I'm watching CNN at the moment, they were talking about how Washington is leaving the poor behind. They featured Cornel and Smily's Tour.
The bill that raised the debt ceiling contained several cuts that so many people supported... in theory. It cut spending on medicare, medicaid, unemployment, and public aid. And why not, right? For poor people, the recipients are just living high off of the hog. They have refrigerators, microwaves, and ovens! Multiple televisions, and decent cars.
All I can say is WOW. Refrigerators, really? Let's forget for a minute that refrigerators and ovens come automatically in even government housing, they aren't actually owned by the poor people living there. When you, you hard working middle classer, upgraded your television to the 42 inch television that you got at the Black Friday sale last fall you sold your old television in a yard sell, a newspaper ad, or a resale shop. That poor person found it at a great price and bought it. Or these luxury items (although I don't consider an oven or refrigerator should be considered luxury items at all) are left over from when they were part of the working middle class. Remember, millions of people lost jobs since the crash that wrapped up the Bush Administration.
The only way to reduce government spending on the poor is to increase jobs. That will cut more than anything the men and women in Congress can do. Their proposed cuts will only increase the number of homeless and suicides in America. You think I'm exaggerating? Then let them make these cuts and watch. Those that are too proud to get government aid, or don't have access to it any longer, and that feel they have failed their families will do the only thing they think they still have control over for their families.
Who Are The Poor?
Too often when people think about the poor they think about the erroneous stereotype: lazy people, cheating the government out of money so they can live luxuriously without working. Largely, that is a myth.
The people that will get hurt are the elderly that didn't get their cost of living increase because the increase is based on the prices of cars and houses, not gas and groceries.
The woman that left a domestic violence situation with her children, and is having difficulty getting back on her feet.
The family that lived off of an annual income of $50,000-60,000 last year before the job they relied on vanished.
The small business owner that is showing a loss because business has slowed down, but they can't sell their business because of the slow economy. They're stuck with the business that is barely getting by, but having to draw food stamps to feed themselves.
The poor in America is the guy living next door that you know is struggling, but they're hiding their food stamps and struggles from you because they are too proud to admit to friends and family that they're hurting.
Helping them helps you, because the sooner they're able to get back to work and support themselves, the sooner they will have the finances and time to be there to help others. The sooner they can get back on their feet, the better your property value will be, the more viable your own job will be, and the richer your community will be.
Be selfish, help the guy next door.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
No Michelle, I Get It
Watching GMA this morning, George Stephenopolous did and interview with Michelle Bachmann where they discussed her support of Paul Ryan's bill that would overhaul medicare. Bachmann made the statement that, "People don't recognize that this is about people who are 55 and younger..."
Yes, Michelle, I recognize that it's about people 55 and younger, I'm 42. It's about ME. And I don't want left out in the cold to die any more than the 72 year old woman you mention. Let's look at what Ryan proposed in his bill.
Instead of providing me with medicare when I turn 65 he wants to give me a voucher to help pay for insurance. That sounds peachy until you put it in a real case scenerio.
Let's assume for a moment that my health is identical to my mother's. By the time I turn 60 I have had 5 heart attacks. I can't work because of my heart, so I'm dependent on my husband's insurance through his employer. That's fine until he retires. I don't get to keep his insurance, so I start shopping for a policy on my own. I was turned down for disability, so I'm completely on my own. My husband's social security and pension make our income too high for medicaid, so it's all on me.
Of all of the insurance quotes I've received, the cheapest one will cost $900 a month in premiums. Our total income is $2400 a month, but insurance wants $900 of it just to cover ME. This is where the vouchers come in, right? WAIT. I'm not 65 yet, no voucher. If I were 65, how much is the voucher going to be? That $900 quote was given to me 10 years ago, how high will they charge now? How much will the premiums go up since they know that the government will pay a portion of it with a voucher?
This voucher system is lip service to the citizens of America while funneling money to the insurance companies through us. But if I'm identical to my mother in my health, they won't have to worry about me making a scene about over-the-top premiums and vouchers that barely touch them. My mother died two months after turning 65. She had cancer that wasn't diagnosed because her family doctor ignored the symptoms and she couldn't afford to go for a second opinion. Nobody took notice until a huge bump formed on her head, and by then she was end stage.
So yes, the voucher system will save a lot of money. You don't have to provide vouchers to people that die before turning 65. We need health care for all that won't drive us to the poor house getting it. My mom would have been 69 this coming weekend if we had the universal health care that Clinton tried to pass back in the 90's.
Killing off future senior citizens like myself isn't the answer to medicare reform. Take it back to the drawing board and give it a long term look this time.
Yes, Michelle, I recognize that it's about people 55 and younger, I'm 42. It's about ME. And I don't want left out in the cold to die any more than the 72 year old woman you mention. Let's look at what Ryan proposed in his bill.
Instead of providing me with medicare when I turn 65 he wants to give me a voucher to help pay for insurance. That sounds peachy until you put it in a real case scenerio.
Let's assume for a moment that my health is identical to my mother's. By the time I turn 60 I have had 5 heart attacks. I can't work because of my heart, so I'm dependent on my husband's insurance through his employer. That's fine until he retires. I don't get to keep his insurance, so I start shopping for a policy on my own. I was turned down for disability, so I'm completely on my own. My husband's social security and pension make our income too high for medicaid, so it's all on me.
Of all of the insurance quotes I've received, the cheapest one will cost $900 a month in premiums. Our total income is $2400 a month, but insurance wants $900 of it just to cover ME. This is where the vouchers come in, right? WAIT. I'm not 65 yet, no voucher. If I were 65, how much is the voucher going to be? That $900 quote was given to me 10 years ago, how high will they charge now? How much will the premiums go up since they know that the government will pay a portion of it with a voucher?
This voucher system is lip service to the citizens of America while funneling money to the insurance companies through us. But if I'm identical to my mother in my health, they won't have to worry about me making a scene about over-the-top premiums and vouchers that barely touch them. My mother died two months after turning 65. She had cancer that wasn't diagnosed because her family doctor ignored the symptoms and she couldn't afford to go for a second opinion. Nobody took notice until a huge bump formed on her head, and by then she was end stage.
So yes, the voucher system will save a lot of money. You don't have to provide vouchers to people that die before turning 65. We need health care for all that won't drive us to the poor house getting it. My mom would have been 69 this coming weekend if we had the universal health care that Clinton tried to pass back in the 90's.
Killing off future senior citizens like myself isn't the answer to medicare reform. Take it back to the drawing board and give it a long term look this time.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Stop The Rising Gas Prices
Today locally gas prices are $3.89 a gallon, we're some of the lucky ones. In areas gas is as high as $5 a gallon.
President Obama said that they are going to investigate the possibility of price manipulation by speculators and oil companies, especially in light of oil companies having a quarter with record profits. Some say this is a waste of time, but I tend to recall when prices started rising inexplicably in 2004-2005. Congress held hearings to figure out why we were paying so much, and the prices started dropping.
According to ABC news, gas prices were $1.89 a gallon when President Obama was inaugurated, prices have been creeping up ever since. If Congress could push for fair pricing before, they can do it again.
Contact the President, all of the members of Congress. Call them, text them, write them, and email. Let them know you want something done.
I realize these rising gas prices have been great encouragement for people to get electric cars like the Nissan LEAF, but not all of us can afford to get a new car right now. Some of us have to make due with what we have now. People have a taste of the savings an electric car can give them now, now help those of us that still have to wait until we can get one.
According to ABC news, gas prices were $1.89 a gallon when President Obama was inaugurated, prices have been creeping up ever since. If Congress could push for fair pricing before, they can do it again.
Contact the President, all of the members of Congress. Call them, text them, write them, and email. Let them know you want something done.
I realize these rising gas prices have been great encouragement for people to get electric cars like the Nissan LEAF, but not all of us can afford to get a new car right now. Some of us have to make due with what we have now. People have a taste of the savings an electric car can give them now, now help those of us that still have to wait until we can get one.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wondering About my AdSense... And Michele Bachmann
I'm feeling sabotaged.
I put AdSense ads on my page because, hey, in this economy every little bit counts, right? OK, who wants to click an ad to support Donald Trump on a page they came to in order to read a liberal blogger? Several times I've noticed conservative ads on my page.
In case you don't know, AdSense doesn't let you pick out suitable ads, the ads change randomly and you never know what you're going to get. So feel free to ignore them, or click the hell out of them without giving them any actual support or business. Let them pay me for getting nothing from my site.
==============================================================
OK, on to business...
The main reason I came to blog today was something I saw on Good Morning America today. Michele Bachmann.
I know, I know. Everybody knows she is not known for using actual facts, but she's laying the ground work for her possible presidential run in 2012 and her tactics are already showing through.
When George Stephanopoulus pressed her on how letting those that make more than $250,000 a year pay more in taxes would help the deficit she tried to say that President Obama WANTED the rich to have their tax cuts. She was in the Senate when that battle took place, was she asleep?
Did she forget that House Republicans weren't going to let the rest of us have our tax cuts if they didn't approve the cuts for the rich too? Somebody needs to remind Bachmann that thanks to these new fangled gadgets like TVs, interwebz, and the like make it possible for all of us to know what's going on in Congress. At least she isn't pretending there's a difference between a birth certificate and a certificate of live birth. I guess she has that over Captain Comb-Over...
I put AdSense ads on my page because, hey, in this economy every little bit counts, right? OK, who wants to click an ad to support Donald Trump on a page they came to in order to read a liberal blogger? Several times I've noticed conservative ads on my page.
In case you don't know, AdSense doesn't let you pick out suitable ads, the ads change randomly and you never know what you're going to get. So feel free to ignore them, or click the hell out of them without giving them any actual support or business. Let them pay me for getting nothing from my site.
==============================================================
OK, on to business...
The main reason I came to blog today was something I saw on Good Morning America today. Michele Bachmann.
I know, I know. Everybody knows she is not known for using actual facts, but she's laying the ground work for her possible presidential run in 2012 and her tactics are already showing through.
When George Stephanopoulus pressed her on how letting those that make more than $250,000 a year pay more in taxes would help the deficit she tried to say that President Obama WANTED the rich to have their tax cuts. She was in the Senate when that battle took place, was she asleep?
Did she forget that House Republicans weren't going to let the rest of us have our tax cuts if they didn't approve the cuts for the rich too? Somebody needs to remind Bachmann that thanks to these new fangled gadgets like TVs, interwebz, and the like make it possible for all of us to know what's going on in Congress. At least she isn't pretending there's a difference between a birth certificate and a certificate of live birth. I guess she has that over Captain Comb-Over...
Friday, April 8, 2011
NO GOVERNMENT MONEY IS SPENT ON ABORTION!
I'm watching CNN and I just want to make a few points, such as this nonsense about government funds going to pay for abortions. But first, I want to address something Jesse Ventura said on The View the other day.
Ventura claimed that the House passed a "No Budget, No Pay" bill and the Senate won't sign it. OK, well as usual, that's only half of the truth. The version of the NBNP bill the House paid is attached to the temporary CR budget bill that also wants to strip funding to Planned Parenthood, Public Broadcasting, and stripping power from the EPA.
Now, if REPUBLICANS were serious about a NBNP bill, they would sign the one THE SENATE PASSED A MONTH AGO that is a clean bill. Did you check the link? That's right, I found that out at FOX, the news bible of the conservatives.
So Boehner, quit playing games.
Planned Parenthood
This has been addressed in the simplest of terms by hundreds of people in hundreds of ways. NO ABORTIONS ARE PAID FOR WITH FEDERAL FUNDING. This law is so stringent PP has to provide documentation showing where every federal dollar is spent, and where the money comes from that does go to the abortion portion of their services.
The funding you are insisting on cutting is for the women's health care portion of the clinic. Prenatal care, mammograms, pelvic exams, cancer screenings, and family planning counseling. Essentially you are wanting to cut funds to poor and middle class women's health care needs.
You may be fooling those that are too stupid or too lazy to find out the facts, but you aren't fooling the rest of us. Not only liberal voters are aware of the details, more and more conservative voters are asking more questions. We aren't the lazy, ignorant peasants you think we are.
About the EPA
I really don't know why you think they're "out of control", but in my view they are finally doing their jobs again. In 2005 former POTUS Bush stripped their powers, which in turn stripped the land around me in order to give oil companies a broader range of freedom in drilling. This broader, EPA strangled drilling allowed the local drillers to destroy ponds and streams in my area because it didn't matter if the newly drilled wells seeped into the water here.
Sure, we need oil, but not at the expense of the environment or the people in the area. I don't view the EPA as out of control like you do, I see them as protecting my home again.
Pass a CLEAN CR
Pass a bill that deals SOLELY with budgetary numbers, don't add riders that are insane then blame the Democrats for failing to pass it. We're watching, and we know just like last year, you are to blame. You need to smooth out your resumes, you're going to be job hunting in 2012. The Democrats moved closer to what the Republicans' wanted by 70%, get off your high horses and move the other 30%.
Ventura claimed that the House passed a "No Budget, No Pay" bill and the Senate won't sign it. OK, well as usual, that's only half of the truth. The version of the NBNP bill the House paid is attached to the temporary CR budget bill that also wants to strip funding to Planned Parenthood, Public Broadcasting, and stripping power from the EPA.
Now, if REPUBLICANS were serious about a NBNP bill, they would sign the one THE SENATE PASSED A MONTH AGO that is a clean bill. Did you check the link? That's right, I found that out at FOX, the news bible of the conservatives.
So Boehner, quit playing games.
Planned Parenthood
This has been addressed in the simplest of terms by hundreds of people in hundreds of ways. NO ABORTIONS ARE PAID FOR WITH FEDERAL FUNDING. This law is so stringent PP has to provide documentation showing where every federal dollar is spent, and where the money comes from that does go to the abortion portion of their services.
The funding you are insisting on cutting is for the women's health care portion of the clinic. Prenatal care, mammograms, pelvic exams, cancer screenings, and family planning counseling. Essentially you are wanting to cut funds to poor and middle class women's health care needs.
You may be fooling those that are too stupid or too lazy to find out the facts, but you aren't fooling the rest of us. Not only liberal voters are aware of the details, more and more conservative voters are asking more questions. We aren't the lazy, ignorant peasants you think we are.
About the EPA
I really don't know why you think they're "out of control", but in my view they are finally doing their jobs again. In 2005 former POTUS Bush stripped their powers, which in turn stripped the land around me in order to give oil companies a broader range of freedom in drilling. This broader, EPA strangled drilling allowed the local drillers to destroy ponds and streams in my area because it didn't matter if the newly drilled wells seeped into the water here.
Sure, we need oil, but not at the expense of the environment or the people in the area. I don't view the EPA as out of control like you do, I see them as protecting my home again.
Pass a CLEAN CR
Pass a bill that deals SOLELY with budgetary numbers, don't add riders that are insane then blame the Democrats for failing to pass it. We're watching, and we know just like last year, you are to blame. You need to smooth out your resumes, you're going to be job hunting in 2012. The Democrats moved closer to what the Republicans' wanted by 70%, get off your high horses and move the other 30%.
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