You say he's trying to make health care available to the poor.  That maybe true, but his inexperience and lack of understanding of the problem will make the cost of health care even higher.  Making health care even more unavailable to the poor.  I could write a essay on this, but instead I'll be simple about it.  Why does the military buy $400 hammers, $700 toilet seats?  Because of corrupt business men/women who work with congress members to enrich themselves and their relatives.  This same system has bankrupted Medicare.  So while I would like to see health care reform, this bill makes a bad situation worst.  So I hope that the house bill stalls in the senate and senators do the right thing to bring down the cost for all.  Medicare needs to be reformed to bring the cost down.  Medicare and medicaid are artificially raising the cost of health care across the whole spectrum of health care.  Medical companies right now don't need to bring down the health care cost for young people.  They will wait for you to get old and rake you over the coals when your 62.  Not only will they have a monopoly on you, but you will have a lifetime of savings to bleed dry.

 

MediCare saved my life-although the surgical wounds still haven't healed (roller blading accident) details here: www.twitter.com/rodneypeterson and Cutting Confessions at my blogs.

 

  Jim, as I implied on Mackneezy's blog, the U.S. Government plus AIG equals health care overhaul. Now why would the Government bail out an insurance industry unless it had some fingers in the pie? In years ahead watch Obama become affiliated with the AIG as an attorney. Of course, Michelle will have to tag along. lol! Before it's over with, the Government will be the beneficaries of our LIFE insurance policies because they will insist that they are entitled to it for caring for us poor taxpayers who could have never afforded health care benefits without them. Ain't nothing free - it even costs a small fortune for a drink of water these days. The only thing going green is Gore and other politicians - moneywise.  
 

 

You think the GI bill was a failure?
 
Medicare?
 
Social security?
 
Pell grants for college?
 
The public school system?
OK, I admit the public school system is a failure.  But the rest are good!
 

The GI Bill and Pell Grants are different.  They are investments with known costs that can be managed.  Moreover, the law of large numbers states that if you have a college education, you'll make more money for the government to tax than if you don't, so even college grants probably pay for themselves in the long run.

Whether Social Security or Medicaid/care can be considered a success or failure probably depends on your age.  If you're a Baby Boomer, then you might see some of the money taken from you back.  If you're a younger adult like me, you'll see your taxes go up and up and up as the government tries to keep the idiot promises it made back in the 30s and 60s.  As I mentioned above, the unfunded projected payments of entitlements is estimated at anywhere between $34-50 TRILLION.  We don't have anywhere near the money to pay for this.  But the assholes of the Baby Boom Generation will take the money and be dead, leaving younger people with all the debt.  So from my perspective, SS and Medicaid/Care are abomidible failures.
 

 

From my perspective, one has to look at the real costs of such actions.  Like I said, things like the GI Bill are win-win.  You get an education that betters your chances of earning more money and the government gets more money back from you in taxes.  My real problem with a lot of these social programs is that the real cost was ignored.  SSI might get a pass as the socio-economic situation at the time certainly seemed like it would make such a system viable in the long term.  But both population and economic growth were slowing in the 60s when they passed Medicaid/care.  The Baby Boomers and thier politicians knew, or should have known, that such a system couldn't be viable long term due to the massive debts it passed on, especially with the nation already having SSI.  The simple fact is that they didn't want to pay 50% plus of their income in taxes to adequately fund these programs, so they passed the debt on to my generation and my hopeful future children and grandchildren.  Perspective does matter, I just hope the Baby Boomers are comfortable having sold their children and future generations into indentured servitude to finance their own selfish ends.  The term "The Me Generation" was applied to the Boomers back in the 60s and they've certainly lived up to it throughout their lives.
 

 

You make a valid point, but the birth rates have been dropping for decades.  As early as the 70s, alot of the problems that we're going to see in the near future could've been predicted.  if anyone had the moral courage to confront the issue then, we might've aleviated the problems through any number of means.  Instead, they financed with debt and saddled those about 35-40 and under with more debt than we'll ever get out from.
 

I think your missing the point.  Congress gets before the cameras and says were making health care available to everyone.  A few years back the congress got before the cameras and made promises for social security, medicare and medicaid.  All of these programs are projected out to insolvency within 27 years.  Do you want the great country of America to become like Brazil?  When we are all old, all of these programs wont be available to us older folk.  If not through a currency that wont be worth the paper it's minted on to the gradual scaling back of these programs?  The GI bill is a good example.  Go look at the current GI bill.  Then go look at the GI bill available to people who served during the Vietnam war.  It's not the same.  When the public is looking else where, congress cuts the benefits thru bill riders.  People need to start paying attention, because some day congress is going to start printing a new currency.  You'll have to trade in your old dollars for the new.  And it wont be a fair trade.  And then we'll hear all these people saying how and when did we get so bankrupt.  There is no free ride.  And unles you haven't been noticing, there are no factories left in America.  I'm just saying we can't all be college professors, not enough classrooms or students.  Freddie mac and Fannie mae are already back for more bailout money.  How many times do you want to buy out Amtrak?  We been bailing it out since the Nixon administration.

 

Yeah, no, I was against most of the bailouts (especially the manufacturing bailouts).  My only point is that there are both good and bad socialistic programs.  Rather than generalizing and saying any 'government handout' is bad, we need to look at the cost benefit analysis on each of them.
 
And of course, we also need to evaluate each program on moral grounds.  That's why I support a public option.  Does it make us economically stronger to give the poor insurance?  I'm sure arguments could be made for it doing so, but I don't think so.  Rather, it's simply the right thing to do.  
 
What's more important--that we can send one more poor american to the doctor or that we can buy a bullet to kill one more muslim?  I think we kill enough muslims already.  Let's take some of the muslim-killing money and devote it to doctor bills.
 

 

I thought you were new around here.  that blog about how/where Blacks spend money was done quite a while ago.  Who are you?

 

Ya, you did but did you know how much money black women spend on WEAVES?  THOUSANDS of dollors and some have a layaway plans at salons.  she brought it up!


 

i bought a weave once. and it was super duper expensive. i'll never do it again!!
oh boy... i had cut my hair way too short and wanted long hair for valentine's day. it was expensive but boy did i look good!!
 

Pass in the senate? No never , cold day in hell.

I want all Americans (legal) to have medical services!

 

According to the constitution, all americans and illegal aliens can join in any socialism program that america has. To make it, where only americans can join in, would be unconstitutional?
 

It also says I have the Pursuit of Happiness. Well if the government blocks my pursuit to happiness, can I sue? Because I think most unemployed and unhappy americans are in high numbers. They are forcing people to shell money out for this health plan, that is socialism and bullshit.
 

That makes no sense on more levels than I can even comprehend.
 

Wow, T.C you have some stupid people that come and comment on here.  I dodn't need to point out which of those folks I'm speaking about, just go up their and read their comments.  I live in a country where we have health care and it couldn't be better, every man women and child can use it and it works for all of us.  It's not bankrupting our system it's helping every one.. So why on earth would clowns not want such a system?
 

Just curious....

Is the health care system you are using run by the government or state?
 

The gov run's Medicare here where I live and it works just fine.
 

 

Tbh, I don't care how much the final bill costs:  all american citizens, even homeless crazy people, should be able to see a doctor affordably in the most powerful country on earth.  Luckily, I think that is going to be a reality soon.  It's not certain what form the final bill will take, but the rough outlines are extremely promising.
 
 

Powerful? What do you mean by that?

 

Is that a serious question?  By every metric available today, the U.S. is the most powerful nation on earth.  Our economy accounts for 24% of global economic output on just 3% of the global population.  We are the only nation on earth with the physical capacity to close any sealane or bomb any country on the globe.  Our nuclear arsenal is the largest and most sophisticated on earth; we definitely have 1st strike capability against any nation but Russia and may have that capacity to 1st strike them successfully as well.  Our culture is at least available, whether embraced or reviled, worldwide.  By virtually any standard, the U.S. is not just the most powerful nation on earth today but the most powerful nation that ever existed in history.
 

 

The supreme court ruled that a hospital emergency room can not turn away people.  So, I'm confused here when you say all people should be able to see a doctor, they can already.

 

Yep but if you have insurance you get better service.  I experienced that once when my son had an emergency from school and was sent to Grady Hospital - very well used for the people that don't have insurance but got some of the best damn doctors you could find.  Obama wanted one of them to join his team but he passed it up.

anyway, when I walked in, there were no smiles only until i told them I had insurance and talking about service for my son...when I went to get my prescription filled, the staff was not there but people was sitting waiting to be called.  I walked outside, found a pharmacist, told her I had insurance and was ready to go.  She came in, waited on me and the people who was there before me just looked at me as we walked out.

It's a shame, but that shit was real.


 

They can, but the reparations are likely to drain them of house and home without insurance. Take this from me...I had a $4,000 dollar hospital bill for stitches.

 

Yes, but how much did you pay?  They have these forms you fill out.  Based on your available income they determine a payback fee and schedule.  More often than not a poor person pays little or nothing.  The people that end up paying are young or wealth people who refuse to carry insurance.  And the money that the hospital doesn't recoup because the person is legitimately in need, gets passed on to all the rest of the insurance based customers in the form of higher cost.  There are cheapskates out there that refuse to pay for anything, even health insurance. 

 

Some times I wonder about this debt crap.  We waste so much money, our bail outs, our deficit and banks create money.  I wonder sometimes why they even talk about cost because we spend it and waste it like a slice of cake being issued out but they increase taxes on people like they need our money and the bank (FR) makes it. 

So, some one tell me WTF is going on.  It's like it's all hype for political gain and attention and it's a sham in all reality.




 

 Aaaaaaaaaaaaamen!!  Ms Jewels
 

To understand the debt, one must first define the terms.  The annual deficit is the amount by which the government spends more than it takes in.  Excepting the last few years of stimulus spending, this has been roughly between 3 and 5% annually.  While it can't go on forever, its not grossly out of line with other developed nations and could probably be reduced to a surplus would that Congress had the slightest iota of fiscal restraint.  The debt is the total amount of deficit spending totalled over the existence of this nation.  Right now, it sits at about $10 TRILLION, or roughly 80% of GDP or about 3X our annual government revenues.  This is bad, but again not totally unmanageable.  The real problem is unfunded Federal mandates, mainly entitlement spending such as SS and Medicaid/care, which I'll discuss below.

The debt is a real issue in a number of ways.  Because the government reguarly spend more money than it takes in, it finances itself with debt in a number of forms, all of which bear interest.  As government continues to borrow more and more, the percentage of its total income that needs to be devoted to paying for the interest alone continues to rise.  This in turn leaves less money for actual operating costs, requiring more debt and creating a vicious positive-feedback loop.

Of greater concern are entitlement programs such as SS and Medicaid/care.  With our lifespans increasing and the cost of medical care going up, these systems are costing more and more on a person-by-person basis and people are spending more and more time taking away from the system as compared to contributing to it.  This wouldn't be as grave an emergency if our population was growing at a faster rate as we'd have more young people over which to spread this debt, resulting in a lower debt for each person.  But our population growth, even with immigration, is barely at replacement level.  As a result, younger people like me are looking at a real problem.  As I've mentioned before in other comments on this blog, the estimates for the costs of SS and Medicaid/care are anywhere between $34-50 TRILLION dollars and this is money that hasn't been raised yet.  Even at the low end, this figure represents about 3X our GDP or about 10X our annual government revenue.

According to the CBO, this will be a dramatically escalating problem.  By about 2030, projected entitlement spending alone will match and then exceed projected Federal income.  This means that everything else government does, defense, infastructure, paying the interest payments on our debt, paying the salaries of Congress and other government workers, hell even printing the paperwork to tell you how much you owe Uncle Sam, ALL of it will need to be financed with debt.  By 2070, the projected interest payments alone are expected to meet and then exceed Federal income.  This is unsustainable and will inevitably either bankrupt us or force us to hyperinflate our currency to try and get out from under it.

 

Trust me Jewel this national debt is real.  It's already starting to have an effect.  Go to your states web page and look at all the job that are being closed out.  closed out means the state has no expectation in filling the job in the foreseeable future.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/
http://www.federalbudget.com/
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/faq.html
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html

 

Jim, I know it's real let me give you my reasonings about this;

The way Obama been spending money, make me think they know something we don't know like the deficit is BS but I know it's not and they are creating more problems.  At times, I can't grasp the concept and reasonings of the spendings of them to the point I just said to myself "Oh, I understand NOW - we don't have any thing to worry about because the deficit is BS and we can make money any time we need it without a care or concern!"

I am serious but it is more of a satire statement then anything and I wanted to know some more about this money making business as JR brought it forth.  the other info was good also and I appreciate it. 

You know, my thoughts on Obama has not changed from the reason I did not vote for him.  he is a man of good intentions but not wise by my standards and others and i am a die hard conservative.  I hate debt, I don't have any credit cards and my credit score is a fucking "WoW".  A few months ago, I purchased the car I could not take my eyes off of and it's the first debt I have had in many years but it's a debt I can handle without sacrificing my family needs and wants and I deserved it and I have no regrets. 

as I was reading, I came to understand how good it is to have good credit - it was a competition thing with banks concerning financing my car with who can give me the cheapest interest rate and the rule, in so many ways, also works like that with our government. 


 

To everyone who replied - Appreciate!  I love smart ass men

 

 

Right now the national debt is 4 times larger then the countries GDP..

There is no way to pay off the debt with the countries current monetary system..

back in the late 80's early 90's i wrote the treasury Dept. on the creation of money in the USA.. I received a reply from Russell L. Munk the Assist. Gen. Counsel for the Treasury..

My question on how money was created was an interesting one..

Mr. Munk's reply was: " The Fed as it is often called has several ways of allowing money to be created, but the actual creation of money always involves the extension of credit by private commercial banks."

SO all money in the USA is created by a loan (ie: extension of credit )by private commercial banks. Now private commercial banks charge interest on their loans. If the bank only creates the principal where is the money to pay the interest? my next question to Mr. Munk.

His reply was, "Money for paying interest on borrowed money comes from the same source as the other money."

Which means since ALL money is created by the extension of credit/loans you have to borrow more money to pay the interest on the original debt. Which also means you are still in debt and your debt becomes larger as you can see with the current monetary system there is NO way to get out of debt because the system is designed to always keep the country in debt to a Privately owned entity the FED...

In fact all current Income taxes go to the FED to pay our debt and one's personal income tax ever goes to government to pay for the items the public think their tax dollars are paying for like roads and other things..

Besides the current monetary system is Unconstitutional for Article I, Section 10, US Const. states that no state shall make anything but gold and silver coin as a tender in the payment of debts... There has never been a valid Article V amendment to change Article I, Section 10.. SO it is still the law of the land.. Not one Federal Reserve Note in circulation is backed by Gold or Silver and neither are they gold and silver..

So the US is not using a Constitutional currency within the state to tender the payment of debts.. and since Federal Reserve Note are debt instruments themselves. And under the Uniform Commercial Code you can't really pay a debt with another debt instrument. SO all we are really doing is just discharging the debt and passing it on to future generations making debt slaves of our children and grand children.. Meaning they will have to work for the rest of their lives to pay our debts of today..


wadada

 

 Always look forward to reading yo replies...thanks great info.
 

Right, money is created by loans.  At the moment an interest-bearing loan is granted (say, a mortgage on a house or a business loan) a claim is created on financial assets that do not as yet exist.  That loan becomes a financial asset of the bank and as such is "created" money.
 
The fed manipulates the interest rates (and has other tools) to encourage or discourage loans being made; by doing so, it also affects the money supply.
 
As for the constitutionality of fiat, as opposed to asset-backed money, I've heard differing opinions and have not adequately studied it.  I know Nixon was the one who brough fiat money into being; sometime I will have to look up the legal or extra-legal means he employed to do so.
 
Even though fiat currency is not asset-backed, it still has a functional value.  That is to say, even though it cannot be directly exchanged for anything at the treasury, given a stable economy and stable money supply and demand, it will retain its value fairly well because it can be exchanged for other currencies and by law serves as tender for assets in America.  It's actually not all bad--the nice thing about fiat money is that it's flexible.  Its value responds to supply and demand versus other currencies rather than artificially being tied to the current price of gold, silver, or what have you.  Asset backed currencies are by no means perfect.  They can lead to deflation very easily (one of the causes of the great depression) and are generally less liquid, as contradictory as that may sound.
 
So it's late and I'm tired but I did have a point, I think.  Er... oh yes.  Even though the fed can manipulate the money supply and 'create' money to pay for the debt, if it sees fit, this is not a real solution, because to do so would drastically change the money supply.  Since fiat money responds to supply and demand, a huge increase in supply to pay the debt would devalue the dollar and cause severe economic stress worldwide--foremost in America, of course. 
 

From what I've read about Nixon, he introduced fiat money because the French demanded payment of debts in gold, the asset with which US currency was backed.  Under Johnson, the idea of guns AND butter, as oppossed to gun OR butter came into effect with his numerous social programs on top of financing the Vietnam War.  Even back then, anybody with sense could see what was happening and the French demanded their payments in a hard asset.  After this, Nixon took us off the gold standard to avoid having to pay out all of our gold supplies.  I cannot say anything regarding the legality of this, as I don't really know either.

For whatever reason, nations have accepted and copied this model, probably because it gives them the ability to create money out of thin air and allows them to spend far more than possible if limited by finite quantities of precious metals or other assets.  The problem is that sooner or later, you'll run into an economic problem and confidence in your nation and its economy, which is all upon which fiat currency is based, will erode.  This will cause your currency to devalue and creates numerous and largely intractable problems.
 

Thank you VERY much.  See, this is what I also understood in my mind but I could not write it to make sence to others.  Talking about scratching your head with both hands!  the questions I asked was really satire based upon this understanding.

THANK YOU.
 

Thx so much 4 for being on top of your writing game, and posting the above information, since from what I could gather from the confusion on cable news earlier today, it was not exactly clear to me what happened, unless it had not happened at the times that I tuned in.  On the first question, I will have to give it some more, thought and study of the players in the senate.  And yes I would like to see the health bill pass in the senate, to say the least.

Respectfully,

Mackneezy

www.myspace.com/beepositive101

ps:  Please feel, foot loose and fancy free to check out my most recent blog, where I put some choice words on the 'health care reform' issue, as in my humble opinion it would be in the best interest of all of the United States of America's interest to pass the health bill, and for one thing more, had this issue been addressed, earlier on in times pass, is prove in of and itself, it most pass now, if our civilizations life cycle is to last, a while much longer past this current impasse that is before us, and our state of affairs, to say the least, about this beast of a situation, this now in the face of out nation! 

 

Dennis Kucinich Explains Why He Voted Against HealthCarebill



 

you are always very informative - thanks!

 

 

I am all for health care for everyone. The system needs to be fixed. However, this really concerns me. They have turned a thing of need into a thing of greed. Another way for the super rich to hold down the rest of the world. Patton said it best "Nothing good comes from a swivel chair."

AMERICANS NEED TO UNITE, AND TEACH THESE ASSHOLES A LESSON. They have turned to underminding the masses and overestimating the elite. These dirty politicians need a wake up call, and I think a good ass kicking and running them out of town would do some good. The Americans' that are working their asses off to supply these huge corporations with bailouts need to say enough is enough, and do the same with this health bill. Some of the things in it are cruel, evil, greed driven and stupid. We deserve better.
 

house passed that bullshit with the opt out. that means my texas ass (we are #1 for uinsured, 7 million) isnt ever goin to the fuckin doctor until i get my law degree and make heavy bread.