The Conscience of an Independant

The Race to the Bottom

2011-02-13T11:33:00.001-08:00

Some states in America are very deliberately trying to win the race to the bottom. This is not a good thing for all of us who work for a living. If the decades old trend doesn't change course soon, some very basic workers rights will be forgotten soon.

40 hour work weeks, health care, retirement plans and regular raises are all much harder to find today than just a generation ago. It would be one thing if these cuts in employee compensation meant lower prices but, so far they just mean higher management and ceo bonuses.

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Is our Country Better Off Today?

2010-02-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

As I spend more time in thought about our current political climate I wonder are times worse or does it just seem so?

We are worse off and getting worse every day. 10 years ago people watched the same news casts. There was 3 or 4 news programs everyone watched and with one common news cast it seems the news had to at least try to reach out to both sides. There were generally one set of base facts given to a majority of Americans. This (less biased) system gave more opportunities for us to hear opposing voices. It attached a person and a family to the opposing view points and this kept civility in our politics.

Today though this is very different. There is a news cast and a news reporter to speak to every special interest in the country. If you are an investor, CNBC. If you are a liberal there is Rachel Maddow or Keith Olberman. Conservatives have Rush, O Reilly or Beck. As people with different interests turn to news reports tailored to their point of view their points of view will become further entrenched. The other side loses its humanity and becomes a villain.

It is frightening to think about this system continuing on unchanged. If we as a country continue to turn to tilted facts and biased news we will continue our downward spiral away from greatness.

When our country's attention is focused we can accomplish anything! When we ignore our similarities and concentrate on our differences we become everything our country is supposed to be fighting against.

Free press is a key to our democracy. The current system though will be the end of our democracy. Are our freedoms the key to our demise? Or will we rise above, find our similarities, and regain our greatness?

My Plan for America's Health Care

2009-11-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

Many people see socialized medicine as big and expensive. With some imagination and some research I think I have found an idea that could prove many people wrong.

Currently we have many people with no insurance visiting E.R.s and driving the cost up for everyone else. My plan puts a stop to this with a fairly basic solution.

Currently when you enter the ER you are checked in and wait for the next available Dr. What if at the check in desk, the nurse at the door directs you to either a low cost clinic or if you need emergency care an ER bed. A common entrance to both facilities will give the decision to trained professionals.

This would shift unpaid bills from expensive emergency rooms to low cost clinics.

The current legislation mandates all citizens get health care. If we instead offered a base health system to all citizens people could just continue to do nothing. Now this universal socialized medicine would be preventative only. There would be no choice in doctors. Only approved by doctors and debated by congress procedures would be available. It will be the cheapest lowest coverage health care available.

When you go to your clinic, if you haven't been in a year, you will have preventative tests run and you will be informed of the results. It will then be your responsibility to take the information and change your lifestyle accordingly.

If you don't change your lifestyle and you develop diabetes that is tough cookies unless...........

You make enough money to buy health insurance on your own. Or if you work at an employer that provides you with insurance. If you pay for your own insurance then you can live by the rules written by you your insurance provide and your state or federal regulator.

So thats my plan. It is socialized medicine. But it is not big socialized medicine. Every other industrialized country has Universal Health Care for all their citizens. They also have debt to GDP ratios double America's This seems to be a plan that could show our compassion for fellow Americans and do it in an Economically viable way.

Comparing Health Care Reform Options

2009-11-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

Republican talking points haven't changed in months but many of their points are being addressed in the current bill that just passed the House of Representatives. So even though they will not vote for this legislation I am not sure they should feel completely left out. I will show point by point why Republicans shouldn't be so upset.

Sell insurance across state lines. Some states have very over used Emergency Rooms. Many people with out insurance or money to pay the bill use Emergency Rooms like a doctor's office. If you live in New York city these people and bills add up. At the end of the day Health Insurance Regulation and pricing charts must take into account these unpaid bills.

If you live in Iowa there are far fewer people relying on Emergency Rooms. This means state regulations and and health insurance costs will be less.

If you allow people to buy insurance across state lines people will move their plan to the state with the lowest cost for obvious reasons. This will further reduce competition and options from the market.

One way this phenomenon is already causing disruption in the market is obvious. Common medical tests such as MRIs or Cat scans have dramatic price differences at different locations. According to http://www.comparecatscancost.com/ prices for CAT scans can very in price from $700 to $3000 state to state. Or $700 to $2200 from town to town. The reason for this dramatic difference is due to hospital having to cover emergency room losses. But if you go to a specialty office where only people with insurance go, there bills are always paid and therefore are much cheaper.

National Insurance Exchange The current bill has a more thought out version of buying across state lines. It is a National Health Exchange. This leaves in place the current state regulations and marketplaces. It creates a new market place with one set of regulations nationwide. Any health provider can enter this market place with different plans. This will give citizens across the country another option to buy insurance and will do so with an equal opportunity for all insurance providers no matter what state they reside in.

States with high insurance rates will benefit the most from this exchange. At the same time states with low rates should not see increases in cost because this option would not be economically better than their current plans. If you just sold insurance across state lines it would obviously increase the price of insurance for those who live in the cheapest states.

I will continue to explain point by point the health care debate. If you have any points or opinions I would love to hear them.

World Series Baseball A game of Imaginery Inches

2008-10-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

Baseball umpires are known for missing calls. Probably because noone discusses the right calls and scream cry yell and holler when a bad call goes there teams way.

This goes on all year and then in the playoffs the world gets an idea about how bad it is.

There may be a change but if anyone that gets a paycheck regarding mlb and they complain they will be fined. If you are a player and you argue balls and strikes you are tossed immediately.

With all the tech today it is obvious we should move to a digital strikezone, let the announcers call balls and strikes and outs on the field. Anything would be better than sticking with tradition.

No More Fisherman

2008-10-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

The American Dream is being squashed by large corporations. Maybe not completely but our dreams are harder to obtain now than any time in history.

With all the ability of corporate America, to define its costs to the penny, use its buying power and lobbying power to push common citizen’s wages down or remove them completely, we don’t need to give them more incentives.

I understand that it is each corporation’s sole mission to make money. It is also our government’s duty to protect our freedoms. The freedom I am most concerned about currently is our freedom to pursue happiness. Our country has provided an immeasurably large group of consumers. We are bombarded by commercials, ads, billboards, newspapers, and radio, which describe why we can’t live without an all new product.

The term “fish in a barrel” comes to mind. Except this barrel is offering corporations around the world huge tax incentives in an effort to get more of them to shoot at us. Personally I am tired of getting shot at. Moving to a new barrel is out of the question. So maybe we can send a message to those supposed hunters out there. “Stop Shooting and throw us a bone.”

It’s getting hard to survive here in the barrel. Maybe we can get government to start protecting us fish instead of getting more shooters. Maybe you can give us some of those incentives you were talking about to get our own guns so we can shoot back at the corporations.

If nothing else just put corporations on the same playing field as me. I think the past 50 years of tax breaks is enough now it is time to cash in on all those incentives we have been handing out.

America Needs E.I.

2008-10-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

America is the best country in the world we just need to remind everyone.

We need to commit 100 billion dollars over the next 5 years on becoming Energy Independent. By investing this money on this issue we take large strides in so many of America's concerns

The jobs created by this commitment will directly and immediately affect America. It will put one million people back to work with jobs that are high paying with benefits and not available to be outsourced

The health care that will be employee provided will help hundreds of thousands of Americans get health insurance for them and their family

The poverty level of America's will decrease with every person we can place in a good job. It will take a lot of manpower to install and maintain the power infrastructure through out America

The education system will have dramatically increased budgets due to the increased tax base throughout the country. Also billions of dollars that are currently being sent to foreign nations to buy energy will be kept in our borders.

Our environment will be saved at the highest level when we start utilizing our citizens ability to develop new technologies that will take full advantage of our countries renewable energy sources.

America as a country is entering into the world economy with a national debt. The best way for us to eliminate this horrible burden is by investing in our future. The best investment is Energy Independence.

This is only the first step of many we must take. It is the best first step and everyday we do not take it is another day all the topics I just brought up go on.

Let this first step land with a thud that roars across the oceans to the OPEC leaders. Lets stop talking about what we need to do and allow the thuds of our steps carry our message

John McCain sounds like Bush

2008-09-27T11:50:00.001-07:00

John McCain has come out with some doom and gloom picture painting afterward he says we need this bail out now. That sounds exactly like George W Bush.

Mr. McCain you are travelling down the same road Mr Bush did. I would suggest you find a new route the one that Bush has taken is the wrong road for America

George W's word isnt worth a nickel

2008-09-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

I remember in 2003 when George W. came on tv and stated we were in grave danger. Iraq had WMDs and we were top on its list of destroying. I also remember not finding any. Next he told us from the top of an aircraft carrier MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. and then the war in Iraq entered its most violent month ever.

It is quite obvious to me that George W has done more to hurt us than help us. He has asked for our permision by telling us the worst case scenario or putting the fear in our laps and then saying but if we act now..... I am not sure why we keep falling for his act but I for one have had enough.

This time George W. brought out another doom and gloom scenario and telling us we must act now. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Mr Bush you will not fool me again. I demand this bail out be put to sleep in its current form. I also propose a law that will make it illegal for the government to bail out any corporation. There is obvious conflict of interest.

I was coming around to a possible bail out and when i saw how Bush demanded it and brought it to us after drawing a picture of financial collapse. I have seen this show before and I immediatly took the position of no bail out mainly due to the fact that he is always wrong and has repeatedly taken other actions than i would.

Bail Out Alternative

2008-09-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

It is my opinion that the victims of our crisis is the homeowners who are struggling to make their home payments because our government has forced our good jobs out of our country. The government allowed energy prices to skyrocket at the same time. We have no idea if this 700 billion will save our economy it is a crap shoot. I guarantee if you paid 10,000 for me to go to school in 4 years i would be a newly trained worker able to make a living.

The idea of giving the banks money because they sought after loans that were riskier than standard is not a good idea. They have to be accountable and we as American taxpayers are refusing to do so but our representitives are going forward without my support.

I feel we need to move to an e-vote system so my vote counts. That is a diferent blog.

Even if large banks have the credit to offer people what will change. Will the peoples ability to pay loans increase. Will the cost of living go down making home loans less of a burden on homebuyers. Will energy prices go down allowing me to save more or pay more on my home mortgage.

It seems to me it would be wise for a failing bank that has recently ridded itself of bad mortgages to be highly selective to who it will give loans. I would continue to say that the people that would then qualify for a loan do not need a loan.

You know the last economic stimulus was in my mind spread to thin. With 700 billion and tighter restrictions on who gets the money we can make a difference in our economy that is much more tangible. We can set up wind mills coops. this will get low energy to Americans and it will give jobs to Americans. After the windmills are completed the people in the coop make or save the money not some rich guy or foreign country.

We could give energy cards to homeowners making their homes more efficient. this will give the jobs of installing the equipment as well as freeing up money spent on energy to be spent on their mortgage or retirement.

We could give school grants. Lets retrain the millions of people who have lost their jobs and get them into industrys where the demand is high.

Lets renegotiate NAFTA we can not compete with the cheapest labor in the world. We need America to level the playing field as far as our labor.

We need to give our over filled prison system a break and give our citizens another chance. We have good people who have been stuck in prisons for non violent drug offenses. These people have given up their freedom their right to vote and have been sticken of their ability to pursue happiness. Even felons who have never spent a day in jail. Who made 1 small mistake by being caught with any controlled substance have been pushed into the margins where any and almost all good jobs are deemed out of their reach.

Anyway these are just a few ideas I have. It seems all of these ideas will have very tangible outcomes. This is the bill i believe Amricans want their government to institute. Not dumping money on top of Wal Street and hoping it makes it to Main Street.

McCain constant attempts to hijack this election

2008-09-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months we as Americans have seen the most incredible election system ever. I am not very experienced in politcial history but by what everyone is saying to me this is the biggest most important election in our history. I think they are right. This election is the most important decision our nation has to make in generations.

Now that we have perked up and taken notice of our government driving drunk with no regard for its citizens, it is time we follow through with our vote. John McCain and his campaign have made many attempts to direct the conversation around this election season. He has been fairly successful directing people to look at his past and what he has accomplished. Now when the country is steering straight towards

I cant believe he wants to postpone the debate. Does he think he could postpone a war to work on something else. This debate is as important to the future of our country as any legislation. It is imperative that we Americans have al the information possible to make an informed decision.

John McCain has made many attempts to change the topic. He needs to get on topic. We want to know what he thiks we want to know how he wants to fix this. The problem is John keeps changing the topic to Sarah Palin and now lets postpone a Debate. We can not postpone our election and we have waited long enough to hear from the candidates in a face to face debate!

Energy is the Real Problem!

2008-09-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

As I watch our leaders debate over when or who should get $700 billion, I cant help but think they have to get to the source of the problem.

The source in my mind is not sub prime mortgages it is the reason the sub prime loans are failing. It is also the reason many companies are scaling back and restructuring. Today's cost of energy has crippled the middle to lower class. They have seen the price of gas more than double. This price increase has affected every product a consumer buys. This is the reason Americans who were given the opportunity to own their home have fallen short in making their payments.

I believe if the government spends $700 billion on cheap energy and bail out the homeowners who need it this problem will be fixed.

Renegotiate the free trades agreement to make our work force equal to foreign penny workers.

This will bring jobs back to America. Those people in government that say these jobs are gone forever have under estimated the power of the American consumer. We will pay more for our safety. We will and we expect super corps like Walmart to give us an avenue a road to take to get to Economic stability.

government bailout

2008-09-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

I am really having a hard time with this bail out coming down the line. These people that have their money invested in these companies are going to go bankrupt. They will lose what they have worked their entire lifes for. I know this is not fair but we are not living in a news station where things are labeled fair and balanced. In fact we are living in the absolute opposite. The real world.

So now those of us who are just starting to pay in to our government. We are just beginning to deposit our life savings in to taxes and our retirement. I guess that gives us a pro and a con. Our pro; if the government fails we will have less invested. If the markets do fail we will not have lost our lifes savings. Our Cons; We will pay for this bailout as well as the war and social security. We will do our best to rid our government of highly unethical people. You elders also have some pros and cons. Pros you dont have to put up with this shit much longer. It seems you wont have to pay much more in to the government from which you have left us with. It is clear that you have elected every official in this goverment. It seems you did it with great intentions. Its to bad men arent judged on their intentions.

So back to the bail out. Who is to blame? Who took the risk? Who is going to pay for it? Well it seems we will. It seems the youth of today will pay for a war and the failure of the United States Economy. I just want you to know the economy has failed. If you need to rewrite the rules to government and insert 1 trillion dollars i would say that is a starting a new ball game. I know the next ten years are going to be hard. I know it will be ground breaking hard work. But it is the right thing to do for our future

I am not so sure about the lawmakers. I am not so sure whos interest were in their minds

Todays failing education system.

2008-09-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

My mind wandering today led me to my failed education and how it resembles todays still failing education system. I spent most of my grade school days being considered gifted whatever that means. Then when things got more boring i just quit doing the assignments. Next in history and english classes i just didnt read any of the assignments. I didnt care what happened a hundred years ago and why should I.

My parents would come in talk to my teachers and nothing would change. I was smart but i got bored easily. Real easy. So after changing schools every year for five years i just gave up. My parents marriage was failing so they didnt notice and noone asked. I changed schools again at the beginning of my senior year and just forgot about everything before that. I graduated but just because none of the teachers knew me. I was really unsure about my us history class and that teached definately didnt know who i was. He said yeah i got no problems with you graduating.

I spent my summers working for my dad building homes and some general labor work. He didnt ask about school and i didnt want to talk about it. It worked out well. So basically noone knew there is no way i should have graduated. I hadnt read a single assignment in my english classes for 4 years. Noone noticed. It seems like a great tragedy to me. I went my whole life with noone realizing I had ADD.

This is still going on in our schools today. Teachers not noticing and children hoping they dont. I am not saying it is all the parents or the teachers or the children. I am sayin i used to print new report cards so my parents didnt know i was failing. my mom worked 80 hours a week my dad was a functionaing alcoholic. My teachers saw 200 kids a day. I didnt want to talk to them about it and I took the steps necessary to avoid those conversations. I dont think kids today have to try as hard as i did to avoid these conversations but who knows. I do think we need to change something drastically to avoid this from happening ever again and thats gonna be hard considering it happens every day in every school accross America.

This is going to take a major overhaul of our Education system. I think it will be time and money well spent. If we can take the time to sit with every student and do a learning exam and a priority exam and place our students accordingy. I believe a policy that puts a lifelong advisor with a student through his/her education will help create a schooling system that will bring America to the front of world education.

Imagine if teachers could maintain a 20 kid per room class and have each child converse once a week or month with an advisor. If we have our childrens scores and attendance on a website that is available to our advisors and parents and children. their will be constant trasparency for all those involved. I believe this transparecy with constant mandated minimum conversations between advisors and students will highly decrease drop out rates. This will also be a major blow to allowing children with ADD to make it through school with out ever knowing.

You may think what does it matter if a few children go through life not knowing they have ADD. Well these children are being cheated and pushed to the side as slackers. These same children can solve problems. World, political, economical, social all of these i can sit here and tell you how to fix. Not only that it is unsafe for these children to go unknown. Teens with ADD getting behind the wheel of a car without knowing they are predisposed to be bored with the task at hand. Teens with ADD are 4-5 times more likely to have speeding tickets accidents and get their license suspended.

You know our America is filled with many problems. Their is no silver bullet to solve any one of our American community problems. We can and we should take every opportunity available to us to fix our problems. I am not saying my ideas are the fix. I am saying my ideas are better than the current situation. If we can fix 2% of our problems every year this will be a great place in 20 years.

20 years is what we have to plan for.