Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

friend of mine had blood work done.......they sent him a bill for $600...........he calls them back and says he's paying for this himself, no insurance.........they say fine, the bill is $256. That's how it works, what does it mean?

boo hoo

Get together to get what done!
As nearly as I can tell it's looks like the same old health care system with a new name.

Strug. The billing is based on a list price system. Healthcare providers will work with people - so it means your friend was treated well.

KGC - You are correct - What Barack is pushing needs a correct truth in adv label - It is NOT reform - It is another redistribution.

So many false statements to create another crisis -

Please Barack - Stop trying to put check marks in a box and lets get it correct.

Oh NO
Ping agrees with me.. I'll have to reconsider my position :::)))))

Healthcare Reform would focus on Healthcare protocals and fundamental issues.

I agree that we need to reform the Healthcare Economic's which is what Barack is driving - I agree that every American Citizen that contributes to our soceity should have care.

I do not agree with the direction of this Government

One simple question - Why not have Tort Reform?

"If you don't pay the bill and you have any money they will get it, even if they have to put a lean on your house. I know a lawyer who works to collect money for the hospital."

Carol
Exactly right.The local hospital here slapped a lean on my mom's house for $55000 while she was in that very same hospital for colostomy surgery.It happened because are hospital stopped taking Blue Cross but said they would take the Blue Cross of existing patents.Blue Cross had another idea they stopped all payments to the hospital...In the end after after fighting them for a year with an attorney my mom had to file for bankruptcy,yes with insurance....Wonderful system we have here in the US,a hospital can actually not except someone's insurance.My local hospital Bert Fish Medical Center wouldn't take Blue Cross for 5 years.The irony in all this was I had to pay hundreds of dollars a year from my property taxes to pay for the uninsured so they could continue to use the hospital but we could not...

ROFL@KGC! It's scary when that happens! (Love ya, Ping....)

Tony -- those are the kinds of stories that should make a chill go up the spine of every American.

patsi - what's not to love !! ;~)

Tonyb - that is just so wrong what happened to your mom.
If the hospital did not take Blue then it should still have been covered out of network by the Blue. I have heard so many stories where the hosptial will work with the individual and adjust the list pricing.... and you file the paperwork on your own.
So sorry this happened

Patsi
Agreed.Its just very hard for the average person to grasp.I wouldn't have thought it was possible in this country until it happened to my Mom..After the bankruptcy my Mom had to switch hospital and all of her doctors which meant all new tests and scans...Oh and the new hospital was a 45 min drive each way sometimes 5 days a week,unbelievable to me still...The new hospital took Blue Cross but still when my Mom died her final bill was $38000....

frank mccourt did it well.......after teaching how to write for so many years, he wrote a book to actually show how it might be done.....78 ain't so bad................he done good.

Ping,

Just removing the medical cost portion from most suits would be tort reform. While people could continue to sue for negligence and even pain and suffering, the largest amounts actually paid out by companies are the medical and rehab costs.

Some sort of "no fault" universal system would cover those costs as well as the costs currently present in insurance and workman's comp.

When I saw that the new "Harry and Louise" was sponsored by big pharma, it sent a chill up my spine. They made out like bandits with Medicare because no negotiation over prices was allowed. If they see more billions coming out of a new health care system, someone better look at the fine print.

Someone needs to haggle with these sharks who seem to think medicine should go to the highest bidder.

Sturge -- when my Tanya Tucker book was out, it stayed one week at #2 on the NYTimes list....the editor called and said, "The only thing ahead of it is Angela's Ashes!" I told her I'd be embarrassed if a celebrity memoir replaced Angela's Ashes.....(it didn't...ha)

Violent crime rates in major cities are falling. Why?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/19/AR2009071902154.html?nav=rss_email/components

Jamie -- maybe nobody has anything left worth stealing... :)

#2 on NYT........pretty hip, young lady.............

that e-mail is aol, right? about the trumpet book.......

patsi......one of my favorite books i have is a book by del reeves' daughter about her involvement with achy-breaky billy ray.......

http://www.amazon.com/My-Billy-Ray-Cyrus-Story/dp/0963502638

uno mas, por favor:

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
My Billy Ray Cyrus Story, Some Gave Too Much, is the first unauthorized biography about country superstar Billy Ray Cyrus, as told through the eyes of Kari Reeves, ex-lover, friend and career advisor. This is the book Billy Ray doesn't want you to read. Reeves, daughter of Grand Ole Opry legend Del Reeves, chronicles her four year relationship with Billy Ray begining with their first encounter - when Billy Ray, a nervous, aspiring country singer came to her office for an interview - to that fleeting moment she and Cyrus shared at his triple platinum party, given in honor of his having achieved sales in excess of three million units of his first album, Some Gave All, My Billy Ray Cyrus Story is a touching story of love and friendship, and the making of a country music megastar. Learn all of the intimate, sexy, details about this intriguing, mysterious hunk from Flatwoods, Kentucky.

From the Publisher
Kari tells a intensely personal story in this her first book. You'll not only learn the intimate details of her whirlwind romance with Billy Ray, you'll follow this country music superstar's meteoric rise to fame!
**************************************

I look forward to reading the garth one......i'll email for any details?

Jamie - The cost is in the system - Barack's own studies show that as much as 1 in 3 test are "Defensive" or not needed.
The number one issue is fear - fear of John Edwards type of individuals that will try to ruin the doctor.

"that e-mail is aol, right? about the trumpet book......."

Yes -- aol....the dinosaur one...ha

Best sellers are cool...but I never had a piece of any of the royalties of them....so....

Question to President Barack Obama -

Why Sir do you not address Tort Reform? Your statement that it would deny people their rights is simply wrong. The goal is not elimination - and very few and far between bad doctors need to go.

But we must also protect the good doctors which are by far the vast majority. And Sir by not addressing this reform you are part of the problem which steals needed resources and access to others.

So why no Tort Reform?

Ah.. Mr President - My Bad.... Maybe you are coming to understand that we are a republic and that is a State issue?

Craig, just look at CQ headlines, "OBama puts pressure on moderates". Now doesn't that say something? I wonder if you picked up on that.

Te idea was to bring down costs. If that isn't going to happen, then what is the point? OBama promised a vetted and well debated bill. Is that happening? The numbers are all over the place and the best example of the Obama plan in MAss is better that the present system? I have friends in Mass that laugh at that one.

I think Ping is closer to the truth here. Meanwhile more than 37 States would be in serious shit under the bills Obama is pushing and that comes from a Democratic Governor. Why the Democrats want to pull defeat from victory is beyond me. They are paving the way for the GOP comeback.

I think Obama will be handed a defeat on the Raptors.

they're paving it with cobblestones.......

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245053

Ping

And if there were nothing to fight about.... if you are sick or injured you will be cared for without cost because it is already paid for, then the huge suits will diminish.

That is why you don't see those huge suits in Britain and Canada. As it is now, a family has to sue just to keep from being destroyed.

mornin'

I just love this stuff. I suspect that Obama knows that tort reform at the federal level is not worth the paper it's written on. Probably 99% of all medical lawsuits are brought in state courts under state law. Unless Congress intended to comprehensively regulate healthcare, state laws - including any limits on monetary/non-monetary damages - provide the framework and legal basis for medmal suits. For example, our legislature imposed 2 limits on medmal suits that had a dramatic effect on the medical malpractice lawsuit industry here - the requirement that a certified practitioner (not necessarily an M.D.) in the specialty in which the malpractice is alleged certify that the suit is meritorious, and a cap on non-monetary damages (ranging from $100K to $1M depending on the circumstances). The plaintiff's bar tried a lot of gizmos they hadn't tried before - life care plans for example - but the number of suits dropped by something like 60% in the 5 years following the "tort reform" enacted here. Some states have imposed other limits - like limiting collateral sources as the basis for monetary awards, but the big cahuna used to be non-monetary damages (pain and suffering).

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245048

Patsi,

You might not be too far off the mark. While crime and poverty go hand in hand, most of the victims tend to be poor. Crime was higher in the 1920s when things were booming and lower in the depression years when there wasn't much to be had.

It would be interesting to dig down into the numbers and see at what point people feel free to steal from the haves in their vicinity and what point they start banding together in defense (i.e. rent parties) as opposed to preying on each other and at what point even lower when they split into "save yourself any way you can"

Human psychology when it comes to available assets and survival is fascinating.

When you see the "I'm a Canadian" commercial opposed to health care reform supposedly funded by "Patients United Now" (does anyone double check the names they give thes groups (PUN)?) take into consideration that it was brought to you by the same folks who brought you the ground swell for Joe the Plumber, drill baby drill, and Teabagging (another failed title)

---------------------------------

Americans for Prosperity — a nationwide front group founded and funded by the right-wing polluter Koch Industries. Koch funnels millions of dollars into conservative campaigns, hosted ‘Drill Baby, Drill’ rallies around the country, Financed Joe the Plumber’s tour against the Employees’ Free Choice Act and other anti-EFCA rallies.

Craig.... thanks for posting all 3 videos.... I had never seen that spoof with Bill and Hillary.... ROFL!

Jamie.... every time I see that stupid "I'm a Canadian" ad, I just know that woman isn't....

Craig...great job on getting all of the videos...love those clintons!

Public option...still a phantom.

And I tried to negotiate several doctor's bills and hospital bills...it is a humbling and degrading experience. It is also depressing and can clean-out a bank account faster than AIG can give an executive bonus.

Insurance continues to suck as much money from my crevices as possible. The problem is the insurance companies...simple. Again, if we transfer the medical portion on auto insurance (since we would all be covered) to pay for outright medical care, it is enough to provide all Americans with health care.

Blond

The money sucked up by insurance companies for workman's comp and auto insurance is more than enough to cover Universal Health Care. It would require changes to state regulations and that might be a major hang up in a country of this size.

Of course, given the past history of Congress stealing the Social Security portion of the general fund in order to pay for off budget costs and the deficit to the point horrendous deficits doesn't give you a lot of confidence about what they might do with more tax monies based on what the millions of cars in the country pay for medical liability.

Talk about needing a lock box with those funds totally dedicated to the budget of Medicare or whatever single payer system was created.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245063

RR

I keep trying to find a fact check on that commerical that identifies the actress/patient or the case she is describing, but nothing so far. I plan to keep looking.

No one is saying the present healthcare situation is good. Americans do think the service provided is good but the biggest issue is cost. Can we agree on that. The biggest issue is cost. Then Obama must prove he can significantly lower that without messing with service. That is simple and clear. Diversion won't get anyone anywhere as Obama's approval rating on healthcare slips below 50%. He is risking his credibility and that is happening on serval fronts. He demanded the stimulus bill be passed ASAP. Then he back tracked on pork and other great items in a very unvetted bill. People remember that. Glad to see Bank of America doing well as unemployment continues upward. Words mean jack, yes?

Isn't the MAss healthcare the best example we have of what Obama has in mind? And wasn't I right in the questions coming regarding medicare and medicaid? THis SO plays into the GOP hands. If you think the boogieman GOP is dead, read what the media said about Democrats in 2002. I really have better expectations than see a second coming of Ronald Reagan, don't you?

This is SO stupid. Democrats have little opposition and they are showing how sloppy they are. This was bad tactics. I rather doubt HIllary would have done this given her SUPERIOR experiance now exiled in India today.

Again, read CQ headlines: Obama pressures moderates. Is this the message he needs to project? Does he want Democrats coming out and telling America this President in not only incapable of being bipartisan, but also give little mind to Democratic moderates? Another slap at the Clinton wing.

And NP, no tort reform is necessary? Is that your professional opinion? And while some have offered rebuttals to the CBO report, let's be serious. Their numbers don't include all of the likely factors that will drive up even their estimates.

I want healthcare reform. I want reform that works. I want the best minds in an open and public forum to show us why the plan on the table will likely work. If this is not done, then Obama breaks his promise less than seven months into office.

Credibility is a tough thing to restore once broken.

I suggest Democrats do not attempt to snatch defeat from victory. This would apply to not applying sound pressure to Iran, reversing their policy on Israel, not forcing disaster in Honduras, not crapping out the defense budget, not driving deficits through the roof and moving fast on clean technology. Otherwise, what is unfolding is exactly what Hillary supporters predicted during the primaries.

Here is a fact check on those health commercials done by the Annenberg Foundation

http://www.factcheck.org/politics/canadian_straw_man.html

"Does he want Democrats coming out and telling America this President in not only incapable of being bipartisan, but also give little mind to Democratic moderates? "

Max,

This statement bothers me. There have been something like 200 amendments proposed for the healthcare legislation, most from Republicans, but some from the moderates.

This is always the way it goes. Get a negotiated fairly decent bill and then the various factions either propose items that will destroy it, or funnel money to their favorite campaign funder, or decorate it with totally useless bells and whistles, again usually because it brings money to their neck of the woods or somebody with a generous checkbook.

I truly get sick of the nonsense. I would like to see a well thought out piece of legislation presented with put up or shut up backing by the White House. "If you don't like what we presented" then invent your own and we will see what the American public wants.

I don't think too many of those bells and whistles would survive the full klieg lights of media attention.

Worker comp Jamie? What do you think the State requires and does with the money collected? Worker comp is already through the roof and goes towards disability and work related injuries. Is this an effort to redistrubute money without knowing exactly where revenues presently go? The fraud in worker comp is absurd and policing worker comp would show probably 10% of the work force is not even covered under the insurance.You think CEOs make that much money? High worker comp drives companies out of a State, so don't you think States already are putting on pressure? Don't you think THEY need something to meet their deficits? So you want to dip into worker comp which is through the roof to pay for healthcare?

Perhaps I am not understanding what you are saying so forgive me. I guess perhaps, if I am right, you would also collapse auto and worker comp insurance onto the GREAT CENTRAL COMMAND. Let's just make the Fed insure everything from shipping cargo to dental. This is exactly what polls say Americans do not want.

Let's have government insure for hurricanes and floods, terrorism and recession. The simple fact is that you can't get gold out of lead unless you are merlin and the last I looked merlin was a fictious character in story books.

Laugh Jamie, nothing personal meant......and perhaps I don't understand what you are saying

max, I did not say or suggest that tort reform is not necessary. I said that under current law, it has to be done at the state level. There is a large body of federal law, beginning with Erie v. Tompkins that covers the ability of the federal government to impose federal law on the states. I absolutely agree that tort reform is necessary in health care law, and if those of you who reject universal hc, or single payor, or whatever you want to call it, please tell me how, aside from comprehensive federal healthcare reform that can be accomplished..

I read a survey of all those Republican ad ons, most technical, yes? Out of the 700 or so proposed how many were actually accepted and are not technical? And the numbers do not work. Obama says we will have the choice when he knows damn well, companies decide that for more than 100,000,00 Americans. How honest is that?

And if the CQ headline is wrong, then why isn't Craig featuring a thread about that?

Let's publish the entire bill and spend a week vetting it. Let's have a national discussion of the numbers and consequence instead of the Liberal elite controlling the process. Tell me Jamie, isn't Obama pushing this fast because that is EXACTLY what he doesn't want? What does he have to fear?

Jamie is right - under a single payor system Workers Comp can disappear, as can Medicaid and Medicare - other than as accounting and administrative centers - which may be necessary if there are different protocols applicable to different groups for different purposes. And Max is right - there is massive fraud in W/C in many states (here we call the "chronic claimants" who are not actually chronically injured workers PROS - and the docs who maintain them in the system WHORES) We reformed W/C about 5 years ago, setting up a structure that involves the state, employers, and the medical providers, and the costs of W/C here have dropped fairly dramatically, although I don't have the figures at hand.

Personally NP, he should have started with Medicare/Medicaid.

I want reform. He should start in stages doing the sensible things first while creating 1. a safety net for legal uninsured and 2. help for the Middle Class that is having problems with cost. He is proposing a sweeping bill with so many other huge issues and variables exploding, the arrogance is amazing.

You haven't answered the question. Is MAss healthcare good? Is that what we want? Look at what Obama demands we pass in just seven months. He put off climate because he knows the costs there. The stimulus bill? I am far more comfortable with the Bill Clinton approach and certainly Obama has not done that. The Fed can set guidelines for tort and are you saying we will have tort reform only after all 50 States comes to some individual consensus? Gee, if the issue was abortion would you be whistling a different tune?

The money is there for health care, we just have to wrestle it out of the hands of the insurance bandits.

New York WC reformed...hahahaha

California worker comp reformed (see above laughter)

In theory Jamie, only in theory. In practice the enforcement alone would rival the IRS and certainly demand immigration issues be resolved (as Obama's healthcare will soon show).

It also amazes me that we can spend a trillion dollars on insurance and banking companies...but deny the lowly individual a pitence for health care.

Got to work, but I'll be back and again BRUNO was hilarious. Humus/Hamas...........

sturgeone,
Your friend had an unusual lab. My experience has been that laboratories us a list price that is from 10 to 40 times the insurance price. If you go to a lab without insurance you will pay a bundle. I am a male 66 on Medicare. In April I use in the hospital for 8 days. The hospital sent me the bill with the list prices for $83,000, over $10,000 per day. When I got my Medicare statement they paid less than $9,000 or less than $1,100 per day.

I have read that the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic should be the hospital model that the other hospitals follow. The provide high quality care with a lower cost.

What I don't know about MAss healthcare would fill a book - or a library.

Max, If you are laughing at what I said about WC reform, try and get the state right - it's WV, not NY or CA.

"I have read that the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic should be the hospital model that the other hospitals follow. The provide high quality care with a lower cost."
Posted by: Purple-in-Tampa

they probably have better control of record keeping, not necessarily better quality. wasn't there a study recently that put hospital statement errors at a high percentile?

btw, welcome aboard, purple in tampa. can we call you purp for short?

your lucky day, i shall not bore you all with my usual rant on the demonic insurance despots. just reply the tape. lower the volume on the dr. dean scream.

imho, what might get single payer passed could be using a very restrictive tort reform incentive in addition to curtailing end of life/catastrophic costs as bargaining tools. divide and conquer so to speak.

The Fed can set guidelines for tort and are you saying we will have tort reform only after all 50 States comes to some individual consensus?

Max, you mix apples and orages more than anyone I've ever seen at this site. Law is not law and Congress cannot usurp the power of the states silly nilly. Abortion (as something that is a right uner the right to privacy found in the constitution and its amendments) is a constitutional right which states cannot restrict beyond levels determined by the national government. Legal rights for issues traditionally reserved to the states are those issues not constitutionally reserved to the federal government or comprehensively regulated by Congress. Healthcare and tort suits (and insurance for that matter) are examples of areas traditionally regulated by the states. Unless and until it is determined that healthcare is a constitutionally protected right or Congress comprehensively regulates it (as it has done in Medicare and to a lesser extent, Medicaid) tort reform related to healthcare is not in the federal government's bailiwick.

actually, it is welcome BACK, Purple - long time no hear. Don't be such a stranger.

That should have been "willy nilly" nilly, errr, silly me.

when reading john barth i noticed that he used "will he-nill he".

Here's a likely preview of the discussions about healthcare we'll be haveing here this week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/health/policy/21health.html?hp

There is one interesting little passage I will bring to your attention.

“Under the Obama plan, the vast majority of Americans will pay more to get less — it’s that simple,” Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington on Monday.

"(There is, in fact, no “Obama plan” — the president has yet to endorse any of the approaches being worked on by congressional committees.) "

Exactly what is the Obama plan? Could someone tell me? Mr. Steele? Anyone? ...

sturg, john barth is considerably more, ummmm, literary than I. :-)

pogo,
WiIll DO!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245074

Max,

You absolutely did not understand what I was saying. There is a portion of all Worker's Comp insurance and auto insurance that insures for necessary medical treatment. If niether the driver or the company was responsible for that medical treatment however it happened, the cost of those policies could be reduced.

People and companies would be less resistant to any needed tax hike if it amounted to less that what they had been paying for their auto or comp insurance fees.

Max,

Given your claims to being a "moderate", you might want to drop "Liberal elite" from your vocabulary. This is direct from the Right Wing and Fox Scaryland amusement park.

It is used as code words and insults for any policy with which they disagree and that doesn't conform totally to their latest knee jerk talking point.

Argue the issue not the personalities please.

See, this discussion illustrates why any suggestion of a quick move to "universal" health care sends waves of fear through the insurance and legal worlds - if for no other reason than that it fundamentally changes the medical liability backdrop for the medical aspect of all liability lawsuits. The ramifications of having the government - or private industry that is essentially a contractor fo the government - responsible for the cost of healthcare run deep and wide. I say go for it (but I'm in the tiny minority).

Well, it's that time - lunch.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245080

Max,

Enforcement on charges becomes a lot easier when you have computerized records in a single system as does doctor shopping for drugs. If either a patient or doctor is abusing the system, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

For instance, anyone using the community health clinics' pharmacies doesn't even have access to narcotics. Those prescriptions have to be reviewed, countersigned and filled at another pharmacy. It prevents possible robberies in certain parts of town where drugs are prevalent.

I would have to be in pretty bad shape before my group would authorize anything stronger than a mild muscle relaxant.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245090

Sturgeone

Cute play on words with "will he nil he" as a replacement for will he won't he.

PiT.... nice to see you again.... pogo is right.... stick around and play with us.

I'm on my last week of weaving for my annual fair. Don't be surprised if you don't see much of me here. But then.... you never know.
I started weaving with silk and silk blend yarns for the first time last week. I'm having a blast mixing yarns and colors! Who knows what will or won't sell this year.... eventually, they will.

ok.... now back to your regularly scheduled programming....

PiT

Welcome back. Please stay. We need all the purple we can get around here. Just noticed our map is missing. If it reappears, I'm sure your dot is still there.

That's the great thing about your work, Renee -- it WILL sell whether it's this month or next!

patd,
From what I have read, most hospitals' pay physicians based on the number of procedures that they order like MRIs, CT-Scans, blood tests, etc. The Mayo and Cleveland Clinics pay physicians a salary which reduces the number of procedures and the cost. I wonder why??!

When I was in the hospital I did some checking on how the record keeping works. I was appalled!

The hospital used electronic record keeping. Several nurses explained the procedures for the records. For the doctors notes, they scribble them in an unreadable script in the paper hospital record. At a later time the doctors dictate the notes for transcription. Sometime later dictated notes are transcribed to an electronic media. Again at a later time the electronic notes are placed into the electronic record. This procedure can take between 2 days to a week or longer.

In March I had an Electrophysiology Study done at a different hospital. I did a follow up last week with the doctor. The doctor attempted, electronically, to retrieve his observations from the procedure. Somewhere there was a screw-up and after 4 months the electronic record was not available!

The U.S. Health Care system today is a MESS! I do not see any plan, either Democrat or Republican, which will do anything to fix the MESS!

Everyone seems fit and feisty today. Let me add a slightly different perspective to the mix. The small company (240 employees $80Million gross) has a fairly generous health benefit package. However, we have been facing increases in the 10% - 20% range each year in the cost of that benefit. We simply cannot afford to continue to do that in the future unless we take other measures, such as reducing the employer contribution to the 401K plan -- and that will only postpone the inevitable. The cost of health care, and the insurance rates people and small companies are charged, simply must be brought under control. It seems, though, as our political system is simply unable to come to terms with dealing with the problem, with the Dems fighting among themselves, the Republicans offering absolutely no alternative or constructive cooperation, and Pharma, Hospital Associations, AMA, Insurance Companies and others throwing tens of millions into lobbying to protect their interests.

What a mess.

Jamie & Renee Thank You I will try to be around and active.

Our healthcare is so bad that an International group sends us help. Some of you might want to contribute to the cause:

http://www.ramusa.org/

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245102

PiT

So much depends on the community where services are provided. When I go in my file has been pulled and a form with the purpose of the visit is printed out when I check in at the desk. The Asst, picks up the package calls me in for the usual weight, BP, temp, and blood check. Into a room to wait for Doctor or NP (for carol instead of calling her a PA). notes are made and any referrals, tests etc are input into computer before leaving the room. The lab and pharmacy are on site so any tests, prescriptions can be done there (records are on the same computer system). Check out, pay co pay and leave.

I am rarely in the office even when crowded for longer than an hour.

Eat your hearts out folks. :-)

Of course, even with as responsive a system as the above, I still shelled out about $2,000 last year for Medicare premium, prescriptions, co pays, referrals, tests and uncovered charges which is a lot on Social Security.

There is a whole lot of room for improvement.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245099

Email pictures please so we can see the pretties. I'll put them up so others can see them unless you have finally started your own blog.

The following is offered as an amendment to the DEFENSE Authorization Bill:

Amendment No. 1618 would require states to accept concealed carry permits that are issued by other states. The practical effect of this change would be reduce concealed carry permit regulations to the lowest common denominator. This is particularly dangerous as many states have weak laws and issue individuals permits after only a simple computerized background check—through a database that is missing millions of disqualifying criminal and mental health records.

The Republicans really love the Second Amendment; The others -- not so much.

Harry and Louise profess to be for reform, and the insurance companies get their flunkies in the Gang of Six to try to derail it.

Jamie,
How do you keep annual out-of-pocket expense to $2,000?

My annual out-of-pocket expense is $3,607, not including my Part-D prescription co pays. Medicare and my Supplement (Plan-F) cover almost everything else. Because I live in Florida, the doctors and hospitals know exactly what is and is not covered by Medicare.

cajunjoe,
I in general agree that states accept other states concealed carry permits but there should also a standard set for states to issue a permit. Florida is one of those weak law states although they do a little more than just a back ground check.

In case there are other Harry Potter geeks hanging out, I just found out that the books and all the characters have their own VERY in depth Wiki

http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

PiT,
Why should a State that does not allow concealed weapons be forced to allow someone from another State to carry one?

I'm with Jamie -- when big Pharma is touting something, I get nervous.

Salon Article: My GOP Too Old Too White to Win

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/07/20/gop_math/?source=newsletter

Is it really so hard to say, "officer, I live here and got myself locked out of my house"?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/20/henry-louis-gates-jr-arre_n_241407.html

PIT

My Medicare and Drug deduction is $100 per month (Because of the Community health plan based on income, the drug portion is dirt cheap). The same goes for Co Pays. The total consortium of clinics, physicians, specialists, testing sites and hospital chain all working together. Because of their efficiencies and cooperation, the majority of the charges are covered in full by Medicare. When I say it is great, I really really mean it.

All except one of my prescriptions is generic, so the co pays on those are low. Except for the year when I got hit for about $500 for an outpatient hospital procedure, I usually end up paying out less than $100 a month on top of the $1200 a year that comes out of SS.

Jamie,

Your are right, it is great!

CNN just had a physician, member of parliament, and former head of the Canadian Medical system. Took some truly tough questions from Sanchez, but all in all even while discussing difficiencies made Republicans slamming the Canadian system look like idiots.

Mitch McConnell is probably looking for somewhere to hide after getting caught in one whale of a whopper.

joe, see, here's an area that the federal government could conceivably provide some uniformity with respect to the constitutional right to "Keep and bear arms." ATF comes to mind, but I digress. Absent federal guidance, with respect to any constitutional right, federal courts have to determine whether the state in question has a law that unreasonably infringes upon that right, and there is a lot of light between the SCOTUS rulings on the matter.

This is real patriotism.

Bumper Sticker seen on lots of cars at Fort Lewis

http://content.pyzam.com/graphics/forher/MJZ1383.gif

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245117
cajunjoe,

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concealed_carry_in_the_United_States

That is why we need a federal standard.

As of July 2008, two states (Wisconsin and Illinois) and Washington D.C. have no provision for legal concealed-carry. How many concealed weapons are there in Chicago?

On the other hand two states, Vermont and Alaska, allow a non-felon, at least 16 or 21 years of age respectively, to conceal-carry without requiring a permit as a fundamental right.

In 37 concealed-carry states, issuing officials may not arbitrarily deny a concealed-carry application, a practice known as Florida-style "shall issue".

Nine states have "may issue" or "discretionary issue" laws requiring the applicant to demonstrate specific "need".

A show of hands. Who is ignorant enough to believe any on line poll has any relationship to reality!

I'm ignorant enough, but I dont believe it.........

We were talking about water wars in Israel yesterday. Here's an article on the same in Kenya

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/opOrEd/editorial/-/434752/625958/-/fcbtvcz/-/

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245129

Ree,

Not exactly what I would call an objective question!

Q. Support for the president's expensive plan to extend coverage to millions of Americans while curbing Medicare and Medicaid spending has slipped in recent nationwide polls.

Where do you stand? Do you support the health care overhaul?

Republican admission that health care bill will be good for small business.... Oops

http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2009/07/political-carnival-exclusive-audio-sen.html

"Death sells!"

--Ian Faith

Ha!

Ree,

If you go to the actual on line poll now. It is now 65% to 32% in favor. Guess the word got out about the poll and the voters aren't all from right wing scaryland theme park

Great web site http://wechoosethemoon.org/

Recreation minute by minute leading up to the moon landing

Jamie...
sorry.... I won't allow anything new to be put on my plate until after the show....
I'll take some pictures of my new stuff then..... don't worry.... they won't all sell...
that never happens.... and this is higher end stuff.... I'm asking $200 per scarf, so I might not sell any until the economy comes back... or Xmas time....

I saw that interview with the Canadian doctor with Sanchez on CNN too....
I bet Mitch McConnell just keeps on spinning his lies....

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9000/8291155/US_turns_up_pressure_on_Honduras_coup_government

A huge mistake. Maybe someone with more smarts than me can explain why the US isn't pushing EU to suspend trade with the regime in Iran, but is betraying the duly elected Congress of Honduras, their Supreme Court and their military. Zelayas openly proclaims himself a Leftist seeking another term despite their Constitution forbiding it. Shall we play to Chavez? And will we cry when Columbia and Mexico bite the bullet?

I see media showing little children exploited by waving the banner for the ex President. I didn't know that eight year children had such a deep understanding of politics. I suppose JFK would agree with Obama -not and I am sad to see Hillary carry out the orders from her boss.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245140

No prob, just thought you might have some on hand. We can wait until the busy season is over.

We see political t-shirts on toddlers here - and I sincerely doubt that they have a deep understanding of party politics either. Sheesh.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245133

PiT, LOL!!

From "The Hill" article on push to get healthcare completed before August recess

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/healthcare-marathon-may-hit-wall-this-week-2009-07-20.html

Different states have different laws regulating all kinds of rights, abortion, jury trials, alcohol consumption, libel and slander... it's just ironic that gun control is now one area where the right WANTS the federal government to step in and provide a uniform regulation.

I actually don't see why we need a uniform regulation across the states. The regulation that might make sense in Montana is not necessarily what you want in New York City.

Healthcare - good lord. OK, here's a link to follow to get some info on the demon Canada's system (and the other G-8 countries, btw) compared tot he US's sacrosanct system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada#Wait_times

OK, down toward the bottom of the article is a chart of certain stats and indicators for the G8 countries. There are 3 columns where the US is a distinct outlier. See if you can find them. (Hint: columns 5, 7 & 8, don't include the first column which is just the countries' names).

But now I've gotta run and do some research for th' missus.

Joe, that's a point.

and remind me why we need to carry concealed guns in National Parks and bars, for example? Schools? Court Houses?

national parks: vicious chipmunks
bars: the band has it coming sometimes
schools: you won't hear a peep outa that home-ec teacher
court houses: the best defense is a good offense

LOL@ sturge

Good 1

Jack

Gun control seems to be one of those issue where there is never a middle ground in the debate and the nut cases rule.

Personally I believe that there is a second amendment right to own a gun. I , also berlieve that the second amendment allows for regulation of gun ownership.

The above statement makes me a pariah in both camps.

cajunjoe,

This may help your position.
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/20/group-legal-concealed-handguns-led-to-57-fatalities/

The Violence Policy Center, a Washington, D.C. gun control advocacy group, released a study Monday morning which outlines two years of violence by holders of concealed handgun permits.

The study finds that in 31 incidents from May 2007 through April 2009, legal gun owners killed 44 private citizens and seven police officers. In six of the incidents, the shooter later committed suicide.

From MSNBC:

In a letter signed today, New York’s Michael Bloomberg, Boston’s Thomas Menino, and hundreds of other mayors urge Congress to defeat the measure, now scheduled to come to the Senate floor as an amendment to a defense-spending bill. They claim it could make it much harder for police to determine who’s legally carrying guns.

“Ambiguity as to the legality of firearm possession could lead to confusion among police officers that could result in catastrophic incidences,” the mayors write. “Congress should be working to make the job of a police officer more safe, not less.”

Congress loves ambiguity so they don't have a real position that can be cited. I hate ambiguity!

whskyjack,

I agree with you position 100%. I also own 2 guns.

Love today's post!! *L* @ "Scare your pants off"

tt

Yeah -- agree with Jack. I don't understand why this is even an issue. Do the gun nuts WANT mental patients running around with weapons?

I expect my Senators (Dodd & Lieberman) and my Congressman (Joe Courtney) to read this Healthcare bill before voting on it. Am I being naieve?

Patsi,
The NRA does!

Oh -- remember when we were talking about that Fox guy and whether he was joking about the "other species" thing? UPDATE:

"Kilmeade and colleagues were discussing a study that had been conducted in Finland and Sweden, the results of which suggested that married people were less likely to suffer from Alzheimer's. Kilmeade dismissed that study, however, saying observations from Finland and Sweden wouldn't necessarily apply to Americans, because, "we keep marrying other species and other ethnics and other ..." After an interruption from his co-host, Kilmeade continued, "See, the problem is the Swedes have pure genes. Because they marry other Swedes .... Finns marry other Finns, so they have a pure society." (He then went on to say we married Italians and Irish -- ROFL!)

In his apology Kilmeade says, "I made comments that were offensive to many people. That was not my intention, and looking back at those comments, I realize they were inappropriate. For that, I sincerely apologize: America [is a] huge melting pot, and that is what makes us such a great country."

So....he wasn't joking.

Jack,
I'm on board with your position.

I'm a VietNam Vet
I've owned guns since I was about twelve
My son is an avid hunter, me not so much anymore
I actually believe the second amendment is pretty much as it says: States have the right to regulate militia, and guns,

This healthcare debate is confusing.

I think in part because the Dems have not laid out 3-5 bedrock principles that must be in any bill - and explain why those will improve the current system. (I know Obama has been seeking to keep his options open - but it is decision time.)

And in part because the GOP is actively attempting to confuse the issue and set up road blocks.

I thought each party had a much more coherent discussion on how to improve healthcare during their respective debates in the primaries.

This would be an excellent moment for Obama to show that he can most past some of the politics -- and sign into law a true bi-partisan bill.

(Well a guy can dream . . . can't he?)

"it's just ironic that gun control is now one area where the right WANTS the federal government to step in and provide a uniform regulation."

There goes federalism out the window.

We should just acknowledge that we are a results-based culture. ("not that there's anything wrong with that . . . ")

"The NRA does!"

Too true, PiT. It's all about sales.

"Maybe someone with more smarts than me can explain why the US isn't pushing EU to suspend trade with the regime in Iran,"

Because painting the US as the great Satan is how Ahkmadeenajad rose to power. Giving him a platform to push the hard-right nationalist agenda would only weaken the moderate resistance.

And I am all for a strict weapons embargo - but cutting off trade hurts poor people more than it hurts the ruling elite.

Warren: And for each of us, the results we want are those we think are the right ones! Now, if only we can agree on what those are.

I will say that reading Facebook comments from folks of all "stripes" -- it is frightening to see how many people are starting to buy the line that the GOP and "health" industry is selling. The whole "I could die under 'socialized' medicine" line of crappola.

Patsi,
Unless something big changes, we're all gonna die regardless!

That is a bunch of BS Patsi. And it distracts from the important things like how we are going to cut costs and how we are going to pay for the reform.

There are endless stories of people being denied care right now by insurance companies. (In fact, it is in the interest of insurance companies - in terms of the bottom line - to have people get less treatment for the amount of money they pay in.)

ROFL@CajunJo -- yep...we're all headed south eventually!

And Warren -- Obviously it's BS -- but I'm shocked at how many people go over the edge on the subject! To them it's all about someone trying to kill them and give away free care to illegals.

Pogo:

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245147

You highlighted some important columns.

I think the % of GDP we spend on healthcare could be looked at a couple of ways. One it is due to a distorted cost structure. But it could also mean that more people have access to care in the US. And people see doctors more often.

That number also means that any increase in the % of costs that govt picks up is a huge number in terms of real dollars. Giving some credence to some of the GOP's concerns.

Question: do we have to lose money on the public option?

Now obviously there will be a lot of low-income people on the plan. But you will also get a lot of young people and other insureds that will make their payments.

Now we have heard about all of the profits and overhead at private insurance companies. Would it be too much to ask to design a public option that just breaks even - or only takes a small hit.

I think a high % of our GDP spent on healthcare can be a good thing - especially if we get costs under control and thus more people are getting care. And if the bills are getting paid - we can employ more people in the medical profession and create jobs that can't be exported.

Bear, I agree with you re the Henry Louis Gates jr incidentm but he says he did say it. Maybe both sides got too het up too quickly.

It was nice to hear from you, Bear - it's always good to
get your input.

That same link to huffpost had another story re how Lundberg hates to hear Palin talk. He said it all, and I'm SO glad to have his description and explanation.
I am quite sincere that I literally CAN'T STAND to hear her speak because she shucks and jives and jukes with every other word, and I can't keep myself from trying to follow. As a result, I give her 5 to 10 words before I mute her, and I'm cutting down to 2 or 3.
her, and apoplexy isn't far off.

Sorry Pats - I meant to say "it IS BS!!" - as in here here!!

Not as in a condescending jackass telling you what you already know... ; )

well, I screwed that up should be : I can't keep myself from trying to follow her and apoplexy isn't far off.

ubns:

How bout if their staff reads it?

Two of the most important cultural/economic changes that occurred in the United States in the Twentieth Century were racial integration and the women's movement.

In each case there was a vastly underutilized 'resource' that, when brought into the mainstream of economic life, led to vast improvements in our productivity, innovation, consumption and economic growth. The led to a new periods of economic vitality by bringing more minds and muscles into the economic system.

It's not to be overlooked that one of the great problems of conservative Islamic society is that they don't benefit from the ingenuity and industry of literally half their population. Many of the economic and political problems of Africa can be traced to the degradation of women. Slavery and Caste societies will always be economically retarded.

Why does this matter now? Because the United States once again stands to make another 'great leap forward' through better utilization of our resources. This time, by dealing with three really difficult issues: fixing health care in this country; dealing with immigration and illegal immigrants; and dealing with energy consumption issues.

Each of these by itself is a daunting challenge. But, to the extent that we face up to these problems and make hard choices, we will eventually prosper. To the extent that we simply put them in the 'too difficult to deal with' file, we will be caught in an economic eddy. An eddy because, eventually, we will have to deal with them. These problems are inescapable.

Is it possible for us to come together to deal with any of all of them?

"I meant to say "it IS BS!!" - as in here here!!

Not as in a condescending jackass telling you what you already know... ; )"

HA! Warren -- I knew what you meant....it's just so much BS we can't use the term enough! I never think you are being condescending OR a jackass!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245182

HA Patsi
I agree, I new what Warren meant too...

Well said cajunjoe. Let's hope so...

Wrren -- to follow up on a point you made....I fear that we are continually being distracted by a laundry list of BS. The Republicans are adept at it.

CJ

I will put my money on fear and ignorance winning on 2 out of three
And on the third (energy) ignorance will be trumped by time and money.
I suspect that our energy policy will be closer to Sarah Palins then it will be to Dick Cheny or Cbobs.
For we will keep on consuming energy,( it is what keeps us going ) but we will gradually rearrange our energy portfolio

Jack

Remember, Obama changed his position on off shore drilling after polls showed that Americans were supporting it if it meant lower gas prices.

Jack

Jack,
Again I don't disagree with you. But, in time, dealing with these problems is inescapable.
CJ

CJ

Sturges friend and his discounted test say it all in my opinion.
Sad fact is they still charged him more than twice what they would charge my insurance company.

Insurance companies own the healthcare industry and they own the committe chairs where healthcare is coming out.
Nobody is taking about insurance regulation or these outrages price structures.

as to immigration it will change when the baby boomers going into the nursing home and realise it is better to have their messy ass cleaned by some immigrant grateful for the job then a native born who is resentful that it is the only job he is qualified for and he is not very qualified for that job.

Bedtime, I'm way to cynical tonight. but I feel we've been bought and sold.
4 more Americans are dead in Afganistan.

Jack

Jack,
Have a good night, man.
CJ

Posted by: jamie44.myopenid.com | July 20, 2009 8:19 AM : "Violent crime rates in major cities are falling. Why?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/19/AR2009071902154.html?nav=rss_email/components
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are all sorts of factorsw at play here. I think the most important is that the benefits of the ban on lead paint are showing up in the latest generation. Prisoners convicted of murder may be of any color or background. Until recently, their most commonly shared trait was high levels of lead.

Secondarily, a smaller population of 14 - 24 year olds. Brains don't stop growing until age 24, and by then the hormone levels have stabilized.

Third, so many of the bogeys have murdered each other, already. The abundance of high power, fast firing, and fast reloading weapons has made gang wars really successful in shrinking gangs.

Fourth, in many parts of the country, better police/citizen communication and community policing have led to more and better tips. Also, orange alerts, the abundance of cel/video phones, and inexpensive video cameras have all made the perp life way more dangerous.

It's time to get rid of Anti-Social medicine.

I just remembered a 5th reason for the drop in violent crime.

Crimes rates rose after dirty nixon was inaugurated in 1969. Those rates fell modestly during the Carter years. They rose again during the reagan bush regime, and fell dramatically under Clinton. When the bush/cheney junta was selected, the rates began to rise again. So obviously, one of the factors is the nation's abandonment of republican politics.

When it comes to crime prevention, a hand up always beats tough love.

Posted by: maxtrue | July 20, 2009 10:39 AM : "Let's publish the entire bill and spend a week vetting it. Let's have a national discussion of the numbers and consequence instead of the Liberal elite controlling the process."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
maxtrue wants to overturn the election. That makes him a moderate?

Posted by: Patsi | July 20, 2009 8:46 PM :
"I fear that we are continually being distracted by a laundry list of BS. The Republicans are adept at it."

As in, "Forget the health care coverage you think you need, LOOK AT THIS BIG UGLY FROG !"
,

For Jamie and Joe,

Sorry Joe is gone, but as I worked today I also thought of energy, immigration and healthcare as an essential and interrelated core. Although I was advocating this morning for an incremental phasing of healthcare and stimulus reforms that included environmental regulation, Medicaid/Medicare and Social Security, Joe’s three are useful headers working off the present deficit projections that require growth to solve.

I was also thinking about what Jamie had said this morning and actually in theory she has interesting insight. I say theory because I am not an expert and the following will sound rather infantile. So this combines what Joe said with what Jamie said. Here it goes and I hope I don’t bore the reader to tears…….

We know the uninsured who are not wealthy (LOL) need some coverage and their not going to the ER could offset the cost. Hospitals and doctors routinely deduct the inflated bills and the State/Fed loses revenue. This is the fastest increasing part of healthcare increases.

We know low income and Middle Class families who have insurance need help with the rising costs. But let’s look at the subset of small business and the self employed or even temporarily unemployed whose best options for the near term may be part time or free lancing. We could help them by offering a portable worker comp. When they get work the rate is adjusted on what they are doing and how much they are earning. In fact, there is probably nothing wrong with government dealing with worker comp because it seriously lowers the cost to the business. Without creating enormous government programs, the State could be in charge using the revenues gained by less ER tax deductions and more revenues from business who likewise don't deduct worker comp costs.

It would go something like this. All workers must be verified and covered by worker comp. A worker may get worker comp or the business can supply it. It would pay for business to hire legal workers with comp and the penalty for not doing so could be stiff. Business with high paying salaries could afford their own comp and even their own medical coverage.

This would effectively keep illegals out of the work force. The fed would inspect the State systems and get the crap out of them thus helping the State control cost. This would be under the Commerce Clause because of the interstate issues involved. Once a worker had their own worker comp whether filing as employed or self-employed, they could get a basic single pay medical plan based on the pool of single pay worker comps.

The Constitution doesn't say that business HAS to provide insurance. By making the worker, "worker ready", business will be more inclined to hire thus less unemployed and more tax revenue. Rates could be based on salary. In fact, the IRS would find keeping track easier.

This pretty much solves the immigration problem because worker comp enforces compliance of labor laws. Then better borders and the toughness in getting a job for the illegal worker will lower illegal immigration and the fears that Amnesty will not solve the current 13 million illegal immigration problem.

So in theory, without government providing medical insurance, States can provide worker comp and portable insurance instead of throwing it on small business. Add this to the Feds helping to provide coverage for the poor (basic coverage) from an extension of medicare/medicaid paid for in part by less ER visits. States can make insurers working in their State provide a basic plan for worker comp/medical and reduce the emergency room visits. Less fraud and illegals supplies a revenue stream.

As more Lower and Middle Class workers opt for this alternative (they are more desirable and can even become sel-employed and benefit from the allowable tax deductions) which private insurers provide, private individuals and business can still if they want continue to use the same insurers for a more gold plated coverage because they are willing to pay somewhat more. This is the case in Mass, but without the worker comp. If you take that cost away from business, then they have more cash to afford a better medical policy for employees or they can pay them more and they can get their own. Given the pool they enjoy now, they might want to stay with a company plan.

In the proposed plan however I believe, the basic plan is not so great and still becomes competitive with better plan that shrinks as their pool shrinks and business is strained by rising worker comp costs. Instead the idea above saves enough money to push people towards the better plan and not instead everyone eventually falling to the lesser plan.

Now without taxing everyone or rationing what can provide the short fall until the systems restabilizes? And this is where Joe is correct. It is achieved is by a gradual lowering of energy costs. This besides healthcare is the biggest drag. Lowering energy costs, exporting the technology, benefiting by clean and alternative energy progress, creating new manufacturing powered by cheaper energy will increase GDP. Without lowering energy costs, solving immigration (which I just did through the enforcement/amnesty part of the worker comp issue above) and bringing in needed labor, lowering energy and production costs, we simply are swimming in circles..

The key above is that private insurance, State power, Federal regulation and energy development, and immigration reform all act in concert to re stabilize the economy on a new level where entrepreneurial and market forces can once generate innovation.

Of course I haven’t plugged in any numbers but it sounds pretty, doesn’t it? The danger as I see it is creating a two tier system of care, which MAss soes suffer from, but the idea is that this plan adds worker comp and with lower energy costs and immigration solved, the revenue stream increases as we iron out the bumps.

Wishful thinking?

"maxtrue wants to overturn the election. That makes him a moderate?"

xr, I don't know if it makes him a moderate or not, but he does like to discuss what things would be like had there been a different outcome in the past election.

And btw haven't we been vetting health care reform for decades.

illegal immigrants ? find them '' track em down'' leave no stone unturned''' and when they do find them''
swear them on the spot as U.S citizens 'issue a
social security number and tax I.D. number' start
collecting revenue from their wages .
after they get their first check stub they might rethink
the coming to america idea' but at least they would be
contributors to the system instead of a drain on public
services

except for this cap and trade idea '' which is'nt going
anywhere '' obama's energy policy seems to be same
as bush's '' maintain 200000 plus soldiers stationed
in the middle east'' the 5th fleet on never ending patrol in the persian gulf to insure the safe transit of the
oil tankers'' holding hands or bowing down to the suadi king''spending 700billion a year on middle eastern oil''
we might have to lighten up on our environmental concerns and exploit our own natural resources'
long enough to make the transition into green technologies' but we won't be able to do anything if we are completely and utterly broke

to restate one point ' i never again in my lifetime wish to see the spectacle of a United States president
cheek kissing '' holding hands or bowing to a suadi king'' it might be their tradition '' but it sure as hell ain't
ours

and once again i seem to be the smartest person here.could be everybody else has sense enough to be in bed this time of night.

Good morning mqw. You aren't the only one awake in these wee hours. I got a call from the jail that they suspect a inmate I sent to the hospital yesterday afternoon of having H1N1.

I only sent him in because he is HIV and had a low oxygen saturation. I needed a quick chest x-ray. I saw my first flu case Friday and suspected H1N1 because it's too early for the regular flu. I checked with infection control at the hospital and they aren't even monitoring cases anymore.

The jail called me at 2am and said they tested the inmate, suspect that virus and now I suspect there will be a major panic today at work. I couldn't go back to sleep

well i'll settle for second smartest

i was reading that former pres.carter has split with the southern baptist church due to their treatment and attitudes towards women'
say what you want about his presidency'' he has always been a honest stand up guy who stands by his convictions no matter who it pisses off

mqw -- Agree on President Carter...

GOP Focuses the Propaganda:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072002273.html

Health Induustry Buys Congress:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072003363.html

And in Tennessee, we're packing heat in bars:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090721/NEWS0201/907210344/Many+Tennessee+restaurants+will+ban+guns

I remember opening the paper in nashville one day in 81 or so and seeing a picture above the fold which was taken in a nashville courtroom in which they had recreated the inside of a beer joint out on dickerson pike.....two chairs at a small table next to a piece of wall on the other side of which was a toilet.....there were policemen sitting in the chairs by the table and a lady policeman sitting on the toilet. They were attempting to re-create what happened after two goobers came down out of the area around nashville to see the town......first thing they did was buy a .357 pistol from somebody and then went out to the beer joint on dickerson.......they began drinking beer, of course, and then later after they'd had a few they began to argue over who got to hold the pistol, or who actually owned the pistol......anyway, long story short the gun went off and killed a lady sitting on the toilet.........

"they suspect a inmate I sent to the hospital yesterday afternoon of having H1N1"

ct, hope you are ok. have you and the healthcare folks in those parts been vacinated?

sturge, your trial story shows that, idiomatically speaking, the tennessee bar scene went down the toilet a lot sooner than we knew.

ROFL, Sturge and patd! I swear to God this is an insane time in Tennessee! When I moved here in 1983 I cracked up because a legislator got reelected from his jail cell (tax evasion). I remember calling friends in Colorado and telling them Tennessee was my kind of state. I don't know what exactly happened...maybe the Blanton nightmare...but it's not just Republican or right wing now -- it's a loony bin.

"Kilmeade dismissed that study, however, saying observations from Finland and Sweden wouldn't necessarily apply to Americans, because, "we keep marrying other species and other ethnics and other ..."

patsi, did he mean the irish and italians are "other species"? some sort of beastiality thing going on in his so-called mind?

Pat, there is no vaccine for H1N1 yet. They are still working on it. Most of the medical department had the regular flu vaccine last fall.

I am not as worried about this flu as I am about how the inmates are going to react to the news. They just love an excuse to act out. I only ended up with one more hour of sleep so they better not test me today.

" did he mean the irish and italians are "other species"? some sort of beastiality thing going on in his so-called mind?"

Patd -- When I first read the story last week -- or whenever he said it -- I assumed he was just so stupid he didn't understand "species." A few were willing to cut him some slack and thought he was joking....but I've seen that guy several times and he is truly a moron. So I stayed with my original thought: he doesn't even "get" the difference between species and ethnicity. I think he really IS that dumb.

Carol -- maybe you better wear a mask today!

Patsi, I don't really think that would make anyone feel more comfortable.

Harvard professor Gates arrested at Cambridge home

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/07/20/harvard_professor_gates_arrested_at_cambridge_home/

I rarely like policemen. Sorry this happened but even sorrier that Sharpton wants to jump in. His involvement often seems deflect the focus. I'm sure the Profs. can handle it themselves., I see Gates all the time- he gets his coffee down the st. from me. Nice guy.

Still hoping to post messages from TMers to Obama on my 2nd story porch. I haven't received an approval from Craig yet, but hope you all are thinking of clever messages to Obama.

OSH -- I agree....too bad Sharpton smelled a tv opportunity. He's just a disgrace.

Carol -- You're probably right -- a mask might cause a panic. Not a pretty concept.

Hey Patsi, how are you? Don't seem to be here when you are- glad your book is going well.

OSH --I had a similar incident at my house regarding race and a neighbor. My son and three of his HS football pals were wrestling in the yard...a woman called the police and said three black guys were mugging a white guy "right here in Green Hills!" So cops drove up and pulled guns, made them drop to the ground, and my son ultimately had to actually go inside (with a cop) to show him a family photo and show them he lived there. To say that I was furious is a HUGE understatement.

Sturge- I've had 2 hammocks , both discarded from someone I gardened for. She didn't like them when they weren't pristine white. I finally had to throw my last one out, just couldn't fix it anymore. I love those hammocks. I'm working a minimum of 12 hours a day and figured I needed one for my health- elevate my feet in between batches. How's that for rationalization.

Holy shit Patsi. Bet they wished they hadn't done that after you were finished with them!

Holy shit Patsi. Bet they wished they hadn't done that after you were finished with them!

OSH -- I hope the book is doing okay -- they never tell me anything.

Patsi- Dang- I hate that. I thought its getting a lot of press , isn't it?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/opinion/21brooks.html?th&emc=th
"Liberal Suicide March"

I read this piece from D.Brooks and the piece Patsi posted from WAPO above..Its getting me worried....

"We’re only in the early stages of the liberal suicide march, but there already have been three phases. First, there was the stimulus package. You would have thought that a stimulus package would be designed to fight unemployment and stimulate the economy during a recession. But Congressional Democrats used it as a pretext to pay for $787 billion worth of pet programs with borrowed money. Only 11 percent of the money will be spent by the end of the fiscal year — a triumph of ideology over pragmatism.

Then there is the budget. Instead of allaying moderate anxieties about the deficits, the budget is expected to increase the government debt by $11 trillion between 2009 and 2019.

Finally, there is health care. Every cliché Ann Coulter throws at the Democrats is gloriously fulfilled by the Democratic health care bills. The bills do almost nothing to control health care inflation. They are modeled on the Massachusetts health reform law that is currently coming apart at the seams precisely because it doesn’t control costs. They do little to reward efficient providers and reform inefficient ones."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-20/the-health-care-wimps/

"The Health-Care Wimps"

"What is the problem with the Democrats? Why, with a commanding majority in the House and a fillibuster-proof 60 seats in the Senate, are they unable to make good on the Obama administration’s central political priority: a new, universal health-care system for the nation, something Democrats have been trying and failing to pass since Harry Truman proposed one in 1948?

Well, any question that begins with the phrase “What’s wrong with the Democrats…” tends to have multiple and overlapping responses. But in this case, most of them can be summed up in a single word: “fear.” Democrats fear 1994, when popular discontent with the Clinton administration, symbolized by “Hillarycare,” led to catastrophe in the midterm elections. Those who lost their seats were almost all among the most vulnerable Democrats from red or purple states—of the kind who managed to squeak out victories in 2008. Hence the Republican focus in their attacks on the districts of moderate Democrats."

"Bet they wished they hadn't done that after you were finished with them!"

Well, I wish I could say that I made any difference, but the police basically told me to STFU when I called and protested. To tell you the truth, I was thrilled that all the boys did exactly as they were told, and dropped to the ground. I fear what might have happened if they hadn't.

About the book -- yes it had some good press...and I think it's doing okay -- but you never really know what's going on unless it's a huge bestseller. Just hope it has steady sales.

Tony -- these Blue Dogs are dismal. They'll be every bit as bad about health reform as the Republicans.

mornin'

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/harry-and-louise-switch-sides.html#comment-245173

warren - the two most dramatic columns in that article as I see it are the % of GDP spent on healthcare versus the % of healthcare paid for by the gov - almost the highest versus far and away the lowest. We may have greater access to healthcare, although absent data to back that up I don't concede that point. But even if we do, it does not translate into outcomes - and that is the Achilles heel of our health system from my perspective.

I saw John McCain holding forth withthe newest Repug talking points this morning. What an a$$hole. Thank god the American people hated either him or Dippy enough to tell them to go back and do their other jobs.