We Cannot Afford to Derail Healthcare Reform

Unfortunately for America, it is starting to look like there is no cure for what ails our healthcare system for misinformation about healthcare reform is, of late, being shouted too loudly and too often. Those who shout the loudest are scaring the 'bleet' out of a lot of people and from this base of misinformation these poor sod are filtering the remaining information that they receive through that prism, resulting in a conclusion that is so far from the truth their opinion has to be dismissed as buffoonery. Oh wait, this is what passes for news lately, no matter the issue.

I think there ought to be a law against news channels proselytizing or at least against failing to properly characterize much of their content as opinion and not news. It is simply unconscionable that 24 hour news is essentially 24 hour opinion and blatantly inaccurate information is never challenged but repeated and commented upon ad nauseum. I just can't stand it anymore. Oh lordy, I sound like Sarah Palin blaming the media. Maybe she does have a point, well if you can find it.

Anyhow, in my little suburban world, I am surrounded by a multitude of confused humans who do not have the objectivity or fortitude to dismiss most of what they've heard as over-hyped bunk; they are starting to believe that the healthcare plan is a monster not to be reckoned with. Many are losing sight of the basic facts, healthcare costs have increased 120% since 2000 and during that time millions of people have lost their insurance. Also, in this new world of transient and vanishing employment, employer-based healthcare can no longer be the standard by which the majority of Americans have access to coverage. It was good while it lasted and while it is still good for those employed by or elected to the public sector, it is no longer good and in many cases no longer available for many of us who dwell in the private sector.

There are two undeniable aspects of healthcare coverage that need to be addressed: we have to control costs and we have to increase access for the nearly 50,000,000 Americans who are currently uninsured. Period. We all must fundamentally agree on these aspects to quell the head-in-the-sand dwellers and their incendiary anti-reform rhetoric. We definitely have to quell the irrational fear of socialized medicine as if medicaid and medicare do not exist. How about some news organization actually telling us about the proposals that are on the table?

What about the following potential solutions? Perhaps we can just expand medicaid and/or medicare to cover those who have no other coverage. Perhaps we can negotiate drug costs with the pharmaceutical companies. Perhaps we can regulate employer-based premiums and healthcare deductibles so as not exceed a certain percentage of income. Perhaps we can focus on a wellness approach to care rather than being sent to a disjointed group of specialists who do not communicate and end up repeating or ordering unnecessary tests.

There are a myriad of ways to solve our healthcare debacle and unfortunately we have to trust Congress, surrounded by lobbyists, to fix it. However, let us hope Democracy works and they find a good solution. Whatever the case, we cannot afford to defeat any attempt to reform the system because of ignorance and/or fear.

A Green July

It is the end of July and the weather still has not improved as I was hoping. All I can say for this cool and wet summer is that it has been truly green in every sense of the word. Just about everything is beyond green due to so much rain and conservation, being 'green', has required little effort. We are saving so much water; the rain has given us free watering all summer for our lawn and flowers so very little additional watering has been necessary. We are saving so much electricity; the weather has been so cool that we have needed neither air conditioners nor fans thus far. Simply opening the windows allowing for cross-ventilation in our house has been enough to keep us cool.

Though there are some concerns like the trees that are drooping under an overabundance of leaves where the branches are strained and the trunks are seemingly less anchored to the earth given the continuously sodden ground. And the vines are blossoming beyond my control snaking through the trees and threatening to win the battle where before I was able to contain them. Even poison ivy has taken over the perimeter of my yard where previously it had not wandered.

I suppose I must mention that my tomato plants are the scrawniest I have ever seen. The plants look like a few scraggly weeds growing where there should be a tomato patch. I am losing hope that the 12 tomatoes that managed to cling on will develop to true maturity; they simply have not had enough sun. The cucumbers looked at first to be thriving but now appear to be losing the battle toward greatness. Nothing else made it out of the starting gate and now it seems only the basil seems promising, at least those plants are nice and bushy and green.

Affordable Fun: Long Island Ducks

So I just came back from a Long Island Ducks game. The Ducks have some claim to fame in their league and though they lost it was a lot of fun. Tonight's crowd was near capacity at just over 6000 attendees. We were fortunate to be the recipients of complimentary tickets right behind home plate and we were surprised to see that these tickets retailed for a very affordable $10 a piece. Food and drinks are captive-audience pricey so avoid the alcohol - a Bud is $6.50 - to keep spending in line. We spent around $40 all told so it was nice to have those free tickets. In addition, it was complimentary baseball day for the first 2000 fans so we have four Salvation Army sponsored baseballs that need a use.

The Ducks have a very nice field with all of the big game amenities without the big game crowds and associated hassles. Other plusses included the super easy commute, free parking and an easy out even though we stayed until the bitter end. Well, I'm not sure if it is always an easy out since the Ducks were losing 9-2 and people started leaving at inning six and continued to leave regularly thereafter. Perhaps it is a different situation if it is a winning game but then again I am sure we wouldn't mind if there was a bottleneck leaving the parking lot. Nonetheless, it was an exciting finish as the Ducks hit a two run homer in the ninth for a final score of 9-4.

During the game there is a sideshow at every break - when the teams are switching sides, between innings, you name it. Most are silly but they get fans involved mostly in making a fool of themselves to win $25 to $50 gift certificates to local establishments. People really get into it so it is all in good fun. There was one sad incident though, one of the Ducks members was seriously hit in the head by a fastball requiring an immobilization board and stretcher conveyance to the local hospital. We hope that he has a speedy and optimal recovery.

The bottom line is that the kids had a blast and were animated and engaged for the entire 3 1/2 hours. I have been to Yankee games and I found the scale, price and proximity of the Ducks game to be much more to my liking.

Things Will Get Better But There Won't Be a Job for You

I am so glad that economy appears to be stabilizing. It cost a lot of money to prop it up though, but we won't go there. Unfortunately, there is a lot of talk about it being a "jobless recovery" and that is where my joy fades quickly. This is bittersweet news for the unemployed. Things will get better but there won't be a job for you.

We have been hearing the term "jobless recovery" since 2001 when we entered a relatively mild recession, compared to the whopper we have now. This can't possibly be an acceptable result when millions of people have lost their jobs. We all can't continue to be unemployed, there are simply too many of us. Personally, I have never been surrounded by so many unemployed brilliant, educated and seasoned professionals in my life. It is amazing to see your competition staring you in the face and knowing they have a lot more education and experience than you do.

The cottage industry of the new "bend over backwards" standards for job searching is downright terrifying. How are we all supposed to set ourselves apart from all the others to land that job? Am I really supposed to ask my interviewer right there and then whether I have said anything that may affect their ability to employ me and what I can do to improve my chances of employment with their company?

Now, we are all supposed to be our own brand to be sold and marketed by ourselves and in return we will reap employment. It is a very very tall order for many who are great but haven't looked for a job in 15 years. These people are in my classes and I feel very bad for them. I only just got back into the rat race recently so I was in sandy shoes to begin with though I was hoping to make a lasting impression. I have to hone my saleswoman-ship; something about selling the Brooklyn bridge.

Are Any of Us Surprised?

Lord Acton wrote back in 1887, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." He was right. We can always count on our public officials to serve up some old-fashioned corruption like money schemes and the like. Of course we have been treated to more news featuring corruption of the flesh lately so it is nice to see when public officials get arrested for graft. You don't get arrested for adultery, you just get sanctioned or shamed into resigning. Lately, shame has not been working because the last set of adulterers are still in office. Ah, what would we do without our wayward politicians? Oh, here's a new story:

"A two-year corruption and international money-laundering investigation stretching from the Jersey Shore to Brooklyn to Israel and Switzerland culminated in charges against 44 people on Thursday, including three New Jersey mayors, two state assemblymen and five rabbis, the authorities said." (New York Times, July 23, 2009)

Are any of us surprised? Though, it is interesting to note that this sweep includes religious leaders as well. They usually go down for the flesh kind.

Poor Jersey, it will never live down its stereotype of corruption. All I can say to that is, FBI come on over and do some corruption clean-up in New York, especially out here on Long Island. For as we in the Northeast know, the older the state, the deeper the corruption gets. That's for sure.

Hindsight is 20/20

I caught some of President Obama's primetime news conference on healthcare reform this evening. I think most of us can agree that something needs to be done to curb healthcare costs and increase access for all Americans. Unfortunately, the methods by which we shall come around to such results leaves many quivering in their boots. However, there is a greater force for change this time around. Even Harry and Louise, representatives for John Q and Jane Q public featured in an effective anti-universal-healthcare commercial that helped to defeat Clinton-era reform, back in the 90s, have switched sides. They have returned to support the current healthcare reform along with the American Medical Association and others. This time around the situation is dire. Hindsight is 20/20.

If only we had achieved reform back in the 90s, we would have worked out the nicks and cuts by now. We certainly could have afforded it or at least already absorbed the costs into the national debt before we reached the stage where we truly have to worry about how much it will all cost. On this particular note, public sentiment is shifting due to a heavy campaign by the Republicans, shameless profligators and augmentors of the national debt during the "good" times, using its immensity as its major weapon to defeat the Obama plan.

Sorry Hilary. Sorry we didn't see the light 16 years ago when as First Lady you tried to convince Congress and America that healthcare as we knew it had to change, for I am certain that we wouldn't quite be in the pickle we are now. You still turned out well Hilary, you are now Secretary of State possessing all the dignity and grace not to declare that you told us so.

Milestone

Today I completed the first of two professional certifications that I am currently pursuing. My brain is fried but I am thrilled. In a few weeks I will be done with the second so I'm moving right along. I am working hard to kick my resume up a notch. The job postings are becoming more refined as employers seek only the creme de la creme; those who have jumped through the right hoops. I rise to the challenge.

The sense of accomplishment gives me renewed hope that somewhere there is an employer who will appreciate and pay me for my skills. Can I get an Amen?

Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part Two: The Beach

This weekend we were finally delivered three relatively good weather days, including the hottest day so far this summer, 82 degrees. Whoohoo! Well, we went to Cupsogue Beach in Westhampton to remind us why we love summer on Long Island. It really was not as crowded as I expected for a Saturday. Though it was a nice sunny day, it did not have the underlying swelter that compels one to "run" to the beach. After all, we are still below our normal highs.

Here we are well into July and still the dog days of summer are yet to reveal themselves. Even a look at the 10 day forecast shows no hopeful signs; rain for the next 2 days and isolated or scattered thunderstorms for the subsequent 8. Oh well. Hopefully August delivers because we live for the beach.

Long Island's Economic Forecast Still Bleak

Things do not look so good for Long Island's economic forecast. Newsday had two disturbing headlines:

LI job market losses biggest since 1991. (Newsday.com, 7/16/09)
The figure is now 7.5%. Long Island lost over 40,000 private sector jobs in the last 12 months.

LI business bankruptcy filings surpass national rate. (Newsday.com, 7/16/09)
The national rate is 59%.

And the Long Island Business News had another:

Foreclosures rise 15% in first half of 2009. (libn.com, 7/16/09)

In addition, there was the big stink about OSI Pharmaceuticals, a native Long Island company and anointed cornerstone of Long Island's much anticipated biotech corridor, moving to Westchester County because they got a better deal there. It must be noted that Westchester has the same high taxes as Long Island so taxation was not a motivating factor.

All of these indicators do not bode well for Long Island job seekers. Long Island has much to consider if it is going to get its economic act together and create jobs. It has to shed the nimbyism and thoroughly assess its ageing infrastructure, its ageing population, runaway taxation, cronyism, shrinking business environment and all around high cost of living. It is a tall order and so far not much is getting done at all since there is no regional planning body or regional thinking whatsoever. Here, it is district by district, town by town, county by county, this type of localism is restricting the region's ability to come up with creative solutions that will benefit the region as a whole.

The Joy of Education

I have just completed 3 whole days of school this week with 2 more to go. Up until now, I have been scheduled for no more than 3 days a week which is just about manageable. This week is brutal. Though, the hours are technically the same as a work week, believe me, 8 hours on the job is a lot different than 8 hours in the classroom learning the methodology of a profession. Essentially, dull, dry theory that we know never rolls out as neatly in the real world. But, I will not complain.

Though I am starting to get very tired, probably because I stay up too late writing this thing, I am happy to be going to school and I'm happy to have this forum. Besides, by the end of August I will be able to add 2 professional certifications to my resume and possibly some alphabet soup to my name, providing that I also pass national accreditation exams. Hopefully, I can turn all of this into a job gain for the fall. Wish me luck!

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs' posting of a $2,000,000,000 profit during the second quarter, even after repaying the the $10,000,000,000 TARP loans to the Treasury definitely raises the ire of the common folk. Even I, as rational as I try to be, immediately threw up the moniker "Goldman Sucks" after parsing the news. No matter how you slice it, it just doesn't smell right.

Why is Goldman now considered the strongest bank in the United States? Could it be that the former Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, Jr was previously the Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs? Wasn't it Paulson who designed the $700,000,0o0,000 TARP plan and urgently shoved it down Bush's and Congress' throat - Bail out the financial industry or the United States economy would collapse? Didn't AIG funnel Goldman some $12,000,000,000+ out of the $167,000,000,000 in bailout funds it received? I guess Goldman paid back the Taxpayers with Taxpayer dollars while we wait for AIG to repay those funds, if ever. How is that for financial engineering? Also, in this whole conflict of interest financial conflagration Goldman became a bank allowing it to borrow billions from the Federal Reserve at 0%. Has it repaid these funds? How much did it value its toxic assets with the suspension of the mark-to-market accounting rule? I guess I'll just value my house at $1,000,000 because I say it is. Oh look I am rich.

Certainly there must be positive elements in all of this manuevering but it will be a stretch to get me to acknowledge or accept them.

Healthcare Reform Threatened by Simmering Bailout Regret

It seems that we Americans are starting not to appreciate the fact that the economy was rescued from the brink of disaster. With the furor over fiscal discipline becoming a soundpiece on every conservative media outlet, many are forgetting that the collapse of the financial system and the economy would have ruined all of us. But, as the recession wears on, it is getting harder to accept that the massive infusion of taxpayer funds barely made a dent in the survival of the average American.

Unemployment continues to rise and is on track to top 10% and now there is talk of a "jobless recovery." Clearly this is a bitter pill to swallow for the nearly 3,000,000 unemployed since the beginning of this year. The housing market is still in shambles and Americans already deeply in debt are being slapped with increasingly egregious penalties for carrying this debt. Finally, the cost of healthcare and health insurance has hit the tipping point where it is completely unaffordable for those who have lost their jobs and some 50,000,000 Americans are completely without it.

From the standpoint of the rich, they have been saved. From the standpoint of the poor, nothing has changed, they essentially receive the same assistance. The people who stand to lose the most are the middle class. These are the people losing their jobs, losing their homes, losing their healthcare and losing their minds. These will be the people who will have to shoulder a greater tax burden to pay the national debt and to prop up all the local governments and taxing authorities that are also suffering from revenue shortfalls. These are the people who are slowly being convinced that the government debt and deficit is too high to make any more changes to save the economy like funding a vital overhaul of healthcare and health insurance that will ultimately reduce costs and provide access to all.

When the average American is feeling so much financial pain, the collateral damage stemming from the bailouts - the skyrocketing national debt and the tripling of the annual deficit, already inflated under George Bush - does not seem worth it. Let's hope our weariness does not derail healthcare reform, at the very least.

Northeast Summer Suffers from Climate Change

Global warming may force me to move from the Northeast if the current weather patterns continue. The average July temperature for Suffolk County is about 83 degrees Fahrenheit with a low of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, we have been cooler across the board. Here in the northeast we need our warm summers to offset the long winter but so far the warmth is failing to materialize with certainty; we get glimpses but then it disappears. We have just experienced the wettest June on record. Now, it is overcast and cool, 64 degrees during what should be a lovely summer afternoon but instead the temperature is dropping. I have had goosebumps for the last 2 days. A couple of days ago there was snow, sleet and hail in Yonkers, one hour west and just north of New York City. They had to bring out the snow plows and they are still without power. This may not sound like global warming but it is.

Many are quick to dismiss global warming because they fail to understand that global warming creates adverse weather conditions not necessarily warmer weather conditions. Scientists agree that climate change has accelerated over the past century. The surface temperature of the earth has risen .75 degree Celsius/Centigrade (the equivalent of 1.35 degree Fahrenheit - the rest of the world uses the decimal system) since 1900. Prior to 1900 is the time period commonly referred to as pre-industrial climate levels. Industry since 1900 has created greenhouse gasses/dangerous emissions that are causing the earth's surface temperature to rise at a rapid rate. Consider that it normally takes millions of years to reach a one degree Centigrade increase.

The world's scientists are pretty much in agreement that a cap in emissions is necessary to stem the warming trend. Right now the G8 economic summit is underway and leaders of the world's most powerful economies, those who incidentally have experienced their industrial revolutions, are trying to come to terms with the issue of climate change. They are willing to put a cap on emissions to result in no more than a two degree Celsius rise above pre-industrial levels by the end of the 21st century.

Developing nations are reluctant to agree to these caps because they are just now experiencing their industrial revolutions and want to continue unfettered so that they might become the next great world economies. Is that really so wrong? Well, unfortunately, those who come late to the table, even through no fault of their own, have to eat the crumbs; a lesson that we sometimes don't even deserve to learn. It has become increasingly apparent that we all have to adjust our thinking across many fronts.

While we may have been screaming for reforms on a myriad of issues affecting every aspect of our world, we have now reached critical mass in many areas meaning much of the business-as-usual thinking has to change, reluctant as we may be to do so. Perhaps I should take note. I declare that no matter how fantastic New York is and how beautiful Long Island is, if this cold starts to continue year round, I will have to seek warmer climes.

The Republican Party Should Just Split Already

Why doesn't the Republican Party just split already? It seems pretty clear to me that the conservatism that is supposed to define the current Republican Party has different meanings to different people. Fiscal conservatives may have nothing in common with religious conservatives other than the term conservative which means favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

A split would not be a bad way to go considering that there are a lot of conservative Democrats who want out of their party as well. Fiscal conservatism linking smaller government, lower taxes, deficit reduction, balanced budgets and rational money-management carries a lot of bootstrap appeal, especially for today's middle class. This platform is worthy without being tied up with religious conservatism and the guise of family values.

The mere speculation that Sarah Palin would run for President, effectively becoming the new face of the Republican Party, even had Karl Rove shaking in his shoes. Party Leaders liked it when she was wing-woman to McCain riling up the "rest of the base" for the sake of winning an election. Unfortunately, the short-sighted fear-mongering that appealed to this base has been continued in earnest by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and other conservative media pundits. The "other" Republicans, the big business, small government, fiscal conservative, white and suited gentlemen who finance the Party have been very quiet lately. Perhaps they cannot admit to us yet that "the base" that has been rallying is no longer a base they wish to defend. Maybe they are still working it out.

The Republicans should get on it with it but first they would have to decide who keeps the Republican Party name and who becomes the newly chartered Conservative Party, a fine name I believe.

When Great Artists Die

When great artists die, you can't help but cling to their memory. After another endless round of Michael Jackson retrospectives, I have to admit that I have readily watched every one. Each one has renewed my appreciation for his body of work. The man worked very hard, from the time he was a little boy, and he gave us a great show every single time.

Michael Jackson loved the stage and the stage loved him. He was truly amazing. Many are dubbing him "the world's greatest entertainer." I am starting to believe that. After watching the memorial service today, I am again sad to see him go.

Live From Wasilla, Palin Quits

Tomorrow, thousands are set to descend upon downtown Los Angeles for the memorial ceremony for Michael Jackson to be held at the Staples Center, where he was recently rehearsing for his world tour. Last Friday, Sarah Palin hoped not to ascend to anything by attempting to quietly quit the governorship of Alaska on the eve of July 4th and under the shield of Michael Jackson media saturation. She was unable to outfox CNN who temporarily diverted from their "all Jackson all the time" coverage to capture her surprise news conference live from her Wasilla backyard. Fox resorted to getting Hannity and Greta on the phone for mislaid commentary.

The hurried nature of Palin's resignation complete with a near incoherent speech about saving Alaska from herself has led to speculation about her desire to earn some real cash to help to combat her mounting legal fees now topping $500,000 due to countless ethics charges or to hit the Republican fundraising circuit in preparation for a 2012 Presidential bid. Since she has not made her intentions clear, the first order of business is to convince her fellow Alaskans and "lower 48" Americans that she is not a quitter having served only 2 1/2 years of her first 4 year term as Governor.

Perhaps Alaska was too small for her ambition, after all she is only the star of the equivalent of a TV Show. It is time for her to do what other TV stars do, leave the show at the height of their fame for a career in the big leagues, it is movie star time. I'm sure she will make lots of money and I pray this is the route she is choosing for I truly hope that she doesn't plan to put us through another incomprehensible run for higher office.

Pre-independence Day Cheers

This Saturday, July 4, 2009, the United States of America will be 233 years old. Most of us will probably not contemplate America's age until the next birth milestone; 250 years old in 2026. What we will do is gather with family and friends, wave our national colors, red, white and blue, attend parades and celebrate America's independence (from Britain) with a burst of fireworks.

But most importantly, we will ponder the leading factor of the upcoming celebrations, whether the weather will hold up for us this weekend. Cheers!

The Thrill is Gone

Today I learned that the 33rd annual New York Philharmonic free concert in Hecksher Park, my favorite summer concert that was previously canceled because the New York Philharmonic pulled out due to the loss of major sponsors but was revived when the Long Island Philharmonic's graciously stepped in, is now truly dead because of the New York State Senate's nasty deadlock. Municipalities and agencies across the State who depend on legislative action for continuity and/or funding are being adversely affected. For instance, yesterday was a major deadline in the renewal of certain orders of business ranging from Mayor Bloomberg's control of New York City Schools to the City of Yonkers' ability to mail property tax notices but those deadlines came and went.

For nearly a month now, the NY State Senate has done nothing. So, the Islip Arts Council did not receive its usual Senate funding to help underwrite the concert. Great. The economy nearly derailed the show but the Senate killed it out of sheer egotistical foolishness. Approximately 65,000 people will not enjoy a time-honored event that brought out the best in community spirit. This is a disgrace.