poliSIX

"Occupy Wall Street" lays down the Demands

2011-10-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

This is what our local media is not allowed to talk about. Local and network news media claim the "Occupy Wall Street" message is vague and lacks direction. The only way to follow what's really happening is on Twitter #OCCUPYWALLSTREET. Here it is, black and white. Like the anti-war protest in 1968, this will be even bigger. It's growing in multiple cities across the country and cities around the world. Our governments are tainted. Like our protests that lead up to the American Revolutionary War in 1776, we are tired of being silenced and being enslaved to increase profits for the rich, as jobs continue to be sent overseas, education is cut back, and with a healthcare system that kills people because they can't afford it. Our government is no longer for the people of this country. They serve the banking system and they serve the lobbyists of the Fortune 500. That is who controls our leaders, not the people of the United States. This needs to end now. Join fight and share this with everyone.

While demand number 11 seems to be an impossible demand, for it to take place, every leader from every major country would have to agree to shut down each and every financial market. In turn, would probably cause global chaos and a meltdown of the entire infrastructure that would probably do more harm than good. This demand definitely needs some sort of compromise without destroying the entire world economy.

PICKET: Occupy Wall Street protesters post manifesto of 'demands'

by Kerry Picket of Washington Times

Below is a list of proposed "DEMANDS FOR CONGRESS":

"The Sovereign People's Movement, represented nationally through the people occupying the various Liberty Square locations across this great country, have laid out and democratically submitted and are currently voting on the list of following Demands to then be distilled into one Unified Common demand of the people."

"Participate in Democracy and Vote Here to Have Your Voice Heard"

LIST OF PROPOSED "DEMANDS FOR CONGRESS"CONGRESS PASS HR 1489 ("RETURN TO PRUDENT BANKING ACT" http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1489 ). THIS REINSTATES MANY PROVISIONS OF THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act --- Wiki entry summary: The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act in 1999 effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which accepted deposits. The deregulation also removed conflict of interest prohibitions between investment bankers serving as officers of commercial banks. Most economists believe this repeal directly contributed to the severity of the Financial crisis of 2007–2011 by allowing Wall Street investment banking firms to gamble with their depositors' money that was held in commercial banks owned or created by the investment firms. Here's detail on repeal in 1999 and how it happened: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass–Steagall_Act#Repeal . Vote Here #1
USE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AGENCIES FULLY INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE THE WALL STREET CRIMINALS who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis in the following notable cases: (insert list of the most clear cut criminal actions). There is a pretty broad consensus that there is a clear group of people who got away with millions / billions illegally and haven't been brought to justice. Boy would this be long overdue and cathartic for millions of Americans. It would also be a shot across the bow for the financial industry. If you watch the solidly researched and awared winning documentary film "Inside Job" that was narrated by Matt Damon (pretty brave Matt!) and do other research, it wouldn't take long to develop the list. Vote Here #2
CONGRESS ENACT LEGISLATION TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY BY REVERSING THE EFFECTS OF THE CITIZENS UNITED SUPREME COURT DECISION which essentially said corporations can spend as much as they want on elections. The result is that corporations can pretty much buy elections. Corporations should be highly limited in ability to contribute to political campaigns no matter what the election and no matter what the form of media. This legislation should also RE-ESTABLISH THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES IN THE U.S. SO THAT POLITICAL CANDIDATES ARE GIVEN EQUAL TIME FOR FREE AT REASONABLE INTERVALS IN DAILY PROGRAMMING DURING CAMPAIGN SEASON. The same should extend to other media. Vote Here #3
CONGRESS PASS THE BUFFETT RULE ON FAIR TAXATION SO THE RICH AND CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE & CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOP HOLES AND ENACT A PROHIBITION ON HIDING FUNDS OFF SHORE. No more GE paying zero or negative taxes. Pass the Buffet Rule on fair taxation so the rich pay their fair share. (If we have a really had a good negotiating position and have the place surrounded, we could actually dial up taxes on millionaires, billionaires and corporations even higher...back to what they once were in the 50's and 60's.Vote Here #4
CONGRESS COMPLETELY REVAMP THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION and staff it at all levels with proven professionals who get the job done protecting the integrity of the marketplace so citizens and investors are both protected. This agency needs a large staff and needs to be well-funded. It's currently has a joke of a budget and is run by Wall St. insiders who often leave for high ticket cushy jobs with the corporations they were just regulating. Hmmm. Vote Here #5
CONGRESS PASS SPECIFIC AND EFFECTIVE LAWS LIMITING THE INFLUENCE OF LOBBYISTS AND ELIMINATING THE PRACTICE OF LOBBYISTS WRITING LEGISLATION THAT ENDS UP ON THE FLOOR OF CONGRESS. Vote Here #6
CONGRESS PASSING "Revolving Door Legislation" LEGISLATION ELIMINATING THE ABILITY OF FORMER GOVERNMENT REGULATORS GOING TO WORK FOR CORPORATIONS THAT THEY ONCE REGULATED. So, you don't get to work at the FDA for five years playing softball with Pfizer and then go to work for Pfizer making $195,000 a year. While they're at it, Congress should pass specific and effective laws to enforce strict judicial standards of conduct in matters concerning conflicts of interest. So long as judges are culled from the ranks of corporate attorneys the 1% will retain control. Vote Here #7
ELIMINATE "PERSONHOOD" LEGAL STATUS FOR CORPORATIONS. The film "The Corporation" has a great section on how corporations won "personhood status". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SuUzmqBewg . Fast-forward to 2:20. It'll blow your mind. The 14th amendment was supposed to give equal rights to African Americans. It said you "can't deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process of law". Corporation lawyers wanted corporations to have more power so they basically said "corporations are people." Amazingly, between 1890 and 1910 there were 307 cases brought before the court under the 14th amendment. 288 of these brought by corporations and only 19 by African Americans. 600,000 people were killed to get rights for people and then judges applied those rights to capital and property while stripping them from people. It's time to set this straight. Vote Here #8

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Post #1

The "Occupy Wall Street" protesters have listed 13 proposed demands from their website.

Demand one: Restoration of the living wage. This demand can only be met by ending "Freetrade" by re-imposing trade tariffs on all imported goods entering the American market to level the playing field for domestic family farming and domestic manufacturing as most nations that are dumping cheap products onto the American market have radical wage and environmental regulation advantages. Another policy that must be instituted is raise the minimum wage to twenty dollars an hr.
Demand two: Institute a universal single payer healthcare system. To do this all private insurers must be banned from the healthcare market as their only effect on the health of patients is to take money away from doctors, nurses and hospitals preventing them from doing their jobs and hand that money to wall st. investors.
Demand three: Guaranteed living wage income regardless of employment.
Demand four: Free college education.
Demand five: Begin a fast track process to bring the fossil fuel economy to an end while at the same bringing the alternative energy economy up to energy demand.
Demand six: One trillion dollars in infrastructure (Water, Sewer, Rail, Roads and Bridges and Electrical Grid) spending now.
Demand seven: One trillion dollars in ecological restoration planting forests, reestablishing wetlands and the natural flow of river systems and decommissioning of all of America's nuclear power plants.
Demand eight: Racial and gender equal rights amendment.
Demand nine: Open borders migration. anyone can travel anywhere to work and live.
Demand ten: Bring American elections up to international standards of a paper ballot precinct counted and recounted in front of an independent and party observers system.
Demand eleven: Immediate across the board debt forgiveness for all. Debt forgiveness of sovereign debt, commercial loans, home mortgages, home equity loans, credit card debt, student loans and personal loans now! All debt must be stricken from the "Books." World Bank Loans to all Nations, Bank to Bank Debt and all Bonds and Margin Call Debt in the stock market including all Derivatives or Credit Default Swaps, all 65 trillion dollars of them must also be stricken from the "Books." And I don't mean debt that is in default, I mean all debt on the entire planet period.
Demand twelve: Outlaw all credit reporting agencies.
Demand thirteen: Allow all workers to sign a ballot at any time during a union organizing campaign or at any time that represents their yeah or nay to having a union represent them in collective bargaining or to form a union.
These demands will create so many jobs it will be completely impossible to fill them without an open borders policy.

Quite a list of Marxist "demands", indeed. The real question here is if these demands are not met, then what?

2009-12-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

Cartoon and Post By: Peter Pham

healthcare debate gets heated as time is closing in

2009-12-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

The battle over health care over at capital hill heated during a rare Saturday session where Senate Democrats voted down on an Republican Amendment to the massive healthcare overhall bill that wouldve protected massive cuts on the healthcare bill.

Obama who is at Capital Hill is pressuring Democrats to make a decsion on the #1 trillion bill before Christmas.

The legislation would provide coverage to more than 30 million additional people over the next decade with a new requirement for nearly everyone to purchase insurance. There would be new marketplaces where people could shop for and compare insurance plans, and lower-income people would get subsidies to help them afford coverage.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/tempers-flare-during-health-care-debate-17004624

To watch a clip of the heated debate check out the link above.

2009-11-27T00:58:00.000-08:00

Opinion - Black Friday Sales

It is that time of year again. What are the odds on 6 deaths today? Honestly. It's become a homicidal affair, this Black Friday event, and it is aptly named. There was once another Friday with such a dark connotation. It was day considered sacred, much like it is now. It is a holiday in the Catholic faith called Black Friday because it was the day their savior, Jesus Christ, died though he rose again after three days. It is one of the most sacred days in their religion. Now the name has been re-designated to mark the most sacred day in a discount shoppers calendar. The day they will be able to afford all those lavishly useless material presents to be doled out to relatives on the anniversary of another once sacred religious holiday, Christmas. Strange how religion seems to have been overshadowed by our new belief, consumerism.

Last year a worker in a Long Island Walmart was trampled to death when unruly shoppers broke down the door and rushed inside. Two men were also killed in a Palm Desert Toys-R-Us last Black Friday after their wives got into a "personal dispute" and they both pulled out handguns, fatally shooting each other. Coast-to-coast this consumer driven society we've built is fighting back, bucking hard and turning us against one another. It is an unhealthy foundation which we have structured our whole country around, capitalistic consumerism.

Incidents like this show the violent nature we've instilled upon our society and the competitiveness of humans to the extreme; a point where community and social progress is undermined by corporate cannibalism and the lust for personal gain. Divisions wedged apart further by the contrived need for more. Cultivated by years and years of conditioning by self-serving companies run by individuals with no regard for others. If we worked cooperatively instead of competitively we might have a shot at rebuilding our country.

What is needed is a sense of community once again. Though we are undeniably building a world economy, we must first build our own correctly. The global exploitation model we're currently working with is devastating populations far beyond our own through competition for lower prices and increased profits. Those who strive to make good for all instead of just themselves are pushed aside and put out of business by those willing to exploit others to obtain their own personal success ahead of anyone else's. Operating for only a single persons gain alone is a terribly selfish way to operate and destroys our society. Much more good could be done if we helped each other out and worked toward a common good.

As long as we retain a method of operation based on the benefit of a few at the cost of others, we will suffer. This society is built on competing to become the single best, but studies show that cooperative people are actually healthier individuals in many aspects. They are more functional physically, socially and career wise. The individuals who work with others tend to be more successful than those who work alone for their personal achievement. This capitalistic, consumer driven economy is a scam we have been conned into believing will lead us to progress. It is simply untrue. Though capitalism may be great in theory, this gory celebration of corporate consumerism is one of the most blatant displays of the essential flaws in our society. We could improve ourselves vastly if we rethought the way we live, but it would take a universal shift in mentality. True change into a peaceful and cooperative society is unlikely, but attainable.

This frenzy of a day has become and unholy holiday built by corporations and mutated into a natural persons worst enemy. The addiction to material goods so ingrained in us that we will forsake all other human instincts for satisfaction. The need created for certain objects overrides the human compassion typically present, or at least the common sense. It would be understandable if it were in a region experiencing dire straits and lean times like the war torn countries we occupy, but when someone is injured then killed by SHOPPERS trampling him in a frantic dash for nonessential goods at a suburban big box store, I have to take pause and ask, "What the hell is wrong with us?"

F.T.C. 11/27/09

Walmart Event

Palm Desert Shooting

Catholic Black Friday

Cooperation Essay

Student movement reborn

2009-11-25T00:45:00.000-08:00

Students at UC Berkeley occupied a main lecture hall last Friday in protest of the 32% fee hike imposed on public universities. This is proof the student movement is not completely dead. After years of near silence in regards to students rights, some are finally waking up enough to take action.

Students Occupy Berkeley and Give Birth to a New Movement

California in the Red

2009-11-18T18:39:00.000-08:00

California is in the deep red with the state budget deficit and its getting worse. The state " will face a nearly $21 billion budget gap over the next year and a half, extending a fiscal crisis that already has let to steep cuts to public schools, social services, and health programs" according to (msnbc.com). With the new year just around the corner analyst are saying state leaders will have to make more cuts in the new year. Arnold Schwarzenegger California's Governor, will have to make some big decisions on how to better California's budget, by making more cuts on services that have already been affected by the budget cuts.

By: Andrew Reed

Is the New Healthcare Reform a copy of Japan's Healthcare system?

2009-11-08T10:08:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON - After spending hours in debate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the $1.4 trillion health care bill was approved by a narrow margin of 220-215 yesterday.
Is this the start of Socialism? No, this isn't socialism, but what is making so many American’s nervous is the cost of this measure and the fact that a number of Democrats (39) and all the republicans, except one opposed it.
“Last night's decision was the proper decision for my district even though it was not the popular decision for my party,” Anh "Joseph" Cao, House Republican from Louisiana said.
One of the many issues and concerns is Democrats are ignoring that any American that chooses not to carry health insurance faces an IRS tax penalty that would range between $750 to $3,800 labeled as an “Excise Tax” even though President Obama stands firm by saying it is not a tax.
“For us to say that you've got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase,” Obama said in a “George’s Bottom Line” interview with George Stephanopulous. “What it's saying is, is that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore than the fact that right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase.”
This new plan is somewhat a copy of Japan’s healthcare system, the number one country in the world in government run healthcare, but their system has put its country in extreme debt.
In Japan, the average cost of healthcare insurance for a household is $530,000 yen per year and the government pays half of the bill. This is approximately $490 per month in the American dollars. This is an alarming rate for the lower class who can't afford healthcare insurance. For it to work in the US, the government has to at least pay half, if not more.
The Japanese government pays on average of 70 percent of the services rendered. Medicare on the other hand will pay 80 percent for some services, but actually pays an average of 42 percent for all services combined. What is saving Japan from going into world default is the fact that Japan only owes 10 percent of its debt to other countries while the US owes four-times that amount to Japan and China combined.
So, the issue isn't so much the plan, it is the cost and the risk it brings. Is it worth it for how much this measure is going to sky-rocket our GDP? Japan's GDP is 228 percent. The US is sitting at approximate 83 percent and this study was done in March. Now that the House is adding $1.4 trillion to the US debt, it's only going to go up as this healthcare bill continues. The US will soon be in the number two spot for the largest debt-to-GDP in the world.
Next, the Senate will meet to pass its own version of the health care bill. Once the Senate bill is passed, a congressional conference committee will be held to consolidate the two legislations for final approval by President Obama.

Citations
Analysis-How much debt is too much: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/reuters/2009/10/22/2009-10-22T172527Z_01_N22443509_RTRIDST_0_ECONOMY-DEBT-ANALYSIS-GRAPHIC.html
Debt Loads of G20 Nations: Japan, U.S. Deep in the Hole: http://seekingalpha.com/article/125072-debt-loads-of-g20-nations-japan-u-s-deep-in-the-hole
For US and Others, How Much Is Too Much Government Debt? http://www.cnbc.com/id/33435720
Landmark health insurance bill passes House: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33748707/ns/politics-health_care_reform
President Obama on "This Week": http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/09/20/president_obama_transcript_abc_this_week_98392.html Rising Debt a Threat to Japanese Economy: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/business/global/21yen.html
Rising debt a threat to Japanese economy http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/business/40981-rising-debt-a-threat-to-japanese-economy-

2009-10-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

Senator of Maine Olympia J. Snowe Republican, made her decision on Tuesday to vote towards the health care plan “when history calls, history calls” she said. At the white house, Obama called the event “a critical milestone” toward the remaking the nation’s health care system, According to yahoo.com. “Snowe's vote, therefore, does not guarantee anything, but it keeps the hope of bipartisanship alive and more significantly it gives Senator Snowe a fair amount of leverage over what the final bill will be” according to the Huffington Post.

Snowe, who was born in Maine 62 years ago and grew up in the state, has been working away in various political capacities for about 36 years. According to (theglobeandmail.com.)

To view a video of Senator Snowe on the “Today Show” click here. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33306039#33306039

By: Andrew Reed & Melissa Kinder

2009-10-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

The NY Times will cut 100 jobs, roughly 8 percent, from it's newsroom staff by the end of the year through voluntary buyouts and layoffs if needed. The announcement came in a memo from editor Bill Keller Monday.

This layoff comes as part of a string of reductions for the paper due to the recession. Last year about 100 positions were cut as well as the staff taking a 5 percent pay cut this year. The drop in advertising which the paper depends on for revenue is indicative of the hard times all Americans are feeling.

This means that the biggest newspaper in the country will be reducing it's services yet again. It is unfortunate that during a time in such dire need of in-depth watchdog journalism papers are getting cut instead of expanding.

Though the departments and sections most affected by this reduction have not been identified yet, they will surely be devastated. When there are less reporters there is less coverage. Less coverage means many stories will go overlooked and uncovered due to lack of resources.

Political scandals and discrepancies will go unchecked if there are not vigilant reporters checking facts and keeping politicians honest. Organizations putting on helpful local events will go overlooked because there are not enough local reporters to cover them. Cuts just result in less information distributed to the public during a time where community matters more than ever.

Full Article

Congress Still Can't Agree on Healthcare Bill

2009-10-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

On October 19, an TV ad was released which focuses in favor of the “Public Option”. In the commercial, the ad is directed towards Senator Harry Reid to push for a public option for Nevada residents.

According to the ad, Nevadans are in favor of the public option by 52 percent to 40 percent against. According to a report published by The Huffington Post, “there have been indications that he's prepared to abandon the government-run plan.”

It has been over a month since President Obama proposed the Health care bill initiative in his State of Address speech and Congress is still in debate about which legislation to pass.
According to a CBS/New York Times Poll, 47 percent of American’s approve how Obama is handling the healthcare reform, and 42 percent do not approve.

Pakistan: At War With Itself

2009-10-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

This video was posted on YouTube on Friday, October 16, 2009.

Pakistan has become a blood bath as militants have been attacking their own people.

26 people died during attacks at the offices of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city.

11 were killed in a suicide bomb attack on police officers in Kohat.

1 child was killed in bomb.

After the attacks in Peshawar, President Barack Obama signed a law funding $7.5 billion for a civilian aid package in Pakistan

Friday, in Peshawar, 12 people were killed and 15 were injured during a suicide bombing in a police investigation bureau in Swati Pathak.

According to BBC News, within the past 12 days, the Pakistan attacks have claimed approximately 150 lives.

Politicians Are Beginning a New Circus

2009-09-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

OPINION:

Has anyone noticed that politicians are acting more like entertainers than the people that hold our future in their hands? Politics has become a new way for people to T.V. stars! It has become an unending circus of politicians jumping through hoops just for you to like them and to get their faces on magazines.

Whatever happened to the the days of old political scandals? I miss the days where politicians were on the front pages of newspapers for sex scandals and dirty politics.

It all started last year, during the Presidential campaigns. Once Saturday Night Live started impersonating the candidates and their running mates, everyone wanted to get in their 15 minutes on the show. Once that began, they started appearing on talk shows. Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain even participated in the big show by co-hosting on The View!

It is one thing to be trying to get airtime during the elections, but guess what? The elections are over!!! Obama won and it's time to go back to your day jobs.

This three ringed circus should be over by now, but the elections were just the beginning. Now, Obama insists on showing up on late night talk shows to talk about not only his vision (without any strategy to reach his goals), but and his children and their new dog.

Now Republicans want a piece of the action. No, I'm not talking about Sarah Palin, we all know she loves the camera. I'm talking about former Congressman Tom DeLay appearing on Dancing With The Stars. This show should be for entertainers and athletes; Not for retired politicians! You have to be a STAR in order to be eligible for Dancing With The Stars!

Politics is becoming a sick sideshow! When these people are supposed to be finding ways to improve our country and our economy, they are off laughing and having a good time with other celebrities and sticking their faces in the camera. It's like being on a plane while the pilots are drinking and partying in first class!

I am seriously concerned for this country. We need more leaders than more Paris Hiltons! If not, this country, as we know it, will cease to exist. What are your thoughts?

Where Does Obama Himself Stand WITH YOU????

2009-09-23T16:03:00.001-07:00

There's no other way to look at it, theres no other way to put it and there sure as heck is no other way to ask it. So I will get right down to it. Has Obama let the American people down? Campaining to millions of people with a vision in mind and a plan of action in hand, has it now become a distorted vision and perhaps a plan that is STILL yet to take action?

According to an online website www.politifact.com, it has compiled about 500 promises that have come from the president's campaign. While tracking the efficiency of those promises on the "Obameter," and how much progression, if any has taken place since he has been in office; it will read either, No Action, In Action or Stalled. If in fact it was completed, it will read Promise Kept, Compromise or Broken.

As the campaign trail has faded and the president is now 8 months in office, do the American people feel any improvement has occured or any course of action has taken place? Though it's only been 8 months, we can easily list the issues of the day and how he's screwed up on every single one. However, there are much bigger issues at hand, thus being, are the American people starting to notice Obama's lack of substance?

The American people elected Democrat President Obama on the perception that he could be the one to come in and get things done...essentially cleaning up after ex Republican President George Bush. Perhaps the American people elected a democrat this time around, on the pipedream that if the Dems had total unchecked power, they might actually get things done. Get something done. But have they?

Are Congressional leaders too far left to actually allow a bi-partisanship to take place? Does Obama lack the will power and the effort, or even perhaps the guts to officially take charge on breaking out of this recession and say "This is what has to be done!!!??" American's, including myself are tired of hearing the broken promises, seeing and hearing about the continuous layoff's, reading news article after news article on the bailouts and the trillions and trillions of dollars in debt that we face as a nation and continously lay in.

There is no way of sugar-coating it, President Obama did in fact inherit a terrible mess: a $1.3 trillion deficit, two wars, rising unemployment and unprecedented crises in our banking system. The Obama Administration has worked and is continuously working tirelessly to address our immediate problems of rising unemployment, falling home prices and dwindling credit markets, all while taking a longer view in laying a strong foundation for future economic growth that benefits all Americans.

In the presidents recent speech, regarding health care, an address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama explained how health insurance reform will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance, coverage for those who don’t, and will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our government. Though he is not the first president to attempt to pass this Bill, he certainly strived to be the last. Question is.."How do those who do and do not have health care feel about the speech itself?" Essentially, he did pretty much vow to have this Health Care Reform be unlike any other- having an open, inclusive, transparent process in which all ideas are encouraged. My question to you, "Do you believe it?"

Lastly, as for the President's late night appearances on Jay Leno and David Letterman, is it cliche and campaignish for him to continuously appear on these late night television shows after already winning office? Should he decline these television appearances and spend less time boosting television ratings and use more drive focusing on boosting the confidence and liveliness back into the American people?

I myself, am very privelaged. I know I come from a hard-working family and most certainly know money doesnt grow on trees. Though we arent financially struggling, we know the importance of a dollar and we know that many many many people are. Though I may not know the EXACT in's and out's of President Obama's plans and promises, I can only continue to become more aware of the stuggles we face as a Nation and offer a helping hand to those who are struggling as individuals. It amazes me how far we have messed up and how much more we are going to have to loose and struggle until we can see a change again. The economic recession...A.K.A. DEPRESSION has only begun. Though our President has a few years ahead of him, my final question to you remains "With everything that has occured thus far, is he still the man that you once believed in?"

On A Sidenote: Should Momar Kadafi have been allowed to pitch a tent in Donald Trump's backyard? For those who are unfamiliar with this story, I myself just read the article on the following link. It's a recent story, posted today. Take a look. Let us know what you think?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/09/libyas-kadafi-pitches-a-tent-in-upstate-new-york-neighbors-pitch-a-fit.html

Understanding Obama's Healthcare Public Option

2009-09-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

For a citizen of the United States with no healthcare coverage, what does this mean?

Many independent students and unemployed individuals over the age of 18 and not covered their parents healthcare plan may be wondering what the new healthcare option may actually mean for them. Will it create an affordable insurance option when there was none before?

A healthcare public option is coming and no one can stop President Obama’s bill, so let’s go over the bill and dispel the rumors.

As of July 2009, there are over 46 million uninsured people in America and over 25 million Americans are underinsured. This is an alarming number on both sides.

In Japan, the entire population is insured. Their national healthcare covers workers, self-employed, and the unemployed and their overall healthcare ranking is first out of 191 countries. The US is ranked 24th. While Canada’s healthcare plan is not perfect, their healthcare rating is still ranked higher at 12th. Canada’s healthcare costs per capita is $2,989 while in the US is a staggering $5,711 per capita.*

Under President Obama’s plan, the answers aren’t specifically clear and actual costs and coverage isn’t totally apparent. However, the president’s address focused on the growing number of the unemployed. The greater number of unemployed citizens results in the great number of the uninsured, which in turn results in higher mortality rate due to no healthcare coverage or under insured individuals.

Will Obama’s healthcare reform fix everything? Not yet, but it will. As a capitalist country, we need a change and the new healthcare reform is absolutely necessary.

In the Presidential Address to Congress put emphasis that America is the only democratic nation that has less coverage than any other country in the world. Under his new plan, it will be the following:

If You Have Health Insurance

More Stability and Security

Ends discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions. Over the last three years, 12 million people were denied coverage directly or indirectly through high premiums due to a pre-existing condition. Under the President’s plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny coverage for health reasons or risks.

Limits premium discrimination based on gender and age. The President’s plan will end insurers’ practice of charging different premiums or denying coverage based on gender, and will limit premium variation based on age.

Prevents insurance companies from dropping coverage when people are sick and need it most. The President’s plan prohibits insurance companies from rescinding coverage that has already been purchased except in cases of fraud. In most states, insurance companies can cancel a policy if any medical condition was not listed on the application – even one not related to a current illness or one the patient didn’t even know about. A recent Congressional investigation found that over five years, three large insurance companies cancelled coverage for 20,000 people, saving them from paying $300 million in medical claims - $300 million that became either an obligation for the patient’s family or bad debt for doctors and hospitals.

Caps out-of pocket expenses so people don’t go broke when they get sick. The President’s plan will cap out-of-pocket expenses and will prohibit insurance companies from imposing annual or lifetime caps on benefit payments. A middle-class family purchasing health insurance directly from the individual insurance market today could spend up to 50 percent of household income on health care costs because there is no limit on out-of-pocket expenses.

Eliminates extra charges for preventive care like mammograms, flu shots and diabetes tests to improve health and save money. The President’s plan ensures that all Americans have access to free preventive services under their health insurance plans. Too many Americans forgo needed preventive care, in part because of the cost of check-ups and screenings that can identify health problems early when they can be most effectively treated. For example, 24 percent of women age 40 and over have not received a mammogram in the past two years, and 38 percent of adults age 50 and over have never had a colon cancer screening.

Protects Medicare for seniors. The President’s plan will extend new protections for Medicare beneficiaries that improve quality, coordinate care and reduce beneficiary and program costs. These protections will extend the life of the Medicare Trust Fund to pay for care for future generations.

Eliminates the "donut-hole" gap in coverage for prescription drugs. The President’s plan begins immediately to close the Medicare "donut hole" - a current gap in its drug benefit - by providing a 50 percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs for seniors who fall into it. In 2007, over 8 million seniors hit this coverage gap in the standard Medicare drug benefit. By 2019, the President’s plan will completely close the "donut hole". The average out-of-pocket spending for such beneficiaries who lack another source of insurance is $4,080.

If You Don't Have Insurance

Quality, Affordable Choices for All Americans

Creates a new insurance marketplace – the Exchange – that allows people without insurance and small businesses to compare plans and buy insurance at competitive prices. The President’s plan allows Americans who have health insurance and like it to keep it. But for those who lose their jobs, change jobs or move, new high quality, affordable options will be available in the exchange. Beginning in 2013, the Exchange will give Americans without access to affordable insurance on the job, and small businesses one-stop shopping for insurance where they can easily compare options based on price, benefits, and quality.

Provides new tax credits to help people buy insurance. The President’s plan will provide new tax credits on a sliding scale to individuals and families that will limit how much of their income can be spent on premiums. There will also be greater protection for cost-sharing for out-of-pocket expenses.

Provides small businesses tax credits and affordable options for covering employees. The President’s plan will also provide small businesses with tax credits to offset costs of providing coverage for their workers. Small businesses who for too long have faced higher prices than larger businesses, will now be eligible to enter the exchange so that they have lower costs and more choices for covering their workers.

Offers a public health insurance option to provide the uninsured and those who can’t find affordable coverage with a real choice. The President believes this option will promote competition, hold insurance companies accountable and assure affordable choices. It is completely voluntary. The President believes the public option must operate like any private insurance company – it must be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects.

Immediately offers new, low-cost coverage through a national "high risk" pool to protect people with preexisting conditions from financial ruin until the new Exchange is created. For those Americans who cannot get insurance coverage today because of a pre-existing condition, the President’s plan will immediately make available coverage without a mark-up due to their health condition. This policy will offer protection against financial ruin until a wider array of choices become available in the new exchange in 2013.

For All Americans

Reins In the Cost of Health Care for Our Families, Our Businesses, and Our Government

Won’t add a dime to the deficit and is paid for upfront. The President’s plan will not add one dime to the deficit today or in the future and is paid for in a fiscally responsible way. It begins the process of reforming the health care system so that we can further curb health care cost growth over the long term, and invests in quality improvements, consumer protections, prevention, and premium assistance. The plan fully pays for this investment through health system savings and new revenue including a fee on insurance companies that sell very expensive plans.

Requires additional cuts if savings are not realized. Under the plan, if the savings promised at the time of enactment don’t materialize, the President will be required to put forth additional savings to ensure that the plan does not add to the deficit.

Implements a number of delivery system reforms that begin to rein in health care costs and align incentives for hospitals, physicians, and others to improve quality. The President’s plan includes proposals that will improve the way care is delivered to emphasize quality over quantity, including: incentives for hospitals to prevent avoidable readmissions, pilots for new "bundled" payments in Medicare, and support for new models of delivering care through medical homes and accountable care organizations that focus on a coordinated approach to care and outcomes.

Creates an independent commission of doctors and medical experts to identify waste, fraud and abuse in the health care system. The President’s plan will create an independent Commission, made up of doctors and medical experts, to make recommendations to Congress each year on how to promote greater efficiency and higher quality in Medicare. The Commission will not be authorized to propose or implement Medicare changes that ration care or affect benefits, eligibility or beneficiary access to care. It will ensure that your tax dollars go directly to caring for seniors.

Orders immediate medical malpractice reform projects that could help doctors focus on putting their patients first, not on practicing defensive medicine. The President’s plan instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on awarding medical malpractice demonstration grants to states funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as soon as possible.

Requires large employers to cover their employees and individuals who can afford it to buy insurance so everyone shares in the responsibility of reform. Under the President’s plan, large businesses – those with more than 50 workers – will be required to offer their workers coverage or pay a fee to help cover the cost of making coverage affordable in the exchange. This will ensure that workers in firms not offering coverage will have affordable coverage options for themselves and their families. Individuals who can afford it will have a responsibility to purchase coverage – but there will be a "hardship exemption" for those who cannot. **

Is there a drawback to this new reform? Not really. If an individual has healthcare coverage, it would remain the same, but with healthcare changes so extreme, more than likely, the effects could be astonishing.

The other issue is all American citizens will be required to carry insurance like an “auto insurance policy”. Only a limited number will be exempt.

While taxes for the common working citizen won’t be affected, taxes increases will be imposed on employers, which will affect wages all across America.

Is this fair and balanced? Until the bill is passed, we won’t know the affects until the bill is passed and in effect.

*Data provided by World Health Organization

*Information from Whitehouse.gov