Happy New Year!

I know I haven’t posted in a while. I want to wish you all a very Happy 2014! I am so glad 2013 is over.

Politically, Ted Cruz’s $24B shutdown was absolutely ridiculous. He hurt a lot of people – from government employees to businesses that have government contracts. Most of all, he tried to govern by extortion. I have no idea where in the Constitution that says that’s OK. And he still had the balls to say he would do it again. Certifiably insane. I am really glad Obama didn’t cave. I can’t believe people actually blame him for the shutdown. Really?

The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”). What a nightmare rollout. Thing is, the states had great websites where people could enroll. CoveredCA here was/is awesome. I am really glad that people have healthcare. No one should go bankrupt because they got sick – especially in a country as rich as ours.

A friend of my sister’s has testicular cancer. He didn’t have insurance, so his parents maxed out their credit cards to pay for his surgery. To even start chemo, they held poker tournaments and asked for online donations. That is wrong on so many levels. I’m glad that he now has access to healthcare. Basically, anyone who wants to go back to the days where insurance companies can deny coverage or limit treatment of cancer patients are heartless, insensitive douchebags. I know. Tell me how you really feel. Haha.

I am so glad that the House and Senate passed a bipartisan budget. Hallelujah! Of course, those more Left and Right aren’t too happy with it. It’s called compromise. In doing so, we don’t get everything we want.

Anyway, I hope 2014 goes much more smoothly, and the Tea Party doesn’t scream like boiling tea kettles. Dream on, right? No one screams better or louder than the Tea Party.

I can’t believe that the midterm elections are this year. Time flies. It’s going to be critical to at least keep the Democratic majority in the Senate. The House would be nice too, but I don’t think it will happen. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.

It’s exciting that there are hints that Hillary may run in 2016. The first woman President! I love the sound of that.

Well, I hope 2014 is a stellar year for you all. Or be as good as or suck less than 2013. One can hope. Be blessed!

I Didn’t Know Oakland was “Remote”

Thousands Expected for Free Health Care Event in Oakland

I knew it wouldn’t take long to stumble on a story that would disturb me. After I wrote on the spree killings, I got into my car for my Saturday night burger ritual. I was listening to Karel on KGO, and he was talking about healthcare. Remote Area Medical (RAM) has a weekend stop at the Oakland Coliseum. This is an organization that provides free healthcare in remote areas of the United States and the world.

They’re in Oakland. Not rural Appalachia, not Haiti (their next stop). Oakland, CA. So many are uninsured or underinsured that they line up at midnight for tickets that they start handing out at 3:30 AM.

“It was people like you or me that were just kind of down on their luck,” recalled organizer Pam Congdon. “It wasn’t a lot of homeless and indigent. It was normal people that maybe could afford medical but they couldn’t afford dental and vision or they could afford the insurance for their children but not for themselves.”

It’s really sad that in other countries, you can see a doctor if you’re not feeling well. Here, a lot of uninsured people wait until they’re half dead to go to the ER. You can rack up thousands of dollars in medical debt if you’re uninsured. To me, that is an absolute tragedy. No one should have to go bankrupt just because they got sick.

Are people so afraid that we’ll turn into Cuba if we were to provide Universal health care? That the free market would simply disappear if we have it?

I guess they are. Right now, there are people standing in line for their ticket to see a doctor or dentist in a sports stadium. In the remote area of Oakland, CA.

RAM is funded solely on donations. They’re not subsidized by the government. $15 can get someone an eye exam and a pair of glasses. RAM founder Stan Brock said, “…it’s those $5 and $10 contributions from the public that fund this organization.” Hell, even a buck can help.

You Can Donate to RAM

Can’t Catch a Break

I was thinking about President Obama this morning. I love the guy, even though there are things he’s done as POTUS that I don’t agree with. After pondering what’s been going on, especially the last few months, I feel bad for him. Dude can’t seem to catch a break. In reverse chronological order (more or less):

• Japan

Earthquake, tsunami, nuclear power plant, devastation

• Middle East

From Egypt to Yemen, the entire region has revolted. A country with an ally-dictator unseated and a country with an enemy-dictator who is hanging on to his until it’s taken from his cold, dead hands.

• Labor

The working class is starting our own revolt

• Gas Prices

See Middle East

• Tuscon Shooting

Memorial and miraculous recovery (Thank God)

• START Treaty

It just had to expire during his presidency

• Bush Era Tax Cuts

They just had to expire during his presidency

• Midterm Shellacking

Congressmen, Senators, and Governors whose sole purpose in office/life is to make sure he doesn’t win in 2012

• Terrorism

Oregon teenager, Fort Hood psychiatrist, Yemeni toner cartridges, Detroit underwear

• Iraq & Afghanistan

Insurgents and Insurgents

• Gulf Oil Spill

BP, compensation, regulation, moratorium

• Health Care

Repeal attempt, lawsuits

• Haiti

Earthquake, homelessness, cholera, devastation

• Economy

He inherited the US’ and the world’s tanked economies

It seems like a larger-than-normal presidential crapload has happened/is happening in his term. I would have been curled up in a ball, in a corner, inconsolably crying by now. No, actually, I would have probably killed myself long before. That’s why I could never be POTUS. And why I wonder why anyone would want to be POTUS.

I don’t see it getting better anytime soon. Good luck Mr. President.

Jobs, Schmobs

Democrats Turn “Where are the Jobs?” Chant on GOP

This article talks about how the GOP’s emphasized job creation but now, it’s all about reducing the size of government and spending. Hmm. So you reduce the size of government by slashing programs. As a result, government workers may lose their jobs. Job loss ≠ job creation. Speaker Boehner’s answer? “So be it.”

Is this supposed to help the economy? Maybe you can trim government when the economy is stronger, but now? If government workers lose their jobs, what happens to the unemployment rate? Spending stimulates the economy. If you are unemployed, do you have a lot of money to spend?

I’m sure an economist can explain this to me, but I want to go off-roading a bit. The GOP emphasized that they were going to go in there to help fix the economy and create jobs. Put America back on track. Just how important was that promise? At this really cool site, OpenCongress, you can look at the different bills that are on the floor. I looked for bills based on issues related to jobs, employment, etc.

The one that stuck out was H.R. 589 – extending unemployment insurance.

Others were pretty cool. One has to do with whistle blowers – providing extra protection for them and harsher penalties for the offender they “outed.” (H.R. 190) Another prevents employers (prospective and current), from checking your credit (H.R. 321)

Admirable. But where are the bills that help with job creation? I couldn’t find any. Wouldn’t it be cool to see something like tax credits for shipping jobs back to the United States? Anything that has to do with trying to get people back to work?

I guess that’s not really they’re priority? What is, then?

• Repealing Healthcare (H.R. 2)

Death panels for Obamacare

• Declaring that Life Begins at Conception (S.91 and H.R. 212)

To make absolutely sure you agree, we’re making two declarations.

• Prohibiting Federal Funding of Abortion (H.R. 3 & H.R. 358)

It’s already prohibited, but what the hell? Let’s remind people. Twice.

• Challenging Birthright Citizenship? (H.R. 140)

Drown, “anchor baby,” drown.

• Making Sales Tax the Only Tax? (H.R. 25)

23% sales tax can eliminate income, payroll, and estate taxes. What’s 23% of a $350K house? $80,050? That’s in my other purse.

It looks like the GOP is concentrating on everything but job creation.

Shocked? Yeah, me neither.

Healthcare and Guns

In South Dakota, state legislators introduced a bill requiring people over the age of 21 to purchase a gun. It was a poke at the new healthcare law. The bill’s sponsor, Republican State Representative Hal Wick, said, “Do I or the other cosponsors believe that the State of South Dakota can require citizens to buy firearms? Of course not,” he said. “But at the same time, we do not believe the federal government can order every citizen to buy health insurance.”

OK, so introducing this ridiculous piece of legislation was to prove a point. Does it really though?

vs.

Guns – used to kill
Healthcare – used to prevent/cure illness

Guns – may not have to be used during a person’s life
Healthcare – will be used at least once in a person’s life

All this has proven is that the state representatives have way too much time on their hands.

I’m writing this post and am sick with the flu. I went to the doctor today, and she prescribed antibiotics. She wanted to treat me as if I had pneumonia because of the symptoms I’m having. She did not want it to escalate. She also told me to start using my steroid inhaler before my asthma gets worse.

I am very blessed to have insurance. What if I didn’t, had to wait, and developed pneumonia? Or had an asthma attack? I’d probably go to the ER. What if I can’t pay? That’s OK, they’ll see me anyway. What if I end up hospitalized because the pneumonia was that bad – from not being able to go to the doctor earlier? I’ll run up this huge bill in the tens of thousands of dollars. If I can’t pay it, I’ll just discharge it through bankruptcy.

This is how it is now. The healthcare law is an attempt at fixing our broken system. It’s far from perfect, which is why we should work on it and not scrap it all together. People are already benefitting from this law. Children will not be denied insurance due to pre-existing conditions and young people can stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26.

Instead of writing up legislation to point out what’s wrong with a law, how about thinking of things to make the existing law better? Maybe South Dakota is on to something, though. If people get sick and can’t get or afford insurance, they can kill themselves with the gun that was shoved down their throats.