everything.

And last but not least - Obama Worship. Am I the only person that's noticed this? People act like he's some kind of Messiah, come to save our country from the evil Republicans. I keep hearing things like, "With Obama, there is hope again!", and " Obama's going to make this country great again"...blah, blah, blah. He's just a man, folks! One who happens to be a good speaker and knows how to make grand promises. Let's wait to see if he keeps them before we elevate him to Hero Status, shall we?

There...I feel much better now. And I am still proud to be an American, if for no other reason than that my saying this will not earn me a trip to the guillotine.

I Don't Care Who You Are, This is Funny

The Push for Clean Energy

It really wasn't until my time of exile and penance in the Deep South did I come to appreciate the heavy handed way California forced car owners to keep their car running clean.

Each time I bought another car, and every couple of years after that, I hated the fact I'd have to set up an appointment and pay some shop to have my car checked to insure that it wasn't blowing out too many pollutants. I keep my cars in good tune, and I understand the need for the technology to scrub off the exhaust, so I don't alter that equipment at all. To me it is just the reasonable and respectful thing to do.

However, in the area I was living in for the past year, there are no state requirements to have the cars checked, and I would have never imagined so many gross polluters would allow their smoking, smelling cars on the public roads. So, Ok, the need to keep the people and their cars in check is a necessary. (Still a less expensive and convenient way should be found)

On the drafting boards, and even on some production floors there is a better way. A better fuel. Natural Gas engines are found on many commercial fleets, buses, trucks and other uses. Used primarily so far for heavy congested areas and indoor warehouse applications where the need for the cleanest running engines is required.

There are even cars currently produced on the road. The drawback is the lack of fuel stations, so they are only practical in urban areas that have such a station set up.

Now you would think that the green community would be all about promoting this clean energy in every possible way. Well, they are, but they're not. Sure they want people to switch to the cleaner burning fuel, but they don't want anybody to drill for the fuel and make it available. Little hard to have it both ways.

It would be great if natural gas could be found in area already under commercial development. If it were available under the hulking rusting building of the past industial age it would certainly be a win-win. But it's not. Vast amounts are found in areas of the West, on public lands. Lands set aside for parks, conservation, recreation, and for reasons often more to do with the fact that nobody could do anything else with this arid land.

This arid land also has a certain beauty to it. Red rock canyons, flying wind sculpted sandstone formation. Who would want this view interupted by a series of buildings of pipes protruding from the ground? I don't like it, but I also don't like driving behind some noxious crude oil based car, or the view of smog laden valleys. Nor am I a fan of lung disease and other ailments from heavy use of carbon monoxide. So life is about sacrifices for the better of society.

The Bush administration is trying to fill this need for future clean air by opening up a few more areas to drill for natural gas in Utah, and some kid steps up and throws a monkey wrench in the deal. Some hero, huh.http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11289406