Mercer, May I?

All this bullsh*t I’ve heard all day about the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize?  Grrr.

Americans want action, not effort. 

The Nobel Prize honors achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and (I’m quoting here) “work in peace.”   (It’s hard to measure success in peace, people.)  In his will, Alfred Nobel laid out the parameters for the how the recipients are chosen.  Specifically, a committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament choose the annual recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.  So…FYI,  AMERICANS didn’t give him the award, and he for damn sure didn’t give the f*cking award to himself.   Give the guy a break.   

Hitler was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, too.

If you’re deluded enough to believe that, kindly take a long walk off a short pier – your superior intellect is obviously not serving as a contribution to society.  It’s painful for me to think  any of you are that stupid.  If you’re going to go spouting off stuff like that, have enough sense to check it out first.  The truth is Hitler was never awarded a Nobel Prize; he was merely nominated in 1939.   Keep in mind, each year the Nobel Committees send individual invitations to members of academies, university professors, scientists, previous Laureates, etc., asking them to submit nominees.   It’s possible for almost anyone to be nominated.  The committee can then accept or reject the nomination, but in Hitler’s case, the nomination was withdrawn.

Obama doesn’t deserve it.

Obama was cited as being granted the award for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”  I can cite a few examples if you’d like:  He canceled the missile-shield system in Eastern Europe that had pissed off Russia.  He also made the decision to negotiate with Iran over the issue of nuclear (maybe a few of you are more comfortable with “nuculer”) program.  Yes, I call this type of “move” the transition from demand by the United States (aka the “World Police”) to peaceful negotiation.   He’s traveled to the Middle East to try and mend our relationships with the Muslim countries who hate our guts  – countries who thought of George W. Bush as a criminal (and idiot).  His efforts to spur on foreign diplomacy have not gone completely unnoticed in my book, and apparently, other nations too have gained respect and admiration for our leader.  Let’s not treat that like such a bad thing, okay?  Are there people out there more deserving?  Maybe – Most humanitarians’ deeds go without thanks every day.  

Everyone’s entitled to his own opinion, but I can guarandamntee you haven’t heard of the majority of the previous  Laureates, much less know what they accomplished.  So exactly why do you care all of a sudden? What’s wrong?  Never won a medal on Field Day?  Didn’t win 1st place in the talent show?   Picked last in kickball?  You’re big boys and girls, so quit your b*tching.   Here’s a notion: Stop complaining about what others are/aren’t doing…Stop saying “he’s gettin’ somethin’ I ain’t gettin’”…And make your own mark.

I’ve already touched on most of what was said in the address last night, but I do want to highlight a great point – Hmmmm…Here we have all these publically funded colleges, yet Harvard and Yale are still in business.  Curious, isn’t it?  This is what I’ve been screamin’ all along.  And oh horrors, publically funded “socialist” programs!  Oh yeah…You mean, like public schooling?  And VA hospitals?  The post office?  Parks? Libraries?  And the military?  Yeah, those are all totally useless.  Feel free to boycott peaceably in protest.  Morons.

Anyway, you all know my plea to you: Get informed.  Figure out where you stand.  Spread truth, not lies.  If you don’t know what you’re talking about, best to keep your mouth shut.  Hopefully, you realize that I get so into politics because I am a responsible citizen and like to be informed, and I like others to be informed as well.  I don’t care if you agree with me.  I don’t care if I make you mad or hurt your feelings (of course, not where my forum is concerned anyway).  My hope is you learn something by reading, but I’m also okay with you getting mad enough to start caring… If you wanna make it your life’s mission to dig up something that proves me wrong, awesome.  At least you’re using your brain.  So…assuming you already received the above message, this blog’s really not a message to you…

And, surprisingly enough…brace yourselves….wait for it….I don’t have much to say about yesterday’s address to joint congress regarding health care, except this:

President Obama: “We should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal …We should work together to address any legitimate claims you may have.”

Translation: You were elected to do a job.  Do it. 

It’s our elected officials who have really chapped my ass here…as if they’d be on my reading list, haha.  You know what? This was a presidential address, not a pep rally.  You don’t stand and cheer so much that the man can’t get through what he has to say.  You don’t boo and shout insults at the “other team.”  F*cking grow up.  It’s your job to read the bills put before you.  It’s your job to vote against the bills with which you don’t agree, and vote in favor of the ones with which you do agree.  It’s your job to be a liason to the public – especially the uninformed public.  Scare tactics  are not an option.  What you should be doing is presenting ideas that will work if you think the ones before you won’t.  This is not jury duty; gridlocks are not acceptable.  It’s your job to work relentlessly and efficiently with the “other side” until things  get done.  Period.  Clock is ticking. 

P.S. “Kudos” to the Prez for having balls of stainless steel to call out those who spread venomous lies.    I imagine this is what Marie found so attractive – big stainless steel balls.

You know what I just can’t effing stand?  I can’t stand for people to take something good and bastardize it until it appears to be something completely different.  Are they just so miserable that they have to FIND something wrong with everything? 

Most of you know that tomorrow President Obama will address the nation’s students regarding the value of education.   I’ve heard a lot of arguments as to why this address is so wrong, and I guess I just still don’t “get it.”

Argument #1: Republican officials (a.k.a. Fox News) have suggested the Obama administration plans to use this address to promote the “liberal socialist agenda.” 

Um.  I really have no words.  
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/
Read it.  Find the liberal socialist indoctrination, please.  Really.  Because I couldn’t.

“I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.” 
Translation: All students deserve access to a good education=socialism?

First of all, understand that both addresses mentioned above were delivered smack dab in the middle of election campaigns; therefore, it is understandable that the intent of these messages was questioned. 

• In 1988, when Reagan gave his address to young students, George H. W. Bush was running against Michael Dukakis. Reagan surely would not have wanted the White House turned back over to the Democratic Party, and unlike Obama’s speech outlined above (you read it, yes?), right-wing rhetoric pervaded Reagan’s speech - specifically matters of foreign policy, lower taxes, and smaller government.  He encouraged students to “ground [themselves] in the ideas and values of the American Revolution.”  See the entire video below:
  http://gothamschools.org/2009/09/04/from-the-archives-ronald-reagans-1988-speech-to-students/
• In 1991, George H.W. Bush was gearing up for his second run (against Bill Clinton in 1992), and he also gave an address to the nation’s students.  Like Reagan, his timing (on the eve of this important election) was controversial, and he did interject a line regarding his proposed education plan (“National Education Goals”).  Aside from that, from an objective standpoint, I can’t say I found a great deal wrong with his words to young people.  I was unable to find  the full video, but the speech’s text can be found below:
  http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=3450&year=1991&month=10

Argument #3: Some parents don’t want their kids watching the address at all, much less without their supervision.

Okay, maybe you want to watch it with them.  Or maybe you don’t want them watching it at all.  Maybe because you despise the man.  Maybe because you don’t know what the address will include because…well…you’re just too lazy to read the outline.  A.  He’s President of the United States, so…he kind of has the right to address the public whenever he sees fit, about whatever he sees fit.  This is the very argument ALL you Bush fans (if you’re reading) would have used (and did use) during the past 8 years…”He’s President; have some respect.”  I’d like to know…Would any of you have had a problem with teachers flipping on the TV for students to watch Ronald Reagan’s inaugural address or George W. Bush’s address to the nation in the aftermath of September 11th?   B.  If the message inspires kids to do better – teaches them to work hard – instills in them the value of a good education – gives them self-worth…I don’t care who delivers the message – Mother Theresa, Ghandi, yes even Sarah Palin (and I loathe her).   You know what though?  Forget all that.  This is what I would like you to think about: Not all kids have parents like you.  Some kids have no one to cheer them on.  Some kids have no one to give them hope.  Quit your b*tchin’ - And let them hear it. 

The address will air Tuesday, September 8, 11 am CST on CSPAN and on the official White House website.

Rumor #7: Our System Doesn’t Need Reform, akin to “If it ain’t broke, it don’t need fixin.’” 

FALSE: Of course it does, unless you don’t have issues with any of the following… 

Cost: Contrary to popular belief, our health care system is one of the most expensive in the industrialized world, yet one of the least effective.

Access to Coverage: Currently Americans have three options for health care coverage – private insurance (employer-provided or independent, which many cannot afford), Medicaid (for which most do not qualify because their income is too high), and Medicare. I am a member of the middle class whose employer does not provide insurance. For me – a healthy 26 year-old with no pre-existing conditions – health/dental insurance (sh*tty insurance, mind you) is approximately $160/month.

Let’s do the math: Assuming I remain fairly healthy in a 12 month period, my medical expenses would total approximately $2,319 in an average year, including my cost of insurance. Keep in mind, should I become very ill unexpectedly, this insurance policy carries an annual deductible of a whopping $3,500. (Sure, I’d just write a check for that…Ha!) Being the responsible individual I am, I opt to fork out the $2,319, but many people in my situation, using the same reasoning I just explained, opt to go without insurance and take their chances, saving over $1000 per year – or more if they never go for a doctor’s visit. And for some, it’s not a matter of reasoning – they simply cannot afford it. I reiterate what I said in an earlier post – 46 million uninsured…Hello???

Emergency Room Overload: Many times, the uninsured wait to seek treatment until they become very ill – at this point, they wind up in the ER. People who are sick and don’t have health insurance end up in ERs because ERs are required to treat them, while primary care physicians may refuse treatment because of their inability to pay.  The amount of funding required to keep these facilities operating as they should is not available, due to the amount of patients unable to pay for the care they are receiving. Some specialists avoid ER duty all together because of the growing number of patients who can’t pay.  As a result of the sick and uninsured population, ERs are now overcrowded and understaffed, thus providing sub par care.

Bankruptcy: As I previously mentioned, approximately 60% of bankruptcies are filed due to medical bills, and about 75% of these people have insurance at the time they incur these medical expenses. I blame questionable ethics – common practices of private insurance companies who merely want to make a buck. These practices have gone unregulated long enough.

Job Loss=Loss of Insurance: This is pretty self-explanatory. In the current job market, people are more scared than ever of losing their jobs, and most will lose their health insurance if they become unemployed. This brings us to the next point…

Pre-Existing Conditions: A pre-existing condition is any medical condition that a person has at any point before day one of his/her insurance coverage. If you had an accident before your coverage took effect, and that accident resulted in an illness that wasn’t discovered until after your coverage started, that could be considered pre-existing. If you have a congenital defect that wasn’t discovered until after your coverage began, that could be considered pre-existing. Other examples can range from diabetes to cancer. Coverage is limited or excluded for pre-existing conditions. Sometimes these exclusions apply when you decide to change insurance policies (i.e. change in jobs=change in insurance policy); other times the exclusion applies when you have a lapse in coverage for more than 63 days (i.e. If you were laid off and it took you six months to find a new job, and you couldn’t afford COBRA during that period of time or couldn’t find an independent insurance provider that would cover you…this period of time would be considered a lapse in coverage).

Limits: Private insurance companies have annual and lifetime maximums. Once you exceed these limits, you are 100% responsible for any medical expenses you incur beyond that cap. You may not worry about this right now, but if you were to come down with a life-threatening illness like heart failure or cancer, it would be very easy to rack up enough bills to exceed the amount your insurance company is obligated to pay.

I could come up with more, but frankly I’m tired of writing, and you’re tired of reading…Our current system is riddled with problems that are screaming to be addressed. My biggest concerns?

•  The amount of people uninsured, especially those in need of medical care. Right now they cannot get the necessary attention until they are sick enough to be admitted to an ER. How simple and inexpensive might their illnesses have been to treat in the early stages?  This is why I support a public option.  People should not go broke because they get sick, and people shouldn’t stay sick because they can’t afford to go broke.
•  The unregulated practices of the private insurance companies. Sure, have some health insurance…You’re covered…You know, unless you get really sick…Then you’re on your own.  Why the hell have insurance at all if it doesn’t do what it’s designed to do?  If it doesn’t come through when it really counts?…When. You’re. Sick.  I support goverment oversight of the practices of private insurance companies.   Private insurance companies will have an opportunity to change their practices and compete with the public option.  If they choose not to do so, eh.  What can ya do?

Most of you reading may be a little out of touch with our problematic health care system, since you are young and healthy and don’t worry about much more than the occasional cold…as John Stewart put it, his insurance plan when he was younger was called “Tylenol PM and Colt 45.”  However, people on both sides of the aisle have admitted that our current system is unsustainable at the rate it’s going; therefore, we need either a new system or drastic reform.  Even if you disagree with the part of this bill that introduces a public option, at the very least consider the other problems the bill attempts to address.  And for crying out loud, don’t go repeating everything you hear.   If you make a conscious choice to pass along the ridiculous oral diarrhea of people like Sarah Palin and BFI the scare tactics of those who don’t support health care reform without actually thinking for yourself, you do nothing but contribute to the rumormill.  Information  -  factual information –  is available to you…Use your brains, then decide where you stand. 

Rumor #4: Treatment for Illegals Will be Covered 

FALSE: Nothing in the proposed bill says any such thing. 

As far as illegals, hospitals are already bound by law to provide treatment to them in all 50 states. Yep, that’s your tax dollars at work, but that’s an entirely different topic.  Sorry…Write your congressman. 

Rumor #5: Abortions Will Be Covered

Elective abortions (the lazy and/or poor woman’s birth control in many instances) are not covered by federal dollars. (Of course, situations of rape, incest, and health risk to the mother are exceptions.)

This legislation is already in place and will remain in place. An argument can be made that elective abortions will be inadvertently covered by our tax dollars because some private insurance plans on the exchange may cover them, and some low-income citizens will be subscribing to these plans with the help of the government.  Maybe if more women are insured and have access to affordable contraceptives, we’ll see a decrease in our current abortion statistics.  Maybe…

Rumor #6: Medicare Benefits Will be Cut to Pay for the New Plan

FALSE: Seniors will not lose any benefits under the new plan.

The plan proposes to cut unnecessary or excessive costs, not benefits – payments for hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. FYI, payment to doctors is actually increased under the plan.

Rumor #3: Bureaucrats Between You and Your Doctor 

This is one of the most rampant scare tactics out there – this rumor is also equated to the always popular “Universal health care = socialized medicine…Go to Canada/Great Britain if you think that works.”

FALSE: Newsflash, there are already bureaucrats between you and your doctor; we call them “insurance companies.”

As it stands right now, these private insurance companies have virtually no competition. One of the objectives of this plan is to provide this much needed competition. If you have health care coverage through a private insurance company and are happy with it, continue on your merry way…Your policy will be “grandfathered in.” If you don’t have insurance or aren’t happy with your current plan, you may choose the government plan, or you may subscribe to a different plan through the health insurance exchange. In order to be involved in the health insurance exchange, insurance providers will be required to meet certain minimum standards of coverage. The way I see it, these private insurance companies will have two options: compete with lower premiums and better coverage, play fair, and stay in business….or…fold. Unfortunately, we cannot predict what they will do.

Do not confuse the proposed plan with that of Canada or Great Britain. On average, Canadian citizens pay 7% more in taxes than we do, but as a result, they pay no insurance premiums. Canada’s health care system is what is referred to as a “single-payer system,” which means everyone has the same medical coverage, and that coverage is controlled by the government. The health care providers are reimbursed just like they are here under Medicare. On the other hand, Great Britain’s system is more true to socialized medicine. Funding for their health care system is provided by subsidies from the national treasury and the health insurance tax, and like Canada, everyone has the same coverage. However, in Great Britain, even doctors’ salaries are paid by the government, with additional commissions paid for each patient they see and also for particular services they provide. I don’t advocate completely emulating either system, but food for thought: The U.S. has a higher percentage of persons with unmet medical needs than either Canada or Great Britain, and interestingly enough, Canada and Great Britain both have over an 85% satisfaction rate when is comes to health care, as opposed to about 67% satisfied here in the U.S.

People, before you attack government-provided health care coverage (to which you are NOT obligated subscribe), know this: Private insurance companies are not in business to provide you with the best and most comprehensive health care. They are in business to make a profit, and if they can find a way to deny you treatment and widen their profit margins, they will. Don’t believe me? Approximately 60% of bankruptcies are caused by mounting medical bills. Even more astounding? 75% of these people who file bankruptcy due to medical bills had medical insurance at the time they incurred these bills. And while all these people fell by the wayside, Daniel Loepp, CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, “earned” $1,657,555 in 2007. Hmmmm…

Rumor #2: Long Wait to See a Doctor

If you’ve been to a doctor recently, you know that you better bring a novel to pass time in the waiting room.  God forbid you come down with an extreme form of the funk and have to be “worked in.”  When that’s the case, you could probably finish the entire Harry Potter series while you’re waiting to be seen, knowing once you finally get your turn, they’re just gonna take 5 minutes to prescribe you an effing Z-Pak and send you home.  And just your routine exams?  I mean, ladies, we know it’s imperative we make our annual peek-and-poke appointment several months in advance. 

SEMI-TRUE: This is a problem that will get increasingly worse, whether the Obama Care bill is passed or not.   Three major reasons for the hold-up:

1. Common sense, people – This bill (or any other health care reform bill that results in having more people insured) means more people will be going to the doctor.  Would you go to the doctor for that pesky recurring cold if you had no insurance?  Hell no, you’d take a few swigs of NyQuil, pop a couple Mucinex, and call it a day, right?  More patients = longer wait.

2. This is currently a problem because a very small percentage of medical students go into primary care/internal medicine, while the general population continues to grow.  Some universities have actually cut funding for primary care.  Less doctors + more patients = much longer wait. 

3. And my personal theory (and greatest fear) as to why this problem will only get worse?  The population of the United States is becoming increasingly stupid and lazy with every generation.  Sensible people like you and I may have one or two children or none at all. Meanwhile, all the uneducated idiots and lazy people mooching off welfare are popping out kids like Pez dispensers. I’m telling you, if we don’t act, species Intelligentus Americanus will cease to exist…If that happens, who will even qualify for admittance to med school?  Hey, I don’t even like children. :::shudders::: But, I owe it to humanity to procreate, and so do you.

Health care reform is long overdue - that we can agree upon, right?  But what exactly lies within the 1100 pages of the “Obama Care” bill?  (Hey, even some of our congressmen haven’t bothered to read it…)   Those on the pro side are having a hard time getting people to emotionally connect with what universal health care offers because the anti side are stirring up all sorts of rumors to scare us away from supporting it.  We know sometimes there are a few little truth nuggets in the rumors, but how do we sort through the BS?   We get the facts.

Where do I stand?  I may not agree with the bill in its entirety, but…well, when I go to bed at night, I don’t check my closet for Obama Care.  It doesn’t scare me. There are already 46 million people uninsured, and more people are losing their jobs every day and therefore are losing their employer-provided health care coverage.  That is scary.  Before you crucify me for thinking that universal health care isn’t so horrific, let’s dig into the rumormill.

Rumor #1: Death Panels for Grandma.   

What are these “Death Panels” of which I speak?  Well, opponents such as Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh (or the “Big Fat Idiot,” thank you, Al Franken…let’s just call him “BFI” for short) would have you believe that the new health care bill dictates that, if Grandma is under the government heath care plan and Grandma needs an operation, she will have to go before a panel to get her treatment approved.   

FALSE. There is no such thing mentioned anywhere in the bill. It seems two parts of the bill have been twisted into the “death panel” concept:

•  Under the new bill, seniors are permitted to receive reimbursement from Medicare for counseling regarding their end of life care – durable power of attorney, hospice, living wills, etc.  This kind of counseling service is already covered by most private insurance plans, and newsflash: Nothing dictates that seniors MUST take advantage of these services; they are merely covered once in a five year period if they choose to take advantage of them.   The idea that this piece of legislation includes anything close to a death panel is absurd, and the assumption that I’ll believe that garbage without looking into the facts is an insult  to my intelligence, thank you.  Of course, the opponents will continue screaming,“Death Panels!  Death Panels, I say!  Don’t believe that drive-by media garbage!”  And these same people – people like Palin and BFI - just making stuff up as they go, are becoming part of the drive-by media…actually, I’d say they’re driving the effing bus.  By the way, who came up with and championed this idea?  That would be Johnny Isakson of Georgia, a REPUBLICAN.    

Isakson, in response to Palin’s note on Facebook: “I just had a phone call where someone said Sarah Palin’s web site had talked about the House bill having death panels on it where people would be euthanized. How someone could take an end of life directive or a living will as that is nuts. You’re putting the authority in the individual rather than the government. I don’t know how that got so mixed up.”


• The bill would also allot a large amount of money to the research of treatment effectiveness. This does not mean Grandma won’t get her arthritis medicine because she is 91 and isn’t a valuable enough member of society. It does mean if the treatment doesn’t work, then Grandma should try a different treatment. Wow. That almost makes sense.

 There’s a lot of “research” available on the internet, but be careful what you read and, furthermore, what you choose to believe.  I mean, anybody can have a website and post whatever they want – That doesn’t make it factual.  You’ll find people who swear that Facebook is run by the CIA.  You’ve got the Birthers (WHOA!) who are out to prove Obama was born in Kenya.  I mean, I now have a website, people…be afraid.  Be very afraid.  I, however, pledge not to knowingly post any false information.

Look for more installments to come regarding the Obama [s]Care rumormill…