"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." -- unknown

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results - Albert Einstein

On politics
June 01, 2008 - 11:01 am

Never mind that Hillary is on record saying back in October that 'primary' in these states won't count.

It seems, in hindsight, that she had a notion something as unthinkable as this for her might come to pass which is why she kept her name on the ballot in MI and even did a little campaign stop in FL -- a fund raiser if I recall right... even though they all swore not avoid both states.

I'm thinking a McCain victory in the fall might just be possible.

But.. what I really want to know is what, if anything, has happened to the folks who voted in MI and FL to move the primary and cause all this mess?

Those who organized and lead the vote should be fired. They intentionally broke party rules. They are the ones who set up this nightmare for the party... this rather divisive event the Dems might not heal from...

What of them?

In any event, this whole scenario is why I don't like Hillary. I'm of the firm opinion that she has no firm opinions -- except that which will benefit her.

This is not quality I want in a leader. This is akin to how Bush runs things. He and his advisers decide what they want to do.. and then spin the information to get what they want.

Is Barack any better? I don't know... I really can't say.

I know this... from what I've seen, with the Dems in power in Congress, what's changed? Nothing.

People still bicker about the same things... There's been no policy change.. no change at all. I'd have to say the Dem Congress has failed and failed with blathering gusto. It's disturbing really.

I should go back and find the things they were going to do in the first hundred days and see what, if any, have been done by now. Probably very, very few.

Which... feeds into why I like Barack -- at least the words he says. He talks of change. Change is good in this case. I'm, more than ever, of the opinion that our two party system is little more than a facade. A little window dressing and lots of hot air arguments to make it look as though we've two different choices, but we don't. Not really.

I wish there was a party that fits how I think.. what I want.

What's that you ask? In broad strokes:

1) fiscal conservatives -- we need to take a long hard look at the programs the fed runs and think about is this really something the fed govt should be doing? I'm of the opinion it does (or tries to do) far too much.

2) socially liberal -- let whoever wants to get married.. get married. Whether or not a specific church chooses to preform the marriage is a different issue.. and let the churches decide. From a legal point of view (just like you need to get a license from the justice of the peace), marriage is the union of two people.. and let it go at that. Perhaps, to give clarity, change the legal term to a "civil union" -- that's what everyone who gets 'married' would get from the govt and then they can do the religious marriage if they want. I'm also for the legalization of 'soft' drugs like pot -- if alcohol and cigarettes are legal, then so should pot. I've no desire to smoke pot...

Other issues?

Healthcare? Given how the government manages other programs, I don't want it running healthcare. I don't want everyone's medical records in one entities hands -- an entity who has a long and vile track record of doing what it wants and ignoring rules/laws. Imagine if you will... just what would be happening behind the scenes if Bush decided it was in his best interest to compile medical data as a way to search for terrorist? I don't know what the logic would be, that's not the point... I'm saying a little executive order would be done and they'd be busy combing through the records. Wouldn't it be ever so handy to find out that a key Senator they don't like has been in both mental health and drug abuse programs? Information he/she hasn't revealed to her supporters... and why at election time, they could leak this and damage this person?

What about using the information to create a genetic profile? Lots of companies would die to have this... and a one payor system makes it easier. Yes, I know a law (I think it was a law) was just passed that companies can't do this... but again, the government does what it wants.

Do I sound a bit paranoid? Like I need a tinfoil hat? I suppose, but considering the passage and use of the Patriot Act, it's something well worth thinking about. Lots of abuses of those powers... all for our good.

Of course our current healthcare system is flawed -- it cost too much. Lots of reasons for this... some include: drug companies like to make up new illnesses to treat. They spend millions upon millions of dollars first developing a new drug and then more to market it and convince us that we need this or that. In a way, they have to -- it's what they do. Do we need all the various drugs? No, we surely don't. But it's a huge cost.

Hospitals are in a technology war with each other.. they are continually striving to install/use the latest and greatest machines for this or that. It doesn't much matter if something "old" works just as well, they need the newest to attract the best talent and, to a degree, to market to people. These new machines and top talent all cost money.. which goes into the bill.

Finally, the one everyone likes to pick on is insurance. I'm of the opinion insurance should be changed. Healthcare insurance should operate like car insurance or home insurance -- it's for "real" events. Here's what I mean by way of example.

You have car insurance and need to get your oil changed? Can you file a claim? No. You need new tires, can you file a claim? No. You want to get your car painted. Can you file a claim? No. You need new wipers... etc. Car insurance is for "real" events that impact, pardon the pun, your car.. not basic maintenance. Why? It goes back to the point of insurance... which is indemnify you against a large or unforeseen risk. Not ever little bump in the road.

So to bring this back to healthcare, should health insurance cover routine doc visits? No. I don't think so.. just ike it doesn't over over other counter meds.

However, you can set up your FSA to pay for such things. You should look into that at work.

What sort of benefit would their be if insurance no longer paid for a PCP visit? Well, it would have a pretty strong downward pressure on the cost of the visit.

Why?

The average PCP visit is something like $100. If you have a copay plan, you don't care... you pay $20 or something. Your company/insurance pays the other $80. Since the person utilizing their services doesn't much care what the actual visit costs... they just pay $20, there's no need to really worry about the price or even if it's a fair price. However, if you and I (the person using the doc) had to pay for it... you damn well bet how much they charge would change.

My average visit with a doc is like 15 or 20 minutes... so at 20 minutes getting $100... that's $300 an hour. That's a lot.. which gets to another point. One reason docs need to charge so bloody much is malpractice insurance. It needs to be controlled. Medicine is NOT a simple thing. Yes, mistakes can lead to death.. so it's rather important to get it right.. but considering how complicated our bodies are, mistakes will be made. Being able to sue for a brazillion dollars won't make it "right" or fix anything... if a mistake is truly bad, then yes.. a doc should lose his/her license.

I'm totally off my topic now.. and should probably delete all this healthcare rambling, but I won't.

What's another key issue?

Oh, social security. This goes back to fiscal conservative. I do not think it's the government's job to set up my retirement. I really don't. You want to incent people to save, that's easy enough to do.. but running what would be an illegal pyramid/ponzi scheme isn't a good solution. It's a house of cards that from the start had to fail at some point.

In same vein, taxes should be stupidly simple. No loopholes or excemptions or deductions. No specific degree or advanced training should be needed to do taxes. Yes, this will put thousands of people out of work, but it's better for the majority -- just like we didn't stop the auto industry from forming to protect the makers of horse drawn buggies.

Set up the different types of filers (single, married, head of house hold, whatever) and have what would be a lower tax rater per group than today.

A huge reason our taxes are "high" today is that we get so many outs.. so many things we don't need to count. Doesn't change how much money the govt wants to take in, it just means they are taking more of what's not excluded. Silly.

Keep in mind the first point.. a general reduction in what the government funds. Like all the earmarks. Those annoy the piss out of me.

Why such a long rambling entry.. that's taken nearly an hour to type?

I'm playing cards. I was losing.. and losing badly, so I started typing to distract myself and stop myself from chasing hands I shouldn't chase... and to give me the mental excuse, should I bust, that was typing and not focused. It's all about the excuses right?

Should anyone actaully read all this.. and be curious what I think on another topic, feel free to ask.