Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
LTE Forum TH 09/06/12
Good AM, folks!
Those who drive on local pavement be warned: I obtained a motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license yesterday. I had previously passed the driving portion in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which I recommend for new and experienced operators, took the written and vision tests at the DMV. So, now I can venture out of the confines of my neighborhood.
Word Watch: "race," as in political campaign, another bit of tired journalese, no doubt meant to save space in headlines. As mentioned before, the campaigns are anything but races. "Grind" would be more appropriate.
No LTE's today, just "Finish the Thought" offerings, headlined by forum alumna Deb Phillips.
Finish the Thought
Saturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence: "The alternative to 'Obamacare' is …"
* * * * *
"... freedom. It's the freedom to establish a health care safety net for the needy — without damaging the entire health care system of the nation and surrendering substantial control of our lives to the federal government. Repealing Obamacare is absolutely necessary if we value both our health care and our freedom."
DEB PHILLIPS
* * * * *
"For my wife and me 'The alternative to Obamacare' is to go backward. Comparing our eight-month costs for 2011 versus 2012 (two typical years), the totals for RXs, medical help and medical premiums are $6,913 versus $3,976.
"We are both on Medicare Advantage. I want to go forward and see our cost continue downward as we move further into our mature years."
DANIEL C. STRAKA
* * * * *
"… Medicare without the phrase '65 and over.' In other words, Medicare for everyone. Of course, it's not that simple, and many of the changes that are required are in the Affordable Care Act. Principle requirements include: removal of waste and fraud, insurance companies taking only reasonable profits, and, yes, universal participation. This is a huge and complex undertaking, and there will likely need to be adjustments. To get those adjustments done we can do without: a party bent on obstruction and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi."
RON LOWRY
* * * * *
"… a nation that does not care about the health of its citizens. If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, medical bills will continue to be the major cause of personal bankruptcy in America."
CHARLES E. WILSON
* * * * *
"... no care. (We don't know what the GOP's replacement of Obamacare will be yet. They didn't have the guts to spell it out.)"
BOON T. LEE
* * * * *
"... a more fiscally responsible plan for everyone."
WILLIAM SAMS
* * * * *
"… economic survival. Tort reform to remove the legal noose from around the neck of our health care system. Open the state borders where health insurance is concerned (just like auto insurance, life insurance, etc.) to foster competition, which always drives costs down. Streamline federal regulations (reduce them) in order to broaden the playing field for private insurance providers, which again fosters competition, driving down costs. Obamacare exacerbates — and doubles down on — every one of these 'pre-existing' economic conditions that are a cancer to our health-care system's fiscal reality."
WES PATTERSON
* * * * *
"The alternative to the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (it is not 'Obamacare'; President Obama will not be your doctor) is ...
KAM BENFIELD
* * * * *
"… a death sentence for older Americans, a lack of heath care for working men and women, and a repudiation of Christian values."
MICHAEL NEWMAN
* * * * *
"… I will never again have health-insurance coverage."
LAUREN WHITAKER
* * * * *
"… ignores 'there but for the grace of God go I.' "
ROBYN MIXON
Those who drive on local pavement be warned: I obtained a motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license yesterday. I had previously passed the driving portion in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which I recommend for new and experienced operators, took the written and vision tests at the DMV. So, now I can venture out of the confines of my neighborhood.
Word Watch: "race," as in political campaign, another bit of tired journalese, no doubt meant to save space in headlines. As mentioned before, the campaigns are anything but races. "Grind" would be more appropriate.
No LTE's today, just "Finish the Thought" offerings, headlined by forum alumna Deb Phillips.
Finish the Thought
Saturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence: "The alternative to 'Obamacare' is …"
"... freedom. It's the freedom to establish a health care safety net for the needy — without damaging the entire health care system of the nation and surrendering substantial control of our lives to the federal government. Repealing Obamacare is absolutely necessary if we value both our health care and our freedom."
DEB PHILLIPS
"For my wife and me 'The alternative to Obamacare' is to go backward. Comparing our eight-month costs for 2011 versus 2012 (two typical years), the totals for RXs, medical help and medical premiums are $6,913 versus $3,976.
"We are both on Medicare Advantage. I want to go forward and see our cost continue downward as we move further into our mature years."
DANIEL C. STRAKA
"… Medicare without the phrase '65 and over.' In other words, Medicare for everyone. Of course, it's not that simple, and many of the changes that are required are in the Affordable Care Act. Principle requirements include: removal of waste and fraud, insurance companies taking only reasonable profits, and, yes, universal participation. This is a huge and complex undertaking, and there will likely need to be adjustments. To get those adjustments done we can do without: a party bent on obstruction and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi."
RON LOWRY
"… a nation that does not care about the health of its citizens. If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, medical bills will continue to be the major cause of personal bankruptcy in America."
CHARLES E. WILSON
"... no care. (We don't know what the GOP's replacement of Obamacare will be yet. They didn't have the guts to spell it out.)"
BOON T. LEE
"... a more fiscally responsible plan for everyone."
WILLIAM SAMS
"… economic survival. Tort reform to remove the legal noose from around the neck of our health care system. Open the state borders where health insurance is concerned (just like auto insurance, life insurance, etc.) to foster competition, which always drives costs down. Streamline federal regulations (reduce them) in order to broaden the playing field for private insurance providers, which again fosters competition, driving down costs. Obamacare exacerbates — and doubles down on — every one of these 'pre-existing' economic conditions that are a cancer to our health-care system's fiscal reality."
WES PATTERSON
"The alternative to the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (it is not 'Obamacare'; President Obama will not be your doctor) is ...
- Personal and portable insurance. Take the employers out of the insurance-providing business for their employees. In our post-industrial society, the reasons for employer-sponsored health benefits are obsolete. This would also eliminate the need for government programs like COBRA and the huge tax exclusion for employer-provided insurance.
- Automatic sign-up with an option to drop insurance. Procrastination alone will keep most people in the system.
- Tax relief or credit instead of a tax penalty (use a carrot instead of a stick) for the purchase of private health insurance.
- Lack of insurance should ding your credit report (use a stick here instead of a carrot).
- To cut medical costs; tort reform, expand the use of non-physician providers, more preventive health programs, family-doctor-coordinated care."
KAM BENFIELD
"… a death sentence for older Americans, a lack of heath care for working men and women, and a repudiation of Christian values."
MICHAEL NEWMAN
"… I will never again have health-insurance coverage."
LAUREN WHITAKER
"… ignores 'there but for the grace of God go I.' "
ROBYN MIXON
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
LTE Forum WE 09/05/12
Good AM, folks!
Word Watch: "soar" and "skyrocket." Probably not the first time this tired pair has made the Watch, but every time gasoline prices rise, they return, like swallows to Capistrano, to the media's lazy lexicon.
Unhappy Newsies:
Another article re reporters' opinions of the two Prez campaigns, both of which are ill-serving us.
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=8C836088-D953-46EB-9B4B-322D6A2CF339
Word Watch: "soar" and "skyrocket." Probably not the first time this tired pair has made the Watch, but every time gasoline prices rise, they return, like swallows to Capistrano, to the media's lazy lexicon.
Unhappy Newsies:
Another article re reporters' opinions of the two Prez campaigns, both of which are ill-serving us.
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=8C836088-D953-46EB-9B4B-322D6A2CF339
Monday, September 3, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
LTE Forum SA 09/01/12
Good AM, folks! And a 3-day weekend for us workaday types. And autumn approaches.
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